In order to survey the occurrence of waterborne viruses in Korean surface water, a total of 192 water samples from July 2003 to January 2006 were collected and analyzed. The presence of waterborne viruses was investigated by total culturable virus assay (TCVA) using buffalo green monkey kidney (BGMK) cells. The results showed that 63 of 192 samples (32.8%) were positive for waterborne viruses with the average concentration of 3.1+/-18 most probable numbers (MPN)/100 L. The relationship between the occurrence of the viruses and the physicochemical environmental factors revealed that there was a significant correlation between the turbidity of water and the occurrence of the viruses. It was also noted that the water temperature might have some relationship with the occurrence of the viruses, as the frequency of the viruses was higher in low temperature or winter season. Therefore, the occurrence of waterborne viruses in Korean surface water might be affected by the physicochemical environmental factors such as turbidity and water temperature.
Buffaloes ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Kidney ; Seasons ; Water*

OBJECTIVETo optimize the extraction conditions of the total amino acid from Bubali Cornu.

METHODAn orthogonal test of L9 (3(4)) was designed to select optimum exaction conditions of the total amino acid. The influence of solvent concentration, the dosage of solvent and time of extraction were investigated with the content of total amino acid and thrombin-induced fibrin clotting time as index.

RESULTThe optimum extraction condition procedure was described as follows: the concentration of the solvent was 4 mol x L(-1), volume of solvent was 6 times amount of the materials.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum exaction conditions procedure is reasonable and stable.

BACKGROUND: Shift work and/or sleep quality may affect health. We investigated whether shift work and sleep quality, separately and jointly, were associated with abnormal levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), and low-and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in 360 police officers (27.5% women). METHODS: Triglycerides, TC, and high-density lipoprotein were analyzed on the Abbott Architect; low-density lipoprotein was calculated. Shift work was assessed using City of Buffalo payroll work history records. Sleep quality (good, ≤ 5; intermediate, 6-8; poor, ≥ 9) was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire. A shift work + sleep quality variable was created: day plus good sleep; day plus poor sleep; afternoon/night plus good; and poor sleep quality. Mean values of lipid biomarkers were compared across categories of the exposures using analysis of variance/analysis of covariance. RESULTS: Shift work was not significantly associated with lipids. However, as sleep quality worsened, mean levels of triglycerides and TC gradually increased but only among female officers (age- and race-adjusted p = 0.013 and 0.030, respectively). Age significantly modified the association between sleep quality and TC. Among officers ≥ 40 years old, those reporting poor sleep quality had a significantly higher mean level of TC (202.9 ± 3.7 mg/dL) compared with those reporting good sleep quality (190.6 ± 4.0 mg/dL) (gender- and race-adjusted p = 0.010). Female officers who worked the day shift and also reported good sleep quality had the lowest mean level of TC compared with women in the other three categories (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Sleep quality and its combined influence with shift work may play a role in the alteration of some lipid measures.
Biomarkers ; Buffaloes ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Humans ; Joints* ; Lipoproteins ; Police ; Triglycerides

Buffalo hump is a manifestation of Cushing's syndrome. Herb medicine is popular in Korea, and it might cause Cushing's syndrome. Using power-assisted liposuction device, we treated a woman with buffalo hump deformity due to herb medication for 2 years. The histologic study of hump was normal fat cell. So, the hump can be removed easily using liposuction, and it may be an effective method to treat the facial and cervical deformity in Cushing's syndrome.
Adipocytes ; Buffaloes* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Cushing Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Lipectomy*

Glucocorticoid (GC) excess, including Cushing's syndrome, is a common cause of secondary osteoporosis. Thirty to fifty percent of Cushing's syndrome patients experience non-traumatic fractures, which is often the presenting manifestation of Cushing's syndrome. However, there have been rare cases of Cushing's syndrome diagnosed only based upon bone manifestations. We describe a case of Cushing's syndrome that was diagnosed in a 44-year-old woman who initially visited our hospital due to multiple non-traumatic rib fractures. She did not exhibit any other manifestations of Cushing's syndrome such as moon face, buffalo hump or abdominal striae. Initially, we evaluated her for bone metastases from a cancer of unknown origin, but there was no evidence of metastatic cancer. Instead, we found a left adrenal incidentaloma. As a result of the hormone study, she was diagnosed as having Cushing's syndrome. Interestingly, her bony manifestation of Cushing's syndrome, which was evident in the bone scan and bone mineral densitometry, completely recovered after a left adrenalectomy. Therefore, the possibility of Cushing's syndrome as a cause of secondary osteoporosis should be considered in young patients with non-traumatic multiple fractures, with or without any other typical features of Cushing's syndrome.
Adrenalectomy ; Adult ; Buffaloes ; Cushing Syndrome* ; Densitometry ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoporosis ; Rib Fractures*

In order to differentiate the causes of Cushing's syndrome; whether it is pituitary or adrenal-dependent, a high dose dexamethasone suppression test is usually performed but this does not always correlated with the imaging diagnosis. We report a case of bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia, which was thought to be independent to adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) stimulation. At first we thought it was pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome, due to its suppression by high dose dexamethasone. However, we found no abnormal findings on the brain sella magnetic resonance image (MRI). A significant finding, however, we found bilateral adrenal masses on the abdominal computed tomography (CT). We performed percutaneous selective adrenal venous sampling (PSAVS), and confirmed hypercortisolism of the left adrenal mass only. Therefore, we decided to remove the left adrenal gland to preserve the residual function of the right adrenal gland. After the left adrenalectomy, the patient became normotensive, and their buffalo hump disappeared, and her 24 hour urinary free cortisol level returned to normal.
Adrenal Glands ; Adrenalectomy* ; Brain ; Buffaloes ; Cushing Syndrome* ; Dexamethasone ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperplasia*

