Effect of intracerebroventricular injections of prolactin‐releasing peptide on prolactin release and stress‐related responses in steers

Some evidence suggests that there might be a species difference in the effect of intracerebroventricularly administered (ICV) prolactin‐releasing peptide (PrRP) between rodents and sheep. We compared the levels of cortisol (CORT) and prolactin (PRL), rectal temperature (RT) and behavioral responses to ICV bovine PrRP (bPrRP) in steers. ICV bPrRP (0.2, 2 and 20 nmol/200 µL) tended to evoke a dose‐related increase in CORT concentrations and 0.2 nmol of bPrRP induced transient increase in PRL concentrations. A significant time–treatment interaction was observed for the percent change of CORT (P < 0.05) and PRL (P < 0.05) from pre‐injection value. The time–treatment interaction for changes in RT was not significant (P = 0.50). There tended to be a difference among the four treatments in terms of maximum change in RT from the pre‐injection value between 0 and 90 min (P < 0.1). Stress‐related behavioral signs were not observed in the present experiment. These findings indicate that ICV bPrRP increased CORT and PRL levels, suggesting that central PrRP might participate in controlling the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal axis and PRL release in cattle, unlike sheep. In contrast, central PrRP is unlikely to be involved in controlling the behavior of this species because ICV bPrRP did not induce marked changes in their behavior.     

CISTERNOGRAPHY COMBINED WITH LINEAR TOMOGRAPHY FOR VISUALIZATION OF THE PITUITARY GLAND IN HEALTHY DOGS A Comparison with Computed Tomography

Cisternography combined with linear tomography was performed in ten clinically healthy dogs (weighing 14-33 kg) to visualize the pituitary gland, and results were compared with the results from sagittal midline computed tomography (CT) in these dogs. With cisternography, the length of the pituitary gland of nine dogs ranged from 5.7 to 9.9 mm (mean ± SD, 7.9 ± 1.3), and the width from 5.4 to 8.7 mm (6.4 ± 1.0). With sagittal linear tomography following cisternography, the height of the pituitary gland of these nine dogs ranged from 4 to 6 mm (5.1 ± 0.7); and, with sagittal CT, it ranged from 4.3 to 6 mm (5.0 ± 0.6). In an 11-year-old female Greyhound, two small nodules were found at the periphery of the pituitary gland using cisternography but were not recognized on CT images. It is concluded that cisternography combined with linear tomography is a safe and accurate alternative for the visualization of the pituitary gland when CT is not available.     

COMPARISON OF TWO COARSE FRACTIONATED RADIATION PROTOCOLS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CANINE PITUITARY MACROTUMOR: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF 24 DOGS

Radiotherapy is a commonly used treatment for pituitary macrotumors in dogs, but the optimum protocol has not been established. Twenty four dogs with MRI confirmed pituitary macrotumors were treated with one of two radiotherapy protocols. Twelve dogs were treated with 10 fractions of 3.8 Gy/fraction on a “Monday–Wednesday–Friday” schedule, the remaining 12 with five “once‐a‐week” protocols (1 × 5 Gy, followed by 4 × 8.25 Gy) to a total dose of 38 Gy. The overall median survival time for all dogs was 235 days (range 28–1,328), dogs treated with 10 fractions had a median survival time of 961 days (range 28–1,328) compared to 182 days (range 42–507) in the five‐fraction group (P = 0.006). Clinical improvement was found in both groups, and no significant side effects were noted in either group. These results suggest that a “Monday–Wednesday–Friday” schedule may improve survival times, as compared to a “once‐a‐week” protocol. As this study was of an observational nonrandomized nature, future work is necessary to establish whether more highly fractionated protocols or different total doses will further improve outcome.     

年龄对非妊娠母马垂体促性腺激素细胞形态计测学的影响

利用免疫组织化学和形态计测学的方法,在繁殖季节测量不同年龄非妊娠母马垂体促性腺激素细胞的数量和直径结果:非妊娠母马垂体促性腺激素细胞的直径伴随着年龄的增长而增大,但达到老年后却减小;非妊娠老年母马的FSH细胞数目显著地高于幼年、青年和中年母马(P<0. 05),而老年母马LH细胞的数目则显著地低于其它年龄的母马(P<0. 05)。结果表明:非妊娠母马垂体促性腺细胞大小及数量与年龄的变化有关。     

Ovine keratoconjunctivitis experimentally induced by instillation of Mycoplasma conjunctivae

Summary

Five sheep, free from Mycoplasma conjunctivae and ocular Chlamydia infection, were experimentally inoculated with M. conjunctivae and five more sheep were exposed to the infection by contact. Keratoconjunctivitis developed in all ten sheep. As in natural outbreaks of infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC), clinical signs were generally moderate and transient, and recurred in some sheep. M. conjunctivae was detected throughout the 53‐day observation period. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by histopathologic examination of three sheep. Moraxella ovis, found in six of the ten sheep before the start of the experiment, appeared to play no etiologic role in the development of IKC.     

