WorldWideScience

Sample records for living pig brain

  1. Intracranial Pressure Response to Non-Penetrating Ballistic Impact: An Experimental Study Using a Pig Physical Head Model and Live Pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hai; Kang, Jianyi; Chen, Jing; Li, Guanhua; Li, Xiaoxia; Wang, Jianmin

    2012-01-01

    This study was conducted to characterize the intracranial pressure response to non-penetrating ballistic impact using a "scalp-skull-brain" pig physical head model and live pigs. Forty-eight ballistic tests targeting the physical head model and anesthetized pigs protected by aramid plates were conducted with standard 9 mm bullets at low (279-297 m/s), moderate (350-372 m/s), and high (409-436 m/s) velocities. Intracranial pressure responses were recorded with pressure sensors embedded in similar brain locations in the physical head model and the anesthetized pigs. Three parameters of intracranial pressure were determined from the measured data: intracranial maximum pressure (Pmax), intracranial maximum pressure impulse (PImax), and the duration of the first positive phase (PPD). The intracranial pressure waves exhibited blast-like characteristics for both the physical model and l live pigs. Of all three parameters, Pmax is most sensitive to impact velocity, with means of 126 kPa (219 kPa), 178 kPa (474 kPa), and 241 kPa (751 kPa) for the physical model (live pigs) for low, moderate, and high impact velocities, respectively. The mean PPD becomes increasingly short as the impact velocity increases, whereas PImax shows the opposite trend. Although the pressure parameters of the physical model were much lower than those of the live pigs, good correlations between the physical model and the live pigs for the three pressure parameters, especially Pmax, were found using linear regression. This investigation suggests that Pmax is a preferred parameter for predicting the severity of the brain injury resulting from behind armor blunt trauma (BABT). PMID:23055817

  2. Brain infection following experimental Staphylococcus aureus sepsis in pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Astrup, Lærke Boye; Iburg, Tine Moesgaard; Nielsen, Ole Lerberg

    2010-01-01

    Introduction: Sepsis is a major problem in humans and both the incidence and mortality is increasing. Multiple microabcesses can be found in the brain of septic patients. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of sepsis and brain abscesses. S. aureus is also a frequent cause...... of spontaneous porcine pyemia including endocarditis and associated brain lesions. We present a porcine model of haematogenous S. aureus induced brain infection. Materials and Methods: Twelve pigs received an intravenous injection of S. aureus of 108 CFU/kg body weight once at 0h or twice at 0h and 12h. Four...... pigs were kept as controls. The pigs were euthanized in groups of four at either 6, 12, 24 or 48 h post infection. The brain was collected from all the animals and examined histologically. Results: All the inoculated pigs developed sepsis and 7 out of 12 animals had microabscesses in the prosencephalon...

  3. Magnetic resonance elastography of the brain: A comparison between pigs and humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weickenmeier, Johannes; Kurt, Mehmet; Ozkaya, Efe; Wintermark, Max; Pauly, Kim Butts; Kuhl, Ellen

    2018-01-01

    Magnetic resonance elastography holds promise as a non-invasive, easy-to-use, in vivo biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. Throughout the past decade, pigs have gained increased popularity as large animal models for human neurodegeneration. However, the volume of a pig brain is an order of magnitude smaller than the human brain, its skull is 40% thicker, and its head is about twice as big. This raises the question to which extent established vibration devices, actuation frequencies, and analysis tools for humans translate to large animal studies in pigs. Here we explored the feasibility of using human brain magnetic resonance elastography to characterize the dynamic properties of the porcine brain. In contrast to humans, where vibration devices induce an anterior-posterior displacement recorded in transverse sections, the porcine anatomy requires a dorsal-ventral displacement recorded in coronal sections. Within these settings, we applied a wide range of actuation frequencies, from 40Hz to 90Hz, and recorded the storage and loss moduli for human and porcine brains. Strikingly, we found that optimal actuation frequencies for humans translate one-to-one to pigs and reliably generate shear waves for elastographic post-processing. In a direct comparison, human and porcine storage and loss moduli followed similar trends and increased with increasing frequency. When translating these frequency-dependent storage and loss moduli into the frequency-independent stiffnesses and viscosities of a standard linear solid model, we found human values of μ 1 =1.3kPa, μ 2 =2.1kPa, and η=0.025kPas and porcine values of μ 1 =2.0kPa, μ 2 =4.9kPa, and η=0.046kPas. These results suggest that living human brain is softer and less viscous than dead porcine brain. Our study compares, for the first time, magnetic resonance elastography in human and porcine brains, and paves the way towards systematic interspecies comparison studies and ex vivo validation of magnetic resonance

  4. Interaction between LSD and dopamine D2/3 binding sites in pig brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minuzzi, Luciano; Nomikos, George G; Wade, Mark R; Jensen, Svend B; Olsen, Aage K; Cumming, Paul

    2005-06-15

    The psychoactive properties of the hallucinogen LSD have frequently been attributed to high affinity interactions with serotonin 5HT2 receptors in brain. Possible effects of LSD on dopamine D2/3 receptor availability have not previously been investigated in living brain. Therefore, we used PET to map the binding potential (pB) of [11C]raclopride in brain of three pigs, first in a baseline condition, and again at 1 and 4 h after administration of LSD (2.5 microg/kg, i.v.). There was a progressive treatment effect in striatum, where the pB was significantly reduced by 19% at 4 h after LSD administration. Concomitant maps of cerebral blood flow did not reveal significant changes in perfusion during this interval. Subsequent in vitro studies showed that LSD displaced [3H]raclopride (2 nM) from pig brain cryostat sections with an IC50 of 275 nM according to a one-site model. Fitting of a two-site model to the data suggested the presence of a component of the displacement curves with a subnanomolar IC50, comprising 20% of the total [3H]raclopride binding. In microdialysis experiments, LSD at similar and higher doses did not evoke changes in the interstitial concentration of dopamine or its acidic metabolites in rat striatum. Together, these results are consistent with a direct interaction between LSD and a portion of dopamine D2/3 receptors in pig brain, possibly contributing to the psychopharmacology of LSD. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  5. Imaging technologies to study the composition of live pigs: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carabús, A.; Gispert, M.; Font-i-Furnols, M.

    2016-11-01

    Image techniques are increasingly being applied to livestock animals. This paper overviews recent advances in image processing analysis for live pigs, including ultrasound, visual image analysis by monitoring, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. The methodology for live pigs evaluation, advantages and disadvantages of different devices, the variables and measurements analysed, the predictions obtained using these measurements and their accuracy are discussed in the present paper. Utilities of these technologies for livestock purposes are also reviewed. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging yield useful results for the estimation of the amount of fat and lean mass either in live pigs or in carcasses. Ultrasound is not sufficiently accurate when high precision in estimating pig body composition is necessary but can provide useful information in agriculture to classify pigs for breeding purposes or before slaughter. Improvements in factors, such as the speed of scanning, cost and image accuracy and processing, would advance the application of image processing technologies in livestock animals. (Author)

  6. Imaging technologies to study the composition of live pigs: A review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Carabús

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Image techniques are increasingly being applied to livestock animals. This paper overviews recent advances in image processing analysis for live pigs, including ultrasound, visual image analysis by monitoring, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. The methodology for live pigs evaluation, advantages and disadvantages of different devices, the variables and measurements analysed, the predictions obtained using these measurements and their accuracy are discussed in the present paper. Utilities of these technologies for livestock purposes are also reviewed. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging yield useful results for the estimation of the amount of fat and lean mass either in live pigs or in carcasses. Ultrasound is not sufficiently accurate when high precision in estimating pig body composition is necessary but can provide useful information in agriculture to classify pigs for breeding purposes or before slaughter. Improvements in factors, such as the speed of scanning, cost and image accuracy and processing, would advance the application of image processing technologies in livestock animals.

  7. Modeling the live-pig trade network in Georgia: Implications for disease prevention and control.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esther Andrea Kukielka

    Full Text Available Live pig trade patterns, drivers and characteristics, particularly in backyard predominant systems, remain largely unexplored despite their important contribution to the spread of infectious diseases in the swine industry. A better understanding of the pig trade dynamics can inform the implementation of risk-based and more cost-effective prevention and control programs for swine diseases. In this study, a semi-structured questionnaire elaborated by FAO and implemented to 487 farmers was used to collect data regarding basic characteristics about pig demographics and live-pig trade among villages in the country of Georgia, where very scarce information is available. Social network analysis and exponential random graph models were used to better understand the structure, contact patterns and main drivers for pig trade in the country. Results indicate relatively infrequent (a total of 599 shipments in one year and geographically localized (median Euclidean distance between shipments = 6.08 km; IQR = 0-13.88 km pig movements in the studied regions. The main factors contributing to live-pig trade movements among villages were being from the same region (i.e., local trade, usage of a middleman or a live animal market to trade live pigs by at least one farmer in the village, and having a large number of pig farmers in the village. The identified villages' characteristics and structural network properties could be used to inform the design of more cost-effective surveillance systems in a country which pig industry was recently devastated by African swine fever epidemics and where backyard production systems are predominant.

  8. 9 CFR 3.36 - Primary enclosures used to transport live guinea pigs and hamsters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... live guinea pigs and hamsters. 3.36 Section 3.36 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH..., Care, Treatment, and Transportation of Guinea Pigs and Hamsters Transportation Standards § 3.36 Primary enclosures used to transport live guinea pigs and hamsters. No person subject to the Animal Welfare...

  9. Fetal guinea pig brain 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase: Ontogeny and effect of ethanol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Treissman, D.; Brien, J.F.

    1991-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine the ontogeny of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-OH-PGDH) activity in the brain of the fetal guinea pig and to test the hypothesis that acute in vitro ethanol exposure produces concentration-dependent inhibition of fetal brain 15-OH-PGDH activity. Enzyme activity was determined in vitro by measuring the rate of oxidation of PGE2 to 15-keto-PGE2 using an optimized radiometric procedure. The study was conducted utilizing the whole brain of the fetal guinea pig at mean gestational ages of 34, 43 and 62 days (term, about 66 days) and the brain stem (pons and medulla) of the fetal guinea pig at mean gestational ages of 43 and 62 days. The direct effect of acute in vitro exposure to ethanol was assessed by incubating 15-OH-PGDH with ethanol in the concentration range of 10 to 80 mM. 15-OH-PGDH was measurable in the whole brain and brain stem, and the enzyme activity was similar for the gestational ages examined. There was no significant ethanol-induced inhibition of 15-OH-PGDH activity in the whole brain or brain stem. The data demonstrate that the whole brain and brain stem of the fetal guinea pig have the capacity to metabolize PGE2 to 15-keto-PGE2, an inactive metabolite, during the second half of gestation. The data apparently are not consistent with the hypothesis that acute in vitro exposure to ethanol directly inhibits 15-OH-PGDH activity in fetal brain

  10. Determining Optimal Microwave Antigen Retrieval Conditions for Microtubule-Associated Protein 2 Immunohistochemistry in the Guinea Pig Brain

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-12-01

    sections of formalin-fixed guinea pig brains using different MAP-2 monoclonal antibodies. Brain sections were boiled in sodium citrate, citric acid...citric acid solution at pH 6.0 is the optimal microwave-assisted AR method for immunolabeling MAP-2 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-processed guinea pig brain...studies on archival guinea pig brain paraffin blocks, ultimately relaxing the use of additional animals to evaluate changes in MAP-2 expression between chemical warfare nerve agent-treated and control samples.

  11. Developing guinea pig brain as a model for cortical folding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatakeyama, Jun; Sato, Haruka; Shimamura, Kenji

    2017-05-01

    The cerebral cortex in mammals, the neocortex specifically, is highly diverse among species with respect to its size and morphology, likely reflecting the immense adaptiveness of this lineage. In particular, the pattern and number of convoluted ridges and fissures, called gyri and sulci, respectively, on the surface of the cortex are variable among species and even individuals. However, little is known about the mechanism of cortical folding, although there have been several hypotheses proposed. Recent studies on embryonic neurogenesis revealed the differences in cortical progenitors as a critical factor of the process of gyrification. Here, we investigated the gyrification processes using developing guinea pig brains that form a simple but fundamental pattern of gyri. In addition, we established an electroporation-mediated gene transfer method for guinea pig embryos. We introduce the guinea pig brain as a useful model system to understand the mechanisms and basic principle of cortical folding. © 2017 Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists.

  12. Live Cells Decreased Methane Production in Intestinal Content of Pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. L. Gong

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available An in vitro gas production technique was used in this study to elucidate the effect of two strains of active live yeast on methane (CH4 production in the large intestinal content of pigs to provide an insight to whether active live yeast could suppress CH4 production in the hindgut of pigs. Treatments used in this study include blank (no substrate and no live yeast cells, control (no live yeast cells and yeast (YST supplementation groups (supplemented with live yeast cells, YST1 or YST2. The yeast cultures contained 1.8×1010 cells per g, which were added at the rates of 0.2 mg and 0.4 mg per ml of the fermented inoculum. Large intestinal contents were collected from 2 Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire pigs, mixed with a phosphate buffer (1:2, and incubated anaerobically at 39°C for 24 h using 500 mg substrate (dry matter (DM basis. Total gas and CH4 production decreased (p<0.05 with supplementation of yeast. The methane production reduction potential (MRP was calculated by assuming net methane concentration for the control as 100%. The MRP of yeast 2 was more than 25%. Compared with the control group, in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD and total volatile fatty acids (VFA concentration increased (p<0.05 in 0.4 mg/ml YST1 and 0.2 mg/ml YST2 supplementation groups. Proportion of propionate, butyrate and valerate increased (p<0.05, but that of acetate decreased (p<0.05, which led to a decreased (p<0.05 acetate: propionate (A: P ratio in the both YST2 treatments and the 0.4 mg/ml YST 1 supplementation groups. Hydrogen recovery decreased (p<0.05 with yeast supplementation. Quantity of methanogenic archaea per milliliter of inoculum decreased (p<0.05 with yeast supplementation after 24 h of incubation. Our results suggest that live yeast cells suppressed in vitro CH4 production when inoculated into the large intestinal contents of pigs and shifted the fermentation pattern to favor propionate production together with an increased population of acetogenic

  13. Behavioural and brain responses to flavoured-meals paired with visceral stimulations in pigs

    OpenAIRE

    Clouard, Caroline; Jouhanneau, Mélanie; Meunier-Salaün, Marie-Christine; Malbert, Charles-Henri; Val-Laillet, David

    2011-01-01

    Behavioural and brain responses towards conditioned flavours with different hedonic values were studied in twelve 30-kg pigs. During four 30-min conditioning sessions per flavour, the animals received a flavoured-meal paired with intraduodenal infusions of 15% glucose (FG), lithium chloride (FL), or saline (FS). Two-choice feeding tests were performed 1 and 5 weeks later, and in between, anaesthetised pigs were subjected to three PET brain imaging with exposure to the flavours. During conditi...

  14. Investigation on Live Pig Insurance and Ill Dead Pig Biosafety Disposal in Xinzheng,Henan Province%河南新郑市的生猪保险联动

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    刘炜; 张代宝; 贾松涛; 赵立军; 周婷婷

    2014-01-01

    Dead pig biosafety disposal is related to public health,food safety and sustainable and health development of animal husbandry. In order to make clear the situation of pig farming,dead pig biosafety disposal,live pig insur-ance and quarantine supervision in Xinzheng City,Henan Province,investigations were carried out on biosafety dis-posal and live pig insurance. The achievements and problems were analyzed,and suggestions were proposed on dead pig biosafety disposal.%文章介绍了河南新郑市推行生猪保险与病死猪无害化处理联动的情况和成效。针对这一工作存在的问题提出了建立联动机制的建议。

  15. Live pig markets in eastern Indonesia: Trader characteristics, biosecurity and implications for disease spread.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, Edwina E C; Geong, Maria; Abdurrahman, Muktasam; Ward, Michael P; Toribio, Jenny-Ann L M L

    2016-03-01

    Classical swine fever has been negatively impacting pig production in Nusa Tenggara Timur province in eastern Indonesia since its introduction in the 1990s, with live market trade contributing to disease spread. To understand market trader knowledge and practices regarding pig management, biosecurity, pig movements and pig health (specifically CSF), a repeated survey was conducted with pig sellers and pig buyers at 9 market sites across West Timor and the islands of Flores and Sumba. A total of 292 sellers and 281 buyers were interviewed in 2009 during two periods (rounds), a high-demand month (September) and a low-demand month (November). Information was collected via questionnaire. The majority of traders were male (sellers: 89%; buyers: 87%) with the highest level of completed education being primary school (sellers: 48%; buyers: 41%). The primary occupation of most respondents was farming: 90% of sellers and 87% of buyers were smallholder pig farmers and tended to sell their own home-raised pigs at market (52%). Pigs were sold for monetary gain either for primary (52%) or extra income (44%). Markets tended to be selected based on a good reputation (62%), a location close to residence (62%) and having the desired pig type (59%). Pig sales through markets were reported to be highest from August to October with 31% of sellers trading pigs at two or more markets. Prices at market were significantly higher on Sumba compared to West Timor and cross-bred pigs were significantly more expensive than indigenous pigs. Understanding of CSF and biosecurity was limited: 85% of sellers and 83% of buyers had no prior knowledge of CSF. Fifty-four percent of sellers reported no use of any biosecurity practices at market. Most respondents (88%) were able to recognise at least one clinical sign of a sick pig. Informal pig movements were also identified: 18% of pig buyers purchased pigs directly from other farmers. This study has provided baseline information on market trader

  16. The in vitro isolated whole guinea pig brain as a model to study epileptiform activity patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Curtis, Marco; Librizzi, Laura; Uva, Laura

    2016-02-15

    Research on ictogenesis is based on the study of activity between seizures and during seizures in animal models of epilepsy (chronic condition) or in in vitro slices obtained from naïve non-epileptic brains after treatment with pro-convulsive drugs, manipulations of the extracellular medium and specific stimulation protocols. The in vitro isolated guinea pig brain retains the functional connectivity between brain structures and maintains interactions between neuronal, glial and vascular compartments. It is a close-to-in vivo preparation that offers experimental advantages not achieved with the use of other experimental models. Neurophysiological and imaging techniques can be utilized in this preparation to study brain activity during and between seizures induced by pharmacological or functional manipulations. Cellular and network determinants of interictal and ictal discharges that reproduce abnormal patterns observed in human focal epilepsies and the associated changes in extracellular ion and blood-brain permeability can be identified and analyzed in the isolated guinea pig brain. Ictal and interictal patterns recorded in in vitro slices may show substantial differences from seizure activity recorded in vivo due to slicing procedure itself. The isolated guinea pig brain maintained in vitro by arterial perfusion combines the typical facilitated access of in vitro preparations, that are difficult to approach during in vivo experiments, with the preservation of larger neuronal networks. The in vitro whole isolated guinea pig brain preparation offers an unique experimental model to study systemic and neurovascular changes during ictogenesis. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Identification and characterization of an ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase from pig brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, S.D.; Fong, Y.L.

    1985-01-01

    Substantial amounts of ATP.Mg-dependent phosphorylase phosphatase (Fc. M) and its activator (kinase FA) were identified and extensively purified from pig brain, in spite of the fact that glycogen metabolism in the brain is of little importance. The brain Fc.M was completely inactive and could only be activated by ATP.Mg and FA, isolated either from rabbit muscle or pig brain. Kinetical analysis of the dephosphorylation of endogenous brain protein indicates that Fc.M could dephosphorylate 32 P-labeled myelin basic protein (MBP) and [ 32 P]phosphorylase alpha at a comparable rate and moreover, this associated MBP phosphatase activity was also strictly kinase FA/ATP.Mg-dependent, demonstrating that MBP is a potential substrate for Fc.M in the brain. By manipulating MBP and inhibitor-2 as specific potent phosphorylase phosphatase inhibitors, we further demonstrate that 1) Fc.M contains two distinct catalytic sites to dephosphorylate different substrates, and 2) brain MBP may be a physiological trigger involved in the regulation of protein phosphatase substrate specificity in mammalian nervous tissues

  18. Detection of cysteine protease in Taenia solium-induced brain granulomas in naturally infected pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mkupasi, Ernatus Martin; Sikasunge, Chummy Sikalizyo; Ngowi, Helena Aminiel

    2013-01-01

    In order to further characterize the immune response around the viable or degenerating Taenia solium cysts in the pig brain, the involvement of cysteine protease in the immune evasion was assessed. Brain tissues from 30 adult pigs naturally infected with T. solium cysticercosis were subjected...... protease may play a role in inducing immune evasion through apoptosis around viable T. solium cysts....

  19. Meat quality and cut yield of pigs slaughtered over 100kg live weight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T.M. Bertol

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Meat quality and cut yield of pigs slaughtered between 100 and 150kg live weight were evaluated. Pigs (417 Agroceres PIC barrows and gilts were fed a daily allowance of 2.8kg per head from 80kg until 100.71±0.85, 118.58±0.99, 134.07±1.18 or 143.90±1.24kg live weight. Seventy-one pigs were used for the evaluation of primal and subprimal cuts. There was no interaction between sex and slaughter weight for any of the evaluated parameters. Ham, shoulder, and loin weights linearly increased (P<0.01; R2: 84.3-93.2% with increasing slaughter weight, which, however, had little effect on primal cuts meat yield. Increasing slaughter weight promoted a linear (P<0.05 and a quadratic (P<0.01 increase of red/green coordinate (a* value of the loin and ham, respectively. Shear force showed a quadratic response (P<0.05, with minimum value estimated at 122kg slaughter weight. It was concluded that, under the applied management, increasing slaughter weight increased the volume of meat, but had little effect on meat yield. The meat of pigs slaughtered at heavier weights showed more intense red color and the same intramuscular fat content as lighter pigs, while tenderness was slightly affected.

  20. Pig brain stereotaxic standard space: Mapping of cerebral blood flow normative values and effect of MPTP-lesioning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, F.; Watanabe, H.; Bjarkam, C.R.

    2005-01-01

    The analysis of physiological processes in brain by position emission tomography (PET) is facilitated when images are spatially normalized to a standard coordinate system. Thus, PET activation studies of human brain frequently employ the common stereotaxic coordinates of Talairach. We have...... developed an analogous stereotaxic coordinate system for the brain of the Gottingen miniature pig, based on automatic co-registration of magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained in 22 male pigs. The origin of the pig brain stereotaxic space (0, 0, 0) was arbitrarily placed in the centroid of the pineal gland...... as identified on the average MRI template. The orthogonal planes were imposed using the line between stereotaxic zero and the optic chiasm. A series of mean MR images in the coronal, sagittal and horizontal planes were generated. To test the utility of the common coordinate system for functional imaging studies...

  1. Optimization of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Immunoreactivity in Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Guinea Pig Brain Sections

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-09-01

    fixed, paraffin-embedded guinea pig brain sections using a variety of commercially available GFAP antibody clones. Of the 7 clones tested for cross...determining neuropathological consequences in the guinea pig following exposure to chemical warfare nerve agent.

  2. Brain Mass and Encephalization Quotients in the Domestic Industrial Pig (Sus scrofa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serena Minervini

    Full Text Available In the present study we examined the brain of fetal, newborn, and adult pigs raised for meat production. The fresh and formalin-fixed weights of the brain have been recorded and used, together with body weight, to calculate the Encephalization Quotient (EQ. The weight of the cerebellum has been used to calculate the Cerebellar Quotient (CQ. The results have been discussed together with analogue data obtained in other terrestrial Cetartiodactyla (including the domestic bovine, sheep, goat, and camel, domesticated Carnivora, Proboscidata, and Primates. Our study, based on a relatively large experimental series, corrects former observations present in the literature based on smaller samples, and emphasizes that the domestic pig has a small brain relative to its body size (EQ = 0.38 for adults, possibly due to factors linked to the necessity of meat production and improved body weight. Comparison with other terrestrial Cetartiodactyla indicates a similar trend for all domesticated species.

  3. Brain neurotransmitters and hippocampal proteome in pigs under stress and environmental enrichment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Arroyo

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Stress and wellbeing are psychological conditions that are mediated by the central nervous system. In the brain, stress is mediated mainly by the hypothalamus, which will activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis, leading to the secretion of cortisol, the paradigmatic stress hormone. Other brain areas as the amygdala, the hippocampus or the prefrontal cortex (PFC are involved in emotions such as happiness, anxiety and fear. Communication between brain areas is achieved by chemical neurotransmitters (NTs, which are secreted by presynaptic neurons to reach postsynaptic neurons, where they will cause a variation in membrane polarization and other cell signaling actions, leading to physiological responses. Amongst these NTs, catecholamines (noradrenaline and dopamine and serotonin play an important role. On the other hand, the adverse effects of stress may be counteracted by housing the individuals under environmental enrichment conditions. This long-term situation should have an effect, not only on NTs, but also on the brain proteome. Under the hypothesis that different stress situations will lead to changes in NT composition that will be specific for crucial brain areas, we have tested the effects of transport stress, handling stress at the slaughterhouse, and the stress-susceptible genotype (Ryr1 on the amine NT concentration in amygdala, hippocampus, PFC and hypothalamus of pigs. The effects of living under environmentally enriched or control conditions on the NT concentration in several brain regions and on the hippocampus proteome has been also analyzed. In conclusion, genetic factors as well as management conditions related to housing, transport and slaughterhouse alter in different degree the catecholaminergic and the serotoninergic neurotransmission in the brain, and give clues about how different individual types are able to react to external challenges. Likewise, environmental enrichment leads to changes in the proteome

  4. Dietary Iron Repletion following Early-Life Dietary Iron Deficiency Does Not Correct Regional Volumetric or Diffusion Tensor Changes in the Developing Pig Brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Austin T. Mudd

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundIron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency worldwide and children are at an increased risk due to the rapid growth occurring during early life. The developing brain is highly dynamic, requires iron for proper function, and is thus vulnerable to inadequate iron supplies. Iron deficiency early in life results in altered myelination, neurotransmitter synthesis, neuron morphology, and later-life cognitive function. However, it remains unclear if dietary iron repletion after a period of iron deficiency can recover structural deficits in the brain.MethodTwenty-eight male pigs were provided either a control diet (CONT; n = 14; 23.5 mg Fe/L milk replacer or an iron-deficient diet (ID; n = 14; 1.56 mg Fe/L milk replacer for phase 1 of the study, from postnatal day (PND 2 until 32. Twenty pigs (n = 10/diet from phase 1 were used in phase 2 of the study from PND 33 to 61, all pigs were provided a common iron sufficient diet, regardless of their early-life dietary iron status. All pigs remaining in the study were subjected to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI at PND 32 and again at PND 61 using structural imaging sequences and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI to assess volumetric and microstructural brain development, respectively. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA to assess the main and interactive effects of early-life iron status and time.ResultsAn interactive effect was observed for absolute whole brain volumes, in which whole brain volumes of ID pigs were smaller at PND 32 but were not different than CONT pigs at PND 61. Analysis of brain region volumes relative to total brain volume indicated interactive effects (i.e., diet × day in the cerebellum, olfactory bulb, and putamen-globus pallidus. Main effects of early-life iron status, regardless of imaging time point, were noted for decreased relative volumes of the left hippocampus, right hippocampus, thalamus, and increased relative white matter volume

  5. Effects of acute nicotine on hemodynamics and binding of [11C]raclopride to dopamine D2,3 receptors in pig brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cumming, Paul; Rosa-Neto, Pedro; Watanabe, Hideaki; Smith, Donald; Bender, Dirk; Clarke, Paul B S; Gjedde, Albert

    2003-07-01

    Positive reinforcing properties of nicotine and the psychostimulants have been attributed to elevated dopamine release in the basal ganglia. It is well known that the specific binding of [(11)C]raclopride to dopamine D(2,3) receptors in living striatum is reduced by cocaine and amphetamines, revealing increased competition between endogenous dopamine and [(11)C]raclopride for dopamine D(2,3) receptors. However, the sensitivity of [(11)C]raclopride binding to nicotine-induced dopamine release is less well documented. In order to provide the basis for mapping effects of nicotine, we first optimized reference tissue methods for quantifying [(11)C]raclopride binding sites in striatum of living pigs (n = 16). In the same animals, the rate of cerebral blood flow (CBF) was mapped using [(15)O]water. Neither a low dose of nicotine (50 mu kg(-1), iv) nor a high dose of nicotine (500 microg kg(-1), iv) altered CBF in the pig brain, an important condition for calculating the binding of radioligands when using a reference tissue to estimate the free ligand concentration. The methods of Logan and of Lammertsma were compared using the cerebellum or the occipital cortex as reference tissues for calculating the binding potential (pB) of [(11)C]raclolpride in brain. Irrespective of the method used, the mean undrugged baseline pB in striatum (ca. 2.0) was significantly asymmetric, with highest binding in the left caudate and right putamen. Test-retest estimates of pB were stable. Subtraction of Logan pB maps revealed that the low dose of nicotine reduced the pB of [(11)C]raclopride by 10% in a cluster of voxels in the left anteroventral striatum, but this effect did not persist after correction for multiple comparisons. The high dose of nicotine (n = 9) acutely reduced pB by 10% bilaterally in the ventral striatum; 3 h after the high nicotine dose, the reductions had shifted dorsally and caudally into the caudate and putamen. Evidently, nicotine challenge enhances the competition

  6. The use of pigs in neuroscience

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lind, Nanna Marie; Moustgaard, Anette; Jelsing, Jacob

    2007-01-01

    The use of pigs in neuroscience research has increased in the past decade, which has seen broader recognition of the potential of pigs as an animal for experimental modeling of human brain disorders. The volume of available background data concerning pig brain anatomy and neurochemistry has...

  7. Simulation and Optimization of One Live Pig Low-Carbon Industry Chain Using SD-RCCM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiuping Xu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The destruction of the natural environment has been drawing more and more attention. Developing low-carbon industry chains is an effective solution to the conflict between rapid economic growth and high CO2 emissions. Summarizing various traditional and new industry chain sustainable development, live pig industry was chosen as a typical industry chain to study low-carbon development using a system dynamics and random chance-constrained model (SD-RCCM. Leshan, a world natural and cultural heritage area in China, was selected as a typical city to analyze the low-carbon pig industry. Three different programs based on distribution ratios were selected to study this industry. The results showed that program 1, which considers both environmental and economic benefits, realizes sustainable development. In order to extend the pig industry chain and fully utilize pig ordure and other waste, introducing a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM and household biogas exploitation program is recommended.

  8. The multidrug resistance 1 gene Abcb1 in brain and placenta: comparative analysis in human and guinea pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pappas, Jane J; Petropoulos, Sophie; Suderman, Matthew; Iqbal, Majid; Moisiadis, Vasilis; Turecki, Gustavo; Matthews, Stephen G; Szyf, Moshe

    2014-01-01

    The Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1; alternatively ABCB1) gene product P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an ATP binding cassette transporter, extrudes multiple endogenous and exogenous substrates from the cell, playing an important role in normal physiology and xenobiotic distribution and bioavailability. To date, the predominant animal models used to investigate the role of P-gp have been the mouse and rat, which have two distinct genes, Abcb1a and Abcb1b. In contrast, the human has a single gene, ABCB1, for which only a single isoform has been validated. We and others have previously shown important differences between Abcb1a and Abcb1b, limiting the extrapolation from rodent findings to the human. Since the guinea pig has a relatively long gestation, hemomonochorial placentation and neuroanatomically mature offspring, it is more similar to the human, and may provide a more comparable model for investigating the regulation of P-gp in the brain and placenta, however, to date, the Abcb1 gene in the guinea pig remains to be characterized. The placenta and fetal brain are barrier sites that express P-gp and that play a critical role of protection of the fetus and the fetal brain from maternally administered drugs and other xenobiotics. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative PCR (QPCR) to sequence the expressed isoforms of guinea pig Abcb1, we demonstrate that like the human, the guinea pig genome contains one gene for Abcb1 but that it is expressed as at least three different isoforms via alternative splicing and alternate exon usage. Further, we demonstrate that these isoforms are more closely related to human than to rat or mouse isoforms. This striking, overall similarity and evolutionary relatedness between guinea pig Abcb1 and human ABCB1 indicate that the guinea pig represents a relevant animal model for investigating the function and regulation of P-gp in the placenta and brain.

  9. Disruption of the blood–brain barrier in pigs naturally infected with Taenia solium, untreated and after anthelmintic treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerra-Giraldez, Cristina; Marzal, Miguel; Cangalaya, Carla; Balboa, Diana; Orrego, Miguel Ángel; Paredes, Adriana; Gonzales-Gustavson, Eloy; Arroyo, Gianfranco; García, Hector H.; González, Armando E.; Mahanty, Siddhartha; Nash, Theodore E.

