Effects of testicular biopsy in clinically normal bulls

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether testicular needle biopsy is detrimental to testicular function in clinically normal bulls. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 6 mixed-breed mature bulls. PROCEDURE: A randomly selected testicle from each bull was biopsied with a 14-gauge needle biopsy instrument. Bulls were then evaluated over a 90-day period for changes in scrotal temperature and thermal patterns, ultrasonographic appearance, and quality of spermatozoa. At the end of the 90-day study, bulls were castrated, and testicles were examined grossly and histologically. RESULTS: Changes were detected in scrotal temperatures and thermal patterns and in the breeding soundness examination results during the first 2 weeks of the study. However, there were no long-term changes in semen quality over the course of the experiment. Hyperechoic areas were detected on ultrasonographic examination and corresponded to the areas of penetration by the biopsy instrument. Microscopic lesions that were indicative of testicular dysfunction were not found. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicate that testicular biopsy is a safe procedure in bulls. Testicular biopsy could possibly be used to further examine bulls that have less than satisfactory results for breeding soundness examinations.     

Comparative enzyme activities and cytochrome P-450 levels of some rat tissues with respect to their metabolism of several pesticides

Cytochrome P-450, A- and B-esterase, amidase, and glutathione S-aryl transferase were assayed in the postmitochondrial centrifugal fraction, microsomes, and supernatant of rat liver, lungs, kidneys, and testes. Liver microsomes contained the highest P-450 levels and A-esterase activity. B-esterase activity was more generally distributed and higher in the microsomal tissue fractions. Microsomal amidase activity was highest in rat lung and lowest in the liver (per mg protein). Glutathione S-aryl transferase activity was highest in the liver. The in vitro metabolism of carbaryl, phosphamidon, and chlorotoluron by the various centrifugal fractions revealed many differences. Carbaryl metabolism was greater in the liver microsomal fractions than in any other preparation. 1-Naphthol was the major metabolite in all tissue fractions. Although very little metabolism of phosphamidon occurred in the rat, metabolism in the rat liver postmitochondrial fraction was slightly higher with respect to the production of metabolites than in the supernatant and microsomes combined. Chlorotoluron was not metabolized by any of the tissue fractions of the rat. At least a low level of activity toward some compounds was observed in all tissues, but this study confirmed that the liver was the most active metabolizing tissue as well as having the highest levels of enzymatic activity usually associated with pesticide metabolism.     

Effect of disposition on the relative delayed neurotoxicity potency among leptophos analogs

The oxons of leptophos, its desbromo analog, and its ethoxy analog all inhibit hen brain neurotoxic esterase (NTE) to a similar degree in vitro, but have large differences in minimum effective oral doses for organophosphorus-induced delayed neurotoxicity. The potencies of leptophos and ethoxyleptophos are increased 10-fold when administered to hens intravenously (iv), but the potency of desbromoleptophos is nearly the same whether administered iv or po. Leptophos distributes nearly five times more rapidly from the central compartment than does desbromoleptophos, and its attenuated oral potency may be due to slower net absorption and/or dilution by compartments other than nervous tissue. Intravenously administered phenylphosphonothionates are excreted rapidly into the gastrointestinal tract and a large proportion of the dose is eliminated in the first 48 hr. Indirect evidence indicates that ethoxyleptophos is more rapidly degraded and ethoxyleptophos-inhibited NTE recovers more rapidly than does NTE inhibited by leptophos or desbromomleptophos. It is proposed that differential aging of ethoxyleptophos chiral isomers as well as pharmacokinetic factors may contribute to the apparently anomalous behavior of these three analogs.     

