Essential oils for dairy calves: effects on performance, scours, rumen fermentation and intestinal fauna.

UNLABELLED: The first cause of death of dairy calves is often diarrhea which is mainly caused by pathogenic bacteria, which can result in excessive use of antibiotics. However, facing the increase concern by the industry and consumers, the use of antibiotics not only to control pathogens, but also to manipulate growth, has become a challenge. Alternative additives, such essential oils, have the potential to decrease antibiotic use, without reducing performance or increasing mortality of dairy calves. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a commercial blend of essential oils, incorporated into the calf starter and/or milk replacer to monitor the effect on overall calf performance, fecal scores and rumen fermentation parameters. A total of 30 Holstein calves received 6 l/day of a liquid diet, consisting of a commercial milk replacer containing 20% CP : 15% fat (EE). Calves had free choice access to water and calf starter. Weaning occurred at week 8, and calves were followed until the 10th week of age. Calves were assigned to one of the three treatment groups in a randomized block design. TREATMENTS: (1) control without essential oils supplementation (C); (2) essential oils blend in the milk replacer at 400 mg/kg (MR) and (3) essential oils blend in the milk replacer (200 mg/kg) and starter feed (200 mg/kg) (MRS). From the 2nd week, calves were weighed and body measurements were taken, while concentrate intake and fecal scores were monitored daily. Blood samples were drawn weekly for determination of glucose and ß-hydroxybutyrate. Fecal samples were collected weekly and analyzed for lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteria; and ruminal fluid for determination of pH, short chain fatty acids, ammonia-N and counts of amylolytic and cellulolytic bacteria, and protozoa. Performance, fecal scores and intestines microorganisms were not affected by the essential oils supplementation. Ruminal and blood parameters were also not affected, with the exception the rumen ammonia-N concentration, with higher values when essential oils were supplemented in a combination of milk replacer and starter feed. Most of the evaluated parameters were affected by age of calves, mainly as a response to the increase in concentrate intake as animals' aged. Essential oils are promising substitutes for antibiotics. However, the dose and routes of administration deserve further studies, allowing a better animal performance and health to be achieved.

Influência da estação do ano nas características do sêmen e na concentração de hormônios em touros Nelore e Simental / Influence of year season on semen characteristics and hormonal levels in Nelore and Simental bulls

Estudou-se a influência das quatro estações do ano nas características do sêmen e nas concentrações de testosterona e cortisol em touros. Cinco touros Nelore e cinco Simental entre 48 e 72 meses de idade, criados extensivamente, foram avaliados andrologicamente por meio de exames físicos das características morfológicas do sêmen e das concentrações séricas de testosterona e cortisol. Houve redução na motilidade e no vigor do sêmen no inverno (P<0,05) na raça Simental. Observou-se correlação (P<0,01) entre testosterona x motilidade (0,69) e testosterona x vigor (0,57) na raça Simental, e cortisol x motilidade (0,68) e cortisol x vigor (0,65) na raça Nelore. O efeito das estações do ano modificou a qualidade do sêmen com aumento da motilidade e vigor espermáticos na primavera e verão nos touros Simental. A concentração de cortisol diminuiu no outono nos touros Nelore.

The influence of four seasons per year on semen characteristics and levels of testosterone and cortisol in Nelore and Simental bulls was studied. Five Nelore and five Simental bulls extensively managed, at 48-72 months old were evaluated for sexual soundness using physical and morphological characteristics of semen and serum levels of testosterone and cortisol. In Simental bulls there was decreased motility and vigor of semen (P<0.05) during winter. There was a correlation (P<0.01) between testosterone x motility (0.69) and testosterone x vigor (0.57) in the Simental breed and cortisol x motility (0.68) and cortisol x vigor (0.65) in Nelore the breed. The effect of seasons during the year changed the semen quality with increased sperm motility and vigor in spring-summe r in Simental bulls. The cortisol level decreased in autumn in Nelore bulls.

Iliopsoas abscess and spondylodiscitis by Staphylococcus aureus: successful clinical treatment.

Although pyogenic abscess of the iliopsoas muscle is considered an uncommon condition, its incidence is on the increase. This abscess may be primary if it occurs without a causal factor; more frequently, it is secondary to gastrointestinal or genitourinary affections, or trauma. The main aetiological agents differ among primary (Staphylococcus aureus) and secondary (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp, Streptococcus spp, Bacteroides spp) abscess. We report the case of a 64-year-old man with iliopsoas abscess by S. aureus associated with spondylodiscitis in lumbar vertebrae (L4-L5). Our aim is to emphasize the successful treatment with exclusive intravenous antimicrobials, and highlight the role of control through imaging studies and laboratory tests.

