Transendoscopic biopsy of the horse's airway mucosa

Transtracheal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage are diagnostic techniques that have been adopted from human medicine for monitoring inflammatory changes in the airway of the horse. Transendoscopic biopsy has also proven to be a valuable tool for obtaining samples of the airway mucosa in human patients. A transendoscopic technique was developed in this study for obtaining a respiratory mucosal biopsy from standing, sedated horses. Six normal adult horses were sampled at eight-week intervals for a total of three sample periods. Horses were monitored for adverse effects of the technique and none were noted. Sample sites were completely healed after eight weeks with no gross or histologic abnormalities. Biopsy samples were 3 to 4 millimeters in diameter, and 17 of 18 samples provided interpretable histological sections. Methods for handling, staining and evaluating tissue were also developed. The results of this study demonstrated that airway mucosal biopsy is a safe, repeatable technique that can be performed in the sedated, standing horse.     

Exogenous paraoxonase‐1 during oocyte maturation improves bovine embryo development in vitro

Paraoxonase‐1 (PON1) is an enzyme found in serum and follicular fluid that protects cell membrane and circulating lipids against oxidative damage. The aims of this study were to measure the direct effects of recombinant PON1 (rPON1) on bovine oocyte maturation at the molecular level (gene expression) and to measure the carry‐over effects of PON1 on pre‐implantation embryo development in vitro. COCs were submitted to IVM with the addition of 0.0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.08 mg ml^?1 of rPON1, corresponding to an average PON1 arylesterase enzyme activity of 2.2 ± 0.4, 15.5 ± 1.5, 30.2 ± 3.0 and 57.9 ± 5.0 U ml^?1, respectively. The results indicated that addition of rPON1 during IVM improved embryo development in a dose‐dependent manner as D7 embryo development was 22.2%, 29.4%, 32.2% and 37.0% for the treatment groups, respectively (p = 0.02). In conclusion, addition of PON1 enzyme during IVM exerted dose‐related positive effects on embryo development rates to blastocysts.     

The influence of diel period on fish assemblage in the unstructured littoral of reservoirs

Abstract Diel changes in littoral fish assemblage were studied in four reservoirs in the Czech Republic (Central Europe). The sampling was performed by beach seining in an unstructured littoral zone. Perch, Perca fluviatilis L., roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), bream, Abramis brama (L.), carp, Cyprinus carpio L., ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua (L.), pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (L.), eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.) and A. brama × R. rutilus hybrids exhibited higher densities at night. Only bleak, Alburnus alburnus (L.) exhibited higher densities during the day. The number of species was higher in night hauls, and mean body size of roach and bleak was also higher at night. Diel changes in fish densities resulted in the change in species composition between day and night. The study has implication for the sampling design to assess littoral fish assemblages using beach seine netting and recommends night sampling for a representative assessment or sampling during both diel periods for a robust assessment.     

Influence of Age on Surfactant Isolated from Healthy Horses Maintained on Pasture

Background: Surfactant alterations are described in horses after exercise, anesthesia, and prolonged transport, in horses with recurrent airway obstruction, and in neonatal foals. The effect of horse age or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) sample characteristics on surfactant is unknown.
Objectives: To evaluate surfactant phospholipid composition and function in healthy horses, and to investigate the influence of age and BALF sample characteristics on surfactant.
Animals: Seventeen healthy horses 6–25 years of age maintained on pasture year-round.
Methods: BALF was collected by standard procedures and was assessed for recovery volume, nucleated cell count (NCC), and cytology. Cell-free BALF was separated into crude surfactant pellet (CSP) and surfactant supernatant (Supe) by ultracentrifugation. Phospholipid and protein content were determined from both fractions. CSP phospholipid composition was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with an evaporative light scatter detector. Surface tension of CSP was evaluated with a pulsating bubble surfactometer. Regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between age, BALF sample characteristics, and surfactant variables.
Results: Results and conclusions were derived from 15 horses. Increasing age was associated with decreased phospholipid content in CSP but not Supe. Age did not affect protein content of CSP or Supe, or surfactant phospholipid composition or function. Age-related surfactant changes were unaffected by BALF recovery percentage, NCC, and cytological profile.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Older horses have decreased surfactant phospholipid content, which might be because of age-related pulmonary changes. Surfactant composition is unaffected by BALF sample characteristics at a BALF recovery percentage of at least 50%.     