Antidiuretic response of a horse affected with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction to desmopressin acetate

Central diabetes insipidus (DI) was diagnosed in a 20‐year‐old American Quarter Horse gelding that was concomitantly affected with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). The diagnosis of DI was supported by a positive response to administered desmopressin acetate. Diagnosis of PPID was supported by physical appearance and elevated plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentration following domperidone administration. The horse's physical condition improved following treatment with pergolide but long‐term treatment with desmopressin was not undertaken and severe polyuria and polydipsia persisted. Desmopressin acetate appears to be useful for the diagnosis of DI in mature horses concomitantly affected with PPID.     

CONTRAST‐ENHANCED ULTRASONOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ADRENAL GLANDS IN DOGS WITH PITUITARY‐DEPENDENT HYPERADRENOCORTICISM

A noninvasive method for quantifying adrenal gland vascular patterns could be helpful for improving detection of adrenal gland disease in dogs. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics of adrenal glands in 18 dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) vs. four clinically healthy dogs. Each dog received a bolus of the contrast agent (SonoVue®, 0.03 ml/kg of body weight) into the cephalic vein, immediately followed by a 5 ml saline flush. Dynamic contrast enhancement was analyzed using time–intensity curves in two regions of interest drawn manually in the caudal part of the adrenal cortex and medulla, respectively. In healthy dogs, contrast enhancement distribution was homogeneous and exhibited increased intensity from the medulla to the cortex. In the washout phase, there was a gradual and homogeneous decrease of enhancement of the adrenal gland. For all dogs with PDH, there was rapid, chaotic, and simultaneous contrast enhancement in both the medulla and cortex. Three distinct perfusion patterns were observed. Peak perfusion intensity was approximately twice as high (P < 0.05) in dogs with PDH compared with that of healthy dogs (28.90 ± 10.36 vs. 48.47 ± 15.28, respectively). In dogs with PDH, adrenal blood flow and blood volume values were approximately two‐ to fourfold (P < 0.05) greater than those of controls. Findings from the present study support the use of CEUS as a clinical tool for characterizing canine adrenal gland disease based on changes in vascular patterns.     

LHRH-A、DA对施氏鲟脑垂体碎片释放GtH的影响

为了探讨在古老的软骨硬鳞鱼中促性腺激素(GtH)的双重内分泌调节作用,本实验设计用离体灌流的方法研究促黄体素释放激素类似物(LHRH-A)和多巴胺(DA)对施氏鲟脑垂体碎片分泌GtH的影响。引入10、100和1 000 nmol/L 3个浓度的LHRH-A对施氏鲟脑垂体碎片3次脉冲式刺激实验;每次间隔1 h,持续5 min,研究不同剂量LHRH-A对鲟鱼脑垂体释放GtH的作用;用200 nmol/L DA对施氏鲟脑垂体碎片持续2 h灌流后引入5 min的1 000nmol/L LHRH-A刺激实验,研究DA如何抑制鲟鱼脑垂体释放GtH。每5 min收集一管灌流液,用放射免疫测定法(RIA)检测灌流液中GtH的含量。结果显示,低剂量LHRH-A随着刺激引入脑垂体释放GtH出现波浪式的增加,中、高剂量出现释放延后现象。LHRH-A在10nmol/L到1 000 nmol/L范围内对刺激脑垂体释放GtH没有剂量依存关系。DA对施氏鲟脑垂体碎片GtH的分泌没有显著影响,但是可以抑制LHRH-A引起的GtH分泌,即DA不能抑制施氏鲟GtH的基础分泌,而只能抑制LHRH-A诱导的GtH分泌。研究结果证明,在高等硬骨鱼类中存在的双重神经内分泌调节在古老的鲟鱼中也存在。