Airway inflammation is associated with mucous cell metaplasia and increased intraepithelial stored mucosubstances in horses

This study was performed to determine if a peripheral sample of lung from the site where biopsy is conducted is representative of the rest of the lung and to investigate the relationship between airway inflammation and intraepithelial mucous production in the peripheral airways. Lung parenchyma samples were collected from five different regions of the lung in five control and five heaves-affected horses. Horse groups were defined by clinical response to stabling. Tissue sections were used for semi-quantitative scoring of lesions, to count the number of airways, to quantify the amount of stored mucosubstances (Vs) within the epithelium, and to count the number of epithelial cells in terminal airways. No significant differences were found between lung regions or between groups of horses. Lack of regional differences in airway structures means that a biopsy sample can be used for diagnosis and investigation of diffusely distributed diseases. Airway inflammation was correlated with mucous cell metaplasia and Vs. Therefore, in horses, mucus accumulation is partly caused by increased number of mucous cells and is associated with airway inflammation. Therapy targeted to reduce airway inflammation will help reduce the excessive mucous accumulation in horses.     

Multilobular tumor of bone in the mandible of a dog

An 8-year-old Siberian husky dog was presented for a mass involving the rostral mandible. Intraoral radiographs demonstrated diffusely irregular bone and displacement of all mandibular incisor teeth. The mass was diagnosed as a grade I multilobular tumor of bone based on incisional biopsy. A bilateral rostral mandibulectomy was performed with tumor negative margins. Oral examination at 14-months following surgery indicated normal healing with minimal side effects and no evidence of tumor recurrence.     

Effect of incorporation of ground Prosopis juliflora pods in layer diet on weight gain,egg production,and natural antibody titer in KALRO genetically improved indigenous chicken

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The potential of using Prosopis juliflora pods was evaluated as a partial replacement of energy source layer’s diets. The main objective of the...     

Adenosine A2A receptor agonists inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by equine monocytes

Adenosine is an endogenous nucleoside that regulates many physiological processes by activating one or more adenosine receptor subtypes, namely A1, A2A, A2B and A3. The results of previous studies indicate that adenosine analogues inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by equine neutrophils primarily through activation of A2A receptors. Because peripheral blood monocytes produce cytokines that are responsible for many of the deleterious effects of LPS, the current study was performed to evaluate the effects of an array of novel adenosine receptor agonists on LPS-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and to assess the selectively of these agonists for equine adenosine A2A over the A1 receptor. Radioligand binding studies performed with equine tissues expressing adenosine A1 and A2A receptor subtypes yielded a rank order of affinity for the equine A2A receptor of ATL307>ATL309 approximately ATL310 approximately ATL313>ATL202 approximately ATL361 approximately ATL376>ATL372>CGS21680>NECA. Co-incubation of equine peripheral blood monocytes with LPS and these agonists resulted in inhibition of TNF-alpha production with a rank order of potency that strongly correlated with their binding affinities for equine adenosine A2A receptors. Results of experiments performed with one of the adenosine receptor agonists (ATL313) and selective adenosine receptor antagonists confirmed that inhibition of LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha occurred via stimulation of A2A receptors. Although incubation of monocytes with IB-MECA, a compound purported to act as an adenosine A3 receptor agonist, reduced LPS-induced TNF-alpha production, this effect of IB-MECA was inhibited by the A2A selective antagonist ZM241385 but not by the A3 receptor antagonist MRS1220. These results indicate that the adenosine receptor subtype responsible for regulation of LPS-induced cytokine production by equine monocytes is the A2A receptor. To address the signal transduction mechanism responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of ATL313 in equine monocytes, production of cAMP was compared in the presence and absence of either the adenosine A2A receptor antagonist ZM241385 or the adenosine A2B receptor antagonist MRS1706. In the absence of the antagonists, ATL313 increased production of cAMP; ZM241385 inhibited this effect of ATL313, whereas MRS1706 did not. Furthermore, incubation of monocytes with either the stable analogue of cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP, or forskolin, an activator of adenylyl cyclase, also inhibited LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha production by equine monocytes. Collectively, the results of the current study indicate that adenosine analogues inhibit LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha by equine monocytes primarily via activation of adenosine A2A receptors and do so in a cAMP-dependent manner. The results of this study indicate that stable adenosine analogues that are selective for adenosine A2A receptors may be suitable for development as anti-inflammatory drugs in horses.     

Effect of Ergopeptines Associated with Tall Fescue Ingestion on Recovery of Horses Subjected to Standardized Exercise Tests

Ten horses were paired by body weight, age, and skill level, and one of each pair was assigned to one of two groups. Horses were fed alfalfa hay and a mixture of commercial sweet feed and pellets. Horses in group A were fed fescue seed that contained both ergovaline and ergotamine (E+), whereas those in the other group were fed seed that was free from ergot alkaloids (E−). After the first 35 days, horses were switched to the opposite seed treatment. Seed was fed at 8.2% of the diet, resulting in 406 ppb of ergotamine plus ergovaline in the E+ diet. During weeks 3, 5, 7, and 10, horses were subjected to two separate standardized exercise tests (SETs). The aerobic test consisted of walking, trotting, and loping and was designed to maintain horse's heart rate (HR) to less than 150 beats per minute (bpm). The anaerobic test consisted of 40 turns in less than 4 minutes in response to the movements of a mechanical cow and was designed to increase the horse's HR to more than 150 bpm. There were no treatment effects on water consumption or sweat production. There were also no treatment effects on rectal temperature at rest or during recovery from the anaerobic SET. However, rectal temperatures were higher (P < .05) 1 and 30 minutes after the aerobic SET for horses consuming E+ seed. When horses were on the E+ treatment, HRs were lower (P < .05), both at rest and during the SET. HRs were also lower (P < .05) for the E+ treatment at 1 minute after the aerobic test and 5 and 10 minutes after the anaerobic test. Respiration rates were higher (P < .05) 30 minutes after the aerobic SET and 30 and 60 minutes after the anaerobic SET for the E+ treatment. Horses may have increased respiration rates to compensate for a reduction in the efficiency of evaporative cooling, which resulted from vasoconstriction of peripheral blood vessels.     

Phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity in chilli CM-334 infected by Phytophthora capsici and Nacobbus aberrans

We tested the hypothesis that PAL activity in chilli plants CM-334 inoculated with Nacobbus aberrans (Na) alone or in combination with Phytophthora capsici (Pc), is lower than in those inoculated only with Pc. At 21 days after nematode inoculation, inoculated plants showed a significant (P < 0.01) reduction of 48% in PAL activity compared to those non-inoculated in two separate experiments. In two other tests, where plants were inoculated with the oomycete 21 days after inoculation with the nematode, PAL activity at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h after inoculation with Pc was significantly higher (Tukey, P < 0.01) in plants inoculated only with Pc than in plants inoculated only with Na or both pathogens (Na+Pc).