Effects of atherosclerosis on mean and daily variation of arterial pressure in conscious WHHL rabbits.

Effects of atherosclerosis on the mean value and daily variation of arterial pressure were studied in 12 Watanabe-heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits aged 12 to 35 months and 25 normal Japanese white rabbits aged 6 to 30 months. A pressure catheter was inserted through the left subclavian artery under pentobarbital anesthesia. A few days after the catheterization, the mean arterial pressure (MAP) of the rabbits, which were active and in a good state of appetite, was recorded by an analogue-to-digital converter every second for about 6 hrs and stored in a computer. The mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) in the WHHL rabbit, calculated from each successive MAP record, ranged widely from 85.8 to 131.4 mmHg and 5.6 to 12.6 mmHg, respectively. There was no significant correlation between M and SD in the WHHL rabbit. M and variance (V) of MAP in the WHHL rabbit were significantly higher than those in the normal rabbit. M did not show any significant change with increasing ages, whereas SD increased significantly with aging in the WHHL rabbit. Concentrations of serum total cholesterol and triglyceride in the WHHL rabbit were 475 and 328 mg/dl, which were about nine and seven times as high as those in the normal rabbit, respectively. Macroscopic and histopathological examinations of the aorta revealed development and spread of sclerotic lesions with aging in the WHHL rabbit. We can conclude that development of atherosclerosis with aging in the WHHL rabbit causes malfunction of the baroreceptors, which contributes to hypertension and lability of arterial pressure.     

Growth activity of bovid herpesvirus 1 in bovine follicular oocytes with cumulus cells.

Bovine follicular oocytes collected from bovine ovaries were exposed to bovid herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1). After washings, these oocytes were cultured to mature. As a result BHV-1 could not be removed from the oocytes and could replicate in the oocytes with cumulus cells, but not in the oocytes without the cells. Moreover, the specific fluorescence for BHV-1 was detected in the cumulus cells by a indirect immunofluorescent technique. Therefore these findings suggested BHV-1 could be absorbed in the oocytes but the replication of BHV-1 was done in the cumulus cells.     

Anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies detected in sera of dogs naturally infected with Babesia gibsoni.

Due to the potential for anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies as possible enhancers of erythrocyte destruction, the presence of serum anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies in 31 dogs with Babesia gibsoni infection admitted to a veterinary hospital was investigated by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting analyses. This infection resulted in an increase of anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies in 84% (IgG) and 74% (IgM) of 31 infected dogs, respectively. This was confirmed by the similarity in the protein profiles of the erythrocyte membrane antigens immunoblotted with rabbit antiserum to dog erythrocyte membrane antigens and infected dog serum. These results suggest the production of anti-erythrocyte membrane antibodies was induced by B. gibsoni infection.     

Theileria parva: the immune status of calves born of dams immunised against East Coast fever

Eight Friesian cross cows three months pregnant to a single Friesian bull were immunised against East Coast fever by infection with Theileria parva (Muguga) sporozoite stabilate and treatment with pyrrolidino-methyl tetracycline. They were challenged with the homologous stock four times before calving and a fifth time after calving, and resisted all five challenges which killed all of the five groups of five susceptible controls. Calves born to these hyperimmunised dams were fully susceptible on challenge with the same stabilate, as were susceptible cows from the same farm and their calves. In both instances the calves died three to seven days earlier than the cows which were approximately 10 times heavier. These results show that one- to two-month-old taurine calves from artificially immunised dams are not protected from experimental T parva sporozoite challenge and that there is no inherent calfhood resistance to East Coast fever.     

Laryngeal paralysis in immature and mature dogs as one sign of a more diffuse polyneuropathy

Six dogs with laryngeal paralysis had clinical, electrophysiologic, and pathologic evidence of a more generalized polyneuropathy. Three of the dogs were young Dalmatians, one was a young Bouvier des Flandres, and two were older, large-breed dogs. The results of this study suggest that laryngeal paralysis in dogs may frequently be one clinical sign of an underlying, more generalized polyneuropathy. Two forms of this generalized polyneuropathy may exist: an early form, as seen in young dogs with congenital or hereditary disease, and a delayed-onset form that is usually found in older dogs with so-called idiopathic laryngeal paralysis, some of which may have hypothyroidism.     