    2014-01-01

    Neurocysticercosis is a widely prevalent disease in the tropics that causes seizures and a variety of neurological symptoms in most of the world. Experimental models are limited and do not allow assessment of the degree of inflammation around brain cysts. The vital dye Evans Blue (EB) was injected into 11 pigs naturally infected with Taenia solium cysts to visually identify the extent of disruption of the blood brain barrier. A total of 369 cysts were recovered from the 11 brains and classified according to the staining of their capsules as blue or unstained. The proportion of cysts with blue capsules was significantly higher in brains from pigs that had received anthelmintic treatment 48 and 120 h before the EB infusion, indicating a greater compromise of the blood brain barrier due to treatment. The model could be useful for understanding the pathology of treatment-induced inflammation in neurocysticercosis. PMID:23684909

  10. Comparison of the effects of radiation and hyperthermia on prenatal retardation of brain growth of guinea-pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wanner, R.A.; Edwards, M.J.

    1983-01-01

    On day 21 of pregnancy guinea-pigs were exposed to hyperthermia or #betta# radiation. The effects on prenatal growth and especially brain growth of offspring were compared. Doses of 0.04-0.99 Gy of radiation produced a dose-dependent and irreversible reduction of brainweight in the offspring, but had little effect on body weight. Treatment with hyperthermia resulting in maternal temperatures of 41.8-43.9 0 C after exposure in a heated incubator for an hour also produced a dose-related micrencephaly in the offspring. Comparison of the two agents showed that a dose increment of 0.525 Gy of radiation produced a deficit in brain weight equivalent to an elevation of 1 0 C in maternal temperature. Using this guinea-pig brain weight assay system a threshold was detected of between 0.05 and 0.10 Gy for retardation of brain growth. (author)

  11. Exposures to Conditioned Flavours with Different Hedonic Values Induce Contrasted Behavioural and Brain Responses in Pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clouard, Caroline; Jouhanneau, Mélanie; Meunier-Salaün, Marie-Christine; Malbert, Charles-Henri; Val-Laillet, David

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the behavioural and brain responses towards conditioned flavours with different hedonic values in juvenile pigs. Twelve 30-kg pigs were given four three-day conditioning sessions: they received three different flavoured meals paired with intraduodenal (i.d.) infusions of 15% glucose (FGlu), lithium chloride (FLiCl), or saline (control treatment, FNaCl). One and five weeks later, the animals were subjected to three two-choice feeding tests without reinforcement to check the acquisition of a conditioned flavour preference or aversion. In between, the anaesthetised pigs were subjected to three 18FDG PET brain imaging coupled with an olfactogustatory stimulation with the conditioned flavours. During conditioning, the pigs spent more time lying inactive, and investigated their environment less after the FLiCl than the FNaCl or FGlu meals. During the two-choice tests performed one and five weeks later, the FNaCl and FGlu foods were significantly preferred over the FLICl food even in the absence of i.d. infusions. Surprisingly, the FNaCl food was also preferred over the FGlu food during the first test only, suggesting that, while LiCl i.d. infusions led to a strong flavour aversion, glucose infusions failed to induce flavour preference. As for brain imaging results, exposure to aversive or less preferred flavours triggered global deactivation of the prefrontal cortex, specific activation of the posterior cingulate cortex, as well as asymmetric brain responses in the basal nuclei and the temporal gyrus. In conclusion, postingestive visceral stimuli can modulate the flavour/food hedonism and further feeding choices. Exposure to flavours with different hedonic values induced metabolism differences in neural circuits known to be involved in humans in the characterization of food palatability, feeding motivation, reward expectation, and more generally in the regulation of food intake. PMID:22685528

  12. Exposures to conditioned flavours with different hedonic values induce contrasted behavioural and brain responses in pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Clouard

    Full Text Available This study investigated the behavioural and brain responses towards conditioned flavours with different hedonic values in juvenile pigs. Twelve 30-kg pigs were given four three-day conditioning sessions: they received three different flavoured meals paired with intraduodenal (i.d. infusions of 15% glucose (F(Glu, lithium chloride (F(LiCl, or saline (control treatment, F(NaCl. One and five weeks later, the animals were subjected to three two-choice feeding tests without reinforcement to check the acquisition of a conditioned flavour preference or aversion. In between, the anaesthetised pigs were subjected to three (18FDG PET brain imaging coupled with an olfactogustatory stimulation with the conditioned flavours. During conditioning, the pigs spent more time lying inactive, and investigated their environment less after the F(LiCl than the F(NaCl or F(Glu meals. During the two-choice tests performed one and five weeks later, the F(NaCl and F(Glu foods were significantly preferred over the F(LICl food even in the absence of i.d. infusions. Surprisingly, the F(NaCl food was also preferred over the F(Glu food during the first test only, suggesting that, while LiCl i.d. infusions led to a strong flavour aversion, glucose infusions failed to induce flavour preference. As for brain imaging results, exposure to aversive or less preferred flavours triggered global deactivation of the prefrontal cortex, specific activation of the posterior cingulate cortex, as well as asymmetric brain responses in the basal nuclei and the temporal gyrus. In conclusion, postingestive visceral stimuli can modulate the flavour/food hedonism and further feeding choices. Exposure to flavours with different hedonic values induced metabolism differences in neural circuits known to be involved in humans in the characterization of food palatability, feeding motivation, reward expectation, and more generally in the regulation of food intake.

  13. Exposures to conditioned flavours with different hedonic values induce contrasted behavioural and brain responses in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clouard, Caroline; Jouhanneau, Mélanie; Meunier-Salaün, Marie-Christine; Malbert, Charles-Henri; Val-Laillet, David

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the behavioural and brain responses towards conditioned flavours with different hedonic values in juvenile pigs. Twelve 30-kg pigs were given four three-day conditioning sessions: they received three different flavoured meals paired with intraduodenal (i.d.) infusions of 15% glucose (F(Glu)), lithium chloride (F(LiCl)), or saline (control treatment, F(NaCl)). One and five weeks later, the animals were subjected to three two-choice feeding tests without reinforcement to check the acquisition of a conditioned flavour preference or aversion. In between, the anaesthetised pigs were subjected to three (18)FDG PET brain imaging coupled with an olfactogustatory stimulation with the conditioned flavours. During conditioning, the pigs spent more time lying inactive, and investigated their environment less after the F(LiCl) than the F(NaCl) or F(Glu) meals. During the two-choice tests performed one and five weeks later, the F(NaCl) and F(Glu) foods were significantly preferred over the F(LICl) food even in the absence of i.d. infusions. Surprisingly, the F(NaCl) food was also preferred over the F(Glu) food during the first test only, suggesting that, while LiCl i.d. infusions led to a strong flavour aversion, glucose infusions failed to induce flavour preference. As for brain imaging results, exposure to aversive or less preferred flavours triggered global deactivation of the prefrontal cortex, specific activation of the posterior cingulate cortex, as well as asymmetric brain responses in the basal nuclei and the temporal gyrus. In conclusion, postingestive visceral stimuli can modulate the flavour/food hedonism and further feeding choices. Exposure to flavours with different hedonic values induced metabolism differences in neural circuits known to be involved in humans in the characterization of food palatability, feeding motivation, reward expectation, and more generally in the regulation of food intake.

  14. Vitamin C deficiency in weanling guinea pigs: differential expression of oxidative stress and DNA repair in liver and brain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lykkesfeldt, Jens; Trueba, Gilberto Perez; Poulsen, Henrik E

    2007-01-01

    Neonates are particularly susceptible to malnutrition due to their limited reserves of micronutrients and their rapid growth. In the present study, we examined the effect of vitamin C deficiency on markers of oxidative stress in plasma, liver and brain of weanling guinea pigs. Vitamin C deficiency...... incision repair (P = 0.014) were all increased, while protein oxidation decreased (P = 0.003). The results show that the selective preservation of brain ascorbate and induction of DNA repair in vitamin C-deficient weanling guinea pigs is not sufficient to prevent oxidative damage. Vitamin C deficiency may...

  15. Pharmacological characterization and autoradiographic localization of substance P receptors in guinea pig brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dam, T.V.; Quirion, R.

    1986-01-01

    [ 3 H]Substance P ([ 3 H]SP) was used to characterize substance P (SP) receptor binding sites in guinea pig brain using membrane preparations and in vitro receptor autoradiography. Curvilinear Scatchard analysis shows that [ 3 H]SP binds to a high affinity site (Kd = 0.5 nM) with a Bmax of 16.4 fmol/mg protein and a low affinity site (Kd = 29.6 nM) with a Bmax of 189.1 fmol/mg protein. Monovalent cations generally inhibit [ 3 H]SP binding while divalent cations substantially increased it. The ligand selectivity pattern is generally similar to the one observed in rat brain membrane preparation with SP being more potent than SP fragments and other tachykinins. However, the potency of various nucleotides is different with GMP-PNP greater than GDP greater than GTP. The autoradiographic distribution of [ 3 H]SP binding sites shows that high amounts of sites are present in the hippocampus, striatum, olfactory bulb, central nucleus of the amygdala, certain thalamic nuclei and superior colliculus. The cortex is moderately enriched in [ 3 H]SP binding sites while the substantia nigra contains only very low amounts of sites. Thus, the autoradiographic distribution of SP binding sites is fairly similar in both rat and guinea pig brain

  16. Exposures to Conditioned Flavours with Different Hedonic Values Induce Contrasted Behavioural and Brain Responses in Pigs

    OpenAIRE

    Clouard, Caroline; Jouhanneau, Mélanie; Meunier-Salaün, Marie-Christine; Malbert, Charles-Henri; Val-Laillet, David

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the behavioural and brain responses towards conditioned flavours with different hedonic values in juvenile pigs. Twelve 30-kg pigs were given four three-day conditioning sessions: they received three different flavoured meals paired with intraduodenal (i.d.) infusions of 15% glucose (F(Glu)), lithium chloride (F(LiCl)), or saline (control treatment, F(NaCl)). One and five weeks later, the animals were subjected to three two-choice feeding tests without reinforcement to...

  17. Phosphorylation and oligomerization states of native pig brain HSP90 studied by mass spectrometry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garnier, C.; Lafitte, D.; Jorgensen, T.J.

    2001-01-01

    HSP90 purified from pig brain. The two protein isoforms were clearly distinguished by ESI-MS, the alpha isoform being approximately six times more abundant than the beta isoform. ESI-MS in combination with lambda phosphatase treatment provided direct evidence of the existence of four phosphorylated...

  18. Free-living protozoa in the gastrointestinal tract and feces of pigs: Exploration of an unknown world and towards a protocol for the recovery of free-living protozoa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavatte, N; Lambrecht, E; Van Damme, I; Sabbe, K; Houf, K

    2016-07-30

    Associations with free-living protozoa (FLP) have been implicated in the persistence of foodborne pathogenic bacteria in food-related environments. To date however no information is available on the presence of FLP in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of pigs, which represents an important reservoir for zoonotic foodborne bacteria and hence a potential location for associations with FLP. This is at least partly due to the lack of adequate protocols to recover FLP from intestinal content and feces. In the present study different protocols to recover FLP from the porcine GIT and feces were tested. The most effective protocols were then applied to explore the presence of live FLP in the pig GIT and feces. A filtration based protocol was identified as the most suitable method to recover viable FLP from the porcine GIT and feces. Cultivable FLP were recovered from different parts of the GIT, suggesting at least a transient presence of FLP in this habitat. Free-living amoebae species (Acanthamoeba spp., Hyperamoeba sp., Vannella sp., Vermamoeba vermiformis, hartmannellids and vahlkampfiids) but also ciliates (Colpoda sp. and Tetrahymena/Glaucoma lookalike) and flagellates (cercomonads, bodonids and glissomonads) were recovered and cultured from pig intestinal content. Acanthamoeba hatchetti and Filamoeba sinensis were isolated for the first time from pig intestinal content. Despite high gastric acidity, non-cyst forming amoeba species were also detected which suggests survival of their trophozoites in the animal GIT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Purification and characterization of a polyisoprenyl phosphate phosphatase from pig brain. Possible dual specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, D W; Waechter, C J

    1998-05-08

    Microsomal fractions from pig and calf brain catalyze the enzymatic dephosphorylation of endogenous and exogenous dolichyl monophosphate (Dol-P) (Sumbilla, C. A., and Waechter, C. J. (1985) Methods Enzymol. 111, 471-482). The Dol-P phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.51) has been solubilized by extracting pig brain microsomes with the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 and purified approximately 1,107-fold by a combination of anion exchange chromatography, polyethylene glycol fractionation, dye-ligand chromatography, and wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography. Treatment of the enzyme with neuraminidase prevented binding to wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose, indicating the presence of one or more N-acetylneuraminyl residues per molecule of enzyme. When the highly purified polyisoprenyl phosphate phosphatase was analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a major 33-kDa polypeptide was observed. Enzymatic dephosphorylation of Dol-P by the purified phosphatase was 1) optimal at pH 7; 2) potently inhibited by F-, orthovanadate, and Zn2+ > Co2+ > Mn2+ but unaffected by Mg2+; 3) exhibited an approximate Km for C95-Dol-P of 45 microM; and 4) was sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide, phenylglyoxal, and diethylpyrocarbonate. The pig brain phosphatase did not dephosphorylate glucose 6-phosphate, mannose 6-phosphate, 5'-AMP, or p-nitrophenylphosphate, but it dephosphorylated dioleoyl-phosphatidic acid at initial rates similar to those determined for Dol-P. Based on the virtually identical sensitivity of Dol-P and phosphatidic acid dephosphorylation by the highly purified enzyme to N-ethylmaleimide, F-, phenylglyoxal, and diethylpyrocarbonate, both substrates appear to be hydrolyzed by a single enzyme with an apparent dual specificity. This is the first report of the purification of a neutral Dol-P phosphatase from mammalian tissues. Although the enzyme is Mg2+-independent and capable of dephosphorylating Dol-P and PA, several enzymological properties distinguish this lipid

  20. Quantitative autoradiographic localization of cholecystokinin receptors in rat and guinea pig brain using 125I-Bolton-Hunter-CCK8

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niehoff, D.L.

    1989-01-01

    The autoradiographic localization of receptors for the brain-gut peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) has shown differences in receptor distribution between rat and guinea pig brain. However the full anatomical extent of the differences has not been determined quantitatively. In the present study, 125 I-Bolton-Hunter-CCK8 ( 125 I-BH-CCK8) was employed in a comparative quantitative autoradiographic analysis of the distribution of CCK receptors in these two species. The pharmacological profile of 125 I-BH-CCK8 binding in guinea pig forebrain sections was comparable to those previously reported for rat and human. Statistically significant differences in receptor binding between rat and guinea pig occurred in olfactory bulb, caudate-putamen, amygdala, several cortical areas, ventromedial hypothalamus, cerebellum, and a number of midbrain and brainstem nuclei. The results of this study confirm the presence of extensive species-specific variation in the distribution of CCK receptors, suggesting possible differences in the physiological roles of this peptide in different mammalian species

  1. Cognitive testing of pigs (Sus scrofa) in translational biobehavioral research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kornum, Birgitte R; Knudsen, Gitte M

    2011-01-01

    Within neuroscience and biobehavioral research, the pig (Sus scrofus) is increasingly being acknowledged as a valuable large animal species. Compared to the rodent brain, the pig brain more closely resembles the human brain in terms of both anatomy and biochemistry, which associates the pig...... of farm animal welfare researchers, but it has only recently received interest in the wider neuroscience community. Several behavioral tasks have successfully been adapted to the pig, and valuable results have been produced. However, most tasks have only been established at a single research facility...

  2. Automatic delineation of brain regions on MRI and PET images from the pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villadsen, Jonas; Hansen, Hanne D; Jørgensen, Louise M; Keller, Sune H; Andersen, Flemming L; Petersen, Ida N; Knudsen, Gitte M; Svarer, Claus

    2018-01-15

    The increasing use of the pig as a research model in neuroimaging requires standardized processing tools. For example, extraction of regional dynamic time series from brain PET images requires parcellation procedures that benefit from being automated. Manual inter-modality spatial normalization to a MRI atlas is operator-dependent, time-consuming, and can be inaccurate with lack of cortical radiotracer binding or skull uptake. A parcellated PET template that allows for automatic spatial normalization to PET images of any radiotracer. MRI and [ 11 C]Cimbi-36 PET scans obtained in sixteen pigs made the basis for the atlas. The high resolution MRI scans allowed for creation of an accurately averaged MRI template. By aligning the within-subject PET scans to their MRI counterparts, an averaged PET template was created in the same space. We developed an automatic procedure for spatial normalization of the averaged PET template to new PET images and hereby facilitated transfer of the atlas regional parcellation. Evaluation of the automatic spatial normalization procedure found the median voxel displacement to be 0.22±0.08mm using the MRI template with individual MRI images and 0.92±0.26mm using the PET template with individual [ 11 C]Cimbi-36 PET images. We tested the automatic procedure by assessing eleven PET radiotracers with different kinetics and spatial distributions by using perfusion-weighted images of early PET time frames. We here present an automatic procedure for accurate and reproducible spatial normalization and parcellation of pig PET images of any radiotracer with reasonable blood-brain barrier penetration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Chronic vitamin C deficiency does not accelerate oxidative stress in ageing brains of guinea pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Andersen, Stine Hasselholt; Miyashita, Namiyo

    2012-01-01

      Increased oxidative stress in the brain has consistently been implied in ageing and in several degenerative brain disorders. Acting as a pivotal antioxidant in the brain, vitamin C is preferentially retained during deficiency and may play an essential role in neuroprotection during ageing. Thus......, a lack of vitamin C could be associated with an increase in redox imbalance in the ageing brain. The present study compared oxidative stress of ageing to that of a long-term non-scorbutic vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs. Adults (3-9 months old) were compared to old (36-42 months old) animals during...... a six-month dietary intervention by assessing vitamin C transport and redox homeostasis in the brain. In contrast to our hypothesis, chronic vitamin C deficiency did not affect the measured markers of oxidative stress in the brains of adult and aged animals. However, aged animals generally showed...

  4. Quantitative autoradiographic localization of cholecystokinin receptors in rat and guinea pig brain using sup 125 I-Bolton-Hunter-CCK8

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niehoff, D.L. (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL (USA))

    1989-03-01

    The autoradiographic localization of receptors for the brain-gut peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) has shown differences in receptor distribution between rat and guinea pig brain. However the full anatomical extent of the differences has not been determined quantitatively. In the present study, {sup 125}I-Bolton-Hunter-CCK8 ({sup 125}I-BH-CCK8) was employed in a comparative quantitative autoradiographic analysis of the distribution of CCK receptors in these two species. The pharmacological profile of {sup 125}I-BH-CCK8 binding in guinea pig forebrain sections was comparable to those previously reported for rat and human. Statistically significant differences in receptor binding between rat and guinea pig occurred in olfactory bulb, caudate-putamen, amygdala, several cortical areas, ventromedial hypothalamus, cerebellum, and a number of midbrain and brainstem nuclei. The results of this study confirm the presence of extensive species-specific variation in the distribution of CCK receptors, suggesting possible differences in the physiological roles of this peptide in different mammalian species.

  5. Post Mortem Leukocyte Scintigraphy in Juvenile Pigs with Experimentally Induced Osteomyelitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Afzelius, P.; Nielsen, O. L.; Jensen, S. B.

    2017-01-01

    We have previously demonstrated that 111In-labeled autologous leukocyte scintigraphy is able to detect osteomyelitis in living juvenile pigs. In animal research studies, it may well be an advantage if the animals could be scanned after euthanasia. Applying traditional scanning of living animals...... for homing to the site of infections as usual while the pigs were alive. In this study, we demonstrate that it is possible to perform SPECT/CT with 111In-labelled autologous leukocytes almost 24 hrs after euthanasia with the same detectability of osteomyelitic lesions as in living pigs (78% versus 79......%). The pigs in this study had exactly the same experimental conditions as the living pigs and were examined in parallel with the living pigs except for euthanasia prior to the leukocyte scan and that no PET/CT scans were performed....

  6. A critical examination of the occurrence of FMRFamide immunoreactivity in the brain of guinea pig and rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Triepel, J; Grimmelikhuijzen, C J

    1984-01-01

    Several reports (cf. Weber et al. (1981) Science 214:1248-1251) have described the extensive occurrence, in rat brain, of material immunologically related to the molluscan neuropeptide FMRFamide. We have reexamined these data in guinea pig and rat, using six different antisera to FMRFamide...

  7. Prenatal effects of trichlorfon on the guinea pig brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berge, G.N.; Nafstad, I.; Fonnum, F.

    1986-01-01

    The organophosphorus compound trichlorfon, dimethyl (2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphonate, was administered by stomach tube (100 mg/kg) to pregnant guinea pigs at two different stages of gestation (days 36, 37, 38 and 51, 52, 53). The pups developed locomotory disturbances, and post mortem examination revealed significantly decreased weights of the total brain and the cerebellum, as compared to controls. There was also a significant weight reduction particularly of the medulla oblongata, but also of the hippocampus, the thalamus, and the colliculi. Histological examination of the cerebellum revealed reduction of the external granular layer and the molecular layer, and regional absence of Purkinje cells. The activities of the neutrotransmitter enzymes choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) in cerebellum were reduced as compared to the control values. (orig.)

  8. Neurokinin-3 Receptor Binding in Guinea Pig, Monkey, and Human Brain: In Vitro and in Vivo Imaging Using the Novel Radioligand, [18F]Lu AF10628.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varnäs, Katarina; Finnema, Sjoerd J; Stepanov, Vladimir; Takano, Akihiro; Tóth, Miklós; Svedberg, Marie; Møller Nielsen, Søren; Khanzhin, Nikolay A; Juhl, Karsten; Bang-Andersen, Benny; Halldin, Christer; Farde, Lars

    2016-08-01

    Previous autoradiography studies have suggested a marked interspecies variation in the neuroanatomical localization and expression levels of the neurokinin 3 receptor, with high density in the brain of rat, gerbil, and guinea pig, but at the time offered no conclusive evidence for its presence in the human brain. Hitherto available radioligands have displayed low affinity for the human neurokinin 3 receptor relative to the rodent homologue and may thus not be optimal for cross-species analyses of the expression of this protein. A novel neurokinin 3 receptor radioligand, [(18)F]Lu AF10628 ((S)-N-(cyclobutyl(3-fluorophenyl)methyl)-8-fluoro-2-((3-[(18)F]-fluoropropyl)amino)-3-methyl-1-oxo-1,2-dihydroisoquinoline-4-carboxamide), was synthesized and used for autoradiography studies in cryosections from guinea pig, monkey, and human brain as well as for positron emission tomography studies in guinea pig and monkey. The results confirmed previous observations of interspecies variation in the neurokinin 3 receptor brain localization with more extensive distribution in guinea pig than in primate brain. In the human brain, specific binding to the neurokinin 3 receptor was highest in the amygdala and in the hypothalamus and very low in other regions examined. Positron emission tomography imaging showed a pattern consistent with that observed using autoradiography. The radioactivity was, however, found to accumulate in skull bone, which limits the use of this radioligand for in vivo quantification of neurokinin 3 receptor binding. Species differences in the brain distribution of neurokinin 3 receptors should be considered when using animal models for predicting human neurokinin 3 receptor pharmacology. For positron emission tomography imaging of brain neurokinin 3 receptors, additional work is required to develop a radioligand with more favorable in vivo properties. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

  9. Estimation of body composition of pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferrell, C.L.; Cornelius, S.G.

    1984-01-01

    A study was conducted to evaluate the use of deuterium oxide (D2O) for in vivo estimation of body composition of diverse types of pigs. Obese (Ob, 30) and contemporary Hampshire X Yorkshire (C, 30) types of pigs used in the study were managed and fed under typical management regimens. Indwelling catheters were placed in a jugular vein of 6 Ob and 6 C pigs at 4, 8, 12, 18 and 24 wk of age. The D2O was infused (.5 g/kg body weight) as a .9% NaCl solution into the jugular catheter. Blood samples were taken immediately before and at .25, 1, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h after the D2O infusion and D2O concentration in blood water was determined. Pigs were subsequently killed by euthanasia injection. Contents of the gastrointestinal tract were removed and the empty body was then frozen and later ground and sampled for subsequent analyses. Ground body tissue samples were analyzed for water, fat, N, fat-free organic matter and ash. Pig type, age and the type X age interaction were significant sources of variation in live weight, D2O pool size and all empty body components, as well as all fat-free empty body components. Relationships between age and live weight or weight of empty body components, and between live weight, empty body weight, empty body water or D2O space and weight of empty components were highly significant but influenced, in most cases, by pig type. The results of this study suggested that, although relationships between D2O space and body component weights were highly significant, they were influenced by pig type and were little better than live weight for the estimation of body composition

  10. Salmonella arizonaeInfection In A Guinea Pig Breeding Unit

    OpenAIRE

    GÜREL, Aydın; AYYILDIZ, Gülbin

    1998-01-01

    Salmonella arizonae infection was detected in guinea pigs kept for breeding. Two months old 50 quinea pigs were died in the breedig unit. Three death and 2 live guinea pigs were brought to Veterinary Faculty of İstanbul. The live 2 were euthanasied and necropcy was performed on all guinea pigs. The fluid about 50 cc. in the abdomen, the necrosis and pseudomembranes in the liver and spleen were observed. On histopathology, the foci of various coagulative necrosis were seen in the liver. The...

  11. PET radioligand injection for pig neuroimaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alstrup, Aage Kristian Olsen; Munk, Ole Lajord; Landau, Anne M.

    2018-01-01

    Pigs are useful models in neuroimaging studies with positron emission tomography. Radiolabeled ligands are injected intravenously at the start of the scan and in pigs, the most easily accessible route of administration is the ear vein. However, in brain studies the short distance between the brai...

  12. [Can man live with a pig kidney?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valentin, J F; Lebranchu, Y; Nivet, H

    1999-01-01

    The transplantation of organs from one species to another introduces a question of compatibility not seen in allotransplantation, the ability of a kidney to perform its physiological function in the new host environment. It has been assumed that an allotransplanted organ will function normally if is not rejected; ample experience supports this assumption. This luxury will not exist in the field of xenotransplantation, where the issues of comparative physiology will assume great importance. From many standpoints, the pig kidney seems an ideal donor for xenotransplantation. They are of similar size and have remarkably similar internal anatomy. Even if the immunological problems could be overcome, there is almost no direct experimental evidence to answer the question of whether or not a pig kidney can function in a human body.

  13. Optimal-mass-transfer-based estimation of glymphatic transport in living brain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratner, Vadim; Zhu, Liangjia; Kolesov, Ivan; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

    2015-03-01

    It was recently shown that the brain-wide cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange system designated the `glymphatic pathway' plays a key role in removing waste products from the brain, similarly to the lymphatic system in other body organs . It is therefore important to study the flow patterns of glymphatic transport through the live brain in order to better understand its functionality in normal and pathological states. Unlike blood, the CSF does not flow rapidly through a network of dedicated vessels, but rather through para-vascular channels and brain parenchyma in a slower time-domain, and thus conventional fMRI or other blood-flow sensitive MRI sequences do not provide much useful information about the desired flow patterns. We have accordingly analyzed a series of MRI images, taken at different times, of the brain of a live rat, which was injected with a paramagnetic tracer into the CSF via the lumbar intrathecal space of the spine. Our goal is twofold: (a) find glymphatic (tracer) flow directions in the live rodent brain; and (b) provide a model of a (healthy) brain that will allow the prediction of tracer concentrations given initial conditions. We model the liquid flow through the brain by the diffusion equation. We then use the Optimal Mass Transfer (OMT) approach to derive the glymphatic flow vector field, and estimate the diffusion tensors by analyzing the (changes in the) flow. Simulations show that the resulting model successfully reproduces the dominant features of the experimental data. Keywords: inverse problem, optimal mass transport, diffusion equation, cerebrospinal fluid flow in brain, optical flow, liquid flow modeling, Monge Kantorovich problem, diffusion tensor estimation

  14. Comparison between narcotic 'receptors' in the guinea-pig ileum and the rat brain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Terenius, L [Uppsala Univ. (Sweden)

    1975-01-01

    The receptors, i.e., specific binding molecules, for narcotic analgesics in the guinea-pig ileum and rat brain have been compared. The relative affinities of a number of narcotics for the two receptors were very similar and discrimination between stereoisomeric agents was identical. The dissociation constants for dihydromorphine binding were 0.78 nM for the ileum and 1.4 nM for the brain receptor, respectively. There was a good correspondance between receptor affinities on the ileum preparation and the literature data on biologic activity on the isolated ileum. Codeine, diphenoxylate, difenoxine and loperamide, which are used clinically for the treatment of diarrhoea showed no selectivity against the ileum receptor. The two latter drugs had a very high receptor affinity and their lack of narcotic activity after oral administration is probably attributable to lack of penetration of the CNS. Receptor binding in both ileum and brain preparations was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide, Triton X-100, trypsin and phospholipase C. There were small quantitative differences in sensitivity to these agents but it is difficult to assess whether this is because of real differences between the receptor molecules or attributable to secondary effects. As previously described for the brain receptor, the ileum receptor appeared to be present in a fraction enriched in plasma membranes.

  15. Measurements of RF Heating during 3.0T MRI of a Pig Implanted with Deep Brain Stimulator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorny, Krzysztof R; Presti, Michael F; Goerss, Stephan J; Hwang, Sun C; Jang, Dong-Pyo; Kim, Inyong; Shu, Yunhong; Favazza, Christopher P; Lee, Kendall H; Bernstein, Matt A

    2012-01-01

    Purpose To present preliminary, in vivo temperature measurements during MRI of a pig implanted with a deep brain stimulation (DBS) system. Materials and Methods DBS system (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN) was implanted in the brain of an anesthetized pig. 3.0T MRI was performed with a T/R head coil using the low-SAR GRE EPI and IR-prepped GRE sequences (SAR: 0.42 W/kg and 0.39 W/kg, respectively), and the high-SAR 4-echo RF spin echo (SAR: 2.9 W/kg). Fluoroptic thermometry was used to directly measure RF-related heating at the DBS electrodes, and at the implantable pulse generator (IPG). For reference the measurements were repeated in the same pig at 1.5T and, at both field strengths, in a phantom. Results At 3.0T, the maximal temperature elevations at DBS electrodes were 0.46 °C and 2.3 °C, for the low- and high-SAR sequences, respectively. No heating was observed on the implanted IPG during any of the measurements. Measurements of in-vivo heating differed from those obtained in the phantom. Conclusion The 3.0T MRI using GRE EPI and IR-prepped GRE sequences resulted in local temperature elevations at DBS electrodes of no more than 0.46°C. Although no extrapolation should be made to human exams and much further study will be needed, these preliminary data are encouraging for the future use 3.0T MRI in patients with DBS. PMID:23228310

  16. Measurements of RF heating during 3.0-T MRI of a pig implanted with deep brain stimulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorny, Krzysztof R; Presti, Michael F; Goerss, Stephan J; Hwang, Sun C; Jang, Dong-Pyo; Kim, Inyong; Min, Hoon-Ki; Shu, Yunhong; Favazza, Christopher P; Lee, Kendall H; Bernstein, Matt A

    2013-06-01

    To present preliminary, in vivo temperature measurements during MRI of a pig implanted with a deep brain stimulation (DBS) system. DBS system (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN) was implanted in the brain of an anesthetized pig. 3.0-T MRI was performed with a T/R head coil using the low-SAR GRE EPI and IR-prepped GRE sequences (SAR: 0.42 and 0.39 W/kg, respectively), and the high-SAR 4-echo RF spin echo (SAR: 2.9 W/kg). Fluoroptic thermometry was used to directly measure RF-related heating at the DBS electrodes, and at the implantable pulse generator (IPG). For reference the measurements were repeated in the same pig at 1.5 T and, at both field strengths, in a phantom. At 3.0T, the maximal temperature elevations at DBS electrodes were 0.46 °C and 2.3 °C, for the low- and high-SAR sequences, respectively. No heating was observed on the implanted IPG during any of the measurements. Measurements of in vivo heating differed from those obtained in the phantom. The 3.0-T MRI using GRE EPI and IR-prepped GRE sequences resulted in local temperature elevations at DBS electrodes of no more than 0.46 °C. Although no extrapolation should be made to human exams and much further study will be needed, these preliminary data are encouraging for the future use 3.0-T MRI in patients with DBS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Mr 25,000 heparin-binding protein from guinea pig brain is a high molecular weight form of basic fibroblast growth factor.

