The effects of sex and age on phytohaemagglutinin skin-testing of deer

AIM: To determine if there are sex- or age-related differences in the increase in skinfold thickness in response to the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) in red deer. METHODS: One dose of 250 mug PHA was injected intradermally in the right side of the neck, and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was injected at a second site as a control, in 110 (51 males and 59 females) captive Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus), ranging in age from 21 months to > or =5 years. Skinfold thicknesses were measured immediately before and 72 h following injection. RESULTS: There was a significant effect of gender on the average increase in skinfold thickness; males had greater increases (8.8 (SEM 0.57) mm) than females (4.23 (SEM 0.39) mm) after correcting for other confounding variables. No age-related differences were evident, but differences between sexes were more marked with increasing age. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Effects of gender, probably due to differences in energetic and reproductive constraints in red deer, should be taken into account when interpreting skinfold-test data, both in ecology and in the control of tuberculosis (Tb). Males tend to have a thicker skin than females, so skinfold increase relative to the thickness of the skin, rather than skinfold increase per se, should be used as a more appropriate measure of skinfold increase. This may also have clinical relevance in the interpretation of tuberculin skin testing.     

Ultrafiltration performance of heat-treated shamouti orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] juice.

During ultrafiltration of orange juice with inorganic membranes, heating of the juice prior to the filtration experiment resulted in a significant increase of the fouling indices. The effect of the irreversible fouling (Rif) was always high, whereas the reversible fouling (Rrf) depended on the treatment. It was clearly seen that fouling was reduced after pectin degradation, but the heat treatment applied to the juice before filtration still resulted in reduced fluxes. It is suggested that pectins and proteins that undergo flocculation/coagulation during the heat treatment tend to interact with the membrane-filtering layer and to cause reduction of permeation flux. To clean the membrane to restore its pure water flux, close to the initial one, a proteolitic enzyme detergent wash was needed.     

Test of size-specific mass selection for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L., cage farming in the Philippines

One generation of mass selection based on the collimation procedure (early culling of large fry) was applied on Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L., in net cages set in Laguna de Bay, Philippines. The objective was to test the effectiveness of a low-cost, small-scale broodstock improvement procedure in this culture environment. Directional selection was performed in two steps after initial removal of large fry at 21 days. Selection of parents and testing of the offspring were also conducted in hapa net cages set up in Laguna de Bay. The selection resulted in a significant positive response of 3% relative to the control, which represents a projected 34% gain over 5 years in Laguna cage culture. The realized heritability is ≈16%.     

Emergence and recent evolution of canine parvovirus.

This review summarizes the current knowledge about the emergence of canine parvovirus from an ancestor virus similar to feline panleukopenia virus most likely from a wild carnivore host. The recent evolution of CPV, namely the emergence of new antigenic types, their biological properties and global distribution are also discussed.     

Case report: primary fibrosarcoma of the liver in a cow.

An unusual case of primary fibrosarcoma of the liver in a cow is described. The most prominent pathological findings were severe abdominal haemorrhage and neoplastic masses confined to the liver only. Histologically, spindeloid cells arranged in interlacing bundles running in various directions and numerous areas of necrosis and ossification were randomly scattered in the neoplasm.     

Epidemiology and risk factors of cecal dilatation/dislocation and abomasal displacement in dairy cows]

The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of cecal dilatation/dislocation (CDD) and abomasal displacement (DA) in Switzerland, to identify risk factors for both diseases, and to compare directly their epidemiologic situation. The epidemiologic study included 158 cases of CDD and 149 cases of DA from the cases referred to both University Clinics of Berne and Zurich. The results showed that DA was associated with nutrition-related risk factors: use of minerals and sodium chloride, inadequate concentrate feeding and beginning of the feeding. Furthermore, breed was significantly associated with DA, but not with CDD. Finally, milk yield and pasture were also significantly included in the models. For CDD, nutrition-related risk factors were also found: pasture in summer, use of corn pellets and corn silage in winter. In the final model, protein concentrate was also included. Although both diseases were found at comparable frequencies, the results of this study indicate marked differences between the epidemiology of occurrence of CDD and DA. Therefore, the hypothesis of a common etiopathogenesis appears unlikely.     

Correlation of haemostatic abnormalities with tumour stage and characteristics in dogs with mammary carcinoma

Sixty female dogs with untreated mammary carcinoma, comprising equal numbers of dogs in tumour stages I to IV, were evaluated for haemostatic abnormalities using the following tests: platelet count, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, plasma activity of factor V, VIII and X, plasma concentration of fibrinogen, fibrin monomers and fibrinogen degradation products, and plasma antithrombin III activity. Two-thirds of all dogs had one or more haemostatic test abnormality of which the likelihood and frequency was increased in those with stage III and IV neoplasia. Haemostatic abnormalities were more frequently observed in dogs which had mammary tumours with distant metastases, extended tumour necrosis, inflammatory carcinomas, tumours fixed to underlying structures, or tumours in which there was penetration of the tumour capsule by tumour cells. As in humans with mammary carcinoma, these haemostatic abnormalities might be used as prognostic indicators, but their clinical importance remains unknown.     

Occurrence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci in the pig-production chain in Ibadan,Nigeria

Staphylococcus species colonises humans and animals and is a major food contaminant with public health significance. Here, we assessed the occurrence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) in the pig-production chain in Ibadan, Nigeria. Nares of 120 pigs and 10 farmers were sampled with sterile swabs whilst 54 pork samples were collected from a retail slaughterhouse. Staphylococcus species were isolated using enrichment, cefoxitin–aztreonam selective broth and Mannitol salt agar. Isolates were tested for susceptibility to cefoxitin (30 μg), oxacillin (1 μg) and vancomycin (30 μg). Methicillin-resistant staphylococci isolates were characterised using conventional biochemical tests. From 184 samples, 364 staphylococcal isolates were obtained. Amongst the 54 pork samples, 44.0% were contaminated with Staphylococcus species. Overall, 9 (2.5%) MRS were obtained and presumptively identified as Staphylococcus xylosus (n = 3), Staphylococcus sciuri (n = 3), Staphylococcus warneri (n = 2) and Staphylococcus cohnii (n = 1). There was no relationship between the prevalence of MRS between pigs and pig handlers in the farms, but Farm 2 had the highest frequency of 66.7% (p < 0.05). Piglets had the highest prevalence of 66.7% (p < 0.05) whilst MRS was absent in workers and pork samples. This study raises concerns about the cross-contamination of staphylococci in the food chain. Constant surveillance is imperative to ensure food safety.     

Physicochemical characteristics of flours of faba bean as influenced by processing methods

Wet- and dry-processing with and without heating treatments were used to dehull faba beans for preparation of flours from the cotyledons. Flour qualities were assessed by levels of tannin and trypsin inhibitor and other measures of proximate composition. High roasting temperature and shorter process time that improved the recovered cotyledon yields were verified significant by path analysis methodologies. In turn, the higher cotyledon recoveries correlated with higher protein levels and inversely with the measured tannin levels. Ash reductions were correlated to the wet processing options in hull removal while reductions in the insoluble dietary fiber were notably influenced by level of heating temperatures applied. Trypsin inhibitor levels ranged from 42 to 56% of the original with reductions tied to applications of wet and/or heat processing in each case improved by increased durations and temperatures of treatments.