bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of lovastatin on the pharmacokinetics of diltiazem and its main metabolite, desacetyldiltiazem, in rats: possible role of cytochrome P450 3A4 and P-glycoprotein inhibition by lovastatin
Authors: Hong Soon-Pyo , Yang Joon-Seung , Han Jung-Yeon , Ha Sung-Il , Chung Joong-Wha , Koh Young-Youp , Chang Kyong-Sig , Choi Dong-Hyun
Published: October 2010

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of lovastatin on cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in vitro and then to determine the effects of lovastatin on the pharmacokinetics of diltiazem and its main metabolite, desacetyldiltiazem, in rats.

Methods

The pharmacokinetic parameters of diltiazem and desacetyldiltiazem were determined after orally administering diltiazem (12 mg/kg) to rats in the presence and absence of lovastatin (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg). The effect of lovastatin on P-gp as well as CYP3A4 activity was also evaluated.

Key findings

Lovastatin inhibited CYP3A4 enzyme activity with a 50% inhibition concentration of 6.06 µM. In addition, lovastatin significantly enhanced the cellular accumulation of rhodamine-123 in MCF-7/ADR cells overexpressing P-gp. Compared with the control (given diltiazem alone), the presence of lovastatin significantly altered the pharmacokinetic parameters of diltiazem. The areas under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) and the peak concentration of diltiazem were significantly increased (P < 0.05, 1.0 mg/kg) in the presence of lovastatin. Consequently, the absolute bioavailability values of diltiazem in the presence of lovastatin (11.1% at 1.0 mg/kg) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of the control group (7.6%). The metabolite–parent AUC ratio in the presence of lovastatin (1.0 mg/kg) was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased compared with the control group.

Conclusions

It might be considered that lovastatin resulted in reducing the first-pass metabolism in the intestine and/or in the liver via inhibition of CYP3A4 and increasing the absorption of diltiazem in the intestine via inhibition of P-gp by lovastatin.
Exploring neurotherapeutic space: how many neurological drugs exist (or could exist)?
Authors: Weaver Donald F , Weaver Colin A
Published: October 2010

Objectives

Since high-throughput screening of compound libraries (virtual or real) against druggable targets is increasingly being used to discover therapies for brain disorders, it is crucial to ascertain if such screening methods adequately explore ‘neurotherapeutic space (i.e. the total number of molecules that are or could be neuroactive)’. We present an approach to providing an estimate of the size of neurotherapeutic space.

Methods

Molecular modelling and statistical calculations were used to determine the number of molecules, which exist or could exist, with the necessary physicochemical and structural properties to be neurologically active drugs.

Key findings

Assuming eight fundamental types of drug–receptor interactions, five different functional groups per type of interaction and five different molecular platforms for each functional group array, we calculated the total number of molecules that could be contained within a 7 Å radius sphere, used to define neuroactive chemical space. This calculation revealed that there are 6 × 1015 molecules that could be neurological drugs.

Conclusions

Clearly, when it comes to exploring neurochemical space, we are still in our infancy and conventional high-throughput screening provides only a very limited sampling of the neuroactive chemical space that is available to neurotherapeutic compounds.
Anti-inflammatory potential of Phaseolus calcaratus Roxburgh, a oriental medicine, on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages
Authors: Fang Minghao , Lee Seung-Youp , Park Seung-Moon , Choi Ki-Choon , Lee Young Jae , Cho Hyoung-Kwon , Cho Seong-Wan , Whang Wan Kyunn , Lee Jeong-Chae
Published: October 2010

Objectives

The seed of Phaseolus calcaratus Roxburgh (PHCR) has traditionally been used as a herbal medicine, considered to have anti-inflammatory potential. Here we examined the ability of PHCR seed extract to inhibit inflammatory responses of macrophages to bacterial toxin and the mechanism involved.

Methods

In the present study, we prepared four fractions from an ethanol extract of PHCR seed and investigated their effects on the production of nitric oxide and cytokines, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

Key findings

The fractions inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide production and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in the cells. The ethyl acetate fraction at 100 µg/ml almost completely suppressed NO production, iNOS and COX-2 expression, and TNF-α and IL-6 secretion in cells stimulated with LPS. The fraction also inhibited phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 in LPS-stimulated cells with the attendant suppression of IκBα nuclear translocation and nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation. Furthermore, PHCR seed extracts contained a large number of phenolic compounds having antioxidant potentials against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and hydroxyl radicals. We identified catechin-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside as one of the active compounds responsible for the biological activity of PHCR seed extract.

