Influence of milk feeding levels and calf housing on subsequent performance of Holstein heifers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of increased milk feeding levels or social housing during the preweaning stage of Holstein dairy heifers on subsequent weight gain, health, and reproductive parameters over time. A total of 210 heifers were grouped by calving date in groups of 10 and randomly assigned to one of 3 treatments: low-milk individual housing (LMI; 4 L of milk/d), high-milk individual housing (HMI; 8 L of milk/d), or low-milk social housing (LMS; 4 L of milk/d). Data collected included passive transfer status, disease events, weight gain at different time periods, age at first calving, calving intervals, and milk yield over the first 3 lactations. Passive transfer was successful in 189 calves, and, overall, disease events were low in this herd. The average daily gain for heifers in the HMI group (0.79 ± 0.05 kg/d) was significantly higher (F 2, 9 = 4.76) during the preweaning treatment period compared with the other groups (LMI: 0.59 ± 0.05 kg/d; LMS: 0.68 ± 0.04 kg/d). Although treatment groups did not differ with respect to age at first calving, the LMS and HMI heifers calved (22 and 15 d, respectively) earlier than the LMI heifers. Milk yield over 3 lactations was similar among the treatment groups. This suggests that both nutrition and social dynamics can influence performance of preweaned calves. Further investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms driving increased weight gain in socially housed calves.

Maternally and naturally acquired antibodies to Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida in beef calves.

The dynamics and duration of maternally derived antibodies as well as the onset of acquired immunity against Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida in range-pastured beef calves were investigated. Two groups of unvaccinated cattle were used in this study. Serum antibody responses were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay for antibodies of the IgG1, IgG2 and IgM isotypes binding M. haemolytica whole cells (WC) or leukotoxin (LKT) and P. multocida outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Comparisons of mean antibody responses to M. haemolytica LKT and WC and P. multocida OMPs were made within each group. Maternally derived antibodies against M. haemolytica and P. multocida reached lowest levels at 30-90 days after birth. Calves began production of antibodies against M. haemolytica and P. multocida between 60 and 90 days of age in both groups. Based on the results of this study, in beef herds vaccinated against M. haemolytica and/or P. multocida, it may be best to vaccinate calves around 3 months of age. In contrast, beef calves from unvaccinated herds might benefit from vaccination at 4 months of age.

Immunogenicity of iron-regulated outer membrane proteins of Pasteurella multocida A:3 in cattle: molecular characterization of the immunodominant heme acquisition system receptor (HasR) protein.

The iron-regulated outer membrane proteins (IROMPs) of Pasteurella multocida A:3 strain 232 (Pm232), a bovine isolate, were investigated as potential immunogens in cattle. We addressed the ability of P. multocida IROMP-enriched fractions to induce antibody responses in cattle by different vaccination strategies and the protective efficacy of these antibodies using a P. multocida-induced pneumonia challenge model. Vaccination of cattle with outer membrane-enriched fractions derived from Pm232 grown on either iron-depleted (IROMPs) or iron-sufficient (OMPs) conditions induced significant antibody responses; however, the correlation with lung lesion scores was not significant (P = 0.01 and P < 0.07, respectively). SDS-PAGE, Western blots and densitometric analyses of Pm232 grown under iron-deficient conditions revealed five major IROMPs including an immunodominant 96 kDa protein band. Mass spectrometry analysis of the 96kDa protein band suggested homology with the heme acquisition system receptor (HasR) of avian P. multocida (strain Pm70) and was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis of the cloned Pm232 hasR gene. Further analyses indicated that Pm232 HasR is a surface-exposed OMP and conserved among most P. multocida isolates investigated. In addition, cattle vaccinated with live Pm232 or IROMPs had significantly higher antibody responses to the 96 kDa protein band and the correlation with lung lesion scores approached significance (P = 0.056). These results indicate that antibody responses in cattle are induced by P. multocida IROMPs, and that the 96 kDa HasR protein is an immunodominant IROMP.

Pharmacologic effects of epidural versus intramuscular administration of detomidine in cattle.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether epidural administration of detomidine hydrochloride to cattle induced analgesia of the perineum and to compare analgesic and systemic effects of epidural versus i.m. administration of detomidine at a dose of 40 microg/kg in cattle. ANIMALS: 18 healthy adult cows. PROCEDURE: 6 cows were given detomidine by epidural administration, 6 were given detomidine i.m., and 6 (control group) were not given detomidine. Analgesia was assessed by determining responses to needle pinpricks in the perineum and flank and by applying electrical stimuli to the perineum and flank and determining the voltage that induced an avoidance response. Degree of sedation and ataxia were scored, and mean arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and frequency of ruminal contractions were measured. RESULTS: Epidural and i.m. administration of detomidine induced comparable degrees of analgesia of the perineum and flank, accompanied by moderate sedation and ataxia, hypertension, cardiorespiratory depression, and rumen hypomotility. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Epidural and i.m. administration of detomidine at a dose of 40 microg/kg induced similar analgesic and systemic effects in cattle. Epidural administration of detomidine did not appear to be advantageous over i.m. administration.

