Postanesthetic Equine Myopathy Suggestive of Malignant Hyperthermia: A Case Report

Signs of malignant hyperthermia, including progressive increases in PaCO₂, skin temperature and heart rate, and elevated serum levels of potassium, inorganic phosphate, and creatine kinase, were identified in a halothane-anesthetized horse. Treatment was discontinuing halothane administration, applying ice and cold fluids, and hyperventilating with 100% oxygen. After an initial recovery, bilateral hindlimb myopathy and pigmenturia developed. The myopathy resolved after treatment with oral dantrolene, IV fluids, and hydrocortisone. Results of caffeine-halothane challenge, using semimembranosus muscle collected 2 weeks after the episode, were considered within normal limits for horses. The intraoperative abnormalities were evidently predictive of postanesthetic myopathy but the cause in this horse remained unclear.     

Comparison of persistence of seven bovine viruses on bovine embryos following in vitro exposure

The ability of seven cytopathic strains of bovine viruses to adhere to the zona pellucida of six-to-eight day-old bovine embryos were compared. Embryos were exposed to virus by placing them either in virus suspensions or by culturing them on infected bovine turbinate cultures for 18-24 h. After exposure to bovine virus diarrhea virus (BVDV), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBV), bluetongue virus (BTV), pseudorabies virus (PRV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3), or bovine enterovirus virus (BEV), the embryos were tested for virus by culture in bovine turbinate cells and by morphological examination using electron microscopy (EM). A special technique to minimize loss of embryos processed for EM was developed. More embryos had viral particles on the surface of the zona pellucida after exposure to 18-24 hour infected cell cultures than did embryos exposed to viral culture suspensions. The most dramatic finding was that BTV adhered in large numbers to the surface of the zona pellucida of exposed embryos. IBRV, PRV, and VSV comprised an intermediate group, with virions occasionally detected on the surface of exposed embryos after 5 washes. Therefore, extensive washing is required. The PI3 and BEV were easily removed from embryo-exposed virus by washing. BVD was difficult to identify morphologically, making assessment by EM unreliable. There was no evidence that any one of the seven viruses penetrated the intact zona pellucida. Using a micromanipulator, 42 embryos were also directly inoculated through the zona pellucida with +/- 50 picoliters of virus inoculum or medium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A Comparison of the Effects of Unilateral Thyroarytenoid Lateralization Versus Cricoarytenoid Laryngoplasty on the Area of the Rima Glottidis and Clinical Outcome in Dogs with Laryngeal Paralysis

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effects of unilateral thyroarytenoid lateralization versus unilateral cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty for the treatment of canine laryngeal paralysis. Study Design-A prospective, clinical trial. ANIMALS: Twenty client-owned dogs admitted to Glasgow University Veterinary Hospital (GUVH) between 1997 and 1999 with a diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis. METHODS: A thorough evaluation of each dog was undertaken that included history, physical and neurologic examinations, complete blood count, serum biochemistry profile, serum thyroxine (T4) level, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) assay. The exercise tolerance of each dog was investigated by assessing respiratory rate and arterial blood gas analysis at rest and after 5 minutes of mild exercise. Animals were included in the study on the basis of a definitive diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis made by endoscopic observation of the larynx in the lightly anesthetized patient. The animals were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups: unilateral thyroarytenoid lateralization or unilateral cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty, with all procedures being performed by the same surgeon. Video images of the rima glottidis were recorded pre- and postoperatively using video endoscopy. Video images were digitized and the area of the rima glottidis measured using image-analysis software. An increase in the area of the rima glottidis was expressed as a percentage of the preoperative area. All animals were reassessed 6 weeks' postoperatively, and exercise tolerance tests were repeated. RESULTS: The mean increase in the area of the rima glottidis postoperatively when compared with the preoperative area was 140% for those animals undergoing unilateral thyroarytenoid lateralization (range, 120%-158%) and 207% for those animals undergoing unilateral cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty (range, 183%-228%). This difference was statistically significant (P < .0001). At the 6-week postoperative examination, there was no significant difference in improvement between the 2 groups when compared on either a clinical basis or exercise tolerance tests. The mean surgical time in the 2 groups was 25 minutes for thyroarytenoid lateralization and 43 minutes for cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty. This was a statistically significant difference (P = .002). CONCLUSION: Although increase in area of the rima glottidis was significantly greater after unilateral cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty compared with unilateral thyroarytenoid lateralization, no difference in clinical outcome could be detected. However, the cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty procedure required significantly more surgical time. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Both unilateral cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty and unilateral thyroarytenoid lateralization are successful methods for the treatment of laryngeal paralysis; however, thyroarytenoid lateralization requires less surgical time to perform.     

