Physico‐chemical characteristics of Longissimus lumborum muscle in goats subjected to halal slaughter and anesthesia (halothane) pre‐slaughter

This study assessed the effect of halal slaughter and anesthesia pre‐slaughter followed by bleeding on meat quality characteristics of goats. Eleven male Boer cross goats were divided into two groups and subjected to either halal slaughter (HS) or anesthesia with halothane and propofol pre‐slaughter (AS). At pre‐rigor, HS had significantly lower (P < 0.05) muscle pH and glycogen than AS. However, no significant difference was observed in the pH and glycogen content between the treatments on 1, 3 and 7 days post mortem. The drip loss of HS was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of AS at all aging periods. Treatment had no effect on sarcomere length, myofibrillar fragmentation index and shear force values, loss of thiol groups and degradation of major myofibrillar proteins. It can be concluded that HS did not have deleterious effect on meat quality traits of goat when compared to AS.     

PHENYLBUTAZONE PHARMACOKINETICS AND BIOAVAILABILITY IN THE DROMEDARY CAMEL (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS)

Phenylbutazone was administered intravenously and intramuscularly at a dosage rate of 4.4 mg/kg to a group of 6 female camels in a two-period crossover study. After intravenous (i.v.) administration, disposition was characterised by a two-compartment open model, with a low volume of distribution (0.174 l.kg^–1), and distribution and elimination half-lives of 0.43 and 12.51 h, respectively. After intramuscular (i.m.) dosing absorption was relatively rapid with absorption half-time and time of maximal concentration values of 1.14 and 3.95 h, respectively. Plateau concentrations of phenylbutazone in plasma were obtained between 2 and 12 h and mean bioavailability was 97%, although this was subject to wide inter-animal differences. Plasma concentrations of the phenylbutazone metabolite, oxyphenbutazone, were low after iv dosing and generally undetectable after im administration, indicating that it is unlikely to contribute significantly to the pharmacological effects produced by phenylbutazone administration. An indication was obtained that phenylbutazone inhibited the ex vivo synthesis of serum thromboxane B₂ (TxB₂) for 24 h after i.v. dosing, but this finding requires confirmation.     

额尔齐斯河贝加尔雅罗鱼单殖吸虫群落多样性及感染情况

研究贝加尔雅罗鱼(Leuciscus baicalensis)感染的单殖吸虫的群落多样性及感染情况,为额尔齐斯河鱼类寄生虫病防治提供基础资料。2009年8月到2016年7月,剖检贝加尔雅罗鱼296尾,共感染了6种单殖吸虫,分别为号筒指环虫(Dactylogyrus tuba Linstow,1878)、双髻指环虫(D. sphyra Linstow, 1878)、小刺指环虫（D. micracanthus Nybelin,1937）、多小枝指环虫（D. ramulosus Malewitzkaja,1941）、普氏三代虫（Gyrodactylus prostate Erergns,1963）和斯氏拟双身虫（Paradiplozoon skrjabini Achmerov,1974）;贝加尔雅罗鱼单殖吸虫的总感染率为20.27 %,平均感染强度为3.05只/尾(1~18只/尾),平均感染丰度为(0.62±2)只/尾;混合感染率相对较低,仅占2.36%;各单殖吸虫的感染率均小于10%,平均感染强度均小于5,其中小刺指环虫为优势种;在5个体长段中,在14cm≤L＜16cm体长段感染单殖吸虫的种类、感染率及感染强度均达到最高;体长段之间的多样性指数、优势度指数、均匀度指数及丰富度指数结果相差不大,不同体长段宿主中单殖吸虫种群的分布类型均为聚集分布;体长段14cm≤L＜16cm与16cm≤L感染强度差异显著,其余体长段之间的感染强度差异均不显著。     

Neuroprotective activity of galloylated cyanogenic glucosides and hydrolysable tannins isolated from leaves of Phyllagathis rotundifolia

The galloylated cyanogenic glucosides based on prunasin (1-7), gallotannins (8-14), ellagitannins (15-17), ellagic acid derivatives (18, 19) and gallic acid (20) isolated from the leaves of Phyllagathis rotundifolia (Melastomataceae) were investigated for their neuroprotective activity against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative damage in NG108-15 hybridoma cell line. Among these compounds, the gallotannins and ellagitannins exhibited remarkable neuroprotective activities against oxidative damage in vitro as compared to galloylated cyanogenic glucosides and ellagic acid derivatives in a dose-dependent manner. They could be explored further as potential natural neuroprotectors in various remedies of neurodegenerative diseases.     

Variations in mineral element concentrations of poultry manure biochar obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures,and their effects on crop growth and mineral nutrition

The effect of pyrolysis temperature on the nutritional quality of agricultural biochar is unclear, so better understanding of its properties and how it affects soil nutrient availability and plant growth is needed. Biochars obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures (250, 300, 350 and 400 °C) were characterized by thermogravimetric analyser and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Biochars were applied at a rate of 10 g/kg to find out their effects on the mineral nutrition and growth of lettuce. The experimental results suggested that high biochar temperatures caused oxidation of the mineral elements, breaking of C–C and C–H bonds and removal of aliphatic and peptide groups from the pyrolysed materials. The total concentrations of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and boron (B) were increased by increasing pyrolysis temperatures, although water‐soluble concentrations of those elements were greatly reduced (with the exception of K and B). Compared to the control, dry weights of lettuce and maize crops were significantly increased by the biochar treatments obtained at 300 and 350 °C. Biochar treatments significantly increased the P and K concentrations of both plants compared to the control, while concentrations of Ca and Mg in lettuce plants were decreased. Iron, Mn and B concentration of the lettuce plants were reduced and Zn concentration of maize increased by the biochar treatments. It was concluded that in terms of an agricultural product, biochars produced at low temperature are better.     

