Determinants and Utility of the Anion Gap in Predicting Hyperlactatemia in Cattle

The objectives of this study were to investigate the determinants of the anion gap (AG) in cattle and to evaluate the utility of AG in detecting hyperlactatemia in sick neonatal calves and adult cattle. The AG was calculated as AG = ([Na+] + [K+]) - ([Cl^-] + [HCO₃]), with all values in mEq/L. The AG of healthy neonatal calves (n = 16) was 29.6 ± 6.2 mEq/L (mean ± SD), and the blood L-lactate concentration ranged from 0.5 to 1.2 mM/L. The AG was significantly (P > .05) correlated with serum phosphate (r = .66) and creatinine (r = .51) concentrations. The AG of neonatal calves with experimentally induced diarrhea (n = 16) was 28.6 ± 5.6 mEq/L, and the blood L-lactate concentration ranged from 1.1 to 2.9 mM/L. The AG was significantly correlated with blood L-lactate concentration (r = .67), serum phosphate concentration (r = .63), creatinine concentration (r = .76), and blood pH (r = -.61). The AG of adult cattle with abomasal volvulus (n = 41) was 20.5 ± 7.8 mEq/L, and the blood L-lactate concentration ranged from 0.6 to 15.6 mM/L. The AG was significantly correlated with blood L-lactate concentration (r = .60), serum phosphate concentration (r = .71), creatinine concentration (r = .65), albumin concentration (r = .47), total protein concentration (r = .54), blood pyruvate concentration (r = .67), and blood pH (r = -.41) but not plasma β-OH butyrate concentration. The results indicate that the AG in cattle is only moderately correlated with blood L-lactate concentration and is similarly correlated with serum phosphate and creatinine concentrations in neonatal calves and adult cattle, as well as with serum albumin and total protein concentrations in adult cattle. Anion gap determination is of limited usefulness in predicting blood L-lactate concentration in sick cattle, whereas the correlation between AG and serum creatinine concentration in sick cattle suggests that an increased AG should alert the clinician to the potential presence of uremic anions.     

Polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing for detection of ovine herpesvirus 2 in American bison (Bison bison).

Serum samples were collected at slaughter from 226 24-30-month-old ranch-raised, clinically normal American bison (Bison bison) bulls from North Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas, and Manitoba to assess the presence of antibodies to ovine herpesvirus 2 (OHV-2). Antibodies to OHV-2 were detected by competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 10 of 226 (4.40%) samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of sera positive for OHV-2 DNA demonstrated a 238 kilobase fragment. The nucleotide sequence of the PCR-positive samples in comparison to the reported OHV-2 nucleotide sequence resulted in a homology range of 82.8-95.4%.     

Epidemiology of neoplasia in captive black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes), 1986-1996.

The epidemiology of neoplastic disease was studied retrospectively in the captive population of black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes). Postmortem reports were reviewed and archived tissues examined from 184 of the 227 adult (>1 yr old) black-footed ferrets that died from the beginning of the current captive propagation program in late 1985 to the end of 1996. A total of 185 neoplasms, of 28 distinct phenotypes, were seen in 102 (55.4%) of these ferrets. There was more than one tumor type present in 51 ferrets. Tumors of the apocrine glands (28.3%), renal tubular neoplasms (20.7%), and biliary cystadenoma or carcinoma (20.1%) were the most common neoplasms. The probability of developing most types of neoplasms increased with age. Neoplasms of the apocrine glands were more common in males and may be hormonally influenced. The unusually high prevalence of biliary cystadenocarcinoma may be secondary to the common occurrence of intrahepatic biliary cysts in this population. Although neoplasia is an important cause of mortality in captive adult black-footed ferrets, its impact on captive propagation of the species, and on the wild population, is probably limited because clinically significant tumors are encountered almost exclusively in postreproductive ferrets (>3 yr old) and because ferrets released into their natural habitat rarely reach susceptible age.     

Determination of serum organic acids in puppies with naturally acquired parvoviral enteritis

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the acid-base status and the serum concentration of organic acids in puppies with naturally occurring canine parvoviral enteritis. Between July 1999 and July 2000, 25 client-owned puppies admitted to the St. Louis Animal Emergency Clinic South for treatment of enteritis caused by parvovirus infection were used in our study. Control blood samples were collected from 22 healthy puppies less than 9 months of age. Serum organic acid concentrations were quantitatively determined by HPLC. Puppies infected with parvovirus had significantly lower plasma concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate than controls. Although serum L-lactate tended to increase in some puppies with canine parvoviral enteritis, our study demonstrated that most affected puppies developed only mild compensated metabolic acidosis. None of the affected puppies had an elevated serum D-lactate concentration at admission.     

Application of RAPD markers in the characterisation of Chrysanthemum varieties and the assessment of somaclonal variation

Characterisation of fifteen commercial varieties of Chrysanthemum was carried out through RAPD analysis. Varieties could be distinguished from each other and the level of similarity between varieties seemed to be not very high. In vitro cultures were establish from four varieties and were subjected to different proliferation conditions. Five individuals from each variety and treatment were analysed using RAPD at the beginning of the treatment and after a month of culture. Variation was detected at both stages of the culture period. The rate of variation found showed differences between varieties, but no significant difference was found between culture conditions. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Resistance to the gall mite and American gooseberry mildew in black currants in relation to season of leafing out

Summary In black currant (Ribes nigrum) backcross progenies segregating for resistance to the gall mite, Cecidophyopsis ribis Westw. (gene Ce from Ribes grossularia L.), and to American gooseberry mildew, Sphaerotheca mors-uvae (Schw.) Berk. (gene Sph ₃from R. glutinosum), significant differences in season of leafing out occurred between the resistant and susceptible classes. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that two additive genes, Lf ₁and Lf ₂, controlled season of leafing out and that Ce and Sph ₃ were linked with Lf ₁.