Crystallization behavior and texture of trans-containing and trans-free palm oil based confectionery fats

The objective of this study was to gain insight into the role of trans fatty acids in determining the crystallization behavior and texture of palm-based confectionery fats. Therefore, the isothermal crystallization behavior of two series, each of three fats, one trans-containing and one trans-free, was examined by pNMR, DSC, and rheology. Furthermore, the hardness of these samples was examined at three different storage times at 10 degrees C. All of the trans free samples showed a two-step crystallization at 10 degrees C which is hypothesized to be an alpha-mediated beta' crystallization for two of the samples and a fractionated crystallization in the beta' polymorph for the third, while the trans-containing fats crystallized in a single step, probably a direct beta' crystallization. The trans-containing fat series clearly crystallized faster than the trans-free fat series and also yielded higher hardness values at all storage times investigated. The presence of trans fatty acids seems to reduce the effect of compositional variations on the crystallization process. For the trans free fats, chemical composition was much more critical in determining the crystallization rate, the SFC, and the final hardness value.     

Presumed immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia in two foals with Rhodococcus equi infection

Objective – To describe the clinical presentation, case management, and outcome in 2 foals with Rhodococcus equi infection associated with presumptive severe immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia. Series Summary – Two foals diagnosed with R. equi pneumonia on the basis of tracheal wash cultures, thoracic radiographs, and thoracic ultrasonography were concurrently diagnosed with hemolytic anemia. Both foals required whole blood transfusions, and were treated with the antimicrobial combination of rifampin and a macrolide (eg, clarithromycin, erythromycin, or azithromycin). Dexamethasone was used to prevent further hemolysis in both foals, and to treat acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome in 1 of the foals. Both foals survived, and required prolonged antimicrobial therapy. New or Unique Information Provided – Although extra‐pulmonary disorders are commonly diagnosed in foals infected with R. equi, hemolytic anemia is rarely described. Dexamethasone is considered the treatment of choice for immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia, but may be contra‐indicated in foals with severe bacterial infections. In these foals, a relatively low dose and short duration of dexamethasone was utilized in an attempt to minimize immune suppression, although early discontinuation in 1 foal precipitated a second hemolytic crisis.     

Original Papers

In the present study we report on the histotopographical distribution of lectin binding sites in the trophoblasts of day 18 to day 40 bovine embryos, using the FITC-labeled lectins BPA, Con A, DBA, GS I, GS II, MPA, PNA, SBA, UEA I and WGA. Lectin binding sites localized in giant binucleate cells differ from those localized in uninucleate cells, indicating changes in the biochemical structure of cell surfaces taking place during differentiation. In the trophoblast of the day 40 embryo, a distinct staining of uninucleate cells was seen after incubation with GS I, Con A and MPA, demonstrating N-acetylgalactosamine (GS I), Mannose (Con A) and Galactose (MPA) moieties, whereas giant binucleate cells showed intense reactions after incubation with DBA and WGA, indicating presence of N-acetylgalactosamine (DBA) and N-acetylglucosamine (WGA). GS II (specific for N-acetylglucosamine), SBA (specific for N-acetylgalactosamine) and UEA I (specific for L-Fucose) showed no affinity toward any of the examined tissues. We assume, that carbohydrate moieties in trophoblast cells play an important role in fetomaternal cell-cell adhesion and cell migration during implantation and placentation period.     

Association of hyperlactatemia with age,diagnosis, and survival in equine neonates

