Laboratory parameters for the control of the course of therapy of canine Cushing's syndrome]

We compared the results of the ACTH stimulation tests with measurements of alkaline phosphatase and serum cholesterol during Lysodren therapy in 23 dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism. The ACTH stimulation test proved to be a very sensitive parameter, by which the extent of Lysodren under- or overdosage could be reliably estimated. On the other hand, regulation of the individual Lysodren requirement was not possible by measuring AP and serum cholesterol only. However, it is highly probable that those two parameters can be used to evaluate the general state of metabolism, and they appear to be of prognostic value when greatly elevated.     

Divergent selection for shape of growth curve in Japanese quail. 1. Responses in growth parameters and food conversion.

1. HG and LG quail lines selected for high and low relative weight gain between 11 and 28 d of age (RG11-28), respectively, and an unselected C line were compared. Mature body weight of both selected lines was held at that of the C line. Progeny of generation 6 were used for analysis. 2. Divergent selection for RG11-28 brought about opposite changes in the growth rates shortly after hatching. 3. Parameters of the Richards function were used to describe the growth curve. The largest differences between HG and LG lines occurred in age (t+) and body weight (y+) at the inflection point of the growth curve (on average for both sexes 28% and 20%, respectively). For HG quail, the parameter t+ was 5 d later than that for LG quail (18.6 vs 14.1 d for males and 20.6 vs 15.6 d for females, respectively), and consequently the parameter y+ was greater (90.3 vs 84.0 g for males and 104.5 vs 96.1 g for females, respectively). The shape of the growth curve expressed by the y+/A ratio was substantialy different for HG and LG quail (44.8% vs 39.6% for males and 43.5% vs 36.8% for females, respectively). 4. The food/gain ratios for the fattening period (3 to 35 d of age) were 3.21, 3.47 and 3.34 for the HG, LG and C lines, respectively. The HG quail started to utilise food more efficiently than the LG quail as early as 10 to 14 d, that is, at the age when their relative growth rate first became greater. 5. The relative deviations of the HG and LG lines from the C line are discussed.     

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Northern Ireland: epidemiological observations 1988-1990.

This study describes the epidemiological features of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Northern Ireland where the first case occurred in November 1988. They were very similar to those observed in Great Britain except that the annual incidence of BSE in 1990 in Northern Ireland, 2.3 confirmed cases per 10,000 adult cows, was approximately one 10th of that in Great Britain. The findings were also consistent with the current hypothesis that affected cattle had been exposed to a scrapie-like agent via cattle feedstuffs containing ruminant-derived protein. However, a preliminary investigation of the potential sources of infection for cattle in Northern Ireland did not provide any conclusive evidence.     

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus: morphological, biochemical and serological characteristics of Quebec isolates associated with acute and chronic outbreaks of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.

Cytolytic and noncytolytic strains of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were isolated in primary cultures of porcine alveolar macrophages (PAM) from lung homogenates of stillborn fetuses or blood samples of dyspneic piglets collected from Quebec pig farms having experienced acute or chronic outbreaks of PRRS. Serological identification of the virus was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence and indirect protein A-gold immunoelectron microscopy using reference antiserum prepared from experimentally-infected specific pathogen free (SPF) piglets and monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) directed against the p15 nucleocapsid (N) protein of the reference ATCC-VR2332 isolate. Intracytoplasmic enveloped viral particles that tended to accumulate into cytoplasmic vesicles were observed in the infected PAM; no budding was demonstrated at the level of the cytoplasmic membrane. The extracellular virions appeared as pleomorphic but mostly spherical enveloped particles, 50-72 nm in diameter (averaged diameter of 50 particles was 58.3 nm), with an isometric core about 25-30 nm. Buoyant density of the virus in CsCL density gradients was estimated to 1.18-1.20 g/mL. No hemagglutinating activity was demonstrated. Analysis of semipurified virions of isolate IAF-exp91 by radioimmunoprecipitation (RIPA) and Western immunoblotting experiments, using reference rabbit and porcine hyperimmune sera, revealed four major viral proteins, a predominant 15 kD N protein and three other proteins with predicted M(r_ of 19, 26 and 42 kD. Progeny viral particles produced in PRRSV-infected PAM in the presence of tunicamycin lacked the 42 kD protein, thus confirming its N-glycosylated nature. Immunoprecipitation experiments using the anti-ATCC-VR2332 MoAbs confirmed the close antigenic relationships between Quebec and American reference isolates of PRRSV.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF ALIMENTARY LYMPHOSARCOMA IN THE CAT

