Quantitative dietary lysine requirement of juvenile striped bass Morone saxatilis

Two feeding trials of 8 and 10 weeks each were conducted to quantify the dietary lysine requirement of juvenile striped bass, Morone saxatilis. Diets in both experiments contained approximately 420 g crude protein kg^–1 and 13.4 MJ digestible energy (DE) kg^?1. L ‐Lysine‐HCl was added to the basal diet to yield five and six treatments in the two experiments. Diets in the first experiment were determined to contain 9.2, 14.1, 14.6, 19.9 and 21.0 g available lysine kg^?1 on a dry‐matter basis. Diets in the second experiment were determined to contain 14.8, 18.1, 21.3, 24.5, 27.6 and 30.9 g available lysine kg^?1 on a dry‐matter basis. Weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and apparent nitrogen utilization (ANU) were significantly (P < 0.05) improved by increasing dietary lysine concentrations to approximately 20 g kg^?1 of diet. Least‐squares regression analysis of weight gain and SGR in the first experiment indicated a minimum dietary lysine requirement of 20.1 ± 2 g kg^?1 dry diet. Least‐squares regression analysis of the same criteria measured in the second experiment yielded the following estimates of dietary lysine requirements (g kg^?1 dry diet): 19.8 ± 2.3 for weight gain, 21.7 ± 1.5 for SGR, 23.7 ± 3.5 for FCR and 18.6 ± 1.3 for ANU. From these results the minimum recommended dietary lysine requirement for optimal growth of juvenile striped bass is approximately 21 g kg^?1 dry diet which equates to 49 g kg^?1 dietary protein or 1.57 mg kJ^?1 DE. Although higher than that reported for hybrid striped bass, this requirement level is similar to those reported for many other fish species.     

Plasma hormone concentrations in newborn Scottish blackface lambs during basal and summit metabolism

The plasma concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, thyroxine, tri-iodothyronine, cortisol, insulin and glucose were estimated in lambs aged one to five hours during basal metabolism and then during summit metabolism (the maximum thermogenic response to cold stress). The increase in metabolic rate from basal metabolism to summit metabolism was associated with marked increases in the plasma levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol and glucose and a decrease in the plasma level of insulin. There were no quantitative relationships between summit metabolic rate and the plasma levels of any of the hormones measured. These findings suggest that the marked lamb-to-lamb variation in heat production capacity found here and elsewhere cannot be directly attributed to variation in the activities of the sympathetic nervous system, the thyroid, the adrenal cortex or the pancreas. Concurrent estimations of respiratory quotient suggested that the newborn lamb has a marked dependence on carbohydrate as an energy substrate at high rates of heat production.     

Dose-response evaluation of a genetically engineered foot-and-mouth disease virus polypeptide immunogen in cattle

Four groups of 9 cattle each were vaccinated with 10, 50, 250, or 1,250 micrograms of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus A12 VP1 fusion protein that was produced in Escherichia coli and emulsified in an oil adjuvant. The groups given the 10 and 50 micrograms of antigen were revaccinated at 15 weeks and were challenge exposed at 30 weeks; 5 of 9 and 7 of 9 cattle, respectively, were protected from FMD virus infection. The remaining 2 groups, vaccinated with 250 or 1,250 micrograms of antigen, were revaccinated at 32 weeks and were challenge exposed at 45 weeks; 8 of 9 and 9 of 9 cattle, respectively, were protected. The results indicated that the biosynthetic polypeptide FMD vaccine was effective using vaccination intervals frequently followed with conventional whole-virus vaccines.     

Morphology of alpaca (Vicugna pacos) embryos in the first third of pregnancy

The breeding of South American camelids is the main economic activity of the high Andean region of South America and it, is potentially, the most profitable resource in of the Puna environmental conditions of the Puna. The duration of the gestation in alpaca is 339.7 ± 12 days. The objective of the present work was to macroscopically and microscopically describe the ontogenic development of the splanchnic cavities of the alpaca and to determine the gestational time in which the post‐cranial ossification centers are observed in the embryos/fetuses of this species, from day 21 to 107 of gestation. The documentation of normal ontogenic development, which is vacant for this period, is of the utmost importance to understand the consequences of the alterations at the different gestational times, as well as for the estimation of the gestational age in the case of abortions. Forty‐seven alpaca specimens of both sexes, at different times of their gestational development, collected during slaughter at local slaughterhouses of the Department of Huancavelica, Peru, were evaluated. Specimens were assigned to seven groups according to their morphological characteristics. The embryogenesis in the alpaca was characterized by a series of changes comparable to those occurring in other mammals with similar gestational periods. Despite these similarities, species differences were found in some organs as stomach, which are observed too in adult individuals.     

