The effects of dietary Gleditschia on fatty acid composition, lipid oxidation, and pork quality were investigated. Pigs (n=40) were fed a diet containing 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 1% Gleditschia for 14 weeks and slaughtered at 110 kg average. The longissimus throracis et lumborum muscle was collected at 24 hr postmortem. Pork loin chops (3 cm thick) were packaged aerobically and stored at 4℃ for 7 days. Samples were analyzed for fatty acid composition, ultimate pH, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS), color (L*, a*, b*), drip loss and water-holding capacity.

We have examined distribution and expression of caveolin-3 (cav-3), one of three caveolin isoforms from 16-wks-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared with age-matched control wistar-kyoto (WKY) rats. The expression of cav-3 was increased, whereas expression of PKB/Akt and calcineurin (Cn) was not changed in cardiac tissues of SHR compared to WKY rats. Interestingly, expression of cav-3, PKB/Akt and Cn were decreased in plasma membrane fraction in SHR compared to WKY rats. In H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells treated with phenylephrine (50 μM, 48hr) or isoproterenol (10 μM, 48hr), the expression of cav-3 was markedly enhanced compared to nontreated cells.

The present study was conducted to investigate biochemical characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility of Aeromonas hydrophilia isolated from Jackass penguins (Spheniscus demersus) of zoo and capelins (Mallotus villosus). Seven of Jackass penguins showed anorexia, depression with seriously greenish vomiting for a few days, but resulted in 4 deaths although extensive treatment was carried out by zoo veterinarians. From the 18 samples composed of organs of feces from dead or live Jackass penguins and capelins, 4 (22.2%) Aeromonas hydrophilia were isolated and Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus auricularis, Staphylococcus cohnii and Enterobacter aminigenus were also identified.

An abattoir study on the abdominal fat necrosis in adult cattle was performed pathologically. Grossly, masses of fat necrosis were leekgreen in colour, lobulated on the cut surface, and saponificated in the texture. These necrotic adipose tissues infiltrated usually into neighboring parenchymal organs including intestines and pancreas, leading to fibrosis or atrophy of them. Histopathologically, necrotic fat cells contained acidophilic, opaque, amorphous substance or basophilic fibrillar or granular minerals in their cytoplasms. The lesions of fat necrosis were divided by fibroconnective tissue. With increase of the severity, necrotic fat cells fused each other and then formed fat cysts.

The disease causing colic is the greatest cause of deathe in the domestic horse population today and accidental deaths as a result of colic leads to decreased productivity and economic losses in the horse breeding industry. Large colon impaction is the most common cause of colic in horses. Horses may ingest sand either by eating from the ground in sandy locations, or because of its inclusion in hay. In certain areas sand impaction is relatively common. The horse (4 year, female) presented with abdominal pain, which was charactered by willing to lie down, pawing, and looking at flank. A month later, the horse died suddenly at sand paddock.

To evaluate herd-level risk factors for seropositive status of cattle to 1 or more bluetongue viruses. 110 herds of cattle in Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Blood samples were collected before and after the vector season. Samples were tested for antibodies against bluetongue virus by use of a commercially available competitive ELISA. Factors evaluated included descriptors of geographic location and management practices. Trapping of insect vectors was conducted to evaluate vector status on a subset of 57 operations. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to evaluate associations. For the full data set, altitude and latitude were associated with risk of having seropositive cattle (an increase in altitude was associated with an increase in risk, and a more northerly location was associated with a decrease in risk of a premise having seropositive cattle). Import of cattle from selected states was associated with an increase in risk of having seropositive cattle. From the subset of herds with data on vector trapping, altitude and latitude were associated with risk of having seropositive cattle, similar to that for the full model. However, commingling with cattle from other herds was associated with a decrease in risk of seropositivity. Findings reported here may be useful in generating additional hypotheses regarding the ecologic characteristics of bluetongue viruses and other vector-borne diseases of livestock. Sentinel surveillance programs are useful for documenting regionalization zones for diseases, which can be beneficial when securing international markets for animals and animal products.

