The effects of detomidine, romifidine or acepromazine on echocardiographic measurements and cardiac function in normal horses.

Objective: To evaluate by echo- and electrocardiography the cardiac effects of sedation with detomidine hydrochloride, romifidine hydrochloride or acepromazine maleate in horses.

Study Design: An experimental study using a cross-over design without randomization.

Animals: Eight clinically normal Standardbred trotters.

Long-term treatment of pigs with low doses of monoclonal antibodies against porcine CD4 and CD8 antigens.

In vivo depletion of lymphocyte subsets allows investigation of the role of specific subsets in protective immunity. In the present study we evaluated the effects of long-term, low-dose treatment with murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against porcine CD4 and CD8 surface antigens on lymphocyte subsets in pigs. Four-week-old pigs were treated by intramuscular injections of hybridoma cell culture supernatants containing anti-CD mAbs twice a week for a period of 5 weeks.

Use of color Doppler echocardiography to assess the development of valvular regurgitation in Standardbred trotters.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and development of valvular regurgitation and its effect on racing performance in Standardbred trotters from 2 to 3.5 years of age.

Design: Longitudinal observational study.

Porcine humoral immune responses to multiple injections of murine monoclonal antibodies.

In humans and cattle, multiple injections of murine monoclonal antibodies (m-mAbs) induce anti-mouse antibody responses. The objectives of the present study were to investigate whether a similar response could be seen when pigs were subjected to m-mAb therapy, and to study the kinetics of such a response. In two separate animal experiments, long-term treatment was performed with m-mAbs at low-dose levels and therapeutic levels, respectively.

Changes over time in echocardiographic measurements in young Standardbred racehorses undergoing training and racing and association with racing performance.

Objective: To evaluate changes over time in echocardiographic measurements in young Standardbred racehorses undergoing training and racing and determine whether there was any relationship between cardiac dimensions and racing performance.

Design: Longitudinal observational study.

Animals: 103 horses.

Temporary CD8+ T-cell depletion in pigs does not exacerbate infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

Several studies have demonstrated a consistent increase in the CD8+ T-cell subset of pigs following infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV). Consequently, it has been suggested that CD8+ T-cells may play an important role in protection against this infection. In order to test this hypothesis, we examined five 5-week-old pigs, which had been depleted for CD8+ T-cells by treatment with anti-CD8 mAb injections, starting 2 days before inoculation with PRRSV.

Sources and magnitude of variation of echocardiographic measurements in normal standardbred horses.

The purpose of this study was to assess the intraobserver variation of various echocardiographic measures in standardbred trotters. Serial echocardiographic examinations were carried out on eight standardbred mares by one ultrasonographer for 5 separate days. During each examination, five nonconsecutive cardiac cycles (frames) were recorded and an average obtained for each individual measure.

Phasmid ultrastructure of an ascaridoid nematode Hysterothylacium auctum.

Here, for the first time in an ascaridoid (Hysterothylacium auctum), we present structural features of the phasmids, paired sense organs, positioned in a bilateral manner close to the point of the tail; the features were obtained using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. We found that each phasmid consists of a single ciliated dendritic process situated in a phasmidial canal surrounded by 2 supporting cells, a socket and a sheath cell. The socket cell contains clusters of electron-dense fibrous material in its apical region and covers the phasmidial canal along its whole length.

Recovery of live immature cyathostome larvae from the faeces of horses by Baermann technique.

It was demonstrated in the present study that a simple Baermann technique using disposable materials, was successful in detecting living, motile cyathostome larvae in the faeces of horses.

Validation of ultrasonography for hepatic schistosomiasis using a porcine Schistosoma japonicum model.

Ultrasonography is increasingly used to record hepatosplenic involvement in schistosomiasis. However, questions remain unsolved regarding diagnostic accuracy in mild hepatic disease and under influence of confounders like co-infections. We report on a study to evaluate the suitability of a pig model of schistosomiasis japonica to investigate such problems.