Somatotropin and adipose tissue metabolism: substrate and temporal effects

The purpose of these studies was to determine the time course for changes in feed intake, blood metabolites, and lipogenic activity in adipose tissue in response to the initiation of porcine somatotropin (pST) treatment and following withdrawal from treatment in barrows. An initial study was conducted to determine the impact of chronic pST treatment (4 wk of daily injection; 0 vs 4 mg/d) on adipose tissue lipid metabolism in barrows (initial weight 67 kg). Feed efficiency was improved 27%, backfat thickness was decreased 43%, and glucose and lactate oxidation and incorporation into lipid in adipose tissue was reduced 70 to 86% in pST-treated pigs. Palmitate esterification was decreased 44%, whereas palmitate oxidation was unaffected. In vitro metabolism of lactate, glucose, and palmitate in liver slices was not affected by pST treatment. The time-course for changes in intake and adipose tissue metabolism in response to 7 d of pST (0 vs 4 mg/d) treatment and 7 d of withdrawal was examined in subsequent studies in barrows (initial weight 75 kg). Feed intake during pST treatment was significantly (P < .05) less than in control pigs within 24 h of the initiation of treatment and remained low through 3 d after withdrawal. Adipose tissue biopsies were obtained on d 0, 1, 2, 4, and 7 of the treatment phase and on d 2, 4, and 7 after withdrawal from 7 d of treatment. Maximal inhibition of lipogenesis by pST treatment in adipose tissue in vitro was observed on d 4 (-68%) and d 7 (-69%). Similarly, fatty acid synthase activity declined during the treatment period, with the greatest change noted on d 7 (-26%). After withdrawal from treatment, lipogenesis gradually increased, returning to control values 7 d after withdrawal. Levels of IGF-I began to increase from d 1 to d 7 of treatment, continually decreased during withdrawal, and were normalized by the end of the withdrawal period. Plasma urea nitrogen concentrations decreased during treatment, increased during the withdrawal phase, and were normalized 4 d after the last pST treatment. Overall results indicate that most of the metabolic changes in response to pST occur within 1 wk of treatment and return to pretreatment values after 7 d of withdrawal from treatment.     

Hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats and to identify clinicopathologic and histopathologic abnormalities in cats with stanozolol-induced hepatotoxicosis. DESIGN: Clinical trial and case series. ANIMALS: 12 healthy cats, 6 cats with chronic renal failure, and 3 cats with gingivitis and stomatitis. PROCEDURES: Healthy cats and cats with renal failure were treated with stanozolol (25 mg, i.m., on the first day, then 2 mg, p.o., q 12 h) for 4 weeks. Cats with gingivitis were treated with stanozolol at a dosage of 1 mg, p.o., every 24 hours. RESULTS: Most healthy cats and cats with renal failure developed marked inappetence, groomed less, and were less active within 7 to 10 days after initiation of stanozolol administration. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity was significantly increased in 14 of 18 cats after stanozolol administration, but serum alkaline phosphatase activity was mildly increased in only 3. Four cats with serum ALT activity > 1,000 U/L after only 2 weeks of stanozolol administration had coagulopathies; administration of vitamin K resolved the coagulopathy in 3 of the 4 within 48 hours. All 18 cats survived, and hepatic enzyme activities were normal in all cats tested more than 4 weeks after stanozolol administration was discontinued. Two of the 3 cats with gingivitis developed evidence of severe hepatic failure 2 to 3 months after initiation of stanozolol treatment; both cats developed coagulopathies. Histologic evaluation of hepatic biopsy specimens from 5 cats revealed diffuse hepatic lipidosis and cholestasis without evidence of hepatocellular necrosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that stanozolol is hepatotoxic in cats.     

