Borna disease: current knowledge and virus detection in France

For over two centuries, Borna disease (BD) has been described as a sporadically occurring infectious meningoencephalomyelitis affecting horses and sheep in Central Europe. Over the last decade, the BD epidemiology has been discussed. Firstly, its geographical distribution seems larger than what was previously thought. Secondly, the disease can affect a large number of warm-blooded animal species, including humans. The aetiological agent is the Boma disease virus (BDV), an enveloped, nonsegmented negative-stranded RNA virus classified in the new virus family Bornaviridae (Mononegavirales order). It can induce severe clinical signs of encephalitis with striking behavioural disturbances and may cause death. BDV genome has recently been detected in France in the blood and brain of several animal species (horses, bovines, foxes).     

Old,new and the newest concepts of inhibition of luteolysis during early pregnancy in pig

In 1977 Bazer and Thatcher proposed that maternal recognition of pregnancy in the pig involves the secretion of PGF(2alpha) towards the uterine lumen (exocrine) rather than towards the uterine venous drainage (endocrine) as occurs in the non-pregnant pig during the mid to late stages of the estrous cycle. The retrograde transfer of PGF(2alpha) from the venous blood and uterine lymph into the uterus and the ability of the uterine vein and artery wall to accumulate PGF(2alpha) could constitute a part of putative mechanism of corpus luteum protection during early pregnancy. A luteotropic/anti-luteolytic effect of PGE(2) in the pig also has been frequently demonstrated and it seems that the most effective agent in changing PGE(2):PGF(2alpha) secretion is estradiol. The role for oxytocin during luteolysis and early pregnancy is controversial. It appears, however, that the main function of this hormone is autocrine and/or paracrine stimulation of PGF(2alpha) secretion. Pig trophoblastic interferons, unlike those of ruminants, do not themselves exert an anti-luteolytic effect in pigs. It is likely, that cytokines and angiogenic growth factors are involved in the initiation of luteolysis and/or maintenance of corpora lutea (CL).A discovery of functional LH receptors in porcine endometrium opened a new possibility for this hormone in luteolysis and perhaps in recognition of pregnancy in pigs. The endogenous LH pulses can provoke prostaglandin secretion from endometrium in pigs. On the other hand prolongation of up-regulation of LH receptors in endometrium of early pregnant gilts can additionally increase angiogenic factor production before the process of implantation is completed. Finally new integrated concepts of luteolysis and inhibition of luteolysis in pigs based on selectively reviewed information are presented.     

Ticks parasitising the Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and their possible role in disease transmission

A total of 13 ixodid tick species, Boophilus microplus, Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Haemaphysalis cornupunctata, Haemaphysalis himalaya, Heamaphysalis montgomeryi, Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, Hyalomma dromedarii, Hyalomma marginatum isaaci, Hyalomma (Hyalommina) brevipunctata, Hyalomma (Hyalommina) hussaini, Nosomma monstrosum, Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, and R. turanicus were collected off 424 buffaloes from the northwestern states of India. Ten tick species, Amblyomma testudinarium, B. microplus, Haemaphysalis anomala, Haemaphysalis arborensis, Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Haemaphysalis intermedia, Haemaphysalis nepalensis, Haemaphysalis neumanni, R. haemaphysaloides, and R. turanicus parasitising 194 buffaloes were collected from the northeastern states of India. In addition to tick-buffalo relationships, the incidence of haemoparasites in buffalo from these two regions was studied and the possible role of these ticks in disease transmission was discussed. Examination of blood films and lymph smears revealed Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina in 6.2 and 2.6%, respectively, of buffaloes tested in the northeastern states, and 14.9 and 4.7%, respectively, in the northwestern states.     

Borna disease virus (BDV) infection in cats. A concise review based on current knowledge

Persistent viral infections of the central nervous system have been the subject of intense interest for decades. One of these viral agents has been identified as Borna disease virus (BDV) of the family Bornaviridae. There have been various reports that link BDV to staggering disease in cats, with symptoms that include ataxia and behavioural disorders, and the disease is often referred to as feline Borna disease. Serological and molecular detection of BDV has been reported at a higher prevalence in cats with neurological disorders in comparison to healthy cats. The transmission route(s) of BDV remain largely unknown, and the hypothesis that BDV is a zoonotic agent is yet to be proven. This review summarises the current knowledge on BDV infection in cats and discusses epidemiological aspects of infection.     

