International audience

peer reviewed | OBJECTIVE: To determine the contribution of MX dynamin, oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS), and double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase R (PKR) to the antiviral effects of type 1 interferons (IFNs) against bovine parainfluenza-3 virus (PI-3V) infection of Vero cells. SAMPLE POPULATION: Vero cell cultures. PROCEDURES: PI-3V yield was first compared between control and transfected type 1 IFNs-incompetent Vero cells expressing recombinant OAS or MX proteins. Afterwards, phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2alpha) was used to scale the degree of PKR activation upon infection of Vero cells by PI-3V. RESULTS: Overexpression of OAS did not result in significantly decreased viral replication. Phosphorylated eIF2alpha forms, the hallmark of PKR activation, were not increased in IFNalpha-primed infected Vero cells. Although human MXA contributed to partial blockade of replication of bovine PI-3V, the antiviral effect was not as strong as that of IFNalpha. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The powerful anti-Paramyxovirus activity of type 1 IFNs is mediated by noncanonic pathways.

International audience | Objective-To evaluate the efficacy of tiludronate for the treatment of horses with signs of pain associated with lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column. Animals-29 horses with clinical manifestations of pain associated with lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column and abnormal radiographic findings indicative of osteoarthritis of the articular processes-synovial intervertebral joints. Procedures-Horses were initially examined in accordance with a standardized protocol, which included radiographic, ultrasonographic, and scintigraphic examinations. Fifteen horses were randomly assigned to receive tiludronate (1 mg/kg, IV, as a slow-rate infusion), and 14 horses received a control substance (day 0). Horses were monitored for the subsequent 120 days. Clinical evaluations were performed on days 60 and 120. Horses that had no evidence of clinical improvement on day 60 were administered tiludronate. Statistical analyses were performed to compare efficacy at day 60, improvement of dorsal flexibility at day 120, and dorsal flexibility before and 60 days after administration of tiludronate. Results-Horses treated with tiludronate had significant improvement in dorsal flexibility between days 0 and 60, compared with control horses. Clinical improvement in dorsal flexibility was still evident at day 120. The percentage of positive responses was higher in the tiludronate group at 60 days. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Tiludronate had efficacy in the treatment of horses with signs of pain induced by osteoarticular lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column, causing a significant improvement in dorsal flexibility. Tiludronate may offer a treatment option for the management of horses with interverteloral lesions and the associated pain.

peer reviewed | Objective-To compare measurements of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in plasma, laminar tissues, and skin obtained from control horses and horses given black walnut heartwood extract (BWHE). Animals-22 healthy 5- to 15-year-old horses. Procedures-Horses were randomly assigned to 4 groups as follows: a control group given water (n = 5) and 3 experimental groups given BWHE (17) via nasogastric intubation Experimental groups consisted of 5, 6, and 6 horses that received BWHE and were euthanatized at 1.5, 3, and 12 hours after intubation, respectively. Control horses were euthanatized at 12 hours after intubation. Plasma samples were obtained hourly for all horses. Laminar tissue and skin from the middle region of the neck were harvested at the time of euthanasia. Plasma and tissue MPO concentrations were determined via an ELISA; tissue MPO activity was measured by use of specific immunologic extraction followed by enzymatic detection. Results-Tissues and plasma of horses receiving BWHE contained significantly higher concentrations of MPO beginning at hour 3. Laminar tissue and skin from horses in experimental groups contained significantly higher MPO activity than tissues from control horses. Concentrations and activities of MPO in skin and laminar tissues were similar over time. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-in horses, BWHE administration causes increases in MPO concentration and activity in laminar tissue and skin and the time of increased MPO concentration correlates with emigration of WBCs from the vasculature. These findings support the hypothesis that activation of peripheral WBCs is an early step in the pathogenesis of acute laminitis.

The left main descending artery (LMDA) of left coronary artery (LCA) in rats runs around the left side of conus arteriosus after arising from the aortic sinus and descends to the apex of heart with branching several branches into the wall of left ventricle (LV). The ligation site of LMDA for myocardial infarction (MI) is the 2~4 mm from LCA origin, between the pulmonary trunk and left auricle. The characteristics that rat heart has no interventricular groove on the surface and its coronary arteries run intramyocardially with branching several branches give the difficulty in surgery for MI which resulted in expected size.

The cause and pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease remain unknown and no definite therapy exists until now. The present study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of a herbal preparation (HemoHIM) in colitis induced by 30 mg of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups. Each group was treated with 1 mg of HemoHIM/ml of drinking water, 4 mg of HemoHIM/ml of drinking water, 50 mg of HemoHIM/kg of body weight (i.p. once every other day) or 100 mg/kg of HemoHIM of body weight (i.p. once every other day) from the next day.

This study was designed to evaluate the antioxidative effects of Houttuynia cordata root on non-lipid oxidative damage. The antioxidative effects of methanolic (MeOH) extract of Houttuynia cordata root on non-lipid, including liposome oxidation, oxidation of deoxyribose, protein oxidation, chelating, scavenging, and 2'-deoxyguanosine (2'dG) oxidation were investigated. Houttuynia cordata root exhibited high antioxidative effect in a liposome model system. The inhibitory effect of MeOH extract on deoxyribose damage exhibited antioxidative effect and it afforded considerable protection against damage to deoxyribose.

Staphylococci are Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic cocci, normally found on the skin and mucosal surfaces of most warm-blooded animals and often involved in a wide variety of diseases in animals. Staphylococcal infections are treated with antibiotics and, consequently, antibiotic resistance and/or acquired resistance have developed. Staphylococcus (S.) intermedius and Staphylococcus (S.) aureus are 2 common veterinary isolates that are frequently associated with suppurative infections. This study was undertaken to examine antimicrobial susceptibility of S. aureus (23 isolates) and S. intermedius (160 isolates) isolated from dogs in Gwangju, Korea and investigate whether the antibiotic resistance of S. aureus and S. intermedius is effected by the site of isolation, age, and sex of dogs.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is an important bacterial pathogen that causes chronic gastritis and is associated with gastroduodenal ulcer disease, adenocarcinoma of the distal stomach, and gastric lymphoma in humans. The differences of host susceptibility of H. pylori infection associated with host age have not been well-defined in human. To evaluate the difference in host susceptibility to infection in relation to age of acquisition of H. pylori infection, we designed an experiment involving inoculation of H. pylori ATCC 43504 at different ages of Mongolian gerbils.

A 3 year-old female Afghan hound came to the Veterinary Referral Hospital of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University for artificial insemination (AI) with frozen semen. In order to inseminate, semen was frozen in USA 3 years ago. Frozen semen was sent by air from Santiago to Seoul for AI. The stud died 2 years ago, so we could only use a limited amount of frozen semen in that estrus cycle. The number of total motile spermatozoa was 59.4×10∨6 and the total volume was 1.2 ml. The frozen spermatozoa were thawed in 70℃ water for 8 sec, which were then deposited at the bilateral uterine horns by a surgical method.