Preference for safflower oil in rats exposed to a cold environment under free-feeding conditions

There are several benefits to a high-fat diet for animals exposed to cold, including improved tolerance to severe cold conditions and increased survival rates in cold environments. It is therefore of interest to examine whether animals exposed to cold will selectively consume lipids. We examined the intake of safflower oil (SO) by rats exposed to cold (4 +/- 2 degrees C) under a feeding condition in which the rats were given free access to SO. Rats exposed to cold consumed more SO than those housed at 25 +/- 2 degrees C. This finding suggests that rats prefer SO in a cold environment. There was no significant difference in the ratio of calories of SO ingested to that of matter (standard laboratory chow plus SO) ingested between rats exposed to cold and those at 25 +/- 2 degrees C. The high SO intake also affected cold tolerance and metabolite kinetics in the rats. Factors that affected the SO intake of rats exposed to cold are also discussed.     

Plasma vitamin C concentration is not related to the incidence of ketosis in dairy cows during the early lactation period

Many animals including cattle can synthesize vitamin C from glucose. The objective of this study was to investigate plasma vitamin C concentration in ketotic cows during the early lactation period because glucose supply for vitamin C synthesis might be limited in these cows. We measured plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentration in 118 cows within 2 months after parturition. Subclinical/clinical ketosis was quantitatively determined using a plasma BHBA threshold of 1,200 microM. Plasma glucose concentration was lower in the ketotic cows than in the control cows but plasma vitamin C concentration did not differ between the control and the ketotic cows. Then we measured plasma vitamin C, BHBA and glucose levels in 7 cows during the periparturient period. Plasma BHBA increased and plasma glucose decreased after parturition but plasma vitamin C did not change. These results indicate that plasma vitamin C is not related to the incidence of ketosis in the early lactation period. We suggest that ketotic cows have the ability to produce vitamin C to meet its requirement in the early lactation period although glucose supply is not sufficient for milk production. Vitamin C synthesis is possibly given a high metabolic-priority for glucose in lactating cows.     

Estrus synchronization and conception rate after a progesterone releasing intravaginal device (PRID) treatment from the early luteal phase in heifers

The objective of the present study was to evaluate estrus synchronization and conception rate after progesterone releasing intravaginal device (PRID) treatment from the early luteal phase in the presence or absence of estradiol benzoate (EB) in heifers. Heifers (n=11) were assigned randomly to two treatments; insertion of a PRID containing 1.55 g progesterone with a capsule attached including 10 mg EB (P+EB; n=6) and the PRID withdrawn the EB capsule (P-EB; n=5). The PRID was inserted into the vagina on Day 2 of the estrous cycle (Day 0 was the day of ovulation) and was left for 12 days. The proportion of heifers exhibiting standing estrus within 3 days after PRID removal was 83.3% (5/6) for the P+EB group, and 80.0% (4/5) for the P-EB group, respectively. Conception rate by artificial insemination on synchronized estrus was 80.0% (4/5) in the P+EB group, and 100% (4/4) in the P-EB treatment group, respectively. These results suggest that a PRID treatment from 2 days after ovulation for 12 days in the presence or absence of EB has an effect on the synchronization of estrus and produces a beneficial conception rate in heifers.     

Foliar spray of validamycin a or validoxylamine a controls tomato fusarium wilt

ABSTRACT Tomato wilt, caused by the soilborne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, is effectively controlled by a foliar spray of validamycin A (VMA) or validoxylamine A (VAA) (>/=10 mug/ml); however, neither VMA nor VAA is antifungal in vitro. In pot tests, the effect of a foliar application of VMA or VAA at 100 mug/ml lasted for 64 days. Plants sprayed with VMA or VAA accumulated salicylic acid and had elevated expression of the systemic acquired resistance (SAR) marker genes P4 (PR-1), Tag (PR-2), and NP24 (PR-5). Foliar spray of VMA also controlled late blight and powdery mildew of tomato. The disease control by VMA and VAA lasted up to 64 days after treatment, was broad spectrum, and induced the expression of PR genes, all essential indicators of SAR, suggesting that VMA and VAA are plant activators. The foliar application of plant activators is a novel control method for soilborne diseases and may provide an economically feasible alternative to soil fumigants such as methyl bromide.     

Detection of feline coronavirus antibody, feline immunodeficiency virus antibody, and feline leukemia virus antigen in ascites from cats with effusive feline infectious peritonitis

To investigate the usefulness of ascites as a material for viral tests in cats with effusive feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), we attempted to detect anti-feline coronavirus antibody, anti-feline immunodeficiency virus antibody, and feline leukemia virus antigen in ascites from 88 cats clinically suspected with effusive FIP. In each of these three viral tests, all cats positive for serum antibody/antigen were also positive for ascitic antibody/antigen, while cats negative for serum antibody/antigen were also negative for ascitic antibody/antigen. This finding indicates that ascites is useful for these viral tests.     

