Autologous Platelet Concentrates as an Adjunctive Treatment for Chronic Laminitis in a Mare with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction

The aim of this article was to describe a case of a 7-year-old mare with chronic laminitis secondary to pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction that was successfully treated with autologous platelet concentrates (APC) obtained by the tube method, 4 months before being treated with oral pergolide. After the diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, the patient was treated with three intralesional injections of APC at 10-day intervals. APC presented a mean concentration of 430 ± 22 × 10⁶ platelets and 8.6 ± 1.3 leukocytes/mL. The treatment with APC produced growth of the hooves at a rate of 5 mm/wk and substantially reduced the foot pain (lameness) after two APC applications. The mare could be ridden 2 weeks after the third APC treatment. The treatment with oral pergolide 4 months later improved the clinical picture of the patient, albeit hirsutism remained. APC could be useful as adjunctive treatment of chronic laminitis in horses. However, additional clinical studies are necessary to determine the safety and effectiveness of APC in chronic laminitis.     

Comparing Genotypes of Different Body Sizes for Growth-related Traits in Chickens. II. Feed Consumption Performance under Choice Feeding Using Commercial Starter Ration and Whole-grain Wheat

Three genotypes of chickens including one commercial broiler (CB) and two others from the Norwegian gene bank [Barred Plymouth Rock (BPR) and Jærhøn (JH)] were raised from 1 day to 20 weeks of age with a free choice of a commercial starter ration and whole-grain wheat. Body weights and pen-feed intakes were recorded every 2 weeks. The weight–age data were fitted to a Gompertz growth equation where, among other parameters, adult body weights were estimated and used for size scaling. The heavier CB chickens consumed more food (starter and wheat) than the other two genotypes. The maximum proportions of whole-grain wheat in the diet were 0.56, 0.68 and 0.75 for BPR, CB and JH birds, respectively. Although the proportions of whole-grain wheat were similar between the genotypes as age progressed, their maintenance requirement and feed intakes relative to body weight suggested a major genetic role and a possible interplay of both genetic potential and body size.     

饲粮豆油添加水平对断奶至3月龄獭兔生长性能、营养物质消化代谢、血清生化指标及皮毛质量的影响

本试验旨在研究饲粮豆油添加水平对断奶至3月龄獭兔生长性能、营养物质消化代谢、血清生化指标及皮毛质量的影响。选用体重相近的200只断奶獭兔,随机分成5组,每组40个重复,每个重复1只。对照组獭兔饲喂基础饲粮,其余4组獭兔分别饲喂以1%、2%、3%、4%的豆油代替基础饲粮中相同比例玉米的试验饲粮。预试期7 d,正试期53 d。结果表明:在初始体重无显著差异(P>0.05)的情况下,饲粮添加豆油可极显著地降低獭兔的平均日采食量(P<0.01),但对平均日增重无显著影响(P>0.05)。饲粮豆油添加水平为3%时料重比最低,极显著低于对照组(P<0.01),与其他添加组相比差异不显著(P>0.05)。饲粮添加豆油可极显著地降低獭兔的食入总能、食入氮和粪氮(P<0.01),但对粪能、尿能、尿氮、可消化氮、沉积氮和氮利用率无显著影响(P>0.05)。能量代谢率和能量消化率,各添加组均高于对照组,但组间差异不显著(P>0.05)。随着饲粮豆油添加水平的增加,氮表观消化率先增加后降低,在添加水平为2%时达到最高,并显著高于对照组(P<0.05),与其他添加组差异不显著(P>0.05)。饲粮豆油添加水平对血清低密度脂蛋白胆固醇含量有极显著影响(P<0.01),对血清甘油三酯、总胆固醇、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇含量无显著影响(P>0.05)。与对照组相比,各添加组血清低密度脂蛋白胆固醇含量均极显著降低(P<0.01),但各添加组之间差异不显著(P>0.05)。饲粮豆油添加水平对皮张面积、皮张重量无显著影响(P>0.05),但极显著影响成纤维细胞生长因子5(FGF5)mRNA的表达量(P<0.01),且在添加水平为2%时FGF5 mRNA的表达量最高。综上所述,断奶至3月龄獭兔饲粮中豆油的适宜添加水平为2%～3%。     

Greytown,Plantations and Drought: A Note

A 25-year old Populus canescens stand was selected for sampling to estimate the one-side leaf surface area per unit ground area. A portable area meter was used to determine leaf surface areas of a sample of branches of the first order. Different unweighted and weighted regression equations were compared to estimate leaf surface area. The estimated tree leaf areas were regressed on D.B.H., with unit weight being assigned to the single observation.     

