Performance and health of broiler chickens fed low erucic acid, lower fiber pennycress (CoverCressTM) grain.

CoverCress (low erucic acid, lower fiber pennycress) is being developed as a cover crop to be planted in the fall after corn and harvested in the spring prior to planting soybeans. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate 2 lines of the whole grain (CCWG-1: natural mutation and mutation breeding; CCWG-2: gene edited) and the whole grain pretreated with the potential palatability agent copper sulfate (CCWG-1-CuSO4; CCWG-2-CuSO4) as an ingredient for broilers. In Experiment 1, CCWG-1-CuSO4 was included in the diet at 0, 4, and 6% for 41 d. Feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion, processing characteristics, organ weights, serum thyroid, macropathology and histology data were collected. In Experiment 2, broilers were fed diets containing Control, 2% CCWG-1, 4% CCWG-1, 4% CCWG-2, and 4.35% CCWG-1-CuSO4 for 42 d. Feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion, organ weights, serum thyroid, blood chemistries, macropathology, and histology data were collected. In Experiment 1, feed intake and body weight were diminished with no effect on feed conversion for the birds consuming diets containing CCWG-1-CuSO4. In Experiment 2, feed intake and body weight were lower with no difference in feed conversion in birds fed diets containing greater than 2% CoverCress grain during d 0 to 28. During d 28 to 42 no difference in feed intake, body weight and an improvement in feed conversion was observed in birds fed all of the CoverCress grain products. In both experiments no significant negative effects were observed in processing, liver, kidney, and thyroid weights, T3, T4, blood chemistries, macropathology, and histopathology between the control and any of the CoverCress grain treatments. No difference in performance was observed in birds fed the mutant (4% CCWG-1) and gene-edited (4% CCWG-2) products. Pretreating CoverCress grain with copper sulfate did not have a significant effect on improving palatability. In conclusion, CoverCress grain can be safely fed to broilers when included at a target rate of 4% in diets and with total glucosinolate levels not to exceed 4.9 µmoles g-1.

Broiler performance and carcass characteristics when fed diets containing lysine maize (LY038 or LY038 x MON 810), control, or conventional reference maize.

Lysine maize (Zea mays), LY038, was developed through the application of modern biotechnology to accumulate free Lys in the germ portion of maize grain and provide an alternative to direct addition of supplemental Lys to poultry diets. Maize LY038 x MON 810 was produced by conventional breeding of LY038 with MON 810, which provides the corn plant protection against feeding damage from the European corn borer. A 42-d broiler feeding study (10 pens of 10 male Cobb x Cobb 500 broilers/treatment) was conducted to compare the feeding value of grain from LY038 or LY038 x MON 810 to that of a conventional control (similar genetic background to the test maize) and 5 conventional maize hybrids. The LY038 and LY038 x MON 810 maize-based diets and control and conventional reference maize-based diets supplemented with l-Lys HCl were formulated to a Lys level below that required for optimal bird performance, whereas all other essential amino acids were present at levels, relative to Lys, above those required for optimal bird performance [1.05% and 0.90% total Lys (as-fed) for d 0 to 21 and d 21 to 42, respectively]. Total Lys level in control and reference maize-based diets without supplemental l-Lys HCl was formulated to be 0.079% lower than supplemented diets. Weight gain, feed efficiency, and carcass yield and composition of broilers fed diets containing LY038 or LY038 x MON 810 were not different (P > 0.05) from that of broilers fed l-Lys HCl-supplemented diets and were superior (P < or = 0.05) to that of broilers fed conventional maize diets without supplemental l-Lys HCl. Both broiler performance and carcass data demonstrate that the bioefficacy of the incremental Lys in LY038 or LY038 x MON 810 grain was not different from that of Lys in conventional maize diets supplemented with l-Lys HCl. Thus, LY038 and LY038 x MON 810 can be considered as wholesome as and more nutritious than conventional maize due to its higher-than-average Lys content.

