Seroprevalence study of bovine neosporosis in Mexico.

An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to obtain epidemiologic information on bovine neosporosis in dairy herds of the Mexican central plateau. Sera were collected from 1,003 cows from 50 dairy herds. Forty-three herds (group A) had been experiencing a high abortion rate. The abortion rates for the remaining 7 herds (group B) were within normal limits for Mexico. Five-hundred sixty-one (56%) of the 1,003 sera were positive. The seroprevalence of Neospora caninum antibodies was 72% (95% CI = 68-75%) in group A and 36% (95% CI = 31-40%) in group B. These results clearly show that infection with N. caninum is widespread in Mexican dairy herds, as indicated by seropositive cows in group A and group B herds at the time of the sample collection.     

TOTAL ANOMALOUS PULMONARY VENOUS CONNECTION IN A FOAL

An 8-day-old Arabian-Morgan cross colt underwent cardiac evaluation. The foal was tachycardic, tachypneic, exercise intolerant and had a loud right-sided heart murmur and cyanotic mucous membranes. Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection was diagnosed with echocardiography and confirmed at postmortem examination. Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection is a very rare congenital cardiac abnormality that has not been reported before in the horse.     

Pest Management in Traditional Tropical Agroecosystems: Lessons for Pest Prevention Research and Extension

Based on current agroecological theory and IPM practices, this review explores the role of traditional practices, involving site selection, soil management, timing of planting and harvesting, crop resistance, intercropping, weed management, harvest residue management, post-harvest management, natural enemies management, mechanical control, repellents and traps in the natural regulation of potential pests. In synthesis, the literature suggests that although pest management professionals focus their efforts on pest control, the preventative approach taken by traditional farmers is more effective. Potential constraints to the implementation of this preventive pest management approach include:(1) lack of integration of ecological theory and pest management, (2) lack of cooperation among social and biological scientists, and (3) lack of real efforts to work with farmers as equals and support mechanisms that protect their knowledge. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the body temperature of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions

Feed intake and diet composition appear to affect the body temperature of pigs. Two trials were conducted to analyse the effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the intestinal temperature (IT) of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions. Ten pigs (64.1 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight) fitted with an ileal cannula were used. A thermometer set to register the IT at 5‐min intervals was implanted into the ileum through the cannula. In both trials, the ambient temperature ranged from 19.1 to 21.6°C and the pigs were fed at 07:00 and 19:00 hr (same amount each time). In trial 1, the pigs were fed daily 1.2 or 1.8 kg of a wheat–soybean meal diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along a 24‐hr period regardless the feed intake level. The IT rapidly increased up to 0.61 and 0.74°C after the morning meal and up to 0.53 and 0.47°C after the evening meal in pigs fed 1.2 and 1.8 kg/d respectively. The postprandial IT was higher in pigs fed 1.8 kg after each meal (p < .05). In trial 2, pigs were fed daily 1.8 kg of a low (11%) or a high (22%) crude protein diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along the 24‐hr period regardless the dietary protein level. The postprandial IT did not differ between pigs fed the low protein or the high protein (p > .10). The IT rapidly increased up to 0.66 and 0.62°C after the morning meal in pigs fed the high‐ and low‐protein diet (p < .05), but there was no change after the evening meal (p > .10). In conclusion, the feed intake level affected the IT of pigs housed under TN conditions, but the dietary protein content had no effect.     

Effects of Annealing and Concentration of Calcium Salts on Thermal and Rheological Properties of Maize Starch During an Ecological Nixtamalization Process

The objective of the present work was to study the effect of annealing and concentration of Ca(OH)₂ (lime) and calcium salts on the thermal and rheological properties of maize starch during an ecological nixtamalization process. Thermal and rheological properties of maize starch changed during the ecological nixtamalization process because of three main causes: the annealing phenomenon, type of calcium salt, and calcium salt concentration. In all treatments thermal properties (T_o, T_p, and T_f) of nixtamal starch increased owing to the annealing process, whereas the type of salt or lime increased thermal properties and decreased pasting properties in this order: CaCl₂ > CaSO₄ > Ca(OH)₂ ≈ CaCO₃. This behavior was because of the dissociation of each salt or lime in water. Anions (OH⁻) can penetrate much more easily into the starch granule and start the gelatinization process by rupturing hydrogen bonds. Additionally, amylose‐lipid complexes were formed during the nixtamalization processes, as indicated by an increasing peak at 4.5 Å in X‐ray diffraction patterns.     

