An improved ferritin assay for canine sera     

Andrews GA  Smith JE  Gray M  Chavey PS  Weeks BR 《Veterinary clinical pathology / American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology》1992,21(2):57-60

An improved serum ferritin assay for canine serum has been developed. It uses two monoclonal antibodies in a sandwich arrangement. Serum ferritin can be determined on undiluted canine sera with this assay. The recovery of ferritin added to canine serum ranged from 98 to 106%, the within-assay coefficient of variability was 3.3 to 4.5%, and the assay-to-assay variability was 9.8 to 10.2%. Serum ferritin from 61 apparently healthy dogs had a geometric mean of 252 ng/ml, with a range of 80 ng/ml to 800 ng/ml.  相似文献   

Spermatic and oxidative profile of domestic cat (Felis catus) epididymal sperm subjected to different cooling times (24, 48 and 72 hours)          下载免费PDF全文

DSR Angrimani  KK Nagai  BR Rui  LC Bicudo  JDA Losano  MM Brito  MCP Francischini  M Nichi 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2018,53(1):163-170

Cooling stored epididymal samples for several days allows facilities to transport and process genetic material post‐mortem. Improvements to this practice allow the preservation of sperm from domestic cats, which are the ideal study model for wild felids. However, the modifications in spermatic features and the oxidative profile are not fully understood in cats. This information is necessary for the development of biotechniques, such as new extenders for cryopreservation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the spermatic and oxidative profile in samples from the epididymal cauda of domestic cats cooled at 5°C for 24, 48 and 72 hr. Spermatozoa were collected from the epididymis cauda. Evaluations consisted of computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA), plasma membrane integrity (eosin/nigrosin), acrosome integrity (fast green/rose bengal), sperm morphology, sperm DNA integrity (toluidine blue), mitochondrial activity (3′3 diaminobenzidine), activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), measurement of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein oxidation. A decrease in sperm motility parameters was observed after 72 hr of cooling (i.e. total and progressive) with a higher percentage of minor (37.7 ± 6.3%) and total defects (53.4 ± 6.3%). Additionally, a decrease in high mitochondrial activity (Class I: 16.6 ± 2.2%) occurred after 72 hr. The decrease in motility rates after a long cooling time probably was caused by the increase in sperm abnormalities. A long cooling time causes cold shock and mitochondrial exhaustion, but there was no observed change with the oxidative stress condition. Therefore, cat epididymal sperm stored at 5°C appear to maintain a high quality for up to 48 hr of cooling time.  相似文献   

A fast,low‐cost and efficient method for the diagnosis of sperm DNA fragmentation in several species          下载免费PDF全文

BR Rui  DSR Angrimani  LC Bicudo  JDA Losano  M Nichi  RJG Pereira 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2018,53(1):171-175

Sperm DNA fragmentation is a condition that interferes directly in the reproductive efficiency. Currently, there are several methods for assessing the sperm DNA integrity, such as Alkaline Comet, TUNEL and Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay. However, many of these techniques are laborious and require high‐precision equipment. Thus, the development of new techniques can optimize the evaluation of sperm DNA damage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to standardize the toluidine blue (TB) stain technique for the analysis of DNA fragmentation of dog, cat, bull, stallion and ram spermatozoa. For this purpose, we used six animals of each specie (n = 30), in reproductive age. Sperm was collected by different methods according to the particularities of each species, and such samples were divided into two aliquots: a sperm sample was kept at 5°C (considered as intact sperm DNA), and the remaining samples were submitted to the induction of DNA fragmentation by exposure to ultraviolet light for 4 hr. Samples were then mixed with the intact sample to obtain known and progressive proportions of sperm with fragmented DNA (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). Semen smears were performed and subjected to staining with TB. Blue‐stained spermatozoa were considered to have DNA fragmentation. We observed high linear regression coefficients between the expected proportion of damaged DNA and the results of TB for dog, cat, ram, bull and stallion samples. In conclusion, TB stain was considered a fast and effective technique for the study of spermatozoa DNA in several species.  相似文献   

Quality of tissue specimens obtained endoscopically from the duodenum of dogs and cats     

Willard MD  Lovering SL  Cohen ND  Weeks BR 《Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association》2001,219(4):474-479

