ABSTRACT. Changes in the activities of serum cytokines and in acute phase response were observed in dairy cows with naturally occurring coliform mastitis. Seven cows with severe mastitis showed systemic and mammary inflammatory response throughout the observation period, and 11 cows with mild mastitis recovered and were able to be milked within 3 days of onset of mastitis. Serum interleukin (IL)-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activities were higher in the severe group than in the mild group at the first appearance of symptoms. Elevated IL-1 activity was evident in the severe group throughout the observation period. Serum α-1-acidglycoprotein (α1AG) concentration began to rise with the beginning of mastitis in the severe group, and peaked at 9 days. Serum haptoglobin (Hp) concentrations peaked at 3 days, and decreased gradually after 3 days in the severe group. These results showed that there are dynamic changes in serum IL-1 activity and in serum α1AG and Hp concentrations in cows with severe coliform mastitis. KEY WORDS: acute phase protein, coliform mastitis, cytokine.

1. The influence of age, sex and injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the plasma concentration of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) was determined in broilers using the single radial immunodiffusion method. 2. Plasma AGP concentration increased in the 3 d after hatching, and then stabilised at 240 +/- 33 micrograms/ml up to 14 d of age. 3. No sex-related differences in plasma AGP concentration were observed up to 6 weeks of age. 4. A single injection of 900 micrograms LPS per chick resulted in a 5-fold increase in AGP concentration compared with that in saline-injected chicks. Multiple injections of LPS (200 micrograms/chick every 2 d for 14 d) caused only a 50% increase in AGP concentration.

1. Changes in plasma alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) concentration and immune responses following Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection were studied in broiler chickens. 2. Higher plasma AGP concentrations were observed from 12 to 48 h after a single injection of LPS. 3. The highest concentration of plasma AGP was observed on day 2 followed by a gradual decrease in chicks injected with 150 micrograms/kg body weight of LPS every day for 13 d. 4. Plasma AGP concentration in chicks injected daily with LPS at 900 micrograms/kg body weight for 13 d increased on day 2, and decreased on day 4 to the concentration found before the injection. The concentration increased again on day 10. 5. Changes in plasma interleukin-1 (IL-1) like activity were similar to those in plasma AGP concentration when LPS was injected daily at 900 micrograms/kg body weight for 3 d. 6. Responses of blood mononuclear cell (MNC) proliferation to mitogen or concanavalin A, (Con A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) were positively correlated with changes in plasma AGP concentration. 7. The results suggest that plasma AGP concentration could be used as a positive indicator of changes in blood MNC proliferation to a mitogen and in plasma IL-1 like activity.

A new synthetic route, the shortest reported to date, to access a key intermediate for the synthesis of various triazole antifungal agents was developed. The elusive tetrasubstituted stereogenic center that is essential in advanced triazole antifungal agents was constructed via the catalytic asymmetric cyanosilylation of a ketone. The subsequent transformations were performed in two one-pot operations, enhancing the overall synthetic efficiency toward the intermediate. This streamlined synthetic approach was successfully applied to efficient enantioselective syntheses of efinaconazole (Jublia) and ravuconazole.

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of v(amax) as an indicator of middle-distance running performance in sub-elite young runners, v(amax) being defined as the quotient maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) divided by the net energy cost of running (Cr) on a treadmill at a submaximal running velocity (280 m x min[-1]). The VO2max, ventilatory threshold, v(amax), and Cr were assessed in 39 young male sub-elite runners having only small variations in performance level. The relationship between each variable and running performance (at 1500 m, 3000 m, and 5000 m) was evaluated. A trend toward a negative correlation existed between Cr and performance although this was not significant. The VO2max and v(amax) were significantly related to performance. The v(amax) accounted for around 50% of the variability in performance whereas other physiological variables selected in this study were responsible, at best, for approximately 39%. The results presented in this study suggested that v(amax) was a useful indicator of middle-distance running performance in sub-elite young runners with similar performance levels as well as in top elite athletes.