Evaluation of an electronic device used as a quick screening method to detect changes in the red cell content of the blood in horses participating in endurance trail rides

Dehydration, to varying degrees, will inevitably occur in horses participating in endurance trail rides. This water loss is directly related to the amount of body water lost through evaporative cooling, that in turn being related to the amount and rate of work performed, and to the environmental temperature and humidity.An electronic apparatus that can substitute for the conventional and time-consuming venous haematocrit was developed to measure the animals' hydration status. The mechanism of this electrometer is based upon the relationship between the red cell content and the electrical conductivity of the blood. The electrometer reading gave a significant correlation (p<0.001) with the venous haematocrit, thus indicating that the electrometer is a reliable apparatus for determining the animals' hydration status within seconds of venepuncture.     

甘薯新品种综合评价初探

对福建省新育成甘薯品种应用灰色加权关联度分析法进行综合评估，旨在鉴定新品种在丘陵旱地的适应性以及探讨出一种比较适宜的品种评估方法。结果表明，龙薯1号、莆薯41和泉薯647比较适应东南沿海丘陵旱地生产条件，评估结果与品种的实际表现比较一致。     

Modifying the response to defoliation during vegetative growth in CERES-Maize

CERES-Maize (Vl. 0) predicted no grain yield when 100% defoliation occurred during vegetative growth. This result conflicted with field observations where 100% defoliation early in the vegetative stage did not materially reduce grain yield. CERES-Maize was modified to realistically predict yields when defoliation greater than 50% occurred during vegetative growth by taking into account stem (stem proper and sheath) photosynthesis and translocation of dry matter from the stem to the developing leaves. With these modifications, predictions from CERES-Maize were in good agreement with field measurements when defoliation occurred both early and later in the vegetative stage. This modified version of CERES-Maize can be the basis of a decision support system for defoliating pests of corn where yields can be evaluated under different management strategies and climate scenarios.     

The cardiorespiratory effects of morphine and butorphanol in horses anaesthetised under clinical conditions

Twenty-five horses admitted for minor orthopaedic or soft tissue surgery were anaesthetised with detomidine, ketamine and halothane. Heart rate, arterial blood pressure, respiratory rate, tidal volume, minute volume, blood gases and occlusion pressures were measured before and for 30 mins after intravenous (iv) injection of saline, butorphanol 0.05 mg/kg bodyweight (bwt) or morphine 0.02 or 0.05 mg/kg bwt. Drug or saline treatment induced no significant changes from pre-treatment values within a group for arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial carbon dioxide tension, arterial oxygen tension and occlusion pressure. In conclusion, both morphine and butorphanol at the stated doses cause no adverse effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of anaesthetised horses.     

Sedative and cardiovascular effects of romifidine, alone and in combination with butorphanol, in the horse

The behavioural and sedative effects of intravenous (iv) romifidine (40 and 80 μg/kg bodyweight [bwt]) alone or in combination with iv butorphanol (50 μg/kg bwt) were investigated in four ponies and one Thoroughbred horse. Apparent sedation, as judged by the lowering of the head, and by the response to imposed touch, visual and sound stimuli was assessed. The combination with butorphanol reduced the animals' response to imposed stimuli when compared with the effect of the same dose of romifidine alone. Following the administration of romifidine/butorphanol combinations muzzle tremor was noted and some animals attempted to walk forward. In a separate series, the cardiopulmonary effects of iv romifidine (80 μg/kg bwt) alone, or in combination with butorphanol (50 μg/kg bwt) were investigated. Romifidine and the romifidine/butorphanol combination caused similar cardiovascular changes, these being bradycardia with heart block, and hypertension followed by hypotension. Romifidine caused a transient decrease in arterial oxygen tensions and arterial carbon dioxide tensions had increased significantly by the end of the 90 min recording period. Romifidine/butorphanol combinations produced significantly higher arterial carbon dioxide tensions during the first 15 mins after drug administration than did romifidine alone. Butorphanol at 50 μg/kg bwt iv reduced the response to imposed stimuli in horses sedated with romifidine. The combination produced no cardiovascular changes beyond those induced by romifidine alone, but did increase the degree of respiratory depression.     

Excitatory phenomena following the use of propofol in dogs

Over a two month period, 148 dogs presented for surgery had general anaesthesia induced and sometimes maintained with propofol. Excitatory phenomena were recorded on 12 occasions. Signs included muscle twitching, opisthotonus and limb hyperextension (nine cases), and panting with associated activity of the brachiocephalicus muscle and tongue retraction (three cases). The records for a similar two month period were examined for data and observations relating to thiopentone. During this period anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone in 71 dogs and no excitatory phenomena were recorded.     

