Characterisation of the 33kDa piroplasm surface antigen of Theileria orientalis/sergenti/buffeli isolates from West Java, Indonesia.

The immunodominant 33/35kDa antigen of a Theileria isolate from West Java, Indonesia, was characterised and immuno-affinity purified by use of a monoclonal antibody, KUL-a4, and was shown to be representative of the T. orientalis/sergenti/buffeli group. The aminoterminal sequence of the purified 35kDa peptide (20 residues) was determined by automated Edman degradation and found to correspond to the predicted amino acid sequence of a prospective p33 gene previously sequenced from the same isolate. The cleavage site of a putative signal peptide was identified and conforms the (-3, -1) rule for signal peptidases. The existence of dimeric and trimeric forms of the p33/35 antigen is hypothesised from Western blot profiles. KUL-a4 appeared specific for the T. orientalis/sergenti/buffeli group. It did not recognise in indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), intraerythrocytic bodies of Anaplasma marginale or piroplasms and schizonts of T. mutans, T. parva and T. annulata, whereas cattle antisera raised to these species showed cross-reactivity in IFAT. It however, appeared weakly cross-reactive in Western blot and ELISA, with the 34kDa piroplasm antigen of one T. annulata (Gharb) isolate. The present study indicates that the isolated antigen belongs to the p33/34 antigen family described within the T. sergenti/orientalis/buffeli group, and documents the group-specificity of one of its epitopes.     

Candidate genes underlying QTL for flowering time and their interactions in a wide spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cross

Response to vernalization and photoperiod are the main determinants controlling the time to flowering in temperate cereals. While the individual genes that dete...     

Zur Frage der anatomischen Unterscheidbarkeit des Holzes vonPinus silvestris L. undPinus nigricans Host

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 7 Abbildungen     

Freilanduntersuchungen über Ausschlüpfen,Begattung und Eiablage beim Springwurmwickler (Sparganothis pilleriana Schiff.)

Journal of Pest Science -     

Influence of amount and frequency of protein supplementation to ruminants consuming low-quality cool-season forages: efficiency of nitrogen utilization in lambs and performance of gestating beef cows

We evaluated the influence of amount and crude protein (CP) supplementation frequency (SF) on nitrogen (N) use by wethers and the performance of late-gestation beef cows. In exp. 1, seven Western whiteface wethers (31.8 ± 1.4 kg) were used in an incomplete 7 × 4 Latin square to evaluate intake and N use. Wethers received one of the seven treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial design containing two levels of supplemental soybean meal offered at a rate of 100% (F) or 50% (H; 50% of F) of the estimated CP requirement daily, once every 5, or once every 10 d, plus a non-supplemented control (CON). Low-quality cool-season forage (4.9 % CP; dry matter [DM] basis) was provided daily for ad libitum intake. Experimental periods lasted 30 d. In exp. 2, 84 Angus × Hereford cows (560 ± 35 kg) were stratified by age, body condition score (BCS), and expected calving date and allocated to 1 of the 21 feedlot pens (three pens per treatment). Pens were randomly assigned to receive the same treatments as in exp. 1 and cows had free access to low-quality cool-season forage (2.9% CP; DM basis). Cow body weight (BW) and BCS were measured every 14 d until calving and within 24 h after calving. In exp. 1, supplementation did not alter total DM and organic matter (OM) intake (P ≥ 0.26), but both parameters linearly decreased as SF decreased (P = 0.02). Supplementation increased DM, OM, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (P ≤ 0.02). Additionally, F feeding linearly increased DM, OM, and NDF digestibility as SF decreased (P ≤ 0.04). Digestibility of N, N balance, and digested N retained were greater with supplementation (P < 0.01), and N digestibility linearly increased as SF decreased (P = 0.01). Mean plasma urea-N concentration was not only greater (P < 0.01) for supplemented vs. CON wethers but also greater (P = 0.03) for F vs. H. In exp. 2, pre-calving BCS change was greater (P = 0.03) for supplemented cows. A linear effect of SF × supplementation rate for pre-calving BCS change was noted (P = 0.05), as F-supplemented cows lost more BCS compared with H as SF decreased. When considering supplementation intervals greater than 5 d, reducing the quantity of supplement provided, compared with daily supplementation, may be a feasible management strategy to maintain acceptable nutrient use and animal performance while reducing supplement and labor costs.     

The impact of MK-467 on sedation,heart rate and arterial blood pressure after intramuscular coadministration with dexmedetomidine in conscious cats

Objective

To study the effects of MK-467, a peripheral α₂-adrenoceptor antagonist, on sedation, heart rate and blood pressure after intramuscular (IM) coadministration with 25 μg kg^?1 of dexmedetomidine in cats.

Effects of epidurally administered morphine or buprenorphine on the thermal threshold in cats

Objective: To determine the antinociceptive effects of epidural administration of morphine or buprenorphine in cats by use of a thermal threshold model. ANIMALS: 6 healthy adult cats. PROCEDURES: Baseline thermal threshold was determined in duplicate. Cats were anesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen. Morphine (100 microg/kg diluted with saline [0.9% NaCl] solution to a total volume of 0.3 mL/kg), buprenorphine (12.5 microg/kg diluted with saline solution to a total volume of 0.3 mL/kg), or saline solution (0.3 mL/kg) was administered into the epidural space according to a Latin square design. Thermal threshold was determined at various times up to 24 hours after epidural injection. RESULTS: Epidural administration of saline solution did not affect thermal threshold. Thermal threshold was significantly higher after epidural administration of morphine and buprenorphine, compared with the effect of saline solution, from 1 to 16 hours and 1 to 10 hours, respectively. Maximum (cutout) temperature was reached without the cat reacting in 0, 74, and 11 occasions in the saline solution, morphine, and buprenorphine groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Epidural administration of morphine and buprenorphine induced thermal antinociception in cats. At the doses used in this study, the effect of morphine lasted longer and was more intense than that of buprenorphine.