bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of a simplified artificial lighting programme to improve the fertility of sows in commercial piggeries
Authors: Tast A. , Hälli O. , Virolainen J. V. , Oravainen J. , Heinonen M. , Peltoniemi O. A. T.
Published: October 2014

Two artificial lighting regimens were studied in a commercial unit of 800 sows. The aim was to develop a simplified lighting regimen to overdrive the effects of season on reproduction. A long‐day group had a constant 16 hours light and eight hours dark photoperiod in all units during a production cycle. A short‐day group had eight hours of light and 16 hours darkness in a farrowing unit for four weeks and in a mating unit for four weeks. After one month of pregnancy the short‐day group was transferred to 16 hours light and eight hours dark for the rest of the dry‐sow period. Production data were collected for eight months, and the farrowing rate, weaning to oestrus interval, culling rate for fertility problems and the number of live‐born piglets were analysed. Seasonal infertility, which had previously affected the herd, was not detected in either group during the follow‐up period. The farrowing rate was 90 per cent for both groups. The median weaning to oestrus interval was five days in both lighting regimens with ranges from four to 74 days in the short‐day group and three to 55 days in the long‐day group. The long‐day programme had a positive effect on the weaning to oestrus interval. When the sows were classified as either ‘normal’, with a weaning to oestrus interval of up to 10 days, or ‘problem’ animals, with a weaning to oestrus interval of over 10 days, the short‐day programme also had a positive effect. The culling rate for fertility problems was 2·4 per cent for the short‐day group and 3·2 per cent for the long‐day group (P=0·027). The only significant predictor for the number of live‐born piglets was parity (P=0·027).
Anticardiolipin antibodies in healthy and diseased dogs
Authors: Papini R. , Pellegrini O. , Guidi G.
Published: October 2014

The concentrations of anticardiolipin immunoglobulin G (IgG) were measured in 134 healthy dogs and 63 diseased dogs by an ELISA. The mean (sd) concentration in the healthy dogs was 5·40 (2·60) IgG phospholipid (GPL) units, and concentrations greater than 11 GPL were considered as above the normal range. On this basis, 30 (47·6 per cent) of the diseased dogs were within the normal range, with a mean of 5·45 (3·07) GPL and the other 33 had levels above the normal range (P<0·001); 19 of them had a mean level of 22·2 (5·66) GPL, 10 had a mean level of 49·1 (11·2) GPL, and four had a mean level of 85·8 (9·64) GPL. Levels above the normal range were more frequent in females (59·4 per cent) than in males (45·1 per cent), but were higher in males (45·5 [34·71] v 42·91 [22·0] GPL). In addition, they were more frequent and higher in older dogs (66·7 per cent, 40·4 [24·0] GPL) than in younger dogs (33·3 per cent, 33·5 [21·4] GPL).
Long‐term effects of meloxicam in the treatment of respiratory disease in fattening cattle
Authors: Friton G. M. , Cajal C. , Ramirez‐Romero R.
Published: October 2014

The long‐term effects of a single dose of meloxicam (Metacam 20mg/ml; Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica) in conjunction with antibiotic therapy in cattle with clinical signs of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) was evaluated in a blind, controlled, randomised study. Two hundred animals with clinical signs of BRD received a single subcutaneous injection of 20 mg/kg oxytetracycline; 100 of them also received a subcutaneous injection of 0·5 mg/kg meloxicam, and the other 100 received an injection of isotonic saline. The animals were weighed before they were treated and seven, 35, 70 and 105 days later, and finally before they were slaughtered. The mean bodyweight of the meloxicam‐treated animals was significantly higher from day 70 until slaughter, and the mean average daily weight gain until slaughter and the mean carcase weight of the animals treated with meloxicam were significantly higher. In the animals with lung lesions, significantly less lung tissue was affected in those that had been treated with meloxicam.
Treatment of 10 dogs with discospondylitis by fluoroscopy‐guided percutaneous discectomy
Authors: Kinzel S. , Koch J. , Stopinski T. , Afify M. , Kupper W. , Buecker A. , Krombach G.
Published: October 2014

Ten dogs suffering from discospondylitis were treated by percutaneous discectomy and local and systemic antibiotic therapy. With fluoroscopic guidance, a cylinder 5 mm in diameter was removed from the centre of the intervertebral space, yielding a fenestration and decompressing the disc without producing any spinal instability. The causative bacteria were identified in nine of the 10 biopsy specimens, but in only three urine cultures and four blood cultures. In two cases, the antibiotics used initially had to be changed owing to the organisms' antibiotic resistance. The clinical signs of the dogs improved markedly after two to nine days (mean 4·2 days) and had resolved completely after five to 14 days (mean 9·1 days). In all the cases the disease could be classified histologically as either acute or chronic, and the disease was classified as chronic in one dog. No side effects were observed.
Field trial of a Caryospora species vaccine for controlling clinical coccidiosis in falcons
Authors: Forbes N. A. , Fox M. T.
Published: October 2014

