[Marin-Amat and inverted Marcus-Gunn syndrome. Two case reports]

Marin-Amat's syndrome is a rare associated movement, wherein contraction of orbicularis oculi is brought about by opening of the jaw in association with aberrant regeneration of facial nerve. This is the opposite of the Marcus-Gunn phenomenon; hence it has also been called Inverted Marcus-Gunn Phenomenon. Moreover in this case the opened the mouth or moved the jaw, the eye would close. This phenomenon is congenital and the closure of the eye is due to inhibition of the levator palpebrae superioris. We present two cases, one acquired after the surgery of tuberculosus cervical adenitis and other congenital with reference to the presentation, course and treatment. This entity is rare in children, with few reported cases, although probably will be found more frequently if looked for carefully. The diagnosis is clinical and does not require additional tests, although EMG may be useful to demonstrate the synkinesis.

Neutrophil defensins: their possible role in allergic asthma

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil defensins, originally identified as broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides, have been implicated in the regulation of inflammatory and immunological processes.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether the in vitro challenge of neutrophils from patients with bronchial asthma with allergens stimulated the release of alpha-defensins and whether levels released were dependent on lung infections.

METHOD

The neutrophils were cultivated with different agonists and the concentration of alpha-defensin in cell-free supernatant was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Neutrophils from allergic patients released alpha-defensins via an allergen-dependent mechanism. Our results indicate that the in vitro activation of neutrophils is highly allergen-specific. In this context, allergens other than those which produced clinical symptoms did not elicit alpha-defensin release, and allergens had no effect on neutrophils from healthy donors. However, neutrophils from both allergic patients and healthy controls were able to release alpha-defensins upon treatment with PMA. In the allergen-stimulated neutrophils, cells from asthmatic patients stimulated with a sensitizing allergen showed a significantly higher production of alpha-defensin under respiratory tract infection than cells from the same patients without such an infection.

CONCLUSION

Neutrophils from allergic patients release alpha-defensins via an allergen-dependent mechanism.

Usefulness of Video-EEG monitoring in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the characteristics of patients on whom long-term Video-EEG monitoring is performed in a specialist centre and to assess its suitability to study refractory epilepsy patients.

METHODS

A prospective analysis and study of Video-EEG monitoring was performed in a series of 100 refractory epilepsy patients from a single centre. The analysis included demographic data, the time until the first seizure, the methods used to provoke seizures, and the outcome (usefulness, change in the management, pharmacological and surgical improvement). A subgroup analysis based on diagnosis was performed.

RESULTS

The study was performed mainly on young people (mean 34.4 years) and the first seizure appeared in a mean of 30hours, requiring most of the patients to withdraw the medication. Nevertheless, there were no cases of status epilepticus. The usefulness of the test was high in all the groups. The management was changed in 65% of the patients with pharmacological and surgical improvement.

CONCLUSION

Long-term Video-EEG monitoring is a suitable test to study refractory epilepsy patients. The main problem in our country is accesibility.

In vitro development of bovine embryos cultured with activin A

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of activin A on development, differential cell counts and apoptosis/necrosis rates of bovine embryos produced in vitro. Presumptive zygotes were cultured up to Day 8 in synthetic oviduct fluid containing aminoacids, citrate, myo-inositol and BSA. In Experiment 1, activin (10 ng mL(-1)) was added: 1/from Day 1 to Day 3; 2/from Day 1 to Day 8; 3/from Day 3 to Day 8; or 4/absent (control). In Experiment 2, 10 ng mL(-1) activin were added either before (Day 3 to Day 5) or after (Day 5 to Day 8) the early morula stage. In Experiment 1, activin during the first 72 h of culture reduced Day 3 cleavage, 5-8 cell rates and blastocyst development, while hatching rates increased. No changes were observed within differential cell counts. In experiment 2, activin improved blastocyst development after, and had no effect before, the Day 5 morula stage. However, trophectoderm (TE) cell numbers decreased with activin both before and after the Day 5 morula stage, suggesting that activin inhibits TE differentiation. The presence of activin during the whole culture had no effect on TUNEL positive cells, but when added at shorter periods activin increased apoptotic rates. Effects of activin during in vitro bovine embryo development, depends on timing of its addition to the culture medium.

Wallerian degeneration in the corticospinal tract evaluated by diffusion tensor imaging correlates with motor deficit 30 days after middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The quantification and clinical significance of WD in CSTs following supratentorial stroke are not well understood. We evaluated the anisotropy by using DTI and signal-intensity changes on conventional MR imaging in the CST to determine whether these findings are correlated with limb motor deficit in patients with MCA ischemic stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We studied 60 patients within 12 hours of stroke onset. At admission, day 3, and day 30 of evolution, patients underwent multimodal MR imaging, including DTI sequences. We assessed the severity of limb weakness by using the motor subindex scores (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) of the m-NIHSS and established 3 groups: I (m-NIHSS scores of 0), II (m-NIHSS, 1-4), and III (m-NIHSS, 5-8). FA values and rFAs were measured on the affected and the unaffected CSTs in the pons.