Cisapride Stimulates Contraction of Idiopathic Megacolonic Smooth Muscle in Cats

We have previously shown that cisapride, a substituted piperidinyl benzamide, stimulates contraction of healthy feline colonic smooth muscle. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effect of cisapride on feline idiopathic megacolonic smooth muscle function. Longitudinal smooth muscle strips from ascending and descending colon were obtained from cats with idiopathic megacolon, suspended in a 1.5 mM Ca²⁺-HEPES buffer solution (37°C, 100% O₂, pH 7.4), attached to isometric force transducers, and stretched to optimal muscle length (L₀). Control responses were obtained at each muscle site with acetylcholine (10–⁸ to 10 ⁴ M), substance P (10–¹¹ to 10^-7 M), or potassium chloride (10 to 80 mM). Muscles were then stimulated with cumulative (10–⁹ to 10–⁶ M) doses of cisapride in the absence or presence of tetrodotoxin (10–⁶ M) and atropine (10–⁶ M), or in a 0 calcium HEPES buffer solution. In cats with idiopathic megacolon, cisapride stimulated contractions of longitudinal smooth muscle from both the ascending and the descending colon. Cisapride-induced contractions were similar in magnitude to those induced by substance P and acetylcholine in the ascending colon, but were less than those observed in the descending colon. Cisapride-induced contractions in megacolonic smooth muscle were only partially inhibited by tetrodotoxin and atropine, but were virtually abolished by removal of extracellular calcium. We concluded that cisapride-induced contractions of feline megacolonic smooth muscle are largely smooth muscle mediated and dependent on influx of extracellular calcium. Cisapride-induced contractions in megacolonic smooth muscle are only partially dependent on enteric cholinergic nerves. Thus, cisapride may be useful in the treatment of cats with idiopathic megacolon.     

Root growth,water relations and mineral uptake of young ‘Delicious’ apple trees treated with soil- and stem-applied paclobutrazol

Paclobutrazol (2R,3R + 2S,3S)-1-(4 chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-trizol-1-yl) pentan-3-ol), at 25, 50 and 150 mg active ingredient, was applied as a soil drench or stem application to 1-year-old ‘Topred Delicious’ apples. Root growth measured as relative root surface area was reduced by both soil and stem applications. There was no significant difference in dry weight of the root tissue. The root-to-leaf-area ratio was significantly increased in paclobutrazol-treated plants.Water relations measured as leaf conductance and leaf water potential were significantly influenced by paclobutrazol. Leaf conductance was higher in paclobutrazol-treated plants when the plants were turgid, as well as under some water stress. Leaf water potential was significantly higher in treated plants.There were no significant differences in the total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium levels found in the leaf or root tissue.     

Rootstock influence on ‘delicious’ and ‘golden delicious’ apple fruit quality at harvest and after storage

The influence of 9 rootstocks (M2, M7, M25, M26, MM104, MM106, MM109, MM111 and seedling) on fruit quality at harvest and after storage of ‘Wellspur Delicious’ (WS) and ‘Goldspur’ (GS), and of 3 rootstocks (M7, M26 and MM106) on fruit quality of ‘Red King Delicious’ (RK) and ‘Golden Delicious’ (GD) apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) was evaluated during a 4-year period. Fruits from trees on M26 were larger, developed earlier color and soluble solids (SS), and maintained higher levels of acidity (at harvest and during storage) in comparison with other rootstocks. Fruit from trees on M2 tended to have high SS. Fruit color from trees on MM104, MM106 and MM109 tended to be comparatively poor. There were significant rootstock effects on SS, starch, acidity, color, circumference, weight and box size.     

Evaluation,tissue culture propagation,and dissemination of ‘Saba’ and ‘Pelipita’ plantains in Costa Rica