Comparison of leptin levels in serum and follicular fluid during the oestrous cycle in cows

Leptin is mainly synthesised in white adipose tissue. Besides its effects on body weight and metabolic homeostasis, leptin also has effects on puberty, sexual maturation and reproduction. In this study the relationship between leptin, IGF-1, oestradiol (E2) and progesterone levels were investigated in serum and follicular fluid from cows. This study included 72 healthy, Brown Swiss cows aged 4-5 years. Samples from the jugular vein and follicular fluids were collected. Phases of the oestrus cycle of cows were classified according to their serum progesterone levels (< 3.18 nmol/l, follicular phase and the others as luteal phase). Follicles were grouped as large (> or = 8 mm) or small (< 8 mm). Leptin, IGF-1, oestradiol and progesterone levels were measured from serum and follicular fluid. Leptin concentrations were found to be significantly higher in luteal-phase follicular fluid of small follicles (P < 0.05). These were classified as atretic follicles. There was a positive correlation between serum and follicular fluid leptin levels in the luteal phase. Serum leptin was found to have a positive correlation with follicular fluid progesterone level (P = 0.01) in the preovulatory follicles. The present study shows that there is a relationship between the concentration of leptin in follicular fluid and atresia in small follicles.     

Estimation of (co)variance components for reproductive traits in Angus beef cattle divergently selected for blood serum IGF-I concentration

The objective of this study was to obtain estimates of (co)variance components for reproductive traits and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentration. Data were from a divergent selection experiment for blood serum IGF-I concentration in Angus beef cattle. Numbers of observations for mean IGF-I concentration of three blood samples taken at d 28, 42, and 56 of the 140-d postweaning test, scrotal circumference (SC), percentage of motile sperm cells (PMSC), percentage of morphologically normal sperm cells (PNSC), age of heifers at first calving (AFC), and calving rate (CR) were 1,848, 825, 596, 765, 294, and 2,092, respectively. Total number of animals in the numerator relationship matrix, including base animals, was 2,864, of which 1,861 were inbred. Estimates of direct heritability for IGF-I concentration of three blood samples collected at d 28, 42, and 56 of the postweaning test and for mean IGF-I concentration were 0.43+/-0.08, 0.51+/-0.09, 0.41+/-0.08, and 0.50+/-0.08, respectively. Estimates of direct heritability for SC, PMSC, PNSC, AFC, and CR were 0.51+/-0.13, 0.08+/-0.12, 0.47+/-0.07, 0.26+/-0.28, and 0.11+/-0.05, respectively. With the exception of age at first calving, estimates of maternal heritability and proportion of phenotypic variance that were due to permanent environmental effects of the dams were smaller than 0.21. Observations for calving rate were entered as either 1 (if calved) or 100 (if not calved). Estimates of additive genetic correlations of mean IGF-I concentration with SC, PMSC, PNSC, AFC, and CR were 0.35+/-0.11, 0.43+/-0.32, 0.00+/-0.03, -0.14+/-0.33, and -0.41+/-0.16, respectively. Environmental and phenotypic correlations for all of the traits with IGF-I measurements were smaller than 0.23. These results suggest that selection for increased serum IGF-I concentration should result in increased scrotal circumference, percent motile sperm cells, and calving rate.     

Investigation of diagnostic importance of platelet closure times measured by Platelet Function Analyzer--PFA 100 in dogs with endotoxemia

This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic importance of the platelet closure times measured by the Platelet Function Analyzer (PFA-100) in dogs with endotoxemia. E. coli endotoxin was given intravenously once, at the dose of 0.02 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg in groups I (n=9) and II (n=8), respectively. Normal saline (0.1 ml/kg) was injected in group III (n=8).The dogs were monitored for 48 h, and venous blood samples were collected prior to (baseline) and at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h subsequent to the treatments. The white blood cell (WBC), platelet counts, and hematocrit (Hct) values were recorded. Platelet closure times were determined, using collagen/epinephrine (CEPI) and collagen/adenosine diphosphate (CADP) cartridges. Within 0.5 h after the endotoxin application baseline WBC and platelet counts (mean +/-SD) decreased significantly (p<0.001) to 2000 +/- 500 and 1850 +/- 200 cells/microl or 69.000 +/- 12.500 and 27.000 +/- 6.400 cells/microl in groups I and II, respectively. Platelet counts remained low during the first 1-48 h, but the WBC count was high at the 8th-48th h, in groups I and II, compared with baselines (p<0.001). After the application of the endotoxin, Hct values increased from baseline values of 37 +/- 3 or 39 +/- 2% to 48 +/- 2 or 51 +/- 3%, within 1 h (p<0.001), in groups I and II, respectively. Hct values in group II were notably higher (p<0.001) than those of group I, during the 2nd-48th h. Hematological parameters and closure times did not differ significantly throughout the study in group III. Baseline closure time ranged from 79 +/- 5 seconds (s) to 86 +/- 5 s for CADP and 144 +/- 13 s to 159 +/- 14 s for CEPI in all dogs (n=25). At 0.5 h after the endotoxin, the closure times of CADP as well as CEPI declined to 62 +/- 6 s and 76 +/- 8 s in group I (p<0.001) and 57 +/- 5 s and 75 +/- 6 s in group II (p<0.001). Afterwards, closure time prolonged to the levels of 280 +/- 8 s (CADP) and 294 +/- 5 s (CEPI) by 48 h (p<0.001) in group II, but returned to the baseline limit in group I. In conclusion, our results show that the shortened closure times may serve as a very early diagnostic sign of endotoxemia, prolonged closure times however may be used as an index for the severity of endotoxemia.