Resistive heating maintains core body temperature as well as forced air heating and both are better than circulating water. Resistive heating offers the advantage of adjustable heating pods.

ABSTRACT. This study examined the levels of serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and plasma cortisol levels in adult cows after intravenous administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted from Escherichia coli. The adult cows exhibited clinical signs of endotoxic shock. The mean concentrations of serum TNF was 557.9 U/ml and serum IL-1 was 90.6 U/ml at 2 hr after LPS administration following severe endotoxic shock. Plasma cortisol concentrations increased immediately and a peak level was 131.4 ng/ml at 1 hr after LPS challenge. These results suggested that circulating concentrations of TNF, IL-1, and cortisol may be associated with clinical signs of endotoxemia in adult cows. -KEY WORDS: bovine, cytokine, lipopolysaccharide.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 59(10): 927-929, 1997 Cambridge, U.S.A.). The serum IL-1 activity was measured as growth inhibitory activity using A-375 cells as described previously [5]. The specificity of IL-1 was confirmed by inhibition or reduction of activity by goat anti-human IL-1 antibody (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.). Plasma cortisol concentration was measured by the enzyme immunoassay as described previously [9].The mean values and standard errors of cytokine and cortisol in each sampling time were calculated. The data were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance on a Macintosh-based computer, and values of p<0.01 or p<0.05 were regarded as significant.Serum TNF levels increased significantly at 0.5 to 6 hr and peaked at 2 hr after injection (557.9 ± 139.6 U/ml) (Fig. 1). The TNF levels then decreased and returned to the baseline level within 12 hr after LPS challenge. Serum IL-1 levels increased significantly at 2 to 4 hr and reached to a peak level at 2 hr after the administration of LPS (90.6 ± 21.5 U/ml) (Fig. 2). A second increase in serum IL-1 levels occurred at 24 to 48 hr. The concentrations of cortisol

ABSTRACT. Esherichia coli endotoxin was administered intravenously to 7 Holstein adult cows, to evaluate the effect of endotoxin on acidbase balance. Endotoxin shock was observed immediately after the administration of endotoxin. A loss of appetite and depression of digestive tract motility continued for about 120 hr after the challenge. Metabolic alkalosis following hypochloremia and hypokalemia were particularly pronounced at 12 to 72 hr after the administration of endotoxin. -KEY WORDS: bovine (adult), endotoxin, metabolic alkalosis.

The effects of lung traction on arterial blood pressure and plasma prostacyclin concentrations were studied in five patients undergoing partial pneumonectomy or lobectomy. After manual traction of a lung segment, mean arterial blood pressure decreased from 77 +/- 5 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM, before lung traction) to 59 +/- 5 mm Hg. The concentrations of 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha (a stable breakdown product of prostacyclin) increased significantly from 46 +/- 6 pg/mL (mean +/- SEM, before thoracotomy) to 593 +/- 91 pg/mL. Four of five patients showed facial flushing and palmar erythema. Arterial blood pressure returned to pretraction value, and both the facial flushing and palmar erythema disappeared within 30 min after lung traction. These results suggest that traction of the lung stimulates release and/or production of prostacyclin, which results in facial flushing, palmar erythema, and decrease in arterial blood pressure.