In ovo administration of a phage cocktail partially prevents colibacillosis in chicks.

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes colibacillosis, the main bacterial disease in poultry leading to significant economic losses worldwide. Antibiotic treatments favor the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, and preventive measures are insufficient to control the disease. There is increasing interest in using the potential of bacteriophages, not only for phage therapy but also for prevention and biocontrol.

Production of Germ-Free Fast-Growing Broilers from a Commercial Line for Microbiota Studies.

Studies of the gut microbiota contribution to the host physiology and immunocompetence are facilitated by the availability of germ-free animal models, which are considered the gold standard. Nesting birds are ideal models for the production of germ-free animals since there is no need to raise their relatives under sterile conditions. Germ-free chickens are mainly generated from specific-pathogen-free (SPF) experimental lines, which are poorly representative of commercial chicken lines.

Rational Topological Design for Fluorescence Enhancement upon Aggregation of Distyrylfuran Derivatives.

A series of 2,5-distyrylfuran derivatives bearing pentafluorophenyl- and cyanovinyl units have been synthesized for aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The effect of the type and extent of the supramolecular connections on the AIE of the furan derivatives were examined and correlated with their X-ray crystal structures. It was found that the simultaneous presence of cyano and perfluorophenyl units strongly enhances the fluorescence upon aggregation.

Controlled synthesis and alkaline earth ion binding of switchable formamidoxime-based crown ether analogs.

The partial positive charge of amide protons is used to promote macrocyclization and form crown-ether analogs. Their deprotonation generates very selective pH-switchable alkaline earth ion receptors only in the presence of an appropriate substrate.

Growth failure after recurrent fever in young guinea pigs.

Infection causes fever and suppression of appetite, a combination of effects which threatens normal growth in infected children. We have used an animal model to study the effects on growth of recurrent simulated Gram-positive bacterial infection. After weaning, 10 guinea pig pups underwent surgery under general anaesthesia for the implantation of temperature-sensitive radiotelemeters and thereafter were assigned to receive intramuscular injections of either 50 microg/kg muramyl dipeptide (MDP), or sterile saline.

Effects on fetal and maternal body temperatures of exposure of pregnant ewes to heat, cold, and exercise.

We exposed Dorper-cross ewes at approximately 120-135 days of gestation to a hot (40 degrees C, 60% relative humidity) and a cold (4 degrees C, 90% relative humidity) environment and to treadmill exercise (2.1 km/h, 5 degrees gradient) and measured fetal lamb and ewe body temperatures using previously implanted abdominal radiotelemeters. When ewes were exposed to 2 h of heat or 30 min of exercise, body temperature rose less in the fetus than in the mother, such that the difference between fetal and maternal body temperature, on average 0.

Feto-maternal relationships in goats during heat and cold exposure.

Maternal and fetal body temperatures were measured in five Boer goats, of mean mass 64 +/- 8 kg, using temperature-sensitive radiotelemeters implanted intra-abdominally. Body temperatures were recorded every 5 min. Throughout the last month of gestation, fetal temperature was approximately 0.

[Reproducibility of measurements of arterial pressure and heart rate during exercise test: its significance and application].

The authors report their findings from a study of the reproductibility of measurements of blood pressure and heart rate both at rest and during exercise (work on a bicycle ergometer) in 19 patients who were tested on two occasions with a mean interval of 9.8 days. A study of the correlations, of variability, and of the findings on applying Student's "t" test, have led us to the conclusion that these parameters are more reproduceable on exercise than at rest, and become increasingly reproduceable as exercise increases.