Effect of postweaning heifer development system on average daily gain, pregnancy rates, and subsequent feed efficiency as a pregnant heifer.

A 3-yr study utilized 300 Angus-based, spring-born heifers to evaluate postweaning heifer development systems on gain, reproductive performance, and feed efficiency as a pregnant heifer. Heifers were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to graze corn residue (CR), upland range (RANGE), or were fed 1 of 2 diets in a drylot differing in energy levels: high (DLHI) or low (DLLO). Heifers developed on DLHI and DLLO were managed within the drylot for 166 d in yr 1, 150 d in yr 2, and 162 d in yr 3. Heifers developed on RANGE grazed winter range for an equivalent amount of days each yr as the DLHI and DLLO heifers. Heifers assigned to CR grazed for 103 d in yr 1, 84 d in yr 2, and 97 d in yr 3 before being transported to graze winter range for the remainder of the treatment period. All heifers were managed as a single group following the treatment period. Artificial insemination and natural mating were utilized during breeding. Percent of mature BW prior to the breeding season was greater ( = 0.02) for DLHI (67%) compared with RANGE (59%) and CR (58%). Pregnancy rates to AI were not different ( = 0.51) among treatments (59 ± 6%), and final pregnancy rates were also not different (87 ± 4%, = 0.54). A subset of AI-pregnant heifers from each treatment were placed in a Calan gate feeding system. Heifers were allowed a 20-d acclimation period before beginning the 90 d trial at approximately 170 d in gestation. Heifers were offered ad libitum hay; amount offered was recorded daily and orts collected weekly. Initial BW was not different ( = 0.58) among treatments (459 ± 11 kg). Body weight at the end of the trial (497 ± 17 kg) was also not different ( = 0.41). Intake was not different ( = 0.33), either as DMI (10.00 ± 1.07 kg) or residual feed intake (0.018 ± 0.190). There was no difference in ADG ( = 0.36, 0.42 ± 0.23 kg/d) among treatments. Although the total development cost was not different among treatments ( = 0.99), there was a $41 difference ( < 0.01) between the mean of the most expensive diet (DLHI) and the mean of the two least expensive diets (CR and RANGE). Developing heifers to a greater prebreeding BW did not influence subsequent AI or overall pregnancy rates or feed efficiency as a pregnant heifer.

Layout and results from the initial operation of the high-resolution x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer on the Large Helical Device.

First results of ion and electron temperature profile measurements from the x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer (XICS) diagnostic on the Large Helical Device (LHD) are presented. This diagnostic system has been operational since the beginning of the 2011 LHD experimental campaign and is the first application of the XICS diagnostic technique to helical plasma geometry. The XICS diagnostic provides measurements of ion and electron temperature profiles in LHD with a spatial resolution of 2 cm and a maximum time resolution of 5 ms (typically 20 ms). Ion temperature profiles from the XICS diagnostic are possible under conditions where charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (CXRS) is not possible (high density) or is perturbative to the plasma (low density or radio frequency heated plasmas). Measurements are made by using a spherically bent crystal to provide a spectrally resolved 1D image of the plasma from line integrated emission of helium-like Ar(16 +). The final hardware design and configuration are detailed along with the calibration procedures. Line-integrated ion and electron temperature measurements are presented, and the measurement accuracy is discussed. Finally central temperature measurements from the XICS system are compared to measurements from the Thomson scattering and CXRS systems, showing excellent agreement.

