Cervical injury following a horse kick to the head in two dogs

Two dogs were presented to North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital following blunt trauma to the head delivered by a horse kick. On presentation, both dogs had resolving clinical signs directly related to the head trauma, but both also had compromise to their upper airway as a result of indirect injury to the soft tissues of the neck, visible on plain radiographs. One dog made a full recovery following a period of assisted ventilation. The other dog was euthanized at the request of the owner. These injuries illustrate the importance of evaluating the cervical spine and soft tissues of the neck following blunt trauma to the head.     

Isolation and characterization of immortalized porcine aortic endothelial cell lines

Primary porcine endothelial cells have a limited life span in culture. After four to five passages, they tend to de-differentiate and eventually reach senescence. The aim of this work was to establish immortalized porcine aortic endothelial cell lines (AOCs) to facilitate in vitro studies of different pathological process involving the endothelium. Primary porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAECs) were transfected with a plasmid containing the SV40 genome and selected on the basis of morphological and phenotypical features. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated uptake of acetylated low density lipoproteins (Ac-LDL) and constitutive expression of SLA class I, CD29, CD31, CD41/61, CD80/86, CD46, SWC3, and LAMP-1 antigens by all analyzed lines and showed little differences to primary cells. The functional similarity between primary and immortalized endothelial cells was demonstrated in a cytotoxicity assay using a human natural killer cell line (NKL) as effector. The AOCs cell lines should be valuable tools for in vitro study of the human immune response against pig endothelial cells. In addition, they would be very useful to gain insight in the pathogenesis of some viral haemorrhagic diseases of pig such as African swine fever (ASF) or classical swine fever (CSF).     

Analysis of genetic diversity in Bolivian llama populations using microsatellites

South American camelids (SACs) have a major role in the maintenance and potential future of rural Andean human populations. More than 60% of the 3.7 million llamas living worldwide are found in Bolivia. Due to the lack of studies focusing on genetic diversity in Bolivian llamas, this analysis investigates both the genetic diversity and structure of 12 regional groups of llamas that span the greater part of the range of distribution for this species in Bolivia. The analysis of 42 microsatellite markers in the considered regional groups showed that, in general, there were high levels of polymorphism (a total of 506 detected alleles; average PIC across per marker: 0.66), which are comparable with those reported for other populations of domestic SACs. The estimated diversity parameters indicated that there was high intrapopulational genetic variation (average number of alleles and average expected heterozygosity per marker: 12.04 and 0.68, respectively) and weak genetic differentiation among populations (F_ST range: 0.003–0.052). In agreement with these estimates, Bolivian llamas showed a weak genetic structure and an intense gene flow between all the studied regional groups, which is due to the exchange of reproductive males between the different flocks. Interestingly, the groups for which the largest pairwise F_ST estimates were observed, Sud Lípez and Nor Lípez, showed a certain level of genetic differentiation that is probably due to the pattern of geographic isolation and limited communication infrastructures of these southern localities. Overall, the population parameters reported here may serve as a reference when establishing conservation policies that address Bolivian llama populations.     

Effects of continuous supplementations of ascorbic acid, aspirin, vitamin E and selenium on some haematological parameters and serum superoxide dismutase level in broiler chickens

1. This study was conducted using male broiler chickens to determine the effects of ascorbic acid, aspirin, ascorbic acid+aspirin, vitamin E+selenium and ascorbic acid+aspirin+vitamin E+selenium supplementations on haematological parameters and serum superoxide dismutase concentration. 2. One hundred and twenty day-old male Hubbunt broiler chicks were randomly divided into 6 experimental groups of 20 chicks each and placed in different pens. Groups 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were given a diet supplemented with ascorbic acid, aspirin (in water), ascorbic acid+aspirin, vitamin E+selenium and ascorbic acid+aspirin+vitamin E+selenium, respectively for 45 d while group 1 was given a commercial broiler diet. 3. There was no significant effect of ascorbic acid, aspirin, ascorbic acid+aspirin, vitamin E+selenium supplementations on any of the haematological parameters (red blood cell, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular haemoglobin) in broilers but ascorbic acid+aspirin+vitamin E+selenium supplementation significantly decreased the white blood cell counts. 4. In addition to this, ascorbic acid, aspirin, ascorbic acid+aspirin and ascorbic acid+aspirin+vitamin E+selenium supplementations had no significant effect on the serum superoxide dismutase level, but vitamin E+selenium supplementation increased the serum superoxide dismutase level.     

