Outbreaks of proliferative haemorrhagic enteropathy on two pig farms

SUMMARY Clinical signs of proliferative haemorrhagic enteropathy (PHE) including anaemia, dysentery and sudden death were observed in finisher pigs and young breeding stock on 2 farms. On farm A, PHE occurred 12 months after repopulation of the farm. Other outbreaks of PHE occurred after the withdrawal of therapeutic concentrations of in-feed antibacterial agents (farm A), or after monensin sodium (100 g/t) replaced olaquindox (100 g/t) in feed (farm B). The outbreaks, the possible sources of contamination and the role of antibacterial feed additives in the treatment and control of PHE are described.     

Clinical exercise testing in the normal Thoroughbred racehorse

To evaluate normal cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses of Thoroughbred horses to a standardised treadmill exercise test, we examined 28 horses ranging in age from 1 to 4 years. The group consisted of eight yearlings, eight 2-year-olds and twelve 3 and 4-year-olds. All horses except the yearlings were in training, and either racing or ready to race, at the time of examination. None of the horses had histories of performance problems. On the first day the horses received a full physical examination, resting electrocardiogram, upper respiratory tract endoscopy and either one or two acclimatisation runs on the treadmill. The following day they were given an exercise test on a treadmill inclined at 6 degrees (+10% slope). The test consisted of 3 min at 4 m/sec, 90 sec at 6 m/sec and 60 sec intervals at 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13 m/sec. During the last 15 sec of each step, blood samples were collected for plasma lactate determination, expired respiratory gases were obtained using an open flow mask system for measurement of oxygen uptake, and heart rate was measured using telemetry electrocardiogram. From these measurements, various derived values were calculated, which have been used by others as indices of exercise capacity. These values included: V200 (speed at HR of 200 bpm), VHRmax (speed at which horses reached maximum HR), VO2-200 (oxygen uptake at a HR of 200 bpm), VO2max (maximum oxygen uptake), VLA4 (speed at which horses reached a plasma lactate of 4 mmol/l) and HRLA4 (HR at which horses reached a plasma lactate of 4 mmol/l). The yearlings had significantly lower values than the older age groups for most of the derived values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

DETERMINATION OF 14C IN SOIL BY A GEL SUSPENSION METHOD

Radioactivity in soils labelled with ¹⁴C was determined by suspending the finely ground soil in a thixotropic gel, dispersing it by ultrasonics and counting the dispersion in a liquid scintillation spectrometer. The relationship between the weight of sample and counting efficiency was found to be almost linear. Using 30 mg soil, the counting efficiency is 50 per cent and ¹⁴C may be determined with an average coefficient of variation of 1.5 per cent to within 5 per cent of the value determined by oxidative procedures.     

ACETOPHENAZINE AND FIGHTING BEHAVIOR IN MICE

Assuming fear to be a variable of importance in the inhibition of aggressive behavior, we used acetophenazine to try to facilitate fighting in mature male C57BL mice. Drugged pairs did not differ significantly from controls in fighting latency; however, the time lapse from the first fight to submission and the actual fighting time to submission were significantly longer for drugged pairs. An attempt is made to relate what is known of the action of the drug with research on the neural correlates of aggressive behavior.     

The potential role of Syrian hamsters and other small animals as reservoirs of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

The history of human infections with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus is briefly reviewed, with special reference to those of recent years associated with pet Syrian hamsters. Many human infections have been too trivial to have come to the attention of a physician but others have required long periods of convalescence. There is also evidence that foetal damage has arisen from infection during pregnancy.
The virus is perpetuated by vertical transmission in those colonies of wild house mice which are tolerantly infected. These mice excrete the virus throughout life at a high titre in urine and saliva. Experimental evidence is presented which demonstrates the transfer of infection from such mice to Syrian hamsters when natural conditions are simulated. Hamsters infected before weaning may appear healthy while excreting the virus at a high titre for several months, during which they are a serious health hazard to their owners. This secondary reservoir of the virus brings the source of infection one step nearer to the veterinarian in practice, and to his clients, and he will be in a key position to inform or assist his medical colleagues if this hazard is suspected.     

Molecular expression of caprine estrogen receptor gene 1 in reproductive and non‐reproductive tissues

During the last decades, physiological effects of oestrogens have been increasingly explored by scientists and biotechnologists. Estrogens exert a wide range of effects on a large variety of cell types. Oestrogen and its receptors are essential for sexual development and reproduction. Estrogen receptor alpha is a nuclear receptor activated by the hormone oestrogen. In male, ERα is encoded by the gene estrogen receptor gene 1 (ESR1), responsible for better fertility. The ESR1 is involved in the reabsorption of luminal fluid during the transit of spermatozoa from the testis to the head of the epididymis which is important for their survival and maturation during epididymal storage. The absence of ESR1 leads to reduced epididymal sperm content, reduced sperm motility and fertilizing ability. Therefore, this is a good startby to study the expression pattern of estrogen receptor 1 gene in high‐fertile (G1) and low‐fertile (G2) bucks of Jamunapari and Barbari breeds identified on the basis of seminal quality traits and fertility trials. RNA was extracted from the tissues by TRIzol method. The identification and expression pattern of caprine ESR1 gene was analysed by real‐time PCR (Roche LC‐480). Our work shows that the relative quantification by RT‐PCR indicates more fold in head of epididymis as compared to spleen of caprine ESR1 gene. Furthermore, the RT‐PCR indicated that fertile bucks of Jamunapari breed have more fold value as compared to Barbari breed in respect of reproductive organ.