COLLAGENASE CHEMONUCLEOLYSIS—A LONG TERM RADIOGRAPHIC STUDY IN NORMAL DOGS

Five clinically normal five year old dogs were used in this study. From a randomised table inter ver tebral discs were each injected with either collagenase or calcium chloride diluent. The surgically exposed cervical discs were injected with 50 units whereas thoracic and lumbar discs were injected under fluoroscopic guidance with 100 units of the enzyme. Postinjection radiographs revealed significant (p ≤ .05) disc space narrowing in enzyme injected discs. The cervical discs had the highest frequency of radiographic narrowing (87%) followed by the thoracic (70%) and lumbar (53%) discs. Spondylosis deformans developed at the sites of cervical enzyme injections. None of the dogs had neurologic abnormalities one year postinjection.     

Experimental acute yellow-wood (Terminalia oblongata) intoxication in sheep

SUMMARY An aqueous suspension of air-dried, hammer-milled leaf of Terminalla oblongata (yellow-wood) was administered to sheep by gavage, as a single dose of 5 to 20 g (dry weight)/kg body weight. Doses of 15 g/kg, or more, caused depression, Inappetence, abdominal pain and reduced ruminal movements within 24 to 48 h and some sheep also showed dyspnoea, oplsthotonus and champing of the Jaws. Haematology and blood gas and acid-base measurements were unaffected. In sheep given a dose of 12.5 g/kg, or more, plasma osmolality, aspartate aminotransferase activity and potassium and bilirubin concentrations Increased while plasma total protein markedly decreased and plasma sodium concentration and alkaline phosphatase activity remained normal. Most sheep were necropsled 48 h after dosing. The liver showed zonal hepatocellular necrosis, the pattern of which varied with the dose given. No renal lesions were observed, although one sheep given a very high dose became azotaemic and hyperkalaemic. Hydrothorax, hydroperlcardlum and ascltes developed In sheep given doses of 15 or 20 g/kg.     

Serological Studies of Parasitized Cattle: II. Electrophoretic Properties of Serial Serum Samples

Electrophoretic examinations using cellulose acetate strips were made on 17 serum samples collected at two-week intervals from each of three calves before and for about four months after they were placed on parasite-infected pastures in June, 1964. Four additional serum samples taken during the winter months when the animals were stabled and two obtained after they were again exposed to infected pastures in June 1965, were also examined. Two control animals of the same age, that were placed on clean pasture in 1964 and not exposed to infected pasture until June 1965, were bled on the same dates and their sera examined in parallel. All five calves showed an increase in the proportion and amount of γ-globulin in their serum as they increased in age but the gain was greatest in the two exposed calves that developed the highest complement-fixing titres with nematode antigens. Complement-fixing titres rose slowly in the other exposed calf and its serum γ-globulin level remained relatively comparable to that of the two controls.     

Complement Titres of Naturally and Artificially Raised Piglets II. Comparison with the Results of Electrophoretic Examinations

Serial serum samples from piglets in one naturally-raised and three artificially-raised litters, 19 animals, were examined by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. The electropherograms of all day-old suckling and colostrum deprived piglets showed five definite bands, the first, third, fourth and fifth corresponding in position to the albumin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-globulin regions for adult pig serum. The second, well-defined band was located between the albumin and main alpha-globulin bands. This component, considered to be alpha₁-globulin or fetuin, was no longer visible as a distinct band in the electrophoretic pattern for sera of three-week old suckling piglets or of five-week old artificially-raised piglets. No consistent relationship was observed between the rate of increase in haemolytic complement titre and the proportional changes in the various categories of serum globulins.     

Hog Cholera: I. Investigation of the Agar Double-Diffusion Precipitation Test for The Detection of the Virus in Swine Tissue

The agar double-diffusion precipitation test was investigated to detect hog cholera virus in splenic and pancreatic tissues of swine. Special attention was given to the conditions influencing the sensitivity and specificity of the test. These studies emphasize the strict techniques and methods required in the test in order to detect specific antigen — antibody reaction. Absorption studies performed on serum fractions prepared by DEAE cellulose chromatography and studied electrophoretically, indicated the specific reaction was given by fractions, migrating in the gamma-globulin region and was absorbed by infected but not by normal spleens. The sensitivity of the test is dependent to a great extent on the successful liberation of the viral antigen from the tissue.     

Inhibition of phagosome-lysosome fusion in macrophages by soluble extracts of virulent Brucella abortus

Water extracts of virulent Brucella abortus were able to inhibit phagosome-lysosome fusion in unelicited murine peritoneal macrophages following ingestion of yeast. Extracts from an avirulent strain were unable to produce a similar effect. Lipopolysaccharide from B abortus did not appear to be involved with the ability of the extracts to inhibit fusion.     

Immunohistochemical Expression of Growth Factors in the Follicular Wall of Normal and Cystic Ovaries of Sows

The expression of growth factors was evaluated immunohistochemically in normal and cystic ovaries of sows. The immunohistochemically stained area (IHCSA) was quantified by image analysis to analyse the expression of these proteins in the follicular wall of secondary, tertiary and cystic follicles. IGF‐I immunoreactivity was strong in the granulosa cell layer (GC), moderate in the theca interna (TI) and mild in the theca externa (TE) of the normal follicles. There was severe reduction of the labelling to IGF‐I in the GC of the follicular and luteinized cysts. In the normal follicles, the reactivity for IGF‐II was very similar to pattern noted in IGF‐I. There was reduction of the IHCSAs in the GC of the follicular and luteinized cysts, but the decrease was not significant. The staining of the IGF‐II in the TI and TE of the cysts was increased, in comparison with normal follicles. The IHCSAs for VEGF were higher in the GC and TE of the normal follicles in contrast to TI, but this difference was noted only in the tertiary follicle. The VEGF reactivity increased in the GC of the cysts, in relation to normal follicles. The results of the current study show that the formation of ovarian cysts in sows is associated with alterations in the immunohistochemical expression of some growth factors.