Incidence of osteochondrosis (dissecans) in Dutch warmblood horses presented for pre-purchase examination

Data are lacking in the literature regarding the incidence of osteochondrosis (dissecans) [OC(D)] in relation to lameness evaluation in Dutch Warmblood horses. The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the incidence of radiological abnormalities consistent with osteochondrosis or osteochondrosis dissecans in 1,231 sound Dutch Warmblood (DW) horses presented for pre-purchase examination. Standardised (Dutch) pre-purchase examination protocols were evaluated. The pre-purchase examination included a clinical, lameness and radiological evaluation, performed at a private equine clinic in the Netherlands. Radiographical examination included views of the distal (DIP) and proximal (PIP) interphalangeal, metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP), tarsocrural (TC) and femoropatellar (FP) joints. Radiographical evidence of OC(D) was found in 44.3% of clinically sound DW horses. In this study, 443 horses (36%, n = 1,231) had evidence of OCD and 102 horses (8.3%, n = 1,231) had evidence of OC on pre-purchase radiographs. The results also indicated that the TC joints were significantly more likely to be affected. A considerable number of horses did not demonstrate any lameness, although radiographs revealed OC(D)

Cattle management practices and milk production on mixed smallholder organic pineapple farms in Central Uganda

A longitudinal study to assess animal management practices and milk production was conducted for a period of 12 months on 30 smallholder farms keeping dairy cattle and certified organic pineapple production in Luwero and Kayunga districts, based on questionnaire and on-farm collected data. Farm sizes were 9.3 ± 6.7 acres in tethering system and 4.3 ± 2.6 acres in zero-grazing. Fifty-four percent of the zero-grazing herds had animal housing facilities. All farmers in tethering system kept cows on earthen floors and calves without bedding. Hygiene level in existing farms was low. Majority of calves were fed once a day by restricted suckling (77 %). Seventy-four percent of tethered cows were only fed on natural grass, while cows under zero-grazing system had a more diversified diet but with 82 % feeding mainly Napier grass. Most farms (87 %) used bulls for breeding. Milk production was higher (P < 0.05) in zero-grazing (6.5 L/cow/day) than tethering system, and higher (P < 0.05) for Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows (5.2 L/cow/day) than local breed cows (2.6 L/cow/day). Less than 1 L of milk per farm per day on average was sold. Disease treatments were exclusively for helminths, East Coast fever, and trypanasomiasis. Spraying of ticks and deworming were important control measures of vector-borne diseases. There is potential to develop alternative feed resources for dairy cattle and biorational pesticides for control and treatment of vector-borne diseases

Regulation of gene expression in ovarian cancer cells by luteinizing hormone receptor expression and activation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since a substantial percentage of ovarian cancers express gonadotropin receptors and are responsive to the relatively high concentrations of pituitary gonadotropins during the postmenopausal years, it has been suggested that receptor activation may contribute to the etiology and/or progression of the neoplasm. The goal of the present study was to develop a cell model to determine the impact of luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor (LHR) expression and LH-mediated LHR activation on gene expression and thus obtain insights into the mechanism of gonadotropin action on ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) carcinoma cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The human ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV-3, was stably transfected to express functional LHR and incubated with LH for various periods of time (0-20 hours). Transcriptomic profiling was performed on these cells to identify LHR expression/activation-dependent changes in gene expression levels and pathways by microarray and qRT-PCR analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Through comparative analysis on the LHR-transfected SKOV-3 cells exposed to LH, we observed the differential expression of 1,783 genes in response to LH treatment, among which five significant families were enriched, including those of growth factors, translation regulators, transporters, G-protein coupled receptors, and ligand-dependent nuclear receptors. The most highly induced early and intermediate responses were found to occupy a network impacting transcriptional regulation, cell growth, apoptosis, and multiple signaling transductions, giving indications of LH-induced apoptosis and cell growth inhibition through the significant changes in, for example, tumor necrosis factor, Jun and many others, supportive of the observed cell growth reduction in <it>in vitro </it>assays. However, other observations, e.g. the substantial up-regulation of the genes encoding the endothelin-1 subtype A receptor, stromal cell-derived factor 1, and insulin-like growth factor II, all of which are potential therapeutic targets, may reflect a positive mediation of ovarian cancer growth.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Overall, the present study elucidates the extensive transcriptomic changes of ovarian cancer cells in response to LH receptor activation, which provides a comprehensive and objective assessment for determining new cancer therapies and potential serum markers, of which over 100 are suggested.</p

Intramuscular Administration of a Synthetic CpG-Oligodeoxynucleotide Modulates Functional Responses of Neutrophils of Neonatal Foals

Neutrophils play an important role in protecting against infection. Foals have age-dependent deficiencies in neutrophil function that may contribute to their predisposition to infection. Thus, we investigated the ability of a CpG-ODN formulated with Emulsigen to modulate functional responses of neutrophils in neonatal foals. Eighteen foals were randomly assigned to receive either a CpG-ODN with Emulsigen (N = 9) or saline intramuscularly at ages 1 and 7 days. At ages 1, 3, 9, 14, and 28, blood was collected and neutrophils were isolated from each foal. Neutrophils were assessed for basal and Rhodococcus equi-stimulated mRNA expression of the cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, and IL-8 using real-time PCR, degranulation by quantifying the amount of β-D glucuronidase activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation using flow cytometry. In vivo administration of the CpG-ODN formulation on days 1 and 7 resulted in significantly (P<0.05) increased IFN-γ mRNA expression by foal neutrophils on days 3, 9, and 14. Degranulation was significantly (P<0.05) lower for foals in the CpG-ODN-treated group than the control group at days 3 and 14, but not at other days. No effect of treatment on ROS generation was detected. These results indicate that CpG-ODN administration to foals might improve innate and adaptive immune responses that could protect foals against infectious diseases and possibly improve responses to vaccination.The open access fee for this work was funded through the Texas A&M University Open Access to Knowledge (OAK) Fund

