Effect of dietary fumonisin B1 on laying Japanese quail

1. A 28-d experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) on egg production and egg quality of young laying Japanese quail fed on fumonisin-contaminated rations. 2. To this end, 128 7-week-old birds were randomly distributed into 4 experimental groups (32 birds per group) and given rations containing 0 (control), 10, 50 and 250mg FB1/kg feed. Each treatment consisted of 4 replicates of 8 quail. Egg production and egg weight were checked daily. Feed consumption and feed conversion were determined weekly. Eggs laid on the last day of each 7-d period were collected and subjected to individual analysis for specific gravity, Haugh units and percentage eggshell. 3. Compared with controls, quail given > or = 50 mg FB1/kg had reduced feed intake and lower body weight gain. Feed conversion was reduced only in birds given 250 mg FB1/kg. 4. Mean egg production and egg weight were lower in birds given 250mg FB1/kg. Eggshell weight was reduced in birds given > or =50mg FB1/kg. However, mean specific gravity, Haugh units and percentage eggshell were not affected by FB1. 5. No histopathological changes were observed in liver, kidney or heart samples from any treatment group. 6. The results indicated that exposure to FB1 at concentrations > or = 50 mg/kg could adversely affect quail performance, emphasising the importance of controlling fumonisin contamination of quail rations.     

Evidence of long distance airborne transport of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

The ability of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae to be transported over long distances via the airborne route was evaluated. A source population of 300 grow-finish pigs was experimentally inoculated with PRRSV MN-184 and M. hyopneumoniae 232 and over a 50-day period, air samples were collected at designated distances from the source herd using a liquid cyclonic collector. Samples were tested for the presence of PRRSV RNA and M. hyopneumoniae DNA by PCR and if positive, further characterized. Of the 306 samples collected, 4 (1.3%) were positive for PRRSV RNA and 6 (1.9%) were positive for M. hyopneumoniae DNA. The PRRSV-positive samples were recovered 4.7 km to the northwest (NW) of the source population. Four of the M. hyopneumoniae-positive samples were obtained at the NW sampling point; 2 samples at approximately 2.3 km and the other 2 samples approximately 4.7 km from the source population. Of the remaining 2 samples, one sample was obtained at the southeast sampling point and the other at the southwest sampling point, with both locations being approximately 4.7 km from the source. The four PRRSV-positive samples contained infectious virus and were ≥ 98.8% homologous to the MN-184 isolate used to inoculate the source population. All 6 of the M. hyopneumoniae-positive samples were 99.9% homologous to M. hyopneumoniae 232. These results support the hypothesis that long distance airborne transport of these important swine pathogens can occur.     

Evaluation of hematological,biochemical and oxidative stress profile in calves under propofol anesthesia

Veterinary Research Communications - Propofol is a widely used drug in veterinary medicine to induce anesthesia; as well as the chosen compound for protocols of intravenous anesthesia. The present...     

Comparative study of the effect of the effect of carbadox, olaquindox and cyadox on aldosterone, sodium and potassium plasma levels in weaned pigs

To study the effects of olaquindox and cyadox on aldosterone, sodium and potassium in the blood in comparison with the effects of carbadox, weaned pigs were fed these compounds in different doses. Pigs treated with 100 and 200 ppm carbadox showed a significant decline of aldosterone after five and three weeks, respectively, compared with control values. In the 200 ppm group treatment was interrupted at week 4. With olaquindox a continuous, significant decline was found from 50 ppm and above after five weeks, and from 25 ppm and above (but excluding the 100 ppm group), after six weeks. In the cyadox groups a significant decline was measured after six weeks in the 50, 200 and 400 ppm groups. Only the 200 ppm group had an earlier response at three and five weeks. A decrease of sodium to hyponatraemic levels in the carbadox groups was seen after three weeks in the 200, and after five weeks in the 100 ppm group. In the olaquindox groups only the 200 ppm dosage showed a consistent decrease to hyponatraemic levels from four weeks treatment. In the cyadox groups the 200 ppm dosage reached a hyponatraemic level after six weeks. An increase of potassium to hyperkalaemic levels occurred at 100 and 200 ppm carbadox dosage after four and three weeks, respectively, and at 200 ppm olaquindox dosage after four weeks. No hyperkalaemic levels were seen in the cyadox groups. It is concluded that the toxic effect of olaquindox, despite minor differences, is comparable with that of carbadox but that cyadox is less toxic.     

