Objective-To describe the prevalence of antibodies against Salmonella spp in swine marketed in Iowa. Animals-Swine marketed by 1,044 low-volume producers and 45 high-volume producers. Procedure-Samples of diaphragm muscle collected from swine carcasses were tested by an indirect ELISA based on lipopolysaccharides from Salmonella spp, in particular Salmonella serovar Typhimurium. Prevalence of positive results for antibodies against Salmonella spp for carcasses, lots, and swine for each producer was determined. Producer-level seroprevalence was used to classify swine from producers as having negligible, low, moderate, or widespread evidence of previous or historical exposure to Salmonella spp. Results-From low-volume producers, 23,609 of 25,478 (92.7%; 95% confidence interval CI, 92.4% to 92.9%) samples had negative results, and 1,863 (7.3%; 95% CI, 7.05% to 7.56%) had antibodies against Salmonella spp. Of the 6,299 lots of swine tested, 1,191 (18.9%) contained at least 1 sample with positive results. From high-volume producers, 203 of 2,486 (8.1 %; 95% CI, 6.8% to 9.3%) samples had antibodies against Salmonella spp, and 124 of 629 lots had at least 1 sample with positive results for antibodies against Salmonella spp. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Less than 10% of pigs marketed in Iowa are apparently exposed to Salmonella spp. Most swine marketed by low-volume producers had negligible or little evidence of exposure to Salmonella spp, whereas a higher percentage of swine marketed by high-volume producers had positive results when tested to detect antibodies against Salmonella spp.

Breeding records of 40 white rhinoceros and 155 Cape buffalo were analysed. Three rhinoceros cows bred in captivity, themselves conceived for the first time at 84, 87 and 95 months of age, respectively. Rhinoceros cows breed throughout the year. There is no evidence of a relationship between calving interval and month of birth. Calving intervals were normally distributed about the mean of 34 months and there were no significant differences between bulls, cows or sex of calf. There was no difference in the sex ratio of calves born to young cows nor older cows. The male:female ratio of the calves was Younger cows did not have shorter birth intervals. Although captive Cape buffaloes breed throughout the year, there is a preponderance of births in midsummer. There was some evidence that larger cows produce heavier calves and that season of birth may influence birth weight. Male calves weighed 41.20 + 0.68 kg vs 39.00 + 0.73 kg (range 24-60 kg) for female calves but this difference was not significant. Calving intervals were normally distributed about the mean of 395 days and the male:female ratio of the calves was 1:1.2.

The present study investigated the distribution of nerves in the oviduct of the sexually immature ostrich. The presence of protein gene product 9.5, neurofilament protein and neuron specific enolase nerve fibres were demonstrated in the infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, shell gland and vagina. Nerve fibres containing protein gene product 9.5, neuron specific enolase and neurofilament protein were particularly numerous in the tunica muscularis and intermuscular connective tissue areas of the shell gland and vagina. The presence of a large number of nerves in these oviductal regions is probably important in the coordination of muscle contraction. An interesting finding of the study was the presence of protein gene product 9.5 and neuron specific enolase immunopositive nerve fibres in the walls of blood vessels. It is likely that these nerves are autonomicin nature and play a role in the regulation of blood flow. This study has shown the presence of an extensive neural network in the oviduct of the ostrich. In addition, the results of the investigation have shown that the neuronal markers protein gene product 9.5, neurofilament protein and neuron specific enolase can be used to demonstate nerve fibres in the ostrich.

Sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus, from the Rietvlei Dam near Pretoria, South Africa were examined for internal platyhelminth parasites. Two adult cestodes, Polyonchobothrium clarias (stomach) (prev alence 71 %, mean intensity = 5, n = 7) and Proteocephalus glanduliger (anterior intestine) (prevalence 14 %, mean intensity = 2, n = 7), were found in the gut while metacercariae of one larval digenean, Ornithodiplostomum sp. (prevalence 14 %, mean intensity = 140, n = 7), were found encysted in the muscles. The morphology of these species, based on light and scanning electron microscopy as well as histological analysis, and how they differ from previously described specimens, are discussed. Ornithodiplostomum is a new record in southern Africa. Infection levels of the host fish were mild compared to records from previous surveys.

In order to search the availability of the lectin extracted from Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) as an adjuvant for the avian vaccines, attempts were made to determine toxicity of the lectin in chicks and its immunostimulating activity on the inactivated vaccines against Newcastle disease virus (NDV). For the determination of toxicity, the lectin was injected into the thigh muscle of SPF chicks (Charles River) of 1-week-old and observed hematologically and pathologically.

The VP2 full gene of Korean infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) strain, SH/92, three attenuated vaccine strains, Bur706, Bursine-2 and CEVAC strains, were amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and sequenced and compared with published PV2 gene sequences of IBDVs. The VP2 nucleotide sequence similarity between SH/92 and three vaccine stains was 95.6~96.5% whereas the nucleic acid similarity among three vaccine strains was 97.5~98.5%. The amino acid sequence similarity of VP2 of SH/92 compared with three vaccine strains was between 94.4 and 97.6% while the amino acid similarity among three vaccine strains was between 97.4 and 98.4%.

To determine the effects of exposure to formalin on the secondary stress indices, changes in haematology and blood chemistry were monitored in healthy crucian carps (Carassius auratus). Fishes were separately exposed in a concentration range of 125 to 500 ppm formalin for 60 min. After exposure, red blood cell (RBC) count and packed cell volume (PCV) were elevated in the 500 ppm formalin exposed group. However, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were decreased significantly in the 500 ppm formalin exposed group.

This study was performed to assess the growth plate closure time with aging in the Korean native goat. Radiographs of proximal and distal epiphysis of humerus, radius, ulna, femur and tibia were obtained at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 30, 43 and 52 weeks after birth in 30 Korean native goats. The secondary ossification centers were scrutinized and assessed the maturity process on the basis of the criteria (stage 0 to 10). The secondary ossification centers of proximal and distal epiphysis of humerus, radius, femur and tibia and proximal ulna epiphysis appeared immediately after birth.

Parallux∨TM, a solid-phase fluorescence immunoassay (SPFIA) developed for antibiotics residue detection in milk, was applied for analysis of fish muscle. The recommended therapeutic dose of ampicillin (100 mg/kg body weight, withdrawal period 7 days) was orally administered to a group of 25 olive flounders (Paralichthys olivaceus) for consecutive five days. Muscle was sampled after drug treatment 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th day. The concentration of ampicillin in muscle, determined by SPFIA, was compared with that of internal standard (10 ppb as ampicillin).

Ethanol abuse is associated with liver injury, neurotoxicity, modulation of immune responses, and increased risk for cancer, whereas moderate ethanol consumption exerts protective effects against liver injury. However, the underlying signal transduction mechanisms of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) which play an important regulatory role in various metabolism mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated the effects of ethanol-induced p42/44 activity on IGF-I secretion, IGF-I receptor and IGFBP-1 secretion using radioimmunoassay and western blotting in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.