Serum lipase determination in the dog: a comparison of a titrimetric method with an automated kinetic method

An enzymatic, kinetic method for determining serum lipase activity was evaluated and compared to a standard manual method for use in dogs. The kinetic method was a commercial kit adapted for use on a tandem access clinical chemistry analyzer and utilized a series of coupled enzymatic reactions based on the hydrolysis of 1,2-diglyceride by lipase. The manual method was the Cherry-Crandall technique based on the titration of base against the acid formed by hydrolysis of an olive oil substrate by lipase. The correlation between the two methods was very good (r = 0.94). The reference range for 56 clinically healthy dogs assayed by the kinetic method was 90 to 527 U/L. Diseases associated with a greater than twofold elevation in serum lipase activity as determined by the kinetic method included pancreatitis, gastritis with liver disease, and oliguric renal failure with metabolic acidosis. In some cases, pancreatitis was seen with other clinical problems, such as gastroenteritis, diabetic ketoacidosis, duodenal mass, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and septic peritonitis. Diseases associated with serum lipase activity within the reference range or elevated less than twofold included gastritis, gastric ulcer, cholestasis, phenobarbital-induced hepatopathy, colitis, copper hepatopathy, abdominal hematoma, apocrine gland adenocarcinoma, and thrombocytopenia with pneumonia.     

Pasteurella haemolytica infections in sheep

Summary

Pasteurella haemolytica causes two distinct disease syndromes in sheep. P. haemolytica biotype A causes septicaemia in young lambs and pneumonia in all ages of sheep. Biotype T produces an acute systemic disease affecting principally the upper alimentary tract and lungs in young adult sheep. The bacteriology, epidemiology and clinical and necropsy findings of the two diseases are described and the current situation regarding their experimental reproduction and immunology is reviewed.     

Emerging and exotic zoonotic disease preparedness and response in the United States - coordination of the animal health component

For the response to a zoonotic disease outbreak to be effective, animal health authorities and disease specialists must be involved. Animal health measures are commonly directed at known diseases that threaten the health of animals and impact owners. The measures have long been applied to zoonotic diseases, including tuberculosis and brucellosis, and can be applied to emerging diseases. One Health (veterinary, public, wildlife and environmental health) and all-hazards preparedness work have done much to aid interdisciplinary understanding and planning for zoonotic diseases, although further improvements are needed. Actions along the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery continuum should be considered. Prevention of outbreaks consists largely of import controls on animals and animal products and biosecurity. Preparedness includes situational awareness, research, tool acquisition, modelling, training and exercises, animal movement traceability and policy development. Response would include detection systems and specialized personnel, institutions, authorities, strategies, methods and tools, including movement control, depopulation and vaccination if available and appropriate. The specialized elements would be applied within a general (nationally standardized) system of response. Recovery steps begin with continuity of business measures during the response and are intended to restore pre-event conditions. The surveillance for novel influenza A viruses in swine and humans and the preparedness for and response to the recent influenza pandemic illustrate the cooperation possible between the animal and public health communities.     

Using Unmanned Helicopters to Assess Vegetation Cover in Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystems

Evaluating vegetation cover is an important factor in understanding the sustainability of many ecosystems. Remote sensing methods with sufficient accuracy could dramatically alter how biotic resources are monitored on both public and private lands. Idaho National Laboratory (INL), in conjunction with the University of Idaho, evaluated whether unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are sufficiently accurate and more efficient than the point-frame field method for monitoring vegetative cover and bare ground in sagebrush steppe ecosystems. These values are of interest to land managers because typically there are limited natural resource scientists and funding for comprehensive ground evaluations. In this project, unmanned helicopters were used to collect still-frame imagery to determine vegetation cover during June and July 2005. The images were used to estimate percent cover for six vegetative cover classes (shrub, dead shrub, grass, forbs, litter, and bare ground). Field plots used to collect imagery and on-the-ground measurements were located on the INL site west of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Ocular assessments of digital imagery were performed using SamplePoint, and the results were compared with field measurements collected using a point-frame method. The helicopter imagery evaluation showed a high degree of agreement with field cover class values for grass, litter, and bare ground and reasonable agreement for dead shrubs. Shrub cover was often overestimated, and forbs were generally underestimated. The helicopter method took 45% less time than the field method. This study demonstrates that UAV technology provides a viable method for monitoring selective types of cover on rangelands and could save time and resources.     

4株家蚕丝胶蛋白降解细菌的分类鉴定与培养温度研究

从缫丝厂废水池分离获得4株对家蚕丝胶蛋白具有较强降解活性的细菌。通过菌落的形态特征和生理生化特征分析及16S rDNA序列测定与同源性分析,对4株细菌进行分类鉴定的结果是:S45、Y3菌株为蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus),S68、X10菌株为短小芽孢杆菌(Bacillus pumilus)。温度对丝胶蛋白降解细菌的降解活性有影响,在培养温度为30℃时,S45、Y3、S68、X10菌株对家蚕丝胶蛋白的降解活性最高,其降解率分别为26.52%、20.27%、21.55%和28.86%。由于芽孢杆菌具有很强的耐热等抗逆能力,所以4株丝胶蛋白降解细菌有望应用于缫丝厂排放废水的处理。     

Autochthonous Chagas disease in the southern United States: A case report of suspected residential and military exposures

Chagas disease is a parasitic infection that can result in a progressive dilated cardiomyopathy. Here, we present the epidemiologic details of a suspected locally acquired transmission case originating from the southern United States. This is the first published report of Chagas disease in a young, healthy United States veteran with repeat triatomine exposures in Arizona. Military personnel and Arizona residents should be aware of their Chagas disease transmission risks.     

Effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the body temperature of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions

Feed intake and diet composition appear to affect the body temperature of pigs. Two trials were conducted to analyse the effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the intestinal temperature (IT) of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions. Ten pigs (64.1 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight) fitted with an ileal cannula were used. A thermometer set to register the IT at 5‐min intervals was implanted into the ileum through the cannula. In both trials, the ambient temperature ranged from 19.1 to 21.6°C and the pigs were fed at 07:00 and 19:00 hr (same amount each time). In trial 1, the pigs were fed daily 1.2 or 1.8 kg of a wheat–soybean meal diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along a 24‐hr period regardless the feed intake level. The IT rapidly increased up to 0.61 and 0.74°C after the morning meal and up to 0.53 and 0.47°C after the evening meal in pigs fed 1.2 and 1.8 kg/d respectively. The postprandial IT was higher in pigs fed 1.8 kg after each meal (p < .05). In trial 2, pigs were fed daily 1.8 kg of a low (11%) or a high (22%) crude protein diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along the 24‐hr period regardless the dietary protein level. The postprandial IT did not differ between pigs fed the low protein or the high protein (p > .10). The IT rapidly increased up to 0.66 and 0.62°C after the morning meal in pigs fed the high‐ and low‐protein diet (p < .05), but there was no change after the evening meal (p > .10). In conclusion, the feed intake level affected the IT of pigs housed under TN conditions, but the dietary protein content had no effect.     

Relative bioavailability of organic bis-glycinate bound copper relative to inorganic copper sulfate in beef steers fed a high antagonist growing diet

To assess the relative bioavailability of bis-glycinate bound Cu, 90 Angus-cross steers (265 ± 21 kg) were blocked by body weight (BW) to pens with GrowSafe bunks and randomly assigned to dietary treatments (14 to 18 steers/treatment): 0 mg supplemental Cu/kg dry matter (DM; CON), 5 or 10 mg supplemental Cu/kg DM as Cu sulfate (CS5; CS10) or bis-glycinate bound Cu (GLY5; GLY10). Steers received a high antagonist growing diet (analyzed 4.9 mg Cu/kg DM, 0.48% S, and 5.3 mg Mo/kg DM). Steers were weighed at the beginning (days 1 and 0) and end (days 125 and 126) of the trial to determine average daily gain (ADG) and gain:feed (G:F). Blood was collected from all steers on days 0, 28, 56, 84, and 126. Liver samples were collected on days −3 or −2 and day 123 or 124. Data were analyzed using ProcMixed of SAS (experimental unit = steer; fixed effect = treatment and block). Plasma Cu was analyzed as repeated measures (repeated effect = day). Plasma and liver Cu concentrations were regressed against total Cu intake using ProcGLM to calculate relative bioavailability of GLY. Final BW and overall ADG were greatest for CS5 and CS10 and least for CON and GLY5 (P = 0.01). Overall, DMI was not affected by treatment (P = 0.14), but overall G:F tended to be greatest for CS5, CS10, and GLY5 and least for CON (P = 0.08). Total and supplemental Cu intake was greatest for steers supplemented either source at 10 mg Cu/kg DM and least for CON (P < 0.01). However, total and supplemental Cu intake was greater for CS5 than GLY5 (P < 0.01). Final liver Cu concentrations were greatest for CS10, least for CON, CS5, and CS10, and intermediate for GLY10 (P < 0.01). Final plasma Cu was greatest for steers supplemented either source at 10 mg Cu/kg DM (P < 0.01). Relative bioavailability of GLY was 82% compared to CS based on liver Cu (P < 0.01) but did not differ based on plasma Cu (P = 0.60). The lesser bioavailability of GLY relative to CS could be due to a high concentration of dietary antagonists and lower solubility of GLY (68.9% relative to CS) in pH conditions (5.2) similar to the ruminal pH of a beef animal consuming a high concentrate diet. Future studies should examine the effects of bis-glycinate bound Cu fed in blended combination with inorganic Cu sulfate to determine the most effective blend of sources for feedlot cattle experiencing varying amounts of dietary Cu antagonists.     

Integration and modelling of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data to optimize dosage regimens in veterinary medicine

In veterinary drug development procedures, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data have generally been established in separate, parallel studies to assist in the design of dosage schedules for subsequent evaluation in clinical trials. This review introduces the concept of PK/PD modelling, an approach in which PK and PD data are generated in the same study, and used to derive numerical values for PD parameters based on drug plasma concentrations. The PD parameters define the efficacy, potency and slope (sensitivity) of the concentration-effect relationship. It is proposed that the parameters derived from PK/PD modelling may be used as an alternative and preferred approach to dose titration studies for selecting rational dosage regimens (both dose and dosing interval) for further evaluation in clinical trials. In PK/PD modelling, the explicative variable for effect is the plasma concentration profile. The PK/PD approach provides several advantages over dose-titration studies, including determination of a projected dosage regimen by investigation of a single dose, in contrast to dose-ranging studies which by definition require testing of multiple dosage. Implementation of PK/PD modelling in the veterinary drug development process is currently constrained by the limited number of veterinary studies performed to date, and the consequently limited understanding of PK/PD concepts and their absence from regulatory authority guidelines. Nevertheless, PK/PD modelling has major potential for rational dosage regimen determination, as it considers and quantifies the two main sources of interspecies variability (PK and PD). It is therefore applicable to interspecies extrapolation and to multiple species drug development. As well as the currently limited appreciation of PK/PD principles in the veterinary scientific community, a further constraint in implementing PK/PD modelling is the need to validate PK/PD approaches and thereby gain confidence in its value by pharmaceutical companies and regulatory authorities.