Three kinds of recombinant vaccinia virus (RVV)--mO-HA/ATI, LO1-HA/ATI and mO-HA/7.5kD--expressing bovine leukosis virus (BLV) envelope glycoprotein (gp60) were constructed. The BLV envelope gene of RVV mO-HA/ATI and LO1-HA/ATI or of RVV mO-HA/7.5kD was expressed under control of the promoter of A-type inclusion body (ATI) protein gene of cow-pox virus or vaccinia virus 7.5-kD protein gene, respectively. The vaccinia virus strain, LC16mO, was used as vector for RVV mO-HA/ATI and mO-HA/7.5kD, and strain LO-1 was used for RVV LO1-HA/ATI. Strains LC16mO and LO-1 are attenuated vaccine virus strains originating from the Lister original vaccinia virus. All 3 kinds of constructed RVV expressed gp60 in cultured rabbit kidney cells after infection; mO-HA/ATI expressed more antigen than did mO-HA/7.5kD. Rabbits vaccinated with RVV produced considerable antibody capable of inhibiting syncytium formation, as well as antibody with virion-binding ability. The RVV that used ATI promoter induced higher antibody titer than did the RVV that used 7.5-kD promoter. Results indicate that BLV gp60 is responsible for induction of neutralizing antibodies that suppress in vitro formation of syncytia among BLV-infected cells. Applicability of RVV, especially those using ATI promoter, was evaluated in a vaccine against bovine leukosis.

Autologous tissue transmission of spontaneously developing feline eosinophilic plaques was attempted in 5 cats. Macerated tissue from the plaque was vigorously rubbed onto 2 scarified skin sites in each cat. The inoculated areas were observed daily for 30 days. During that time, no clinical or histologic evidence of transmission was found.

Two digital oscillometric human blood pressure measuring devices were modified and evaluated as blood pressure monitors in 12 healthy anesthetized dogs. Direct arterial pressures were measured via cannulation of the dorsal pedal artery and were correlated with indirect measurements through an inflatable cuff placed over the dorsal pedal artery below the hock joint of the contralateral limb. Direct and indirect measurements were compared for systolic, diastolic, and calculated mean arterial pressures. Blood pressure ranges between 215/145 mm of Hg and 65/30 mm of Hg were obtained, using combinations of halothane, phenylephrine, calcium, and IV administered fluids. Machine A was found to be insufficient for clinical application, on the basis of correlation coefficients between direct and indirect pressures of 0.78, 0.65, and 0.74 for systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures, respectively. Higher correlation coefficients between direct and indirect pressures (0.77, 0.87, and 0.87, respectively) were obtained with machine B. The results of the study reported here suggest machine B may be an effective blood pressure monitoring device in anesthetized dogs.

The motor-evoked potential can be reliably recorded in anesthetized dogs by use of percutaneous placement of active recording electrodes near the dorsal lamina of the vertebral column. Two types of responses were observed in this study; short (< 5.5 ms at T9-10)- and long (> 5.8 ms at T9-10)-latency waves. Short-latency waves are larger in amplitude and appear with higher stimulus intensities than do long-latency waves. Short-latency waves are conducted at > 80 m/s and may not reflect pyramidal tract activation. The safety of using higher intensity stimuli to generate short-latency waves has not been determined.

Ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent, was administered orally to 4 healthy dogs at dosage of approximately 11 and 23 mg/kg of body weight, every 12 hours for 4 days, with a 4-week interval between dosing regimens. Serum and tissue cage fluid (TCF) concentrations of ciprofloxacin were measured after the first and seventh dose of each dosing regimen. The peak concentration was greatest in the serum after multiple doses of 23 mg/kg (mean +/- SEM; 5.68 +/- 0.54 micrograms/ml) and least in the TCF after a single dose of 11 mg/kg (0.43 +/- 0.54 micrograms/ml ml). The time to peak concentration was not influenced by multiple dosing or drug dose, but was longer for TCF (6.41 +/- 0.52 hour) than for serum (1.53 +/- 0.52 hour). Accumulation of ciprofloxacin was reflected by the area under the concentration curve from 0 to 12 hours after administration (AUC 0 leads to 12). The AUC 0 leads to 12 was greatest in the serum after multiple doses of 23 mg/kg (31.95 +/- 1.90 micrograms.h/ml) and least in the TCF after a single dose of 11 mg/kg (3.87 +/- 1.90 micrograms.h/ml). The elimination half-life was not influenced by multiple dosing or dose concentration, but was greater for TCF (14.59 +/- 1.91 hours) than for serum (5.14 +/- 1.91 hours). The percentage of TCF penetration (AUCTCF/AUCserum) was greater after multiple doses (95.76 +/- 6.79%) than after a single dose (55.55 +/- 6.79%) and was not different between doses of 11 and 23 mg/kg. Both dosing regimens of ciprofloxacin resulted in continuous serum and TCF concentrations > 90% of the minimal inhibitory concentration for the aerobic and facultative anaerobic clinical isolates tested, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The effect of meal size and frequency on plasma volume, plasma aldosterone concentration and urinary Na and K clearances was determined in ponies. A daily maintenance ration of hay-grain pellets was provided either as a multiple feeding regimen, ie, 12 equal portions fed at 2-hour intervals, or as single large feedings, ie, half the ration fed every 12 hours at 0800 and 2000 hours. Only the effect of the single morning feeding was studied, using the latter regimen. Serial measurements of plasma volume were made by use of an indicator-dilution technique and indocyanine green (0.15 mg/kg of body weight, IV) that allowed repeated determinations at 2-hour intervals. Ingestion of the single large meal caused a 15% decrease in plasma volume by the end of a 1-hour feeding period. Feeding hypovolemia was confirmed by a coincident increase in plasma protein concentration (12%) and, in separate experiments, by analysis of postfeeding changes in the elimination of Evans blue dye. Plasma aldosterone concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) increased from 2 to 5 hours after feeding. Urinary Na clearance decreased in response to feeding and remained lower than the prefeeding value until 9 hours after feeding. Urinary K clearance increased from prefeeding and reached a peak value between 5 and 7 hours after feeding. Creatinine clearance was unaffected. In contrast, the aforementioned variables were unchanged during the multiple regimen. Results indicate that ingestion of a large concentrate meal by ponies causes periprandial hypovolemia, activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and a subsequent antinaturesis-kaluresis that lasts for several hours.

