An improved ferritin assay for canine sera

An improved serum ferritin assay for canine serum has been developed. It uses two monoclonal antibodies in a sandwich arrangement. Serum ferritin can be determined on undiluted canine sera with this assay. The recovery of ferritin added to canine serum ranged from 98 to 106%, the within-assay coefficient of variability was 3.3 to 4.5%, and the assay-to-assay variability was 9.8 to 10.2%. Serum ferritin from 61 apparently healthy dogs had a geometric mean of 252 ng/ml, with a range of 80 ng/ml to 800 ng/ml.     

Serum lipase determination in the dog: a comparison of a titrimetric method with an automated kinetic method

An enzymatic, kinetic method for determining serum lipase activity was evaluated and compared to a standard manual method for use in dogs. The kinetic method was a commercial kit adapted for use on a tandem access clinical chemistry analyzer and utilized a series of coupled enzymatic reactions based on the hydrolysis of 1,2-diglyceride by lipase. The manual method was the Cherry-Crandall technique based on the titration of base against the acid formed by hydrolysis of an olive oil substrate by lipase. The correlation between the two methods was very good (r = 0.94). The reference range for 56 clinically healthy dogs assayed by the kinetic method was 90 to 527 U/L. Diseases associated with a greater than twofold elevation in serum lipase activity as determined by the kinetic method included pancreatitis, gastritis with liver disease, and oliguric renal failure with metabolic acidosis. In some cases, pancreatitis was seen with other clinical problems, such as gastroenteritis, diabetic ketoacidosis, duodenal mass, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and septic peritonitis. Diseases associated with serum lipase activity within the reference range or elevated less than twofold included gastritis, gastric ulcer, cholestasis, phenobarbital-induced hepatopathy, colitis, copper hepatopathy, abdominal hematoma, apocrine gland adenocarcinoma, and thrombocytopenia with pneumonia.     

Determination of uric acid in canine serum and urine by high performance liquid chromatography

A reproducible high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for analysis of uric acid in canine serum and urine. The method consists of precipitating serum proteins with phosphotungstic acid prior to HPLC analysis. Urine is analyzed after dilution with buffer. Chromatography is performed on a reversed-phase C-18 column with UV detection at 292 nm. Sensitivity of the method will allow reproducible measurement of uric acid at concentrations of 0.05 mg/dl in serum and 0.1 mg/dl in urine. The HPLC method has been used to quantify hundreds of canine serum and urine samples. The method is superior to UV absorption or colorimetric methods because its lower limit of detection allows measurement of uric acid at concentrations found in canine serum and urine.     

A seroepidemiological study on bluetongue virus in dairy cattle in the central valley of California

A seroepidemiological study on bluetongue virus (BTV) infection in California dairy cattle was conducted to estimate the prevalence and distribution by age and season of BTV group-reactive antibodies and to look for possible associations between the presence of antibodies and cattle age or breed and farm. Between December 1985 and March 1987, a sample of cattle was tested at approximately two-month intervals for BTV group-reactive antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data taken during the month of December 1986 were used to evaluate possible associations between a positive antibody test and certain intrinsic (age, breed) and extrinsic (farm) factors.Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses using the -square test for associations and multiple logistic regression, respectively, were carried out for possible associations between positive antibody tests to BTV and each factor of interest. The strengths of the associations were determined using estimates of the odds ratio.Of the 3774 serum samples tested, 238 (6.3%) were from calves, 1045 (27.6%) were from heifers and 2492 (66.0%) were from cows. Seroprevalence varied from nil in calves on two occasions to over 90% on several occasions in cows. Cows consistently had higher prevalence rates than heifers or calves across all test dates (p<0.05). The seroprevalence of BTV group-reactive antibodies also showed a seasonal fluctuation, with the highest rates occurring during the warmer months of the year. These highest prevalence rates coincided with heavy activity of the known vector of BTV, Culicoides spp. Breed and farm effects were not statistically significant (p>0.05). With the exception of one farm, all cattle were of the Holstein breed, which reduced confidence in assessing any breed effect in this study. Relative estimates of the sensitivity and specificity of BTV ELISA were 87% and 100% respectively, compared to the standard agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test.The observations support previous findings of seasonal distribution of BTV antibodies and suggest an age relationship, whereby older cattle are more likely to be positive to BTV group-reactive antibodies than younger cattle.     

Different biological behaviour of Waldenström macroglobulinemia in two dogs

Waldenström Macroglobulinemia is a low‐grade immunosecretory disorder associated with lymphoid tumours, which is rarely reported in veterinary medicine. In this study, we describe two clinical cases of this rare syndrome in dogs, each characterized by a different onset and clinical course. In one case, a hyperacute onset and aggressive behaviour of the neoplasm was observed. Absolute serum viscosity (SV) was retrospectively evaluated in order to explain clinical findings. Rotational viscosimetry showed good precision in measuring SV. Both dogs had SV values higher than a control groups of healthy dogs although only one subject developed hyperviscosity symptoms and complications. At high paraprotein concentrations, a slight reduction of the M‐component was associated with a marked decrease in SV. Thus, this work suggests that SV assessment is a relevant tool for managing monoclonal gammopathies, whose usefulness should be further confirmed in larger cohorts of dogs.     

