Champagne experiences various rhythmical bubbling regimes in a flute

Bubble trains are seen rising gracefully from a few points on the glass wall (called nucleation sites) whenever champagne is poured into a glass. As time passes during the gas-discharging process, the careful observation of some given bubble columns reveals that the interbubble distance may change suddenly, thus revealing different rhythmical bubbling regimes. Here, it is reported that the transitions between the different bubbling regimes of some nucleation sites during gas discharging is a process which may be ruled by a strong interaction between tiny gas pockets trapped inside the nucleation site and/or also by an interaction between the tiny bubbles just blown from the nucleation site.     

Computed tomography and cross-sectional anatomy of the head in the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)

The aim of this study was to identify the anatomical structures in the head region of the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) using computed tomography. For this, three giant anteater corpses, adult and female, were used. The tomographic analysis was performed in sequential order in rostrocaudal direction. Subsequently, the heads of these animals were sectioned in cross sections of approximately 1.5 cm each. Tomographic images were compared with anatomical sections. The association between computed tomography and anatomical sections allowed the visualization of anatomical structures found in the nasal, oral, cranial, pharyngeal and ear cavities. An elongated oral cavity delimited by the elongated mandible was observed. The oral cavity was mainly occupied by a thin and elongated tongue formed mainly by the union of the sternoglossal muscles. The nasopharynx and oropharynx extended up to the neck at the level of the fifth cervical vertebra. The findings of this study suggest that the giant anteater has a head with structures morphologically adapted to its feeding habits, such as an elongated skull, tongue, styloid bones and mandible. In addition, based on the results of this study, it is possible to suggest that computed tomography is a pivotal tool for the veterinary routine of wild animals, since it allowed the identification of anatomical structures found in the head of the giant anteater.     

Elephant grass, sugarcane, and rice bran in diets for confined sheep

We aimed to evaluate the effects of diets, based on elephant grass or sugarcane as roughage and corn meal or rice bran as energy concentrate, on performance and body composition in terms of diet intake and digestibility. A total of 30 Santa Ines crossbreds (SIC), castrated male sheep with 19.8?±?2.0?kg initial body weight (BW) were used. Six animals were slaughtered at the onset of the experiment to estimate the initial body composition for the other animals. The remaining 24 animals were distributed in a completely randomized 2?×?2 factorial design, with four treatments (two roughages and two concentrates) and six replicates. The sheep were slaughtered when they reached 30.0?kg BW. Elephant grass diets provided higher intake and digestibility than sugarcane diets for the following contents: dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre, minerals, total carbohydrates (TC), and total digestible nutrients (TDN). Among the concentrates, corn meal diets were associated with higher intakes than rice bran diets for the following contents: DM, OM, CP, TC, and TDN. Animals from all of the treatments exhibited low average daily weight gain and low protein and high fat and energy body levels. Sugarcane and rice bran can be used as ingredients in diets for sheep with low weight gain potential. Regardless of roughage or concentrate types used in diets for confined SIC sheep, performance and body composition remained unaltered.     

Effect of Calea serrata Less. n-hexane extract on acetylcholinesterase of larvae ticks and brain Wistar rats

The stem bark of Acacia oxyphylla Graham ex Bentham is used as an anthelmintic by the natives of Mizoram (North-East India). Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the effect of the active compound isolated from A. oxyphylla on the tegument of adult Raillietina echinobothrida and Ascaridia galli. The test parasites R. echinobothrida and A. galli were incubated in physiological buffered saline containing 0.0005, 0.001, 0.05, 0.1 and 1mg/ml of the isolated compound. The alterations in the tegument of the parasites post paralysis were examined using electron microscopes. The compound reduced the cestode's motility soon after incubation, but did not induce paralysis in the nematodes till about 11-14 h at highest concentration. The compound caused extensive digestion of cestode tegument as evident by electron microscopy. Disorganization of muscle bundles, loss of cell-cell contact, extreme vacuolization and oedema were some of the changes observed. Loss of cellular organelles combined with distortion of those present was markedly noted throughout the parasite tissue. Deformation and disorganization of epicuticle, disruption of mitochondrial and nuclear membrane were also observed in nematode exposed to the active compound of the plant. Substantial structural deformities in the treated parasites are indicative of an efficient vermicidal activity of the isolated compound against cestodes and nematodes.     

