Klossiella cobayae associated With Chronic Interstitial Nephritis in Guinea Pigs

Infection with the renal coccidian parasite K. cobayae was detected in 6 conventionally kept Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs, submitted for routine health monitoring at The National Veterinary Intsitute, Uppsala. Chronic inflammatory lesions were microscopically observed in the kidneys and the lungs of all animals

Health monitoring of purpose bred laboratory rabbits in Sweden: Major findings

Post-mortem examinations were performed on groups of 12 rabbits from nine colonies. The most frequent pathological changes found were chronic inflammatory processes in lungs and intestines. Bordetella bronchiseptica was frequently isolated and Pasteurella spp. were not observed. Most cases of enteritis were associated with Eimeria spp., but Trichomonas spp. and Coronaviruses were also noticed. The pinworm Passalums ambiguus was found in seven groups and the nematode Trichostrongylus retortaeformis in one. Rabbits from five colonies evidenced hepatic coccidiosis. Among ectoparasites, Cheyletiellaparasitivorax was found in seven groups and Listrophorus gibbus in four. The ear mite Psoroptes cuniculii was recorded in two groups. One rabbit exhibited Encephalitozoon cum'culi antibodies and another one Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Among other findings, the ascending aorta and are displayed calcified plaques in eight rabbits from three colonies and the appendiceal lymphoid tissues evidenced multinucleated giant cells in adult rabbits of three groups. A good correlation was found between the health of the rabbits and the hygienic standards at the colonies

Remote blood collection in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L): a preliminary study

Automatic blood sampling equipment (ABSE) was used successfully to collect blood samples from two reindeer. During blood sampling, two methods of restraint were applied which caused no short term changes in plasma concentrations of urea, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase or total protein. Plasma Cortisol concentrations were significantly elevated by the two restraint techniques. The value of ABSE in studies of stress in reindeer is discussed

Chronic inflammatory lung lesions in rabbits free of known respiratory pathogens

Chronic inflammatory lung lesions were studied in 58 purpose bred, clinically healthy rabbits that were found negative for Bordetella branchiseptica, Pasleurel/a multocida, Toxoplasma gondii, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and lung worms. The changes found consisted of focal chronic interstitial pneumonia and chronic bronchitis and bronchiolitis, which were frequently associated with perivascular infiltrations of mononuclear leukocytes and vasculitis involving small lung vessels. The etiology of these alterations remains unknown

Pre-slaughter handling of reindeer bulls {Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) — effects on technological and sensory meat quality, blood metabolites and muscular and abomasal lesions

Forty-one reindeer bulls (age 1 1/2 years) were subjected to different pre-slaughter treatments: herding for a short distance to a grazing corral, selection by use of a lasso, lorry transport and helicopter herding for 1, 2 and 3 days respectively. As control, 9 reindeer were shot without previous handling (in the mountains). The results indicated the traditional selection technique of using a lasso to be the most stressful and glycogen-depleting handling procedure so far studied. In the lasso-selected reindeer the lowest glycogen values and the highest ultimate pH values in the meat were measured. The values of the measured parameters indicating stress (aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), urea, Cortisol and abomasal lesions) were also highest in these reindeer. By contrast, the modern method of herding by helicopter was not found to be detrimental to glycogen content, ultimate pH, the measured blood metabolites, or the frequency of abomasal lesions. In all treatment groups degenerative lesions were observed in the skeletal muscles. No relarionship between technological and sensory meat quality characteristics and skeletal muscle lesions in reindeer could, however, be found in this study. The study confirmed an earlier finding that a 'stress-flavour' could develop in reindeer meat after intensive pre-slaughter handling of the animals. Further study of when and how such "stress-flavour" develops ought to be undertaken

A field study of management stress in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L)

