Chicken dendritic cells and type II pneumocytes express a common intracellular epitope

1. CVI-ChNL 74·3, a dendritic cell-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) also identifies chicken lung granular pneumocytes (type II pneumocytes), which produce surfactant.

2. The 74·3 mAb does not cross-react with any other avian or mammalian granular pneumocyte, and provides a convenient tool for monitoring the status of type II pneumocytes in the chicken lung.     

Employing a Monte Carlo algorithm in expectation maximization restricted maximum likelihood estimation of the linear mixed model

Multiple‐trait and random regression models have multiplied the number of equations needed for the estimation of variance components. To avoid inversion or decomposition of a large coefficient matrix, we propose estimation of variance components by Monte Carlo expectation maximization restricted maximum likelihood (MC EM REML) for multiple‐trait linear mixed models. Implementation is based on full‐model sampling for calculating the prediction error variances required for EM REML. Performance of the analytical and the MC EM REML algorithm was compared using a simulated and a field data set. For field data, results from both algorithms corresponded well even with one MC sample within an MC EM REML round. The magnitude of the standard errors of estimated prediction error variances depended on the formula used to calculate them and on the MC sample size within an MC EM REML round. Sampling variation in MC EM REML did not impair the convergence behaviour of the solutions compared with analytical EM REML analysis. A convergence criterion that takes into account the sampling variation was developed to monitor convergence for the MC EM REML algorithm. For the field data set, MC EM REML proved far superior to analytical EM REML both in computing time and in memory need.     

A retrospective analysis of radiation therapy for the treatment of feline vaccine‐associated sarcoma*

We retrospectively evaluated predictive prognostic factors in 73 cats with vaccine‐associated sarcoma given postsurgical curative (n = 46, most with clean margins) or coarse fractionated radiotherapy (n = 27, most with either macroscopic disease or dirty margins). The former animals displayed a median survival of 43 months and a median progression free interval (PFI) of 37 months, the latter reached a median survival of 24 months and a median PFI of 10 months. In cats undergoing coarse fractionated therapy, factors predictive of a better outcome included lack of visible mass (n = 10) as opposed to macroscopic disease (n = 17, survival: 30 versus 7 months, P = 0.025; PFI: 20 versus 4 months, P = 0.01), adjuvant chemotherapy for gross disease (n = 5/17, survival: 29 versus 5 months, P = 0.04) and a smaller number of surgeries preceding radiation therapy (coeff = 0.41, P = 0.03). The Ki67 index was not predictive for survival. We concluded that postsurgical curative and coarse fractionated radiotherapy are effective legitimate options for managing vaccine‐associated sarcomas.     

Identification of carcass and meat quality quantitative trait loci in a Landrace pig population selected for growth and leanness

The identification of QTL related to production traits that are relevant for the pig industry has been mostly performed by using divergent crosses. The main objective of the current study was to investigate whether these growth, fatness, and meat quality QTL, previously described in diverse experimental populations, were segregating in a Landrace commercial population selected for litter size, backfat thickness, and growth performance. We have found QTL for carcass weight (posterior P > 0.75), cutlet weight (posterior P > 0.99), weight of ham (posterior P > 0.75), shoulders weight (posterior probability > 0.99), and shear firm-ness (posterior P > 0.99) on pig Chromosome 2. Moreover, QTL with posterior P > 0.75 for fat thickness between the 3rd and 4th ribs (Chromosome 7), rib weights (Chromosome 8), backfat thickness (Chromosomes 8, 9, and 10), and b Minolta color component (Chromosome 7) were identified. These results indicate that commercial purebred populations retain a significant amount of genetic variation, even for traits that have been selected for many generations.     

Immunoglobulin G and E responses in various stages of canine leishmaniosis

Pathogenesis in visceral leishmaniosis is associated with depressed cellular immunity and a significant rise of antileishmanial antibodies. We assessed the relative levels of immunoglobulin E anti-Leishmania infantum, together with those of IgG, IgG1 and IgG2, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, in non-infected and infected dogs with or without symptoms, and their association with symptoms to differentiate the stages of the infection. The expression of all immunoglobulins (IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgE) was higher in symptomatic dogs than in all other categories. IgG and IgG2 expression was higher in the infected asymptomatic group than in the non-infected group, whereas IgG1 and IgE expression was only higher in symptomatic animals. This correlation between the expression of IgG1 and IgE and the pathology of leishmaniosis points to their potential role as markers of the active disease.     