    OpenAIRE

    Moscatelli, D; Joseph-Silverstein, J; Manejias, R; Rifkin, D B

    1987-01-01

    A Mr 25,000 form of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been isolated from guinea pig brain along with the typical Mr 18,000 form. Both forms were purified to homogeneity by a combination of heparin-affinity chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography on an FPLC Mono S column. The Mr 25,000 form, like the Mr 18,000 form, was not eluted from the heparin-affinity column with 0.95 M NaCl, but was eluted with 2 M NaCl. The Mr 25,000 guinea pig protein stimulated plasminogen activator pro...

  18. A comparison between endogenous acetylcholiner release and (3H) choline outflow from guinea-pig brain slices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beani, L.; Bianchi, C.; Siniscalchi, A.; Sivilotti, L.; Tanganelli, S.; Veratti, E.

    1986-01-01

    The measure of tritium-choline efflux from preloaded brain slices is considered a valid method for studying cholinergic functiton. At variance with th say of endogenous acetylcholine this procedure gives andindex of the release process in the absence of esterase inhibition, thus excluding the dampening of the autoreceptor-mediated negative feedback. In order to establish the equivalence of these approaches the tow methods have been compared on electrically=stimulated guinea-pig brain slices, kept under the ame experimental conditions. The results show that only a partial equivalence of the two methods can be recognized. A drawback of the tritium-choline approach is the exhaustion or dilution of tritium stores, so that drug-induced increases of evoked efflux are minimized

  19. Vitamin C deficiency in weanling guinea pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lykkesfeldt, Jens; Trueba, Gilberto Perez; Poulsen, Henrik E.

    2007-01-01

    Neonates are particularly susceptible to malnutrition due to their limited reserves of micronutrients and their rapid growth. In the present study, we examined the effect of vitamin C deficiency on markers of oxidative stress in plasma, liver and brain of weanling guinea pigs. Vitamin C deficiency...... increased, while protein oxidation decreased (P¼0003). The results show that the selective preservation of brain ascorbate and induction of DNA repair in vitamin C-deficient weanling guinea pigs is not sufficient to prevent oxidative damage. Vitamin C deficiency may therefore be particularly adverse during...

  20. [Utilization of feed energy by growing pigs. 3. Energy requirement for the growth and fattening of pigs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, L; Schiemann, R; Jentsch, W

    1979-02-01

    The test series for the investigation of the energy consumption of growing pigs of the breeds large white and improved land race pig as well as cross breeds of the two breeds in a total of 369 metabolism periods (as described in the first two pieces of information of this publication series -- Hoffmann and others, 1977 and Jentsch and Hoffmann, 1977) were statistically analysed for the purpose of the derivation of the energy requirement for maintenance and the partial energy requirement for growth in order to test the possibilities of the factorial analysis for the derivation of energy requirement values of growing pigs. The dependence of the maintenance requirement of growing pigs (investigations in the live weight range of 10 to 40 kg -- see 1st information--were made with boars those in the live weight range of 30 to 120 kg were made with gelded boars, 2nd information) on the live weight can best be characterised by applying a power exponent of 0,61 or 0,62 for the live weight. A definition is offered to be discussed for the energetic maintenance requirement of productive live stock and laboratory animals as a conventional value. The energy requirement values derived from the doubly-factorial statistical analysis show a satisfactory adaptation to the measured values as such concerning energy intake and observed growth performance of the test animals. The conclusion is drawn that the factorial analysis of the energy requirement (maintenance plus partial performances) results in a better estimate of the requirement of growing animals than the assessment according only to live weight and live weight increase without characterising the energy requirement for partial performances. This is important for the further working on and more exact definition of requirement norms.

  1. Post-weaning and whole-of-life performance of pigs is determined by live weight at weaning and the complexity of the diet fed after weaning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cherie L. Collins

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The production performance and financial outcomes associated with weaner diet complexity for pigs of different weight classes at weaning were examined in this experiment. A total of 720 weaner pigs (360 entire males and 360 females were selected at weaning (27 ± 3 d and allocated to pens of 10 based on individual weaning weight (light weaning weight: pigs below 6.5 kg; medium weaning weight: 6.5 to 8 kg; heavy weaning weight: above 8.5 kg. Pens were then allocated in a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with the respective factors being weaning weight (heavy, medium and light; H, M and L, respectively, weaner diet complexity (high complexity/cost, HC; low complexity/cost, LC, and gender (male and female. Common diets were fed to both treatment groups during the final 4 weeks of the weaner period (a period of 39 days. In the first 6 d after weaning, pigs offered the HC diets gained weight faster and used feed more efficiently than those offered the LC diets (P = 0.031. Pigs fed a HC diet after weaning tended to be heavier at the sale live weight of 123 d of age compared with pigs fed the LC diet (P = 0.056. There were no other main effects of the feeding program on growth performance through to slaughter. Weaning weight had a profound influence on lifetime growth performance and weight at 123 d of age, with H pigs at weaning increasing their weight advantage over the M and L pigs (101.3, 97.1, 89.6 kg respectively, P < 0.001. Cost-benefit analyses suggested there was a minimal benefit in terms of cost per unit live weight gain over lifetime when pigs were offered a HC feeding program to L, with a lower feed cost/kg gain. The results from this investigation confirm the impact of weaning weight on lifetime growth performance, and suggest that a HC feeding program should be focused on L weaner pigs (i.e., weaning weight less than 6.5 kg at 27 d of age in order to maximise financial returns.

  2. (/sup 3/H)diprenorphine binding to kappa-sites in guinea-pig and rat brain: Evidence for apparent heterogeneity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wood, M.S.; Traynor, J.R.

    1989-07-01

    The binding of the unselective opioid antagonist (/sup 3/H)diprenorphine to homogenates prepared from rat brain and from guinea-pig brain and cerebellum has been studied in HEPES buffer containing 10 mM Mg2+ ions. Sequential displacement of bound (/sup 3/H)diprenorphine by ligands with selectivity for mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptors uncovers the multiple components of binding. In the presence of cold ligands that occupy all mu-, delta-, and kappa-sites, opioid binding still remains. This binding represents 20% of total specific sites and is displaced by naloxone. The nature of these undefined opioid binding sites is discussed.

  3. GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS OF HYBRID PIG PREDICTED BY MEANS OF ASYMMETRIC S-CURVE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Goran Kušec

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study was performed on 24 pigs distributed over two MHS-genotypes (NN, Nn and two feeding regimes (intensive, restrictive. These pigs were investigated as the last of four trials in the experiment carried out by Kušec et al. (2005. The data on muscle and fatty tissue volumes were obtained by means of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI. For the growth depiction and for the predictions of live weight as well as of muscle and fat tissue, four models developed by Kušec et al. (2007 were used. These models were set up on the basis of the general form of asymmetric S-function. This function seemed to fit well to the data collected in the present study; but the inaccuracy of the models appeared to increase with age. At the age of 124 days, the estimated values of live weight, muscle and fat volumes were close to the actual values measured in the group of intensively fed pigs; in the group of restrictively fed pigs live weight and muscle volume were underestimated while the volume of fat was overestimated. At the time of the last MR imaging (154 days of age, live weight and muscle volume was to some extent overestimated in the pigs fed intensively and underestimated in those fed restrictively. The volume of fatty tissue was estimated with favourable accuracy in all investigated groups of pigs. For further predictions, two approaches were used. In the first approach to predict individual live weights, at the age of 124 days, the predictions were fairly accurate for most of the pigs, falling in the range within one week; 4 of them being estimated falsely by more than ±7 days. Generally, when expressed as absolute value, the average misestimate was ~4 days in all groups, except for the restrictively fed MHS-gene carrier pigs which were estimated with 6 days difference on the average. At the age of 154 days, the predictions were to some extent less accurate; 7 pigs (in total were incorrectly predicted by more than a week. The prediction accuracy

  4. Autoradiographic visualization of A 1-adenosine receptors in brain and peripheral tissues of rat and guinea pig using 125I-HPIA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weber, R.G.; Lohse, M.J.; Jones, C.R.; Palacios, J.M.

    1988-01-01

    A 1 -adenosine receptors were identified in sections of rat brain and guinea pig kidney with the radioiodinated agonist 1 25I-N 6 -p-hydroxyphenylisopropyladenosine ( 1 25I-HPIA) using in vitro autoradiography. The affinities of adenosine receptor ligands in competing with 1 25I-HPIA binding to tissue sections were in good agreement with those found in membranes and indicate that the binding site represents an A 1 pattern of [ 3 H]N 6 -cyclohexyladenosine ([ 3 H]CHA) binding sites determined previously, with highest densities in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus, the cerebellar cortex, some thalamic nuclei and certain layers of the cerebral cortex. In the guinea pig kidney 1 25I-HPIA labelled longitudinal structures in the medulla. This study demonstrates that 1 25I-HPIA allows the autoradiographic detection of A-1 adenosine receptors in the brain and peripheral organs and has the advantage of short exposure times (author)

  5. NeuroPigPen: A Scalable Toolkit for Processing Electrophysiological Signal Data in Neuroscience Applications Using Apache Pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahoo, Satya S; Wei, Annan; Valdez, Joshua; Wang, Li; Zonjy, Bilal; Tatsuoka, Curtis; Loparo, Kenneth A; Lhatoo, Samden D

    2016-01-01

    The recent advances in neurological imaging and sensing technologies have led to rapid increase in the volume, rate of data generation, and variety of neuroscience data. This "neuroscience Big data" represents a significant opportunity for the biomedical research community to design experiments using data with greater timescale, large number of attributes, and statistically significant data size. The results from these new data-driven research techniques can advance our understanding of complex neurological disorders, help model long-term effects of brain injuries, and provide new insights into dynamics of brain networks. However, many existing neuroinformatics data processing and analysis tools were not built to manage large volume of data, which makes it difficult for researchers to effectively leverage this available data to advance their research. We introduce a new toolkit called NeuroPigPen that was developed using Apache Hadoop and Pig data flow language to address the challenges posed by large-scale electrophysiological signal data. NeuroPigPen is a modular toolkit that can process large volumes of electrophysiological signal data, such as Electroencephalogram (EEG), Electrocardiogram (ECG), and blood oxygen levels (SpO2), using a new distributed storage model called Cloudwave Signal Format (CSF) that supports easy partitioning and storage of signal data on commodity hardware. NeuroPigPen was developed with three design principles: (a) Scalability-the ability to efficiently process increasing volumes of data; (b) Adaptability-the toolkit can be deployed across different computing configurations; and (c) Ease of programming-the toolkit can be easily used to compose multi-step data processing pipelines using high-level programming constructs. The NeuroPigPen toolkit was evaluated using 750 GB of electrophysiological signal data over a variety of Hadoop cluster configurations ranging from 3 to 30 Data nodes. The evaluation results demonstrate that the toolkit

  6. Geographic correlation between tapeworm carriers and heavily infected cysticercotic pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seth E O'Neal

    Full Text Available Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. Sustainable community-based interventions are urgently needed to control transmission of the causative parasite, Taenia solium. We examined the geospatial relationship between live pigs with visible cysticercotic cysts on their tongues and humans with adult intestinal tapeworm infection (taeniasis in a rural village in northern Peru. The objective was to determine whether tongue-positive pigs could indicate high-risk geographic foci for taeniasis to guide targeted screening efforts. This approach could offer significant benefit compared to mass intervention.We recorded geographic coordinates of all village houses, collected stool samples from all consenting villagers, and collected blood and examined tongues of all village pigs. Stool samples were processed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA for presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens indicative of active taeniasis; serum was processed by enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot for antibodies against T. solium cysticercosis (EITB LLGP and T. solium taeniasis (EITB rES33.Of 548 pigs, 256 (46.7% were positive for antibodies against cysticercosis on EITB LLGP. Of 402 fecal samples, 6 (1.5% were positive for the presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens. The proportion of coproantigen-positive individuals differed significantly between residents living within 100-meters of a tongue-positive pig (4/79, 5.1% and residents living >100 meters from a tongue-positive pig (2/323, 0.6% (p = 0.02. The prevalence of taeniasis was >8 times higher among residents living within 100 meters of a tongue-positive pig compared to residents living outside this range (adjusted PR 8.1, 95% CI 1.4-47.0.Tongue-positive pigs in endemic communities can indicate geospatial foci in which the risk for taeniasis is increased. Targeted screening or presumptive treatment for taeniasis within these high-risk foci may be an effective and

  7. Geographic Correlation between Tapeworm Carriers and Heavily Infected Cysticercotic Pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neal, Seth E.; Moyano, Luz M.; Ayvar, Viterbo; Gonzalvez, Guillermo; Diaz, Andre; Rodriguez, Silvia; Wilkins, Patricia P.; Tsang, Victor C. W.; Gilman, Robert H.; Garcia, Hector H.; Gonzalez, Armando E.

    2012-01-01

    Background Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. Sustainable community-based interventions are urgently needed to control transmission of the causative parasite, Taenia solium. We examined the geospatial relationship between live pigs with visible cysticercotic cysts on their tongues and humans with adult intestinal tapeworm infection (taeniasis) in a rural village in northern Peru. The objective was to determine whether tongue-positive pigs could indicate high-risk geographic foci for taeniasis to guide targeted screening efforts. This approach could offer significant benefit compared to mass intervention. Methods We recorded geographic coordinates of all village houses, collected stool samples from all consenting villagers, and collected blood and examined tongues of all village pigs. Stool samples were processed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens indicative of active taeniasis; serum was processed by enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot for antibodies against T. solium cysticercosis (EITB LLGP) and T. solium taeniasis (EITB rES33). Findings Of 548 pigs, 256 (46.7%) were positive for antibodies against cysticercosis on EITB LLGP. Of 402 fecal samples, 6 (1.5%) were positive for the presence of Taenia sp. coproantigens. The proportion of coproantigen-positive individuals differed significantly between residents living within 100-meters of a tongue-positive pig (4/79, 5.1%) and residents living >100 meters from a tongue-positive pig (2/323, 0.6%) (p = 0.02). The prevalence of taeniasis was >8 times higher among residents living within 100 meters of a tongue-positive pig compared to residents living outside this range (adjusted PR 8.1, 95% CI 1.4–47.0). Conclusions Tongue-positive pigs in endemic communities can indicate geospatial foci in which the risk for taeniasis is increased. Targeted screening or presumptive treatment for taeniasis within these high

  8. Developmental disturbances of the fetal brain in guinea-pigs caused by methylmercury

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Inouye, Minoru; Kajiwara, Yuji

    1988-08-01

    Pregnant guinea-pigs of Hartley strain were orally administered methylmercuric chloride once at a dose of 7.5 mg Hg/animal (weighing 500-800 g) on one of days 21, 28, 35, 42 or 49 (3-7 weeks) of gestation. They were killed on day 63 (9 weeks) and their fetuses were removed. Both maternal and fetal blood, brain, liver and kidney, and fetal hair, urine, gastric content and amniotic fluid as well, were sampled for mercury analysis. The fetal brains were also examined pathologically. The maternal kidney contained mercury at a high concentration but the fetal kidney did not. The mercury concentration was strikingly high in the fetal hair, but fairly low in the urine, gastric contents and amniotic fluid. Mercury distributed unevenly in various brain regions of both dams and fetuses after treatment at 6 and 7 weeks of pregnancy (3 and 2 weeks before sampling). The concentration was high in the neopallium and archipallium, followed by the paleopallium, diencephalon and mesencephalon, but low in the rhombencephalon, including cerebellum. Mercury contents were relatively low and distributed almost evenly in various brain regions of both the dams and fetuses following treatment at 3, 4 and 5 weeks of pregnancy. Morphologically, the fetal brains were disturbed in the development following treatment at 3, 4 and 5 weeks of pregnancy. The cerebral cortex was thinned, the nucleus caudatus putamen and the hippocampal formation were reduced in size, and the lateral ventricles were dilated. However, the histological architecture of the cerebral cortex was not strikingly maldeveloped; only a slight disarrangement of the cellular alignment was noted. Following treatment at 6 and 7 weeks of pregnancy, focal degeneration of the neuronal cells was observed in the fetal neocortex; the severe cases showed spongy degeneration and dysgenetic hydrocephalus.

  9. Weight and season affects androstenone and skatole occurrence in entire male pigs in organic pig production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Rikke; Edwards, Sandra; Jensen, Bent Borg

    2015-01-01

    was found between seasons. The study concludes that decreasing live weight at slaughter could be an applicable management tool to reduce risk of boar taint and the level of tainted carcasses for a future production of entire male pigs within the organic pig production system, although further studies...... are needed as great variation in boar taint was found also for low weight animals...

  10. Cognitive testing of pigs (Sus scrofa) in translational biobehavioral research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kornum, Birgitte R; Knudsen, Gitte M

    2011-01-01

    with a higher translational value. Several brain disorders have been fully or partially modeled in the pig and this has further spurred an interest in having access to behavioral tasks for pigs, and in particular to cognitive tasks. Cognitive testing of pigs has been conducted for several years by a small group......, and would benefit from further validation. This review presents the cognitive tasks that have been developed for pigs, their validation, and their current use....

  11. Ultralow-field and spin-locking relaxation dispersion in postmortem pig brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Hui; Hwang, Seong-Min; Wendland, Michael; You, Lixing; Clarke, John; Inglis, Ben

    2017-12-01

    To investigate tissue-specific differences, a quantitative comparison was made between relaxation dispersion in postmortem pig brain measured at ultralow fields (ULF) and spin locking at 7 tesla (T). The goal was to determine whether ULF-MRI has potential advantages for in vivo human brain imaging. Separate specimens of gray matter and white matter were investigated using an ULF-MRI system with superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) signal detection to measure T1ULF at fields from 58.7 to 235.0 μT and using a commercial MRI scanner to measure T1ρ7T at spin-locking fields from 5.0 to 235.0 μT. At matched field strengths, T1ρ7T is 50 to 100% longer than T1ULF. Furthermore, dispersion in T1ULF is close to linear between 58.7 and 235 µT, whereas dispersion in T1ρ7T is highly nonlinear over the same range. A subtle elbow in the T1ULF dispersion at approximately 140 µT is tentatively attributed to the local dipolar field of macromolecules. It is suggested that different relaxation mechanisms dominate each method and that ULF-MRI has a fundamentally different sensitivity to the macromolecular structure of neural tissue. Ultralow-field MRI may offer distinct, quantitative advantages for human brain imaging, while simultaneously avoiding the severe heating limitation imposed on high-field spin locking. Magn Reson Med 78:2342-2351, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  12. Extended Postnatal Brain Development in the Longest-Lived Rodent: Prolonged Maintenance of Neotenous Traits in the Naked Mole-Rat Brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orr, Miranda E; Garbarino, Valentina R; Salinas, Angelica; Buffenstein, Rochelle

    2016-01-01

    The naked mole-rat (NMR) is the longest-lived rodent with a maximum lifespan >31 years. Intriguingly, fully-grown naked mole-rats (NMRs) exhibit many traits typical of neonatal rodents. However, little is known about NMR growth and maturation, and we question whether sustained neotenous features when compared to mice, reflect an extended developmental period, commensurate with their exceptionally long life. We tracked development from birth to 3 years of age in the slowest maturing organ, the brain, by measuring mass, neural stem cell proliferation, axonal, and dendritic maturation, synaptogenesis and myelination. NMR brain maturation was compared to data from similar sized rodents, mice, and to that of long-lived mammals, humans, and non-human primates. We found that at birth, NMR brains are significantly more developed than mice, and rather are more similar to those of newborn primates, with clearly laminated hippocampi and myelinated white matter tracts. Despite this more mature brain at birth than mice, postnatal NMR brain maturation occurs at a far slower rate than mice, taking four-times longer than required for mice to fully complete brain development. At 4 months of age, NMR brains reach 90% of adult size with stable neuronal cytostructural protein expression whereas myelin protein expression does not plateau until 9 months of age in NMRs, and synaptic protein expression continues to change throughout the first 3 years of life. Intriguingly, NMR axonal composition is more similar to humans than mice whereby NMRs maintain expression of three-repeat (3R) tau even after brain growth is complete; mice experience an abrupt downregulation of 3R tau by postnatal day 8 which continues to diminish through 6 weeks of age. We have identified key ages in NMR cerebral development and suggest that the long-lived NMR may provide neurobiologists an exceptional model to study brain developmental processes that are compressed in common short-lived laboratory animal models.

  13. Extended postnatal brain development in the longest-lived rodent: prolonged maintenance of neotenous traits in the naked mole-rat brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miranda E. Orr

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The naked mole-rat (NMR is the longest-lived rodent with a maximum lifespan >31 years. Intriguingly, fully-grown naked mole-rats (NMRs exhibit many traits typical of neonatal rodents. However, little is known about NMR growth and maturation, and we question whether sustained neotenous features when compared to mice, reflect an extended developmental period, commensurate with their exceptionally long life. We tracked development from birth to three years of age in the slowest maturing organ, the brain, by measuring mass, neural stem cell proliferation, axonal and dendritic maturation, synaptogenesis and myelination. NMR brain maturation was compared to data from similar sized rodents, mice, and to that of long-lived mammals, humans and non-human primates. We found that at birth, NMR brains are significantly more developed than mice, and rather are more similar to those of newborn primates, with clearly laminated hippocampi and myelinated white matter tracts. Despite this more mature brain at birth than mice, postnatal NMR brain maturation occurs at a far slower rate than mice, taking four-times longer than required for mice to fully complete brain development. At four months of age, NMR brains reach 90% of adult size with stable neuronal cytostructural protein expression whereas myelin protein expression does not plateau until nine months of age in NMRs, and synaptic protein expression continues to change throughout the first three years of life. Intriguingly, NMR axonal composition is more similar to humans than mice whereby NMRs maintain expression of three-repeat (3R tau even after brain growth is complete; mice experience an abrupt downregulation of 3R tau by postnatal day 8 which continues to diminish through six weeks of age. We have identified key ages in NMR cerebral development and suggest that the long-lived NMR may provide neurobiologists an exceptional model to study brain developmental processes that are compressed in common short-lived

  14. Long term imaging of living brain cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farias, Patricia M. A.; Galembeck, André; Milani, Raquel; Andrade, Arnaldo C. D. S.; Stingl, Andreas

    2018-02-01

    QDs synthesized in aqueous medium and functionalized with polyethylene glycol were used as fluorescent probes. They label and monitor living healthy and cancer brain glial cells in culture. Physical-chemical characterization was performed. Toxicological studies were performed by in vivo short and long-term inhalation in animal models. Healthy and cancer glial living cells were incubated in culture media with highly controlled QDs. Specific features of glial cancer cells were enhanced by QD labelling. Cytoplasmic labelling pattern was clearly distinct for healthy and cancer cells. Labelled cells kept their normal activity for same period as non-labelled control samples.

  15. The pattern of protein retention in pigs from 2 to 120 kg live weight

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chwalibog, André; Jakobsen, K; Thorbek, G

    1996-01-01

    of metabolizable energy and oxidation of nutrients and a total of 152 measurements in the live weight (LW) range from 2 to 120 kg complied with the criterions. 3. The selected material were used in a quadratic function of RP on metabolic weight (kg0.75) to describe the curve for maximum RP. 4. The function...... obtained was: RP, g/d = 11.55 x kg0.75 - 0.185 x kg1.50 with a maximum of 180 g/d at 98 kg LW. 5. The RP-values were compared with data from the literature with other races and the function seems well established to describe maximum protein retention in non-hormone treated or specific selected pigs....

  16. Efficacy of the Tertiary Oxime Monoisonitrosoacetone (MINA) Against Lethal Sarin Intoxication in the Guinea Pig

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-10-01

    Sarin 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Intoxication in the Guinea Pig 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Koplovitz, I and...efficacy of MINA as a treatment for lethal sarin (GB) intoxication in guinea pigs . Male animals were challenged subcutaneously (s.c.) with 2 LD50s...oximes that are readily able to enter the brain. 15. SUBJECT TERMS oximes, brain, sarin, reactivation, nerve agents, guinea pigs 16. SECURITY

  17. Assessment of {alpha}7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor availability in juvenile pig brain with [{sup 18}F]NS10743

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deuther-Conrad, Winnie; Fischer, Steffen; Hiller, Achim; Funke, Uta; Brust, Peter [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmacy, Leipzig (Germany); Becker, Georg; Sabri, Osama [Univ. of Leipzig, Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Leipzig (Germany); Cumming, Paul; Xiong, Guoming [Univ. of Munich, Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Munich (Germany); Peters, Dan [NeuroSearch A/S, Ballerup (Denmark)

    2011-08-15

    To conduct a quantitative PET assessment of the specific binding sites in the brain of juvenile pigs for [{sup 18}F]NS10743, a novel diazabicyclononane derivative targeting {alpha}7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors ({alpha}7 nAChRs). Dynamic PET recordings were made in isoflurane-anaesthetized juvenile pigs during 120 min after administration of [{sup 18}F]NS10743 under baseline conditions (n = 3) and after blocking of the {alpha}7 nAChR with NS6740 (3 mg.kg{sup -1} bolus + 1 mg.kg{sup -1}.h{sup -1} continuous infusion; n = 3). Arterial plasma samples were collected for determining the input function of the unmetabolized tracer. Kinetic analysis of regional brain time-radioactivity curves was performed, and parametric maps were calculated relative to arterial input. Plasma [{sup 18}F]NS10743 passed readily into the brain, with peak uptake occurring in {alpha}7 nAChR-expressing brain regions such as the colliculi, thalamus, temporal lobe and hippocampus. The highest SUV{sub max} was approximately 2.3, whereas the lowest uptake was in the olfactory bulb (SUV{sub max} 1.53 {+-} 0.32). Administration of NS6740 significantly decreased [{sup 18}F]NS10743 binding late in the emission recording throughout the brain, except in the olfactory bulb, which was therefore chosen as reference region for calculation of BP{sub ND}. The baseline BP{sub ND} ranged from 0.39 {+-} 0.08 in the cerebellum to 0.76 {+-} 0.07 in the temporal lobe. Pretreatment and constant infusion with NS6740 significantly reduced the BP{sub ND} in regions with high [{sup 18}F]NS10743 binding (temporal lobe -29%, p = 0.01; midbrain: -35%, p = 0.02), without significantly altering the BP{sub ND} in low binding regions (cerebellum: -16%, p = 0.2). This study confirms the potential of [{sup 18}F]NS10743 as a target-specific radiotracer for the molecular imaging of central {alpha}7 nAChRs by PET. (orig.)

  18. Optimal-mass-transfer-based estimation of glymphatic transport in living brain

    OpenAIRE

    Ratner, Vadim; Zhu, Liangjia; Kolesov, Ivan; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

    2015-01-01

    It was recently shown that the brain-wide cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange system designated the ‘glymphatic pathway’ plays a key role in removing waste products from the brain, similarly to the lymphatic system in other body organs1,2. It is therefore important to study the flow patterns of glymphatic transport through the live brain in order to better understand its functionality in normal and pathological states. Unlike blood, the CSF does not flow rapidly through ...

  19. Severe seizures in pigs naturally infected with Taenia solium in Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trevisan, Chiara; Mkupasi, Ernatus M; Ngowi, Helena A; Forkman, Björn; Johansen, Maria V

    2016-04-15

    Neurocysticercosis (NCC) caused by Taenia solium is a serious neurological disease. In humans neurological symptoms have been thoroughly studied and documented, however, there is limited information on clinical signs in pigs infected with T. solium cysticerci. Among the scientific community, it is in fact believed that pigs with NCC rarely show neurological signs. The aim of this study was to describe clinical manifestations associated with NCC in pigs and correlate the manifestations to the number and distribution of cysticerci in brains of naturally infected pigs in Tanzania. Sixteen infected and 15 non-infected control pigs were observed for 14 days during daylight hours, and subsequently videotaped for another 14 consecutive days using close circuit television cameras. All occurrences of abnormal behaviour (trembling, twitching, mouth and ear paralysis, ataxia, dribbling, salivating, eye blinking, walking in circles) were recorded. At the end of the recording period, pigs were slaughtered and their brains dissected, cysticerci counted and locations noted. During the recording period, two infected pigs were observed having seizures. Some of the observed autonomic signs during a seizure were chewing motions with foamy salivation and ear stiffening. Motor signs included tonic muscle contractions followed by a sudden diminution in all muscle function leading to collapse of the animal. Stereotypic walking in circles was observed on several occasions. At dissection, both pigs had a high number of brain cysticerci (241 and 247 cysticerci). The two pigs with seizures were also older (36 months) compared to the others (18.3 months, ± 8.2 standard deviation). Results of this study have shown that pigs with NCC can develop clinical signs and suffer from seizures like humans with symptomatic NCC. Results of this study could potentially open up a new experimental pathway to explore the aetiology of neurological symptoms in humans with NCC associated epilepsy. Copyright

  20. Increased Foraging in Outdoor Organic Pig Production—Modeling Environmental Consequences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malene Jakobsen

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Consumers’ motivations for buying organic products include a wish of acquiring healthy, environmentally friendly products from production systems that also ensure a high level of animal welfare. However, the current Danish organic pig production faces important challenges regarding environmental impact of the system. High ammonia emissions arise from outdoor concrete areas with growing pigs and sows on pasture possess an increased risk of nitrogen (N leaching. Direct foraging in the range area is suggested as a way to improve the nutrient efficiency at farm level and to support a more natural behavior of the pig. Thus, by modeling, we investigated the environmental consequences of two alternative scenarios with growing pigs foraging in the range area and different levels of crops available for foraging—grass–clover or a combination of Jerusalem artichokes and lucerne. It was possible to have growing pigs on free-range without increasing N leaching compared to the current practice. The alternative system with Jerusalem artichokes and lucerne (high integration of forage showed the lowest carbon foot print with 3.12 CO2 eq kg−1 live weight pig compared to the current Danish pasture based system with 3.69 kg CO2 eq kg−1 live weight pig. Due to positive impact on soil carbon sequestration, the second alternative system based on grass-clover (low integration of forage showed a similar carbon foot print compared to current practice with 3.68 kg CO2 eq kg−1 live weight pig. It is concluded that in practice there is room for development of organic farming systems where direct foraging plays a central role.

  1. Simultaneous quantification of monoamine neurotransmitters and their biogenic metabolites intracellularly and extracellularly in primary neuronal cell cultures and in sub-regions of guinea pig brain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schou-Pedersen, Anne Marie Voigt; Hansen, Stine Normann; Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille

    2016-01-01

    In the present paper, we describe a validated chromatographic method for the simultaneous quantification of monoamine neurotransmitters and their biogenic metabolites intracellularly and extracellularly in primary neuronal cell culture and in sub-regions of the guinea pig brain. Electrochemical...... of intracellular and extracellular amounts of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in guinea pig frontal cortex and hippocampal primary neuronal cell cultures. Noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin were found to be in a range from 0.31 to 1.7 pmol per 2 million cells intracellularly, but only...... the biogenic metabolites could be detected extracellularly. Distinct differences in monoamine concentrations were observed when comparing concentrations in guinea pig frontal cortex and cerebellum tissue with higher amounts of dopamine and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid...

  2. Perceived live interaction modulates the developing social brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Katherine; Moraczewski, Dustin; Redcay, Elizabeth

    2016-09-01

    Although children's social development is embedded in social interaction, most developmental neuroscience studies have examined responses to non-interactive social stimuli (e.g. photographs of faces). The neural mechanisms of real-world social behavior are of special interest during middle childhood (roughly ages 7-13), a time of increased social complexity and competence coinciding with structural and functional social brain development. Evidence from adult neuroscience studies suggests that social interaction may alter neural processing, but no neuroimaging studies in children have directly examined the effects of live social-interactive context on social cognition. In the current study of middle childhood, we compare the processing of two types of speech: speech that children believed was presented over a real-time audio-feed by a social partner and speech that they believed was recorded. Although in reality all speech was prerecorded, perceived live speech resulted in significantly greater neural activation in regions associated with social cognitive processing. These findings underscore the importance of using ecologically-valid and interactive methods to understand the developing social brain. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Enhanced-locality fiber-optic two-photon-fluorescence live-brain interrogation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fedotov, I. V.; Doronina-Amitonova, L. V. [International Laser Center, Physics Department, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992 (Russian Federation); Russian Quantum Center, ul. Novaya 100, Skolkovo, Moscow Region 1430125 (Russian Federation); Kurchatov Institute National Research Center, Moscow (Russian Federation); Sidorov-Biryukov, D. A.; Fedotov, A. B. [International Laser Center, Physics Department, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992 (Russian Federation); Russian Quantum Center, ul. Novaya 100, Skolkovo, Moscow Region 1430125 (Russian Federation); Anokhin, K. V. [Kurchatov Institute National Research Center, Moscow (Russian Federation); P.K. Anokhin Institute of Normal Physiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Kilin, S. Ya. [B.I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk (Belarus); Sakoda, K. [National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044 (Japan); Zheltikov, A. M. [International Laser Center, Physics Department, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992 (Russian Federation); Russian Quantum Center, ul. Novaya 100, Skolkovo, Moscow Region 1430125 (Russian Federation); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A and M University, College Station, Texas 77843 (United States); Center of Photochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Novatorov 7a, Moscow 117421 (Russian Federation)

    2014-02-24

    Two-photon excitation is shown to substantially enhance the locality of fiber-based optical interrogation of strongly scattering biotissues. In our experiments, a high-numerical-aperture, large-core-are fiber probe is used to deliver the 200-fs output of a 100-MHz mode-locked ytterbium fiber laser to samples of live mouse brain, induce two-photon fluorescence of nitrogen–vacancy centers in diamond markers in brain sample. Fiber probes with a high numerical aperture and a large core area are shown to enable locality enhancement in fiber-laser–fiber-probe two-photon brain excitation and interrogation without sacrificing the efficiency of fluorescence response collection.

