Japanese Journal of Veterinary Research最新文献

This study was to investigate the effect of gonadotropins on reproductive profiles of replacement gilts with delayed puberty. Totally, 136 Landrace X Yorkshire crossbred gilts, were categorized into control (n = 58) and treatment (n = 78) groups. Gonadotropins (400 U eCG plus 200 IU hCG) were administered in treatment group only. The results revealed that gilts in treatment group had higher number of gilts with estrus (92.3 vs 25.9%, P < 0.001), shorter onset to estrus (4.7 ± 0.3 vs 9.0 ± 0.8 d, P < 0.001), higher number of dominant follicles (18.0 ± 0.2 vs 13.2 ± 0.3 follicles, P < 0.001), and higher farrowing rate (87.5 vs 53.3%, P = 0.002) than those in control group. In conclusion, gonadotropins containing 400 IU eCG plus 200 IU hCG could improve reproductive profiles in replacement gilts with delayed puberty.

The aim of the present study was to examine the applicability of the direct determination of trace and major element concentrations in serum samples collected from Holstein dairy cattle with acute coliform mastitis (n = 53) compared with a healthy control group (n = 39). Twenty-eight elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ce, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Pb) were detected by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Significant differences were observed in serum K, Fe, Zn, and Br concentrations, but not in those of the remaining twenty-four elements. Furthermore, serum Fe concentrations (0.751 ± 0.583 μg/ml, n = 18) were significantly lower in dairy cattle with a poor prognosis than in those with a good prognosis (0.945 ± 0.393 μg/ml, n = 35, P < 0.05) and healthy controls (1.458 ± 0.391 μg/ml, n = 39, P < 0.01). We proposed a diagnostic cut-off point for serum Fe concentrations of <0.82 μg/ml based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in order to identify cattle with a poor prognosis. The results of the present study indicated that assessing the elemental composition of serum, particularly iron, is a promising prognostic tool for determining the outcomes of cattle with severe acute coliform mastitis.

Mongolia in 2010 and 2011. A total of 76 voles belonging to the genera Myodes and Microtus were captured. Most of the voles that were seropositive to Tula virus antigen were Middendorf's voles (Microtus middendorffii (6/31)). Two of the 18 Myodes voles were also seropositive to Tula virus antigen. On the other hand, only one vole was seropositive to Puumala virus antigen. The results suggest that Tula virus was maintained in Middendorf's vole. This is the first report of detection of anti-Tula virus antibody in the central part of the Eurasia continent.

The three different mouse handling methods, picking up by tails, tunnels, and open hands were performed using the ICGN glomerulonephritis mouse and the severity of symptoms was evaluated. The handling groups exhibited a tendency of more severe symptoms than the non-handling control group. Female mice handled by their tails showed significantly more severe symptoms than the control group. In addition, we subjected the normal laboratory mice, C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice to tail and tunnel handling to assess the stress conditions. The plasma corticosterone level in the tail-handled mice was higher than that in control mice. These results indicate that handling causes stress and may affect the phenotype of disease model mice.

Tne cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is a laboratory rodent used for studying human infectious diseases. However, a lack of suitable anesthetic agents inconveniences the use of cotton rats in surgical manipulation. This study demonstrated that subcutaneous injection of the mixture of medetomidine, midazolam, and butorphanol (0.15, 2.0, and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively), which is a suitable anesthetic agents for mice and rats, produced an anesthetic duration of more than 50 min in cotton rats. We also demonstrated that 0.15 mg/kg of atipamezole, an antagonist of medetomidine, produced a quick recovery from anesthesia in cotton rats. This indicated that the anesthetic mixture of medetomidine, midazolam, and butorphanol, functioned as a useful and effective anesthetic for short-term surgery in cotton rats.

