bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling of the Association between 63396C→T Pregnane X Receptor Polymorphism and Unboosted Atazanavir Clearance
Authors: Schipani Alessandro , Siccardi Marco , D'Avolio Antonio , Baietto Lorena , Simiele Marco , Bonora Stefano , Rodríguez Novoa Sonia , Cuenca Lorena , Soriano Vincent , Chierakul Nitipatana , Saguenwong Natpratou , Chuchuttaworn Charoen , Hoskins Janelle M. , Dvorak Anne M. , McLeod Howard L. , Davies Gerry , Khoo Saye , Back David J. , Di Perri Giovanni , Owen Andrew
Published: October 2010

Atazanavir (ATV) plasma concentrations are influenced by CYP3A4 and ABCB1, which are regulated by the pregnane X receptor (PXR;NR1I2). PXR expression is correlated with CYP3A4 in liver in the absence of enzyme inducers. ThePXRsingle nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 63396C→T (rs2472677) alters PXR expression and CYP3A4 activityin vitro, and we previously showed an association of this polymorphism with unboosted ATV plasma concentrations. The aim of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic analysis to quantify the impact of 63396C→T and diurnal variation on ATV clearance. A population analysis was performed with 323 plasma samples from 182 randomly selected patients receiving unboosted ATV. Two hundred fifty-nine of the blood samples were collected at random time points, and 11 patients had a full concentration-time profile at steady state. Nonlinear mixed effects modeling was applied to explore the effects ofPXR63396C→T, patient demographics, and diurnal variation. A one-compartment model with first-order absorption and lag time best described the data. Population clearance was 19.7 liters/h with interpatient variability or coefficient of variation (CV) of 21.5%. Homozygosity for the T allele forPXR63396 was associated with a 17.0% higher clearance that was statistically significant. Evening dosing was associated with 34% higher bioavailability than morning dosing. Patient demographic factors had no effect on ATV clearance. These data show an association ofPXR63396C→T and diurnal variation on unboosted ATV clearance. The association is likely to be mediated through an effect on hepatic PXR expression and therefore expression of its target genes (e.g.,CYP3A4,SLCO1B1, andABCB1), which are known to be involved in ATV clearance.
Effects of the Putative Transcriptional Regulator IclR on
Francisella tularensis
Pathogenesis
Authors: Mortensen Brittany L. , Fuller James R. , Taft-Benz Sharon , Kijek Todd M. , Miller Cheryl N. , Huang Max T. H. , Kawula Thomas H.
Published: October 2010

Francisella tularensis
is a highly virulent Gram-negative bacterium and is the etiological agent of the disease tularemia. IclR, a presumed transcriptional regulator, is required for full virulence of the animal pathogen,
F. tularensis
subspecies
novicida
U112 (53). In this study, we investigated the contribution of IclR to the intracellular growth, virulence, and gene regulation of human pathogenic
F. tularensis
subspecies. Deletion of
iclR
from the live vaccine strain (LVS) and SchuS4 strain of
F. tularensis
subsp.
holarctica
and
F. tularensis
subsp.
tularensis
, respectively, did not affect their abilities to replicate within macrophages or epithelial cells. In contrast to
F. tularensis
subsp.
novicida iclR
mutants, LVS and SchuS4 Δ
iclR
strains were as virulent as their wild-type parental strains in intranasal inoculation mouse models of tularemia. Furthermore, wild-type LVS and LVSΔ
iclR
were equally cytotoxic and induced equivalent levels of interleukin-1β expression by infected bone marrow-derived macrophages. Microarray analysis revealed that the relative expression of a limited number of genes differed significantly between LVS wild-type and Δ
iclR
strains. Interestingly, many of the identified genes were disrupted in LVS and SchuS4 but not in their corresponding
F. tularensis
subsp.
novicida
U112 homologs. Thus, despite the impact of
iclR
deletion on gene expression, and in contrast to the effects of
iclR
deletion on
F. tularensis
subsp.
novicida
virulence, IclR does not contribute significantly to the virulence or pathogenesis of
F. tularensis
LVS or SchuS4.
Air conditioning and intrahospital mortality during the 2003 heatwave in Portugal: evidence of a protective effect
Authors: Nunes Baltazar , Paixão Eleonora , Dias Carlos Matias , Nogueira Paulo , Marinho Falcão José
Published: October 2010

Objectives

The objective of the study was to analyse the association between the presence of air conditioning in hospital wards and the intrahospital mortality during the 2003 heatwave, in mainland Portugal.

Methods

Historical cohort study design including all patients aged 45 or more who were hospitalised in the 7 days before the heatwave. The outcome was survival during the 18 days the heatwave lasted and during the 2 days after the end of the heatwave. A comparison group was also selected in four analogous periods without any heatwave event during January to May 2003. Data were obtained from the 2003 hospital discharges database. Air conditioning presence in hospital wards was determined using a survey sent to hospital administrations. A Cox-regression model was used to estimate the confounder-adjusted HR of death, during the heatwave and the comparison period, in patients in wards with air conditioning (AC+) versus patients in wards without air conditioning (AC−).

Results

41 hospitals of mainland Portugal (49% of all hospitals in mainland Portugal) participated, and 2093 patients were enrolled. The overall confounder-adjusted HR of death in AC+ patients versus AC− patients was 0.60 (95% CI 0.37 to 0.97) for the heatwave period and 1.05 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.32) for the comparison group.

