A practical method for determining the susceptibility of aquatic Vibrio and Aeromonas spp. to antibacterial agents

A practical dilution method for determining the degree of susceptibility of aquatic Vibrio and Aeromonas spp. to antibacterial agents is described. The method utilizes the differential ability of these two genera to ferment glucose. Acidification produced by the bacterial metabolism is demonstrated by the color change of an indicator (bromthymol blue) from blue-green to bright yellow. Where bacteria are inhibited by a sufficient concentration of the antibacterial drug tested, no color change occurs. The accurate quantitative results obtained with this method facilitate proper therapy for diseased fish, shrimps and oysters. The same method can in principle be applied to any other glucose-fermenting bacteria, when challenged with non-acidic antibacterial agents.     

In vivo kinetic study on uptake and distribution of intramuscular tritium-labeled polysulfated glycosaminoglycan in equine body fluid compartments and articular cartilage in an osteochondrial defect model

The uptake and distribution of intramuscularly (IM) administered tritium-labeled polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (³H-PSGAG) in serum, synovial fluid, and articular cartilage of eight horses was quantitated, and hyaluronic acid (HA) concentration of the middle carpal joint was evaluated in a pharmacokinetic study. A full-thickness articular cartilage defect, created on the distal articular surface of the left radial carpal bone of each horse served as an osteochondral defect model. ³H-PSGAG (500 mg) was injected IM, between 14 and 35 days after creation of the defects. Scintillation analysis of serum and synovial fluid, collected from both middle carpal joints at specific predetermined times up to 96 hours post-injection, revealed mean ³H-PSGAG concentrations peaked at 2 hours post-injection. ³H-PSGAG was detected in cartilage and subchondral bone 96 hours post-injection in samples from all eight horses. There were no statistically significant differences in ³H-PSGAG concentration of synovial fluid or cartilage between cartilage defect and control (right middle carpal) joints.

HA assay of synovial fluid revealed concentrations significantly increased at 24, 48, and 96 hours post-injection in both joints. The concentration nearly doubled 48 hours post-injection. However, no statistically significant differences were found between synovial concentrations of HA in cartilage defect and control joints.

³H-PSGAG administered IM to horses, was distributed in the blood, synovial fluid, and articular cartilage. HA concentrations in synovial fluid increased after IM administration of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan.     

Residue management for reducing evaporation in relation to soil type and evaporativity1

Abstract. Usual residue-management options are to remove the residue, use it as mulch with or without undercutting or to incorporate it into the soil. While the role of surface mulch in evaporation has been widely studied, the information on the effect on evaporation of mulch with undercutting or residue incorporated into soil, particularly in relation to soil type and evaporativity (E_o) is lacking. We studied the effect of wheat straw used in various ways on the course of evaporation loss from soil columns with three soils at Ludhiana, India and one soil at Bushland, Texas, USA, under two E_o's Energy-limited evaporation rates under mulch (E_om) followed the soil-specific relation E_om/E_o= a e^(bRes+cEo), where Res is residue rate t/ha and a, b and c are constants; E_o, is expressed in mm/d. In an effort to model the total evaporation (CE) during the energy-limited stage ‘U’ was obtained from appropriate CE versus time curves and (CE-U) was regressed over (t - ti)^0.5 to obtain the slope ‘α’ (Ritchie 1972) for the soil-limited evaporation stage. The observed ‘U’ was independent of mulch rate and E_o but was strongly affected by soil type, Values of ‘α’ decreased with increase in mulch rate and decrease in E_o and coarseness of soil. The otherwise short lived benefit of evaporation reduction with mulch per se, which peaked after a few days was maintained when residue was mixed with soil at the stage when evaporation reduction reached a maximum; this benefit continued for several weeks. Cumulative evaporation values computed from ‘U’ and ‘α’ agreed closely with the observed values under straw mulch for loamy sand and clay loam soils and for ‘undercut’ and ‘residue mixed’ treatments on all soils regardless of E_o, and for all situations under small E_o. However, for sandy loam and silt loam soils under E_o of 10 mm/d, the modified square root of the time function of Jalota et al. (1988) gave a better fit.     

Epidural Morphine in Goats after Hindlimb Orthopedic Surgery

Morphine (0.1 mg/kg) diluted with 0.9% saline to a volume of 0.13 mL/kg was administered into the epidural space at the lumbosacral junction in 10 halothane-anesthetized goats immediately before discontinuation of halothane. The same volume of 0.9% saline was given to control group of eight anesthetized goats. Both groups had undergone an orthopedic procedure that replaced the anterior cruciate ligament with a patellar tendon autograft. The appearance and unprovoked behavior of goats in the morphine group were significantly different (p < .05) from the saline groups. The goats in the morphine group were more sedate and struggled less during recovery. Epidural morphine did not produce respiratory depression or bloat during a 9 hour observation period. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure (mean, systolic, and diastolic) of the morphine group did not differ from those of the control group.     