  4. Analysis of pig movements across eastern Indonesia, 2009-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, Edwina E C; Christley, Robert M; Geong, Maria; Ward, Michael P; Toribio, Jenny-Ann L M L

    2015-03-01

    Knowledge of live animal movement through markets and from farm-to-farm is needed to inform strategies for control of trans-boundary animal diseases (TADs) in south-east Asia, particularly due to consumer preference for fresh meat. In eastern Indonesia a TAD of principal interest for control is classical swine fever (CSF) due to its impacts on smallholder farmers. Pig movement is considered a contributor to failure of current CSF control efforts but pig movement patterns are not well understood. This study investigated movement of live pigs in West Timor, Flores and Sumba islands during 2009-2010, with the aim of informing CSF control policies for Nusa Tenggara Timor province. A market survey of 292 pig sellers and 281 pig buyers across nine live pig markets and a farmer survey across 18 villages with 289 smallholder farmers were conducted and information collected on pig movements. The data obtained was used for social network analysis (SNA) on formal (via a market) and informal (village-to-village) movements using information on trading practices, source and destination locations, and the number of pigs being moved. Both inter- and intra-island movements were identified, however inter-island movement was only observed between Flores and Sumba islands. West Timor and Sumba had highly connected networks where large numbers of villages were directly and indirectly linked through pig movement. Further for West Timor, both formal and informal pig movements linked the capital Kupang, on the eastern end of the island to the western districts bordering East Timor connecting all five districts and demonstrating that informal movement transports pigs over distances similar to formal movement on this island. Sumba had a higher potential for pigs to move to a greater number of sequential locations across the entire island. Flores was found to have a more fragmented network, with pig movements concentrated in its eastern or western regions, influenced by terrain. Markets were

  5. Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Dendritic Spines in the Living Brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Chien eChen

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Dendritic spines are ubiquitous postsynaptic sites of most excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain, and thus may serve as structural indicators of functional synapses. Recent works have suggested that neuronal coding of memories may be associated with rapid alterations in spine formation and elimination. Technological advances have enabled researchers to study spine dynamics in vivo during development as well as under various physiological and pathological conditions. We believe that better understanding of the spatiotemporal patterns of spine dynamics will help elucidate the principles of experience-dependent circuit modification and information processing in the living brain.

  6. [Structural Equation Modeling on Living and Brain Death Organ Donation Intention in Nursing Students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eun A; Choi, So Eun

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to test and validate a model to predict living and brain death organ donation intention in nursing students. The conceptual model was based on the theory planned behavior. Quota sampling methodology was used to recruit 921 nursing students from all over the country and data collection was done from October 1 to December 20, 2013. The model fit indices for the hypothetical model were suitable for the recommended level. Knowledge, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control explained 40.2% and 40.1% respectively for both living and brain death organ donation intention. Subjective norm was the most direct influential factor for organ donation intention. Knowledge had significant direct effect on attitude and indirect effect on subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. These effects were higher in brain death organ donation intention than in living donation intention. The overall findings of this study suggest the need to develop systematic education programs to increases knowledge about brain death organ donation. The development, application, and evaluation of intervention programs are required to improve subjective norm.

  7. Critical review evaluating the pig as a model for human nutritional physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roura, Eugeni; Koopmans, Sietse-Jan; Lallès, Jean-Paul; Le Huerou-Luron, Isabelle; de Jager, Nadia; Schuurman, Teun; Val-Laillet, David

    2016-06-01

    The present review examines the pig as a model for physiological studies in human subjects related to nutrient sensing, appetite regulation, gut barrier function, intestinal microbiota and nutritional neuroscience. The nutrient-sensing mechanisms regarding acids (sour), carbohydrates (sweet), glutamic acid (umami) and fatty acids are conserved between humans and pigs. In contrast, pigs show limited perception of high-intensity sweeteners and NaCl and sense a wider array of amino acids than humans. Differences on bitter taste may reflect the adaptation to ecosystems. In relation to appetite regulation, plasma concentrations of cholecystokinin and glucagon-like peptide-1 are similar in pigs and humans, while peptide YY in pigs is ten to twenty times higher and ghrelin two to five times lower than in humans. Pigs are an excellent model for human studies for vagal nerve function related to the hormonal regulation of food intake. Similarly, the study of gut barrier functions reveals conserved defence mechanisms between the two species particularly in functional permeability. However, human data are scant for some of the defence systems and nutritional programming. The pig model has been valuable for studying the changes in human microbiota following nutritional interventions. In particular, the use of human flora-associated pigs is a useful model for infants, but the long-term stability of the implanted human microbiota in pigs remains to be investigated. The similarity of the pig and human brain anatomy and development is paradigmatic. Brain explorations and therapies described in pig, when compared with available human data, highlight their value in nutritional neuroscience, particularly regarding functional neuroimaging techniques.

  8. Simultaneous quantification of monoamine neurotransmitters and their biogenic metabolites intracellularly and extracellularly in primary neuronal cell cultures and in sub-regions of guinea pig brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schou-Pedersen, Anne Marie V; Hansen, Stine N; Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Lykkesfeldt, Jens

    2016-08-15

    In the present paper, we describe a validated chromatographic method for the simultaneous quantification of monoamine neurotransmitters and their biogenic metabolites intracellularly and extracellularly in primary neuronal cell culture and in sub-regions of the guinea pig brain. Electrochemical detection provided limits of quantifications (LOQs) between 3.6 and 12nM. Within the linear range, obtained recoveries were from 90.9±9.9 to 120±14% and intra-day and inter-day precisions found to be less than 5.5% and 12%, respectively. The analytical method was applicable for quantification of intracellular and extracellular amounts of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in guinea pig frontal cortex and hippocampal primary neuronal cell cultures. Noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin were found to be in a range from 0.31 to 1.7pmol per 2 million cells intracellularly, but only the biogenic metabolites could be detected extracellularly. Distinct differences in monoamine concentrations were observed when comparing concentrations in guinea pig frontal cortex and cerebellum tissue with higher amounts of dopamine and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid in frontal cortex, as compared to cerebellum. The chemical turnover in frontal cortex tissue of guinea pig was for serotonin successfully predicted from the turnover observed in the frontal cortex cell culture. In conclusion, the present analytical method shows high precision, accuracy and sensitivity and is broadly applicable to monoamine measurements in cell cultures as well as brain biopsies from animal models used in preclinical neurochemistry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. A guinea pig model of Zika virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Mukesh; Krause, Keeton K; Azouz, Francine; Nakano, Eileen; Nerurkar, Vivek R

    2017-04-11

    Animal models are critical to understand disease and to develop countermeasures for the ongoing epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV). Here we report that immunocompetent guinea pigs are susceptible to infection by a contemporary American strain of ZIKV. Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs were inoculated with 10 6 plaque-forming units of ZIKV via subcutaneous route and clinical signs were observed. Viremia, viral load in the tissues, anti-ZIKV neutralizing antibody titer, and protein levels of multiple cytokine and chemokines were analyzed using qRT-PCR, plaque assay, plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) and multiplex immunoassay. Upon subcutaneous inoculation with PRVABC59 strain of ZIKV, guinea pigs demonstrated clinical signs of infection characterized by fever, lethargy, hunched back, ruffled fur, and decrease in mobility. ZIKV was detected in the whole blood and serum using qRT-PCR and plaque assay. Anti-ZIKV neutralizing antibody was detected in the infected animals using PRNT. ZIKV infection resulted in a dramatic increase in protein levels of multiple cytokines, chemokines and growth factors in the serum. ZIKV replication was observed in spleen and brain, with the highest viral load in the brain. This data demonstrate that after subcutaneous inoculation, the contemporary ZIKV strain is neurotropic in guinea pigs. The guinea pig model described here recapitulates various clinical features and viral kinetics observed in ZIKV-infected patients, and therefore may serve as a model to study ZIKV pathogenesis, including pregnancy outcomes and for evaluation of vaccines and therapeutics.

  10. Oral Supplementation with Bovine Colostrum Prevents Septic Shock and Brain Barrier Disruption During Bloodstream Infection in Preterm Newborn Pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brunse, Anders; Worsøe, Päivi; Pors, Susanne Elisabeth

    2018-01-01

    Preterm infants have increased risk of neonatal sepsis, potentially inducing brain injury, and they may benefit from early initiation of enteral milk feeding. Using preterm pigs as models, we hypothesized that early provision of bovine colostrum to parentally nourished newborns protects against...... = 15) or oral provision of bovine colostrum with supplementary parenteral nutrition (SE + COL, n = 14), and compared with uninfected, TPN-nourished controls (CON + TPN, n = 11). SE-infected animals showed multiple signs of sepsis, including lethargy, hypotension, respiratory acidosis, internal organ...... hemorrhages, cellular responses (leukopenia, thrombocytopenia), brain barrier disruption and neuroinflammation. At 24 h, colostrum supplementation reduced the SE abundance in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, both p colostrum feeding normalized arterial blood pressure (38.5 ± 1.20 vs 30...

  11. The preterm pig as a model of premature infant gait ataxia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergström, A.; Ryom, K.; Vanden Hole, C.

    Aims/background Compromised gait, balance and motor coordination (ataxia) as observed in cases of cerebral palsy is a serious complication to premature birth. The cerebellum is a central region with regards to these brain functions and its development shows high sensitivity to premature birth. Our...... group has over many years refined a pig model of premature birth focusing on gut and immune system development. Phenotypically, we have observed distinct motoric problems e.g. falls, tiptoe walking and swaying in preterm pigs relative to term born counterparts, indicating compromised brain function...

  12. The role of positron emission tomography in neuropharmacology in the living human brain and drug development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yanai, Kazuhiko

    1999-01-01

    Neuroimaging is a powerful and innovative tool for studying the pathology of psychiatric and neurological diseases and, more recently, for studying the drugs used in their treatment. Technological advances in imaging have made it possible to noninvasively extract information from the human brain regarding a drug's mechanism and site of action. Until now, our understanding of human brain pharmacology has depended primarily on indirect assessments or models derived from animal studies. However, the advent of multiple techniques for human brain imaging allows researchers to focus directly on human pharmacology and brain function. In this review article, our PET studies on the histaminergic neuron system were presented as an example. We have developed and used the PET techniques for 10 years in order to examine the H 1 receptors in the living human brain. This review outlines available PET techniques and examine how these various methods have already been applied to the drug development process and neuropharmacology in the living human brain. (author)

  13. The role of positron emission tomography in neuropharmacology in the living human brain and drug development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yanai, Kazuhiko [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). School of Medicine

    1999-09-01

    Neuroimaging is a powerful and innovative tool for studying the pathology of psychiatric and neurological diseases and, more recently, for studying the drugs used in their treatment. Technological advances in imaging have made it possible to noninvasively extract information from the human brain regarding a drug's mechanism and site of action. Until now, our understanding of human brain pharmacology has depended primarily on indirect assessments or models derived from animal studies. However, the advent of multiple techniques for human brain imaging allows researchers to focus directly on human pharmacology and brain function. In this review article, our PET studies on the histaminergic neuron system were presented as an example. We have developed and used the PET techniques for 10 years in order to examine the H{sub 1} receptors in the living human brain. This review outlines available PET techniques and examine how these various methods have already been applied to the drug development process and neuropharmacology in the living human brain. (author)

  14. Distribution of vitamin C is tissue specific with early saturation of the brain and adrenal glands following differential oral dose regimens in guinea pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Stine Hasselholt; Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Lykkesfeldt, Jens

    2015-01-01

    Vitamin C (VitC) deficiency is surprisingly common in humans even in developed parts of the world. The micronutrient has several established functions in the brain; however, the consequences of its deficiency are not well characterised. To elucidate the effects of VitC deficiency on the brain......, increased knowledge about the distribution of VitC to the brain and within different brain regions after varying dietary concentrations is needed. In the present study, guinea pigs (like humans lacking the ability to synthesise VitC) were randomly divided into six groups (n 10) that received different...... concentrations of VitC ranging from 100 to 1500 mg/kg feed for 8 weeks, after which VitC concentrations in biological fluids and tissues were measured using HPLC. The distribution of VitC was found to be dynamic and dependent on dietary availability. Brain saturation was region specific, occurred at low dietary...

  15. Blood BDNF concentrations reflect brain-tissue BDNF levels across species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klein, Anders B; Williamson, Rebecca; Santini, Martin A

    2011-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in synaptic plasticity, neuronal differentiation and survival of neurons. Observations of decreased serum BDNF levels in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders have highlighted the potential of BDNF as a biomarker, but so far there have been...... no studies directly comparing blood BDNF levels to brain BDNF levels in different species. We examined blood, serum, plasma and brain-tissue BDNF levels in three different mammalian species: rat, pig, and mouse, using an ELISA method. As a control, we included an analysis of blood and brain tissue from...... conditional BDNF knockout mice and their wild-type littermates. Whereas BDNF could readily be measured in rat blood, plasma and brain tissue, it was undetectable in mouse blood. In pigs, whole-blood levels of BDNF could not be measured with a commercially available ELISA kit, but pig plasma BDNF levels (mean...

  16. Blood BDNF concentrations reflect brain-tissue BDNF levels across species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klein, Anders B; Williamson, Rebecca; Santini, Martin A

    2011-01-01

    no studies directly comparing blood BDNF levels to brain BDNF levels in different species. We examined blood, serum, plasma and brain-tissue BDNF levels in three different mammalian species: rat, pig, and mouse, using an ELISA method. As a control, we included an analysis of blood and brain tissue from......Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in synaptic plasticity, neuronal differentiation and survival of neurons. Observations of decreased serum BDNF levels in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders have highlighted the potential of BDNF as a biomarker, but so far there have been...... conditional BDNF knockout mice and their wild-type littermates. Whereas BDNF could readily be measured in rat blood, plasma and brain tissue, it was undetectable in mouse blood. In pigs, whole-blood levels of BDNF could not be measured with a commercially available ELISA kit, but pig plasma BDNF levels (mean...

  17. The association between seizures and deposition of collagen in the brain in porcine Taenia solium neurocysticercosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Nina M; Trevisan, Chiara; Leifsson, Páll S; Johansen, Maria V

    2016-09-15

    Neurocysticercosis caused by infection with Taenia solium is a significant cause of epilepsy and seizures in humans. The aim of this study was to assess the association between seizures and the deposition of collagen in brain tissue in pigs with T. solium neurocysticercosis. In total 78 brain tissue sections from seven pigs were examined histopathologically i.e. two pigs with epileptic seizures and T. solium cysts, four pigs without seizures but with cysts, and one non-infected control pig. Pigs with epileptic seizures had a larger amount of collagen in their brain tissue, showing as large fibrotic scars and moderate amount of collagen deposited around cysts, compared to pigs without seizures and the negative control pig. Our results indicate that collagen is likely to play a considerable part in the pathogenesis of seizures in T. solium neurocysticercosis. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Swine dysentery: protection of pigs by oral and parenteral immunisation with attenuated Treponema hyodysenteriae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudson, M J; Alexander, T J; Lysons, R J; Prescott, J F

    1976-11-01

    An attenuated strain of Treponema hyodysenteriae was used to immunise 18 pigs in three experiments. Live attenuated spirochaetes were dosed orally and injected intra-peritoneally, and killed spirochaetes were injected intramuscularly with adjuvant. The vaccinated pigs, which developed high serum agglutination titres against T hyodysenteriae, and 18 unvaccinated litter-mates were repeatedly challenged with virulent T hyodysenteriae. Nine vaccinated pigs and 16 control pigs developed typical swine dysentery.

  19. Short-lived brain state after cued motor imagery in naive subjects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pfurtscheller, G.; Scherer, R.; Müller-Putz, G.R.; Lopes da Silva, F.H.

    2008-01-01

    Multi-channel electroencephalography recordings have shown that a visual cue, indicating right hand, left hand or foot motor imagery, can induce a short-lived brain state in the order of about 500 ms. In the present study, 10 able-bodied subjects without any motor imagery experience (naive subjects)

  20. Domestic Pig (Sus scrofa) as an Animal Model for Experimental Trypanosoma cruzi Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yauri, Verónica; Castro-Sesquen, Yagahira E.; Verastegui, Manuela; Angulo, Noelia; Recuenco, Fernando; Cabello, Ines; Malaga, Edith; Bern, Caryn; Gavidia, Cesar M.; Gilman, Robert H.

    2016-01-01

    Pigs were infected with a Bolivian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (genotype I) and evaluated up to 150 days postinoculation (dpi) to determine the use of pigs as an animal model of Chagas disease. Parasitemia was observed in the infected pigs during the acute phase (15–40 dpi). Anti-T.cruzi immunoglobulin M was detected during 15–75 dpi; high levels of anti-T.cruzi immunoglobulin G were detected in all infected pigs from 75 to 150 dpi. Parasitic DNA was observed by western blot (58%, 28/48) and polymerase chain reaction (27%, 13/48) in urine samples, and in the brain (75%, 3/4), spleen (50%, 2/4), and duodenum (25%, 1/4), but no parasitic DNA was found in the heart, colon, and kidney. Parasites were not observed microscopically in tissues samples, but mild inflammation, vasculitis, and congestion was observed in heart, brain, kidney, and spleen. This pig model was useful for the standardization of the urine test because of the higher volume that can be obtained as compared with other small animal models. However, further experiments are required to observe pathological changes characteristic of Chagas disease in humans. PMID:26928841

  1. A porcine model of haematogenous brain infectionwith staphylococcus aureus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Astrup, Lærke Boye; Agerholm, Jørgen Steen; Nielsen, Ole Lerberg

    2012-01-01

    A PORCINE MODEL OF HAEMATOGENOUS BRAIN INFECTION WITH STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS Astrup Lærke1, Agerholm Jørgen1, Nielsen Ole1, Jensen Henrik1, Leifsson Páll1, Iburg Tine2. 1: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark boye@life.ku.dk 2: National Veterinary Institute......, Uppsala, Sweden Introduction Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) is a common cause of sepsis and brain abscesses in man and a frequent cause of porcine pyaemia. Here we present a porcine model of haematogenous S. aureus-induced brain infection. Materials and Methods Four pigs had two intravenous catheters...... thromboemboli (two pigs). The venous catheter was used for blood sampling before, during and after inoculation. The pigs were euthanized either 24 or 48 hours after inoculation. The brains were collected and examined histologically. Results We describe unifocal suppurative encephalitis 48 hours after...

  2. Quantitative autoradiography of ligands for dopamine receptors and transporters in brain of Göttingen minipig

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Minuzzi, Luciano; Olsen, Aage Kristian; Bender, Dirk

    2006-01-01

    The pig has been used as animal model for positron emission tomography (PET) studies of dopamine (DA) receptors and pharmacological perturbations of DA neurotransmission. However, the binding properties of DA receptors and transporters in pig brain have not been characterized in vitro. Therefore...... in young and old pigs, and were close to those reported for rat and human brain. Furthermore, gradients in the concentrations of D1 and D2/3 sites in striatum measured in vitro agreed with earlier findings in PET studies. However, the dopamine transporter (DAT) ligand [3H]GBR12935 did not bind in pig brain...

  3. A simple water-immersion condenser for imaging living brain slices on an inverted microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prusky, G T

    1997-09-05

    Due to some physical limitations of conventional condensers, inverted compound microscopes are not optimally suited for imaging living brain slices with transmitted light. Herein is described a simple device that converts an inverted microscope into an effective tool for this application by utilizing an objective as a condenser. The device is mounted on a microscope in place of the condenser, is threaded to accept a water immersion objective, and has a slot for a differential interference contrast (DIC) slider. When combined with infrared video techniques, this device allows an inverted microscope to effectively image living cells within thick brain slices in an open perfusion chamber.

  4. Cholecystokinin like immunoreactivity in the brains of young Meishan and Duroc pigs(4).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmquist, J K; Ross, L R; Hsu, W; Rothschild, M F; Jacobson, C D

    1993-01-12

    Cholecystokinin (CCK), a peptide found in both the gastrointestinal tract and brain, has been shown to be involved in the control of feed intake in a variety of animals including the pig. Chinese breeds of pigs such as the Meishan are noted for slow growth and heavy adipose deposition. In this study we have described the regional cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity (CCK-IR) concentrations in the brain of young Duroc and Meishan pigs utilizing radioimmunoassay. Brains of days 1, 10, and 20 postnatal pigs from each breed were examined. The CCK-IR increased with age in all three areas examined (cortex, medulla, and hypothalamus). The cortical concentrations rose significantly from days 1 to 10 and from days 10 to 20. The levels in the hypothalamus and medulla increased significantly between days 1 and 20. There were no statistically significant differences in CCK-IR between the breeds at any of the three ages examined. Our results indicate that a rise in CCK-IR in the regions of the brain involved in the control of feed intake may parallel the ability of the young pigs to assimilate nutrients from a solid diet. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Cholecystokinin-ähnliche Immunreaktivität in den Gehirnen junger Meishan- und Durocschweine Das Peptid Cholecystokinin (CCK) wird im Gastrointestinaltrakt und im Gehirn gefunden und beeinflußt Futteraufnahme in einer Reihe von Tieren einschließlich Schwein. Chinesische Rassen wie Meishan sind wegen ihres langsamen Wachstums und der starken Fettablagerung bekannt. In dieser Studie beschreiben wir regionale Cholecystokinin-ähnliche Immunreaktivitäts-(CCK-IR)Konzentrationen im Gehirn junger Duroc- und Meishantiere, mittels Radioimmunassay bestimmt. Gehirne von 1, 10 und 20 Tage alten Ferkeln jeder Rasse wurden untersucht. CCK-IR nahm mit dem Alter in allen drei untersuchten Organen zu (Kortex, Medulla und Hypothalamus). Die kortikalen Spiegel stiegen vom Tag 1 bis 10 und vom Tag 10 bis 20 signifikant, die des Hypothalamus und der Medulla

  5. Life Cycle Assessment of pig production systems of the Noir de Bigorre chain

    OpenAIRE

    Garcia-Launay, F; Rouillon, V; Faure, J; Fonseca, A

    2018-01-01

    Outdoor pig production systems relying on local pig breeds may cope with environmental and socio-economic challenges. They produce high quality products with added economic value and rely mainly on local feed resources. Within the European TREASURE project, we conducted the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Noir de Bigorre (NDB) pig production systems located in South West of France. The environmental impacts were calculated at farm gate and expressed per kg live pig and per ha land use. Fro...

  6. [Mitochondrial DNA4568 deletions in guinea-pig associated with presbycusis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Xue-mei; Yang, Yuan; Liang, Chuang-yu; Zheng, Zhong

    2006-12-01

    To determine weather or not the mtDNA(4568) deletions in guinea-pig contribute to the development of presbycusis. Forty-four guinea-pigs were divided into 2 groups: group A (young control group, normal hearing, 22 guineas) and group B (aged group). The group B was subdivided into group B(1) (old normal hearing, 6 guineas) and group B(2) (old hearing loss, 16 guineas). First the guineas were tested by auditory brainstem response (ABR), and then the Cortis's tissues, auditory nerve tissues, brain and blood were harvested and the total DNA was extracted. The mtDNA(4568) deletion was analyzed by PCR. Hearing loss was occurred with age. The mtDNA(4568) deletion incidence of aged group in all tissues was significant higher than that of young control group (Ppresbycusis (B(2) group) were significant higher than that of aged normal hearing group (B(1) group) (Ppresbycusis and aged normal hearing group (P> 0.05). mtDNA(4568) deletion of guinea-pig possibly contributes to aging and mtDNA(4568) deletion in Cortis's and auditory nerve tissues of guinea-pig may be associated with presbycusis. There is no enough evidence to prove that the mtDNA(4568) deletions in brain and blood are related with presbycusis.

  7. Inhibition of [11C]mirtazapine binding by alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists studied by positron emission tomography in living porcine brain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Smith, Donald F; Dyve, Suzan; Minuzzi, Luciano

    2006-01-01

    Inhibition of [11C]mirtazapine binding by alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists studied by positron emission tomography in living porcine brain......Inhibition of [11C]mirtazapine binding by alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists studied by positron emission tomography in living porcine brain...

  8. Oxygen-charged HTK-F6H8 emulsion reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury in kidneys from brain-dead pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asif, Sana; Sedigh, Amir; Nordström, Johan; Brandhorst, Heide; Jorns, Carl; Lorant, Tomas; Larsson, Erik; Magnusson, Peetra U; Nowak, Greg; Theisinger, Sonja; Hoeger, Simone; Wennberg, Lars; Korsgren, Olle; Brandhorst, Daniel

    2012-12-01

    Prolonged cold ischemia is frequently associated with a greater risk of delayed graft function and enhanced graft failure. We hypothesized that media, combining a high oxygen-dissolving capacity with specific qualities of organ preservation solutions, would be more efficient in reducing immediate ischemia-reperfusion injury from organs stored long term compared with standard preservation media. Kidneys retrieved from brain-dead pigs were flushed using either cold histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) or oxygen-precharged emulsion composed of 75% HTK and 25% perfluorohexyloctane. After 18 h of cold ischemia the kidneys were transplanted into allogeneic recipients and assessed for adenosine triphosphate content, morphology, and expression of genes related to hypoxia, environmental stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Compared with HTK-flushed kidneys, organs preserved using oxygen-precharged HTK-perfluorohexyloctane emulsion had increased elevated adenosine triphosphate content and a significantly lower gene expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-1α, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-α, JNK-1, p38, cytochrome-c, Bax, caspase-8, and caspase-3 at all time points assessed. In contrast, the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased. The present study has demonstrated that in brain-dead pigs the perfusion of kidneys with oxygen-precharged HTK-perfluorohexyloctane emulsion results in significantly reduced inflammation, hypoxic injury, and apoptosis and cellular integrity and energy content are well maintained. Histologic examination revealed less tubular, vascular, and glomerular changes in the emulsion-perfused tissue compared with the HTK-perfused counterparts. The concept of perfusing organs with oxygen-precharged emulsion based on organ preservation media represents an efficient alternative for improved organ preservation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The Optimization of Cyclic Links of Live Pig-Industry Chain Based on Circular Economics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing Liu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available To reduce waste and wastewater pollution and to improve the utilization rate of resources in the pig-industry chain, a circular economy of the chain can be developed. The key to constructing the circular economic system of the pig-industry chain is to determine the path of the cyclic materials and to design reasonable waste- and wastewater-treatment capacities. This paper focuses on the treatment and recycling of wastewater in the pig-industry chain and the treatment and recycling of waste into manure and feed. After giving the two circular paths, the paper proposes a multi-objective uncertainty-optimization model for the cyclic links of the pig-industry chain with the highest resource-reuse efficiency and the lowest construction cost based on the uncertainty of market demand. Using a combination of the neural network and genetic algorithm method for designing the solution process for the model, the paper finally introduces the determination methods of relevant parameters and verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the model through a case study.

  10. An approach for serotonin depletion in pigs: effects on serotonin receptor binding

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ettrup, Anders; Kornum, Birgitte R; Weikop, Pia

    2011-01-01

    Depletion of central serotonin (5-HT) levels and dysfunction in serotonergic transmission are implicated in a variety of human CNS disorders. The mechanisms behind these serotonergic deficits have been widely studied using rodent models, but only to a limited extent in larger animal models. The pig...... is increasingly used as an experimental animal model especially in neuroscience research. Here, we present an approach for serotonin depletion in the pig brain. Central serotonin depletion in Danish Landrace pigs was achieved following 4 days treatment with para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA). On day 5, tissue...... average decreases in 5-HT concentrations of 61% ± 14% and 66% ± 16%, respectively, and a substantial loss of 5-HT immunostaining was seen throughout the brain. The serotonin depletion significantly increased 5-HT₄ receptor binding in nucleus accumbens, but did not alter 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor...

  11. An approach for serotonin depletion in pigs: effects on serotonin receptor binding

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ettrup, Anders; Kornum, Birgitte R; Weikop, Pia

    2011-01-01

    Depletion of central serotonin (5-HT) levels and dysfunction in serotonergic transmission are implicated in a variety of human CNS disorders. The mechanisms behind these serotonergic deficits have been widely studied using rodent models, but only to a limited extent in larger animal models. The pig...... is increasingly used as an experimental animal model especially in neuroscience research. Here, we present an approach for serotonin depletion in the pig brain. Central serotonin depletion in Danish Landrace pigs was achieved following 4 days treatment with para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA). On day 5, tissue...... average decreases in 5-HT concentrations of 61% ± 14% and 66% ± 16%, respectively, and a substantial loss of 5-HT immunostaining was seen throughout the brain. The serotonin depletion significantly increased 5-HT4 receptor binding in nucleus accumbens, but did not alter 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor...

  12. Gamma Radiation (5-10 Gy) Impairs Neuronal Function in the Guinea Pig Hippocampus

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-01-01

    Radiation (5-10 Gy) Impairs Neuronal Function in the Guinea Pig Hippocampus TERRY C. PELLMAR AND DENNIS L. LEPINSKI Ph.vsiology Department..Irmned Forces...L. Gamma Radiation ioral effects. Within hours of irradiation with 10 Gy and (5- 10 Gy) Impairs Neuronal Function in the Guinea Pig Hippo- less...acti v- Guinea pigs were exposed to 5 and 10 Gy ’y radiation. Hippo- ity (9) are evident. campal brain slices were isolated 30 min, I day, 3 days and 5

  13. Optimal slaughter weight of pigs assessed by means of the asymmetric S-curve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kusec, G.; Kralik, G.; Djurkin, I.; Baulain, U.; Kallweit, E.

    2008-01-01

    The present study was carried out on 68 barrows equally distributed into two different feeding groups (intensive and restricted). MR tomography was used to obtain data needed for the calculation of optimal slaughter weight. Growth analyses and predictions were performed using an asymmetric S-function. The differences between the predicted and real time needed to achieve 100 kg live weight calculated for the two feeding groups of pigs were not statistically significant. The prediction was fairly accurate in 88% of the cases for the intensive group and in 79% of the cases for the restrictively fed pigs. The point of muscle growth saturation (tC=51.31 cubic dm) calculated for pigs from the intensive group occurred at 164 days of age. Restrictively fed pigs reached this point after 167 days. It was calculated that at 164 days of age intensively fed pigs reached about 126 kg; the pigs from the restricted group reached about 112 kg at 167 days. These weights can be regarded as optimal slaughter weights for pigs from the present study in the sense of maximum utilisation of muscle growth. Since both groups of pigs reach the same muscle volume of 51 cubic dm at the estimated times, the difference in live weights can be attributed to the volume of fat. This makes the intensive system of feeding undesirable in economical pig production. It is concluded that the obtained parameters of the asymmetric S-function may be used for the growth analysis of other pigs, assuming that they are of the same genetic background and reared in the same conditions

  14. Cold injury, blood-brain barrier changes, and leukotriene synthesis: Inhibition by phenidone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robichaud, L.J.; Marcoux, F.W.

