水谷 尚

The objectives of this study were to assess the sequential dynamics of the endometrial polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) after calving by endometrial cytology, and clarify the factors that cause prolonged endometrial inflammation in lactating dairy cows. A total of 33 lactating Holstein dairy cows were used from -4 to 8 wk relative to calving (0 wk: the calving week). Endometrial samples were obtained sequentially from 2 to 8 wk. Body condition score and backfat thickness were obtained weekly from -4 to 8 wk. Blood samples collected from -4 to 8 wk were analyzed for indicators of energy status, hepatic function, systemic inflammation, and calcium. Blood amino acids were measured at 2 wk. Daily milk production was determined between 5 and 65 d postpartum. Based on the sequential cytological analysis, the endometrial inflammation threshold was set at ≥5.0% PMN, and the median wk of PMN% lower than 5.0% was 4.5 wk in this study; therefore, we classified the cows into the early group (cows with endometrial inflammation converged within 4 wk: n = 17) and the late group (cows with endometrial inflammation converged at or after 5 wk: n = 16). There were no differences in daily milk production, energy status, hepatic function, blood calcium concentration, and systemic inflammatory response. The late group had lower body condition scores and backfat thickness during the experimental period, and a higher blood concentration of 3-methyl histidine, indicating muscle breakdown, was observed in the late group at 2 wk. Our findings indicated that the lack of body fat reservation during the peripartum period and the increased muscle breakdown after calving were risk factors for prolonged endometrial inflammation.

© 2018, Hokkaido University. All rights reserved. We investigated changes in cortisol (COR) concentration, which is well known as an index of stress in the serum of dairy cattle. The COR concentrations in serum obtained from dairy cattle were collected during practical training of first-year students on a farm attached to the Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University. Mean COR concentration in serum determined after practical training was significantly higher (P <0.001) than that in serum collected before training. Discriminant analysis was used to classify the relation between COR concentration of serum collected before and after practical training. In conclusion, the data was bipartite according to the percentage of rise (rise rate) of COR concentration. Although the percentage of the rise was more than 300% in the high-rise-rate group, there was a significant negative correlation (P < 0.05) between age and COR concertation. It was thought that the high-rise-rate group has a chance to decrease stress after more experience. In contrast, the low-rise-rate group included 3 cattle indicating high COR concentration before and after practical training. Those 3 cattle were thought to be stressed easily. It is suggested that there was individual difference to stress.

© 2017 Anion-exchange (AEX)–high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for measurement of cholesterol can be used to separate serum lipoproteins (high-density lipoprotein (HDL); low-density lipoprotein (LDL); intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL); very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)) in humans. However, AEX–HPLC has not been applied in veterinary practice. We had three objectives: (i) the validation of AEX-HPLC methods including the correlation of serum cholesterol concentration in lipoprotein fraction measured by AEX–HPLC and gel permeation–HPLC (GP–HPLC) in healthy dogs and those with hypercholesterolemia was investigated; (ii) the reference intervals of lipoprotein fractions measured by AEX–HPLC from healthy dogs (n = 40) was established; (iii) lipoprotein fractions from the serum of healthy dogs (n = 12) and dogs with hypercholesterolemia (n = 23) were compared. Analytic reproducibility and precision of AEX–HPLC were acceptable. Positive correlation between serum concentrations of total cholesterol (Total-Chol), HDL cholesterol (HDL-Chol), LDL cholesterol (LDL-Chol) + IDL cholesterol (IDL-Chol), and VLDL cholesterol (VLDL-Chol) was noted for AEX–HPLC and GP–HPLC in healthy dogs and dogs with hypercholesterolemia. Reference intervals measured by AEX–HPLC for serum concentrations of Total-Chol, HDL-Chol, and LDL-Chol were determined to be 2.97–9.32, 2.79–6.57, 0.16–3.28 mmol/L (2.5–97.5% interval), respectively. Furthermore, there was significant difference in lipoprotein profiles between healthy and dogs with hypercholesterolemia. These results suggest that AEX–HPLC can be used to evaluate lipoprotein profiles in dogs and could be a new useful indicator of hyperlipidemia in dogs.

© 2016 The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science. Density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGUC) and gel electrophoresis are conventionally used to obtain lipoprotein profiles of animals. We recently applied high-performance liquid chromatography with a gel permeation column (GP-HPLC) and an on-line dual enzymatic system to dogs for lipoprotein profile analysis. We compared the GP-HPLC with DGUC as a method to obtain a feline lipoprotein profile. The lipoprotein profiles showed large and small peaks, which corresponded to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), respectively, whereas very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and chylomicron (CM) were only marginally detected. This profile was very similar to that of dogs reported previously. Healthy cats also had a small amount of cholesterol-rich particles distinct from the normal LDL or HDL profile. There was no difference in lipoprotein profiles between the sexes, but males had a significantly larger LDL particle size (P=0.015). This study shows the feasibility of GP-HPLC for obtaining accurate lipoprotein profiles with small sample volumes and provides valuable reference data for healthy cats that should facilitate diagnoses.

A 9-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat presented with a skin lesion of the left tarsus. The lesion was biopsied and, based on the microscopic appearance and immunohistochemical characteristics, histiocytic sarcoma was diagnosed. Amputation was performed with improved demeanor seen postoperatively. However, between 44 and 60 days following the surgery, relapse of skin lesions appeared in multiple locations, including at the previous amputation site, and euthanasia was elected. This is the first report of a histiocytic sarcoma treated with amputation in a cat. © 2011, International Society of Feline Medicine and American Association of Feline Practitioners. All rights reserved.