Amputation of the Front Medial Digit of a Holstein Cow - Successful Parturition and Milk Production

Background: Diseases of the bovine digit and hoof remain major problems in dairy farming and the beef cow industry. Severe claudication accompanying swelling and pain at the lesion is often observed in deep digital sepsis, septic arthritis, severe sole ulcers, and chronic interdigital phlegmon. In addition, digital amputation is often performed in cases of white line disease or severe trauma, such as bone fractures. There are few reports of amputation of the medial digit of the bovine front hoof. In this case, amputation of the medial digit of the front leg of a pregnant cow was performed; its hospitalizationand return to productivity is reported.Case: The bovine was a 9-year-old Holstein cow in the 6th month of pregnancy, weighing 671 kg. Upon admission, the cow could not bear weight on its right front leg, and swelling and a purulent discharge were observed in the coronary area of the medial digit. X-ray examination results indicated a periosteal reaction centered on the 3rd phalanx of the medial digit of its right front leg hoof and slight periosteal reactions at the adaxial sides of the middle and proximal phalanges, strongly suggestive of septic arthritis caused by infection. According to the X-ray examination results, no abnormalities of the lateral digit of the front right hoof were observed; thus, it was estimated that the post-amputation hoof would be able to bear weight. Therefore, a decision was made to perform immediate amputation of the medial digit of the right front leg hoof to reduce pain for improved delivery of the offspring and improved milk production during the lactation period, rather than allowing the lesion progress until the dry period or the expected date of delivery. According to the X-ray examination results, amputation of the 1st phalanx alone was expected to suffice for removal of the cause of the pain; thus, a decision was made to perform amputation at the edge adjacent to the 2nd phalanx. The right front medial digit was prepared for aseptic surgery, and infiltration anesthesia was performed. An incision was made with a surgical knife at the interdigit of the right front limb. A wire saw was inserted into the site to cut the 2nd phalanx in the anti-axial direction down to the skin to resect the lesion. White viscous pus was discharged at the resection site; therefore, the wound was lavaged with tap water and packed with povidone iodine-impregnated gauze. The wound was also covered with a diaper and dressed with non-elastic and elastic bandages. The dressing was changed daily to aid wound healing. No problems were observed in the standing-up motion or other relevant movements immediately after the surgery. Granulation tissue formed rapidly, approximately 2 weeks after the surgery, and the lesion dried gradually. Approximately one month after the surgery, the subject exhibited little difficulty in both standing up and walking. The subject successfully delivered its 7th offspring at the farm on postoperative day 93.Discussion: The animal of this study was a 9-year-old, pregnant cow, and although amputation of the front medial digit is a relatively rare procedure, the cow was able to deliver and return to production, owing to sufficient postoperative treatment and care. The case also demonstrated the advantage of X-ray examination in bovine hoof diseases for accurate diagnosis, precise operation, and prognostic assessment. Keywords: bovine, lameness, surgery, septic arthritis, bovine hoof, medial digit, digital amputation

Trace element concentrations in blood samples from dairy cows with uterine torsion and their neonatal calves

Background and Aim: Mineral deficiencies can lead to dystocia and abnormalities in neonates. Stillbirth of neonatal calves in dairy cows due to dystocia has become an economic problem. Uterine torsion (UT) is a common form of dystocia observed in dairy cows. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports on the characteristics of serum trace element concentrations in dairy cows with UT. This study aimed to comprehensively measure serum trace element concentrations in dairy cows with UT and dystocia. Materials and Methods: Dairy cows with (n = 15) and without (n = 27) UT and neonates (n = 9 and n = 26, respectively) were included in this study. Blood samples (10 mL) were collected, and serum trace element concentrations were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometry. Results: The mortality rate at birth was significantly higher in calves delivered by cows with UT than those delivered by cows without UT. The odds ratio for mortality rate at birth in dairy cows with UT was 7.85. Serum zinc (Zn) levels were significantly lower in cows with UT than in cows without UT (p = 0.01). The copper: Zn ratio was significantly higher in cows with UT than in cows without torsion (p = 0.05). In contrast, serum Cobalt (Co) concentrations were significantly higher in neonates from cows with UT than in neonates from cows without UT (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Uterine torsion is associated with a high mortality rate at birth and considerable economic losses. Cows with UT had low serum Zn levels, and neonates born to these cows had high serum Co levels

Quantum arbitrary waveform generator

Controlling the waveform of light is the key for a versatile light source in classical and quantum electronics. Although pulse shaping of classical light is a mature technique and has been used in various fields, more advanced applications would be realized by a light source that generates arbitrary quantum light with arbitrary temporal waveform. We call such a device a quantum arbitrary waveform generator (Q-AWG). The Q-AWG must be able to handle versatile quantum states of light, which are fragile. Thus, the Q-AWG requires a radically different methodology from classical pulse shaping. In this paper, we invent an architecture of Q-AWGs that can operate semi-deterministically at a repetition rate over GHz in principal. We demonstrate its core technology via generating highly non-classical states with waveforms that have never been realized before. This result would lead to powerful quantum technologies based on Q-AWGs such as practical optical quantum computing.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure

Development of a Highly Sensitive Method for the Detection of Cryptosporidium parvum Virus Type 1 (CSpV1)

Poster Session

Search for light top squark pair production in final states with leptons and b -jets with the ATLAS detector in s=7\sqrt{s}=7 TeV proton-proton collisions

The results of a search for pair production of light top squarks are presented, using 4.7 fb^-1 of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV proton-proton collisions collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This search targets top squarks with masses similar to, or lighter than, the top quark mass. Final states containing exclusively one or two leptons (e, mu), large missing transverse momentum, light-jets and b-jets are used to reconstruct the top squark pair system. Global mass scale variables are used to separate the signal from a large ttbar background. No excess over the Standard Model expectations is found. The results are interpreted in the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, assuming the top squark decays exclusively to a chargino and a b-quark. Light top squarks with masses between 123-167 GeV are excluded for neutralino masses around 55 GeV