Conclusions

The study found strong evidence that, during the August 2003 heatwave, the presence of air conditioning in hospital wards was associated with an increased survival of patients admitted before the beginning of the climate event. The reduction of the risk of dying is estimated to be 40% (95% CI 3% to 63%).
Effects of the administration of ketoprofen at parturition on the milk yield and fertility of Holstein‐Friesian cattle
Authors: Richards B. D. , Black D. H. , Christley R. M. , Royal M. D. , Smith R. F. , Dobson H.
Published: October 2010

A total of 220 cows and heifers were treated with 3 mg/kg ketoprofen immediately after calving and 24 hours later, and 227 were left untreated as controls. The treated animals tended to have a lower incidence of retained fetal membranes and were 1˙7 times less likely to develop the condition than the untreated animals. The treatment did not affect the incidence of milk fever, the endometritis score or the presence of a corpus luteum by 20 to 25 days after calving, and did not affect the cows' early lactation milk yield. There was no particular level of dystocia or periparturient conditions other than retained fetal membranes for which there might be a reproductive or productive advantage following the use of ketoprofen. The intervals from calving to first insemination or to pregnancy, the numbers of inseminations per pregnancy and the pregnancy rate to first insemination were also unaffected by ketoprofen treatment.
Survey ofEhrlichia canisantibodies among dogs in Israel
Authors: Baneth G. , Waner T. , Koplah A. , Weinstein S. , Keysary A.
Published: October 2010

A seroepidemiological survey was made of the prevalence of antibodies reactive withEhrlichia canisin stray and pet dogs from five geographical regions of Israel. Serum samples from 410 dogs were assayed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test and serum reactive at a 1:20 dilution or greater was considered positive. The overall seroprevalence was 30 per cent with 23.9 per cent in pet dogs and 37.5 per cent in stray dogs. The seroprevalence in apparently healthy pets (17.6 per cent) was lower but did not differ significantly from the seroprevalence in sick animals (26.6 per cent). The seroprevalence was highest in the north of Israel and lowest in the central hilly area, and followed the same trend in both the populations sampled. Young dogs (under one year old) had a lower seroprevalence (14.9 per cent) than adult (one to eight years) (36.4 per cent) or older dogs (over eight years) (34.2 per cent). The results demonstrate that dogs in Israel are extensively exposed toE canisand indicate that ehrlichiosis is endemic in this area of the Middle East.
Current concepts in the management of canine cataract: a survey of techniques used by surgeons in Britain, Europe and the USA and a review of recent literature
Authors: Williams D. L. , Boydell I. P. , Long R. D.
Published: October 2010

One of the authors (D. L. W.) visited ophthalmologists in Great Britain, Europe and the USA to assess current practice in the surgery of cataracts in dogs. This paper describes the results of these visits and provides a survey of the literature. The success rates in canine cataract surgery have increased markedly in the last 10 years, particularly as a result of the introduction of phacoemulsification techniques and the reduction in the use of extracapsular cataract extraction; these new techniques and the problems they seek to overcome are discussed. The paper also considers the developing field of intraocular lens implantation, the rationale behind such developments and the benefits and potential problems which may occur after the'extraction of a cataract and the implantation of a lens.
Improved performance of a large pig complex after sequential nursery depopulation
Authors: Dee S. A. , Joo H. S. , Polson D. D.
Published: October 2010

An attempt was made to compare the productivity and financial benefits of nursery depopulation on five large pig farms which were all part of one complex. Each farm had been experiencing poor post weaning performance for 12 months, and had previously been infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv). A plan to depopulate each nursery sequentially was established, and the pigs were moved to fattening facilities on one of the farms (farm 3) where space was available. Over a four week period, the nurseries of farms 1, 2, 4 and 5 were emptied, cleaned and disinfected, and any changes in nursery performance, mortality and the seroprevalence of antibodies to PRRSV were then assessed for one year. The financial benefit to the entire farm complex was analysed by using partial budget methods. During the year a net benefit of $1,708,431 was assessed to the farm complex owing to the increased numbers of marketable pigs and the reduced antibiotic costs. There were highly significant improvements in nursery growth rate and decreases in mortality on farms 1, 2, 4 and 5, and antibodies to PRRSV were detected on farms 3 and 4 but not on farms 1, 2 and 5. The inability to empty the farm 3 fattening facility, which housed the pigs from the other sites, may have led to the maintenance of its PRRSV positive status and could have served as the source of virus for farm 4.
Actinobacillus suissepticaemia in two foals
Authors: Nelson K. M. , Darien B. J. , Konkle D. M. , Hartmann F. A.
Published: October 2010

A 24‐hour‐old Hackney pony filly developed signs of weakness, depression and a poor suck reflex, with harsh lung sounds over both fields, and a 48‐hour‐old Arabian colt from a normal birth which had sucked vigorously developed loose stools and became depressed, weak and anorectic. Both foals had serum IgG concentrations greater than 800 mg/dl, but each had a severe neutropenia with a left shift, and blood cultures from both of them yieldedActinobacillus suis. TheA suisisolates had different antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and, in the case of the Arabian, the isolate was resistant to commonly used broad spectrum antimicrobial agents.
Clinical evaluation of in‐feed zinc bacitracin for the control of porcine intestinal adenomatosis in growing/fattening pigs
Authors: Kyriakis S. C. , Tsinas A. , Lekkas S. , Sarris K. , Bourtzi‐Hatzopoulou E.
Published: October 2010