Impact of elective resection on plasma TIMP-1 levels in patients with colon cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Pre- and post-operative plasma tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) levels have a prognostic impact on patients with colorectal cancer. However, the surgical trauma may play an essential role in regulation of plasma TIMP-1 levels, which in turn may influence subsequent TIMP-1 measurements. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutively, 48 patients with colon cancer (CC) and 12 patients with nonmalignant colonic disease were randomised to undergo elective laparoscopically assisted or open resection followed by fast track recovery. Plasma samples were collected just before and 1, 2 and 6 h after skin incision, and 1, 2, 8 and 30 days after surgery. TIMP-1 was determined concurrently in all samples by a validated ELISA method. RESULTS: Geometric mean preoperative TIMP-1 level was 142 ng/ml (range 54-559 ng/ml) among CC patients compared with 106 ng/ml (range 64-167 ng/ml) among patients with nonmalignant diseases (P<0.0001). TIMP-1 levels were decreased significantly 2 h after skin incision compared to the preoperative levels returning to preoperative levels at 6 h. A highly significant (P<0.0001) maximum level was observed 1 day after surgery and was decreasing to preoperative levels 30 days after surgery. Patients undergoing laparoscopically assisted or open resection had similar TIMP-1 levels at each time point. CONCLUSIONS: Major surgery has considerable impact on plasma TIMP-1 levels. Intra- and post-operative changes of plasma TIMP-1 levels are independent of the surgical approach, and resection for CC does not lead to a significant decrease of plasma TIMP-1 levels within 30 days postoperatively.

Relative bioavailability and plasma paracetamol profiles of Panadol suppositories in children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative bioavailability and plasma paracetamol concentration profiles following administration of a proprietary formulation of paracetamol suppositories to postoperative children. METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS: Study A-eight children undergoing minor surgery had blood samples collected following the rectal administration of either a 250 mg or 500 mg paracetamol suppository on one day and an equivalent oral dose on the following day. A mean dose of 13 mg/kg gave a mean Cmax (Tmax) of 7.7 mg/L (1.6 h) and 4.9 mg/L (2.0 h) following oral and rectal administration, respectively. The mean relative rectal bioavailability was 78% (95% confidence interval of 55-101%). Study B-20 children undergoing tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy were randomly assigned to receive a postoperative dose of 500 mg of paracetamol either as 2 x 250 mg liquid filled or 1 x 500 mg hard wax Panadol suppository. A mean dose of 25 mg/kg produced mean maximum plasma paracetamol concentrations of 13.2 mg/L and 14.5 mg/L at 2.1 and 1.9 h for the hard and liquid filled suppository, respectively. The absorption rate constants and areas under the curves suggested no difference in the rate or extent of absorption between the two formulations. CONCLUSION: Absorption of paracetamol following rectal administration of Panadol suppositories to postoperative children is slower and reduced as compared to oral therapy. The hard wax and liquid filled products have similar absorption characteristics. The usually quoted antipyretic therapeutic range for paracetamol is 10-20 mg/L, although 5 mg/L may be effective. A single rectal dose of 25 mg/kg will obtain this lower concentration within 1 h of administration and maintain it for up to 6 h. When given in an appropriate dose for analgesia, maximum plasma paracetamol concentrations would be available in the immediate postoperative period if the rectal dose was given 2 h before the planned end of the procedure.

Ranitidine improves certain cellular immune responses in asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by a progressive impairment in immunocompetence leading to severe opportunistic infections and malignancies. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the potential impact of immunomodulation by oral ranitidine, 600 mg daily, for 28 days was studied in 18 HIV-positive patients (CDC group II). All were without clinical signs of infections and were not treated with other known immunomodulating agents. Several immunological parameters related to HIV infection were studied and confirmed to be impaired early in HIV infection. Spontaneous and in vitro interleukin-2- and interferon-alpha-stimulated natural killer cell activity improved in the ranitidine-treated patients in contrast to a decrease in nontreated patients (#p less than 0.03, #p less than 0.01, #p less than 0.02 between groups, respectively). Furthermore, T-cell blastogenesis to phytohemagglutinin stimulation and soluble interleukin-2 receptors in serum increased in ranitidine-treated patients compared with nontreated patients (#p less than 0.01). However, ranitidine treatment did not change CD4+ cell counts. Although the significant improvement in immunocompetence shown in this study is small, the present result indicates the need for further trials with immunomodulation by ranitidine in HIV-infected individuals.