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate quality of duodenal tissue specimens obtained endoscopically from dogs and cats and submitted to 1 of 2 diagnostic laboratories for evaluation. DESIGN: Case series. SAMPLE POPULATION: Slides from 50 consecutive canine and 50 consecutive feline endoscopically obtained duodenal tissue specimens submitted to laboratory 1 and 49 consecutive canine and 46 consecutive feline specimens submitted to laboratory 2. PROCEDURE: Slides were examined independently by 3 investigators, and each tissue piece on each slide was classified as clearly inadequate, questionable, or clearly adequate on the basis of 4 criteria. An overall score was then assigned to the slide. RESULTS: Slides from laboratory 1 were more likely to be scored as clearly adequate and less likely to be scored as clearly inadequate than slides from laboratory 2. Clearly adequate slides from laboratory 1 had a higher number of clearly adequate pieces of tissue than did clearly adequate slides from laboratory 2. Slides scored as clearly adequate had a higher number of individual tissue pieces than did slides scored as clearly inadequate. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that the quality of endoscopically obtained duodenal tissue specimens submitted to laboratories can vary, possibly because of differences in experience of individuals collecting biopsy specimens. Results suggest that at least 8 individual tissue pieces should be submitted when performing endoscopic biopsy of the duodenum in dogs and cats.  相似文献   

Influence of the design of facilities at auction markets and animal handling procedures on bruising in cattle     

Weeks CA  McNally PW  Warriss PD 《The Veterinary record》2002,150(24):743-748

The movements of cattle at 12 livestock auction markets were observed to determine the possible causes of trauma leading to carcase bruising. Design faults included right-angled bends in races, dead ends, flooring with insufficient slope or grip, and steps. Sliding gates were often misused for goading cattle. Projecting fittings and square-edged corners were potentially injurious; conversely, rounded posts and curved races assisted the flow of cattle with minimal impacts. At all the markets, some cattle were hit directly and poked with wooden sticks, and the variations in their use could partially explain the differences between the markets in the prevalence of carcase bruising. Most harder hits were directed at less valuable parts of the body, such as the spine, hips and shoulders, and a survey of bruising at the abattoir showed that these were the areas with most bruising. In this survey of 48,926 carcases, the overall level of commercially significant bruising of 4.1 per cent was lower than the 6.5 per cent found in a previous survey. Carcases of cattle from markets had a greater incidence and severity of bruising (P<0.001) than those arriving directly from farms or dealers. Carcase bruising in young bulls was less (P<0.001) than in heifers and steers.  相似文献   

Self-selection of the analgesic drug carprofen by lame broiler chickens     

Danbury TC  Weeks CA  Chambers JP  Waterman-Pearson AE  Kestin SC 《The Veterinary record》2000,146(11):307-311

Lame and sound broilers, selected from commercial flocks, were trained to discriminate between different coloured feeds, one of which contained carprofen. The two feeds were then offered simultaneously and the birds were allowed to select their own diet from the two feeds. In an initial study to assess the most appropriate concentration of drug, the plasma concentrations of carprofen were linearly related to the birds' dietary intake. The walking ability of lame birds was also significantly improved in a dose-dependent manner and lame birds tended to consume more analgesic than sound birds. In a second study, in which only one concentration of analgesic was used, lame birds selected significantly more drugged feed than sound birds, and that as the severity of the lameness increased, lame birds consumed a significantly higher proportion of the drugged feed.  相似文献   

Functional evaluation of macrophages in fish from a polluted estuary   总被引：7，自引：0，他引：7  

B A Weeks  J E Warinner 《Veterinary immunology and immunopathology》1986,12(1-4):313-320

The chemotactic and phagocytic efficiencies of macrophages from spot, Leiostomus xanthurus and hogchoker, Trinectes maculatus are reported here. Fish were captured from the York and Ware Rivers, two relatively nonpolluted rivers, and from a reach of the Elizabeth River, known to be contaminated with high concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Kidney cell types were separated by density gradient centrifugation and single cell suspensions of macrophages were used for in vitro studies. Chemotactic activity was measured in Boyden chambers using Escherichia coli as the chemotactic stimulus. The percentage of macrophages migrating was maximal at 90 min but was markedly reduced in Elizabeth River fish (spot, 33%; hogchoker, 56%) as compared to clean water controls (spot, 55%; hogchoker, 85%). Macrophage phagocytosis of bacteria was quantified by the microscopic enumeration of the proportion of phagocytes which contained intracellular bacteria. Phagocytic activity reached maximum values within 120 min and remained relatively constant for the remainder of the experiment. Phagocytic activity was reduced significantly in the fish obtained from the Elizabeth River. Values at 120 min were 74% and 19% for spot from the control and PAH-contaminated sites, respectively. Comparable values for hogchoker were 88% and 32%. The results suggest that defective macrophage function is related to exposure to PAH-contaminated sediments.  相似文献   

