Indirect oscillometric and direct blood pressure measurements in anesthetized and conscious neonatal foals

Objective: To investigate the agreement between indirect oscillometric and direct blood pressure measurement in the equine neonate. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Animals: Ten crossbred foals of 30–46 hours of age. Interventions: Six animals (Group 1) were anesthetized. Four animals (Group 2) were restrained on a mat. All animals were instrumented with a catheter in the greater metatarsal artery and an oscillometric blood pressure cuff over the coccygeal artery. Blood pressure was varied with dobutamine, phenylephrine, nitroprusside, and increased depth of anesthesia (Group 1) or dopamine (Group 2). Measurements and main results: Simultaneous direct and indirect blood pressure measurements were obtained from the greater metatarsal artery and the coccygeal artery, respectively. There was good agreement between the 2 methods for mean and diastolic blood pressures in both groups, but not for systolic pressure. The agreement was best in mean blood pressure of anesthetized foals (mean bias –1.07; limits of agreement – 9.39, 7.25 mmHg). Conclusions: Indirect oscillometry appears to be an acceptable method for measuring mean arterial blood pressure in both anesthetized and conscious neonatal foals, and may be a valid method of monitoring critically ill foals.     

Plasma aldosterone, vasopressin and atrial natriuretic peptide in hypovolaemia: a preliminary comparative study of neonatal and mature horses

REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Neonatal foals succumb rapidly to hypovolaemic shock in comparison to mature horses; they do not consistently increase their heart rate in response to hypotension and respond differently to fluid administration. The hormonal responses to hypovolaemia in the horse and foal require investigation. HYPOTHESIS: The hormonal responses to hypovolaemia and fluid administration differ between mature and neonatal horses. METHODS: Five mature horses and 5 neonatal foals fulfilling predetermined criteria for hypovolaemia, were included in the study. A blood sample was taken at admission and after normalisation of fluid balance. These were analysed for plasma aldosterone, vasopressin (AVP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). Normally distributed variables were compared using the Student's t test and nonparametric data using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: ANP, AVP and aldosterone were higher before fluid resuscitation than after fluid resuscitation in mature horses. Aldosterone was higher before than after fluid resuscitation in foals, and was higher in foals both before and after fluid resuscitation than in mature horses. ANP was lower in mature horses after fluid resuscitation than in foals. No other comparisons were significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: The hormonal responses of the mature and neonatal horses are different during hypovolaemia and following fluid resuscitation. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The differences in the hormonal responses to hypovolaemia and fluid resuscitation may be important when considering fluid resuscitation of hypovolaemic horses and foals, and warrants further investigation.     

Heritability of,and genotypic correlations between,aflatoxin traits and physiological traits for drought tolerance under end of season drought in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

More rapid progress in breeding peanut for reduced aflatoxin contamination should be achievable with a better understanding of the inheritance of, aflatoxin trait and physiological traits that are associated with reduced contamination. The objectives of this study were to estimate the heritability of aflatoxin traits and genotypic (r_G) and phenotypic (r_P) correlations between drought resistance traits and aflatoxin traits in peanut. One hundred-forty peanut lines in the F_4:6 and F_4:7 generations were generated from four crosses, and tested under well-watered and terminal drought conditions. Field experiments were conducted under the dry seasons 2006/2007 and 2007/2008. Data were recorded for biomass (BIO), pod yield (PY), drought tolerance traits [harvest index (HI), drought tolerance index (DTI) of BIO and PY, specific leaf area (SLA), and SPAD chlorophyll meter reading (SCMR)], and aflatoxin traits [seed infection and aflatoxin contamination]. Heritabilities of A. flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination in this study were low to moderate. The heritabilities for seed infection and aflatoxin contamination ranged from 0.48 to 0.58 and 0.24 to 0.68, respectively. Significant correlations between aflatoxin traits and DTI (PY), DTI (BIO), HI, biomass and pod yield under terminal drought conditions were found (r_P = −0.25** to 0.32**, r_G = −0.57** to 0.53**). Strong correlations between SLA and SCMR with A. flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination were also found. Positive correlations between SLA at 80, 90, and 100 DAP and aflatoxin traits were significant (r_P = 0.13** to 0.46**, r_G = 0.26** to 0.81**). SCMR was negatively correlated with aflatoxin traits (r_P = −0.10** to −0.40**, r_G = −0.11** to −0.66**). These results indicated that physiological-based selection approaches using SLA and SCMR might be effective for improving aflatoxin resistance in peanut.     

中国花生小核心种质与ICRISAT微核心种质的SSR遗传多样性比较

明确花生种质资源的遗传多样性和分布规律,对于发掘优良种质资源,选配优良亲本,拓宽育成品种的遗传基础具有重要意义。核心种质为种质资源的研究、评价和鉴定带来了方便。本研究从206对SSR引物中筛选26对引物对我国花生小核心种质和ICRISAT微核心种质共466份资源进行了遗传多样性分析,相似系数为0.49～0.99,鉴定出遗传差异最大的种质L2刚果(中国花生资源)与ICG12625(ICRISAT资源),相似系数为0.49。分析结果表明,多粒型花生的多态性信息量(0.761)和遗传多样性指数(0.97～1.11)均最大(平均相似系数最小,0.73～0.76),其次是普通型花生。中国花生种质资源与ICRISAT资源存在较大差异,尤其是ICRISAT的赤道型材料ICG12625,与中国花生资源的差异最大。相似系数和遗传多样性指数的分析结果均表明,我国花生种质资源的遗传多样性比ICRISAT资源丰富。     

Use of nuclear scintigraphy with 99mTc-HMPAO-labelled leucocytes to assess small intestinal malabsorption in 17 horses

The diagnostic and prognostic value of nuclear scintigraphy with technetium-99m-labelled hexamethyl-propyleneamine oxime-labelled leucocytes was assessed in 17 horses with weight loss due to gastrointestinal malabsorption by comparing the results with the results obtained from 13 normal control horses. Intestinal uptake of activity was detected in 12 of the 17 cases but none of the control horses. The technique was therefore specific for intestinal pathology, but failed to detect some horses that might have had intestinal pathology. No indications of the horses' specific pathology were obtained, and their prognosis or response to treatment could not be predicted.     

Small intestinal volvulus in 115 horses: 1988-2000

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the historical data, signalment, clinical signs, results of laboratory analyses, treatment, and outcome of horses with small intestinal (SI) volvulus. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: One hundred and fifteen client-owned horses, aged 1 month to 21 years. METHODS: Clinical signs, laboratory data, surgical or necropsy findings, and outcome for horses with SI volvulus were obtained from medical records, identified by computer search and manual review. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in signalment between cases and the hospital population. Seventy-four percent of horses were >/=3 years. There were considerable variations in clinical signs on admission; high heart rate and signs of severe pain were not consistent features. Examination per rectum identified distended small intestine in only 69% of horses. One hundred horses had surgery, and small intestine resection was performed in 25. Eighty-four horses were recovered from surgery, and 67 horses survived to hospital discharge (80% of horses recovered from surgery, 58% of 115 horses). Forty-eight percent that were ultimately discharged had a post-operative complication and these horses had a longer average stay than horses with no complication (11 days versus 8.9 days). CONCLUSIONS: We identified 115 horses with primary SI volvulus over a 12-year period. We found that the population of horses with this lesion was older than has previously been reported and that the prognosis for post-operative survival to hospital discharge is good (80%). Post-operative complications were common, and affected approximately half the horses that were ultimately discharged from the hospital. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This information may aid diagnosis and prognosis and guide decision making for horses with this condition.     

Cardiac output technologies with special reference to the horse

Critical illness, anesthesia, primary cardiovascular disease, and exercise may result in marked hemodynamic alterations. Measuring cardiac output (CO) is central to defining these alterations for both clinician and researcher. In the past 10 years, several new methods of measuring CO have been developed for the human medical market. Some of these methods are now validated in the horse and are in clinical use. The Fick method has been used in equine research for more than a century. It depends on simultaneous measurement of mixed venous (pulmonary arterial) and peripheral arterial oxygen content and oxygen uptake by the lungs. The technique is technically demanding, which restricts its clinical use. Indicator dilution techniques, with indocyanine green, cold (thermodilution), or lithium as the marker, have also been widely used in the horse. The indocyanine technique is cumbersome, and thermodilution requires right heart catheterization, which is not a benign procedure, making both of these methods less than ideal for clinical use. Lithium dilution requires catheterization of a peripheral artery and a jugular vein. It has recently been validated in anesthetized adult horses and neonatal foals. Doppler echocardiography is a noninvasive ultrasound-based technique. More accurate measurements are obtained with transesophageal than with transthoracic measurements; however, both methods require considerable technical expertise. Bioimpedance and pulse contour analysis are 2 new methods that have yet to be validated in the horse. With the currently available technology, lithium dilution appears to be the method of measuring CO best suited to the equine clinic.