Electromyographic activity of cubital joint muscles in horses during locomotion

Electromyographic (EMG) activity of 4 muscles of the cubital joint and the strain of forelimb hooves were recorded telemetrically in 4 Thoroughbreds (with and without a rider) standing, walking, trotting, and cantering. Bipolar fine wire electrodes were inserted into the muscles, and strain gauges were attached to the hoof wall. Motion pictures (16 mm), synchronized with EMG tracings, were taken to obtain kinematic data. When horses were standing, the biceps brachii had tonic activity, but the brachialis and the caput longum and the caput laterale of the triceps brachii had no EMG activity. The biceps brachii had EMG activity during the stance phase. The brachialis had EMG activity from the end of the stance phase to the middle of the swing phase. Unlike the biceps brachii, the brachialis acted as a flexor muscle of the cubital joint during locomotion. The EMG activity of the caput longum of the triceps brachii was detected from midswing phase to early stance phase. The EMG activity of the caput laterale of the triceps brachii began in midswing or late-swing phase and ceased in early stance or midstance phase. During locomotion, caput longum EMG activity always preceded caput laterale activity. When horses were cantering, the brachialis and the caput longum (acting mainly in the swing phase) had an EMG activity phase different from those in leading and trailing forelimbs. These 4 muscles had similar EMG activity patterns during locomotion in horses with and without a rider.     

Incorporation of heavy metals by the mud snail,Cipangopaludina chinensis malleata Reeve,in submerged paddy soil treated with composted sewage sludge

Summary The biomass of newborn snails was higher in paddy soil without rice plants than in the soil with rice plants. There was an inverse correlation between shell width and concentratins of Zn and Cu in snail flesh. The Zn and Cu concentrations in snail flesh were extremely high compared with those in the paddy soil surrounding the snails, possibly because snails ingest sludge, one of the main components of the composts. These results suggest that this type of snail may be used to eliminate Zn and Cu from paddy soil when composted sewage sludge has been applied.     

Prevalence of Giardia intestinalis infection in dogs of breeding kennels in Japan

Giardia intestinalis antigen in fecal samples was examined in 361 dogs of 14 breeding kennels located at various areas in Japan, using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. G. intestinalis antigen was detected in 37.4% of the fecal specimens. All of the 14 breeding kennels were positive for G. intestinalis antigen with the range from 6.7 to 59.3%. The prevalence in puppies (54.5%) was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than that in adults (30.9%). There was no difference in prevalence between males and females, and between the puppies from the mother dogs positive and negative for Giardia antigen. In conclusion, G. intestinalis widely invaded the breeding kennels in Japan.     

Renal effects of medetomidine in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs with special reference to its diuretic action

Renal effects of the selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist, medetomidine, were investigated in anesthetized dogs. Animals were administered medetomidine 20 and 40 microg/kg intravenously (IV) and 80 mug/kg intramuscularly (IM) or 1 ml of saline IV. Urine and blood samples were collected before and at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min following medetomidine injection. Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), renal blood flow (RBF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urine volume (U(v)), urine osmolality (U(osm)), free water clearance (C(H2O)), fractional clearance of sodium (F(Na)), plasma osmolality (P(osm)), plasma glucose levels and plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentrations were measured. The results showed that IV administration of medetomidine initially increased MABP 5-15 min followed by long-lasting decrease. The initial hypertension was not observed after IM administration, which was accompanied by a more profound hypotensive effects. RBF, GFR, U(v), C(H2O) increased after IV injection and decreased after IM. Medetomidine increased FNa and Posm and decreased U(osm). Plasma glucose levels initially increased and subsequently decreased. Plasma ADH concentration was decreased by IV injection but increased by IM administration. Our data imply that: 1) IV administration of medetomidine at dose rates of 20 and 40 microg/kg results in profound diuresis up to 2 hr; 2) Suppression of ADH release from the CNS is one of the mechanisms of medetomidine-induced diuresis although it may not be the principal one.     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of canine chromogranin A by use of immunological cross-reactivity of rabbit anti-bovine chromogranin A antibody

Bovine and canine chromogranin A were extracted and purified from each specie's adrenal glands. Isolated bovine 70 kDa protein showed 100% identity to bovine CgA reported previously, whereas isolated canine 68 kDa protein showed 83.3% identity to bovine CgA by the NH(2)-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. Rabbit antibody to purified bovine protein (CgA) was found to immunologically cross-reacted with purified canine protein (CgA). In sandwich ELISA with anti-bovine CgA, concentration-dependent curves were obtained ranging from 0.3 to 20 mug/ml for canine CgA. From these findings, sandwich ELISA with anti-bovine CgA is found to be useful to determine the concentration of canine CgA.     

Effects of bud scales and gibberellins on dormancy of in vitro cultured Japanese pear leaf buds

Leaf buds of Japanese pear were collected in early June and early November and regarded as summer and winter dormant buds, respectively. Bud explants with and without scales were prepared from each of them, and cultured in vitro for 75 days at 25°C with 14 h photoperiod, on a medium either without growth regulators, or supplied with BA and GAs (GA₃ and GA₄₊₇), singly or in combination.When either BA or GA₄₊₇ was contained in the medium, bud expansion occurred. Thereafter, summer dormant buds grew into shoots in the presence of BA, while winter dormant buds, although they swelled profusely, remained in a rosette. In the presence of BA, GA₄₊₇ markedly stimulated shoot elongation of summer dormant buds, but GA₃ did not. In winter dormant buds, GA₄₊₇ not only failed to stimulate shoot elongation, but also interfered with the BA-induced swelling described above.The presence of bud scales delayed expansion of summer dormant buds, while it had little effect on winter dormant buds. The delaying effect of scales on expansion of summer buds was effectively removed by application of GA₄₊₇ to the medium.     

Localization of endothelin receptor subtype-A in the testis of rats, dogs, and monkeys

In order to evaluate the physiological roles of the testicular endothelin (Edn) signaling via Edn receptor subtype-A (Ednra) in mammals, the localization of Ednra was investigated by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in the testis of rats, dogs, and monkeys. For in situ hybridization, a rat Ednra RNA probe which is highly homologous to the subcloned canine and monkey Ednra (88.7% and 87.9% identical, respectively) was used. Both Ednra mRNA and protein were detected in interstitial cells and cells in the basal compartment of the seminiferous tubules, mainly Sertoli cells, as well as spermatogonia and some early spermatocytes, but not spermatids. The localization pattern of Ednra was exhibited in a same manner among species, indicating that the physiological role of Edn signaling throughout Ednra was maintained in the mammalian testis.