Peri-anaesthetic mortality and nonfatal gastrointestinal complications in pet rabbits: a retrospective study on 210 cases

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and the associated risk factors of peri-anaesthetic mortality and gastrointestinal complications in pet rabbits.

Production of polyclonal antisera against feline immunoglobulin E and its use in an ELISA in cats with experimentally induced asthma

Serum samples from six cats with experimentally induced asthma were used to purify feline IgE using gel filtration and affinity chromatography. The resultant IgE, evaluated for purity by immunoelectrophoresis (IEP) and reactivity by Prausnitz-Kustner (PK) testing, was used to develop polyclonal rabbit anti-feline IgE antisera. Using reverse cutaneous anaphylaxis (RCA), the antisera were determined to be specific for feline IgE. The polyclonal rabbit anti-feline IgE antiserum was then validated in an allergen-specific ELISA. Serum samples from an additional five asthmatic cats sensitized with Bermuda grass allergen (BGA) were evaluated prior to sensitization, after parenteral sensitization, and after aerosol sensitization and challenge. A significant increase in serum BGA-specific IgE was noted over time.     

Effects of aluminium on the mineralization of dissolved organic carbon derived from forest floors

Aluminium (Al) is abundant in soils, but the influence of Al on the mineralization of dissolved organic carbon and thus on carbon sequestration in soil is only poorly understood. We investigated the extent and rate of mineralization of dissolved organic carbon at various Al/C ratios. Dissolved organic carbon extracted from Oi and Oa layers under coniferous and deciduous forest was incubated with initial molar Al/C ratios from < 0.004 to 0.44 for 130 days. Mineralization was quantified by measurement of CO₂. Rapidly and slowly mineralizable pools of dissolved organic C and their decomposition rate constants and half‐lives (as a measure of labile and stable C) were modelled with a double exponential equation. Increasing initial Al/C ratios up to 0.1 led to a considerable decrease in mineralization (up to 50% compared with control samples). The half‐life of the stable C pool increased up to 4‐fold, whereas the half‐life of the labile C pool was unaffected. Ratios of Al/C > 0.1 did not further decrease the mineralization, but led to increasing concentrations of free Al³⁺ in solution, and to increasing Al/C ratios in the precipitate, indicating that the Al complexation capacity of dissolved organic C was exceeded. Decrease in mineralization as well as formation of particulate organic matter (up to 56% of initial dissolved organic C) affected mainly the stable pool. Mineralization of dissolved organic C can be predicted from UV absorption by use of exponential regressions, but adding an Al variable did not improve the prediction significantly. We conclude that Al influences substantially the biodegradability of dissolved organic C percolating into the mineral soil, which may have consequences for the carbon sequestration in the soil. Declining Al concentrations would increase the mineralization of dissolved organic C only if the Al/C ratio becomes less than the ‘threshold value’ in the range of the Al complexation capacity of the dissolved organic C.     

Evaluation of Pimobendan and N-Terminal Probrain Natriuretic Peptide in the Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease in Dogs

Background: Pimobendan is a positive inotrope and vasodilator that may be useful in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PHT) secondary to degenerative mitral valve disease.
Hypothesis: Pimobendan decreases the severity of PHT measured echocardiographically and improves quality-of-life scores. Changes in N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations will reflect improvement in severity of PHT.
Animals: Ten client-owned dogs with peak tricuspid regurgitant flow velocity (TRFV) ≥3.5 m/s.
Methods: Prospective short-term, double-blinded, crossover design, with a long-term, open-label component. Short term, dogs were randomly allocated to receive either placebo or pimobendan (0.18–0.3 mg/kg PO q12 h) for 14 days. After a 1-week washout, they received the alternative treatment for 14 days, followed by pimobendan open-label for 8 weeks.
Results: Short-term comparison: peak TRFV decreased in all dogs on pimobendan compared with placebo from a median of 4.40 (range, 3.2–5.6) to 3.75 (range, 2.4–4.8) m/s ( P < .0001). NT-proBNP concentration decreased after treatment with pimobendan from a median of 2,143 (range, 450–3,981) to 1,329 (range, 123–2,411) pmol/L ( P = .0009). All dogs improved their quality-of-life score ( P = .006). In the long-term comparisons, peak TRFV decreased in all dogs from a median of 4.28 (range, 3.5–5.7) to 3.52 (range, 2.4–5.0) m/s ( P < .0001). No significant changes in NT-proBNP or quality-of-life scores were detected.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Pimobendan lowered severity of measurable PHT, improved quality-of-life scores, and decreased NT-proBNP concentrations short-term. Long term, only the reduction in TRFV was maintained.     

Deposition of conformal copper and nickel films from supercritical carbon dioxide

Device-quality copper and nickel films were deposited onto planar and etched silicon substrates by the reduction of soluble organometallic compounds with hydrogen in a supercritical carbon dioxide solution. Exceptional step coverage on complex surfaces and complete filling of high-aspect-ratio features of less than 100 nanometers width were achieved. Nickel was deposited at 60 degrees C by the reduction of bis(cyclopentadienyl)nickel and copper was deposited from either copper(I) or copper(II) compounds onto the native oxide of silicon or metal nitrides with seed layers at temperatures up to 200 degrees C and directly on each surface at temperatures above 250 degrees C. The latter approach provides a single-step means for achieving high-aspect-ratio feature fill necessary for copper interconnect structures in future generations of integrated circuits.     

Insulin sensitivity and glucose dynamics during pre-weaning foal development and in response to maternal diet composition

Nutritional management of animals during pregnancy can affect glucose and insulin dynamics in the resulting offspring through influences on fetal development. Additionally, high starch feeding in mature horses is associated with reduced insulin sensitivity and an increased risk for diseases such as obesity and laminitis. However, no study has yet evaluated the effect of feeding a high starch diet to pregnant mares on glucose and insulin dynamics in their offspring. Twenty late-gestation mares maintained on pasture were provided two-thirds of digestible energy requirements from isocaloric, isonitrogenous low starch (LS, n = 10) or high starch (HS, n = 10) feed. Their foals were assessed with an insulin-modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test at 5, 40, 80, and 160 d of age. Baseline glucose concentrations, insulin sensitivity, and insulin-independent glucose clearance in 5-d foals were all greater than values observed in mature horses and declined towards mature values as foals reached 160 d of age. Baseline glucose concentrations were all within normal range, but higher in foals born from HS mares through 80 d of age. Insulin sensitivity was not different between dietary groups until a trend for lower insulin sensitivity in HS foals emerged at 160 d of age. These data are the first to characterize decreasing insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in Thoroughbred foals from 5 to 160 d of age. This study also presents the first data examining glucose and insulin dynamics in developing foals in response to maternal high starch diet.     

水分胁迫对番茄叶片气孔传导及光合色素的影响

以栽培番茄品种AilsaCraig的6叶期幼苗为试验材料,在水培条件下研究了50,75和100g/LPEG水分胁迫对叶片气孔传导、光合色素含量及发叶速度的影响。结果表明,水分胁迫使气孔传导度和发叶速度降低,光合色素增加。气孔传导度和发叶速度的降低均与水分胁迫强度和持续时间有关,而光合色素的增加主要与胁迫持续时间有关。