Viral RNA oligonucleotide fingerprinting was used to compare genetic relationships among pestiviruses originating from ovine or bovine host species. Ovine pestiviruses, including reference border disease virus and 2 border disease isolates originating from natural pestivirus infections of sheep, appeared to have a more distant genetic relationship among themselves than with certain bovine pestiviruses. A closer genetic relatedness was evident between border disease virus and 3 noncytopathic bovine pestiviruses, including Draper bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a BVDV isolate that originated from aborted bovine fetuses, and a virus that was isolated from the serum of a calf that had a chronic BVDV infection. Four noncytopathic bovine viruses, including Draper BVDV and 3 field isolates, were closely related. Reference Oregon C24V BVDV, a cytopathic virus, was closely related to only 1 of the 7 noncytopathic viruses in this study.

Alpha 2-beta 1-glycoprotein may be found free in horse serum or complexed with alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor to form pre-alpha 2-elastase inhibitor. There has been little information published concerning alpha 2-beta 1-glycoprotein and its possible tissue sources in horses. A peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique was used to identify alpha 2-beta 1-glycoprotein in buffy coat and bone marrow neutrophils of healthy horses. Macrophages and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage samples from clinically normal horses and from horses with chronic pulmonary disease also were positive for alpha 2-beta 1-glycoprotein. Alpha 2-beta 1-glycoprotein was identified in some instances in normal equine hepatocytes of formalin-fixed liver sections. In formalin-fixed liver sections from horses with chronic, small-airway disease and chronic bronchointerstitial pneumonia, alpha 2-beta 1-glycoprotein was observed in some airway secretions and in macrophages.

Genital tracts from 15 cows with catarrhal and purulent inflammation of the uterus and uterine tubes, cystic hyperplasia of the endometrium, or hydrosalpinx were evaluated by use of scanning electron microscopy to determine epithelial changes associated with these conditions. Uterine epithelium was revealed to be easily damaged, even in the course of mild inflammation, whereas epithelium of the uterine tube was more resistant.

The possible development of type-1 hypersensitivity reactions in the abomasal mucosa caused by soluble L3 products of Ostertagia ostertagi was studied in 4-month-old calves sensitized by repeated exposure to L3 over a 50-day period followed by anthelmintic treatment. Four groups each of 4 calves were used. Group 1 served as nonsensitized controls and group 2 as sensitized controls, group 3 was challenge exposed at 2-week intervals beginning at week 10 with a soluble L3 product (OAG), and group 4 was challenge exposed at 2-week intervals with an oral dose of L3, followed by anthelmintic treatment 3 days later. All calves infected with L3 became sensitized, as indicated by a positive reaction to an intradermal skin test. However, a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis was only partly effective in indicating the presence of homocytotropic antibody in the infected calves. Sensitized calves had significantly (P < 0.05) higher eosinophil counts and plasma pepsinogen values for the entire 14 weeks than uninfected controls. Globule leukocyte and mast cell counts from the abomasal mucosa were also significantly (P < 0.05) higher. Studies for possible immunomodulation revealed that lymphocyte counts decreased between every 2-week challenge-exposure period for groups-3 and -4 calves. A transient depression of blood lymphocyte (BL) responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), a T-cell mitogen, was observed over the first 8 weeks in the infected calves. Increases in BL responses to OAG were also observed. Differences were not observed in BL responses to pokeweed mitogen, a T- and B-cell mitogen. Blood lymphocyte responses to PHA in group-3 calves were low following the initial challenge exposure with OAG. The sensitized calf lymphocytes did not have suppressive activity on the response of control calf lymphocytes to PHA. Differences were not observed in lymphocyte responses to PHA in a suppressive assay done on abomasal lymph node lymphocytes. Increases in abomasal lymph node mass and lymphocyte responses to PHA, pokeweed mitogen, and OAG were observed in all sensitized calves. Histologic examination of abomasal lymph node sections from challenge-exposed calves revealed increased mitotic activity in germinal centers. Plasma pepsinogen values in groups 3 and 4 increased between each challenge exposure, which further suggested that type-1 hypersensitivity reactions had occurred in the abomasal mucosa, resulting in increased permeability and leakage of macromolecules.