Inflammatory indices in chronic bronchitis. Monocyte-macrophage microbicidal activity.

Alveolar macrophages are important to the host defence of the lower airways. In smokers and patients with chronic bronchitis, important defects of blood monocyte functions have been identified, which may explain the increased incidence of pulmonary infections in these patients. Upon chronic stimulation, e.g. from tobacco smoke, disease may progress and macrophage activity is probably involved in the tissue damage of chronic bronchitis. As regards microbicidal activity of macrophages in patients with chronic bronchitis, no studies are available. Following pharmacological intervention, it is probably more reliable to measure specific components of macrophage metabolic and secretory activities, which are associated with microbicidal events, than to assess over-all microbicidal activity.

Intratympanic injection of sodium arsanilate (atoxyl) solution results in postural changes consistent with changes described for labyrinthectomized rats.

Intratympanic injections of sodium arsanilate (atoxyl) have been shown to produce vestibular dysfunction in the rat. Unilateral and bilateral dysfunction can be distinguished by changes in the animals' postures. These changes are consistent with changes described for unilateral or bilateral labyrinthectomized rats. The intratympanic injection technique offers a simple yet effective alternative to labyrinthectomy.

Behavioral and physiological effects of chronic 2,450-MHz microwave irradiation of the rat at 0.5 mW/cm2.

Adult male Long-Evans rats were intermittently exposed to 2450 MHz CW microwaves at an average power density of 0.5 mW/cm2 for 90 days. The resulting SAR was 0.14 W/kg (range 0.11 to 0.18 W/kg). The animals were exposed 7 h/day, 7 days/wk, for a total of 630 h in a monopole-above-ground radiation chamber while housed in Plexiglas holding cages. Daily measures of body mass and food and water intake indicated no statistically significant effects of microwave exposure. Monthly assessment of reactivity to electric footshock, levels of cholinesterase and sulfhydryl groups in blood, and 17-ketosteroids in urine revealed no reliable differences between 14 sham-exposed and 14 microwave-exposed rats. After the 90 days of exposure, seven rats, randomly chosen from each group, were assessed for open-field behavior, shuttlebox performance, and schedule-controlled (IRT schedule) lever pressing for food pellets. Statistically significant differences between microwave-exposed and sham-exposed rats were observed in shuttlebox performances and lever pressing. Post mortem measures of mass of several organs and microscopic examination of adrenal tissue revealed no differences between the two groups of animals.

Multifocal idiopathic fibrosclerosis. Two cases with simultaneous occurrence of retroperitoneal fibrosis and Riedel's thyroiditis.

The concomitant occurrence of retroperitoneal fibrosis (RF) and Riedel's thyroiditis is reported in two patients, one of whom presented with anuria. The etiology is discussed, and it is concluded that immunological mechanisms with arteritis might be of importance. The associations between Riedel's thyroiditis, RF, mediastinal fibrosis, sclerosing cholangitis, retroorbital fibrosis and fibrosis in other organ systems are thought to be different manifestations of a so-called multifocal idiopathic fibrosclerosis. The beneficial effect of glucocorticoids in early stages of the disease is mentioned.

Persistent transitional circulation. Roentgenographic findings in thirteen infants.

Chest roentgenograms in 13 infants and angiocardiograms in 11 infants with persistent transitional circulation (PCT) syndrome were reviewed. Chest radiographs typically revealed congestive heart failure with pulmonary venous congestion, cardiomegaly, hepatomegaly, and pleural effusions. Angiocardiography demonstrated a right-to-left shunt through the ductus arteriosus, ventricular dilatation, poor myocardial function, and ventricular emptying. Cardiopulmonary abnormalities resolved over a period of 2-6 days in survivors. PTC syndrome as seen at the authors' institution has been an important and relatively common cause of congestive heart failure and cyanosis in the newborn. The incidence of congestive failure was higher than in other reported series.