Alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in feline serum using an agarose gel alkaline phosphatase kit method.

Total serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity is the product of the combined activity of isoenzymes from a number of tissue sources. In this study, a commercially available kit for electrophoretic separation of ALP isoenzymes in an agarose gel was used to separate ALP isoenzymes in feline tissue extracts and serum. Five separate bands of ALP activity were identified. These bands were numbered 1 to 5 with band 1 having the most anodal migration. The tissue of origin corresponding to the migration position of the isoenzymes are as follows: Band 3 was the liver isoenzyme, band 4 was the bone isoenzyme and ALP isoenzymes of both intestine and kidney migrate in the position labelled band 5. Band 1 appears to be related to albumin and does not represent true ALP activity. The tissue source of band 2 (a and b) was not identified. Serum ALP activity of mature, healthy cats is primarily of liver origin. Immature cats (< 1 year of age) have a greater proportion of the bone isoenzyme in the serum.     

Genetic analysis of bovine respiratory disease in beef calves during the first year of life.

The prevalence of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) was assessed in a population of 10,142 beef calves representing nine pure breeds and three composite populations born in 1983 through 1988. Twenty-four percent of the calves experienced at least one episode of respiratory disease during the 1st yr of life; frequencies over the six birth years ranged from 14 to 38%. The timing of respiratory disease outbreaks differed among birth years; in 4 of the 6 yr, more illness occurred in the pasture before weaning than in the feedlot after weaning. Frequencies of BRD during preweaning and postweaning periods were analyzed separately. Pure breeds and composite populations within a single preweaning location differed in frequency of illness during the preweaning period. However, not all possible breed comparisons could be made because preweaning location differed for the breed groups, and preweaning location had a significant effect on the frequency of respiratory disease in the preweaning period. The preweaning location effect did not carry through to the postweaning period. Pinzgauers had the highest BRD frequency within the feedlot (24.6%). The heritability estimates of BRD during the preweaning and postweaning periods did not differ significantly from 0 (.10 +/- .02 and .06 +/- .07, respectively). Although it is likely that response to selection for resistance to BRD would be slight using the animal's history of BRD as the selection criterion, including information on relatives or additional immune traits may improve the accuracy of an estimated breeding value for BRD resistance.     

Use of autogenous cancellous bone graft for treatment of osteolytic defects in the phalanges of three cattle.

Osteolytic defects were detected radiographically in the distal sesamoid bone of a 16-month-old Bralers heifer, in the middle phalanx of a 14-month-old American Gray Brahman bull, and in the distal phalanx of a 3-year-old American Gray Brahman bull. The articular cartilage was damaged in each animal because of osteolysis or pathologic fracture. After each animal was anesthetized and positioned in lateral recumbency, the lesions were curetted and packed with cancellous bone harvested from the same animal's tuber coxae. Basic postoperative management involved stall rest and immobilization of the graft site with a fiberglass cast (42 to 79 days), after which a support bandage was used for approximately 2 weeks. Recurrence of lameness has not been observed in these animals for 60 months, 58 months, and 21 months, respectively. These cases exemplify the benefit of using an autogenous cancellous bone graft for treatment of severe osteolysis of a digit in cattle.     

Physiological Analysis of Yield Variation in Mungbean (Vigna radiata [Roxb.] Wilczek)

Two mungbean varieties, Guj-1 and PIMS-1 differing in their productivity potential, were examined to investigate their photosynthetic system at various stages of growth in relation to yield with two different dates of sowing. Vertical leaves were found to be beneficial. On the other hand, excessive leaf area during the later stages of growth may be detrimental to yield. Lower LAD at seedling stage and overall high NAR values may be reflected in higher grain yield. NAR declined as season progressed and this, in turn, may be related with increase in LAI. The grain yield was considerably more at the first date of sowing as compared to second date of sowing, the effect was being more pronounced in var. PIMS-1 . Various environmental factors recorded at two different dates of sowing and at various stages of growth indicated that these factors may have influenced the yield potential at two different dates of sowing.     

Rhabdomyosarcoma in the Japanese medaka, Oryzia latipes (Temminck & Schlegel) and guppy, Poecilia reticulata Peters

Abstract. Three cases of skeletal muscle neoplasms occurring in two small fish species used in carcinogen tests are reported. The cases illustrated a wide range of histologic patterns, and consisted of a well-differentiated juvenile type, a well-differentiated pleomorphic type and a poorly differentiated pleomorphic type. A rhabdomyosarcoma with juvenile type features developed in the Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes , exposed to 0·5 ml/1 of the solvent dimethylformamide. A pleomorphic type rhabdomyosarcoma occurred in one medaka and in one guppy, Poecilia reticulata , exposed to the carcinogen methylazoxymethanol acetate. These cases indicate the potential for skeletal muscle cells in medaka and guppy to become neoplastic but, because the tumours occurred at a low frequency, there may not necessarily be a chemical aetiology.     

