Pharmacokinetics and safety of firocoxib after oral administration of repeated consecutive doses to neonatal foals

The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics and safety profile of firocoxib in neonatal foals. Seven healthy foals were administered 0.1 mg/kg firocoxib orally q24 h for nine consecutive days, commencing at 36 h of age. Blood was collected for firocoxib analysis using high‐pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection at 0 (dose #1 only), 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 h after doses 1, 5, and 9. For all other doses (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8), blood was collected immediately prior to the next dose (24 h trough). Elimination samples (36, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h) were collected after dose 9. Safety was assessed via physical examinations, body weight measurements, gastroscopy, complete blood count, plasma biochemistry and urinalysis. Firocoxib was rapidly absorbed following oral administration with minimal accumulation after repeat dosing. After the final dose, the terminal half‐life was approximately 11 h. Firocoxib was below the limit of detection (<2.5 ng/mL) in plasma 72 h after the final dose. No significant abnormalities were found on blood analyses, urinalysis, or gastroscopy. This study demonstrated that firocoxib is absorbed in neonatal foals with no demonstrable adverse effects after repeated doses of 0.1 mg/kg.     

Oxygen consumption and ventilatory reflex responses are influenced by dietary lipids in sturgeon

The effects of one year's feeding with diets enriched either in highly unsaturated fatty acids of the w3 series (w3 HUFA) (fish oil-supplemented diet, FOD) or in saturated fatty acids (SFA) (coconut oil-supplemented diet, COD) on fatty acid composition of tissue lipids, on patterns of resting oxygen consumption and on responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia were investigated in the Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii). FOD sturgeon had higher levels of w3 HUFA in liver and muscle lipids than COD fish, which had higher levels of SFA. A frequency distribution of instantaneous oxygen uptake rates (M]O2), as measured every 10 min for 8 h, revealed a different pattern of resting oxygen consumption between the two groups. The FOD sturgeon consumed oxygen in a narrow range of low rates, with a lower mean M]O2 than COD sturgeon, which showed a wide range of more elevated rates. FOD sturgeon had a lower opercular pressure amplitude than COD fish in normoxia. Exposure to three levels of hypoxia PO2s = 10.8±0.2; 6.6±0.2 and 4.6±0.2 kPa) or mild hypercapnia (PCO2 = 1.0±0.2 kPa) did not affect ventilation in FOD fish but elicited hyperventilation in COD animals. Mild hypoxia (PO2 = 10.8±0.2 kPa) and hypercapnia caused less reduction in blood oxygen content in FOD as compared with COD sturgeon. The effects of adding vitamin E supplements to the diets was investigated; groups fed vitamin E supplements had elevated M]O2 and hyperventilated in hypoxia. The data indicate that dietary fatty acid composition influences resting M]O2 in sturgeon and that this influences the regulation of ventilation and blood O2 levels in hypoxia and hypercapnia. The low resting M]O2 of fish fed w3 HUFA supplements (the FOD group) obviated the need for hyperventilation in hypoxia or hypercapnia, thereby making them less sensitive to these stresses than sturgeon fed SFA (COD group) or sturgeon fed either diet supplemented with vitamin E. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of changes in plasma pH,CO2 and ammonia on ventilation in trout

We investigated ventillatory responses to a plasma alkaloids and hypocapnia,a nd the basis for the ventilatory response to sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) infusion in rainbow trout. Plasma alkalosis and hypocapnia created by infusion of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) did not cause hypoventilation, whereas infusion of hydrochloric acid (HCl) caused vigorous hyperventilation, associated with an acidosis, a reduction in blood O₂ content (Ca_{O 2}) and a release of circulating catecholamines. Infusion of NaHCO₃ stimulated ventilation and caused an increase in plasma pH, total carbon dioxide content (Ca_{CO 2}) and catecholamine levels, and a reduction in oxygen tension (Pa_{O 2}). Infusion of ammonium bicarbonate (NH ₄HCO₃) caused hyperventilation and was associated with an increase in Ca_{CO 2} and plasma total ammonia (C_amm) and ammonia gas (NH₃) concentration. Infusion of sodium chloride (NaClI) and Cortland's saline had no effect on ventilation. The results indicate that trout do not exhibit the ventilatory sensitivity to pH seen in terrestrial vertebrates. Ventilatory responses to NaHCO₃ appear to have been a result of reductions in Pa_{O 2}, a release of catecholamines and an increase in Ca_{CO 2} whereas responses to NH₄HCO₃ appear to have been a result of increases in Ca_{CO 2} and C_amm.     

