Growth,feed efficiency and blood profile of buffalo calves consuming high levels of fluoride

Twelve male buffalo calves of 10 to 12 months of age were divided into 3 groups of four each. They were fed wheat straw+concentrate mixture +3 Kg greens. The chemical composition of the diet was same in all the three groups except fluoride which was added (as NaF) in concentrate mixture of group B and C to make the final fluoride concentration 30 ppm and 60 ppm respectively. The animals were kept on scheduled diet for a period of 90 days. Body weights were recorded at the start of the experiment and at fortnightly interval thereafter. Analysis of data revealed that the dry matter intake decreased non significantly in group B and C as compared to control group. A significant decrease in serum calcium and a significant increase in phosphorus concentration were observed in group C animals. A significant increase was observed in alkaline phosphatase activity in group C animals. A non significant decrease was observed in T₄ values in group C animals. On the basis of these results it could be concluded that fluoride in the diet of buffalo calves @ 30 ppm is a safe level whereas 60 ppm has affected the blood metabolites.     

The immune response to anesthesia: Part 1

ObjectiveTo review the immune response to anesthesia including mechanical ventilation, inhaled anesthetic gases, and injectable anesthetics and sedatives.Study designReview.Methods and databasesMultiple literature searches were performed using PubMed and Google Scholar from spring 2012 through fall 2013. Relevant anesthetic and immune terms were used to search databases without year published or species constraints. The online database for Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care were searched by issue starting in 2000 for relevant articles.ConclusionRecent research data indicate that commonly used volatile anesthetic agents, such as isoflurane and sevoflurane, may have a protective effect on vital organs. With the lung as the target organ, protection using an appropriate anesthetic protocol may be possible during direct pulmonary insults, including mechanical ventilation, and during systemic disease processes, such as endotoxemia, generalized sepsis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

Expression of retinoid receptors in lungs of cattle,dogs, and pigs

Retinoids play an important role in lung development and immune response. The effects of retinoids are mediated through 2 families of retinoid receptors: retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs), with alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ) subtypes in each family. To date, no data exist on the expression pattern of retinoid receptors in lungs of cattle, dogs, and pigs. Because of the biomedical importance of retinoid receptors in inflammation and immune responses, Western blot, immunohistology, and immunoelectron microscopy were used to determine the expression of retinoid receptors in normal lungs of cattle, dogs, and pigs (n = 2 for each species). Western blot showed expression of all 6 retinoid receptor subtypes in pig lungs. Immunohistology data indicated differential expression of retinoid receptors in airway epithelium, vascular endothelium, alveolar/septal macrophages, and alveolar septum in all 3 species. Electron microscopy showed nuclear localization of retinoid receptors in neutrophils and pulmonary intravascular macrophages. Retinoic acid receptors (RAR) α subtype were localized in cytoplasmic vacuoles of pig monocytes. These data indicate constitutive expression of retinoid receptors in the lungs of cattle, dogs, and pigs.     

Analysis of the matrix protein gene sequence of the Asian lineage of peste-des-petits ruminants vaccine virus

The M gene nucleotide sequence of an Indian peste-des-petits ruminants (PPRV) vaccine virus ("PPRV Sungri/96") belonging to Asian lineage was determined. The gene is 1476 nucleotides long with a single open reading frame (ORF). The nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence was compared with the homologous region of the African Lineage Vaccine virus "PPRV/Nigeria/75/1". The nucleotide sequence of the "PPRV Sungri/96" was 86% identical to that of "PPRV/Nigeria/75/1", while a homology of 93% and 95% could be observed in the ORF and amino acids level, respectively. The M gene encodes a protein of 335 amino acids, with a predicted molecular weight (MW) of 37.8 kDa. The ORF is flanked by a 3' untranslated region of 436 nucleotides and a high level of sequence divergence (approximately 30%) could be observed in this region between the vaccine viruses of Asian and African lineages. A high degree of conservation of several amino acids of this protein observed previously was also confirmed in this study.     

Development of an Indirect ELISA for the Detection of Antibodies against Peste-des-petits-ruminants Virus in Small Ruminants

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, febrile, highly contagious and economically important viral disease of small ruminants. A polyclonal antibody based indirect ELISA was developed for detection of antibodies to PPR virus in the serum samples of goats and sheep using purified PPR viral antigen propogated in Vero cell culture. A threshold (cut-off) value was set as twice the mean of the negative population based on the distribution of known negative serum samples in respect of PPR virus antibodies in the test. A total of 1544 serum samples from goats and sheep were screened by indirect ELISA and competitive ELISA. The indirect ELISA compared very well with competitive ELISA, with a high degree of specificity (95.09%) and sensitivity (90.81%). When compared with virus neutralization test, the present assay had 100% specificity and 80% sensitivity. With serum samples, the assay could clearly differentiate animals from the infected population from uninfected ones. These results suggest that the indirect ELISA may be a good alternative tool to competitive ELISA for seroepidemiological surveys.