Cytotoxicity in pig hepatocytes induced by 8-quinolinol, chloramine-T and natamycin

The potential cytotoxic effects of the compounds 8-quinolinol, chloramine-T and natamycin have been studied in isolated pig hepatocytes. The relative cytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated on the basis of the leakage of cytosolic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), 3-(4,5 dimethyl)thiazol-2-yl,-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction by mitochondrial dehydrogenases, uptake of neutral red (NR) by cytosolic lysosomes, glutathion (GSH) depletion and oxidized glutathion (GSSG) efflux after 24 h exposure. Evaluation of the 20%, 50% and 80% reduced absorbance data obtained from the parameters NR20, NR50, and NR80, and MTT20, MTT50 and MTT80 enabled us to rank these compounds in decreasing order of cytotoxicity: 8-quinolinol > natamycin > chloramine-T. Also for the parameters LDH and GSH, chloramine-T appears to be less cytotoxic than natamycin and 8-quinolinol. Our study demonstrated that pig hepatocytes may be a useful model for examining cytotoxic events of drugs to be used in pigs, therefore avoiding possible extrapolation problems due to species differences.     

Atrophic rhinitis vaccine composition triggers different serological profiles that do not correlate with protection

Atrophic rhinitis (AR) is a widespread and economically important disease of swine caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica and Pasteurella multocida. It can be controlled by vaccination. This study investigates the effect of altering the composition (adjuvants and/or addition of formalin-inactivated P. multocida toxin, fPMT) of conventional vaccines on the serological profile and on protection against AR in swine. A significantly higher B. bronchiseptica specific antibody titre was detected for vaccines with novel immunostimulants, the best being Montanide IMS 1313 (1:630 compared to 1:274 obtained with alum). The highest B. bronchiseptica antibody titre was demonstrated for a combination of B. bronchiseptica--fPMT, while PMT antibody titre was highest for monovalent fPMT (both adjuvanted with IMS 1313). The AR-specific antibodies were transmitted from dams to their offspring in similar titres and with the same hierarchy of effectiveness. After a B. bronchiseptica--P. multocida bacterial challenge, piglets from dams vaccinated with fPMT combined with B. bronchiseptica or B. bronchiseptica--P. multocida bacterins showed the lowest nasal lesions scores (4.5 and 3.2, respectively, out of a possible maximum score of 18). These combinations, both of which were adjuvanted with IMS 1313, gave the best protection against experimentally induced AR. Our results show that the adjuvant and the antigen composition of the vaccine strongly affect seroconversion, and that the AR-specific antibody titre does not necessarily correlate with the degree of protection.     

Genetic (co)variances and breeding value estimation of Gompertz growth curve parameters in Finnish Yorkshire boars, gilts and barrows.

This paper's objectives were to estimate the genetic (co)variance components of the Gompertz growth curve parameters and to evaluate the relationship of estimated breeding values (EBV) based on average daily gain (ADG) and Gompertz growth curves. Finnish Yorkshire central test station performance data was obtained from the Faba Breeding (Vantaa, Finland). The final data set included 121,488 weight records from 10,111 pigs. Heritability estimates for the Gompertz growth parameters mature weight (alpha), logarithm of mature weight to birth weight ratio (beta) and maturation rate (kappa) were 0.44, 0.55 and 0.31, respectively. Genotypic and phenotypic correlations between the growth curve parameters were high and mainly negative. The only positive relationship was found between alpha and beta. Pearson and Spearman rank correlation coefficients between EBV for ADG and daily gain calculated from Gompertz growth curves were 0.79. The Spearman rank correlation between the sire EBV for ADG and Gompertz growth curve parameter-based ADG for all sires with at least 15 progeny was 0.86. Growth curves differ significantly between individuals and this information could be utilized for selection purposes when improving growth rate in pigs.