Analysis of Noxious Gas Pollution in Horse Stable Air

The aim of this study was to determine quantitative and qualitative occurrence of noxious gas compounds in the stable, depending on the time of the day (4:00 AM, 12:00, 8:00 PM), the height (20 cm, 150 cm), and the place (boxes, aisle) from which the samples were collected. Seven compounds were analyzed (NH₃, SO₂, COS, HCN, CH₄, NO₂, and CO). For analyzing stable air, a mobile gas analyzer was used. The time of day was a significant differential factor (P < .01) for concentrations of NH₃, COS, and CH₄. The highest concentrations of CH₄, COS, NO₂, NH_3, and CO appeared at 4:00. For the rest of the studied compounds (SO₂, HCN, CO) differences were not statistically significant, but there was a tendency for the highest concentrations at 12:00. The concentrations of gas compounds depending on height did not differ significantly from each other, but there was a tendency for higher concentrations of NH₃, SO₂, CH₄, and CO at 150 cm and for HCN at 20 cm. COS and NO₂ remained constant at both heights in boxes. The places where the samples were collected was a significant differential factor (P < .01) for NH₃ and SO₂. For the rest of the studied compounds the differences were not statistically significant. It can be concluded that many noxious compounds may appear without being noticed, and that is why it is necessary to provide stables with efficient air exchange throughout the day.     

Development of a discriminative questionnaire to assess nonphysical aspects of quality of life of dogs

OBJECTIVE: To develop a preliminary discriminative questionnaire for assessment of nonphysical aspects of the quality of life (QOL) of pet dogs and evaluate the questionnaire's content validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency. STUDY POPULATION: Owners of 120 dogs. PROCEDURE: Each QOL question had 4 response options, representing descending levels of QOL that were equally weighted. A maximum of 38 items contributed to the QOL score. The questionnaire was administered by telephone to owners of dogs with appointments at a veterinary teaching hospital before the appointment. After the appointment, each dog was classified as sick or healthy by use of defined criteria; owners of healthy dogs had a second interview 3 to 4 weeks later. Test-retest reliability (kappa), internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), and respondents' comprehension were used as criteria for excluding an item. RESULTS: There were 77 sick and 43 healthy dogs. Twenty-two QOL questions had significant kappa values (0.11 to 0.91). The Cronbach alpha values for 5 domains of QOL ranged from 0.45 to 0.61, indicating that the domains had moderate internal consistency (homogeneity). The initial pool of 38 items was reduced to 27. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The questionnaire was designed to complement veterinary assessment of dogs' physical health. The questionnaire may be a useful tool in making decisions regarding dogs' QOL.     

Gadolinium contrast medium administration does not adversely affect T2*‐weighted gradient recalled echo magnetic resonance imaging of the canine brain at 1.5 Tesla

As gadolinium‐based contrast agents are paramagnetic and have T2 shortening effects, they have the potential to adversely affect gradient recalled echo sequences. The aim of this prospective, cross‐sectional study was to evaluate the effects of gadolinium administration on T2*‐weighted sequence diagnostic quality and signal intensity when imaging the canine brain. A total of 100 dogs underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including pre‐ and postcontrast T2*‐weighted sequences acquired with a delay (Group A) or immediately (Group B) following gadolinium administration. Pre‐ and postcontrast images were subjectively compared. In dogs with intracranial enhancing masses, regions of interest were drawn on corresponding images and signal intensity ratios were calculated. The effect of degree and pattern of contrast enhancement, susceptibility artifacts, and time between contrast injection and T2*‐weighted sequence acquisition on signal intensity ratio was evaluated. Overall 31 dogs had contrast enhancing intracranial masses. Subjectively, there was no difference in image quality of T2*‐weighted sequences obtained before and after contrast medium administration. No significant signal intensity differences of intracranial contrast enhancing masses were found (Group A P = 0.9999; Group B P = 0.9992). Susceptibility artifacts did not differ in appearance, and there was no effect on calculated signal intensity ratio (P = 0.8142). Similarly, there was no effect of degree of enhancement or contrast heterogeneity on signal intensity ratio (P = 0.4413). No correlation was found between signal intensity ratio and the time to acquisition (P = 0.199). Administration of gadolinium‐based MRI contrast agents does not adversely affect T2*‐weighted imaging of the brain in dogs at 1.5 T even in the presence of contrast enhancing lesions.     

