N. femoralis, N. obturatorius and N. ischiadicus: deviation in creation in the dogs

Two hundred and twelve dog cadavers belonging to different breeds were examined, to investigate the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve. Besides the commonly described formation patterns of the mentioned nerves, some variations were also found. These variations were not gender-related, but on the other hand we discovered a certain correlation between the variations appearing in the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve. In 74.05% of cases, the femoral nerve was formed from ventral branches of the 4th, 5th and 6th lumbar nerve, and 16.98% of the dogs had the nerve formed from ventral branches of the 3rd, 4th and 5th lumbar nerve. Many dogs (i.e. 2.30%) had the femoral nerve formed from the ventral branches of the 5th, 6th and 7th, the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th or the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve, respectively. In 1.88% of dogs in particular, the femoral nerve was formed from ventral rami of the 4th and 5th lumbar nerve. In 66.98% of the examined dogs, the obturator nerve was formed from the ventral branches of the 4th, 5th and 6th lumbar nerve, followed by 16.59% of the dogs with the obturator nerve formed from the ventral rami of the 4th and 5th lumbar nerve and 9.43% of dogs in which the nerve was formed from the ventral branches of the 5th and 6th lumbar nerve. In 4.71% of dogs, the obturator nerve was formed from the ventral rami of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve, while only 2.30% of the examined dogs had the same nerve formed from the ventral branches of the 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve. The sciatic nerve was formed from ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar nerve and the 1st sacral nerve in 86.79% of the dogs. In 5.18% of cases, the same nerve was formed from a junction of the ventral branches of the 7th lumbar and the 1st and 2nd sacral nerve, and, in the same percentage of cases, it was formed from a junction of ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar nerve and the 1st and 2nd sacral nerve. In 2.83% of the dogs, it was formed from a junction of the ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar and the 1st sacral nerve. The correlation of variations established in the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve was not statistically significant.     

紫花苜蓿与草地早熟禾轮作模式对其农艺性状和营养品质的影响

为研究紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa,本试验中记为A）与草地早熟禾（Poa pratensis,本试验中记为K）轮作对其农艺性状和营养品质的影响,本试验以种植5年的紫花苜蓿（A）和草地早熟禾（K）为前茬,在2块草地上分别种植紫花苜蓿（A）和草地早熟禾（K）,即形成AA,AK,KA,KK 4种种植模式,以AK和KA为轮作处理,AA和KK为连作对照。研究了轮作对紫花苜蓿和草地早熟禾各刈割茬次的株高、干草产量、干鲜比、茎叶比、粗蛋白（Crude protein,CP）、中性洗涤纤维（Neutral detergent fiber,NDF）和酸性洗涤纤维（Acid detergent fiber,ADF）等指标变化的影响。结果表明：第1~3茬,AK轮作草地早熟禾的株高较KK连作提高6.31%~9.47%,且在第2茬差异显著（P<0.05）。KA轮作紫花苜蓿的株高较AA连作提高6.72%~9.02%,且在第2茬差异显著（P<0.05）。AK轮作的草地早熟禾年干草产量较KK连作提高8.54%,KA轮作的紫花苜蓿年干草产量较AA连作提高11.57%。AK轮作草地早熟禾的干鲜比较KK连作在3茬间差异显著（P<0.05）,且增加幅度大于KA比AA的增加幅度。不同轮作模式对茎叶比的提高在后2茬差异明显。AK轮作下,草地早熟禾的粗蛋白含量比KK提高14.16%~15.95%,增长幅度优于KA比AA的增加幅度。AK轮作和KA轮作的中性洗涤纤维含量和酸性洗涤纤维在不同茬次较KK连作和AA连作模式差异显著（P<0.05）。紫花苜蓿与草地早熟禾轮作可以提高后茬牧草的株高、干草产量、茎叶比和干鲜比以及粗蛋白含量;并且降低后茬的酸性洗涤纤维和中性洗涤纤维。本试验旨在通过探究紫花苜蓿与草地早熟禾轮作下牧草农艺性状和营养成分的变化情况,为今后豆-禾牧草轮作、草种搭配以及模式排布提供借鉴依据。     

In-hospital development of an aorto-cardiac fistula in a Warmblood gelding with chronic renal disease

A 20-year-old Warmblood gelding presented for evaluation and treatment of ventral oedema and azotaemia of unknown aetiology. On presentation, a diastolic heart murmur was appreciated and echocardiography revealed moderate aortic insufficiency due to chronic degenerative valve disease. The horse was hospitalised and failed to respond to oral and i.v. fluids and diuretics. Following discontinuation of all fluid and diuretic therapy, the horse became acutely agitated and developed monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. The ventricular tachycardia spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm, however the heart murmur changed in timing to a right basilar continuous murmur and bounding jugular pulses were noted. Repeat echocardiogram revealed an aorto-cardiac fistula with dissection into the basilar interventricular septum and left-sided chamber volume overload that was not previously present. Attempts at stabilisation were unsuccessful and euthanasia was elected. Post-mortem examination confirmed chronic renal disease of unknown aetiology in addition to an aorto-cardiac fistula originating from the right sinus of Valsalva with subsequent dissection into the basilar interventricular septum.     

MALDI-TOF MS identification of Prototheca algae associated with bovine mastitis

We evaluated the use of MALDI-TOF MS for the identification of 3 major, dairy-associated Prototheca species, namely, Prototheca bovis (formerly P. zopfii genotype 2), P. blaschkeae, and P. ciferrii (formerly P. zopfii genotype 1). The MALDI-TOF MS spectra established for those species were introduced into the reference spectra library of the Bruker Biotyper MALDI-TOF MS analysis software. Next, 31 Prototheca isolates from Holstein cows with mastitis, from herds located in the midwestern area of São Paulo State, Brazil, were subjected to MALDI-TOF MS profiling. MALDI-TOF MS allowed identification of 22 of 27 P. bovis and 3 of 4 P. blaschkeae isolates with scores >2.0, with 5 of 27 P. bovis and 1 of 4 P. blaschkeae isolates identified only to the genus level. With our extended algae database, MALDI-TOF MS can contribute to quick and effective speciation of Prototheca from mastitis cases.     

Assessment of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay based diagnostic kits (Toxokit-G and Toxokit-M) for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in human serum

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using penicillinase was developed in the form of diagnostic kits (Toxokit-G and Toxokit-M) for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. The performance of both the kits was compared with commercially available diagnostic kits, i.e. Enzygnost-Toxoplasmosis/IgG (Behring Co., Germany), TOXOTEK-G (Flow Lab., U.K.) and Toxoplasma IgM Microassay (Diamedix Corp., U.S.A.) by testing toxoplasma-suspected human serum samples. The results indicate a good reliability between these diagnostic kits. Toxokit-G has 86.66 and 96.05% sensitivity and specificity respectively. The main advantage of Toxokit-G is that the end result can be assessed visually without using sophisticated instruments. Toxokit-M has 100% sensitivity and specificity and test results were not affected by the presence of antitoxoplasma IgG antibodies, rheumatoid factor or antinuclear antibodies.