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Biomedical subjects

G Reiner

Publications and source records attributed to G Reiner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Genetic resistance to Sarcocystis miescheriana in pigs following experimental infection.

Clinical and parasitological traits of Sarcocystis miescheriana differ in Pietrain and Meishan pigs. For further description and characterization of the genetic basis of this variation a F(2) family based on Pietrain boars and Meishan sows as founders was generated. One hundred and thirty-nine F(2) pigs were challenged orally at an age of 100 days with 50,000 sporozysts to produce the typical clinical picture of a moderate dose Sarcocystis infection. Heritabilities were estimated for clinical and clinical-chemical traits, for specific antibody responses to the infection and for bradyzoite numbers found in skeletal (Musculus longissimus dorsi: M.l.d.) and heart muscles at necropsy 70 days post-infection (p.i.) Apart from several low to moderate heritabilities, high heritabilities were observed for bradyzoite numbers in the M.l.d. (0.68), IgM antibody levels (0.74) during the acute (14 days p.i.) and titres of specific IgG antibodies (0.42) in the early stage of cyst formation (42 days p.i.). Marked heritabilities of these traits, which are basic for acute phase of the disease (14 days p.i.) or chronic Sarcocystosis presume genes that explain sufficient shares of variance (QTL). The model is considered valuable for screening of gene variants associated with resistance/susceptibility to Sarcocystis infection. Such gene variants could then be used in susceptibility-scoring or selection programs in the future.

Animals↗

[Product quality and genome analysis in pig production--a review].

Product quality in the pig is defined by the choice of lean meat including a reasonable intramuscular fat content and good water binding capacity, which can be produced and marketed at a reasonable price, based on good fattening performance and disease resistance. Traits of product quality are mostly of polygenic character, while some of these genes show larger effects. Genome analysis intends to identify the genetic basis of phenotypic trait variation and to complement conventional phenotypic selection criteria by direct regarding of the nucleotide level, thus marker assisted selection. The present paper describes the most important markers in use to improve product quality in swine, and shows perspectives of genome analysis in this regard, including positional and functional strategies.

Animals↗

Variation in clinical and parasitological traits in Pietrain and Meishan pigs infected with Sarcocystis miescheriana.

Future prophylaxis needs new concepts, including natural disease resistance of hosts against infectious agents. Genomic approaches to detect and improve disease resistance in farm animals and the molecular mechanisms involved in host-parasite interactions depend to a high degree on the trait differences between founder breeds, i.e. on the animal model. The present study evaluates differences in susceptibility/resistance against Sarcocystis miescheriana in the European Pietrain (PI) and the Chinese Meishan (ME) pig breeds, based on 25 individuals, infected orally with 5x10(4) sporocysts of S. miescheriana. Significant differences appeared in clinical, serological, haematological and parasitological findings. The major discriminating period post infection (p.i.) was between days 42 and 45. Severity of signs was negatively correlated with specific immunoglobulin titres during the first 3 weeks p.i. and positively with the load of bradyzoites in muscle tissues of the pigs. Loads of bradyzoites in muscle tissues were 20 times higher in PI than in ME. Sarcocystis-specific differences between the two breeds were in the range of 1-2 standard deviations. The study lays the foundation for further experiments to analyse chromosomal regions, candidate genes, and thus the molecular basis of Sarcocystis susceptibility/resistance as a model for host-parasite interaction in protozoan infectious disease.

Animals↗

Indications of associations of the porcine FOS proto-oncogene with skeletal muscle fibre traits.

Skeletal muscle fibre characteristics are key determinants of meat quality. High fibre diameters and shifting towards higher white fibre proportions lead to increasing R-values (degree of desamination of adenosine) and lactate-production, resulting in high incidences of pale, soft, exudative (PSE) meat and stress susceptibility in European and American pig breeds. Development of muscle fibres including their enzymes, is regulated by the MyoD-gene family together with transcription factors like FOS. We report on the associations between the chromosomal region of FOS with skeletal muscle fibre and metabolism traits. The BB genotype representing the European Pietrain breed had 10.9% more white fibres with fibre diameters decreased by 6.1%, with 3.9% higher R-values and 8.5% higher lactate levels than the AA genotype of the Chinese Meishan. Lactate levels and R-values per microm of fibre diameter were increased to 18.4 and 11.6% in the BB genotype. The contrast between the two quantitative trait loci (QTL) alleles associated with a polymorphism in the FOS gene explained up to 5.13% of the total variance. A new TaiI-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) connected to a Asn258/Ser mutation, located in a transcription activator region, was used to map FOS between markers S0115 and Sw581 on SSC7. The QTLs for skeletal muscle fibre and metabolism traits have been mapped to the marker interval around FOS. The present data suggest that variability in FOS gene may underlie phenotypic variation in skeletal muscle fibre and metabolism traits in the pig.

Alleles↗

Increased absorption rate of diclofenac from fast acting formulations containing its potassium salt.

Diclofenac (CAS 15307-86-5) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug largely used, mainly to relief pain of various origin. Diclofenac is present on the market as free acid, as sodium salt (CAS 15307-79-6) and as potassium salt (CAS 15307-81-0). The last salification form has shown a prompter absorption rate and a faster onset of analgesic activity than the acid form and sodium salt. This paper extensively reviews three trials carried out on healthy volunteers, where potassium salt of diclofenac present in three fast-acting formulations, namely sachets (Trial 1), tablets (Trial 2) and oral drops (Trial 3), were compared to reference tablet formulations from the market. A very fast absorption rate was encountered with the three test formulations, with the peak reached in one case 5 min and in most cases within 10-15 min after dosing. The quick absorption rate of test formulations was attributed to the special combination of the salt of diclofenac with a dynamic buffering agent, namely bicarbonate, present in the test formulations and covered by an international patent. The prompt absorption of diclofenac from the new fast-acting formulations was accompanied by the presence of only one peak, whereas the reference formulations produced in most cases two peaks, as widely described in literature. This finding suggested the hypothesis that the absorption of test formulations should occur in a shorter tract of the gut. The faster absorption of diclofenac from the three fast-acting formulations is expected to produce a faster onset of analgesic action, which highlights these new formulations as particularly indicated to relief pain of any origin.

Adult↗

[Anastomosis protection and preservation of continence in the surgical treatment of rectal carcinoma].

AIMS: To find clues to a risk-adjusted therapy with regard to the use of protective colostomies and the value of Hartmann-resection. METHODS: In 108 patients with rectal cancer the results of surgical treatment were examined during a period from 1996 to 1998. RESULTS: One surgeon always performed a defunctioning colostomy in low anterior resection if the patients were male with lower and advanced tumors after preoperative radiation, while others carried out anastomotic protection in none of these patients. Anastomotic dehiscence never occurred in these patients, but in male patients with more proximal tumors and without preoperative radiation. Overall, preoperative radiation did not result in a higher rate of complications and local recurrence never occurred. Nineteen patients with high comorbidity underwent Hartmann-resection as a therapy with assumed lower risk for postoperative complications when compared with abdomino-perineal resection. The postoperative mortality rate of 16% was well above the mean postoperative mortality of 4.6%. Local recurrence occurred in 31% in comparison with 16% after abdomino-perineal resection, but all of these patients were operated on for obstructing node-positive T4-tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Technical difficulties in performing a low rectal anastomosis should be more important for the indication of anastomotic protection than generalizing guidelines. Preoperative short-term radiation is safe and has a beneficial effect on local recurrence. The Hartmann-resection is advisable only in patients with colonic obstruction and locally advanced tumors and in patients with a markedly higher comorbidity, in whom the risk of an anastomosis is not justified.

Adult↗

Determination of the clearance factor for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents during the manufacturing process of polygeline.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety of polygeline, a gelatine-derived plasma substitute produced from bovine bones, in terms of safety for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by evaluating the ability of the manufacturing process of polygeline to eliminate agents related to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) through the validation of three main production steps. DESIGN: Laboratory scale experimental process (in duplicate) using 20% hamster-adapted 263K scrapie-infected brain homogenate as infective titrated source (10(9) LD50/2 ml), added to each material before being processed and titrated in hamsters. Experiment 1: time/temperature dependency of gelatine autoclaving. Experiment 2: cross-linking and distillation. Experiment 3: final sterilization. Monitoring period: 1 year with daily animal clinical observation. Histology of all brains. SETTING: LCG-RBM laboratories, Italy; strict GLP compliance. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Heating the gelatine (at conditions lower than those used in production process) was very effective in inactivating the infectivity of TSE agents. Clearance factors were reproducible, dependent upon time and temperature, reaching a total theoretical process clearance in the range of 9.2-13.8 [6.9 + 2.3 (+ 4.6)] log10 LD50. CONCLUSIONS: These experimental results provide further important data confirming the safety of the procedural steps; this complements the safety due to the careful sourcing of the raw material. There is high assurance that there is no significant risk of TSE transmission to humans by the therapeutic administration of polygeline.

Animals↗

Cloning, structural organization, and chromosomal assignment of the porcine c-fos proto-oncogene, FOS.

The complete porcine c-fos proto-oncogene (FOS) with flanking regions was cloned and sequenced. FOS consists of four exons at amino acids 1-47, 48-131, 132-167, and 168-380 and includes all the typical motifs of the fos proto-oncogene. The promoter contains consensus sequences for CRE, SRE, CaRE, and the E-Box, as well as an AP-1 site. Homologies between human and swine were between 89.7% and 96.3% in the exons. Based on somatic cell hybrid panel screening and known homologies between swine chromosome 7 and human chromosome 14, the porcine c-fos gene was assigned to chromosome 7q23.

Animals↗

Isolation and characterization of the porcine c-myc proto-oncogene and chromosomal assignment to SSC 4p13.

The proto-oncogene c-myc codes for a nuclear phosphoprotein, a transcription factor composed of the typical basic/helix-loop-helix/leucine zipper domains. Its expression is coupled to a multitude of physiological processes and regulated by a variety of hormones, growth factors, cytokines, lymphokines and the nutritional status, development and differentiation. Its key roles have been characterized, e.g. in adipogenesis, myogenesis and folliculogenesis. We have isolated and sequenced a 6.4-kb genomic fragment encoding the porcine c-myc proto-oncogene. The gene shows the typical c-myc structure with three exons, three putative promoters and a deduced protein of 439 amino acids. The porcine c-myc was mapped to chromosome 4p13 by screening of a porcine-rodent hybrid cell panel.

Animals↗