Examination of the origin of increased equine serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations

Serum alkaline phosphatase activity was found to be increased in 32.6% of equine samples analyzed at the Ontario Veterinary College over an 18 month period. An attempt was made using sensitivity to L-phenylalanine and heat to identify the origin of increased serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes present in 44 clinical cases. No difference in sensitivity to either procedure was observed for serum alkaline phosphatase from groups of foals and horses representing different clinical problems. Alkaline phosphatase of osseous tissue origin appeared to be the major source of activity for each group of animals reported.     

Colony Formation in Culture by Bovine Granulopoietic Progenitor Cells

Calf bone marrow cells cultured in a semi-solid medium of 0.8% methyl cellulose produced colonies of granulocytic cells and macrophages by seven days. A prerequisite for colony growth was the presence of serum obtained from a calf three hours after intravenous injection of endotoxin. Three morphological types of colonies were seen but cell types within these types of colonies did not differ. Cultured cells were identified by morphological and cytochemical characteristics.

Optimum growth occurred when serum from endotoxin stimulated calves and fetal calf serum were present in a volumetric ratio of 7:3. Inhibition of colony growth occurred when endotoxin-stimulated serum was present at greater than optimum concentration. Normal calf serum, fetal calf serum, mouse L-cell conditioned medium and bovine urine did not stimulate significant colony growth when 8.0 x 10⁴ marrow cells were cultured.

There was a linear relationhip between the number of marrow cells in the cultures and the number of colonies produced. Colony forming efficiency ranged from 13 to 59 colonies per 10⁵ cells plated.

The behaviour of calf colony forming units in suspension culture was similar to that reported for mouse colony forming units.

     

Idiopathic mucosal lesions of the arytenoid cartilages of 21 Thoroughbred yearlings: 1997-2001

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Mucosal ulcers and, occasionally, small granulomas on the axial surface of one or both arytenoid cartilages have been found in TB yearlings presented for post sale endoscopic examination. OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence, endoscopic characteristics and outcome of a group of Thoroughbred yearlings affected with mucosal ulcers and granulomas of the arytenoid cartilage. HYPOTHESIS: The incidence of mucosal ulceration of the arytenoid cartilages of yearling Thoroughbreds is relatively high compared to other upper airway abnormalities; and that the majority of mucosal ulcers heal uneventfully, although a small percentage may progress to a granuloma and, less commonly, to arytenoid chondropathy. METHODS: The findings of post sale, upper airway endoscopic examinations of 3312 Thoroughbred yearlings, during a 5 year period, were reviewed, including those abnormalities listed in the conditions of sale and others not listed but considered likely to cause airway obstruction. Information obtained from the medical record of horses that had mucosal ulceration or granuloma of the arytenoid cartilage included the location and size of the lesion(s), sex of the affected horse and the presence and nature of other concurrent abnormalities of the upper portion of the respiratory tract. Additional information included treatment and results of follow-up, endoscopic examination by the authors or attending veterinarian. RESULTS: Mucosal lesions were seen in 0.63% of yearlings evaluated, which represented the most common, documented condition of the upper portion of the respiratory tract. The mucosal ulcers of 15 of 19 horses were considered to have healed without complication during follow-up examination; one of the 19 horses was lost to follow-up. Two horses affected with bilateral, arytenoid mucosal ulceration developed a granuloma at each site of ulceration. One horse developed a granuloma at a site of ulceration and, subsequently, arytenoid chondropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Arytenoid mucosal ulceration in sales yearlings was a relatively commonly encountered abnormality and a small percentage progressed to granuloma or chondropathy. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The mucosa of the arytenoid cartilage, particularly at the rostral margin of the vocal process, should be examined carefully during endoscopic examination of the upper portion of the respiratory tract of Thoroughbred yearlings presented for sale. Because a small percentage of mucosal ulcers may progress to granuloma or, less commonly, chondropathy, identification of mucosal ulcers of the arytenoid cartilage seen during post sale, endoscopic examination warrants notification to the purchaser and sales company. Medical therapy of affected horses should be considered and follow-up endoscopic examination performed to determine if the lesion has healed.     

Diabetes mellitus in a koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

Objective To describe a case of diabetes mellitus in a koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).
Design A case report with controls.
Procedures We describe clinical and laboratory findings in a 6-year-old, free-living, female koala presented with traumatic injury and subsequently found to have polydipsia, hyperglycaemia and glucosuria. Over a 5 week period, serum biochemical analyses, haematological examinations, urinal-yses, measurement of serum insulin and fructosamine concentrations, necropsy, histopathological examination of a range of tissues and immunohistochemical examination of the pancreas for insulin-containing cells were done. For reference purposes, serum insulin and fructosamine concentrations were determined in four and two healthy koalas, respectively, and three healthy koalas pancreases were examined histo-logically and immunohistochemically.
Results The koala had persistent hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, hyponatraemia, hypochloraemia and glucosuria. Serum insulin concentration of the diabetic koala was only marginally smaller than that of healthy koalas, but all concentrations were smaller than reference concentrations in dogs and people. Fructosamine concentration did not allow the diabetic koala to be distinguished from healthy koalas and concentrations of all koala analytes were greater than expected for healthy dogs and people. Histopathological examination revealed extensive degeneration of pancreatic islet cells and fatty infiltration of hepatocytes. Immunoperoxidase staining revealed decreased or absent insulin in the b cells of the affected koala.
Conclusion Clinical signs, clinicopathological results and histopathological changes were consistent with diabetes mellitus. The pathogenesis of the condition could not be determined but may have been related to the administration of a parenteral corticosteroid preparation, the stress of capture or tissue damage and inflammation.     

Chemotaxis of porcine neutrophils under agarose.

The standardization of pig neutrophil chemotaxis under agarose is described. The mean chemotactic index for pig neutrophils from six pigs measured over four days was 1.29. Comparative studies of human and pig neutrophil chemotaxis under agarose revealed a lower chemotactic index for pig neutrophils (mean of 1.18) compared to human neutrophils (mean of 2.43). The results suggest that this is due to differences intrinsic to human and pig neutrophils. In vitro pig neutrophil chemotaxis was measured in normal pigs and in pigs following experimental Salmonella typhimurium infection. Significant alterations in chemotaxis were not evident one and seven days postinfection.