Long-term deep sedation using Zoletil and haloperidol for the treatment of streptococcal pneumonia in an orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)

A 13-year-old Bornean orangutan diagnosed with life threatening Streptococcus pyogenes broncho-pneumonia was kept in a state of deep sedation for 20 days via continuous intra-venous (IV) infusion of zolazepam -tiletamine and IV haloperidol to allow consistent IV administration of ceftazidime and gatifloxacine. The use of long-term deep sedation allowed carrying out a particularly demanding treatment not generally associated with zoological patients. The treatment was ultimately successful.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF THE EXTERNAL EAR CANAL AND TYMPANIC MEMBRANE IN DOGS

Ultrasonographic imaging of the canine external ear canal, tympanic membrane, and tympanic bulla was described in five healthy beagle dogs before and after infusion of saline into the ear canal. Saline served as an acoustic window. With this method, the external ear canal, and tympanic bulla were visible in the same imaging plane and the integrity of the tympanic membrane could be evaluated indirectly by confirming an intact tympanic membrane, which appeared at the end of the ear canal as a hyperechoic line with reverberation. Experimentally, perforated tympanic membrane could be evaluated by identifying anechoic saline in the tympanic bulla lumen. The air and fluid-filled tympanic bulla were also visualized. Ultrasonography with saline as an acoustic window appears to be helpful for the evaluation of the external ear canal, tympanic membrane, and tympanic bulla and it may have the potential to be a useful clinical tool in evaluation of integrity of the tympanic membrane.     

Analysis of methanogenic archaeal communities of rumen fluid and rumen particles from Korean black goats

Molecular diversity of methanogens in the rumen of Korean black goats was investigated with 16S rRNA gene clone libraries using methanogen‐specific primers. The libraries were composed of rumen fluid‐associated methanogens (FAM) and rumen particle‐associated methanogens (PAM) from rumen‐fistulated Korean black goats. Among the 141 clones of the FAM library, the sequences were mostly related to two phyla, the Methanobacteriaceae family (77.3%) and the Thermoplasmatales family (22.7%); and among the 68 clones of the PAM library, sequences were also mainly clustered in the two phyla, the Thermoplasmatales family (63.24%) and the Methanobacteriaceae family (35.29%). Most of the sequenced clones in the two libraries were closely related to uncultured methanogenic archaeon. Quantitative real‐time PCR revealed that PAM (8.97 log 10) had significantly higher (P < 0.01) density of methanogens by the methanogenic 16S rRNA gene copies than FAM (7.57 log 10). The two clone libraries also showed difference in Shannon index (FAM library 1.70 and PAM library 1.59) and Chao 1 estimator (FAM library 18 and PAM library 17 operational taxonomic units). Apparent differences found in the microbial community from the two 16S rRNA gene libraries could be a result of such factors as the chemical and physical nature of the target material surface, types or component of diets, the interaction between the methanogens and other microbes, and age of the experimental goats.     

醋糟菌糠对3种作物土壤微生物及酶活性的影响

为研究醋糟菌糠作为一种生物肥料对土壤肥力的影响,为解决食用菌菌糠对环境污染及其有效利用提供科学依据,本文通过田间试验,对玉米、高粱、糯玉米3种作物基施醋糟菌糠后不同生育期的土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶和过氧化氢酶活性,细菌、放线菌和真菌数量,及微生物量碳、氮含量进行测试。研究结果表明:1)醋糟菌糠显著提高了作物根际土壤细菌、放线菌和真菌的数量。在作物整个生育期,加入醋糟菌糠的土壤细菌数量比对照提高32%~54%;放线菌数量在成熟期提高明显,玉米田土壤放线菌数量增幅最大,为101%;真菌数量变化总体趋势呈现先升高后下降的趋势。2)醋糟菌糠的施入增加了作物根际土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶、蔗糖酶的活性。种植高粱、玉米和糯玉米土壤的脲酶活性增长率分别为239%、189%和185%;3种作物的土壤过氧化氢酶活性在抽穗期最高,最大增长率为40%;3种作物的土壤蔗糖酶活性在不同生育期变化趋势不同,玉米各生育期土壤蔗糖酶活性变化较为稳定,其增长率分别为38%、28%、48%。3)醋糟菌糠的施入增加了作物根际土壤微生物碳氮的含量,不同生育期3种作物的土壤微生物碳含量增幅为58.10~407.67 mg·kg-1,微生物氮含量增幅为11.98~27.55 mg·kg-1。由此可见,醋糟菌糠的施用可以增强土壤生产力的可持续性,从而达到保护和改善土壤环境的效果。同时该研究也为醋糟菌糠的有效利用提供了一定的科学依据。     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—FDG‐PET/CT OF A CANINE SPLENIC PLASMA CELL TUMOR