The impact of stress was studied in semidomesticated reindeer subjected to various herding and handling methods. In herded and handled animals, stress lesions were found, such as abomasal haemorrhage, muscular and myocardial degeneration and marked changes in blood constituents. The degree of change was dependent of the magnitude of stress the animal had been exposed to. Manual handling and restraint was found to be one of the major stress factors. There were evident indications of a cumulative effect of repeated stress events. The use of motor vehicles (helicopter and snow-scooter), for herding and transporting the animals, was found to be an important stress factor. It is concluded that various herding and handling methods studied in the present investigation led to varying degrees of deleterious effects on the health of the animals and a poorer meatquality from slaughtered animals. Hence herding should be undertaken as carefully as possible, the time taken for manual handling should be minimized, and the corrals be so constructed as to cause a minimum of disturbance, capture and restraint. Transportation should be undertaken very cautiously with as little manual handling as possible during loading and unloading. To obtain a good meat quality, animals to be slaughtered should be subjected to a minimum of handling, i.e. slaughter should take place as quickly as possible. Transportation of live animals to slaughterhouses and the keeping of animals in corrals, pens or crates whilst awaiting slaughter will result in a lowered meat quality and should therefore be avoided.En fåltstudie av stress hos ren i samband med olika hanteringsformer.Abstract in Swedish / Sammanfatning: Betydelsen av stress hos ren studerades i hjordar i vilka olika typer av samlings- och hanteringsmetoder anvandes. I samtliga hjordar som utsatts for olika former av drivning forelag hos slaktdjur skador betingade av stress i form av magblodningar, muskelsonderfall och forandringar i blodbilden. De funna skadorna och forandringarna var beroende av den grad av stress som djuren utsatts for. Manuell hantering och inskrankning av djurens rorelsefrihet befanns vara en av de huvudsakliga stressfaktorerna. Det forelag åvenledes en stark indikation på en kumulativ effekt av upprepad stress. Anvandning av motorfordon (helikopter, snoskoter) vid drivning samt vågtransport av levande djur befanns vara betydande stressfaktorer. Det kan fastslås att de olika hanteringsformerna inneburit olika grader av stress. Graden av stresspåverkan innebår olika grader av negativa effekter dels allmånt for djurens hålsotillstånd dels for en forsåmrad kottkvalitet. Sålunda bor drivningar foretagas så forsiktigt som mojligt och tiden for manuell hantering goras så kort som mpjlig. Dårtill bor gårdor konstrueras så att yttre storning, manuell hantering och begrånsning av djurens rorelsefrihet minimeras. Transporter bor genomforas med forsiktighet och med undvikande av manuell hantering vid lastning och lossning. Slakt bor foretagas omedelbart, dvs vid gårdan. Transport av levande djur, samt hållandet av djur i gårdor eller fillor i vantan på slakt innebår att kottkvaliteten forsåmras och bor således undvikas.Kenttâtutkimus porojen stressistâ erilaisten kâsittelymuotojen yhteydessà.Abstract in Finnish / Yhteenveto: Stressin merkitystâ poroissa tutkitaan laumoissa, joissa kàytetààn erilaisia kokoamis - ja kàsittelymenetelmià. Kaikissa laumoissa, jotka olivat joutuneet alttiiksi erilaisille ajomuodoille, oli teuraselàimissâ stressin aiheuttamia vammoja mahaverenvuotojen, lihasrappeutumien ja verikuvan muutosten muodossa. Lôydetyt vammat ja muutokset olivat stressin aiheuttamat siina suhteessa kuin elaimet olivat siihen joutuneet. Kàsin pitely ja elàinten liikuntavapauden rajoittuminen havaittiin olevan yksi pààsiallisista stressintekijôistà. Oli esillà myôs voimakas osoitus kasvavan vaikutuksen toistuvasta stressistâ. Moottoriajoneuvojen (helikopteri, moottori-kelkka) kàyttô ajossa sekà elàvien elàinten tiekuljetus nayttivàt olevan merkittàvià stressitekijôità. Voidaan todeta, ettà erilaiset kasittelymuodot ovat aiheuttaneet stressin erilaisia asteita. Stressin vaikutuksen taso aiheutti eri asteisia negatiivisia vaikutuksia osittain huonontuneeseen lihan laatuun. Nainollen pitàà ajot suorittaa niin varovaisesti kuin mahdollista ja aika kàsin pitelyyn tehtàvà niin lyhyeksi kuin mahdollista. Sen lisàksi pitàà aidât rakentaa niin, ettà ulkoista hàirintàà, kàsin pitelyà ja elàinten liikuntavapauden rajoitusta vàhennetààn. Kuljetukset pitàà suorittaa varovaisuudella ja koettaa vàlttàà kàsin pitelyà kuormauksessa ja purkauksessa. Teurastaminen pitàà suorittaa vâlittômàsti, toisin sanoen aidan luona. Elàvien elàinten kuljetus, sekà elàinten pitàminen aitauksissa tai tarhoissa teurastamista odotellessa aiheuttaa lihalaadun huonontumiseen ja pitàà nàin ollen vàlttàà