Anatomía del Desarrollo del Tracto Digestivo y Forma Corporal Externa Durante el Período Embrionario en el Caprino (Copra hircus)

Anatomy of the digestive tract and external body development during the embryonic stages of the caprine (Copra, bircus) The purpose of this work has been to establish the pattern of prenatal growth and normal development of the digestive tract and annex glands during goat embryonic stages. 21 embryos with ages ranging from 14 to 34 days (1.69 to 5.90 cm CR) as determined by registering the mating time, were obtained by cesarea. This material was histologically processed to obtain complete serial sections of the stomatodaeum, foregut, midgut, hindgut and cloaca. In this work, it is chronologically described the morphogenesis and histogenesis of the mouth, hypophysis, pharynx and its derivatives, stomach, intestine, liver, pancreas and cloaca. The results obtained establish chronological comparisons with the development of the lamb and gives information on the unitary origin of the gastric compartments in ruminants.     

Effect of dietary copper and vitamin E supplementation, and extensive feeding with acorn and grass on longissimus muscle composition and susceptibility to oxidation in Iberian pigs

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of dietary copper and/or vitamin E supplementation on composition and oxidation of M. longissimus in Iberian pigs and to compare it with meat samples from pigs produced extensively and fed with acorn and grass. Grass had the highest α-tocopherol content (> 150 mg/kg DM), while acorns had the highest copper concentration (78.1 mg/kg DM). Dietary treatment did not affect copper composition in muscle and no interactions were detected between copper and α-tocopherol. The α-tocopherol content in muscle from pigs fed diets supplemented with α-tocopheryl acetate (100 mg/kg feed) was 1.5 times greater (p < 0.0001) than those from pigs receiving a basel diet. M. longisssimus dorsi from pigs fed extensively had a higher concentration of α-tocopherol than those fed in confinement with the basel level of α-tocopheryl acetate, but lower values than pigs fed supplemented levels. Total n -3 fatty acids (p < 0.02) and hematin (p < 0.0001) concentrations were significantly higher in muscle from pigs fed extensively than when fed in confinement. Muscle homogenates from Iberian pigs fed in extensive conditions showed significantly (p < 0.02) higher susceptibility to oxidation than those from pigs fed mixed diets. Dietary α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation (100 mg/kg feed) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced lipid oxidation of muscle, while dietary copper concentration did not modify susceptibility to lipid oxidation.     

Response of Mustard to Ethrel Spray and Basal and Foliar Application of Nitrogen

In a field trial conducted during 1992–93 and 1993–94, the effect of basal (B) nitrogen (N) (45 and 60 kg N ha⁻¹) and foliar application (F) of water (W) or 10 kg N ha⁻¹ and 400 or 600 ppm ethrel (E) (2-Chloro ethyl phosphonic acid) at 70 days after sowing was studied on leaf area index and dry mass at 90 days and pod number per plant, seeds per pod, 1000 seed weight, seed yield, oil content and oil vield at harvest of mustard ( Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss.) cv. T-59. Recommended basal (B) application of 90 kg N ha (BN₉₀) was used as control. On the basis of 2 year data it was found that basal application of 60 kg N and foliar spray of 10 kg N ha ⁻¹ and 600 ppm ethrel gave higher values for growth and yield characteristics and enhanced seed yield and oil yield by 12.5 and 14.8%, respectively over control BN_90.     

A Blinded Comparison of the Efficacy of Daily and Twice Daily Trimethoprim-Sulfadiazine and Daily Sulfadimethoxine-Ormetoprim Therapy in the Treatment of Canine Pyoderma