饲粮中添加抗菌肽对肉鸭增重及血清尿素氮、总蛋白水平的影响

240只1日龄肉鸭随机成分4组,每组设3个重复,对照组用基础日粮,试验组在基础日粮上每千克分别添加1、2、3mL抗菌肽制剂。结果显示:1)2、3mL/kg添加量组增重效果显著(P<0.05),3mL/kg添加量组最佳;净肉率升高,达到显著水平(P<0.05),其中主要是胸肌率上升;腹脂率降低但差异不显著(P>0.05);料重比无显著变化(P>0.05)。2)血清总蛋白浓度差异不显著(P>0.05),但尿素氮浓度下降,2、3mL/kg添加量组达显著水平(P<0.05),3mL/kg添加量组最低。     

不同能量水平日粮对肉仔鸡生长及屠宰性能指标的影响研究

选择3周龄健康、无病、体重无显著差异的肉仔鸡96只,随机分为3组,每组设4 个重复,每个重复8只。分别饲喂蛋白质水平(19．5％)相同而能量水平不同(3．0 Mcal／kg、 3．08 Mcal／kg、3．16Mcal／kg)的3种饲粮。试验结果表明:前两周饲料转化(采食／增重)均以 中能量组(3．08 Mcal／kg)最好,为1．4416±0．1199,但三种不同能量水平对肉仔鸡平均日增 重、平均日耗料、饲料转化率均差异不显著(P>0．05);后两周饲料转化仍以中能量组最好,为 1．6362±0．1346,且显著优于高能量组(P<0．05),而与低能组和中能组之间差异不显著,各 能量处理组蛋白质、粗纤维、钙的代谢率均差异不显著(P>0．05),而磷的代谢率却存在显著 差异(P<0．05),其中,以中等能量组的磷代谢率最高,平均为90．73％;3种能量水平下肉仔鸡 半净膛率、全净膛率均差异不显著(P>0．05),表明能量水平并不影响肉仔鸡屠宰性能。     

破壁蜂花粉对蛋鸡免疫功能及肠道菌群的影响

试验将槐花蜂花粉进行振动磨超微粉碎破壁,分别按1 g/kg、5 g/kg、10 g/kg三个不同剂量混到蛋鸡饲料中,从7日龄开始饲喂至50日龄,每个剂量分两个试验,试验一用新城疫Ⅳ系疫苗免疫雏鸡,利用β-微量法监测血清中的血凝抑制抗体效价的动态变化;试验二用大肠杆菌油乳苗免疫雏鸡,利用间接血凝法监测血清中大肠杆菌抗体效价的动态变化。分别定期称重捕杀取脾、胸腺、法氏囊,计算免疫器官指数,取肠道内容物计数大肠杆菌和乳酸菌,测定肠道内pH值。结果表明,不同剂量的破壁蜂花粉均能不同程度地提高病毒抗原性抗体效价和菌体抗原性抗体效价,对雏鸡免疫器官的发育以及肠道内环境、菌群的平衡也有一定影响。     

西北干旱灾害及其气候趋势研究

利用西北五省1950～2000年降水、温度和农作物旱灾面积资料,用降水的Z指标法,农作物受旱成灾率确定了西北干旱指标和旱灾等级,分析了西北旱灾特征及气候变化趋势。表明西北农业旱灾以70、90年代最严重,而且呈增加趋势,气温在升高,降水在减少。根据预测21世纪前十年西北干旱有所减轻。     

Changes of urinary albumin and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase in high altitude polycythemia at different altitudes and its mechanism

AIM:To study the changes of excretive amount of albumin(ALB), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) in patients with high altitude polycythemia(HAPC) at different altitude and its mechanism.METHODS:Urinary ALB, NAG, activity of red blood cell superoxide dismutase(RBC-SOD), malonyldialdehyde(MDA) and erythrocyte filtration index(EFI) of 231 healthy subjects and 86 patients with HAPC at different altitude were detected.RESULTS:Excretive amount of urinary ALB, NAG, and plasma MDA, EFI were higher, and RBC-SOD was lower in patients with HAPC than those in healthy subjects, the changes were significantly obvious, with increasing altitude. Urinary ALB and NAG were negatively correlates to EFI, and no correlated to the content of MDA and RBC-SOD.CONCLUSIONS:EFI exertes an independent influence on urinary ALB and NAG. The decrease in erythrocyte deformability caused by the increase of peroxidation of lipids might participate in the pathogenesis and progress of the increase of excretive amount of ALB and NAG in HAPC.