Decreased transport of orally administered protein into the blood circulation of developing juveniles of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica

ABSTRACT: To clarify the quantitative changes in the transport of orally intubated protein into the blood circulation as macromolecules in development, immunoglobulin Y (IgY) extracted from chicken eggs was administered orally to juvenile Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica . For the first experiment, which was performed before the commencement of artificial feeding, the oral delivery of 2.0 μg/0.1 g bodyweight of IgY resulted in a rapid increase in plasma IgY to a maximum of 2.30 μg/mL. However, the transport of IgY into the blood decreased significantly in the experiments that followed, which were performed after 12, 25 and 42 days. During this period, bodyweight increased approximately by a factor of eight, and rapid growth of the stomach was observed histologically. Possible contributions for the development of the alimentary canal to the diminishment of intestinal protein assimilation are discussed.     

Response of the lactating and postweaning sow to gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)

Clinical and endocrinological responses to administration of gonadotropin releasing hormone analog (LH-RH-A) during the lactation period and postweaning in the sow were investigated. Plasma LH concentrations in lactating sows rose immediately after administration of LH-RH-A. However, in postweaning sows the increase of LH level was more slowly. Three of 5 postweaning sows came into estrus and ovulated after LH-RH-A treatment. One sow exhibited a distinct LH response, but her ovaries remained quiescent. The remaining one with feeble estrus for a short period became cystic ovaries. Thus, LH response to GnRH in the sow seems to be higher during early lactation than at 2 days postweaning.     

Increased expression of fractalkine and its receptor CX(3)CR1 in canine inflammatory bowel disease and their possible role in recruitment of intraepithelial lymphocytes

The interaction between fractalkine/CX(3)CL1 and its receptor CX(3)CR1 has been reported to play an important role in various human inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mediated by lymphocyte chemoattraction. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of fractalkine and CX(3)CR1 in lymphocyte migration in canine IBD. IBD was diagnosed in 34 dogs, and 19 healthy beagles were used as normal controls. We quantified intestinal mRNA and protein expression of fractalkine and CX(3)CR1 by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively, and examined the localization of fractalkine in canine intestine by immunohistochemistry. The expression of CX(3)CR1 and surface antigens on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) was analyzed by flow cytometry. Intestinal fractalkine and CX(3)CR1 mRNA was significantly up-regulated in IBD dogs compared with the healthy control dogs. In addition, fractalkine expression on intestinal epithelial cells was significantly increased in the intestinal mucosa of IBD dogs compared with the healthy dogs. CX(3)CR1(+) PBMCs were significantly elevated in IBD dogs and positively correlated with the histopathological severity of IELs infiltration. These CX(3)CR1(+) PBMCs predominantly expressed markers for cytotoxic T cells. Almost all IELs expressed CD3, and the majority of cells expressed CD8 rather than CD4, which was analogous to the CX(3)CR1(+) PBMCs. These results suggest that the fractalkine-CX(3)CR1 interaction may contribute to the pathogenesis of canine IBD through migration of IELs.     

A case of canine multiple inflammatory colorectal polyps treated by endoscopic polypectomy and argon plasma coagulation

Endoscopic polypectomy and argon plasma coagulation (APC) were performed in a refractory case of inflammatory colorectal polyps in a 7-year-old male Miniature Dachshund. Colonoscopic examination revealed a large sessile polyp and multiple diffuse small polyps, localized to the descending colon and rectum. The case showed a poor therapeutic response to prednisolone and cyclosporine. Under anesthesia, piecemeal resections were performed by polypectomy. APC was carried out to cauterize the polyp remnants. After treatment, reduction of the lesions and the improvement in clinical signs were observed, without recurrence of lesions for at least 10 months. Endoscopic treatment by polypectomy and APC is suggested to be a therapeutic option for refractory cases of inflammatory colorectal polyps in dogs.     

Growth performance,carcass traits,physiochemical characteristics and intramuscular fatty acid composition of finishing Japanese black steers fed soybean curd residue and soy sauce cake

This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary soybean curd residue (SCR) and soy sauce cake (SSC) on the growth performance, carcass traits and physiochemical and intramuscular fatty acid (FA) characteristics in Japanese Black steers. Ten steers (29.7 ± 0.3 months old, 856.6 ± 24.4 kg body weight) were assigned to either treatment C, fed a conventional concentrate or T, fed the test diet including dried SCR and SSC for 3 months. In growth performance, dry matter (DM) intake and average daily gain, and carcass traits did not differ significantly between the treatments. Color of beef was affected by the dietary treatments and meat samples from T showed higher a^* value and chroma than those in C. On FA composition, there was no significant difference between the treatments in neutral lipids, whereas in polar lipids, meat samples from T had higher C16:1 (P < 0.05) and tended to have higher C16:0 (P = 0.05) and C18:1 (P = 0.08), but lower C17:0 (P = 0.098), C18:2 (P = 0.06) and C20:4 (P = 0.07) than those from C. The study suggested that SCR and SSC could be used as a substitute for conventional concentrate and would influence meat color and intramuscular FA composition of polar lipids.     

Epidemiological and bacteriological survey of buffalo mastitis in Nepal

A total of 355 Murrah cross buffaloes, consisting of 23 subclinical and 332 clinical mastitis cases brought to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Chitwan, Nepal from 2002 to 2005, were analyzed to determine the organisms involved, the seasonal occurrence of mastitis, and antibiotic susceptibility of mastitis pathogens. Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS) such as Staphylococcus albus and S. epidermidis were the predominant organisms associated with subclinical cases, and CNS and Coliforms in clinical cases. The maximum number (16%) of clinical cases of mastitis were observed in the month of July, when temperature and humidity are highest. The incidence of clinical mastitis was higher in animals during 1st calving and during the 1st month of parturition. Resistance to antibiotics was determined for 55, 23 and 149 isolates of Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp. and Coliforms, respectively. In vitro drug sensitivity testing revealed that enrofloxacin had the highest average sensitivity (91%) for all types of bacteria. The effectiveness of other drugs detected were gentamicin (87%), tetracycline (83%) and chloramphenicol (82%). The antibiogram showed that both gentamicin and enrofloxacin are slowly becoming resistant. Mastitis pathogens have developed resistance to ampicillin and penicillin.     

Identification of bovine serum albumin as an IgE-reactive beef component in a dog with food hypersensitivity against beef

IgE-reactive beef components were examined by an immunoblot analysis using a serum from a dog with food hypersensitivity against beef. The immunoblot analysis revealed a distinct band at approximately 66 kDa and a faint band at approximately 50 kDa. The immunoblot analysis for serum IgE reactivity to bovine serum albumin (BSA) also revealed a positive band at 66 kDa. Serum IgE reactivity to the 66-kDa protein of beef was diminished by pre-incubating the serum sample with BSA. Furthermore, a positive reaction to BSA was detected in intradermal testing in the dog. These results clearly indicated that BSA was an IgE-reactive beef component in the dog with food hypersensitivity against beef.