Feeding behavior of feedlot lambs fed diets containing levels of cassava wastewater

In this study, we evaluated the effects of including cassava wastewater in the diet on the feeding behavior of feedlot lambs in 35 male uncastrated Santa Inês × Dorper crossbred lambs at an approximate age of 3 months, with an average live weight of 20.0?±?3.4 kg. Diets were formulated with hay of cassava shoots (roughage) and a concentrate based on corn and soybean, with a roughage:concentrate ratio of 50:50, plus inclusion of cassava wastewater at the levels of 0, 12, 24, 36, or 48 g/kg of the total diet. Feeding behavior was evaluated between the 46th and 52nd days of the experiment. Increasing cassava wastewater levels in the diet reduced (P?<?0.05) the intakes (kg/day) of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber as well as the efficiency of rumination (g/cud and g/h) of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber. The other behavioral parameters were not affected by wastewater inclusion in the diet. Therefore, the inclusion of up to 48 g/kg of cassava wastewater on fresh matter of diets is not recommended for feedlot lambs.     

Hypertrophic gastropathy associated with gastric sarcoma in a dog

A 14-y-old spayed female Labrador Retriever was presented with an 8-mo history of chronic vomiting. Abdominal ultrasound and gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a mass protruding into the gastric lumen, with cytologic features suggestive of sarcoma. A partial gastrectomy was performed; the gastric body and antrum were thickened, with a cerebriform appearance of the mucosal surface. Histologic examination revealed a submucosal neoplastic proliferation of fusiform cells variably arranged in irregular bundles and scattered whorls. Fusiform cells strongly reacted to antibodies against vimentin, S100, and neuron-specific enolase; glial fibrillary acidic protein was moderately and multifocally expressed. Pancytokeratin, KIT, α–smooth muscle actin, and desmin were nonreactive. Histologic and immunohistochemical findings suggested a diagnosis of gastric sarcoma with features referable to a non-GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumor), non–smooth muscle NIMT (non-angiogenic, non-lymphogenic intestinal mesenchymal tumor). The overlying gastric mucosa was thickened by elongated and dilated gastric glands, predominantly lined by intensely periodic acid-Schiff–stained mucous cells. This altered mucosal architecture was suggestive of Ménétrier-like disease. Although this disease has been hypothesized to predispose to gastric adenocarcinoma in dogs, an association with gastric sarcoma has not been documented previously in the veterinary literature, to our knowledge.     

A follow-up of Beagle dogs intradermally infected with Leishmania chagasi in the presence or absence of sand fly saliva

In this study, we compare the development of infection and/or disease in Beagle dogs intradermally infected with Leishmania chagasi, in the presence or absence of Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva, with those of intravenously infected animals.Spleen samples of all the animals inoculated with parasites had positive polymerase chain reaction tests for Leishmania DNA. Positive spleen cultures for Leishmania were detected earlier (P < or = 0.018) and were more frequent (five out of the five animals) in intravenously infected animals than in the intradermally infected animals, in presence (two out of the six animals) or absence (three out of the five animals) of salivary gland lysate of L. longipalpis. Significant increase in serum antibodies against Leishmania was observed only in the intravenously infected group (P = 0.004). In addition, dogs with infection confirmed by isolation of amastigotes or detection of parasite DNA were, nevertheless, negative for anti-Leishmania antibodies up to 5 months or more after infection. Only animals of the intravenously infected group developed progressive decreases in hematocrit (Pearson r = -0.8076, P = -0.0026) and hemoglobin (Pearson r = -0.8403, P = 0.0012) during the infection period. No significant difference in the course of infection was observed between groups of intradermally infected animals. The data presented herein confirms that the intradermal inoculation of dogs with Leishmania produces an asymptomatic form of infection. It also fails to show an advantage in using L. longipalpis saliva as an infection-enhancing agent in experimental canine leishmaniasis.     

Antibacterial and allelopathic activity of extract from Castanea sativa leaves

Following the extraction of Castanea sativa with an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid (pH 3.0), the ethyl acetate soluble fraction was tested for its antibacterial and allelopathic activity. The extract was shown to have pronounced antibacterial effects against seven of the eight strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria used (MIC in the range of 64-256 microg/ml and MBC in the range of 256-512 microg/ml). The active fraction was analyzed by TLC and HPLC showing the presence of rutin, hesperidin, quercetin, apigenin, morin, naringin, galangin and kaempferol. Standards of the identified flavonoids were tested against the same bacterial strains. The highest activity was shown by quercetin, rutin and apigenin. The allelopathic effect was tested against Raphanus sativus seed germination. The extract, quercetin, rutin and apigenin caused a decrease in the percentage of seed germination and root and epicotyl growth.     

