Application of non-structural protein ELISA kits in nationwide FMD surveillance in pigs to demonstrate virus circulation in Taiwan

Large scale surveillance of FMD non-structural protein (NSP) antibody in pigs was conducted to monitor for FMD virus circulation in Taiwan using Ceditest and UBI NSP ELISA kits after recurrence of FMD in 2009. A total of 53,759 serum samples were collected from pigs in the auction markets in 2009. There were 43 farms with positive FMD NSP reactors to both NSP ELISA tests in the nationwide surveillance. After tracing back, clinical examination and the NSP ELISA testing using both Ceditest and UBI on 14 follow-up serum samples from all the herds with confirmed NSP reactors in 2009, there were 4 farms classified as positive on follow-up testing criteria. In this surveillance, we have demonstrated that the NSP ELISA tests of outbreak farms followed by clinical and serological investigation could be used to detect FMD circulation in the pig population in Taiwan even while the national compulsory vaccination program is ongoing.     

Expression of cell adhesion molecules and doublecortin in canine anaplastic meningiomas

Tumor cell invasion into the surrounding nervous tissue is one of the histologic hallmarks of anaplastic meningiomas. To identify other possible markers for aggression in canine meningiomas, the relationship between histologic features and the expression of molecules involved in cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and invasion was examined. Immunohistochemistry for epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin), neural cadherin (N-cadherin), β-catenin, doublecortin (DCX), and Ki-67 was performed for 55 cases of canine meningioma. DCX was preferentially expressed in tumor cells invading the brain parenchyma (12 of 14 cases), suggesting its involvement in the invasion process. Regardless of the histologic type, E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression was observed in 31 of 55 and 44 of 55 cases, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between DCX and N-cadherin expression and a significant negative correlation between E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression, suggesting that decreased E-cadherin and increased N-cadherin expression induce DCX expression. Typical membranous β-catenin expression was observed in 10 of 55 cases, whereas nuclear translocation was observed in 33 cases. Nuclear β-catenin expression was frequently found in anaplastic meningiomas (12 of 14 cases). The Ki-67 labeling indices were significantly higher in anaplastic meningiomas than in other types. These findings indicate that the expression of N-cadherin and DCX and the nuclear translocation of β-catenin are closely associated with the presence of invasion and anaplasia in canine meningiomas. Notably, granular cell meningiomas were negative for almost all the molecules examined, suggesting that they have a different tumor biology than other meningiomas.     

Effect of intramammary infusion of tumour necrosis factor-alpha on milk protein composition and induction of acute-phase protein in the lactating cow

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on lactating bovine mammary functions such as milk protein secretion and the integrity of the milk-blood barrier. The effect on the induction of the systemic inflammatory response was also examined using concentrations of serum haptoglobin (Hp), a major inflammatory acute-phase protein, as an index. One hundred micrograms per mammary gland of recombinant bovine (rBo) TNF-alpha or placebo saline was individually infused into a rear mammary gland of each of four lactating cows, and milk and blood samples were collected before and 4, 8, 24, 32, 48, 96 and 168 h after infusion. In the rBoTNF-alpha-infused gland, increases of somatic cell counts were observed at 4-48 h. Although concentrations of total milk protein were not changed, compositions of milk proteins varied following rBoTNF-alpha infusion. Concentrations of caseins, alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin were significantly decreased at 4 and 8 h. Lactoferrin concentrations were significantly increased at 4 h. Significant infiltrations of serum albumin, immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2 were observed at 4 and 8 h. Elevations of the serum concentration of Hp were detected at 8-32 h, but were very small in comparison with those reported in inflammatory diseases. Changes in rectal temperature and white blood cell counts were not significant. These results show that single rBoTNF-alpha infusion into the lactating mammary gland suppresses the lactogenic function of the gland and influences the function of the milk-blood barrier, with little effect on the generalized inflammatory response.     

Body composition and tissue accretion rates of barrows fed corn-soybean meal diets or low-protein, amino acid-supplemented diets at different feeding levels