Results of a 90-day safety assurance study with rats fed grain from corn borer-protected corn.

The results of a 90-day rat feeding study with grain from MON 810 corn (YieldGard Cornborer -- YieldGard Cornborer is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology, LLC) that is protected against feeding damage from corn and stalk boring lepidopteran insects are presented. Corn borer protection was accomplished through the introduction of cry1Ab coding sequences into the corn genome for in planta production of a bioactive form of Cry1Ab protein. Grain from MON 810 and its near-isogenic control was separately formulated into rodent diets at levels of 11% and 33% (w/w) by Purina Mills, Inc. (PMI). All diets were nutritionally balanced and conformed to PMI specifications for Certified LabDiet (PMI Certified LabDiet 5002 is a registered trademark of Purina Mills, Inc.) 5002. There were a total of 400 rats in the study divided into 10 groups of 20 rats/sex/group. The responses of rats fed diets containing MON 810 were compared to those of rats fed grain from conventional corn varieties. Overall health, body weight, food consumption, clinical pathology parameters (hematology, blood chemistry, urinalysis), organ weights, and gross and microscopic appearance of tissues were comparable between groups fed diets containing MON 810 and conventional corn varieties. This study complements extensive agronomic, compositional and farm animal feeding studies with MON 810 grain, confirming that it is as safe and nutritious as grain from existing commercial corn varieties.

Five-day cefdinir course vs. ten-day cefprozil course for treatment of acute otitis media.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of a 5-day cefdinir course with a 10-day cefprozil course in the treatment of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM). DESIGN: Comparative, investigator-blinded multicenter trial. SETTING: Primary care, ambulatory. PATIENTS: Children ages 6 months through 12 years with clinical symptoms and tympanic membrane signs of AOM, plus tympanometric-confirmed middle ear effusion in at least 1 ear. Of the 435 patients enrolled in the study, 373 were evaluable. INTERVENTION: Patients received cefdinir 14 mg/ kg/day divided twice a day for 5 days or cefprozil 30 mg/kg/day divided twice a day for 10 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical resolution of tympanic membrane signs and symptoms of AOM determined at end of therapy on Study Days 9 to 11. RESULTS: The clinical cure rate at end of therapy was 80% (152 of 190) for cefdinir-treated patients and 82.5% (151 of 183) for cefprozil-treated patients (95% confidence interval, 10.43% to 5.4%). Diarrhea and overall adverse reactions, respectively, occurred in 7.8 and 13% of cefdinir-treated patients and in 4.2 and 12% of cefprozil-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: A short course 5-day regimen of cefdinir was as clinically effective and well-tolerated as a 10-day regimen of cefprozil in the treatment of nonrefractory AOM.

Five-day twice daily cefdinir therapy for acute otitis media: microbiologic and clinical efficacy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the microbiologic and clinical efficacy of a 5-day course of cefdinir in the treatment of tympanocentesis-documented acute otitis media (AOM). DESIGN: Open label noncomparative trial. SETTING: Primary care, ambulatory. PATIENTS: Children ages 6 months through 12 years with signs of AOM and middle ear effusion confirmed by tympanometry in at least one ear. INTERVENTION: Patients underwent tympanocentesis at baseline and received cefdinir 7 mg/kg twice a day for 5 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presumptive eradication of middle ear pathogens determined by clinical cure of signs and symptoms of AOM at end of therapy (Study Days 7 to 9) and Visit 3 (Study Days 16 to 21). RESULTS: A total of 125 of 177 enrolled children had 134 pathogens isolated by tympanocentesis: Streptococcus pneumoniae, 69 (51.5%); Haemophilus influenzae 44 (32.8%; beta-lactamase-positive in 18 of 44 strains); beta-lactamase-positive Moraxella catarrhalis, 15 (11.2%); and Streptococcus pyogenes, 6 (4.5%). The clinical cure rates by patient in the microbiologically and overall clinically evaluable groups, respectively, were 73% (84 of 115) and 77.4% (130 of 168) at the end of therapy visit and 57.4% (66 of 115) and 61.9% (104 of 168) at Visit 3. Presumptive eradication rates at end of therapy were 8 of 11 (72.7%) and 4 of 8 (50%) for patients with penicillin-intermediate and -resistant S. pneumoniae isolates, respectively. Adverse reactions occurred in 16% of patients, with diarrhea (11%) occurring most frequently. CONCLUSIONS: A 5-day regimen of cefdinir was effective in the eradication of the common causative pathogens of nonrefractory AOM, including intermediate penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae and beta-lactamase-producing organisms. Cefdinir should be considered a suitable second line antibiotic for AOM.

