Abstract Background Evidence suggests that consumption of apple or its bioactive components modulate lipid metabolism and reduce the production of proinflammatory molecules. However, there is a ...paucity of such research in human beings. Objective Women experience a lower rate of cardiovascular disease before menopause compared with men. However, after the onset of menopause, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases drastically due to ovarian hormone deficiency. Hence, we conducted a 1-year clinical trial to evaluate the effect of dried apple vs dried plum consumption in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors in postmenopausal women. Design One-hundred sixty qualified postmenopausal women were recruited from the greater Tallahassee, FL, area during 2007-2009 and were randomly assigned to one of two groups: dried apple (75 g/day) or dried plum (comparative control). Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months to measure various parameters. Physical activity recall and 7-day dietary recall were also obtained. Results Neither of the dried fruit regimens significantly affected the participants' reported total energy intake throughout the study period. On the contrary, women who consumed dried apple lost 1.5 kg body weight by the end of the study, albeit not significantly different from the dried plum group. In terms of cholesterol, serum total cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the dried apple group compared with the dried plum group only at 6 months. Although dried plum consumption did not significantly reduce serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, it lowered their levels numerically by 3.5% and 8%, respectively, at 12 months compared with baseline. This may explain the lack of significance observed between the groups. However, within the group, women who consumed dried apple had significantly lower serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 9% and 16%, respectively, at 3 months compared with baseline. These serum values were further decreased to 13% and 24%, respectively, after 6 months but stayed constant thereafter. The within-group analysis also reported that daily apple consumption profoundly improved atherogenic risk ratios, whereas there were no significant changes in lipid profile or atherogenic risk ratios as a result of dried plum consumption. Both dried fruits were able to lower serum levels of lipid hydroperoxide and C-reactive protein. However, serum C-reactive protein levels were significantly lower in the dried plum group compared with the dried apple group at 3 months. Conclusions There were no significant differences between the dried apple and dried plum groups in altering serum levels of atherogenic cholesterols except total cholesterol at 6 months. However, when within treatment group comparisons are made, consumption of 75 g dried apple (about two medium-sized apples) can significantly lower atherogenic cholesterol levels as early as 3 months. Furthermore, consumption of dried apple and dried plum are beneficial to human health in terms of anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of brachycephaly and body condition score on respiratory thermoregulation of healthy dogs. DESIGN Prospective study. ANIMALS 52 brachycephalic and 53 ...nonbrachycephalic dogs. PROCEDURES All dogs were exposed to a cool treatment (temperature, 21.8 ± 1.7°C 71.2 ± 3.1°F; relative humidity, 62.2 ± 9.7%; and ambient enthalpy, 47.7 ± 6.6 kcal/kg) and then a hot treatment (temperature, 32.9 ± 1.7°C 91.2 ± 3.1°F; relative humidity, 51.9 ± 9.8%; and ambient enthalpy, 74.8 ± 8.7 kcal/kg; heat stress) at least 1 hour later. For each treatment, dogs were allowed to acclimatize to the environment for 15 minutes and then were placed in a sealed whole-body plethysmograph for continuous measurement of the respiratory pattern for 10 minutes. Treatment was discontinued if a dog developed signs of respiratory distress. Respiratory variables and body temperature were compared between the 2 breed types (brachycephalic and nonbrachycephalic) and between treatments. RESULTS Body condition score was positively associated with body temperature independent of environmental conditions or breed type and negatively associated with tidal volume. Brachycephalic dogs had a greater increase in respiratory rate in response to heat stress than did nonbrachycephalic dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that brachycephalic dogs had decreased capacity for thermoregulation, compared with nonbrachycephalic dogs, but body condition score was a greater determinant of body temperature than breed type. Nevertheless, both upper airway conformation and body condition score should be considered when evaluating whether an individual dog is capable of tolerating heat stress.
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) represents a major cattle disease with multiple forms including fetal infections resulting in persistently infected (PI) cattle. The objectives of this study were ...to investigate the immune response to six vaccines, five modified live viral (MLV) and one killed vaccine containing BVDV immunogens as measured by antibodies to BVDV1a, BVDV1b, BVDV2a, and BVDV2c. The predominant BVDV subgenotype in the U.S. is BVDV1b compared to BVDV1a and BVDV2a. There are MLV and killed BVDV vaccines containing BVDV1a and BVDV2a marketed in the U.S. A prior study evaluated immune response to vaccination with BVDV1a and BVDV2a inducing virus neutralizing antibody titers. BVDV1b titers 128 or higher at time of exposure to BVDV1b PI cattle protected heifers against fetal infection. Calves received two doses and postweaning serums were collected and assayed for BVDV antibodies. Antibody titers were expressed as geometric mean averages. Percentages were expressed as proportions of animals within three antibody levels, including targeted level 128 or greater. There were statistical differences among vaccines in each study, particularly to BVDV1a, BVDV1b, and BVDV2a. MLV vaccines containing Singer strain induced higher levels to BVDV1a and BVDV1b than NADL vaccine in all three studies. Two vaccines, both MLV, Vaccine 1 and Vaccine 6 containing Singer strain induced higher proportion of 128 or higher BVDV1b titers than vaccine with NADL. Antibody levels to BVDV2a and BVDV2c were dependent on BVDV2a vaccine strain. This study indicates strain in BVDV vaccines reflects differences in immune response to different BVDV subgenotypes, particularly BVDV1b and BVDV2c.
