Repetitive propofol administration in dogs and cats

A bolus of propofol was administered to 10 dogs (6 mg/kg intravenously [IV]) and 10 cats (10 mg/kg IV) on three consecutive days. The occurrence of apnea, heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure, time to movement, and changes in a complete blood count and biochemical profile were recorded. Apnea was not seen in the dogs but was seen in three cats. Slight increases in the number of Heinz bodies were seen in six cats, but the increases were not considered clinically significant. No apparent cumulative adverse effects were seen from a bolus of bisulfite-containing propofol, administered on three consecutive days.     

Ultrasonographic changes of the equine stifle following experimental medial patellar desmotomy

The objective of this study was to evaluate, through ultrasonography, the effect of medial patellar desmotomy. Middle patellar desmitis, enthesophytes in the patella, and irregularities in the cartilage of the femoral trochlear groove were observed. Medial patellar desmotomy leads to lesions in the stifle, and restriction of movement does not prevent these lesions from occurring.     

Lipophilic hydroxytyrosyl esters. Antioxidant activity in lipid matrices and biological systems

Antioxidant activities of lipophilic hydroxytyrosyl acetate, palmitate, oleate, and linoleate were compared with those of hydroxytyrosol, alpha-tocopherol, and butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) in both glyceridic matrix and biological systems. Aliquots of a glyceridic matrix spiked with various concentrations of antioxidant were subjected to accelerated oxidation in a Rancimat apparatus operated at 90 degrees C. The relationships between induction time (IT) and antioxidant concentration (mmol/kg) presented by hydroxytyrosol and hydroxytyrosyl acetate, palmitate, oleate, and linoleate were similar. Hydroxytyrosol and its esters showed greater antioxidant activity than alpha-tocopherol or BHT. We also evaluated the capacity of hydroxytyrosyl esters to protect proteins and lipids against oxidation caused by peroxyl radicals, using a brain homogenate as an ex vivo model. All tested compounds showed a protective effect in these systems, which was greater in preventing the generation of carbonyl groups in protein than of malondialdehyde in lipid. Inclusion of a lipophilic chain in the hydroxytyrosol molecule enhanced its antioxidant capacities in this biological model.     

Transcranial Doppler sonographic findings in granulomatous meningoencephalitis in small breed dogs

Granulomatous meningoencephalitis (GME) is an acute, progressive, and often fatal inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, affecting mainly small and toy dog breeds. A definitive diagnosis of GME can only be achieved through histopathologic examination of samples collected after death. This retrospective study describes transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TDS) findings in dogs with confirmed clinical histopathology of GME. Eleven dogs were selected for this study. Sonographic findings in B-mode demonstrated diffuse decreased brain parenchyma echogenicity in 9 dogs, ventriculomegaly in 8 dogs, brain atrophy in 4 dogs, and hyperechoic focal lesions in 6 dogs. Color Doppler imaging revealed more obvious vessels of the arterial circle in 10 dogs. Spectral Doppler examination was performed in 10 dogs to detect the 6 major cerebral arteries of interest. The examination showed normal and high resistive index (RI) values in the outlined arteries. The TDS findings were consistent with pathology found on postmortem examination.     

Urinary glycosaminoglycans in horse osteoarthritis. Effects of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine

Our objectives were to characterize the urinary excretion of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in horse osteoarthritis, and to investigate the effects of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and glucosamine (GlcN) upon the disease. Urinary GAGs were measured in 47 athletic horses, 20 healthy and 27 with osteoarthritis. The effects of CS and GlcN were investigated in mild osteoarthritis. In comparison to normal, urinary GAGs were increased in osteoarthritis, including mild osteoarthritis affecting only one joint. Treatment with CS+GlcN led to a long lasting increase in the urinary CS and keratan sulfate (KS), and significant improvement in flexion test of tarsocrural and metacarpophalangeal joints was observed. In conclusion, urinary CS and KS seems to reflect the turnover rates of cartilage matrix proteoglycans, and the measurement of these compounds could provide objective means of evaluating and monitoring joint diseases.     