Conclusions

These results suggest for the first time that ethanol extracts from PHCR seed have anti-inflammatory potential on LPS-stimulated macrophages through the down-regulation of ERK/p38- and NF-κB-mediated signalling pathways.
Physicochemical characterization and drug-release properties of celecoxib hot-melt extruded glass solutions
Authors: Andrews Gavin P , Abu-Diak Osama , Kusmanto Febe , Hornsby Peter , Hui Zhai , Jones David S
Published: October 2010

The interest in hot-melt extrusion (HME) as a drug delivery technology for the production of glass solutions is growing rapidly. HME glass solutions have a tendency to recrystallize during storage and also typically have a very dense structure, restricting the ingress of dissolution fluid and retarding drug release. In this study, we have used HME to manufacture glass solutions containing celecoxib (CX) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and have assessed the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a pore-forming agent to enhance drug release. Differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the formation of glass solutions following extrusion. All extrudates exhibited a single glass transition temperature (Tg), positioned between the Tg values of CX and PVP. The instability of glass solutions is a significant problem during storage. Stabilization may be improved through the appropriate choice of excipient to facilitate drug–polymer interactions. The Gordon–Taylor equation showed that the Tg values of all extrudates expected on ideal mixing were lower than those observed experimentally. This may be indicative of drug–polymer interactions that decrease free volume and elevate the Tg. Molecular interactions between CX and PVP were further confirmed using Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Storage stability of the extrudates was shown to be dependent on drug loading. Samples containing a higher CX loading were less stable, which we ascribed to decreased Tg and hence increased mobility within the drug–polymer matrix. The solubility of CX was improved through the formulation of extruded glass solutions, but release rate was relatively slow. Exposure of extrudates to scCO2 had no effect on the solid-state properties of CX but did produce a highly porous structure. The drug-release rate from extrudates after scCO2 exposure was significantly higher.
Bioavailability of indomethacin-saccharin cocrystals
Authors: Jung Min-Sook , Kim Jeong-Soo , Kim Min-Soo , Alhalaweh Amjad , Cho Wonkyung , Hwang Sung-Joo , Velaga Sitaram P
Published: October 2010

Objectives

Pharmaceutical cocrystals are new solid forms with physicochemical properties that appear promising for drug product development. However, the in-vivo bioavailability of cocrystals has rarely been addressed. The cocrystal of indomethacin (IND), a Biopharmaceutical Classification System class II drug, with saccharin (SAC) has been shown to have higher solubility than IND at all pH. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the in-vitro dissolution and in-vivo bioavailability of IND–SAC cocrystals in comparison with IND in a physical mixture and the marketed product Indomee®.

Methods

Scale-up of the cocrystals was undertaken using cooling batch crystallisation without seeding. The chemical and physical purity of the up-scaled material was verified using high-performance liquid chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction. The IND–SAC cocrystals and IND plus SAC were mixed with lactose and the formulations were placed into gelatin capsules. In-vitro dissolution studies were then performed using the rotating basket dissolution method. The intrinsic dissolution rate of IND and IND–SAC cocrystals was also determined. Finally, a bioavailability study for the formulations was conducted in beagle dogs. The plasma samples were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography and the pharmacokinetic data were analysed using standard methodologies.

Key findings

The bulk cocrystals (i.e. scaled-up material) were chemically and physically pure. The in-vitro dissolution rate of the cocrystals was higher than that of IND and similar to that of Indomee® at pH 7.4 and pH 1.2. The in-vivo bioavailability of the IND–SAC cocrystals in dogs was significantly higher (ANOVA, P < 0.05) than that of IND but not significantly different from Indomee® (ANOVA, P > 0.05).

Conclusions

The study indicates that the improved aqueous solubility of the cocrystals leads to improved bioavailability of IND. Thus, the cocrystals are a viable alternative solid form that can improve the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
Medical leadership: why it’s important, what is required, and how we develop it
Authors: Warren Oliver J , Carnall Ruth
Published: October 2010

Good medical leadership is vital in delivering high-quality healthcare, and yet medical career progression has traditionally seen leadership lack credence in comparison with technical and academic ability. Individual standards have varied, leading to variations in the quality of medical leadership between different organisations and, on occasions, catastrophic lapses in the standard of care provided to patients. These high-profile events, plus increasing evidence linking clinical leadership to performance of units, has led recently to more focus on leadership development for all doctors, starting earlier and continuing throughout their careers. There is also an increased drive to see doctors take on more significant leadership roles throughout the healthcare system. The achievement of these aims will require doctors to develop strong personal and professional values, a range of non-technical skills that allow them to lead across professional boundaries, and an understanding of the increasingly complex environment in which 21st century healthcare is delivered. Developing these attributes will require dedicated resources and the sophisticated application of a variety of different learning methodologies such as mentoring, coaching, action learning and networking.
Ultrasonography of spontaneous lesions of the genital system of three rams, and their influence on semen quality
Authors: Ahmad N. , England G. C. W. , Noakes D. E.
Published: October 2010