Comparative safety and efficacy of cefdinir vs amoxicillin/clavulanate for treatment of suppurative acute otitis media in children.

OBJECTIVE: Two dosage regimens of cefdinir were compared with amoxicillin/clavulanate for the treatment of suppurative acute otitis media (AOM) in children. METHODS: This was an investigator-blinded, randomized, comparative, multicenter trial, in which tympanocentesis was performed in 384 patients, ages 6 months to 12 years, who had nonrefractory AOM. Patients were randomized to receive one of three 10-day treatment regimens: cefdinir 14 mg/kg daily (QD; n = 128); cefdinir 7 mg/kg twice a day (BID; n = 128); or amoxicillin/clavulanate 40/10 mg/kg/day divided for use three times a day (TID; n = 128). RESULTS: Of the 384 enrolled patients 303 were evaluable for clinical efficacy. Clinical success rates were statistically equivalent for the 3 treatment groups at the end of therapy: 85 of 102 (83.3%) for cefdinir QD; 81 of 101 (80.2%) for cefdinir BID; 86 of 100 (86%) for amoxicillin/clavulanate. Of the 197 evaluable patients from whom a susceptible pathogen was recovered, presumptive eradication rates at end of therapy were equivalent: 55 of 65 (84.6%), 54 of 66 (81.8%) and 55 of 66 (83.3%) for cefdinir QD-, cefdinir BID- and amoxicillin/clavulanate-treated patients, respectively. However, presumptive eradication rates for Streptococcus pneumoniae were significantly lower for cefdinir BID (55.2%) than for amoxicillin/clavulanate (89.5%; P = 0.0019) and marginally lower than for cefdinir QD (80%; P = 0.054). Diarrhea was the most common treatment-associated adverse reaction in all groups but was significantly more common in amoxicillin/clavulanate-treated patients (35%) than in patients who had been treated with cefdinir QD (10%, P<0.001) or cefdinir BID (13%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A 10-day regimen of cefdinir 14 mg/kg QD or 7 mg/kg BID was as clinically effective overall as a 10-day regimen of amoxicillin/ clavulanate 40/10 mg/kg/day divided TID in the treatment of tympanocentesis-confirmed, nonrefractory AOM in children. These data suggest that cefdinir QD may be a better alternative than cefdinir BID for refractory AOM. Both dosing regimens of cefdinir were associated with significantly fewer gastrointestinal adverse reactions than was amoxicillin/clavulanate.