A Caryospora species vaccine was prepared and used in an attempt to prevent infection and associated morbidity in falcons. A blind field trial was conducted, involving a vaccinated group of 20 birds and two control groups of seven and four birds, which were subsequently challenged with a live mixed‐species vaccine. There was a statistically significant reduction in morbidity and shedding of oocysts in the vaccinated group compared with the control groups.
Comparison of the efficacy of remote consultations and personal consultations for the treatment of dogs which are aggressive towards their owners
Authors: Dodman N. H. , Smith A. , Holmes D.
Published: October 2014

Two groups of 42 dogs which were aggressive towards their owners were enrolled into a study designed to compare the efficacy of remote consultations with direct personal consultations for the treatment of the aggressive behaviour. The level of aggression of the dogs was assessed before and after programmes designed to modify their behaviour. Both programmes resulted in a significant reduction in the aggressive behaviour of the dogs towards their owners, and there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of the recommendations, whether they were made without having seen the dog or during a personal consultation with the dog and its owner.
Comparison of sodium bicarbonate and carbicarb for the treatment of metabolic acidosis in newborn calves
Authors: Bleul U. , Bachofner C. , Stocker H. , Hässig M. , Braun U.
Published: October 2014

Carbicarb (an equimolar mixture of sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate) was compared with sodium bicarbonate alone for the treatment of acidosis in newborn calves: 25 of 49 calves with a blood pH at birth of less than 7·2 and a base deficit of less than −3 mmol/litre were treated intravenously with sodium bicarbonate and 24 were treated with carbicarb. The doses were calculated on the basis of the base deficit in a blood sample taken 10 minutes after birth, and further blood samples were taken immediately after the treatment and 30 and 60 minutes after the treatment for the determination of acid‐base status, blood gases and haematological and biochemical variables. Both treatments resulted in a significant increase in blood pH, but there was no difference between them. The mean (sd) blood pH before treatment was 7·09 (0·02) and after treatment it was 7·28 (0·01). There was no increase in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide after treatment with either sodium bicarbonate or carbicarb. Both treatments were associated with an increase in sodium concentration and decreases in the total erythrocyte count, haematocrit and haemoglobin concentration.
Outbreaks of infectious keratoconjunctivitis in alpine chamois and ibex in Switzerland between 2001 and 2003
Authors: Tschopp R. , Frey J. , Zimmermann L. , Giacometti M.
Published: October 2014

Five outbreaks of infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) affecting alpine chamois and ibex in the western and central Swiss Alps were recorded in 2001 to 2003. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was identified from conjunctival swabs by means of a nested PCR in 27 of the 28 chamois tested. The outbreaks occurred in an area covering 1590 km2. Deep valleys acted as a barrier to the spread of the disease. A total of 409 chamois and 33 ibex with clinical signs of IKC were reported. Most of the chamois were shot, primarily because they were blind or in poor general body condition. Almost a quarter were observed alive, and 16·9 per cent died as a result of IKC. Many of the affected animals were juveniles, and more females than males died of IKC. The disease was more common during the summer and autumn. The chamois affected by IKC were found at altitudes between 550 and 3200 m. The estimated overall mortality was less than 5 per cent, but more than 20 per cent may have died locally. Ibex affected by IKC were recorded in only two outbreaks. In six places, ibex with clinical signs of IKC were found before the first affected chamois appeared in the same area.
Protection of dogs for 13 months against Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine parainfluenza virus with a modified live vaccine
Authors: Jacobs A. A. C. , Theelen R. P. H. , Jaspers R. , Horspool L. J. I. , Sutton D. , Bergman J. G. H. E. , Paul G.
Published: October 2014

Twelve specific pathogen‐free (SPF) puppies were vaccinated intranasally with a bivalent, modified live vaccine against infectious tracheobronchitis (group 1) and six puppies of the same age and from the same source served as unvaccinated controls (group 2). Both groups were challenged with wild‐type Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine parainfluenza virus by the aerosol route 56 weeks after group 1 had been vaccinated, and at the same time six 10‐week‐old SPF puppies from the same source (group 3) were also challenged. Oronasal swabs were taken regularly before and after the challenge, for the isolation of bacteria and viruses, and the dogs were observed for clinical signs for three weeks after the challenge. The control dogs became culture‐positive for B bronchiseptica and canine parainfluenza virus, but the isolation yields from the vaccinated group were significantly lower (P<0·05). The mean clinical scores of the vaccinated group were 61 per cent lower than the scores of group 2 (P=0·009), and 90 per cent lower than the scores of group 3 (P=0·001).
New transtracheal bronchoalveolar lavage technique for the diagnosis of respiratory disease in sheep
Authors: Sheehan M. , Markey B. , Cassidy J. , Ball H. J. , Duane M. , Doherty M. L.
Published: October 2014

A new transtracheal bronchoalveolar lavage technique for the diagnosis of respiratory disease in sheep under field conditions was tested in 76 sheep. The sheep were divided into three groups, normal sheep, sheep with clinical signs of respiratory disease and housed sheep, on the basis of their respiratory disease history and husbandry conditions. The detection of Mannheimia haemolytica and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae or parainfluenza virus type 3 and bovine respiratory syncytial virus antigen in the lavage samples was closely correlated with clinical disease. The sheep with clinical respiratory disease had a higher mean percentage of neutrophils in the lavage fluid than the sheep in the other two groups.
Epidemiological study of the characteristics of veterinarians who pursue a research career: part I
Authors: Murray J. K. , French N. P. , Fitzpatrick J. L. , Pinchbeck G. L.
Published: October 2014