Non-specific immunity and ketone bodies. I: In vitro studies on chemotaxis and phagocytosis in ovine neutrophils

The in vitro effects of the ketone bodies beta-OH-butyrate (2.4 or 4.8 mmol/l) and acetoacetate (2.4 or 4.8 mmol/l) on the uptake of latex particles (1.09 microns) and chemotaxis were investigated in ovine neutrophils. Because the acetoacetate used was a lithium salt, the effect of 2.4 or 4.8 mmol/l lithium chloride was also tested. Neutrophils from eight non-lactating, non-pregnant ewes were studied. The uptake of latex particles, as measured by a spectrophotometric method, showed wide individual variation. The phagocytotic activity was unaffected by 2.4 mmol/l ketone bodies and LiCl, but it was significantly inhibited by 4.8 mmol/l beta-OH-butyrate and activated by 4.8 mmol/l LiCl. The latter result could be masking an inhibitory effect of acetoacetate. Chemotactic movements of neutrophils, as evaluated in a modified Boyden chamber using homologous zymosan-activated serum (ZAS) as a chemoattractant, were slightly but significantly reduced by a 2.4 mmolar concentration of the ketone bodies, administered singly or simultaneously, and by LiCl. We conclude therefore that the inhibitory effect of lithium-acetoacetate could be due to its lithium component. The 4.8 mmol/l dose of acetoacetate and beta-OH butyrate significantly decreased chemotaxis only when both compounds were added simultaneously. No effect of 4.8 mmol/l LiCl was observed. These results suggest that ketone bodies, in particular beta-OH butyrate, could directly influence particle uptake and chemotaxis in neutrophils. Although other factors could decrease the efficiency of the immune system in ketotic ruminants, the effects of the ketone bodies on neutrophils functions may explain the high frequency of infectious disease during 'ketotic syndrome'. The immunomodulatory effect of lithium needs to be evaluated further and it should be considered when testing lithium compounds.     

Alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein is contained in bovine neutrophil granules and released after activation

The present study was designed to investigate the capability of bovine neutrophil granulocytes to produce the minor acute phase protein alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP, Orososmucoid). Bovine neutrophils contain a high MW (50-60kDa) AGP isoform (PMN-AGP), as determined by Western blotting and confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The presence of AGP in bovine neutrophils has been confirmed by fluorescence immunocytometry. In addition, bovine neutrophils contain also a 42-45kDa isoform, which has the same MW as plasma-, liver-delivered, AGP. cDNA sequence of plasma- and PMN-AGP revealed that (i) the two proteins are products of the same gene; (ii) the differences in molecular weight are due do different post-translational modifications. This result was confirmed by deglycosylation of the two glycoforms. Exocytosis studies showed that isolated neutrophils exposed to several challengers, including Zymosan activated serum (ZAS) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which mimic the inflammatory activation, released PMN-AGP as early as 15min. AGP's mRNA is physiologically expressed by mature resting neutrophils. Real-time PCR on LPS, ZAS and PMA challenged cells revealed that the level of expression apparently does not increase after inflammatory activation. Collectively, the findings reported in this paper proved that PMN-AGP: (i) is a hyperglycosylated glycoform of plasma AGP, (ii) is stored in granules, and (iii) is released by neutrophils in response to activation. Due to its anti-inflammatory activity, PMN-AGP may work as a fine tuning of the neutrophils functions in the inflammatory focus, i.e. it can reduce the damages caused by an excess of inflammatory response.