Clinical, radiological and ultrasonographic findings from 22 cats with gastrointestinal lymphosarcoma were reviewed. The most common clinical findings were anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, lethargy, depression, fever, anemia and a palpable abdominal mass. Abdominal radiographs of 12 cats revealed a mass associated with the gastrointestinal tract and/or mesentery, and decreased serosal detail, suggestive of peritoneal effusion. The most common ultrasonographic finding was transmural gastric or intestinal thickening associated with loss of normal wall layering, reduced wall echogenicity and localized hypomotility. As is noted in people, other patterns such as transmural-segmental, transmural-nodular, transmural-bulky and mucosal infiltration were represented. In 3 cats, mesenteric lymph-adenopathy was responsible for most of the mass-effect. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy, automated microcore biopsy, endoscopic biopsy or necropsy confirmed the diagnosis of lymphosarcoma in all cats. Chemotherapy was instituted in 19 cats. Only 6 cats had a complete response to treatment. The results of this study indicate that ultrasonography is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of feline alimentary lymphosarcoma and that biopsies can be obtained under ultrasonographic guidance.     

Skeletal muscle characteristics in young trained and untrained standardbred trotters.

Muscle biopsies were taken from the middle gluteal muscle of 28 Standardbred trotters, 3-4 years of age. The 13 horses in Group T were trained consistently from 18 months of age, whereas the 15 horses in Group UT were not exposed to any systematic training before 3 years of age. Group T horses had a lower percentage of Type IIB fibres (31%) than did Group UT horses (39%). Citrate synthase (CS) activity, representing oxidative capacity, was higher in Group T (72 mmol kg-1 min-1) than in Group UT (47 mmol kg-1 min-1). Biopsies were taken from 4 horses in each group when they were foals and then annually until 3-4 years of age. Results from this study indicate that regular training of Standardbreds from 18 months of age resulted in increased CS activity and a decrease in the percentage of Type IIB fibres. This study shows that training, not growth, is the main factor that induces a high oxidative capacity and a high Type IIA/IIB fibre ratio in muscle of Standardbred trotters.     

Radiological assessment of 50 cases of incisive or maxillary neoplasia in the dog

This paper reviews the radiological features of 50 canine incisive or maxillary tumours and discusses the value of radiological assessment in the diagnosis and staging of these tumours. The 50 tumours examined included 21 sarcomas, 15 carcinomas, three melanomas and an assortment of benign tumours of the oral cavity. There was not any site specificity for the different histological tumour types within the upper dental arcade, although fibrosarcomas had a tendency to be maxillary whereas the squamous cell carcinomas were equally distributed between the incisive and maxillary regions. Seventy-eight per cent of fibrosarcomas, 82 per cent of squamous cell carcinoma and all three melanomas examined showed radiological evidence of bone involvement. Radiographic changes were also seen in the benign tumours. The pattern of growth of tumours correlated with the radiological changes observed. Malignant tumours showed a tendency to irregular or aggressive bone loss whereas bone production predominated in the benign tumours.     

Seroprevalence of porcine and human influenza A virus antibodies in pigs between 1986 and 1988 in Hassia

1,268 sera collected from slaughtered pigs in Hassia (FRG) from 1986 to 1988 were tested for antibodies against porcine and human influenza A virus strains using the single radial haemolysis test (SRHT). Antibodies against the porcine strains (subtype H1N1) A/Swine/Arnsberg/1/81, A/Swine/Iowa/15/30 and A/New Jersey/7/76 were detected in 411 (32.4%), 318 (25.1%) and 304 (24.0%) of sera, respectively. Up to 1988 a slight increase (10%) in the seroprevalence to A/Swine/Arnsberg/1/81 was noticed, whereas the results obtained with the other strains showed little variation. Antibodies against the human H1N1 strain A/Singapore/6/86 were only found in sera collected 1987 and 1988 in rates of 1.6% and 3.0%. Serological indication of infections with the human H3N2 strains A/Victoria/1/75, A/Hong Kong/1/68 and A/Philippines/2/82 could be shown in 286 (22.6%), 178 (14.4%) and 135 (10.6%) of the serum samples. Within the three year period the rate of sera positive for antibodies against A/Philippines/2/82 increased from 6.5% to 23.0%, whereas no variation in the rates were found using the other H3N2 strains. Antibodies simultaneously against porcine (H1N1) and human (H3N2) virus strains were detected in 9.9% of all sera tested.