Colostrogenesis: candidate genes for IgG1 transcytosis mechanisms in primary bovine mammary epithelial cells

Bovine colostrogenesis is distinguished by the specific transfer of IgG₁ from the blood to mammary secretions. The process has been shown to be initiated by hormones and occurs during the last weeks of pregnancy when steroid concentrations of estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P₄) are highly elevated. Rodent intestinal uptake of immunoglobulin G is mediated by a receptor termed Fc fragment of IgG, Receptor, Transporter, alpha (FcGRT) and supported by light chain Beta‐2‐Microglobulin (β2M). We hypothesized that steroid hormone treatments (E₂ and P₄) of bovine mammary epithelial cells in vitro would induce up‐regulation of IgG₁ transcytosis candidate gene mRNA expression suggesting involvement in IgG₁ transcytosis. Two different primary bovine mammary epithelial cell cultures were cultured on plastic and rat tail collagen and treated with hormonal combinations (steroids/lactogenic hormones). Evaluated mRNA components were bLactoferrin (bLf: a control), bFcGRT, β2M, and various small GTPases; the latter components are reported to direct endosomal movements in eukaryotic cells. All tested transcytosis components showed strong expression of mRNA in the cells. Expression of bFcGRT, bRab25 and bRhoB were significantly up‐regulated (p < 0.05) by steroid hormones. bRab25 and bRhoB showed increased expression by steroid treatments, but also with lactogenic hormones. Analysis for the oestrogen receptor (ER) mRNA was mostly negative, but 25% of the cultures tested exhibited weak expression, while the progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA was always detected. bRab25 and bRhoB and likely bFcGRT are potential candidate genes for IgG₁ transcytosis in bovine mammary cells.     

The development and integrity of equine pre‐antral follicles cultured in vitro with follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) supplementation

This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of FSH (10, 50, 100 and 200 ng/ml) in supplemented MEM+ on the development of equine pre‐antral follicles that were cultured in vitro for 2 or 6 days. The ovaries (n = 5) from mares in seasonal anoestrus were collected from a local abattoir. Ten ovarian tissue fragments of approximately 3 × 3 × 1 mm were obtained from each animal. The fragments were cultured in situ for 2 days (D2) or 6 days (D6) in MEM+ or MEM+ supplemented with FSH at four different concentrations, establishing the following 11 groups: control (D0); MEM + (D2); MEM + (D6); MEM + 10 ng/ml of FSH (D2); MEM + 10 ng/ml of FSH (D6); MEM + 50 ng/ml of FSH (D2); MEM + 50 ng/ml of FSH (D6); MEM + 100 ng/ml of FSH (D2); MEM + 100 ng/ml of FSH (D6); MEM + 200 ng/ml of FSH (D2); and MEM + 200 ng/ml of FSH (D6). Follicles were observed in only 9.65% (388 of 4,018) of the histological sections. Of the 861 follicles evaluated, 488 were in the primordial stage, and 373 were in various developmental stages; 59.7% were morphologically normal. Regarding the integrity of the pre‐antral follicles, the groups with 100 ng/ml FSH of 2‐days culture as well as 50, 100 and 200 ng/ml FSH of 6‐days culture provided the best results. In conclusion, the in vitro culture of abattoir‐derived equine ovarian fragments presented better morphological integrity when supplemented with FSH for 6 days, in comparison with the MEM culture group. However, no clear effects were observed with FSH regarding the promotion of activation from a primordial to a developing follicle.     

Pomerelle Russet: an Early Maturing Potato Variety with High Yields of U.S. No. 1 Tubers Suitable for Fresh Market and mid-Storage Processing and Tolerance to Potato Mop-top Virus

Pomerelle Russet is an early maturing fresh potato variety, which produces moderately high early-season (95–110 days after planting) yields of long tubers with brown-russet skin. It is notable for its very attractive, smooth tubers and resistances to internal and external defects with a high percentage of U.S. No. 1 tubers. Fresh merit ratings for Pomerelle Russet in trials conducted in Idaho, Oregon and Washington were consistently higher than Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah. Early harvest yields for Pomerelle Russet are generally comparable to Russet Norkotah with a higher percentage of U.S. No. 1 tubers. Compared to Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah, Pomerelle Russet has greater resistance to Potato mop-top virus, soft rot, corky ringspot and tuber infections from late blight. It also has higher protein and vitamin C concentrations than Ranger Russet, Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah, indicating that it can provide an enhanced level of dietary protein and vitamin C relative to these standard potato varieties. Pomerelle Russet has moderate specific gravity and good resistance to sugar ends. It also has moderately long dormancy, about 30 days shorter than Russet Burbank. Average post-harvest processing ratings for Pomerelle Russet were similar to Ranger Russet and greater than Russet Burbank. Pomerelle Russet also has maintained acceptable fry color for about 180–200 days in storage at 8.9 °C, indicating potential for processing out of mid-term storage, with improved fry color uniformity relative to industry standards. However, its primary use appears to be as a high quality, early fresh variety.     