A study of 5-day cefdinir treatment for streptococcal pharyngitis in children. Cefdinir Pediatric Pharyngitis Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety and efficacy of a 5-day regimen of cefdinir with those a conventional 10-day regimen of penicillin V for the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis in children. DESIGN: Investigator-blind, randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Primary care, ambulatory. PATIENTS: Children aged 1 to 12 years with signs and symptoms of pharyngitis and a positive result on a rapid screening test for Streptococcus pyogenes (ie, a convenience sample). Four hundred eighty-two patients were enrolled in the study, and 440 were clinically and microbiologically evaluable. The most common reasons patients were nonevaluable were failure to return for specified visits and noncompliance with the administration of the medication; 2 patients receiving penicillin V discontinued use of the drug because of adverse events. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to receive either 7-mg/kg cefdinir, twice daily, for 5 days or 10-mg/kg penicillin V potassium, 4 times daily, for 10 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The eradication of S pyogenes and the clinical cure of the signs and symptoms of pharyngitis, both determined 5 to 10 days after the completion of therapy. RESULTS: Streptococcus pyogenes was eradicated in 201 (90%) of the 224 patients receiving cefdinir and 155 (72%) of the 216 patients receiving penicillin V (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.7%-25.1%; P < .001). The clinical cure rates were 92% and 91% in the groups receiving cefdinir and penicillin V, respectively (95% CI, -4.5% to 6.1%; P = .80). Adverse events, regardless of the opinion of the investigator about their relationship to the study medication, occurred in 12.5% of the patients receiving cefdinir and 13.6% of the patients receiving penicillin V (P = .69). CONCLUSIONS: A 5-day regimen of cefdinir eradicated a higher proportion of S pyogenes than a 10-day regimen of penicillin V. No difference was noted between the regimens for clinical outcomes or adverse event rates.

Increasing metastatic potential is associated with induced chromosome 14 translocations in a previously nonmetastatic murine melanoma cell line.

The purpose of these studies was to demonstrate causal effects of abnormalities induced in mouse chromosome 14 on tumorigenicity and metastasis using the K-1735 murine melanoma cell line. Because anomalies in chromosome 14 have previously been associated with increases in metastatic potential, we induced chromosome 14 anomalies in a nonmetastatic K-1735 clone 10 cells initially containing two normal copies of chromosome 14 by treatment with mitomycin C. Clone 10-M1, in which a small population of cells (approximately 4%) contained translocations involving chromosome 14, was isolated and injected into athymic nude mice. Unlike the parental C-10 cells, C-10 M1 cells produced experimental lung metastases. Chromosomal analysis of cell cultures established from both subcutaneous tumors and lung metastases indicated that approximately 35% of the cell population contained chromosome 14 anomalies suggesting that this chromosome may play a role in tumor growth and metastasis.

Comparison of cefdinir and penicillin for the treatment of pediatric streptococcal pharyngitis.

This multicenter, randomized, controlled, investigator-masked study was performed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of cefdinir for the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis. Children aged 1 through 12 years with signs and symptoms of pharyngitis and a positive result on a rapid screening test for Streptococcus pyogenes were randomly assigned to receive cefdinir 14 mg/kg QD, cefdinir 7 mg/kg BID, or penicillin V 10 mg/kg 4 times daily for 10 days. Seven hundred ninety-two patients were enrolled, and 682 were clinically and microbiologically assessable. All treatment groups had similar demographic characteristics (-50.0% male, predominantly white, median age 7 years). The eradication rates of S pyogenes, determined 4 to 9 days after completion of therapy, were 94.3% in the cefdinir QD group, 94.3% in the cefdinir BID group, and 70.0% in the penicillin V group (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.6%-30.9%, P < 0.001 for cefdinir QD vs penicillin; CI 17.5%-30.9%, P < 0.001 for cefdinir BID vs penicillin). Clinical cure rates were 97.4%, 96.0%, and 86.3% for the cefdinir QD, cefdinir BID, and penicillin groups, respectively (CI 6.1%-15.9%, P = 0.001 for cefdinir QD vs penicillin; CI 4.6%-14.8%, P = 0.001 for cefdinir BID vs penicillin). Adverse reactions occurred in 8.3%, 8.7%, and 7.6% of cefdinir QD, cefdinir BID, and penicillin patients, respectively (P = NS). Treatment with cefdinir, either QD or BID, was associated with higher eradication rates of S pyogenes and higher clinical cure rates. Both cefdinir and penicillin were well tolerated. Three patients, 1 receiving cefdinir BID and 2 receiving penicillin, discontinued the study drug because of adverse reactions.

Comparison of cefdinir and penicillin for the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis. Cefdinir Pharyngitis Study Group.