Microcirculation in the follicles and corpora lutea of the bovine ovary--a corrosion anatomical study

With the help of a new synthetic material follicles and corpora lutea from the ovaries of 80 cows in different stages of the sexual cycle were examined for modifications of their blood vessel architecture. In the theca externa the main artery which runs towards the follicle, separates into arterioles of which capillaries derive in the theca interna, building a basket-like network around the zona granulosa. After ovulation the follicle wall forms characteristic fields. Capillaries grow into the zona granulosa and thus the folds form the lobular structure of the corpus luteum. Capillaries which rise from the ruptured part of the follicle, spread centripetally and together with lutein cells they build up the not lobulated cupola of the corpus luteum. The regression of the corpus luteum starts around the 16th day of the cycle, beginning at the capillary network of the cupola. A contraction of the vessels and a quick decrease of the volume follow.     

The effect of hypervitaminosis D3 on the bones of the chicken. 2. Electron microscopic studies

In an experiment of 36 days duration 46 one-day-old chicks were divided into 5 groups and fed with different concentrations of vitamin D3. The animals of the group which lacked vitamin D3, showed the typical rachitic lesions. After a 15 days lack of vitamin D3 the chicks of another group were treated with standard food (2000 I.U. vitamin D3/kg food) with the consequence of an approximation of the analyzed parameters to those of the control group within 3 weeks. When fed with 60,000 I.U. of vitamin D3 after a 15 days lack of this vitamin, the animals showed an over-hasty healing process, ending up with signs of intoxication which were even more conspicuous when fed with 120,000 I.U. of vitamin D3. Besides an increasing calcification of osteoblasts and endothelial cell membranes as well as a degeneration of osteoblasts, a clear increase of eosinophilic granulocytes could be noticed. In all groups free erythrocytes within the ground substance were found. There was no evidence of necroses of osteocytes or of bone.     

In situ radiometric mapping of soil erosion and field-moist bulk density on cultivated fields

Abstract. Recent developments in in situγ ray spectrometry offer a new approach to measuring the activity of radionuclides such as ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K in soils, and thus estimating erosion or deposition rates and field moist bulk density (ρ_m). Such estimates would be rapid and involve minimal site disturbance, especially important where archaeological remains are present. This paper presents the results of a pilot investigation of an eroded field in Scotland in which a portable hyper pure germanium (HPGe) detector was used to measure γ ray spectra in situ. The gamma (γ) photon flux observed at the soil surface is a function of the ¹³⁷Cs inventory, its depth distribution characteristics and ρ_m. A coefficient, Q_Cs, derived from the forward scattering of ¹³⁷Cs γ ray photons within the soil profile relative to the ¹³⁷Cs full energy peak (662 keV), was used to correct the in situ calibration for changes in the ¹³⁷Cs vertical distribution in the ploughed field, a function of tillage, soil accumulation and ρ_m. Based on only 8 measurements, the agreement between in situγ ray spectrometry and soil sample measurements of ¹³⁷Cs inventories improved from a non significant r²=0.05 to a significant r²=0.62 (P<0.05). Erosion and deposition rates calculated from the corrected in situ¹³⁷Cs measurements had a similarly good agreement with those calculated from soil cores. Mean soil bulk density was also calculated using a separate coefficient, Q_K, derived from the forward scattering γ photons from ⁴⁰K within the soil relative to the ⁴⁰K full energy peak (1460 keV). Again there was good agreement with soil core measurements (r²=0.64; P<0.05). The precision of the in situ¹³⁷Cs measurement was limited by the precision with which Q_Cs can be estimated, a function of the low ¹³⁷Cs deposition levels associated with the weapons testing fallout and relatively low detector efficiency (35%). In contrast, the precision of the in situ ρ_m determination was only limited by the spatial variability associated with soil sampling.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of the corneoscleral limbus in a dog.

Squamous cell carcinoma is an uncommon tumor of the cornea in dogs. A 12-year-old Shih Tzu with a history of chronic keratoconjunctivitis sicca was diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma of the corneoscleral limbus. The lesion was treated by surgical resection and cryotherapy. One year after surgery, multiple tumors, apparently unrelated to the first tumor, appeared on the same cornea. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca may have predisposed the dog to corneal squamous cell carcinoma development.