The suitability of some blood gas and biochemical parameters as diagnostic tools or early indicators of ascites syndrome in broiler sire lines

In recent few years, there have been some attempts to find a reliable indicator trait as a selection criterion against susceptibility to ascites syndrome (AS). Blood parameters were of great interest as they could be measured in live animals without implementing an ascites‐inducing challenge (AIC). In this work, the suitability of some blood parameters was evaluated for diagnosing AS‐susceptible chicks in later steps of the disease in trial 1 as well as their early predictive ability in trial 2. In the first trial, one hundred 1‐day‐old chicks from two pure broiler lines namely S₁ and S₂ and, in the second trial, 226 1‐day‐old chicks from line S₂ were subjected to AIC. Saline drinking water (1200 mg/l) and lower‐than‐standard ambient temperatures were the implemented AICs in trials 1 and 2 respectively. The blood parameters including pH, partial pressure of O₂ (pO₂), partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂), bicarbonate ion concentration (BIC), percentage of haematocrit (HCT) and saturated haemoglobin (SaO₂) were measured twice per each bird at days 28 and 35 in trial 1 and once in trial 2 at day 21. The results of the first trial revealed that in line S₂ some of the blood parameters differed significantly between the ascitic and non‐ascitic groups following exposure to AIC. In this line, the incidence of AS was accompanied by a lower pO₂, SaO₂ and BIC, while with higher pCO₂ and HCT values. In the second trial, however, although almost all of the parameters showed meaningful differences between the ascitic and non‐ascitic broilers, only mean difference of BIC parameter was statistically significant. The general conclusion of this study is that the blood parameters can somewhat have diagnostic ability in the condition in which the AIC is already present, whereas the results did not approve their usefulness as early predictors of AS.     

Investigation and clinical application of a novel axial pattern flap for nasal and facial reconstruction in the dog

OBJECTIVE: To describe the vascular supply to a facial skin flap based at the commissure of the lip in the dog and report on its use in four dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental and prospective clinical study. Animals Five canine cadavers and four client-owned dogs. METHODS: In the cadavers, the ventral aspect of the zygomatic arch, the ventral margin of the caudal mandible and the wing of the atlas were marked as anatomical boundaries of a skin flap that was elevated from the subcutaneous tissues to the level of the medial canthus of the eye. Methylene blue dye and barium sulphate solution were independently infused through a common carotid (three dogs) or facial artery (two dogs) catheter. Distribution of dye throughout the harvested skin was assessed subjectively. After contrast infusion the flap was excised and radiographed. The technique was used to reconstruct large facial or nasal defects in four dogs after tumour or skin lesion excision. RESULTS: Cadaver dissections and contrast studies clearly demonstrated three direct cutaneous arteries, the superior and inferior labial arteries and the angularis oris artery, arborising within the base of the flap. A separate direct cutaneous branch of the angularis oris artery was identified. An arterial plexus was identified within the distal flap, within which this artery communicates with the transverse facial artery and a cutaneous branch of the masseteric artery. Dye infusion caused discolouration of the elevated skin and vasculature within the flap. The flap survived in all clinical cases with marginal distal necrosis in one dog. CONCLUSIONS: The complex facial flap described is perfused by three direct cutaneous arteries and functions reliably in clinical cases.     

Plethysmographic comparison of breathing pattern in heaves (recurrent airway obstruction) versus experimental bronchoconstriction or hyperpnea in horses

BACKGROUND: Horses with recurrent airway obstruction (heaves) are described as exhibiting "increased abdominal effort," but it is unknown whether this translates to an effective contribution to ventilation. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that heaves is characterized by asynchrony between rib cage and abdominal motions, and that the abdominal component is the major contributor to ventilation. ANIMALS: The rib cage versus abdominal motion in naturally occurring heaves (n = 15) was compared to controls at rest (n = 7) and during hyperpnea because of lobeline treatment, and the effects of histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in controls (n = 10). METHODS: Flow patterns, phase angle (theta) between the rib and abdominal compartments, abdominal (Vabd) contribution to tidal volume (VT), and lung mechanics were measured. RESULTS: Findings unique to the heaves group included the loss of biphasic expiratory flow, severely increased theta with the abdomen consistently lagging behind the rib cage, and a reduced contribution of the abdomen to ventilation. A subgroup of heaves (n = 5) with abdominal paradox showed a significant (P < .05) reduction in tidal volume, and increased respiratory rate. Bronchodilation reduced theta in heaves (P = .06), but theta remained significantly higher after bronchodilation than found in controls. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: We conclude that breathing pattern in horses with heaves is characterized by severe rib cage/abdominal asynchrony, with the rib cage motion in synchrony with flow, therefore dominating ventilation. In a subset of heaves, the abdominal compartment (diaphragm, abdominal muscles) was completely out of synchrony with flow ("abdominal paradox") despite the clinical appearance of "increased abdominal effort."     

The Biological Effects of Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Cells

The biological effects of ELFMES including proliferation and apoptosis of cells as well as the damage of DNA are initially evaluated with the treatment of plant cells and human pulmonary fibroblasts in low frequency magnetic fields with certain intensity and different time intervals in vitro. Cell culture, counting in vitro, fluorescent dyeing analysis and single cell gel electrophoresis are adopted. The results demonstrate that the electromagnetic field with the intensity of 3mT can affect the proliferation and apoptosis of cells significantly.