Cefdinir, an oral cephalosporin active against Streptococcus pyogenes (group A beta-hemolytic streptococci [GABHS]), is also resistant to degradation by most oropharyngeal beta-lactamases. This multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-masked study assessed the tolerability and efficacy of 2 dosing regimens of cefdinir in the treatment of pharyngitis due to GABHS. Adults and adolescents with pharyngitis due to GABHS received cefdinir 600 mg QD, cefdinir 300 mg BID, or penicillin V 250 mg QID each for 10 days. A throat culture and clinical assessment were obtained 4 to 9 days after completion of therapy. Of 919 patients enrolled, 644 (70.1%) were microbiologically assessable. The eradication rates 4 to 9 days after completion of therapy were 91.4% in the cefdinir QD group, 91.7% in the cefdinir BID group, and 83.4% in the penicillin group (P = 0.02 for cefdinir QD vs penicillin, P = 0.01 for cefdinir BID vs penicillin, P = 0.95 for cefdinir QD vs cefdinir BID). Clinical cure rates were also superior with cefdinir QD (94.8%, P = 0.02) and cefdinir BID (96.3%, P < 0.01) compared with penicillin (88.9%). Diarrhea was more common in the cefdinir groups (P < 0.001). Seventeen cefdinir patients and 4 penicillin patients discontinued therapy because of adverse reaction (P = 0.13). Ten days of treatment for streptococcal pharyngitis with cefdinir QD or BID is superior to treatment with penicillin V for the eradication of GABHS from the pharynx, although it is associated with a higher rate of adverse reactions.

Cefdinir versus cefaclor in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection.

OBJECTIVE: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study was conducted in Europe, South Africa, and Australia to compare the clinical and microbiologic efficacy and the tolerability of a cephalosporin antibiotic, cefdinir, with those of cefaclor in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection. METHODS: Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to 5 days of treatment with either cefdinir 100 mg BID or cefaclor 250 mg TID. RESULTS: A total of 661 patients were randomized to treatment. They were 90% female, with a median age of 44 years. There were no clinically important differences between groups in terms of demographic characteristics or symptoms on admission. The most frequently isolated pathogens in admission urine cultures were Escherichia coli (383 patients), Proteus mirabilis (20 patients), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (14 patients), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (9 patients). Of the admission pathogens with documented susceptibility results, significantly more were resistant to cefaclor (6.7%) than to cefdinir (3.7%; P < 0.003). Significantly more admission isolates of E. coli were resistant to cefaclor (5.1%) than to cefdinir (2.0%; P < 0.007). A total of 383 patients were assessable for efficacy, 196 in the cefdinir group and 187 in the cefaclor group. Clinical cure rates and microbiologic response rates for cefdinir and cefaclor were statistically equivalent at 5 to 9 days posttherapy (test-of-cure visit), using a 95% CI approach. The rate of treatment-related adverse events was higher in cefdinir-treated patients (20.2%) than in cefaclor-treated patients (13.0%; P = 0.025), mainly due to the greater frequency of diarrhea in the former group. However, only 4 patients (1.2%) discontinued cefdinir treatment due to diarrhea. CONCLUSION: Empiric therapy with cefdinir appears to be a reasonable choice for patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infection in whom cephalosporin treatment is indicated.

Discriminative stimulus, antagonist, and rate-decreasing effects of cyclorphan: multiple modes of action.