Antibody-induced internalization of viral glycoproteins in pseudorabies virus-infected monocytes and role of the cytoskeleton: a confocal study

Addition of pseudorabies virus (PrV)-specific polyclonal immunoglobulins to PrV-infected monocytes induces internalization of plasma membrane anchored viral glycoproteins. This process may interfere with antibody-dependent cell lysis and resembles the well-studied physiological endocytosis process. A confocal study was designed to investigate whether the major cellular components, involved in physiological endocytosis (clathrin, actin, dynein and microtubules), play a role in this virological internalization process. In order to visualize the interaction of endosomes, which contain the internalized viral glycoproteins, with clathrin, actin, dynein and microtubules, a double labeling of viral glycoproteins and different cellular proteins was performed. Porcine monocytes were inoculated with the PrV-strain 89V87 at a multiplicity of infection of 50 for 13h. After the addition of FITC-labeled porcine polyclonal PrV-specific antibodies, cells were fixed with para-formaldehyde at different time points and afterwards permeabilized. The different cellular components were visualized with monoclonal antibodies and a Texas Red-conjugate, with the exception of actin, which was stained with phalloidin-Texas Red. The cells were analyzed by confocal microscopy. A clear co-localization was observed between the viral glycoproteins and clathrin and dynein during the internalization process. The microtubules were in close contact with the internalized vesicles. For actin no co-localization could be observed. It can be stated that clathrin, dynein and microtubules, important components during physiological endocytosis, are also of importance during the antibody-induced internalization of viral glycoproteins.     

Hemodynamic evaluation of the right portal vein in healthy dogs of different body weights

Background

Doppler ultrasonography is an important tool for evaluating hepatic portal hemodynamics. However, no study in dogs of different body weights, in the range encountered in routine clinical veterinary practice, has been reported. It can be difficult to obtain an ideal insonation angle when evaluating the main portal vein, so evaluation of the right portal vein branch has been described in humans as an alternative. The aim of this study was to analyze, through Doppler ultrasonography, the hemodynamics in the right portal vein branch in dogs of different body weights.

Methods

Thirty normal dogs were divided in three groups by weight, in order to establish normal values for mean velocity, flow volume and portal congestion index of the right portal vein branch by means of Doppler ultrasonography.

Results

In all dogs ideal insonation angles were obtained for the right portal vein branch. The average velocity was similar in the three groups, but the portal congestion index and the flow volume differed, showing that the weight of the dog can influence these values.

Conclusion

Doppler ultrasonography for the evaluation of flow in the right branch of the portal vein could be a viable alternative, or complement, to examining the main vessel segment. This is especially so in those animals in which an ideal insonation angle for examination of the main portal vein is hard to obtain. In addition, the weight of the dog must be considered for the correct evaluation of the portal system hemodynamics, particularly for portal blood flow and the congestion index.     

MALDI-TOF MS identification of Prototheca algae associated with bovine mastitis

We evaluated the use of MALDI-TOF MS for the identification of 3 major, dairy-associated Prototheca species, namely, Prototheca bovis (formerly P. zopfii genotype 2), P. blaschkeae, and P. ciferrii (formerly P. zopfii genotype 1). The MALDI-TOF MS spectra established for those species were introduced into the reference spectra library of the Bruker Biotyper MALDI-TOF MS analysis software. Next, 31 Prototheca isolates from Holstein cows with mastitis, from herds located in the midwestern area of São Paulo State, Brazil, were subjected to MALDI-TOF MS profiling. MALDI-TOF MS allowed identification of 22 of 27 P. bovis and 3 of 4 P. blaschkeae isolates with scores >2.0, with 5 of 27 P. bovis and 1 of 4 P. blaschkeae isolates identified only to the genus level. With our extended algae database, MALDI-TOF MS can contribute to quick and effective speciation of Prototheca from mastitis cases.     

Blastocyst Evaluation by Means of Differential Staining: a Practical Approach

Techniques for in vitro production of embryos have been developed world-wide in different species, with promising results in human and ruminants. Thousands of human IVF-babies have been born during the last 20 years and thousands of in vitro -produced calves have been born since the late 1980s. With current methods for bovine in vitro fertilization, about 30–40% of in vitro -fertilized bovine oocytes develop further to the blastocyst stage and can be used for transfer. A proper evaluation of blastocyst quality remains however, an important challenge for every researcher involved in embryology and for every clinician who wants to select the best embryos for transfer. This review attempts to summarize the different methods available for estimation of blastocyst quality with a special emphasis upon differential staining.