Conservation assessment of British limestone pavements based on floristic criteria

The total British area of limestone pavement is very small, yet this scarce resource is being destroyed to supply decorative stone. Its scientific interest is both geological and botanical. Exploiting an exhaustive survey, a weighted index was developed for assessing the conservation value of limestone pavements based on their deep grike floras. Using weighted indices, 27 sites in Cumbria, Gwynedd, Lancashire, North Yorkshire and Skye were identified as important for the conservation of limestone pavement floras.     

Efficacy of ceftiofur hydrochloride for treatment of experimentally induced colibacillosis in neonatal swine

Ceftiofur hydrochloride was tested for effectiveness against induced colibacillosis in neonatal swine. In this model, pigs less than 12 hours old were inoculated via stomach tube with a virulent, K99+, nalidixic acid-resistant strain of Escherichia coli. Six hours after challenge exposure, 1 dose of ceftiofur was administered either IM or orally in experiment 1 and orally only in experiment 2. Mortality, shedding of bacteria, fecal consistency scores, and body weight changes were monitored for 10 days. In experiment 1 (n = 383 pigs), all treatments at dosage that ranged between 0.5 and 64.0 mg of ceftiofur/kg of body weight significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced mortality, bacterial shedding, and diarrhea and increased weight gain, compared with findings in untreated controls. There were no detectable differences between oral and IM routes, except that there was greater reduction in bacteria shedding associated with the oral route of administration. In experiment 2 (n = 505 pigs), ceftiofur was administered orally either once at 6 hours after challenge exposure or twice at 6 and at 48 hours after the first dose. Dosage of ceftiofur was 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, or 60 mg/kg administered once, or half the same dose was administered at each of 2 times. At the optimal dosage (10 mg/kg), a single dose was as effective as 2 doses. The single administration at all dosages reduced mortality, bacterial shedding, and diarrhea scores and increased body weight gain, compared with findings in untreated pigs (P less than 0.01). In this induced infection model, the optimal treatment dosage was determined to be 10 mg/kg administered once.     

Blood lactate responses to submaximal field exercise tests in thoroughbred horses

The associations between velocity during a standardized, submaximal 800-m exercise test and blood lactate concentration after exercise were investigated in Thoroughbred racehorses on sand and grass racetracks. Predicted lactate concentrations for each horse's exercise test velocity were calculated from the line of best fit derived from results at each racetrack. The repeatability of the differences between the measured and predicted blood lactate response to exercise was also investigated. Exercise tests were conducted at speeds ranging from 12.8 to 16.6 m/s. The variability of velocity within the exercise test was expressed as the coefficient of variation (CV) of the times for the four 200-m sections.On the sand track, the coefficient of determination for the lactate-speed relationship was highest for an exponential regression equation [lactate (mmol/L) = 0.08e(0.33x)(m/s);r(2)= 0.58, P< 0.05;n = 21]. Similar coefficients of determination were calculated for linear (r(2)= 0.56) and second order polynomial equations (r(2)= 0. 57). On the grass racetrack, the relationship was best described by a second order polynomial equation [lactate (mmol/L) = -0.87x(2)+ 28. 17x - 211.41;r(2)= 0.57, P< 0.05;n = 25]. The mean differences between the measured and predicted blood lactate concentrations in repeated tests were 1.9 +/- 1.8 (SD) and 1.8 +/- 1.7 ( SD) on the sand and grass racetracks. There were no significant associations between the velocity of the exercise and the CV on either racetrack. Differences between measured and predicted blood lactate concentrations, based on track-specific lines of best fit, have potential application in field studies of fitness in Thoroughbred horses.