This discriminative effects of cyclorphan were studied in pigeons trained to discriminate 0.32 mg/kg ethylketazocine, 1.8 mg/kg cyclazocine, or 32 mg/kg naltrexone from saline. A fourth group of pigeons was administered 100 mg/kg/day morphine and trained to discriminate 0.1 mg/kg naltrexone from saline. Cyclorphan produced dose-related ethylketazocine-appropriate responding that reached a maximum of 83% of the total session responses at 0.3 mg/kg. Higher cyclorphan doses produced less ethylketazocine-appropriate responding. IN pigeons trained to discriminate cyclazocine from saline, maximum drug-appropriate responding of greater than 90% occurred at 5.6-10.0 mg/kg cyclorphan. In narcotic-naive pigeons trained to discriminate 32 mg/kg naltrexone from saline, cyclorphan produced a maximum of less than 50% drug-appropriate responding. In contrast, in pigeons chronically administered morphine and trained to discriminate 0.1 mg/kg naltrexone from saline, 1.0 mg/kg cyclorphan resulted in 100% drug-appropriate responding. In pigeons responding under a multiple fixed-interval, fixed-ratio schedule of food delivery, cyclorphan produced a complete dose-related reversal of the rate-decreasing effects of 10 mg/kg morphine, the maximally effective antagonist doses being 1.0-3.2 mg/kg. Higher cyclorphan doses (10 mg/kg) resulted in response rate decreases that were not reversed by naloxone (1 mg/kg). Thus, cyclorphan has discriminative effects that are similar to those of both ethylketazocine and at 20 fold higher doses, cyclazocine. In addition, in morphine-treated pigeons, cyclorphan, across the same range of doses that produce ethylketazocine-appropriate responding, has discriminative effects that are similar to those of naltrexone, an effect that is probably related to the antagonist action of the drug.

International study comparing cefdinir and cefuroxime axetil in the treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of three antibiotic regimens in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis. METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized, multicentered, parallel-group study, patients received once-daily cefdinir 600 mg, twice-daily cefdinir 300 mg, or twice-daily cefuroxime axetil 250 mg for 10 days. Primary efficacy measures were microbiologic eradication rate, by pathogen and by patient, and clinical response rate, by patient. RESULTS: Of 1045 patients, 589 were evaluable for efficacy. At baseline, most patients had moderate or severe cough and sputum production as well as rhonchi, wheezing, and dyspnea. The microbiologic eradication rates by pathogen were 90% with once-daily cefdinir, 85% with twice-daily cefdinir, and 88% with twice-daily cefuroxime. The corresponding values for microbiologic eradication rate by patient were 90% (once-daily cefdinir), 85% (twice-daily cefdinir), and 86% (twice-daily cefuroxime). The respective clinical response rates by patient were 81%, 74%, and 80%. There were no significant differences in the incidence of drug-related adverse events or discontinuations due to adverse events. Diarrhea was the most frequent complaint. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the efficacy and tolerability of cefdinir, once or twice daily, and cefuroxime were comparable with no significant differences between the regimens used.

Comparison of broiler performance when fed diets containing grain from YieldGard Rootworm (MON863), YieldGard Plus (MON810 x MON863), nontransgenic control, or commercial reference corn hybrids.

Two 42-d experiments compared the nutritional value of YieldGard Rootworm corn (MON863; experiment 1) and YieldGard Plus corn (MON810 x MON863; experiment 2) to their respective nontransgenic controls and 6 commercial reference corn hybrids when fed to growing broilers. For each experiment, a randomized complete block design was used with 8 dietary treatments in each of 5 replicated blocks of pens. In experiment 1, no differences among diets were observed (P > 0.05) for final live weights and feed conversion. Broilers fed diets containing MON863 corn had adjusted feed conversion similar to the nontransgenic control and the population of control and commercial diets. On a weight basis, there were no differences among diets for chill, fat pad, and thigh, drum, and wing weights. Differences (P < 0.05) between MON863 and commercial corn diets were noted for breast meat, chill and thigh, drum, and wing weights on a percentage of weight basis. No differences were observed (P > 0.05) in the percentage of moisture, protein, and fat in breast meat or thigh meat across treatment diets. In experiment 2, there were no significant differences among diets for all broiler performance and carcass parameters evaluated. Broilers overall performed consistently and had similar carcass yields and meat compositions when fed diets containing MON863 corn or MON810 x MON863 corn as compared with their respective nontransgenic control and commercial diets, supporting a conclusion of similar feeding values among diets.

