The response of broilers' adiposity to testosterone after embryonic exposure to androgen and tamoxifen

1. The effects of early exposure of heavy breed (HB) chicks to an anti-oestrogen (tamoxifen--TAM) and to an androgen which cannot be aromatised (5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone--DHT) on subsequent adiposity and its response to testosterone were studied. 2. Embryonic TAM administration reduced adiposity in females but not in males at 8 weeks of age. Embryonic DHT produced similar responses but to a lesser extent. 3. Testosterone propionate (TP) administration during growth had no effect on adiposity in any of the treated groups but TP reduced adiposity in males which had been exposed to DHT at the embryonic stage.     

The action of phorone and other compounds in controlling superficial scald of apples

A new inhibitor of superficial scald, phorone (2,6-dimethylhepta-2,5-dien-4-one) is reported. Phorone reduced scald on ‘Granny Smith’ apples when applied by injection or as a vapour. Phorone was found to limit the accumulation of α-farnesene during storage and the amounts of conjugated triene oxidation products derived from α-farnesene. Monoterpenes also reduced α-farnesene, oxidation products and scald, but these compounds were less effective than phorone. In contrast, diphenylamine had little effect on the amount of α-farnesene in the fruit but it prevented the autoxidation of α-farnesene and controlled scald.     

Developmental orthopedic disease.

Developmental orthopedic diseases are a common cause of pain and lameness in young dogs. Most occur in large-breed dogs with rapid growth rates. This article reviews the signalment, etiology and pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for many of the common developmental orthopedic diseases, including hypertrophic osteodystrophy, panosteitis, osteochondrosis, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and pes verus.     

Factors affecting intraocular pressure in lions

The aim of this study was to conduct a detailed analysis of the relationship between age and intraocular pressure (IOP) in lions. Tonometry was conducted in 33 lions aged 5 days to 80 months. Age was significantly associated with IOP (P<0.005). Mean IOP was 12.8+/- and 23.9+/-4.1 mmHg in lions < or =1 year old and >1 year old, respectively. IOP linearly rose with age during the first 20 months of life, plateaued until approximately 40 months, and then gradually declined (r=0.85). Age-related changes in IOP were highly correlated with ultrasonographic measurements of intraocular dimensions (r > or = 0.72), and may be a determinant factor in developmental ocular growth. The dramatic rise in IOP of young lions is similar to that observed in children, but has not been previously demonstrated in animals. Significant IOP differences between lion sub-species were also demonstrated.     

Linking ecosystem services,urban form and green space configuration using multivariate landscape metric analysis

Context

Landscape metrics represent powerful tools for quantifying landscape structure, but uncertainties persist around their interpretation. Urban settings add unique considerations, containing habitat structures driven by the surrounding built-up environment. Understanding urban ecosystems, however, should focus on the habitats rather than the matrix.

Objectives

We coupled a multivariate approach with landscape metric analysis to overcome existing shortcomings in interpretation. We then explored relationships between landscape characteristics and modelled ecosystem service provision.

Methods

We used principal component analysis and cluster analysis to isolate the most effective measures of landscape variability and then grouped habitat patches according to their attributes, independent of the surrounding urban form. We compared results to the modelled provision of three ecosystem services. Seven classes resulting from cluster analysis were separated primarily on patch area, and secondarily by measures of shape complexity and inter-patch distance.

Results

When compared to modelled ecosystem services, larger patches up to 10 ha in size consistently stored more carbon per area and supported more pollinators, while exhibiting a greater risk of soil erosion. Smaller, isolated patches showed the opposite, and patches larger than 10 ha exhibited no additional areal benefit.

Conclusions

Multivariate landscape metric analysis offers greater confidence and consistency than analysing landscape metrics individually. Independent classification avoids the influence of the urban matrix surrounding habitats of interest, and allows patches to be grouped according to their own attributes. Such a grouping is useful as it may correlate more strongly with the characteristics of landscape structure that directly affect ecosystem function.

     

Eastern equine encephalitis in 9 South American camelids

BACKGROUND: Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus is a mosquito-borne togavirus (alphavirus) that causes severe (often fatal) encephalitis in many mammalian species, but it has not been reported previously in South American camelids. Hypothesis: South American camelids can become naturally infected with EEE virus and show encephalitic signs similar to those observed in other affected species. ANIMALS: Nine cases (8 alpacas and 1 llama, aged 3.5 weeks to 12 years) were identified; 4 of 9 were 510 weeks old. All cases were from the East Coast of the United States and presented in late summer and fall. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed to include confirmed cases of EEE in camelids in North America before 2006. RESULTS: Eight of nine (89%) camelids died or were euthanized in extremis, with the mean time to death of 2 days. Clinical signs were consistent with encephalitis and included fever, lethargy, ataxia, seizures, recumbency, torticollis, opisthotonus, and vestibular signs. No consistent hematologic abnormalities were identified, and cerebrospinal fluid contained an increased protein concentration in the single camelid analyzed. No successful therapy was identified. EEE was confirmed by alphavirus detection by using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the central nervous system (CNS) and by serology. Findings included polioencephalitis with lymphocytic perivascular cuffing; neutrophil infiltration; gliosis; neuron satellitosis; necrosis; and edema, with intracytoplasmic alphavirus within neurons and glial cells. No virus was detected in extraneural tissues. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: In endemic areas, EEE should be considered a differential diagnosis for young and adult camelids with CNS disease. Brain histopathology with indirect IHC or PCR is diagnostic.     

Comparative study of biochemical parameters in response to stress in Oreochromis aureus, O. mossambicus and two strains of O. niloticus

This study was aimed at detecting differences among tilapia species in immunological and biochemical parameters that are indicators for fish health. In addition, six blood parameters that are indicators of stress were measured, glucose concentration, ceruloplasmin activity, lysozyme activity, respiratory burst activity, haematocrit and leucocrit, and their levels were compared among groups. A calibration experiment was conducted with commercial stock of tilapia to optimize a protocol for measuring stress response in tilapia. An air exposure stress was induced to six groups of fish and blood samples were taken at six different times: 15 min, 1, 2.5, 4.5, 6 and 24 h, after inducing stress. The highest responses to stress were observed after 2.5–4.5 h. A second experiment was conducted with four tilapia species: Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner), O. mossambicus (Peters), a red strain and the wild type of O. niloticus L. Levels of serum biochemical components and parameters of the innate immunity response to stress were compared in ten fish from each species. Significant differences were observed. Oreochromis aureus differed from the other three species (notably from O. mossambicus) in most of the measured immune response traits (glucose concentration, lysozyme activity, haematocrit and levels of total protein and IgM after stress) and serum biochemical components (protein, albumin, triglyceride, cholesterol, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, bilirubin and β‐hydroxybotiric acid). The identified differences suggest that hybrid families from O. aureus and O. mossambicus may be used to construct a segregating population for genetic analysis of the innate immune response to stress. Thus, these two species were bred for segregating F₂ population, suitable for quantitative trait loci studies for the innate immune response to stress.