Oral infection with a Shiga toxin-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain elicits humoral and cellular responses but does not protect sheep from colonisation with the homologous strain

We have previously shown that rectally inoculated sheep excrete Escherichia coli O157:H7 during weeks to months without developing a clear antibody response. However, antibodies against this bacterium were observed in naturally infected sheep, which most likely became orally infected. To understand this difference, sheep were orally inoculated with the same Shiga toxin-negative E. coli O157:H7 strain that was used for the rectal inoculation. A primary oral inoculation resulted in shedding of E. coli O157:H7 in the faeces and detection of antibody responses against intimin, EspA and EspB. The antibody titres waned as shedding decreased. A secondary inoculation resulted in longer shedding, even though a booster antibody response occurred. Cellular responses followed a similar pattern as the antibody levels, albeit with a lower secondary response. The presence of antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells indicates involvement of both a systemic response in the spleen and a local immune response in the terminal rectum. These results suggest that E. coli O157:H7 has to pass the small intestine to evoke antibody responses.     

Aglepristone decreases proliferation in progesterone receptor-positive canine mammary carcinomas

Background: Progesterone receptor (PR) antagonist aglepristone (RU534) has been used successfully for pregnancy termination and therapy of pyometra, vaginal tumors, and mammary hyperplasia in bitches and queens. All of these conditions share with canine mammary carcinomas the expression of PR. Objectives: To study the effect of RU534 on proliferation and apoptosis in canine mammary carcinomas in relation to PR expression. Animals: Twenty‐seven nonspayed bitches with mammary carcinomas were treated with either 2 doses of 20 mg/kg RU534 (n = 22, RU534‐treated group) or oil placebo (n = 5, control group) on days 1 and 8. Methods: Tumor samples were collected before (day 1) and after (day 15) treatment for immunohistochemistry. PR expression, proliferation index (PI), and apoptotic index (AI) were determined using antibodies against PR, Ki67, and cleaved lamin A/C antigens, respectively. The effect of treatment on these parameters was analyzed. Results: Differential expression of PR between day 1 (59.1% PR‐positive tumors) and day 15 (36.4% PR‐positive tumors) was observed in RU534‐treated tumors exclusively. After RU534 treatment, mean PI was significantly decreased in PR‐positive but unchanged in PR‐negative RU534‐treated tumors. A reduction of ≥20% in PI was found in 61.5% of RU534‐treated tumors with PR expression. Conversely, no effect on AI was observed after RU534 treatment. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Neoadjuvant RU534 treatment had PR expression‐related inhibiting effects on proliferation of canine mammary carcinoma cells.     

Extrinsic cardiac nerve segments in the domestic dog (Canis familiaris- Linnaeus, 1758). Comparative study in young and adult dogs

In this paper, important connections between the two main contingents of the autonomic nervous system, intrinsic and extrinsic visceral plexus were analysed. Concerning heart innervation, the territories of extrinsic innervation are very important in the treatment of congenital or acquired cardiopathy, thoracic neoplasia and aortic arch persistence, among others. This research compared young and adult extrinsic cardiac innervation and described the surgical anatomic nerve segments. Animals were perfused with a 10% formaldehyde solution in PBS (0.1 m) (pH 7.4) and submitted to macro- and meso-scopic dissection immersed in 60% acetic acid alcoholic solution and 20% hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution. The nerve segments were assigned as: right vagus nerve segment, left vagus nerve segment, right middle cervical ganglion segment, left middle cervical ganglion segment, right caudal laryngeal nerve segment, left caudal laryngeal nerve segment, right phrenic nerve segment and left phrenic nerve segment.     

Pig producer attitude towards surgical castration of piglets without anaesthesia versus alternative strategies

A group of 160 Flemish pig farmers (n=160) were surveyed about their attitude towards surgical castration with anaesthesia (SCA) and without (SCN), immunocastration (IC), sperm sexing (SS) and the production of entire males (EM). The farmers' general preference was recorded as SCN>SS>SCA=IC>EM. The farmers' self-reported knowledge of the strategies was associated with their preference for SCA (negatively) and SS (positively). Herd size was correlated with farmers' preference for SCA (negatively) and SS (positively). Farmers perceived surgical castration without anaesthesia as the most favourable strategy in terms of farm profitability, animal performance and effectiveness against boar taint, but they expected the lowest consumer acceptance for this strategy. Surgical castration with anaesthesia was ranked the least favourable in terms of labour conditions. Production of entire males was viewed as the least profitable and the least effective strategy. Sperm sexing was positively perceived, particularly in terms of labour conditions, animal welfare, effectiveness and expected consumer acceptance. The farmers' opinion was quite homogeneous, especially regarding surgical castration without anaesthesia and production of entire males. Increasing our understanding of the farmers' perceptions will hopefully facilitate communication about this intricate issue.     

