PHENYLBUTAZONE PHARMACOKINETICS AND BIOAVAILABILITY IN THE DROMEDARY CAMEL (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS)

Phenylbutazone was administered intravenously and intramuscularly at a dosage rate of 4.4 mg/kg to a group of 6 female camels in a two-period crossover study. After intravenous (i.v.) administration, disposition was characterised by a two-compartment open model, with a low volume of distribution (0.174 l.kg^–1), and distribution and elimination half-lives of 0.43 and 12.51 h, respectively. After intramuscular (i.m.) dosing absorption was relatively rapid with absorption half-time and time of maximal concentration values of 1.14 and 3.95 h, respectively. Plateau concentrations of phenylbutazone in plasma were obtained between 2 and 12 h and mean bioavailability was 97%, although this was subject to wide inter-animal differences. Plasma concentrations of the phenylbutazone metabolite, oxyphenbutazone, were low after iv dosing and generally undetectable after im administration, indicating that it is unlikely to contribute significantly to the pharmacological effects produced by phenylbutazone administration. An indication was obtained that phenylbutazone inhibited the ex vivo synthesis of serum thromboxane B₂ (TxB₂) for 24 h after i.v. dosing, but this finding requires confirmation.     

Effect of Targeted Agricultural Information Delivery Approach on Farmers’ Access to Agricultural Information in Nigeria

Access to information by rural farmers in Nigeria is inefficient due to a variety of factors which include insufficient extension staff and dearth of information in the right format. In order to ensure delivery of timely and relevant information to rural farmers, Information Resource Centers (IRCs) were established in Adopted Villages across the country by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), an agricultural extension research institute based in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Farmers’ access to information was enhanced through this approach and it was cost effective as both NAERLS and the farmers contributed to running the IRCs.     

Endocrinology of number of follicular waves per estrous cycle and contralateral or ipsilateral relationship between corpus luteum and preovulatory follicle in heifers

A 3-d extension of the luteal phase occurs in interovulatory intervals (IOIs) with a contralateral relationship between the corpus luteum (CL) and preovulatory follicle with 3 follicular waves (Contra-3W group). Concentrations of FSH, progesterone, LH, and estradiol-17β for the ipsilateral versus contralateral CL and/or follicle relationship and 2 versus 3 waves per IOI were studied in 14 heifers. Follicular waves and FSH surges were designated 1, 2, or 3, according to order of occurrence in the IOI. The day (day 0 = ovulation) of the FSH peak in surge 2 occurred earlier (P < 0.02) in 3-wave IOIs (day 6.3 ± 0.5) than in 2-wave IOIs (day 8.5 ± 0.5). Mean FSH was higher in 3-wave than in 2-wave IOI on 82% of the days in the IOI. Repeatability or individuality in FSH concentration was indicated by a correlation (r = 0.54, P < 0.04) in FSH concentrations between ovulations at the beginning and at the end of the IOI. Concentrations of LH and estradiol increased (P < 0.05) near the beginning of the luteolytic period in 2-wave IOI regardless of the CL and/or follicle relationship. In the Contra-3W group, LH and estradiol remained at basal concentrations concurrently with FSH surge 3 and extension of the luteal phase. The hypotheses were supported that FSH surge 2 occurs earlier in 3-wave IOIs than in 2-wave IOIs and that the development of 3-wave IOIs occurs in individuals with greater FSH concentrations. Extension of the luteal phase in the Contra-3W group was temporally associated with lower concentrations of LH and estradiol.     

Maturity indices of Indian horse-chestnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aesculus indica</Emphasis> Colebr.) seeds under temperate Kashmir conditions

Our study on maturity indices of Aesculus indica Colebr.seeds was conducted under temperate Kashmir conditions in 2006.Seed collection was started from 15 July and continued until the maturation of seeds in December.The seeds were harvested fortnightly from identified trees and on each collection date maturity indices,viz.seed color,seed weight,moisture content,seed dimension,specific gravity and germination percentage were recorded.The study revealed that at the time of maturity (Nov.–Dec.) the seed color ...     

Dormancy studies on Indian horse-chestnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aesculus indica</Emphasis> Colebr.) under Kashmir conditions

Studies were carried out in the Faculty of Forestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar of India during 2006 and 2007. The Indian horse-chestnut (Aesculus indica Colebr.), locally known as “Hanudun”, is one of the more important broad-leaved tree species of the Kashmir valley. No deep dormancy was observed in mature seeds. However, the seeds remained dormant due to unfavorable environmental conditions prevailing after seed dispersal. Both treatments of cold stratification were significantly superior to the control conditions, i.e., no stratification which showed no germination during the test period of 30 d. The effects of the two treatments (cold stratification for 15 or 30 d) also differed significantly. Germination was found to increase with an increase in the time of cold stratification. Chilling treatments of seeds for 30 d showed maximum germination of 80%, requiring the shortest time for germination, i.e., 20.51 d with a maximum evaluated germination value of 14.88. The other treatment with 15 d chilling showed lower germination of 60%, requiring a maximum number of germination days (27.31 d) with lower germination value of 3.26.     

Modulation of diversity by grazing and mowing in native tallgrass prairie

Species diversity has declined in ecosystems worldwide as a result of habitat fragmentation, eutrophication, and land-use change. If such decline is to be halted ecological mechanisms that restore or maintain biodiversity are needed. Two long-term field experiments were performed in native grassland to assess the effects of fire, nitrogen addition, and grazing or mowing on plant species diversity. In one experiment, richness declined on burned and fertilized treatments, whereas mowing maintained diversity under these conditions. In the second experiment, loss of species diversity due to frequent burning was reversed by bison, a keystone herbivore in North American grasslands. Thus, mowing or the reestablishment of grazing in anthropogenically stressed grasslands enhanced biodiversity.     

Clinical applications of adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in veterinary practice

Adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction (AdSVF) comprises a heterogeneous cell population, including the multipotent mesenchymal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, immune cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and pericytes. As such, multipotent adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSCs), are one of the important components of AdSVF. Commonly used techniques to harvest AdSVF involve enzymatic or non-enzymatic methods. The enzymatic method is considered to be the gold standard technique due to its higher yield. The cellular components of AdSVF can be resuspended in normal saline, platelet-rich plasma, or phosphate-buffered saline to produce a ready-to-use solution. Freshly isolated AdSVF has exhibited promising osteogenic and vasculogenic capacity. AdSVF has already been proven to possess therapeutic potential for osteoarthritis management. It is also an attractive therapeutic option for enhancing wound healing. In addition, the combined use of AdSVF and platelet-rich plasma has an additive stimulatory effect in accelerating wound healing and can be considered an alternative to AdMSC treatment. It is also widely used for managing various orthopaedic conditions in clinical settings and has the potential for regenerating bone, cartilage, and tendons. Autologous AdSVF cells are used along with bone substitutes and other biological factors as an alternative to conventional bone grafting techniques owing to their promising osteogenic and vasculogenic capacity. It can also be used for treating osteonecrosis, meniscus tear, chondromalacia, and tendon injuries in veterinary practice. It has several advantages over in vitro expanded AdMSC, including precluding the need for culturing, reduced risk of cell contamination, and cost-effectiveness, making it ideal for clinical use.