Three young Suffolk ram lambs had lesions which rendered them reproductively unsound. One had a unilateral scrotal hernia, detected by palpation, and two had sperm granulomas which were detected by trans‐scrotal ultrasonography at 18 to 20 weeks of age, before they could be detected by palpation. Changes in the lesions were monitored ultrasonographically at two‐week intervals with a 7.5 MHz linear array transducer. On the day of each examination, semen was collected from the rams with sperm granulomas by using an artificial vagina, and their libido was assessed. Semen could rarely be collected from the third ram. Comparisons were made with similar data obtained from two normal rams. When the rams were 20 to 21 months of age, they were vasectomised on the normal side, so that the influence of the lesions on semen composition and libido could be assessed, and semen was collected and evaluated until they were euthanased at approximately 24 months of age, when the genital system was examined for gross lesions. The sperm granulomas changed in size (one of them increased in size by about 30 times) and echotexture over the 19‐month period of the study, whereas the scrotal hernia, which contained omental fat, remained fairly constant. The libido of the two rams with sperm granulomas was comparable with the two normal controls. The total mean (sem) number of sperm in the ejaculates were 1.11 (0.10) × 109and 2.03 (0.17) × 109sperm/ml in the affected rams and 4.11 × 109sperm/ml in the normal rams over the same period; the differences were significant (P<0.05). After unilateral vasectomy, the ejaculates from these two rams contained small numbers of dead spermatozoa, mostly with degenerate heads. Postmortem examination confirmed the gross lesions identified ultrasonographically.
Effect of three programmes for the treatment of endometritis on the reproductive performance of a dairy herd
Authors: Heuwieser W. , Tenhagen B‐A. , Tischer M. , Lühr J. , Blum H.
Published: October 2010

Three management programmes to improve the reproductive performance of a dairy herd were compared in a prospective controlled field study on one commercial farm. A total of 542 cows were examined for endometritis 22 to 28 days postpartum and assigned to one of three treatment groups: in group 1 the cows with signs of endometritis were treated with an intrauterine infusion of 100 ml of a 2 per cent polycondensated m‐cresolsulphuric acid formaldehyde solution; in group 2 the cows with signs of endometritis were treated with an intrauterine infusion of 125 ml of a 20 per cent eucalyptus compositum solution; and in group 3 all the cows were injected intramuscularly with 0.75 mg of tiaprost, an analogue of prostaglandin F2α(PGF2α) at two‐week intervals, starting on day 43, until they were inseminated. Thirty‐four per cent of the cows showed signs of endometritis. In group 3, oestrus detection efficiency was significantly higher than in groups 1 and 2 (P<0.05), the interval to first service was shorter, and the cows had fewer days open than the cows in groups 1 and 2 (P<0.05). The results indicate that management programmes based on the strategic use of PGF2αare an effective alternative to traditional programmes based on rectal palpations and intrauterine infusions to control endometritis at a herd level.
Scrapie surveillance in Great Britain: results of an abattoir survey, 1997/98
Authors: Simmons M. M. , Ryder S. J. , Chaplin M. C. , Spencer Y. I. , Stack M. J. , Wells G. A. H. , Webb C. R. , Hoinville L. J. , Ryan J. , Wilesmith J. W.
Published: October 2010

A randomised sample of 2809 apparently healthy sheep, 55 per cent of them less than 15 months of age, which were slaughtered for human consumption at abattoirs in Great Britain in 1997/98, was taken to establish the prevalence of scrapie infection. The medulla oblongata of each sheep was examined histopathologically at the level of the obex, and fresh brain tissue was examined for scrapie‐associated fibrils (SAF) to establish whether there was evidence of scrapie. In addition, histological sections of the medulla from 500 of the sheep were immunostained with an antiserum to PrR and the same technique was also applied to any animal found positive or inconclusive by the histological or SAF examinations. Any sheep which was positive by any of these diagnostic methods was also examined by Western immunoblotting, for the detection of the disease‐specific protein PrPsc. A total of 2798 sheep (99.6 per cent) were negative by all the methods applied. Ten animals were SAF‐positive but negative by all the other methods, and in one animal there was immunohistochemical staining which could not be interpreted unequivocally as diseasespecific. A mathematical model was used to estimate the prevalence of scrapie infection in the national slaughtered sheep population which would be consistent with these results. By this model, the absence of unequivocally substantiated cases of scrapie in the sample was consistent with a prevalence of infection in the slaughter population of up to 11 per cent.
Long‐term impact on a closed household of pet cats of natural infection with feline coronavirus, feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus
Authors: Addie D. D. , Toth S. , Reid S. , Jarrett O. , Dennis J. M. , Callanan J. J.
Published: October 2010

A closed household of 26 cats in which feline coronavirus (FCoV), feline leukaemia virus (FeW) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) were endemic was observed for 10 years. Each cat was seropositive for FCoV on at least one occasion and the infedion was maintained by reinfection. After 10 years, three of six surviving cats were still seropositive. Only one cat, which was also infected with FIV, developed feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Rising anti‐Fcov antibody titres did not indicate that the cat would develop FIP. The FeW infection was self‐limiting because all seven of the initially viraemic cats died within five years and the remainder were immune. However, FeLv had the greatest impad on mortality. Nine cats were initially FIVpositive and six more cats became infected during the course of the study, without evidence of having been bitten. The FIV infection did not adversely affect the cats' life expectancy.
Parasite control methods used by horse owners: factors predisposing to the development of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes
Authors: Lloyd S. , Smith J. , Connan R. M. , Hatcher M. A. , Hedges T. R. , Humphrey D. J. , Jones A. C.
Published: October 2010