Background
An in‐house Histoplasma urine antigen test for cats might be desirable in certain situations.
Objective
To validate and compare the diagnostic performance of a monoclonal antibody‐based ...IMMY urine Histoplasma antigen enzyme immunoassay (IMMY EIA) to the commercially available urine Histoplasma antigen enzyme immunoassay (MiraVista Diagnostics, MV EIA).
Animals
One hundred ninety‐three urine samples from 105 client‐owned and purpose‐bred research cats.
Methods
Cats were classified as Histoplasma positive or negative based on diagnostic investigation. The IMMY EIA and MV EIA were performed on all urine samples. Correlation and agreement between the assays were determined. Diagnostic performance was determined and compared between assays.
Results
The IMMY EIA, with a 0.25 ng/mL diagnostic cutoff, provided a diagnostic sensitivity (DSe), diagnostic specificity (DSp), and diagnostic accuracy (DAc) of 89% (95% confidence interval CI; 73%‐97%), 80% (67%‐89%), and 83% (74%‐90%), respectively. The IMMY EIA, with a 1.1 ng/mL diagnostic cutoff, provided a DSe, DSp, and DAc of 77% (95% CI 60%‐90%), 97% (88%‐100%), and 89% (81%‐95%), respectively. The MV EIA provided a DSe, DSp, and DAc of 94% (95% CI 81%‐99%), 97% (89%‐100%), and 96% (90%‐99%), respectively. Moderate overall agreement was found between MV EIA and IMMY EIA using the 0.25 ng/mL cut‐off (к = 0.44; 95% CI 0.31‐0.57) and the 1.1 ng/mL cut‐off (к = 0.43, 95% CI, 0.31‐0.56).
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
The IMMY EIA might be useful as a diagnostic test for histoplasmosis in cats. Further modifications of the IMMY EIA are required to achieve the diagnostic performance of the MV EIA.
We investigate the procedure of checking for overlap between confidence intervals or standard error intervals to draw conclusions regarding hypotheses about differences between population parameters. ...Mathematical expressions and algebraic manipulations are given, and computer simulations are performed to assess the usefulness of confidence and standard error intervals in this manner. We make recommendations for their use in situations in which standard tests of hypotheses do not exist. An example is given that tests this methodology for comparing effective dose levels in independent probit regressions, an application that is also pertinent to derivations of LC50s for insect pathogens and of detectability half-lives for prey proteins or DNA sequences in predator gut analysis.
Outbreaks of foodborne illness attributed to the consumption of Salmonella-tainted cantaloupe have occurred repeatedly, but understanding of the ecology of Salmonella on cantaloupe fruit surfaces is ...limited. We investigated the interactions between Salmonella enterica Poona, the plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia tracheiphila, and cantaloupe fruit. Fruit surfaces were inoculated at the natural cracking stage by spreading S. enterica and E. tracheiphila, 20 µl at 107 cfu/ml, independently or together, over a 2×2 cm rind area containing a crack. Microbial and microscopic analyses were performed at 0, 9 and 24 days post inoculation (DPI). Even at 24 DPI (fruit maturity) S. enterica was detected on 14% and 40% of the fruit inoculated with S. enterica alone and the two-pathogen mixture, respectively. However, the population of S. enterica declined gradually after initial inoculation. E. tracheiphila, inoculated alone or together with Salmonella, caused watersoaked lesions on cantaloupe fruit; but we could not conclude in this study that S. enterica survival on the fruit surface was enhanced by the presence of those lesions. Of fruit inoculated with E. tracheiphila alone and sampled at 24 DPI, 61% had watersoaked lesions on the surface. In nearly half of those symptomatic fruits the watersoaking extended into the sub-rind mesocarp, and E. tracheiphila was recovered from that tissue in 50% of the symptomatic fruit. In this work, E. tracheiphila internalized through natural cracks on developing fruits. S. enterica was never detected in the fruit interior (ca. 2-3 mm below rind surface) under the limited conditions of our experiments, but the possibility that it, or other human pathogens that contaminate fresh produce, might also do so should be investigated under a wider range of conditions and produce types.
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Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of bidirectional insertion on axial pullout strength of tapered run out (TRO), traditional negative profile (TNP) and positive profile (PP) pins.