Antioxidative effect of kaempferol and its equimolar mixture with phenyltin compounds on UV-irradiated liposome membranes

The work investigates the possibility of the protective action of kaempferol on phosphatidylcholine liposome membranes exposed to the pro-oxidative action of diphenyltin dichloride (DPhT) and triphenyltin chloride (TPhT) induced by UV radiation (lambda = 253.7 nm). The concentrations of kaempferol and its equimolar mixtures with DPhT and TPhT were determined so that they induce 50% inhibition in oxidation of liposomes irradiated with UV. They are 11.6, 10.0, and 4.5 microM/L, which constitute the following sequence of antioxidative activity: kaempferol/triphenyltin > kaempferol/diphenyltin > kaempferol. This relationship is confirmed by the results on the antiradical ability of kaempferol and its mixtures with DPhT and TPhT toward the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Similar sequences obtained in both studies suggest a possible mechanism of the antiradical action of the mixtures as free radical scavengers. Kaempferol's ability, then documented, to form complexes with phenyltins indicates (a) a possible way to liquidate the peroxidation caused by the free radical forms of phenyltins and (b) the stabilizing role of chelating in the antioxidative action of the kaempferol/phenyltins. The differentiation in the action of the compounds studied may, among others, result from different localizations in the liposome membrane, which is indicated by the results of the fluorometric studies.     

Congenital Pelger-Hu?t anomaly in a Danish/Swedish Farmdog: Case Report

A 13 year old Danish/Swedish Farmdog from Denmark was evaluated in a veterinary clinic in Warsaw, Poland for evaluation of an orthopedic problem. Radiographs revealed spondylosis and degenerative vertebral disease, which responded to treatment with anti-inflammatory medications. A predominance of hyposegmented neutrophils and eosinophils containing condensed chromatin and normal cytoplasm were identified on a routine CBC. Follow-up blood film evaluations over the course of 12 months confirmed that the hyposegmented granulocytes persisted. The majority of neutrophils contained Grade 2 nuclei (slightly indented), and the mean nuclear score varied from 1.9 to 2.3. Pelger-Huët anomaly (PHA), presumably congenital, was diagnosed based on persistent hyposegmented granulocytes in the absence of an underlying cause for acquired PHA; genetically related dogs were unavailable for testing to confirm vertical transmission. To the authors'' knowledge this is the first report of PHA in a Danish/Swedish Farmdog.     

Long-Term Changes of Particulate Emission in the Industrial Region of Upper Silesia (Poland) and their Effect on the Acidity of Rainwater

The article presents data from ten-year measurements, which provethat the positive effects in particulate emission were accompanied by some adverse effects in the form of acidified rainwater. A distinctive change of rainwater pH in the SilesiaRegion (Poland) was first recorded in the early 90's. While in 1989, pH of over 55% of the investigated rainwater samples wasabove 6, in 1997 the average yearly pH was 4.1 and the pH of20%of the investigated samples was in the range of 3.1–4.0. Seekingthe reason for an increased acidity of rainwater, pH values were compared with emission changes of particulate, SO₂ and NO₂ acrossthe studied area. Emission factors of Ca, Mg, Na and K were determined based on the data of particulate matter emission fromcement production processes, coal combustion processes and metallurgy. This allowed comparing the changes of pH rainwater with the area emissions of alkali elements. An analysis of thecorrelation between pH values and the changes of particulatematter and alkali elements emission as well as SO₂ and NO₂ emission in the area under study showed that particulate emission followed by SO₂ emission had the strongest impact onthe modification of rainwater pH, while the impact of NO₂ emission was less distinctive. Additionally, an analysis was made to investigate the relationbetween rainwater pH and the concentration of alkaline ions inrainwater samples. The highest value r = 0.96 was recorded forMg²⁺ ions, the lowest i.e. r = 0.54 for Ca²⁺ ions.This situation can be explained by the fact that calciumcompounds are the soluble substances among the investigatedmetals. Thus, despite the presence of calcium compounds inrainwater samples, a large amount of their portion does notinfluence rainwater pH.     

