Clinical exercise testing in the normal Thoroughbred racehorse

To evaluate normal cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses of Thoroughbred horses to a standardised treadmill exercise test, we examined 28 horses ranging in age from 1 to 4 years. The group consisted of eight yearlings, eight 2-year-olds and twelve 3 and 4-year-olds. All horses except the yearlings were in training, and either racing or ready to race, at the time of examination. None of the horses had histories of performance problems. On the first day the horses received a full physical examination, resting electrocardiogram, upper respiratory tract endoscopy and either one or two acclimatisation runs on the treadmill. The following day they were given an exercise test on a treadmill inclined at 6 degrees (+10% slope). The test consisted of 3 min at 4 m/sec, 90 sec at 6 m/sec and 60 sec intervals at 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13 m/sec. During the last 15 sec of each step, blood samples were collected for plasma lactate determination, expired respiratory gases were obtained using an open flow mask system for measurement of oxygen uptake, and heart rate was measured using telemetry electrocardiogram. From these measurements, various derived values were calculated, which have been used by others as indices of exercise capacity. These values included: V200 (speed at HR of 200 bpm), VHRmax (speed at which horses reached maximum HR), VO2-200 (oxygen uptake at a HR of 200 bpm), VO2max (maximum oxygen uptake), VLA4 (speed at which horses reached a plasma lactate of 4 mmol/l) and HRLA4 (HR at which horses reached a plasma lactate of 4 mmol/l). The yearlings had significantly lower values than the older age groups for most of the derived values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cardiovascular effects of sevoflurane in Holstein calves

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiovascular effects of sevoflurane in calves. Study design Prospective experimental study. Animals Six, healthy, 8–12‐week‐old Holstein calves weighing 80 ± 4.5 (mean ± SEM) kg were studied. Methods Anesthesia was induced by face‐mask administration of 7% sevoflurane in O₂. Calves tracheae were intubated, placed in right lateral recumbency, and maintained with 3.7% end‐tidal concentration sevoflurane for 30 minutes to allow catheterization of the auricular artery and placement of a Swan‐Ganz thermodilution catheter into the pulmonary artery. After instrumentation, administration of sevoflurane was temporarily discontinued until mean arterial pressure was > 100 mm Hg. Baseline values were recorded and the vaporizer output increased to administer 3.7% end‐tidal sevoflurane concentration. Ventilation was controlled to maintain normocapnia. The following were recorded at 5, 10, 15, 30 and 45 minutes after collection of baseline data and expressed as the mean value (± SEM): direct systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures; cardiac output; mean pulmonary arterial pressure; pulmonary arterial occlusion pressure, heart rate; and pulmonary arterial temperature. Cardiac index and systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance values were calculated using standard formulae. Arterial blood gases were analyzed at baseline, and at 15 and 45 minutes. Differences from baseline values were determined using one‐way analysis of variance for repeated measures with post‐hoc differences between mean values identified using Dunnet's test (p < 0.05). Results Mean time from beginning sevoflurane administration to intubation of the trachea was 224 ± 9 seconds. The mean end‐tidal sevoflurane concentration at baseline was 0.7 (± 0.11)%. Sevoflurane anesthesia was associated with decreased arterial blood pressure at all sampling times. Mean arterial blood pressure decreased from a baseline value of 112 ± 7 mm Hg to a minimum value of 88 ± 4 mm Hg at 5 minutes. Compared with baseline, arterial pH was decreased at 15 minutes. Pulmonary arterial blood temperature was decreased at 15, 30 and 45 minutes. Arterial CO₂ tension increased from a baseline value of 43 ± 3 to 54 ± 4 mm Hg (5.7 ± 0.4 to 7.2 ± 0.3 kPa) at 15 minutes. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure was increased at 30 and 45 minutes. Pulmonary arterial occlusion pressure increased from a baseline value of 18 ± 2 to 23 ± 2 mm Hg at 45 minutes. There were no significant changes in other measured variables. All calves recovered from anesthesia uneventfully. Conclusion We conclude that sevoflurane for induction and maintenance of anesthesia was effective and reliable in these calves and that neither hypotension nor decreased cardiac output was a clinical concern. Clinical relevance Use of sevoflurane for mask induction and maintenance of anesthesia in young calves is a suitable alternative to injectable and other inhalant anesthetics.     

Low expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit Mdα2 in neonicotinoid‐resistant strains of Musca domestica L.

BACKGROUND: Neonicotinoid action as well as resistance involves interaction with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). In the housefly, neonicotinoid resistance also involves cytochrome P450, as indicated by bioassay with synergist as well as altered expression. In bioassay, synergism was only partial and indicated possible target‐site resistance. The nAChR α2 subunit is important in neonicotinoid toxicity to insects, and gene expression of the Mdα2 subunit was investigated in field populations and laboratory strains of neonicotinoid‐resistant and insecticide‐susceptible houseflies, Musca domestica L. The genomic sequence covering exon III–VII of Mdα2 was analysed for mutations. RESULTS: Gene expression profiling of Mdα2 revealed notable differences between neonicotinoid‐resistant and insecticide‐susceptible houseflies. On average, the neonicotinoid‐resistant field population 766b and the imidacloprid selected strain 791imi had 60% lower copy numbers of Mdα2 compared with the susceptible reference strain. Sequencing of exon III–VII of the Mdα2, encoding acetylcholine binding‐site regions and three out of four transmembrane domains, did not reveal any mutations explaining the increased neonicotinoid tolerance in the strains examined. CONCLUSION: Previous discoveries and the results of this study suggest that the neonicotinoid resistance mechanism in Danish houseflies involves both cytochrome P450 monooxygenase‐mediated detoxification and reduced expression of the nAChR subunit α2. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Salmonellae and salmonellosis in captive reptiles.

In a survey of 150 pet reptiles submitted for necropsy, 51% of snakes, 48% of lizards and 7% of turtles were infected with Salmonella. About one third of the positive animals had died due to various manifestations of salmonellosis. Thirty-one Salmonella serotypes were identified including three isolates new to Canada. The public health implications are discussed in view of the restricted popularity of reptiles and their possible infection from domestic agricultural products.     

Fibrosing cholehepatitis in broiler chickens induced by bile duct ligations or inoculation of Clostridium perfringens.

The pathogenesis of fibrosing hepatitis causing condemnations in broiler chickens was investigated. Three to four week old broilers were inoculated via the hepatoenteric bile duct with saline washed suspensions of Clostridium perfringens (10(7) and 10(8) organisms). In another group of broilers, both bile ducts were ligated. The sequential development of liver and gall bladder lesions was studied at intervals ranging from 1-28 days postsurgery. The lesions were similar in both experiments in that the liver became mottled and swollen by five to seven days. Fibrinoid necrosis, heterophil and lymphocyte infiltration, bile duct hyperplasia and fibrosis with reticulin fiber proliferation occurred. By 14-17 days, the liver was enlarged, tan colored and firm with red and white foci. By 28 days, bile duct proliferation and fibrosis were massive with only a few hepatocytes remaining. The liver capsule was not involved. Jaundice was not present but the birds with ligated bile ducts excreted intensely yellow stained droppings after six to seven days. The gall bladder in inoculated birds was edematous and distended with flocculent or inspissated material. Clostridium perfringens was reisolated from gall bladder and/or liver of inoculated birds up to 28 days postsurgery. It is suggested that this organism plays a role in the pathogenesis of fibrosing cholehepatitis by inducing septic intrahepatic cholestasis.     

几个牛肉品质性状的QTL分析

测定了利木赞×娟姗牛杂交一代3头公牛所有回交后代的背最长肌和半腱肌的剪切力、pH值及煮 制损失3个表型性状,与已构建的遗传连锁图谱和基因型值相结合,利用QTL Express软件的“Half-Sib QTL Analysis Servlet”进行QTL分析。共发现6个可能的QTL位点,其中背最长肌剪切力性状3个QTL(BTA2 45 cM,BTA29 54 cM)、半腱肌剪切力1个QTL(BTA2 12 cM)、半腱肌pH值1个QTL(BTA24 0 cM)、背最长肌 煮制损失1个QTL(BTA142 cM)。