CLINICAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE VOLUMETRY OF THE HIPPOCAMPUS IN 58 EPILEPTIC DOGS*

Hippocampal atrophy, which is a component of hippocampal sclerosis and recognized commonly in human intractable epilepsy, is controversial in canine epilepsy. We examined the hippocampal volume in 58 epileptic dogs and 35 control dogs using magnetic resonance (MR) images, and calculated the relative hippocampal volume asymmetry of the right and left hippocampus. Subjectively, there were visible MR imaging abnormalities in seven of the 58 epileptic dogs (12%). The hippocampel volume asymmetric ratio of epileptic dogs (5.84±4.47%) was significantly greater than that of control dogs (1.62±0.88%). Using a cutoff threshold asymmetric ratio of 6% that is indicated in human epilepsy, 28 epileptic dogs (48%) were characterized as having unilateral hippocampus atrophy. The hippocampal volume asymmetry ratio cannot be used to detect bilateral atrophy. In conclusion, although less frequent than that observed in human epilepsy patients, hippocampal atrophy may occur in canine epilepsy.     

Evaluation of novel sulfonylurea derivatives with a fused heterocyclic moiety as paddy herbicides that control sulfonylurea‐resistant weeds

Herbicidal activity and acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibition of sulfonylurea derivatives with a fused heterocyclic moiety bonded to a sulfonyl group were investigated. Some compounds that had an imidazo[1,2‐b]pyridazine moiety substituted at the 2‐position by chlorine or methyl controlled sulfonylurea‐resistant (SU‐R) weeds and showed inhibitory activity to ALS prepared from SU‐R Schoenoplectus juncoides shoot. There was a correlation between in vitro and whole‐plant herbicidal activity of the compounds mentioned above against SU‐R Schoenoplectus juncoides. Among them 1‐(2‐chloro‐6‐propylimidazo[1,2‐b]pyridazin‐3‐ylsulfonyl)‐3‐(4,6‐dimethoxypyrimidin‐2‐yl)urea, propyrisulfuron, was selected for further evaluation. Propyrisulfuron effectively controlled paddy weeds at doses of 70 and 140 g a.i. ha^?1 with good rice selectivity in a field trial.     

Effect of dietary Rhodobacter capsulatus on cholesterol, triglycerides concentration, and meat quality of finishing pigs

The study was designed to investigate the effect of Rhodobacter capsulatus on serum and meat cholesterol, fatty acid composition in meat, as well as meat quality of finishing pigs. A total of 16 120-day-old Landrace female pigs of about 60 kg initial body weight were randomly assigned into two groups. The pigs were fed a supplemented diet with 0.04% dietary R. capsulatus or a control diet for 60 days. Total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration in serum was significantly lowered ( P  < 0.05) in the pigs fed the R. capsulatus supplemented diet compared to the control diet. Carcass weight, carcass length, shoulder fat, back fat and loin fat thickness, longissimus muscle (LM) area, and color score did not differ significantly between the pigs fed the R. capsulatus supplemented diet and control diet. Among the nutrient composition of LM meat, neutral fat and triglyceride concentration were significantly ( P  < 0.05) reduced in the finishing pigs by dietary supplementation of R. capsulatus . The proportions of n-6 PUFA were higher ( P  < 0.05) in the pigs fed the R. capsulatus supplemented diet than in the pigs fed the control diet. The supplementation of dietary R. capsulatus to finishing pig diet played important roles in reducing serum cholesterol and meat triglycerides, as well as in increasing polyunsaturated fatty acid content in LM meat.