Resilience of microorganisms and aggregation of a sandy calcareous soil to amendment with organic and synthetic fertilizer

Marginal coastal soils are dependent on appropriate land management to prevent soil erosion, as a result of low soil stability combined with exposure to strong winds. An example of such an area is the machair, a fixed dune system utilized for agriculture in the northwest of Scotland, UK. The separate and combined effects of synthetic NPK fertilizer and a traditional soil conditioner (kelp, a seaweed) on soil structure formation, stabilization and biological parameters were studied on a cropped field on the machair. Soil physical properties examined included water retention at 10 kPa matric suction, water stable aggregates (WSA) >1 mm, aggregate stability, and biological properties including ester-linked fatty acid (ELFA) analysis and β-glucosidase activity for microbial biomass and activity, respectively. Significant treatment effects were few and inconsistent between sampling times, but included kelp and/or NPK fertilizer reducing aggregation, water retention, microbial biomass and activity relative to the unamended control treatment. Furthermore, seasonal variation, which could be attributed to changes in soil water content, was stronger than variation in response to fertilizer treatments. Principal components analysis of the ELFA data showed that ploughing promoted fungal biomass relative to bacteria, and confirmed both the absence of consistent synthetic and organic fertilizer effects and the sensitivity of microbial biomass to season. Overall, the study demonstrated the resilience of a calcareous sandy soil to amendment with fertilizer.     

Owner compliance with short term antimicrobial medication in dogs

Summary: The degree to which dog owners complied with instructions to administer a 5 to 10 day course of antimicrobial medication to their pets was assessed using microprocessor based monitoring devices. Twenty two clients gave an average of 84% of prescribed doses of amoxycillin-clavulanate. No difference was found between twice and thrice daily dosing regimens in the overall percentage of prescribed doses given. However, timing of doses was far from ideal in many cases and only 34% of doses were given within the designated optimum time period. Adherence to desired dosing intervals tended to be better with twice daily than with thrice daily dosing, although the difference was statistically insignificant.     

Naphthalophos combinations with benzimidazoles or levamisole as effective anthelmintics for sheep

Objective: To investigate the relative efficacy and safety of the anthelmintic naphthalophos in sheep, either given alone or in combination with benzimidazole (fenbendazole and albendazole) or levamisole anthelmintics.
Design: A parasitological study using faecal egg count reduction tests, a validating slaughter trial and field safety trials.
Procedure: Faecal egg count reduction tests were carried out on 13 farms. Naphthalophos and combinations of naphthalophos with levamisole and fenbendazole were included in the drench tests. On one property a controlled efficacy study was carried out to validate faecal egg count reduction test findings. In this trial, sheep were slaughtered 10 days after treatment and the remaining parasites recovered from the gastro-intestinal tract. Safety trials were carried out on eight farms where approximately 50 000 sheep were treated with naphthalophos and albendazole that were tank mixed in the backpack.
Results: The efficacy of naphthalophos alone in faecal egg count reduction tests ranged from 59 to 98% with one test showing 95% reduction. The efficacy of naphthalophos and levamisole ranged from 74 to 100%, with 5 farms showing 95% reduction. The efficacy of naphthalophos and fenbendazole ranged between 88 and 100% with 95% reduction achieved on 10 farms. The controlled efficacy study showed a good correlation between the faecal egg count reduction tests and numbers of parasites recovered, except for Nematodirus where the faecal egg count reduction tests overestimated efficacy. The mortality rate in the safety trials was 0.05%, with most fatalities occurring on one farm.
Conclusion: The combination of naphthalophos and fenbendazole was more effective than a combination of naphthalophos and levamisole, and will provide a sufficiently safe drench rotation option.     