Agreement of high definition oscillometry with direct arterial blood pressure measurement at different blood pressure ranges in horses under general anaesthesia          下载免费PDF全文

Karsten Feige  Sabine BR Kästner 《Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia》2015,42(3):286-291

ObjectiveTo determine the agreement of high definition oscillometry (HDO) with direct arterial blood pressure measurements in normotensive, hypotensive and hypertensive horses during general anaesthesia.Study designExperimental study.AnimalsSeven healthy warmblood horses, aged 3–11 years, weighing 470–565 kg.MethodsMeasurements from a HDO device with the cuff placed around the base of the tail were compared with pressures measured invasively from the facial artery. High blood pressures were induced by intravenous (IV) administration of dobutamine (5 μg kg⁻¹ minute⁻¹) over ten minutes followed by norepinephrine (0.1 mg kg⁻¹ IV) and low pressures by increasing the inspired fraction of isoflurane and administration of nitroglycerine (0.05 mg kg⁻¹ IV). For analysis three pressure levels were determined: high (MAP>110 mmHg), normal (60 mmHgResultsA total of 245 paired measurements of systolic (SAP), mean (MAP) and diastolic (DAP) pressures were obtained. The HDO device underestimated blood pressure at hypertensive and normotensive levels and overestimated blood pressure at hypotensive levels. Best agreement was obtained for SAP and MAP within normotensive limits. At normotension, bias ± standard deviation for SAP, MAP and DAP were 0.1 ± 19.4 mmHg, 0.5 ± 14.0, 4.7 ± 15.6, respectively. At high pressure levels bias and SD were 26.1 ± 37.3 (SAP), 4.2 ± 19.4 (MAP), 1.5 ± 16.8 (DAP) and at low pressures -20.0 ± 20.9 (SAP), -11.4 ± 19.6 (MAP), -4.7 ± 20.1 (DAP), with HDO measurements at a MAP <50 mmHg often failing.Conclusion and clinical relevanceGood agreement with invasive arterial blood pressures was obtained with HDO at normotensive levels in horses. At high and low pressure ranges HDO was unreliable. Therefore, if haemodynamic instability is expected, invasive measurement remains preferable.  相似文献   

The effect of footrot on body weight and wool growth of sheep   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

DJ MARSHALL  RI WALKER  BR CULLIS  MF LUFF 《Australian veterinary journal》1991,68(2):45-49

Body weight and traits associated with production of wool were measured over a 2-year period between 1985 and 1987 in south-western New South Wales in a flock of Merino wethers experimentally infected with footrot. The disease was allowed to spread freely amongst 150 of the flock but kept at very low prevalence in the remaining 50 by preventive footbathing during transmission periods. Severe, underrunning footrot had a significant adverse effect on body weight, for each year of the trial. Body weight was most severely reduced at times of the year when footrot was spreading among animals and lesions were severe. The mean body weight of the infected group at the end of the 2 years of observation was 7.3 kg (11.6%) below that of the control group. Footrot also depressed wool growth, with the mean clean fleece weight of the infected group being 0.4 kg (8%) lighter than that of the controls at each of the 2 annual shearings. There were no consistent differences between the groups for the other wool characteristics measured.  相似文献   

Part 2: A Field Study of Enhanced Remediation of Toluene in the Vadose Zone Using a Nutrient Solution     

James A. Tindall  Edwin P. Weeks  Michael Friedel 《Water, air, and soil pollution》2005,168(1-4):359-389

The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of a nitrate-rich nutrient solution and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to enhance in-situ microbial remediation of toluene in the unsaturated zone. Three sand-filled plots were tested in three phases (each phase lasting approximately 2 weeks). During the control phase, toluene was applied uniformly via sprinkler irrigation. Passive remediation was allowed to occur during this phase. A modified Hoagland nutrient solution, concentrated in 150 L of water, was tested during the second phase. The final phase involved addition of 230 moles of H₂O₂ in 150 L of water to increase the available oxygen needed for aerobic biodegradation. During the first phase, measured toluene concentrations in soil gas were reduced from 120 ppm to 25 ppm in 14 days. After the addition of nutrients during the second phase, concentrations were reduced from 90 ppm to about 8 ppm within 14 days, and for the third phase (H₂O₂), toluene concentrations were about 1 ppm after only 5 days. Initial results suggest that this method could be an effective means of remediating a contaminated site, directly after a BTEX spill, without the intrusiveness and high cost of other abatement technologies such as bioventing or soil-vapor extraction. However, further tests need to be completed to determine the effect of each of the BTEX components.  相似文献