Surgical management of an abdominal abscess in a Malayan tapir

A captive Malayan tapir was observed to have inappetence, weight loss, signs of depression, mild dehydration and diar rhoea. Haematological and serum biochemical tests showed anaemia, hypoproteinaemia, hyperfibrinogenaemia and neu-trophilia with a left shift. Ultrasonic examination of the abdomen under anaesthesia revealed a well-encapsulated abscess. The abscess was marsupialised to the ventral body wall. Culture of the pus produced a mixed bacterial growth. Antimicrobial therapy was based on bacterial sensitivity results. Follow-up ultrasonic examinations showed resolution of the abscess. Ninety-one days after surgery the tapir began regurgitating food and water. An abscess originating from the stomach and occluding the lumen of the duodenum was identified at surgery. The abscess ruptured during surgical manipulations and the tapir was euthanased.     

Association analysis of novel polymorphisms in 2′, 5′‐oligoadenylate synthetase gene with reproductive traits in indigenous and cross‐bred cattle of Indian Origin

2′, 5′‐Oligoadenylate synthetases (OAS) are important components of an interferon‐mediated antiviral pathway. No polymorphisms in exonic regions of bovine OAS1 gene have been identified and associated with reproduction traits. The objective of the study was to detect and evaluate the effects of mutations in exonic region of bovine OAS1 gene with reproduction traits in cattle. DNA samples collected from 250 individual cows of two Indian dairy breeds (Sahiwal and Frieswal) of cattle were used in the study. The genetic variants of the OAS1 gene were identified with polymerase chain reaction–single‐strand conformation polymorphism (PCR‐SSCP) and sequence analysis using seven set of primer pairs. The PCR‐SSCP analysis revealed polymorphism in the fragments comprising of exon 2, exon 5 and first fragment of exon 6 while the fragments of exons 1, 3, 4 and second fragment of exon 6 were monomorphic in Sahiwal and Frieswal cattle. The mutations in the amplified region comprising of exon 2 were found to have significant association with age at first breeding and calving, service period, dry period and pregnancy rate. Significant associations were found between SNPs in the exon 5 and service and dry periods of the animal, whereas the genetic variants in the first fragment of the exon 6 showed significant association with age at first breeding and calving. To our knowledge, this study demonstrated for the first time that the polymorphisms in OAS1 gene were associated with reproductive traits and it can be chosen as a candidate gene for improvement of reproductive performance of cattle.     

Sperm Morphology Assessment in Captive Neotropical Primates

The main objective of this study was to evaluate sperm morphology in four neotropical primate species to compare the sperm morphological traits and the sperm morphometric parameters as a basis for establishing normative sperm standards for each species. Data from 80 ejaculates collected from four primate species, Callithrix jacchus, Callimico goeldii, Alouatta caraya and Ateles geoffroyi, were analysed for detection of sperm morphological alterations using subjective World Health Organization (WHO‐2010) standards and Sperm Deformity Index (SDI) criteria, objective computer‐assisted sperm morphometry analysis (CASMA) and subpopulation sperm determination (SSD) methods. There were multiple differences (p < 0.01) observed among primate species in values obtained from WHO‐2010, SDI, CASMA and SSD sperm analysis methods. In addition, multiple significant positive and negative correlations were observed between the sperm morphological traits (SDI, Sperm Deformity Index Head Defects, Sperm Deformity Index Midpiece Defects, Sperm Deformity Index Tail Defects, Normal Sperm, Head Defects, Midpiece Defects and Tail Defects) and the sperm morphometric parameters (SSD, Area (A), Perimeter (P), Length (L), Width (W), Ellipticity, Elongation and Rugosity) (p ≤ 0.046). In conclusion, our findings using different evaluation methods indicate that pronounced sperm morphological variation exists among these four neotropical primate species. Because of the strong relationship observed among morphological and morphometric parameters, these results suggest that application of objective analysis methods could substantially improve the reliability of comparative studies and help to establish valid normative sperm values for neotropical primates.     

Significant warming of the Antarctic winter troposphere

We report an undocumented major warming of the Antarctic winter troposphere that is larger than any previously identified regional tropospheric warming on Earth. This result has come to light through an analysis of recently digitized and rigorously quality controlled Antarctic radiosonde observations. The data show that regional midtropospheric temperatures have increased at a statistically significant rate of 0.5 degrees to 0.7 degrees Celsius per decade over the past 30 years. Analysis of the time series of radiosonde temperatures indicates that the data are temporally homogeneous. The available data do not allow us to unambiguously assign a cause to the tropospheric warming at this stage.     

Enceladus' water vapor plume

The Cassini spacecraft flew close to Saturn's small moon Enceladus three times in 2005. Cassini's UltraViolet Imaging Spectrograph observed stellar occultations on two flybys and confirmed the existence, composition, and regionally confined nature of a water vapor plume in the south polar region of Enceladus. This plume provides an adequate amount of water to resupply losses from Saturn's E ring and to be the dominant source of the neutral OH and atomic oxygen that fill the Saturnian system.     

Local and systemic cytokine responses during larval penetration in cattle experimentally infested with Hypoderma lineatum (Diptera: Oestridae)

Local and systemic cytokine responses were studied in 3 groups of cattle, with 4 animals each, experimentally infested with Hypoderma lineatum (De Villers) first instars (L1). The first group was undergoing a primary infestation (G-1), the second group was undergoing a secondary infestation (G-2) and the third group was infested for their third consecutive year (G-3). Cattle were infested with 25 L1 deposited on the skin. Blood and skin samples were taken at 0, 6, 12, 48, 96 and 144 h post-infestation (h.p.i.). Interleukin 10 (IL-10), IL-4 and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production was studied by immunohistochemistry and sandwich ELISAs. IL-4⁺ cells showed a significant increase at 6 h.p.i. in both reinfested groups (G-2 and G-3) when compared with G-1. In all groups the number of IL-4⁺ cells decreased significantly at 48 h.p.i. IL-10⁺ cells increased in G-1 at 6 and 48 h.p.i., whereas in both reinfested groups increased at 12 h.p.i. with a peak at 48 h.p.i. IFN-γ⁺ cells showed a significant increment at 6 h.p.i. in all groups, followed by a rapid descent at 12 (G-1 and G-2) and 48 h.p.i. (G-3). Penetration of the skin by H. lineatum did not have any significant effect on IFN-γ serum concentrations and, except for IL-10 there were no correlation between local production and serum concentrations of cytokines. The increase of both Th1 (IFN-γ) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) indicates that bovine T-cell response during the first phases of the infestation by H. lineatum is apparently a Th0 response.     

Evaluation of chemical restraint,isoflurane anesthesia and methadone or tramadol as preventive analgesia in spotted pacas (Cuniculus paca) subjected to laparoscopy

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and cardiopulmonary effects of ketamine–midazolam for chemical restraint, isoflurane anesthesia and tramadol or methadone as preventive analgesia in spotted pacas subjected to laparoscopy.Study designProspective placebo-controlled blinded trial.AnimalsA total of eight captive female Cuniculus paca weighing 9.3 ± 0.9 kg.MethodsAnimals were anesthetized on three occasions with 15 day intervals. Manually restrained animals were administered midazolam (0.5 mg kg^–1) and ketamine (25 mg kg^–1) intramuscularly. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane 30 minutes later. Tramadol (5 mg kg^–1), methadone (0.5 mg kg^–1) or saline (0.05 mL kg^–1) were administered intramuscularly 15 minutes prior to laparoscopy. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂), end-tidal CO₂ partial pressure (Pe′CO₂), end-tidal concentration of isoflurane (Fe′Iso), pH, PaO₂, PaCO₂, bicarbonate (HCO₃^?), anion gap (AG) and base excess (BE) were monitored after chemical restraint, anesthesia induction and at different laparoscopy stages. Postoperative pain was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) for 24 hours. Variables were compared using anova or Friedman test (p < 0.05).ResultsChemical restraint was effective in 92% of animals. Isoflurane anesthesia was effective; however, HR, MAP, pH and AG decreased, whereas Pe′CO₂, PaO₂, PaCO₂, HCO₃^? and BE increased. MAP was stable with tramadol and methadone treatments; HR, Fe′Iso and postoperative VAS decreased. VAS was lower for a longer time with methadone treatment; SpO₂ and AG decreased, whereas Pe′CO₂, PaCO₂ and HCO₃^? increased.Conclusions and clinical relevanceKetamine–midazolam provided satisfactory restraint. Isoflurane anesthesia for laparoscopy was effective but resulted in hypotension and respiratory acidosis. Tramadol and methadone reduced isoflurane requirements, provided postoperative analgesia and caused hypercapnia, with methadone causing severe respiratory depression. Thus, the anesthetic protocol is adequate for laparoscopy in Cuniculus paca; however, methadone should be avoided.