Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Drazek Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: M. Lew Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: S. Lew Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Biology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: A. Pomianowski Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland Title: Electroretinography in dogs: a review Abstract: Electroretinography (ERG) in the form of full-field, flash ERG is the most commonly used technique in veterinary ophthalmology for diagnosing the functioning of the outer retina. Under light stimulation spatially distributed different cell types within the retina produce time-varying electric responses. These are recorded in the form of ERG traces consisting of a series of positive and negative wavelets. The possibility of selective stimulation of individual types of retinal cells and the analysis of constituent components of ERGs are the basis for determining the source of abnormalities and diagnosis of various types of dysfunction. In many cases, the ERG allows diagnosis of hereditary retinal disorders in dogs before the appearance of behavioural and ophthalmoscopic symptoms. This review is an introduction to the electrophysiology of vision, intended for small animal practitioners, and aimed at presenting the benefits of ERG for early ophthalmic diagnostics in dogs. Keywords: ERG, ophthalmology, PRA, retina Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 515-526 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/7816-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7816-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201411-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:59:y:2014:i:11:id:7816-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S. Mohana Devi Author-Workplace-Name: Dankook University, Cheonan, Chungnam, Republic of Korea Author-Name: I.H. Kim Author-Workplace-Name: Dankook University, Cheonan, Chungnam, Republic of Korea Title: Effect of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) and probiotic (Enterococcus faecium) supplementation on the growth performance, digestibility and blood profiles in weanling pigs Abstract: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of MCFA and probiotic (Enterococcus faecium DSM 7134) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, faecal score, excreta microbiota, and excreta noxious gas emission in weanling pigs. A total of 140 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] were allotted to four treatments groups of seven replicates/treatment and five pigs/replicate. The four experimental diets included: CON diet (basal diet); T1 (CON + MCFA 0.2%); T2 (CON + probiotic 0.01%) and T3 (CON + MCFA 0.2% + probiotic 0.01%). Growth performance, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), gain-to-feed ratio (G : F), Nutrient digestibility: dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), energy were determined along with blood profiles: glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol, triglyceride, Excreta bacteria: Lactobacillus, E. coli, Excreta gas emission: NH3, H2S, total mercaptans, acetic acid and faecal scores. Overall, average daily gain (ADG) and G : F in T2 and T3 treatment groups was higher than in T1 and controls. In blood profiles, glucose levels were found to be increased in week two and six in the treatment groups compared to controls. In addition, the nutrient digestibility of DM, N and energy were found to be increased significantly in T2 and T3 when compared to T1 and controls. There was no significant difference observed between the groups for faecal score, microflora and noxious gas emission. In conclusion, dietary MCFA and probiotic supplementation in weanling pigs are efficacious alternatives to antibiotics, and can improve health status and performance. Keywords: MCFA, pigs, performance, digestibility, probiotics Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 527-535 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/7817-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7817-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201411-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:59:y:2014:i:11:id:7817-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A.A. Saleh Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan Author-Name: D. Ijiri Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan Author-Name: A. Ohtsuka Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan Title: Effects of summer shield supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilisation, and plasma lipid profiles in broiler chickens Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of herb mixture (summer shield) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilisation, and plasma lipid profiles in broiler chickens. Thirty-six male chicks at 15 days of age were divided into three groups with three replicates of four birds. The control group of chicks was fed a basal diet and the remaining two groups of chicks were fed the basal diet supplemented with summer shield at a concentration of 1 g/kg or 2 g/kg, respectively, until 37 days of age. Although feed intake was not different among the three groups, both body weight gain and breast muscle weight were increased in chicks fed a summer shield-supplemented diet. Summer shield supplementation decreased abdominal fat weight and consequently feed efficiency was improved. Both protein and fat utilisation was improved in chickens fed a summer shield-supplemented diet although dry matter content was not influenced. In addition, summer shield supplementation improved plasma lipid profiles, i.e., total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was increased. Furthermore, summer shield supplementation increased total protein, albumin, and globulin levels in plasma, while neither glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase nor glutamate pyruvate transaminase were affected. These results suggest that summer shield supplementation has positive effects on growth performance, nutrient utilisation, and plasma lipid profiles in broiler chickens. Keywords: summer shield, antibiotics, broilers, nutrient utilisation, growth performance, plasma lipid profiles Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 536-542 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/7818-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7818-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201411-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:59:y:2014:i:11:id:7818-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: L. Hromadkova Author-Workplace-Name: University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Zarybnicka Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence Brno, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Vavrova Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence Brno, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Bilkova Author-Workplace-Name: University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Sinkorova Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence Brno, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Title: The impact of pre-analytical treatment and sorting on human neutrophil function Abstract: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that pre-analytical treatment of relatively fragile cells is more important for their viability and function