Comparison of hemodynamic, clinicopathologic, and gastrointestinal motility effects and recovery characteristics of anesthesia with isoflurane and halothane in horses undergoing arthroscopic surgery

OBJECTIVE: To compare hemodynamic, clinicopathologic, and gastrointestinal motility effects and recovery characteristics of halothane and isoflurane in horses undergoing arthroscopic surgery. ANIMALS: 8 healthy adult horses. PROCEDURE: Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane or halothane (crossover study). At 6 intervals during anesthesia and surgery, cardiopulmonary variables and related derived values were recorded. Recovery from anesthesia was assessed; gastrointestinal tract motility was subjectively monitored for 72 hours after anesthesia. Horses were administered chromium, and fecal chromium concentration was used to assess intestinal transit time. Venous blood samples were collected for clinicopathologic analyses before and 2, 24, and 48 hours after anesthesia. RESULTS: Compared with halothane-anesthetized horses, cardiac index, oxygen delivery, and heart rate were higher and systemic vascular resistance was lower in isoflurane-anesthetized horses. Mean arterial blood pressure and the dobutamine dose required to maintain blood pressure were similar for both treatments. Duration and quality of recovery from anesthesia did not differ between treatments, although the recovery periods were somewhat shorter with isoflurane. After isoflurane anesthesia, gastrointestinal motility normalized earlier and intestinal transit time of chromium was shorter than that detected after halothane anesthesia. Compared with isoflurane, halothane was associated with increases in serum aspartate transaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase activities, but there were no other important differences in clinicopathologic variables between treatments. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Compared with halothane, isoflurane appears to be associated with better hemodynamic stability during anesthesia, less hepatic and muscle damage, and more rapid return of normal intestinal motility after anesthesia in horses undergoing arthroscopic procedures.     

Screening of Basmati Rice Varieties for their Arsenic Accumulation in Punjab,North-West India

A pot study was conducted to screen different basmati rice varieties for their accumulation of arsenic (As). Different amounts of arsenic (0–800 µg/L) were applied through irrigation water to four basmati rice varieties (Pusa basmati-1121, Pusa Punjab basmati-1509, Punjab basmati-2, and Punjab basmati-3). Highest arsenic concentration was found in the grains of Punjab basmati-3 and lowest in the grains of Pusa Punjab basmati-1509. In all varieties, grain As concentration ranged from 0.038 to 0.288 mg/kg, which was within the permissible limit of 1.0 mg/kg in rice grain recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). In husk, highest As concentration was found in Pusa basmati-1121 and lowest in Punjab basmati-2. Among the four varieties, highest content of As was accumulated in roots and straw of Pusa Punjab basmati-1509, whereas least was accumulated in Punjab basmati-2. The distribution of arsenic among plant parts was found in the order: roots > straw > husk > grain. The mean arsenic concentrations in grain, husk, straw, and root of basmati rice varieties increased with increasing concentration of arsenic in irrigation water. Highest grain yield was obtained in Pusa Punjab basmati-1509 variety due to lesser accumulation of arsenic compared with other varieties. Rice yield, plant height, root weight, straw weight, test weight, effective tiller, and filled grain per panicle decreased with increase in arsenic concentration in irrigated water.     

Rearing advanced fry of major Indian carp species in recirculatory-filtering ponds at Barrackpore,West Bengal

This paper describes an experiment using a recirculatory-filtering system operating in two rectangular cemented ponds (160 and 190 m², 1.5 m deep) to rear fry (25 mm–50 mm) of the major Indian carp species Labeo rohita (Hamilton) and Catla catla (Hamilton) to fingerlings (100 mm–125 mm). These operations were concluded in both the species in 32 days at stocking densities of 0.46 million/ha and 0.55 million/ha, and showed survival rates of 96.6% and 84.4% respectively. In the presently followed practices of modern fish culturists, corresponding operations in earth ponds usually take 90 days and have a stocking density of 0.2 million/ha with survival rates more or less similar to those obtained in the recirculatory-filtering system. If followed by industry, the technique described will enable production of major Indian carp fingerlings with great saving in time, the use of water and the space occupied by the production system. These advantages greatly enhance the economic viability of rearing carp fingerling in India.     