Abstract— In a blinded trial to determine the efficacy of potentiated sulfa drugs in the treatment of canine pyoderma, 50 dogs with superficial pyoderma were randomly assigned to receive either once or twice daily trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (30mg.kg^-1) or once daily sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim (55mg.kg^-1 on the first day, then 27.5 mg.kg^-1 thereafter). Dogs were evaluated prior to antibiotic therapy. Clinical efficacy of the antibiotic was assessed after 3 weeks of antibiotic therapy and, if needed, after 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy. Forty-five dogs completed the study; 43 dogs were used in the statistical analysis. The percentage of dogs that were cured of their pyoderma with once daily trimethoprim-sulfadiazine was 38.5% by 3 weeks and 75.9% by 6 weeks. With twice daily trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, 57.1 and 78.6% of dogs were cured by 3 and 6 weeks, respectively. With once daily sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim, 75.0 and 100% of dogs were cured by 3 and 6 weeks, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant, possibly due to the low sample size. Few adverse effects were noted. Résumé— Dans une étude en double aveugle pour apprécier l'efficacité des sulfamides potentialisés dans le traitement des pyodermites canines, cinquante chiens présentant une pyodermite superficielle ont reçu, au hasard, soit deux fois ou une fois par jour du triméthoprime-sulfadiazine (30 mg.kg^-1) ou une fois par jour du sulfadiméthoxine-ormétoprime (55mg.kg^-1 le premier jour, puis 27.5 mg.kg^-1). Les chiens ont étéévalués avant le traitement. L'efficacité clinique de l'antibiotique a été appréciée après 3 semaines de traitement et, si besion est, après 6 semaines. Le pourcentage de chiens guéris avec une prise quotidienne de triméthoprime-sulfadiazine était de 33.5%à 3 semaines et 75.9%à 6 semaines. Avec des prises biquotidiennes de triméthoprime-sulfadiazine 57.1% et 78.6% des chiens étaint guéris à 3 et 6 semaines. Avec une prise quotidienne de sulfadiméthoxine-ormétoprime, 75.0% et 100.0% des chiens étaient guéris à 3 et 6 semaines. Cette différence n'était pais statistiquement significative, probablement à cause de la taille trop faible de l'échantilon. Très peu d'effects secondaires ont été notés. Zusammenfassung— Für eine Blindstudie zur Bestimmung der Wirksamkeit von potenzierten Sulfonamidpräparaten bei der Behandlung kaniner Pyrodermie wurden 50 Hunde mit oberflächlicher Pyodermie zufällig ausgewählt, um entweder einmal oder zweimal täglich Trimethoprim-Sulfadiazin (30mg/kg) oder einmal täglich Sulfadimethoxin-Ormetoprim zu erhalten (55 mg/kg am ersten Tag, danach 27,5 mg/kg). Die Hunde wurden vor der antibotischen Therapie untersucht. Die klinische Wirksamkeit der Antibiose wurde nach 3 Wochen antibiotischer Therapie und, wenn nötig, nach 6 Wochen antibiotischer Therapie ausgewertet. 45 Hunde durchliefen die Studie vollständig; 43 Hunde fanden in die statistische Analyse Eingang. Der Prozentsatz der Hunde, deren Pyrodermie durch einmal tägliches Trimethoprim-Sulfadiazin geheilt wurde, lag bei 38,5% nach 3 Wochen und bei 75,9% nach 6 Wochen. Bei zweimaliger Trimethoprim-Sulfadiazin-Verabreichung wurden 57,1% und 78,6% der Hunde nach 3 bzw. 6 Wochen geheilt. Mit einer einmal täglichen Verabreichung von. Sulfadimethoxin-Ormetoprim wurden 75,0% und 100% der Hunde nach 3 bzw. 6 Wochen geheilt. Dieser Unterschied war statistisch nicht signifikant, möglicherweise aufgrund der geringen Fallzahlen. Es wurden nur wenige Nebenwirkungen festgestellt. Resumen A cincuenta perros que presentaban pioderma superficial se les evaluó para la eficacia de antibioticos potenciados de tipo sulfamídico en el tratamiento del pioderma canino, por medio de la administración de una a dos veces diarias de trimetoprim-sulfadiazina (30 mg/kg), o sulfadimetoxinaormetoprim una vez al día (55 mg/kg en al primer día, y 27.5 mg/kg después de la primera dosis). Los animales se examinaron antes del tratamiento con antibióticos. La eficacia clínica del tratamiento se evaluó a las tres o seis semanas en los casos necesarios. Cuarenta y cinco de los perros completaron el estudio; 43 se utilizaron en analisis estadísticos. El porcentaje de perros curados con el tratamiento diario a base de trimetoprim-sulfadiazina fué del 38.5% a las 3 semanas, y 75.9% a las 6 semanas. De los animales tratados dos veces al día con trimetoprim-sulfadiazina, el porcentaje de cura fue del 57.1% y 78.6%, a las 3 y 6 semanas respectivamente. Con el tratamiento a base de sulfadimetoxina-ormetoprim una vez al día, 75.0% y 100% de los perros fueron curados a las tres y seis semanas. La diferencia no se encontró estadísticamente significativa, posiblemente debido al reducido número de perros evaluados. Se observaron posas reacciones adversas a la medicación.