ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS—PYLOROGASTRIC INTUSSUSCEPTION IN A DOG

A 7-year-old female Maltese presented for evaluation of severe vomiting. A diagnosis of pylorogastric intussusception was made during ultrasonographic examination. The intussusception spontaneously underwent reduction by the following morning.     

A retrospective study of canine house soiling: diagnosis and treatment

A retrospective study was conducted to determine the relative frequency and type of elimination problem seen in dogs at a university referral practice and to evaluate the efficacy of the suggested treatments. Cases presented to the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cornell University between 1987 and 1996 were reviewed. Of 1,173 cases, 105 (9%) were house-soiling cases. Of these cases, the authors obtained outcome information from 70. Within the diagnosis of house soiling, incomplete housebreaking (n=59; 84%) were the most frequent referral cases, of which 48 cases (81%; 95% confidence interval, 69% to 90%) improved. Separation anxiety was considered the second most common underlying cause (n=27; 39%), of which 85% (n=23; 95% confidence interval, 66% to 96%) improved. Behavior modification was the most often suggested treatment (n=58), with 48 (83%) cases improving. Behavior modification consisted of accompanying the dog to the preferred elimination area, rewarding the dog for eliminating there, and punishing the dog only when caught in the act of house soiling. These results suggest that correct house training, behavior modification involving positive reinforcement, and appropriate punishment are essential to diminish house-soiling problems in dogs.     

Effects of chilled drinking water on the performance of lactating sows and their litters during high ambient temperatures under farm conditions

Heat stress has detrimental effects on lactating sows and their litters, including decreased feed intake and milk production in sows and decreased weight gain in their offspring. It also increases respiration rate, rectal temperature, and weaning to estrus interval in sows. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of chilled water (CW) on the performance of lactating sows and their litters exposed to high ambient temperatures for 21 days. Ninety multiparous sows (Yorkshire × Landrace; parity range: 2 to 5) and their litters (Yorkshire × Landrace × Duroc) were divided into 3 blocks (30 each). Sows and their litters within each block were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups (n = 10 each). Each group was provided with drinking water at 10, 15, or 22 °C (control) under farm conditions where ambient temperature above 25 °C was consistent during the experimental period. Sows on CW (both 10 and 15 °C) consumed more feed and water than did control (P < 0.01) and higher estimated milk production compared with control (P < 0.01), but had lower rectal temperature and respiration rate compared with control (P < 0.01). Mean weaning weight (P < 0.01) and average daily gain (P < 0.01) of litters in CW groups were higher than those in control group. There were no differences in the measured variables, with the exception of the respiration rates, between the two CW treatment groups. These results suggest that CW may improve the performance of sows and their litters exposed to high ambient temperatures and the 15 °C water, from an energy viewpoint, may be more effective.     

Effect of Omentectomy on Adhesion Formation in Horses

Objective —To determine if omentectomy would decrease the frequency of postoperative intraabdominal adhesions. Study Design —Retrospective study. Animals or Sample Population—44 horses that had either two ventral median celiotomies or a ventral median celiotomy and a necropsy more than 4 days later; 19 of these horses had their omentum removed at the initial surgery. Methods —Data retrieved from the records included location and type of intraabdominal adhesions; location of the surgical lesion; relationship of adhesions to the surgical lesion; surgical procedures; duration of initial surgery; time interval between procedures; age, gender, and breed of the horse; and clinical outcome. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate the association between categorical explanatory and outcome variables. The effect of potential risk factors on the incidence rate of adhesion formation was estimated using a proportional hazards regression model. Results —Of 25 horses in the nonomentectomy group, 15 (60%) had postoperative adhesions that resulted in the need for a second surgical intervention, whereas of 19 horses that had omentectomy initially, only 4 (21%) had postoperative adhesions that required a second procedure. Rate of adhesion formation was higher in horses that did not have omentectomy initially (incidence ratio rate [IRR], 0.46; 90% confidence interval [CI], 0.18 to 1.19). At initial surgery, 24 horses had a small intestinal lesion, and 20 horses had a large intestinal lesion. Fifteen horses (63%) with small intestinal lesions subsequently developed adhesions compared with four horses (20%) with an initial large intestinal lesion (P= .006). At the second procedure, small intestine lesions were identified in 32 horses and large intestine lesions in 12 horses (1 horse had both small and large intestine lesions), and 1 horse had a gastric lesion. Adhesions were identified as the cause of colic signs in 19 (61%) horses with small intestinal lesions and in none of the horses with large intestine lesions. The frequency of adhesion development leading to colic associated with only the small intestine at the second surgery or necropsy was significantly greater (P= .001) than the frequency only in the large intestine. Conclusions —Omentectomy reduced the rate of postoperative adhesion formation. Adhesions are more likely to occur after small intestinal surgery and if they do occur likely involve the small intestine. Clinical Relevance —Omentectomy is a safe procedure and should be considered prophylactically for reduction of adhesion formation after abdominal surgery in horses.     

The effects of replacement of antibiotics with by‐products of oriental medicinal plants on growth performance and meat qualities in fattening pigs

The effect of by‐products of oriental medicinal plants (OMP; T1) containing 0.03% herb extracts (T2) or 0.1% aminolevulinic acid (T3) on the production performance of swine during the finishing period and on its meat quality were investigated. No significant differences were found in the weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate among the tested groups (P > 0.05). But the treated group showed higher (P < 0.05) moisture and ash and lower protein than the control group. The T3 group showed a lower meat cholesterol content (38.42 mg/100 g) compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). The vitamin E content of the muscle in the treated groups was higher compared to the control group. No antibiotic content was detected in all treated and control samples. The values of the volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) of the treated groups were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the control group. The treated groups had significantly better (P < 0.05) sensory‐test scores for color, flavor, off‐flavor and total acceptability compared to the control group.     

