Validating an empiric sulfadiazine–trimethoprim dosage regimen for treatment of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus delphini infections in mink (Neovison vison)

Antimicrobial agents are used extensively off‐label in mink, as almost no agents are registered for this animal species. Pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data are required to determine antimicrobial dosages specifically targeting mink bacterial pathogens. The aims of this study were to assess, in a PKPD framework, the empirical dosage regimen for a combination of trimethoprim (TMP) and sulfadiazine (SDZ) in mink, and secondarily to produce data for future setting of clinical breakpoints. TMP and SDZ PK parameters were obtained experimentally in 22 minks following IV or oral administration of TMP/SDZ (30 mg/kg, i.e. 5 mg/kg TMP and 25 mg/kg SDZ). fAUC/MIC with a target value of 24 hr was selected as the PKPD index predictive of TMP/SDZ efficacy. Using a modeling approach, PKPD cutoffs for TMP and SDZ were determined as 0.062 and 16 mg/L, respectively. By incorporating an anticipated potentiation effect of SDZ on TMP against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus delphini, the PKPD cutoff of TMP was revised to 0.312 mg/L, which is above the tentative epidemiological cutoffs (TECOFF) for these species. The current empirical TMP/SDZ dosage regimen (30 mg/kg, PO, once daily) therefore appears adequate for treatment of wild‐type E. coli and S. delphini infections in mink.     

In situ measurement of grain rotation during deformation of polycrystals

Texture evolution governs many of the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of polycrystalline materials, but texture models have only been tested on the macroscopic level, which makes it hard to distinguish between approaches that are conceptually very different. Here, we present a universal method for providing data on the underlying structural dynamics at the grain and subgrain level. The method is based on diffraction with focused hard x-rays. First results relate to the tensile deformation of pure aluminum. Experimental grain rotations are inconsistent with the classical Taylor and Sachs models.     

Sex Determination of Bovine Embryo Biopsies Using in situ Hybridization*

A male specific bovine DNA fragment was used as probe to determine the sex of bovine interphase cells by in situ hybridization. This method also proved useful for determining the sex of bovine embryos.     

The fermentative capacity of growing pigs and adult sows fed diets with contrasting type and level of dietary fibre

Adult sows have a more developed gastro-intestinal system than young growing pigs resulting in a superior capacity to digest fibrous components. The main objective of this study was to describe the capacity of sows and growing pigs to digest the fibre components in concentrated low dietary fibre (DF) diet and two high DF diets similar in DF but with contrasting DF solubility. Six sows and four growing pigs were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the terminal ileum. Each balance experiment consisted of a 7-day initial period followed by a 3-day collection of faeces and a 2 or 3-day collection of ileal digesta for growing pigs and adult sows, respectively. When feeding diets with high proportions of soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), the difference in fermentation capacity between growing pigs and adult sows was small. The adult sows showed a higher fermentative capacity, evidenced by a higher fermentation and a higher methane production, when high fibre diet with high amount of insoluble fibre was fed.