Suspected selenium poisoning in a horse

A case of selenium poisoning was suspected following the administration of 325 micromol selenium a day as sodium selenate (25 mg Se) for five consecutive days. The main signs were confined to changes in the integument which were loss of hair from the mane and tail, disintegration of the skin of the anus, lips, prepuce and scrotum, and separation of the hooves from the coronary corium. Periodic analyses of blood, hair and hoof parings from the sole correlated strongly with blood and identified horn and hair as important additional routes of excretion.     

The effects of artificially-induced fly-strike on food intake and liveweight gain in sheep

A single, artificially-induced fly-strike with Lucilia sericata larvae was associated with a rapid (decline in food intake in sheep, with a consequent reduction in liveweight. Loss of weight ranged from 0.5 to 5.5 kg over four to six days and recovery to pre-infestation liveweight took three to 36 days. Pair-fed, uninfested partners of these sheep also showed a reduction in liveweight, whereas uninfested sheep in some experiments fed ad libitum showed either little change or a gain in liveweight over the same period. In general, maggot infested sheep took less time to regain weight than did their pair-fed partners although the weight lost as a proportion of initial weight was similar in both groups. Loss of appetite alone would appear to account for these events.     

Dyserythropoeisis, sideroblasts/siderocytes and hemoglobin crystallization in a dog

Dyserythropoiesis characterized by enhanced intramedullary destruction, pathologic sideroblasts and siderocytes, and hemoglobin crystallization was detected in a female Cocker Spaniel presented for poor exercise tolerance. Examination of peripheral blood revealed intraerythrocytic crystals, granulation of erythrocytes, nucleated erythroid cells, reticulocytosis and marked variation in erythrocyte morphology in the absence of anemia. Bone marrow examination revealed sideroblasts, a low M:E ratio and evidence of enhanced intramedullary destruction of erythroid cells. Electron microscopy of peripheral blood and bone marrow confirmed pathologic mitochondrial iron accumulation in erythroid cells and the presence of intraerythrocytic hemoglobin crystals. A cause for the hematologic changes was not identified. After the animal became clinically normal, siderocytes disappeared from peripheral blood but intraerythrocytic crystals and reticulocytosis persisted.     

Effects of heartworm and intestinal parasitic infections on hematology and peripheral lymph node cytology in louisiana dogs

Hookworm infected dogs had higher blood basophil counts than hookworm negative dogs. Dogs with occult heartworm infection (i.e., without microfilaremia) had higher blood neutrophil counts than heartworm negative dogs. The percentage of eosinophils in peripheral lymph nodes was higher in heartworm infected, microfilaremic dogs than in both occult infected dogs and heartworm negative dogs. Heartworm or intestinal parasitic infection had no other significant effects on hematologic parameters or peripheral lymph node cytology.     

Uterine motility of the sow during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy

With electromyography and strain gauges the uterine motility of the sow during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy was studied. Special attention was paid to characterization of myometrial activity at the time of intrauterine migration of blastocysts.From recordings of 4 animals (3 became pregnant) 3 types of electrical spiking activity (each could be correlated with an elevation of the strain gauge tension) were discerned. Two of them appeared regularly and were suitable for analysis: High Voltage Slow Acticity (with relative high amplitude and low frequency of spikes) and Low Voltage Fast Activity (with relative low aplitude and high frequency of spikes).The sexual status markedly influenced myometrial activity: during prooestrus and oestrus only one type of electrical activity was present whereas the myoelectrical complex (an episode of this activity and the subsequent interval of inactivity) was shorter than 10 min. During dioestrus the myoelectrical complex was longer than 10 min and High Voltage Slow Activity (solely on the cervix and bifurcation) and Low Voltage Fast Activity occurred simultaneously in episodes which mainly appeared to originate on the bifurcation.The characteristics of uterine activity during pregnancy were similar to those of a cyclic sow until day 12. It was only on day 12 that gestation appeared from an increased frequency of myoelectrical complexes.It is concluded that Low Voltage Fast Activity as it was found on the uterine horn at days 8–9 might be involved in the process of intra-uterine migration of blastocysts. In cyclic and in pregnant animals the patterns of Low Voltage Fast Activity were similar. Therefore, the occurrence of Low Voltage Fast Activity is independent of the actual presence of blastocysts. It seems to be exhibited in dependence on the ovarian hormones.     