The growing prevalence of Nosema ceranae in honey bees in Spain, an emerging problem for the last decade

Microsporidiosis caused by infection with Nosema apis or Nosema ceranae has become one of the most widespread diseases of honey bees and can cause important economic losses for beekeepers. Honey can be contaminated by spores of both species and it has been reported as a suitable matrix to study the field prevalence of other honey bee sporulated pathogens. Historical honey sample collections from the CAR laboratory (Centro Apícola Regional) were analyzed by PCR to identify the earliest instance of emergence, and to determine whether the presence of Nosema spp. in honey was linked to the spread of these microsporidia in honey bee apiaries. A total of 240 frozen honey samples were analyzed by PCR and the results compared with rates of Nosema spp. infection in worker bee samples from different years and geographical areas. The presence of Nosema spp. in hive-stored honey from naturally infected honey bee colonies (from an experimental apiary) was also monitored, and although collected honey bees resulted in a more suitable sample to study the presence of microsporidian parasites in the colonies, a high probability of finding Nosema spp. in their hive-stored honey was observed. The first honey sample in which N. ceranae was detected dates back to the year 2000. In subsequent years, the number of samples containing N. ceranae tended to increase, as did the detection of Nosema spp. in adult worker bees. The presence of N. ceranae as early as 2000, long before generalized bee depopulation and colony losses in 2004 may be consistent with a long incubation period for nosemosis type C or related with other unknown factors. The current prevalence of nosemosis, primarily due to N. ceranae, has reached epidemic levels in Spain as confirmed by the analysis of worker honey bees and commercial honey.     

Black yeast-like fungi associated with Lethargic Crab Disease (LCD) in the mangrove-land crab, Ucides cordatus (Ocypodidae)

Lethargic Crab Disease (LCD) caused extensive epizootic mortality of the mangrove land crab Ucides cordatus (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) along the Brazilian coast, mainly in the Northeastern region. The disease was named after the symptoms of slow movement of infected crabs. Causative agents were suspected to be two black yeast-like fungi of the family Herpotrichiellaceae (ascomycete order Chaetothyriales), judged by infected tissue biopsies from moribund U. cordatus. The aim of the present study is to prove that two species are involved in the disease: the recently described black yeast Exophiala cancerae, but also a less virulent, hitherto undescribed fonsecaea-like species, introduced here as the novel species Fonsecaea brasiliensis. Strains were identified by ITS rDNA sequencing, and species borderlines were established by multilocus sequencing and AFLP analysis. Fonsecaea brasiliensis proved to be closely related to the pathogenic species Cladophialophora devriesii which originally was isolated from a systemic infection in a human patient. The virulence of F. brasiliensis is lower than that of E. cancerae, as established by artificial inoculation of mangrove crabs.     

Theileria buffeli infection of a Michigan cow confirmed by small subunit ribosomal RNA gene analysis

Theileria buffeli, generally a benign parasite of cattle, has been reported in animals from Texas, Missouri and North Carolina. To date, there have been no reports of the parasite in cattle residing in northern portions of the US. An 8-year-old cow (Maine Anjou x Angus cross-bred) in Michigan presented with hemoglobinuria and a packed cell volume of 9. Blood films stained with Giemsa showed numerous intraerythrocytic parasites morphologically consistent with T. buffeli. The parasite was confirmed to be T. buffeli by SSU rRNA gene sequence analysis (SSU rRNA sequence, Type A). This represents the first report of this parasite in an animal in Michigan.     

Acoustic and bending properties in Pinus elliottii beams obtained from trees of different ages

In contrast to wood from native forests, the lumber harvested from planted forests is primarily composed of boards from younger trees. Given the possibility of using wave propagation methods to classify wood for structural purposes, it is important to evaluate if the ultrasonic parameters tend to vary with the age of the tree in a similar manner as static bending parameters. Experiments were conducted using structural beams taken from Pinus elliottii trees that were 8, 9, 13, 15, 22 and 23 years old. The beams were tested by ultrasound in the longitudinal direction and by static bending. The results showed that age of the tree influences the wave propagation velocity, stiffness constant and modulus of elasticity. The results were sorted into two groups based on the variation of these parameters: wood pieces from trees up to 15 years old and wood pieces from trees older than 15 years of age. Statistically, the flexural strength did not change with age due to the significant influence of knots on this parameter, which overcomes the influence of age. The data obtained by ultrasound follow the same trends with age as the elastic modulus in static bending.