This retrospective, matched case‐control study compared the characteristics of veterinary surgeons employed in veterinary research with those who had never held a research post. The cases were randomly selected from graduates of veterinary schools in Great Britain or Ireland who were employed at universities or institutes that conduct research and who played a major role in veterinary research projects during 2001 to 2003. The controls were veterinary surgeons who had not held any post that was primarily a research post since they graduated. The cases and controls were matched by year of graduation and data were obtained for 173 matched sets. Graduates who were significantly (P<0·05) more likely to have a career involving research included male graduates, graduates who had completed a summer studentship, graduates who had completed an internship, residency or houseman’s programme, graduates who held a veterinary diploma, and graduates who had intended to pursue a career in research or academia when they graduated from veterinary school. A career involving research was significantly (P<0·05) more likely to be associated with full‐time employment and a lower salary than a career that did not involve research.
Reducing the suicide rate among veterinary surgeons: how the profession can help
Authors: Halliwell R. E. W. , Hoskin B. D.
Published: October 2014

A short communication on page 415 of this issue of The Veterinary Record draws attention to the high suicide rate among members of the veterinary profession. In this article, Professor Richard Halliwell, who has recently chaired a series of meetings on this matter at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and Mr Brian Hoskin, chairman of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund, describe some of the support mechanisms available to veterinary surgeons and discuss what more might be done
Effects of changes to the stable environment on the exhalation of ethane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen peroxide by horses with respiratory inflammation
Authors: Wyse C. A. , Skeldon K. , Hotchkiss J. W. , Gibson G. , Yam P. S. , Christley R. M. , Preston T. , Cumming D. R. S. , Padgett M. , Cooper J. C. , Love S.
Published: October 2014

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of changes to the stable environment on exhaled markers of respiratory inflammation in six horses with clinical histories of recurrent airway obstruction. The horses were maintained for two weeks under conventional stable management (straw bedding and hay) and for two weeks on a reduced‐dust regimen (paper bedding and ensiled grass), in a crossover study design. Exhaled ethane and carbon monoxide (CO) and exhaled breath condensate hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2) were measured every three days under each regimen. The presence of clinical signs of airway inflammation (nasal discharge and cough) was monitored daily. The reduced‐dust regimen was associated with fewer clinical signs of airway inflammation than the conventional regimen. Exhaled ethane and CO were significantly lower on the reduced‐dust regimen and these markers were correlated with clinical signs of respiratory inflammation, but exhaled H2 O2 was not affected by the management regimen.
Topical treatment of non‐healing corneal epithelial ulcers in dogs with aminocaproic acid
Authors: Regnier A. , Cazalot G. , Cantaloube B.
Published: October 2014

The potential efficacy of topical epsilon‐aminocaproic acid, an antiplasmin agent, in the treatment of persistent corneal epithelial defects was evaluated in a study of the medical records of 44 dogs, in which 51 eyes had been diagnosed with a corneal epithelial defect lasting more than 10 days, with no apparent underlying cause. At an initial examination all the affected eyes had had non‐adherent epithelium removed. Thirty‐four of the eyes in 28 dogs examined between January 2000 and March 2003 were also treated by the topical application of a solution of 35·7 mg/ml ophthalmic aminocaproic acid three times a day; the other 17 eyes in 16 dogs treated between October 1997 and March 1999 had received only topical treatment with gentamicin in addition to the debridement. Both groups were assessed clinically at weekly intervals for a maximum of three weeks. The two groups had approximately the same breed distribution, and there were no statistically significant differences between them in terms of their age, sex, affected side or duration of the corneal erosions. After three weeks, 32 of the 34 eyes treated with aminocaproic acid (94·1 per cent) had been cured, compared with seven of the 17 eyes treated with gentamicin (41·2 per cent) (P=0·0001). No adverse drug reactions were reported.
Variations in the concentration of zinc in the blood of Icelandic horses
Authors: Kolm G. , Helsberg A. , Gemeiner M.
Published: October 2014

The effect of factors including the horses’ farm environment, their sex and age and whether they suffered from summer seasonal recurrent dermatitis (sweet itch) on the concentrations of zinc in the plasma, whole blood and blood cells of 104 Icelandic horses was investigated. Its concentration in plasma varied significantly between farms (P<0·01), but its concentration in blood and blood cells was not influenced by any of the variables. The concentration of zinc in the blood cells was 10·5 times greater than in plasma, but its concentration in plasma was not correlated with its concentration in whole blood or blood cells owing to the variability in the proportion of whole blood zinc present in plasma (relative plasma zinc), which ranged between 9 and 24 per cent. This variability was significantly influenced by a three‐way interaction between farm, sex and sweet itch (P<0·05). Relative plasma zinc was positively correlated with absolute plasma zinc (r=0·78, P<0·001) and negatively correlated with whole blood and blood cellular zinc (r=–0·58, r=–0·71, P<0·001).
Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium parvum infections in adult goats and their implications for neonatal kids
Authors: Castro‐Hermida J. A. , Delafosse A. , Pors I. , Ares‐Mazás E. , Chartier C.
Published: October 2014

