Follicle associated epithelium of the gut associated lymphoid tissue of cattle

The morphology of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue of the small and large intestine in three gnotobiotic calves was examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and the distribution of specialized membranous cells present in the follicle associated epithelium was defined. Isolated follicles remaining in the ileum of a cow after involution of the continuous Peyer's patch were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The presence of membrane-bound particles, reported to be exclusively associated with the continuous Peyer's patch, was investigated in other gut-associated tissue of the small and large intestine of the calf. The presence of two types of follicle associated epithelium in the small intestine of the calf was confirmed, and the follicle associated epithelium of the large intestine proved to be a homogeneous population of specialized membranous cells, similar to that of the continuous Peyer's patch of the small intestine. In the discrete Peyer's patches, some specialized membranous cells were completely hidden by adjacent enterocytes and could only be identified by cytoplasmic extensions into the intestinal lumen. In the proximal part of the continuous Peyer's patch, a transitional zone was detected where the follicle associated epithelium of some doomed villi was composed of a homogeneous population of specialized membranous cells, while the epithelium covering other doomed villi consisted of a mixture of absorptive and specialized membranous cells, usually only found in the discrete Peyer's patches. Membrane-bound particles were observed associated with gut-associated lymphoid tissue in the small and large intestine.     

Malignant Mixed Sex Cord-stromal Tumour in a Stallion

A 30-year-old Standardbred stallion was examined for unilateral scrotal swelling. Physical and ultrasound examinations revealed a painless enlarged left testis with a non-homogeneous echogenicity, when compared with the controlateral testis. The stallion underwent left unilateral orchiectomy. Grossly, the excised testis was irregularly enlarged (12 x 9 x 9 cm; weight: 530 g) and firm. The sections showed that testicular parenchyma was replaced by a lobulated, greyish-white mass, which involved the epididymal head. At microscopy, a dual Leydig and Sertoli cell tumour component could be seen. Neoplastic Sertoli cells were prevalent and presented pleomorphic cells, mitotic figures and occasional vascular invasion. Tumour patterns showed tubular and solid areas, cord-like or diffuse in appearance, among which newly formed Leydig cell nests and low-density fibrillar bundles were interposed. Immunohistochemically, a weak to moderate immunostaining for vimentin, AE(1)/AE(3) cytokeratin, alpha-1-antitrypsin and CD99 antigens was found in the growing Sertoli cells, whose nuclear MIB-1 labelling index scored 13 +/- 2%. The Leydig tumour cells, on the other hand, displayed a moderate to strong positivity for alpha-inhibin, vimentin, AE(1)/AE(3) cytokeratin, neurone-specific enolase and CD99. On the basis of these findings, a diagnosis of malignant mixed sex cord-stromal tumour was made.     

缓释氮肥与尿素配施对高原机插籼稻产量与生长特性的影响

为了明确高原地区机插籼稻缓释氮肥与尿素配施的最佳比例,以川谷优7329为材料,在施氮量为150kg/hm~2和105 kg/hm~2水平下,研究了4种缓释氮肥与尿素配施比例(10∶0,7∶3,5∶5,3∶7)对机插籼稻产量与生长特性的影响。结果表明,不同施氮量间水稻产量差异不显著,缓释氮肥与尿素配施水稻产量由高到低为5∶510∶07∶33∶7。在相同比例下增加施氮量可以增加机插籼稻抽穗期高效叶片的长度,提高茎蘖数和抽穗期叶面积指数,但降低了氮肥农学利用效率和粒叶比。尿素所占比例越高成穗率越低,5∶5的处理水稻表观输出率和氮肥农学利用效率最高。高原地区机插籼稻最佳氮肥施用量为105 kg/hm~2,缓释氮肥与普通尿素配施比例为5∶5。     

Neurological diseases of ruminant livestock in Australia. III: bacterial and protozoal infections

Bacteria (including chlamydia) and protozoa can produce neurological disease in Australian ruminant livestock and the nature of the inflammatory and neuroparenchymal response is often suggestive of a particular aetiological agent. An overview of the clinicopathological features of infectious disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) is followed by a discussion of important bacterial and protozoal infections in Australia. Each infectious disease is discussed in terms of classification and pathogenesis linked to clinical signs and gross and microscopic findings. The literature review is restricted to infectious conditions causing CNS disease in Australia. Sources include the Australian Veterinary Journal (over 50 years of articles), the quarterly newsletter of the National Animal Health Surveillance System and the Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly.     

Preliminary investigation of the effect of treating sheep during pregnancy with a vitamin A,D, E formulation on the incidence of vaginal prolapse

ABSTRACT

Aim: To determine if vitamin D₃ treatment reduced the incidence of vaginal prolapse in pregnant sheep on a North Canterbury sheep breeding property.

Methods: Pregnant ewes from a single farm were allocated to three treatment groups in May 2018. At this time, the first group (EarlyVitADE; n?=?512) received an I/M 1?mL dose of 500,000?IU/mL vitamin D₃, 60,000?IU/mL vitamin A, and 25?mg/mL vitamin E. This was repeated in July 2018, when the second group (LateVitADE; n?=?695) also received the same treatment. The third group (n?=?737) were untreated controls. All cases of vaginal prolapse on the property were recorded from pregnancy diagnosis in June 2018 until ewes were set-stocked in August 2018. The planned start of lambing was 10 August 2018.

Results: During the period of observation, vaginal prolapses were recorded in 3/699 (0.4%) 2-year-old ewes, and the odds of vaginal prolapse were not associated with treatment group in these ewes (p?>?0.3). Amongst ewes aged ≥3 years, during the same period, there were 6/333 (1.8%), 6/443 (1.4%) and 25/469 (5.3%) cases in the EarlyVitADE, LateVitADE and control groups, respectively. Compared to control ewes, the odds of vaginal prolapse were reduced in both the EarlyVitADE (OR?=?0.37; 95% CI?=?0.15–0.92) and LateVitADE (OR?=?0.25; 95% CI?=?0.10–0.62) treatment groups.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: In this preliminary study, administration of injectable vitamins A, D₃, and E to pregnant ewes reduced the incidence of vaginal prolapse during the period from pregnancy diagnosis to set-stocking on one North Canterbury hill-country farm. Due to the restricted data collection period, this investigation should be replicated to better quantify the repeatability of the observed treatment effect over the complete lambing period.     

Isolation and characterization of a peanut maturity-associated protein

Using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), the peanut protein profile was shown to be related to the maturity, drying time, and drying procedure of the peanut. Differences were seen between (a) immature and mature seeds for untreated and windrow-dried peanuts, (b) untreated and windrow-dried peanuts for immature and mature seeds, and (c) windrow- and stackpole-dried peanuts. The most pronounced HPLC peak that increased in size as the peanut matured and decreased in size with longer drying times was isolated and identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to have a molecular weight of 62 500. Since maturity is related to the sensory quality of peanuts, this protein may be a marker for peanuts that will produce a higher quality flavor when roasted.