Regulation of endometrial prostaglandin F(2alpha) synthesis during luteolysis and early pregnancy in cattle

Luteal regression is caused by a pulsatile release of prostaglandin (PG) F(2alpha) from the uterus in the late luteal phase in most mammals including cattle. Although it has been proposed in ruminants that pulsatile PGF(2alpha) secretion is generated by a positive feedback loop between luteal and/or hypophyseal oxytocin and uterine PGF(2alpha), the bovine endometrium may possess other mechanisms for initiation of luteolytic PGF(2alpha) secretion. It has been recently demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) stimulates PGF(2alpha) output from bovine endometrial tissue not only during the follicular phase but also during the late luteal phase, suggesting that TNF-alpha is a factor in the initiation of luteolysis in cattle. Furthermore, our recent study has shown that IFN-tau suppresses the action of TNF-alpha on PGF(2alpha) synthesis by the bovine endometrium in vitro, suggesting that IFN-tau plays a luteoprotective role by inhibiting TNF-alpha-induced PGF(2alpha) production in early pregnancy. On the other hand, factors other than oxytocin or TNF-alpha have also been suggested to be involved in the regulation of PGF(2alpha) synthesis by bovine endometrium. The purpose of this review is to summarize our current understanding of the endocrine mechanisms that regulate the timing and pattern of uterine PGF(2alpha) secretion during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy.     

CNS disease in the cat: current knowledge of infectious causes

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Neurological disease is a relatively common reason for referral, constituting approximately 10% of the feline referral caseload. Nearly one-third to one-half of these cases may be infectious in origin. As such, an awareness of infectious diseases causing central nervous system (CNS) signs in cats, and their clinical diagnosis and management, is relevant to anyone dealing with cats on a regular basis. GLOBAL IMPORTANCE: Some conditions (eg, rabies) are more common in certain countries than others. Conditions such as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and toxoplasmosis are of global significance. PATIENT GROUP: Many infectious diseases may affect any feline population. Some, such as FIP, are more common in pedigree households, whereas others such as toxoplasmosis, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infections, are more likely to affect a single cat with an outdoor lifestyle. EQUIPMENT: All patients benefit from thorough history taking and clinical, neurological and ophthalmic examinations, which all require minimal equipment. Infectious diseases may often be diagnosed on blood samples; however, definitive diagnosis may require more extensive investigation involving cerebrospinal fluid analysis or advanced imaging necessitating access to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. EVIDENCE BASE: The information in this review, which summarises current knowledge of infectious diseases affecting the CNS, is collated from publications on the infectious diseases comprising previous research papers, review articles, case series, case reports and textbooks, supplemented by the clinical experience of the authors.     

Fibroblast growth factor 21 in dairy cows:current knowledge and potential relevance

Fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21)has been identified as an important regulator of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism,which plays an important role for metabolic regulation,particularly under conditions of energy deprivation or stress conditions.Dairy cows are subjected to a negative energy balance and various kinds of stress particularly during the periparturient phase and during early lactation.It has been shown that the plasma concentration of FGF21 in dairy cows is dramatically increased at parturition and remains high during the first weeks of lactation.This finding suggests that FGF21 might exert similar functions in dairy cows than in other species,such as mice or humans.However,the role of FGF21 in dairy cows has been less investigated so far.Following a brief summary of the previous findings about the function of FGF21 in humans and mice,the present review aims to present the current state of knowledge about the role of FGF21 in dairy cows.The first part of the review deals with the tissue localization of FGF21 and with conditions leading to an upregulation of FGF21 expression in the liver of dairy cows.In the second part,the influence of nutrition on FGF21 expression and the role of FGF21 for metabolic diseases in dairy cows is addressed.In the third part,findings of exogenous FGF21 application on metabolism in dairy cows are reported.Finally,the potential relevance of FGF21 in dairy cows is discussed.It is concluded that FGF21 might be of great importance for metabolic adaptation to negative energy balance and stress conditions in dairy cows.However,further studies are needed for a better understanding of the functions of FGF21 in dairy cows.     

Energy use in pig production: an examination of current Iowa systems

This paper compares energy use for different pig production systems in Iowa, a leader in US swine production. Pig production systems include not only the growth and performance of the pigs, but also the supporting infrastructure of pig production. This supporting infrastructure includes swine housing, facility management, feedstuff provision, swine diets, and manure management. Six different facility type × diet formulation × cropping sequence scenarios were modeled and compared. The baseline system examined produces 15,600 pigs annually using confinement facilities and a corn-soybean cropping sequence. Diet formulations for the baseline system were corn-soybean meal diets that included the synthetic AA l-lysine and exogenous phytase. The baseline system represents the majority of current US pork production in the Upper Midwest, where most US swine are produced. This system was found to require 744.6 MJ per 136-kg market pig. An alternative system that uses bedded hoop barns for grow-finish pigs and gestating sows would require 3% less (720.8 MJ) energy per 136-kg market pig. When swine production systems were assessed, diet type and feed ingredient processing were the major influences on energy use, accounting for 61 and 79% of total energy in conventional and hoop barn-based systems, respectively. Improving feed efficiency and better matching the diet formulation with the thermal environment and genetic potential are thus key aspects of reducing energy use by pig production, particularly in a hoop barn-based system. The most energy-intensive aspect of provisioning pig feed is the production of synthetic N for crop production; thus, effectively recycling manure nutrients to cropland is another important avenue for future research. Almost 25% of energy use by a conventional farrow-to-finish pig production system is attributable to operation of the swine buildings. Developing strategies to minimize energy use for heating and ventilation of swine buildings while maintaining pig comfort and performance is a third critical area for future research. The hoop barn-based alternative uses 64% less energy to operate buildings but requires bedding and 2.4% more feed. Current Iowa pig production systems use energy differently but result in similar total energy use. Compared with 1975, current farrow-to-finish systems in Iowa require 80% less energy to produce live market pigs.     