Cardiopulmonary effects of administration of a combination solution of xylazine, guaifenesin, and ketamine or inhaled isoflurane in mechanically ventilated calves

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cardiopulmonary effects of administration of a solution of xylazine, guaifenesin, and ketamine (XGK) or inhaled isoflurane in mechanically ventilated calves undergoing surgery. ANIMALS: 13 male calves 2 to 26 days of age. Procedures-In calves in the XGK group, anesthesia was induced (0.5 mL/kg) and maintained (2.5 mL/kg/h) with a combination solution of xylazine (0.1 mg/mL), guaifenesin (50 mg/mL), and ketamine (1.0 mg/mL). For calves in the isoflurane group, anesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. The rates of XGK infusion and isoflurane administration were adjusted to achieve suitable anesthetic depth. All calves received 100% oxygen and were mechanically ventilated to maintain end-tidal carbon dioxide concentrations from 35 to 40 mm Hg and underwent laparoscopic bladder surgery through an abdominal approach. Cardiopulmonary variables were measured before induction and at intervals up to 90 minutes after anesthetic induction. RESULTS: The quality of induction was excellent in all calves. The XGK requirements were 0.57 +/- 0.18 mL/kg and 2.70 +/- 0.40 mL/kg/h to induce and maintain anesthesia, respectively. Heart rate was significantly lower than baseline throughout the anesthetic period in the XGK group. Systolic arterial blood pressure was significantly higher in the XGK group, compared with the isoflurane group, from 5 to 90 minutes. Cardiac index was lower than baseline in both groups. Differences between groups in cardiac index and arterial blood gas values were not significant. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of XGK resulted in excellent anesthetic induction and maintenance with cardiopulmonary alterations similar to those associated with isoflurane in mechanically ventilated calves.     

Chloroplast derived SSRs reveals genetic relationships in domesticated alliums and wild relatives

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Alliums comprise of popular spices and used for various culinary purposes and nutraceuticals. Poor genetic characterization and scarce information regarding...     

Reprogramming of the pig primordial germ cells into pluripotent stem cells: a brief review

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are regarded as unipotent cells that can produce only either spermatogonia or oocytes. However, PGCs can be converted into the pluripotent state by first dedifferentiation to embryonic germ cells and then by reprogramming to induce them to become pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These two stages can be completely implemented with mouse cells. However, authentic porcine iPSCs have not been established. Here, we discuss recent advances in the stem cell field for obtaining iPSCs from PGCs. This knowledge will provide some clues which will contribute to the regulation of reprogramming to pluripotency in farm species.     

Comparative analysis of genetic diversity using molecular and morphometric markers in Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees

Andrographis paniculata is a medicinal plant of immense therapeutic value. The present study was aimed to elucidate its genetic diversity based on morphochemical and RAPD markers from 53 accessions belonging to 5 eco-geographic regions. Analysis of variance and D ² statistics revealed significant differences in all the metric traits and sufficient inter-cluster distances indicating considerable diversity among the accessions. The complementary approach of RAPD was used to evaluate the genetic dissimilarities among all the accessions using 6 highly polymorphic primers. The average proportion of polymorphic loci across primers was 96.28%. The molecular genetic diversity based on Shannon index per primer averaged 5.585 with values ranging from 3.08 to 8.70 indicating towards wide genetic base. RAPD based UPGMA and D ² cluster analysis also revealed that various accessions available in different eco-geographic regions might have originated from native places of wild abundance. Similarity matrices were generated for molecular markers and morphometric data to determine the degree of congruence between the two. A highly significant but low correlation (r = 0.547, P < 0.001) was obtained thus implying the correspondence between the two. The species is hermaphroditic and a habitual inbreeder. The present study yielded a typical triangular congruence between its breeding system, morphometric traits and RAPD markers thus elucidating the usefulness of complementary approaches to make diversity analysis more explanatory and purposeful for optimum genetic amelioration and effective conservation of its genotypic variability.     

Characterization and relative mineral quantification of male gametophytes of garlic chives (Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel)

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel) are an underutilized and neglected food crop of the Allium genus. For the future genetic development of...     

DIAGNOSIS AND RECOMMENDATION INTEGRATED SYSTEM (DRIS) FOR EVALUATING NUTRIENT STATUS OF COTTON (GOSSIPIUM HIRSUTUM)

Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) approach was employed to monitor the nutrient status of cotton (Gossipium hirsutum) in southwestern districts of Punjab, North-West India. DRIS norms for macro, secondary and micro nutrients in cotton plant are developed. Considering these DRIS norms, the most limiting nutrient for cotton plant in the region is identified along with the order in which the other nutrients become limiting. The DRIS approach indicated that 11, 3, 8, 5, 2, 4, 2, 3, 6 and 2 percent of the total cotton leaf samples collected were low in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu), respectively. Leaf tissues of cotton plant were also found to contain high to excessive content of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn Zn and Cu in 11, 7, 15, 19, 25, 18, 66, 33, 9 and 25 percent samples, respectively. DRIS derived sufficiency concentration ranges obtained from survey of cotton fields in this region were 2.22 to 5.20% N, 0.20 to 0.47% P, 1.05 to 2.14% K, 1.66 to 2.86% Ca, 0.34 to 0.57% Mg, 0.65 to 1.11% S, 106 to 172 mg kg^?1 Fe, 35 to 68 mg kg^?1 Mn, 18 to 33 mg kg^?1 Zn, and 5 to 8 mg kg^?1 Cu. The results elucidate that DRIS technique can be used for macro, secondary and micro nutrients indexing of cotton crop irrespective of its cultivar.