Nasopharyngeal cryptococcosis

Naturally occurring cryptococcosis in five cats, a dog and a koala is described. Involvement of the nasopharynx was documented in all patients, and nasopharyngeal mass lesions accounted for the major presenting complaints in four. Signs referable to nasopharyngeal disease included snoring, stertor, inspiratory dyspnoea and aerophagia. Diagnoses were made by caudal rhinoscopy using a retroverted flexible endoscope, vigorous orthograde flushing with saline, or at necropsy. Concurrent cryptococcal rhinitis was present in all cases, although involvement appeared limited to the caudal nasal cavity in most cases. Typical signs of nasal cavity disease, such as sneezing and nasal discharge, were often absent. Treatment of nasopharyngeal cryptococcosis should include physical dislodgement or debulking of lesion(s) to provide immediate alleviation of upper airway obstruction, followed by systemic antifungal therapy to eliminate residual infection from the nasal cavity. Infections caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var gattii accounted for a disproportionately large number of these cases.     

饲料中不同脂肪酸对草鱼组织脂质含量和脂肪酸构成的影响

实验选用初始作重约1．4g的草鱼，在60天的饲养期中分别投喂1种不含脂肪的饲料和8种含3％不同脂质的饲料，观察了饲料中添加油酸（18：1n-9）、亚油酸（18：2n－6）、亚麻酸（18：3n－3）和n－3系列高度不饱和脂肪酸（n－3HUFA；20：5n－3＋22：6n－3）对草鱼肝胰脏、肌肉、头部和去肝胰脏内脏脂质含量和脂肪酸构成的影响。实验结果表明，与摄食单纯含油酸饲料的草鱼相比，含1％18：2n－6和1％18：3n－3或1％18：2n－6和0．5％n－3HUFA饲料组草鱼的肝胰脏脂质含量显著降低，但内脏脂质含量升高。向饲料中添加18：2n－6、18：3n－3和n－3HUFA能明显影响草鱼肝胰脏、肌肉和头部脂质多不饱和脂肪酸的相对含量；组织中n－6系列和n－3系列高度不饱和脂肪酸含量分别与饲料中添加18：2n－6和18：3n－3有相关关系，表明草鱼具有生物转化18：2n－6和18：3n－3为高度不饱和脂肪酸的能力。     

Evaluation of the testosterone response to hCG and the identification of a presumed anorchid dog

A two-year-old dog was presented with no scrotal testes. There was no history of castration but at laparotomy no testes were found. To confirm that the dog was truly anorchid a human chorionic gonadotrophin stimulation test was performed. This was then validated in normal entire and castrated dogs.     

Monitoring and identification of residues of anabolic preparations in slaughtered cattle by HPLC with diode array detection

Summary

The new combination of isocratic high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with on line UV spectrum detection via a diode array configuration has been applied to the detection and identification of anabolics present in application sites of cattle.

Combination of the characteristic retention time in the HPLC chromatogram and a comparison of the full spectrum between 190–400 nm of the anabolic components with that of a standard resulted in a very reliable identification. By means of this method 117 samples of application sites were investigated for the presence of anabolic residues. Of the xenobiotic anabolics, 19‐nortestosterone (NT) was found most frequently (in 96 cases), whereas diethylstilbestrol (DES) was found in only 11 cases.

In all samples the identification of NT and DES was confirmed by high resolution gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GCMS).     

Experimental studies on the impact of an increased dose of anionic salts on the metabolism of dairy cows

Summary

This study was initiated to investigate the influence of a daily dose of anionic salts (AS) above the valid upper limit at present on metabolism of dairy cows. Eleven non‐pregnant and non‐lactating Holstein‐Friesian crossbred cows with a permanent rumen cannula were used in a study with a controlled feeding design. The initial daily dose was 2500 meq/day, which resulted in a Dietary Cation Anion Difference (DCAD) of ‐211 meq/kg dry matter. Every seven days, the daily dose was raised by 500 meq. If a cow stopped eating, the application of AS was stopped and these cows were monitored over the next seven days. On day 30 another batch of hay, having the same DCAD but higher concentrations of minerals and energy, was fed. Blood and urine samples were taken to monitor acid‐base balance and calcium concentrations. Acid‐base balance was strongly influenced by AS. Blood pH dropped steadily and reached values around 7.23. Urine pH dropped quickly below 6 and remained at that level regardless of the increased dosage of AS. Net acid base excretion (NABE) fell continuously with the increase of the dosage of AS and reached values below ‐200 mmol/l. Calcium concentrations in the serum were nearly stable, but those in urine increased sharply and remained on an elevated level with increasing doses of AS. A few days before the individual cow's refusal of feed intake, calcium excretion in urine decreased. The majority of cows stopped eating while consuming a diet containing 3500 to 4000 meq AS except two animals who consumed up to 6000 meq/day AS but they received the better hay in the second half of the treatment period. In this time pH in blood increased slowly. NABE remained stable on a low level at ‐100 mmol/l. The results showed that with an increasing amount of AS fed the risk of clinical acidosis increased. The decreasing urine concentrations of calcium indicate a breakdown of the compensation capability of the single cow. Besides the dose of AS fed, the quality of the feed stuff might be another factor concerning the tolerance of cows against AS.     

Impact of blood serum insulin-like growth factor I on platelet-activating factor in bull spermatozoa

The objective of this study was to examine differences in platelet-activating factor [1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine; PAF] in spermatozoa between two lines of Angus beef cattle divergently selected for blood serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentration. Endogenous lipids were extracted from the spermatozoa and endogenous PAF content was determined by radioimmunoassay. The amount of PAF detected in spermatozoa obtained from high IGF-I bulls (n = 8) ranged from 0.145 to 3.571 pM/10(6) cells. The level of PAF extracted from spermatozoa obtained from low IGF-I- bulls (n = 5) ranged from 0.001 to 1.024 pM/10(6) cells. Polynomial regression analysis revealed a significant cubic relationship (R(2) = 0.374; F = 6.292; P < 0.05) between spermatozoa PAF content and blood serum IGF-I concentration. Spermatozoa-derived PAF levels (mean +/- SEM) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the high IGF-I group (1.90 +/- 0.39 pM/10(6) cells) than in the low IGF-I group (0.59 +/- 0.20 pM/10(6) cells). High IGF-I bulls have a greater than three-fold higher PAF content in their spermatozoa than low IGF-I bulls. The data demonstrate that not only is PAF present in bull spermatozoa but that levels are significantly higher in individuals with high serum IGF-I concentrations.