Characterization of some Allium hybrids by aroma precursors, aroma profiles, and alliinase activity

Various Allium hybrids, obtained by the crossbreeding of Allium cepa (onion) as the mother plant and six taxonomically distant wild species obtained by embryo rescue, were investigated with special respect to their individual profiles of cysteine sulfoxides as well as enzymically and nonenzymically formed aroma substances. Alliinase (EC 4.4.1.4) catalyzes the conversion of odorless (+)-S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides into volatile thiosulfinates. These thiosulfinates were converted to a variety of sulfides by steam distillation. SPME-gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) used for the analysis of aroma components and their precursors permitted a high sample throughput, so that numerous gene bank accessions and Allium breeding materials were analyzed within a comparatively short time. Cysteine sulfoxides as well as alliinase activity were found in all investigated samples at different levels, but (+)-S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (methiin) was the most abundant sulfoxide present. (+)-S-(trans-1-Propenyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide (isoalliin) is typical for onion and was found in all investigated hybrids. The pattern of the other cysteine sulfoxides depended strongly on the parent plants used. The profile of aroma components corresponded with the related pattern of aroma precursors (cysteine sulfoxides). Successful hybridization was proven by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. Together with these established marker techniques, HPLC and SPME-GC analysis provide support to breeding projects designed to improve the health and aroma properties of Allium hybrids.     

Diversity of seed globulins in Lathyrus sativus L. and some related species

Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of reduced seed globulins covered 141 accessions of Lathyrus sativus and the following related species: L. amphicarpos, L. blepharicarpus, L. cicera, L. gorgoni, L. marmoratus, L. pseudocicera and L. stenophyllus. In the total examined material 71 globulin polypeptide bands were distinguished. The number of polypeptide bands detected in particular species varied from 14 in L. amphicarpos to 29 in L. sativus; all the species under study showed intraspecific variation due to individual variation and/or differences among accessions. Electrophoretic data were subjected to statistical analysis using hierarchical UPGMA grouping. Frequency distribution of polypeptide bands in L. sativus showed some correlations with geographical origin and certain seed characteristics (seed coat colour, seed weight) of the studied accessions. As regards interspecific relationships, the studied species showed to be distantly related taxa except for the rather closely allied L. cicera and L. marmoratus. The obtained results are compared with the electrophoretic seed albumin data reported earlier for the same taxa.     

Luteinising hormone attenuates the vascular response to norepinephrine

The present study examines the direct effect of luteinising hormone (LH) on the reactivity of the porcine uterine artery to norepinephrine (NE). Three-mm-long arterial segments collected during the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle were mounted in an organ bath for isometric tension recording. After 30 min of equilibration in optimal passive tone, one part of the vessels was treated with 10 ng/ml of LH in PBS (experimental), while a second part of the arterial segments was treated with 10 ng/ml of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PBS (control). After 30 min of equilibration, NE was given to each organ bath in a cumulative concentration manner, ranging between 1 x 10(-8) mol/l to 3 x 10(-4) mol/l. NE caused a dose-dependent contraction of all experimental and control arteries. The addition of LH caused a rightward shift of the dose-response curve to NE. The corresponding EC50 values were 2.17 (+/- 0.39) micromol/l in PBS-pretreated vessels and 3.35 (+/- 0.41) micromol/l in LH-pretreated vessels (P < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate that LH attenuates the vascular response to NE in third-order branches of the uterine artery. Therefore, it can be suggested that besides the known effect of LH-hCG on the formation of vasoactive eicosanoids, an additional mechanism is involved in the direct action of LH on blood flow in the uterine arteries in pigs.