Stability and kinetics of acid- and anion-assisted dissociation reactions of hexaamine macrobicyclic mercury(II) complexes

The H+- and Cl--assisted dissociation kinetics and the stabilities of the complexes [Hg(sar)](2+) and [Hg((NH2)(2)-sar)](2+) (sar = 3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]icosane and (NH2)(2)-sar = 1,8-diamino-sar) were determined. The Hg2+ dissociation rates depend on both the proton and the chloride ion concentrations. H+ competes with the metal ion for dissociated amine groups, and Cl- competes with the amine for vacant coordination sites. The rate laws are complicated. For the [Hg(sar)](2+) system (0.1 less than or equal to [H+] less than or equal to 1.0 M, 0.01 less than or equal to [Cl-] less than or equal to 1.0 M, I = 2.0 M (NaO3SCF3), 25.0 degrees C) the observed rate law is upsilon(-Hg2+) = (a + b[Cl-])[H+][Hg(sar)(2+)]/(1 + c[Cl-]), with a = 35(3) M-1 s(-1), b = 2.9(4) x 10(3) M-2 s(-1), and c = 33(5) M-1. For the [Hg((NH3)(2)-sar)](4+) system (0.001 less than or equal to [H+] less than or equal to 1.0 M, 0.01 less than or equal to [Cl-] less than or equal to 1.0 M, I = 1.0 M (LiClO4), 25.0 degrees C) the observed rate law is upsilon(-Hg2+) = (a + b[H+] + c[H+](2))[Cl-][Hg((NH3)(2)-sar)(4+)])/((1 + d[Cl-])(1 + e[H+])), with a = 0.056(6) M-1 s(-1), b = 8(3) M-2 s(-1), c = 5(3) M-3 s(-1), d = 1.3(4) M-1, and e = 1.1(5) x 10(2) M-1. Intimate mechanisms for the dissociation reactions are proposed. Using iodide ion or sar ligand as competing ligands and the reported values for the stabilities of HeI3- and HgI42- the stability constants at 25.0 degrees C were determined for [Hg(sar)](2+) (10(28.1(1)) M-1), [Hg(sar)I](+) (10(29.1(1)) M-2), [Hg((NH2)(2)-sar)I](+) (10(28.5(1)) M-2), and [Hg(cyclam)I](+) (10(30.8(1)) M-2) (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) with [OH-] = 0.1 M, I = 0.5 M (NaClO4) and for [Hg((NH2)(2)-sar)](2+) (10(26.4(3)) M-1) with [OD-] = 0.1 M, I = 0.1 M (NaOD)

OXIDATION OF THE BIS(1,2-ETHANEDIAMINE)(SARCOSINATO)COBALT(III) ION WITH THIONYL CHLORIDE

The oxidation of bis(1,2-ethanediamine)(sarcosinato)cobalt(III) ion with SOCl2 in dimethylformamide gave the N-methylthiooxamato complex as the final product. The results, along with others, implicate the acid chloride chelate, a sulfine, and the methyl thiooxamato chelate as intermediates en route. The thiooxamato sulfur atom retains a nucleophilic capability and adds readily to cyclohexene in the thionyl chloride-dmf reaction medium to give an unusual imido hydroxycyclohexane thioester complex. Various results, including those in this paper, indicate that the chelated acid chloride readily loses an alpha-carbon proton and the resulting carbanion captures SOCl+. Elimination of HCl yields the sulfine and further addition of SOCl+, eliminations, and rearrangement yield chelated thiooxamate, which reacts even further under the pseudo-Vilsmeier conditions to the N-methyloxamato chelate complex

THIONYL CHLORIDE OXIDATION OF CHELATED GLYCINATE IN BIS(1,2-ETHANEDIAMINE)GLYCINATOCOBALT(III) - SYNTHESES OF N,O-BOUND N-FORMYL OXAMATE AND THIOOXAMATE

Addition of Lambda (+)(589)-bis(1,2-ethanediamine)glycinatocobalt(III) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate)trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, Lambda(+)(589)-[(en)(2)Co(GlyO)](O3SCF3)(2) . HO3SCF3, to a solution of SOCl2 in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) followed by hydrolysis resulted in oxidation and formylation of the glycinate ligand affording the derivative N-formyloxamato complex and elemental sulfur. The crystal structure and absolute configuration of the N-formyloxamato complex, Lambda(+)(578)-[(en)(2)Co(OOCCONCHO)]ClO4, was established by X-ray diffraction [orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1); a=7.871(2), b=8.311(2), c=21.307(4) Angstrom; V=1394 Angstrom(3) and Z=4]. Addition of SOCl2 to a solution of [(en)(2)Co(GlyO)](O3SCF3)(2) . HO3SCF3 in DMF followed by hydrolysis afforded the thiooxamato complex, [(en)(2)Co(OOCCSNH)]Cl and sulfate. Hydrolysis of the N-formyloxamato complex at ca. pH 11.5 gave the oxamato complex, [(en)(2)Co(OOCCONH)](+). This complex and the thiooxamato complex each generated the N-formyloxamato complex when added to a SOCl2/DMF solution. Proposals for the mechanisms of formation of the isolated products are discussed