Gossypol toxicity in preruminant calves

SUMMARY Twenty-four of 57 calves fed a diet containing 33% cotton seed meal (CSM) died between 7 and 15 weeks of age. Initial deaths were not accompanied by premonitory signs, but after CSM withdrawal most calves developed rough coats, anorexia, weakness, ascites and subcutaneous oedema. Those that died had large volumes of serous fluid in the body cavities, hard livers of ‘nutmeg’ appearance, and pulmonary congestion. Histopathologically the livers showed periacinar necrosis in acute cases and periacinar fibrosis in chronic cases. Lungs from several calves had oedema, haemosiderosis and fibrosis in some pulmonary vessels. Atrophy of myocardial fibres was present in most cases. The concentration of free gossypol in the diet was 100 to 220 mg/kg. Ante-mortem and post-mortem findings supported a diagnosis of gossypol poisoning. The deaths continued for 4 weeks after withdrawal of CSM from the diet.     

The use of ultrasonography in the reproductive evaluation of boars

The objective was to study the use of ultrasound as a complementary test in the breeding soundness evaluation in male pigs and study the pattern of echogenicity of the testicular parenchyma in boars of different racial groups. Twenty‐six adult boars from four different racial groups were used, 10 from the Piau breed (group 1), four from the commercial and finishing group (group 2), six Pietrain breed (group 3) and six from the Duroc breed (group 4). All animals were evaluated for breeding soundness evaluation and the ultrasound examination of the testicles. The groups of animals that were evaluated showed no difference in the main semen parameters that were evaluated, except for the sperm volume, concentration of the ejaculated sperm and the supravital staining; the lowest figures were for the animals from the Piau breed (group 1). In relation to the testicular biometrics, Duroc animals (group 4) had a greater scrotal width compared to the other groups. But when we assessed the intensity of pixels of the testicles, there was a difference between groups. The groups 2 (finishing animals), 3 (Pietrain) and 4 had no difference between themselves. Group 3 had greater pixel intensity in relation to group 1. Of the 26 animals studied, five showed an abnormality during ultrasound evaluation, like hydrocele, hyperechoic mass in the testicular parenchyma, cyst in the head of the epididymis and the presence of fluid in the head and tail of the epididymis. The various animal groups studied did not differ in the principal reproductive parameters evaluated, showing that despite the great variability of reproductive traits between breeds and within the same breed, the breeding soundness evaluation, the more complete it is, is essential for the selection of breeders and the ultrasonography of the reproductive system becomes an important addition in this examination.     

Ovarian remnant removal using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques in four dogs

Four partially intact, female dogs with a median age of 6 · 5 years were presented to Angell Animal Medical Center for laparoscopic treatment of ovarian remnant syndrome. Dogs were positioned in dorsal recumbency and a three‐port laparoscopic technique was used to identify and remove en bloc any abnormal tissue in the area of the ovarian pedicles. None of the dogs required conversion to open coeliotomy and there were no major complications. Abnormal tissue, including granulosa thecal cell tumour (n = 1), was identified bilaterally in three dogs and unilaterally in one dog. Clinical signs associated with ovarian remnant syndrome resolved in all dogs following surgery.     

Successful treatment of a squamous cell carcinoma in a white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum

A captive 33-year-old male white rhinoceros with seasonal dermatitis was diagnosed with a malignant squamous cell carcinoma on the right flank. Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from the skin lesions. No fungal or yeast was isolated. The dermatitis was treated with a combination of oral antibiotics (trimethoprim-sulphadiazine) and topically with weekly chlorhexidine washes and a mixture of a zinc oxide, balsam peru and bismuth oxide cream. Under azaperone and butorphanol anaesthesia, the skin tumour was surgically removed. The tumour was excised with wide margins and allowed to heal by secondary intention as primary wound closure was not possible. A post-mortem performed 2 years later for an unrelated condition revealed no metastases or recurrence of the skin tumour. It was presumed that chronic irritation or trauma may have contributed to the development of the skin tumour. This is the first detailed report of the successful treatment of a squamous cell carcinoma not associated with the horn in a rhinoceros.     

Repeated grading of weed abundance and multivariate methods to improve the efficacy of on-farm weed control trials

We evaluated whether new information could be drawn from additional data collection and unconventional statistical analyses of an on-farm trial. First, we compared a conventional sampling method using a biomass estimate of weed abundance to repeated visual assessment of the percentage ground cover of weeds. The biomass was sampled once after the treatment, whereas the ground cover was repeatedly sampled once before weed control plus several occasions after weed control. Second, we contrasted the outcomes from analysis of variance ( anova ), taking samples from a single point in time with repeated measures (rm) anova and a multivariate method. As the outcomes and conclusions drawn were relatively similar, we conclude that the ground cover estimate of weed abundance was as reliable as the biomass estimate. The rm anova enabled us to follow the temporal trend in response to treatments in the most abundant species, including possible initial differences. Multivariate analysis went even further, by clearly displaying species-wise responses and treatment selectivity.     

血清中不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素浓度的绵羊感染绵羊肺炎支原体后免疫因子表达的变化

为研究中国美利奴羊不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素(MBL)浓度感染绵羊肺炎支原体(MO)的免疫因子水平变化,本研究选择血清中MBL高、低浓度的绵羊各6只(感染组和对照组各3只),感染组人工感染MO,分别在人工感染前和感染后不同时间,采用荧光定量PCR法检测血液中血清因子及补体表达水平。结果显示,不同MBL浓度的绵羊人工感染后MBL m RNA水平呈下降趋势,MBL高浓度促炎因子IL-2和IFN-γ的m RNA表达水平较高,抗炎因子IL-4的m RNA表达水平在感染后1 d升高,此后开始下降,而IL-4的m RNA水平在14 d后有所升高;MBL低浓度羊感染后其TNF-α的m RNA水平显著升高,随炎症的缓解,逐渐降低;补体C1和C3的m RNA在感染后表现出不同的变化,MO感染可以激活补体途径。本研究结果表明,低血清MBL浓度与绵羊支原体肺炎具有一定的相关性,MBL不同浓度组之间其IL-2、IL-4、TNF-α、IFN-γ、补体C1、C3水平存在差异,低浓度MBL的绵羊更易发生比较严重的炎症反应。     

International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria (INHAND) progress to date and future plans

The INHAND Proposal (International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions in Rats and Mice) has been operational since 2005. A Global Editorial Steering Committee (GESC) manages the overall objectives of the project and the development of harmonized terminology for each organ system is the responsibility of the Organ Working Groups (OWG), drawing upon experts from North America, Europe and Japan.Great progress has been made with 9 systems published to date – Respiratory, Hepatobiliary, Urinary, Central/Peripheral Nervous Systems, Male Reproductive and Mammary, Zymbals, Clitoral and Preputial Glands in Toxicologic Pathology and the Integument and Soft Tissue and Female Reproductive System in the Journal of Toxicologic Pathology as supplements and on a web site – www.goreni.org. INHAND nomenclature guides offer diagnostic criteria and guidelines for recording lesions observed in rodent toxicity and carcinogenicity studies. The guides provide representative photo-micrographs of morphologic changes, information regarding pathogenesis, and key references. During 2012, INHAND GESC representatives attended meetings with representatives of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Enterprise Vocabulary Services (EVS) to begin incorporation of INHAND terminology as preferred terminology for SEND (Standard for Exchange of Nonclinical Data) submissions to the FDA. The interest in utilizing the INHAND nomenclature, based on input from industry and government toxicologists as well as information technology specialists, suggests that there will be wide acceptance of this nomenclature. The purpose of this publication is to provide an update on the progress of INHAND.