Comparison of broiler performance when fed diets containing roundup ready (event RT73), nontransgenic control, or commercial canola meal.

A 42-d experiment compared the nutritional value of genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant (Roundup Ready event RT73) canola meal to that of conventional canola meal when fed to rapidly growing Ross x Ross 508 broilers using a randomized complete block design. Five pens of males and 5 pens of females were used in each of 8 canola meal treatments (glyphosate-tolerant, nontransgenic control, and 6 commercial varieties). Broilers (10 birds/pen) were fed approximately 25% wt/wt canola meal during the first 20 d and 20% wt/wt canola meal thereafter. In general, performance response variables for glyphosate-tolerant canola meal were not different (P > 0.05) than those for the nontransgenic and commercial canola meals. Carcass fat pad, breast meat, thighs, legs, and wings (on a percentage basis) were similar across treatments (P > 0.05). Expressed as percentage of live weight, chill weight of the broilers fed diets containing glyphosate-tolerant canola meal was not different from those fed all other diets, but some differences were observed between the nontransgenic control and commercial diets. No major differences were observed in percentage of moisture, protein, and fat in breast or thigh meat (P > 0.05) across treatments. Comparisons of the glyphosate-tolerant canola diet to the population of all other diets (combining sexes) showed no major differences (P > 0.05) in performance, carcass yields, or moisture, protein, and fat in breast and thigh meat. Broilers fed diets containing glyphosate-tolerant canola meal had similar growth performance to birds fed nontransgenic control and commercial canola diets.

Comparison of broiler performance when fed diets containing grain from roundup ready (NK603), yieldgard x roundup ready (MON810 x NK603), non-transgenic control, or commercial corn.

Two 42-d experiments compared the nutritional value of the glyphosate-tolerant corn event NK603 (Roundup Ready corn) (experiment 1) and the combined traits, insect-protected corn event MON 810 (YieldGard com) x glyphosate-tolerant corn event NK603 (experiment 2) to their respective non-transgenic controls and to commercial reference corn, when fed to growing broilers. For each experiment, a randomized complete block design was used with eight dietary treatments in each of five replicated blocks of pens (eight pens for males and eight pens for females per block). Final live weights and feed conversion were not different (P > 0.05) across all treatments in both experiments. In experiment 1, broilers fed diets containing Roundup Ready corn had similar feed conversion adjusted for mortalities to those fed the non-transgenic control and one of the commercial corn diets. Chill weights and thigh, drum, and wing weights were not affected by diets. Differences (P < 0.05) were noted for breast meat and fat pad weights across treatments. In experiment 2, the adjusted feed conversion and carcass parameters were not affected by diets. Differences (P < 0.05) were noted only for protein content of breast meat. Differences observed in both experiments were consistent with natural variability. Broilers in general performed consistently and had similar carcass yields and meat compositions when fed diets containing Roundup Ready corn or YieldGard x Roundup Ready corn as compared with their respective non-transgenic control and commercial diets supporting similar feeding values among diets.

Comparison of broiler performance when fed diets containing grain from YieldGard (MON810), YieldGard x Roundup Ready (GA21), nontransgenic control, or commercial corn.

This 42-day experiment was undertaken to compare the nutritional value of insect-protected corn event MON810 (YieldGard) and YieldGard x herbicide-tolerant corn event GA21 (Roundup Ready) to their nontransgenic controls as well as four different commercial reference corns, when fed to growing Cobb x Cobb broilers. A randomized complete block design was used, and each treatment was replicated with five pens of males and five pens of females with 10 broilers per pen. Broilers were fed approximately 55% wt/wt corn during the first 20 d and approximately 60% wt/wt corn thereafter. The corn component of diets fed to broilers was supplied entirely with grain from the eight hybrids included in the experiment. Final live weights averaged 2.09 kg/bird fed YieldGard corn and 2.15 kg/bird fed YieldGard x Roundup Ready corn and were not different (P > 0.05) from final weights for birds fed control or commercial corn. Feed conversion was not affected (P > 0.05) by YieldGard (1.72) or YieldGard x Roundup Ready (1.77) corn feeding when compared with the feeding of other corn diets. Chill weights, fat pad, thigh weights, and wing weights were not affected by diets (P > 0.05). Differences (P < 0.05) were noted for breast and drum weights across treatments. Broilers overall performed consistently and had similar carcass yield and meat composition when fed diets containing YieldGard (event MON810) or YieldGard (event MON810) x Roundup Ready (event GA21) as compared with their nontransgenic controls and commercial diets.

Comparison of a 5 day regimen of cefdinir with a 10 day regimen of cefprozil for treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.

Patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis were treated with cefdinir 300 mg bd for 5 days or cefprozil 500 mg bd for 10 days in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicentre study. Of the 548 patients enrolled, 281 (51%) were evaluable. The clinical cure rates at the test-of-cure visit were 80% (114/142) and 72% (100/139) for the evaluable patients treated with cefdinir and cefprozil, respectively. Respiratory tract pathogens were isolated from 409 (75%) of 548 admission sputum specimens, with the predominant pathogens being Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus and Moraxella catarrhalis. The microbiological eradication rates at the test-of-cure visit were 81% (157 of 193 pathogens) and 84% (166 of 198 pathogens) for the evaluable patients treated with cefdinir and cefprozil, respectively. Adverse event rates while on treatment were equivalent between the two treatment groups. The incidence of diarrhoea during therapy was higher for patients treated with cefdinir (17%) than for patients treated with cefprozil (6%) (P < 0.01), but most cases were mild and did not lead to discontinuation of treatment. These results indicate that a 5 day regimen of cefdinir is as effective and safe in the treatment of patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis as a 10 day regimen of cefprozil.

Can cancer cells transform normal host cells into malignant cells?

A human prostate tumour cell line, LNCaP C4-2, when injected into athymic male nude mice, produced tumours containing: (1) only human cancer cells similar to those injected; (2) only murine stromal cells containing abnormal chromosome constitutions; or (3) both human prostate cancer cells similar to those injected and the transformed murine stromal cells with altered chromosome constitutions. Karyotypic analysis of murine metaphases from all the host-derived tumours showed mostly pseudodiploid chromosome constitutions, with multiple copies (amplification) of mouse chromosome 15 and the absence of a typical Y chromosome. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of these murine cells, using a biotin-labelled total human DNA painting probe, further demonstrated the absence of human DNA and the presence of only mouse metaphase and interphase cells in these transformed stromal cells. These results suggest that cancer cells are capable of inducing neoplastic transformation in stromal cells of the host organ by some, as yet unknown, epigenetic mechanism(s).

Effect of a prolonged-release formulation of N-methionyl bovine somatotropin (sometribove) on milk fat.

Nine Holstein cows were injected bi-weekly with a prolonged-release formulation of N-methionyl bST, and 9 cows were injected with excipient. Intramuscular injections began at 60 +/- 3 d postpartum and continued at 14-d intervals for the full lactation. Administration of bST increased production of milk, total fat, and all milk fat components measured. Average fatty acid composition of milk fat was not influenced by bST treatment. Stage of lactation had a large influence on production and percentage of individual fatty acids in milk fat from both bST-treated and control cows. The stage of lactation impact on the fatty acid composition of milk fat reflected changes in the relative contributions of body fat mobilization and de novo synthesis of milk fat components in response to changes in energy balance. Initiation of bST treatment caused some transient changes in milk fatty acid composition that were related to energy balance. These changes were small compared with the normal changes because of stage of lactation in all cows. Phospholipid and cholesterol content of milk also changed with stage of lactation but were not influenced by bST treatment. Melting properties of milk fat were influenced greatly by stage of lactation. Bovine somatotropin did not cause any changes in composition or physical properties of milk fat that were outside the range of normal variation.