Postprandial arterial vasodilation in the equine distal thoracic limb

The effects of feeding on blood flow to the equine foot are poorly understood. In a temperature-controlled room, duplex Doppler ultrasonographic observations were made pre- and postprandially of the lateral proper palmar digital artery of 5 horses, randomly assigned to twice and 4 times daily feeding in an unbalanced 2 period crossover design. Arterial diameter and blood velocity were measured over 4 h and additional observations made of heart rate, blood pressure, total plasma protein, packed cell volume, plasma glucose and insulin. There was no effect of the feeding regimen on any variable. Postprandially, there were significant increases in arterial diameter, blood velocity, total plasma protein, plasma glucose and insulin; the other variables were unchanged. It appeared that the normal postprandial response was an increase in blood flow to the foot. The value of ultrasonography for noninvasive investigation of the peripheral vasculature of the conscious horse was established; and in the future it may have a role in the diagnosis of vascular diseases of the foot.     

Renal adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pancreatic islet cell carcinoma in a binturong (Arctictis binturong).

A 19-yr-old binturong (Arctictis binturong) with acute upper respiratory disease was euthanized. Postmortem findings included hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic islet cell carcinoma, and renal adenocarcinoma with metastasis to the spleen, pleura, and pericardium. A link between primary hepatic and renal neoplasms has been noted in older humans.     

Sonographic observations of the peripheral vasculature of the equine thoracic limb

Investigations of the equine peripheral vascular system have been constrained by the lack of a non-invasive method of examining the arteries and veins of the limbs of the conscious horse. Precise correlations were established between the gross anatomical features of the peripheral vessels and their B-mode sonographic appearance in each thoracic limb of 35 horses. A sonographic imaging protocol was established. Additional Doppler sonographic recordings defined the arterial waveforms and demonstrated that blood flow to the foot could be evaluated in the lateral proper digital artery, distal to the level of the coronary band. Valves (with 2-4 cusps) were identified in the lumina of the medial and lateral palmar common digital veins and those of the medial and lateral palmar proper digital veins. Spontaneous echo contrast, a smoke-like haze of echoic blood, was seen in the lateral and medial palmar common digital veins, the distal deep palmar venous arch and communicating branches, and the palmar proper digital veins, and occasionally seen in the distal deep palmar arterial arch and distal proper palmar digital arteries. The value of duplex sonography (B-mode and Doppler) for anatomical and physiological studies of the peripheral vasculature of the horse was clearly established. Such data could be applied to the investigation of diseases affecting the peripheral circulation.     

Versuche mit einem Prostaglandinanalog zur Zyklussynchronisation beim Rind unter hormonanalytischer und klinischer Kontrolle

1. Durch intramuskulare Injektion von 0,5 mg des Prostaglandinanalogs ICI 80 996 beim Rind während der Gelbkörperphase des Zyklus kann nach 15–24 Stunden ein Abfall der Progesteronwerte unter 1 ng/ml Blutplasma und damit eine nachhaltige Luteolyse erreicht werden. Die sich anschließende Brunst ist ovulatorisch und feral. Das Präparat wird ohne Nebenwirkungen vertragen. 2. Durch zweimalige Injektion (d. h. je 1 mal 0,5 mg i. m.) im Abstand von 11 Tagen kann dieser Luteolyseeffekt zu Brunstsynchronisationen herangezogen werden; dabei ist eine Zykluskontrolle oder Brunstbeobachtung nicht erforderlich. 3. in 8 Feldversuchen konnte bei 213 Tieren ein Synchronisationserfolg von 90,6 % und, nach KB in der 1. induzierten Brunst, ein Konzeptionsergebnis von 54,7 % (bzw. von 60,1 %, wenn man die Auswertung auf die erfolgreich synchronisierten Tiere beschränkt) erzielt werden. Die KB bei 119 nicht behandelten Kontrolltieren, die in 5 dieser 8 Versuche zur Verfugung standen, war zu 60,3 % erfolgreich. 4. In einem Problembestand konnte die Fertilitätslage durch das biotechnische Vorgehen der Prostaglandinanwendung unmittelbar nicht verbessert werden 5. Die palpatorischen Ovarbefunde zum Zeitpunkt der KB ergaben, daß Tiere mit aprungbereiten Follikeln'zu 65 %, mit kleinen, nicht reifen Follikeln zu 50,8 % und mit bereitsgesprungenen Follikeln zu 15,8 % konzipierten. 6. Die bei einem Teil der Versuche eingesetzte zusdtzliche Behandlung mit 1,0 bzw. 1,5 mg des Gonadotropin-Releasinghormons (LRH-Hoechst 471) i. m. zum Zeitpunkt der Besamung zeigte bezüglich des Konzeptionsergebnisses eine positive Tendenz.     

Fine structure of Henneguya pilosa sp. n. (Myxozoa: Myxosporea), parasite of Serrasalmus altuvei (Characidae), in Brazil

Henneguya pilosa sp. n., a new species of myxosporean from the gill filaments of the white piranha, Serrasalmus altuvei Ramirez, 1965 (Characidae), a freshwater teleost fish collected in the Zoological Garden of the city of Teresina (Piauí), Brazil, is described from light and transmission electron microscope observations. This myxosporean produced small plasmodia (up to 0.2 mm in diameter), each one containing all life-cycle stages of the parasite, including numerous spores. The spores, laterally compressed, averaged 54.2 (52.3-56.0) microm in total length and consisted of two unequal valves adhering together along the suture line and two caudal processes. The spore body measured 21.1 (20.0-23.1) microm in length, 5.9 (5.5-6.3) microm in width, and 2.2 (1.9-2.6) microm in thickness. The two equal ellipsoidal polar capsules of 7.4 (7.1-7.6) microm long and 1.2 (1.0-1.3) microm wide possessed a polar filament with 11-12 (rarely 13) turns. All surfaces of the spores were covered with a tightly adherent complex network of numerous densely ramified granulo-fibrillar masses, the longest measuring 1.5 microm long, observed around the caudal processes. The prevalence of infection was 30%. The taxonomic affinities of this parasite with other of the same genus in freshwater South American fish species are discussed.