The Effect of Detopping the Field Bean Plants (Vicia faba L. minor) and Lack of the Pod Setting on the Symbiosis with Root Nodule Bacteria

The plants of field bean var. Nadwiślaνski were detopped after about 1 month since the beginning of flowering and after that all flower buds were removed from some plants. The effect of a change in the trophic balance on the setting and subsequent growth of root nodules was studied.
The removal of pods had the greater effect on the increase in the weight of the remaining organs than the detopping of plants. Detopping retarded the ageing of the plants and delayed the phase of the greatest reduction of the number of pods. The detopping of plants revealed their considerable compensative possibilities in terms of production of the pod weight and the potential of leaves for biomass production. The data obtained indicate that plant detopping may disturb the root–bacteria exchange of signals, necessary to initiate the nodule development, while the further growth of nodules depends, above all, on the amount of available photosynthates.
A very high correlation between the dry weight of the whole plant to the dry weight of leaves ratio and the weight of nodules was observed. It proves the importance of the trophic balance of the plant for the root nodule weight production.     

Plasma Cell Myeloma in the Horse

Plasma cell myelomas in horses have been reported infrequently. Data from 10 cases, 9 from the literature and 1 new case, are used to characterize the disease in the horse. Hot-blooded horses (7/10), specifically Quarter Horses (4/10), were most often affected. Median age at diagnosis was 11 years (range, 3 mo-22 yr) and both male (5) and female horses (5) were represented equally. Clinical findings included weight loss (6/8), anorexia (4/8), fever (4/8), limb edema (4/8), pneumonia (3/8), rear leg paresis/ataxia (3/8), epistaxis (3/8), palpable lymphadenopathy (2/8), and bone pain (2/8). Anemia (8/8) was present routinely, and in three horses, RBCs were macrocytic. Leukopenia (2/8), thrombocy-topenia (2/8), and circulating plasma cells (3/8) were variable findings. Except for abnormal protein concentrations and hyponatremia (3), abnormal results from serum biochemical analysis including hypo-cholesterolemia (1), hypercalcemia (1), and azotemia (1) were reported infrequently. Hyperproteinemia (8/9), hypoalbuminemia (7/9), and hyperglobulinemia (8/9) were characteristic but not invariable findings. Monoclonal proteins (7/7) were detected in the α₂, β, or γ region by serum electrophoresis. The paraprotein's heavy chain, determined in four horses, was a subclass of IgG. Three horses had decreased concentrations of normal immunoglobulins. Variable proteinuria (trace to 4+) was detected by routine urinalysis in four of six horses. Bence Jones proteinuria was detected in one of five horses (heat precipitation) and monoclonal proteins were detected in two of three electrophoresed urine samples. Three of the horses had lytic bone lesions detected radiographically. Bone marrow aspirates were diagnostic in two of five horses. Atypical plasma cells or increased numbers of plasma cells or both were present in histologic sections of bone marrow in six of eight horses. Common extraosseous sites of plasma cell infiltration included lymph nodes (8/8), kidney (5/8), spleen (5/8), liver (3/8), lung (3/8), brain (2/8), and orbit (2/8). Two horses had intracellular and extracellular crystalline deposits.     

Thrombocyte aggregation in the cat

Platelet aggregation in healthy and sick cats after adding various aggregating agents is described. Feline platelets aggregate irreversibly in response to 0.15-1.0 micrograms/ml collagen, 1 microM ADP, 0.3 IU/ml test-thrombin and 0.71 NIH/ml Topostasin. Epinephrine, ristocetin and kaolin failed to cause aggregation. The aggregation function was decreased in a cat with liver damage and icterus; in 2 cats with uremia platelet aggregation was normal. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (10 mg/kg iv) inhibits platelet aggregation in the presence of collagen in low concentrations; high concentrations of collagen succeeded in inducing platelet aggregation.