Marking to weaning production aspects of lambs provided with NSAID analgesia compared with lambs receiving no analgesia at the time of elastrator ring marking

The provision of analgesia at the time of marking has been adopted by the Australian sheep industry, but data on production benefits are lacking. In the current study, alternate lambs were provided with either meloxicam (non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug [NSAID], n = 781) or no analgesia (NONE, n = 822) at the time of ring castration and tail docking. Six distinct management groups of lambs were studied. Lambs were weighed immediately before marking and then again at weaning. There was no significant effect of treatment on average daily gain between marking and weaning in cross‐bred lambs. In Merino lambs, average daily gain was 5 g/day lower (P < 0.005) in lambs receiving NSAID, but this may not be biologically significant. Lamb losses were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the NSAID group (1.1%) than in the NONE group (2.7%). This observation is worth validating in larger studies, particularly considering that lamb mortality is a significant cost to production and welfare concern.     

Hydrogen radicals, nitrogen radicals, and the production of O3 in the upper troposphere

The concentrations of the hydrogen radicals OH and HO2 in the middle and upper troposphere were measured simultaneously with those of NO, O3, CO, H2O, CH4, non-methane hydrocarbons, and with the ultraviolet and visible radiation field. The data allow a direct examination of the processes that produce O3 in this region of the atmosphere. Comparison of the measured concentrations of OH and HO2 with calculations based on their production from water vapor, ozone, and methane demonstrate that these sources are insufficient to explain the observed radical concentrations in the upper troposphere. The photolysis of carbonyl and peroxide compounds transported to this region from the lower troposphere may provide the source of HOx required to sustain the measured abundances of these radical species. The mechanism by which NO affects the production of O3 is also illustrated by the measurements. In the upper tropospheric air masses sampled, the production rate for ozone (determined from the measured concentrations of HO2 and NO) is calculated to be about 1 part per billion by volume each day. This production rate is faster than previously thought and implies that anthropogenic activities that add NO to the upper troposphere, such as biomass burning and aviation, will lead to production of more O3 than expected.     

A tunable kondo effect in quantum dots

A tunable Kondo effect has been realized in small quantum dots. A dot can be switched from a Kondo system to a non-Kondo system as the number of electrons on the dot is changed from odd to even. The Kondo temperature can be tuned by means of a gate voltage as a single-particle energy state nears the Fermi energy. Measurements of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of a Coulomb-blockaded dot show good agreement with predictions of both equilibrium and nonequilibrium Kondo effects.     

Antagonism of detomidine with tolazoline in isoflurane-anaesthetised ponies

The effects of tolazoline (4.0 mg/kg iv) antagonism of detomidine (0.02 mg/kg iv) were evaluated in isoflurane-anaesthetised, ventilated ponies. Each of 6 ponies received both tolazoline and saline treatment during separate anaesthetic episodes only (no surgery was performed). Detomidine administration produced an increase in blood pressure, decrease in heart rate and decrease in P_aO₂ Tolazoline treatment transiently increased heart rate while blood pressure returned to baseline after both treatments. Arterial oxygenation decreased further after tolazoline treatment while oxgenation recovered towards baseline with saline treatment. No other cardiopulmonary effects were detected. Recovery from anaesthesia tended to be more rapid when detomidine was antagonized. The potential benefit of antagonizing detomidine-induced bradycardia with tolazoline, during isoflurane anaesthesia should be weighed against the potential to produce a decrease in arterial oxygenation. The mechanism for this effect is not clear.     

Visceral mast cell tumour with eosinophilia and eosinophilic peritoneal and pleural effusions in a cat

Summary A cat with weight loss, pyrexia and recurrent lethargy and depression was found to have pleural and peritoneal eosinophilic effusions, peripheral eosinophilia, eosinophilic lymphadenitis and a massively enlarged mesenteric lymph node. Visceral mast cell neoplasia was diagnosed after histopathological examination of a biopsy of the mass. Palliative chemotherapy was attempted unsuccessfully and the cat was euthanased.     

Molecular mechanism of Chinese medicine formula (Bushen Bugu Tang) for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