Ultimate pH values and bacteriological condition of meat and stress metabolites in blood of transported reindeer bulls

Twenty-three reindeer bulls, aged 2-3 years, fed during two winter months at the Vuolda reindeer research station in Arjeplog, Sweden, were used in the study. The first group of eight reindeer was moved from their feeding corral to a selection corral, captured by lasso and stunned with a captive bolt outside the selection corral. The second group of seven reindeer was moved to the selection corral, captured by lasso and restrained, after which they were loaded onto a lorry- and transported for 1 hour and then slaughtered. The third group of eight reindeer was moved to the selection corral and herded directly onto the lorry, without any manual handling. They were transported for 5 h and then slaughtered. In both transport groups, four reindeer were fitted with pre-programmed automatic blood sampling equipment (ABSE). ABSE sampled blood at predetermined times via a jugular vein catheter. Ultimate pH-values in three muscles (Mm. longissimus, triceps brachii and biceps femoris) were significantly lower in the group carefully handled and transported for 5 h compared with the other two groups. The physiological mechanisms behind these results are discussed. Samples from M. semimembranosus were collected at slaughter and after 2, 6 and 10 days of refrigerated storage (+4 °C). The samples were analysed for total counts of aerobic bacteria (pour-plated in Tryptone Glucose Extract Agar, Difco, incubated at 20 °C and 30 °C, respectively for 72 h), coliform bacteria 37 °C (pour-plated in Violet Red Bile Agar, Oxoid, incubated at 37 °C for 24 h), Enterococci (surface-plated onto Slantez and Bartley Agar, Oxoid, incubated at 44 °C for 48 h) and Bacillus cereus (surface-plated onto Blood Agar Plates (Blood Agar Base, Difco, supplemented with 5% defibrinated horse blood) 30 °C for 24 h). All samples fell in the range 'fit for consumption'. At slaughter, there was no difference in ASAT activity, urea and Cortisol concentrations between the two transported groups. However, the plasma ASAT activity and urea concentrations at slaughter were significantly lower in the non-transported group. In both transport groups, the plasma Cortisol concentrations increased during loading onto and unloading from the lorry. Abomasal lesions were observed in all treatment groups. It was concluded that reindeer showed an acute stress response to manual handling and transport

Friction and wear behavior of glasses and ceramics

Adhesion, friction, and wear behavior of glasses and ionic solids are reviewed. These materials are shown to behave in a manner similar to other solids with respect to adhesion. Their friction characteristics are shown to be sensitive to environmental constituents and surface films. This sensitivity can be related to a reduction in adhesive bonding and the changes in surficial mechanical behavior associated with Rehbinder and Joffe effects. Both friction and wear properties of ionic crystalline solids are highly anisotropic. With metals in contact with ionic solids the fracture strength of the ionic solid and the shear strength in the metal and those properties that determine these will dictate which of the materials undergoes adhesive wear. The chemical activity of the metal plays an important role in the nature and strength of the adhesive interfacial bond that develops between the metal and a glass or ionic solid

Precautionary Regulation in Europe and the United States: A Quantitative Comparison

Much attention has been addressed to the question of whether Europe or the United States adopts a more precautionary stance to the regulation of potential environmental, health, and safety risks. Some commentators suggest that Europe is more risk-averse and precautionary, whereas the US is seen as more risk-taking and optimistic about the prospects for new technology. Others suggest that the US is more precautionary because its regulatory process is more legalistic and adversarial, while Europe is more lax and corporatist in its regulations. The flip-flop hypothesis claims that the US was more precautionary than Europe in the 1970s and early 1980s, and that Europe has become more precautionary since then. We examine the levels and trends in regulation of environmental, health, and safety risks since 1970. Unlike previous research, which has studied only a small set of prominent cases selected non-randomly, we develop a comprehensive list of almost 3,000 risks and code the relative stringency of regulation in Europe and the US for each of 100 risks randomly selected from that list for each year from 1970 through 2004. Our results suggest that: (a) averaging over risks, there is no significant difference in relative precaution over the period, (b) weakly consistent with the flip-flop hypothesis, there is some evidence of a modest shift toward greater relative precaution of European regulation since about 1990, although (c) there is a diversity of trends across risks, of which the most common is no change in relative precaution (including cases where Europe and the US are equally precautionary and where Europe or the US has been consistently more precautionary). The overall finding is of a mixed and diverse pattern of relative transatlantic precaution over the period

Fatal inanition in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses

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