One hundred and fifty horse owners, primarily private owners and riding schools, replied to a questionnaire concerning the practices they used to control parasites. Twenty‐seven had experienced a parasite problem. Faecal samples from 188 horses selected at random showed that worm control practices were generally successful; however, many owners were not following recommendations for slowing the development of resistant parasites. In 1996, 86 per cent of the owners were using either three or two classes of anthelmintic a year, and they used a median of six doses with a range from one to 11. Approximately half the owners, more commonly owners of up to five horses, picked up their horses' faeces at least once a week, but these owners also used more doses of anthelmintic a year than owners who did not pick up faeces. One‐third of the owners manually removed Gasterophilus species eggs from the horses' hairs, but 94 per cent of them also used ivermectin. Many owners treated specifically for Anoplocephala species, cyathostome larvae and Gasterophilus species, and these owners were the most likely to use three classes of anthelmintic a year. One‐hundred‐and‐seven owners replied to a second questionnaire asking for information about the factors that influenced their anthelmintic control practices. Many owners, particularly private owners, were not influenced by the cost of the anthelmintic. For the timing and frequency of treatment, and the choice of drug, owners were most influenced by advertisements, magazine articles and veterinary surgeons. In two magazines aimed at horse owners, the brands of drugs most frequently advertised were the brands most commonly used by the owners, and articles in the magazines recommended the use of three classes of drug per year. These results are discussed in relation to their influence on the development of anthelminticresistant nematodes.
Gender, age and breed pattern of diagnoses for veterinary care in insured dogs in Sweden during 1996
Authors: Egenvall A. , Hedhammar A. , Bonnett B. N. , Olson P.
Published: October 2010

More than 200,000 dogs insured for veterinary care by one Swedish company at the beginning of 1996 were included in a retrospective cross‐sectional study. Data from receipts for visits to veterinarians that were part of reimbursed veterinary care events, whose cost exceeded the deductible cost, were used to calculate the risk of cause‐specific morbidity, both in total and stratified by gender, age and breed. Diagnoses were described by organic system, for example, cardiovascular, and by disease process, for example, neoplastic. The most commonly affected system was the integument followed by the gastrointestinal and genital systems. The genital system was the most commonly affected system in females, within which 50 per cent of the affected bitches had pyometra. Inflammatory processes were most common, followed by symptomatic conditions, traumatic injuries and neoplastic conditions.
Economic aspects of outbreaks of dermatophilosis in first‐calving cows in nine herds of dairy cattle in Israel
Authors: Yeruham I. , Elad D. , Perl S.
Published: October 2010

Outbreaks of dermatophilosis in nine herds of dairy cattle in Israel were studied retrospectively. The outbreaks might have been associated with the exposure of the animals to intense showering during the spring and summer months of May to October, in addition to calving and postcalving stress. The acute exudative form of dermatophilosis occurred in the first‐calving cows during the six weeks after they calved. The morbidity rate ranged from 10.0 to 66.6 per cent and the period of morbidity ranged from eight to 19 days. Mortality or culling occurred in four of the herds and ranged from 1.6 to 17.1 per cent. The disease also resulted in a gradual loss of condition, a decrease in milk production and marked increases in the somatic cell counts in milk.
Masticatory and skeletal muscle myositis in canine leishmaniasis (Leishmania infantum)
Authors: Vamvakidis C. D. , Koutinas A. E , Saridomichelakis M. , Kanakoudis G. , Georgiadis G.
Published: October 2010

Twenty‐four dogs with a parasitologically and serologically established diagnosis of leishmaniasis were studied to investigate the atrophy of the masticatory muscles which commonly occurs in this disease, and to compare the lesions in the masticatory muscles with those in the cranial tibial muscles. The 24 animals were divided into three groups of eight, group A dogs with no muscular atrophy, group B dogs with different degrees of atrophy in the masticatory and skeletal muscles, and group C dogs with similar degrees of atrophy in the masticatory and skeletal muscles. Increased activities of creatine phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase were recorded in only some of the dogs in groups B and C, but there were no significant differences between the mean activities in the three groups. Electromyographic changes indicating myopathy and involving both the temporalis and cranial tibial muscles, were observed in two of the dogs in group A, seven of those in group B, and in all the dogs in group C. Muscle histopathology revealed a variable degree of muscle fibre necrosis and atrophy, mononuclear infiltrates and neutrophilic vasculitis in all the dogs except two in group A. Leishmanial amastigotes were found within macrophages and myofibres in 16 of the dogs, some in each group. IgG immune complexes were detected in muscle samples, and circulating antibodies against myofibres were detected in serum samples from all the 24 dogs.
Attitude of Swedish veterinary and medical students to animal experimentation
Authors: Hagelin J. , Hau J. , Carlsson H. E.
Published: October 2010

Nearly all veterinary and medical students (94 per cent) found it morally acceptable to use animals in research and believed it to be a necessity in order to treat human diseases. In contrast with the medical students a substantial proportion of veterinary students (40 per cent) considered themselves animal rights activists. Unlike the medical curriculum, the veterinary curriculum contains a two‐week course in laboratory animal medicine, and a higher proportion of the students who had not been through this course was opposed to the use of animals in research than of the students who had completed the course. The course modified the views of half the students; more than 26 per cent of them became more positive towards animal use in research after the course, whereas 3 per cent became more negative.
Detection of DNA restriction fragment polymorphisms in Streptococcus equi
Authors: Takai S. , Yashiro H. , Ishii C. , Tsubaki S. , Anzai T. , Wada R. , Timoney J. F.
Published: October 2010