During the kidding season between January and April 2003, 10 farms were selected and divided into two groups of five. The farms in group A had had serious diarrhoeal illness and losses in neonatal kids the previous year, and there were Cryptosporidium parvum infections in kids associated with diarrhoea during the survey. On the farms in group B, there was no history of diarrhoeal disease the previous year and neither C parvum oocysts nor diarrhoea were detected in neonatal kids during the survey. Faecal samples were collected once from 10 adult goats aged between one and seven years on each farm. To assess more accurately the pattern of output of oocysts of C parvum and cysts of Giardia duodenalis by periparturient adult goats, one farm was selected from each group, faecal samples were collected weekly before and after kidding from 12 goats on the farm in group A and from 10 goats on the farm in group B. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of G duodenalis cysts between the group A farms (14 per cent) and the group B farms (12 per cent), and the numbers of cysts excreted ranged from 143 to 400 cysts per gram of faeces (cpg) on the group A farms and 72 to 334 cpg on the group B farms. There was a significant difference (P=0·03) in the prevalence of C parvum oocysts at the group level between the group A farms (20 per cent) and the group B farms (6 per cent). All the adult goats excreted cysts and oocysts at some date around the kidding period; the number of animals excreting cysts of G duodenalis or oocysts of C parvum increased when they gave birth, and seven to 10 times more cysts and oocysts were shed in the three weeks around kidding than in the period more than three weeks from kidding (P<0·001).
Role of transcranial magnetic stimulation in differentiating motor nervous tract disorders from other causes of recumbency in four horses and one donkey
Authors: Nollet H. , Vanschandevijl K. , van Ham L. , Vanderstraeten G. , Deprez P.
Published: October 2014

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and measurement of the magnetic motor‐evoked potentials (MMEP s) in the thoracic and pelvic limbs of four recumbent horses and one recumbent donkey were used to assess the integrity of the descending motor pathways, in order to confirm or exclude a descending motor tract lesion as the cause of the recumbency. In two of the animals abnormal MMEP s were recorded; in one of the horses a lesion along the cervical spinal cord due to a fracture of the fifth cervical vertebra was diagnosed and confirmed by radiography and postmortem examination; in another horse, damage to the peripheral nerves of the left forelimb was diagnosed and confirmed postmortem when a large abscess was found to have been compressing the peripheral nerves at the level of the last cervical vertebra. In the three other animals, normal MMEP s were recorded, and laminitis, rhabdomyolysis and physitis were diagnosed as the causes of the recumbency.
Target‐controlled infusion of propofol in dogs – evaluation of four targets for induction of anaesthesia
Authors: Musk G. C. , Pang D. S. J. , Beths T. , Flaherty D. A.
Published: October 2014

Four groups of 20 dogs were anaesthetised by means of target‐controlled infusions of propofol designed to achieve 2·5 µg/ml, 3·0 µg/ml, 3·5 µg/ml or 4·0 µg/ml of propofol in blood. The dogs’ pulse rate and respiratory rate were recorded before premedication and induction, immediately after endotracheal intubation and three and five minutes later (times 0, 3 and 5, respectively), and their arterial blood pressure was recorded oscillometrically just before induction and at times 0, 3 and 5. The targets of 2·5, 3·0, 3·5 and 4·0 µg/ml resulted in the successful induction of anaesthesia in 13 (65 per cent), 16 (80 per cent), 20 (100 per cent) and 20 (100 per cent) of the dogs, respectively. The incidence of postinduction apnoea was 0 (0 per cent), one (5 per cent), two (10 per cent) and eight (40 per cent) at time 5 for groups 2·5, 3·0, 3·5 and 4·0 µg/ml, respectively, and its incidence at time 5 was significantly higher in the 4·0 µg/ml group (P<0·05) than in the other groups. In all the groups there was a significant (P<0·05) decrease in blood pressure between just before induction and the later measurements. Although there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of inducing anaesthesia at a specific target, a target of 3·5 µg/ml appears to ensure a successful induction of anaesthesia without a significant increase in the incidence of apnoea.
Protection of pregnant mice against placental and splenic infection by three strains of Chlamydophila abortus with a live 1B vaccine
Authors: Bouakane A. , Rekiki A. , Rodolakis A.
Published: October 2014

The efficacy of a live 1B vaccine against three strains of Chlamydophila abortus, AB16, LLG and POS, was assessed in pregnant mice in terms of the reduction in the levels of infection recorded in their placentas, fetuses and spleens. The vaccine was more effective against the AB16 strain than against the LLG and POS strains, suggesting that there are antigenic differences between the three strains.
Prevalence of radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease in a hospital population of cats
Authors: Clarke S. P. , Mellor D. , Clements D. N. , Gemmill T. , Farrell M. , Carmichael S. , Bennett D.
Published: October 2014

The prevalence of radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease (including appendicular osteoarthritis) among a hospital population of 218 cats was 33·9 per cent (74 cats), and the prevalence of signs of appendicular joint osteoarthritis was 16·5 per cent (36 cats). Half of the cases of appendicular joint osteoarthritis had no apparent radiographic or historical cause, and clinical signs of lameness were recorded in only six of them, all of which had an apparent radiographic cause. The 74 cats with radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease were on average significantly older than the 144 cats in which there were no radiographic signs of the disease.
Pithomycotoxicosis (facial eczema) in ruminants in the Azores, Portugal
Authors: Pinto C. , Santos V. M. , Dinis J. , Peleteiro M. C. , Fitzgerald J. M. , Hawkes A. D. , Smith B. L.
Published: October 2014