Errors in nonword repetition: bridging short- and long-term memory

According to the working memory model, the phonological loop is the component of working memory specialized in processing and manipulating limited amounts of speech-based information. The Children's Test of Nonword Repetition (CNRep) is a suitable measure of phonological short-term memory for English-speaking children, which was validated by the Brazilian Children's Test of Pseudoword Repetition (BCPR) as a Portuguese-language version. The objectives of the present study were: i) to investigate developmental aspects of the phonological memory processing by error analysis in the nonword repetition task, and ii) to examine phoneme (substitution, omission and addition) and order (migration) errors made in the BCPR by 180 normal Brazilian children of both sexes aged 4-10, from preschool to 4th grade. The dominant error was substitution [F(3,525) = 180.47; P < 0.0001]. The performance was age-related [F(4,175) = 14.53; P < 0.0001]. The length effect, i.e., more errors in long than in short items, was observed [F(3,519) = 108.36; P < 0.0001]. In 5-syllable pseudowords, errors occurred mainly in the middle of the stimuli, before the syllabic stress [F(4,16) = 6.03; P = 0.003]; substitutions appeared more at the end of the stimuli, after the stress [F(12,48) = 2.27; P = 0.02]. In conclusion, the BCPR error analysis supports the idea that phonological loop capacity is relatively constant during development, although school learning increases the efficiency of this system. Moreover, there are indications that long-term memory contributes to holding memory trace. The findings were discussed in terms of distinctiveness, clustering and redintegration hypotheses.

Errors in nonword repetition: bridging short- and long-term memory.

According to the working memory model, the phonological loop is the component of working memory specialized in processing and manipulating limited amounts of speech-based information. The Children's Test of Nonword Repetition (CNRep) is a suitable measure of phonological short-term memory for English-speaking children, which was validated by the Brazilian Children's Test of Pseudoword Repetition (BCPR) as a Portuguese-language version. The objectives of the present study were: i) to investigate developmental aspects of the phonological memory processing by error analysis in the nonword repetition task, and ii) to examine phoneme (substitution, omission and addition) and order (migration) errors made in the BCPR by 180 normal Brazilian children of both sexes aged 4-10, from preschool to 4th grade. The dominant error was substitution [F(3,525) = 180.47; P < 0.0001]. The performance was age-related [F(4,175) = 14.53; P < 0.0001]. The length effect, i.e., more errors in long than in short items, was observed [F(3,519) = 108.36; P < 0.0001]. In 5-syllable pseudowords, errors occurred mainly in the middle of the stimuli, before the syllabic stress [F(4,16) = 6.03; P = 0.003]; substitutions appeared more at the end of the stimuli, after the stress [F(12,48) = 2.27; P = 0.02]. In conclusion, the BCPR error analysis supports the idea that phonological loop capacity is relatively constant during development, although school learning increases the efficiency of this system. Moreover, there are indications that long-term memory contributes to holding memory trace. The findings were discussed in terms of distinctiveness, clustering and redintegration hypotheses.

Cross-cultural differences for three visual memory tasks in Brazilian children.

Norms for three visual memory tasks, including Corsi's block tapping test and the BEM 144 complex figures and visual recognition, were developed for neuropsychological assessment in Brazilian children. The tasks were measured in 127 children ages 7 to 10 years from rural and urban areas of the States of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. Analysis indicated age-related but not sex-related differences. A cross-cultural effect was observed in relation to copying and recall of Complex pictures. Different performances between rural and urban children were noted.

Validation of the Brazilian Children's Test of Pseudoword Repetition in Portuguese speakers aged 4 to 10 years

The phonological loop is a component of the working memory system specifically involved in the processing and manipulation of limited amounts of information of a sound-based phonological nature. Phonological memory can be assessed by the Children's Test of Nonword Repetition (CNRep) in English speakers but not in Portuguese speakers due to phonotactic differences between the two languages. The objectives of the present study were: 1) to develop the Brazilian Children's Test of Pseudoword Repetition (BCPR), a Portuguese version of the CNRep, and 2) to validate the BCPR by correlation with the Auditory Digit Span Test from the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. The BCPR and Digit Span were assessed in 182 children aged 4-10 years, 84 from Minas Gerais State (42 from a rural region) and 98 from the city of Säo Paulo. There are subject age and word length effects causing repetition accuracy to decline as a function of the number of syllables of the pseudowords. Correlations between BCPR and Digit Span forward (r = 0.50; P <= 0.01) and backward (r = 0.43; P <= 0.01) were found, and partial correlation indicated that higher BCPR scores were associated with higher Digit Span scores. BCPR appears to depend more on schooling, while Digit Span was more related to development. The results demonstrate that the BCPR is a reliable measure of phonological working memory, similar to the CNRep.

Validation of the Brazilian Children's Test of Pseudoword Repetition in Portuguese speakers aged 4 to 10 years.

The phonological loop is a component of the working memory system specifically involved in the processing and manipulation of limited amounts of information of a sound-based phonological nature. Phonological memory can be assessed by the Children's Test of Nonword Repetition (CNRep) in English speakers but not in Portuguese speakers due to phonotactic differences between the two languages. The objectives of the present study were: 1). to develop the Brazilian Children's Test of Pseudoword Repetition (BCPR), a Portuguese version of the CNRep, and 2). to validate the BCPR by correlation with the Auditory Digit Span Test from the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. The BCPR and Digit Span were assessed in 182 children aged 4-10 years, 84 from Minas Gerais State (42 from a rural region) and 98 from the city of S o Paulo. There are subject age and word length effects causing repetition accuracy to decline as a function of the number of syllables of the pseudowords. Correlations between BCPR and Digit Span forward (r = 0.50; P