Large‐restriction‐fragment (LRF) polymorphisms in Streptococcus equi (S equi subspecies equi) were studied by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis. Five or six chromosomal fragments of between 194 and 915 kb were separated by digestion with the restriction endonuclease Nof l. All 20 isolates of S equi, including 12 from independent Japanese outbreaks, four from independent American outbreaks, two from a single Irish outbreak, us vaccine strain F43, and type strain NCTC 9682 were successfully typed. Seven distinctive, reproducible and stable types were identified. The 12 Japanese isolates collected between 1992 and 1998 were of LRF type 11 suggesting that they were derived from the same source. The remaining eight isolates were of six types. The results indicate that LRF typing should be a useful technique for investigating the source and transmission of S equi.
Histopathological survey of neoplasms in flat‐coated retrievers, 1990 to 1998
Authors: Morris J. S. , Bostock D. E. , Hoather T. M. , Dobson J. M. , McInnes E. F.
Published: October 2010

Over the period from March 1990 to December 1998, veterinary surgeons in general practice were invited to submit tissues suspected of being neoplastic which had been removed from flat‐coated retrievers. When possible, pedigree details were obtained from the owners. In addition, data were collected from flat‐coated retrievers known to have suffered from a neoplastic condition and for which a histopathological report was available. A total of 1023 submissions was obtained from 782 dogs. These included 165 non‐neoplastic lesions (16 per cent), 447 benign samples (44 per cent) and 41 1 malignant samples (40 per cent). Soft tissue sarcomas accounted for 55 per cent of the malignant samples (26 per cent of all tumour samples and 22 per cent of all submissions) with 63 per cent of them being diagnosed as undifferentiated. Carcinomas accounted for 20 per cent of malignant samples (8 per cent of all submissions). Of the benign tumours, cutaneous histiocytoma was the most common diagnosis (48 per cent of benign tumours, 25 per cent of all tumours and 21 per cent of all submissions).
Patterns of parasitic nematode infection and immunity in dairy heifers treated with ivermectin in a sustained‐release bolus formulation either at turnout or in the middle of the grazing season
Authors: Forbes A. B. , Rice B. J.
Published: October 2010

Twenty‐eight Holstein‐Friesian heifers, born the previous year and weighing between 130 and 310 kg, were allocated to one of two treatment groups by restricted randomisation, based on their initial weight. The heifers in group 1 were each treated with ivermectin in a sustained‐release bolus formulation at turnout in April, and those in group 2 were each given an ivermectin bolus on July 10, 84 days after turnout. On that day the mean geometric worm egg counts of groups 1 and 2 were 0.4/g and 38.8/g, respectively, and they both had a mean plasma pepsinogen concentration of 0.59 iu/litre; in group 1, two of 14 faecal samples were positive for Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae, and in group 2 all 13 samples were positive; in group 1 eight calves were positive and three inconclusive for the presence of antibodies to D viviparus, and in group 2 the corresponding figures were 10 positive and two inconclusive; the mean liveweights of groups 1 and 2 were 274.4 kg and 262.8 kg, respectively. By December 4,231 days after turnout, the corresponding results were: mean geometric worm egg counts of 2.2/g and 0.5/g; one of 13 and none of 14 faecal samples positive for D viviparus larvae; 12 positive and two inconclusive and none positive and 10 inconclusive for the presence of antibodies to D viviparus; 214 days after turnout their mean liveweights were 361.1 kg and 358.3 kg. Although the patterns of parasitic nematode infection were different in the two groups during the grazing season, by the time they were housed both groups had achieved similar liveweights and showed evidence of an immune response to both D viviparus and gastrointestinal nematodes.
Long‐term outcome of surgery for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament deficiency
Authors: Innes J. F. , Bacon D. , Lynch C. , Pollard A.
Published: October 2010

Fifty‐eight dogs with cranial cruciate ligament deficiency were assessed and treated surgically. At an average of 50 months postoperatively, the functional outcome was assessed by means of an owner‐based clinical assessment and a clinical examination. Client‐based data were available for 26 dogs and 20 dogs were reassessed after 50 months. The results were compared with the initial values and with data from an assessment 13 months postoperatively. The level of disability at 50 months was judged to be significantly less than initially. However, there were no differences between the initial assessments and those made after 50 months for the perceived ‘effect of cold weather’ and the dogs' ‘ability to jump’ despite both measures having improved after 13 months. Age and meniscal injury were identified as poor prognostic indicators for the long‐term outcome. The equivalent joint on the contralateral limb deteriorated significantly during the study.
Presence of bovine herpesvirus 1 gB‐seropositive but gE‐seronegative Dutch cattle with no apparent virus exposure
Authors: Mars M. H. , Rijsewijk F. A. M. , Maris‐Veldhuis M. A. , van Oirschot J. T. , Hage J. J.
Published: October 2010

