Effects of oral administration of acidogenic boluses at dry-off on performance and behavior of dairy cattle.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of oral acidogenic mineral boluses (196 g) containing anionic salts to facilitate the transition from lactation to the dry stage by inducing a mild and temporary metabolic acidosis at dry-off. In experiment 1, 84 lactating cows were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatment groups consisting of an oral administration of 0, 1, or 2 boluses 5 d before dry-off to evaluate the effects on milk production. In experiment 2, 16 lactating cows were involved in a crossover study to evaluate the effects of the administration of 2 boluses on milk production, feed intake, and urine pH. In experiment 3, 152 lactating cows were allocated to 1 of 2 treatments (control: no treatment; bolus: 2 oral boluses the day before last milking) to evaluate udder pressure, incidence of milk leakage, and lying behavior during the first days following dry-off. Also, milk yield in the subsequent lactation for all enrolled cows was recorded during the first 60 DIM. In experiment 1, cows receiving 2 boluses had the greatest reduction in milk production (-2.56 kg/d of milk) compared with those receiving 1 bolus or no treatment (-1.15 and -0.23 kg/d, respectively) the second day after bolus application. In experiment 2, the application of oral boluses decreased feed intake of cows during the first 3 d following treatment, and milk production was reduced on d 2 and 3 after bolus application. Reduced urine pH at 8 and 24 h after treatment was observed in bolus cows compared with control cows. In experiment 3, bolus cows had lower udder pressure after drying off, but incidence of milk leakage did not differ between treatments. Bolus cows had an additional 85 min of lying time in the 24 h following dry-off. Serum P and ß-OH-butyrate concentrations were lower in bolus cows than in control cows after dry-off, but no other differences in blood parameters between treatments were observed. Also, no differences in milk yield in the subsequent lactation were observed between treatments. It is concluded that oral bolus application diminishes feed intake and milk production, and, if applied at dry-off, it decreases udder pressure and increases lying time during the first 24 h after dry-off.

The burden of constipation on quality of life: results of a multinational survey.

BACKGROUND: The impact of constipation on quality of life (QoL) may vary in different cultural or national settings. AIM: We studied QoL in a multinational survey to compare different social and demographic groups with and without constipation (defined according to Rome III criteria) and to detect country-specific differences among the groups studied. METHODS: Health-related QoL (HRQoL) was assessed with the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire in 2870 subjects in France, Germany, Italy, UK, South Korea, Brazil and USA. Results Respondents were mainly middle-aged, married or living together and part- or full-time employed. General health status, measured by the SF-36 questionnaire, was significantly worse in the constipated vs. non-constipated populations. RESULTS: were comparable in all countries. QoL scores correlated negatively with age. Constipated women reported more impaired HRQoL than constipated men. Brazilians were most affected by constipation as to their social functioning (35.8 constipated vs. 51.3 non-constipated) and general health perception (29.4 constipated vs. 54.4 non-constipated). CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in HRQoL between constipated and non-constipated individuals and a significant, negative correlation between the number of symptoms and complaints and SF-36 scores. The study detected a correlation of constipation with QoL and the influence of social and demographic factors on HRQoL in constipated people.

Placebo- and paracetamol-controlled study on the efficacy and tolerability of hyoscine butylbromide in the treatment of patients with recurrent crampy abdominal pain.

AIM: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of oral hyoscine butylbromide (hereafter hyoscine) 10 mg t.d.s., paracetamol 500 mg t.d.s. and their fixed combination against placebo in patients with recurrent crampy abdominal pain. METHODS: A total of 1637 patients were entered into a four-arm double-blind study. After a 1 week placebo run-in, they were randomized to 3 weeks of treatment with one of the four therapies with assessments after 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale) and pain frequency (Verbal Rating Scale) were self-assessed daily. RESULTS: Pain intensity on the Visual Analogue Scale decreased in all treatment groups; the adjusted mean changes from baseline were 2.3, 2.4 and 2.4 cm for the hyoscine, paracetamol and combination groups, respectively, compared with 1.9 cm for the placebo group (all P < 0.0001). The Verbal Rating Scale also showed a statistically significant decrease of 0.7, 0.7 and 0.7 in the hyoscine, paracetamol and combination groups compared with 0.5 in placebo (all P < 0.0001). All treatments were well tolerated: 16%, 14%, 17% and 11% of patients on hyoscine, paracetamol, combination and placebo reported at least one adverse event. CONCLUSIONS: Hyoscine, paracetamol and their fixed combination are effective in the treatment of recurrent crampy abdominal pain and well tolerated if used three times daily continuously for 3 weeks.