Reciprocal translocations in the pig (Sus scrofa): a review

The incidence and effect of 29 different reciprocal translocations in the pig are reviewed. It is concluded that heterozygosity for these translocations causes major reproductive loss. The chromosome anomaly appears to occur spontaneously and between 42 per cent and 50 per cent of hypoprolific boars are carrier animals. The incidence in the general population is calculated to be 0.6 per 1000.     

Jankowski's Bunting (Emberiza jankowskii): current status and conservation

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.The presentation of Fig.2 was incorrect.The correct version of presentation of Fig.     

Intracellular regulation of endometrial PGF(2a) and PGE(2) production in dairy cows during early pregnancy and following treatment with recombinant interferon-tau

Objectives were to examine how the conceptus and recombinant bovine interferon-tau (rbIFN-tau) regulate intracellular components of the PGF(2a) synthetic pathway and to determine if arachidonic acid (AA) is limiting in endometrial tissue of pregnant cows. In Experiment 1, uteri were collected from either cyclic or pregnant dairy cows on Day 17 post-estrus. Intercaruncular explants were dissected and incubated for 60 min to quantify PGF(2a) production in response to oxytocin (10(-6) M), A23187 (10(-5) M), melittin (10(-5) M), and phorbol 12, 13 dibutyrate (PDBu, 10(-6) M). Additional explants from the same cows were incubated for 24 h with and without AA. Oxytocin and A23187 did not stimulate PGF(2a) in explants from either cyclic or pregnant cows. Both PDBu, melittin, and A23187 + melittin stimulated PGF(2a) production in explants of cyclic cows, but not in explants of pregnant cows. The addition of AA to explant cultures for 24 hr did not increase PGF(2a) production during a subsequent 60-min incubation. In Experiment 2, explants were collected from cows that received intrauterine infusions of either BSA (1.9 mg/1.2 ml) or rbIFN-tau (0.2 mg rbIFN-tau + 1.7 mg BSA/1.2 ml) twice a day from Days 14 to 17 of the estrous cycle. Treatments of rbIFN-tau attenuated PGF(2a) secretion induced by in vitro PDBu and A23187 treatments. However, rbIFN-tau treatment in vivo had no effect on the in vitro induction of PGF(2a) secretion by melittin. IFN-tau may regulate the PGF(2a) synthetic pathway by reducing activity of PKC or PKC mediated events.     

Control of cytokine gene expression using small RNA interference: blockade of interleukin-10 and interferon-gamma gene expression in pig cells

The ability of small RNA interference (RNAi) to reduce specific gene expression was tested using interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by cultured swine blood mononuclear cells stimulated by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide or concanavalin A. Antisense (AS) phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) corresponding to a sequence in the region of the AUG initiation codon of swine IL-10 or IFN-gamma mRNA inhibited production of IL-10 (>or=93.5%) and IFN-gamma (>or=99%) mRNAs. Interleukin-10 and IFN-gamma protein production was inhibited more than 95% by the AS ODNs. Scrambled and sense ODNs RNAi used as negative controls did not alter mRNA expression for either cytokine but slightly reduced IL-10 protein production. Cytokine-specific and control RNAi did not inhibit beta(2)-microglobulin mRNA expression in mitogen-stimulated blood mononuclear cells. Thus AS ODNs RNAi specifically inhibit expression of pig IL-10 and IFN-gamma mRNAs by cultured, mitogen-stimulated blood mononuclear cells and may be an attractive alternative method for studying cytokine function.     