Carvedilol in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by reduced systolic function, heightened sympathetic tone, and high morbidity and mortality. Little is known regarding the safety and efficacy of beta-blocker treatment in dogs with DCM. HYPOTHESIS: Carvedilol improves echocardiographic and neurohormonal variables in dogs with DCM over a 4-month treatment period. METHODS: Prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blinded randomized study. Dogs with DCM underwent echocardiography, ECG, thoracic radiographs, and neurohormonal profiling, followed by titration onto carvedilol (0.3 mg/kg q12h) or placebo over a 4-week period and subsequently received 3 months of therapy. Primary study endpoints included left ventricular volume and function. RESULTS: Sixteen dogs received carvedilol and 7 received placebo. At study end, 13 carvedilol dogs and 5 placebo dogs were alive. There was no difference in the mean percentage change in left ventricular volume at end-diastole (LVVd), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVVs), and ejection fraction (EF) between treatment groups, suggesting that both groups experienced similar amounts of disease progression. Carvedilol treatment did not result in significant changes in neurohormonal activation, radiographic heart size, heart rate, or owner perceived quality-of-life. Baseline B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) predicted dogs in the carvedilol-treated group that maintained or improved their EF over the study duration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Carvedilol administration did not improve echocardiographic or neurohormonal indicators of heart function. The lack of effect may be related to severity of disease, carvedilol dose, or brevity of follow-up time. Statistical power of the present study was adversely affected by a high fatality rate in study dogs and small sample size.     

Effects of 2 concentrations of sodium citrate on coagulation test results, von Willebrand factor concentration, and platelet function in dogs

BACKGROUND: Blood collection tubes containing 3.2% (0.109 M) sodium citrate, instead of 3.8% (0.129 M) sodium citrate, have recently become available in the United States. These tubes are visually indistinguishable from the traditional 3.8% sodium citrate tubes, except for wording on the label. Consequently, samples for hemostatic evaluation are frequently collected in tubes containing the lower concentration of sodium citrate. HYPOTHESIS: Results of hemostasis assays are different in samples collected in 3.2% versus 3.8% sodium citrate. ANIMALS: Twenty healthy dogs. METHODS: This study aimed at determining whether results of standard coagulation tests, von Willebrand factor concentration (vWF:Ag), and platelet function with the platelet function analyzer PFA-100a were affected by the different concentrations of sodium citrate. Blood samples were collected in tubes containing either 3.2% or 3.8% sodium citrate concentrations and processed routinely for coagulation assays (one-stage prothrombin time [OSPT], activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT], fibrinogen concentration, and platelet count), vWF:Ag, and platelet function assays with a PFA-100. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between samples collected in 3.2% versus those collected in 3.8% sodium citrate for OSPT, aPTT, fibrinogen concentration, platelet count, or vWF:Ag. The closure times with collagen/adenosine diphosphate were significantly shorter (66 +/- 8.1 versus 74.8 +/- 9.7 seconds; P < .0001) with the 3.2% than with 3.8% sodium citrate concentration, and the hematocrit was significantly higher (47.9 +/- 5.6 versus 46.0 +/- 4.7 seconds; P = .03) in samples collected in 3.2% than in those collected in 3.8% sodium citrate. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: There is no clinically relevant effect of collection of blood into 3.2% or 3.8% sodium citrate.     

Use of touch-down polymerase chain reaction to enhance the sensitivity of Mycobacterium bovis detection.

The confirmatory diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) in animal samples is carried out by culture in Stonebrink media. However, culture is very slow because of the extremely long duplication time of the bacillus and difficult because of the scarcity of bacilli in diagnostic samples. This study describes the development of a single-tube touch-down polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol for the detection of M. bovis using primers that target the IS6110 element. Spiked water and milk as well as routine diagnostic samples (milk and nasal swabs) from M. bovis-positive cattle were tested. This protocol allows the rapid and sensitive detection of M. bovis in bovine samples by enhancing the sensitivity of standard PCR amplification.     

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.