Efficient Screening of Marine Extracts for Protease Inhibitors by Combining FRET Based Activity Assays and Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy Based Binding Assays

The screening of extracts from marine organisms is a widely used strategy to discover new drug leads. A common problem in the screening process is the generation of false positive hits through unspecific effects from the complex chemical composition of the crude extracts. In this study, we explored a combination of a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based activity assay and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based binding assay to avoid this problem. An aqueous extract was prepared from rest raw material of the Norwegian spring spawning herring, and further fractionated by methanol solubility and solid phase extraction. FRET based activity assays were used to determine the influence of each extract on the activity of different proteases. Several extracts showed more than 50% inhibition. The inhibition mechanisms were elucidated by SPR based competition experiments with known inhibitors. For the secreted aspartic proteases 1, 2, 3 and HIV-1 protease, the results indicated that some extracts contain inhibitors interacting specifically with the active site of the enzymes. The study shows that a combination of an activity assay and an SPR based binding assay is a powerful tool to identify potent inhibitors in marine extracts. Furthermore, the study shows that marine vertebrates offer an interesting source for new bioactive compounds, although they have rarely been explored for this purpose.     

The efficacy of a standardised product from dried leaves of Solanum glaucophyllum as source of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol for poultry

1. Chemical characterisation of an extract of Solanum glaucophyllum (SG) leaves affirmed the predominant presence of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)₂D₃) glycosides. The compound 1-(ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol was isolated for the first time from a natural source.

2. Vitamin D activity of the extract was confirmed by the calcaemic properties shown in a quail eggshell bioassay. The results suggested a 1,25(OH)₂D₃ bioavailability of approximately 15%.

3. A broiler feeding experiment replicated in time was carried out with 6 treatments. A basic control diet containing 25 μg cholecalciferol/kg was supplemented with 2.5 and 5 μg free 1,25(OH)₂D₃/kg, with a product based on dried SG leaves (Panbonis) providing 10 μg of 1,25(OH)₂D₃-glycosides/kg, with two concentrations of an SG extract providing 8.8 and 37.8 μg of 1,25(OH)₂D₃-glycosides/kg.

4. Tibia breaking strength and stiffness were numerically greater in all treatment groups with free 1,25(OH)₂D₃ and with SG products compared to controls, though the overall treatment effects only had probabilities in the range of P = 0.07 to P = 0.1. Values for both characteristics increased progressively, with additions of synthetic 1,25(OH)₂D₃; values with the dried SG product were similar to those with 5 μg synthetic 1,25(OH)₂D₃/kg.

5. Plasma calcium was mildly elevated (P < 0.05) in treatment groups. The SG extract treatment containing 37.8 μg 1,25(OH)₂D₃/kg gave the highest plasma calcium concentration and lowest bodyweight, signs of marginal hypervitaminosis D. Plasma 1,25(OH)₂D₃ concentrations were in the normal range for all treatments.

6. Tibial dyschondroplasia occurred in only one replicate. The incidences were 31% in controls but considerably lower or zero with all other treatments.

7. Bioavailability of 1,25(OH)₂D₃ in the SG product seemed to be higher in broiler chickens than in Japanese quails.

8. It is concluded that the inclusion of the dried SG product as a source of vitamin D₃ in broiler diets at a dietary concentration of 1 g/kg, providing 10 μg 1,25(OH)₂D₃/kg, is safe and efficacious.     

Effect of vitamins,probiotics and protein level on semen traits and seminal plasma biochemical parameters of post-moult male broiler breeders

1. A study was designed to investigate the comparative effect of supplementary vitamin E, vitamin C, probiotics and dietary crude protein concentration on semen traits and seminal plasma biochemical parameters in male broiler breeders after Zn-induced moulting.

2. A total of 180 male broiler breeders were induced to moult at 65 weeks of age by mixing ZnO in diet at the rate 3000?mg/kg of feed. After moulting, the males were divided into six groups that were given feed supplemented with: vitamin C (500?IU/kg), vitamin E (100?IU/kg), protein (140?g CP/kg), probiotics (50?mg/kg) and the combination of these components, while one group was kept as a control. Semen samples were collected weekly and semen volume, spermatozoa concentration, motility and dead spermatozoa percentage were determined. Seminal plasma was separated to determine the concentration of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), homocysteine, paraoxonase (PON1), arylesterase, ceruloplasmin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities.