RESULTS

FA values for the CST were significantly lower on the affected side compared with the unaffected side only at day 30 (P < .001), and the rFA was significantly correlated with the motor deficit at day 30 (P < .001; r = -0.793). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for motor deficit by rFA < 0.925 were 95.2%, 94.9%, 90.9%, and 97.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

WD in the CST revealed by DTI correlates with motor deficit 30 days after MCA ischemic stroke. This study highlights the utility of imaging follow-up at 30 days and the potential of DTI as a surrogate marker in clinical trials.

Multiple paternal origins of domestic cattle revealed by Y-specific interspersed multilocus microsatellites

In this study, we show how Y-specific interspersed multilocus microsatellites, which are loci that yield several amplified bands differing in size from the same male individual and PCR reaction, are a powerful source of information for tracing the history of cattle. Our results confirm the existence of three main groups of sires, which are separated by evolutionary time and clearly predate domestication. These three groups are consistent with the haplogroups previously identified by Götherström et al. (2005) using five Y-specific segregating sites: Y1 and Y2 in taurine (Bos taurus) cattle and Y3 in zebu (Bos indicus) cattle. The zebu cattle cluster clearly originates from a domestication process that was geographically and temporally separated from that of taurine clusters. Our analyses further suggest that: (i) introgression of wild sire genetic material into domesticated herds may have a significant role in the formation of modern cattle, including the formation of the Y1 haplogroup; (ii) a putative domestication event in Africa probably included local Y2-like wild sires; (iii) the West African zebu cattle Y-chromosome may have partially originated from an ancient introgression of humped cattle into Africa; and (iv) the high genetic similarity among Asian zebu sires is consistent with a single domestication process.

156 IN VITRO DEVELOPMENT OF BOVINE MORULAE PRODUCED AND/OR CULTURED WITH ACTIVIN

We reported that the presence of activin during in vitro culture improves embryo development without changing the cell distribution in the blastocyst (Díez et al. 2009 AETE in press). In the present work, we aimed to analyze the morula stage as a putative milestone to activin exert differential effects. Day -5 morulae were produced with IVMFC oocytes from abattoir ovaries, using SOF with amino acids, myo-inositol, and 3 g L-1 of BSA as a culture medium. Embryo culture contained 10 ng mL-1 or 0 ng mL-1 of activin from Day -3 to Day -5. Early morulae (n = 543 out of 1099 cultured oocytes) were selected and subsequently cultured with or without 10 ng mL-1 of activin up to Day -8. Embryo development was daily monitored and cells differentially counted in Day -8 expanded blastocysts. (Thouas et al. 2001 Reprod. Biomed. 2001 3, 25-29). Data were analyzed by general linear model and presented as least squares means ± SEM. Activin from Days 3 to 5 did not change Day -5 morulae rates (P > 0.8). In morulae produced without activin (Days 5 to 8 and control), a treatment with activin from Days 5 to 8 improved total blastocyst rates v. controls, both in Day -7 and Day -8 (50.9 ± 3.6 v. 32.6 ± 3.6 and 60.8 ± 2.9 v. 42.3 ± 2.9, respectively; P < 0.01). Similarly, Day -7 expansion rates with activin (Days 5 to 8) were higher than controls (14.6 ± 1.8 v. 8.6 ± 1.8; P < 0.03). However, the above effects were not the same as those observed in morulae produced with activin (Days 3 to 5 and Days 3 to 8), where blastocyst development between activin treatment and controls only significantly differed in expansion rates on Day -7 (14.9 ± 1.8 v. 5.8 ± 1.8, respectively; P < 0.03). Morulae treated with activin (Days 5 to 8) yielded Day -7, total and expanded blastocyst rates, higher than morulae produced with activin (Days 3 to 5) (50.9 ± 3.6 v. 37.4 ± 3.6 and 14.6 ± 5.8 v. 5.8 ± 1.8, respectively; P < 0.03). Expansion rates on Day -8 were numerically higher within morulae produced and/or treated with activin (Days 3 to 8, Days 5 to 8, and Days 3 to 5) (values between 26.7 ± 2.6 and 27.4 ± 2.6) than in controls without activin at any time (19.2 ± 2.6) (P > 0.05). Trophectoderm (TE) cell numbers were reduced in embryos produced and/or treated with activin (Days 3 to 8, Days 3 to 5, and Days 5 to 8) (values between 109.4 ± 7.6 and 115.3 ± 7.9) as compared with untreated controls (141.2 ± 10.1) (P < 0.05). In morulae produced without activin, total cell counts were lower with activin being present from Day -5 to Day -8 (154.0 ± 8.8 v. 128.4 ± 7.2; P < 0.05). Inner cell mass (ICM) and ICM/total cell ratio were not affected by the presence of activin (P > 0.05). Activin did not change Day -5 morulae rates, although subsequent blastocyst development was in part affected by the presence of activin before the morula stage. Interestingly, improvements in blastocyst development, including expansion rates, triggered by activin led to reduced TE and unaltered ICM cell counts, suggesting that activin inhibits TE differentiation. Support: Cajastur (B. Trigal). MCINN: M. Muñoz (RYC08-03454); D. Martín (PTA2007-0268-I); INIA (I. Molina); Project HF2007-0126.

