scholarly journals Unmitigated Surgical Castration in Calves of Different Ages: Electroencephalographic and Neurohormonal Findings

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1791
Author(s):  
Luciana Bergamasco ◽  
Lily N. Edwards-Callaway ◽  
Nora M. Bello ◽  
Sage Mijares ◽  
Charley A. Cull ◽  
...  

Castration is a common management procedure employed in North American cattle production and is known to cause a pain response. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of unmitigated surgical castration on the electroencephalography (EEG) responses and plasma substance P (SP) concentrations in calves of different ages under the same experimental conditions. Thirty male Holstein calves in three age categories [<6 weeks (6W); 3 months (3M); 6 months (6M); 10 calves per age group] were used in the study. Calves were subjected to a simulated castration session (SHAM) followed 24 h later by surgical castration (CAST) without analgesia. An EEG analysis was performed before the procedure (i.e., baseline), at treatment, and 0–5, 5–10, and 10–20 min post-treatment for both SHAM and CAST, respectively. Blood samples were collected immediately prior to both treatments (time 0) and again at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after both treatments. The EEG results showed a three-way interaction between treatment, age, and time for delta and beta absolute power, beta relative power, total power, and median frequency (p = 0.004, p = 0.04, p = 0.04, p = 0.03, and p = 0.008, respectively). Following CAST, EEG total power decreased, and median frequency increased relative to SHAM in 6W and 3M calves only following treatment. For 6W and 3M calves, delta and beta absolute power increased at CAST and at later time points relative to SHAM. Marginal evidence for two-way interactions was noted between time and treatment and between age and treatment on the concentration of SP (p = 0.068 and p = 0.066, respectively). Substance P concentrations decreased in CAST treatment compared to SHAM at the later times (8 h: p = 0.007; 12 h: p = 0.048); 6W calves showed lower SP concentration at CAST relative to SHAM (p = 0.017). These findings indicate variation in EEG responses and in SP concentrations following unmitigated surgical castration in calves and that these responses may be age specific. These EEG findings have implications for supporting the perception of the pain associated with surgical castration in young calves and emphasize the urgency of pain mitigation strategies during routine husbandry practices such as castration, as typically implemented in North American cattle management.

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-56
Author(s):  
Danuta Roman-Liu ◽  
Krzysztof Kȩdzior

The aim of this study was to compare the influence of constant or intermittent load on muscle activation and fatigue. The analysis and assessment of muscular activation and fatigue was based on surface EMG measurements from eight muscles (seven muscles of the right upper limb and trapezius muscle). Two EMG signal parameters were analyzed for each of the experimental conditions distinguished by the value of the external force and the character of the load – constant or intermittent. The amplitude related to its maximum (AMP) and the slope of the regression line between time and median frequency (SMF) were the EMG parameters that were analyzed. The results showed that constant load caused higher muscular fatigue than intermittent load despite the lower value of the external force and lower muscle activation. Results suggest that additional external force might influence muscle activation and fatigue more than upper limb posture. The results of the study support the thesis that all biomechanical factors which influence upper limb load and fatigue (upper limb posture, external force and time sequences) should be considered when work stands and work processes are designed. They also indicate that constant load should be especially avoided.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1979
Author(s):  
Jurhamid Columbres Imlan ◽  
Ubedullah Kaka ◽  
Yong-Meng Goh ◽  
Zulkifli Idrus ◽  
Elmutaz Atta Awad ◽  
...  

The proper slaughter positioning of animals is among the most crucial factors in animal welfare. The lateral position in Halal slaughter is a technique used around the world by Muslims, with a few practicing the upright position. The literature on the effects of slaughter in upright versus lateral positions on pain and stress is scarce. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of slaughter positions on blood biochemical parameters, plasma catecholamines, and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses. Twenty Brahman crossbred steers were subjected to slaughter in either lateral recumbency (LP) (n = 10) or an upright position (UP) (n = 10). There was a significant increase in adrenaline (p < 0.0001) and noradrenaline (p < 0.05) at T2 compared to T1 in the animals of both groups. A significant difference (p < 0.0001) was observed in the median frequency (MF) and total power (Ptot) of EEG, parameters for pain and stress, between the animals slaughtered in the upright and the lateral position. However, MF and delta waves were significantly higher (p < 0.05) after slaughter in the UP group than in the LP group. The results demonstrate a lesser amount of stress and pain responses among the LP group.