    1990-01-01

    Transcranial cold injury in rats and guinea pigs induced cerebral extravasation of albumin labeled with Evans blue dye or 125 I, respective indicators of the area and amount of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Radioimmunoassay of brain extracts showed that cold injury induced leukotriene (LT)C4 in rat and guinea pig brains 15 min after injury. In guinea pigs, the LT synthesis inhibitor phenidone (30 mg/kg, i.p.) completely blocked cold-induced LTC4 in brain. Phenidone (30 and 100 mg/kg) also inhibited cerebral tissue accumulation of 125 I-albumin and dye in rats and guinea pigs. Phenidone is reported to show antioxidant properties and selective lipoxygenase inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolism compared to cyclooxygenase inhibitors, meclofenamate sodium, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Since several oxygen and hydroxyl radical scavengers and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, meclofenamate sodium, did not inhibit protein extravasation, the findings support a role for LT as a mediator of cold-induced changes in BBB permeability in rats and guinea pigs and suggest that the inhibitory effects of phenidone on BBB permeability may be due to inhibition of LT production

  15. The influence of the induction of farrowing on live birth, body mass, appearance of dystocia, mortality and surviving of neonatal pigs in litter during the first ten days

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jović Slavoljub

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of the the day of farrowing induction on the number of newborn piglets (live born and dead born, body mass and mortality of neonatal pigs in litter by the tenth day of age. For the investigation purpose, there were chosen 167 pregnant animals, 34 gilts and 133 sows, divided into 3 groups each, according to the day of pregnancy when prostaglandin analogue, dinoprost-tromethamine, was applied (from 112th to 114th day. Fastest- induced parturition was in gilts which were administered dinoprost on the 113th day of pregnancy, (34,30 ± 6,23 h after application, that is, in sows which were administered prostaglandin on the 114th day of pregnancy, (29,57 ± 4,14 h after application of dinoprost. Most gilts (75 % and sows (90,91% started farrowing 24-36 h after dinoprost application, when it was given on the 113th day of pregnancy. During daily twelve-hour working time (7-19 h, 67,07% out of all the treated animals started farrowing. When farrowing was induced on the 112th day of pregnancy, 17 sows (12,78% needed obstetric assistance for dystocia, while 47 (35,34 % sows had troublesome farrowing. Along with the delayed induction, body mass of newborn pigs increased, and the largest recorded weight was 1,27 kg in sows, that is 1,38 kg in gilts, which were given dinoprost on the 114th day of pregnancy, with the lowest number of live born pigs of body mass less than 1 kg (23,76%. In this experiment there was determined the connection between the body mass and vitality of newborn piglets, so the lowest mortality rate of the pigs by the 10th day of age was noticed in sows and gilts which were given dinoprost on the 114th day of pregnancy (11,05%, in regard to the pigs born of sows and gilts which were given dinoprost on the 112th day of pregnancy (15,39 %.

  16. Expression studies of the obesity candidate gene FTO in pig

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Majbritt Busk; Birck, Malene Muusfeldt; Fredholm, Merete

    2010-01-01

    Obesity is an increasing problem worldwide and research on candidate genes in good animal models is highly needed. The pig is an excellent model as its metabolism, organ size, and eating habits resemble that of humans. The present study is focused on the characterization of the fat mass and obesity...... associated gene (FTO) in pig. This gene has recently been associated with increased body mass index in several human populations. To establish information on the expression profile of FTO in the pig we performed quantitative PCR in a panel of adult pig tissues and in tissues sampled at different...... and cerebellum). Additionally, in order to see the involvement of the FTO gene in obesity, the changes in expression level were investigated in a nutritional study in brain of Gottingen minipigs under a high cholesterol diet. Significantly higher (P

  17. Induction by mercury compounds of brain metallothionein in rats: Hg{sup 0} exposure induces long-lived brain metallothionein

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yasutake, Akira; Nakano, Atsuhiro [Biochemistry Section, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Kumamoto (Japan); Hirayama, Kimiko [Kumamoto University, College of Medical Science (Japan)

    1998-03-01

    Metallothionein (MT) is one of the stress proteins which can easily be induced by various kind of heavy metals. However, MT in the brain is difficult to induce because of blood-brain barrier impermeability to most heavy metals. In this paper, we have attempted to induce brain MT in rats by exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) or metallic mercury vapor, both of which are known to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and cause neurological damage. Rats treated with MeHg (40 {mu}mol/kg per day x 5 days, p.o.) showed brain Hg levels as high as 18 {mu}g/g with slight neurological signs 10 days after final administration, but brain MT levels remained unchanged. However, rats exposed to Hg vapor for 7 days showed 7-8 {mu}g Hg/g brain tissue 24 h after cessation of exposure. At that time brain MT levels were about twice the control levels. Although brain Hg levels fell gradually with a half-life of 26 days, MT levels induced by Hg exposure remained unchanged for >2 weeks. Gel fractionation revealed that most Hg was in the brain cytosol fraction and thus bound to MT. Hybridization analysis showed that, despite a significant increase in MT-I and -II mRNA in brain, MT-III mRNA was less affected. Although significant Hg accumulation and MT induction were observed also in kidney and liver of Hg vapor-exposed rats, these decreased more quickly than in brain. The long-lived MT in brain might at least partly be accounted for by longer half-life of Hg accumulated there. The present results showed that exposure to Hg vapor might be a suitable procedure to provide an in vivo model with enhanced brain MT. (orig.) With 4 figs., 1 tab., 27 refs.

  18. Population dynamics of Toxocara canis in pigs receiving a single or multiple infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Taira, K.; Saeed, I.; Lind, Peter

    2003-01-01

    of the experiment (day 49 p.i.). A few larvae were found in the muscles and brain until day 42 p.i., and 2 larvae were found in the eyes of 2 pigs on day 35 p.i. There was little evidence of protective immurory to a challenge infection in this experiment. The eosinophil levels tended not to increase in pigs...

  19. A live-attenuated chimeric PCV2 vaccine based on subtype 2b is transmitted to contact pigs but is not upregulated by concurrent infection with PPV and PRRSV and is efficacious in a triple challenge co-infection model

    Science.gov (United States)

    The objective of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of a new live-attenuated chimeric PCV1/2b vaccine. Forty-six, 21-day-old, PCV2-naïve pigs were randomly assigned to one of six groups (Negative controls, positive controls, Vac-0, Vac-0-PCV2, Contact-PCV2, Vac-28-PCV2). All pigs we...

  20. Genetic variability of Taenia solium cysticerci recovered from experimentally infected pigs and from naturally infected pigs using microsatellite markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pajuelo, Mónica J; Eguiluz, María; Roncal, Elisa; Quiñones-García, Stefany; Clipman, Steven J; Calcina, Juan; Gavidia, Cesar M; Sheen, Patricia; Garcia, Hector H; Gilman, Robert H; Gonzalez, Armando E; Zimic, Mirko

    2017-12-01

    The adult Taenia solium, the pork tapeworm, usually lives as a single worm in the small intestine of humans, its only known definitive host. Mechanisms of genetic variation in T. solium are poorly understood. Using three microsatellite markers previously reported [1], this study explored the genetic variability of T. solium from cysts recovered from experimentally infected pigs. It then explored the genetic epidemiology and transmission in naturally infected pigs and adult tapeworms recovered from human carriers from an endemic rural community in Peru. In an initial study on experimental infection, two groups of three piglets were each infected with proglottids from one of two genetically different tapeworms for each of the microsatellites. After 7 weeks, pigs were slaughtered and necropsy performed. Thirty-six (92.3%) out of 39 cysts originated from one tapeworm, and 27 (100%) out of 27 cysts from the other had exactly the same genotype as the parental tapeworm. This suggests that the microsatellite markers may be a useful tool for studying the transmission of T. solium. In the second study, we analyzed the genetic variation of T. solium in cysts recovered from eight naturally infected pigs, and from adult tapeworms recovered from four human carriers; they showed genetic variability. Four pigs had cysts with only one genotype, and four pigs had cysts with two different genotypes, suggesting that multiple infections of genetically distinct parental tapeworms are possible. Six pigs harbored cysts with a genotype corresponding to one of the identified tapeworms from the human carriers. In the dendrogram, cysts appeared to cluster within the corresponding pigs as well as with the geographical origin, but this association was not statistically significant. We conclude that genotyping of microsatellite size polymorphisms is a potentially important tool to trace the spread of infection and pinpoint sources of infection as pigs spread cysts with a shared parental genotype.

  1. Genetic variability of Taenia solium cysticerci recovered from experimentally infected pigs and from naturally infected pigs using microsatellite markers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica J Pajuelo

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The adult Taenia solium, the pork tapeworm, usually lives as a single worm in the small intestine of humans, its only known definitive host. Mechanisms of genetic variation in T. solium are poorly understood. Using three microsatellite markers previously reported [1], this study explored the genetic variability of T. solium from cysts recovered from experimentally infected pigs. It then explored the genetic epidemiology and transmission in naturally infected pigs and adult tapeworms recovered from human carriers from an endemic rural community in Peru. In an initial study on experimental infection, two groups of three piglets were each infected with proglottids from one of two genetically different tapeworms for each of the microsatellites. After 7 weeks, pigs were slaughtered and necropsy performed. Thirty-six (92.3% out of 39 cysts originated from one tapeworm, and 27 (100% out of 27 cysts from the other had exactly the same genotype as the parental tapeworm. This suggests that the microsatellite markers may be a useful tool for studying the transmission of T. solium. In the second study, we analyzed the genetic variation of T. solium in cysts recovered from eight naturally infected pigs, and from adult tapeworms recovered from four human carriers; they showed genetic variability. Four pigs had cysts with only one genotype, and four pigs had cysts with two different genotypes, suggesting that multiple infections of genetically distinct parental tapeworms are possible. Six pigs harbored cysts with a genotype corresponding to one of the identified tapeworms from the human carriers. In the dendrogram, cysts appeared to cluster within the corresponding pigs as well as with the geographical origin, but this association was not statistically significant. We conclude that genotyping of microsatellite size polymorphisms is a potentially important tool to trace the spread of infection and pinpoint sources of infection as pigs spread cysts with a shared

  2. Classical Swine Fever Outbreak after Modified Live LOM Strain Vaccination in Naive Pigs, South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Je, Sang H.; Kwon, Taeyong; Yoo, Sung J.; Lee, Dong-Uk; Lee, SeungYoon; Richt, Juergen A.

    2018-01-01

    We report classical swine fever outbreaks occurring in naive pig herds on Jeju Island, South Korea, after the introduction of the LOM vaccine strain. Two isolates from sick pigs had >99% identity with the vaccine stain. LOM strain does not appear safe; its use in the vaccine should be reconsidered. PMID:29553332

  3. Gait analysis in a pre- and post-ischemic stroke biomedical pig model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duberstein, Kylee Jo; Platt, Simon R; Holmes, Shannon P; Dove, C Robert; Howerth, Elizabeth W; Kent, Marc; Stice, Steven L; Hill, William D; Hess, David C; West, Franklin D

    2014-02-10

    Severity of neural injury including stroke in human patients, as well as recovery from injury, can be assessed through changes in gait patterns of affected individuals. Similar quantification of motor function deficits has been measured in rodent animal models of such injuries. However, due to differences in fundamental structure of human and rodent brains, there is a need to develop a large animal model to facilitate treatment development for neurological conditions. Porcine brain structure is similar to that of humans, and therefore the pig may make a more clinically relevant animal model. The current study was undertaken to determine key gait characteristics in normal biomedical miniature pigs and dynamic changes that occur post-neural injury in a porcine middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion ischemic stroke model. Yucatan miniature pigs were trained to walk through a semi-circular track and were recorded with high speed cameras to detect changes in key gait parameters. Analysis of normal pigs showed overall symmetry in hindlimb swing and stance times, forelimb stance time, along with step length, step velocity, and maximum hoof height on both fore and hindlimbs. A subset of pigs were again recorded at 7, 5 and 3 days prior to MCA occlusion and then at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 30 days following surgery. MRI analysis showed that MCA occlusion resulted in significant infarction. Gait analysis indicated that stroke resulted in notable asymmetries in both temporal and spatial variables. Pigs exhibited lower maximum front hoof height on the paretic side, as well as shorter swing time and longer stance time on the paretic hindlimb. These results support that gait analysis of stroke injury is a highly sensitive detection method for changes in gait parameters in pig. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Early warning of diarrhea and pen fouling in growing pigs using sensor-based monitoring

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, D. B.; Toft, Nils; Kristensen, A. R.

    2016-01-01

    then identify specific pens in need of extra attention. Here we evaluate the value of monitoring live weight, feed usage, humidity, drinking behavior and pen temperature in relation to early warnings of diarrhea and pen fouling in slaughter pigs. Materials and methods: We used data collected in 16 pens (8...... double-pens) between November 2013 and December 2014 at a commercial Danish farm. During this time, three new batches were inserted. We monitored the mean live weight of the pigs per pen (weekly, only in 4 pens), feed usage per double-pen (daily), humidity per section (daily), temperature at two...... positions per pen (hourly), water flow per double-pen (liters/hour/pig) and drinking frequency per pen (activations/hour/pig). Staff registrations of diarrhea and pen fouling were the events of interest. The data were divided into a learning set (15 events) and a test set (18 events). The data were modeled...

  5. Narratives reflecting the lived experiences of people with brain disorders: common psychosocial difficulties and determinants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartley, Sally; McArthur, Maggie; Coenen, Michaela; Cabello, Maria; Covelli, Venusia; Roszczynska-Michta, Joanna; Pitkänen, Tuuli; Bickenbach, Jerome; Cieza, Alarcos

    2014-01-01

    People with brain disorders - defined as both, mental disorders and neurological disorders experience a wide range of psychosocial difficulties (PSDs) (e.g., concentrating, maintaining energy levels, and maintaining relationships). Research evidence is required to show that these PSDs are common across brain disorders. To explore and gain deeper understanding of the experiences of people with seven brain disorders (alcohol dependency, depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, stroke). It examines the common PSDs and their influencing factors. Seventy seven qualitative studies identified in a systematic literature review and qualitative data derived from six focus groups are used to generate first-person narratives representing seven brain disorders. A theory-driven thematic analysis of these narratives identifies the PSDs and their influencing factors for comparison between the seven disorders. First-person narratives illustrate realities for people with brain disorders facilitating a deeper understanding of their every-day life experiences. Thematic analysis serves to highlight the commonalities, both of PSDs, such as loneliness, anger, uncertainty about the future and problems with work activities, and their determinants, such as work opportunities, trusting relationships and access to self-help groups. The strength of the methodology and the narratives is that they provide the opportunity for the reader to empathise with people with brain disorders and facilitate deeper levels of understanding of the complexity of the relationship of PSDs, determinants and facilitators. The latter reflect positive aspects of the lives of people with brain disorders. The result that many PSDs and their influencing factors are common to people with different brain disorders opens up the door to the possibility of using cross-cutting interventions involving different sectors. This strengthens the message that 'a great deal can be done' to improve

  6. Narratives reflecting the lived experiences of people with brain disorders: common psychosocial difficulties and determinants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sally Hartley

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: People with brain disorders - defined as both, mental disorders and neurological disorders experience a wide range of psychosocial difficulties (PSDs (e.g., concentrating, maintaining energy levels, and maintaining relationships. Research evidence is required to show that these PSDs are common across brain disorders. OBJECTIVES: To explore and gain deeper understanding of the experiences of people with seven brain disorders (alcohol dependency, depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, stroke. It examines the common PSDs and their influencing factors. METHODS: Seventy seven qualitative studies identified in a systematic literature review and qualitative data derived from six focus groups are used to generate first-person narratives representing seven brain disorders. A theory-driven thematic analysis of these narratives identifies the PSDs and their influencing factors for comparison between the seven disorders. RESULTS: First-person narratives illustrate realities for people with brain disorders facilitating a deeper understanding of their every-day life experiences. Thematic analysis serves to highlight the commonalities, both of PSDs, such as loneliness, anger, uncertainty about the future and problems with work activities, and their determinants, such as work opportunities, trusting relationships and access to self-help groups. CONCLUSIONS: The strength of the methodology and the narratives is that they provide the opportunity for the reader to empathise with people with brain disorders and facilitate deeper levels of understanding of the complexity of the relationship of PSDs, determinants and facilitators. The latter reflect positive aspects of the lives of people with brain disorders. The result that many PSDs and their influencing factors are common to people with different brain disorders opens up the door to the possibility of using cross-cutting interventions involving different sectors

  7. Hypnosis and imaging of the living human brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landry, Mathieu; Raz, Amir

    2015-01-01

    Over more than two decades, studies using imaging techniques of the living human brain have begun to explore the neural correlates of hypnosis. The collective findings provide a gripping, albeit preliminary, account of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms involved in hypnotic phenomena. While substantial advances lend support to different hypotheses pertaining to hypnotic modulation of attention, control, and monitoring processes, the complex interactions among the many mediating variables largely hinder our ability to isolate robust commonalities across studies. The present account presents a critical integrative synthesis of neuroimaging studies targeting hypnosis as a function of suggestion. Specifically, hypnotic induction without task-specific suggestion is examined, as well as suggestions concerning sensation and perception, memory, and ideomotor response. The importance of carefully designed experiments is highlighted to better tease apart the neural correlates that subserve hypnotic phenomena. Moreover, converging findings intimate that hypnotic suggestions seem to induce specific neural patterns. These observations propose that suggestions may have the ability to target focal brain networks. Drawing on evidence spanning several technological modalities, neuroimaging studies of hypnosis pave the road to a more scientific understanding of a dramatic, yet largely evasive, domain of human behavior.

  8. Measurement of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in living brain by positron emission tomography (PET)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Irie, Toshiaki [National Inst. of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan)

    1999-07-01

    Central cholinergic neuronal system has been known to be related to learning and memory, and its deficit is found in the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other degenerative disorders. Postmortem studies have shown that acetylcholinesterase (AChE), one of biochemical markers of central cholinergic nerve system, is consistently reduced in the cerebral cortex of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Non-invasive mapping and/or measuring AChE activity in the living brain by positron emission tomography (PET) would be a useful tool for assessment of cholinergic dysfunction in AD and other disorders, and provide a direct method for validation of therapeutic efficacy of drugs, AChE inhibitors. We have challenged to measure AChE activity using tracers of substrate type, radiolabelled acetylcholine analogs, which are lipophilic enough to go across blood brain barrier and are metabolically trapped by AChE in the brain. The analogs designed, N-methylpiperidyl esters, were evaluated in terms of their metabolic rate and specificity against AChE. Studies examining the response to AChE activity showed metabolic accumulation of some analogs responded well to changes in cortical AChE activity in an animal model of AD. The study was further applied to living human by PET using [{sup 11}C]N-methylpiperidyl-4-acetate (MP4A), which was chosen on the basis of its reactivity and specificity suitable for the human cortical AChE. Regional cerebral metabolic rate of MP4A reflecting AChE activity was quantitatively determined using three compartment model analysis of dynamic PET data and the arterial input function obtained by TLC-radioluminography or plasma samples. The kinetic analyses showed that AChE activities estimated were well agree with those of postmortem examination in cerebral cortices and thalamus in healthy subjects, and that there was significant reduction of cortical AChE activity in patients with AD. The results suggest feasibility of the present method for

  9. Changes in Neuroactive Steroid Concentrations After Preterm Delivery in the Guinea Pig

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirst, Jonathan J.; Palliser, Hannah K.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Preterm birth is a major cause of neurodevelopmental disorders. Allopregnanolone, a key metabolite of progesterone, has neuroprotective and developmental effects in the brain. The objectives of this study were to measure the neuroactive steroid concentrations following preterm delivery in a neonatal guinea pig model and assess the potential for postnatal progesterone replacement therapy to affect neuroactive steroid brain and plasma concentrations in preterm neonates. Methods: Preterm (62-63 days) and term (69 days) guinea pig pups were delivered by cesarean section and tissue was collected at 24 hours. Plasma progesterone, cortisol, allopregnanolone, and brain allopregnanolone concentrations were measured by immunoassay. Brain 5α-reductase (5αR) expression was determined by Western blot. Neurodevelopmental maturity of preterm neonates was assessed by immunohistochemistry staining for myelination, glial cells, and neurons. Results: Brain allopregnanolone concentrations were significantly reduced after birth in both preterm and term neonates. Postnatal progesterone treatment in preterm neonates increased brain and plasma allopregnanolone concentrations. Preterm neonates had reduced myelination, low birth weight, and high mortality compared to term neonates. Brain 5αR expression was also significantly reduced in neonates compared to fetal expression. Conclusions: Delivery results in a loss of neuroactive steroid concentrations resulting in a premature reduction in brain allopregnanolone in preterm neonates. Postnatal progesterone therapy reestablished neuroactive steroid levels in preterm brains, a finding that has implications for postnatal growth following preterm birth that occurs at a time of neurodevelopmental immaturity. PMID:23585339

  10. Humoral immune responses of pregnant Guinea pigs Immunized with live attenuated Rhodococcus equi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mawlood Abass Ali Al- Graibawi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The potential to increase passive transfer of specific Rhodococcus equi (R.equi humoral immunity to newborn by preparturient vaccination of their dams was investigated in Pregnant Guinea pigs as a pilot study. Attenuated autogenous vaccine was prepared from a Congo red negative (CR- R.equi local isolate mixed with adjuvant (potassium alum sulphate, tested for sterility, safety and potency prior to vaccination .Two groups of pregnant G. pigs were used, the first group was vaccinated twice subcutaneously (S.C with the prepared vaccine at five and three weeks prior parturition, the second group was inoculated with adjuvant plus phosphate buffer saline (PBS twice s.c and kept as control. Offspring from the vaccinated dams had revealed high titers of specific R. equi antibody as detected by tube agglutination (TA and passive haemagglutination (PH test and showed protection against challenge dose. The results revealed that vaccination of pregnant G. pigs with the prepared attenuated vaccine was safe and efficient method to protect their offspring against experimental challenge with virulent R.equi. Vaccination was associated with increased humoral immune response in vaccinated group.

  11. Outbreaks of Neuroinvasive Astrovirus Associated with Encephalomyelitis, Weakness, and Paralysis among Weaned Pigs, Hungary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boros, Ákos; Albert, Mihály; Pankovics, Péter; Bíró, Hunor; Pesavento, Patricia A; Phan, Tung Gia; Delwart, Eric; Reuter, Gábor

    2017-12-01

    A large, highly prolific swine farm in Hungary had a 2-year history of neurologic disease among newly weaned (25- to 35-day-old) pigs, with clinical signs of posterior paraplegia and a high mortality rate. Affected pigs that were necropsied had encephalomyelitis and neural necrosis. Porcine astrovirus type 3 was identified by reverse transcription PCR and in situ hybridization in brain and spinal cord samples in 6 animals from this farm. Among tissues tested by quantitative RT-PCR, the highest viral loads were detected in brain stem and spinal cord. Similar porcine astrovirus type 3 was also detected in archived brain and spinal cord samples from another 2 geographically distant farms. Viral RNA was predominantly restricted to neurons, particularly in the brain stem, cerebellum (Purkinje cells), and cervical spinal cord. Astrovirus was generally undetectable in feces but present in respiratory samples, indicating a possible respiratory infection. Astrovirus could cause common, neuroinvasive epidemic disease.

  12. Histomorphometric evaluation of intestinal cellular immune responses in pigs immunized with live oral F4ac+ non-enterotoxigenic E. coli vaccine against postweaning colibacillosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Kovšca Janjatovic

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC infection is the most common type of porcine postweaning colibacillosis (PWC. Among fimbriae of porcine ETEC strains the best studied family of fimbriae are the members of F4 adhesins, existing in at least three variants: ab, ac, ad. Active immunization against porcine PWC is difficult due to: i ETEC strains are only one of the essential predisposing factors, ii the success of vaccinal antigen uptake depends on the presence of enterocyte receptors for F4 adhesins, iii the intestinal immune system may react with tolerance or hypersensitivity to the same antigens depending on the dose and form of the vaccinal immunogen, and iv kinetics of the specific immune responses may be different in the case of F4 (earlier and the other ETEC adhesins, particularly F18 (later. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a live attenuated F4ac+ non-ETEC vaccine against porcine PWC by analyzing quantitative differences in the small intestinal lymphoid and myeloid cell subsets of immunized (with or without levamisole given as an adjuvant vs control non-immunized pigs. Four week-old pigs were intragastrically immunized with a vaccine candidate F4ac+ non-ETEC strain 2407 at day 0, challenged 7 days later with a virulent F4ac+ strain ETEC 11-800/1/94, euthanatized at day 13 and sampled for immunohistology. Non-immunized pigs received saline at day 0 and were processed as the principals. Immuno-phenotypes of lymphoid and myeloid cell subsets were demonstrated within jejunal and ileal mucosa by immunohistochemical avidin-biotin complex method and corresponding morphometric data were analyzed using software program Lucia G for digital image analyses. Monoclonal antibodies reactive with surface molecules on porcine immune cells such as CD3, CD45RA, CD45RC, CD21 and SWC3 enabled clear insight into distribution patterns and amount of these cells within the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT examined. The numbers of

  13. Maternal-fetal distribution studies of two radiolabeled compounds in miniature Hormel pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikeda, G.J.; Michel, T.C.; Miller, E.; Sager, A.O.; Sapienza, P.P.

    1986-01-01

    Distribution patterns of two radiolabeled compounds were determined in miniature Hormel pigs and their litters late in pregnancy. Seven sows (45 fetuses) were administered (1- 14 C) acrylamide (5 mg/kg IV) and four sows (30 fetuses) were administered (N-methyl- 14 C) betaine (5 mg/kg IV). Acrylamide was distributed readily to both maternal and fetal tissues; a placental factor of 31% was calculated. A blood/brain factor was insignificant in sows and nonexistent in fetal pigs. The placental factor for betaine was calculated to be 97.8% for maternal and fetal tissues. The blood/brain factor was 89% in sows but nonexistent in fetuses. Maternal liver and kidney accounted for the highest levels of radioactivity for both compounds. Although placenta protects the minipig fetus to some degree from substances in maternal blood, the fetal brain is unprotected from possible injury or damage if a foreign substance enters the fetal blood stream

  14. Effects of continuous prenatal γ radiation on the pig and rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Erickson, B.H.; Martin, P.G.

    1976-01-01

    Little is known of the effects of continuous low-level irradiation applied prenatally to the long-lived mammal. As compared with the rodent, developmental events are protracted in long-lived species and consequently are at risk longer. Estimation of radiation risk to man therefore requires data from animals in which developmental events are similarly protracted. Pigs were irradiated continuously for the first 108 days of their 112-day gestation period at rates of 20, 9, 3 and 1.5 R per 22-hour day. Six pregnant gilts and six controls were employed at each dose rate. Foetal doses were 7, 3, 1 and 0.5 rad/d. Neither the health of the gilt nor the number of live births was affected by any exposure. Postnatal viability was also unaffected. Radiation effects on growth and organic development were assayed at birth, 70 and 150 days of age. Body weight and growth were unaffected by dose rates of 3 rad/d or less; and other than the gonad, only the weight of the brain was affected by 3 rad/d. At 1 rad/d or less only gonadal weight was reduced. The most spectacular finding at doses of 7 and 3 rad/d was sterility in both sexes. Following 1 rad/d, germ-cell number was reduced to 5% and 2% of control in the female and male, respectively. At 0.5 rad/d/, germ cells were reduced to 43% of control in the female and 11% of control in the male. In contrast to the pig, 7 rad/d reduced the germ-cell population of male and female rats to only 49% and 35% of control, respectively, and 1 rad/d produced no apparent effect in either sex. It appears, therefore, that interspecific differences in the response to continuous γ radiation are large and that the germ cell is the most labile cell type. (author)

  15. Antimicrobial Consumption in Medicated Feeds in Vietnamese Pig and Poultry Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Cuong, Nguyen; Nhung, Nguyen Thi; Nghia, Nguyen Huu; Mai Hoa, Nguyen Thi; Trung, Nguyen Vinh; Thwaites, Guy; Carrique-Mas, Juan

    2016-09-01

    Antimicrobials are extensively used as growth promoters in animal feeds worldwide, but reliable estimates are lacking. We conducted an internet-based survey of commercial chicken and pig feed products officially approved for sale in Vietnam over the period March-June 2015. Information on the antimicrobial contents in feed products, alongside animal production data, was used to estimate in-feed antimicrobial consumption to produce one kilogram of live animal (chicken, pig), as well as to estimate country-wide antimicrobial consumption through animal feeds. A total of 1462 commercial feed formulations were examined. The survey-adjusted estimated antimicrobial contents were 25.7 and 62.3 mg/kg in chicken and pig feeds, respectively. Overall, it was estimated that 77.4 mg [95% CI 48.1-106.8] and 286.6 mg [95% CI 191.6-418.3] of in-feed antimicrobials were used to raise 1 kg of live chicken and pig, respectively. Bacitracin (15.5% feeds), chlortetracycline (11.4%), and enramycin (10.8%) were the most common antimicrobials present in chicken feed formulations, whereas bacitracin (24.8%), chlortetracycline (23.9%), and florfenicol (17.4%) were the most common in pig feed formulations. Overall, 57% of the total quantitative usage consisted of antimicrobials regarded by WHO of importance for human medicine, including amoxicillin, colistin, tetracyclines, neomycin, lincomycin, and bacitracin. These figures confirm a very high magnitude of in-feed consumption of antimicrobials, especially in pig production. Results from this study should encourage further monitoring of antimicrobials used in animal production, and foster discussion about existing policies on inclusion of antimicrobials in animal feed rations.

  16. Bacterial protein meal in diets for growing pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellwing, Anne Louise Frydendahl; Tauson, Anne-Helene; Kjos, N.P.

    2007-01-01

    This experiment investigated the effects of increasing the dietary content of bacterial protein meal (BPM) on the protein and energy metabolism of pigs from weaning to a live weight of 80 kg. FOur litters with four castrated male pigs in each litter were used. The litters were divided into two...... blocks according to age. One pig from each litter was fed one of the four experimental diets. Soya-bean meal was replaced with BPM on the basis of digestible protein, and the BPM contents in the four diets were 0% (BP0), 5% (BP5), 10% (BP10) and 15% (BP15), corresponding to 0%, 17%, 35% and 52...... by inclusion level of BPM. Retention of energy was 620 (BP0), 696 (BP5), 613 (BP10) and 664 kJ/kg0.75 per day (BP15), the differences among diets being non-significant. The N-free respiratory quotient was similar on all diets. It was concluded that the overall protein and energy metabolism in growing pigs were...

  17. Metabolism of 32P-phosphate in guinea pig cerebrum and cerebellum in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mezes, V.; Bukovsky, V.; Drgova, A.; Mezesova, V.

    1984-01-01

    The metabolism of intraventricularly administered 32 P-phosphate in the cerebral and cerebellar tissue of guinea pigs was analyzed in the acute state of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. One and six hours following administration of 32 P-phosphate into the right lateral ventricle of the brain no differences were found in the specific activity of phosphates of the acid-soluble fraction of the brain tissue in the compared series of guinea pigs. The cerebellar tissue in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis displayed the specific activity of the total phosphorus of the acid-soluble fraction reduced by 27% one hour after administration and by 37% after six hours, and the specific activity of inorganic phosphates was reduced by 40% and by 45%, respectively. Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis does not affect the content of total phosphorus in the acid-soluble fraction and in the fraction of inorganic phosphates in the cerebrum and cerebellum of guinea pigs. (author)

  18. Wireless image-data transmission from an implanted image sensor through a living mouse brain by intra body communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayami, Hajime; Takehara, Hiroaki; Nagata, Kengo; Haruta, Makito; Noda, Toshihiko; Sasagawa, Kiyotaka; Tokuda, Takashi; Ohta, Jun

    2016-04-01

    Intra body communication technology allows the fabrication of compact implantable biomedical sensors compared with RF wireless technology. In this paper, we report the fabrication of an implantable image sensor of 625 µm width and 830 µm length and the demonstration of wireless image-data transmission through a brain tissue of a living mouse. The sensor was designed to transmit output signals of pixel values by pulse width modulation (PWM). The PWM signals from the sensor transmitted through a brain tissue were detected by a receiver electrode. Wireless data transmission of a two-dimensional image was successfully demonstrated in a living mouse brain. The technique reported here is expected to provide useful methods of data transmission using micro sized implantable biomedical sensors.

  19. Antibody responses measured by various serologic tests in pigs orally inoculated with low numbers of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dubey, J. P.; Andrews, C.D.; Lind, Peter

    1996-01-01

    ) infective oocysts, and 6 pigs served as uninoculated controls. Blood (serum) samples were obtained at 1- to 3-week intervals until euthanasia. At necropsy, the brain, heart, and tongue of pigs were bioassayed in mice and cats for isolation of T gondii. Modified agglutination test (MAT), using whole, fixed...