This field trial was designed to investigate whether the incorporation of zinc bacitracin into pig feed would prevent porcine intestinal adenomatosis. Two hundred‐and‐eightyeight weaned pigs on a farm with a previous history of the disease were divided into 16 pens of 18 pigs. Two dietary regimens of zinc bacitracin were tested: from weaning up to 100 days of age, either 300 or 200 ppm zinc bacitracin were incorporated; from 100 to 125 days of age, either 200 or 100 ppm zinc bacitracin were added; and from 125 to 156 days of age (slaughter), either 100 or 50 ppm zinc bacitracin were added. The results were compared with a positive control group which received 60, 60 and 30 ppm salinomycin during the same periods, and with a negative control group which received no antibacterial and/or performance enhancer. The mortality, diarrhoea scores, average daily weight gains, average daily feed intakes and feed conversion ratios of the pigs were assessed. At slaughter, samples of ileum were taken from eight randomly selected pigs per group for bacteriological and histopathological examinations. The three treated groups all performed better than the control group, and the group receiving the high dose regimen of zinc bacitracin performed significantly better than the groups receiving the low dose of zinc bacitracin or salinomycin.
Incidence, location and interrelationships between the sites of abscesses recorded in pigs at a bacon factory in Northern Ireland
Authors: Huey R. J.
Published: October 2010

The position and incidence of all the abscesses detected during post mortem inspection of 75,130 bacon weight pigs were recorded. Abscesses were detected at one site only in 2.87 per cent of the carcases examined, and at more than one site in 0.26 per cent of the carcases. Tail biting was the cause of the infection in 61.7 per cent of all the carcases with lesions at more than one site. In almost all cases there was a statistically significant interrelationship between the visible abscesses at different sites.
Estimation of the heritability of lameness in standardbred trotters
Authors: Dolvik N. I. , Gaustad G.
Published: October 2010

The degree of lameness of 265 randomly selected three‐year‐old standardbred trotters was assessed on a fixed point scale with 0 indicating soundness and 5 indicating that the animals were not weightbearing. Two variables were used to describe the signs of lameness; one was the continuous variable: the sum of the initial lameness score and the lameness scores after separate flexion tests of the carpal, stifle/tarsal and phalangeal joints and the second was the bivariate variable; the ratio of lame/sound horses. The mean (sd) heritability of the continuous variable was estimated to be 0.25 (0.21), and the model was significant (P=0.05) with a determination coefficient of R2=0.14. For the bivariate variable, lame/sound, the heritability was estimated to be 0.33. The breeding values for the 16 sires in the analyses ranged from 72.2 to 130.5. No influence of gender on the prevalence of lameness was detected.
Comparisons of intravaginal and intrauterine insemination of bitches with fresh or frozen semen
Authors: Silva L. D. M. , Onclin K. , Lejeune B. , Verstegen J. P.
Published: October 2010

To compare the importance of the route of insemination when using fresh or frozen semen, six groups of five bitches were inseminated either into the uterus (groups 4, 5 and 6) or the vagina (groups 1, 2 and 3) with fresh (groups 1 and 4) or frozen semen (groups 2, 3, 5 and 6). The fresh semen was collected when needed from the same dog. The frozen semen used in groups 2 and 5 was obtained from seven dogs on the same day, and pooled and processed simultaneously so that the groups were inseminated with exactly the same semen. The frozen semen used in groups 3 and 6 was obtained from different dogs and processed independently to evaluate not only the effect of the route of insemination but also the potential effect of the dog. The mean concentration of the fresh semen was 310 x 106spermatozoa/ml, its motility was greater than 80 per cent and the percentage of normal live spermatozoa was 80 to 92 per cent. The mean spermatozoal concentration of the frozen semen was 200 x 106spermatozoa/ml, its motility was greater than 60 per cent and the percentage of normal live spermatozoa was 80 per cent. In all the groups there were fewer than 15 per cent abnormal spermatozoa. The animals inseminated with fresh semen received significantly more spermatozoa than the others. The bitches were inseminated twice, three and five days after the estimated peak of luteinising hormone, with a total volume of 5 ml for the vaginal inseminations and 2 ml for the intrauterine inseminations. Sixty per cent of the bitches inseminated with frozen semen and 100 per cent of the bitches inseminated with fresh semen became pregnant, irrespective of the insemination technique used.
Tissue culture‐propagated orf virus vaccine protects lambs from orf virus challenge
Authors: Nettleton P. F. , Brebner J. , Pow I. , Gilray J. A. , Bell G. D. , Reid H. W.
Published: October 2010

Twenty, eight‐day‐old specific pathogen‐free (SPF) lambs were vaccinated by a single scarification approximately 4 cm in length on the inner right thigh with a double‐pronged applicator. The titre of live virus in the vaccine was 107.2 TCID50 /ml and the estimated dose per lamb was 0.04 ml. Three months and six months later 10 of the vaccinated lambs and five agematched unvaccinated control specific pathogen free lambs were challenged by a single scarification with virulent virus on the inner left thigh in the same way. After the vaccination all 20 lambs developed lesions characteristic of orf virus infection that had largely resolved four weeks later, when they all had reciprocal ELISA antibody titres ≥3200 that persisted in all but one of them until they were challenged. After the challenge, the development of lesions in the vaccinated and unvaccinated sheep was compared daily for four weeks by means of a clinical scoring system. Both groups of vaccinated lambs had significantly lower (P<0.01) total clinical scores after challenge at three months and six months than the unvaccinated lambs.
Observations on the epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes of farmed red deer in central southern England
Authors: Connan R. M.
Published: October 2010

The epidemiology of the gastrointestinal nematodes of farmed red deer was followed over three years on two farms in north Hertfordshire. Worm counts on 10 animals (four months to 10 years old) between November and March showed that mixed ostertagid infections were dominant with very small numbers of Trichostrongylus axei, Cooperia punctata and Oesophagostomum species also present in some individuals. An increase in the faecal nematode egg count of the hinds in summer was followed by an increase in pasture larval counts which peaked between September and November. Many calves had patent infections by the first week of September. Although the pasture larval counts were very low at the beginning of the 1989 season, anthelmintic treatment at turnout in May had little influence either on the summer increase in faecal egg count or on the subsequent pasture larval counts, and repeated treatments had only a moderate influence. However, the movement of one of the calving groups to an aftermath in mid‐July did reduce the infection to which their calves were exposed. Nevertheless, none of the calves showed significant effects of parasitism when they were removed from the pasture and treated at weaning in early September.
African swine fever: morphopathology of a viral haemorrhagic disease
Authors: Rodríguez F. , Fernández A. , Pérez J. , Martín de las Mulas J. , Sierra M. A. , Jover A.
Published: October 2010

Twelve miniature pigs were infected experimentally with the moderately‐virulent Spanish isolate of African swine fever virus E75. The disease was reproduced acutely and subacutely, and six days after infection the animals showed severe clinical and pathological signs characterised by diffuse haemorrhages in lymphoid and non‐lymphoid organs. An immunohistopathological study, using two different methods, and a monoclonal antibody (mAb) (18BG3) were used to analyse the distribution of the virus protein 73 (VP73) and IgM and IgG. VP73 was observed primarily in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system, and in many megakaryocytes, some tubular epithelial cells of the kidneys, tonsillar epithelium, some hepatocytes, and in a few endothelial cells and neutrophils in the later stages of the infection. The histological findings and the distribution of VP73 and IgM and IgG indicated that the virus caused haemorrhagic lesions through its effect on various haemostatic mechanisms.
Prophylaxis of intravenous catheter‐related thrombophlebitis in cattle
Authors: Pusterla N. , Braun U.
Published: October 2010

Two methods of preventing intravenous catheter‐related thrombophlebitis of the jugular vein, using clinical and ultrasonographic criteria, were compared. The first method consisted of minimising bacteriological contamination by the preparation of the skin as if for surgery. The second method involved the daily subcutaneous administration of low doses of heparin to decrease procoagulant activity. The results showed that the preparation of the skin before the placement of an indwelling catheter in the jugular vein and adequate daily maintenance of the catheter were of great importance in the prevention of thrombophlebitis induced by bacteriological contamination. The use of heparin should be limited to cases that require long‐term catheterisation or are predisposed to thrombosis or other clotting abnormalities.
Epidemiological survey of hypodermosis in western Spain
Authors: Martinez‐Moreno J. , Reina D. , Navarrete I. , Jimenez V. , Martinez‐Moreno A. , Hernandez S.
Published: October 2010

A serological survey was carried out to establish the prevalence of hypodermosis in Extremadura, a region of western Spain. Direct clinical methods and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to examine 1668 cattle between February 1992 and March 1993. An overall prevalence of 19.54 per cent was observed by the direct methods, and a prevalence of 42.3 per cent by the ELISA. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA for hypodermosis were assessed, and the fluctuation of antibody levels was studied throughout the year and correlated with the age of the host, the intensity of parasitism and the mean larval burden.
Simulation of the transmission of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 in a flock of laying hens
Authors: Leslie J.
Published: October 2010

Simulation of disease transmission in laying flocks infected with Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 over a 48‐week eggproduction period indicated that the maximum weekly incidence risk could range from 0.05 to 0.28, and the maximum proportion of culture‐positive birds could range from 0.20 to 0.77 of the flock, depending on the effective contact rate. If the egg contamination proportion were 0.08, contaminated egg production could vary from a weekly maximum of 0.42 per cent to 2.24 per cent depending on the effective contact rate, but the actual rate of contamination was more important in determining the numbers of infected eggs produced. The results from previous studies suggest that this proportion could range from 0.075 to 0.25. The model produced levels of infected and immune birds similar to those reported in the literature, suggesting effective contact rates of between 2 and 4.5. There is insufficient information on transmission cycles to validate the model, but it does provide a mechanism for consolidating research findings, reviewing areas for further research, and aiding more effective planning for disease control.
Assessment of selenium and vitamin E deficiencies in dairy herds and clinical disease in calves
Authors: Žust J. , Hrovatin B. , Šimundić B.
Published: October 2010

Because of the very low concentrations of selenium in the dry matter of grass, grass silage, hay and maize silage Slovenian dairy herds need to be supplemented with selenium. Selenium in the form of mineral and feed mixtures maintained adequate mean (sd) blood serum selenium concentrations of 43.9 (27.6) to 65.3 (18.5) μg/litre in lactating cows, but in late lactation and in the dry period when only mineral mixtures were used, about 60 per cent of the cows had marginal serum selenium concentrations, mainly because of the low intake of the mineral supplement. In 18 herds which were either unsupplemented or irregularly supplemented with selenium, the mean (sd) concentrations in blood serum were 13.7 (5.5) μg/litre and 17.4 (9.2) μg/litre, respectively, for selenium and 2.98 (2.72) mg/litre and 1.62 (1.73) mg/litre for vitamin E, indicating that under extensive farming conditions in Slovenia the lack of both micronutrients may be responsible for nutritional muscular dystrophy in calves. Among 37 clinical cases, cardiorespiratory signs predominated in 25 of the calves and skeletal myopathy was dominant in 12. A very low mean serum selenium concentration [9.7 (7.2) μg/litre] and typically high activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) [1125 (373) U/litre] and creatine kinase (CK) [9169 (3681) U/litre) were observed for the myocardial form of the disease, and 2797 (550) U/litre and 22,650 (13,500) U/litre were observed for the skeletal form of the disease. A highly significant (P<0.0001) difference in the selenium concentration of liver dry matter between the regularly supplemented [402 (207) μg/kg] and irregularly supplemented [173 (69) μg/kg] herds was observed. If a minimum value of 300 μg/kg of liver dry matter is accepted as the criterion for the determination of adequate selenium status, 93 per cent of the samples from the irregularly supplemented herds were selenium deficient. A similar proportion was estimated to be selenium deficient when the criterion was taken to be 30 μg selenium/litre of blood serum
Increasing the efficiency of suckled calf production using embryo transfer technology
Authors: Sinclair K. D. , Broadbent P. J.
Published: October 2010

The data reviewed in this paper illustrate the benefits of increased output that can be obtained from suckler herds using embryo transfer technology. The technology can be used within breeding schemes to increase the rate of genetic progress for selected traits or to transfer embryos of superior genetic merit and, in the future, embryos of predetermined sex to beef cows. The success of the technology is dependent on the achievement of good pregnancy rates. Experience gained on commercial farms suggests that the main reason for poor success rates in some herds lies with the general level of management of such herds rather than with the reproductive technology itself. Much experience has been gained on the management of embryo transfer recipients and twin‐bearing cows. In particular, the nutritional requirements of such animals during the early post partum period and during mid and late pregnancy, and the management of twin‐bearing cows during the perinatal period, are discussed.
Treatment of acute superficial digital flexor tendon injury in horses with polysulphated glycosaminoglycan
Authors: Dow S. M. , Wilson A. M. , Goodship A. E.
Published: October 2010

Horses with acute injuries of the superficial digital flexor tendon were treated with a course of seven intramuscular injections of 500 mg of polysulphated glycosaminoglycan at four‐day intervals. Clinical assessments of the lesions were made by a veterinary surgeon at the time of each injection and 14 and 28 days after the last injection. A total of 150 courses of the drug were administered and adequately completed assessment forms were returned for 80 cases. Long‐term follow‐up data were obtained for 19 cases. The subjective assessments by the veterinary surgeons showed that in 80 per cent of cases the drug was felt to be of value in the treatment of acute tendon injury.
Angiostrongylus vasoruminfection in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Cornwall
Authors: Simpson V. R.
Published: October 2010

A post mortem examination on a young fox which had been observed to be clinically ill revealed a severe infection withAngiostrongylus vasorum. A further 11 foxes were examined and four were infected with the parasite; three of these also had advanced lesions of sarcoptic mange. The cases all occurred outside the previously defined focus of endemic infection for dogs in Cornwall and they appear to be the first recorded cases ofA vasorumin foxes in the United Kingdom.
Ultrasonographic imaging of pathology of the digital flexor tendon sheath in cattle
Authors: Kofler J.
Published: October 2010

The clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic and exploratory centesis findings in 33 cattle suffering from a septic tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath are described. Forty‐one digital flexor tendon sheaths were affected: 13 of the cattle had a unilateral and eight had a bilateral septic tenosynovitis, and in the other 12 cattle with unilateral tenosynovitis one or more of the digital joints were also involved. The distended compartments of the digital flexor tendon sheath and the affected digital joint recesses could be determined accurately by ultrasonography. Depending on the type of inflammation (serous, fibrinous or purulent) the compartments and recesses were filled with anechoic, heterogeneous hypoechoic or echogenic inflammatory content. Flow‐phenomena could be observed when there were effusions of liquid into the synovial cavities. Ultrasonography provided accurate preoperative details of the pathological changes to the affected tendon sheaths and the adjoining digital joints. The characteristic ultrasonographic features of septic tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath are described.
Pergolide treatment for Cushing's syndrome in a horse
Authors: Muñoz M. C. , Doreste F. , Ferrer O. , González J. , Montoya J. A.
Published: October 2010

A 16‐year‐old, male, Hanoverian horse had a three‐month history of weight loss, hirsutism and polyuria/polydypsia. Examinations revealed neutrophilia, lymphopenia, hyper glycaemia and abnormalities in hepatic function. A tentative diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism was made. The results of thyroid‐releasing hormone and combined dexamethasone suppression and ACTH stimulation tests suggested the presence of a pituitary adenoma. The horse was treated with pergolide and benefical clinical and biochemical responses were observed within one to six months.
Immunolocalisation of the prion protein (PrP) in the brains of sheep with scrapie
Authors: Foster J. D. , Wilson M. , Hunter N.
Published: October 2010

Cheviot sheep from the Neuropathogenesis Unit flock were examined for PrP in brain sections using immunocytochemistry in order to aid scrapie diagnosis. Brains were collected from sheep which had been naturally or experimentally infected with scrapie and fixed in periodate‐lysine‐paraformaldehyde or in formalin. Immunolabelling was achieved using a monoclonal antibody (FH11) raised to the N‐terminus of recombinant PrP protein. Several pre‐treatments were studied in an effort to enhance PrP immunolabelling such as trypsin, formic acid and hydrated autoclaving. Trypsin was successful in highlighting PrP staining in formalin‐fixed tissue. PrP staining was regularly observed in the dorsal vagus nucleus of the medulla oblongata and in the thalamus. Differences in the distribution and intensity of PrP immunostaining were apparent between the scrapie sources ME7 and SSBP/1.
Discospondylitis in an adult horse
Authors: Hillyer M. H. , Innes J. F. , Patteson M. W. , Barr A. R. S.
Published: October 2010

Discospondylitis, of presumed bacterial origin, was diagnosed in an adult thoroughbred racehorse. The clinical signs were vague and associated with abnormal mobility of the neck and forelimbs. Clinical pathology showed only a non‐specific inflammatory response. A scintigraphic examination revealed the site of the lesion and the diagnosis was confirmed by the identification of radiographic changes affecting two thoracic vertebrae. A prolonged course of antimicrobial agents produced a complete recovery and the horse returned to full athletic use.
Tylosin in the treatment of canine superficial pyoderma
Authors: Harvey R. G.
Published: October 2010

Thirty dogs with superficial pyoderma were treated orally with tylosin at a dose of 20 mg/kg twice daily for three weeks.Staphylococcus intermediuswas recovered from 21 (70 per cent) of the dogs. Twenty‐two of the dogs were free of clinical signs after three weeks of treatment and two dogs responded to a further two weeks of treatment, giving a total response rate of 80 per cent. Five cases (16.6 per cent) failed to respond and three of these subsequently responded to other antibacterial treatment. One dog suffered transient gastritis after the doses of tylosin and subsequently responded to a different antibacterial agent.
Development of frozen‐thawed porcine blastocysts in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Mödl J. , Reichenbach H.‐D. , Wolf E. , Brem G.
Published: October 2010

Cryopreservation of porcine embryos would greatly facilitate the maintenance of genetic resources and the practical application of embryo transfer programmes. In this study, the effect of the stage of development of porcine embryos (prehatch vs post hatch) on the post thaw viability of blastocysts was evaluated. The blastocysts had been recovered from superovulated donor gilts and frozen in 1.5M glycerol according to a standard slow cooling protocol. From 444 frozenthawed embryos, 302 (68 per cent) were judged to be viable and were used for a 24‐hour culture experiment in modified Whitten's medium (n=89) or transferred to three synchronous (n=72) or seven asynchronous (‐24 hours) recipients (n=141). The proportion of embryos surviving in culture was significantly (P=0.05) greater for those frozen as post hatch (17/34) than as pre‐hatch blastocysts (8/36). Although transfer of frozen‐thawed embryos to synchronous recipients did not result in a pregnancy, two of the asynchronous recipients, which received 15 and 22 embryos, became pregnant and farrowed five and three piglets, respectively, at normal term. In spite of the overall inefficiency of the cryopreservation procedure used in this study, the birth of piglets from two successful transfers of frozen‐thawed blastocysts suggests that further study of the cryopreservation protocols would be worthwhile.
Use of the GnRH analogue, deslorelin acetate, in a slow‐release implant to accelerate ovulation in oestrous mares
Authors: Meyers P. J. , Bowman T. , Blodgett G. , Conboy H. S. , Gimenez T. , Reid M. P. , Taylor B. C. , Thayer J. , Jöchle W. , Trigg T. E.
Published: October 2010

In two separate controlled clinical trials, the efficacy and safety of 2.2 mg of the GnRH analogue deslorelin, administered subcutaneously as a short‐term implant to normally cycling mares in oestrus with a dominant ovarian follicle more than 30 mm in diameter, were evaluated, using a placebo as a negative control. The oestrous cycle of each mare was followed by teasing, palpation per rectum and transrectal ultrasonography. Follicles were monitored every 24 hours by ultrasonography until ovulation occurred. The mares were either mated naturally or inseminated artificially. In trial 1, 174 mares were treated at six locations in Canada, and in trial 2, 98 mares were treated at three locations in the USA. In trial 1, the treatment with deslorelin reduced the mean (sd) time to ovulation from 84.2 (48.4) hours to 50.2 (19.6) hours (P<0.001) and in trial 2 it reduced it from 88.8 (40.3) hours to 54.1 (26.5) hours (P<0.001). In trial 1, the percentage of mares ovulating within 48 hours increased from 37.7 per cent in control mares to 86.1 per cent in treated mares (P<0.001) and in trial 2 the percentage increased from 26.5 to 80.9 per cent (P<0.001). In trial 2, the duration of oestrus in the deslorelin‐treated mares was reduced from 6.1 days to 4.3 days and the number of matings or artificial inseminations was reduced from 2.5 to 1.7 (P<0.001). In trial 1, days 12 to 20 pregnancy rates for matings at the treatment oestrus were not different for deslorelin‐treated (75.6 per cent) and placebo‐treated (66.1 per cent) mares. In trial 2, days 12 to 20 pregnancy rates from matings at the treatment oestrus were lower for deslorelin‐treated (58.7 per cent) than for placebotreated (83.3 per cent) mares (P<0.05), although pregnancy rates were similar for deslorelin‐treated (97.1 per cent) and placebo‐treated (95.0 per cent) mares after mating at the second oestrus. In both trials, pregnancy losses due to early or late abortions were within the normally expected range and similar for deslorelin‐treated (3.6 and 3.7 per cent, respectively) and placebo‐treated (13.4 and 7.5 per cent) mares. The treatments did not cause systemic side effects and local reactions at the implantation sites were slight and of short duration.
Towards a strategy for learning: the response of practices to the Liverpool pilot scheme for extramural study
Authors: Barnes J. A. , Taylor I. R.
Published: October 2010

