Effects of a Cassia occidentalis extract in the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus)

The effects of an orally administered Cassia occidentalis extract were studied in chickens. A 25 mM sodium bicarbonate solution effectively extracted the toxic principle. Toxic activity was reduced, but not eliminated, when the heated extract (90 C, 40 minutes) was administered. The toxic principle was in the pellet after centrifuging the extract at 38,000 X g. Daily administration of the extract produced weight loss and muscular weakness. Microscopic examination revealed skeletal and cardiac muscle degeneration and hepatocyte vacuolation. Electron microscopic examination revealed mitochondrial disruption. Respiratory studies on liver mitochondria isolated from treated chickens demonstrated lower phosphorylation ratios, lower respiratory control ratios, and lower rates of oxygen use.     

Blood Mineral Levels of Cattle in Kenya

Tropical Animal Health and Production - In a survey carried out in cattle on six farms over a period of one year 11•2 per cent of samples had a serum calcium concentration of less than...     

Role of silicon in developing cotton fibers

The concentration of silicon is high during the elongation phase (approximately day 1 through day 21 post‐anthesis) of cotton fiber development. The ratio of the amount of silicon per mass of fiber peaks at the time when secondary wall initiation occurs. This suggests that silicon has one or more functions during a specific phase of cotton fiber development.     

Cooked Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) Protect Against β-cell Damage in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes is a disease characterized by a hyperglycemic stage that leads to a chronic inflammatory state. We evaluated the in vivo effect of a diet supplemented with 25 % cooked black bean cultivar Negro 8025 (N8025) flour in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The effect was assessed before (preventive-treatment) and after (treatment) the onset of diabetes. There is a significant decrease of total phenolic, tannins and anthocyanins content after cooking, and the concentration of most of the single phenols analyzed are only slightly decreased. The treatment group showed a significant reduction of glucose (22.8 %), triglycerides (21.9 %), total cholesterol (29.9 %) and LDL (56.1 %) that correlates with a protection of pancreatic ß-cells. The diet with N8025 flour before the induction of diabetes did not exert a protective effect (glucose levels are similar to the diabetic control) but they have low levels of total cholesterol (47.5 %) and LDL (56.1 %). The preventive-treatment group did not inhibit the increase of TNF-α and IL-1β, whereas the treatment group did, compared to the diabetic control. Therefore, N8025 bean supplementation can be recommended to control diabetes.     

不同铵离子浓度与pH人工海水对栉江瑶精子激活效果的比较

栉江瑶(Atrina pectinata)为我国重要的海洋经济双壳贝类,近年来,其养殖生产活动备受养殖企业关注,为发展和优化其人工繁殖技术,本研究探究了人工海水中铵离子浓度和pH的变化对栉江瑶新鲜精子游泳运动的激活作用,定量描述了高度活化状态下精子曲线运动速率(VCL)、直线运动速率(VSL)、平均路径运动速率(VAP)和鞭毛摆动频率(BCF)的运动学特征,并对精子ATP含量、ATP酶与超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性进行了记录。结果显示,简单提高海水pH可略微提高栉江瑶精子运动率,但无法使精子进入高度活化状态;含有铵离子的碱化海水可有效激发精子游泳运动,3 mmol/L氨海水激活效果最佳。经3 mmol/L氨海水激活后,精子活力等级(MI)在21 min内一直保持在≥4的状态,在激活的前3 min内精子运动率都在80%以上,VCL>56 μm/s,VSL>17 μm/s,VAP>30 μm/s,BCF>6 Hz。精子ATP含量在激活5 min后降低至初始含量的30.29% [(128.80± 66.92) μmol/g prot],随后,无显著变化(P>0.05)。精子Na+-K+-ATP酶和Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP酶活性在运动过程中较为稳定,其中,Na+-K+-ATP酶活性较低[(0.62±0.03) U/mg prot],Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP酶活性较高[(6.08± 0.04) U/mg prot]。精子SOD活性在15 min内逐步降低至[(1.23±0.73) U/mg prot],随后维持稳定。本研究可为栉江瑶精子激活机制深入研究提供基础,助力发展栉江瑶人工繁育技术。     

Incidence of hypocupraemia in cattle in the east Midlands

Serum copper values were determined on composite samples from cattle herds in the Midland counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Sampling took place over a period of 17 months and the results indicate that hypocupraemia existed in many herds. The lowest values were found in heifer group samples and the lowest of these was found in Derbyshire. The geographical and management factors which may affect the copper status of herds in this area are discussed.     

Spastic syndrome in a Holstein bull: a histologic study

A 4-year-old Canadian holstein bull developed the spastic syndrome, an episodic but progressive disorder causing pelvic limb muscular spasms. A post-mortem study, including morphometry of skeletal muscles and teased peripheral nerve fibers of the pelvic limb, revealed mild type II skeletal muscle fiber atrophy and minimal, focal segmental demyelination with remyelination, and axonal degeneration in peripheral nerves. Such alterations are probably incidental or age-associated. Idiopathic muscular cramps is the most probable explanation of the clinical disease and is consistent with the absence of significant morphologic pathologic lesions.     

Spray‐dried porcine plasma improves feed intake of weaned piglets subjected to heat stress

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spray‐dried porcine plasma (SDPP) on performance, measurement of thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), body temperature and relative organ weights of weaned piglets exposed to a heat stress or a thermoneutral environment. One hundred and forty‐four piglets with initial BW of 5.82 ± 0.33 kg (28 d old) were used. The experimental design was a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement, four plasma levels (0.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5%) and two environments (34º [heat stress (HS)] and 24°C [thermoneutral (TN)]). SDPP was fed from weaning (28 d of age) to the end of the trial (piglets were weighed at the beginning, 7, 21 and 35 days of trial). Rectal, neck, shoulder and leg temperatures were measured every seven days. At 21 days of trial, one piglet per pen was slaughtered to determine the weight of the carcass and organs. Blood samples were collected at 18 and 35 days of trial to determine levels T3 and T4. The rectal, neck, shoulder and leg temperatures were increased (p < 0.05) 0.4, 1.5, 1.0 and 1.3ºC, respectively, and relative weight of the lungs (p < 0.05) and total T3 (p < 0.05) were decreased 0.001 kg/kg and 0.19 ng/dl, respectively, for pigs in the HS environment. The estimated inclusion of 5.1% of SDPP had the greatest (p < 0.05) weight gain during the first week, and throughout the nursery phase, the 5% of inclusion had a tendency of improvement (p = 0.075), regardless of ambient temperature. For the entire period, pigs reared in the HS environment had the greatest (p < 0.05) estimated feed intake by the quadratic regression with the inclusion of 4.3% of SDPP.