MyHC and MyLC isoforms in Akhal-Teke horses of different gender and genetic background

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between MyHC and MyLC isoforms and the pedigree of the horses from different genetic background and gender. 26 Purebred Akhal-Teke horses (8 stallions and 18 mares) were used in this study, the horses belonged to 7 different sire lines and 9 different dam families. A muscle biopsy of depth 60 mm from the left gluteus medius muscle was obtained. The present study found the highest heritability for MyLC 1_fast, MyLC 2_slow and MyHC I isoform proportions, while only the first was statistically significantly different from zero. The mares had higher proportion of MyHC IIx and MyLC 3_fast isoforms than the stallions. No statistically significant differences were found between sire lines and dam families. However, as the heritability of MyHC and MyLC in horses is found to be of moderate value, our study does not reject the hypothesis that it could be used as additional parameter in choosing the right animals for sport and breeding.     

Urbanization-induced acid rain causes leaching loss of calcium from limestone-derived soil in South China

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Acid rain events in Yuebei, a region of northern Guangdong Province, China, have been increasing due to rapid urbanization in recent years. A three-year study was...     

Therapeutic effects of systemic or intramammary antimicrobial treatment of bovine subclinical mastitis during lactation

The short- and long-term treatment efficacy of administrating penicillin for bovine subclinical mastitis during lactation when using intramuscular (IM; 9.5 mg [15,000 IU]/kg bodyweight of benzyl penicillin potassium) injections twice daily for 5 days, or intramammary (IMM; 0.3g [300,000 IU] penethamate hydroiodide) administration once daily for 5 days was compared with a control group receiving no treatment. One hundred and twenty-six cows met the inclusion criteria, which were lack of clinical symptoms, no recent treatment with antimicrobials, and findings of penicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, or Streptococcus uberis in combination with an inflammatory reaction. At follow-up 42-58 days after treatment, the proportion of cows negative for the original infection was significantly higher in IM and IMM groups compared to controls, but the difference between antimicrobial treatment groups was not significant. The udder quarter milk somatic cell count (SCC) was significantly lower at follow-up in IM and IMM groups than in controls, but milk production did not differ between treatments. The culling rate during the 10-month period following treatment was significantly higher in the group treated with IMM penicillin than in the other two groups, but the risk of new mastitis treatments within 10 months did not differ between the three groups. The cure rate was significantly affected by lactation number (lower in older cows), breed (lower in the Swedish Holstein breed), pathogen (lower for S. aureus), and pre-treatment SCC (higher for above average SCC). In conclusion, beneficial long-term effects of antimicrobial treatment during lactation of subclinical mastitis caused by S. aureus, Str. dysgalactiae or Str. uberis were not found in the present study.     

In vitro and in vivo bioactivity of recombinant canine hepatocyte growth factor

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is crucial for the development and regeneration of the liver and offers a possible new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of canine liver disease. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo bioactivity of recombinant canine HGF (rcHGF) produced with a baculoviral expression system in insect cells was measured. In vitro rcHGF induced mitogenesis, motogenesis, and phosphorylated the HGF receptor c-MET and its downstream mediators PKB and ERK1/2 in two canine epithelial cell lines. After a partial hepatectomy (phx) in dogs, rcHGF increased phosphorylation of c-MET, PKB and ERK1/2. A moderate increase was seen with the cell cycle protein PCNA in rcHGF treated livers, but no HGF-induced increase in liver weight was seen 7 days after phx. Furthermore, rcHGF treated livers showed lower levels of the key mediator of apoptosis, caspase-3, at 7days after phx. It is concluded that rcHGF is a biologically active protein in vitro and in vivo and the baculoviral expression system supplies sufficient amounts of rcHGF for future clinical studies in dogs.     

Immunohistochemical and qPCR determination of the expression and serum level of anti‐Müllerian hormone in pre‐pubertal,intact and ovarian remnant syndrome detected bitches

The aim of this study was to determine the serum concentrations, ovarian presence and expression of anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) in pre‐pubertal, bitches with signs of ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) and intact bitches. In addition, we aimed to verify the suitability of serum AMH concentrations for diagnostic purposes in sterilized bitches and/or in suspected cases of ORS in the field of veterinary medicine. For this purpose, 36 healthy female dogs divided into six groups: proestrus, oestrus, dioestrus, anoestrus, pre‐pubertal and ORS. Serum AMH concentrations were determined by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, and ovarian presence and distribution of AMH was confirmed by immunohistochemical and qPCR techniques. According to the results of qPCR, while the expression values of AMH were at the highest concentrations in the proestrus and oestrus, there was a statistically significant decrease in these values at the later stages of the cycle (p < 0.05). According to hormone analysis, the serum AMH values of the ORS group had decreased significantly compared with the proestrus and oestrus (p < 0.05). Although serum AMH levels of ORS group were increased compared with anestrus and pre‐pubertal groups, this increase was statistically non‐significant (p > 0.05). Immunohistochemically, AMH expression was first observed in the granulosa cells of primordial follicles in folliculogenesis. Expression values were the highest in the proestrous and oestrus groups, but values from bitches in later stages of the cycle were statistically significant decrease in comparison with these groups (p < 0.05). As a result, AMH concentration and expression were found to be higher in proestrus and oestrus than in other periods (p < 0.05). In addition, the measurable level of AMH concentration in bitches with ORS is an indication that it can be used in the diagnosis of ORS.     

Cover Image,Volume 16, Issue 1

The cover image, by Alexandra Keller et al., is based on the Original Article The JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathway as a potential therapeutic target in canine mastocytoma, DOI: 10.1111/vco.12311