Comparison of medical and surgical treatment for impaction of the small colon in horses: 84 cases (1986-1996)

OBJECTIVE: To characterize clinical findings and compare effects of treatment and outcome for horses treated medically or surgically for impaction of the small colon. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 84 horses with impaction of the small colon. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed for history, physical examination findings, laboratory values, treatment, response to treatment, complications, out-come, and necropsy findings. RESULTS: 47 horses were treated medically and 37 horses were treated surgically. Significant differences between groups were not identified for duration of clinical signs, physical examination findings, or laboratory values. Horses treated surgically were hospitalized longer than horses treated medically. Complications recorded during hospitalization included diarrhea, jugular thrombophlebitis, recurrent colic, fever, and laminitis. Salmonella organisms were isolated from 20 horses. Horses treated surgically were more likely to have signs of moderate abdominal pain, gross abdominal distention, and positive results for culture of Salmonella spp than horses treated medically. Follow-up information was available for 27 horses treated medically and 23 horses treated surgically. Twenty-four (72%) and 21 (75%) of the horses, respectively, survived and were being used for their intended purpose at least 1 year after treatment. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Colitis may be a predisposing factor for impaction of the small colon in horses. Prognosis for horses treated surgically or medically is fair.     

Body weight,hematologic findings,and serum and plasma biochemical findings of horses competing in a 48-, 83-, or 159-km endurance ride under similar terrain and weather conditions

OBJECTIVE: To compare physiologic, hematologic, and selected serum and plasma biochemical variables obtained from horses competing in 48-, 83-, or 159-km endurance rides before competition and at the same cumulative distance points. ANIMALS: 83 horses. PROCEDURE: Weight and rectal temperature measurements and blood samples were obtained from horses before, during, and after 1 of 3 rides conducted on the same day. Plasma protein (PP), lactate, WBC, serum electrolyte, and calcium concentrations; PCV; and creatine kinase (CK) activity were determined. Assessments were made to determine whether any differences among groups, with respect to total distance competed, could be explained by differences in lap speed or conditioning and to investigate the effect of time in transit or on-site prior to competition on results of blood analyses or competition outcome. RESULTS: Horses in the 159-km distance group had the lowest preride serum sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, and calcium concentrations. As hours in transit increased, preride PP concentration was significantly greater; serum sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate concentrations were lower; CK activity at 159 km was greater; and horses were more likely to be eliminated. The preride sodium was significantly greater in horses that completed the ride, compared with those eliminated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Among distance groups, distance ridden, speed, level of fitness, and years of experience of horses had little effect on the variables examined. Electrolyte and water supplementation and earlier arrival at the event may be beneficial for horses that are transported long distances to endurance competition.     

Recognition of a B‐cell Epitope of the VapA Protein of Rhodococcus equi in Newborn and Experimentally Infected Foals

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the previously identified B‐cell epitope TSLNLQKDEPNGRASDTAGQ of the VapA protein of Rhodococcus equi and its association with R. equi pneumonia. A modified peptide designated PN11‐14 corresponding to the epitope was recognized by all sera from experimentally infected foals with virulent R. equi ATCC103⁺ containing the virulence plasmid but not by its plasmid‐cured derivative ATCC103^? strain. Marked levels of VapA‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G were detected in all sera from the ATCC103⁺ infected foals at 2 weeks after the infection. One control animal had high titres as determined by the peptide enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indicating the ELISA may not absolutely differentiate between foals with R. equi pneumonia and healthy exposed foals in farms where the prevalence of disease is high. However, numbers of animals used were small. Further evaluation of the peptide ELISA with field samples is necessary to determine whether the assay is diagnostically useful. This study showed that levels of passive transfer of maternal IgG antibodies to the epitope in newborn foals could be measured. Interestingly, the maternally derived antibodies were found to significantly (P < 0.05 by Student's t‐test) decline 2 weeks after birth. Seroconversion against naturally occurring VapA expressing R. equi could be detected in some foals at 4 weeks of age. Antibodies to the epitope peaked and were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in foals aged between 6 and 8 weeks. These results indicated that the peptide ELISA could be used to monitor anti‐VapA antibodies in foals, particularly those at the age of 4–6 weeks. It is possible that the ELISA may be of some use as a diagnostic test on farms where R. equi is non‐endemic. Further studies using large number of field samples are needed to verify this assumption.     