Uterine and fetal dynamics during early pregnancy in mares

Fetal activity and mobility and changes in diameter of the allantoic fluid compartment in the uterine horns were studied in mares between days 69 and 81 of pregnancy by use of transrectal ultrasonography (n = 12) and transcervical videoendoscopy (n = 8). The insertion tube of the videoendoscope was positioned within the allantoic sac to permit viewing of the fetus and entrance to each uterine horn. Each uterine horn was divided ultrasonographically into 3 segments of equal length, and the horns were designated on the basis of side of umbilical attachment (cord vs noncord horns). The diameter of the allantoic fluid compartment in the cornual segments increased (P less than 0.05) over the cranial (18.6 +/- 1.9 mm), middle (35.6 +/- 2.9 mm), and caudal (51.7 +/- 4.4 mm) segments, but differences between cord and noncord horns were not evident. Dynamic changes in diameter of the allantoic fluid compartment in cornual segments (ultrasonography) and at the entrance to each uterine horn (videoendoscopy) were detected (no significant difference between methods). During continuous videoendoscopic viewing (17 to 60 min/mare), extreme changes in allantoic fluid compartment diameter (76 to 100% of maximum to 0 to 25% of maximum or vice-versa) occurred an equivalent of 2.6 times/h/horn entrance; changes had an average duration of 3.4 minutes. A change from 100% (maximal diameter) to 0% (no visible lumen) or vice-versa occurred an equivalent of 1.3 times/h/horn entrance. Sometimes the uterine wall was so closely constricted++ around the fetal-amniotic unit that no intervening allantoic fluid was ultrasonographically detectable whereas at other times the uterus in the same location was widely dilated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

当前生猪生产现状调查及后期走势判断

生猪价格的‘跌跌不休”,春节以来一直成为社会关注的焦点。由于金融危机的全球蔓延,现在一些沿海地区外贸出口企业停工停业较多,农民工大量返乡,导致外调需求下降,大量生猪只能在产地消化,而产区的消化能力相对有限。而甲型H1N1流感在全球蔓延使消费者对猪肉消费感到恐慌,助推了生猪价格的下滑速度。尽管诸多专家指出食用烧熟的猪肉不会感染猪流感,但还是有部分消费者担心疫病而减少消费猪肉及其产品,从而在一定程度上影响了整个生猪产业。使原本低迷的猪市遭遇重创,严重挫伤了养殖积极性,生猪养殖形势不容乐观,存在的问题值得关注。     

The role of lactose in weanling pig nutrition: a literature and meta-analysis review

Lactose plays a crucial role in the growth performance of pigs at weaning because it is a palatable and easily digestible energy source that eases the transition from milk to solid feed. However, the digestibility of lactose declines after weaning due to a reduction in endogenous lactase activity in piglets. As a result, some lactose may be fermented in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs. Fermentation of lactose by intestinal microbiota yields lactic acid and volatile fatty acids, which may positively regulate the intestinal environment and microbiome, resulting in improved gastrointestinal health of weanling pigs. We hypothesize that the prebiotic effect of lactose may play a larger role in weanling pig nutrition as the global feed industry strives to reduce antibiotic usage and pharmacological levels of zinc oxide and supra-nutritional levels of copper. Evidence presented in this review indicates that high dietary lactose improves growth performance of piglets, as well as the growth of beneficial bacteria, particularly Lactobacillus, with the positive effects being more pronounced in the first 2 weeks after weaning. However, the risk of post-weaning diarrhea may increase as pigs get older due to reduced lactase activity,high dietary lactose concentrations, and larger feed intakes, all of which may lead to excessive lactose fermentation in the intestine of the pig. Therefore, dietary lactose levels exert different effects on growth performance and gastrointestinal physiological functions in different feeding phases of weanling pigs. However, no formal recommendation of lactose for weanling pigs has been reported. A meta-analysis approach was used to determine that diets fed to swine should include 20%, 15%, and 0 lactose from d 0–7, d 7–14, and d 14–35 post-weaning,respectively. However, sustainable swine production demands that economics must also be taken into account as lactose and lactose containing ingredients are expensive. Therefore, alternatives to lactose, so called "lactose equivalents" have also been studied in an effort to decrease feed cost while maintaining piglet performance with lower dietary lactose inclusions. In summary, the present review investigated dose-response effects of dietary lactose supplementation to exert positive responses and begin to elucidate its mechanisms of action in postweaning pig diets. The results may help to replace some or all lactose in the diet of weanling pigs, while improving production economics given the high cost of lactose and availability in some swine production markets.     

Nutrition and metabolism in poultry: role of lipids in early diet

Modern strains of broiler chickens are selected for fast growth and are marketed anywhere from 36 to 49 days after a 21-day incubational period. For a viable healthy chick, all the necessary nutrients required for growth and development must be provided by the hen through the fertilized egg. The current feeding strategies for improved growth, health and productivity are targeted towards chicks after hatching. Considering the fact that developing chick embryo spends over 30 % of its total life span inside the hatching egg relying on nutrients deposited by the breeder hen, investigations on nutritional needs during pre-hatch period will improve embryonic health, hatchability and chick viability. In this context, investigations on hatching egg lipid quality is of utmost importance because, during incubation, egg fat is the major source of energy and sole source of essential omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids to the chick embryo. Due to the unique roles of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in growth, immune health, and development of central nervous system, this review will focus on the role of early exposure to essential fatty acids through maternal diet and hatching egg and its impact on progeny in meat-type broiler chickens.