Outbreaks of pithomycotoxicosis (facial eczema), a hepatogenous photosensitisation caused by the mycotoxin sporidesmin, have affected ruminants in the Azores Islands of Portugal after warm, humid periods during late summer and autumn. Twenty‐two outbreaks were recorded in cattle between 1999 and 2001, affecting 11·4 per cent of the animals in the affected herds, and in 2000 there was an outbreak in one sheep flock in which more than 20 per cent of the sheep died. The clinical signs included decreases in milk production, weight loss, photosensitisation and its sequelae, including death. The animals had high activities of gamma glutamyltransferase in their serum, and icterus and severe liver disease, including biliary hyperplasia and fibrosis, were found postmortem. The characteristic spores of the toxigenic saprophytic fungus Pithomyces chartarum were found on grass; all 381 isolates of the fungus were toxigenic for sporidesmin by ELISA, and the results were confirmed by high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis. Cattle from farms at greatest risk of pithomycotoxicosis were protected by supplementing their concentrate feed with zinc oxide, or using a slow‐release intraruminal zinc bolus.
Complications observed during and after ovariohysterectomy of 142 bitches at a veterinary teaching hospital
Authors: Burrow R. , Batchelor D. , Cripps P.
Published: October 2014

The clinical, anaesthetic and surgical records of 142 bitches admitted into the primary care clinic at the Small Animal Hospital, University of Liverpool, between January 2002 and August 2004 for routine ovariohysterectomy by final‐year students were analysed for complications during and after the surgery. The time taken to perform the surgical procedure was recorded, to allow assessment of the time involved in one‐to‐one surgical teaching during live‐recovery surgeries of client‐owned pets. The types of complications were similar to those reported in earlier studies: nine bitches suffered haemorrhage of the ovarian arteries during surgery, and there were four cases of haemorrhage after surgery, 12 cases of wound inflammation and four other types of complication. The rates of intraoperative, postoperative and total complications were 6·3, 14·1 and 20·6 per cent, respectively.
Reproducibility of a commercial in vitro allergen‐specific assay for immunoglobulin E in dogs
Authors: Patterson A. P. , Schaeffer D. J. , Campbell K. L.
Published: October 2014

Samples of serum taken from 42 dogs with clinical signs and histories indicating pruritic skin disease and/or diseases of the ear were tested in a commercial allergen‐specific assay for immunoglobulin E. Dogs which had been treated with glucocorticoids and/or antihistamines were not excluded. The samples were separated into two equal aliquots, given different randomised numbers, and analysed in two batches on two separate days. The laboratory was blinded to the identification numbers and the history of each dog, but knew the purpose of the study. The results for 48 allergens were expressed in modified absorbance units (MAU). The overall median MAU was 29. For each allergen the mean difference between the MAU values of the paired duplicates was determined and the difference was compared to zero by a paired t test. The number of means that were not 0 (P<0·05) in each allergen group were: seven of 10 grasses, seven of nine weeds, two of 13 trees, six of 10 fungi, and three of six environmental allergens. A single 2 × 2 table for the 48 allergens was created with MAU ≥60 defined as ‘positive’ and <60 as ‘negative’. There were 116 of 188 (62 per cent) pairs that were reproducibly ‘positive’ and 1756 of 1828 (96 per cent) pairs that were reproducibly ‘negative’.
Investigation and management of a cluster of cases of equine retained fetal membranes in Highland ponies
Authors: Hudson N. P. H. , Prince D. R. , Mayhew I. G. , Watson E. D.
Published: October 2014

Four at‐risk Highland ponies on the same premises all retained their fetal membranes in the same breeding season. The ponies were treated with a combination of oxytocin, infusion and distension of the allantochorionic sac with fluid, gentle traction in one case, and supportive therapy. The possible causes of the condition were investigated with clinicopathological tests and analyses of the herbage for its species composition and fungal contamination. No obvious possible causative abnormalities were identified apart from a low total serum calcium level in one case. No fescue grass was found and no pathogenic fungi were detected.
Evaluation of the aerosol transmission of a mixed infection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Authors: Fano E. , Pijoan C. , Dee S.
Published: October 2014

To evaluate the transmission of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) by aerosol as either a single or mixed infection, 28 pigs were inoculated intratracheally with M hyopneumoniae on day 0 and infected intranasally with PRRSV on day 35; they were housed together in a barn. To assess the aerosol transmission of M hyopneumoniae as a single infection, one trailer (A) containing 10 five‐week‐old sentinel pigs was placed along the south side of the infected barn (1 m from the fans) on day 28. To assess the mixed infection, two trailers (B and C), each containing 10 five‐week‐old sentinel pigs, were placed along each side of the barn on day 42. The sentinel pigs in the three trailers were exposed to the exhaust from the fans for seven days. No M hyopneumoniae infection was detected in the sentinel pigs in trailer A, but it was detected in the sentinel pigs in trailers B and C. No PRRSV was detected in any of the sentinel pigs.
Comparison of xylazine and medetomidine as premedicants for cats being anaesthetised with propofol‐sevoflurane
Authors: Selmi A. L. , Mendes G. M. , Lins B. T. , Figueiredo J. P. , Barbudo‐Selmi G. R.
Published: October 2014

The effects of premedicating cats with saline, xylazine or medetomidine before anaesthetising them with propofol‐sevoflurane were compared. Twenty‐four cats were randomly assigned to three groups of eight to receive either 0·25 ml of saline, 0·50 mg/kg of xylazine or 0·02 mg/kg of medetomidine intravenously, and anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane. Medetomidine produced a greater reduction in the induction dose of propofol and fewer adverse postoperative effects than saline or xylazine. Hypoxaemia was observed after induction with propofol in the cats premedicated with saline and xylazine, but not in the cats given medetomidine. The cats treated with medetomidine and xylazine developed profound bradycardia. The blood pressure of the cats premedicated with saline and xylazine decreased, but the blood pressure of the cats premedicated with medetomidine was maintained. The cats premedicated with saline took longer to recover from anaesthesia than the other two groups.
Experimental transmission of Actinobacillus seminis infection to rams
Authors: Al‐Katib W. A. , Dennis S. M.
Published: October 2014

Nine groups of four 18‐ to 24‐month‐old rams were inoculated with Actinobacillus seminis by the following routes: intraconjunctival, intranasal, oral, intravenous, intramuscular, intraepididymal, vas deferens, intraurethral or intrapreputial. Eight similar rams were left uninoculated as controls. Systemic clinical signs were minimal and were confined primarily to the inoculation sites and the scrotal contents. Mild to severe epididymitis resulted from all the routes of inoculation except intraconjunctival and intranasal. Direct inoculation into the genital tract, especially into the cauda epididymis, was more effective. Intrapreputial and intraurethral inoculation led to ascending urethral infection, and inoculation into the vas deferens resulted primarily in descending infection of the accessory sex glands. A seminis was isolated from 11 of the 36 test rams (30·6 per cent); 26 of the 36 rams, some from each of the test groups except those inoculated intravenously, reacted serologically.
Retrospective study of the survival of cats with acquired chronic renal insufficiency offered different commercial diets
Authors: Plantinga E. A. , Everts H. , Kastelein A. M. C. , Beynen A. C.
Published: October 2014

A retrospective study was carried out on the efficacy of seven commercial diets designed to be fed to cats with chronic renal failure. The median survival time of 175 cats that received conventional diets was seven months, whereas the median survival time of 146 cats given one of the seven diets was 16 months. The cats on the most effective of the diets had a median survival time of 23 months and those on the least effective diet had a median survival time of 12 months. The composition of the seven diets was comparable, except that the most effective diet had a particularly high content of eicosapentaenoic acid.
Antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from bitches with pyometra and from urine samples from other dogs
Authors: Hagman R. , Greko C.
Published: October 2014

To assess whether the rates of antimicrobial susceptibility in bacteria isolated from the urine of dogs with urinary tract infections are similar to those of bacteria isolated from bitches with pyometra, the antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from the two groups were determined and compared. The samples were collected in Sweden between April 2002 and March 2003, and potential changes over time were assessed by comparing the results with corresponding data from 1991 to 1993. Among 80 isolates of E coli from cases of pyometra, the proportions that were resistant to the antimicrobials used in canine practice were generally low (ampicillin 10 per cent, enrofloxacin 4 per cent, gentamicin 0 per cent, streptomycin 5 per cent, sulfamethoxazole 8 per cent, tetracycline 4 per cent and trimethoprim 2 per cent) and similar to the proportions reported previously. Significantly lower proportions of resistance were recorded among the pyometra isolates than among 92 isolates from urine samples submitted by animal hospitals to ampicillin (P=0·04), streptomycin (P=0·002) and tetracycline (P=0·03), but there were no differences between the pyometra isolates and 113 isolates from urine samples submitted by animal clinics.
Comparative biochemical analyses of venous blood and peritoneal fluid from horses with colic using a portable analyser and an in‐house analyser
Authors: Saulez M. N. , Cebra C. K. , Dailey M.
Published: October 2014

Fifty‐six horses with colic were examined over a period of three months. The concentrations of glucose, lactate, sodium, potassium and chloride, and the pH of samples of blood and peritoneal fluid, were determined with a portable clinical analyser and with an in‐house analyser and the results were compared. Compared with the in‐house analyser, the portable analyser gave higher pH values for blood and peritoneal fluid with greater variability in the alkaline range, and lower pH values in the acidic range, lower concentrations of glucose in the range below 8·3 mmol/l, and lower concentrations of lactate in venous blood in the range below 5 mmol/l and in peritoneal fluid in the range below 2 mmol/l, with less variability. On average, the portable analyser underestimated the concentrations of lactate and glucose in peritoneal fluid in comparison with the in‐house analyser. Its measurements of the concentrations of sodium and chloride in peritoneal fluid had a higher bias and were more variable than the measurements in venous blood, and its measurements of potassium in venous blood and peritoneal fluid had a smaller bias and less variability than the measurements made with the in‐house analyser.
Treatment of persistent intramammary infections with Streptococcus uberis in dairy cows
Authors: Milne M. H. , Biggs A. M. , Barrett D. C. , Young F. J. , Doherty S. , Innocent G. T. , Fitzpatrick J. L.
Published: October 2014

