Hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition of turkey red blood cells with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

The ability of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae to agglutinate RBC was evaluated to develop an in vitro cytadsorption assay. Using swine RBC in a microtitration hemagglutination test, no agglutination or partial agglutination was detected. Comparison of RBC from various other species indicated that improved hemagglutination was obtained with RBC from turkeys. This hemagglutination was detected only when mycoplasma cells used in the assay had been frozen and thawed, heated at 50 C for 30 minutes, or treated with trypsin. Treatment of RBC with trypsin or neuraminidase enhanced hemagglutination. Possible surface lectin activity in M hyopneumoniae was evaluated by use of carbohydrates in a blocking assay; hemagglutination was not inhibited by any of 13 carbohydrates evaluated. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae convalescent porcine serum and monoclonal antibodies against 2 M hyopneumoniae immunogens of molecular weights of 64,000 and 41,000 inhibited hemagglutination.     

Mucus synthesis in the goblet cells of the small intestine in experimental infection with the coccidium Isospora suis in piglets

The state of mucus synthesis in the goblet cells of the small intestine was studied in conventional piglets infected with a dose of 200,000 oocytes of the coccidium Isospora suis the first and fifth day after parturition. The synthesis of mucus and its chemical characteristics undergo significant changes during the third and fourth day after infection. The activity of acid and neutral mucous substances declines; their level and the physiological synthetic function of goblet cells begin to return to the normal during the period starting on the eight to tenth day after infection. However, there were no fully functioning goblet cells in the broken numerical ratio even at the end of the period of investigation, i.e. the 13th day after infection. The thin surface layer of mucus remained almost unchanged within the whole extent of the small intestine parts studied.     

Oesophagogastric parakeratosis in the growing pig: effects of the physical form of barley-based diets and added fibre

In four experiments a total of 288 individually fed pigs were given barley-based diets for about 100 days from about 20 kg liveweight. Fine grinding of barley increased the number and severity of oesophagogastric lesions. Pelleting a diet based on coarsely ground barley had a similar effect. Coarser grinding of the barley and substituting small proportions of oat husk, but not of bran, gave lower incidences and severities of lesions. The performance responses of the pigs differed and give a framework for deciding on the balance to be struck between optimal performance and the risk of lesion development.     

Muscarinic receptor subtypes in equine tracheal smooth muscle

Selective muscarinic receptor antagonists were used to identify muscarinic receptor subtypes in equine trachealis strips. The M₁ receptor antagonist pirenzepine (10^–7 mol/L to 3 × 10^–5 mol/L) and the M₃ receptor antagonist 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine (4-DAMP, 10^–9 mol/L to 3 × 10^–7 mol/L³) dose dependently inhibited the contractile responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS) and exogenous acetylcholine (ACh). Schild plots yielded a pA₂ value for pirenzepine vs ACh of 6.75 ± 0.09, which is consistent with the affinity for M₂ or M₃ receptors, and a pA₂ value for 4-DAMP vs ACh of 8.47 ± 0.09, which is in agreement with the affinity for M₃ receptors. The M₂ receptor antagonist gallamine (10^–5 mol/L and 10^–4 mol/L) did not affect the response of trachealis to exogenous ACh and low-frequency EFS (0.1–2 Hz) but decreased the responses to high-frequency EFS (4–16 Hz). These results suggest that the muscarinic receptors mediating contractions induced by ACh in equine tracheal smooth muscle are of the M₃ subtype. The lack of an increase in the response to EFS following gallamine suggests that functional prejunctional inhibitory M₂ receptors are not present on the cholinergic nerves innervating equine tracheal smooth muscle.     

Effects of recombinant canine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on white blood cell production in clinically normal and neutropenic dogs.

