A comparison of the effects of carbon dioxide and medical air for abdominal insufflation on respiratory parameters in xylazine-sedated sheep undergoing laparoscopic artificial insemination

AIMS: To determine if abdominal insufflation with medical air will improve oxygenation and ventilation parameters when compared to insufflation with CO₂ in xylazine-sedated sheep undergoing laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI).

METHODS: Forty-seven sheep underwent oestrus synchronisation and were fasted for 24 hours prior to laparoscopic AI. Each animal was randomised to receive either CO₂ or medical air for abdominal insufflation. An auricular arterial catheter was placed and utilised for serial blood sampling. Respiratory rates (RR) and arterial blood samples were collected at baseline, after xylazine (0.1?mg/kg I/V) sedation, 2 minutes after Trendelenburg positioning, 5 minutes after abdominal insufflation, and 10 minutes after being returned to a standing position. Blood samples were collected in heparinised syringes, stored on ice, and analysed for arterial pH, partial pressure of arterial O₂ (PaO₂), and CO₂ (PaCO₂). The number of ewes conceiving to AI was also determined.

RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated temporal effects on RR, PaO₂, PaCO₂ and arterial pH during the laparoscopic AI procedure (p<0.001), but no difference between insufflation groups (p>0.01). No sheep experienced hypercapnia (PaCO₂>50?mmHg) or acidaemia (pH<7.35). Hypoxaemia (PaO₂<70?mmHg) was diagnosed during the procedure in 14/22 (64%) ewes in the CO₂ group compared with 8/23 (35%) ewes in the medical air group (p=0.053). Overall, 15/20 (75%) ewes in the CO₂ group conceived to AI compared with 16/22 (72.7%) in the medical air group (p=0.867).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There were no statistical or clinical differences in RR, PaO₂, PaCO₂, pH, or conception to AI when comparing the effects of CO₂ and medical air as abdominal insufflation gases. None of the sheep experienced hypercapnia or acidaemic, yet 42% (19/45) of sheep developed clinical hypoxaemia, with a higher percentage of ewes in the CO₂ group developing hypoxaemia than in the medical air group. Based on the overall analysis, medical air could be utilised as a comparable alternative for abdominal insufflation during laparoscopic AI procedures.     

Monoclonal antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus: cross-reactivities to field isolates and hog cholera virus strains.

Monoclonal antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) were examined for binding with a large number of North American BVDV isolates and eight strains of the serologically related pestivirus, hog cholera virus (HCV). No single BVDV monoclonal antibody reacted with all BVDV isolates. The most cross-reactive monoclonal antibody was an anti-p80/p125 antibody which showed a positive reaction with 173 of 180 (96%) North American isolates. From a fewer number of isolates tested, one anti-gp53 monoclonal antibody also showed a high cross-reactivity (94%). All BVDV isolates showed a positive reaction with at least one of the seven monoclonal antibodies in the panel. Thus, the results indicated that a pool of these monoclonal antibodies may be used in place of polyclonal antisera for the detection of BVDV contamination of cell lines or for virus isolation. For HCV, all three anti-p80/p125 monoclonal antibodies reacted positively with all eight virus strains. In contrast, none of the anti-gp53 monoclonal antibodies were reactive to HCV strains. Thus, the anti-gp53 monoclonal antibodies may be useful for distinguishing between usually innocuous BVDV infections and the highly significant HCV infections in swine for foreign animal disease surveillance.     

Effects of Confluent, Roscovitine Treatment and Serum Starvation on the Cell-cycle Synchronization of Bovine Foetal Fibroblasts

The present study was designed to examine the effects of cell-cycle synchronization protocols, such as confluent, roscovitine treatment and serum starvation, in bovine foetal fibroblasts on synchronization accuracy at G0/G1, viability, apoptosis, necrosis and ploidy for use as a nuclei donor. The cells in 5-10 passages were randomly allocated into three treated groups. Cells were cultured either in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) + 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS) until 90% confluent (group 1, confluent), in DMEM + 10% FBS + 30 microM roscovitine for 12 h (group 2, roscovitine), or in DMEM + 0.5% FBS for 5 days (group 3, serum starvation). Most of the cells (>80%) in all groups were arrested at the G0/G1 stage. Although the rates did not differ, cells in group 1 showed an increased cell population arrested at the G0/G1 phase. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher rates of apoptosis occurred in group 3 than in group 1 and 2 (10% vs 6% and 6%, respectively). No differences in chromosomal abnormality were observed among groups. However, by increasing the number of cell culture passages up to 15, significantly (p < 0.05) higher chromosomal abnormality was observed than in 5 and 10 passages (39% vs 28% and 23%, respectively) in group 1. The results clearly indicated that bovine foetal fibroblasts could be effectively synchronized at G0/G1 stages by all the three different treatments, confluent, roscovitine and serum starvation. However, cells in confluent showed reduced apoptosis and necrosis when they underwent 5-10 passages, exhibiting increased percentage of cells with stable chromosome diversity. Hence, cells in confluent merit further studies before they could be used as nuclear donors.     

Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: current understanding and recommendations from the Australian and New Zealand Equine Endocrine Group

The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the current knowledge and opinions about the epidemiology, clinical findings (including sequelae), diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, particularly in the Australian context. This information and the recommendations provided will assist practitioners in making informed decisions regarding the diagnosis and management of this disorder.     

北京市部分地区城镇居民狂犬病认知情况初步调查

为了解北京市部分地区城镇居民对狂犬病的认知情况及其影响因素,随机选取海淀区、怀柔区、延庆区9个居民区的160名当地居民开展问卷调查,得到有效问卷112份;采用单因素分析方法对调查数据进行统计分析。结果显示,83.92%(94/112)的居民对狂犬病知识认知程度一般,15.18%(17/112)的居民部分了解,而仅0.89%(1/112)的居民非常了解。其中,居民对狂犬病易感动物、传播途径和被犬咬伤后正确处理方法等问题回答正确率低于40%。单因素分析发现,文化程度对北京地区城镇居民狂犬病认知水平有较大影响(P0.05),随着文化程度的提高,回答正确率不断提高。另外,当地居民希望通过微信、微博等新媒体(80.36%)、电视(78.57%)、社区宣传(72.32%)等方式获取狂犬病知识。以上结果表明,北京市城镇居民对狂犬病认知程度一般,对狂犬病易感动物、传播途径和被犬咬伤后正确处理等方面认知水平较低。因此,应选择微信、微博等新媒体,结合电视、社区宣传等方式,开展狂犬病流行病学等方面的宣传,以此提升北京市城镇居民的狂犬病认知水平。     

DNA去甲基化参与提高白菜型冬油菜抗寒性的生理机制

利用来自不同育种环境的10份白菜型冬油菜材料,通过半致死温度的测定分析其抗寒性与环境的关系,并利用不同浓度DNA甲基化抑制剂5-azaC处理,分析DNA去甲基化对白菜型冬油菜DNA整体甲基化水平及低温胁迫下苗期生理特性的影响。结果表明,不同育种环境选育的材料,其半致死温度具有显著差异,其中材料2018-FJT、DT-7、DT-9与MXW-1的半致死温度分别为-16.04℃、-15.98℃、-15.63℃、-15.04℃;材料CT-2360、CT-2380、CT-2400、CT-2420、CT-2440、CT-2460的半致死温度分别为-11.32℃、-11.6℃、-11.42℃、-11.44℃、-12.97℃、-13.28℃。依据半致死温度,10个白菜型冬油菜抗寒性由强到弱依次为:2018-FJTDT-7DT-9MXW-1CT-2460CT-2400CT-2380CT-2420CT-2440CT-2360。抗寒性的形成与育成环境的纬度和年平均气温呈极显著正相关。选择抗寒性及产地不同的4个材料CT-2360、MXW-1、2018-FJT、DT-7进行生理测定,结果表明,1 000μmol·L~(-1) 5-azaC处理能显著抑制幼苗的根生长,4个材料的根长较对照减少93.14%～95.06%;低温下5-azaC处理对抗寒性较弱材料CT-2360幼苗的相对电导率、丙二醛含量以及强抗寒性材料DT-7幼苗的脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白含量影响最显著(P0.05);低温处理过程中,4个材料的SOD、POD、CAT活性均上升,以低温处理5d最显著(P0.05),其中2018-FJT的SOD活性增幅最高,为45.85%,DT-7的POD活性增幅最大,为460%,CT-2360的CAT活性增幅最显著,为321.02%。HPLC分析发现常温下抗寒性较弱材料CT-2360的甲基化水平为77.48%,高于其他3个抗寒性强的材料;经过5-azaC处理后发生明显的去甲基化作用,证明抗寒能力受DNA去甲基化的调控。     

烟青虫初孵幼虫的高效快速收集方法

比较了常用的烟青虫人工收集方法和新研发的烟青虫初孵幼虫快速收集方法的效果。试验结果表明,与人工收集方法相比,快速收集方法获得初孵幼虫所用时间少,收集的初孵幼虫存活率搞,达96.33%,且收集的幼虫发育更加整齐,雌、雄蛹单头质量(雌蛹295.33 mg,雄蛹284.66 mg)略大;还可节省大量人力,避免了人工挑虫对初孵幼虫的伤害,保障了烟青虫实验种群的大量优质扩繁。