Influence of cold hardening on water relations of three Eucalyptus species

Water relations of three Eucalyptus species (E. x trabutii Wilm., E. viminalis Labill., E. dalrympleana Maid.), widely planted in the Mediterranean basin, were analyzed throughout an entire year in relation to natural cold hardening. Osmotic potential, both at saturation and at the turgor loss point, showed a greater reduction during hardening in the more frost-resistant E. viminalis and E. dalrympleana than in the more frost-sensitive E. x trabutii. The hardening capabilities of all species were analyzed in relation to the freezing dehydration index, FDI, a parameter derived from pressure-volume analysis which represents the water lost when cells, initially at the turgor loss point, attain thermodynamic equilibrium with extraplasmatic ice. The FDI at the killing temperature showed little variation either between frost-sensitive and frost-resistant species, or between hardened and non-hardened plants. The index may, therefore, be useful for evaluating a plant's potential for injury by freeze-induced desiccation.     

Relationship between rate of infection and markers of inflammation/immunity in Holy Birman cats with feline coronavirus

The aim of this study was to assess whether Holy Birman cats (HB) have a peculiar immune profile and a higher rate of infection by feline coronaviruses (FCoV). Leucocyte and lymphocyte subsets, antibody titers, α₁-acid glycoprotein (AGP), globulin fractions, IL-4, IL-12 and IFN-γ in blood and fecal FCoV excretion were determined in HB (n = 75) and in cats from other breeds (n = 94). Significantly higher CD4/CD8 ratio, IFN-γ concentration and IL12/IL4 ratio and significantly lower IL-4 concentration and proportion of shedders were found in HB than in other breeds. No other differences were found. In conclusion, this study did not provide evidence of peculiar immune profiles in HB, except for a prevalent Th1 profile, that may explain why in our caseload the rate of shedders was lower in HB than in other breeds.     

Paraoxonase activity as a tool for clinical monitoring of dogs treated for canine leishmaniasis

This study was designed to determine if the activity of paraoxonase (PON1), an antioxidant enzyme that works as a negative acute phase reactant, is a better predictor for the clinical recovery of leishmaniotic dogs receiving standard treatments compared with inflammatory markers such as C reactive protein (CRP) and electrophoretic fractions. For this purpose we tested 20 healthy dogs (controls) and 39 leishmaniotic dogs classified as sick (group A, n = 23) or severely sick (group B, n = 16) and tested at admission and after 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days.At admission, CRP and electrophoresis were altered in both groups, while PON1 activity was abnormal only in group B. There were no differences related to the outcome (mortality, complications or time of recovery). PON1 activity normalized in about 2 weeks in dogs that had abnormal values at admission and a final positive outcome; CRP normalized in 4–6 weeks and electrophoretic fractions were still altered after 6 weeks. The results show that, at admission, inflammatory markers did not predict the outcome of leishmaniasis. PON1 activity decreased only in some dogs with systemic inflammation but not in those with mild leishmaniasis: when decreased, PON1 normalized earlier than other markers in dogs that responded to treatment. This finding most likely depends on the rapid decrease in oxidative phenomena. PON1 activity should therefore be tested on admission: if low values are recorded, severe inflammation may be suspected and PON1 measurement may be repeated during treatment to early identify responsive dogs.     

Cellulose acetate electrophoresis of canine plasma after fibrinogen precipitation by ethanol

Background: In routine canine medicine, anticoagulated blood is often the only sample sent to laboratories for diagnostic purposes. This hampers the interpretation of protein electrophoretic tracings because plasma contains fibrinogen, which migrates in the β–γ region. In human medicine, fibrinogen can be precipitated from plasma using ethanol. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess ethanol precipitation as a method for removing fibrinogen from canine plasma so as to facilitate the interpretation of electorphoresis results. Methods: Blood samples collected from 40 dogs were divided into plain tubes and tubes containing EDTA (n=20) or lithium–heparin (n=20). An aliquot of plasma from each sample was incubated with ethanol at a final concentration of 100 mL/L. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis was then performed on serum, plasma, and plasma treated with ethanol. To verify the efficiency of ethanol treatment, fibrinogen was added to 5 canine serum samples at final concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 g/L, and electrophoresis was performed before and after ethanol treatment. Results: Visual analysis of electrophoretograms from ethanol‐treated samples confirmed the disappearance of the fibrinogen peak from the β₂‐globulin region. Treatment with ethanol caused a significant decrease in the percentage of β₂‐globulins and a significant increase in the percentage of α₂‐globulins. Absolute values of most electrophoretic fractions were significantly decreased in ethanol‐treated plasma compared with serum. Conclusions: Ethanol treatment successfully removed fibrinogen from canine plasma and normalized electrophoretic profiles, but probably also precipitated proteins other than fibrinogen. Ethanol treatment is recommended to facilitate visual identification of abnormal monoclonal peaks, but not for determining absolute protein concentrations in electrophoretic fractions.