Diagnostic Approaches for the Assessment of Equine Chronic Pulmonary Disorders

Even though the respiratory system is one of the most accessible organs for diagnostic testing, it is not always easy to define chronic lower airway disease in the horse. Diagnostic procedures performed by first opinion veterinarians in the field are often restricted to taking the history and performing clinical examination. Respiratory tract endoscopy, tracheal or bronchoalveolar lavage, and blood sampling are sometimes used but other specific ancillary examinations are seldom performed in stable settings. Therefore, our objectives were to evaluate the diagnostic value of different techniques and examination types routinely used in the diagnostic workup of chronic equine lower airway cases in both stable and clinical circumstances. Another aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of different chronic pulmonary disorders among horses admitted to a Hungarian referral clinic. According to the conditional inference tree method, age of the horse, history, clinical examination, respiratory tract endoscopy, and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology proved to be the most valuable tools to define pathology. It was also concluded that in 22% of cases, more specific ancillary diagnostic modalities, unavailable for the field veterinarian, were needed to establish the final diagnosis. According to our study, the most frequently diagnosed chronic pulmonary disorders in Hungary are of noninfectious origin, principally recurrent airway obstruction. Regardless of the cause, and interestingly including recurrent airway obstruction as well, these diseases occur primarily during the warm months.     

樱类品种观赏性状初步研究

以宁波仗锡樱花基地引种的15个樱类品种为试材,研究其在宁波地区的开花物候期和观赏性状表现。结果表明:在宁波露地栽植条件下,多数品种的始花期集中在3月下旬—4月中旬,各品种单株花期12～21 d不等,总花期维持20～35 d之间。始花期以东京樱最早,虎尾樱最晚,红叶樱、冈目、关山较晚;花期以关山最长,八重红大岛次之,虎尾樱最短。重瓣品种中白菊樱、关山、八重红大岛和普贤象花大、色艳、花型美丽、花量大、植株健壮;单瓣品种中一叶樱、染井吉野和东京樱花量大、开花时间早、生长势好,可推广种植。     

Effect of eye fluke infection on the growth of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) —An experimental approach

Effect of the eye fluke Diplostomum spathaceum on fish growth has remained somewhat unclear because 1) the question has not been subjected to experimental examination with treatment-control setup and 2) growth has not been related to the coverage of parasite-induced cataracts in a quantitative manner. We examined effects of the parasite on growth and competitive ability of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) in experimental conditions resembling those at fish farms by maintaining groups of exposed and control fish, as well as mixed groups from both treatments, under optimal conditions for 8 weeks. Contrary to our expectations, we did not observe differences in fish growth between the treatments. However, at the level of individual fish, parasite-induced cataracts had a negative effect on weight of the exposed fish but this took place only when the cataract coverage reached 100% in both eyes. No effect of the infection on competitive ability of fish was observed in mixed treatments which may be related to patterns of food distribution in the tanks or cues received by the fish from less infected conspecifics. Overall, the results suggest that effects of D. spathaceum on fish growth become apparent only in cases of very high cataract coverage, and that feeding regimes and the shape of the cataract coverage distribution in a fish group are important determinants of the magnitude of these effects.     

Traces of human migrations in Helicobacter pylori populations

Helicobacter pylori, a chronic gastric pathogen of human beings, can be divided into seven populations and subpopulations with distinct geographical distributions. These modern populations derive their gene pools from ancestral populations that arose in Africa, Central Asia, and East Asia. Subsequent spread can be attributed to human migratory fluxes such as the prehistoric colonization of Polynesia and the Americas, the neolithic introduction of farming to Europe, the Bantu expansion within Africa, and the slave trade.     

Breed differences of bull frozen‐thawed semen

The objective of this study was to investigate the quality of frozen‐thawed semen from different bull breeds. Commercial frozen‐thawed bull semen samples (26 per breed, 130 totally) of five breeds (Holstein [Η], Brown Swiss [BS], Limousin [L], Belgian Blue [BB], Blonde d' Aquitaine [BA]) were used. After thawing, each semen sample was subjected to thermal resistance test (TR) for 0.5 and 1 hr at 38°C and hypo‐osmotic swelling test (HOST) for 1 hr at 150 mOsm at 37°C. Additionally, all samples were evaluated at times 0 hr (thawing), 0.5 hr (TR), 1 hr (TR) for kinetics by CASA [progressive, immotile, rapid, medium, slow moving spermatozoa, curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP), straight line velocity (VSL), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), beat cross‐frequency (BCF), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), wobble (WOB)]. Moreover, directly after thawing, all semen samples were evaluated for morphometry, morphology, viability and DNA fragmentation. Statistical analysis was conducted using a mixed model for repeated measures. The results showed (a) higher VCL after thawing in H, L breeds compared to BB and BA, (b) higher VAP after thawing in L compared to BB, BA, (c) higher values of progressive spermatozoa after TR in H, BS compared to BB, BA, (d) higher values of rapid spermatozoa after thawing and 0.5 hr of TR in H, BS, L compared to BB, BA, (e) lower viability in BA after thawing compared to H, BS, BB, (f) lower morphological abnormalities in H compared to L, BB, (g) higher head length in Η compared to BB. No significant differences were observed in the results from HOST and DNA fragmentation between breeds. In conclusion, quality characteristics of frozen‐thawed bull semen are dependent on the breed. Frozen semen from BB and BA breeds should be handled more carefully after thawing, as it is more sensitive to stress.     

Factor XII and partial prekallikrein deficiencies in a dog with recurrent gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Factor XII deficiency and impaired prekallikrein activity were diagnosed in a 1-year-old Chinese Shar Pei. The dog experienced repeated episodes of intestinal hemorrhage and diarrhea. Laboratory findings were compatible with blood loss (iron deficiency anemia and hypoproteinemia). Necropsy findings suggested mild infiltrative bowel disease that could have been responsible for the dog's diarrhea, but no explanation for the severe recurrent gastrointestinal hemorrhage could be found. Factor XII deficiency is uncommon in the dog and is not associated with hemorrhagic tendencies. The factor XII deficiency in this case may have contributed to the gastrointestinal hemorrhage.     

An orf-like condition caused by trombiculid mites on sheep in South Africa.

Some flocks of sheep in the Amersfoort district of Transvaal Province developed orf-like lesions, commencing between December and April. The causative agent was identified as a new species of mite belonging to the genus Guntheria of the family Trombiculidae.     

Studies on the suitability of alpha-hybrid interferon application in cattle

Twelve cattle with body wts ranging from 100 to 250 kg were treated using various doses and routes for four days with an E. coli derived alpha-hybrid interferon. The lowest parenteral doses (10⁴ units per kg body wt) and the orally administered interferon did not lead to any disturbances, whereas the higher dosages led to marked changes in body temperature, pulse and respiration rates. Animals with the highest dose (10⁸ units per kg body wt) became extremely distressed. The blood picture showed distinct changes, with very low leukocyte counts during treatment, which took weeks to recover. It is suggested that the dosages that did not lead to clinical symptoms are best suited for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes.