Brucellosis in Mexico: current status and trends

Traditionally, Mexico has been recognized as endemic with brucellosis. The improvements in diagnostics techniques and vaccination strategies and the enforcement of a national eradication policy have contributed significantly to making progress in the control of brucellosis. The current status of brucellosis and its risk factors, in the different production species as well as in human population is reviewed. Also the trends in control and eventual eradication strategies and perspectives for the near future of Mexico are presented.     

Optimal timing of elective caesarean section in Belgian White and Blue breed of cattle: the calf's point of view

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the timing of elective caesarean section (ECS) during parturition affects pulmonary and metabolic adaptation to extra-uterine life in healthy Belgian White and Blue (BWB) calves delivered at term. Vaginal palpation was performed and deliveries divided into six categories of timing for ECS: cervix closed (TECS 1); passive and active cervical dilatation (TECS 2 and TECS 3); full cervical dilatation (TECS 4); spontaneous rupture of allantoic (TECS 5) and amniotic (TECS 6) membranes.One hundred and eighteen BWB calves were examined at birth, 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min and 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after birth using the following measurements: physical examination (time between birth and sternal recumbency [T-SR]); heart rate (mHR); arterial blood gas analyses (arterial partial pressure in oxygen [PaO(2)], in carbon dioxide [PaCO(2)], arterial haemoglobin oxygen saturation [SaO(2)], alveolo-arterial difference in oxygen [AaDO(2)]); pulmonary function tests using the oesophageal balloon catheter technique (respiratory rate [RR], total pulmonary resistance [R(L)], dynamic lung compliance [C(Ldyn)], tidal volume [V(T)] and minute volume [V(E)]); arterial and venous blood acid-base balance analyses (arterial and venous pH [pHa and pHv], bicarbonate concentration [HCO(3)a and HCO(3)v], base excess [BEa and BEv]); rectal temperature (RT); jugular venous blood sampling for determination of metabolic variables (blood glucose [G], plasma lactate [L], serum cortisol [C], plasma noradrenaline [NA] and adrenaline [A] concentrations); haematological variables (red blood cell count [RBC], total haemoglobin concentration [Hb], Packed Cell Volume [PCV]) and passive immune transfer variables (total serum protein [TP] and beta(2)gammaglobulin [beta(2)gamma] concentrations).TECS significantly (P or =4 calves, TECS< or =3 calves showed lower PaO(2), SaO(2), V(T), C(Ldyn), RT, G, NA, A, RBC, Hb and TP and higher AaDO(2), RR, V(E). TECS differences progressively decreased and disappeared between 6 and 12 h after birth in TECS 2 and 3 calves but remained up to 24 h in TECS 1 calves. Improved postnatal respiratory and metabolic adaptation in TECS> or =4 calves were mainly related to differences in exposure to labour and subsequent hormonal surge: catecholamines, particularly A, enabled more effective removal of lung liquid and/or release of surfactant which contribute to better gas exchanges and induced greater energy mobilization to maintain adequate body temperature.It was concluded waiting for full cervical dilatation before performing CS should be encouraged because it promotes postnatal respiratory and metabolic adaptation in full-term BWB calves.     

从牛肺提取精品肝素钠工艺的研究

本文报道了酶解盐解，D－254树脂吸附，沉淀剂YNB99－1去蛋白和H2O2氧化制取牛肺精品肝素钠的工艺，结果显示，精品效价150USPu/mg，质量符合出口标准，产率比传统工艺提高22．6％，下脚料一肺渣可用以制取饲料蛋白。     

电激活对完全体外化牛细胞核移植的影响

牛卵母细胞在体外成熟２３～２４ｈ时去核，去核卵用８０Ｖ／ｍｍ４０μｓ两次电脉冲激活（Ⅰ组）或不激活（Ⅱ组），然后将体外受精、发育的８～３２细胞期胚胎的单个卵裂球注入卵周隙，用８０Ｖ／ｍｍ４０μｓ两次电脉冲诱导卵裂球与去核卵母细胞融合。Ⅰ组操作后存活率和融合率（８８．４％和５５．０％）显著低于Ⅱ组（９５．９％和６５．１％，Ｐ＜０．０５）。融合卵体外培养２４ｈ和５～８ｄ后，Ⅰ组核移植胚胎的卵裂率和桑椹／囊胚发育率（６３．０％和１５．２％）与Ⅱ组（５０．５％和７．８％）无显著差异，但Ⅰ组结果均好于Ⅱ组。将来自两组的２５枚桑椹和囊胚移植到１６头同期受体，在已检查过的８头受体中２头受体妊娠，其中１头于妊娠后４个多月流产，１头于妊娠期满后产出一雄性牛犊。研究结果表明：去核卵母细胞的电激活尽管对重组卵的存活与融合不利，但可改善核移植胚的卵裂和发育。本研究在我国首次获得牛细胞核移植的成功，证明用ＩＶＭ卵母细胞和ＩＶＦ胚胎进行完全体外化的牛细胞核移植是可行的。     

Detergent solubilised bovine viral diarrhea virus elicits a similar immune response as the inactivated virus

The immune response to two detergent solubilised preparations of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) proteins were compared with the response to a chemically inactivated BVDV preparation. The antibody titres were measured with the standard immunofluorescence assay and with a newly developed enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The range of viral protein specificity of the antibodies was compared using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by Western blot analysis. The results clearly demonstrate that the detergent solubilised viral proteins are equally as effective immunogens as the killed BVDV vaccine both in terms of antibody titers and specificity.     

