Use of propofol for anesthesia in cats with primary hepatic lipidosis: 44 cases (1995-2004)

OBJECTIVE-To determine morbidity and fatalities in cats with hepatic lipidosis that received propofol to facilitate placement of a feeding tube. STUDY DESIGN-Retrospective case series. ANIMALS-44 Cats with presumed primary hepatic lipidosis anesthetized for placement of a feeding tube. PROCEDURES-Medical records from January 1995 through December 2004 were reviewed to identify cats that matched the inclusion criteria (histologic confirmation of hepatic lipidosis, anesthetized for placement of feeding tube, complete intensive care unit [ICU] records, and recorded outcome). Data extracted included age, body weight, sex, anesthetic drugs, drug dosages, type of feeding tube, duration of anesthesia, number of hours in ICU, administration of blood products, and survival until discharge from ICU. RESULTS-44 Cats (21 females and 23 males) were included in the analysis. Age range was 3 to 15 years (median, 8 years), and body weight ranged from 1.8 to 9.0 kg (4.0 to 19.8 lb), with a median of 4.8 kg (10.6 lb). Twenty-seven cats were administered propofol. There was no significant association between the use of propofol or the dosage of propofol and any risk factor, need for blood products, number of hours in the ICU, or survival. There was no significant difference between cats that received propofol and cats that did not receive propofol with regard to interval until discharge from the ICU. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE-The use of propofol did not increase morbidity or fatalities in cats with primary hepatic lipidosis. Thus, propofol can be used in these cats for placement of a feeding tube.     

Anti-allergic effects of the brown alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eisenia arborea</Emphasis> on Brown Norway rats

To investigate the anti-allergic effects of the brown alga Eisenia arborea. A strain of Brown Norway rats know to strongly respond to immunoglobulin E (IgE) were used as an allergy model animal. The rats were immunized with ovalbumin by oral administration. The levels of serum IgE and histamine were suppressed in the rats fed a diet supplemented with dried E. arborea powder. As for the cytokine pattern, the interferon-γ production in the spleens and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) was enhanced, and the interleukin-4 (IL-4) production in the spleens and/or IL-10 production in the spleens and MLN were suppressed. These results, together with the change in the Th1/Th2 balance, indicate that the rats fed with E. arborea became more anti-allergic, suggesting that E. arborea might possess anti-allergic effects.     

Application of ELISA-based kit for detecting AOZ and determining its clearance in eel tissues

Furazolidone, an antibacterial drug that was once widely used in the livestock industry and aquaculture, is now prohibited in numerous countries. It is difficult to detect residual furazolidone because it is readily metabolized in animal tissues but, by using and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, its metabolite, 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ) can be detected. Here we describe the validity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to detect AOZ in Japanese eel Anguilla japonica tissue. ELISA is capable of detecting AOZ at 1.0 μg/kg in an eel sample with excellent accuracy and precision. Our results show that ELISA is suitable for regulatory purposes and for studying the fate of AOZ residues in eel treated with furazolidone. To measure the persistence of AOZ in eel tissues, eels (1.4–6.5g) were immersed in tanks containing 2 and 10 mg furazolidone/L for 3 h, and then maintained in a tank supplying well water for the next 160 days. The half-lives of AOZ, calculated from the linear terminal part of the excretion curve, were 25.0 days in muscle and 21.6 days in liver from fish exposed to 2 mg/L furazolidone. In the eels treated with 10 mg/L furazolidone, by contrast, high levels of AOZ were detected in liver and muscle, but the half-lives of AOZ were similar to those in fish treated with 2 mg/L furazolidone. The half-lives of AOZ in eel tissues were prolonged by the condition of low water temperature.     

Hemolytic compound 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-hexadecan-1,19-disulfate found in the invasive European sea squirt Ascidiella aspersa

Fisheries Science - The solitary European sea squirt Ascidiella aspersa was introduced to northern Japan, causing dense coverage of the aquacultured Japanese scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis. There...     

