Animal mortality

About: Animal mortality is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 526 publications have been published within this topic receiving 14887 citations.

Changes in toxic and antitumor properties of ftorafur by induction or inhibition of the microsomal enzymes activity.

Abstract: The inducers of microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes phenobarbital (PB) and 20-methylcholanthrene (MC) inhibited the lethargic effect of high doses of ftorafur in C57BL/6j mice, but stimulated the animal mortality at days 4–8 after the drug administration. The opposite effect has been obtained by the combination of ftorafur with the inhibitor of the microsomal enzymes SKF 525A. Animal pretreatment with PB or with PB+MC markedly enhanced the antineoplastic activity of ftorafur in Rauscher leukemia-, leukemia La-, or hemangiopericytoma-bearing mice but seemed unlikely to affort any therapeutic advantage over this drug because the lethal toxicity of ftorafur was increased.

Bone marrow equivalent prompt dose from two common fallout scenarios

Abstract: A cell-kinetics model for radiation-induced myelopoiesis has been derived for mice, rats, dogs, sheep, swine, and burros. The model was extended to humans after extensive comparisons with molecular and cellular data from biological experiments and an assortment of predictive/validation tests on animal mortality, cell survival, and cellular repopulation following irradiations. One advantage of the model is that any complex pattern of protracted irradiation can be equated to its equivalent prompt dose. Severity of biological response depends upon target-organ dose, dose rate, and dose fractionation. Epidemiological and animal data are best suited for exposures given in brief periods of time. To use those data to assess risk from protracted human exposures, it is obligatory to model molecular repair and compensatory proliferation in terms of prompt dose. Although the model is somewhat complex both mathematically and biologically, this note describes simple numerical approximations for two common exposure scenarios. Both approximations are easily evaluated on a simple pocket calculator by a health physicist or emergency management officer. 12 refs., 5 figs.

Qualitative Characterization of Volatile Compound Emissions during Biological Decomposition of Plant Materials using SPME-GC-MS

Abstract: Composting is an alternative method of animal mortality disposal suitable for on-farm emergency containment of infectious diseases. Mortality composting can produce a complex variety of gases and some of them are known to be odorous. To date, relatively little is known about the makeup and temporal trends of organic gases and odors produced and emitted during composting processes. In this research, utilizing gas characterization for monitoring of the composting process was investigated. Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors produced during composting of three carcass cover materials (corn stalks, oat straw and corn silage) were qualitatively studied at a laboratory scale set-up. Headspace samples were analyzed with multidimensional gas chromatography - mass spectrometry – olfactometry (MDGC-MS-O). Headspaces of decaying plant materials were tested using 85 µm Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS) SPME fiber. Aerobic and anaerobic conditions representing extremes of composting conditions were simulated to determine if composition of the gaseous byproducts can be used to evaluate aeration effectiveness. Volatile fatty acids (acetic, propanoic, isobutyic, butyric, isovaleric, valeric, hexanoic and heptanoic) were found as indicators of anaerobic decomposition of corn stalks and oat straw. The chemical makeup of gas and odor emissions was observed to decrease with compost age and was different for aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Chemical makeup and temporal trends in specific VOCs can be useful in non-invasive and indirect determination of the aeration status and completion of the composting process inside the biosecurity containment.

Recrudescence de Trypanosoma evansi dans le Pantanal brésilien. Analyse financière

Abstract: The Brazilian Pantanal is a seasonal flood plain of about 138,000 km2 located in the center of South America. Extensive cattle ranching is the most important economic activity controlling about 80% of the land. The Pantanal's approximately 1,100 ranches are populated with about 3 million head of cattle and 49,000 horses. Horses play a central role in the industry. Trypanosoma evansi, locally known as "Mal de Cadeiras," kills horses within about ten days and is endemic to the Pantanal. Using a partial farm budget approach, the financial impact of an outbreak of T. evansi was analyzed in nine ranches in the Brazilian Pantanal in 1994. Treatment, animal collection and diagnostic costs, animal mortality and risk estimates were used to assess the efficacy of curative and preventive treatments relative to the observed and expected disease losses. The infection of more than 750 horses and the subsequent death of more than 10% of them due to the disease represented an economic loss of more than US$38,000. Results indicate that from 27 to 91% of these losses could have been avoided through the timely and appropriate implementation of available treatment strategies.