Effect of Prophylactic Intramuscular Administration of Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan on Developmental and Traumatic Joint Injuries in Thoroughbred Foals

The objective of this study was to determine whether a prophylactic regimen of intramuscular polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAG), administered to growing Thoroughbred foals, would significantly reduce the incidence or severity of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) or traumatic joint lesions that had been found in untreated foals (historical controls) from the same farm during the preceding 3 years. The number of PSGAG-treated foals with clinically significant joint lesions was 44.1% lower than the number of foals with OCD/joint injuries that had been found in the untreated historical controls. Surgical intervention of the treated foals declined 87.7% from the incidence on the farm during the preceding 3 years. Although the incidence of OCD lesions of the hock, stifle, and fetlocks in treated foals was not significantly different from that found in the matched controls, the lesions in the PSGAG-treated foals resolved without surgery. These results suggest that PSGAG has the potential to improve the clinical course of osteochondrosis (OC) and OCD. Additional studies are underway to determine whether a shorter or more targeted prophylactic regimen will provide a similar benefit.     

The Impact of Industrial Restructuring on Earnings Inequality: The Decline of Steel and Earnings in Pittsburgh

ABSTRACT Inter‐industry employment shifts were largely responsible for changes in the income distribution in the Pittsburgh region during the 1980s. Kernel density estimators were used, together with decomposition techniques developed by DiNardo et al. (1996 ) to show that industry shifts were responsible for over 90 percent of the earnings reductions at some points on the earnings distribution. Most of the losses at the lower end of the distribution occurred in the early 1980s as the economy plunged into a deep recession. The recovery in the later part of the decade brought little improvement as earnings in the lower part of the distribution continued to fall with the increase in employment of part‐time workers in the low‐wage trade and service sectors.     

Provenance and pretreatment effect on seed germination of six provenances of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Faidherbia albida</Emphasis> (Delile) A. Chev

A nursery experiment was conducted to determine the effects of seed pretreatment methods on the germination of Faidherbia albida at ICRAF, Nairobi from six provenances consisting of Awassa, Taveta, Lake Koka, Maseno, Chinzombo and Wagingombe. Seeds were subjected to five pretreatment methods namely nicking, soaking in acid, hot water, cold water and control. Germination percentages (GP), mean germination time (MGT) and germination index (GI) were calculated and the data was subjected to ANOVA. The study revealed significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences in seed treatments among provenances in all studied parameters. Highest germination among pretreatments in Awassa (99 %) and Wagingombe (80 %) was observed in nicked seeds, Chinzombo (81 %) in nicked and acid treated seeds, Lake Koka (90 %) in acid treated seeds and Taveta (28 %) and Maseno (64 %) in cold water treated seeds. Nicking gave the highest cumulative GP (69.67) while lowest GP was observed in hot water treated seeds (23.17). Acid treatment exhibited lowest MGT (8.85 days) and highest GI (2.29) while highest MGT (24.35 days) and lowest GI (0.31) were observed in control and hot water treatment respectively. Although acid treatment gave a high GP and lowest MGT and GI, nicking and soaking in cold water for 24 h is being recommended as cheaper and less hazardous pretreatment methods to improve germination in F. albida since sulphuric acid is expensive and requires proper handling techniques. Significant correlation between geo-climatic data and germination parameters of seeds subjected to different pretreatments indicates that provenances are as important as pretreatments in germination of the species.     

Chemical extraction to assess the bioavailability of chlorobenzenes in soil with different aging periods

Purpose  

Bioavailability is mainly influenced by aging and desorption of contaminants in soil. The purpose of this study was to investigate the desorption kinetics of chlorobenzenes (CBs) in soil and to investigate whether chemical extractions are suitable for the bioavailability assessment of CBs in soil.     

Microarray analysis of differential utilization of plant-based diets by rainbow trout

Microarray analysis was conducted using liver samples from two families of rainbow trout that differed in their growth responses when compared between individuals fed a fishmeal or plant protein-based diet. Differential expression relating to dietary utilization between the two families found significant changes in expression of 33 expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Eight of the differentially expressed ESTs had identified mammalian homologs that had been previously researched with identified cellular interactions and functions. Utilizing pathway analysis software to analyze sequences annotated with known mammalian genes, we were able to map gene pathways and process interactions. From this information, we were able to infer that the metabolic changes associated with utilization of plant protein versus fishmeal were associated with differential regulation of genes related to cell oxidative stress, proliferation, growth and survival. Furthermore, we inferred from the changes we observed in immune response gene expression that ingestion of this plant-based diet upregulated the expression of genes involved in immunoregulatory processes.     

Response surface methodology to understand the anaerobic biodegradation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in contaminated soil—significance of nitrate concentration and bioaccessibility

Purpose

Problems associated with Organochlorine pesticide (OCP)-contaminated soils have received wide attention. To understand the anaerobic biodegradation process constraints, innovative mathematical analysis methods are effective.

Materials and methods

Response surface methodology (RSM) and Tenax TA extraction method combined with the first-three-compartment model were employed to systematically investigate the role of nitrate concentration and bioaccessibility enhancer (methyl-β-cyclodextrin, MCD) in the anaerobic biodegradation of OCPs in contaminated soil.

Results and discussion

The sole addition of either KNO₃ or MCD could facilitate the anaerobic biodegradation of OCPs. The highest biodegradation for total OCPs, hexachlorocyclohexanes, endosulfans, and chlordanes were 71.6, 82.1, 68.3, and 55.6 %, respectively, when 20 mM KNO₃ and 3.0 % (w/w) MCD were applied simultaneously. As predicted by RSM, the theoretical maximum biodegradation for total OCPs ranged from 60 to 80 % when 20 to 25 mM KNO₃ and >2.5 % (w/w) MCD were applied simultaneously. Tenax TA extraction method demonstrated the enhancement of OCP bioaccessibility caused by MCD addition. Changes in the soil microbial activities also suggested the positive effects of adding suitable amounts of KNO₃ as a cosubstrate to facilitate the anaerobic biodegradation of OCPs.

Conclusions

The amount of KNO₃ and MCD are crucial in influencing OCP biodegradation. RSM was demonstrated to be a powerful tool to estimate and predicting the optimal OCP biodegradation under KNO₃ and MCD application simultaneously.     

Changes in bovine luteal progesterone metabolism in response to exogenous prostaglandin F(2alpha)

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) on luteal synthesis of progesterone (P4) and related progestins. Sixteen beef heifers were assigned in equal numbers to four groups in a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The experiment consisted of two levels of PGF2alpha analog (0 and 500 microg) and two levels of time (4 and 24 h after injection) of corpus luteum collection. All heifers were injected intravenously with saline (2 ml) or PGF2alpha (cloprostenol) on day 8 of the estrous cycle (estrus=day 0). Jugular blood was collected at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 h after injection. Resulting sera were analyzed for P4 by use of radioimmunoassay. Luteal tissue was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for P4, 20beta-hydroxyprogesterone, pregnenolone, and allopregnanolone (3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one). Treatment with PGF2alpha reduced serum concentrations of P4 as early as 1 h after injection (P<0.005) and steroid levels remained low over 24 h. Similarly, administration of PGF2alpha caused a decline in luteal P4 (P<0.005), 20beta-hydroxyprogesterone (P<0.10), and pregnenolone (P<0.05). In contrast, treatment with PGF(2alpha) caused an increase in luteal allopregnanolone over time (time x treatment interaction; P<0.05). These data are interpreted to suggest that PGF2alpha promotes conversion of P4 to the metabolite allopregnanolone.