An Economic Analysis of the Effects of Harvest Timing on Yield,Quality, and Processing Contract Price for three Potato Varieties

Harvesting potatoes at or near physiological maturity increases the likelihood of producing high quality tubers which contributes to producing high quality processed end-product. Some growers harvest earlier than recommended in order to meet contract requirements and supply processors with early potatoes. Early harvest impacts the incentive-adjusted price (IAP) and revenue even after an early harvest incentive is applied. This study utilized a typical frozen processor contract and compared the economic impact of harvest timing (early, normal, and late) on the IAP of three potato varieties: Russet Burbank, Clearwater Russet, and Alpine Russet, grown in field trials at Parma, Idaho during 2014 and 2015. Contract quality incentives included percent of tubers greater than 170 g, percent sugar ends, percent of U.S. No. 1’s, and specific gravity. When compared to normal or late harvest, early harvest resulted in a decrease in the IAP and overall profit due to a significant reduction in specific gravity. Early harvest incentive did not offset the loss of revenue with Russet Burbank, but did offset revenue loss with Clearwater Russet and Alpine Russet. Clearwater Russet and Alpine Russet had significantly lower sugar end scores than Russet Burbank. Clearwater Russet consistently produced higher specific gravities and Alpine Russet produced larger tubers compared to Russet Burbank. Clearwater Russet and Alpine Russet have agronomic characteristics that can provide an increase in IAP over Russet Burbank.     

Zinc and copper plasma levels in Icelandic horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity

Zinc concentration has been shown to have a potent immunomodulatory capacity, particularly influencing T helper cell organisation and cytokine secretion. Culicoides hypersensitivity (CHS) in horses resembles the early and late phase of type I hypersensitive reactions in man, characterised by a shift from T helper cell subtype 1 to T helper cell subtype 2 cytokine profile. In this pilot study, zinc and copper levels were measured in the plasma of 48 CHS-affected and 56 healthy Icelandic horses age 4-25 years (mean approximately 11 years) kept on 7 farms. Affected horses were divided into 3 groups according to the severity of disease. Time of blood collection and feeding management was constant. No differences in zinc or copper plasma levels and plasma copper/zinc ratio were determined among CHS horses and controls by univariate analysis of variance. Therefore, the most significant influences on zinc and copper plasma levels were affected by the location of housing. However, Spearman correlation showed a negative coefficient between the plasma zinc concentration and the severity of CHS (r = -0.31). Due to a probability value of P = 0.002 the null hypothesis r = 0 is rejected, although only 9% of the total variation of plasma zinc is presently explained by its relationship to CHS. In contrast, the Spearman correlation coefficient between plasma copper levels and severity of CHS was not significant (r = -0.14; P = 0.16). The minor deviations in plasma zinc concentrations in association with the severity of CHS may be real or due to neurohumoral or cytokine-mediated mechanisms, but appear too minimal to be relevant.     

Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) of swine: effect of age of swine testes cells culture monolayers on plaque assays of TGE virus.

A continuous line of swine testes cell culture monolayers was infected at various ages with both cell culture-adapted transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus and tissue infected with TGE virus. Both produced increasing numbers of plaques as the cell monolayers aged from two to five days. Therefore, allowing the swine testes cell monolayer to age five to six days before inoculation should increase the likelihood of detecting TGE virus by plaque assay.     

Illness associated with abdominal adhesions in a cow

A mature Holstein cow became inappetent , dehydrated and weak, with a marked drop in milk production, 17 days after a dead calf was removed by cesarean section. Laparotomy revealed adhesions among the cecum, jejunum, colon, bladder and uterus. Transection of the adhesions resulted in recovery; however, the cow was sent to slaughter a month later because of apparent recurrence of the abdominal adhesions.     

Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE) of Swine: The Possible Role of Dogs in the Epizootiology of TGE

Nine of 11 six-to-eight-week-old beagle puppies from a colony started from hysterectomy-derived breeding stock developed a serological response to a transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE)-associated virus following exposure to TGE-infected pig intestinal tissue. The virus was not isolated on swine testis (ST) cells from dog rectal swabs, except in one instance; however, when composites of rectal swabs from all 11 dogs taken seven days and fourteen days postexposure were fed to piglets, they developed signs of TGE and died within seven days. This TGE-associated virus was readily isolated on ST cells from the rectal swabs of the exposed piglets.