A survey was conducted of the prevalence of environmental pathogens, especially Streptococcus uberis, as causes of clinical mastitis in dairy cows. The response of intramammary infections with S uberis to conventional treatment was monitored by taking milk samples for bacteriology and somatic cell counting seven, 14 and 21 days after the treatment. The results showed that 51 per cent of the infections failed to respond, and the odds of cases failing to respond was significantly increased when the individual quarter somatic cell count seven days after the treatment was greater than 201,000 cells/ml. Ninety‐six per cent of the suspected S uberis isolates identified by culture were confirmed as S uberis by using the API 20 Strep system. Restriction endonuclease fingerprinting was used to type the strains of S uberis isolated from 75 milk samples from 32 cows. Analysis showed that 96 per cent of the cases of S uberis that failed to respond to conventional treatment were persistent infections with one strain rather than reinfections with different strains. The persistent cases of S uberis were treated further with an extended course of intramammary preparations containing either procaine penicillin with dihydrostreptomycin or cefquinome. There was no significant difference between the cure rates achieved by the two preparations, and 55 per cent of the cases that had failed to respond to conventional treatment responded to the additional treatment.
Bioglycerol-derived carbon−SO3H as a recyclable catalyst for the synthesis of tetrahydro-β-carbolines
Authors: Reddy G. Niranjan , Rao B. Maheshwar , Vijay M. , Devi B.L.A. Prabhavathi , Prasad R.B.N. , Reddy B.V. Subba
Published: October 2014

A variety of aldehydes undergo smooth coupling with N-tosyltryptamine in the presence of carbon−SO3H in ethanol at 80 °C to furnish the corresponding tetrahydro-β-carbolines in excellent yields with high selectivity. The coupling of tryptamine with isatins affords the respective spiro-tetrahydro-β-carbolines in good yields. The use of a recyclable solid acid catalyst makes this method simple, convenient, and cost-effective.
Study on fundamental and higher order soliton with and without third-order dispersion near zero dispersion point of single mode fiber
Authors: Mani Bhupeshwaran , Chitra K. , Sivasubramanian A.
Published: October 2014

In this work, we study the effect of fundamental and higher order soliton with and without the presence of third-order dispersion (TOD, β3). The effect is studied near the zero dispersion wavelength of 1270 nm with second-order dispersion (β2) value of 0.22 ps2/km for various third-order dispersion parameter sweeps from 0.01 to 0.1 ps3/km. The theme of temporal pulse displacement due to TOD is studied for 10 and 20 soliton periods for fundamental soliton and 10 soliton period for higher order soliton (N = 2). The effective pulse width of 1 ps (FWHM) is displaced from its original position to adjacent position depending upon the TOD value. It is found in both fundamental and higher order soliton, that the displacement in higher for TOD value of 0.1 ps3/km than 0.01 ps3/km. The effect of displaced fundamental soliton pulse is pictured with respect to the transmitted distance (different soliton period) and TOD. The spectral characteristics of higher order soliton is also analyzed which is one of the characteristic mechanisms for supercontinuum generation.
Spontaneous parametric down-conversion using a pulse train
Authors: Joshi Amitabh , Hassan Shoukry S.
Published: October 2014

The process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) is studied for the case in which the pump is a train of pulses. Effects of such a train of pulses (equivalent to a frequency comb) on degenerate collinear type-II SPDC and degenerate collinear type-I SPDC are analyzed using the probability of photon coincidence counts and compared with the case when the medium is pumped by a single pulse.
Two-dimensional discrete Anderson location in waveguide matrix
Authors: Chen Guihua , Huang Zhihong , Mai Zhijie
Published: October 2014

Anderson location is an important wave phenomenon when the system contains disorder. Anderson location of light is a significant topic in optical science. Arrays of evanescently coupled waveguides made of nonlinear materials are the fundamental model of discrete nonlinear optics. Guided propagation of light in such arrays emulates electronic wave functions in fundamental periodic and disordered potentials of solid state physics. In this work, the Anderson location effect in a two-dimensional waveguide matrix is studied, and the influence of the nonlinearity on the localized effect induced by the disorder of the system is considered.
The Early Impact of Genomics and Metagenomics on Ruminal Microbiology
Authors: Denman Stuart E. , McSweeney Christopher S.
Published: October 2014

Knowledge gained from early and recent studies that define the functions of microbial populations within the rumen microbiome is essential to allow for directed rumen manipulation strategies. A large number of omic studies have focused on carbohydrate active enzymes either for improved fiber digestion within the animal or for use in industries such as biofuels. Studies of the rumen microbiome with respect to methane production and abatement strategies have led to initiatives for defining the microbiome of low- and high-methane-emitting animals while ensuring optimal feed conversion. With advances in omic technologies, the ability to link host genetics and the rumen microbiome by studying all the biological components (holobiont) through the use of hologenomics has begun. However, a program to culture and isolate microbial species for the purpose of standard microbial characterization to aid in assigning function to genomic data remains critical, especially for genes of unknown function.
DNA Methylation in Social Insects: How Epigenetics Can Control Behavior and Longevity
Authors: Yan Hua , Bonasio Roberto , Simola Daniel F. , Liebig Jürgen , Berger Shelley L. , Reinberg Danny
Published: October 2014

