Behavioral and performance response associated with administration of intravenous flunixin meglumine or oral meloxicam immediately prior to surgical castration in bull calves

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of flunixin meglumine or meloxicam on behavioral response and performance characteristics associated with surgical castration in crossbred bulls. Intact male Bos taurus calves (n = 252; averaging 176 kg) were randomly allocated into one of three treatment groups within pen: control (CON), flunixin meglumine (FLU; 2.2 mg/kg intravenous injection), or meloxicam (MEL; 2.0 mg/kg per os). The individual animal was the experimental unit. Calves were individually weighed on days 0 and 14 of the trial to evaluate performance outcomes. On study day 0, treatments were administered, according to their random allocation, immediately prior to surgical castration using the Henderson tool method. Visual analog scale (VAS) assessment and categorical attitude score (CAS) were collected on days −1, 0 (6 h post-castration), 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the study. The VAS was assigned using a 100 mm horizontal line with “normal” labeled at one end of the line and “moribund” at the other end of the horizontal line. The masked observer assigned a mark on the horizontal line based upon the observed severity of pain exhibited by that individual animal. The CAS was assigned by the same observer using five different categories with a score of 0 being “normal”. Average daily gain tended (P = 0.09) to be associated with the treatment group, and MEL had a greater (P = 0.04) average daily gain through day 14 compared with CON. A significant (P < 0.01) treatment by day interaction was indicated for VAS score, and MEL had lower VAS scores on days 0, 1, 2, and 3 post-castration compared with CON; FLU had lower VAS scores on days 0 and 1 compared with CON. A significant treatment by day interaction was not present (P = 0.25) for CAS. The FLU had lesser percent CAS ≥1 (17.5%; P = 0.05) compared with CON (29.4%); MEL has lesser percent CAS ≥1 observations (14.9%; P = 0.01) compared with CON. The median VAS increased as CAS was more severe. Results indicated MEL and FLU calves temporally improved behavioral responses following surgical castration with positive numerical trends for a 14 d average daily gain (ADG). The VAS system appeared to be an effective method of subjective evaluation of pain in beef calves in this study. Route of administration, duration of therapy, and low relative cost make oral meloxicam a reasonable analgesic treatment in calves when administered at the time of surgical castration.     

饲料卫生和家禽健康

每年，仅仅肉鸡就合消耗一亿吨以上的成品饲料。饲料产品中一小部分受到污染就会使养鸡者和消费者付出高昂的代价。污染的饲料是不卫生的，不适合用于饲喂畜禽，因为这样的饲料合危害育禽的生产性能参数，比如健康、体重、饲料转化率、死亡率以及蛋鸡和种鸡的产蛋率。     

Cholesterol Protects <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acholeplasma laidlawii</Emphasis> Against Oxidative Damage Caused by Hydrogen Peroxide

The aim of this study was to determine whether cholesterol, added to the cell growth medium or to cell suspension buffer, could protect Acholeplasma laidlawii cells against the toxic effects of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Variable concentrations of cholesterol (0.05–1.0 mg/ml) were added to the A. laidlawii suspension buffer and to the growth medium. Cells were then washed carefully and incubated with 0.001% (v/v) H₂O₂ at 37°C for 30 min and the viability was determined. The results indicated that cells were more viable in the presence of cholesterol than were cells grown in the absence of cholesterol. In addition, the oxygen uptake rate resulting from the oxidation of 5.5 mmol/L glucose was 2-fold and 4-fold higher for cells grown in medium supplemented with 0.05 and 0.50 mg/ml cholesterol, respectively, compared to cells grown in a medium with no added cholesterol. These findings indicate that cholesterol might play a role in protecting Mollicutes against the oxidative damage caused by H₂O₂. Deceased October 25, 2001     

Molecular diffuse interstellar band carriers in the red rectangle

High-resolution optical spectroscopic observations of unidentified emission bands from the unusual biconical nebula known as the Red Rectangle are reported. The peak wavelengths and the widths of prominent bands near 5799, 5853, and 6616 angstroms decrease with increasing offset from the central A0-type star HD 44179 and, in the limit of large distance from the star, are shown to converge toward the known values for some of the narrower diffuse interstellar absorption bands at 5797, 5850, and 6614 angstroms. The same carriers give rise to both Red Rectangle emission and corresponding diffuse interstellar absorption bands, and these particular bands arise from electronic transitions in gas-phase molecules.     

Isolation and immunological detection of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in sheep with atypical pneumonia, and lack of a role for Mycoplasma arginini

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae NCTC 10151(T) and four new isolates from UK sheep flocks were compared. Only glucose and pyruvate were used as energy sources by the five strains: glucose was the best energy source for the type strain, pyruvate supported better growth of the new strains. Whole cell protein patterns and antigenic profiles showed high similarity between all five strains. The new isolates fell into two groups in ELISA tests. Serum samples from 30 pneumonic sheep were assessed for M. ovipneumoniae infection and Mycoplasma arginini co-infection. Fourteen (out of 30) serum samples were positive for M. ovipneumoniae both by ELISA and immunoblotting. Twelve antigenic proteins of M. ovipneumoniae were detected in infected serum samples: the antigen patterns were unique, with between one and at least seven occurring in any one sample. All serum samples were designated as negative for M. arginini antibodies by both ELISA and immunoblotting.     

New analogue of gymnodimine from a Gymnodinium species

A spiroimine, gymnodimine B (1), was isolated from cells recovered by filtration from cultures of a marine dinoflagellate, Gymnodinium sp. Its structure was identified by one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Gymnodimine B is similar in structure to gymnodimine (2) but contains an exocyclic methylene at C-17 and an allylic hydroxyl group at C-18.