Efficacy of three tourniquet types for intravenous antimicrobial regional limb perfusion in standing horses

Objective: To determine (1) if clinically useful concentrations of amikacin sulfate can be obtained in synovial fluid during regional limb perfusion (RLP) performed above the carpus in standing sedated horses and (2) to determine the efficacy of 3 tourniquet types (narrow rubber [NR], wide rubber [WR], pneumatic [PN]). Animals: Horses (n=9). Methods: Bilateral forelimb RLP with amikacin sulfate (2.5 g) were administered through the cephalic vein in standing sedated horses. Limbs were randomly assigned to the 3 tourniquet types (NR, WR, PN) applied above the carpus. Metacarpophalangeal synovial fluid was obtained 0.5 hour after perfusion. Amikacin concentration in the synovial fluid was detected using fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Results: Mean synovial concentrations of amikacin in the PN (mean 236 μg/mL; range 23–913 μg/mL) and WR (mean 64.2 μg/mL; range 7–315 μg/mL) were significantly higher (P=.000 and .032, respectively) than the NR tourniquet (mean 2.1 μg/mL; range 0.9–3.3 μg/mL). Conclusions: The PN tourniquet resulted in the highest synovial fluid amikacin concentrations in all horses, although administration with PN and WR tourniquets achieved adequate amikacin concentrations. NR tourniquet is ineffective and should not be used for RLP above the carpus in the standing horse.     

Hinweise zur Erkennung des Schlagalters von Fichtenst?cken an Befallsfolgen durch Insekten und Pilze und den allgemeinen Zustand in verschiedenen Altersstufen

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Toward high-resolution de novo structure prediction for small proteins

The prediction of protein structure from amino acid sequence is a grand challenge of computational molecular biology. By using a combination of improved low- and high-resolution conformational sampling methods, improved atomically detailed potential functions that capture the jigsaw puzzle-like packing of protein cores, and high-performance computing, high-resolution structure prediction (<1.5 angstroms) can be achieved for small protein domains (<85 residues). The primary bottleneck to consistent high-resolution prediction appears to be conformational sampling.     

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Über das Auftreten parasitischer Insekten von Cephalcia abietis L. im Waldviertel (Niederösterreich)

Investigations were carried out on the influence of parasites on fluctuations ofCephalcia abietis during continous breedings in Lower Austria (Waldviertel). The efficiency of parasite insects on the mortality of the False Spruce Webworm was stated in certain years in the high percentages of entomophagous insects, ready for swarming, related on pronymphs and pupae ofCephalcia abietis, developing to emerging adults. It could be observed, that frequently incertain localities cocoons of parasites exceeded the present pronymphs and pupae of the False Spruce Webworm. On the contrary, the participation of parasite cocoons, with some exceptions, was of inferior importance on the whole larvae and pupae of this Tenthredinid, collected per sqm. Larger appearance of entomophages, existing always in connection with intensive swarming of adults of Cephalcia abietis, has supposed a physiological synchronisation of parasites and hosts, due to a hormonal control of parasite development. It could be stated, that the entomofauna was consisting especially of Ichneumonids (9 species). Tachinids were present only in a negligible extent.     

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