祁白术多酚酶法提取工艺优化及其抗氧化、抑制黑色素合成活性

为考察祁白术多酚(polyphenols from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz grown in Qimen, AMP)的可利用性,采用响应面分析法优化酶法提取工艺,并研究AMP的抗氧化、抑制黑色素合成活性。结果表明,在料液比1:30 g·mL^-1、酶解时间20 min的条件下,当纤维素酶添加量为1.35%、酶解温度为44℃、pH值为4.7、搅拌转速为670 r·min^-1时,AMP提取量最高,为26.58±0.23 mg·g^-1。统计学分析显示,所选响应面模型拟合较好,优化后的提取工艺条件合理可行。AMP具有较好的抗氧化活性,其总还原力、对1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼(DPPH)和2,2-联氮-二(3-乙基-苯并噻唑-6-磺酸)二铵盐(ABTS)自由基清除作用随其浓度的增加而增强。当AMP浓度为0~0.02 mg·mL^-1时,对B16细胞无毒性作用。与α-MSH模型组相比,AMP显著下调了细胞内酪氨酸酶活性(P<0.05),并呈浓度依赖性地抑制细胞内黑色素的合成(P<0.05);当AMP浓度为0.02 mg·mL^-1时,对细胞内酪氨酸酶活性及黑色素合成抑制率分别为30.11%、43.35%,阳性对照熊果苷(0.1 mg·mL^-1)对细胞内酪氨酸酶活性及黑色素合成的抑制率分别为22.03%、39.77%,表明AMP对黑色素生成的抑制效果强于熊果苷。本研究结果为祁白术多酚的综合开发利用提供了依据。     

Soybean mosaic virus Helper Component-Protease Alters Leaf Morphology and Reduces Seed Production in Transgenic Soybean Plants

ABSTRACT Transgenic soybean (Glycine max) plants expressing Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) helper component-protease (HC-Pro) showed altered vegetative and reproductive phenotypes and responses to SMV infection. When inoculated with SMV, transgenic plants expressing the lowest level of HC-Pro mRNA and those transformed with the vector alone initially showed mild SMV symptoms. Plants that accumulated the highest level of SMV HC-Pro mRNA showed very severe SMV symptoms initially, but after 2 weeks symptoms disappeared, and SMV titers were greatly reduced. Analysis of SMV RNA abundance over time with region-specific probes showed that the HC-Pro region of the SMV genome was degraded before the coat protein region. Transgenic soybean plants that expressed SMV HC-Pro showed dose-dependent alterations in unifoliate leaf morphologies and seed production where plants expressing the highest levels of HC-Pro had the most deformed leaves and the lowest seed production. Accumulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs putatively targeted by miRNAs was analyzed in leaves and flowers of healthy, HC-Pro-transgenic, and SMV-infected plants. Neither expression of SMV HC-Pro nor SMV infection produced greater than twofold changes in accumulation of six miRNAs. In contrast, SMV infection was associated with twofold or greater increases in the accumulation of four of seven miRNA-targeted mRNAs tested.     

Evaluation of left ventricular function with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography after administration of dobutamine and esmolol in healthy beagle dogs

Unlike echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI) results in a near-exact assessment of cardiac structures and function. However, most veterinary studies have focused on dogs with normal cardiac function. We hypothesized that there would be significant differences in cardiac measurements between cardiac MRI and echocardiography when left ventricular (LV) function was abnormal. This study was undertaken to compare measurements of LV function produced by cardiac MRI and echocardiography in dogs whose LV function was altered by pharmacological agents. This study was conducted with six healthy beagle dogs. We increased left ventricular contractility by administration of dobutamine; we decreased cardiac contractility with esmolol. Stroke volume measurements were made by using both cardiac MRI and echocardiography under seven different conditions with general anesthesia: control, three doses of esmolol (100, 200, and 500 µg/kg/min), and three doses of dobutamine (10, 20, and 50 µg/kg/min). Experiments involving each condition were conducted at least 1 week apart. When LV contractility was normal, ejection fraction (EF) and stroke volume (SV), as measured by echocardiography and cardiac MRI, were not significantly different. However, when contractility was changed by pharmacological agents, EF and SV were overestimated by echocardiography, compared to MRI. Evaluation of cardiac function in patients treated with pharmacological agents should be conducted carefully because EF and SV measured by echocardiography can be overestimated, compared with EF and SV obtained by cardiac MRI.     

Comparison of intraoperative cardiorespiratory and behavioral responses to medetomidine combined with tramadol or butorphanol during standing laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses

The purpose of this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory and behavioral responses to the combination of medetomidine and tramadol (M-T) or butorphanol (M-B) in standing laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses. One ovary was removed under M-T and the contralateral ovary was removed under M-B with at least 4 weeks between operations at random. Horses were sedated using intravenous medetomidine (5 µg/kg) followed by tramadol (1 mg/kg) or butorphanol (10 µg/kg) after 5 min. Sedation was maintained through the repeated injection of medetomidine (1 µg/kg) and tramadol (0.4 mg/kg) or medetomidine (1 µg/kg) and butorphanol (4 µg/kg) every 15 min. Cardiorespiratory function and behavioral responses, including, sedation, ataxia, and analgesia, were assessed during the surgery. There were no significant differences in cardiorespiratory values and sedation and analgesia scores between M-T and M-B. Ataxia scores were significantly lower in M-T than in M-B. This result suggests that M-T could maintain smooth and stable standing surgery with minimal cardiorespiratory changes in horses.