In eusocial insects, genetically identical individuals can exhibit striking differences in behavior and longevity. The molecular basis of such phenotypic plasticity is of great interest to the scientific community. DNA methylation, as well as other epigenetic signals, plays an important role in modulating gene expression and can therefore establish, sustain, and alter organism-level phenotypes, including behavior and life span. Unlike DNA methylation in mammals, DNA methylation in insects, including eusocial insects, is enriched in gene bodies of actively expressed genes. Recent investigations have revealed the important role of gene body methylation in regulating gene expression in response to intrinsic and environmental factors. In this review, we summarize recent advances in DNA methylation research and discuss its significance in our understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of behavior and longevity.
Developmental Mechanisms of Body Size and Wing-Body Scaling in Insects
Authors: Nijhout H. Frederik , Callier Viviane
Published: October 2014

The developmental mechanisms that control body size and the relative sizes of body parts are today best understood in insects. Size is controlled by the mechanisms that cause growth to stop when a size characteristic of the species has been achieved. This requires the mechanisms to assess size and respond by stopping the process that controls growth. Growth is controlled by two hormones, insulin and ecdysone, that act synergistically by controlling cell growth and cell division. Ecdysone has two distinct functions: At low concentration it controls growth, and at high levels it causes molting and tissue differentiation. Growth is stopped by the pulse of ecdysone that initiates the metamorphic molt. Body size is sensed by either stretch receptors or oxygen restriction, depending on the species, which stimulate the high level of ecdysone secretion that induces a molt. Wing growth occurs mostly after the body has stopped growing. Wing size is adjusted to body size by variation in both the duration and level of ecdysone secretion.
Recent Advances in the Integrative Nutrition of Arthropods
Authors: Simpson Stephen J. , Clissold Fiona J. , Lihoreau Mathieu , Ponton Fleur , Wilder Shawn M. , Raubenheimer David
Published: October 2014

In this review we highlight recent advances in four areas in which nutrition shapes the relationships between organisms: between plants and herbivores, between hosts and their microbiota, between individuals within groups and societies, and between species within food webs. We demonstrate that taking an explicitly multidimensional view of nutrition and employing the logic of the geometric framework for nutrition provide novel insights and offer a means of integration across different levels of organization, from individuals to ecosystems.
Evolutionary Biology of Harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones)
Authors: Giribet Gonzalo , Sharma Prashant P.
Published: October 2014

Opiliones are one of the largest arachnid orders, with more than 6,500 species in 50 families. Many of these families have been erected or reorganized in the last few years since the publication of The Biology of Opiliones. Recent years have also seen an explosion in phylogenetic work on Opiliones, as well as in studies using Opiliones as test cases to address biogeographic and evolutionary questions more broadly. Accelerated activity in the study of Opiliones evolution has been facilitated by the discovery of several key fossils, including the oldest known Opiliones fossil, which represents a new, extinct suborder. Study of the group's biology has also benefited from rapid accrual of genomic resources, particularly with respect to transcriptomes and functional genetic tools. The rapid emergence and utility of Phalangium opilio as a model for evolutionary developmental biology of arthropods serve as demonstrative evidence of a new area of study in Opiliones biology, made possible through transcriptomic data.
Biology, Ecology, and Control of Elaterid Beetles in Agricultural Land
Authors: Traugott Michael , Benefer Carly M. , Blackshaw Rod P. , van Herk Willem G. , Vernon Robert S.
Published: October 2014

Wireworms, the larvae of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae), have had a centuries-long role as major soil insect pests worldwide. With insecticidal control options dwindling, research on click beetle biology and ecology is of increasing importance in the development of new control tactics. Methodological improvements have deepened our understanding of how larvae and adults spatially and temporarily utilize agricultural habitats and interact with their environment. This progress, however, rests with a few pest species, and efforts to obtain comparable knowledge on other economically important elaterids are crucial. There are still considerable gaps in our understanding of female and larval ecology; movement of elaterids within landscapes; and the impact of natural enemies, cultivation practices, and environmental change on elaterid population dynamics. This knowledge will allow generation of multifaceted control strategies, including cultural, physical, and chemical measures, tailored toward species complexes and crops across a range of appropriate spatial scales.
Encyrtid Parasitoids of Soft Scale Insects: Biology, Behavior, and Their Use in Biological Control
Authors: Kapranas Apostolos , Tena Alejandro
Published: October 2014

Parasitoids of the hymenopterous family Encyrtidae are one of the most important groups of natural enemies of soft scale insects and have been used extensively in biological control. We summarize existing knowledge of the biology, ecology, and behavior of these parasitoids and how it relates to biological control. Soft scale stage/size and phenology are important determinants of host range and host utilization, which are key aspects in understanding how control by these parasitoids is exerted. Furthermore, the nutritional ecology of encyrtids and their physiological interactions with their hosts affect soft scale insect population dynamics. Lastly, the interactions among encyrtids, heteronomous parasitoids, and ants shape parasitoid species complexes and consequently have a direct impact on the biological control of soft scale insects.