Potentiation of magnesium-deficiency-induced foetotoxicity by concomitant iron deficiency and its prevention by adequate supply via drinking water.

Magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) deficiency frequently develop during pregnancy. Therefore these factors were studied alone (Mg-L, resp. Fe-L) or in combination (Mg-L/Fe-L) on 16 female and 8 male adult fertile Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were offered a basal diet containing 30 per cent and 17 per cent of the rat's requirement for magnesium and iron, respectively, starting 21 days before mating (2:1) until 49 days after mating. Offspring were also kept on this regimen during a 3-week lactation period and 7 days post weaning. Drinking water was either enriched with 101 ppm Fe2+ (ferrous gluconate): Mg-L, or 365 ppm magnesium (magnesium-L-aspartate hydrochloride trihydrate, MAH): Fe-L, or with any: Mg-L/Fe-L or with both electrolytes: Controls. Fertility remained unaffected under these conditions. Clinically, Fe-L induced iron deficiency and growth retardation of offspring. Pronounced reproductive toxicity was elicited by Mg-L and was even potentiated by Mg-L/Fe-L. In the parental generation, too, adverse effects of Mg-L were aggravated by Mg-L/Fe-L despite the fact that no iron accumulation occurred. Bioavailability of iron was not impaired by magnesium as MAH. With respect to human pregnancy magnesium supplementation has higher priority over iron supplements. To improve tolerance and compliance both minerals are suggested to be taken simultaneously.

Hippuric acid and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionic acid in serum and urine. Analytical approaches and clinical relevance in kidney diseases.

Hippuric acid (HA) and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionic acid (FA) were determined in serum, plasma, ultrafiltrate and urine by gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography and GC with mass-selective detection, and the methods were compared. As determined by affinity chromatography and analysis of serum and ultrafiltrate, 0.5% of FA in serum occurs free and 99.5% is bound to albumin. In haemodialysed patients with chronic renal failure, the plasma levels of HA and FA are elevated in comparison with normal controls and hospital patients without kidney diseases: HA, 11.1 +/- 5.7 mg/dl (n = 86); FA, 1.9 +/- 1.2 mg/dl (n = 86). Gradual increases in HA in serum, depending on the creatinine concentrations, are found in non-dialysed patients with chronic renal failure. By haemodialysis and haemofiltration the HA levels are lowered (53-66 and 30-36%, respectively), whereas FA is not dialysable.

[Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of a deep calculus of the ureter]. / Extrakorporale Stosswellenlithotripsie beim tiefen Harnleiterstein.

Until recently, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) was limited to ureteral calculi above the pelvic brim. A new positioning technique has now made it possible to use ESWL for stones in the lower ureter too. The overall success rate with 72 patients treated in our department from January through August 1986 was 91%. ESWL, as a noninvasive method, is preferable to invasive procedures for the treatment of distal ureteral calculi. This may lead to narrowing of the range of indications for ureteroscopy.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy of distal ureteral calculi.

To date, the use of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) has been limited to renal calculi and ureteral calculi above the pelvic brim. Modifying the position of the patient on the support of the Dornier lithotripter HM3, we were able to localize and treat distal ureteral calculi. Until April 1986, 43 patients with stones in the lower ureter underwent contact-free lithotripsy. Treatment was successful in 39 patients (90%), 2 of these requiring 2 sessions. In 4 patients treatment failed and stone removal was accomplished using ureteroscopy or open surgery. No complications or adverse side effects were encountered in the whole series. ESWL is now the method of choice for the treatment of distal ureteral calculi in our department.