Alterations in calcium, phosphorus and C-terminal parathyroid hormone levels in equine acute renal disease

The changes in serum and urinary levels of calcium and phosphorus and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) were studied during controlled, chemically induced, acute renal disease in 4 ponies. There was an initial rise in daily urinary calcium and hydroxyproline excretion in 2 ponies which may have indicated increased bone resorption. Mild hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia and elevated C-terminal PTH levels were associated with oliguria. Total daily urinary excretion of calcium and phosphorus decreased as oliguria developed. The levels of C-terminal PTH were increased in all four animals. This appears to have been related to their diminished renal function in that C-terminal fragments of intact PTH (which require functioning kidneys in order to be cleared) were probably being accumulated. Although there was no evidence with regard to an actual increase in PTH secretion, prolongation of intact PTH half-life due to renal tubular damage may have contributed to the development of hypercalcemia.     

Consumption of Low Larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum) by Grazing Sheep

Low larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum Pritz.) poisoning causes serious economic loss to livestock producers that graze cattle on foothill and mountain ranges in western North America. In general, all Delphinium spp. are five times less toxic to sheep than to cattle. Because low larkspurs are less toxic to sheep than cattle, grazing sheep before cattle on rangelands with dense populations of low larkspur can reduce larkspur density and risk of poisoning to grazing cattle. All previous published work on sheep and larkspur interactions has involved tall larkspurs. This series of studies was conducted to determine if sheep would consume sufficient low larkspur to reduce subsequent risk to cattle. Four summer trials were conducted in Collbran, Colorado, and Soda Springs, Idaho on pastures with dense (> 9 plants · m^?2) low larkspur populations. In all trials, sheep ate very little low larkspur (< 0.5% of bites). During one final trial using high sheep density (two sheep · 0.015 ha^?1 for 9 d), sheep consumed little low larkspur, but animals appeared to trample much of the low larkspur. Toxic alkaloid concentrations in low larkspur ranged from 1.1 mg · g^?1 to 1.6 mg · g^?1 in all trials. The use of sheep to graze low larkspurs to reduce subsequent consumption by grazing cattle does not appear to be a viable option.     

Reproductive, metabolic, and endocrine responses to feed restriction and GnRH treatment in primiparous, lactating sows

The current experiment was carried out to determine whether exogenous GnRH treatment in primiparous, lactating sows undergoing feed restriction would improve reproductive performance after weaning. Sows were allocated to one of three treatments: AA sows (n = 8) were fed to appetite throughout a 28-d lactation, AR (n = 12) and AR + GnRH (n = 12) sows were fed as AA sows from farrowing to d 21 of lactation, and feed intake was reduced to 50% of the ad libitum intakes from d 22 to 28. The AR + GnRH sows received 800 ng of GnRH i.v. every 6 h from d 22 to 28 of lactation, and AA and AR sows received saline. Sow weight, backfat, and litter weight were recorded weekly. Within 2 d after farrowing, litter size was standardized to 8 to 10. At d 17 of lactation, an indwelling jugular catheter was surgically implanted in each sow. Blood samples were taken for characterization of plasma LH, FSH, insulin, IGF-I, and leptin by RIA at d 21 and before and after weaning on d 28 of lactation. After weaning, all sows were given ad libitum access to feed, checked for onset of standing estrus twice daily with mature vasectomized boars, and inseminated 12 and 24 h after onset of standing estrus with pooled semen from the same fertile boars (3 x 10(9) sperm/AI). After breeding, feed allowance was reduced to NRC (1988) requirements for gestation. At d 28 +/- 3 of gestation, sows were killed and ovulation rate and embryo survival were determined. Restricted sows lost more weight during lactation than AA sows (P < .02). During the period of feed restriction, plasma IGF-I and postprandial insulin and leptin in AR and AR + GnRH sows, and LH pulse frequency in AR sows, were lower than those in AA sows (P < .04). Associations (P < .004) between plasma insulin and leptin and between leptin and mean LH concentrations were established. The LH pulse frequency in AR + GnRH sows did not differ from that in AA sows before weaning. After weaning, maximum, mean, and minimum LH concentrations in the AA and AR sows, and FSH concentrations in AR sows, increased (P < .05) in response to weaning. Paradoxically, GnRH treatment in lactation seemed to suppress the expected LH and FSH responses to weaning. Ovulation rate and embryo survival were not different among the three groups. In conclusion, although exogenous GnRH therapy restored LH secretion in feed-restricted sows, it did not improve overall reproductive performance.     

Geographical variation of the skull morphology of the common tree shrew (Tupaia glis).

Geographical variation was examined morphologically in the common tree shrew (Tupaia glis) in some Indochinese and Malayan regions. Osteometrical examination and principal component analysis elucidated the morphological differences among various populations. The populations from southern and western Thailand were distinguished morphologically from the other populations. Variation in males from south Thailand and Kuala Lumpur suggests that the Isthmus of Kra may have an influence on the variation of skull morphology. However, the Isthmus of Kra was not completely considered as a factor of geographical separation in this species, because we could not confirm the separation in skull size and shape between the localities at least in females. While, the Kanchanaburi population in western Thailand was significantly smaller than the other population in skull size, and constituted the morphologically separable group in our study.     

