Naltrexone does not affect isoflurane minimum alveolar concentration in cats

ObjectiveTo test whether naltrexone, an opioid receptor antagonist, affects the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane in cats, a species that is relatively resistant to the general anesthetic sparing effects of most opioids.Study designRandomized, crossover, placebo-controlled, blinded experimental design.AnimalsSix healthy adult cats weighing 4.9 ± 0.7 kg.MethodsThe cats were studied twice. In the first study, baseline isoflurane MAC was measured in duplicate. The drug (saline control or 0.6 mg kg^?1 naltrexone) was administered IV every 40–60 minutes, and isoflurane MAC was re-measured. In the second study, cats received the second drug treatment using identical methods 2 weeks later.ResultsIsoflurane MAC was 2.03 ± 0.12% and was unchanged from baseline following saline or naltrexone administration.Conclusion and clinical relevanceMinimum alveolar concentration was unaffected by naltrexone. Because MAC in cats is unaffected by at least some mu-opioid agonists and antagonists, spinal neurons that are directly modulated by mu-opioid receptors in this species cannot be the neuroanatomic sites responsible for immobility from inhaled anesthetics.     

Comparison of Different Sampling Strategies and Laboratory Methods for the Detection of C. jejuni and C. coli from Broiler Flocks at Primary Production

Summary The objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of different combinations of sample type, transport medium and culture methods for the recovery of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli from broiler flocks at primary production. Boot swabs moistened with one of four different transport media [maximum recovery diluent (n = 120), Exeter broth (EX) (n = 120), buffered peptone water (n = 120) and modified semi‐solid Cary‐Blair (n = 120)], caecal samples (n = 40) and faecal samples (n = 120) from 40 broiler flocks were compared and sensitivity estimates obtained using a Bayesian model. Samples were cultured onto mCCDA before and after enrichment in EX and incubated microaerobically at 41.5°C. Campylobacter suspect colonies were identified to the species level by multiplex PCR. Results from the Bayesian model indicated that boot swabs after enrichment had higher sensitivity (90–94%) than caecal contents before or after enrichment (84% and 89%, respectively) and faecal samples after enrichment (82%) for the detection of Campylobacter spp., although these differences were not statistically significant. Enrichment significantly increased the sensitivity of boot swab and caecal samples for detection of Campylobacter spp. and C. jejuni, respectively. However, the enrichment of caecal samples resulted in a significant decrease in the sensitivity of these samples for detection of C. coli. There was much greater variation in the sensitivity estimates of the methods for detecting C. coli than for C. jejuni, and the ranking of methods was different between the two species. Boot swabs gave the best sensitivity values for detection of C. jejuni, and enrichment culture of faecal samples was the most sensitive method for detection of C. coli.     

Risk ratio as parameter for the genetic characterization of complex binary traits in cattle. A simulation study under various genetic models using halfsib families

The risk ratio (λ_R) is defined as ‘the recurrence risk for a relative of an affected individual divided by the prevalence in the general population’ and is considered as the most important parameter when designing mapping experiments for diseases in humans. In this paper, the risk ratio was introduced as a parameter to genetically characterize complex binary traits such as mastitis in cattle. Simulations were applied to evaluate the properties of λ_R under different genetic models (monogenic, digenic, polygenic and mixed models) and in dependency of their parameters for a design consisting of unbalanced halfsib families typically found in dairy cattle. Population prevalences of the simulated data ranged from 5 to 40% and λ_R was estimated on a phenotypic level. In the discrete loci models complexity of the traits was introduced through different levels of penetrance and the proportions of phenocopies within each genetic background. The risk ratio and the power to reject the null hypothesis of independent halfsibs (λ_R=1) were influenced by the prevalence in all genetic models chosen. Absolute values for λ_R were higher for lower prevalences, for example, λ_R=2.77 and 1.62 for a pure monogenic recessive model with 5 and 20% prevalence, respectively, whereas the power decreases in the case of lower prevalences. For all the prevalences investigated, higher risk ratios were found for discrete loci models compared with the polygenic models, with higher values for the monogenic relative to the digenic models in general. For the mixed models, λ_R was intermediate between the polygenic and discrete loci models. Genes with dominant relative to recessive inheritance for susceptibility caused higher risk ratios in monogenic and mixed models, for example, λ_R=5.16 and 2.77 for a pure monogenic model with 5% prevalence. In the discrete loci models, λ_R decreased with lower penetrance and a higher proportion of phenocopies. Risk ratios increased with the heritability in the polygenic and in addition with the effect of the major gene in mixed models. Consistent patterns of risk ratios were observed under the analysed genetic models and parameters, which indicate that the risk ratio is a parameter well suited to genetically characterize binary traits in unbalanced halfsib families.