The influence of soil management on drainage hydrographs

Abstract. Drainage hydrographs from mole-drained plots having different tillage treatments (tractor tined, gantry tined, tractor ploughed and gantry ploughed) were measured for different rain events over a growing season. In the autumn just after tillage, a large rainfall produced peaky drain flows on the tined plots but a rather flat response from the ploughed plots. In the winter, the drain response to a small rain event showed less differences in peak flows between the treatments. The recession time constant of the hydrographs was used as an index of the structural macropore development in the soil above the water table. Hydrographs from the gantry plots recessed more quickly than those on the tractor plots and those on the tined plots recessed more quickly than those on the ploughed plots. Lack of soil compaction on the gantry plots and continuous vertical fissuring created by the non-inverting tillage tines resulted in the gantry tined treatment having the fastest drainage response. In the ploughed plots compaction and smearing of the soil at the base of the plough layer restricted the rate of downward movemenl of water. The work indicates that soil management practices can play an important role in the drainage and leaching of aggregated soils.     

Induction of tall fescue toxicosis in heat-stressed cattle and its alleviation with thiamin

Livestock grazing endophyte (Acremonium coenophialum)-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. cv. Kentucky 31) at high ambient temperatures may suffer from fescue toxicosis. Adult Angus cows (Bos taurus) were fed 0 to 1 kg/d of 70% infected tall fescue seed containing about 4.4 g of loline alkaloids in factorial combination with thiamin at 0 or 1 g/d. Cows assigned to the zero level of tall fescue seed received a supplement of equivalent energy and protein. Ingestive behavior was measured at 1330 to 1430 EDT during two 4-d periods in two consecutive weeks in August on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pastures using a tethered grazing system. Alfalfa intake per measured grazing session of cows given tall fescue seed declined linearly (P less than .01) as air temperatures during grazing increased above 25 degrees C, largely because of shorter grazing meals. Thiamin increased alfalfa intake per measured grazing session by extending grazing time. Alkaloids in ingested endophyte-infected tall fescue induce thiamin deficiencies in cattle that result in symptoms of tall fescue toxicosis.     

西藏巴松错（湖）夏季浮游植物优势种生态位及其种间联结性

为了解青藏高原高寒湖泊不同空间维度浮游植物群落优势种的生态位及种间联结性,本文选取青藏高原东南部最大的高寒冰山堰塞湖之一的巴松错为研究地点,于2020年7月对巴松错浮游植物进行了定性和定量采集,采集了水平和垂直维度浮游植物的水样275个,结合生态位宽度、生态位重叠值、生态响应速率、总体联结性、x2 检验、联结系数( AC) 、共同出现百分比( PC) 以及点相关系数(φ) 等方法,分析优势种的生态位及种间联结性。结果表明：1）共鉴定浮游植物优势种5属8种,均属于硅藻门;2）生态位宽度值差异较大,可分为三大生态位类群,且水平-垂直二维生态位宽度的变化幅度受水平维度生态位宽度影响比较明显;3）在水平维度上,生态位重叠度达到有意义的种对比例较高,具有明显的同质性;在垂直维度和水平-垂直维度上,生态位重叠度达到有意义的种对比例较低,具有明显的异质性;4）巴松错夏季浮游植物群落优势种生态响应速率在水平维度上形成正反馈,在垂直和水平-垂直维度维度上形成负反馈,表明巴松错夏季浮游植物群落存在群落多稳态,垂直和水平-垂直维度上群落较水平维度更稳定;5）巴松错夏季浮游植物群落总体处于演替的初期阶段且存在正向演替的趋势,物种间联结性不强,种间关系较为松散。本研究结果为进一步研究高寒湖泊优势种生态位和群落多稳态提供了基础资料。     

MicroPNA-21 promotes proliferation of rat Schwann cells following nerve injury

AIM: To investigate the molecular mechanism of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in the regulation of Schwann cell proliferation following nerve injury. METHODS: The expression of miR-2l was detected by real-time PCR. Synthetic miR-21 mimic and its control were transfected into rat Schwann cells. CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate the influence of miR-21 on the proliferation of Schwann cells. The cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. The expression of transforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGFBI) and cyclin D1 were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: The expression of miR-21 in model group was 7.87±0.75 and 7.75±0.80 times higher than that in sham operation group and blank group respectively. After transfected with miR-21 mimic, the expression of miR-21 in experimental group was 2.21±0.14 and 2.29±0.21 times higher than that in negative control group and blank group respectively. Moreover, the A₄₅₀ value of CCK-8 assay in experimental group at 48 h was higher than that in negative control group and blank group. The proliferation index in experimental group was higher than that in negative control group and blank group. At the same time, the expression of TGFBI obviously decreased and the cyclin D1 increased in the Schwann cells 48 h after transfection with miR-21. CONCLUSION: miR-21 promotes the proliferation activity of Schwann cells by down-regulating TGFBI expression.