An 8‐year‐old Shih Tzu developed abdominal pain and hyperglobulinemia. A round splenic mass was noted radiographically and sonographically. The patient was evaluated by fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (FDG‐PET/CT). There was no evidence of metastasis or bone marrow involvement on PET/CT images. The standardized uptake value (SUV) of the splenic mass was increased over the reference range (SUV=4.83). The patient was diagnosed as splenic extramedullary plasmacytoma through immunohistopathologic study. After the splenectomy, the globulin level normalized and the patient is alive without complications.     

Simple method for extracting the seasonal signals of photochemical reflectance index and normalized difference vegetation index measured using a spectral reflectance sensor

A spectral reflectance sensor(SRS) fixed on the near-surface ground was developed to support the continuous monitoring of vegetation indices such as the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI) and photochemical reflectance index(PRI). NDVI is useful for indicating crop growth/phenology, whereas PRI was developed for observing physiological conditions. Thus, the seasonal change patterns of NDVI and PRI are two valuable pieces of information in a crop-monitoring system. However, capturing the seasonal patterns is considered challenging because the vegetation index values estimated by the reflection from vegetation are often governed by meteorological conditions, such as solar irradiance and precipitation. Further, unlike growth/phenology, the physiological condition has diurnal changes as well as seasonal characteristics. This study proposed a novel filtering method for extracting the seasonal signals of SRS-based NDVI and PRI in paddy rice, barley, and garlic. First, the measurement accuracy of SRSs was compared with handheld spectrometers, and the R~2 values between the two devices were 0.96 and 0.81 for NDVI and PRI, respectively. Second, the experimental study of threshold criteria with respect to meteorological variables(i.e., insolation, cloudiness, sunshine duration, and precipitation) was conducted, and sunshine duration was the most useful one for excluding distorted values of the vegetation indices. After data processing based on sunshine duration, the R2 values between the measured vegetation indices and the extracted seasonal signals of vegetation indices increased by approximately 0.002–0.004(NDVI) and 0.065–0.298(PRI) on the three crops, and the seasonal signals of vegetation indices became noticeably improved. This method will contribute to an agricultural monitoring system by identifying the seasonal changes in crop growth and physiological conditions.     

POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY FEATURES OF CANINE NECROTIZING MENINGOENCEPHALITIS

A Yorkshire terrier and a Chihuahua were referred for acute onset, generalized tonic‐clonic seizures and were suspected to have meningoencephalitis based on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings. Brain lesions appeared hyperintense with T2‐weighted imaging and hypointense with T1‐weighted imaging, and were characteristic of necrotizing meningoencephalitis. Both dogs were diagnosed with necrotizing meningoencephalitis based on pathologic findings. Fluorine‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) was performed on both animals before euthanasia with the permission of the owner. In FDG‐PET images, these lesions seen in MR images were characterized by multifocal or diffuse hypometabolism. Our FDG‐PET results provided evidence of glucose hypometabolism in areas of necrosis and cavitation associated with necrotizing meningoencephalitis. FDG‐PET has the potential to provide valuable diagnostic information in dogs with suspected necrotizing encephalitis.     

Allelopathic potential of K21, selected as a promising allelopathic rice

The agronomic characteristics of a newly bred potent allelopathic rice, K21, including morphological appearance, resembled its female parent, Dongjinbyeo, except for 8 days' earlier heading and 9 cm shorter plant height. The water extract of K21 showed a greater inhibitory effect on the shoot and root growth of barnyardgrass than its female parent, but less than the male parent, Kouketsumochi. At the highest extract concentration of 5.0%, the inhibitory effect of K21 on the shoot growth of barnyardgrass was ≈ 64%, similar to its male parent. The dry weight of the barnyardgrass shoot was reduced by 13.0% when grown with K21 and 30.2% when grown with its male parent. There was no inhibitory effect on the shoot dry weight of barnyardgrass when grown with the female parent. The activity of cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase in K21 was ≈ 1.8-fold higher than that of the female parent, but significantly lower than that of the male parent. The ρ-coumaric acid content in K21 was ≈ 60% higher than that of the female parent, but it was about half of the male parent. The total amount of phenolic compounds in K21 was ≈ 11.5% higher than in the female parent, but about half of the male parent. The results obtained suggest that the newly bred K21 contains desirable allelopathic traits derived from the male parent, Kouketsumochi, and acceptable agronomic traits from its female parent, Dongjinbyeo.