The study aimed to evaluate whether cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) measurements can detect cardiac changes during doxorubicin therapy in dogs with various types of cancers compared to conventional echocardiography. Serial measurements of cTnI and conventional and pulsed-wave TDI echocardiography were performed in 12 dogs diagnosed with various types of cancers at day 0, weeks 3, 6, 9, and 12 prior to each doxorubicin injection. After treatment with doxorubicin, dogs had significantly increased cTnI levels at week 9 (p = 0.027) and 12 (p = 0.027) compared to normal untreated dogs. Dogs had increased cTnI levels during doxorubicin therapy (p = 0.004). Percent left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and fractional shortening (FS) assessed by 2-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography significantly decreased at weeks 9 and 12. Pulsed-wave TDI derived myocardial performance index (MPI) increased significantly at weeks 9 and 12 compared to day 0 (p = 0.028 and 0.040, respectively). In conclusion, dogs treated with doxorubicin had increased cTnI levels. An increase in cTnI levels was detected before echocardiographic value changes. Serum cTnI can be a sensitive marker for detection of cardiotoxicity in dogs treated with doxorubicin.

Fresh 36 ejaculates of 13 stallions were split into two volumes, centrifuged with and without cushion and frozen with Conventional and two prototype, Drum and Directional, methods using 0.5 ml straws for the Conventional and Drum, and 2 ml flat straws for both the Drum and Directional. Cushioned centrifugation increased total motility (61.2 ± 18.6% vs. 57.5 ± 18.6%; P < 0.001) and mean velocity (84.3 ± 15.6% vs. 83.2 ± 13.8%; P < 0.05) when compared to not cushioned centrifugation, estimated after cooling the sperm at 4⁰C for 90 min before freezing. Cushioned centrifugation also increased (P < 0.001) spermatozoa with polarized mitochondrial membranes (46.8 ± 11.4% vs. 43.4 ± 10.6%) and intact plasmatic/acrosomal membranes (41.0 ± 11.2% vs. 38.5 ± 11.3%) of frozen/thawed sperm, with respect to not cushioned centrifugation. However, no effects of the centrifugation were evidenced for classical kinetic parameters. Flat straws had negative effect for almost all the parameters analyzed at thawing (T,) and after 3 hours' incubation at 37⁰C (T₁), while the Drum method with Paillettes did not show appreciable affects. The variability among stallions was relevant (5% to 69% variance for kinetics and membrane status), while the variability among ejaculates was minor (9% to 28%). Factorial analysis identified three relevant, factors with different informational content: Factor 1 represented by membranes status, Factor 2 by kinetics estimated at T₀, and Factor 3 by kinetics estimated at T₁. Cushioned centrifugation had some beneficial effects for the membrane status of the frozen/thawed sperm, while the use of flat straws needs to be improved.

Nassarius stolatus was evaluated as the potential heavy metal (Cd, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb) accumulator in Don Hoi Lot sandbar, Samut Songkhram province, Thailand. This selected species belongs to the Gastropoda, which is widely distributed in the coastal areas from the upper Gulf through the southern part of Thailand. From our findings, the heavy metal accumulations in N. stolatus tissues were Fe > Pb > Mn > Ni > Cd. The retrieved bioaccumulation factor (BAF) indicated that N. Stolatus has high potential to be a biomonitor for the contaminations of Fe and Mn in water and Cd, Ni and Pb in sediment.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate acid, on parameters of meat performance in goats as well as on selected parameters of non-specific humoral defense. An experiment was performed on 24 Alpine kids divided into two equal groups: I - control and II - experimental. Over a period of 60 days, the animals were fed an HMB-supplemented diet. The following meat performance parameters were determined: body weight, daily gains, growth rate, the dimensions of musculus longissimus dorsi (m.l.d.) sections and fat thickness over the loin "eye". Selected indicators of non-specific humoral immunity were determined in the blood serum of kids: lysozyme activity, ceruloplasmin activity and gamma globulin content. It was found that the kids administered HMB had a significantly higher body weight on days 30 and 60 of the experiment compared to the control group. The kids in this group also had a significantly more favorable musculature development. Simultaneously, a significant impact of HIMB on the examined immunological indices was found. The significance of differences in relation to the control group was confirmed statistically for lysozyme activity and ceruloplasmin activity on days 30 and 60, while the content of gammaglobulins was confirmed statistically on days 15, 30 and 60 of the study. It was also found that the addition of HMB had a stimulating impact on immunity and growth rate as well as on the development of muscles. It is thus justified to administer HMB to early-weaned kids to enhance their rearing parameters.