351 POLARIZED LIGHT MICROSCOPY: DETECTION OF MICROTUBULES AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE VIABILITY OF IN VITRO-MATURED PORCINE OOCYTES

The meiotic spindle in the oocyte is composed of microtubules and plays an important role during chromosome alignment and separation at meiosis. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) is used as a tool in human and, recently, in farm animals assisted reproductive technologies. PLM could be useful for a non-invasive evaluation of the meiotic spindle. The objectives of the present study were to assess the efficiency of PLM to detect microtubule-polymerized protein within in vitro-matured porcine oocytes and to examine the effects of PLM on the oocyte developmental competence. Cumulus-oocyte complexes from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured in vitro for 42 h as described by Gil et al. (2004 Theriogenology 62, 544-552). In the first experiment, a total of 97 oocytes from 6 replicates were placed individually in 10-μL drops of TCM-199-Hepes-FCS in a glass Petri dish. PLM was used to detect the presence of polymerized protein which could be forming a meiotic spindle. The presence of polymerized protein and a meiotic spindle was confirmed in individual oocytes by inmunostaining and chromatin detection as described by Morató et al. (2008 Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75, 191-201). In the second experiment, a total of 160 oocytes from 4 replicates were exposed or not (controls) to PLM for 10 minutes. Thereafter, the oocytes were parthenogenetically activated and cultured in vitro. Cleavage rate, total blastocyst rate, expanded blastocyst rate on Day 7 and total cell numbers in expanded blastocysts were assessed. Data were analyzed by GLM procedure of SAS. There was a positive correlation (r = 1; P < 0.0001) between the signal obtained by PLM and the presence of microtubule-polymerized protein as confirmed by inmunostaining. A positive PLM signal was detected in 98.9% of the oocytes. A barrel-shape spindle was observed in 94.8% of the individual samples by inmunostaining and all of these oocytes were positive to PLM. Moreover, oocytes exposed to PLM did not differ significantly from controls on cleavage rate (83.7 ± 1.5 v. 84.4 ± 1.5), total blastocyst rate (36.9 ± 3.6 v. 41.2 ± 3.6) and expanded blastocyst rate on Day 7 (21.9 ± 1.7 v. 26.2 ± 1.7), respectively. There were also no differences in total cell numbers counted in expanded blastocysts (32.8 ± 2.6 v. 35.6 ± 2.5). These results indicate that polarized light microscopy did not exert detrimental effects on porcine oocyte developmental competence and it seems an efficient system to detect polymerized protein in in vitro-matured porcine oocytes. Grant support: INIA: RZ2007-00013-00-00. I. Molina, M. Muñoz, B. Trigal and D. Martín are sponsored by INIA, RYC08-03454, Cajastur and PTA2007-0268-I, respectively.

[Carotid endarterectomy: description, results and clinic evolution in 100 consecutive symptomatic patients]

INTRODUCTION

The efficacy of endarterectomy in symptomatic carotid stenosis greater than 70% in secondary stroke prevention has been demonstrated although the benefit is dependent upon the perioperative morbidity and mortality risk. Despite the recommendation that the results of centres regularly practicing endarterectomies be analysed and reported, few studies have in fact been published. The aim of our study was to analyze the incidence of surgical complications from carotid endarterectomy at our hospital and to describe the stroke profile of the operated patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

100 consecutive patients submitted to carotid endarterectomy between 2002 and 2006 were included. We recorded stroke risk factors, clinical presentation, ultrasonography findings including transcranial and carotid eco-Doppler, neuroimaging, intra and perioperative complications including mortality- stroke rate, and clinical outcome at three months. We compare our results with the NASCET, ECST and Spanish published series.

RESULTS

Males predominated (74 % vs 26 %). The mean age was 70+/-8.5 years with 36 % of patients older than 75 years. Arterial hypertension was the most common vascular risk factor (74%), 14% had a critical contralateral carotid stenosis or occlusion. Stroke was the most frequent clinical presentation (67 %). The most commonly detected intraoperatory and postoperatory complication was subclinical haemodynamic changes (67% and 45% respectively). Cranial nerve lesions were the most usual local complication. Four patients suffered stroke recurrence, leading to death in one. A further patient died due to a reperfusion syndrome. The rate of stroke-mortality at three months was 5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Morbidity and mortality related to carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic stenosis greater than 70 % was within guideline ranges. Surgical risk at every centre should be periodically evaluated in order to guarantee that acceptable standards are maintained.

Embryonic stem cells in cattle

Because of the potential use of embryonic stem cells (ESC), especially for genetic modifications, there is great interest in establishing domestic animals-related ESCs. Unfortunately, despite considerable efforts, validated ESC lines in species other than mice and primates are yet to be isolated. In this paper, we will summarize the current knowledge on bovine ESCs in an attempt to understand why derivation of domestic animal ESC is still unsuccessful and we will discuss some promising future approaches.