Two experiments, each with 39 high-lean-gain potential barrows, were conducted to evaluate the organ weights, body chemical composition, and tissue accretion rates of pigs fed corn-soybean meal diets (CONTROL) and low-protein diets supplemented with crystalline lysine, threonine, tryptophan, and methionine either on an ideal protein basis (IDEAL) or in a pattern similar to that of the control diet (AACON). Amino acids were added on a true ileally digestible basis. The initial and final BW were, respectively, 31.5 and 82.3 kg in Exp. 1 and 32.7 and 57.1 kg in Exp. 2, and pigs were fed for 55 and 27 d in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. In Exp. 1, the CONTROL and IDEAL diets were offered on an ad libitum basis, or by feeding 90 or 80% of ad libitum intake. In Exp. 2, the CONTROL, IDEAL, and AACON diets were offered on an ad libitum basis, or by feeding 80% of the ad libitum intake. Three pigs were killed at the start of the experiments and three from each treatment were killed at the end of each experiment to determine body chemical composition. In both trials, the whole-body protein concentration (g/kg) and the accretion rates of protein (g/d) were greater (P < 0.05) for pigs fed the CONTROL than for pigs fed the IDEAL and AACON diets. In Exp. 1, pigs fed the CONTROL diet had a trend (P < 0.10) for greater water and lower lipid concentration and had greater (P < 0.05) water and ash accretion rates. Whole-body protein concentration was greatest (P < 0.05) in pigs fed at 80% of ad libitum, but protein, water, and ash accretion rates were greatest (P < 0.05) in pigs allowed ad libitum access to feed. In summary, pigs fed the IDEAL and the AACON diets had less protein in the body and lower protein accretion rates than pigs fed the CONTROL diet. It seems that reductions in protein deposition in pigs fed the IDEAL and AACON diets may have been due to a deficiency of one or more essential amino acids or possibly to increases in the NE for metabolic processes leading to increases in adipose tissue deposition.     

Cloning of bovine CD69

CD69 is rapidly inducible on various hematopoietic cells upon stimulation and is detectable as an early activation antigen. Although CD69 is well characterized in human and mouse, no information is available on bovine CD69. We report here that, bovine CD69 was cloned from a cDNA expression library prepared from activated peripheral blood lymphocytes. The full-length cDNA contained an 80bp 5' untranslated region, followed by a 600bp coding region and AU-rich motifs in a 3' untranslated region (GenBank accession number AF272828). Comparison of the bovine CD69 coding sequence reveals 69.4 and 78.2% nucleotide sequence identities with mouse and human CD69, respectively. The predicted amino acid sequence of bovine CD69 shares 56.3 and 62.3% sequence identity when compared with mouse and human CD69, respectively. Bovine CD69 has the highly conserved amino acid sequences found in the C-type lectin family, suggesting that the conserved residues may be important for conformation and binding to the, as yet unidentified ligand. In addition, the cytoplasmic tail of bovine CD69 has two casein kinase-2 (CK-2) phosphorylation sites. These data suggest that bovine CD69 plays an important role in the activation of lymphocytes.     

Probability of and risk factors for introduction of infectious diseases into Dutch SPF dairy farms: a cohort study

A 2-year cohort study was conducted to investigate the probability of disease introduction into Dutch dairy farms. The farms were tested regularly for diseases and were visited biannually to collect management data. Ninety-five specific pathogen-free (SPF) dairy farms were selected from a database of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV1)-free farms to study the probability of, and risk factors for, introduction of BHV1, bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Dublin (S. dublin), and Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo (L. hardjo).Although most of the 95 SPF farms had a low risk on introduction of infectious diseases, one disease was introduced into 12 farms and two diseases were introduced into one farm. Three farms experienced an outbreak of BHV1, one farm an outbreak of L. hardjo, two farms BVDV, six farms S. dublin, and one farm both BHV1 and S. dublin. The total incidence rate was 0.09 (0.06-0.12) per herd-year at risk. The results suggest that the "non-outbreak" farms were significantly more closed than the "outbreak" farms. Direct animal contacts with other cattle should be avoided and professional visitors should be instructed to wear protective clothing before handling cattle.     

Physiological traits in preterm calves during their first week of life

Morbidity and mortality of preterm neonatal calves are higher than of calves born at normal term, possibly and in part due to immaturity of physiological functions. Physiological parameters were therefore studied during the first week of life in seven preterm calves, born on day 277 of gestation after dams were injected prostaglandin F2alpha and flumethason. Calves were fed colostrum of the first milking for the first 3 days and from day 4 to day 7 the same colostrum diluted with milk replacer. Body weight increased during the first week of life by 2.2 kg. Heart rate and respiratory rate were always relatively high, whereas values of rectal temperature, blood gases, haematological, metabolic and endocrine traits were in the range and behaved similarly as is the experience in full-term neonatal calves. Major exceptions were glucose and insulin, the concentrations of which barely rose postprandially, and growth hormone, the responses of which to growth hormone releasing factor analogue 1-29 were extremely variable and in part very small. In conclusion, calves born 2 week before normal term that survived the first week of life, although physiologically immature, were well able to handle ingested nutrients and to control their metabolism.