A 474-base pair segment covering the hypervaible region of VP2 gene from six Korean infectious bursal disease virus(K-IBDV) isolates(K1, K2, SH/92, 225, 269, 310) and one attenuated IBDV(DAE) were amplified using RT-PCR, sequenced, and compared with published sequences for IBDV. K-IBDV isolates(K1, K2, SH/92, 225, 269) and foreigh very virulent(vv) IBDV strains had 94.93-100% amino cid sequence similarity. K-IBDV isolate 310 and other K-IBDV isolates had 84.31%-86.07% amino acid sequence similarity. Attenuated strain(DAE), like other attenuated strain, has substitution at positions 279(D to N) and 284(A to T) as well as in the serine-rich heptapeptide region. Five K-IBDV isolates except 310 isolate share unique amino acid residues at positions 222(A), 256(I), 294(I) which are not present in other standard and attenuated strains. At the two hydrophilic region, K-IBDV isolates except 310 isolate had identical amino cids comparing with Belgium vv IVDV 894VB but had four amino acid substitutions comparing with Chinese vv IBDV F9502. The SWSASGS heptapeptide is conserved in all KIBDV isolates. The sequence of K-IBDV isolate 310 was markedly different from other IBDV strains, evolving from a separate lineage than the others. By phylogenetic analysis, Five K-IBDV isolates except 310 isolate were categorized in one group with foreign vv IBDV isolates but K-IBDV isolate 310 was categorized ina separate group which was differentiated form other compared IBDV strains.

peer reviewed | OBJECTIVE: To assess sensitivity of scintigraphic alveolar clearance rate as an indicator of alveolar epithelium damage in horses. ANIMALS: 5 healthy horses (group A) and 5 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; group B). PROCEDURE: Horses underwent clearance rate (k [%/min]) determination. Clearance rate of group-B horses was determined after remission of the disease following 2 months at pasture (remission 1), stabling in a controlled environment (remission 2), and during crisis induced by exposure to moldy hay and straw. Methacholine challenge test was performed at each investigation period to determine nonspecific pulmonary airway hyperresponsiveness. Pulmonary function tests (PFT) also were performed, and cell populations in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were determined on another occasion. RESULTS: Group-B horses had significantly faster mean clearance rate during crisis (k = 4.30+/-0.95%/min), compared with that for remission 1(k = 1.98+/-0.55%/min), which did not differ from the rate in group-A horses (k = 1.95+/-0.33%/min). Despite lack of clinical signs of COPD during remission when stabled in a controlled environment, an intermediate value was found (k = 3.20+/-0.72%/min). CONCLUSIONS: This technique allowed grading of lung damage induced by COPD, whereas use of PFT and determination of BAL fluid cell populations failed to differentiate between remission 1 and remission 2. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Determination of alveolar clearance rate by use of scintigraphy is a sensitive indicator of lung damage. A modified clearance rate was found despite the lack of clinical and functional changes

peer reviewed | OBJECTIVE: To evaluate left and right ventricular filling and ejection performances by use of Doppler echocardiography in healthy, conscious dogs submitted to dobutamine stress testing. ANIMALS: 10 unsedated, healthy adult Beagles. PROCEDURE: Doppler echocardiography was performed during cardiac stress testing on each dog twice at 24-hour intervals. Dobutamine was infused in 10 micrograms/kg of body weight/min incremental dosages, from 12.5 to 42.5 micrograms/kg/min. Duration of each step was 15 minutes. Doppler measurements were recorded at baseline and at each stage of dobutamine infusion, whereas aortic diameter was measured at baseline and at peak dosage by use of two-dimensional echocardiography. RESULTS: Dobutamine infusion induced a significant increase in velocity time integrals and in peak flow velocities at the aortic, pulmonic, mitral, and tricuspid valves. Acceleration time-to-deceleration time ratio at the aortic wave also was increased significantly. On the other hand, ejection time, acceleration time, and deceleration time at the aortic and pulmonic valves and peak flow velocity of the E wave-to-peak flow velocity of the A wave ratio at the mitral and tricuspid valves decreased significantly during the test. The acceleration time-to-deceleration time ratio at the pulmonic wave was unchanged. A significant, progressive increase in cardiac index also was observed during dobutamine infusion, with a maximal increase of 104% from baseline. This was mediated initially by an increase in stroke index and, at higher dosages, by an increase in heart rate. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Doppler echocardiography performed during dobutamine stress testing may be a reliable method of assessing myocardial function in dogs with cardiovascular disease.