[Effects of fiber administration in the prevention of gallstones in obese patients on a reducing diet. A clinical trial]. / Efecto de la administración de fibra en la prevención de litiasis vesicular en obesos sometidos a dieta de reducción. Ensayo.

Nearly 30% of the obese patients treated with hypoenergetic diets for weight reduction develop gallstone disease (GD). Until the present time, the use of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDA) is the only available therapeutic measure to avoid the development of GD. Dietary fiber induce a bile acid synthesis. A double-blind clinical trial was conducted to compare the effect of rational diet plus UDA vs a rational diet supplemented with Psyllium plantago (Pp) for the prevention of GD in obese subjects undergoing a weight-reduction diet. Patients with a body mass index (BMI = weight in Kg/square height in m) of 30 Kg/m2 or more and with normal gallbladder and biliary tree ultrasound (GBUS) were included. Weight-reduction diets were individually calculated for each patient according to their energy expenditure (EE). Patients were randomly and blindly assigned either to group I (diet + 750 mg UDA + fiber placebo) or group II (diet + 15 g Pp+ UDA placebo). An anthropometric evaluation was performed to each patient before and after the two-month treatment, as well as resting EE by indirect calorimetry, GBUS and endoscopy for the determination of cholesterol crystals in duodenal bile. Weight reduction was similar in both groups (group I = 6 +/- 2 Kg vs group II = 6 +/- 3 Kg). GD development was observed in one patient of group I (5.5%) and two patients of group II (p > 0.05). All patients with GD lost a minimum of 4 Kg during the study period. GD development did not correlate with the presence of crystals in the duodenal bile at the beginning of the study. Our results suggest a beneficial effect of a rational diet with fiber supplementation to prevent GD development in obese patients included in a weight reduction program.

Vaccination of dairy cows with recombinant Streptococcus uberis adhesion molecule induces antibodies that reduce adherence to and internalization of S. uberis into bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Streptococcus uberis is an important environmental mastitis pathogen that causes subclinical and clinical mastitis in lactating and nonlactating cows and heifers throughout the world. Previous work from our laboratory suggests that S. uberis adhesion molecule (SUAM) is involved in S. uberis pathogenesis and may be an excellent target for vaccine development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibody response of cattle vaccinated with recombinant SUAM (rSUAM). Uninfected primiparous dairy cows (n=30) in late lactation were divided randomly into three groups of 10 cows each: control, 200 µg rSUAM, and 400 µg rSUAM. Cows in groups vaccinated with 200 µg and 400 µg rSUAM received an emulsion containing adjuvant, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and affinity purified rSUAM. Cows in the control group received an emulsion containing adjuvant and PBS. Cows were vaccinated subcutaneously in the neck region at drying off (D-0), 28 d after drying off (D+28) and within 7 d after calving. Serum was collected at D-0, D+28, at calving (C-0), calving vaccination (CV), and during early lactation (CV+14). Serum antibody responses were measured by an ELISA against rSUAM. Following the first vaccination a significant increase in anti-rSUAM antibodies was detected at D+28 in cows from groups vaccinated with 200 µg and 400 µg rSUAM when compared to the control group. This increase in anti-rSUAM antibodies continued following the second immunization at D+28; reaching the highest levels in the post-parturient sampling period (C0), after which antibodies appeared to plateau. S. uberis UT888 pretreated with several dilutions of heat-inactivated serum from cows vaccinated with rSUAM, affinity purified antibodies against rSUAM, and to a 17 amino acid long peptide from the N terminus of SUAM (pep-SUAM) were co-cultured with bovine mammary epithelial cells and adherence to and internalization of S. uberis into epithelial cells was measured. Compared to untreated controls, opsonization of two strains of S. uberis with sera from cows vaccinated with rSUAM, with affinity purified rSUAM antibodies, or with affinity purified pep-SUAM antibodies significantly reduced adherence to and internalization of this pathogen into bovine mammary epithelial cells. In conclusion, subcutaneous vaccination of dairy cows with rSUAM during physiological transitions of the mammary gland either from or to a state of active milk synthesis induced antibodies in serum and milk and these antibodies reduced adherence to and internalization of S. uberis into mammary epithelial cells under in vitro conditions. SUAM appears to be an excellent candidate for vaccine development.