This paper presents the responses of veterinary surgeons to a pilot scheme initiated by the SILVER project. The scheme was designed to increase communication between a veterinary school, host practices and students undertaking extramural study (‘seeing practice’) and to provide a more structured use of the students' time. The work is set in the context of recent interest in work‐based learning as part of undergraduate education, the approach being based on experience gained from a number of professions, including veterinary science. Students were required to identify and communicate their personal learning objectives to host practices in advance of their arrival, and practices were asked to collaborate in a new system for recording students' progress. The paper presents an analysis of the evidence obtained from questionnaires sent to pilot practices. It shows that all the elements of the scheme had been received favourably and had had a positive impact on student learning. The findings are discussed in relation to the development and implications of an educational strategy for extramural study.
Arthroscopic findings in 100 dogs with elbow lameness
Authors: Van Ryssen B. , van Bree H.
Published: October 2010

Elbow arthroscopy was perfonned in 100 dogs with foreleg lameness localised to the elbow joint, bilaterally in 48 of them, making a total of 148 joints examined. Lesions in the area of the medial coronoid process varied from cartilage fissures in 13 to fragmentation in 91, and chondromalacia‐like lesions in 27. This last lesion has not been reported previously in the veterinary literature. Kissing lesions on the medial side of the humeral condyle were present in 83 joints, whereas lesions of osteochondritis dissecans were found in only three. All these lesions were associated with varying signs of synovitis and arthrosis. Arthroscopic signs of arthrosis and/or synovitis without associated medial coronoid lesions were found in 14 elbow joints.
Dynamics of intramammary infection in the sheep caused by coagulase‐negative staphylococci and its influence on udder tissue and milk composition
Authors: Burriel A. R.
Published: October 2010

Over an entire lactation 891 milk samples were collected from 99 ewes in a well‐managed dairy flock. Coagulase‐negative staphylococci were isolated from 53 (5.9 per cent) of the samples, with 13 (6.6 per cent) of the glands giving coagulasenegative staphylococci in two or more consecutive samples. When a somatic cell count threshold of 6 × 105/ml of milk was adopted as an indication of inflammation, 30 of the milk samples collected during early and mid‐lactation, which contained coagulase‐negative staphylococci, were considered to come from glands suffering subclinical mastitis. In five glands subclinical mastitis persisted for the entire lactation. A comparison of somatic cell counts measured with the fossomatic or Coulter counters suggested that the former gave the most reliable values, particularly in late lactation. After the experimental infection of 20 glands of meat breeds with coagulase‐negative staphylococci, five glands remained infected for all 49 days of observation and seven glands excreted bacteria intermittently. Irrespective of the presence of coagulase‐ negative staphylococci in the sample, the composition of the milk from the challenged glands was significantly modified (P<0.0001 for the infected, and P<0.01 for the uninfected glands). Fat and protein concentrations were increased and lactose decreased, suggesting that although coagulase‐negative staphylococci could not always be isolated, they persisted in many of the challenged glands and continued to influence the physiology of the gland. This possibility was supported by the presence of severe damage to the udder tissue of glands in which bacteria had been shown to be present for long periods.
Outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in dairy goats in Brazil
Authors: Vieira L. S. , Silva M. B. O. , Tolentino A. C. V. , Lima J. D. , Silva A. C.
Published: October 2010

An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis is reported among 22 suckling kids aged one to two weeks which were maintained for experimental purposes at the veterinary hospital of the University of Minas Gerais. They were divided into three groups. Group A consisted of 10 animals with acute diarrhoea; initially their faeces were pasty but later they were excreted in watery streams. The animals were treated with gentamicin and fluid therapy but did not respond to treatment and died within a week. Postmortem examination revealed liquid intestinal contents, enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, and hyperaemia and haemorrhage were observed in the final third of the small intestine of some of the animals. Of the 10 animals in group B four had diarrhoea and six were normal; postmortem examination showed that the macroscopic changes were similar to those observed in group A. Three of the animals with diarrhoea had a massiveCryptosporidiuminfection in the final third of the small intestine, caecum and colon. Four of the six normal animals had a moderateCryptosporidiuminfection in the same organs. The two kids in group C died; they had pasty faeces, and there were manyCryptosporidiumoocysts in the faecal smears.
Sterilisation of surgical instruments with formaldehyde gas
Authors: Lubbe A. M. , Henton M. M.
Published: October 2010