peer reviewed | Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a specific enzyme of neutrophil azurophilic granules with a strong oxidative activity. Thanks to a radioimmunoassay of equine myeloperoxidase, the authors have observed a significantly higher plasma level of MPO in horses operated for strangulation obstruction of the large intestine (n = 6) than in horses suffering from a non-strangulating displacement of the large intestine (n = 9). For the 2 groups, 3 phases were distinguished: reception (P1), intensive care (P2) and terminal phase (P3). The mean peak values of MPO for these phases were 121.6 ng/mL (P1), 168.6 ng/mL (P2), and 107.0 ng/mL (P3) for the non-strangulating group, and 242.6 ng/mL (P1); 426.0 ng/mL (P2), and 379.5 ng/mL (P3) for the strangulation group. The variations of the mean peak values of plasma MPO were significantly different between the 2 groups and between the different phases. A significant increase of the least square means of MPO was observed between P1 and P2. A significant decrease of the least square means of the number of circulating leukocytes was observed between P1 and P3. Polymorphonuclear neutrophil activation could play a major role in the pathogenesis of acute abdominal disease and endotoxic shock.

Forty-five claw lamed cows with pododermatitis circumscripta, hyperplasia interdigitalis, and dermatitis verrucosa were treated surgically through resection of necrotic tissues, currettage, antibiotics application, and compressive bandage, under retrograde intravenous regional anesthesia of claw. At 7 days postoperation were showed lameness score 0, absense of swelling of extremitis, without fistulation and purulent exudate in wound. Mean duration time of action of local anesthetic drug was 75 minutes and mean operation time for treatment of pododermatitis circumscripta, hyperplasia interdigitalis, and dermatitis verrucosa was 35 minutes, 20 minutes, and 21 minutes, respectively.

Porcine Proliferative Ebterophthy(PPE) is an infectious enteric disease and a major cause of economic loss in swine industry due to weight loss, poor growth and sudden death in growing and finishing pigs at 6 tp 20 weeks of age. PPE has been diagnosed by clinical sighs, syndrom and lesions in the intestine in Korea. However, the diagnostic method had several problems in the detection of infected or carrier pigs. Therefore, in this study, we established the polymerase chain reaction(PCR) which ws a fast, specific and sensitive method for identification of Lawsonia intracellularis(L intracellularis). We designed and synthesized primer on the 16S rDNA and p78 gene encoding L intracellularis. Specificity of the method was confirmed by comparison of the PCR results using other enteric bacteria and the study has shown that PCR method was sensitive to detect 1ng of genomic DNA as a template. Identity of the PCR products was confirmed by comparison of pattern of restriction endonclease analysis with restriction enzyme HaeIII and PstI. Also, the PCR method was applicable to the naturally affected pigs with PPE. Based on the results from this study, the PCR method could be used as a fast and specific diagnostic tool for PPE.