Concentration and prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella serotypes in sheep during slaughter at two Australian abattoirs

Objective This study aimed to determine the presence and concentration of Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp. on fleece, faeces and carcases of sheep during slaughter. Procedure Faeces, fleece and pre-chill carcase samples were collected from 164 sheep slaughtered at two Australian abattoirs. The presence of E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. were determined by use of automated immunomagnetic separation (AIMS) with enumeration by use of the ‘most probable number’ (MPN) method. Results Escherichia coli O157 was isolated from 5% of faeces, 3% of fleeces and 0.6% of pre-chill carcases. The mean log₁₀ count of E. coli O157 positive faecal samples was 2.32 MPN/g, but counts on fleeces and carcases were below the countable limit (−1 log₁₀ MPN/cm²). Salmonella spp. were isolated from 20% of faeces, 13% of fleeces and 1.3% of pre-chill carcases. The mean log₁₀ count of Salmonella spp. in faeces was 1.43 MPN/g and on fleece was −0.24 MPN/cm², but counts on carcases were below the countable limit (−1 log₁₀ MPN/cm²). Conclusion The prevalence and concentration of pathogens were low in the sheep tested in this study, indicating a low risk of human infection from products derived from these animals.     

Applied information retrieval and multidisciplinary research: new mechanistic hypotheses in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Background

Collaborative efforts of physicians and basic scientists are often necessary in the investigation of complex disorders. Difficulties can arise, however, when large amounts of information need to reviewed. Advanced information retrieval can be beneficial in combining and reviewing data obtained from the various scientific fields. In this paper, a team of investigators with varying backgrounds has applied advanced information retrieval methods, in the form of text mining and entity relationship tools, to review the current literature, with the intention to generate new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying a complex disorder. As an example of such a disorder the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) was chosen. CRPS is a painful and debilitating syndrome with a complex etiology that is still unraveled for a considerable part, resulting in suboptimal diagnosis and treatment.

Results

A text mining based approach combined with a simple network analysis identified Nuclear Factor kappa B (NFκB) as a possible central mediator in both the initiation and progression of CRPS.

Conclusion

The result shows the added value of a multidisciplinary approach combined with information retrieval in hypothesis discovery in biomedical research. The new hypothesis, which was derived in silico, provides a framework for further mechanistic studies into the underlying molecular mechanisms of CRPS and requires evaluation in clinical and epidemiological studies.

     

Quantitative detection of Fusarium pathogens and their mycotoxins in South African maize

The distribution and co‐occurrence of four Fusarium species and their mycotoxins were investigated in maize samples from two susceptible cultivars collected at 14 localities in South Africa during 2008 and 2009. Real‐time PCR was used to quantify the respective Fusarium species in maize grain, and mycotoxins were quantified by multi‐toxin analysis using HPLC‐MS. In 2008, F. graminearum was the predominant species associated with maize ear rot in the eastern Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu‐Natal provinces, while F. verticillioides was predominant in the Northwest, the western Free State and the Northern Cape provinces. In 2009, maize ear rot infection was higher and F. graminearum became the predominant species found in the Northwest province. Fusarium subglutinans was associated with maize ear rot in both years at most of the localities, while F. proliferatum was not detected from any of the localities. Type B trichothecenes, especially deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone were well correlated with the amount of F. graminearum, fumonisins with F. verticillioides, and moniliformin and beauvericin with F. subglutinans. This information is of great importance to aid understanding of the distribution and epidemiology of Fusarium species in South Africa, and for predicting mycotoxin contamination risks and implementing preventative disease management strategies.