Morphometric and quantitative evaluation of the NADH-diaphorase positive myenteric neurons of the jejunum of streptozotocin-diabetic rats supplemented with acetyl-L-carnitine

Summary In this study we investigated the effect of the acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) supplementation on the myenteric neurons of the jejunum of rats made diabetic at the age of 105 days by streptozotocin (35 mg/kg body weight). Four groups were used: non-diabetic (C), non-diabetic supplemented with ALC (CC), diabetic (D), diabetic supplemented with ALC (DC). After 15 weeks of diabetes induction the blood was collected by cardiac puncture to evaluate glycaemia and glycated haemoglobin. Next the animals were killed and the jejunum was collected and subjected to whole-mount preparation to evidence the myenteric neurons through the histochemical technique of the NADH-diaphorase. The neuronal counts were made in 80 microscopic fields, in tissue samples of five animals of each group. The profiles of the cell bodies of 1000 neurons per group were analysed. Diabetes induced a significant increase in the area of the cell body and decrease in the number of NADH-diaphorase positive myoenteric neurons. ALC suplementation to the diabetic group promoted smaller hypertrophic effects and less neuronal loss than in the myoenteric neurons of the diabetic rats, and in addition diminished the body weight decrease and reduced the fasting glycaemia.     

Sodium salicylate attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced adipsia, but not hypophagia, in broiler chickens

A study was conducted to determine the influence of sodium salicylate on the behaviour and the food and water consumption of broiler chickens after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. An oral dose of 100 mg/kg sodium salicylate was given and an acute phase reaction in broiler chickens was provoked through the intravenous injection of Escherichia coli LPS. Water intake was higher in the LPS and salicylate-treated group than in the positive control group. The salicylate treatment, however, did not restore the food intake, or influence the behaviour of the chickens. These data show that sodium salicylate has a positive effect on the water intake after intravenous injection of LPS in chickens and suggests that there is a difference in mechanism of action of food and water consumption after LPS injection in chickens.     

Effects of Several Procedures of Ovarian Stimulation on Reproductive Efficiency in Artificially Inseminated Does

Veterinary Research Communications -     

内毒素及其诱导的信号转导

细菌内毒素中毒在临床上主要表现为机体发热、休克、恶质病、死亡。多种炎性细胞因子是引起上述临床表现的原因。内毒素通过与细胞膜表面相应的分子如脂多糖结合蛋白、CD14、Toll样受体相互作用，将信号跨膜传递至胞内并活化NF－κB（nuclear factor of kappa B)，从而使细胞核基因激活，产生多种炎性细胞因子。本文主要综述了近年来在内毒素诱导的信号转导方面所取得的进展。     

西安地区鸵鸟养殖现状调查

简述了国内外鸵鸟养殖概况 ,通过对西安地区 5个公司的鸵鸟养殖场中的饲养管理、繁育、疾病防治及产品开发等的调查和分析 ,提出了西安地区在鸵鸟养殖方面存在的问题及我国鸵鸟养殖业的发展对策     

How to Perform and Interpret Testicular Fine Needle Aspiration in Stallions

Although several methods of testicular biopsy have been proposed previously, testicular fine needle aspiration (FNA) has proved to be the simplest, the most rapid, inexpensive, and overall the least invasive technique for obtaining testicular biopsies. Testicular FNA is indicated for fertility investigations in stallions with oligozoospermia or azoospermia. It is also used for differential diagnosis of testicular enlargement. After sedation, the stallion’s testis is punctured to obtain testicular parenchyma samples containing cells mainly from the seminiferous epithelium. The material obtained is used to perform smears which are analyzed for identification and quantification of germ cells and Sertoli cells. The results are based on the presence of the cell types found in the smears and the proportions of Sertoli cells per germ cells. In addition to being a very useful diagnostic tool, testicular FNA is also used for follow-up examinations, as it is minimally invasive.