Thirty seven cases of bursitis presented to our Veterinary Teaching Hospital from 2001 to 2005. There were 10 adult female buffalos with olecranon bursitis (one had bilateral bursitis) and 26 calves (7 cattle and 19 buffalos, 16 males and 10 females) with presternal bursitis. There were 10 out of 11 cases of olecranon bursitis and 21 out of 26 cases of presternal bursitis with different forms (cystic, proliferative and fibrous) that were removed surgically. The remaining 6 cases, cystic bursitis (olecranon = 1, presternal = 5), were treated by aspiration of their contents and injection of 4% iodine tincture intrabursally. Only 2 cases recovered, 3 cases progressed to fibrosis and required further surgical treatment 2 to 3 weeks later, and 1 case continued to have a cystic lesion. Histopathological examination of tissue specimens from different forms of bursitis revealed that the acquired bursae were generally lined with synovial-like membrane formed from 2-3 cellular layers that covered the connective tissue capsule. The connective tissue capsule differed from one type to another and consisted of fibrous tissues containing numerous small blood vessels, blood capillaries, lymphatics and nerves. There was also evidence for inflammation within the capsule represented by congestion of blood vessels and the presence of perivascular inflammatory cells, mostly mononuclear. In conclusion, surgical treatment was successful and effective for treatment of olecranon and presternal bursitis particularly for the chronic proliferative and fibrous form in cattle and buffalo. The histological structure of the acquired bursae was relatively similar consisting of a synovial-like membrane and a connective tissue capsule with varying degrees of the inflammatory process.
Animals ; Buffaloes/*surgery ; Bursitis/pathology/surgery/*veterinary ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*pathology/surgery ; Female ; Histocytochemistry/veterinary ; Male

The maxillary sinus appeared first among the sinuses of the skull at 92 days of prenatal stage. The early formation of frontal sinus was observed at 157 days in the cranial most part of the frontal bone while the early formation of palatine sinus was observed at 170 days. A total of five fontanelles were observed in prenatal skulls of buffalo. The largest and unpaired fontanelle was anterior fontanelle. The mastoid and sphenoidal fontanelle were paired. The ossification of anterior fontanelle was first observed at 164 days. All the fontanelles were ossified completely prenatally.
Buffaloes ; Cranial Fontanelles ; Frontal Bone ; Frontal Sinus ; Mastoid ; Maxillary Sinus ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Skull

The body condition score (BCS) system is a subjective scoring method of evaluating the energy reserves of dairy animals to provide better understanding of biological relationships between body fat, milk production and reproduction. This method helps in adopting the optimum management practices to derive maximum production and maintain optimum health of the livestock. In this study, a new BCS system was developed for Murrah buffaloes. The skeletal check points were identified by studying the anatomical features and amount of fat reserves in slaughtered animals. The scores were assigned from 1 to 5 based on the amount of fat reserves in slaughtered animals. A score of 1 represents least and 5 represents most amount of fat. The skeletal check points identified were ordered based on the amount of carcass fat reserves and scores assigned to prepare a preliminary BCS chart on a 1 to 5 scale at 0.25 increments. The BCS chart was further modified by eliminating the skeletal check points at which the fat reserves were less evident on palpation in most of the buffaloes and a new BCS chart on a 1 to 5 scale at 0.5 increments examining eight skeletal check points was developed. The new BCS system developed was tested for precision in 10 buffaloes for each point of the 1-5 scale by ultrasonographic measurements of body fat reserves. Ultrasonographic measurements showed that as the BCS increased, the amount of fat reserves also increased (p < 0.01), indicating that the BCS adequately reflected the amount of actual fat reserves. BCS was significantly correlated (r = 0.860) with the carcass fat reserves as well as the ultrasonographic fat reserves (r = 0.854).
Adipose Tissue/*physiology/ultrasonography ; Animals ; Body Composition/*physiology ; Buffaloes/*physiology ; Dairying ; Female

Mechanical properties and biological evaluation of buffalo horn material were examined in this study. The effects of sampling position of buffalo horn on mechanical properties were investigated with uniaxial tension and micron indentation tests. Meanwhile, the variation of element contents in different parts of buffalo horn was determined with elemental analysis, and the microstructure of the horn was measured with scanning electron microscopy. In addition, biological evaluation of buffalo horn was studied with hemolytic test, erythrocyte morphology, platelet and erythrocyte count, and implantation into mouse. Results showed that the buffalo horn had good mechanical properties and mechanical characteristic values of it gradually increased along with the growth direction of the horn, which may be closely related to its microstructure and element content of C, N, and S in different parts of the buffalo horn. On the other hand, because the buffalo horn does not have toxicity, it therefore does not cause hemolysis of erythrocyte and has a good affinity with it. Buffalo horn has good histocompatibility but meanwhile it may induce the platelet adhesion and aggregation. Even so, it does not continue to rise to induce a large number of platelet to aggregate with resulting blood clotting. Therefore, the buffalo horn material has been proved to possess good blood compatibility according to the preliminary evaluation.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Buffaloes ; Erythrocytes ; Horns ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning