Magnetar-like emission from the young pulsar in Kes 75

We report the detection of magnetar-like x-ray bursts from the young pulsar PSR J1846-0258, at the center of the supernova remnant Kes 75. This pulsar, long thought to be exclusively rotation-powered, has an inferred surface dipolar magnetic field of 4.9 x 10(13) gauss, which is higher than those of the vast majority of rotation-powered pulsars, but lower than those of the approximately 12 previously identified magnetars. The bursts were accompanied by a sudden flux increase and an unprecedented change in timing behavior. These phenomena lower the magnetic and rotational thresholds associated with magnetar-like behavior and suggest that in neutron stars there exists a continuum of magnetic activity that increases with inferred magnetic field strength.     

Effect of feeding different sources of selenium on growth performance and antioxidant status of broilers

ABSTRACT

1. This study was conducted to determine the effect of different sources of selenium (Se) on breast and liver tissue deposition, apparent metabolisable energy (AME), growth performance and antioxidant status of broilers, measured as Se content in liver and breast tissues and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in blood, when used in 0–35 d broiler chicken diets.

2. A total of 200 male Ross 308 broilers were used in the feeding trial, which comprised two dietary phases, a starter from 0 to 21 d and finisher from 21 to 35 d of age. Four treatments with 10 replications each were used. A control diet (C) was formulated that was sufficient in protein and energy (230 and 215 g/kg of crude protein and 12.67 and 13.11 MJ/kg of metabolisable energy, respectively), for both phases, but contained background Se only from the feed ingredients. Diet 2 (IS) was supplemented with 10.35 g/t inorganic, elemental source of Se. Diet 3 (SY) was supplemented with 136.36 g/t selenised yeast, an organic source derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Diet 4 (SS) was supplemented with 0.666 g/t sodium selenite, an inorganic source.

3. Birds fed the SY diet consumed less and weighed less than those fed IS or C (P < 0.05; 0–35 d of age), but there was no difference compared to birds fed SS diets. There were no differences in FCR or dietary AME between broilers fed different Se sources. All diets containing supplementary Se increased concentrations in the liver and breast muscle, and for GSH-Px levels in blood compared to birds fed the C diet (P < 0.001). Birds fed SY diets had greater Se levels in liver and breast tissues compared to birds fed any of the other diets (P < 0.001).

4. Diets supplemented with Se had variable effects on broiler growth performances and antioxidant status. Feeding Se from a yeast source has higher transfer into breast tissues. Feeding different sources and levels of Se to birds in a more challenging situation to induce oxidative stress may bring more conclusive results.     

Frozen mysids as an alternative to live Artemia in culturing seahorses Hippocampus abdominalis

This investigation examined the effects on growth and survival of seahorses Hippocampus abdominalis Leeson 1827 fed a 25% body weight (wet weight) daily ration of live Artemia sp. enriched with Algamac‐3050, frozen mysids Amblyops kempi or a combination of live enriched Artemia and frozen mysids. After 3 months there was no difference in seahorse length, wet weight, condition factor (CF), or food conversion ratios (FCR) between the treatments. Mean daily specific growth rate (SGR) was higher for the Artemia‐only treatment than for the mysid‐only treatment (P<0.05). FCRs ranged from 6.14 g to 8.72 g dry weight of food required to give a 1‐g dry weight increase in seahorses. There was no difference in survival between treatments. Fatty acid analysis revealed that mysids had a higher percentage composition of EPA, 20 : 5n‐3, and DHA, 22 : 6n‐3, but a lower composition of AA, 20 : 4n‐6, than enriched Artemia. Percentage n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in mysid levels were approximately twice that of Artemia. Proximate analysis revealed mysids to be higher than the enriched Artemia in protein and fats, and lower in water content. This experiment demonstrates that, although no growth advantage was derived from the use of frozen mysids, they can be used successfully as an alternative food to live enriched Artemia for H. abdominalis. The use of frozen mysids is highly recommended in commercial seahorse culture if the seahorses are to be sold into the live aquarium trade, as this may increase their chances of survival after sale.     

Lidocaine in the horse: its pharmacological effects and their relationship to analytical findings

Lidocaine is a local anaesthetic agent that is widely used in equine medicine. It is also an Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) Class 2 foreign substance that may cause regulators to impose substantial penalties if residues are identified in post race urine samples. Therefore, an analytical/pharmacological database was developed for this drug. Using our abaxial sesamoid local anaesthetic model, the highest no-effect dose (HNED) for the local anaesthetic effect of lidocaine was determined to be 4 mg. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screening, administration of the HNED of lidocaine to eight horses yielded peak serum and urine concentrations of apparent lidocaine of 0.84 ng/mL at 30 min and 72.8 ng/mL at 60 min after injection, respectively. These concentrations of apparent lidocaine are readily detectable by routine ELISA screening tests (LIDOCAINE ELISA, Neogen, Lexington, KY). ELISA screening does not specifically identify lidocaine or its metabolites, which include 3-hydroxylidocaine, dimethylaniline, 4-hydroxydimethylaniline, monoethylglycinexylidine, 3-hydroxymonoethylglycinexylidine, and glycinexylidine. As 3-hydroxylidocaine is the major metabolite recovered from equine urine, it was synthesized, purified and characterized, and a quantitative mass spectrometric method was developed for 3-hydroxylidocaine as recovered from horse urine. Following subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of the HNED of lidocaine, the concentration of 3-hydroxylidocaine recovered from urine reached a peak of about 315 ng/mL at 1 h after administration. The mean pH of the 1 h post dosing urine samples was 7.7, and there was no apparent effect of pH on the amount of 3-hydroxylidocaine recovered. Within the context of these experiments, the data suggests that recovery of less than 315 ng/mL of 3-hydroxylidocaine from a post race urine sample is unlikely to be associated with a recent local anaesthetic effect of lidocaine. Therefore these data may be of assistance to industry professionals in evaluating the significance of small concentrations of lidocaine or its metabolites in postrace urine samples. It should be noted that the quantitative data are based on analytical methods developed specifically for this study, and that methods used by other laboratories may yield different recoveries of urine 3-hydroxylidocaine.     

Detection, quantification, and pharmacokinetics of furosemide and its effects on urinary specific gravity following IV administration to horses

Furosemide is a potent loop diuretic used for the prevention of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in horses. This drug may interfere with the detection of other substances by reducing urinary concentrations, so its use is strictly regulated. The regulation of furosemide in many racing jurisdictions is based on paired limits of urinary SG (<1.010) and serum furosemide concentrations (>100 ng/ml). To validate this regulatory mechanism, a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry method employing a solid-phase extraction procedure and furosemide-d5 as an internal standard was developed. The method was used to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of furosemide in equine serum samples and its effects on urinary SG after IV administration (250 mg) to 10 horses. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that serum concentrations of furosemide were well described by a two-compartmental open model. Based on results in this study, it is very unlikely for horses to have serum furosemide concentrations greater than 100 ng/ml or urine SG less than 1.010 at 4 hours after administration (250 mg IV). However, it should be remembered that urine SG is a highly variable measurement in horses, and even without furosemide administration, some horses might naturally have urine SG values less than 1.010.     

The Cryopreservation of Striped Bass Morone saxatilis Semen

Abstract.— Two experiments were designed to improve upon existing methods for cryopreserving striped bass Morone saxatilis , semen. In the first experiment, two extenders, two cryoprotectant concentrations, and two freezing rates were evaluated on the basis of post-thaw semen motility after 1, 7, and 30 d of storage at −196 C. Semen samples cryopreserved at a freezing rate of −40 C/m resulted in a significantly higher percentage of motile sperm ( P < 0.001) and longer duration of spermatozoa motility ( P < 0.001) than samples cryopreserved at a freezing rate of -30 Chin. Also, the cryoprotectant dimethyl-sulfoxide yielded a significantly higher percentage of motile sperm ( P < 0.001) and longer duration of spermatozoa motility ( P < 0.001) when a 5% concentration was used instead of 7.5%. In the second experiment, the two extenders from Experiment I were re-evaluated and a new extender, which was a modified version of Extender 1, was tested. The samples were cryopreserved at -40 C/min with 5% DMSO and thawed in a 25 C water bath. Spermatozoa motility and fertilization ability were evaluated, and semen cryopreserved in Extender 2 yielded the longest duration of spermatozoa motility ( P < 0.001). the highest percentage of motile sperm ( P < 0.001). and the highest percentage of fertilized eggs ( P < 0.002) in comparison to Extenders I and 3.