The effect of porcine somatotropin supplementation in pigs on the lipid profile of subcutaneous and intermuscular adipose tissue and longissimus muscle.

The effect of porcine somatotropin (pST) on the lipid profiles of adipose tissue and muscle was investigated. Sixteen crossbred barrows were injected daily with either 3 mg of pST or a placebo. After slaughter, total lipid and fatty acid composition of raw subcutaneous (SC) adipose and intermuscular (IM) adipose tissue and longissimus muscle were determined. The SC adipose tissue from pST-treated pigs had a 7.5% decrease in total lipid content; specific fatty acids 16:0, 18:0, and 18:1(n-9)c decreased most. The IM fat from pST-treated pigs had lower levels of 16:0 and 20:0. There was no effect of pST treatment on the lipid profile of the longissimus muscle. The data suggest that pST treatment produces small but significant changes in the saturated fatty acid content of adipose tissue in pigs.     

Oscillating potentials on the B-wave of the ERG in the dog]

The oscillatory potentials (OP) on the b-wave of the canine ERG are characterized. Normal values for an OP-index, implicit times and periodicity are given. The OP-index increases during dark adaptation as well as with increasing stimulus intensities for white light flashes. Scotopic blue and red stimuli, although balanced for the maximum b-wave amplitude, surprisingly result in higher OP-indices for red flashes. Implicit times decrease for all OP with increasing stimulus intensities. Scotopic balanced red light results in OP with markedly reduced implicit times compared to blue light stimulation. The intervals between two OPs remain constant during dark adaptation, however, intervals between OPs with longer implicit times tend to be shorter. In contrast, the b-waves for scotopic balanced stimuli show rhythmic oscillations with constant intervals between them, the intervals being shorter for blue light than for red light. The intervals between OPs tend to become shorter with increasing stimulus intensities. This investigation indicates that OPs are influenced but not generated by photoreceptors. The examination of a dog with optic nerve hypoplasia indicates that the ganglion cells do not contribute to the biogenesis of OPs. The prognostic value of OPs in the early diagnosis for hereditary retinal degenerations in the dog is discussed.     

Dietary preferences of domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) grazing on natural Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian ranges. IV. Attempted description of the diet by micro-histological analyses of samples collected by shepherds, esophageal boluses and feces from cattle and sheep

A research program to study tropical pastures used by domestic livestock was implemented in Senegal. During field studies, numerous information was collected together with many samples with three main aims: pasture composition, diet composition and relationship between each other. The so-called method of epiderms, more often used in temperate areas, was chosen for analyzing and comparing the botanical composition of 105 samples, e.g., shepherd's hand-picking, alimentary bolus and faeces collected during a twelve-month period. In view of the results, some methodological problems are raised and discussed.     

Use of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) in the detection of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), antibodies to Edwardsiella ictaluri

Abstract. The use of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( elisa ) for the detection of channel catfish antibody to Edwardsiella ictaluri is described. Changes in agglutination titre in fish immunized with Edwardsiella ictaluri heat killed whole bacterins or lipopolysaccharides were reflected by corresponding changes in elisa readings. Relatively high correlations were observed among elisa OD readings, computed elisa titres and corresponding agglutination titres.     

Serum amyloid A protein (SAA) in horses: objective measurement of the acute phase response

A sensitive and precise immunoassay for equine serum amyloid A protein (SAA) was established and used to determine, for the first time, the circulating concentration of this protein in health and disease. As in other species, equine SAA was present only at trace levels in healthy animals but behaved as an extremely sensitive and rapidly responding acute phase reactant following most forms of tissue injury, infection and inflammation, objectively reflecting the extent and activity of disease. Measurements of SAA should make a significant contribution to diagnosis and management of viral and bacterial infection in horses, and routine serial assays could provide an objective criterion for monitoring prospectively the general health of horses in training and racing.     

Incidence of microscopically detectable degenerative characteristics in skeletal muscle of turkey

1. The incidence of microscopically detectable degenerative characteristics in 5 skeletal muscles (m. pectoralis thoracicus, m. supracoracoideus, m. biceps femoris, m. semitendinosus, m. femorotibialis medius) of turkeys was investigated. 2. Samples were obtained from 30 Large White turkey males 14, 16 and 18 weeks old. Hyaline degeneration, infiltration of mononuclear cells and necrotic fibres were observed. 3. Individual fibres varied greatly in size and muscle fibre nuclei were often shrunken and pyknotic. 4. Weak and/or uniform reaction for Ca++-ATPase and SDH in all types of muscle fibres and loss of alkaline phosphatase activity in cell membranes were noted. A positive reaction for acid phosphatase occurred in regions of perivascular infiltration and in necrotic muscle fibres. The majority of muscle fibres possessed high activity for phosphorylase a and b. 5. Based on the use of fluorescein alpha-bungarotoxin conjugate, motor end-plates appeared to be morphologically intact. Direct immunofluorescence with anti-chicken IgG showed positive reaction in muscle fibres undergoing necrosis and in the involved connective tissue. 6. Degenerative changes varied with age and were most marked in the oldest birds. 7. Because gross degenerative symptoms were absent from both the birds and the meat from them, the condition appears to be either different from or a precursor to the degenerative myopathy characterised by other authors.     

Requirement for MHC class II positive accessory cells in an antigen specific bovine T cell response

Purified populations of bovine antigen presenting cells (APCs) and T cells have been isolated from peripheral blood and characterised using various monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for cell surface markers. Bovine APCs were found in an adherent cell fraction and were non-specific esterase positive, phagocytic and expressed bovine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II determinants, all of which are typical macrophage characteristics. T cells were rigorously depleted of accessory cell function before being used in an antigen presenting cell assay. The generation of T helper cells in response to the soluble antigen, ovalbumin, was entirely dependent upon a critical number of APCs. Further the proliferative response was inhibited by several mAbs to bovine MHC class II molecules. Thus the interaction between bovine APCs and helper/inducer T lymphocytes (TH/I) appears to be similar to that in other species.