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The effects of immunization against luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) on body growth and carcass characteristics in Karakas¸ ram lambs were investigated using recombinant LHRH fusion proteins. Recombinant fusion proteins, ovalbumin-LHRH-7 and thioredoxin-LHRH-7, were produced using recombinant DNA technology and expressed in E. coli. The control group (C, n=5) was injected with ovalbumin and thioredoxin recombinant protein mixture, the immunization group (I, n=6) was injected with a ovalbumin-LHRH-7 and thioredoxin-LHRH-7 recombinant fusion protein mixture (anti-LHRH vaccine) and, ram lambs in the elastrator group (E, n=5) were castrated using elastrator bands. Animals in each group were weaned at 17 weeks of age and injected (primary immunization) with either mixture at 18 weeks of age or castrated. The C and I groups received a booster immunization 8 weeks later (26 weeks of age). Animals were housed in groups, weighed every 2 weeks and slaughtered at 36 weeks of age. Carcass of slaughtered lambs were chilled for 24 h at +4 °C and evaluated for carcass characteristics. Immunization did not reduce growth rate and live body weights. Immunization and castration had no effect on carcass measurements and loin eye muscle area, hot and cold carcass weights, dressing percentage and wholesale cuts. Immunization against LHRH reduced testis weight and immunized animals had leaner carcasses than castrates. It was concluded that immunizing ram lambs against LHRH using new recombinant LHRH fusion proteins could be an alternative to physical castration to improve carcass quality in ram lamb production; however, further research is required to determine the effective immunization and slaughter age to improve carcass traits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: In patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), novel metrics such as hypoxic burden (HB) and sleep apnea-specific pulse-rate response (ΔHR) may better correlate with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). This manuscript aims to assess the correlation between ΔHR and HB with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with OSA, testing the hypothesis that elevated ΔHR and HB are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis development., Methods: In a prospective study, individuals aged 20-65 years with suspected OSA without known comorbidities were consecutively recruited and defined as OSA (AHI≥5events/h) or healthy controls. Using bilateral carotid ultrasonography, common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was assessed and the identification of at least one atheromatous plaque defined the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis. ΔHR, and HB were derived from pulse-oximetry., Results: We studied 296 patients of age 45±10 years old, of whom 28% were women, and with a BMI of 30.3±5.3kg/m 2 . Overall, 245 had OSA and 51 were healthy controls. After controlling for confounding variables higher ΔHR but not HB, was associated with higher CIMT (p=0.006) and higher time spent with oxygen saturation below 90% (T90) was associated with an increase in carotid atheroma plaques (p=0.032). When stratifying OSA based on HB tertiles, we observed that within tertile 2 of HB, an increase in ΔHR was associated with larger CIMT (p=0.017)., Conclusion: A higher ΔHR is associated with an increase in CIMT among adult patients with OSA. This study suggests that ΔHR could be a biomarker of risk for CVD in patients with OSA., (Copyright © 2024 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background/Objectives: Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths. Most patients are typically diagnosed at advanced stages. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been proven to reduce lung cancer mortality, but screening programs using LDCT are associated with a high number of false positives and unnecessary thoracotomies. It is therefore imperative that a certain diagnosis is refined, especially in cases of solitary pulmonary nodules that are difficult to technically access for an accurate preoperative diagnosis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) involved in intercellular communication may be an innovative biomarker for diagnosis and therapeutic strategies in lung cancer, regarding their ability to carry tumor-specific cargo. The aim of the LUCEx study is to determine if extracellular vesicle cargoes from both lung tissue and blood could provide complementary information to screen lung cancer patients and enable personalized follow-up after the surgery. Methods: The LUCEx study is a prospective study aiming to recruit 600 patients with lung cancer and 50 control subjects (false positives) undergoing surgery after diagnostic imaging for suspected pulmonary nodules using computed tomography (CT) scans. These patients will undergo curative surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the Miguel Servet Hospital in Zaragoza, Spain, and will be followed-up for at least 5 years. At baseline, samples from both tumor distal lung tissue and preoperative peripheral blood will be collected and processed to compare the quantity and content of EVs, particularly their micro-RNA (miRNA) cargo. At the third and fifth years of follow-up, CT scans, functional respiratory tests, and blood extractions will be performed. Discussion: Extracellular vesicles and their miRNA have emerged as promising tools for the diagnosis and prognosis of several diseases, including cancer. The LUCEx study, based on an observational clinical cohort, aims to understand the role of these vesicles and their translational potential as complementary tools for imaging diagnosis and prognosis.

Backgrounds: Despite the significant global health impact of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM), our understanding of potential predictors associated with its development in smokers, remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether a new COPD diagnosis and the rate of lung function decline serve as predictors for incident CMM (defined as having at least two of the following comorbidities: cerebro-cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus) in smokers. Methods: An observational longitudinal analysis of prospectively collected data was conducted, including smokers without a previous COPD diagnosis and any cardiometabolic conditions. Sociodemographic and clinical data (body mass index, smoking history, respiratory symptoms, and hospital admissions) were collected at baseline. Lung function tests were performed at baseline and at the end of the follow-up period. The incidence of CMM, a new positive diagnosis of COPD, and the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) annual rate of decline were prospectively registered. Adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were adopted to explore risk factors associated with the incidence of CMM. Results: From the 391 smokers included in the study, 207 (53%) were newly diagnosed with COPD, and 184 had a preserved spirometry at baseline (non-COPD group). After nearly a decade of follow-up, 34% (n = 133) of smokers developed CMM. This group was characterized by male predominance, older age, higher BMI and pack-years of smoking, lower post-FEV 1 , baseline COPD diagnosis, and a history of hospital admission. A positive diagnosis of COPD at baseline and a greater rate of lung function decline (ΔFEV 1 ≥ 40 mL/year) were independent predictors for developing CMM. Conclusions: A new COPD diagnosis and an accelerated decline in lung function are significantly associated with the development of CMM in smokers.