Influence of preemptive analgesia with meloxicam before resection of the unilateral mammary gland on postoperative cardiovascular parameters in dogs

Preemptive analgesia is recommended in small animal medicine. However, many studies have evaluated the response to analgesic treatment by behavioral observation. Therefore, the influence of preemptive analgesia with meloxicam on postoperative cardiovascular and renal parameters remains to be clarified. The present study examined the changes in blood pressure, heart rate, double product and heart rate variability for 14 days and the changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and serum cortisol level for 24 hr after resection of the unilateral mammary gland in meloxicam and control groups consisting of 5 healthy dogs. All data were collected under unanesthetized and unrestrained conditions using a radio telemetry system. Blood pressure, heart rate and double product were significantly lower in the meloxicam compared with the control group, and the meloxicam group's diurnal changes became stable more than 36 hr earlier than those of the control group. The systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure values of the meloxicam group were 5- to 20-mm Hg lower than those of the control group until 5 days after surgery. The maximum difference between the two groups in terms of the double product values 14 days after surgery was 2,000 bpm x mmHg. Autonomic activity inhibition was prolonged in the control group. There were no significant differences in the 24-hr changes in GFR or serum cortisol level. This study showed that perioperative administration of meloxicam reduced unfavorable postoperative changes in the cardiovascular system without influencing renal function.     

Tissue distribution of tetrodotoxin and its analogs in Lagocephalus pufferfish collected in Vietnam

Fisheries Science - Pufferfish belonging to Lagocephalus are composed of several species, some of which have been recognized to be non-toxic. Although fish belonging to this genus inhabit a wide...     

Effect of postcure conditions on the dynamic mechanical behavior of water-based polymer-isocyanate adhesive for wood

To study the effect of postcure conditions on the viscoelastic behavior of water-based polymer isocyanate adhesives for wood (API adhesive), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was performed for a simplified model of API adhesives under various postcure conditions. These conditions were achieved by storing the samples at room temperature or by heating them in an oven. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was performed to test for residual isocyanate groups (NCO) and isocyanate derivatives to elucidate the reaction mechanism under the postcure conditions. DMA revealed that the postcure conditions led to wide variations in the viscoelastic behaviors of API films. FT-IR analysis confirmed the decrease of residual isocyanate during postcure treatments. However, the complete consumption of isocyanate could not be achieved under the postcure conditions. A good correlation was found between the DMA result and the chemical changes in the API samples heated above 140°C. However, no correlation was observed in the case of the samples heated at temperatures less than 140°C. This implies that postcure conditions led to a difference in the reaction chemistry of API. Part of this article was presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kyoto, March 2005     

Nasal nocardiosis in a calf.

Nasal nocardiosis was found in a female Japanese Black calf, 11 months of age. Macroscopically, the posterior half of the left nasal passage was completely obstructed by yellowish brown caseous substance and the mucosa was irregularly thickened. In the brain, a few soft brown foci were present in the olfactory bulb and frontal lobe. Microscopically, there were closely packed granulomas in the nasal cavity and brain. The lesions were characterized by a center of cellular debris surrounded by epithelioid macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes and multinucleated giant cells of the Langhans type. Special stains revealed the presence of a large number of filamentous branching gram-positive, partially acid-fast organisms in these epithelioid cells and giant cells, and in cellular debris.     

Effects of changes in environmental factors on the non-specific immune response of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L.

Lysozyme acts as a non‐specific defence substance and is found in the peripheral blood, cutaneous mucus and certain tissues of marine and freshwater fishes. In the present study, we examined the effect of various environmental factors (water temperature, salinity, pH and suspended sediments) on plasma lysozyme activity in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L. When the fish were reared at different water temperatures (18.4, 23, 28 and 33°C), plasma lysozyme activity increased at 28°C after 2 and 4 weeks. A significant decrease in lysozyme activity was found in the fish reared at 33°C for 4 weeks. These results suggest that there is a water temperature range that affects the amount of plasma lysozyme activity that can be detected. Fish cultured at 24 g L^?1 of salinity for 2 and 4 weeks and 12 g L^?1 for 4 weeks resulted in significantly increased plasma lysozyme activity, suggesting that environmental salinity also affects the amount of plasma lysozyme that can be detected. Lysozyme activity also significantly increased when the fish were held in acidic water at pH 4.0 and in suspended sediments at 2000 mg L^?1 for 2 weeks. It was concluded that changes in some aquatic environmental factors affect the non‐specific immune responses of Nile tilapia.     

Semilunar spawning periodicity in brackish damsel Pomacentrus taeniometopon

ABSTRACT:   Lunar-related spawning periodicity of the brackish damsel Pomacentrus taeniometopon was investigated by changes in gonadosomatic index (GSI) and ovarian histology. During the spawning season, GSI increased toward the week of the first and last quarter moon. Concomitant with increases in GSI, oocytes laden with yolk developed from the new/full moon to the first/last quarter moon. Postovulatory follicles appeared in the ovary around and after the first/last quarter moon. These results suggest that P. taeniometopon is a semilunar spawner and repeats spawnings twice a month with lunar periodicity during the spawning season. When the fish were reared under laboratory conditions without periodicity of tide, the spawning of P. taeniometopon occurred sporadically. It is likely that the fish uses tidal stimuli in the natural habitat to entrain reproductive activities.     

Successful long-term treatment of congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in a dog

A two-year-old intact male shiba inu dog with excessive polyuria and polydipsia (PU-PD) was diagnosed as having congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus based on clinical findings, the results of urinalysis, blood examinations, a modified water deprivation test and a low dose dexamethasone suppression test. The owner was advised to provide adequate access to drinking water, and treatment with a low dose of hydrochlorothiazide (2 mg/kg, twice daily) together with a low sodium diet was initiated. As a result, the daily water intake decreased significantly from 6500 to 7500 ml/day (800 to 980 ml/kg/day) to 1400 to 1900 ml/day (170 to 230 ml/kg/day) and the clinical signs associated with the PU-PD and dehydration improved over the following two years.     

Long-afterglow phosphorescent pigment is a potent tool for manipulation of reproductive performance in the tropical damselfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysiptera cyanea</Emphasis>

Photoperiod plays a role in the regulation of reproduction in many fish. We examined the effectiveness of the long-afterglow phosphorescent pigment LumiNova on the reproductive performance of the sapphire devil Chrysiptera cyanea, a tropical damselfish that reproduces under long-day conditions. During the breeding season, the experimental fish, but not the control fish, were reared in aquaria covered with LumiNova sheets for 75 days under natural photoperiod and temperature. At days 60 and 75 after onset of the experiment, the gonadosomatic index of experimental fish was higher than that of control fish. Histological observations at 60 and 75 days revealed that the ovaries of experimental fish contained large oocytes laden with yolk, whereas the control fish had few yolky oocytes at 60 days and mostly immature oocytes at 75 days. Spawning occurred repeatedly in experimental fish, but not in control fish, throughout the study period. Because LumiNova sheets continue to emit green light for some time after sunset, the extended light conditions probably contributed to active reproduction in experimental fish. In conclusion, long-afterglow phosphorescent pigment can be used for energy-efficient aquaculture to regulate the reproduction of fish, although its effect needs to be evaluated in different species.