Experimental use of polyamide bands in combination with intramedullary pinning for repair of oblique femoral fractures in rabbits

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of polyamide bands, manufactured for securing electrical cables, for repair of oblique femoral fractures in rabbits. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Twelve nulliparous, 21-25-week-old, California female rabbits. METHODS: Rabbits were divided into 3 groups (n=4) and studied for 14, 28, or 56 days. A Z-shaped mid-diaphyseal femoral osteotomy was repaired with a 2.5 mm intramedullary pin and a polyamide 6.6 cerclage band. Healing was evaluated at intervals by physical examination, limb use, femoral radiographs, and callus histology. RESULTS: Rabbits had early limb use with good wound healing. From the 1st day, movement of the hip and stifle joints was satisfactory. Radiographically, fractures were healed at 28 days. Histologically, there was no foreign body reaction and bone healing was normal. CONCLUSION: Nylon cerclage band application was accomplished easily, maintained reduction, and resulted in good healing and limb use. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Sterilized nylon bands, manufactured for electrical use, can be used for cerclage in rabbits.     

In-Laboratory Diffraction-Enhanced X-Ray Imaging of an Equine Hoof

We describe and demonstrate the first application of a laboratory-based diffraction-enhanced X-ray imaging instrument for noninvasive equine imaging. A formalin-preserved disarticulated forelimb from a near-term aborted miniature horse fetus was imaged with diffraction-enhanced X-ray imaging. The resultant calculated images—absorption, extinction, refraction, and scattering—are presented, and soft-tissues such as the dorsal digital extensor tendon, articular cartilage, as well as various joint, tendon sheath, and bursa recesses are observed in simultaneous registration with the adjacent dense bone tissue. Radiation dose calculations were performed and a calculated surface dose of 0.6 mGy for the soft muscular tissue was determined for the imaging experiment.     

LPS structure influences protein secretion in Salmonella enterica

In this study we have compared protein secretion in the wild type of S. Typhimurium and the rfaC mutant. We found out that the rfaC mutant was defective in protein secretion. In addition, the rfaC mutant was defective in its invasion into an IPEC-J2 porcine epithelial cell line and also in motility in semisolid agar. Consistent with this, reduced flagella numbers were observed in the rfaC mutant. In the rfaC mutant, there were no defects in flagellin expression as detected by western blot and immune electron microscopy which demonstrated equal amounts of flagellin in the cytoplasm of both the rfaC mutant and the wild-type S. Typhimurium. However, in the wild-type strain only, the flagellin was assembled to spatially restricted areas on the inner side of cytoplasmic membrane. The oligosaccharide core of LPS is therefore required for the assembly of flagella and T3SS secretion machinery followed by protein secretion.     

Morphophysiology of forage peanut submitted to different intensities of defoliation on grazing with sheep

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim was to monitor the growth, the dry mass accumulation curve, and the structural photosynthetic components of forage peanut pasture, in different...     

In vitro effects of individual fatty acids on protozoal numbers and on fermentation products in ruminal fluid from cattle fed a high-concentrate, barley-based diet

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium salts of individual fatty acids on protozoal numbers and ruminal fermentation variables in vitro. Ruminal inoculum was obtained from two heifers fed a finishing diet consisting of (DM basis) 90% rolled barley grain, 4% barley silage, 5% soybean meal, and 1% mineralized salt. Fatty acids (FA) were included individually in the inoculum as follows: C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0 at concentrations (wt/vol) of 0.0625, 0.125, and 0.25%; C14:0 and C18:0 at concentrations of 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5%; and C12:0, C16:0, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3 at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0%. 15N-Labeled casein was included as a N tracer. In the presence of medium-chain saturated FA (particularly C10:0 and C12:0), no ciliate protozoa (99.8%Entodinium spp.) were recovered from the incubation medium. Long-chain unsaturated FA (C18:3, C18:2, C18:1) also decreased (P < 0.05) protozoal numbers. At all concentrations tested, C10:0 and C12:0 decreased (P < 0.05) ammonia and total VFA concentrations (by 29 and 22%, respectively) and increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of total free amino acids, reducing sugars, and soluble protein. At the greatest concentrations of these FA, xylanase and amylase activities of the incubation media were decreased (P < 0.05). The C18 unsaturated FA increased (P < 0.05) the polysaccharide-degrading activities of the media. These in vitro results suggest that long-chain unsaturated FA in combination with medium-chain saturated acids have the potential to decrease protozoal numbers and ruminal ammonia utilization in cattle fed high-grain diets.     

The Content of Amino Acids in Pasture Vegetation and Their Apparent Digestibility in 2-year-old Horses

Ten samples of plant vegetation and 10 samples of fresh excrement were taken from the same pasture area. The excrement were collected from 10 2-year-old Old Kladruber horses that received the pasture vegetation daily. The apparent digestibility of nitrogen and amino acids in pasture vegetation was determined by using the acid-insoluble ash marker method. In comparison with excrement, the pasture vegetation contained higher levels of Ser, Ala, Leu, and His and higher levels of Pro (P ≤ .01), Met (P ≤ .01), and Arg (P ≤ .05). The mean level of Ile in pasture vegetation was lower than in excrement (P ≤ .05). The apparent digestibility of amino acids from pasture vegetation was high for Pro and Met (86.75 and 89.39%), moderate for Ser, Ala, Leu, His, and Arg (68.61%-76%), and low for Asp, Thr, Glu, Gly, Val, Leu, Tyr, Phe, and Lys (56.15%-66.03%). The digestibility of lysine and Ile was relatively low (56.39% and 56.15%, respectively). The total content of nitrogen per dry matter was 10.98 ± 2.46 g/kg for pasture vegetation and 12.12 ± 2.38 g/kg for excrement, whereas the content of protein nitrogen was 7.20 ± 0.25 g/kg and 6.89 ± 0.21 g/kg of dry matter in pasture vegetation and excrement, respectively. This means that only 65.55% and 56.90% of N is bound in proteins in pasture vegetation and excrement, respectively. Non-protein nitrogen accounts for 34.45% in pasture vegetation and for 43.10% in excrement.     

Specificity of inhibition between Salmonella strains

A phenomenon of inhibition among Salmonella organisms colonizing the gut of young animals can be demonstrated which is important in connection with immunization using live Salmonella vaccines. For practical utilization of this inhibition phenomenon, research into its specificity is very important. In vitro broth culture and animal experiments have shown inhibition to be genus-specific, i.e. there is no inhibition between strains of different genera of Enterobacteriaceae in most cases. The strongest inhibition occurs between isogenic (identical genotype) strains (strain-specific inhibition). This applies to Salmonella and other genera of Enterobacteriaceae. There was a close correlation between the degree of the inhibitory effect and the genetic relatedness of the strains, as has been demonstrated in Salmonella strains of different epidemiological classification. The inhibitory capacity was most pronounced among closely related strains. Clonal strains of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 4 fully inhibited caecal colonization by Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 4 strains in 65% of the combinations tested in chicks. In broth culture experiments, the share of combinations with complete inhibition was above 90%. A significant inhibitory competence of a selected strongly inhibitory Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 4 strain against the majority of Salmonella Enteritidis field isolates can be expected. However, Salmonella Enteritidis strains of all phase types showed almost no inhibitory competence against other Salmonella serotypes.     

Risk factors for stillbirths in two swine farms in the south of Brazil

We evaluated stillbirth risk factors in two commercial swine farms of the Rio Grande do Sul State (south of Brazil). The study was conducted during 1 month in Farm A and during 2 months in Farm B, both during 1999. Data for all farrowings that occurred during the study period were recorded (101 for Farm A and 373 for Farm B), without interference in the farm management. In Farm A, 39% of all litters born during the period of interest had stillborn piglets and the stillborn risk for piglets was 12%. In Farm B, 25% of all litters had stillborn piglets whereas the stillborn risk was 2%. Variables considered as potential risk factors for stillbirths were: parity (1, 2–3, 4+); breed (purebred or crossbred); sow body-condition (normal or fat); use of oxytocin during parturition (yes or no); obstetric intervention through vaginal palpation (yes or no); farrowing duration (<4 or ≥4 h); mummified fetuses (yes or no); total litter size (<12 or ≥12 piglets); and litter birth weight (<11 or ≥11 kg). All stillborn piglets had their classification validated by necropsy. In multivariable logistic-regressions, the cases were the litters having at least one stillborn piglet. In Farm A, litters having at least 12 pigs and in which oxytocin was used during the parturition had 20.8-times-higher odds of stillborn occurrence. In Farm B, litters from sows having parity ≥4 had 2.2-times-higher odds of stillborn occurrence than litters from parity 2 to 3 females, litters having ≥12 pigs had 2.0-times-higher odds of a stillborn piglet than smaller litters and farrowings in which vaginal palpation was performed had 8.0-times-higher odds. Farrowing room management to minimize stillborn risk should target higher-parity females, large litters and optimization of practices of obstetric interventions.     

Usefulness of endoscopic examination for the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease in the dog

The usefulness of endoscopic examination for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic enteritis in dogs was determined in this study. It was demonstrated, based on a clinical case, that endoscopy is essential for IBD diagnosis in dogs. Endoscopy also helps to estimate the efficiency of the treatment strategy applied. Nonspecific clinical examination results as well as a predominating lack of deviation in laboratory parameters make endoscopy the basic examination technique in mild and moderately advanced forms of chronic enteritis in the dog.     

Distribution of integrons and SGI1 among antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica isolates of animal origin

In Salmonella enterica, resistance to antibiotics can be caused by the presence of SGI1, transposons or conjugative plasmids. In this study we were interested in the relative contribution of these genetic elements to the antibiotic resistance of S. enterica isolates collected within a single year in the Czech Republic from animal sources. Altogether 123 antibiotic-resistant isolates belonging to 16 different S. enterica serovars were classified into 3 groups according to the presence of SGI1 and the presence of integrons. The first group consisted of 62 strains in which neither SGI1 nor class 1 integron was detected. A high diversity among serovars and resistance phenotypes was found in this group. The second group consisted of 56 strains positive for both the SGI1 and class 1 integron, out of which 55 belonged to serovar Typhimurium and one to a nonmotile serovar [4,12] which harboured the SGI1-B variant. The third group comprised five strains which were positive for class 1 integron but negative for the SGI1. Sequencing of the integrons in these isolates identified integron with sat1 and aadA1 gene cassettes in S. Sandiego and S. Pullorum, dfrA1 and aadA1 gene cassettes in S. Typhimurium integron, and aadA21 gene cassette in S. Braenderub and S. Zanzibar.