17β-雌二醇-ARIS构建及其标准曲线的质量评估

以 1 7β-雌二醇 -黄素腺嘌呤二核苷酸结合物为标记物 ,以葡萄糖氧化酶为全酶 ,建立了 1 7β-雌二醇脱辅基酶再激活免疫测定系统 (1 7β- E2 - ARIS) ,完成了两条标准曲线的制作 ,通过 logit代换法对两条标准曲线进行了直线回归。两条标准曲线的拟合度 (r)分别为0 .996 7* * 和 0 .9991 * * ,灵敏度分别为 1 1 .5 4pg· m L- 1 (2 . 31 pg·孔 - 1 )和 1 4.88pg·m L- 1 (2 . 98pg·孔 - 1 ) ,平均变异系数(CV% )分别为 4.6 4%和 9.34% ,测定范围为 31 .2 5～ 1 0 0 0 pg·m L- 1 。     

Confirmation of rinderpest in experimentally and naturally infected cattle using microtitre techniques

Summary Virulent rinderpest virus was detected by immunoperoxidase staining of microtitre bovine kidney cell cultures within 24 to 48 hours of inoculation with prescapular lymph node and spleen homogenates from experimentally infected steers. Rinderpest virus specific cytopathic effects were evident from 48 hours in microtitre plates and from 72 hours in rolled tube cultures. Nasal and ocular secretions collected from cattle naturally infected with rinderpest and inoculated into bovine kidney cell cultures did not readily yield cytopathic virus in both tubes and microtitre plates, but immunoperoxidase staining of microtitre cultures on the fourth day of inoculation detected replication of virus in cultures inoculated with ocular and nasal secretions from seven of 17 cattle tested.

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Resumen Se detectó el virus virulente de mediante la tinción con inmunoperoxidasa de cultivos de células de ri?ón bovino en bandejas de microtitulación, después de la inoculación de estos con suspensiones homogenizadas de ganglios linfáticos preescapulares y de bazo provenientes de novillos infectados experimentalmente. El efecto citopático del virus de la peste bovina fue evidente desde las 48 horas en bandejas de microtitulación y desde las 72 horas en tubos de cultivo giratorios. Secreciones oculares y nasales colectadas de ganado infectado en forma natural con la peste bovina e inoculadas en cultivos de células de ri?ón bovino, no mostraron efecto citopático fácilmente en tubos giratorios o bandejas de microtitulación, pero la tinción de las bandejas con inmunoperoxidasa reveló replicación del virus a partir del cuarto día de inoculación con secreciones oculares y nasales en siete de los 17 animales examinados.

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Résumé Un virus bovipestique virulent a été décelé par le test de coloration à l'immunoperoxydase de cellules rénales bovines en culture dans des plaques de microtitrage et infectées 48 heures plus t?t avec des homogénats de ganglions lymphatiques et de rate provenant de bouvillons infectés expérimentalement. Les effets cytopathogènes du virus étaient évidents au bout de 48 h dans les plaques de microtitrage et 72 h dans les tubes en rollers. Les sécrétions nasales et oculaires prélevées sur du bétail infecté naturellement par la peste bovine et inoculées sur des cellules rénales bovines n'ont pas toujours montré d'effet cythopathogène aussi bien dans les tubes que dans les plaques de microtitrage. Cependant, la coloration à la peroxydase au jour 4 après l'inoculation a permis de déceler la présence de virus dans 7 cas sur 17.

     

A Comparison of Surgical Training with Live Anesthetized Dogs and Cadavers

Cadavers were compared with live anesthetized dogs for their effectiveness as models for surgical training of veterinary medical students. One group of students was trained using cadavers, and a peer group was trained using live anesthetized dogs. Both groups then performed an intestinal anastomosis using a live subject. The time to completion of the procedure was recorded. The anastomoses and celiotomy closures were evaluated. Each anastomosis was isolated and pressure tested. Reviewers blindly scored each surgical team's performance based on actual inspection of the surgical site and on viewing videotapes of the procedure. The participants' attitudes toward the use of live animals in teaching and research were documented before and after training. No statistically significant differences could be detected between the two groups. The results suggest that some substitution of cadavers for live dogs in surgical training might be feasible.