The levels of progesterone, testosterone and estradiol-17p in serum samples from two female Asian elephants were measured for the period of 32 months from February 1987 to September 1989. Serum samples were collected weekly from unanesthetized elephants. Each elephant showed eight ovarian cycles in 32 months. Ovarian cycles, characterized by changes in concentrations of serum progesterone, averaged 16.8 2 0.6 (mean * SEM, n = 14) weeks in length. The changes in concentrations of testosterone in the serum showed a similar pattern to those of progesterone with a striking increase noted during the luteal phase. The highest levels of serum estradiol-17p were noted when progesterone levels showed low basal values. These results suggest that estradiol-17P may be an index of follicular maturation during the estrous cycle in Asian elephants, and that the ovaries of Asian elephants may produce testosterone in the luteal phase.

This study did not show an advantage of HES compared with LR in the prevention of hypotension or in the reduction of ephedrine dose during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. The anesthesia level, rather than the choice of intravenous fluid solution, might be related to the ephedrine dose.

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ABSTRACT. A 10-year-old dog, which had been treated for mitral insufficiency, died suddenly. Transmural myocardial infarction secondary to thromboembolic occlusion of the subsinuosal interventricular branch of the left circumflex artery was noted in the posterior lower half of the left ventricular wall, involving the interventricular septum and a part of right ventricular wall. The mitral valve leaflets were markedly thickened (valvular endocardiosis). There were a patchy area of jet lesion and several mural thrombi on the left-atrial endocardium. The embolus in the subsinuosal interventricular branch was composed of mostly platelets and fibrin, showing the same histologic features as those of the mural thrombi on the left-atrial endocardium. From these findings, it was concluded that dislodgement of part of the mural thrombi on the left-atrial endocardium caused thromboembolism of the subsinuosal interventricular branch. -KEY WORDS: canine, mitral insufficiency, transmural myocardial infarction.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 60(6): 741-743, 1998 posterior wall of the left ventricle from the midventricular portion to the apex, involving the interventricular septum and a part of right ventricular wall. The mitral valve leaflets showed marked opacification and nodular thickening. Two cordae tendineae of the mitral valve were ruptured and the annulus was dilated. On the endocardial surface of the left atrium, there were several yellowish-brown uneven mural thrombi, 3 to 10 mm in diameter, together with opaque, wrinkled areas of endocardial thickening characteristic of jet lesions (Fig. 3). Although all extramural coronary arteries including the subsinuosal interventricular branch were carefully dissected, no further emboli were found. Other organs and tissues revealed no source of embolus.Microscopic examination revealed that the embolus occluding the subsinuosal interventricular branch was composed of multiple layers of alternating bands of platelets and fibrin mixed with rather scanty amounts of leukocytes and erythrocytes (Fig. 4). Special stains for bacteria and fungi, such as Gram's stain and Gomori's methenamine method, were negative in the embolic lesion. There were no pathological changes of the arterial wall.The transmural myocardial lesion consisted of coagulation necrosis, contraction band necrosis, and wavy appearance of the cardiac muscle fibers, which was accompanied by neutrophil infiltration, hemorrhage, and edema in the interstitium. Contraction band necrosis was most frequently found at and around the border of the necrotic and viable areas.The mitral valve leaflets had severe myxomatous degeneration. Mural thrombi attached to the endocardial surface of the left atrial wall had the same microscopic features as the embolus occluding the subsinuosal interventricular branch. In the extramural coronary arteries examined microscopically, there was no arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis. Other histopathological findings were secondary to persistent generalized circulatory disturbances, Microscopic intramural myoc...

Abstract:Since repeated noxious stimuli may sensitize neuropathic pain receptors of the spinal cord, we tested the hypothesis that the appropriate blockade of surgical stimuli with epidural anesthesia during upper abdominal surgery would be beneficial for postoperative analgesia. Thirty-six adult patients undergoing either elective gastrectomy or open cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to receive either inhalational general anesthesia alone (group G) or epidural anesthesia along with light general anesthesia (group E) throughout the surgery. Postoperative pain management consisted of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with bupivacaine accompanied by the continuous infusion of buprenorphine. To assess postoperative pain, a visual analogue scale (VAS) was employed at 2, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. While there was no significant difference in the bupivacaine dose, more patients undergoing gastrectomy in group G required supplemental analgesics than those in group E, and the VAS scores in group E demonstrated significantly better postoperative analgesia compared to group G after both types of surgery. Thus, an appropriate epidural blockade during upper abdominal surgery likely provides better posteperative pain relief.