1986 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 1073-1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Levine ◽  
J. Gillen ◽  
P. Weiser ◽  
M. Gillen ◽  
E. Kwatny

We describe a cross-correlation procedure for removing contaminating electrocardiogram (ECG) complexes from the diaphragmatic electromyogram (EMGdi). First, the operator selects ECG templates from the EMGdi signal during expiratory intervals. Second, these templates are used to locate ECG complexes occurring during inspiratory EMGdi activity. Third, at the point of maximum correlation between the template and these ECG complexes, the template is adjusted in size and offset to “match” the ECG complex, and adjustments are determined by the linear regression coefficients. Finally, the modified template is subtracted from the EMGdi signal. To evaluate our method, we compared the power spectral density (PSD) obtained from processing EMGdi signals by our method with those obtained from the EMGdi signal in which ECG complexes had been removed by gating. Our results indicate that PSD obtained by these two different methods shows no statistically significant differences with respect to the following features: centroid frequency, median frequency, total power, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-21
Author(s):  
Aleksandr Solomakhin ◽  
Petr Bagryansky ◽  
Yuriy Kovalenko ◽  
Valeriy Savkin ◽  
Dmitriy Yakovlev

Electron cyclotron resonance plasma heating (ECRH) system has been recently installed on the gas dynamic trap (GDT) magnetic mirror. Two microwave beams are injected into the plasma at an angle of 36° with respect to the machine axis in a form of extraordinary (X) waves which are subsequently absorbed in the first harmonic cyclotron resonance. Each microwave beam is generated by a Buran-A type 450 kW/54.5 GHz gyrotron. The article reports on the first microwave injection experiments with limited total power of 300 kW. Adjustment of experimental conditions and magnetic field reconfiguration resulted in an increased diamagnetic signal, electron temperature and other plasma parameters


2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinedum Peter Ezeakacha ◽  
Saeed Salehi

Drilling mud loss in highly porous media and fractured formations has been one of the industry's focuses in the past decades. Wellbore dynamics and lithology complexities continue to push for more research into accurate quantification and mitigation strategies for lost circulation and mud filtration. Conventional methods of characterizing mud loss with filtration data for field application can be time-consuming, particularly because of the interaction between several factors that impact mud loss and filtration. This paper presents a holistic engineering approach for characterizing lost circulation using pore-scale dynamic water-based mud (WBM) filtration data. The approaches used in this study include: factorial design of experiment (DoE), hypothesis testing, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression analysis. The results show that an increase in temperature and rotary speed can increase dynamic mud filtration significantly. An increase in lost circulation material (LCM) concentration showed a significant decrease dynamic mud filtration. A combination of LCM concentration and rotary speed showed a significant decrease in dynamic mud filtration, while a combination of LCM concentration and temperature revealed a significant increase in dynamic mud filtration. Rotary speed and temperature combination showed an increase in dynamic mud filtration. The combined effect of these three factors was not significant in increasing or decreasing dynamic mud filtration. For the experimental conditions in this study, the regression analysis for one of the rocks showed that dynamic mud filtration can be predicted from changes in LCM concentration and rotary speed. The results and approach from this study can provide reliable information for drilling fluids design and selecting operating conditions for field application.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jurhamid Columbres Imlan ◽  
Ubedullah Kaka ◽  
Yong-Meng Goh ◽  
Zulkifli Idrus ◽  
Elmutaz Atta Awad ◽  
...  

The sharpness of the knife used for slaughter is of the utmost importance from an animal welfare perspective. The quantification of knife sharpness is almost impossible in abattoirs. The sharpness of the knife blade used to slaughter an animal, as well as its effects on animals’ pain and stress levels, is an important area of investigation that needs to be addressed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of knife sharpness on blood biochemical parameters, plasma catecholamines, and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses. Twenty Brahman crossbred steers were either subjected to slaughter with a sharp knife (n = 10) or a commercial sharp knife (n = 10); knife sharpness was measured with the ANAGO® sharpness tester. There was significant increase in adrenaline (p < 0.0001), glucose (p = 0.0167), creatinine kinase (p = 0.0123) and lactate dehydrogenase (p = 0.0151) at post-slaughter compared to pre-slaughter in commercial sharp knife group than in thesharp knife group. A significant increase was observed in the median frequency (p < 0.0001) and total power (p < 0.0001) of the EEG, the parameters for pain and stress, in the animals slaughtered with the commercial sharp knife than those slaughtered with the sharp knife. Thus, EEG results also supported the hormonal and biochemical results. From the results, it is concluded that animals slaughtered with a sharp knife experienced the least amount of pain and stress compared to those slaughtered with a commercial sharp knife.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (07) ◽  
pp. 1740021
Author(s):  
JIN SEUNG CHOI ◽  
DONG WON KANG ◽  
JEONG WOO SEO ◽  
TAE HO KIM ◽  
HAE MI CHO ◽  
...  

