Electrical stimulation of lumbar spinal nerve roots in dogs

The aim of this study was to test the applicability of electrical stimulation of lumbar spinal nerve roots and obtain normative electrical root stimulation (ERS) data for L7 nerve root and sciatic nerve in dogs. For that purpose ERS and sciatic nerve stimulations were performed consecutively, in totally 40 healthy dogs. ERS was applied in the L7/S1 intervertebral space via monopolar needle electrodes. Muscle responses were recorded from the gastrocnemius muscles on the left and right hind limbs. Sciatic nerve stimulation was performed at the greater trochanter level on the left hind limb, with records obtained from the left gastrocnemius muscle. Mean root latencies of the left and right side were 5.22?±?0.49 ms and 5.29?±?0.53 ms, respectively. There was no significant difference in root latency between the right and left sides. The mean terminal latency was 3.82?±?0.46 ms. The proximal motor nerve conduction velocity of the sciatic nerve was 63.15?±?3.43 m/s. The results of this study show that ERS provides objective data about the integrity of lumbar spinal nerve roots by evaluating the entire population of motor fibres and total length of the motor axon in dogs. ERS can be considered a useful diagnostic method for confirmation of diagnoses of lumbosacral diseases.     

Frequencies of blood type A, B and AB in non-pedigree domestic cats in Turkey

OBJECTIVES: To determine the distribution of blood types and to estimate the proportion of matings at risk for neonatal isoerythrolysis in non-pedigree domestic cats. METHODS: The present survey determined the frequency of blood types in 301 cats from four distinct regions of Turkey. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-anticoagulated blood samples were typed by simple tube and slide agglutination assays. Serum obtained from type B cats and an anti-B solution, prepared with Triticum vulgaris, were used to determine type A and type B blood, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 301 cats typed, 220 had type A blood, 74 had type B and seven had type AB. There was a significant difference (P<0.01) between the locations of the cats, with fewer type B cats in the eastern than in the western parts of Turkey. Risk for the development of neonatal isoerythrolysis due to A-B mismatch was estimated to be 18.6 per cent. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The overall type B frequency in Turkish domestic cats is high. Thus, untyped transfusions in these cats carry a high risk of life-threatening acute haemolytic transfusion reactions and neonatal isoerythrolysis. It is therefore strongly recommended that blood typing be performed before breeding or transfusing in order to minimise blood type incompatibility risks.     

Expression of toll‐like receptor 2 mRNA in bronchial epithelial cells is not induced in RAO‐affected horses

Reasons for performing study: Airway inflammation in recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is triggered by housing affected horses in stables. It has been suggested that RAO is an allergic condition, but innate immune mechanisms are also involved. Fungal products activate innate immune mechanisms through toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2). In human airway epithelium, TLR2 activation leads to interleukin (IL)‐8 production. This pathway is negatively regulated by the zinc finger protein A20. This study was performed to enhance understanding of innate immune mechanisms in RAO. Hypothesis: TLR2 and IL‐8 mRNA are elevated in RAO during stabling compared with controls. A20 mRNA is negatively associated with the numbers of airway inflammatory cells. Objectives: To determine TLR 2 , IL‐8 and A20 mRNA expression in lungs of stabled and pastured RAO‐affected and control horses. Methods: Airway obstruction and inflammatory cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage were measured, and TLR 2 , IL‐8 and A20 mRNA expression quantified by qRT‐PCR in 6 RAO‐affected and 6 control horses, during and after exposure to hay and straw. Results: Airway obstruction and neutrophils were increased in RAO‐affected horses during stabling. While stabling increased IL‐ 8 , TLR2 and A20 mRNA were unaffected. TLR2 and A20 were significantly correlated (r = 0.83) and A20 mRNA was negatively associated with inflammatory cells. Potential relevance: Stabling does not lead to an increase in TLR2 expression. Other molecules or processes in the TLR2 cascade might be important in fungal‐induced airway inflammation. Equine epithelial‐derived A20 may be involved in modulation of airway inflammation.     

The effect of different connections in double layered woven fabrics on comfort properties

With the increasing demand of fabrics for special usage areas, more complex woven structures are designed and from the structural point of view, especially the parameters which affect the comfort properties become more important. This paper reports the effect of structural parameters of double layered woven fabrics, such as number of interlacing picks, period of interlacing and number of weft skips on the basic comfort properties of the fabrics (thickness, air permeability and wicking properties) produced according to Taguchi orthogonal array design. The investigated parameters were determined before and after finishing treatment. According to the results, it is found that period of interlacing has an important effect on the thickness and air permeability of both untreated and treated fabrics whereas in terms of drying coefficient, the effect of the investigated parameters is not statistically important.     