pGh9:ISS1 transpositional mutations in Streptococcus uberis UT888 causes reduced bacterial adherence to and internalization into bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Streptococcus uberis is an important mastitis pathogen that affects dairy cows worldwide. In spite of the economic impact caused by the high prevalence of S. uberis intramammary infections (IMI) in many well-managed dairy herds, pathogenic strategies and associated virulence factors of S. uberis are not well understood. It has been shown that S. uberis attaches to and internalizes into mammary epithelial cells and can survive inside cells for extended periods of time. We hypothesize that early attachment to and internalization into mammary epithelial cells is a critical step for the establishment of intramammary infection. The aim of this study is to identify and characterize chromosomally encoded virulence factors of S. uberis that allow early bacterial attachment to and internalization into mammary epithelial cells. A common approach used to identify virulence factors is by generating random insertion mutants that are defective in adherence to and internalization into mammary epithelial cells using pGh9:ISS1 mutagenesis system. A random insertion mutant library of S. uberis strain UT888 was created using a thermo-sensitive plasmid pGh9:ISS1 carrying ISS1 insertion sequence. Integration of the insertion sequence into the chromosome of these mutant clones was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot. Southern blot analysis of mutant clones also showed that insertional integration was random. Of 1000 random chromosomal insertion mutants of S. uberis strain UT888 screened, 32 had significantly reduced ability to adhere to and internalize into mammary epithelial cells. Chromosomal mapping of insertion sequence integration sites in some of these defective mutants showed integration into penicillin binding protein 2A (pbp2A), sensor histidine kinase, tetR family regulatory protein, phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase catalytic subunit (purE), lactose phosphotransferase, phosphoribosylamine glycine ligase (purD), and other genes involved in metabolic activities. These proteins may have a significant role in early bacterial colonization of the mammary gland during infection.

Perfil del cuidador principal del enfermo en situación terminal y análisis del riesgo de desarrollar duelo patológico / No disponible

Introducción: el cuidador principal tiene un importante papel en cuidados paliativos, y es preciso por tanto buscar una atención compartida en la que esté involucrado. Uno de los riesgos de los cuidadores es el sufrimiento de un duelo patológico tras el fallecimiento del paciente. Objetivo: conocer el perfil más prevalente del cuidador principal en Extremadura y determinar si el riesgo de padecer duelo patológico depende de ciertos parámetros. Método: se recogieron datos de las historias clínicas de 155 pacientes. El análisis del perfil se realizó mediante un estudio descriptivo. Para los factores predictores de desarrollo de duelo patológico, se realizó un estudio analítico empleando el test X2. Variables: riesgo de duelo patológico, sexo, edad, parentesco, residencia, nivel de estudios, cumplimiento de instrucciones. Resultados: el perfil habitual del cuidador corresponde a mujeres(85,42%), hijas (43,75%), que convivían en el mismo domicilio que el paciente (73,61%), nivel de estudios primarios (63,2%), cumplimiento medio de instrucciones sobre los cuidados (43,75%) y edad media de 54años. Los valores de dependencia de los parámetros estudiados con el riesgo de duelo patológico, fueron de X2 = 4,057 (p = 0,398) para la variable parentesco, X2 = 1,065 (p = 0,302) para residencia y X2 = 0,600 (p = 0,897)para nivel de estudios. Conclusiones: el perfil del cuidador principal coincide con el de otros estudios. Con un nivel de confianza del 99% ninguna de las variables se relacionaba con el riesgo de padecer duelo patológico (AU)

Background: caregivers have an important role in palliative care; therefore, it is essential to pursue a shared palliative care provision in which informal carers should be involved. One of the risks of caregivers is complicated grief after the death of a relative. Objective: to understand the main caregiver profile in Extremadura region (Spain), and to establish whether the risk of complicated grief depends on certain parameters. Method: data were collected from the medical files of 155 patients. The descriptive study of the standard profile was made using means. For the predictive factors of developing complicated grief an analytical approach was made using the X2 test. Variables used included: complicated grief risk, sex, age, relationship with patient, sharing the home with the patient, education, and compliance with instructions. Results: the average profile of main caregivers corresponds to women(85.42%), daughters (43.75%), living in the same home with the patient(73.61%), with primary education (63.2%), an intermediate capacity to follow instructions (43.75%), and an average age of 54 years. The dependency of parameters studied and the risk of complicated grief, calculated with X2 test, and their statistical significances were: X2 = 4.057 (p = 0.398) for relationship; X2 = 1.065 (p = 0.302) for living in the same home, and X2= 0.600 (p = 0.897) for education.Conclusions: the average profile of main caregivers agrees with previous studies. Using a confidence level of 99% none of the variables was related to the risk of suffering complicated grief (AU)