The effect of dietary chloride and bicarbonate on blood pH, haematological variables, pulmonary hypertension and ascites in broiler chickens.

1. The effect of supplementing grower diets with bicarbonate or chloride on haematological variables, pulmonary hypertension syndrome and ascites in broilers exposed to cold temperature was investigated. 2. High concentrations of dietary chloride had no effect on the pH of the venous blood but a low chloride/high bicarbonate diet significantly increased blood pH. There was no consistent effect of dietary chloride or bicarbonate concentrations on growth performance, although in 1 experiment birds given a low chloride/high bicarbonate diet consumed less food and gained less weight than controls. 3. Birds fed on high-chloride diets tended to have a higher incidence of ascites and pulmonary hypertension than controls. Birds fed on low-chloride and high-bicarbonate diets had significantly lower pulmonary hypertension and lower heart weights, which may have indicated a decrease in pulmonary and systemic blood pressure. 4. We conclude that increasing dietary bicarbonate and reducing dietary chloride has potential as a low cost and effective method to reduce the pulmonary hypertension which leads to ascites in broiler chickens.     

Low levels of haptoglobin and putative amino acid sequence in Taiwanese Lanyu miniature pigs

Porcine haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein. Its plasma level increases significantly during inflammation and infection. One of the main functions of Hp is to bind free hemoglobin (Hb) and inhibit its oxidative activity. In the present report, we studied the Hp phenotype of Taiwanese Lanyu miniature pigs (TLY minipigs; n=43) and found their Hp structure to be a homodimer (beta-alpha-alpha-beta) similar to human Hp 1-1. Interestingly, Western blot and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis showed that 25% of the TLY minipigs possessed low or no plasma Hp level (<0.05 mg/ml). The Hp cDNA of these TLY minipigs was then cloned, and the translated amino acid sequence was analyzed. No sequences were found to be deficient; they showed a 99.7% identity with domestic pigs (NP_999165). The mean overall Hp level of the TLY minipigs (0.21 +/- 0.25 mg/ml; n=43) determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was markedly lower than that of domestic pigs (0.78 +/- 0.45 mg/ml; p<0.001), while 25% of the TLY minipigs had an Hp level that was extremely low (<0.05 mg/ml). In addition, the initial recovery rate (first 40 min) in the circulation of infused fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Hb was significantly higher in the TLY minipigs with extremely low Hp levels than those with high levels. This data suggests that the low concentration of Hp-Hb complex is responsible for the higher recovery rate of Hb in the circulation. TLY minipigs have been used as an experimental model for cardiovascular diseases; whether they can be used as a model for inflammatory diseases, with Hp as a marker, remains a topic of interest. However, since the Hp level varies significantly among individual TLY minipigs, it is necessary to prescreen the Hp levels of the animals to minimize variation in the experimental baseline. The present study may provide a reference value for future use of the TLY minipig as an animal model for inflammation-associated diseases.     

Endometrial Adenocarcinoma and Mucometra in a 6-year-old Alaska Malamute Dog

A 6-year-old female Alaska Malamute dog was presented for evaluation of abdominal enlargement referred by a local veterinarian. On the history, the owner complained of chronic abdominal enlargement initiated more than 4 months ago, reduced appetite, occasional vomiting and general dullness. He also complained of greenish mucous intermittent vaginal discharge starting 10 days ago. The bitch was chronically treated with medroxiprogesterone acetate. A laparatomy was performed and fluid in the abdomen was found and aspirated during the surgery. Also a very fluid-filled distended uterus and a mass in the distal part of the left uterine horn were found. The mass was encapsulated by the omentum, but areas of necrosis and calcification were identified. Histopathological diagnosis was endometrial adenocarcinoma.     

Sibling species of cercospora associated with gray leaf spot of maize

ABSTRACT Monoconidial isolates of the fungus causing gray leaf spot of maize were obtained from diseased leaves collected throughout the United States and analyzed for genetic variability at 111 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci. Cluster analysis revealed two very distinct groups of Cercospora zeae-maydis isolates. Both groups were found to be relatively uniform internally with an average genetic similarity among isolates of approximately 93 and 94%, respectively. The groups were separated from each other by a genetic distance of approximately 80%, a distance greater than that separating each group from the sorghum pathogen, C. sorghi (67 to 70%). Characteristics and dimensions of conidia and conid-iophores produced on infected plants or nutrient media were unreliable criteria for taxonomic differentiation of isolates composing the two groups of C. zeae-maydis. Nucleotide sequences of 5.8S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were identical within each group but different between the two groups and different from C. sorghi. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms generated by digestion of the 5.8S rDNA and ITS regions with TaqI readily distinguished each group and C. sorghi. Isolates in one group were generally distributed throughout maize-producing regions of the United States; isolates in the other group were localized in the eastern third of the country. Both types were present in the same fields at some locations. The genetic distance based on AFLP profiles and different ITS nucleotide sequences between the two morphologically indistinguishable groups indicate that they are sibling species. Although it is unlikely that breeding for resistance to gray leaf spot will be confounded by local or regional variation in the pathogen, a vigilant approach is warranted, because two pathogenic species exist with unknown abilities to evolve new pathotypes.