Radiosensitivity and capacity for radiation-induced sublethal damage repair of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) cell lines

Understanding the inherent radiosensitivity and repair capacity of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) can aid in optimizing radiation protocols to treat this disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the parameters surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF(2) ), α/β ratio and capacity for sublethal damage repair (SLDR) in response to radiation. Dose-response and split-dose studies were performed using the clonogenic assay. The mean SF(2) for three established TCC cell lines was high at 0.61. All the three cell lines exhibited a low to moderate α/β ratio, with the mean being 3.27. Two cell lines exhibited statistically increased survival at 4 and 24 h in the dose-response assay. Overall, our results indicate that the cell lines are moderately radioresistant, have a high repair capacity and behave similarly to a late-responding normal tissue. These findings indicate that the radiation protocols utilizing higher doses with less fractionation may be more effective for treating TCC.     

Spontaneous bilateral coxofemoral luxation in four dogs

Spontaneous bilateral coxofemoral luxations and their clinical managements are described in four dogs. Luxations in each case occurred while the patient was in a controlled environment with no possibility of trauma. While all cases had bilateral luxations, the luxations occurred in a staged fashion in two of the four cases. Treatment varied with each case, but included closed reduction, triple pelvic osteotomy, prosthetic capsulorrhaphy, toggle pin, ischioilial pinning, total hip replacement, and femoral head and neck ostectomy. Other than femoral head and neck ostectomy, results were uniformly poor, with reluxation being the most common complication. Evidence of pre-existing degenerative changes was minimal, particularly considering the ages of the patients (range, three to 12 yrs). Histopathological evaluation of joint capsules, round ligaments, and femoral heads are warranted in future cases.     

An encephalopathy with argyrophilic inclusions in a Holstein-Friesian cow

The brain of a 6-year-old Holstein cow, which showed progressive neurologic symptoms during several months, was examined by histopathologic methods. Many round or oval-shaped cytoplasmic inclusions were observed, mainly in neurons of the temporal lobe and the hippocampus. Those inclusions were faintly eosinophilic with hematoxylin and eosin and positive with Bielschowsky's silver stain. Immunohistochemically, the inclusions were recognized by antiubiquitin and antiphosphorylated tau antibodies. Ultrastructurally, the inclusions were globular and well demarcated from the rest of the cytoplasm, lacked limiting membranes, and were mainly composed of straight fibrils about 15 nm in width. The structure of the inclusions was similar to that of Pick bodies in Pick's disease of humans. The pathogenesis of this bovine condition is not known.     

Genetic analysis of vesicular stomatitis virus-New Jersey from the 1995 outbreak in the western United States

OBJECTIVE: To compare molecular associations between the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-New Jersey isolates of the 1995 outbreak with those from previous outbreaks between 1982 and 1985 in the western United States. SAMPLE POPULATION: 23 virus isolates considered representative of the 1995 outbreak of vesicular stomatitis. PROCEDURE: Viral gene coding for surface-envelope protein G was evaluated by use of nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Changes in up to 0.77% of the nucleotide bases and 1.35% of the amino acids were detected among the 1995 viral isolates, whereas changes in up to 3.2 and 2.9% of the nucleotides and amino acids, respectively, were found, compared with the 1982 to 1985 viruses. Insertions or deletions were not found in the entire gene, which spanned 1,554 nucleotide bases. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the 1995 VSV-New Jersey belongs to a lineage distinct from that of the 1982 to 1985 viruses that caused previous outbreaks in the western United States. Furthermore, it also is distinct from strains from Central America and from the Georgian Hazelhurst strain.     

Effects of Supplementing a Basal Diet of Chloris gayana Hay with One of Three Protein-rich Legume Hays of Cassia rotundifolia,Lablab purpureus and Macroptilium atropurpureum Forage on Some Nutritional Parameters in Goats

Growth and digestibility experiments were conducted on growing East African type goats offered Chloris gayana hay supplemented with one of three high-protein (119–128 g CP/kg DM) legume hays, Cassia rotundifolia (cassia), Lablab purpureus (lablab) or Macroptilium atropurpureum (siratro), and crushed maize to investigate the feed intake, digestibility, growth and urinary excretion of purine derivatives. Goats in the supplemented groups had higher total dry matter and nitrogen intakes and higher N retention and body mass gains than unsupplemented counterparts. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and neutral detergent fibre were increased by protein supplementation. Animals on supplemented diets had higher fractional outflow rates of particulate matter from the rumen. The production of protein by ruminal microbes and the efficiency of microbial N production were increased by supplementation. It was concluded that a mixture of low-quality grass hay (61.9 CP/kg DM) and either cassia, lablab or siratro hay, and maize grain can provide a productive balanced diet for growing goats.     

