Successful treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome in a dog

An 11-year-old crossbred dog was presented with a history of episodic vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort and coughing. These signs had been present for several years. Marked peripheral eosinophilia (10.3 x 10(9)/L) was found. No underlying cause of reactive eosinophilia was apparent. Bone marrow aspiration biopsy showed hyperplasia of the eosinophilic cell line, with some increase in immaturity, although all cells were morphologically normal. There were numerous eosinophils in bronchial wash fluid and eosinophilic infiltrates were evident in biopsies of pancreas, liver, small intestine and colon but not stomach. Hypereosinophilic syndrome was diagnosed. The dog responded well to twice daily treatment with hydroxyurea and prednisolone. Clinical signs are well-controlled 16 months later.     

Concurrent gastro-oesophageal intussusception,trichobezoar and hiatal hernia in a cat

CASE HISTORY: An adult male Birman cat was evaluated for recurrent, intermittent vomiting or regurgitation, occasionally associated with abdominal discomfort.

CLINICAL FINDINGS AND DIAGNOSIS: Radiographs, including an oesophogram, indicated an oesophageal obstruction. Prior to treatment, the cat's condition deteriorated and it was euthanised at the owner's request. Post-mortem examination revealed a gastro-oesophageal intussusception, a trichobezoar impacted into the intussusceptum, and a dilated oesophageal hiatus consistent with a chronic hiatal hernia.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Gastro-oesophageal intussusception is a rare condition in cats. Its aetiology in relation to a pre-existing hiatal hernia and a trichobezoar is discussed.     

Estimating the costs of rearing young dairy cattle in the Netherlands using a simulation model that accounts for uncertainty related to diseases

The costs of rearing young dairy cattle are a part of the cost of the price of milk, as rearing produces the future dairy cows. As most dairy farmers are not aware of the rearing costs, the rearing of dairy replacements often does not get the attention it deserves. Calculating the distribution of the rearing costs throughout the rearing process is difficult as the costs are correlated with biological processes, such as variation in growth rate and disease uncertainty. In this study, a calf level simulation model was built to estimate the rearing costs and their distribution from 2 weeks of age until first calving in the Netherlands. The uncertainties related to calf diseases (calf scours and bovine respiratory disease) were included, in which both the probabilities of disease and the effects of diseases (growth reduction) differ at different ages. In addition, growth was modeled stochastically and in a detailed manner using a two-phase growth function. The total cost of rearing young dairy cattle was estimated as €1567 per successfully reared heifer and varied between €1423 and €1715. Reducing the age of first calving by 1 month reduced the total cost between 2.6% and 5.7%. The difference in the average cost of rearing between heifers that calved at 24 months and those calving at 30 months was €400 per heifer reared. Average rearing costs were especially influenced by labor efficiency and cost of feed. The rearing costs of a heifer that experienced disease at least once (20% of the simulated heifers) were on average €95 higher than those of healthy heifers. Hence, for an individual diseased heifer, disease costs can be rather high, while the relative contribution to the average rearing cost for a standard Dutch dairy farm is low (approx. 3%). Overall, the model developed proved to be a useful tool to investigate the total cost of rearing young dairy cattle, providing insights to dairy farmers with respect to the cost-efficiency of their own rearing management.     

云南咖啡锈菌小种鉴定

为明确云南咖啡锈菌小种类型,采用国际通用的 19 个咖啡锈菌生理小种鉴定寄主,利用人工接种鉴定的方法,对采自云南咖啡主产区 12 县（市）的 51 份咖啡锈菌进行鉴定,鉴定出 9 个小种,分别为 VIII（v2,3,5）、XXXIII（v5,7 or v5,7,9）、XXXIV（v2,5,7 or v2,5,7,9）、XXXVII（v2,5,6,7,9）、XLI（v2,5,8）、XLII（v2,5,7,8 or v2,5,7,8,9）、New race（v2,5,6,7）、New race（v1,2,5,7 or v1,2,5,7,9）、New race（v1,5,7 or v1,5,7,9）,这 9 个小种均为国内首次鉴定,其中小种 XXXIII、XXXIV、New race（v2,5,6,7）、New race（v1,5,7 or v1,5,7,9）、New race（v1,2,5,7 or v1,2,5,7,9）、XLI 和 XLII 均侵染 Catimor7963,小种 XXXVII 侵染 CatimorT5175。     

Expression of Occludin in Testis and Epididymis of Wild Rabbits, Lepus sinensis coreanus

Tight junctions (TJs) in inter-Sertoli junctional areas and epididymal epithelia build up the blood–testis barrier (BTB) and the blood–epididymal barrier (BEB), respectively. In this study, the expression of occludin, an integral member of the TJs, was examined in testis and different regions of epididymis of Lepus sinensis coreanus , an Korean wild rabbit species. In testis, intense occludin immunoreactivity was found in the basally located inter-Sertoli junctional area together with diffused immunoreactivity of occludin in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells. It can be suggested that occludin is one of the robust elements of BTB in seminiferous tubules of rabbit testis. In proximal and distal caput epididymis, occludin immunoreactivity was found in the lateral as well as apical contacts of epithelial cells. In corpus epididymis, intense occludin immunoreactivity was found in the basolateral as well as apical contacts of epithelial cells together with cytoplasmic signal. In cauda epididymis, occludin immunoreactivity in luminal epithelia was relatively strong but largely found in the cytoplasm. This suggests that intriguing regulatory mechanisms differentially recruit occludin to the TJ in the different regions of epididymal epithelia. The differences in the subcellular localization as well as expression levels of occludin among the epididymal segments may reflect differential paracellular permeability of epithelia along the epididymal tubules and be correlated with sperm maturation in rabbit. In Western blot, a major form of occludin was MW 62 kDa together with small fragments of MW 34–39 kDa in testis and epididymis, suggesting the peptide cleavage of occludin. This is the first report on the molecular nature of TJs in a wild rabbit testis and epididymis.     

