Familial amyloidosis in cats: Siamese and Abyssinian AA proteins differ in primary sequence and pattern of deposition.

Familial AA amyloidosis is a hereditary trait in Abyssinian cats, with the kidney as the main target organ. The amino acid sequence of the amyloid A protein of the Abyssinian cat has been described earlier. Recently, familial amyloidosis has been found in Siamese cats, with the liver as the main target organ.

The effect of stress, applied immediately before stunning, on pork quality.

The effect on meat quality characteristics of stress, applied during a short period just before stunning, was studied on slaughterpigs (113 boars, 85 gilts). Sexes were kept separately and only pigs that had been stunned correctly were included. Aggressive behaviour during lairage occurred more frequently in boars (about twice) than in gilts.

An internal duplication in the 5' noncoding region of strain H: a bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) isolated from pigs.

A pig pestivirus isolate, strain H, was characterized by using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and direct sequencing of the amplicons. A duplication of 74 nucleotides was found at the 5' terminus of the 5' noncoding (NC) region, which was also found in RNA isolates from tonsils from two other pigs from the same farm. When the duplication was omitted, the 5' NC region showed 97.

Rapid PCR test for Streptococcus suis serotype 7.

Recent epidemiological studies on Streptococcus suis infections in pigs indicated that, besides serotypes 1, 2 and 9, serotype 7 is also frequently associated with diseased animals. For the latter serotype, however, no rapid and sensitive diagnostic methods are available. This hampers prevention and control programs.

Influences of myogenin genotypes on birth weight, growth rate, carcass weight, backfat thickness, and lean weight of pigs.

Lean weight is related to muscle fiber number. Muscle fiber formation (myogenesis) occurs only during embryonic development when it is under the control of the MyoD gene family consisting of myogenin, MyoD1, myf-5, and myf-6. Myogenin has a central position within the MyoD gene family because myogenin expression abrogates myoblast proliferation potential and regulates the differentiation of single nucleated myoblasts into multinucleated myofibers.

The cps genes of Streptococcus suis serotypes 1, 2, and 9: development of rapid serotype-specific PCR assays.

We developed three type-specific PCR assays for the rapid and sensitive detection of Streptococcus suis serotype 1 (plus 14), serotype 2 (plus 1/2), and serotype 9 strains in tonsillar specimens from pigs. The PCR primers were based on the sequences of type-specific capsular genes of S. suis serotype 1, 2, and 9 strains.

Diva vaccines that reduce virus transmission.

This brief review deals with the effect of diva (Differentiating Infected from VAccinated individuals) vaccines (also termed marker vaccines) on transmission of herpesviruses and pestiviruses in swine and cattle. Pseudorabies and bovine herpesvirus 1 diva vaccines have been demonstrated to reduce transmission of wild-type virus in populations of pigs and cattle in the laboratory as well as in the field. A subunit diva vaccine based on the immunodominant E2 protein of classical swine fever virus that is expressed in the baculovirus system may reduce transmission of wild-type virus among pigs and also transmission from mother to foetuses.

Spontaneous BHV1 recombinants in which the gI/gE/US9 region is replaced by a duplication/inversion of the US1.5/US2 region.

In a bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) vaccine strain, a spontaneous BHV1 mutant (Za) was found that arose from a recombination between two isomeric forms of the BHV1 genome. In this Za mutant one end of the U(S) region, containing part of the US1.5 gene, was found duplicated in an inverted orientation at the other end of the U(S) region.

Characterisation of a polymorphic Tc1-like transposable element of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus.

Hctc1, a member of the Tc1-family of transposable elements was isolated from the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. Hctc1 is 1590 bp long, is flanked by 55 bp inverted repeats and carries a single open reading frame of a 340 amino acid transposase-like protein. Hctc1 is similar to Tc1 of Caenorhabditis elegans and elements Tcb1 and Tcb2 of Caenorhabditis briggsae in the inverted terminal repeats, the open reading frame, as well as the target insertion sequence.

Transmission of classical swine fever virus by artificial insemination.

Classical swine fever (CSF) virus was introduced into an artificial insemination centre during the CSF epizootic of 1997-1998 in the Netherlands. The risk of further spread of CSF virus via contaminated semen was recognised, but could not be assessed because scientific data on this issue were not available. An animal experiment was performed to determine whether CSF virus could be transmitted via artificial insemination with contaminated semen.

High carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) and the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in rapidly growing broiler chickens.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether two-week-old rapidly growing broiler chickens with high metabolic activity have an increased risk of the development of heart failure three to five weeks later. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias was assessed in broiler chickens with either a relatively high carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) or a low PCO2 in their venous blood. Their electrocardiograms (ECGS) were measured when the birds were between five and seven weeks old by means of a biotransplant which allowed them to move freely.

Effect of the ratio between essential and nonessential amino acids in the diet on utilization of nitrogen and amino acids by growing pigs.

In 36 growing pigs (30 to 60 kg), N balance and amino acid (AA) composition of weight gain were measured to evaluate the interactive effect of the ratio between N from essential amino acids (EAA(N)) to nonessential amino acids (NEAA(N)) and total N level (T(N)) in the diet on N retention and utilization of N, EAA(N), NEAA(N), and AA. Nine diets composed from ordinary feedstuffs and supplemented with crystalline AA were used (three EAA(N):NEAA(N) ratios of 38:62, 50:50, and 62:38 at three T(N) levels of 18.8, 22.