Disease-induced alterations in plasma drug-binding proteins and their influence on drug binding percentages in dogs

Disease-induced variations of plasma albumin (ALB) and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) levels were investigated in dogs. Lower ALB (sometimes > 50% reduction) and higher AAG (sometimes > 10-fold increase) levels were observed in dogs with various diseases. Drug binding was determined at therapeutic concentrations using normal, low-ALB and high-AAG dog plasma. The binding percentages of the ALB-binding drugs decreased in low-ALB plasma, resulting in a large increase in unbound drug, particularly for naproxen (a 13-fold increase). The binding percentages of all AAG-binding drugs investigated in this study increased in high-AAG plasma, resulting in a large decrease in unbound drug, particularly for quinidine (99% decrease). The fluctuation in the unbound fraction of drugs could affect their efficacy or could cause side-effects. Veterinary clinicians should monitor the ALB and AAG levels in the plasma of patients and correct dosage regimens according to these levels, where field conditions permit this, in order to ensure the proper usage of drugs with high affinity for ALB or AAG.     

Approaches to modeling intramammary infections in dairy cattle

In this paper, three approaches (Markov processes, discrete-event simulation, and differential equations) to modeling intramammary infections (IMI; focusing on the dynamic changes between uninfected, subclinical, and clinical udder-health states) are described. The objectives were to describe the various approaches to modeling intramammary infections, determine if simulations of the examples of the three approaches yield stable prevalences, and discuss the approaches' limitations. The literature review showed that there is no agreement on the proportion of animals that change health states. The approach of discrete-event simulation modeling included the most cow-level risk factors and udder-health states (hence, was judged to replicated best the dynamics of the infection process) and yielded stable prevalences for all udder-health states. However, there remain parts of the dynamics that need further research. These include the pathogen-specific probabilities and times of occurrence for: regression of clinical IMI to subclinical IMI, flare-up of subclinical IMI to clinical IMI, and incidence of subclinical IMI. Also, the assumption in all current approaches of homogenous mixing is violated because the primary contact structure for contagious pathogens during milking is either between cows through residual infectious milk in the milking machine or within a cow by vacuum fluctuations or teat-cup liner slips. Better contact structures should be incorporated so that the effects of control strategies can be better-estimated. Moreover, the three modeling approaches discussed assumed that all non-infected quarters are susceptible to infection—which might be denied by work in genetic resistance.     

Characteristics and risk factors for failure of horses with acute diarrhea to survive: 122 cases (1990-1996)

OBJECTIVE: To characterize horses with acute diarrhea and determine risk factors for failure to survive. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 122 adult horses admitted for acute diarrhea at the teaching hospital between Jan 1, 1990 and Dec 31, 1996. PROCEDURE: Medical records of horses with acute diarrhea were reviewed to abstract information regarding signalment, history, physical examination, clinicopathologic testing, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: 91 of 122 (74.6%) horses lived and were discharged from the hospital. Horses with history of administration of antimicrobials for a problem preceding diarrhea were approximately 4.5 times less likely to survive. The following variables that had been determined at the time of admission were significantly associated with failure to survive: administration of antimicrobial drugs for another illness, serum creatinine concentration > 2.0 mg/dl, PCV > 45%, tachycardia (heart rate > 60 beats/min), and low serum total protein concentration. Prevalence of laminitis was 11.5%. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Diarrheic horses that are azotemic and have clinicopathologic findings consistent with hemoconcentration and hypoproteinemia have a poor prognosis for survival. Antimicrobial administration may induce diarrhea, and antimicrobial-associated diarrhea may have a worse prognosis than other types of acute diarrhea.