...Cadaveric adult canine tibiae were harvested. Tapered run out pins (Group 1) were inserted unidirectionally to the desired position; bidirectionally past the desired position, then withdrawn to the desired position (Group 2); and bidirectionally as described for Group 2, repeated twice (Group 3). Traditional negative profile pins (Group 4-6) and PP pins (Group 9-11) were placed in the same manner. Tapered run out (Group 7), TNP (Group 8) and PP pins (Group 12) were driven unidirectionally such that the shaft of the pin violated the cis-cortex. A servohydraulic testing machine extracted the pins and measured axial peak pullout strength.
Positive profile pins had significantly greater pullout strength than TRO and TNP pins placed unidirectionally to the desired position. Method of insertion had no effect on peak pullout strength of TNP pins. TRO and PP pins inserted unidirectionally to the desired position had significantly greater peak pullout strengths than insertion bidirectionally or if the shaft of the pin violated the cis-cortex.
The authors recommend that pins used for external skeletal fixation should be placed unidirectionally to the desired position with fluoroscopic guidance, intra-operative depth gauge measurements or measurements from preoperative radiographs. Repositioning pins results in loss of peak pullout strength with TRO and PP pins.
Prevalence of tan spot of wheat caused by the fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis has become more prevalent in Oklahoma as no-till cultivation in wheat has increased. Hence, developing wheat ...varieties resistant to tan spot has been emphasized, and selecting pathogen isolates to screen for resistance to this disease is critical. Twelve isolates of P. tritici-repentis were used to inoculate 11 wheat cultivars in a greenhouse study in splitplot experiments. Virulence of isolates and cultivar resistance were measured in percent leaf area infection for all possible isolate x cultivar interactions. Isolates differed significantly (P < 0.01) in virulence on wheat cultivars, and cultivars differed significantly in disease reaction to isolates. Increased virulence of isolates detected increased variability in cultivar response (percent leaf area infection) (r = 0.56, P < 0.05) while increased susceptibility in cultivars detected increased variance in virulence of the isolates (r = 0.76, P < 0.01). A significant isolate × cultivar interaction indicated specificity between isolates and cultivars, however, cluster analysis indicated low to moderate physiological specialization. Similarity in wheat cultivars in response to pathogen isolates also was determined by cluster analysis. The use of diverse isolates of the fungus would facilitate evaluation of resistance in wheat cultivars to tan spot.
A field experiment was conducted in eight 13.6-MT steel bins containing 6.8 MT each of wheat to assess efficacy of sulfuryl fluoride or SF fumigant to control phosphine-resistant and susceptible ...Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Approximately 400 adults of each type of beetle were added to each bin. Additionally, muslin bags containing immature stages and adults, with their respective diets, were also placed in bins. Four bins were fumigated with SF and others were untreated control bins. The SF dosages in treated bins ranged from 1,196–1,467 mg-h/liter. Mortality of adults in each bag was assessed 5 d postfumigation; diet minus adults was incubated in a jar, and number of adults counted after 8 wk. No significant change occurred in number of insect-damaged kernels in SF-treated bins. In trier samples from SF-treated bins, R. dominica numbers declined from 24 prefumigation to 0 at 3- and 6-wk postfumigation; T. castaneum numbers were unchanged. In WBII traps from SF-treated bins, numbers R. dominica and T. castaneum declined from 25 and 33, respectively, prefumigation to 0 or near 0 at 3- and 6-wk postfumigation. Mortalities of resistant and susceptible adult R. dominica, and adult and large larvae of T. castaneum in SF-treated bags was 100%. For all four types of beetles, adult numbers in jars associated with SF-treated bins were 0 or near 0. Results show SF is effective against all life stages of phosphine-resistant R. dominica and T. castaneum, and can be used for phosphine resistance management.
Studies were carried out in the laboratory to understand the optimum environmental conditions at which the ectoparasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), can paralyze and lay eggs ...when reared on the larvae of the stored product pest, Plodia interpunctella Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). At the four temperatures investigated (20, 25, 30, and 35 °C), optimum temperatures for oviposition were found to be 25 and 30 °C, while 35 °C was the least favorable temperature. No significant differences were found between the percentages of diapausing and non-diapausing larvae paralyzed by the wasp at the temperatures of 20, 25, 30, 35 °C within 5 days. However, in another experiment that investigated the effect of photoperiods at different temperatures that included 15, 19 and 28 °C, the number of paralyzed larvae was highly reduced at low temperatures (15 °C) but photoperiods had no significant impact on the number of host larvae paralyzed. In addition, observations at short time intervals also showed that lower temperatures slowed down host larvae paralysis. The results suggest that H. hebetor can paralyze host larvae of P. interpunctella more efficiently and deposit more eggs at temperatures within the range of 20–30 °C.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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