Two hundred and thirty‐seven of 2052 cattle which had not been vaccinated against bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV‐1) were seropositive in a glycoprotein B (gB)‐blocking ELISA, but seronegative in a glycoprotein E (gE)‐ blocking ELISA. In order to detect whether they were latently infected with BHV‐1, 10 of them were treated with corticosteroids irt an attempt to reactivate putatively latent virus. After successive treatments with dexamethasone and prednisolone, no virus excretion was detected and they showed no increase in antibody titres. In contrast, one gE‐seropositive animal re‐excreted BHV‐1 and had a four‐fold increase in antibody titre after the corticosteroid treatments. After slaughter, no BHV‐1 DNA could be detected with a sensitive PCR in samples of the trigeminal, cervical and sacral ganglia and spinal cords of the gE‐seronegative cattle.
Study of apparent hypersensitivity to Culicoides species in sheep in Israel
Authors: Yeruham I. , Braverman Y. , Perl S.
Published: October 2010

Between 1983 and 1997, a low incidence of seasonal allergic dermatitis was diagnosed in sheep in Israel aged eight months to eight years, in 10 flocks of a variety of breeds, but not the local Awassi breed. The 40 affected animals reacted with scratching, biting and vigorous stamping of the feet from April to November each year. The principal skin lesions were hyperkeratosis, spongiosis and infiltrations of eosinophils and mononuclear cells, typical of an allergic dermatitis which was probably a hypersensitivity reaction to biting insects. The epidemiological findings in relation to the area of Israel affected, the breeds of sheep and the distribution of the lesions suggested that the sheep's hypersensitivity was due to the bites of several species of Culicoides.
Treatment of chronic digital septic tenosynovitis in 12 horses by modified open annular ligament desmotomy and passive open drainage
Authors: Chan C. C. , Murphy H. , Munroe G. A.
Published: October 2010

A modified open annular ligament desmotomy followed by passive open drainage was used to treat 12 horses with chronic digital septic tenosynovitis due to trauma in the form of open wounds or self‐sealing punctures. The surgical approach included complete transection of the palmar/plantar annular ligament of the fetlock and proximal digital annular ligament, which facilitated the removal of fibrin, selective debridement and synovectomy, followed by lavage of the digital sheath. The incision was partially closed leaving a 2 cm gap open distally to allow for passive open drainage. Gentamicin was administered intrathecally during surgery. Postoperatively the horses received ceftiofur and non‐steroidal antiinflammatory drugs. A sterile bandage was used to protect the wound until the gap had healed completely by second intention. Infection was controlled in 11 of the horses which all returned to their previous levels of work, but one horse was euthanased as a result of the persistence of the infection and financial considerations.
Endoscopic electrosurgical excision of laryngeal granulation tissue in a standing pregnant mare
Authors: Booth T. M. , Hainisch E. K. , Knottenbelt D. C. , Edwards G. B. , Clegg P. D. , Kelly D. F.
Published: October 2010

An 11‐year‐old, eight‐months pregnant mare suddenly developed severe respiratory distress. Endoscopic examination identified intralaryngeal granulation tissue obstructing the airway. In order to avoid general anaesthesia and the problems associated with a permanent tracheostomy, the mass was resected electrosurgically while the mare was standing. Patency was restored to the airway and the mare foaled without complication.
Endoscopic and bacteriological findings in a chronic outbreak of strangles
Authors: Fintl C. , Dixon P. M. , Brazil T. J. , Pirie R. S. , McGorum B. C.
Published: October 2010

Recently there has been increased awareness of the role of the carrier state in propagating Streptococcus equi var equi (S equi) infections (strangles), although the anatomical location of the organisms in chronic carriers has not been consistently established. This case report describes a chronic strangles outbreak in a riding school, that was monitored over six months by repeated clinical and endoscopic guttural pouch examinations. All asymptomatic horses that had positive S equi cultures on nasal swabs or guttural pouch lavages were found to have lesions in their guttural pouches. These lesions included empyema, chondroids and previously undescribed chronic discharging lesions on the floor of the medical compartment of the guttural pouches. These observations further support previous studies indicating the importance of investigating the guttural pouches in horses suspected to be asymptomatic carriers of this organism.
Efficacy of non‐acaricidal containing otic preparations in the treatment of otoacariasis in dogs and cats
Authors: Engelen M.A. C. M. , Anthonissens E.
Published: October 2010

Eighty‐nine cats and 38 dogs naturally infested with the ear mite Otodectes cynotis were randomly allocated into two treatment groups. One group was treated with a product containing miconazole nitrate, polymyxin B sulphate and prednisolone acetate, the other with a combination of diethanolamine fusidate, framycetin sulphate, nystatin and prednisolone. The treatment (five drops in each ear) was applied twice daily for 14 days, and its efficacy was evaluated on days 7, 14 and 21 on the basis of an otoscopic examination of the external ear canal, a microscopical examination of scrapings for the presence of ear mites and clinical signs of pruritus, pain, erythema and/or exudate. Both treatments were highly effective, and there were no significant differences between the two products, either in efficacy or in the clinical improvements observed. Apart from an allergic reaction in one cat treated with the second product, no adverse effects were observed.
Duration of cross‐protection between subtypes A and B avian pneumovirus in turkeys
Authors: Van de Zande S. , Nauwynck H. , Pensaert M. , Naylor C.
Published: October 2010