than shear forces and decompression shocks on a flow cytometric sorter. Human neutrophils were enriched using different techniques (sedimentation, hypotonic or ammonium chloride-mediated erythrocyte lysis) and their function was evaluated by measuring their capability of mounting oxidative burst. In contrast to other isolation techniques, neutrophils enriched by spontaneous sedimentation were found to be intact both in terms of their function and relative numbers within the leukocyte population; such preparations were thus run on a FACSAria cell sorter using 70, 85 and 100 µm nozzles and the corresponding internal pressure values. The viability and function of sorted neutrophils with or without subsequent cultivation were re-evaluated using phagocytosis assays. Independent of the nozzle size and internal sorter pressure, the capability of neutrophils of responding to E. coli stimulation was impaired after sorting while phorbol myristate acetate stimulation remained intact. In tested samples, only 20 h incubation of sorted cells confirmed the expected influence of the nozzle size on the sorted cell function. We conclude that pre-analytical treatment is more important for cell function than conditions during sorting. Keywords: flow cytometry, cell sorting, granulocytes, phagocytosis, oxidative burst Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 543-552 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/7819-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7819-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201411-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:59:y:2014:i:11:id:7819-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: F. Ustun Alkan Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Author-Name: C. Anlas Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Author-Name: S. Cinar Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Author-Name: F. Yildirim Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Author-Name: O. Ustuner Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Author-Name: T. Bakirel Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Author-Name: A. Gurel Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Title: Effects of curcumin in combination with cyclophosphamide on canine mammary tumour cell lines Abstract: In recent years, significant emphasis has been placed on combination chemotherapy in cancer using cytotoxic agents and plant derived-bioactive substances that are capable of selectively arresting cell growth and inducing apoptosis in tumour cells. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the possibility that the combination of curcumin and cyclophosphamide could show synergistic anti-proliferative effects towards CMT-U27 and CMT-U309 canine mammary cancer cells and, if so, to clarify the mechanism involved. The anti-proliferative activities of curcumin, cyclophosphamide and a combined treatment on CMT cells were determined using the MTT and LDH assays. The concentration of drug required for 50% inhibition of cell viability (IC50) and combination index (CI) values were calculated from log dose-response curves of fixed-combinations of curcumin and cyclophosphamide generated from MTT assays. Apoptosis was detected using a DNA fragmentation assay and Annexin-V/propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry. Cell cycle analyses were also performed using flow cytometry. The expression of the apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2 was determined by immunocytochemical staining. MTT and LDH assays showed that curcumin and cyclophosphamide induced a dose- and a time-dependent decrease in cell viability. Isobole analysis revealed that the substances exhibited a synergistic interaction when IC50 and 1/2 IC50 concentrations of curcumin and cyclophosphamide were added concurrently to the cultures. This synergy was characterised by a significant increase in the percentage of early and late apoptotic CMT-U27 and CMT-U309 cells. However, internucleosomal fragmentation of DNA was not observed in the DNA fragmentation assay. Cells treated with curcumin and cyclophosphamide arrested at the G2/M and S phases of the cell cycle, respectively. In combined treatments cells were arrested in both phases of the cell cycle. Furthermore, immunocytochemical stainings demonstrated that the curcumin induced apoptosis in CMT cells by the modulation of Bcl-2/Bax protein expression, as the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased and that of Bax increased. This effect was more pronounced in combination treatments. In conclusion, our study shows that a combination of curcumin and cyclophosphamide shows synergistic growth inhibitory activity on CMT cells via induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest accompanied by modulation of Bcl-2/Bax protein expression. This finding provides a molecular basis for the development of natural compounds as novel anticancer agents and will allow lowering the dose of cytotoxic agents, which will in turn lead to more specific and less toxic therapies for mammary cancer in dogs. Keywords: curcumin, cyclophosphamide, apoptosis, combination index, canine mammary cancer Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 553-572 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/7820-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7820-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201411-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:59:y:2014:i:11:id:7820-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Slaninova Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Machova Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Vodnany, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Svobodova Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Vodnany, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic Title: Fish kill caused by aluminium and iron contamination in a natural pond used for fish rearing: a case report Abstract: Contamination of Pansky Pond, in March 2013, with 119 mg/l aluminium, and 87 mg/l iron by acidic (pH 3.17) inflow from a nearby quarry caused fish die-off, while exhibiting symptoms of suffocation. Transformation of soluble forms of aluminium and iron into insoluble forms occurred on fish gill where the content of aluminium and iron was 100-fold and 12-fold, respectively, that found in control fish in an unaffected pond. In addition to insoluble aluminium and iron, gills showed presence of iron bacteria. Histopathology was characterised by expression of reactive processes and regressive alterations resulting in gill tissue necrosis. Impairment of the excretory function of gills was reflected in significantly (P < 0.01) higher concentrations of ammonia in the blood plasma of exposed fish compared to the control. Damage to parenchymatous tissues (kidney, liver, spleen) of the exposed fish was manifested as dystrophic alterations, higher aluminium and iron content, and enhanced activity of transaminases in blood plasma compared to the control. Keywords: aluminium, iron, water pH, iron bacteria, remobilisation, gill injury, plasma ammonium Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 573-581 Volume: 59 Issue: 11 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/7821-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7821-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201411-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:59:y:2014:i:11:id:7821-VETMED