抗除草剂转基因小麦生态安全评估(二)——普通小麦与其近缘植物的属间和种间杂交研究

以普通小麦为父本,以与小麦亲缘关系较近的黑麦、偃麦草和山羊草等属中7个种的10个品种为母本进行人工杂交,结果表明普通小麦与卵穗山羊草的可交配性最高,其两个品种Ae23和Y100与普通小麦的杂交结实率分别为11．96％和14．10％,与黑麦杂交的结实率最低,授粉496朵,未结1粒,与其他近缘种的杂交结实率介于前二者之间。与倍性高的种相比,二倍体种与普通小麦之间的可交配性要差,其杂种幼胚在培养基上也很难出愈。所得杂种的育性非常低,甚至雌雄蕊均不育。由此看来,自然条件下普通小麦基因漂流到野生近缘种中的可能性非常低,通过转基因小麦田间释放产生“超级杂草”是非常困难的。     

Lipid profiles of canine spermatozoa as revealed via matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

In this study, we investigated the ability of matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI‐MS) to characterize the lipid contents of canine spermatozoa. For that, samples of pure semen were analysed. Indeed, quite comprehensive lipid coverage was observed, and the most abundant phospholipid ions detected were from four phosphatidylcholines, that is those of m/z 760.6; 782.6; 808.6; and 830.6 and one of m/z 725.6 from a sphingomyelin. In conclusion, MALDI‐MS was found to offer an easy, fast, accurate, and sensitive analytical method for lipid profiling in canine spermatozoa and could be used as a tool to select sires by assessing the relationship between sperm lipid profiles and variables such as age and breeding history as well as to study the effects of cryopreservation on lipid contents.     

A comparison of the effects of two different doses of ketamine used for co-induction of anaesthesia with a target-controlled infusion of propofol in dogs

ObjectiveTo assess the cardiorespiratory and hypnotic-sparing effects of ketamine co-induction with target-controlled infusion of propofol in dogs.Study designProspective, randomized, blinded clinical study.AnimalsNinety healthy dogs (ASA grades I/II). Mean body mass 30.5 ± SD 8.6 kg and mean age 4.2 ± 2.6 years.MethodsAll dogs received pre-anaesthetic medication with acepromazine (0.03 mg kg^?1) and morphine (0.2 mg kg^?1) administered intramuscularly 30 minutes prior to induction of anaesthesia. Heart rate and respiratory rate were recorded prior to pre-medication. Animals were allocated into three different groups: Group 1 (control) received 0.9% NaCl, group 2, 0.25 mg kg^?1 ketamine and group 3, 0.5 mg kg^?1 ketamine, intravenously 1 minute prior to induction of anaesthesia, which was accomplished using a propofol target-controlled infusion system. The target propofol concentration was gradually increased until endotracheal intubation was possible and the target concentration at intubation was recorded. Heart rate, respiratory rate and noninvasive blood pressure were recorded immediately prior to induction, at successful intubation and at 3 and 5 minutes post-intubation. The quality of induction was graded according to the amount of muscle twitching and paddling observed. Data were analysed using a combination of chi-squared tests, Fisher's exact tests, Kruskal–Wallis, and anova with significance assumed at p< 0.05.ResultsThere were no significant differences between groups in the blood propofol targets required to achieve endotracheal intubation, nor with respect to heart rate, noninvasive blood pressure or quality of induction. Compared with the other groups, the incidence of post-induction apnoea was significantly higher in group 3, but despite this dogs in this group had higher respiratory rates overall.Conclusions and clinical relevanceUnder the conditions of this study, ketamine does not seem to be a useful agent for co-induction of anaesthesia with propofol in dogs.     

The Current State of Solar Modeling

Data from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project and other helioseismic experiments provide a test for models of stellar interiors and for the thermodynamic and radiative properties, on which the models depend, of matter under the extreme conditions found in the sun. Current models are in agreement with the helioseismic inferences, which suggests, for example, that the disagreement between the predicted and observed fluxes of neutrinos from the sun is not caused by errors in the models. However, the GONG data reveal subtle errors in the models, such as an excess in sound speed just beneath the convection zone. These discrepancies indicate effects that have so far not been correctly accounted for; for example, it is plausible that the sound-speed differences reflect weak mixing in stellar interiors, of potential importance to the overall evolution of stars and ultimately to estimates of the age of the galaxy based on stellar evolution calculations.     

Increased apoptosis of CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes in the airways of horses with recurrent airway obstruction

Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO, also known as equine heaves) is an inflammatory condition similar to human asthma caused by exposure of susceptible horses to poorly ventilated stable environments. The disease is characterized by neutrophilic airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion and reversible bronchoconstriction. This inflammatory process is mediated by several factors, including antibodies, cytokines, resident cells of the airway and inflammatory cellular components that arrive in the respiratory tract. An increasing body of evidence has lent support to the concept that a dysregulation of T cell apoptosis may play a central role in the development of airway inflammation and the associated asthma. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate early and late apoptosis of CD4 and CD8 T cell subpopulations obtained from the airways of acute RAO-positive animals after exposure to hay/straw. The percentages of CD4 and CD8 T cells and their associated frequencies of apoptosis were quantified using flow cytometry. Hay/straw exposure induced clinical airway obstruction, airway neutrophilia and increased airway mucus production in RAO-positive horses. In addition, allergen exposure increased the percentage of CD4 T cells in RAO-positive horses as well as the frequency of early and late apoptosis in both CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte subpopulations. These results suggest that the higher frequency of lymphocyte apoptosis may play a role in disease progression of horses afflicted with RAO and may partially explain the characteristic remission of this pathological condition once the allergen source is removed. However, further studies are needed to clarify the role of T cell apoptosis in RAO-affected horses.