AIM: To study the molecular mechanism of Chinese medicine formula Bushen Bugu Tang (BSBGT) for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO). METHODS: Forty female SD rats were divided into four groups: the sham group, OVX group, estrogen treatment group and BSBGT treatment group, ten for each, difference operation and treatment were given. Subsequently, bone mineral density (BMD), bone histomorphometric changes and collagen type I expression in the femur of these rats were examined. In order to position the target of the formula acting on bone, the effect of BSBGT on regulation of mRNA levels of RANKL and OPG, two key factors for regulating osteoclastogenesis, by using rat calvarial-derived stromal cell cultrues, was elucidated. RESULTS: The BSBGT formula was found as effective as estrogen in preventing the reduction of BMD, the trabecular area and trabecular numbers in femora and also the decrease in collagen type I expression following ovariectomy. RT-PCR resulted showed that both estrogen and BSBGT significantly up-regulated OPG mRNA level and down-regulated RANKL mRNA level, resulting in an increased ratio of OPG/RANKL in cultured rat stromal cells. CONCLUSIONS: The ratio of OPG/RANKL within the osseous environment determines whether bone formation predominates bone resorption. We therefore concluded that the BSBGT formula might be as effective as estrogen in prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis through the mechanism of up-regulating RANKL expression and down-regulating OPG expression in osteoblast/stromal cells.     

Use of a pedicled rectus abdominis muscle flap for repair of a failed vesicourethral anastomosis in a dog

A 10-year-old mixed breed dog underwent a prostatectomy for an adenocarcinoma. Within three days the dog had signs of a uroperitoneum. Re-exploration revealed that a portion of the vesicourethral anastomosis had failed. Primary suturing of the tissue along the site of dehiscence following debridement of the devitalised tissue was impossible. A rectus abdominis muscle flap was created and successfully used to repair the site of leakage.     

Comparison of worm control strategies in grazing sheep in Denmark.

Control of nematode parasites with reduced reliance on the use of anthelmintics was studied in 16 ewes with suckling twin lambs on contaminated pasture in Denmark. Ewes and lambs were treated with albendazole at turn-out 3 May. Ewes were removed from the groups on 26 July, and lambs were slaughtered on 11 October. The animals were allocated to 4 groups of 8 lambs and their 4 ewes. Group TS was treated with albendazole at weeks 3, 6 and 8 after turnout and set-stocked; group TM was similarly treated but moved to clean pasture in conjunction with the last drenching; group US was untreated and set-stocked, and group UM was left untreated but moved to clean pasture week 8 after turn-out. Supplementary feed was offered in June and August due to scarcity of pasture. Strategic treatments of ewes and lambs weeks 3, 6 and 8 after turn-out, with or without a move to clean pasture, were highly effective in controlling nematode infections for most of the season. This was reflected in better weight gains and carcass characteristics in the treated compared to untreated lambs, resulting in an average increase in the value of the product by 36%. The effect of moving without treatment (UM) on faecal egg counts was limited but peak pasture infectivity was reduced to less than 10% compared to the set-stocked group and weight gains of lambs were significantly better despite poor feed availability in late season. The study showed that under set-stocked conditions repeated anthelmintic treatments of both ewes and lambs in early season may ensure sufficient nematode control whereas moving animals to clean pasture without dosing was less efficient. The latter may, however, still be a viable option in organic and other production systems where routine use of anthelmintics is banned, particularly if weaning and moving are combined or a second move is performed.     

Pharmacokinetics of lamivudine in cats

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the pharmacokinetics of lamivudine (3TC) in cats. ANIMALS: 6 sexually intact 9-month-old barrier-reared domestic shorthair cats. PROCEDURE: Cats were randomly alloted into 3 groups, and lamivudine (25 mg/kg) was administered i.v., intragastrically (i.g.), and p.o. in a 3-way crossover study design with 2-week washout periods between experiments. Plasma samples were collected for 12 hours after drug administration, and lamivudine concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax), time to reach Cmax (Tmax), and bioavailability were compared between i.g. and p.o. routes. Area under the curve (AUC) and terminal phase half-life (t(1/2)) among the 3 administration routes were also compared. RESULTS: Plasma concentrations of lamivudine declined rapidly with a t(1/2) of 1.9 +/- 0.21 hours, 2.6 +/- 0.66 hours, and 2.7 +/- 1.50 hours after i.v., i.g., and p.o. administration, respectively. Total body clearance and steady-state volume of distribution were 0.22 +/- 0.09 L/h/kg and 0.60 +/- 0.22 L/kg, respectively. Mean Tmax for i.g. administration (0.5 hours) was significantly shorter than Tmax for p.o. administration (1.1 hours). The AUC after i.v., i.g., and p.o. administration was 130 +/- 55.2 mg x h/L, 115 +/- 97.5 mg x h/L, and 106 +/- 94.9 mg x h/L, respectively. Lamivudine was well absorbed after i.g. and p.o. administration with bioavailability values of 88 +/- 45% and 80 +/- 52%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cats had a shorter t(1/2) but slower total clearance of lamivudine, compared with humans. Plasma concentrations of lamivudine were maintained above the minimum effective concentration for inhibiting FIV replication by 50% (0.14 microM [0.032 microg/mL] for wild-type FIV clinical isolate) for at least 12 hours after i.v., i.g., or p.o. administration.