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%.     

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.     

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.     

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。     

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.     

The use of the nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drug cis-atracurium in dogs

Objective This clinical trial attempted to evaluate the potency, onset and duration of action of cis‐atracurium in dogs. Animals Twenty dogs aged between 1 and 15 years and weighing between 15 and 85 kg admitted for a variety of elective, surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. Materials and methods Following induction of general anaesthesia, the effects of an intravenous loading dose of cis‐atracurium (0.1 mg kg^?1) were evaluated by counting visual responses to train of four (TOF) nerve stimulation. Incremental doses of 0.02 or 0.04 mg kg^?1 cis‐atracurium were administered when the first of four responses to TOF stimulation was present. Results An initial dose of 0.1 mg kg^?1 eliminated all four TOF responses in 18 out of 20 dogs. The same dose, repeated 10 minutes later in two animals in which blockade was incomplete, abolished all responses. In dogs receiving 0.1 mg kg^?1 cis‐atracurium neuromuscular blockade lasted 27.2 ± 9.3 minutes. Up to six incremental doses were given in individual animals; incremental doses appeared to be noncumulative. No untoward side‐effects were observed with the use of this drug. There was considerable variation between individuals in response to cis‐atracurium. Conclusions Cis‐atracurium is an effective neuromuscular blocking agent in the dog, although its potency varies. Clinical Relevance Further studies are required to determine whether observed differences in potency are related to age, breed or sex. Cis‐atracurium may prove useful in dogs with impaired renal and or hepatic function.     

Urinary incontinence and incoordination in three horses associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis

Urinary incontinence, weakness and ataxia associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) was diagnosed in three horses. Rectal examination of all horses revealed distention of the urinary bladder. Urine was expressed when manual pressure was applied to the bladder of each horse during rectal examination. The anal reflex and tone of the anus and tail were normal in all horses. Two horses had bacterial cystitis associated with Enterococcus sp. All horses were treated with pyrimethamine and a sulfonamide for EPM, but there was a variable response to treatment.     

Intravascular Leukostasis and Systemic Aspergillosis in a Horse With Subleukemic Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Leukemia is a neoplastic disease of one or more of the cell types of the hemopoietic system and is rarely diagnosed in the horse. This report describes a case of subleukemic acute myelomonocytic leukemia in an 11 -year-old gelding. Preliminary cytological diagnosis was supported by two types of laboratory investigations. Cytochemical characterization of blood and bone marrow neoplastic cells was consistent with a myelomonocytic origin. Neoplastic blast cells in peripheral blood were labeled by monoclonal antibodies specific for cell surface molecules of horse granulocytes, but they were not labeled by antibodies to T- or B-lymphocytes or macrophages. Treatment was attempted but was unsuccessful. At necropsy, intravascular leukostasis was present in all tissues examined. Fungal hyphae were also found in lung interstitium and colonic submucosa, suggesting the presence of a systemic mycosis. Nucleated cells were isolated from peripheral blood and cultured in vitro; they survived for up to 2 weeks and had evidence of cell division that was not sustained. Frozenthawed cells stored in liquid nitrogen were also successfully cultured in vitro, but no permanent cell lines could be established.     

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.