The virulence of four South African field isolates of NAD-dependent Haemophilus paragallinarum and two field isolates of NAD-independent H. paragallinarum has previously been tested in unvaccinated chickens. In this study, the disease profiles caused by the NAD-dependent isolates of H. paragallinarum in vaccinated chickens were studied. It was shown that the clinical signs induced in the vaccinated chickens were substantially less severe than were those in unvaccinated chickens, as was expected. However, due to the high virulence of the serovar C-3 isolates, clinical signs in the vaccinated chickens challenged with this isolate were still detected. These were as severe as those occurring in unvaccinated chickens challenged with serovar B-1 isolates. Although the clinical signs induced in unvaccinated birds challenged with serovar A-1 were more severe than those occurring when vaccinated birds were challenged with serovar C-3, the overall disease profiles were similar. Substantial clinical signs were recorded in vaccinated birds challenged with serovar C-3. This could be interpreted as vaccination failure if the disease profile obtained in unvaccinated birds is not considered. It was found that a high level of protection was provided by this vaccine against challenge by serovar C-3. The high virulence of this serovar resulted in the development of clinical signs in vaccinated birds. These findings could possibly explain the large number of so-called vaccination failures that are reported in South Africa.

Aqueous decoctions obtained from the galls of Guiera senegalensis were screened to determine their phytochemical composition and in vitro antiviral activity against fowlpox virus. In addition, we wanted to investigate the toxic effects, if any, of crude extracts in chickens. Steroids as well as cardiac glycosides not previously reported, an alkaloid, polyphenols and saponins were detected in the various fractions of organic solvents used for extracting the decoctions. Antiviral activity was determined by cytopathic effect inhibition assay in primary chicken embryo skin cells. The 50 % inhibitory concentration (EC50) was shown to be 15.6 µg/ml. Toxicity for cells was established by determining the 50 % cytotoxic concentration (CCy50). A value of 90 µg/ml and a selectivity index (CCy50/EC50) of 5.8 were obtained. In vivo studies of toxicity were performed in chickens that were dosed orally with decoctions of several concentrations for 2 weeks and then monitored for 3 months. No significant changes in several blood chemical parameters were obtained, except for a significant decline in SGOT levels in birds dosed with 100 mg/kg. These levels were nevertheless within the accepted normal range. The findings suggest that aqueous decoctions of galls from G. senegalensis are non-toxic for chickens when administered orally, even at a daily dose of 100 mg/kg for 14 days.

Two hundred and seventy-three elephant shrews, consisting of 193 Elephantulus myurus, 67 Elephantulus edwardii and 13 animals belonging to other species, were examined for ixodid ticks at 18 localities in South Africa and Namibia. The immature stages of Ixodes rubicundus, Rhipicentor nuttalli, Rhipicephalus warburtoni and a Rhipicephalus pravus-like tick were the most numerous of the 18 tick species recovered. Substantial numbers of immature Rhipicephalus arnoldi, Rhipicephalus distinctus and Rhipicephalus exophthalmos were also collected from elephant shrews at particular localities. Larvae of I. rubicundus were most numerous on E. myurus in Free State Province from April to July and nymphs from June to October. Larvae of R. nuttalli were most numerous on these animals during April, May, August and September, and nymphs in February and from April to August. The immature stages of R. warburton were collected from E. myurus only in Free State Province, and larvae were generally most numerous from December to August and nymphs from April to October.

Ticks were collected at approximately bi-monthly intervals between June 1996 and June 1997 from crested francolins, Francolinus sephaena, and from the vegetation on a mixed cattle and wildlife farm in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The birds were infested with the immature stages of 13 tick species, of which Amblyomma hebraeum, Amblyomma marmoreum and Hyalomma marginatumrufipes were the most numerous and prevalent. Ten ixodid tick species were collected from the vegetation, of which the immature stages of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were the most numerous. No adult ticks were collected from the birds and only two from the vegetation. The restricted home range of crested francolins implies that they could serve as a source of tick infestation only for other animals within the same habitat as the birds.