The effect of shot biopsy on behavior, salivary cortisol, and heart rate in slaughter pigs.

This paper describes behavioral and physiological responses of pigs to shot biopsy, an experimental method used to study muscle tissue processes or to predict meat quality. One biopsy sample from the longissimus muscle was obtained from 23-wk-old gilts (n = 10) using a cannula connected to a captive bolt. Ten other gilts were used as a control and received a sham shot.

Flubendazole residues in eggs after oral administration to laying hens: determination with reversed phase liquid chromatography.

Flubendazole residues in eggs were experimentally induced by providing groups of 8 laying hens feed with approximately 3, 10 and 30 mg kg-1 flubendazole for 21 days. Eggs were sampled during this period and one week after the administration. Samples of both whole egg and egg white/yolk were analysed separately.

Some neural and behavioural aspects of electrical and mechanical stunning in ostriches.

Different electrical and mechanical stunning procedures were studied in ostriches to determine the effectiveness of the method. Fifty-eight South-African Black ostriches were equipped with EEG electrodes and stunned with three different electrical head-only methods and with a new captive needle pistol, using air pressure. The first stunning procedure consists of two trials.

Sensitivity testing of veterinary pathogens with a semi-automatic image analysis system compared with tablet diffusion and agar dilution tests.

Recently a commercial computer-controlled image analysis system (IAS) was introduced to measure automatically the diameters of inhibition zones in the agar diffusion test. However, there is little information on the precision of this method. In the present study clinical isolates of Salmonella spp.

A covariance function for feed intake, live weight, and milk yield estimated using a random regression model.

To enable investigation of genetic variation during early lactation in heifers, multitrait covariance functions were used to describe genetic covariances among feed intake, live weight, and milk yield during the first 15 wk of lactation (n = 628). Random regression models were used to estimate covariance functions for the additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. Fixed effects were date of the week that records were collected, a group effect, and week of lactation.

Prediction of daily milk yields from a limited number of test days using test day models.

A data set of weekly milk yield records was used to compare different test day models for their ability to interpolate and extrapolate missing milk yields. The criteria to compare the models were 1) the (co)variance structure modeled compared with the observed (co)variance structure in the data and 2) mean square error of predictions of missing observations (MSEP), which compared the predicted value of a missing record to the known value of the record. The test day models used were LEG(m), which are Legendre polynomials with an order of fit of m, and EXP, which is an exponential lactation function.

Detection of virulent strains of Streptococcus suis type 2 and highly virulent strains of Streptococcus suis type 1 in tonsillar specimens of pigs by PCR.

We developed a PCR assay for the rapid and sensitive detection of virulent Streptococcus suis type 2 and highly virulent S. suis type 1 in tonsillar specimens from pigs. The PCR primers were based on the sequence of the gene encoding the EF-protein of virulent S.

Cell tropism of Staphylococcus aureus in bovine mammary gland cell cultures.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important pathogens of the bovine mammary gland. The interaction of S. aureus with cells of the bovine mammary gland is considered to play an essential role in the pathogenesis.

Use of a pre-selected epitope of cathepsin-L1 in a highly specific peptide-based immunoassay for the diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica infections in cattle.

A peptide-based indirect ELISA to detect cattle antibodies against Fasciola hepatica was developed and evaluated for its sensitivity and specificity. An immunogenic antigen released in vitro by F. hepatica was purified.

Genome analysis of Marek's disease virus strain CVI-988: effect of cell culture passage on the inverted repeat regions.

The genomes of different derivatives of Marek's disease virus (MDV) strain CVI-988, a low oncogenic isolate of a serotype 1 MDV, were analyzed by restriction enzyme analyses to detect whether alterations occurred after passages in cell culture. DNA molecules of strain 988 isolated directly from blood cells contained mainly two copies of the 132-bp repeat sequence previously reported within BamH1-H and -D fragment as previously reported for more virulent MDV strains. Although a minority of virus particles showed repeat amplification was already at the fifth passage level, amplification mainly occurred between passages 17 and 34 in cell culture.

Evaluation of newly developed immunoperoxidase monolayer assays for detection of antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 4.

This study describes the evaluation of immunoperoxidase monolayer assays (IPMAs) for detection of antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 4 (BHV4) DN-599 or BHV4 LVR 140 in sera of cattle. We compared the quality of these IPMAs with the quality of a BHV4 indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, a preliminary serological survey of BHV4 antibodies was carried out to estimate the seroprevalence of BHV4 in Dutch cattle at different ages.

Effects of electrical and mechanical stunning methods on meat quality in ostriches.

The effect of electrical and captive needle air pressure stunning methods on some meat quality parameters was examined in ostriches under practical conditions. One hundred and fifteen ostriches were used in three experiments. The ostriches were stunned either electrically (head only) or by using a captive needle with air pressure.

Comparative sequence analysis of classical swine fever virus isolates from the epizootic in The Netherlands in 1997-1998.

Sixteen classical swine fever virus (CSFV) field isolates from outbreaks of classical swine fever from the period between February 1997 and March 1998 in the Netherlands were sequence analysed. Parts of the 5' noncoding region (5'NCR) and the E1/E2 gene were sequenced after RT-PCR. The obtained sequences were compared with isolates of recent outbreaks in Europe and those of former outbreaks in the Netherlands.