Haptoglobin and pig-major acute protein are increased in pigs with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)

The objective of this study was to determine the serum concentration levels of selected acute phase proteins (APP), haptoglobin (HPT) and pig-major acute phase protein (pig-MAP), in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) affected pigs and PCV2-subclinically infected pigs. In a first study, a group of 15 eight-week-old conventional pigs from a PMWS affected farm were bled and a complete necropsy, histopathology and in situ hybridisation to detect PCV2 were performed. Based on the results, pigs were classified as suffering from PMWS (n = 10) or healthy animals (n = 5). In a second study, a group of 45 pigs from another PMWS affected farm were selected and bled at 3, 7, 12 and 28 weeks of age. The assessment of PCV2 infection status in these pigs was retrospectively done by PCV2 PCR in serum samples. Selected APP were measured in the serum of all studied pigs by means of radial immunodiffusion. Mean HPT and pig-MAP levels were significantly increased (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0006 respectively) in PMWS-affected pigs when compared to levels found in healthy pigs (2.52 +/- 0.88 mg/mL vs. 1.06 +/- 0.73 mg/mL for HPT and 3.81 +/- 1.53 mg/mL vs. 0.76 +/- 0.34 mg/mL for pig-MAP). In the second study, no significant difference in mean HPT and pig-MAP values were observed between PCV2 PCR positive and negative pigs of any age. However, both APP increased significantly with age in PCV2 PCR negative pigs. Altogether, the present results suggest that APP levels are significantly increased in pigs that develop PMWS, but not in animals with a PCV2 subclinical infection.     

Evaluation of jitter by stimulated single-fiber electromyography in normal dogs

Single-fiber electromyography (SFEMG), a technique used to investigate neuromuscular transmission, has been described previously in the pelvic limb of dogs. Because preferential involvement of isolated muscle groups can occur in disorders of neuromuscular transmission, SFEMG was done in the peroneus longus (PL), extensor carpi radialis (ECR), and orbicularis oculi (OO) muscles of 10 adult, clinically normal dogs. Jitter was calculated as the mean absolute value of the consecutive differences in latency of 50 single muscle fiber action potentials after stimulation of intramuscular nerve bundles at the level of the motor point in at least 20 muscle fibers per muscle. Bilateral recordings were performed in 3 dogs. Mean jitter values were determined for each muscle, and differences among muscle groups and among dogs were compared. The upper limits of mean consecutive difference (mean plus 3 standard deviations) for the PL, ECR, and OO muscles were 21.94, 22.53, and 23.39 micros, respectively, and the upper limit of mean consecutive difference for individual muscle fibers in the respective fiber pools was 28.62, 36.39, and 35.68 micros. Jitter values for the ECR and OO were significantly higher than the jitter value for the PL muscle (P < .05). Significant differences among muscles or dogs or between sides were not observed for the ECR. Significant differences among dogs were observed for OO jitter values and were attributed to extremely low jitter values in 1 dog. Significant differences were demonstrated between sides for the PL and were attributed to small sample size. Results of this study provide normative data that can be used in the application of the stimulated SFEMG technique to dogs with suspected disorders of neuromuscular transmission.     

藏山羊若干行为观察研究

对全放牧藏山羊若干行为进行了昼夜连续24小时跟踪观测研究。结果表明,藏山羊昼夜采食时间为541.37±93.65分。反刍为280.21±67.59分,睡眠为173.30±45.92分,游走为136.15±62.79分,站立为133.35±34.88分,其他行为占175.62±53.18分。采食、游走、站立及其他行为多发生在白天,反刍和睡眠多在夜间。反刍与采食的时间比例为0.52:1。藏山羊母性较强,好喜戏和觅群,少争斗。此外,藏山羊还有搔痒、打喷嚏、啃食异物等异常行为。研究结果,可供藏山羊的培育和饲养管理作为参改。     

Halothane induced vasomotion of coronary, renal and iliac arterial rings in malignant hyperthermia susceptible swine.

Animals were identified as porcine malignant hyperthermia susceptible by halothane testing and were slaughtered at 90 kg of body weight. Coronary, renal and iliac arteries were isolated, dissected and 5 mm rings were mounted in 20 mL organ baths with modified Krebs solution maintained at 37 degrees C and oxygenated with 95% O2, 5% CO2. Halothane at 0%, 0.5%, 2% and 5% concentration was bubbled in the organ baths and mechanical responses were recorded over a period of 25 min. Halothane free arteries remained quiescent and the arteries from the halothane sensitive and from the halothane resistant groups reacted similarly. All arteries in the presence of halothane responded with an initial contraction of short duration followed by a relaxation and both phenomena occurred in a concentration-dependent fashion. The iliac artery was the most sensitive to halothane and responded to 0.5% concentration while coronary and renal arteries maintained the resting tension of 4 g. These results demonstrate that vascular smooth muscle, like skeletal muscle and unlike respiratory smooth muscle, has a direct pharmacological response to halothane. These observations led to the postulate that halothane by its transient but significant vasoconstrictive action could be a contributing factor to initiate the fulminant reactions occurring in malignant hyperthermia.