The degree and duration of clinical and virological cross‐protection between avian pneumovirus subtypes A and B were examined in two‐week‐old pneumovirus antibody‐free turkeys. The turkeys were inoculated with either a virulent subtype A (Belgian isolate AIT6/96), a virulent subtype B (Belgian isolate B/T9/96), an attenuated subtype A or an attenuated subtype B, and challenged homologously and heterologously with virulent avian pneumovirus two, five and 11 weeks after inoculation. Birds inoculated with virulent A or B virus showed typical respiratory signs from three to seven days after inoculation. After challenge, no clinical signs were observed in any of the groups, and no virus was isolated from the turkeys that had been initially inoculated with a virulent strain. Virulent virus was recovered from the birds that had been initially inoculated with attenuated subtypes and challenged five and/or 11 weeks later with a heterologous virulent strain. Birds challenged after five weeks showed a serological booster reaction only when they had been inoculated initially with a virulent or attenuated subtype B and challenged with subtype A. Seroconversion was observed in all the groups challenged after 11 weeks except when they had been inoculated initially with attenuated subtype B and challenged with subtype B.
Surgical treatment of coenurosis (gid) in sheep
Authors: Komnenou A. , Dessiris A. , Giadinis N.
Published: October 2010

During the past six years 623 cases of coenurosis (gid) in sheep have been treated surgically. Cysts were removed successfully from 573 of them (92 per cent) and 517 (83 per cent) were able to return to their flocks, although 36 showed no clinical improvement. In 37 cases, the cyst could not be localised, and postmortem examinations showed that in nine cases the cyst was in the brainstem, and in 28 cases it was in the cerebellum. Fifty‐six cases deteriorated gradually after surgery and in these cases more than one cyst was found postmortem. Thirteen cases died during surgery.
Analysis of feline urinary calculi and urethral plugs by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy
Authors: Escolar E. , Bellanato J.
Published: October 2010

The chemical constituents of 34 feline urinary calculi and five urethral plugs were analysed by infrared spectroscopy. The analysis revealed that 18 (52.9 per cent) of the calculi contained magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate (struvite) as the major component; 10 (29.4 per cent) contained complex ammonium urates (three of them also containing calcium phosphate, mainly on the surface); three were composed of calcium phosphates and three were composed mainly of calcium oxalate mono and dihydrates. The urethral plugs were composed primarily of struvite, but also contained large amounts of organic matter. The examination of 16 selected samples by scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive x‐ray analysis revealed that their crystalline structures were similar to those of canine stones.
Effect of concentrate composition and cubicle bedding on the development of hoof haemorrhages in Holstein heifers after calving
Authors: Livesey C. T. , Metcalf J. A. , Laven R. A.
Published: October 2010

Diseases of the hoof horn are the most common cause of lameness in the UK dairy herd, and diet, particularly starch intake, is commonly implicated in their development. This study assessed whether replacing starch carbohydrate with sugar beet pulp, in a diet containing 50 per cent of the dry matter as forage, would significantly reduce the development of hoof horn haemorrhages in dairy heifers after calving. It also investigated the effect of replacing wood shavings as cubicle bedding with chopped straw. The heifers fed the high‐fibre diet had a significantly lower yield of milk protein and a significantly higher yield of milk fat than the heifers fed the high‐starch diet, indicating that the change of diet had affected rumen fermentation. However, the change had no significant effect on the development of hoof horn haemorrhages. The change of bedding material also had no significant effect on the development of hoof horn haemorrhages.
Antibody responses of naive cattle to two inactivated bovine viral diarrhoea virus vaccines, measured by indirect and blocking ELISAs and virus neutralisation
Authors: Graham D. A. , German A. , Mawhinney K. , Goodall E. A.
Published: October 2010

Two groups of naive heifers were given primary courses of two inactivated bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus vaccines licensed for use in the UK. Their humoral responses in serum and milk were assayed by means of an indirect ELISA detecting antibodies to structural viral glycoproteins, a blocking ELISA specific for antibodies to the non‐structural protein NS2‐3 and the virus neutralisation test (VNT). For each assay, the numbers of serum or milk samples testing positive at each sample point and the mean values were determined. In both vaccine groups, serum antibody responses were detected by the indirect ELISA and the VNT, with both the numbers of seropositive animals and mean values peaking five weeks after the second vaccination. In the 23 heifers vaccinated with Bovilis BVD, the mean NS2‐3‐specific ELISA values remained low throughout the trial, with no serum or milk samples testing positive. In the 24 heifers vaccinated with Bovidec, the mean NS2‐3 responses peaked below the level of positivity five weeks after the second vaccination, before declining again; NS2‐3‐ specific antibodies were detected in one serum sample and one milk sample from two heifers in this group. A pooled milk sample from each vaccine group tested negative by both ELISAS 12 weeks after the second vaccination.
Efficacy of montelukast in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in five horses
Authors: Kolm G. , Zappe H. , Schmid R. , Riedelberger K. , Van Den Hoven R.
Published: October 2010