Vaginal isolation of beta‐haemolytic Streptococcus from bitches with and without neonatal deaths in the litters

The aim of the study was to identify beta‐haemolytic streptococci in the vagina of bitches who had delivered healthy litters and bitches who had delivered litters in which neonatal deaths occurred. Fifty‐one bitches divided into two groups were used. Group 1 (G1) included 28 bitches that had delivered healthy litters and group 2 (G2) included 23 bitches that had delivered puppies who died in the neonatal period. Two vaginal samples were taken, one in proestrus and the other at the end of gestation (EG). Beta‐haemolytic Streptococcus (BS) was isolated from 16 bitches (57%) in G1 and from 21 bitches (91%) in G2. The bacteriological cultures, serological tests (Streptex^®) and PCR assay allowed identification of Streptococcus canis and Streptococcus dysgalactiae in G1 and G2. Ultramicroscopic studies allowed the observation of M Protein and capsules in strains of S. dysgalactiae and S. canis in G1 and G2. The S. canis strains isolated from G2 showed thicker capsules than S. canis strains isolated from G1 (234 ± 24.2 vs 151.23 ± 28.93 nm; p < .001.). No differences were observed in capsule thickness between strains of S. dysgalactiae isolated from G1 and G2 (210 ± 13.54 vs 211.66 ± 19.67 nm; p > .70). All strains of beta‐haemolytic Streptococcus isolated were penicillin sensitive. Penicillin was administered from EG to 5 days post‐partum in 10 G2 females with isolation of BS (G2A). Saline solution was administered in eleven G2 females with isolation of BS (G2B). Ninety per cent of the puppies survived in G2A and 25% survived in G2B. Our results suggest BS is involved in canine neonatal deaths.     

The reversal of xylazine/ketamine immobilisation of fallow deer with yohimbine

Fallow deer were immobilised using a combination of xylazine and ketamine. Adult males (n = 10) and adult females (n = 10) received 4 mg/kg of each drug intramuscularly. Juveniles (n = 11) received 2 mg/kg of each drug, intravenously. Times to recumbency were as follows: adult males 4.9 +/- 2.9 min, adult females 4.1 +/- 1.9 min, juveniles 2.3 +/- 1.1 min. After 30 min each deer received 0.2 mg/kg of yohimbine, or an equal volume of sterile diluent intravenously. Yohimbine substantially reduced the recovery times of treated deer. Adults males were releasable 7.2 +/- 4.3 min after yohimbine administration, whereas control males were not releasable until 165 +/- 18 min. Treated adult females were releasable after 6.6 +/- 4.3 min, while control females were not releasable until 84 +/- 29 min. Juveniles were releasable 2.1 +/- 0.8 min after administration of yohimbine but control juveniles were not releasable until 62 +/- 16 min. Xylazine/ketamine administration produced statistically significant changes in packed cell volume, total plasma protein, albumin, sodium, glucose, creatine phosphokinase and inorganic phosphate values after 30 min. Yohimbine administration had no effect on these changes.     

Electrolytes Changes in Mammary Secretions Before Foaling in Jennies

No knowledge regarding the peripartum changes in mammary secretions in the jenny are presently available in literature. In the mare, instead, several studies report the role of these changes as indicators of foetal readiness for birth and impending parturition. This experiment was designed to determine calcium, sodium, potassium concentrations, and the value of sodium/potassium ratio in mammary fluids during prepartum in the jenny. Samples were daily collected by hand milking, after mammary gland size increased noticeably, from 17 Martina Franca jennies. Prepartum mammary secretions were analysed every other day between day 10 and day 2 antepartum, and then once a day from the day before to the day of parturition. Calcium concentration showed a significant increase between day 10 and day 6 antepartum and then between day 6 and days 4 and 2. Afterwards, another statistical significant increase was observed at parturition. Sodium concentration significantly decreased from day 10 to day 2 prepartum. Potassium concentration significantly increased between day 10 and day 8 before parturition, then showed a further increase at day 4, followed by none significant changes until foaling. All jennies showed a reversal in sodium/potassium ratio between 2 days antepartum and the day before. In conclusion, the evaluation of mammary fluid calcium concentrations and the reversal of sodium/potassium ratio could be used as good indicators of foetal maturity in the jenny. As far as the prediction of parturition is concerned, the reversal of sodium/potassium ratio is the best parameter, since it was detected 48–24 h before parturition in all considered animals.     

Redox cycling induces spermptosis and necrosis in stallion spermatozoa while the hydroxyl radical (OH•) only induces spermptosis

Oxidative stress is a major factor explaining sperm dysfunction of spermatozoa surviving freezing and thawing and is also considered a major inducer of a special form of apoptosis, visible after thawing, in cryopreserved spermatozoa. To obtain further insights into the link between oxidative stress and the induction of apoptotic changes, stallion spermatozoa were induced to oxidative stress through redox cycling after exposure to 2‐methyl‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (menadione), or hydroxyl radical formation after FeSO₄ exposure. Either exposure induced significant increases (p < 0.05) in two markers of lipid peroxidation: 8‐iso‐PGF_2α and 4‐hydroxynonenal (4‐HNE). While both treatments induced changes indicative of spermptosis (caspase‐3 activation and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential) (p < 0.01), menadione induced sperm necrosis and a dramatic reduction in motility and thiol content in stallion spermatozoa. Thus, we provided evidence that oxidative stress underlies spermptosis, and thiol content is a key factor for stallion sperm function.