Treatment of equine glaucoma by transscleral neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser cyclophotocoagulation: a retrospective study of 23 eyes of 16 horses

Contact neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCP) was performed on 23 eyes of 16 horses for treatment of glaucoma. The mean highest preoperative IOP was 51 ± 17 mmHg. Follow-up evaluation was available for 19 eyes 1 day after surgery, 14 eyes from 1 to 2 weeks, 16 eyes from 4 to 6 weeks, 9 eyes from 12 to 16 weeks, and 10 eyes greater than 20 weeks after laser treatment. The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) the day following surgery was 34 ± 13 mmHg. The mean IOP for each follow-up period was: one to two weeks postoperative, 23 ± 9 mmHg; four to six weeks, 24 ± 7 mmHg; 12–16 weeks, 28 ± 10 mmHg; and  20 weeks, 22 ± 9 mmHg. IOP measurements were significantly different from pretreatment values for all follow-up intervals except for weeks 12–16 ( P < 0.05). Treatment success was defined as maintenance of IOP < 30 mmHg. Treatment success was achieved in 93%, 88%, 78%, and 70% of the treated eyes at the 1–2 weeks, 4–6 weeks, 12–16 weeks, and the  20 weeks re-evaluation, respectively. No significant difference was found between the number of eyes visual at presentation (52.2%) and visual at 20 weeks (60%). The most common laser complications were conjunctival hyperemia (21.7%) and corneal ulcers (13.0%). Results of this study indicate that Nd:YAG TSCP is an effective method of controlling IOP and preserving vision in horses with glaucoma. An effective Nd:YAG laser protocol for TSCP in the equine glaucomatous eye is a power setting of 11 W, duration of 0.4 s, applied 5 mm posterior to the limbus at 60 sites, resulting in a total energy dose of 264 J.     

Evaluation of various compounds to inhibit activity of matrix metalloproteinases in the tear film of horses with ulcerative keratitis

OBJECTIVE: To examine in vitro effects of various antiproteolytic compounds on activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 in the tear film of horses with active corneal ulcers. SAMPLE POPULATION: Samples of tear film obtained from the eyes of 34 horses with active ulcerative keratitis. PROCEDURE: Horses were sedated, and tear samples were collected from the lower fornix of 34 ulcerated eyes by use of capillary tubes. The protease inhibitors 0.2% EDTA, 0.1% doxycycline, 10% N-acetylcysteine (NAC), 0.1% solution of a modified dipeptide that contains hydroxamic acid (ie, ilomostat), 0.1% alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (PI), 0.5% alpha1-PI, and 100% fresh equine serum (ES) were used to treat pooled samples. Amount of latent and active MMP-2 and -9 was measured by optical density scanning of gelatin zymograms of treated and untreated tear samples. RESULTS: Pooled tear samples obtained from ulcerated eyes contained the latent and active forms of MMP-2 and -9. Compared with MMP activity in untreated samples, total MMP activity (sum of all bands detected) observed on the gelatin zymogram gels was reduced by 99.4% by EDTA, 96.3% by doxycycline, 98.8% by NAC, 98.9% by ilomostat, 52.4% by 0.1% alpha1-PI, 93.6% by 0.5% alpha1-PI, and 90.0% by ES. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We documented that EDTA, doxycycline, NAC, ilomostat, alpha1PI, and ES inhibited MMP activity in vitro. Because these compounds use different mechanisms to inhibit various families of proteases in the tear film of horses, a combination of these protease inhibitors may be beneficial for treatment of corneal ulcers in horses.     

Posterior lamellar keratoplasty for treatment of deep stromal absesses in nine horses

OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate the use of posterior lamellar keratoplasty as a surgical treatment for deep corneal stromal abscesses in horses. Animals studied Nine horses of various breeds and ages that presented with corneal stromal abscesses located in the posterior one-third of the cornea. Procedure Retrospective medical record study. RESULTS: Nine horses had deep corneal stromal abscesses that were treated with posterior lamellar keratoplasty. Median patient age was 3 years. Six patients were females and three were geldings. Medical therapy alone had been attempted prior to surgery in all nine animals. Corneal abscess culture and histopathology were performed in 8/9 horses. Cultures were positive for an infectious etiology in 4/8 (50%). Histopathology was positive for an infectious etiology in 5/8 (62.5%). Mean surgical time was 71.0 +/- 18.8 min and the average healing time was 23.7 +/- 5.2 days. Visual outcome was positive in 8/9 cases. Conclusion Posterior lamellar keratoplasty is a promising procedure for treatment of deep corneal stromal abscesses in horses. The procedure resulted in considerable shorter surgery time and healing time than had been observed with full-thickness penetrating keratoplasty. Scar formation with this procedure was not significantly different than with penetrating keratoplasty.     