  20. Programming Pig

    CERN Document Server

    Gates, Alan

    2011-01-01

    This guide is an ideal learning tool and reference for Apache Pig, the open source engine for executing parallel data flows on Hadoop. With Pig, you can batch-process data without having to create a full-fledged application-making it easy for you to experiment with new datasets. Programming Pig introduces new users to Pig, and provides experienced users with comprehensive coverage on key features such as the Pig Latin scripting language, the Grunt shell, and User Defined Functions (UDFs) for extending Pig. If you need to analyze terabytes of data, this book shows you how to do it efficiently

  1. Wild genius - domestic fool? Spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sachser Norbert

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Domestic animals and their wild relatives differ in a wide variety of aspects. The process of domestication of the domestic guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus, starting at least 4500 years ago, led to changes in the anatomy, physiology, and behaviour compared with their wild relative, the wild cavy, Cavia aperea. Although domestic guinea pigs are widely used as a laboratory animal, learning and memory capabilities are often disregarded as being very scarce. Even less is known about learning and memory of wild cavies. In this regard, one striking domestic trait is a reduction in relative brain size, which in the domesticated form of the guinea pig amounts to 13%. However, the common belief, that such a reduction of brain size in the course of domestication of different species is accomplished by less learning capabilities is not at all very well established in the literature. Indeed, domestic animals might also even outperform their wild conspecifics taking advantage of their adaptation to a man-made environment. In our study we compared the spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs. We expected that the two forms are different regarding their learning performance possibly related to the process of domestication. Therefore wild cavies as well as domestic guinea pigs of both sexes, aged 35 to 45 days, were tested in the Morris water maze to investigate their ability of spatial learning. Results Both, wild cavies and domestic guinea pigs were able to learn the task, proving the water maze to be a suitable test also for wild cavies. Regarding the speed of learning, male as well as female domestic guinea pigs outperformed their wild conspecifics significantly. Interestingly, only domestic guinea pigs showed a significant spatial association of the platform position, while other effective search strategies were used by wild cavies. Conclusion The results demonstrate that domestic guinea pigs do not at all

  2. Wild genius - domestic fool? Spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewejohann, Lars; Pickel, Thorsten; Sachser, Norbert; Kaiser, Sylvia

    2010-03-25

    Domestic animals and their wild relatives differ in a wide variety of aspects. The process of domestication of the domestic guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus), starting at least 4500 years ago, led to changes in the anatomy, physiology, and behaviour compared with their wild relative, the wild cavy, Cavia aperea. Although domestic guinea pigs are widely used as a laboratory animal, learning and memory capabilities are often disregarded as being very scarce. Even less is known about learning and memory of wild cavies. In this regard, one striking domestic trait is a reduction in relative brain size, which in the domesticated form of the guinea pig amounts to 13%. However, the common belief, that such a reduction of brain size in the course of domestication of different species is accomplished by less learning capabilities is not at all very well established in the literature. Indeed, domestic animals might also even outperform their wild conspecifics taking advantage of their adaptation to a man-made environment.In our study we compared the spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs. We expected that the two forms are different regarding their learning performance possibly related to the process of domestication. Therefore wild cavies as well as domestic guinea pigs of both sexes, aged 35 to 45 days, were tested in the Morris water maze to investigate their ability of spatial learning. Both, wild cavies and domestic guinea pigs were able to learn the task, proving the water maze to be a suitable test also for wild cavies. Regarding the speed of learning, male as well as female domestic guinea pigs outperformed their wild conspecifics significantly. Interestingly, only domestic guinea pigs showed a significant spatial association of the platform position, while other effective search strategies were used by wild cavies. The results demonstrate that domestic guinea pigs do not at all perform worse than their wild relatives in tests of spatial

  3. "Enheduanna-A Manifesto of Falling" Live Brain-Computer Cinema Performance: Performer and Audience Participation, Cognition and Emotional Engagement Using Multi-Brain BCI Interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zioga, Polina; Pollick, Frank; Ma, Minhua; Chapman, Paul; Stefanov, Kristian

    2018-01-01

    The fields of neural prosthetic technologies and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) have witnessed in the past 15 years an unprecedented development, bringing together theories and methods from different scientific fields, digital media, and the arts. More in particular, artists have been amongst the pioneers of the design of relevant applications since their emergence in the 1960s, pushing the boundaries of applications in real-life contexts. With the new research, advancements, and since 2007, the new low-cost commercial-grade wireless devices, there is a new increasing number of computer games, interactive installations, and performances that involve the use of these interfaces, combining scientific, and creative methodologies. The vast majority of these works use the brain-activity of a single participant. However, earlier, as well as recent examples, involve the simultaneous interaction of more than one participants or performers with the use of Electroencephalography (EEG)-based multi-brain BCIs. In this frame, we discuss and evaluate "Enheduanna-A Manifesto of Falling," a live brain-computer cinema performance that enables for the first time the simultaneous real-time multi-brain interaction of more than two participants, including a performer and members of the audience, using a passive EEG-based BCI system in the context of a mixed-media performance. The performance was realised as a neuroscientific study conducted in a real-life setting. The raw EEG data of seven participants, one performer and two different members of the audience for each performance, were simultaneously recorded during three live events. The results reveal that the majority of the participants were able to successfully identify whether their brain-activity was interacting with the live video projections or not. A correlation has been found between their answers to the questionnaires, the elements of the performance that they identified as most special, and the audience's indicators of

  4. A Live-Attenuated Chimeric Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) Vaccine Is Transmitted to Contact Pigs but Is Not Upregulated by Concurrent Infection with Porcine Parvovirus (PPV) and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) and Is Efficacious in a PCV2b-PRRSV-PPV Challenge Model▿

    OpenAIRE

    Opriessnig, T.; Shen, H. G.; Pal, N.; Ramamoorthy, S.; Huang, Y. W.; Lager, K. M.; Beach, N. M.; Halbur, P. G.; Meng, X. J.

    2011-01-01

    The live chimeric porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) vaccine with the capsid gene of the emerging subtype 2b cloned in the genomic backbone of the nonpathogenic PCV1 is attenuated in vivo and induces protective immunity against PCV2. To further determine the safety and efficacy of this experimental vaccine, we tested for evidence of pig-to-pig transmission by commingling nonvaccinated and vaccinated pigs, determined potential upregulation by simultaneous vaccination and infection with porcine p...

  5. Feed intake, live mass-gain, body composition and protein ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Feed intake, live mass-gain, body composition and protein deposition in pigs fed three protein levels. E.H. Kemm,* F.K. Siebrits, M.N. Ras and H.A. Badenhorst. Animal and Dairy Science Research Institute, Private Bag X2, Irene 1675, Republic of South Africa. A group of 82 genetically lean and 90 obese Landrace pigs was ...

  6. Effects of dietary beef tallow and soy oil on glucose and cholesterol homeostasis in normal and diabetic pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woollett, L.A.

    1987-01-01

    Toe valuate whether dietary fats of different degrees of unsaturation alter glucose and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-CH) homeostasis, normal and alloxan-diabetic pigs were fed diets containing either beef tallow or soy oil as the primary source of fat for 6 weeks. After intra-arterial and oral doses of glucose, pigs fed soy oil had similar glucose and greater insulin concentrations in plasma when compared with pigs fed beef tallow. Beef tallow-fed pigs additionally were 40% more glucose effective than were soy oil-fed pigs. Disappearance of injected autologous 14 C-VLDL-CH was analyzed in pigs using a two-pool model. Diabetes resulted in a twofold increase in half-lives and a 60-fold increase in pool sizes of the primary and secondary components of VLDL-CH disappearance when compared with those of normal pigs. In normal pigs, feeding beef tallow resulted in longer half-lives of both components of VLDL-CH disappearance and no effect in pool size of both components of VLDL-CH disappearance than did feeding soy oil. In comparison, diabetic pigs fed beef tallow had a similar half-life of the primary component, a twofold shorter half-life of the secondary component, and threefold larger pool size of the primary component, and a similar pool size of the secondary component of VLDL-CH disappearance than did diabetic pigs fed soy oil. Thus, dietary fat seems to play an important role in regulation of glucose and VLDL-CH homeostasis in normal and diabetic animals

  7. Analysis of lipid raft molecules in the living brain slices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotani, Norihiro; Nakano, Takanari; Ida, Yui; Ito, Rina; Hashizume, Miki; Yamaguchi, Arisa; Seo, Makoto; Araki, Tomoyuki; Hojo, Yasushi; Honke, Koichi; Murakoshi, Takayuki

    2017-08-24

    Neuronal plasma membrane has been thought to retain a lot of lipid raft components which play important roles in the neural function. Although the biochemical analyses of lipid raft using brain tissues have been extensively carried out in the past 20 years, many of their experimental conditions do not coincide with those of standard neuroscience researches such as neurophysiology and neuropharmacology. Hence, the physiological methods for lipid raft analysis that can be compatible with general neuroscience have been required. Herein, we developed a system to physiologically analyze ganglioside GM1-enriched lipid rafts in brain tissues using the "Enzyme-Mediated Activation of Radical Sources (EMARS)" method that we reported (Kotani N. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 105, 7405-7409 (2008)). The EMARS method was applied to acute brain slices prepared from mouse brains in aCSF solution using the EMARS probe, HRP-conjugated cholera toxin subunit B, which recognizes ganglioside GM1. The membrane molecules present in the GM1-enriched lipid rafts were then labeled with fluorescein under the physiological condition. The fluorescein-tagged lipid raft molecules called "EMARS products" distributed differentially among various parts of the brain. On the other hand, appreciable differences were not detected among segments along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus. We further developed a device to label the lipid raft molecules in acute hippocampal slices under two different physiological conditions to detect dynamics of the lipid raft molecules during neural excitation. Using this device, several cell membrane molecules including Thy1, known as a lipid raft resident molecule in neurons, were confirmed by the EMARS method in living hippocampal slices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Local infusion of Staphylococcus aureus into the porcine internal carotid artery as a model of sepsis-related brain abscesses - A pilot study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Astrup, Lærke B.; Iburg, Tine M.; Agerholm, Jørgen S.

    2017-01-01

    Brain pathology is an important aspect of human sepsis but is difficult to study in human patients. Th erefore, animal models of sepsis-related brain pathology are needed. As pigs mirror multiple aspects of sepsis-related brain pathology in humans, this makes the pig a potentially suitable model...

  9. Quantitative risk assessment for the introduction of African swine fever virus into the European Union by legal import of live pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mur, L; Martínez-López, B; Martínez-Avilés, M; Costard, S; Wieland, B; Pfeiffer, D U; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

    2012-04-01

    The recent incursion and spread of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in the Russian Federation and Caucasus region, close to European Union (EU) borders, have increased the concerns regarding the probability of ASFV introduction into the EU. There are many potential routes of ASFV entry into EU, but here we specifically aimed to assess the probability of ASFV introduction by legal trade of pigs, which historically has been one of the most important ways of exotic diseases introduction into the EU. A stochastic model was used to estimate the monthly probability of ASFV introduction for each country of the EU. Results of this model suggest an annual probability for ASFV introduction in the whole EU by this way of 5.22*10(-3) , which approximately corresponds with one outbreak in 192years. The risk of ASFV introduction via live pigs was highest in Poland (69%), particularly during the months of November and December. As expected, Russian Federation is the country that most contributes to this risk, representing 68% of the overall annual risk. Methods and results presented here may be useful for informing risk-based surveillance and control programmes and, ultimately, for prevention and control of potential ASFV incursions into the EU. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  10. Some risk factors for Taenia solium cysticercosis in semi-intensively raised pigs in Zuru, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moses Gweba

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available The prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis in live pigs and at post mortem was determined in the Zuru area of Kebbi State, Nigeria. Prevalence rates of 5.85% (n = 205 and 14.40% (n = 118, respectively, were obtained from live pigs examined by lingual palpation and post-mortem examination. There was a significant (p0.05 relationship between age and infectivity. Human taeniosis was assessed by direct microscopy of stool samples from volunteers; a prevalence of 8% (n = 50 was obtained. Environmental (soil, water and water from washed vegetables samples were analysed; one of the water samples and some soil samples were positive for taeniid ova. Of the pig-rearing households that responded to the questionnaire survey 93% (n = 100 allow their pigs to scavenge freely around residential areas and refuse dumps, 2% had epileptic patients and over 80% did not have knowledge on how T. solium infection is acquired and its public health significance. To obtain baseline data for effective control and possible eradication, there is the need for a serological and epidemiological survey of this significant parasitic zoonosis in the study area and other parts of Nigeria where pigs are reared and/or pork is consumed.

  11. Guinea Pig Oxygen-Sensing and Carotid Body Functional Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Obeso, Elvira; Docio, Inmaculada; Olea, Elena; Cogolludo, Angel; Obeso, Ana; Rocher, Asuncion; Gomez-Niño, Angela

    2017-01-01

    Mammals have developed different mechanisms to maintain oxygen supply to cells in response to hypoxia. One of those mechanisms, the carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors, is able to detect physiological hypoxia and generate homeostatic reflex responses, mainly ventilatory and cardiovascular. It has been reported that guinea pigs, originally from the Andes, have a reduced ventilatory response to hypoxia compared to other mammals, implying that CB are not completely functional, which has been related to genetically/epigenetically determined poor hypoxia-driven CB reflex. This study was performed to check the guinea pig CB response to hypoxia compared to the well-known rat hypoxic response. These experiments have explored ventilatory parameters breathing different gases mixtures, cardiovascular responses to acute hypoxia, in vitro CB response to hypoxia and other stimuli and isolated guinea pig chemoreceptor cells properties. Our findings show that guinea pigs are hypotensive and have lower arterial pO2 than rats, probably related to a low sympathetic tone and high hemoglobin affinity. Those characteristics could represent a higher tolerance to hypoxic environment than other rodents. We also find that although CB are hypo-functional not showing chronic hypoxia sensitization, a small percentage of isolated carotid body chemoreceptor cells contain tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme and voltage-dependent K+ currents and therefore can be depolarized. However hypoxia does not modify intracellular Ca2+ levels or catecholamine secretion. Guinea pigs are able to hyperventilate only in response to intense acute hypoxic stimulus, but hypercapnic response is similar to rats. Whether other brain areas are also activated by hypoxia in guinea pigs remains to be studied. PMID:28533756

  12. Guinea Pig Oxygen-Sensing and Carotid Body Functional Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Obeso, Elvira; Docio, Inmaculada; Olea, Elena; Cogolludo, Angel; Obeso, Ana; Rocher, Asuncion; Gomez-Niño, Angela

    2017-01-01

    Mammals have developed different mechanisms to maintain oxygen supply to cells in response to hypoxia. One of those mechanisms, the carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors, is able to detect physiological hypoxia and generate homeostatic reflex responses, mainly ventilatory and cardiovascular. It has been reported that guinea pigs, originally from the Andes, have a reduced ventilatory response to hypoxia compared to other mammals, implying that CB are not completely functional, which has been related to genetically/epigenetically determined poor hypoxia-driven CB reflex. This study was performed to check the guinea pig CB response to hypoxia compared to the well-known rat hypoxic response. These experiments have explored ventilatory parameters breathing different gases mixtures, cardiovascular responses to acute hypoxia, in vitro CB response to hypoxia and other stimuli and isolated guinea pig chemoreceptor cells properties. Our findings show that guinea pigs are hypotensive and have lower arterial pO 2 than rats, probably related to a low sympathetic tone and high hemoglobin affinity. Those characteristics could represent a higher tolerance to hypoxic environment than other rodents. We also find that although CB are hypo-functional not showing chronic hypoxia sensitization, a small percentage of isolated carotid body chemoreceptor cells contain tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme and voltage-dependent K + currents and therefore can be depolarized. However hypoxia does not modify intracellular Ca 2+ levels or catecholamine secretion. Guinea pigs are able to hyperventilate only in response to intense acute hypoxic stimulus, but hypercapnic response is similar to rats. Whether other brain areas are also activated by hypoxia in guinea pigs remains to be studied.

  13. “Enheduanna—A Manifesto of Falling” Live Brain-Computer Cinema Performance: Performer and Audience Participation, Cognition and Emotional Engagement Using Multi-Brain BCI Interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zioga, Polina; Pollick, Frank; Ma, Minhua; Chapman, Paul; Stefanov, Kristian

    2018-01-01

    The fields of neural prosthetic technologies and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) have witnessed in the past 15 years an unprecedented development, bringing together theories and methods from different scientific fields, digital media, and the arts. More in particular, artists have been amongst the pioneers of the design of relevant applications since their emergence in the 1960s, pushing the boundaries of applications in real-life contexts. With the new research, advancements, and since 2007, the new low-cost commercial-grade wireless devices, there is a new increasing number of computer games, interactive installations, and performances that involve the use of these interfaces, combining scientific, and creative methodologies. The vast majority of these works use the brain-activity of a single participant. However, earlier, as well as recent examples, involve the simultaneous interaction of more than one participants or performers with the use of Electroencephalography (EEG)-based multi-brain BCIs. In this frame, we discuss and evaluate “Enheduanna—A Manifesto of Falling,” a live brain-computer cinema performance that enables for the first time the simultaneous real-time multi-brain interaction of more than two participants, including a performer and members of the audience, using a passive EEG-based BCI system in the context of a mixed-media performance. The performance was realised as a neuroscientific study conducted in a real-life setting. The raw EEG data of seven participants, one performer and two different members of the audience for each performance, were simultaneously recorded during three live events. The results reveal that the majority of the participants were able to successfully identify whether their brain-activity was interacting with the live video projections or not. A correlation has been found between their answers to the questionnaires, the elements of the performance that they identified as most special, and the audience's indicators

  14. “Enheduanna—A Manifesto of Falling” Live Brain-Computer Cinema Performance: Performer and Audience Participation, Cognition and Emotional Engagement Using Multi-Brain BCI Interaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Polina Zioga

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The fields of neural prosthetic technologies and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs have witnessed in the past 15 years an unprecedented development, bringing together theories and methods from different scientific fields, digital media, and the arts. More in particular, artists have been amongst the pioneers of the design of relevant applications since their emergence in the 1960s, pushing the boundaries of applications in real-life contexts. With the new research, advancements, and since 2007, the new low-cost commercial-grade wireless devices, there is a new increasing number of computer games, interactive installations, and performances that involve the use of these interfaces, combining scientific, and creative methodologies. The vast majority of these works use the brain-activity of a single participant. However, earlier, as well as recent examples, involve the simultaneous interaction of more than one participants or performers with the use of Electroencephalography (EEG-based multi-brain BCIs. In this frame, we discuss and evaluate “Enheduanna—A Manifesto of Falling,” a live brain-computer cinema performance that enables for the first time the simultaneous real-time multi-brain interaction of more than two participants, including a performer and members of the audience, using a passive EEG-based BCI system in the context of a mixed-media performance. The performance was realised as a neuroscientific study conducted in a real-life setting. The raw EEG data of seven participants, one performer and two different members of the audience for each performance, were simultaneously recorded during three live events. The results reveal that the majority of the participants were able to successfully identify whether their brain-activity was interacting with the live video projections or not. A correlation has been found between their answers to the questionnaires, the elements of the performance that they identified as most special, and the

  15. Games of lives in surviving childhood brain tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chin-Mi; Chen, Yueh-Chih; Haase, Joan E

    2008-06-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the commonality of the lived experience of adolescent and young adult survivors (AYAS) of brain tumors in Taiwan from a sociocultural perspective. Seven AYAS aged 13 to 22 years, who had survived 5 to 10 years from the time of diagnosis, participated in this study. In consideration of their emotional duress, each participant was interviewed only once. The data revealed an essential structure: the game of life. The essential structure included six themes as follows: (a) no longer playing well, (b) wandering on the outer edges of social life, (c) helplessly struggling with role obligations, (d) rationally regulating the meaning of surviving, (e) winning a new social face, and (f) mastering the game of life. The findings suggest how nurses might help AYAS to succeed in psychosocial adjustment.

  16. Clinical signs, therapy and zoonotic risk of pet guinea pigs with dermatophytosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraemer, A; Hein, J; Heusinger, A; Mueller, R S

    2013-03-01

    Systematic studies about pet guinea pigs with dermatophytosis are rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical signs, therapy and zoonotic risk of pet guinea pigs with dermatophytosis. Questionnaires from both owners (n = 74) of pet guinea pigs with dermatophytosis and their veterinarians (n = 101) were analysed regarding clinical signs, therapy and data pertinent to zoonotic potential. Trichophyton (T.) mentagrophytes was found in 97% of cases. In the weeks preceding the onset of the clinical signs, a new guinea pig joined the household in 43% of cases. One third of the affected guinea pigs had lived in the household for less than 3 months. Predominant clinical signs were alopecia (83%), scaling (73%) and crusting (70%). The most commonly affected body site was the head (75%). In approximately one quarter of the cases humans showed clinical signs of dermatophytosis, in half the households, only children were affected. Skin lesions were seen most often on the face, the neck and the arms. Pet guinea pigs carrying dermatophytes must be considered a serious zoonotic risk for their owners, especially for children. A major risk factor for dermatophytosis seems to be a recent acquisition of a new guinea pig. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  17. Nutritive value of wet distillers' solubles for pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarmo Valaja

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available Digestibility and nitrogen (N metabolism were studied to evaluate the nutritive value of wet barley distillers’ solubles (DSB from an integrated starch-ethanol process for pigs. Eight castrated male pigs (live weight 72-103 kg were used in a 8 x 3 cyclic change-over design, where the diets were arranged factorially 2x2. The corresponding factors were the protein source (DSB or soya bean meal (SBM and the protein level (131 or 162 g crude protein (CP/kg dry matter (DM. Faeces and urine were collected in total. The four diets comprised barley, barley starch, minerals and vitamins with either DSB or SBM as the main source of protein. The digestibility of CP(p

  18. Feed intake, growth and feed utilization patterns of pigs highly ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mean daily live mass gain was, however, 174 g/day (20,5%) more for the Large White boars and feed conversion16,5% ... of protein and fat in genetically lean and obese pigs, and showed that feed ..... regulation of growth and production.

  19. Treating pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dam, Mie S.; Svendsen, Mette N.

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores how animal modelling is negotiated and practised in the field of translational neonatology research in Denmark. Based on ethnography from a biomedical research centre, NEOMUNE, in which veterinary and medical scientists worked on developing a ‘preterm pig brain model’, we...... examine how they strived to balance traditional scientific norms of standardisation against clinical researchers’ requests for clinical care in the modelling practice. We develop the notion of ‘patientising’ to capture how the research piglets are made to model not only the biological consequences...... of prematurity, but also the suffering of the human patient entitled to individual care. Based on this ethnographic fieldwork we argue that the demand for clinical relevance in translational research highlights the animal laboratory as also being a “moral laboratory” (Mattingly, 2014). In seeking to align...

  20. The effect of trichlorfon and methylazoxymethanol on the development of guinea pig cerebellum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehl, Anna; Schanke, Tore M.; Torvik, Ansgar; Fonnum, Frode

    2007-01-01

    The pesticide trichlorfon (125 mg/kg on days 42-44 in gestation) gives hypoplasia of Brain of the offspring without any significant reduction in their body weights. The hypoplasia may be caused by trichlorfon itself or by its metabolite dichlorvos. This period of development coincides with the growth spurt period of guinea pig brain. The largest changes occurred in the cerebellum. Electron microscopic examination of the cerebellar cortex showed increased apoptotic death of cells in the granule cell layer after trichlorfon treatment. A reduction in thickness of the external germinal layer of the cerebellar cortex and an elevated amount of pyknotic and karyorrhexic cells in the granule cell layer was found. There was a significant reduction in choline esterase, choline acetyltransferase and glutamate decarboxylase activities in the cerebellum. Methylazoxymethanol (15 mg/kg body weight, day 43) was examined for comparison and caused similar hypoplasia of the guinea pig cerebellum, but did also induce a reduction in body weight. Trichloroethanol, the main metabolite of trichlorfon, did not give brain hypoplasia

  1. Deconstructing the pig sex metabolome: Targeted metabolomics in heavy pigs revealed sexual dimorphisms in plasma biomarkers and metabolic pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bovo, S; Mazzoni, G; Calò, D G; Galimberti, G; Fanelli, F; Mezzullo, M; Schiavo, G; Scotti, E; Manisi, A; Samoré, A B; Bertolini, F; Trevisi, P; Bosi, P; Dall'Olio, S; Pagotto, U; Fontanesi, L

    2015-12-01

    Metabolomics has opened new possibilities to investigate metabolic differences among animals. In this study, we applied a targeted metabolomic approach to deconstruct the pig sex metabolome as defined by castrated males and entire gilts. Plasma from 545 performance-tested Italian Large White pigs (172 castrated males and 373 females) sampled at about 160 kg live weight were analyzed for 186 metabolites using the Biocrates AbsoluteIDQ p180 Kit. After filtering, 132 metabolites (20 AA, 11 biogenic amines, 1 hexose, 13 acylcarnitines, 11 sphingomyelins, 67 phosphatidylcholines, and 9 lysophosphatidylcholines) were retained for further analyses. The multivariate approach of the sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis was applied, together with a specifically designed statistical pipeline, that included a permutation test and a 10 cross-fold validation procedure that produced stability and effect size statistics for each metabolite. Using this approach, we identified 85 biomarkers (with metabolites from all analyzed chemical families) that contributed to the differences between the 2 groups of pigs ( metabolic shift in castrated males toward energy storage and lipid production. Similar general patterns were observed for most sphingomyelins, phosphatidylcholines, and lysophosphatidylcholines. Metabolomic pathway analysis and pathway enrichment identified several differences between the 2 sexes. This metabolomic overview opened new clues on the biochemical mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism that, on one hand, might explain differences in terms of economic traits between castrated male pigs and entire gilts and, on the other hand, could strengthen the pig as a model to define metabolic mechanisms related to fat deposition.

  2. Spatial relationship between Taenia solium tapeworm carriers and necropsy cyst burden in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pray, Ian W; Ayvar, Viterbo; Gamboa, Ricardo; Muro, Claudio; Moyano, Luz M; Benavides, Victor; Flecker, Robert H; Garcia, Hector H; O'Neal, Seth E

    2017-04-01

    Taenia solium, a parasite that affects humans and pigs, is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. Geographic hotspots of pigs testing positive for serologic markers of T. solium exposure have been observed surrounding the locations of human tapeworm carriers. This clustered pattern of seropositivity in endemic areas formed the basis for geographically targeted control interventions, which have been effective at reducing transmission. In this study, we further explore the spatial relationship between human tapeworm carriers and infected pigs using necroscopic examination as a quantitative gold-standard diagnostic to detect viable T. solium cyst infection in pigs. We performed necroscopic examinations on pigs from 7 villages in northern Peru to determine the number of viable T. solium cysts in each pig. Participating humans in the study villages were tested for T. solium tapeworm infection (i.e., taeniasis) with an ELISA coproantigen assay, and the distances from each pig to its nearest human tapeworm carrier were calculated. We assessed the relationship between proximity to a tapeworm carrier and the prevalence of light, moderate, and heavy cyst burden in pigs. The prevalence of pig infection was greatest within 50 meters of a tapeworm carrier and decreased monotonically as distance increased. Pigs living less than 50 meters from a human tapeworm carrier were 4.6 times more likely to be infected with at least one cyst than more distant pigs. Heavier cyst burdens, however, were not more strongly associated with proximity to tapeworm carriers than light cyst burdens. Our study shows that human tapeworm carriers and pigs with viable T. solium cyst infection are geographically correlated in endemic areas. This finding supports control strategies that treat humans and pigs based on their proximity to other infected individuals. We did not, however, find sufficient evidence that heavier cyst burdens in pigs would serve as improved targets for

  3. GCMS/MS Analyses of Biological Samples in Support of Evaluation of Toxicity Associated with Intravenous Exposure to VX Stereoisomers in Guinea Pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-07-01

    ASSOCIATED WITH INTRAVENOUS EXPOSURE TO VX STEREOISOMERS IN GUINEA PIGS ECBC-TR-1465 Disclaimer The findings in this report are not to be...VX Stereoisomers in Guinea Pigs 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) McGuire, Jeffrey M.; Wright...lung, liver, kidney, and brain) that were obtained from guinea pigs intravenously exposed to various concentrations of O-ethyl S-(2

  4. Selection Based on Indirect Genetic Effects for Growth, Environmental Enrichment and Coping Style Affect the Immune Status of Pigs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reimert, I.; Rodenburg, T.B.; Ursinus, W.W.; Kemp, B.; Bolhuis, J.E.

    2014-01-01

    Pigs living in intensive husbandry systems may experience both acute and chronic stress through standard management procedures and limitations in their physical and social environment, which may have implications for their immune status. Here, the effect of a new breeding method where pigs were

  5. L-dehydroascorbic acid can substitute L-ascorbic acid as dietary vitamin C source in guinea pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frikke-Schmidt, Henriette Rønne; Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Lykkesfeldt, Jens

    2016-01-01

    products prone to oxidation-was studied. Our aim was to compare tissue accumulation of vitamin C in guinea pigs receiving different oral doses of either ascorbate or DHA. In all tissues tested (plasma, liver, spleen, lung, adrenal glands, kidney, muscle, heart, and brain), only sporadic differences......, we continued to explore the ability to recycle DHA in blood, liver and intestine in guinea pigs, rats and mice. These investigations revealed that guinea pigs have similar recycling capacity in red blood cells as observed in humans, while rats and mice do not have near the same ability to reduce DHA...... in erythrocytes. In liver and intestinal homogenates, guinea pigs also showed a significantly higher ability to recycle DHA compared to rats and mice. These data demonstrate that DHA in guinea pigs-as in humans-is almost as effective as ascorbate as vitamin C source when it comes to taking up and storing vitamin...

  6. On the long-term behaviour of 110mAg in the soil-plant system and its transfer from feed to pig

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Handl, J.; Kallweit, E.; Henning, M.; Szwec, L.

    2000-01-01

    The long-term transfer of radiosilver from soil to pasture grass was investigated over 5 years on an undisturbed pasture using stable silver ( 109 Ag) isotope as a tracer. The silver content of all the samples was determined by neutron activation analysis. The temporal change of the Ag + uptake into forage was negligible mainly due to the low mobility of silver in the soil (orthi-humic-gleysol). The mean grass/soil concentration factor levelled out at 1.3±0.5x10 -2 during the 59-month observation period. In a 30-day feeding experiment with pigs, 110m Ag was used to determine distribution and retention. The internal distribution of 110m Ag showed the liver to be the most contaminated tissue. The highest 110m Ag retention was found in the brain. The biological half-lives obtained for the liver and the brain were 35 and 136 days, respectively

  7. Ropizine concurrently enhances and inhibits [3H] dextromethorpan binding to different structures of the guinea pig brain: Autoradiographic evidence for multiple binding sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Canoll, P.D.; Smith, P.R.; and Musacchio, J.M.

    1990-01-01

    Ropizine produces a simultaneous enhancement and inhibition of [ 3 H] dextromethorphan (DM) high-affinity binding to different areas of the guinea pig brain. These results imply that there are two distinct types of high-affinity [ 3 H]DM binding sites, which are present in variable proportions in different brain structures. The ropizine-enhances [ 3 H]DM binding type was preferentially inhibited by (+)-pentazocine. This is consistent with the presumption that the (+)-pentazocine-sensitive site is identical with the common site for DM and 3-(-3-Hydroxphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine ((+)-3-PPP). The second binding type, which is inhibited by ropizine and is not so sensitive to (+)- pentazocine, has not been fully characterized. This study demonstrates that the biphasic effects to ropizine are due, at least in part, to the effects of ropizine on two different types of [ 3 H]DM binding sites. However, this study does not rule out that the common DM/(+)-3-PPP site also might be inhibited by higher concentrations of ropizine

  8. Immunomodulating effects of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics for pig gut health

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roselli, Marianna; Pieper, Robert; Rogel-Gaillard, Claire

    2017-01-01

    Probiotics are live microorganisms that can confer a health benefit on the host, and amongst various mechanisms probiotics are believed to exert their effects by production of antimicrobial substances, competition with pathogens for adhesion sites and nutrients, enhancement of mucosal barrier...... integrity and immune modulation. Through these activities probiotics can support three core benefits for the host: supporting a healthy gut microbiota, a healthy digestive tract and a healthy immune system. More recently, the concept of combining probiotics and prebiotics, i.e. synbiotics......, for the beneficial effect on gut health of pigs has attracted major interest, and examples of probiotic and prebiotic benefits for pigs are pathogen inhibition and immunomodulation. Yet, it remains to be defined in pigs, what exactly is a healthy gut. Because of the high level of variability in growth and feed...