UV-B radiation and photosynthetic irradiance acclimate eggplant for outdoor exposure

Treatment of greenhouse-grown eggplant (Solanum melongena L. var. esculentum Nees. 'Burpee's Black Beauty') seedlings with supplemental photosynthetically active radiation from cool-white fluorescent lamps increased growth of plants subsequently transferred outdoors relative to growth of plants that received no supplemental radiation or were shaded to 45% of solar irradiation in the greenhouse before transfer outdoors. Eggplant seedlings transferred outdoors were placed under plastic tarps either to provide relative protection from solar ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation (280-315 nm) using Mylar film or to allow exposure to UV-B using cellulose acetate. Protection of seedlings from UV-B radiation resulted in greater leaf expansion than for UV-B-exposed seedlings, but no change in leaf or shoot dry weight occurred after 9 days of treatment. Specific leaf weight increased in response to UV-B exposure outdoors. Exposure of eggplant to UV-B radiation from fluorescent sunlamps in the greenhouse also decreased leaf expansion and leaf and shoot dry weight gain after 5 days of treatment. However, there were no differences in leaf or shoot dry weight relative to control plants after 12 days of UV-B treatment, indicating that UV-B treated plants had acclimated to the treatment and actually had caught up with non-UV-B-irradiated plants in terms of growth.     

The effects of nutrient solution sterilization on the growth and yield of hydroponically grown lettuce

Two methods of removing bacteria from hydroponic nutrient solution [ultraviolet (UV) radiation and submicronic filter] were evaluated for efficiency and for their effects on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production. Both methods were effective in removing bacteria; but, at high intensity, the ultraviolet sterilizer significantly inhibited the production of plants grown in the treated solution. Bacterial removal by lower intensity UV or a submicronic filter seemed to promote plant growth slightly, but showed no consistent, statistically significant effect.     

The kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for coronavirus antibodies in cats: calibration to the indirect immunofluorescence assay and computerized standardization of results through normalization to control values.

The computer-assisted, kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for coronavirus antibodies in cats was calibrated to the conventional indirect immunofluorescence assay by linear regression analysis and computerized interpolation (generation of "immunofluorescence assay-equivalent" titers). Procedures were developed for normalization and standardization of kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results through incorporation of five different control sera of predetermined ("expected") titer in daily runs. When used with such sera and with computer assistance, the kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay minimized both within-run and between-run variability while allowing also for efficient data reduction and statistical analysis and reporting of results.     

Fatty acid profiles and sensory and carcass traits of tissues from steers and swine fed an elevated monounsaturated fat diet

Twelve Angus X Hereford steers were assigned to either a control high-energy diet or a test diet consisting of 20% rapeseed at the expense of 20% corn. Twelve pigs were allotted to a control diet and two test diets containing either 10 or 20% canola oil (CO). Both CO and oil in the rapeseed contained 60 to 64% oleic acid. Cattle fed rapeseed exhibited little effect from the diet due to apparent indigestibility of the rapeseed. Total saturated fatty acids decreased from 40% in adipose tissue of the control pigs to 15% in the 20% CO-fed pigs. The ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fatty acids (M/S) increased from 1.19 in adipose tissue from control pigs to 3.63 with the addition of 20% CO to the diet. In muscle, the M/S ratio increased from 1.21 in control pigs to 2.46 in the 20% CO treatment group. The percentage of the saturated fatty acids in muscle decreased from 42% in the control to 23% in the 20% CO treatment. Significant increases in "oiliness" and decreases in fat firmness were observed when increasing levels of canola oil were fed. Sensory traits, cooking loss and shear-force values of pork chops were similar among treatment groups. In conclusion, monounsaturated fatty acid content can be elevated substantially in pork without adversely influencing the quality of the meat, thus producing a product perceived to be more healthful by the consumer.