Hyperadrenocorticism associated with excessive sex hormone production by an adrenocortical tumor in two dogs.

An 11-year-old spayed female Labrador Retriever and a 9-year-old castrated male miniature Poodle were evaluated because of clinical signs of hyperadrenocorticism. Cortisol testing did not support a diagnosis of hypercortisolemia in either dog; however, imaging studies revealed unilateral adrenal tumors in both dogs. Serum concentrations of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, progesterone, and estradiol were high in both dogs, and androstenedione concentrations were also high in 1 dog. It is suspected that sex hormone secretion by the adrenal tumors in these dogs resulted in clinical signs of hyperadrenocorticism. Clinical signs and hormonal abnormalities resolved in the male dog after surgical resection of the tumor. There was no improvement in clinical signs after treatment with mitotane in the female dog, which died 2 months after diagnosis. Histologic evaluation confirmed the presence of adrenocortical carcinoma in both dogs.     

Ionized calcium concentration in horses with surgically managed gastrointestinal disease: 147 cases (1988-1990).

Packed cell volume, total plasma protein, serum sodium, potassium, and ionized Ca2+ concentrations, and blood pH were determined at the time of admission and following surgery in 147 horses with acute abdominal crisis. Horses were allotted to 3 categories on the basis of the surgical lesion: (1) nonstrangulating obstruction of the ascending or descending colon (category A, n = 76), (2) strangulating and nonstrangulating infarction of the cecum or ascending colon (category B, n = 37), and (3) strangulating and nonstrangulating infarction of the small intestine (category C, n = 25). Horses with low serum ionized Ca2+ concentration following surgery were given 23% calcium gluconate (100 to 300 ml) IV to effect, and ionized Ca2+ concentration was determined following treatment. The serum ionized Ca2+ concentrations of horses in categories A, B, and C before and after surgery were lower than our normal laboratory reference range. Prior to surgery, serum ionized Ca2+ concentration measured from horses in category B and C was lower than that in horses in category A. There was no difference in ionized Ca2+ concentration in serum samples obtained before surgery in horses from category B and C, and in serum samples obtained following surgery. There was a decrease in ionized Ca2+ concentration during surgery in horses in category A. There was no change between preoperative and postoperative ionized Ca2+ concentration in the samples obtained from horses in category B and C. After calcium gluconate administration, all horses with low serum ionized Ca2+ after surgery had concentrations within our normal range. Measurement of serum ionized Ca2+ in horses with an acute abdominal crisis is recommended.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Of rodents and ruminants: a comparison of small noncoding RNA requirements in mouse and bovine reproduction

Ruminants are major producers of meat and milk, thus managing their reproductive potential is a key element in cost-effective, safe, and efficient food production. Of particular concern, defects in male germ cells and female germ cells may lead to significantly reduced live births relative to fertilization. However, the underlying molecular drivers of these defects are unclear. Small noncoding RNAs, such as piRNAs and miRNAs, are known to be important regulators of germ-cell physiology in mouse (the best-studied mammalian model organism) and emerging evidence suggests that this is also the case in a range of ruminant species, in particular bovine. Similarities exist between mouse and bovids, especially in the case of meiotic and postmeiotic male germ cells. However, fundamental differences in small RNA abundance and metabolism between these species have been observed in the female germ cell, differences that likely have profound impacts on their physiology. Further, parentally derived small noncoding RNAs are known to influence early embryos and significant species-specific differences in germ-cell born small noncoding RNAs have been observed. These findings demonstrate the mouse to be an imperfect model for understanding germ-cell small noncoding RNA biology in ruminants and highlight the need to increase research efforts in this underappreciated aspect of animal reproduction.     

Theileria orientalis: a review

Theileria orientalis (also known historically as T. sergenti and T. buffeli) is responsible for benign or non-transforming theileriosis, and exerts its major effect through erythrocyte destruction. The life cycle of T. orientalis is essentially similar to that of other Theileria species, except that the schizonts do not induce transformation and fatal lymphoproliferation. The pathogenesis of anaemia as a result of infection is not clearly established and may be multifaceted. Clinical signs of weakness, reluctance to walk and abortion are early but non-specific indications of disease, particularly if accompanied by a history of cattle being moved. Physical examination may reveal pallor (pale eyes, vaginal mucosa), pyrexia, and elevated heart and respiratory rates. T. orientalis is an economically important parasite of cattle in New Zealand, Australia and Japan, especially where naïve animals are introduced into an endemic area or in animals under stress. Increased awareness of the risks posed by the parasite is required to enable management practices to be implemented to minimise its impact.     

