Clinical and parasitological detection of babesia canis canis in dogs: first report from turkey

This study was aimed to describe clinical, biochemical and haemathological findings in three dogs with Babesia canis canis diagnosed by Giemsa staining and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods. In Case I and II severe icterus, anemia, haemoglobinemia, haemoglobinuria, thrombocytopenia, tachypnea, tachycardia, liver damage and myositis were determined. In addition in Case I cholecystitis and in Case II renal damage were developed. In Case III mild anemia and icterus along with liver damage and myositis were developed and clinical signs were mild. Following treatment Case II and III completely recovered while Case I died. In conclusion, B. canis canis has been determined clinically and parasitologically for first time in Turkey

Venous drainage of the heart of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Background: This study was carried out to reveal the coronary venous system of the Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) heart. The hearts used in the study were obtained from 6 Red foxes that were brought to the Kafkas University Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center after serious injuries due to firearms or traffic accidents and could not be saved despite all interventions. Materials and methods: Latex was injected from the cranial vena cava and caudal vena cava to expose the coronary vasculature. Hearts were photographed after dissection. Results: It was determined that venous drainage of the red fox heart was provided by the great cardiac vein, middle cardiac vein, right cardiac veins, and the smallest cardiac veins. The strongest of these veins was determined to be the paraconal interventricular  vein with a diameter of 3.03 ± 0.44 mm. It was determined that the paraconal interventricular vein was accompanied by a strong vein with a diameter of 2.09 ± 0.43 mm in five of six fox hearts examined. It was observed that left atrial oblique vein participated in the formation of the coronary sinus in four hearts, and the great cardiac vein, middle cardiac vein, and the left marginal ventricular vein were seen to be drained into the coronary sinus in the other two hearts. It was determined that the paraconal interventricular vein and middle cardiac vein collected the venous blood of septum interventriculare via septal veins in all hearts. Conclusions: In this study, the smallest cardiac veins were clearly identified for the first time, and the myocardial bridge was revealed in a wild animal for the first time

Graphene-Enabled Optoelectronics on Paper

The realization of optoelectronic devices on paper has been an outstanding challenge due to the large surface roughness and incompatible nature of paper with optical materials. Here, we demonstrate a new class of optoelectronic devices on a piece of printing paper using graphene as an electrically reconfigurable optical medium. Our approach relies on electro-modulation of optical properties of multilayer graphene on paper via blocking the interband electronic transitions. The paper based devices yield high optical contrast in the visible spectrum with a fast response. Pattering graphene into multiple pixels, folding paper into three-dimensional shapes or printing colored ink on paper substrates enable us to demonstrate novel optoelectronic devices which cannot be realized with wafer-based techniques. © 2016 American Chemical Society

EFFECT OF SINGLE DOSE DEXAMETHASONE ADMINISTRATION ON METABOLISM RELATED PARAMETERS IN LACTATING FAT TAILED SHEEP

This study was designed to investigate the effect of a single dose glucocorticoid administration on the parameters related to energy metabolism in sheep. Forty healthy lactating fat tailed ewes, 2-3 years old, were obtained from the Farm of the University of Kafkas. The animals were divided into control (n=20) and treated group (n=20). Ewes in the treatment group (n=20) was parenterally given a single dose of 0.025 mg/kg dexamethasone (Deksavet %0.4 enj.(R), Interhas, Istanbul-Turkey) at the beginning of the study. Ewes in the control group (n=20) were parenterally given the same dose of placebo at the beginning of the study. All animals were blood sampled before the drug administration and on the 1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd), 4(th), 5(th) and 7(th) day of injection. Sera samples were analysed for the determination of concentrations of insulin, beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB), non esterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total protein, albumin, globulin and phosphorus. Cholesterol, glucose (P < 0.001) and insulin (P < 0.05) concentration obtained on day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 were significantly higher than the baseline values on day 0. Concentrations of cholesterol and glucose peaked on day 7 and 3, respectively. NEFA concentration was significantly lower during the experiment except for day 7 when it peaked (P < 0.05). Other examined parameters did not significantly change when compared to the baseline values. Comparison of the control and the treated group revealed a statistically significant increase in the concentrations of glucose on day 2, 3, and 4, cholesterol on day 3, 4, 5, and 7, insulin on day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 while concentrations of NEFA decreased on day 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 and phosphorus concentrations decreased on day 4

Comparison of arterial and, venous blood gas values in conscious dogs and dogs under anaesthesia induced by ketamine

The aim of the present study was to determine whether venous blood samples can be used as an alternative to arterial samples in conscious and in anaesthetised dogs. Blood gas parameters (blood pH, PCO2, HCO3act-, BEecf, ctCO(2)) were measured in the femoral artery and in the cephalic vein of 12 dogs before (conscious dogs) and during profound anaesthesia induced by ketamine (15 mg/kg IM) after sedation with xylazine (2 mg/kg IM). Anaesthesia induced significant increases of all arterial values of gas parameters except for pH values which have significantly decreased. Similarly venous values were also significantly modified except for BEecf and HCO3act-. Arterial pH values were significantly higher than venous values whereas all the other parameters were significantly lower in arterial blood in conscious and in anaesthetised dogs. High positive correlations were evidenced between arterial and venous values of a given parameter in conscious dogs (the correlation coefficients were comprised between 0.861 and 0.947) as well as in anaesthetised dogs although they were less intense (the correlation coefficients ranged from 0.824 to 0.895). During anaesthesia, the highest correlation rate (r(2)> 80%) was obtained between arterial and venous pH values. In conclusion, venous blood gas values can predict arterial values in healthy dogs with sufficient accuracy whereas only venous pH values may be used during ketamine anaesthesia