Fall is the main cause of activity decline for the elderly. In general, it has been known to be closely related to decline in muscle strength and physical balance. The age profile of the elderly has a very wide range from 60 to 90 or more. Therefore, this study was to determine age-specific risk factors for falling in elderly individuals. Elderly females were included either in the old group ([Formula: see text]75 years; [Formula: see text], with 11 fallers and 24 nonfallers) or the older group ([Formula: see text]75 years; [Formula: see text], with 14 fallers and 22 nonfallers). The following were assessed and compared between the age-based groups and between fall-based subgroups (fallers and nonfallers within a given age group): height, weight, mental state, balance on the Berg balance scale (BBS), muscle strength of nine muscle groups, and 20 variables of postural sway. The two age-based groups differed significantly in terms of height, weight, balance, and postural sway (total sway area, 95% ellipse area, root mean square, mean distance, and total power); on the other hand, the fall-based subgroups differed only in terms of the median frequency of postural sway. Furthermore, the strength of the hip abductors displayed an interaction effect between age and fall status, and the result of main effect analysis revealed significant differences between fallers from the two age-based groups. These results confirm that extraction of specific factors for each age group is necessary to perform fall detection and prevention studies for the healthy elderly.


1998 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seanna L Annis ◽  
Daniel G Panaccione

The production of toxic ergopeptine alkaloids by the fungi Claviceps purpurea and Neotyphodium coenophialum involves the activity of one or more nonribosomal peptide synthetases. Claviceps purpurea and N. coenophialum each have several different peptide synthetase genes, fragments of which have been cloned previously. An additional Claviceps purpurea peptide synthetase gene was cloned by hybridization with one of the N. coenophialum peptide synthetase gene fragments. We detected the presence of mRNA from the peptide synthetase genes in cultures of different ages grown under conditions favorable or unfavorable for ergopeptine production. All four peptide synthetase genes from Claviceps purpurea were transcribed under at least some of the experimental conditions. Transcripts from three of the four genes were detected under conditions consistent with their potential involvement in ergopeptine biosynthesis. All three peptide synthetase genes previously identified in N. coenophialum were transcribed during symbiotic growth of this fungus with tall fescue, as well as in ergopeptine-producing cultures. The data show that all of the peptide synthetase genes are transcribed, that one of the peptide synthetase genes is dissociated from ergopeptine biosynthesis, and, as a result, prioritize the remaining genes for functional analyses by transformation-mediated gene disruption.Key words: Claviceps purpurea, endophyte, ergot, ergotamine, Neotyphodium coenophialum.


1998 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-142
Author(s):  
Malin Josefsson ◽  
Magnus Becker ◽  
Fritz Stroman ◽  
Daniel G. Brenner ◽  
Göran Petersson

The nasal mucosa harbors sensory nerves containing neuropeptides such as substance P (SP), which are released by capsaicin. The neuropeptides are degraded by peptidases, e.g., neutral endopeptidase (NEP) that is present in the nasal mucosa. We studied the effect of enzymatically active recombinant NEP (rNEP) on neuropeptide-evoked secretion of nasal fluid and plasma exudation in rats. rNEP administered intranasally (i.n.) reduced the capsaicin-evoked nasal fluid secretion but failed to reduce the secretion evoked by SP (exogenous) under the experimental conditions used. rNEP reduced the increase in nasal plasma exudation evoked by capsaicin (endogenous neuropeptides). Because rNEP reduced neuropeptide-mediated nasal fluid secretion and plasma exudation in the rat, we suggest that peptidase activity in the nasal mucosa will determine the magnitude of the response to locally released neuropeptides.


Parasitology ◽  
1930 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-369
Author(s):  
Enid K. Sikes

The Chalcidoid wasp, Bairamlia fuscipes, was found parasitising the flea Ceratophyllus wickhami in the nest of the North American Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from Gerrard's Cross.The larval and pupal stages of B. fuscipes were found in the cocoons of C. wickhami, and the adults were crawling about in the squirrel's nest.The parasites were scarce, only 7 per cent, of the cocoons dissected at intervals during fifteen months were parasitised.The parasite has not been reared in the laboratory beyond the second instar larva, though full grown larvae have successfully reached maturity under experimental conditions.B. fuscipes oviposits through the flea cocoon and fixes the egg on the abdomen of a resting larva or pupa. Only one egg has been found in each parasitised cocoon. The larva feeds externally on the flea, fixing itself to the fourth abdominal segment or thereabouts.Attempts were made to parasitise larvae of Xenopsylla astia, but without success.The external anatomy of the full grown larva of B. fuscipes is described.


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