The Effects of Growth Factor on Testicular Germ Cell Apoptosis in the Stallion

Apoptosis is necessary for both initiation and control of spermatogenesis; however, an increase in apoptosis can lead to subfertility/infertility in stallions, causing substantial financial loss in the equine industry. The ability of stem cell factor (SCF), leukemia-inhibiting factor (LIF), granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and estradiol (E₂), alone or in combination, to prevent apoptosis of germ cells in short-term equine testicular cultures was examined. Testicular tissue was sectioned into approximately 2-mm cubes and placed in media-filled culture chambers. Concentrations of SCF (100 ng/mL), LIF (10 ng/mL), GM-CSF (5 ng/mL), and E₂ (10⁻⁹ mol/l) were added alone or in combination to each well. After 6 hours in culture, the tissue was fixed and immunohistochemically (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling; TUNEL) stained for apoptosis detection. Apoptotic cells per 100 Sertoli cell nuclei within seminiferous tubules were counted until the 500^th Sertoli cell nuclei was reached. This counting procedure was used for each slide. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a Tukey's test was used to compare apoptotic rates. In comparison with the control, GM-CSF alone lowered apoptosis by 34.77%. GM-CSF–treated tissue combined with SCF and LIF as well as GM-CSF combined with SCF, LIF, and E₂ reduced apoptosis when compared with the control (37.45% and 44.40%, respectively) or other treatment combinations. GM-CSF alone reduced apoptosis; results suggest possible synergy for the combinations of SCF and LIF with GM-CSF and for E₂ with SCF, LIF, and GM-CSF.     

Bovine congenital erythropoietic protoporphyria in a crossbred limousin heifer in Ireland

An unusual case of an 11-month-old, black Limousin-cross heifer, with an 8-month history of episodic seizures and photosensitisation, was referred by a veterinary practitioner to the Farm Animal Section of the UCD Veterinary Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland, in August 2014. Following an investigation, a diagnosis of Bovine Congenital Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (BCEPP) was made. To the authors’ knowledge this is the first report of such a case in Ireland. BCEPP should be considered as a differential diagnosis in young animals displaying periodic seizures and/or photosensitisation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13620-015-0044-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Controlled trial of behavioural therapy for separation-related disorders in dogs

A generic programme of behavioural modification for the clinical treatment of separation-related behaviours in dogs was assessed in a controlled replicated trial. After 12 weeks of treatment, 56 per cent of the owners of the treated dogs reported significant improvements in their dogs' behaviour, and a further 25 per cent reported a slight improvement. The owners' reports were generally supported by changes in the behaviour of the dogs as recorded on video when they were left alone. The majority of the untreated dogs continued to show the same degree of separation-related behaviour throughout the 12 weeks of the trial. In a supplementary set of 30 case studies, treated with a behavioural programme tailored to the specific diagnosis for each dog, all the owners reported improvements in their dogs' behaviour after 12 weeks of treatment.     

Histopathologic evidence for parvovirus infection in dogs

Two dogs kenneled at a commercial establishment died of a disease manifested as severe hemorrhagic diarrhea. Histopathologic findings in both dogs bore a striking resemblance to those typical of feline infectious enteritis. Viral particles resembling members of the Parvoviridae family were observed in the contents of the small intestine of one of the dogs. The disease was similar to the recently recognized canine gastroenteritis associated with a parvovirus-like agent.     

Experimental rabies in skunks: persistence of virus in denervated muscle at the inoculation site.

Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) were inoculated into the denervated abductor digiti quinti muscle with street rabies virus. They were killed at various times after inoculation and several tissues were examined by immunofluorescence and light microscopy. Muscle at the inoculation site was examined electron microscopically. Rabies antigen was detected in muscle fibers first on day 7 and persisted until day 28. Light and electron microscopic lesions at the inoculation site included atrophic and degenerating muscle fibers and a few focal and regional endomysial accumulations of macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells. Scattered myocytes contained bodies of matrix, virions and anomalous tubular structures on electron microscopic examination. The results indicate that replication of rabies virus may occur in infected muscle fibers at the inoculation site until 28 days after exposure. This could contribute to variations in the incubation period for the first two to three months after exposure. However, the results do not support the contention that virus is contained in striated muscle cells throughout the long incubation periods.     

Transmission of tuberculosis from experimentally infected cattle to in-contact calves

Five of a group of six calves were inoculated with Mycobacterium bovis. Two more uninoculated calves were introduced to the group 84 days later. All the inoculated calves were subsequently shown to be excreting M bovis in nasal mucus. The uninoculated calf in the initial group of six became infected and subsequently excreted M bovis. The two uninoculated calves which were introduced later did not become infected. It was concluded that contact with nasal mucus from the infected cattle resulted in infection of the uninoculated calf and that the density of accommodation of animals excreting M bovis was an important factor in transmission of the disease.     

干燥加工禽用受潮谷物

恶劣天气后收获的小麦非常潮湿,往往不适合作为人类食品的原料使用。因为这种收获条件常常会导致小麦发芽以及含有高水平的淀粉酶和蛋白酶,而这些酶会影响烘焙食品的大小,降低面筋的强度。结果,此类受损的小麦可能会被销往动物饲料市场。