Mucinous cholangiocarcinoma in a cat

Mucinous cholangiocarcinoma was diagnosed in a 14-year-old, castrated male, domestic shorthaired cat with marked peritoneal effusion. Cytological confirmation of malignancy by fluid analysis and fine-needle, ultrasound-guided aspiration of the liver was followed by histological examination of tissue samples obtained at surgery and necropsy. No observed response followed chemotherapy with doxorubicin and carboplatin. Electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry helped to further characterize this unusual tumor.     

Production and water use in lettuces under variable water supply

The effects of a variable water supply on the water use, growth and yield of two crisphead and one romaine (i.e., Cos) lettuce cultivar were examined in a field experiment using a line source sprinkler system that produced a range of water regimes that occur in growers fields. Four locations at increasing distances from the main line were monitored through the season (i.e., from thinning to harvest, 28–63 days after planting (DAP)). These locations at the end of the season corresponded to: (1) rewatering to field capacity (FC); (2) watering with a volume 13% below that required in the field capacity treatment (0.87*FC); (3) 30% below FC (0.70*FC); and (4) 55% below FC (0.45*FC). A linear production function for dry matter accumulation and fresh weight vs. crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) was determined for lettuce during this period, giving a water use efficiency for dry matter of 1.86 g m^–2 mm^–1 and for fresh weight of 48 g m^–2 mm^–1 . For lettuce irrigated to field capacity, ET_c between thinning and harvest was 146 mm; maximum crop coefficients of 0.81–1.02 were obtained at maturity (55–63 DAP). For the three irrigation treatments receiving the largest water application, ET_c was higher in the Cos culivar than in the two crisphead lettuce cultivars which had similar ET_c. Plant fresh weight was more sensitive than dry weight to reduction in water supply. In the FC treatment, root length density and soil water extraction were greatest in the top 0–45 cm, and decreased rapidly below 45 cm depth. Soil water extraction by roots increased at lower depths when irrigation was reduced. Instantaneous rates of leaf photosynthesis and leaf water potential showed no response to the irrigation treatments in this study, despite differences in biomass production. Evaporation was determined to be the major component of ET_c for 45 of the 63 days of the growing season. The large loss of water by evaporation during mid-season and the apparent insensitivity of lettuce to the volume of irrigation during this period may provide an opportunity for reducing irrigation applications.     

Clinical efficacy of diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to antibacterial treatment of respiratory disease of calves

Objective To compare the efficacy of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to the antibiotic treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Procedure We randomly allocated 80 Holstein calves with BRD to three groups. All the calves received a dose of 2.5 mg/kg tulathromycin by single subcutaneous injection and two of the groups received, in addition, either 2.5 mg/kg diclofenac sodium as a single intramuscular injection (diclofenac group, n = 30) or 2.2 mg/kg flunixin meglumine as an intravenous injection on the first three consecutive days after tulathromycin administration (flunixin group, n = 30). All calves were given a clinical score prior to initial treatment (day 0) and after treatment (days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14) by observing appetite, demeanour, rectal temperature, the rate and type of respiration, presence or absence of coughing, and nasal discharge. Results During the first 48 h, improvement of adverse signs of respiratory disease, such as pyrexia and elevated respiratory rate, and of a high clinical index score was significant in the two adjunct groups compared with the calves receiving antibiotic alone. The reduction in pyrexia was greatest in the diclofenac group. There were no statically significant differences between treatment groups with regard to eventual perceived recovery from respiratory disease in 14 days. Conclusion In this trial, a single intramuscular dose of diclofenac sodium was equally effective as three intravenous injections of flunixin meglumine given on consecutive days as adjunctive therapy for BRD.     

Accumulation of sorghum phytoalexins induced by Colletotrichum graminicola at the infection site

Microspectrophotometry was performed on intact, pigmented vesicle-like inclusions within living sorghum cells that were accumulating phytoalexins as a response to attempted fungal infection. The results indicate that the deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins are present in inclusions. Moreover, the phytoalexin concentration within a single inclusion, based on luteolinidin, was calculated to be 0·15 m. The amounts of luteolinidin and apigeninidin in cells involved in the phytoalexin response at individual infection sites were also determined. The data showed that luteolinidin accumulated to levels of 0·48–1·20 ng/cell whereas apigeninidin accumulated to levels of 0·24–0·91 ng/cell. The results of both analyses confirmed that at the infection site the deoxyanthocyanidins accumulate to levels in substantial excess of those required for inhibition of the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola.     

Cerebral larva migrans in a raccoon (Procyon lotor)

During 1997, gross and histopathologic examinations were performed on an adult female raccoon (Procyon lotor) that was live-trapped in Corvallis, Oregon. Multifocal eosinophilic granulomas indicative of neural and visceral larva migrans were observed. However, within these granulomas, the presence of parasitic larva was seen only in the cerebrum. Morphologic characteristics indicated that the nematode was an ascarid larva. However, it was smaller than the larva of Baylisascaris sp. This appears to be the first documented case of cerebral larva migrans in a raccoon.