3. Semen volume was significantly higher in the vitamin E and C groups compared to the control. Spermatozoa motility was higher in the vitamin E group and dead spermatozoa percentage was significantly lower in the vitamin C group compared with the control group.

4. Seminal plasma TAC was higher in the vitamin E group, homocysteine was lower in the vitamin C and E groups. PON1 was higher in the combination group. Arylesterase increased significantly in the vitamin C and combination groups over time. Seminal plasma AST was significantly lower in the vitamin C and E supplemented groups whereas ALT decreased significantly only in the vitamin E group compared with the control. Higher concentrations of ceruloplasmin were observed in the combination group compared with the other treatments.

5. It was concluded that additional vitamin E and C or their combination was the most potent nutrient treatment for improving the semen traits and seminal plasma biochemical characteristics in male broiler breeders after Zn-induced moulting.     

Canine wobbler syndrome: A study of the Dobermann pinscher in New Zealand

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of wobbler disease within a Dobermann pinscher population from three geographical locations in New Zealand. The study population consisted of 138 adults (aged 1–13 years) and 32 puppies (aged 6 weeks to 11 months). Data collected for each dog included age, sex, geographic location, if a choker chain was used or not and, in adults, the following body measurements: dimensions of head length, head circumference, width between shoulders, neck length, height at withers and withers to rump length. In addition, lateral radiographs were taken of the caudal cervical vertebrae of each dog and the radiological abnormalities associated with wobbler disease scored, so that each dog could be assigned to one of three radiological groupings. Based upon a neurological examination, each animal was also placed into one of three neurological groupings. The relationship between radiological and neurological groupings and the independent variables was initially compared using a univariate and subsequently a multivariate analysis.

It was found that 48.8% of the dogs investigated had some abnormal radiological sign associated with wobbler disease, and 32.0% of them showed neurological signs. Dogs with radiological signs of the disease were 5.56 times more likely to have neurological signs. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that more severe radiological and neurological abnormalities occurred in the older dogs. In addition, dogs located in Hawke's Bay region had less chance of showing radiological changes than dogs from the other two regions, Hamilton and Wellington. Twelve of the 32 puppies were examined for radiological and neurological changes over the first year of their life. No abnormalities were detected in puppies under 12 weeks of age, but 28% (n=9) of the 32 puppies over 3 months of age did show some radiological changes. Only 9%(n=3) of puppies showed any neurological signs. Although several pedigree lines were investigated, the lineage data were incomplete, and therefore there was no conclusive evidence that wobbler disease was an inherited trait.

This study showed that, although the radiological signs of wobbler disease were present throughout a wide age range, the associated neurological changes tended to appear at a later age. In both instances, the severity of these changes increased with age.     

Effect of different blood‐guided conditioning programmes on skeletal muscle ultrastructure and histochemistry of sport horses

The effects of three different blood‐guided conditioning programmes on ultrastructural and histochemical features of the gluteus medius muscle of 2‐year‐old sport horses were examined. Six non‐trained Haflinger horses performed three consecutive conditioning programmes of varying lactate‐guided intensities [velocities eliciting blood lactate concentrations of 1.5 (v_1.5), 2.5 (v_2.5) and 4 (v₄) mm respectively] and durations (25 and 45 min). Each conditioning programme lasted 6 weeks and was followed by a 5‐week resting period. Pre‐, post‐ and deconditioning muscle biopsies were analysed. Although training and detraining adaptations were similar in nature, they varied significantly in magnitude among the three different conditioning programmes. Overall, the adaptations consisted in significant increases in size of mitochondria and myofibrils, as well as a hypertrophy of myofibrillar ATPase type IIA muscle fibres and a reduction in number of type IIx low‐oxidative fibres. Together, these changes are compatible with a significant improvement in both muscle aerobic capacity and muscle strength. The use of v_1.5 and v_2.5 as the exercise intensities for 45 min elicited more significant adaptations in muscle, whereas conditioning horses at v₄ for 25 min evoked minimal changes. Most of these muscular adaptations returned towards the pre‐conditioning status after 5 weeks of inactivity. It is concluded that exercises of low or moderate intensities (in the range between v_1.5 and v_2.5) and long duration (45 min) are more effective for improving muscle features associated with stamina and power in sport horses than exercises of higher intensity (equivalent to v₄) and shorter duration (25 min).