Recombinant canine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rcG-CSF) was administered to clinically normal dogs, cyclic-hematopoietic dogs, and dogs undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation, to determine whether rcG-CSF could be used to stimulate WBC production and function in normal and neutropenic dogs. To the normal dogs, rcG-CSF was administered by SC injection at rates of 1 microgram/kg of body weight, q 12 h; 2 micrograms/kg, q 12 h; or 5 micrograms/kg, q 12 h. A significant dose-dependent increase in the WBC count resulted from the stimulation of bone marrow progenitor cells. The increased WBC count was characterized by mature neutrophilia and monocytosis. Neutrophil myeloperoxidase and phagocytic activity were normal in rcG-CSF-treated normal dogs, demonstrating the production of normal functional neutrophils in response to rcG-CSF treatment. Recombinant canine G-CSF prevented neutropenia and associated clinical signs but did not completely eliminate the cycling of neutrophils in cyclic-hematopoietic dogs when it was administered at rates of 1 microgram/kg, q 12 h, and 2.5 micrograms/kg, q 12 h. The time to bone marrow reconstitution was not decreased in dogs treated with rcG-CSF at a rate of 2.5 micrograms/kg, q 12 h, for 13 days following autologous bone marrow transplantation. On the basis of our findings, we suggest that treatment with rcG-CSF is an effective way to stimulate myelopoiesis in dogs, but that the dose of rcG-CSF required to stimulate WBC production will vary depending on the cause of neutropenia. Recombinant canine G-CSF should be useful in stimulating production and maintaining function of WBC for treatment of clinical diseases seen commonly in veterinary practice.     

Mesangioproliferative Glomerulonephritis in Mink with Encephalitozoonosis

Renal specimens from 6 mink with encephalitozoonosis were studied by light and electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The glomeruli of affected kidneys had a mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis which was characterized by an increase in mesangial cells and matrix in most glomeruli. Some glomeruli were partially or completely sclerosed. There were protein or granular casts in the cortical and medullary tubules. Interstitial nephritis, vasculitis and tubular cysts were found. Electron microscopy demonstrated extensive matrix and increased cellularity in the mesangial areas. Glomeruli showed segmentally thickened or wrinkled capillary basement membranes. Electron dense deposits were found in the glomerular basement membranes and mesangium. Peroxidase-anti-peroxidase immunohistochemistry demonstrated that IgG and IgM positive material was present as granular deposits in the glomerular basement membrane and occasionally in the mesangium.     

几种造林措施对墨西哥柏、银荆保存率及生长的影响

在呈贡劣质山地对墨西哥柏、银荆树植树造林进行了不同整地方式、植塘规格、种植密度、抚育方式的试验。结果：撩壕整地和水平台地的保存率及幼树生长量优于块状整地，且在阴坡深草地段尤为显著。３种植塘规格（６０ｃｍ×６０ｃｍ×６０ｃｍ，５０ｃｍ×５０ｃｍ×５０ｃｍ，４０ｃｍ×４０ｃｍ×４０ｃｍ）对墨西哥柏的保存率和高、径生长差异不显著，对银荆差异极显著，大塘优于小塘。３种种植密度（１．５ｍ×１．５ｍ，１．５ｍ×２ｍ，２ｍ×２ｍ），对幼林期的高、径生长及冠幅大小无显著影响，在３０°以上的陡坡，台地抚育优于菱形、扇形、块状抚育，与对照比较，４种抚育方式与之差异极显著。     

Haemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies against arboviruses of the families Togaviridae and Bunyaviridae in birds caught in southern Moravia, Czechoslovakia

A total of 295 birds belonging to 19 species of 7 families of wild Passeriformes were examined by haemagglutination-inhibition test. The birds were caught for an international research program "Balt" at the time of autumn migration (August-September 1984). Their blood sera were examined for antibodies against 6 arbovirus antigens of the genera Alphavirus (Sindbis-SIN) and Flavivirus (tick-borne encephalitis-TBE, West Nile-WN) and family Bunyaviridae (Tahyna-TAH, Calovo-CVO and Bhanja-BHA). Antibodies against all studied viruses were detected at different frequencies: SIN 6.4%, TBE 7.1%, WN 9.7%, TAH 16.3%, CVO 12.1%, and BHA 1.0%.