Graphene-Enabled Optoelectronics on Paper

The realization of optoelectronic devices on paper has been an outstanding challenge due to the large surface roughness and incompatible nature of paper with optical materials. Here, we demonstrate a new class of optoelectronic devices on a piece of printing paper using graphene as an electrically reconfigurable optical medium. Our approach relies on electro-modulation of optical properties of multilayer graphene on paper via blocking the interband electronic transitions. The paper based devices yield high optical contrast in the visible spectrum with a fast response. Pattering graphene into multiple pixels, folding paper into three-dimensional shapes or printing colored ink on paper substrates enable us to demonstrate novel optoelectronic devices which cannot be realized with wafer-based techniques

Protective effect of L carnitine against diclofenac sodium toxicity in mice

This study investigated the eventual protective effects of L-carnitine against renal and liver damage caused by high doses of diclofenac sodium in mice. A pilot study, designed to determine the highest toxic dose of diclofenac, was conducted on 32 Swiss Albino adult mice randomly divided into 4 equal groups according to the drug dose: 0 (control), 2.5 (low), 5 (moderate) and 10 mg/kg/day (high dose) for 5 days by the subcutaneous route. Serum biochemical parameters (BUN and creatinine concentrations and AST, ALT and ALP activities) were measured as well as GSH and MDA contents in liver and in kidney at the end of the treatment. The 2 highest dosages of diclofenac have induced significant increases of the serum markers and MDA accumulation in tissues whereas the kidney and liver GSH contents were depressed in parallel. Besides, a strong dose-effect relationship was evidenced. In the second experimental step, 4 groups of 8 mice received subcutaneous injections for 5 days of saline solution (NaCl, 20 mL/g body weight/day) (group I), of L carnitine (500 mg/kg/day) (group II), of diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg/day) (group III) and of diclofenac (10 mg/kg/day) plus L carnitine (500 mg/kg/day 3 days before and 2 days during the diclofenac treatment) (group IV) respectively. The diclofenac treatment alone or in combination with L carnitine induced liver and kidney damage as attested by significant increases of the serum markers and by tissue MDA accumulation. Nevertheless, these variations were significantly reduced in co-treated mice. Whereas the GSH pools in liver and kidney were markedly depressed in the group III, they were significantly enhanced in mice treated with L carnitine alone, and remained unaffected in co-treated mice (group IV) compared to the controls. These results demonstrated that the diclofenac toxicity is due to lipid peroxidation and impairment of the antioxidant systems in liver and kidney and that a co-treatment with L carnitine can partially alleviate it by restoring antioxidant capacity

Serum sialic acid and oxidative stress parameters changes in cattle with leptospirosis

This study was designed to disclose some indicators of oxidative stress and inflammation in natural cases of bovine leptospirosis. For this purpose, 12 bulls exhibiting clinical signs of leptospirosis and 10 healthy bulls were used. Animals were subjected to thorough clinical examination and the clinical signs were recorded. All animals were blood sampled in order to determine serum total sialic acid (TSA), lipid bound sialic acid (LBSA), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), uric acid (UA), total protein (TP), albumin and glucose. Urine samples were collected from each animal and examined under dark-field microscope to observe spirochetes. Diseased animals exhibited clinical signs suggesting leptospirosis and the diagnosis was supported by positive dark-field microscope examination. Mean TSA (mmol/L), LBSA (mmol/L), TP (g/dl), albumin (g/dl), glucose (mg/dl), MDA (mu mol/L), GSH (mg/dl), NO (nmol/ml), and UA (mg/L) levels were 1.63 +/- 0.02, 0.40 +/- 0.10, 7.18 +/- 0.24, 3.23 +/- 0.5, 64.96 +/- 1.88, 5.71 +/- 0.11, 78.68 +/- 0.72, 7.94 +/- 0.34, and 8.75 +/- 0.41 in healthy bulls, and 2.50 +/- 0.05, 0.70 +/- 0.2, 9.27 +/- 0.17, 2.55 +/- 0.62, 107.93 +/- 2.52, 8.82 +/- 0.14, 47.85 +/- 1.85, 14.57 +/- 0.63 and 15.85 +/- 0.80 in leptospirosis cases, respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Increased TSA, LBSA, MDA, NO, UA, TP, glucose and decreased GSH and albumin concentrations were suggestive of inflammation and oxidative stress in diseased bulls. The results obtained may suggest that oxidative damage along with other mechanisms might have taken part in the pathogenesis of bovine leptospirosis and further detailed studies are needed to fully understand the mechanism(s) of the disease