Fruit characteristics of the disease-resistant bluggoe-type (ABB) cooking bananas (Musa × paradisiaca L.) ‘Saba’ and ‘Pelipita’ were compared with those of the susceptible ‘Currare’ (‘Horn’). Yields of ‘Saba’ and ‘Pelipita’ were similar to those of ‘Currare’; however, ‘Saba’ and ‘Pelipita’ yielded fewer hands with a greater number of small fruit when compared with ‘Currare’. Shoot-tip cultures of both clones were readily initiated on a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with N⁶-benzyladenine (BA) in combination with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Propagation cultures were initiated by splitting shoot tips along their longitudinal axis and re-culturing the individual pieces to basal medium supplemented with 5 mg l^?1 BA. Transfer of axillary shoots to hormone-free medium resulted in rapid and extensive root formation. Plantlet survival after transfer to methyl bromide-treated soil exceeded 90%. Establishment in the field was achieved following procedures normally used for vegetative propagation of this crop. Trial plantings of in vitro propagated ‘Saba’ and ‘Pelipita’ were established in various provinces of Costa Rica for grower evaluation and for future comparison of growth and reproductive development with plants of these and other cultivars propagated from corms.     

Comparison of blood aminotransferase methods for assessment of myopathy and hepatopathy in Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris)

Muscle injury is common in Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris). Plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is frequently used to assess muscular damage in capture myopathy and traumatic injury. Therefore, accurate measurement of AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is important in managed, free-ranging animals, as well as in those rehabilitating from injury. Activities of these enzymes, however, are usually not increased in manatees with either acute or chronic muscle damage, despite marked increases in plasma creatine kinase activity. It is hypothesized that this absence of response is due to apoenzymes in the blood not detected by commonly used veterinary assays. Addition of coenzyme pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P or vitamin B6) should, therefore, result in higher measured enzyme activities. The objective of this study was to determine the most accurate, precise, and diagnostically useful method for aminotransferase measurement in manatees that can be used in veterinary practices and diagnostic laboratories. Additionally, appropriate collection and storage techniques were assessed. The use of an optimized commercial wet chemical assay with 100 micromol P5P resulted in a positive bias of measured enzyme activities in a healthy population of animals. However, AST and ALT were still much lower than that typically observed in domestic animals and should not be used alone in the assessment of capture myopathy and muscular trauma. Additionally, the dry chemistry analyzer, typically used in clinics, reported significantly higher and less precise AST and ALT activities with poor correlation to those measured with wet chemical methods found in diagnostic laboratories. Therefore, these results cannot be clinically compared. Overall, the optimized wet chemical method was the most precise and diagnostically useful measurement of aminotransferase in samples. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference between paired serum and plasma measurement, indicating that separate reference intervals should be established for serum and plasma. Finally, storage of these enzymes at -70 degrees C for 1 mo resulted in up to a 25% decrease in enzymatic activity in manatee plasma.     

Linking wolves to willows via risk-sensitive foraging by ungulates in the northern Yellowstone ecosystem

After an absence of approximately 70 years, gray wolves (Canis lupus) were re-introduced into Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s. We studied the potential influence of wolf/ungulate interactions upon willow (Salix spp.) growth in the valleys of the Gallatin and Lamar Rivers, as well as Slough and Soda Butte Creeks, in the northern Yellowstone ecosystem. When we compared willow heights from photographs taken prior to 1998 (willows <2 m tall) with those taken in 2004, we found an increase in willow height for 22 of 42 sites within the study area. Based on comparisons of the chronosequence photos, since wolf introduction none of the 16 upland riparian sites showed an increase in willow height, while 22 of 26 of the valley-bottom riparian sites had willow height increases. In 2004, willow height exhibited a strong inverse relationship with the percentage of browsed stems (r = −0.81, p < 0.01, n = 42). Results of regressions for valley-bottom sites indicated that view distance, impediment distance, and the number of bison (Bison bison) flops were inversely related to willow height (p ≤ 0.02). Increased willow heights were not significantly (p = 0.18) related to patterns of moisture availability. Willow height increases documented in this study appear to have been at least partially due to behaviorally mediated trophic cascades involving wolves and ungulates, via a mechanism of predation risk. While willow release (i.e., increased height growth) within the study area is in a very early stage, results suggest potentially important indirect effects of a top carnivore in a terrestrial food chain that may aid in the restoration of riparian species and the preservation of biodiversity.