  9. Energy use in pig production: an examination of current Iowa systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lammers, P J; Kenealy, M D; Kliebenstein, J B; Harmon, J D; Helmers, M J; Honeyman, M S

    2012-03-01

    maintaining pig comfort and performance is a third critical area for future research. The hoop barn-based alternative uses 64% less energy to operate buildings but requires bedding and 2.4% more feed. Current Iowa pig production systems use energy differently but result in similar total energy use. Compared with 1975, current farrow-to-finish systems in Iowa require 80% less energy to produce live market pigs.

  10. 与生猪产业发展联动的中国沼气工程建设现状分析%Status analysis of biogas plants construction associated with development of live pig industry in China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    胡启春; 汤晓玉; 宁睿婷; 李谦

    2015-01-01

    The data of live pig industry development scale in China and the corresponding construction status of biogas plants from 2007 to 2012 were analyzed in the study. With the development and adjustment of live pig industry, large-scale standardized pig farms grew very fast. In the year of 2012, the proportion of scale pig-breeding farms by which more than 500 live pigs were sold every year achieved 38.5%in the whole country, while the number of pig farms at those scales was doubled during the 5 years. The increase of scale pig-breeding provided the opportunity for biogas plant construction. Thus, there was a rapid development of biogas plant construction in the 4 dominant pig-breeding areas. By the end of 2012, the number of breeding farms’ biogas plants in rural regions of China has reached 91 600, which increased by 3 times that in 2007. Especially, the biogas plant coverage of medium-scale and large-scale pig farms in coastal and southwest areas reached more than 80%. On the other hand, there were a larger number of disabled biogas plants during this period. Due to the influence of regional resources, agricultural structure, climate and technology maturity, both the biogas plant construction status associated with live pig industry development and the quality of construction and operation management were uneven. Among all the factors that affected biogas plant’s usage and discarding, live pig industry adjustment and market fluctuation played an important role in the normal operation of biogas plants. For this economic development model of biogas plants in the new era, China has paid more attention to the sustainability, the developing quality, the construction pattern and the development speed of biogas plants, which are served as basic agricultural facilities and are faced with the challenge of model change and upgrade. In order to enhance biogas plant’s ability of treating livestock industry pollution, we have the following suggestions: 1) improve the

  11. A genome-wide scan for signatures of directional selection in domesticated pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Sunjin; Kim, Tae-Hun; Lee, Kyung-Tai; Kwak, Woori; Lee, Taeheon; Lee, Si-Woo; Kim, Myung-Jick; Cho, Kyuho; Kim, Namshin; Chung, Won-Hyong; Sung, Samsun; Park, Taesung; Cho, Seoae; Groenen, Martien Am; Nielsen, Rasmus; Kim, Yuseob; Kim, Heebal

    2015-02-25

    Animal domestication involved drastic phenotypic changes driven by strong artificial selection and also resulted in new populations of breeds, established by humans. This study aims to identify genes that show evidence of recent artificial selection during pig domestication. Whole-genome resequencing of 30 individual pigs from domesticated breeds, Landrace and Yorkshire, and 10 Asian wild boars at ~16-fold coverage was performed resulting in over 4.3 million SNPs for 19,990 genes. We constructed a comprehensive genome map of directional selection by detecting selective sweeps using an F ST-based approach that detects directional selection in lineages leading to the domesticated breeds and using a haplotype-based test that detects ongoing selective sweeps within the breeds. We show that candidate genes under selection are significantly enriched for loci implicated in quantitative traits important to pig reproduction and production. The candidate gene with the strongest signals of directional selection belongs to group III of the metabolomics glutamate receptors, known to affect brain functions associated with eating behavior, suggesting that loci under strong selection include loci involved in behaviorial traits in domesticated pigs including tameness. We show that a significant proportion of selection signatures coincide with loci that were previously inferred to affect phenotypic variation in pigs. We further identify functional enrichment related to behavior, such as signal transduction and neuronal activities, for those targets of selection during domestication in pigs.

  12. Pig Farmers’ Homes Harbor More Diverse Airborne Bacterial Communities Than Pig Stables or Suburban Homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ditte V. Vestergaard

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Airborne bacterial communities are subject to conditions ill-suited to microbial activity and growth. In spite of this, air is an important transfer medium for bacteria, with the bacteria in indoor air having potentially major consequences for the health of a building’s occupants. A major example is the decreased diversity and altered composition of indoor airborne microbial communities as a proposed explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma and allergies worldwide. Previous research has shown that living on a farm confers protection against development of asthma and allergies, with airborne bacteria suggested as playing a role in this protective effect. However, the composition of this beneficial microbial community has still not been identified. We sampled settled airborne dust using a passive dust sampler from Danish pig stables, associated farmers’ homes, and from suburban homes (267 samples in total and carried out quantitative PCR measurements of bacterial abundance and MiSeq sequencing of the V3–V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes found in these samples. Airborne bacteria had a greater diversity and were significantly more abundant in pig stables and farmers’ homes than suburban homes (Wilcoxon rank sum test P < 0.05. Moreover, bacterial taxa previously suggested to contribute to a protective effect had significantly higher relative and absolute abundance in pig stables and farmers’ homes than in suburban homes (ALDEx2 with P < 0.05, including Firmicutes, Peptostreptococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium, and Lactobacillus. Pig stables had significantly lower airborne bacterial diversity than farmers’ homes, and there was no discernable direct transfer of airborne bacteria from stable to home. This study identifies differences in indoor airborne bacterial communities that may be an important component of this putative protective effect, while showing that pig stables

  13. Pig Farmers’ Homes Harbor More Diverse Airborne Bacterial Communities Than Pig Stables or Suburban Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vestergaard, Ditte V.; Holst, Gitte J.; Basinas, Ioannis; Elholm, Grethe; Schlünssen, Vivi; Linneberg, Allan; Šantl-Temkiv, Tina; Finster, Kai; Sigsgaard, Torben; Marshall, Ian P. G.

    2018-01-01

    Airborne bacterial communities are subject to conditions ill-suited to microbial activity and growth. In spite of this, air is an important transfer medium for bacteria, with the bacteria in indoor air having potentially major consequences for the health of a building’s occupants. A major example is the decreased diversity and altered composition of indoor airborne microbial communities as a proposed explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma and allergies worldwide. Previous research has shown that living on a farm confers protection against development of asthma and allergies, with airborne bacteria suggested as playing a role in this protective effect. However, the composition of this beneficial microbial community has still not been identified. We sampled settled airborne dust using a passive dust sampler from Danish pig stables, associated farmers’ homes, and from suburban homes (267 samples in total) and carried out quantitative PCR measurements of bacterial abundance and MiSeq sequencing of the V3–V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes found in these samples. Airborne bacteria had a greater diversity and were significantly more abundant in pig stables and farmers’ homes than suburban homes (Wilcoxon rank sum test P < 0.05). Moreover, bacterial taxa previously suggested to contribute to a protective effect had significantly higher relative and absolute abundance in pig stables and farmers’ homes than in suburban homes (ALDEx2 with P < 0.05), including Firmicutes, Peptostreptococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium, and Lactobacillus. Pig stables had significantly lower airborne bacterial diversity than farmers’ homes, and there was no discernable direct transfer of airborne bacteria from stable to home. This study identifies differences in indoor airborne bacterial communities that may be an important component of this putative protective effect, while showing that pig stables themselves do not appear

  14. Pig Farmers' Homes Harbor More Diverse Airborne Bacterial Communities Than Pig Stables or Suburban Homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vestergaard, Ditte V; Holst, Gitte J; Basinas, Ioannis; Elholm, Grethe; Schlünssen, Vivi; Linneberg, Allan; Šantl-Temkiv, Tina; Finster, Kai; Sigsgaard, Torben; Marshall, Ian P G

    2018-01-01

    Airborne bacterial communities are subject to conditions ill-suited to microbial activity and growth. In spite of this, air is an important transfer medium for bacteria, with the bacteria in indoor air having potentially major consequences for the health of a building's occupants. A major example is the decreased diversity and altered composition of indoor airborne microbial communities as a proposed explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma and allergies worldwide. Previous research has shown that living on a farm confers protection against development of asthma and allergies, with airborne bacteria suggested as playing a role in this protective effect. However, the composition of this beneficial microbial community has still not been identified. We sampled settled airborne dust using a passive dust sampler from Danish pig stables, associated farmers' homes, and from suburban homes (267 samples in total) and carried out quantitative PCR measurements of bacterial abundance and MiSeq sequencing of the V3-V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes found in these samples. Airborne bacteria had a greater diversity and were significantly more abundant in pig stables and farmers' homes than suburban homes (Wilcoxon rank sum test P < 0.05). Moreover, bacterial taxa previously suggested to contribute to a protective effect had significantly higher relative and absolute abundance in pig stables and farmers' homes than in suburban homes (ALDEx2 with P < 0.05), including Firmicutes, Peptostreptococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium , and Lactobacillus . Pig stables had significantly lower airborne bacterial diversity than farmers' homes, and there was no discernable direct transfer of airborne bacteria from stable to home. This study identifies differences in indoor airborne bacterial communities that may be an important component of this putative protective effect, while showing that pig stables themselves do not appear to

  15. Vestibular morphology in the German Waltzing guinea pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaguchi, Sachie; Hultcrantz, Malou; Jin, Zhe; Ulfendahl, Mats; Suzuki, Mamoru

    2010-04-01

    The German waltzing guinea pig is a special strain of animal with a recessively inherited inner ear defect, resulting in deafness and a severe vestibular dysfunction. The hearing loss in the cochlea of the German strain is a result of a collapse of the Reissner membrane and the absence of scala media. The vestibular organ has not yet been described. German waltzing guinea pigs (homozygote and heterozygote) of different ages ranging from embryologic age 25 days to adulthood were investigated. The living animals were tested with four different vestibular tests, and the fetuses were controlled according to breeding. The morphology of the vestibular parts (ampulla, saccule, and utricle) was observed by using the light and transmission electron microscopy. Collapse of the membranous labyrinth was found already at embryologic age 50 days and progressed over time. Vestibular dysfunction was noted already from birth. Vestibular atelectasis has been shown to have the same morphology as the reported vestibular dysfunction in the German waltzing guinea pig. Owing to this similarity, this animal can be a good model for vestibular research.

  16. A simple non-invasive method for measuring gross brain size in small live fish with semi-transparent heads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joacim Näslund

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes a non-invasive method for estimating gross brain size in small fish with semi-transparent heads, using system camera equipment. Macro-photographs were taken from above on backlit free-swimming fish undergoing light anaesthesia. From the photographs, the width of the optic tectum was measured. This measure (TeO-measure correlates well with the width of the optic tectum as measured from out-dissected brains in both brown trout fry and zebrafish (Pearson r > 0.90. The TeO-measure also correlates well with overall brain wet weight in brown trout fry (r = 0.90, but less well for zebrafish (r = 0.79. A non-invasive measure makes it possible to quickly assess brain size from a large number of individuals, as well as repeatedly measuring brain size of live individuals allowing calculation of brain growth.

  17. The response of various muscle types to a restriction -re-alimentation feeding strategy in growing pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebret, B; Heyer, A; Gondret, F; Louveau, I

    2007-07-01

    Muscle lipid concentration is known to influence pork eating quality. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of a restriction-re-alimentation feeding strategy on intramuscular fat deposition in pigs. A total of 70 Duroc × (Large White × Landrace) pigs (castrated males and females) were used. Ten pigs were first slaughtered at 30 kg live weight (LW) to determine initial body and muscle composition. From 30 to 80 kg LW (growing period), pigs were either fed ad libitum (AL) or restricted to 70% of the ad libitum intake of AL pigs (RA). From 80 to 110 kg LW (finishing period), both AL and RA pigs were fed ad libitum. In each group, pigs were slaughtered at 80 kg (n = 10) and at 110 kg (n = 20) LW. During the growing period, the growth rate of RA pigs was reduced by 30% (P alimentation up to the level observed in AL pigs (P alimentation of RA pigs increased fat tissue deposition (+160% for females, P alimentation increased lipid (+62%, P alimentation. Therefore, an increased muscle lipid concentration at 110 kg LW could not be reached in RA pigs. Modifications of onset and/or duration of restriction and re-alimentation periods should be tested to optimise effects on muscle lipid deposition and thereby achieve improved pork quality.

  18. Profile of new green fluorescent protein transgenic Jinhua pigs as an imaging source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawarasaki, Tatsuo; Uchiyama, Kazuhiko; Hirao, Atsushi; Azuma, Sadahiro; Otake, Masayoshi; Shibata, Masatoshi; Tsuchiya, Seiko; Enosawa, Shin; Takeuchi, Koichi; Konno, Kenjiro; Hakamata, Yoji; Yoshino, Hiroyuki; Wakai, Takuya; Ookawara, Shigeo; Tanaka, Hozumi; Kobayashi, Eiji; Murakami, Takashi

    2009-09-01

    Animal imaging sources have become an indispensable material for biological sciences. Specifically, gene-encoded biological probes serve as stable and high-performance tools to visualize cellular fate in living animals. We use a somatic cell cloning technique to create new green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing Jinhua pigs with a miniature body size, and characterized the expression profile in various tissues/organs and ex vivo culture conditions. The born GFP-transgenic pig demonstrate an organ/tissue-dependent expression pattern. Strong GFP expression is observed in the skeletal muscle, pancreas, heart, and kidney. Regarding cellular levels, bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells, hepatocytes, and islet cells of the pancreas also show sufficient expression with the unique pattern. Moreover, the cloned pigs demonstrate normal growth and fertility, and the introduced GFP gene is stably transmitted to pigs in subsequent generations. The new GFP-expressing Jinhua pigs may be used as new cellular/tissue light resources for biological imaging in preclinical research fields such as tissue engineering, experimental regenerative medicine, and transplantation.

  19. The Peptide Vaccine Combined with Prior Immunization of a Conventional Diphtheria-Tetanus Toxoid Vaccine Induced Amyloid β Binding Antibodies on Cynomolgus Monkeys and Guinea Pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akira Yano

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The reduction of brain amyloid beta (Aβ peptides by anti-Aβ antibodies is one of the possible therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. We previously reported that the Aβ peptide vaccine including the T-cell epitope of diphtheria-tetanus combined toxoid (DT induced anti-Aβ antibodies, and the prior immunization with conventional DT vaccine enhanced the immunogenicity of the peptide. Cynomolgus monkeys were given the peptide vaccine subcutaneously in combination with the prior DT vaccination. Vaccination with a similar regimen was also performed on guinea pigs. The peptide vaccine induced anti-Aβ antibodies in cynomolgus monkeys and guinea pigs without chemical adjuvants, and excessive immune responses were not observed. Those antibodies could preferentially recognize Aβ40, and Aβ42 compared to Aβ fibrils. The levels of serum anti-Aβ antibodies and plasma Aβ peptides increased in both animals and decreased the brain Aβ40 level of guinea pigs. The peptide vaccine could induce a similar binding profile of anti-Aβ antibodies in cynomolgus monkeys and guinea pigs. The peptide vaccination could be expected to reduce the brain Aβ peptides and their toxic effects via clearance of Aβ peptides by generated antibodies.

  20. A live-attenuated chimeric porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) vaccine is transmitted to contact pigs but is not upregulated by concurrent infection with porcine parvovirus (PPV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and is efficacious in a PCV2b-PRRSV-PPV challenge model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Opriessnig, T; Shen, H G; Pal, N; Ramamoorthy, S; Huang, Y W; Lager, K M; Beach, N M; Halbur, P G; Meng, X J

    2011-08-01

    The live chimeric porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) vaccine with the capsid gene of the emerging subtype 2b cloned in the genomic backbone of the nonpathogenic PCV1 is attenuated in vivo and induces protective immunity against PCV2. To further determine the safety and efficacy of this experimental vaccine, we tested for evidence of pig-to-pig transmission by commingling nonvaccinated and vaccinated pigs, determined potential upregulation by simultaneous vaccination and infection with porcine parvovirus (PPV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and determined vaccine efficacy by challenging pigs 4 weeks after vaccination with PCV2b, PRRSV, and PPV. Forty-six 21-day-old, PCV2-naïve pigs were randomly assigned to one of six groups. Twenty-nine of 46 pigs were challenged with PCV2b, PRRSV, and PPV at day 28, 8/46 remained nonvaccinated and nonchallenged and served as negative controls, and 9/46 remained nonchallenged and served as vaccination controls. All animals were necropsied at day 49. PCV1-PCV2 viremia was detected in nonvaccinated contact pigs commingled with vaccinated pigs, indicating pig-to-pig transmission; however, PCV1-PCV2 DNA levels remained low in all vaccinated and contact pigs regardless of concurrent infection. Finally, vaccination 28 days before challenge resulted in significantly (P attenuated chimeric PCV2 vaccine, although transmissible to contact pigs, remains attenuated in pigs concurrently infected with PRRSV and PPV and induces protective immunity against PCV2b when it is administered 28 days before PCV2 exposure.

  1. A Live-Attenuated Chimeric Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) Vaccine Is Transmitted to Contact Pigs but Is Not Upregulated by Concurrent Infection with Porcine Parvovirus (PPV) and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) and Is Efficacious in a PCV2b-PRRSV-PPV Challenge Model▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Opriessnig, T.; Shen, H. G.; Pal, N.; Ramamoorthy, S.; Huang, Y. W.; Lager, K. M.; Beach, N. M.; Halbur, P. G.; Meng, X. J.

    2011-01-01

    The live chimeric porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) vaccine with the capsid gene of the emerging subtype 2b cloned in the genomic backbone of the nonpathogenic PCV1 is attenuated in vivo and induces protective immunity against PCV2. To further determine the safety and efficacy of this experimental vaccine, we tested for evidence of pig-to-pig transmission by commingling nonvaccinated and vaccinated pigs, determined potential upregulation by simultaneous vaccination and infection with porcine parvovirus (PPV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and determined vaccine efficacy by challenging pigs 4 weeks after vaccination with PCV2b, PRRSV, and PPV. Forty-six 21-day-old, PCV2-naïve pigs were randomly assigned to one of six groups. Twenty-nine of 46 pigs were challenged with PCV2b, PRRSV, and PPV at day 28, 8/46 remained nonvaccinated and nonchallenged and served as negative controls, and 9/46 remained nonchallenged and served as vaccination controls. All animals were necropsied at day 49. PCV1-PCV2 viremia was detected in nonvaccinated contact pigs commingled with vaccinated pigs, indicating pig-to-pig transmission; however, PCV1-PCV2 DNA levels remained low in all vaccinated and contact pigs regardless of concurrent infection. Finally, vaccination 28 days before challenge resulted in significantly (P attenuated chimeric PCV2 vaccine, although transmissible to contact pigs, remains attenuated in pigs concurrently infected with PRRSV and PPV and induces protective immunity against PCV2b when it is administered 28 days before PCV2 exposure. PMID:21653745

  2. A multi-dimensional dynamic linear model for monitoring slaughter pig production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Dan Børge; Cornou, Cecile; Toft, Nils

    Scientists and farmers still lack an efficient way to unify the large number of different types of data series, which are increasingly being generated in relation to automatic herd monitoring. Such a unifying model should be able to account for the correlations between the various types of data......, feed-and water consumption), measured at different levels of detail (individual pig and double-pen level) and with different observational frequencies (weekly and daily), using series collected for the Danish PigIT project. The presented three-dimensional model serves as a proof of concept......, resulting in a model which could potentially yield more information than can be gained from the individual components separately. Here we present such a model for monitoring slaughter pig production, in the form of a multivariate dynamic linear model. This model unifies three types of data (live weight...

  3. 'Being in it together': living with a partner receiving deep brain stimulation for advanced Parkinson's disease--a hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haahr, Anita; Kirkevold, Marit; Hall, Elisabeth O C; Østergaard, Karen

    2013-02-01

    This article is a report of an exploration of the lived experience of being a spouse to a person living with advanced Parkinson's disease, before and during the first year of deep brain stimulation. Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. It has a profound impact on the everyday life for patients and spouses. Deep brain stimulation is offered with the aim of reducing symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The treatment is known to improve quality of life for patients, but little is known of how spouses experience life following their partners' treatment. A longitudinal interview study with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Ten spouses were included in the study. Data were gathered in 2007-2008, through qualitative in-depth interviews with spouses once before and three times during the first year of their partners' treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation. Data collection and data analysis were influenced by the hermeneutic phenomenological methodology of van Manen. The uniting theme 'Solidarity - the base for joined responsibility and concern' was the foundation for the relationship between spouses and their partners. Before treatment, the theme 'Living in partnership' was dominant. After treatment two dichotomous courses were described 'A sense of freedom embracing life' and 'The challenge of changes and constraint'. Spouses are deeply involved in their partners' illness and their experience of life is highly affected by their partners' illness, both before and after deep brain stimulation. The relationship is founded on solidarity and responsibility, which emphasizes spouses' need to be informed and involved in the process following Deep Brain Stimulation. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  4. Spatial relationship between Taenia solium tapeworm carriers and necropsy cyst burden in pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ian W Pray

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Taenia solium, a parasite that affects humans and pigs, is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy in the developing world. Geographic hotspots of pigs testing positive for serologic markers of T. solium exposure have been observed surrounding the locations of human tapeworm carriers. This clustered pattern of seropositivity in endemic areas formed the basis for geographically targeted control interventions, which have been effective at reducing transmission. In this study, we further explore the spatial relationship between human tapeworm carriers and infected pigs using necroscopic examination as a quantitative gold-standard diagnostic to detect viable T. solium cyst infection in pigs.We performed necroscopic examinations on pigs from 7 villages in northern Peru to determine the number of viable T. solium cysts in each pig. Participating humans in the study villages were tested for T. solium tapeworm infection (i.e., taeniasis with an ELISA coproantigen assay, and the distances from each pig to its nearest human tapeworm carrier were calculated. We assessed the relationship between proximity to a tapeworm carrier and the prevalence of light, moderate, and heavy cyst burden in pigs. The prevalence of pig infection was greatest within 50 meters of a tapeworm carrier and decreased monotonically as distance increased. Pigs living less than 50 meters from a human tapeworm carrier were 4.6 times more likely to be infected with at least one cyst than more distant pigs. Heavier cyst burdens, however, were not more strongly associated with proximity to tapeworm carriers than light cyst burdens.Our study shows that human tapeworm carriers and pigs with viable T. solium cyst infection are geographically correlated in endemic areas. This finding supports control strategies that treat humans and pigs based on their proximity to other infected individuals. We did not, however, find sufficient evidence that heavier cyst burdens in pigs would serve as

  5. Mapping remodeling of thalamocortical projections in the living reeler mouse brain by diffusion tractography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harsan, Laura-Adela; Dávid, Csaba; Reisert, Marco; Schnell, Susanne; Hennig, Jürgen; von Elverfeldt, Dominik; Staiger, Jochen F.

    2013-01-01

    A major challenge in neuroscience is to accurately decipher in vivo the entire brain circuitry (connectome) at a microscopic level. Currently, the only methodology providing a global noninvasive window into structural brain connectivity is diffusion tractography. The extent to which the reconstructed pathways reflect realistic neuronal networks depends, however, on data acquisition and postprocessing factors. Through a unique combination of approaches, we designed and evaluated herein a framework for reliable fiber tracking and mapping of the living mouse brain connectome. One important wiring scheme, connecting gray matter regions and passing fiber-crossing areas, was closely examined: the lemniscal thalamocortical (TC) pathway. We quantitatively validated the TC projections inferred from in vivo tractography with correlative histological axonal tracing in the same wild-type and reeler mutant mice. We demonstrated noninvasively that changes in patterning of the cortical sheet, such as highly disorganized cortical lamination in reeler, led to spectacular compensatory remodeling of the TC pathway. PMID:23610438

  6. Growth Performance and Hematological Traits of Weaner Pigs Fed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sixty Weaner pigs with an average initial live weight of 6.81 ± 1.0kg were studied for their growth and haematological parameters when fed graded levels of raw bambara waste (BW) using a completely randomized design (CRD). They were fed five diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percentage composition for 5 months ...

  7. Smallholder pig production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Braae, Uffe Christian; Ngowi, Helena; Johansen, Maria Vang

    2013-01-01

    A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Mbeya Region, Tanzania, with the aim of describing the distribution and diversity of ectoparasites on pigs, within confinement and free-range production systems of smallholder farms. A total of 128 farms were surveyed, with 96 practising confinement...... and 32 practising free-range production systems. The prevalence of ectoparasites on pigs within confinement and free-range production systems was 24% and 84%, respectively. Logistic regression analyses revealed that keeping pigs in a free-range system and the presence of neighbouring pigs were risk...... although highly prevalent within both production systems. Keeping pigs in a free-range system and contact with neighbouring pigs were main risk factors for the presence of ectoparasites. Confinement was highly effective as a preventive tool against hard ticks....

  8. Early-stage bioassay for monitoring radioactive contamination in living livestock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Toshiro; Sawano, Kaita; Kishimoto, Miori; Furuhama, Kazuhisa; Yamada, Kazutaka

    2012-12-01

    Soil samples from the ground surface and feces and blood from a mixed-breed male pig were collected on April 10, 2011 at a farm within 20 km of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The radioactivity of each sample was measured using a Ge semiconductor detector. Despite the fact that the pig had been fed non-contaminated imported feed, (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs were detected in the feces, and (134)Cs and (137)Cs were detected in the blood clots. Because it is considerably difficult to measure radioactive contamination in the edible muscle of living livestock, bioassays are an option for the screening of radioactive contamination in living livestock to ensure food safety.

  9. Revaccination of Guinea Pigs With the Live Attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis Vaccine MTBVAC Improves BCG's Protection Against Tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Simon; Lanni, Faye; Marinova, Dessislava; Rayner, Emma; Martin, Carlos; Williams, Ann

    2017-09-01

    The need for an effective vaccine against human tuberculosis has driven the development of different candidates and vaccination strategies. Novel live attenuated vaccines are being developed that promise greater safety and efficacy than BCG against tuberculosis. We combined BCG with the vaccine MTBVAC to evaluate whether the efficacy of either vaccine would be affected upon revaccination. In a well-established guinea pig model of aerosol infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, BCG and MTBVAC delivered via various prime-boost combinations or alone were compared. Efficacy was determined by a reduction in bacterial load 4 weeks after challenge. Efficacy data suggests MTBVAC-associated immunity is longer lasting than that of BCG when given as a single dose. Long and short intervals between BCG prime and MTBVAC boost resulted in improved efficacy in lungs, compared with BCG given alone. A shorter interval between MTBVAC prime and BCG boost resulted in improved efficacy in lungs, compared with BCG given alone. A longer interval resulted in protection equivalent to that of BCG given alone. These data indicate that, rather than boosting the waning efficacy of BCG, a vaccination schedule involving a combination of the 2 vaccines yielded stronger immunity to M. tuberculosis infection. This work supports development of MTBVAC use as a revaccination strategy to improve on the effects of BCG in vaccinated people living in tuberculosis-endemic countries. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Maternal vitamin C deficiency does not reduce hippocampal volume and beta-tubulin III intensity in prenatal Guinea pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Stine Normann; Schjoldager, Janne Gram; Paidi, Maya Devi

    2016-01-01

    Marginal vitamin C (vitC) deficiency affects 5% to 10% of adults including subpopulations such as pregnant women and newborns. Animal studies link vitC deficiency to deleterious effects on the developing brain, but exactly how the brain adapts to vitC deficiency and the mechanisms behind...... the observed deficits remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that vitC deficiency in utero may lead to a decreased neuronal maturation and increased cellular death giving rise to alterations of the hippocampal morphology in a guinea pig model. Brains from prenatal guinea pig pups (n = 9-10 in each group......) subjected to either a sufficient (918 mg vitC/kg feed) or deficient (100 mg vitC/kg feed) maternal dietary regimen were assessed with regards to hippocampal volume and beta-tubulin isotype III staining intensity at 2 gestational time points (45 and 56). We found a distinct differential regional growth...

  11. Monitoring variables affecting positron emission tomography measurements of cerebral blood flow in anaesthetized pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alstrup, Aage Kristian Olsen; Zois, Nora Elisabeth; Simonsen, Mette

    Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of anaesthetised pig brains is a useful tool in neuroscience. Stable cerebral blood flow (CBF) is essential for PET, since variations can affect the kinetics of several radiotracers. However, the impact of physiological factors regulating CBF...

  12. Trypanosoma cruzi: partial prevention of the natural infection of guinea pigs with a killed parasite vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basombrio, M A

    1990-07-01

    Guinea pigs are natural reservoirs of Chagas' disease. Domestic breeding and local trade of these animals are common practices among andean communities in South America. Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi occurs when the animals live in triatomine-infested houses or yards. The preventive effect of a vaccine consisting of cultured T. cruzi killed by freezing and thawing plus saponin was tested both in mice and in the guinea pig ecosystem. Resistance against T. cruzi challenge in mice was improved by increasing the trypomastigote/epimastigote ratio in live attenuated vaccines but not in killed parasite vaccines. Although the killing of attenuated parasites sharply reduced their immunogenicity for mice, a protective effect against natural T. cruzi infection was detected in guinea pigs. A total of 88 guinea pigs were vaccinated in four intradermal sites on three occasions. Eighty controls received similar inoculations of culture medium plus saponin. All animals were kept in a triatomine-infested yard. Parasitemia was studied with the capillary microhematocrit method. After an exposure time averaging 4 months, natural T. cruzi infection occurred in 55% (44/80) of the controls and in 33% (29/88) of the vaccinated group (P less than 0.01). The number of highly parasitemic guinea pigs was also significantly decreased (6/80 vs 0/88, P less than 0.01). Thus, immunizing protocols which are only partially protective against artificial callenge with T. cruzi may nevertheless constrain the exchange of parasites between natural hosts and vectors.

  13. Dietary Sialyllactose Influences Sialic Acid Concentrations in the Prefrontal Cortex and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measures in Corpus Callosum of Young Pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Austin T. Mudd

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Sialic acid (SA is a key component of gangliosides and neural cell adhesion molecules important during neurodevelopment. Human milk contains SA in the form of sialyllactose (SL an abundant oligosaccharide. To better understand the potential role of dietary SL on neurodevelopment, the effects of varying doses of dietary SL on brain SA content and neuroimaging markers of development were assessed in a newborn piglet model. Thirty-eight male pigs were provided one of four experimental diets from 2 to 32 days of age. Diets were formulated to contain: 0 mg SL/L (CON, 130 mg SL/L (LOW, 380 mg SL/L (MOD or 760 mg SL/L (HIGH. At 32 or 33 days of age, all pigs were subjected to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI to assess brain development. After MRI, pig serum and brains were collected and total, free and bound SA was analyzed. Results from this study indicate dietary SL influenced (p = 0.05 bound SA in the prefrontal cortex and the ratio of free SA to bound SA in the hippocampus (p = 0.04. Diffusion tensor imaging indicated treatment effects in mean (p < 0.01, axial (p < 0.01 and radial (p = 0.01 diffusivity in the corpus callosum. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS indicated differences (p < 0.05 in white matter tracts and voxel-based morphometry (VBM indicated differences (p < 0.05 in grey matter between LOW and MOD pigs. CONT and HIGH pigs were not included in the TBSS and VBM assessments. These findings suggest the corpus callosum, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus may be differentially sensitive to dietary SL supplementation.

  14. Transfer of radiobismuth to the fetus in guinea-pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richardson, R.B.

    1992-01-01

    A small animal study was carried out in guinea-pigs to measure uptake of radiobismuth ( 207 BiCl 3 ) in fetal organs after intravenous administration to the mother. In this study, little activity was found to cross the placental barrier with 214 Bi across the placenta, is considered to result in a negligible dose from radon short-lived daughters to fetal organs. (author)

  15. Spatial learning impairment in prepubertal guinea pigs prenatally exposed to the organophosphorus pesticide chlorpyrifos: Toxicological implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamczarz, Jacek; Pescrille, Joseph D.; Gavrushenko, Lisa; Burke, Richard D.; Fawcett, William P.; DeTolla, Louis J.; Chen, Hegang; Pereira, Edna F.R.; Albuquerque, Edson X.