Serum chemistry alterations in Alaskan sled dogs during five successive days of prolonged endurance exercise

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of successive days of endurance exercise on select serum chemistry values in conditioned Alaskan sled dogs. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 10 conditioned Alaskan sled dogs. PROCEDURES: All dogs ran 160 km/d for 5 consecutive days. Serum was obtained prior to exercise and immediately after each exercise run; all samples were obtained before dogs were fed. Serum electrolyte, mineral, protein, total bilirubin, urea nitrogen, creatinine, and cardiac troponin-I concentrations and serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities were measured. Data were analyzed by means of analysis of covariance for a randomized complete block design with dog as a blocking variable, time as a covariate, and distance run as the treatment of interest. Least square mean values were compared with values obtained prior to exercise, and linear and quadratic contrasts were examined. RESULTS: Serum globulin concentration was low prior to exercise (mean +/- SD, 2.2 +/- 0.3g/dL) and progressively decreased as exercise continued. Exercise was associated with increases in serum chloride, urea nitrogen, and cardiac troponin-I concentrations and serum alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities and with progressive decreases in serum potassium, total protein, and albumin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that multiple successive days of endurance exercise resulted in mild aberrations in serum chemistry variables in conditioned sled dogs. Changes likely reflected the metabolic stresses of prolonged endurance exercise as well as dietary composition. Hypoglobulinemia in resting, conditioned sled dogs may reflect the immunosuppressive or catabolic effects of intense endurance training.     

Selecting representative reserve systems in remote areas: A case study in the Nullarbor region, Australia

We present a procedure for the selection of a network of reserves representing the biological diversity of a large and biologically poorly known region. The quantitative analysis gives equal weighting to a wide array of different species: mobile and sessile, long-lived and ephemeral, heterothermic and homeothermic, etc.

Sampling was based on quadrats that were positioned through the region using a stratified random strategy. This provided a presence-absence matrix of the species composition at each quadrat. Numerical pattern analysis was used to identify 14 species assemblages and to re-order the sites and species in the data matrix. The geographic pattern of each assemblage throughout the region was described by contouring assemblage richness, the isolines being the proportion of the number of species in each assemblage. The data matrix was re-examined. Some assemblages exhibit several gradients in species composition. For example, a 0·1 isoline in the east may represent a different 10% of species than a 0·1 isoline in the west. Other assemblages exhibit only a single gradient in species composition.

The results were used to select the optimum positions of reserves needed to represent the compositional diversity of each of the 14 species assemblages.

Limited field checking confirmed the predicted isolines in assemblage compositional richness to a satisfactory extent.     

Nutritional and physiological responses of young growing rats to diets containing raw cowpea seed meal,protein isolate (globulins), or starch

The nutritional and physiological effects of raw cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) seed meal, protein isolate (globulins), or starch on the metabolism of young growing rats have been evaluated in 14-day trials. Wet and dry weight gain, feed conversion efficiency, and lipid and protein accretion were significantly reduced as a result of inclusion of seed meal, globulins, or starch in the diet, with growth retardation being most marked with the seed meal. The proportional weights of the small intestine and pancreas were increased by meal diets, and serum cholesterol levels were slightly reduced. The globulins and raw starch also increased relative small intestine weights but had no effect on the pancreas or serum constituents. The effects of cowpeas on rats appeared to be due primarily to the combined actions of globulins, resistant starches, protease inhibitors, and possibly fiber and non-starch polysaccharides on intestinal and systemic metabolism.