The present study was carried out to investigate the pathogenicity and pathogenesis of wild rats(Rattus norvegicus), trapped in nature, intranasally infected Aujeszky's disease virus(ADV/NYJ-1-87) by histopathology, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization(ISH). Fifteen rats inoculated intranasally were roughened haircoat, anorexia, listlessness, and depression second day after inoculation, and three rats died in 66-72 hours. Eight rats showed severe pruritus at the fact that was accompanied by frequent face-washing movements of the forelegs, and then became violent and spasmodic for and hour or until they died. Four rats slowly recovered after showing mild clinical signs of the disease. Microscopic lesions in infected rats were characterized by meningitis, perivascular round cell infiltration, focal gliosis, and neuronal degeneration and necrosis. And intranuclear inclusion bodies were frequently detected in the cerebral cortex and medulla. Positive reaction to ADV by immunohistochemistry and ISH were detected in the following areas:trigemimal ganglion, brain, tonsil, nasal mucosa, spleen, lung and liver. The result has suggested that ADV intranasally infected in wild rats is followed by replication in epithelial cells of nasal mucosa and tonsil, then invade local lymph nodes by way of the lymphatics. It is also believed that the virus invades bipolar olfactory cells and trigerminal ganglion, and then spread into central nervous system.

A four-year-old female Jindo dog was admitted to the hospital because of bilaterally symmetrical alopecia and inappentence. Systemic abnomalities detected on physical examination were obesity,bradycardia, exercise intolerance, mental dullness and hypothermia. Dermatologically symmetrical alopecia, exercise intolerance, mental dullness and hypothermia. Dermatologically symmetrical alopecia on the back, trunk and dorsal tail, and ventral hyperpigmentation were observed. Also face was very tragic. The level of basal T4 was 0.01 micro gram/dl. In TSH stimulation test fT4 value was 0.08ng/dl. After treatment was initiated with L-thyroxine the dog's general condition was improved at 4 weeks.

This study was carried out to determine the effects of beta-carotene on the control of mastitis in dairy cows during the dry period. The relationship between the levels of plasma beta-carotene and the status of udder health in Holstein dairy cows were investigated. Blood samples were collected from 117 cows to compare the levels of plasma beta-carotene in lactating cows. The levels of plasma beta-carotene were 1.82 micro gram/ml in healthy cows(n=65) and 1.12 micro gram/ml in mastitic cows(n=52), respectively(p0.01). In the experiment to compare the level of plasma beta-caroten in the cows at different stages of lactation, the plasma beta-carotene levels were 1.73 micro gram/ml in lactating cows(n

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of cyclophospaide(CY) on dietynitrosamine(DEN)-induced hepatic tumors in rats. Thirty five male of femal Sprague Dawley rats were continiously given water containing O.01% DEN for 10 weeks and then were give with CY 25mg/rat/day in water for 3, 5, 7 or 9 days. The livers of rats were removed and fixed in 10% buffered neutral formalin. The appearances of positive cells by immunohistochemical methods using proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibody, p53 antibody and apoptotic kit were investigated. The livers of rats given with CY were grossly brilliant, red-brown color, flexible, and thin border, and stainability of the liver cells were restored microscopically, and the vaccuolated and degenerated regions were differentiated from restored regions. These restored findings also were advanced in control group becouse of no DEN treatment but tended to be less avanced. In immunohistochemistry, positive cells to PCNA antibody appeared more numerous in control groups than that of CY treated groups. Appearance of positive cells in CY-treated group for 7 days and for 9 days were more numerous than those of CY-treated groups for 3 days and for 5 days, respectively. So these findings suggested that CY suppressed cell proliferations and effects of these action were decreased with CY-treated days. The numbers of positive cells to PCNA antibody were more prominent in hepatocelular carcinoma regions and cholangiocarcinoma regions, and then were ranked as order of large liver cell regions and normal liver cell regions. Also the numbers of the positive cells by apoptotic kit tended to be higher in hepatocelular carcinoma regions and cholangiocarcinoma regions but not uniformly in order in all regions nd were much less numbers than those of OCNA positive cells. So immunohistochemical methods using PCNA antibody together than using apoptotic kit alone when anti-carcinogen experiments. Rats with positive cells by p53 antibody were 11 of 15 rats(73.4%) in control groups and 12 of 18 rats(66.7%) in CY treated group, respectively. These positive cells appeared focally in early vacuole-occurring regions and were low in numbers.