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Other Ruminants (other + ruminant)
Selected AbstractsMycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis: its incidence, heat resistance and detection in milk and dairy productsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Irene R Grant Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne's disease in cattle and other ruminants and has been implicated as a possible cause of Crohn's disease in humans. The organism gains access to raw milk directly through excretion into the milk within the udder, and indirectly through faecal contamination during milking. MAP has been shown to survive commercial pasteurization in naturally infected milk, even at the extended holding time of 25 s. Pasteurized milk must therefore be considered a vehicle of transmission of MAP to humans. Isolation methods for MAP from milk are problematical, chiefly because of the absence of a suitable selective medium. This makes food surveillance programs and research on this topic difficult. The MAP problem can be addressed in two main ways: by devising a milk-processing strategy that ensures the death of the organism; and/or strategies at farm level to prevent access of the organism into raw milk. Much of the research to date has been devoted to determining if a problem exists and, if so, the extent of the problem. Little has been directed at possible solutions. Given the current state of information on this topic and the potential consequences for the dairy industry, research is urgently needed so that a better understanding of the risks and the efficacy of possible processing solutions can be determined. [source] Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) interleukin-2: sequence analysis reveals high nucleotide and amino acid identity with interleukin-2 of cattle and other ruminantsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOGENETICS, Issue 4 2002E. Sreekumar Summary A 4400-bp genomic sequence and a 332-bp truncated cDNA sequence of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene of Indian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned. The coding sequence of the buffalo IL-2 gene was assembled from the 5, end of the genomic clone and the truncated cDNA clone. This sequence had 98.5% nucleotide identity and 98% amino acid identity with cattle IL-2. Three amino acid substitutions were observed at positions 63, 124 and 135. Comparison of the predicted protein structure of buffalo IL-2 with that of human and cattle IL-2 did not reveal significant differences. The putative amino acids responsible for IL-2 receptor binding were conserved in buffalo, cattle and human IL-2. The amino acid sequence of buffalo IL-2 also showed very high identity with that of other ruminants, indicating functional cross-reactivity. [source] Case studies in novel narial anatomy: 2.JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 4 2004The enigmatic nose of moose (Artiodactyla: Cervidae: Alces alces) Abstract The facial region of moose Alces alces is highly divergent relative to other cervids and other ruminants. In particular, the narial region forms an expanded muzzle or proboscis that overhangs the mouth. The nose of moose provides a case study in the evolution of narial novelty within a phylogenetically well-resolved group (Cervidae). The function of the nasal apparatus of moose remains enigmatic, and new hypotheses are proposed based on our anatomical findings. Head specimens of moose and outgroup taxa were subjected to medical imaging (CT scanning), vascular injection, gross anatomical dissection, gross sectioning, and skeletonization. Moose noses are characterized by highly enlarged nostrils accompanied by specialized musculature, expanded nasal cartilages, and an increase in the connective-tissue pad serving as the termination of the alar fold. The nostrils are widely separated, and the rhinarium that encircles both nostrils in outgroups is reduced to a tiny central patch in moose. The dorsal lateral nasal cartilage is modified to form a pulley mechanism associated with the levator muscle of the upper lip. The lateral accessory nasal cartilage is enlarged and serves as an attachment site for musculature controlling the aperture of the nostril, particularly the lateralis nasi, the apical dilatators, and the rectus nasi. Bony support for narial structures is reduced. Moose show greatly enlarged nasal cartilages, and the entire osseocartilaginous apparatus is relatively much larger than in outgroups. The nasal vestibule of moose is very large and houses a system of three recesses: one rostral and one caudal to the nostrils, and one associated with the enlarged fibrofatty alar fold. As a result of the expanded nasal vestibule, osseous support for the nasal conchae (i.e. turbinates) has retracted caudally along with the bony nasal aperture. The nasoturbinate and its mucosal counterparts (dorsal nasal concha and rectal fold) are reduced. The upturned maxilloturbinate, however, is associated with an enlarged ventral nasal concha and alar fold. Moose are the only species of cervid with these particular characteristics, indicating that this anatomical configuration is indeed novel. Although functional hypotheses await testing, our anatomical findings and published behavioural observations suggest that the novel narial apparatus of moose probably has less to do with respiratory physiology than with functions pertaining specifically to the nostrils. The widely separated and laterally facing nostrils may enhance stereolfaction (i.e. extracting directional cues from gradients of odorant molecules in the environment), but other attributes of narial architecture (enlarged cartilages, specialized musculature, recesses, fibrofatty pads) suggest that this function may not have been the evolutionary driving force. Rather, these attributes suggest a mechanical function, namely, an elaborated nostril-closing system. [source] A cloning and expression analysis of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins expressed in trophoblasts of the white-tail deer placenta,MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 11 2007Gretchen A. Brandt Abstract The pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are placental proteins that have been cloned from swine, sheep, goats, and cattle, but never from animals within the Cervidae family. The goal of this work was to characterize PAGs in white-tailed deer. Placenta and uterine tissues were collected from pregnant does at days 85 and 90 of pregnancy. RNA from cotyledons was used to amplify deer PAGs by RT-PCR. Ten distinct cDNAs were cloned and sequenced. Some normally conserved amino acids comprising the catalytic site were found to be altered in deer PAGs 4, 5, and 8; another PAG, (PAG-9) was a splice variant that lacked exon 7. In each case, these mutations would likely preclude proteolytic activity for these proteins. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of the deer PAGs fell within the ancient PAG grouping. The remainder fell within the more modern (BNC-specific) PAG group. Western blotting was performed with anti-PAG antibodies and this analysis revealed that deer PAGs comprise a heterogeneous group based on different antigenicities and electrophoretic mobilities. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization revealed some unique localization patterns of PAGs in the deer placentome compared to those in other ruminants. Most notably, deer PAGs 4 and 5, which according to the phylogeny, are "ancient PAGs," were expected to be present in all trophoblasts; instead, they were localized to the BNC. Although many of the PAGs identified here are very similar to those in Bovidae, some are clearly distinct in their expression pattern and probably possess functional roles unique to cervid reproduction. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 74: 1355,1362, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] CASA Assessment of Kinematic Parameters of Ram Spermatozoa and their Relationship to Migration Efficiency in Ruminant Cervical MucusREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 4 2008I Robayo Contents Sperm motility is an indicator of male fertility because of its importance for sperm migration through the female genital tract and for gamete interaction at fertilization. This study analyses the relationship between computer assisted semen analysis (CASA) motility patterns and sperm migration of rams in ruminant cervical mucus. In experiment 1, spermatozoa extended with sperm analysis medium (SAM) and seminal plasma were compared in terms of motility. In experiment 2, 56 semen samples were collected either with artificial vagina (AV) or electroejaculator to be compared in terms of motility performance. In experiment 3, 104 ejaculates collected by AV from 26 males were analysed via the CASA system to characterize their motility patterns. In experiment 4, ejaculates from pairs of rams (20 rams in total) were simultaneously assessed for mucus migration (ovine, caprine, bovine) and motility patterns to evaluate the correlations between both parameters. Semen collected by AV and extended in SAM allows the most reliable assessment for sperm motility. Ram spermatozoa move fast and follow a linear trajectory compared with other ruminants. Continuous line velocity (VCL) and average path velocity (VAP) are the only sperm kinematic parameters that presented significant positive correlations with the ability to migrate in sheep cervical mucus (p < 0.05). Continuous line velocity, VAP, straight line velocity and linearity are highly significantly related with migration efficiency in goat cervical mucus (p < 0.01) and only lateral head displacement is negatively related to sperm migration in bovine cervical mucus (p < 0.05). These results suggest that specific kinematic parameters confer the ability of spermatozoa to colonize and migrate through epithelial mucus with different rheological properties. [source] REVIEW ARTICLE: Immunological Paradigms and the Pathogenesis of Ovine Chlamydial AbortionAMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Gary Entrican Citation Entrican G, Wattegedera S, Wheelhouse N, Allan A, Rocchi M. Immunological paradigms and the pathogenesis of ovine chlamydial abortion. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010 Successful mammalian pregnancy involves complex immunological interactions between the mother and foetus that are not yet fully understood. A number of immunological paradigms have been established to explain the failure of the maternal immune system to reject the semi-allogeneic foetus, mainly based on studies in mice and humans. However, as placental structure, gestation periods and number of concepti per pregnancy can vary greatly between mammals, it is not always clear how applicable these immunological paradigms are to reproduction in other species. Here, we discuss the predictions of three important immunological paradigms in relation to the pathogenesis of ovine enzootic abortion (OEA), a common cause of infectious abortion in sheep and other ruminants. OEA is caused by the intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Chlamydophila abortus that exhibits a tropism for placental trophoblast. The paradigms of particular relevance to the pathogenesis of OEA are as follows: (i) intracellular bacterial infections are controlled by TH1-type CD4+ve T cells; (ii) indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is expressed in the placenta to prevent immunological rejection of the semi-allogeneic foetus; and (iii) pregnancy is a maternal TH2-type phenomenon. We discuss the relevance and validity of these paradigms for chlamydial abortion and reproductive immunology in sheep. [source] Immunolocalization of Gastrin-Releasing Peptide (GRP) in the Uteroplacenta of the Mouse DeerANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 4 2006J. Kimura Summary The considerable phylogenetical differences between mouse deer and other ruminants have been established by means of DNA sequence analysis and anatomical observations. To clarify the physiological role of the uteroplacenta of the mouse deer, immunohistochemical observation was attempted by using GRP, which has been suggested as a novel regulatory peptide in the female reproductive tract, as an indicator to compare with other ruminants. Strong positive reactions for the GRP were detected in the uterine glands of the pregnant animals, but not in the non-pregnant ones. Although the placenta of the mouse deer is categorized as a diffuse placenta that is different from other ruminants' polycotyledonary placenta, in terms of GRP immunoreactivity, the mouse deer placenta can be classified as a synepithecholial placenta like the other ruminants'. The secretion of GRP from the uterine glands is of some importance to the fetus in the mouse deer. [source] | |||||||||||||