Five horses with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were treated with 0.11 (0.01) mg/kg bodyweight of montelukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, once a day for 26 days. The horses were evaluated clinically and endoscopically and subjected to arterial blood gas analysis and lung function tests before and after the period of treatment, and the plasma concentrations of montelukast were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The treatment did not result in statistically significant differences in the total scores of clinical and endoscopical signs, or in the difference in the arterioalveolar partial pressure of oxygen, maximal changes in pleural pressure, pulmonary resistance or dynamic compliance. The mean (sd) peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of montelukast was 12 (4) ng/ml and was reached 66 (13) minutes (tmax) after its oral administration. The dose of montelukast per kg bodyweight was approximately the same as that for human beings, but the Cmaxin the horses was 28 times lower and the tmaxwas reached in one‐fifth of the time, suggesting that its oral bioavailability may be lower.
Effect of month of birth on hip dysplasia in labrador retrievers and Gordon setters
Authors: Wood J. L. N. , Lakhani K. H.
Published: October 2010

Recent studies have proposed selective breeding policies for preventing or controlling hip dysplasia, based upon the relationships between the hip scores of the offspring and their parents. However, these studies have ignored the possible effects on an animal's hip score of its age when it was examined and the month in which it was born. This paper describes the results of statistical analyses of large data sets of Kennel Club‐registered labrador retrievers and Gordon setters. Regression modelling showed that an animal's hip score depended significantly upon the hip score of its sire and dam, and upon its month of birth. Enlarging the model by including its age when examined made it possible to quantify the significant genetic parental effects and the effects of the animal's month of birth and its age when examined.
Outbreak of clostridial myocarditis in calves
Authors: Uzal F. A. , Paramidani M. , Assis R. , Morris W. , Miyakawa M. F.
Published: October 2010

This paper describes the epidemiological and pathological features of an outbreak of clostridial myocarditis in calves due to Clostridium chauvoei. Four of seven two‐month‐old Hereford calves died in the course of a week. Their gross postmortem lesions were similar and consisted of irregular dark red areas of myocardial necrosis through the full thickness of the atrial and ventricular myocardium. No lesions were observed in skeletal muscle. The heart muscle had extensive multifocal areas of acute coagulative necrosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by a fluorescent antibody technique on tissue smears, by a streptavidin‐biotin technique on formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tissues, and by a PCR technique specific for the 16S rRNA of C chauvoei.
Liver‐related biochemical changes in the serum of dogs being treated with phenobarbitone
Authors: Aitken M. M. , Hall E. , Scott L. , Davot J. L. , Allen W. M.
Published: October 2010

The concentrations of phenobarbitone, albumin, bile acids and cholesterol, and the activities of alkaline phosphatase (AP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) were measured in the serum of 95 epileptic dogs whose clinical signs were controlled with phenobarbitone. The dogs were divided into groups on the basis of the concentration of phenobarbitone in their serum, the dose administered and the duration of the treatment. The concentration of phenobarbitone in serum was directly related to the activities of ALT, AP, GGT and GLDH and inversely related to the concentration of albumin. There was no significant relationship between the duration of treatment and the serum concentration of phenobarbitone, but there was a significant relationship between the duration of treatment and the activities of ALT, AP and GLDH. Thirty‐five of the dogs (37 per cent) had serum activities of AP above the normal range, 19 had abnormally high activities of ALT, and 15 had high activities of GLDH, but these incidences were not related to the serum concentration of phenobarbitone. The dogs receiving higher doses for longer periods had the highest incidence of high activities of AP, ALT and GLDH. The concentration of bile acids in seven of the dogs was above the normal range but there was no relationship between the concentration and either the serum concentration, dose or duration of treatment with phenobarbitone.
Assessment of possible methods for estimating the stocking density of sheep being carried on commercial vehicles
Authors: Warriss P. D. , Brown S. N. , Knowles T. G.
Published: October 2010

Five methods for estimating the stocking density of sheep confined in a pen were assessed. The pen (2‐35 m × 3‐01 m) simulated the pens on a normal road transporter. The trial used 50 lambs (average weight 34 kg) of mixed sex and breed, held at five stocking densities ‐ 0‐466 to 0‐824 m2 /100 kg or 214 to 121 kg/m2 covering the range used in commercial practice, and 14 assessors, all experienced in handling animals. The best method was that based on the girth measurement of a sample of animals to estimate liveweight and a count of the animals in the pen. The methods based on using a moveable gate to take up free floor space, assessing the difficulty of moving through the pen of animals, using photographic scales, and counting the numbers of sheep across transects were generally less successful.
Outbreak of dysautonomia (Key‐Gaskell syndrome) in a closed colony of pet cats
Authors: Cave T. A. , Knottenbelt C. , Mellor D. J. , Nunn F. , Nart P. , Reid S. W. J.
Published: October 2010

Six of eight pet cats in a closed colony developed overt signs of dysautonomia over a period of seven days; two of them died and one was euthanased. Dysautonomia was confirmed histopathologically in two of these cats, and in the others the diagnosis was based on the characteristic clinical and radiographic findings. In the two apparently unaffected cats abnormal oesophageal motility was demonstrated by fluoroscopy, suggesting that there may be a subclinical form of the disease. The surviving cats had higher and more variable heart rates (mean 165 bpm) than the non‐survivors (mean 121 bpm).