The therapeutic effects of a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (PRID) with attached estradiol capsule on ovarian quiescence and cystic ovarian disease in postpartum dairy cows

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (PRID) containing an estradiol benzoate capsule on ovarian dysfunction, including ovarian quiescence, follicular cyst (FC) and luteal cyst or cystic corpus luteum (LC/CCL), in postpartum dairy cows. These ovarian dysfunctions were examined by palpation per rectum relative to plasma progesterone status. The results of clinical examination and hormone assay determined ovarian quiescence in 13 cows, FC in 15 cows and LC/CCL in 7 cows. These cows were treated with PRID for 12 d and then clinical examination was performed. After PRID removal, the proportion of cows exhibiting estrous signs within 7 d and confirmed formation of CL within 7-14 d (markedly effective) were 69.2 % (n=9) for ovarian quiescence, 46.7 % (n=7) for FC, and 28.6 % (2 cows) for LC/CCL. Two cows (15.4 %) in ovarian quiescence, 5 cows (33.3%) with FC and 4 cows (57.1 %) with LC/CCL did not exhibit estrous signs but were recognized as having formed CL within 12-16 d after removal of PRID (effective). These results suggest that treatments of PRID with estradiol benzoate for 12 d have therapeutic efficacy on ovarian dysfunction including ovarian quiescence, FC and LC/CCL in postpartum dairy cows.     

Vaccination against Fowlpox virus via drinking water

The oral vaccination against Fowlpox was investigated via drinking water containing the F132-c strain of Fowlpox virus to be effective even though the vaccine virus-titer was 10(4) TCID (50)/dose each time. When the virus-titer of the F132-c strain was 10(4-5 )TCID(50)/dose per single drinking water vaccination, 90% or more of chickens were not protected, however, they were protected when vaccinated twice via drinking water. A weak immune response occurred by a slight infection after the first vaccination, and due to memory cells, a booster could work well after the second vaccination. These results suggest the possibility of reducing both the amount of virus required for a vaccine via drinking water and the labor cost in the field.     

Estrogen receptor alpha expression in the medial preoptic area and the medial basal hypothalamus under different physiological conditions in cattle

The distribution and morphology of immunoreactive estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)- containing cells were examined in the cattle brain. The brains were collected from two cows and a male calf. One of the cows was sacrificed one week after parturition. ERalpha expressions in the preoptic area of the rostral forebrain and the medial basal hypothalamic area were evaluated immunohistochemically using a mouse monoclonal antibody. In all animals, the signals that indicate ERalpha were detected in the medial preoptic area, the level of the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. In the caudal hypothalamic region, they were detected in the arcuate nucleus, the periventricular and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei. ERalpha-containing cells were characterized by a dense nuclear reaction product. In all the subjects examined, ERalpha signals were clearly detected in the cytoplasm as well. The density of ERalpha expression was different among the three cattle; the number of ERalpha containing cells in the postpartum cow was much lower than that in the other cow and the male calf. The present findings suggest that ERalpha expression in the forebrain is influenced by the reproductive status in the cattle.     

Immunogenicity in Aujeszky's disease virus structural glycoprotein gVI (gp50) in swine.

Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) envelope glycoprotein gVI (gp50) was purified from virus-infected Vero cells by ion-exchange and immunoaffinity chromatography and its usefulness as a subunit vaccine was evaluated in active and passive immunization studies. Four-week-old piglets were immunized intramuscularly (IM) with purified gVI twice two weeks apart and challenged intranasally (IN) 10 days after the second immunization with 30 LD50 (10(8)PFU) of a virulent strain of ADV. Pigs, vaccinated with 100 micrograms of purified gVI, produced virus neutralizing antibodies and did not develop clinical signs after challenge exposure. The challenge virus was not isolated from nasal swabs and tonsils of gVI-vaccinated pigs, whereas non-vaccinated control pigs developed illness after challenge exposure with the same virulent ADV strain which was later recovered from their nasal swabs and tonsils. Pregnant sows vaccinated twice with purified gVI (IM) at a three week interval produced virus neutralizing antibodies in colostrum. Four-day-old sucking piglets born of vaccinated sows were passively protected by colostral antibodies against intranasal challenge with a lethal dose of virulent ADV. Sera from gVI-vaccinated pigs were distinguished from experimentally infected swine sera by their differential reactivity in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using four major viral glycoproteins (excluding gVI) as antigen purified by the use of lentil-lectin.