Protective efficacy of a live attenuated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine with an ISCOM-matrix adjuvant in pigs

An attenuated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine that requires intrathoracic administration is commercially available for use against mycoplasmal pneumonia in China. Given the limitations of such a route of administration, this study was undertaken to assess the capacity of an ISCOM-matrix adjuvant to enhance immunogenicity following intramuscular use. Immune responses in pigs following vaccination and subsequent intra-tracheal bacterial inoculation were examined using lymphocyte proliferation, serology and mucosal IgA in both nasal and saliva swabs.Vaccination induced clear lymphocyte proliferation, but only slight serum antibody responses although these were significantly increased following experimental infection. Mucosal IgA was not detected in either nasal or salivary secretions. Following bacterial challenge, animals vaccinated with the adjuvant-containing live vaccine exhibited less severe pulmonary lesions (median score 3.67) than unvaccinated pigs (median score 13.58). The degree of ciliary loss on the respiratory tract surface was reduced in vaccinated pigs compared with experimentally infected controls. The findings indicated that the adjuvant vaccine administered IM provided protection against experimentally induced mycoplasmal pneumonia and could have commercial potential.     

Prevalence of systolic hypertension in cats with chronic renal failure at initial evaluation

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of systolic hypertension and associated risk factors in cats with chronic renal failure evaluated in first-opinion practice. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 103 cats with chronic renal failure. PROCEDURE: Systolic arterial blood pressure (SABP) was measured with a noninvasive Doppler technique, and cats that had SABP > 175 mm Hg on 2 occasions or that had SABP > 175 mm Hg and compatible ocular lesions were classified as hypertensive. Information from the history (previous treatment for hyperthyroidism, age), physical examination (sex, body weight), routine plasma biochemical analyses (creatinine, cholesterol, potassium, sodium, chloride, and calcium concentrations), and thyroid status were evaluated as potential risk factors for systolic hypertension. Variables associated with systolic hypertension were evaluated by use of logistic regression. RESULTS: 20 (19.4%; 95% confidence interval, 13 to 28%) cats had systolic hypertension. Plasma potassium concentration was significantly and inversely associated with systolic hypertension. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Prevalence of systolic hypertension, although clinically important, was lower than that reported previously. The cause of the inverse association between systolic hypertension and plasma potassium concentration is not yet known.     

Low pesticide rates may hasten the evolution of resistance by increasing mutation frequencies

At very low pesticide rates, a certain low proportion of pests may receive a sublethal dose, are highly stressed by the pesticide and yet survive. Stress is a general enhancer of mutation rates. Thus, the survivors are likely to have more than normal mutations, which might include mutations leading to pesticide resistance, both for multifactorial (polygenic, gene amplification, sequential allelic mutations) and for major gene resistance. Management strategies should consider how to eliminate the subpopulation of pests with the high mutation rates, but the best strategy is probably to avoid too low application rates of pesticides from the outset.     

番鸭小鹅瘟病胶乳凝集试验与病毒分离的比较研究

应用GPV胶乳凝集方法（LPA）和病毒分离（VI）检测人工感染病例9份、健康对照6份,临床疑似送检病鸭28份。其中人工感染样品检测LPA和VI符合率为93.3%（14/15）;临床疑似样品检测LPA和VI符合率为89.3%（25/28）;两者总符合率达90.7%（39/43）。LPA方法具有简便（肉眼可判定,不需仪器）、快速（检测抗原20min内）、特异、准确等优点,比VI更适合临床使用。     

Preliminary evaluation of serial (18) FDG-PET/CT to assess response to toceranib phosphate therapy in canine cancer

Palladia(TM) (toceranib phosphate-Pfizer Animal Health) is a novel orally administered receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) approved for treatment of canine mast cell tumors. Receptor tyrosine kinase dysregulation leads to tumor growth, progression, and metastasis. Toceranib's targets include vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR-2/Flk-1/KDR), platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and kit. Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) is used commonly to diagnose, prognosticate, and monitor response to antineoplastic therapy in human patients. In this study, serial PET/CT imaging with (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18) FDG) was used to assess response to toceranib therapy in dogs with measurable solid malignancies. Six tumor-bearing dogs underwent tumor assessment using both standard RECIST criteria and PET/CT prior to and at a median of 5 weeks postinitiation of toceranib treatment. Toceranib was prescribed initially at a target dose 3.25 mg/kg PO q48 h, with subsequent modifications based on observed toxicity. Treatment was continued in patients achieving stable disease with acceptable drug tolerance. One dog was maintained on drug despite dose modification due to toxicity; measurable clinical and image-based responses were seen after 10 weeks of therapy. All others had stable or progressive disease based on clinical restaging and PET/CT at first recheck. . Due to discordance with anatomic and metabolic imaging, further studies are needed to investigate the role of molecular imaging in assessment of drug response and identify other potential molecular targets of toceranib.     

鸭黄病毒的分离鉴定

从临床表现为产蛋下降、头颈歪斜、软脚为主要特征的发病蛋鸭卵巢、脑浆、肝、脾等组织中分离到1株病毒。分离毒能致死番鸭胚和鸡胚,人工感染产蛋期的蛋鸭能导致体温升高、产蛋急速下降,卵泡出血和萎缩;分离毒不能凝集鸡和鸽红细胞,能被鸡黄病毒高免血清特异中和;用禽黄病毒特异引物扩增为阳性。上述结果证实分离毒是黄病毒科黄病毒属的鸭黄病毒,是导致蛋鸭产蛋下降的病原。     

褐藻胶低聚糖生物活性研究进展

综述近年来褐藻胶低聚糖在抑菌、抗肿瘤、调节免疫、促生长、抗氧化等生物活性方面的研究,展望褐藻胶低聚糖的应用前景。