河西走廊绿洲外围沙化草地固沙造林效果研究

通过对流动沙丘固沙造林效果的对比研究,结果发现:未固沙造林的沙丘,丘间低地是以芦苇和赖草为优势种的原生群落,沙丘迎风坡植被稀疏,不形成植物群落,而实施固沙造林技术20年后的沙丘,虽丘间低地群落组成成分变化不大,但流动沙丘被完全固定,中下部形成以引入固沙灌木柠条锦鸡儿、花棒为优势种的人工植物群落,植物种类增加,生产力提高,草地生态系统得到有效恢复。固沙造林沙丘与未固沙造林沙丘相比,丘间低地群落高度增加51.6%,产草量增加12.6%,盖度增加4.7%,多度无变化,密度提高15%,物种丰富度指数提高25%,均匀度指数提高34.8%;迎风坡下部群落高度增加87.1%,产草量增加13%,多度提高一个等级,密度增加15%,物种丰富度指数提高228%,均匀度指数提高22.8%;迎风坡中部群落高度增加453.7%,产草量增加64.5%,多度提高一个等级,密度增加128.9%,物种丰富度指数提高616%,均匀度指数提高33.3%;迎风坡上部植被非常稀疏,不形成群落,植株平均高度25.3 cm,产草量增加206.8%,多度提高一个等级,密度增加550%,物种丰富度指数提高800%,均匀度指数提高66.7%。     

控制蜂胶加工的质量

在蜂胶片加工过程中,注重温度控制,目的在于保持蜂胶特有的芳香气味、固有的天然属性和功效,属于低温食品。低温和超低温技术处理食品是国外目前最时兴的食品加工技术之一。这类食品要求加工温度低,加工后的食品所含维生素、无机物和风味都没有损失。下面就优质蜂胶片加工过程中注重温度控制,制法简捷,无污染,损失少,效率高     

Distribution of intraocular pressure in dogs

Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by four different applanation tonometers in normal dogs. By MacKay-Marg tonometry in 391 dogs (772 eyes) the mean ± SD IOP was 18.8 ± 5.5 mmHg (range 8–52 mmHg). Using Tono-Pen XL tonometry in 421 dogs (823 eyes) the mean IOP was 19.2 ± 5.9 mmHg, and the range was 4.42 mmHg. With MMAC-II tonometry in 80 dogs (158 eyes), the mean IOP was 15.7 ± 2.8 mmHg with a range of 10–30 mmHg. By pneumatonograph tonometry in 135 dogs (255 eyes), the mean IOP was 22.9 ± 6.1 mmHg and the range was 10–47 mmHg. In this study 53 breeds were represented. Of those breeds with six animals or more, no significant differences were detected in IOP between breeds ( P > 0.353) or sex ( P > 0.270). There was a significant decline of 2–4 mmHg ( P > 0.0001) in IOP as age increased from less than 2 years to greater than 6 years of age. This trend was present with all of the four tonometers. There were no significant differences between the MacKay-Marg and TonoPen-XL tonometers ( P > 0.198), but significant differences with the MMAC-II ( P > 0.001) and pneumatonograph ( P > 0.001) tonometers existed compared to the first two instruments. Based on this study and the literature, the mean IOP for the normal dog is 19.0 mmHg with a range of 11 (5%) and 29 (95%) mmHg.     

Intraocular pressure in normal dairy cattle

Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured in normal dairy cows by applanation tonometry. In the first study of 15 Holstein and 17 Jersey cows the mean IOP by Mackay-Marg tonometry was 27.5 ± 4.8 mmHg (range 16–39 mmHg); no significant differences ( P < 0.92) were observed between the Holstein and Jersey breeds. In the second study of 15 Holstein and 12 Jersey cows, the mean IOPs by Mackay-Marg and TonoPen-XL tonometry were 28.2 ± 4.6 mmHg (range 19–39 mmHg) and 26.9 ± 6.7 mmHg (range 16–42 mmHg), respectively. Comparisons of the Mackay-Marg and TonoPen tonometers indicated no significant differences ( P < 0.16). The mean and range of IOP in normal dairy cows within 2 SD (95% of the population) is 27 mmHg with a range of 16–36 mmHg.