Effect of scale color on the antioxidant capacity of onions

The bulb onion (Allium cepa L.) has been cultivated for thousands of years and used as an important component of human diet. Recent studies suggest that onions can be used to cure, reduce, or prevent some of the health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, antidiabetic, asthma, antibiosis, and prebiotic effects due to its high antioxidant effect. In this study, we determined the antioxidant capacities of a wide range of onion cultivars; nine commercial cultivars and five advance selections differing in color. The variables tested include bulb size, scale color, total phenolic (TP), total antioxidant activity determined by both “Ferric reducing ability of plasma” (FRAP) and “Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity” (TEAC). We found that yellow onion had the greatest TP content (3.7 mg GAE/g dw); and, the red group had higher TP mean than the white group (2.2 mg GAE/g dw vs. 1.1 mg GAE/g dw). For the antioxidant capacity measurements, the red group had the greatest means by both methods (15.4 μmol TE/g dw and 9.3 μmol TE/g dw for TEAC and FRAP). Yellow onions had higher TEAC (14.7 μmol TE/g dw vs. 8.7 μmol TE/g dw) and FRAP values (9.8 μmol TE/g dw vs. 5.6 μmol TE/g dw) than white onions. Among the cultivars tested great differences of TP, TEAC and FRAP was observed. The TP content of Me-Tan 88 (8.3 mg GAE/g dw) was two times higher than the yellow group. Yellow color Dayton had the greatest TEAC (20.5 μmol TE/g dw) and FRAP (12.3 μmol TE/g dw) means followed by yellow color Me-Tan 88 (19.4 and 11.4 μmol TE/g dw). The two antioxidant measurements were found to be highly correlated (0.99) where absolute values of FRAP were about 40% less than those of TEAC. The values of TEAC and FRAP were significantly correlated by TP with similar rs (0.74 and 0.73, respectively). TP, TEAC and FRAP were significantly and positively correlated to soluble solids (0.41, 0.43, and 0.40, respectively). Our results suggested that the red onions had higher antioxidant activities than yellow and white onions although yellow onions had the richest phenolic contents.     

Blood type A and B frequencies in Turkish Van and Angora cats in Turkey

Blood typing of domestic cats has been performed in domestic and purebred cats in various parts of the world and is important in clinical practice in order to prevent neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) and acute haemolytic transfusion reactions. Prevalence of blood types vary greatly between breeds of cats. Turkish Van and Angora cats are different breeds that originated in geographically distinct regions of Turkey. The present survey determined the frequency of blood types in these Turkish pedigreed cats in Turkey. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic-acid anti-coagulated blood of a total of 113 Turkish Van and Angora cats were examined for blood typing using a slide and tube agglutination assay. Of the 85 Van cats surveyed, 40% had type A, and 60% had type B blood. Of the 28 Turkish Angora cats, 53.6% had type A, and 46.4% had type B blood. No type AB cats were found between both breeds. There was no significant association between blood types and gender of both Angora and Van cats or eye colours of Van cats (P > 0.05). Although these are limited surveys, the overall prevalence of type B cats in these two breeds was very high compared with the results of previous studies worldwide. It appears likely that blood type incompatibilities responsible for feline NI and transfusion reactions are occurring in these breeds. The risk of transfusion incompatibility in Turkish Angora and Van cats was 46.4 and 60%, respectively. It is therefore strongly recommended to breeders and clinicians that blood typing be performed prior to breeding and transfusing cats.     

Titres of alloantibodies against A and B blood types in non-pedigree domestic cats in Turkey: assessing the transfusion reaction risk

The severity of a transfusion reaction depends on alloantibody titres within the recipients' blood. Determination of an agglutination titre of naturally occurring alloantibody may help to assess the risk of transfusion reactions following an unmatched transfusion in a cat population. In this group of 312 cats 227 had blood type A, 78 had blood type B, and seven had type AB blood. All type B cats tested showed gross evidence of agglutinating anti-A antibody with plasma titres ranging from 2 to 256. Among the 227 type A domestic cats tested for plasma anti-B alloantibody titres, 70% had gross agglutination with titres ranging from 2 to 16, while 17.6% had microscopic agglutination. The remaining 12.4% of the type A cats were negative for both gross and microscopic agglutination. Based on agglutinating titres, the relative risk of a transfusion reaction when type A or AB blood was given to a type B cat was 6.4% with acute severe reaction, acute mild reactions in 85.9% and premature red cell destruction in 7.7%. On the other hand, transfusion of type AB blood or type B blood to type A cats carries a potential risk of acute mild transfusion reaction in 4.4% and premature red cell destruction in 83.3%. Transfusion of type A or B blood to type AB cats results in no apparent clinical transfusion reactions.     

Coseismic and Postseismic Fault Slip for the 17 August 1999, M = 7.5, Izmit, Turkey Earthquake

We use Global Positioning System (GPS) observations and elastic half-space models to estimate the distribution of coseismic and postseismic slip along the Izmit earthquake rupture. Our results indicate that large coseismic slip (reaching 5.7 meters) is confined to the upper 10 kilometers of the crust, correlates with structurally distinct fault segments, and is relatively low near the hypocenter. Continued surface deformation during the first 75 days after the earthquake indicates an aseismic fault slip of as much as 0.43 meters on and below the coseismic rupture. These observations are consistent with a transition from unstable (episodic large earthquakes) to stable (fault creep) sliding at the base of the seismogenic zone.