Haemostatic forceps contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Aspergillus flavus were exposed to formaldehyde gas for up to 48 hours at different temperatures and relative humidities. After 24 hours at 22 to 24°C and a relative humidity of 73 per cent they were sterilised reliably and completely.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies on phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone in goats
Authors: Cheng Z. , Welsh E. , Nolan A. , McKellar Q. A.
Published: October 2010

Phenylbutazone was administered intravenously and orally to six goats as a single dose of 4.4 mg/kg and its disposition and bioavailability and the disposition of its active metabolite, oxyphenbutazone, in plasma were investigated. The effect of the administration of the drug and of oxyphenbutazone on ex vivo serum thromboxane (TX)B2 generation in platelets was also studied. Phenylbutazone was eliminated slowly with mean (se) elimination half‐lives (t½β) of 15.3 (1.15) hours and 22.0 (3.32) hours after intravenous and oral administration, respectively. The bioavailability of phenylbutazone paste administered orally was 61 (7) per cent (corrected by the t½β) and relatively slow absorption was observed, as indicated by a time of maximum drug concentration (tmax) of 3.47 (0.39) hours and a mean absorption time (MAT) of 10.4 (8.61) hours. The concentration of oxyphenbutazone in plasma was low and the ratio of the areas under the curve (AUC) of oxyphenbutazone to phenylbutazone was approximately 0.02:1 after both intravenous and oral administration. Thromboxane B2 generation in the platelets was significantly inhibited (P<0.05) from one to 12 hours after intravenous administration and from two to 12 hours after oral administration. The results suggest that phenylbutazone is a potentially useful non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug for use in goats by either route of administration.
Chronic and recovered cases of sheep‐associated malignant catarrhal fever in cattle
Authors: O'Toole D. , Li H. , Miller D. , Williams W. R. , Crawford T. B.
Published: October 2010

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is traditionally regarded as a disease with a short clinical course, low morbidity and high case fatality rate. Owing to the limitations of the assays used for laboratory diagnosis, it was difficult to characterise the clinical spectrum of sheep‐associated MCF, particularly when the cattle recovered from an MCF‐like clinical syndrome. Over a period of three years, 11 cattle that survived MCF for up to two‐and‐a‐half years were identified on four premises. A clinical diagnosis of MCF was confirmed by the detection of ovine herpesvirus‐2 DNA in peripheral blood leucocytes using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that detects a specific 238 base‐pair fragment of viral genomic DNA. Of the 11 cattle examined, six recovered clinically with the exception of bilateral corneal oedema with stromal keratitis (four animals) and unilateral perforating keratitis (one animal). The 10 animals available for postmortem examination had disseminated subacute to chronic arteriopathy. Recovery was associated with the resolution of the acute lymphoid panarteritis that characterises the acute phase of MCF, and with the development of generalised chronic obliterative arteriosclerosis. Bilateral leucomata were due in part to the focal destruction of corneal endothelium secondary to acute endothelialitis. Formalin‐fixed tissues and/or unfixed lymphoid cells from all 11 cattle were positive for sheep‐associated MCF by PCR. These observations indicate that recovery and chronic disease are a significant part of the clinical spectrum of MCF and that such cases occur with some frequency in the area studied. The affected cattle remain persistently infected by the putative sheep‐associated MCF gammaherpesvirus.
Medetomidine as a premedicant for ketamine, propofol or fentanyl anaesthesia in dogs
Authors: Hellebrekers L. J. , Sap R.
Published: October 2010

This study evaluated the quality of anaesthesia and the cardiorespiratory effects induced by the combination of medetomidine with either ketamine, propofol or fentanyl. Medetomidine premedication (1000 or 1500 μg/m2body surface area) was followed by intravenous induction of anaesthesia with ketamine (3.0 mg/kg), propofol (2.0 mg/kg) or fentanyl (2.0 μg/kg) in bitches undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy. Anaesthesia was prolonged by incremental doses of the induction agents as necessary. The mean (sem) overall doses (including induction) were 0.09 (0.01) mg/kg/min for ketamine, 0.06 (0.01) mg/kg/min for propofol and 0.07 (0.005) μg/kg/min for fentanyl during procedures which lasted 88 (6) minutes, 72 (3) minutes and 79 (7) minutes, respectively. At the end of the procedure, medetomidine was antagonised with atipamezole. The quality of anaesthesia, heart rate and arterial blood pressure were recorded continuously and arterial blood gases were measured at intervals. At the end of the procedure, the animals received 10 μg/kg buprenorphine intramuscularly for postoperative analgesia. From the adequacy of anaesthesia, the lack of significant adverse side effects and the reliable and rapid recovery it is concluded that, in healthy dogs anaesthetised with ketamine or propofol, medetomidine is a satisfactory sedative‐analgesic premedicant. The differences in haemodynamics and the quality of recovery suggest that the combination of medetomidine with propofol provided the better quality anaesthesia. The combination of medetomidine with fentanyl was unsuitable for obtaining surgical anaesthesia in spontaneously breathing animals owing to the severity of the respiratory depression at dosages needed for general anaesthesia.