Relative virulence of isolates of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa with varying sensitivity to propiconazole

Isolates of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa were collected from across southern Ontario from areas where demethylation inhibiting fungicides reportedly had never been used. Forty of these isolates with propiconazole EC₅₀ values ranging from 0.003 to 0.069 µg ml^-1 were inoculated onto creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris) in summer 1995 and summer 1996 to assess virulence. Each isolate was grown on mixed cereal grains, dried, ground up and applied separately at a rate of 10 g m^-2 to 0.25 m² plots with three replicates per isolate. For both years, no spots were visible on the plots at time of inoculation; however, by the end of each experiment, there were up to 180 spots per plot with significant differences between isolates. Growth rate in culture was not significantly related to fungicide sensitivity (log-EC₅₀ values). Statistically significant negative relationships were found in both years between AUDPC and log-EC₅₀ values. These significant relationships imply that in the absence of propiconazole use, isolates that are more sensitive to propiconazole may out-compete isolates that are less sensitive. However, further study is required to determine the time frame for this to occur, and whether DMI-resistance prevention strategies can feasibly be based on the existence of resistance-related fitness costs.     

The use of cytochemistry,immunophenotyping, flow cytometry,and in vitro differentiation to determine the ontogeny of a canine monoblastic leukemia

We evaluated the utility of cytochemistry, immunophenotyping, flow cytometry, and in vitro culture with forced differentiation of leukemic cells as diagnostic aids to identify the malignant cell ontogeny in a dog with leukemia. A tentative diagnosis of monoblastic leukemia was established by microscopic examination of Romanowsky-stained blood smears and bone marrow aspirate smears. This diagnosis also was supported by the light scatter signature that identified the blast cells as large, non-granular monocytic cells using a CellDyn 3500 automated hematology analyzer; as well as by the detection of N-butyrate esterase and the lack of choloroacetate esterase or leukocyte peroxidase by cytochemical staining. Subsequently, leukemic cells were isolated from the dog's peripheral blood and placed into tissue culture or cryopreserved. The leukemic cells grew in suspension cultures and proliferated spontaneously for up to 4 days. By day 7, proliferation was negligible. Upon culture with conditioned supernatant using mitogen-stimulated human T cells as a source of cytokines, an increased proportion of cells entered S phase by day 2 of culture; however, proliferation declined markedly by day 4, at which time the cells had apparently differentiated to adherent, vacuolated macrophages. The cytokine-stimulated leukemic cells were positive for the monocyte/macrophage specific markers alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, lysozyme, CD14, MHC class II, and calprotectin, an antigen found in differentiated macrophages and granulocytes. Despite the strong tendency of the leukemic cells towards monocytic differentiation, our results suggested that they retained some features of a myelomonocytic precursor. These data show that cytochemistry, immunophenotyping, flow cytometry, and in vitro differentiation of canine leukemia cells are useful tools for confirming the lineage of malignant hematopoietic cells.     

Hemostatic and Fibrinolytic Indices in Neonatal Foals with Presumed Septicemia

Thirteen coagulation tests evaluating hemostatic and fibrinolytic indices and serum cytokine and plasma endotoxin concentrations were obtained in 34 foals with a positive sepsis score (septic group) and 46 age-matched healthy foals. Compared to healthy foals, the prothrombin, activated partial thromboplastin, and whole blood recalcification times were significantly longer in septic foals. The fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products concentrations, percent plasminogen, alpha-2 antiplasmin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor activities, and tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 activities were greater in septic foals. Protein C antigen and antithrombin III activity were significantly lower in septic foals. Blood cultures were positive for growth and endotoxin was detected in 19 of 29 and 15 of 30 septic foals, respectively. In septicemic foals with detectable endotoxin in the plasma, the prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times were significantly longer and the plasminogen and antithrombin III activities were significantly less than in septic foals in which endotoxin was not detected. Twenty-three of the 34 septic foals did not survive. Septic foals that did not survive were most likely to have a positive blood culture in which a gram-negative organism was isolated. Histopathologic evidence of hemorrhage was evident in 11 foals at postmortem examination and thrombosis was identified in 2 foals. The prothrombin time was significantly longer in foals that had multisite hemorrhage at postmortem examination. The results of this study indicate that clinically relevant alternations in hemostatic and fibrinolytic indices occur in neonatal foals with septicemia and that derangements can be correlated with the presence of endotoxin in plasma. Derangements in hemostatic or fibrinolytic indices were helpful in identification of septic foals with increased risk of coagulopathy, but were not helpful in predicting hemorrhage as compared to thrombus formation. Survival of septicemic foals was correlated with gram-negative bacteremia, but not with the presence of endotoxin or coagulopathy.     

Effects of Postharvest Processing on Texture Profile Analysis of Cooked Rice

The effects of drying conditions, final moisture content, and degree of milling on the texture of cooked rice varieties, as measured by texture profile analysis, were investigated. Instrumentally measured textural properties were not significantly (α = 0.05) affected by drying conditions, with the exception of cohesiveness. Cohesiveness was lower in rice dried at lower temperatures (18°C or ambient) than in that dried at the higher commercial temperatures. Final moisture content and degree of milling significantly (α = 0.05) affected textural property values for adhesiveness, cohesiveness, hardness, and springiness; their effects were interdependent. The effects of deep milling were more pronounced in the rice dried to 15% moisture than that dried to 12%. In general, textural property values for hardness were higher and those for cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and springiness were lower in regular-milled rice dried to 15% moisture than in that dried to 12%. In contrast, hardness values were lower and cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and springiness values were higher in deep-milled rice dried to 15% moisture than in that dried to 12% moisture. Deep milling resulted in rice with lower hardness values and higher cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and springiness values.     

Studies on the Dna Content,Dry Mass and Optical Area of Bull Spermatozoal Heads During Epididymal Maturation

Microspectrophotometric, microinterferometric and microplanimetric techniques were used to investigate whether the maturation of bull spermatozoa is associated with any detectable changes in the major chemical components of the spermatozoal head. Round spermatids, caput, corpus, cauda epididymidal and ejaculated spermatozoa were obtained from six bulls with lowered fertility and three bulls with normal fertility. There was no quantitative change in DNA, in total dry mass or in optical area associated with the passage of spermatozoa between these areas of the epididymis. A marked reduction in relative Feulgen reactivity during spermiogenesis was found and was significantly more pronounced in spermatozoa from bulls with normal fertility than in spermatozoa from bulls of lowered fertility. It was suggested that this reduction signifies qualitative alterations of the spermatozoal deoxyribonucleoprotein complex and may be related to the fertility status of the bull.     

Re‐evaluating the population size of South American fur seals and conservation implications

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薰衣草精油替代饲用抗生素对肉仔鸡生产性能和胴体品质的影响

[目的]研究日粮中添加薰衣草精油替代饲用抗生素对肉仔鸡生产性能及胴体品质的影响.[方法]将300只1日龄AA肉仔鸡随机分成4个处理组(每组设3个重复,每个重复25只),对照组饲喂基础日粮加抗生素,试验Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组日粮为基础日粮,分别添加薰衣草精油0.4、0.8、1.2(0～2周)和0.2、0.4和0.6 mL/kg(3 ～6周).[结果]日粮中添加薰衣草精油与添加抗生素比较,对肉仔鸡的平均日增重、料重比、死淘率和胴体品质等生产性能指标的影响不显著(P＞0.05);除了试验组Ⅲ的腿肌率与抗生素组相比有显著降低外(P＜0.05),其它胴体品质指标与抗生素组相比无显著性差异(P＞0.05).试验组的平均死淘率(0.86;)低于抗生素组的死淘率(3.1;);试验组Ⅰ比抗生素组日增重提高了1.87; (P ＞0.05),料重比降低了0.53; (P ＞0.05).[结论]从肉仔鸡41 d末重、料重比、死淘率等指标综合评定来看,用薰衣草精油替代肉仔鸡饲用抗生素是可行的,0～2周和3～6周日粮中分别添加薰衣草精油0.4和0.2 mL/kg的效果较好.