EFFECT OF PERINEURAL ANESTHESIA ON THE ULTRASONOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF EQUINE PALMAR METACARPAL STRUCTURES

The purpose of this study was to describe ultrasonographic changes of the equine palmar metacarpal area attributed to the infiltration of local anesthetic solution and to determine whether these changes were noted immediately or at 24 h. The palmar metacarpal region of one forelimb in each of six horses was examined ultrasonographically with a 10-MHz linear array transducer and a 7.5-MHz curvilinear transducer. Transverse and longitudinal images were recorded at 5-cm intervals distal to the accessory carpal bone. High and low palmar and palmar metacarpal nerve blocks were performed with a 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride solution. Ultrasonographic examinations similar to the initial examination then were performed immediately, 1 h and 24 h postinjection. Cross-sectional area and mean pixel value were determined for the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons, the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon, the suspensory ligament, and the suspensory branches at each level and time period. Subjective ultrasonographic changes also were noted. No significant difference was noted in the cross-sectional area or mean pixel value of any structure at any level or time period compared to baseline. Subjective changes in the tendons and ligaments were not noted. There was mild hypoechoic swelling of the surrounding soft tissues and gas in the region of the injections. Gas could interfere with the evaluation of the origin of the suspensory ligament and the proximal portion of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon within the first hour but was not detectable ultrasonographically at 24 h. Based on these findings, if gas interferes with an ultrasonographic examination performed temporally close to perineural anesthesia, a repeat examination at 24 h is recommended.     

高致病性猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒引发高热综合征病因分析与防治措施

通过市场调研，分析了猪高致病性猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒引起高热综合征的发病原因，提出防治措施，以供广大养殖户参考。     

EFFECT OF SEVOFLURANE ANESTHESIA AND BLOOD DONATION ON THE SONOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF THE SPLEEN IN 60 HEALTHY CATS

The aims of this prospective study were to describe the normal sonographic size and appearance of the feline spleen, and to test effects of sevoflurane anesthesia and blood collection on sonographic characteristics. Sonographic evaluations were performed in 60 healthy blood donor cats prior to anesthesia and blood collection (baseline), after anesthesia induction, after completion of blood collection while under anesthesia, and 7–10 days after blood collection. Transverse sonographic images of the splenic mid‐body were made. Splenic height, width, cross‐sectional area, echogenicity relative to the left renal cortex, and echotexture were recorded. Height, width, and cross‐sectional area were compared across time periods using linear‐mixed effects models. Holm's method was applied to adjust for multiplicity and control the overall Type 1 error rate at α = 0.05. Normal transverse sonographic splenic measurements (mean ± standard deviation) at baseline were: height 8.2 ± 1.4 mm; width 26.7 ± 4.4 mm; and CSA 1.6 ± 0.5 cm². While there were statistically significant differences in splenic height, width, and cross‐sectional area after sevoflurane anesthesia and/or blood collection, differences were of low magnitude. The spleen was diffusely homogenous and subjectively isoechoic or mildly hyperechoic relative to the left renal cortex. In 77% of castrated male cats, the spleen was isoechoic to the left renal cortex. We conclude that sevoflurane anesthesia and blood donation do not subjectively alter splenic dimensions, echogenicity and echotexture in normal cats.     

烟田杂草防除试验研究

采用5种地膜和2种除草剂进行烟田除草试验。结果金都尔地膜、玉溪除草膜、绿色除草地膜和黑色除草地膜相对于普通白膜而言,对单子叶的防除效果分别为93．22％,95．27％,95．42％,99．83％,对双子叶的防除效果分别为43．12％,52.20％,73.85％,77．27％。敌草胺2次施药的防效明显优于1次施药。不同除草膜对地温的作用存在差异性。     

High-Energy Charged Particles in the Innermost Jovian Magnetosphere

The energetic particles investigation carried by the Galileo probe measured the energy and angular distributions of the high-energy particles from near the orbit of Io to probe entry into the jovian atmosphere. Jupiter's inner radiation region had extremely large fluxes of energetic electrons and protons; intensities peaked at approximately2.2RJ (where RJ is the radius of Jupiter). Absorption of the measured particles was found near the outer edge of the bright dust ring. The instrument measured intense fluxes of high-energy helium ions (approximately62 megaelectron volts per nucleon) that peaked at approximately1.5RJ inside the bright dust ring. The abundances of all particle species decreased sharply at approximately1.35RJ; this decrease defines the innermost edge of the equatorial jovian radiation.     

Use of the Anemon Index to evaluate the quality of analgesia during fentanyl and sevoflurane anaesthesia in pigs

Anemon I is a new monitoring system that can be used to evaluate autonomic nervous system reactivity in real time by showing a simple, easily interpretated quantitative index (0–200), the Anemon Index (AI) ( Junke et al. 2000 ). This study used the AI to evaluate the quality of analgesia during sevoflurane and fentanyl anaesthesia in pigs. Six healthy pigs, weighing 24.76 ± 3.40 kg, were induced to anaesthesia with 5% sevoflurane (SEVO) in 5 L minute^?1 oxygen. After endotracheal intubation SEVO was given at 1 MAC (2.66%) in 3 L minute^?1 oxygen. Fentanyl was infused IV at 50 µg kg^?1 hour^?1 for the first 30 minutes of anaesthesia, discontinued for 30 minutes, and then infused at 100 µg kg^?1 hour^?1 for another 30 minutes. Three mechanical noxious stimuli (needle prick, pin‐prick and pressure on the abdomen) were applied for 15 seconds at 30, 60 and 90 minutes. The AI, ECG, invasive mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), SpO₂ by pulse oximetry, tidal volume, Fe′sevo , Fe ′CO₂ and respiratory rate were recorded before induction (baseline), after induction, after intubation and extubation, and before and during noxious stimulation at 30, 60 and 90 minutes. Recovery times were recorded. Statistically significant differences were determined by anova . Spearman rank‐correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between AI and hemodynamic variables. A p‐value of < 0.05 was considered significant. A significant (p < 0.01) decrease in AI was recorded after anaesthetic induction, from 82.3 ± 21.1 to 52.7 ± 20.3. After intubation, AI increased slightly, but not significantly, to 71.7 ± 27.1. A significant (p < 0.05) increase of AI occurred after extubation. Nociceptive stimuli did not have any measurable effect either on AI or on recorded cardiovascular variables. There was no movement, respiratory changes, or any other visible response to noxious stimulation. The AI did not change significantly with the different doses of fentanyl. Respiratory depression and apnoea were seen in all animals during the fentanyl infusion; therefore, pigs received intermittent positive pressure ventilation. Anaesthesia with sevoflurane and fentanyl resulted in a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in MAP. Heart rate did not change significantly. There was no correlation between AI and cardiovascular variables (HR and MAP). Endotracheal intubation caused an increase and extubation a greater significant increase in the AI. This suggests that intubation and extubation may represent stressful events during general anaesthesia, although further studies are needed to validate the use of the AI in pigs. Sevoflurane anesthetic induction may not prevent the sympathetic stimulus caused by endotracheal intubation in pigs, as indicated by the increased AI values.     

Evaluation of Trypsin Treatment on the Inactivation of Bovine Herpesvirus Type 1 on In Vitro Produced Pre-implantation Embryos

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of trypsin treatment on the inactivation of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) on in vitro produced by fertilization and artificially infected bovine embryos. Bovine embryos on day 7 were exposed with 10 μl of BoHV-1, Los Angeles strain 10^7.5 TCID. These embryos and control embryos were divided in two groups: submitted to the sequential washes or to the trypsin treatment according to the International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) guidelines. The embryos and the last washing drop of each group were used as inoculum to infect Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells and submitted to nested PCR reaction using the primer that encodes the gene conserved region of virus glycoprotein gB. The data have shown that the control embryos and their last washing drop were negative. The exposed embryos that were treated with trypsin have shown positive results on the n-PCR and MDBK culture, and their last washing drop were negative. Our data have demonstrated that the trypsin treatment was not able to eliminate the BHV-1 of the embryos, suggesting an interaction between virus and embryo.