苏格兰折耳猫骨软骨发育不良的诊疗体会

苏格兰折耳猫骨软骨发育不良也称为苏格兰折耳猫骨营养不良,是影响骨骼生长和关节软骨形成、导致四肢远端和尾部畸形的一种遗传性疾病。一例疑似病例中患畜主要表现为双侧后肢跗关节处肿胀,有疼痛感,爪部、尾部变短、厚,弯曲不灵活。经血常规和影像学检查确诊为苏格兰折耳猫骨软骨发育不良。通过一段时间药物治疗,病情好转,后肢可以着地走路。     

医用骨水泥和人工韧带在犬髋关节脱位治疗中的应用

为了探索人工圆韧带植入术治疗犬髋关节脱位远期疗效降低的解决办法,选择体重6．5 kg～7．5 kg、年龄1岁左右的3只本地家犬,在使用外科丝线替代圆韧带植入髋关节后,使用医用骨水泥填充和封闭髋臼和股骨孔道,术后通过运动姿态观察、负重力测试、常规 X 线摄片、血清生化项目检测和病理剖检几个方面,分析评估人工圆韧带植入术使用医用骨水泥的效果。结果显示,随着犬肢运动状态逐渐改善,术肢负重力增加;但随着丝线断开或出现退行性关节病,术肢运动肢势改变和负重力降低;骨水泥填充、封闭人工圆韧带孔道效果可靠,关节滑液保持良好,血清重要生化指标均在参考范围。在动物试验基础上,选择医用人工韧带植入和将骨水泥用于犬髋关节脱位临床病例1例,经过9个月的动态观察,术肢运动状态、负重力和髋关节 X 线影像与健肢相比无任何异常。动物试验与临床疗效表明,联合使用医用骨水泥和人工韧带能够很好地重建髋关节结构和功能,维持人工圆韧带植入术治疗犬髋关节脱位的远期疗效。     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY OF BALL PYTHONS (Python regius) IN CURLED RECUMBENCY

Anesthesia and tube restraint methods are often required for computed tomography (CT) of snakes due to their natural tendency to curl up. However, these restraint methods may cause animal stress. The aim of this study was to determine whether the CT appearance of the lungs differs for ball pythons in a curled position vs. tube restraint. Whole body CT was performed on ten clinically healthy ball pythons, first in curled and then in straight positions restrained in a tube. Curved multiplanar reformatted (MPR) lung images from curled position scans were compared with standard MPR lung images from straight position scans. Lung attenuation and thickness were measured at three locations for each scan. Time for positioning and scanning was 12 ± 5 min shorter for curled snakes compared to tube restraint. Lung parenchyma thickness and attenuation declined from cranial to caudal on both straight and curled position images. Mean lung parenchyma thickness was greater in curled images at locations 1 (P = 0.048) and 3 (P = 0.044). Mean lung parenchyma thickness decreased between location 1 and 2 by 86–87% (straight: curled) and between location 1 and 3 by 51‐50% (straight: curled). Mean lung attenuation at location 1 was significantly greater on curled position images than tube restraint images (P = 0.043). Findings indicated that CT evaluation of the lungs is feasible for ball pythons positioned in curled recumbency if curved MPR is available. However, lung parenchyma thickness and attenuation in some locations may vary from those acquired using tube restraint.     

Isolation of chicken taste buds for real‐time Ca2+ imaging

We isolated chicken taste buds and used a real‐time Ca²⁺ imaging technique to investigate the functions of the taste cells. With RT‐PCR, we found that isolated chicken taste bud‐like cell subsets express chicken gustducin messenger RNA. Immunocytochemical techniques revealed that the cell subsets were also immunopositive for chicken gustducin. These results provided strong evidence that the isolated cell subsets contain chicken taste buds. The isolated cell subsets were spindle‐shaped and approximately 61–75 μm wide and 88–98 μm long, and these characteristics are similar to those of sectional chicken taste buds. Using Ca²⁺ imaging, we observed the buds' response to 2 mmol/L quinine hydrochloride (a bitter substance) and their response to a mixture of 25 mmol/L L‐glutamic acid monopotassium salt monohydrate and 1 mmol/L inosine 5′‐monophosphate disodium salt, umami substances. The present study is the first morphological demonstration of isolated chicken taste buds, and our results indicate that the isolated taste buds were intact and functional approaches for examining the taste senses of the chicken using Ca²⁺ imaging can be informative.     

Congenital Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome in a Domestic Ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

A 3-month-old intact female ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented with a 2-month history of ataxia. On physical examination, the ferret had difficulty standing upright. During the neurologic examination, the patient had a left head tilt and positional strabismus, circled to the left, and was ataxic. Results of the complete blood count were consistent with a mild normocytic normochromic anemia. Initial treatment was supportive. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed and revealed an asymmetry of the inner ears. A brainstem auditory evoked response test was also performed. History, clinical signs, and diagnostic test results indicated that the ferret was suffering from congenital peripheral vestibular syndrome and left-sided deafness. Congenital disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young ferrets with peripheral vestibular syndrome. Supportive care and physiotherapy can improve balance and motor function, leading to an acceptable quality of life.     

Diagnostic imaging and pacemaker implantation in a domestic goat with persistent left cranial vena cava

Difficulty was encountered with the insertion of a right atrial pacing lead via the left jugular vein during lead and pacemaker implantation in a clinically normal goat as part of an ongoing rapid atrial pacing – induced atrial fibrillation research project. Fluoroscopic visualization of an abnormal lead advancement path prompted angiographic assessment which revealed a persistent left cranial vena cava (PLCVC) and prominent coronary sinus communicating with the right atrium. Angiography facilitated successful advancement and securing of the pacing lead into the right side of the interatrial septum. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography (MRI/MRA) allowed further characterization of this rare venous anomaly. Even though PLCVC has been reported once in a goat, to the authors' knowledge this is the first report to include MRI/MRA characterization of PLCVC and prominent coronary sinus with successful cardiac pacemaker implantation using the PLCVC.     

Moisture distribution in rice grains used for sake brewing analyzed by magnetic resonance imaging

Water absorption in individual white-core and non-white-core grains of rice varieties used in sake brewing was observed during soaking by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Water was absorbed faster in white-core grains than in non-white-core grains and was pooled in the core. Moisture distributions were compared using the line profiles of nuclear magnetic resonance signal intensities (SI profiles) generated from magnetic resonance images of grains soaked for 2 h. SI profiles of white-core and non-white-core grains overlapped despite slight differences in the central and intermediate regions of the grains. A white-core-like structure with loosely packed starch granules was found to exist in the endosperm of non-white-core grains. SI profiles of grains polished to 70% of the yield weight of brown rice were similar in shape to those of grains polished to 90% of the yield, but their overall moisture content was higher after the removal of the hydrophobic grain periphery. A varietal difference in the thickness of the intermediate region, which may affect fissuring resistance in the polishing process, was detected in SI profiles. Differences in water absorbability between parents and their offspring were also apparent from their SI profiles. MRI enabled the detection of variety-specific water-absorption properties in grains.     

海南南药黎药发展研究

分析了海南南药黎药开发利用现状、发展优势及存在问题,提出海南发展南药黎药产业的思路、对策,旨在为政府有关部门和投资者提供参考。