Studies on the green liver in cultured red sea bream fed low level and non-fish meal diets: Relationship between hepatic taurine and biliverdin levels

SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to investigate the cause of green liver in red sea bream fed substitute protein diets. Red sea bream Pagrus major was given either of the following diets for 28 weeks: (1) control diet (50% fish meal), (2) low level fish meal diet (15% fish meal), and (3) non-fish meal diet (0% fish meal). The green liver was observed in all groups tested, but the incidence was much higher in the experimental diet groups. The feeding of substitute protein diets reduced plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels. However, there was no significant difference in plasma hepatic enzyme activities and plasma bile salts concentration among the treatments. Fish fed the substitute protein diets showed low hepatic taurine levels with an appearance of a biliverdin in the liver. Moreover, the proportion of ditaurobilirubin to total biliary bile pigments was significantly lower in fish fed the substitute protein diets. These data indicate that feeding of substitute protein diets did not induce any cholestatic hepatobiliary obstructions and that the low hepatic taurine level was one of the probable factors responsible for the occurrence of green liver in red sea bream fed substitute protein diets.     

Effect of a seaweed mixture on serum lipid level and platelet aggregation in rats

ABSTRACT:   To assess the effect of a seaweed mixture on lipid levels in serum as well as platelet aggregation in rats, Eisenia bicyclis ('Arame'), Hizikia fusiformis ('Hijiki') and Undaria pinnatifida sporophylls ('Mekabu'), all brown seaweeds, and Porphyra yezoensis ('Susabinori'), a red seaweed, were powdered and mixed in a ratio of 45:30:20:5 (w/w). When rats were fed a cholesterol-rich diet containing this mixture of seaweeds (9–10% w/w) for 28 days, serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, free cholesterol, and triglyceride levels declined significantly to 49.7%, 48.1%, 49.0% and 74.8%, respectively, of those of the control. Serum HDL-cholesterol, however, was unchanged. Though activated partial thromboplatin time, prothrombin time, antithrombin III activity, and fibrinogen levels in plasma were unchanged, the maximal ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation decreased significantly to 89.0% and 85.5% control levels, respectively. These results indicate that this mixture of E. bicyclis , H. fusiformis , U. pinnatifida sporophylls, and P. yezoensis , is useful for the prevention of hyperlipidemia and thrombosis in rats.     

Inactivation of Piscine orthoreovirus

Piscine orthoreovirus infects various salmonid fish species, and the infection is associated with diseases such as heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). There are no vaccines available or genetically selected resistant hosts that can efficiently control piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) infection. Currently, the only prophylactic measure against PRV is general biosecurity measures aiming to break the transmission cycle. Methods to eradicate infectious virus from contaminated facilities are desirable, but the knowledge on how to inactivate PRV is lacking. A major bottleneck for inactivation studies is the lack of ability to propagate PRV in cell culture. Therefore, in this study we developed an in vivo model for detection of infectious PRV particles after treatment of the virus with inactivation tools such as heat, pH, iodine, UV and commercially available disinfectants. The results show that standard iodine treatment is efficient in inactivation of the virus, and similarly are high and low pH extremes and treatment with Virocid, a commercially available disinfectant. A UV dose of at least 50 mJ/cm² is required for inactivation, and the virus has high resistance against heat treatment.     

Effects of instream structures on Kirikuchi charr, southernmost population of genus Salvelinus, in a small mountain stream of Japan

ABSTRACT:   The changes in physical habitats and responses of fish, e.g. the Kirikuchi charr Salvelinus leucomaenis japonicus , were examined by placing instream structures in a stream on the upper drainage of the Totsu River system of the Kii Peninsula, Japan, over a two-year period. Instream structures created pools below the structures, and these pools have maintained their functions as fish habitats over two years. In two treatment sections, sections A and B (some red-spotted masu salmon were removed in advance in section B), mean water depth increased soon after placing the structures, but decreased over two years. Mean water velocity slowed after placing the structures in both sections. Total fish abundance has been relatively high at the two treatment sections compared with a control section after placing the structures. Age 1 Kirikuchi charr, however, increased only in section B. These results indicate that instream structures can serve as habitat enhancement for fish, including Kirikuchi charr, in the study area if other appropriate habitat factors for respective species are taken into consideration.