Objective – To investigate the association between blood lactate concentration, measured at admission and following 12–36 hours of treatment, and age, diagnosis, and survival in neonatal foals. Design – Retrospective, observational study. Setting – Two equine referral hospitals. Animals – One hundred and twelve foals ≤96 hours of age were included. Interventions – Arterial or venous blood samples were obtained from all foals at admission and surviving foals at 12–36 hours. Measurements – The lactate concentration (LAC) was recorded at 2 time points: admission (LAC‐Admission) and 12–36 hours following treatment (LAC‐24 hours). Main Results – LAC decreased by 0.05 mmol/L for each increased hour of age at presentation. Premature/dysmature foals demonstrated increased odds of nonsurvival of 55% for each 1 mmol/L increase in LAC‐Admission while foals with major diagnoses of neonatal encephalopathy (NE), enteritis and ‘Other’ had increased odds of nonsurvival of 52%, 113%, and 247%, respectively, for each 1.0 mmol/L increase in LAC. Blood‐culture positive foals had significantly lower LAC than blood culture negative foals. LAC‐Admission and LAC‐24 hours were significantly larger in nonsurviving foals. LAC‐Admission of >6.9 mmol/L and LAC‐24 hours >3.2 mmol/L, respectively, correctly classified 85.6% and 94.1% of cases as survivors or nonsurvivors. No differences were found when the 24‐hour change in LAC was investigated in terms of outcome, age at admission, or major diagnosis; however, LAC‐24 hours remained significantly associated with survival. Conclusions – Admission or persistent hyperlactatemia is associated with a nonsurvival. Younger foals, premature/dysmature foals, and foals with neonatal encephalopathy had the largest LAC.     

In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibiotic Activity of Combinations of Ophthalmic Drugs Against Common Equine Ocular Pathogens

A subpalpebral lavage catheter is commonly used to administer medications in the treatment of infectious keratitis in horses. Drugs may mix in the subpalpebral lavage catheter, potentially affecting antimicrobial efficacy. The objective of this study was to determine the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of combinations of commonly used ophthalmic preparations. An agar gel diffusion bioassay was used to determine the antibiotic activity of a number of antimicrobial, antifungal, mydriatic, and antiproteinase drug combinations. Drug mixtures were allowed to sit in a syringe at ambient temperatures and room lighting, for 1 (T1) and 6 hours (T2). The antibacterial efficacy was determined by measuring the zone of inhibition around wells containing the drug combinations after overnight incubation at 37°C and comparing them with the zone of inhibition around the antimicrobial alone. Combinations were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus zooepidemicus. There was no significant decrease in the zone of inhibition, compared with controls, for the majority of combinations tested. Significantly smaller zones of inhibition were identified for the following combinations: (1) tobramycin, cefazolin, natamycin, and serum (T1) and (2) tobramycin, cefazolin, natamycin, serum, and atropine (T1) compared with tobramycin alone; (3) ciprofloxacin, cefazolin, natamycin (T1) compared with ciprofloxacin alone; (4) triple antibiotic ophthalmic solution (TAB) and natamycin (T6); (5) TAB, natamycin, and serum (T6); and (6) TAB, natamycin, serum, and atropine (T6) compared with TAB alone. Admixture does not affect in vitro antibacterial efficacy for the majority of ophthalmic preparations, although efficacy of TAB may be decreased compared with the drug alone.     

Die Entwicklung des Dottersackes beim Wiederkäuer (Schaf und Rind)

Yolk sac development was investigated in 69 ovine and 10 bovine embryos from the blastocyst stage to the 7th week of gestation. Light and electron microscopical findings are reported. The yolk sac in sheep and cattle is composed of an enlarged sac-like portion lying below the embryo and two ends which follow the elongated course of the trophoblast. In sheep, an open connection exists between the intestines and the yolk sac up to a crown-rump length (CRL) of 9 mm. It is closed by 12 mm CRL. The wall of the yolk sac is especially well vascularized in the enlarged, sac-like portion. Primary erythropoiesis occurs within the blood capillaries. In the blastocyst, the yolk sac entoderm is made up of elongated, flat cells. It becomes cuboidal in the 3 mm embryo (ovine) and later columnar. The up to 20 microns tall cells stain darkly and contain numerous light-colored vesicles. At 4.5 mm CRL light cells appear between the dark ones. Both cells are rich in rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). The increased staining of the darker cells is due to an osmophilic cytoplasm and numerous, often parallel lamella of rER. The rER of the light cells is enlarged to irregularly-shaped cisternae, which nearly fill the entire cytoplasm and give them a rounded appearance. The dark cells contain polygonal nuclei, whereas those in the light cells are round with one or two nucleoli. The oval mitochondria have only a few peripheral cristae. Golgi fields are not very common. Cells of the entoderm are connected to one another over zonulae occludentes. They possess microvilli on the luminal surface and are supported by a basement membrane. From 5 mm CRL onwards (ovine), the yolk sac entoderm folds itself between the capillaries, thereby becoming stratified. The intercellular space between the cells expands as projections between neighboring cells interlock. Canaliculi arise between adjacent epithelia. The wall of the yolk sac thickens as a result of this infolding and the densely packed capillaries. Infoldings are especially predominant in the sac-like portion of the yolk sac, and only suggested in the ends. Involution of the yolk sac begins in the peripheral end segments and proceeds centripetally. Numerous glycogen particles appear in the yolk sac entoderm cells of the ovine fetus at a CRL of 36 mm, and by a CRL of 42 mm, the sac-like portion has also begun to show signs of degeneration. Mesenchyme is very sparse within the wall of the yolk sac throughout the entire period of development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Milk as a food for growth? The insulin-like growth factors link