Finishing cattle at pasture at 30 months of age or indoors at 25 months of age: Effects on selected carcass and meat quality characteristics

To examine the effect of a modification of a typically Irish dairy calf-to-beef production system, Charolais × Friesian steers were offered a finishing ration of grass silage ad libitum and 5.6 kg concentrates daily for 174 days prior to slaughter at 25 months of age or grass silage ad libitum for 174 days, followed by pasture for 167 days and slaughter at 30 months of age. Finishing at pasture increased carcass weight (376 vs. 342 kg) but did not affect intra-muscular lipid concentration (28 vs. 24 g/kg). Finishing at pasture decreased Longissimus thoracis et lumborum lightness (35.6 vs. 36.9) and increased shear force of muscle at 2 (8.54 vs 4.32) and 7 days (5.21 vs 3.64 kg) post-mortem but not at 14 days post-mortem (4.45 vs. 3.42 kg). Finishing at pasture did not affect the sensory characteristics of tenderness, juiciness, firmness or chewiness and tended (P < 0.1) to decrease texture and acceptability. It is concluded that modification of this beef production system as described, had minor effects on beef quality which are unlikely to be of commercial significance.     

Morphological analysis of the foramen magnum of dogs from the Iron Age

The investigations were carried out on 37 skulls from the Van-Yoncatepe early Iron Age necropolis (in eastern Anatolia) (first group) and 11 skulls from the scythians castle from Bileskoje Iron Age (second group). The major distance between both occipital condyles and both bases of the jugular processes, the major width of the foramen magnum, height of the foramen magnum, height of the skull, height of the occipital triangle and the length of the dorsal notch were measured. A dorsal notch was present in seven dogs (six male and one female) from Van-Yoncatepe. The average length of the dorsal notch was 2.5 mm. The investigation states that the dorsal notch occurred in dogs from the Iron Age. This anatomical formation had no association with their death.     

Radiosensitivity of canine osteosarcoma cells transfected with wild‐type p53 in vitro*

The p53 gene is one of the important tumour suppressor genes that are involved with the cell survival signal pathway. One of the major functions of the p53 protein is to organize cell cycle regulation and induction of apoptosis for cellular genetic stability. It has been documented that more than 50% of all human cancers include a p53 mutation. We evaluated the difference in radiosensitivity between upregulating the expression of canine wild‐type p53 (cp53) in cultured osteosarcoma (D17) cells and naive D17 cells in vitro. We found that upregulating transfected cp53 D17 cells increased their radiation sensitivity in vitro, and there was a significant decrease (P < 0.009) in survival between cp53‐transfected D17 cells and naive D17 cells. In this experiment, a p53 enhancement ratio (p53ER) reached approximately 3.0 at high doses. The transfected cp53 D17 cells were significantly more radiosensitive at all doses evaluated than naive D17 cells, except at 1 Gy where too few data points were available. The p53ER increased rapidly at doses less than 4 Gy, achieving a maximum of about 3.0 for doses of 4 Gy and above. This study shows the enhanced radiosensitivity of the transfected p53 at clinically relevant doses.     

Osteoma of the oral and maxillofacial regions in cats: 7 cases (1999-2009)

Objective-To describe clinical features of oral and maxillofacial osteomas in cats. Design-Retrospective case series. Animals-7 cats with oral or maxillofacial osteoma or both. Procedures-Medical records were reviewed for information on signalment, history, clinical signs, physical examination findings, diagnostic imaging findings, results of serum biochemical analyses and histologic testing, surgical procedures performed, and perioperative complications. Outcome was determined on the basis of follow-up telephone interviews of owners. Results-Cats ranged from 1 to 23 years of age. Clinical signs were observed in 5 cats and were attributed to the presence of the mass. Diagnostic imaging (radiography and computed tomography) and histologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of osteoma. Three cats were euthanatized; 1 cat was treated by mandibulectomy, 1 was treated by maxillectomy, and 2 were treated by debulking. At the time of follow-up at least 1 year after surgery, all 4 treated cats were alive, with owners reporting an acceptable quality of life. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Osteoma of the oral and maxillofacial regions is an uncommon tumor in cats. Most cats are examined during an advanced stage of the disease, when treatment options may be limited. Although osteoma is a benign tumor, the recommendation is to perform a clinical evaluation, diagnostic imaging, biopsy, and treatment early in the disease process, when less invasive surgical approaches may be feasible.