We studied the effects of trazodone on arterial blood pressure in anesthesized guinea pigs, and on vascular responses in isolated thoracic aorta. Trazodone produced a concentration-dependent relaxation in phenylephrine-precontracted endothelium intact (+E) rings, but not in a KCl-precontracted aortic rings. These relaxant effects of trazodone on +E rings were siginificantly greater than those on denuded (-E) rings. The trazodone-induced relaxation was suppressed by gilbenclamide and tetrabutylammonium, but not by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), methylene blue (MB), nifedipine, indomethacin, 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-n,n-diphenylcarbamate (NCDC) and clotrimazole. In vivo, infusion of trazodone elicited a significant decrease in arterial blood pressure.

The major protocol features of the rodent uterotrophic assay have been evaluated using a range of reference chemicals. The protocol variables considered include the selection of the test species and route of chemical administration, the age of the test animals, the maintenance diet used, and the specificity of the assay for estrogens. The rodents were ovarjectomized under general anesthesia via bilateral flank incisions and randomly assigned to groups of 5 animals. Chemicals were DEHP, DBP, BPA and NP, were injected sc once daily with combinations of chemicals treatments for 3 days.

Melatonin, the principal hormone of the vertebral pineal gland, participates in the regulation of cardiovascular system in vitro and in vivo. Lithium inhibits both inositol polyphosphate phosphatase (IPPase) and inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), which are involved in a wide range of signal transduction pathways. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of lithium on endothelial-dependent relaxation to melatonin and on the melatonin-induced inhibition of contraction by phenylephrine (PE) in isolated rat aorta. Melatonin induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in PE-precontracted in endothelium-intact (+E) aortic rings.

The present study was conducted to investigate biochemical characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility of Aeromonas hydrophilia isolated from Jackass penguins (Spheniscus demersus) of zoo and capelins (Mallotus villosus). Seven of Jackass penguins showed anorexia, depression with seriously greenish vomiting for a few days, but resulted in 4 deaths although extensive treatment was carried out by zoo veterinarians. From the 18 samples composed of organs of feces from dead or live Jackass penguins and capelins, 4 (22.2%) Aeromonas hydrophilia were isolated and Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus auricularis, Staphylococcus cohnii and Enterobacter aminigenus were also identified.

The purpose of this study is to establish the analgesic effects of electroacupuncture for Korean native goat. Electroacupuncture was applied to the 6 Korean native goats. In 3 of them, rumenotomy was performed, and in the other 3, laparotomy was done. The analgesic induction time was 15 to 30 minutes. The acupoints used were Tian-ping (Celestial Peace, GV-5), Bai-hui (Hundred Meetings, GV-20), left 13th thoracic nerve and left 3rd lumbar nerve. Electroacupuncture was performed in lateral recumbency. Needles were inserted 1-2 cm deep, and connected to the electroacupuncture apparatus. The electrical stimulation condition was 30 Hz and 2-6 volts.

An abattoir study on the abdominal fat necrosis in adult cattle was performed pathologically. Grossly, masses of fat necrosis were leekgreen in colour, lobulated on the cut surface, and saponificated in the texture. These necrotic adipose tissues infiltrated usually into neighboring parenchymal organs including intestines and pancreas, leading to fibrosis or atrophy of them. Histopathologically, necrotic fat cells contained acidophilic, opaque, amorphous substance or basophilic fibrillar or granular minerals in their cytoplasms. The lesions of fat necrosis were divided by fibroconnective tissue. With increase of the severity, necrotic fat cells fused each other and then formed fat cysts.

The disease causing colic is the greatest cause of deathe in the domestic horse population today and accidental deaths as a result of colic leads to decreased productivity and economic losses in the horse breeding industry. Large colon impaction is the most common cause of colic in horses. Horses may ingest sand either by eating from the ground in sandy locations, or because of its inclusion in hay. In certain areas sand impaction is relatively common. The horse (4 year, female) presented with abdominal pain, which was charactered by willing to lie down, pawing, and looking at flank. A month later, the horse died suddenly at sand paddock.

A survey conducted in five villages in a resource-poor farming community in Qwa-Qwa, using the rapid rural appraisal technique and a questionnaire survey, showed that a significant proportion of the farmers (84 %) use traditional or alternative methods to control ectoparasites, while 16 % use commercial acaricides (c2 = 7.1; P < 0.05). Alternative control methods included the use of used engine oil, household disinfectant and paraffin. Killing of ticks was the main reason for control (40 %), with disease control being second (20 %). Other reasons given for controlling ticks were to prevent damage to teats, to provide animals with a clean appearance and to protect hides. Some 40 % of farmers were aware of the effects of ticks on their animals. There is a need for farmer education that will provide information on integrated tick management and its advantages over absolute reliance on commercial acaricides.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a disease of cattle, primarily in Africa and Madagascar and rarely in the Middle East. It is caused by a capripoxvirus that belongs to the family Poxviridae. The disease is of economic importance in endemic areas. Effective control of LSD requires accurate and rapid laboratory techniques to confirm a tentative clinical diagnosis. Comparative studies on different diagnostic tests used at different stages of the disease have not been done. The aim of this study was to compare several of these tests. Six seronegative bulls, between 11 and 20 months of age, were infected intravenously and kept in an insect-free facility. The course of the infection was monitored. During a 3-month period blood samples and skin biopsies were collected for virus isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Skin biopsies were also examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The incubation period in infected animals varied from 4-5 days. The length of the viraemic period did not correlate with the severity of clinical disease. Viraemia was detected from 1-12 days using virus isolation and from 4-11 days using the PCR, which is longer than has previously been reported. Virus was isolated from skin biopsies until Day 39 post infection (p.i.) and PCR could demonstrate viral DNA until Day 92 p.i. Transmission electron microscopy of negatively stained skin biopsies detected LSD virus only in one of the four bulls that developed skin lesions until Day 33 p.i. The PCR was a fast and sensitive method to demonstrate viral DNA in blood and skin samples. It could detect viral nucleic acid in skin lesions 53 days longer than virus isolation. Virus isolation from blood and skin samples was sensitive and reliable, but as a single test it may be too time-consuming to use although this depends on how rapidly the diagnosis must be confirmed. In conclusion, this study showed the PCR to be superior in detecting LSD virus from blood and skin samples. However, virus isolation is still required when the infectivity of the LSD virus is to be determined. Indexed by Sabinet Online

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is a common viral disease of wild and captive psittacine birds characterized by symmetric feather loss and beak deformities. The causative agent, beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is a small, circular single-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the genus Circovirus. BFDV can be detected by PCR or the use of haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays that detect antigen and antibodies respectively. Erythrocytes from a limited number of psittacine species of Australian origin can be used in these tests. In South Africa, the high cost of these birds makes them difficult to obtain for experimental purposes. Investigation into the use of erythrocytes from African Grey parrots and Brown-headed parrots yielded positive results showing the haemagglutinating activity of their erythrocytes with purified BFDV obtained from confirmed clinical cases of the disease. The HA activity was further confirmed by the demonstration of HI using BFDV antiserum from three different African Grey parrots previously exposed to the virus and not showing clinical signs of the disease.