OBJECTIVE: The mechanisms underlying the association of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and leg length (a marker of prepubertal growth) with cancer risk are uncertain. One hypothesis is that diet in early childhood might provide the link. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between early diet - in particular, the intakes of cows' milk and dairy products - and height, leg length and IGF-I levels at age 7-8 years.SUBJECTS: Children participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.DESIGN: Diet was assessed using a 3-day unweighed food record. Anthropometry, IGF-I and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were measured by standard methods.RESULTS: Data on both diet and height were available for 744 children (404 boys) and on diet and IGF for 538 (295 boys). After adjusting for energy, both cows' milk and dairy product intakes were positively associated with IGF-I (P=0.040 and 0.027, respectively) and IGFBP-3 levels (P=0.082 and 0.067, respectively). These associations persisted on adjustment for potential confounders, but were abolished on controlling for protein intake. In energy-adjusted models there was only weak evidence of associations of milk and dairy product intakes with anthropometry. In boys only, dairy product intake was positively associated with leg length (equivalent to a 0.058 (0.002, 0.114) standard deviation score increase in leg length per 100 g increase in daily intake).CONCLUSIONS: These data provide some evidence that variation in childhood milk and dairy product intakes underlies associations of leg length, IGF-I and cancer risk. The association appears to be due to the protein content of milk.     

Antimicrobial resistance in faecal Escherichia coli isolates from horses treated with antimicrobials: A longitudinal study in hospitalised and non-hospitalised horses

The objective of this study was to examine the emergence and persistence of antimicrobial resistant faecal Escherichia coli in horses treated with antimicrobial drugs in a hospital and community setting. Faecal samples were collected from hospitalised (n=56) and non-hospitalised (n=14) horses treated with antimicrobials, and 10 non-treated hospitalised controls. Samples were obtained pre-treatment and 5 days later in all horses, and 2 weeks and 2 months after treatment in treated horses. Susceptibility to 15 antimicrobials was tested via disc diffusion on up to 3 E. coli isolates per sample. Phenotypic extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production was identified via a combination disc method, and ESBL-encoding sequences identified by PCR. A resistant E. coli isolate was identified in 138/228 (60.5%) samples. The proportion of resistant samples was not significantly different between hospitalised and non-hospitalised treated horses. The odds of a sample containing a resistant isolate increased significantly at day 5 in treated horses, but not in controls. Two weeks following treatment, the odds of resistance in non-hospitalised horses returned to pre-treatment levels, but remained significantly above pre-treatment levels in hospital-treated horses, returning to base-line 2 months after treatment. Seven samples (17 isolates) were positive for ESBL production. The genes bla(CTX-M) and bla(TEM) were identified in 12/17 isolates, with bla(SHV) in 4/17. Antimicrobial administration to horses in hospital and community settings is associated with an increased but transient risk of faecal shedding of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli. The high prevalence of resistant isolates suggests that methods to minimise their potential spread should be considered.