牛促黄体素（bLH）同源放射免疫分析法的建立

本实验用兔抗牛LH血清、~(125)I-标记的牛LH建立牛LH的放射免疫分析法。本方法灵敏度为0.12ng USDA-bLH-B-5/ml,与NIH-bTSH-S_(10),USDA-bFSH-BP_3和oPRL的交叉反应分别小于1.0％,0.1％和0。牛血浆添加USDA-bLH-B-5的回收率为100.8±4.7％,标准曲线的范围为0.019-1.25ng USDA-bLH-B-5。组内变异系数为3.4％(n=20)、组间变异系数为5.2％(n=7)。垂体兴奋试验表明本方法能灵敏、特异地测定出牛血液中LH的变化。     

处理重组牛朊蛋白对接种金黄地鼠脑组织朊蛋白的效应

将纯化的重组牛朊蛋白经理化因子处理后,脑内接种金黄地鼠。临床观察200天后,对大脑、小脑和脑干,进行蛋白酶抗性朊蛋白的WesternBlot检测和朊蛋白基因表达绝对定量。结果表明,处理的重组牛朊蛋白对金黄地鼠脑组织检测部位的基因表达有特定的影响;接种后在检测时间内处理重组牛朊蛋白没有导致金黄地鼠脑内酶抗性朊蛋白的出现。研究结果为重组朊蛋白的生物学提供了基础数据。     

Effect of bovine colostrum supplementation on cytokine mRNA expression in weaned piglets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of bovine colostrum supplementation on the immune Th1/Th2 response in weaned piglets. After weaning at 21 d, 3 groups of 7 piglets were fed ad libitum with a starter diet and received daily 0, 1 or 5 g of spray-dried bovine colostrum. Spleen and gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT): ileal Peyer's patch (iPP), jejunum wall (JW) and mesenteric lymph node (MLN)) biopsies were collected on each piglet after 3 wk of treatment and analysed for their cytokine mRNA expression (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IFNγ) by RT-PCR. The supplementation with bovine colostrum induced an increase (P < 0.05) in IL-12 in the JW, in IL-2, IL-10 and IL-12 in the MLN and in IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 in the iPP. In the latter, bovine colostrum also decreased IFN-γ production (P < 0.01). Finally, no effect of the treatments was recorded in the spleen. These results suggest an immunomodulatory effect of bovine colostrum on the GALT, which responded by producing at different levels both Th1 pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-12) and Th2 anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). This Th1/Th2 bipolar response protects the weaned piglets from both allergic (food) and infectious (pathogens) diseases.     

Metabolic adaptations associated with irreversible glucose loss are different to those observed during under-nutrition

In this study the hypothesis that irreversible glucose loss results in an 'uncoupling' of the somatotrophic axis (increasing plasma GH levels and decreasing plasma IGF-I) was tested. During periods of negative energy balance the somatotrophic axis respond by increasing plasma GH and decreasing plasma IGF-I levels. In turn, elevated GH repartitions nutrient by increasing lipolysis and protein synthesis, and decreases protein degradation. Irreversible glucose loss was induced using sub-cutaneous injections of phloridizin. Seven non-lactating cows were treated with 8g/day phloridizin (PHZ) and seven control animals (CTRL, 0g/day), while being restricted to a diet of 80% maintenance. PHZ treatment increased urinary glucose excretion (P<0.001), resulting in hypoglycemia (P<0.001). As a response to this glucose loss, the PHZ treated animals had elevated plasma NEFA (P<0.005) and BHBA (P<0.001) levels. Average plasma insulin concentrations were not altered with PHZ treatment (P=0.059). Plasma GH was not different between the two groups (P>0.1), whereas plasma IGF-I levels decreased significantly (P<0.001) with PHZ treatment. The decline in plasma IGF-I concentrations was mirrored by a decrease in the abundance of hepatic IGF-I mRNA (P=0.005), in addition the abundance of hepatic mRNA for both growth hormone receptors (GHR(tot) and GHR(1A)) was also decreased (P<0.05). Therefore, the irreversible glucose loss resulted in a partial 'uncoupling' of the somatotrophic axis, as no increase in plasma GH levels occurred although plasma IGF-I levels, hepatic IGF-I mRNA declined, and the abundance of liver GH receptor mRNA declined.