    2017-01-01

    Exposure of the developing brain to chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphorus (OP) pesticide used extensively in agriculture worldwide, has been associated with increased prevalence of cognitive deficits in children, particularly boys. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that cognitive deficits induced by prenatal exposure to sub-acute doses of CPF can be reproduced in precocial small species. To address this hypothesis, pregnant guinea pigs were injected daily with CPF (25 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle (peanut oil) for 10 days starting on presumed gestation day (GD) 53–55. Offspring were born around GD 65, weaned on postnatal day (PND) 20, and subjected to behavioral tests starting around PND 30. On the day of birth, butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), an OP bioscavenger used as a biomarker of OP exposures, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a major molecular target of OP compounds, were significantly inhibited in the blood of CPF-exposed offspring. In their brains, BuChE, but not AChE, was significantly inhibited. Prenatal CPF exposure had no significant effect on locomotor activity or on locomotor habituation, a form of non-associative memory assessed in open fields. Spatial navigation in the Morris water maze (MWM) was found to be sexually dimorphic among guinea pigs, with males outperforming females. Prenatal CPF exposure impaired spatial learning more significantly among male than female guinea pigs and, consequently, reduced the sexual dimorphism of the task. The results presented here, which strongly support the test hypothesis, reveal that the guinea pig is a valuable animal model for preclinical assessment of the developmental neurotoxicity of OP pesticides. These findings are far reaching as they lay the groundwork for future studies aimed at identifying therapeutic interventions to treat and/or prevent the neurotoxic effects of CPF in the developing brain. PMID:27296654

  16. Quantitative assessment of the brain perfusion using the short-lived isotope 195m-Au

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindner, P.; Nickel, O.

    1985-01-01

    The possibilities of quantitatively assessing the brain perfusion on the basis of a modified transit time theory, using the favourable properties of the ultrashort-lived isotope 195m-Au, are shown. The intravascular deposition of the isotope 195m-Au enables quantitative brain perfusion studies based on both the dorsal and lateral projection. The 195m-Au isotope has a half-life of 30 sec and is able to be eluated from the 195m-Hg 195m-Au generator (Byk-Mallinckrodt). The quantification of brain perfusion (in terms of ml/min/100 g) is based on a recently published theory for non-diffusing radio-indicators, using a first-pass technique. This method of quantification corresponds to a modification of the transit time theory from Maier and Zierler (1) and accounts for the influences of dispersion and recirculation of an intravenously injected non-diffused tracer bolus (2, 3). The energy spectrum of the eluate from the generator shows two lines of high intensity at 262 keV and 68 keV. The low-energy peak is suited for the lateral view, i.e. brain perfusion studies of one hemisphere, without a significant 'look-through-effect'. The high-energy peak is successfully used for dorsal projections of brain perfusion studies. An examination takes less time than one minute and can be repeated after three minutes. Dynamic brain perfusion studies enable parametric images of the quantitative regional brain perfusion distribution, or the reciprocal mean transit times, to be obtained by calculation. Infarcted areas are able to be visualized with high sensitivity. Quantitative perfusion patterns during activation of the visual centre are detectable. The advantages of this method are discussed. (orig.) [de

  17. Pathogenesis of Granozan (ethylmercury chloride) poisoning in pigs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ardatova, A N; Yakusheva, O V

    1971-01-01

    This paper deals with the pathology of mercury poisoning in pigs aged 3-4 months, given daily 2 g Granozan (40 mg ethylmercury chloride) in compounded feed for up to 19 days, and also in pigs of various ages that developed mercury poisoning after consuming grain treated with Granozan. The pigs were killed and examined before the appearance of symptoms and also after acute and chronic mercury poisoning. The onset of mercury poisoning was characterized by anorexia, loss of weight, diarrhea, weakness and paralysis. The organs and tissues of animals killed 1-2 days before the appearance of symptoms (usually on day 14), or dying from mercury poisoning, contained the following amounts of accumulated Hg (mg per 100 g): kidneys 10.35, liver 4.3, muscles 1.36, spleen 1.38, pancreas 0.43, medulla oblongata 0.65, cerebellum 0.79, heart 0.75, mesenteric lymph nodes 0.71, submandibular salivary glands 0.59, stomach wall 0.69, and cecal wall 0.76. In subclinical cases the symptoms and lesions were absent, but the mercury content of organs and tissue was similar to that in animals dying from poisoning, i.e. (mg per 100g): kidneys 10.35, liver 4.3, muscles 1.36, and brain 0.8.

  18. Enrichment in the Sucker and Weaner Phase Altered the Performance of Pigs in Three Behavioural Tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ralph, Cameron; Hebart, Michelle; Cronin, Greg M

    2018-05-14

    We tested the hypothesis that provision of enrichment in the form of enrichment blocks during the sucker and weaner phases would affect the behaviour of pigs. We measured the performance of pigs in an open field/novel object test, a maze test, an executive function test and the cortisol response of the pigs after exposure to an open field test. The provision of enrichment blocks altered the behaviour of the pigs in all three tests and these changes suggest an increased willingness to explore and possibly an increased ability to learn. The behavioural tests highlighted that young pigs have the capacity to learn complex tasks. Our findings support the notion that the benefits of enrichment cannot be evaluated by measuring the interactions the animal has with the enrichments in the home pen and it may simply be beneficial to live in a more complex environment. We have highlighted that the early rearing environment is important and that the management and husbandry at an early age can have long-term implications for pigs. The enrichment we used in this study was very simple, an enrichment block, and we provide evidence suggesting the provision of enrichment effected pig behavioural responses. Even the simplest of enrichments may have benefits for the welfare and development of young pigs and there is merit in developing enrichment devices that are suitable for use in pig production.

  19. Experimental intoxication of guinea pigs with Ipomoea carnea: behavioural and neuropathological alterations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cholich, Luciana A; Márquez, Mercedes; Pumarola i Batlle, Martí; Gimeno, Eduardo J; Teibler, Gladys P; Rios, Elvio E; Acosta, Ofelia C

    2013-12-15

    Ipomoea carnea is a toxic plant that affects goats, with symptoms being characterised by nervous disorders and death. Swainsonine and calystegines are the principal toxic components isolated from I. carnea, which also yields lysergic acid derivatives. The aim of this study was to improve the clinical characterisation of experimental intoxication by I. carnea in guinea pigs through the evaluation of behavioural changes and to perform a thorough histopathological analysis of the affected CNS. Leaves of I. carnea were administered to guinea pigs. Open-field gait analysis and monoamine levels were measured. The poisoned animals exhibited increased vocalisation, lethargy, and a reduction in the locomotion frequency after the fourth week of intoxication, as demonstrated in the open-field test. Significant differences were observed in hind-limb gait width by the last week of intoxication. After 65 days, the guinea pigs were euthanised, necropsied, and examined using light and electron microscopy. At the end of the experiment, plasma serotonin decreased. In contrast, dopamine decreased, and noradrenaline increased in urine. Brain sections were evaluated with conventional histological methods and immunohistochemistry (IHC), as well as by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Vacuoles were observed throughout the brain, but they were particularly prominent in the brainstem. In addition, there were PAS-negative regions, and the Nissl substance was dispersed or absent, which was confirmed with the Kluver-Barreda stain. Moderate microgliosis was observed by immunohistochemistry. In the medulla oblongata, numerous ubiquitin-positive spheroids together with neuronal degeneration were observed in the nucleus gracilis/cuneatus. Furthermore, vacuoles were observed in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and endothelial cells by TEM. Our results showed that the behavioural effects may have been caused by alterations in the brain in conjunction with changes in monoamine levels. This

  20. A New Method of Selective, Rapid Cooling of the Brain: An Experimental Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allers, Mats; Boris-Moeller, Fredrik; Lunderquist, Anders; Wieloch, Tadeusz

    2006-01-01

    Purpose. To determine whether retrograde perfusion of cooled blood into one internal jugular vein (IJV) in the pig can selectively reduce the brain temperature without affecting the core body temperature (CBT). Methods. In 7 domestic pigs, the left IJV was catheterized on one side and a catheter placed with the tip immediately below the rete mirabile. Thermistors were placed in both brain hemispheres and the brain temperature continuously registered. Thermistors placed in the rectum registered the CBT. From a catheter in the right femoral vein blood was aspirated with the aid of a roller pump, passed through a cooling device, and infused into the catheter in the left IJV at an initial rate of 200 ml/min. Results. Immediately after the start of the infusion of cooled blood (13.8 deg. C) into the IJV, the right brain temperature started to drop from its initial 37.9 deg. C and reached 32 deg. C within 5 min. By increasing the temperature of the perfusate a further drop in the brain temperature was avoided and the brain temperature could be kept around 32 deg. C during the experiment. In 4 of the animals a heating blanket was sufficient to compensate for the slight drop in CBT during the cooling period. Conclusions. We conclude that brain temperature can be reduced in the pig by retrograde perfusion of the internal jugular vein with cooled blood and that the core body temperature can be maintained with the aid of a heating blanket

  1. Comparison of Live Performance and Meat Quality Parameter of Cross Bred (Korean Native Black Pig and Landrace Pigs with Different Coat Colors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. J. Hur

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Five hundred and forty crossbred (Korean native black pig×Landrace F2 were selected at a commercial pig farm and then divided into six different coat color groups: (A: Black, B: White, C: Red, D: White spot in black, E: Black spot in white, F: Black spot in red. Birth weight, 21st d weight, 140th d weight and carcass weight varied among the different coat color groups. D group (white spot in black coat showed a significantly higher body weight at each weigh (birth weight, 140th d weight and carcass weight than did the other groups, whereas the C group (red coat color showed a significantly lower body weight at finishing stage (140th d weight and carcass weight compared to other groups. Meat quality characteristics, shear force, cooking loss and meat color were not significantly different among the different coat color groups, whereas drip loss was significantly higher in F than in other groups. Most blood characteristics were not significantly different among the different groups, except for the red blood cells.

  2. Prooxidate - antioxidate homeostasis in guinea pigs after fractional low-dose irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baraboj, V.A.; Olyijnik, S.A.; Khmelevs'kij, Yi.V.

    1993-01-01

    We studied the influence of fractional total irradiation in the total dose of 1 Gy on the amount of lipids peroxide oxidation (LPO) products and ascorbic acid in the spleen, intestine and brain of guinea-pigs. The obtained date suggest that it is advisable to use ascorbic acid to correct postirradiation changes in the organism exposed to small doses of ionizing radiation

  3. Energy status of pig donor organs after ischemia is independent of donor type.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stadlbauer, Vanessa; Stiegler, Philipp; Taeubl, Philipp; Sereinigg, Michael; Puntschart, Andreas; Bradatsch, Andrea; Curcic, Pero; Seifert-Held, Thomas; Zmugg, Gerda; Stojakovic, Tatjana; Leopold, Barbara; Blattl, Daniela; Horki, Vera; Mayrhauser, Ursula; Wiederstein-Grasser, Iris; Leber, Bettina; Jürgens, Günther; Tscheliessnigg, Karlheinz; Hallström, Seth

    2013-04-01

    Literature is controversial whether organs from living donors have a better graft function than brain dead (BD) and non-heart-beating donor organs. Success of transplantation has been correlated with high-energy phosphate (HEP) contents of the graft. HEP contents in heart, liver, kidney, and pancreas from living, BD, and donation after cardiac death in a pig model (n=6 per donor type) were evaluated systematically. BD was induced under general anesthesia by inflating a balloon in the epidural space. Ten hours after confirmation, organs were retrieved. Cardiac arrest was induced by 9V direct current. After 10min of ventricular fibrillation without cardiac output, mechanical and medical reanimation was performed for 30min before organ retrieval. In living donors, organs were explanted immediately. Freeze-clamped biopsies were taken before perfusion with Celsior solution (heart) or University of Wisconsin solution (abdominal organs) in BD and living donors or with Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutaric solution (all organs) in non-heart-beating donors, after perfusion, and after cold ischemia (4h for heart, 6h for liver and pancreas, and 12h for kidney). HEPs (adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, and phosphocreatine), xanthine, and hypoxanthine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Energy charge and adenosine triphosphate-to-adenosine diphosphate ratio were calculated. After ischemia, organs from different donor types showed no difference in energy status. In all organs, a decrease of HEP and an increase in hypoxanthine contents were observed during perfusion and ischemia, irrespective of the donor type. Organs from BD or non-heart-beating donors do not differ from living donor organs in their energy status after average tolerable ischemia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Experimental aerosolized guinea pig-adapted Zaire ebolavirus (variant: Mayinga) causes lethal pneumonia in guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twenhafel, N A; Shaia, C I; Bunton, T E; Shamblin, J D; Wollen, S E; Pitt, L M; Sizemore, D R; Ogg, M M; Johnston, S C

    2015-01-01

    Eight guinea pigs were aerosolized with guinea pig-adapted Zaire ebolavirus (variant: Mayinga) and developed lethal interstitial pneumonia that was distinct from lesions described in guinea pigs challenged subcutaneously, nonhuman primates challenged by the aerosol route, and natural infection in humans. Guinea pigs succumbed with significant pathologic changes primarily restricted to the lungs. Intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed in many alveolar macrophages. Perivasculitis was noted within the lungs. These changes are unlike those of documented subcutaneously challenged guinea pigs and aerosolized filoviral infections in nonhuman primates and human cases. Similar to findings in subcutaneously challenged guinea pigs, there were only mild lesions in the liver and spleen. To our knowledge, this is the first report of aerosol challenge of guinea pigs with guinea pig-adapted Zaire ebolavirus (variant: Mayinga). Before choosing this model for use in aerosolized ebolavirus studies, scientists and pathologists should be aware that aerosolized guinea pig-adapted Zaire ebolavirus (variant: Mayinga) causes lethal pneumonia in guinea pigs. © The Author(s) 2014.

  5. Effects of narasin (Skycis) on live performance and carcass traits of finishing pigs sold in a three-phase marketing system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arkfeld, E K; Carr, S N; Rincker, P J; Gruber, S L; Allee, G L; Dilger, A C; Boler, D D

    2015-10-01

    The objective was to evaluate the effect of feeding narasin (Skycis; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs sold in a 3-phase marketing system. Pigs ( = 1,232) were housed in 56 single-sex pens (22 pigs/pen) divided into 2 even blocks based on initiation of treatment. Each treatment × sex combination was replicated 14 times. Pigs were fed either 0 mg/kg narasin (control) or 15 mg/kg narasin for up to 85 d of finishing (initiated at an average of 52.95 kg BW). In each pen, 18% (4 pigs per pen) of pigs were sold in the first marketing group (Day 64 of dietary treatment), 50% (11 of the original 22) were sold in the second marketing group (Day 78), and 32% (the remaining 7 pigs) were sold in the third marketing group (Day 85). Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with pen as the experimental unit. The model included the fixed effects of diet, sex, and their interaction. Block and replicate nested within block were random variables. Carcass data from pigs in marketing group 3 of block 2 was not collected due to inclement weather. Narasin had no effect on growth performance traits ( ≥ 0.15) in phases 1 (Days 1-28) or 2 (Days 29-56), regardless of sex. Barrows fed narasin had a 2.0% greater overall (Day 0-85) ADG than barrows fed the control diet ( carcass composition in marketing groups 1 and 2. Narasin-fed barrows in marketing group 3 had 0.9 percentage units lower ( carcass lean compared with barrows fed control diets (51.0 vs. 52.0%); no difference existed in gilts ( = 0.21). This is likely due to narasin-fed barrows of marketing group 3 tending ( = 0.06) to have 7.7% greater fat depth than control barrows of marketing group 3. Pooled effects (across all 3 marketing groups) of feeding narasin tended ( = 0.08) to reduce loin depth by 1.1% (60.00 vs. 60.66 mm), but there were no effects on fat depth ( = 0.24) or estimated carcass lean ( = 0.11). Overall, narasin can be used during

  6. PLACENTAL TRANSFER AND FETAL DEPOSITION OF HEXACHLOROBENZENE IN THE HAMSTER AND GUINEA PIG

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was administered at dose levels of 0, 1.0, 10.0, or 50.0 mg HCB/kg body wt by gavage to pregnant hamsters and guinea pigs for 6 days up to the time of liver development in the fetus. Samples of maternal fat, thymus, skin, liver, lung, brain, spleen, urinar...

  7. Imaging Live Drosophila Brain with Two-Photon Fluorescence Microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Syeed Ehsan

    Two-photon fluorescence microscopy is an imaging technique which delivers distinct benefits for in vivo cellular and molecular imaging. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), a second messenger molecule, is responsible for triggering many physiological changes in neural system. However, the mechanism by which this molecule regulates responses in neuron cells is not yet clearly understood. When cAMP binds to a target protein, it changes the structure of that protein. Therefore, studying this molecular structure change with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging can shed light on the cAMP functioning mechanism. FRET is a non-radiative dipole-dipole coupling which is sensitive to small distance change in nanometer scale. In this study we have investigated the effect of dopamine in cAMP dynamics in vivo. In our study two-photon fluorescence microscope was used for imaging mushroom bodies inside live Drosophila melanogaster brain and we developed a method for studying the change in cyclic AMP level.

  8. Serological evidence of hepatitis E virus infection in pigs and jaundice among pig handlers in Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haider, N; Khan, M S U; Hossain, M B; Sazzad, H M S; Rahman, M Z; Ahmed, F; Zeidner, N S

    2017-11-01

    Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the most common cause of viral hepatitis in humans. Pigs may act as a reservoir of HEV, and pig handlers were frequently identified with a higher prevalence of antibodies to HEV. The objectives of this study were to identify evidence of HEV infection in pigs and compare the history of jaundice between pig handlers and people not exposed to pigs and pork. Blood and faecal samples were collected from 100 pigs derived from three slaughterhouses in the Gazipur district of Bangladesh from January to June, 2011. We also interviewed 200 pig handlers and 250 non-exposed people who did not eat pork or handled pigs in the past 2 years. We tested the pig sera for HEV-specific antibodies using a competitive ELISA and pig faecal samples for HEV RNA using real-time RT-PCR. Of 100 pig sera, 82% (n = 82) had detectable antibody against HEV. Of the 200 pig handlers, 28% (56/200) demonstrated jaundice within the past 2 years, whereas only 17% (43/250) of controls had a history of jaundice (p Bangladesh demonstrated evidence of HEV infection, and a history of jaundice was significantly more frequent in pig handlers. Identifying and genotyping HEV in pigs and pig handlers may provide further evidence of the pig's role in zoonotic HEV transmission in Bangladesh. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  9. Analysis of Transmission of MRSA and ESBL-E among Pigs and Farm Personnel.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricarda Maria Schmithausen

    Full Text Available Livestock-associated bacteria with resistance to two or more antibiotic drug classes have heightened our awareness for the consequences of antibiotic consumption and spread of resistant bacterial strains in the veterinary field. In this study we assessed the prevalence of concomitant colonization with livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA and enterobacteriaceae expressing extended-spectrum betalactamases (ESBL-E in farms at the German-Dutch border region. Nasal colonization of pigs with MRSA (113/547 (20.7% was less frequent than rectal colonization with ESBL-E (163/540 (30.2%. On the individual farm level MRSA correlated with ESBL-E recovery. The data further provide information on prevalence at different stages of pig production, including abattoirs, as well as in air samples and humans living and working on the farms. Notably, MRSA was detected in stable air samples of 34 out of 35 pig farms, highlighting air as an important MRSA transmission reservoir. The majority of MRSA isolates, including those from humans, displayed tetracycline resistance and spa types t011 and t034 characteristic for LA-MRSA, demonstrating transmission from pigs to humans. ESBL-E positive air samples were detected on 6 out of 35 farms but no pig-to-human transmission was found. Detection of ESBL-E, e.g. mostly Escherichia coli with CTX-M-type ESBL, was limited to these six farms. Molecular typing revealed transmission of ESBL-E within the pig compartments; however, related strains were also found on unrelated farms. Although our data suggest that acquisition of MRSA and ESBL-E might occur among pigs in the abattoirs, MRSA and ESBL-E were not detected on the carcasses. Altogether, our data define stable air (MRSA, pig compartments (ESBL-E and abattoir waiting areas (MRSA and ESBL-E as major hot spots for transmission of MRSA and/or ESBL-E along the pig production chain.

  10. Growing pigs' drinking behaviour: number of visits, duration, water intake and diurnal variation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, H M-L; Dybkjær, L; Herskin, M S

    2014-11-01

    Individual drinking patterns are a potential tool for disease monitoring in pigs. However, to date, individual pig drinking behaviour has not been described, and effects of external factors have not been examined. The aim of this study was to perform detailed quantification of drinking behaviour of growing pigs and to examine effects of period of day and effects of competition for access to the drinking nipple on the drinking behaviour, amount of water used and water wastage. In all, 52 cross-bred castrated male pigs (live weight 20.5±1.7 kg; mean±s.d.) maintained as either 3 (N3) or 10 (N10) pigs per pen and water nipple (four groups/treatment) were used. All pigs were fitted with a transponder ear tag. A radio frequency identification reader recorded and time stamped visits at the nipple. In each pen, water flow was logged every second. The drinking behaviour was recorded for 4 consecutive days and analysed using a linear mixed model. Overall, the pigs spent 594 s at the nipple during 24 h distributed among 44 visits. During this period, 5 l of water were used, of which >30% was wasted. Social competition did not affect the drinking behaviour over 24 h, except for the proportion of interrupted visits where pigs, kept with recommended nipple availability (N10), showed an increased proportion of interrupted drinking bouts compared with pigs kept at very low level of competition (N3) (0.18±0.01 v. 0.11±0.01; Pbehavioural variables involved in drinking. This dynamic characteristic of drinking behaviour means that if individual drinking patterns are to be used as disease monitoring tools, it is important to consider effects of external factors and include data on period level to allow rapid detection of behavioural changes.

  11. Light-enhanced inhibition of ouabain binding to digitalis receptor in rat brain and guinea pig heart by the food dye erythrosine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hnatowich, M.; LaBella, F.S.

    1982-01-01

    Erythrosine (ERY) (FD and C red no. 3) inhibited specific binding of [ 3 H]ouabain to rat brain homogenates with an IC50 of 23 mM in the dark and 1 mM in ordinary fluorescent light. Competition studies demonstrated the presence of two components, only one of which was affected by light. Lineweaver-Burk analysis indicated that ERY preferentially antagonizes [ 3 H]ouabain binding at a high-affinity site in the light, whereas in the dark the dye inhibits binding in a manner qualitatively similar to inhibition by ouabain. Light enhancement of ERY potency occurred only when dye and tissue were present together in the incubation medium, pointing to participation of transient molecular species. However, neither superoxide dismutase nor catalase altered the effects of ERY in the light or dark, suggesting the absence of oxygen free radicals. In contrast to brain, membranes from guinea pig heart showed only one binding site for [ 3 H]ouabain, and antagonism by ERY at this site was markedly enhanced by light. Structural differences between classes of ouabain binding regions probably accounts for the discrimination exhibited by ERY in the presence of light and oxygen. Our findings also caution that metabolic transformation of this common food dye, light decomposition, or photoreaction with foodstuff may yield more toxic derivatives

  12. Levels of protein hydroperoxides and carbonyl groups in guinea pigs native of high altitudes (Huancavelica, 3660 m)

    OpenAIRE

    Huayta, Roxana; Zúñiga, Haydée; Esquerre, Cynthia; Hernández, Luz; Carranza, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    The influence of hypobaric hypoxia on protein oxidation in lungs, heart, liver, kidneys and testicles of high altitude native guinea pigs (Huancavelica, 3660 m) in comparison to sea level (Lima, 150 m) native guinea pigs was evaluated. The concentration of protein hydroperoxides (POOH) and carbonyl groups (GC) as markers of protein oxidation, as well as total thiols (TT) concentration, powerful reducing agents that act as live antioxidants were determined. The results showed low concentration...

  13. The Pig PeptideAtlas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hesselager, Marianne Overgaard; Codrea, Marius; Sun, Zhi

    2016-01-01

    Biological research of Sus scrofa, the domestic pig, is of immediate relevance for food production sciences, and for developing pig as a model organism for human biomedical research. Publicly available data repositories play a fundamental role for all biological sciences, and protein data...... repositories are in particular essential for the successful development of new proteomic methods. Cumulative proteome data repositories, including the PeptideAtlas, provide the means for targeted proteomics, system-wide observations, and cross-species observational studies, but pigs have so far been...... underrepresented in existing repositories. We here present a significantly improved build of the Pig PeptideAtlas, which includes pig proteome data from 25 tissues and three body fluid types mapped to 7139 canonical proteins. The content of the Pig PeptideAtlas reflects actively ongoing research within...

  14. Pig but not Human Interferon-γ Initiates Human Cell-Mediated Rejection of Pig Tissue in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sultan, Parvez; Murray, Allan G.; McNiff, Jennifer M.; Lorber, Marc I.; Askenase, Philip W.; Bothwell, Alfred L. M.; Pober, Jordan S.

    1997-08-01

    Split-thickness pig skin was transplanted on severe combined immunodeficient mice so that pig dermal microvessels spontaneously inosculated with mouse microvessels and functioned to perfuse the grafts. Pig endothelial cells in the healed grafts constitutively expressed class I and class II major histocompatibility complex molecules. Major histocompatibility complex molecule expression could be further increased by intradermal injection of pig interferon-γ (IFN-γ ) but not human IFN-γ or tumor necrosis factor. Grafts injected with pig IFN-γ also developed a sparse infiltrate of mouse neutrophils and eosinophils without evidence of injury. Introduction of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells into the animals by intraperitoneal inoculation resulted in sparse perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrates in the grafts confined to the pig dermis. Injection of pig skin grafts on mice that received human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with pig IFN-γ (but not human IFN-γ or heat-inactivated pig IFN-γ ) induced human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and macrophages to more extensively infiltrate the pig skin grafts and injure pig dermal microvessels. These findings suggest that human T cell-mediated rejection of xenotransplanted pig organs may be prevented if cellular sources of pig interferon (e.g., passenger lymphocytes) are eliminated from the graft.

  15. Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a single-dose live non-pathogenic Escherichia coli oral vaccine against F4-positive enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli challenge in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fairbrother, John Morris; Nadeau, Éric; Bélanger, Louise; Tremblay, Cindy-Love; Tremblay, Danielle; Brunelle, Mélanie; Wolf, Regina; Hellmann, Klaus; Hidalgo, Álvaro

    2017-01-05

    Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains expressing F4 (K88) fimbriae (F4-ETEC) are one of the most important causes of post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) in pigs. F4, a major antigen, plays an important role in the early steps of the infection. Herein, the efficacy of a live oral vaccine consisting of a non-pathogenic E. coli strain expressing F4 for protection of pigs against PWD was evaluated. Three blinded, placebo-controlled, block design, parallel-group confirmatory experiments were conducted, using an F4-ETEC PWD challenge model, each with a different vaccination-challenge interval (3, 7, and 21days). The pigs were vaccinated via the drinking water with a single dose of the Coliprotec® F4 vaccine one day post-weaning. Efficacy was assessed by evaluating diarrhea, clinical observations, intestinal fluid accumulation, weight gain, intestinal colonization and fecal shedding of F4-ETEC. The immune response was evaluated by measuring serum and intestinal F4-specific antibodies. The administration of the vaccine resulted in a significant reduction of the incidence of moderate to severe diarrhea, ileal colonization by F4-ETEC, and fecal shedding of F4-ETEC after the heterologous challenge at 7 and 21days post-vaccination. The 7-day onset of protection was associated with an increase of serum anti-F4 IgM whereas the 21-day duration of protection was associated with an increase of both serum anti-F4 IgM and IgA. Significant correlations between levels of serum and intestinal secretory anti-F4 antibodies were detected. Maternally derived F4-specific serum antibodies did not interfere with the vaccine efficacy. The evaluation of protection following a challenge three days after vaccination showed a reduction of the severity and the duration of diarrhea and of fecal shedding of F4-ETEC. The 7-day onset and the 21-day duration of protection induced by Coliprotec® F4 vaccine administered once in drinking water to pigs of at least 18days of age were confirmed by protection

  16. Generation and characterization of a transgenic pig carrying a DsRed-monomer reporter gene.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Jen Chou

    Full Text Available Pigs are an optimal animal for conducting biomedical research because of their anatomical and physiological resemblance to humans. In contrast to the abundant resources available in the study of mice, few fluorescent protein-harboring porcine models are available for preclinical studies. In this paper, we report the successful generation and characterization of a transgenic DsRed-Monomer porcine model.The transgene comprised a CMV enhancer/chicken-beta actin promoter and DsRed monomeric cDNA. Transgenic pigs were produced by using pronuclear microinjection. PCR and Southern blot analyses were applied for identification of the transgene. Histology, blood examinations and computed tomography were performed to study the health conditions. The pig amniotic fluid progenitor/stem cells were also isolated to examine the existence of red fluorescence and differentiation ability.Transgenic pigs were successfully generated and transmitted to offspring at a germ-line transmission rate of 43.59% (17/39. Ubiquitous expression of red fluorescence was detected in the brain, eye, tongue, heart, lung, liver, pancreas, spleen, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, kidney, testis, and muscle; this was confirmed by histology and western blot analyses. In addition, we confirmed the differentiation potential of amniotic fluid progenitor stem cells isolated from the transgenic pig.This red fluorescent pig can serve as a host for other fluorescent-labeled cells in order to study cell-microenvironment interactions, and can provide optimal red-fluorescent-labeled cells and tissues for research in developmental biology, regenerative medicine, and xenotransplantation.

  17. Why Danish pig farms have far more land and pigs than Dutch farms?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willems, Jaap; van Grinsven, H.J.M.; Jacobsen, Brian H

    2016-01-01

    The Netherlands and Denmark are the two biggest pig meat exporters in Europe, both with a strong focus on the German market. The structure of pig farms is very different: an average Danish pig farm has 3500 pigs, 170 ha of agricultural land on which a major part of the feed cereals are grown...... holdings using external sources of feed supply, and Danish farmers on efficient production of feed cereals on large holdings. Due to a gradual lowering of manure and fertiliser application standards, Dutch farmers increasingly have to process manure and export manure, further increasing the total costs...... pig farmers are less sensitive to nutrient policies and feed prices than those in the Netherlands, but the high debt rate makes the sector vulnerable to low pig prices....

  18. Trichinella spp. imported with live animals and meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pozio, Edoardo

    2015-09-30

    Nematodes of the genus Trichinella are widely distributed throughout the world in omnivorous and carnivorous animals (mammals, birds, and reptiles) and in incidental hosts. To prevent the transmission of these zoonotic parasites to humans, meat samples from Trichinella spp. susceptible animals are tested at the slaughterhouse or in game processing plants. The aim of the present review was to collect documented cases on Trichinella infected animals, meat, or meat derived products which reached the international trade or were illegally introduced from one to another country in personal baggage. In the course of the last 60 years in the international literature, there have been 43 reports of importation of Trichinella spp. infected animals or meat, most of which (60%, 26/43) related to live horses or their meat. Meat or meat derived products from pigs, wild boar and bears, account only for 18.6% (8/43), 4.7% (3/43), and 14.3% (6/43), respectively. However, only live horses or their meat intended for human consumption, meat from a single wild boar, and live polar bears caught in the wild for zoos, were imported through the international market; whereas, meat from pigs, wild boars and bears were illegally introduced in a country in personal baggage. Trichinella infected animals or meat which were officially or illegally introduced in a country were the source of 3443 Trichinella infections in humans in a 40-year period (1975-2014). Most of these infections (96.8%) have been linked to horsemeat consumption, whereas meat from pigs, wild boars and bears accounted only for 2.2%, 0.7% and 0.3% of cases, respectively. This review shows the Trichinella spp. risk in the international animal and meat trade has been linked mainly to horses and only one time to wild boar, if they carcasses are not adequately tested, whereas pigs and other wild animals or their derived products infected with Trichinella spp. are unlikely to reach the international market by the official animal and

  19. Epilepsy and Brain Tumors

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhi-yi Sha

    2009-01-01

    @@ Epidemiology It is estimated 61,414 new cases of primary brain tumors are expected to be diagnosed in 2009 in the U.S. The incidence statistic of 61,414 persons diagnosed per year includes both malignant (22,738) and non-malignant (38,677) brain tumors. (Data from American Brain Tumor Association). During the years 2004-2005, approximately 359,000 people in the United States were living with the diagnosis of a primary brain or central nervous system tumor. Specifically, more than 81,000 persons were living with a malignant tumor, more than 267,000 persons with a benign tumor. For every 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 131 are living following the diagnosis of a brain tumor. This represents a prevalence rate of 130.8 per 100,000 person years[1].

  20. Production of human CD59-transgenic pigs by embryonic germ cell nuclear transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahn, Kwang Sung; Won, Ji Young; Park, Jin-Ki; Sorrell, Alice M.; Heo, Soon Young; Kang, Jee Hyun; Woo, Jae-Seok; Choi, Bong-Hwan; Chang, Won-Kyong; Shim, Hosup

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Human CD59 (hCD59) gene was introduced into porcine embryonic germ (EG) cells. → hCD59-transgenic EG cells were resistant to hyperacute rejection in cytolytic assay. → hCD59-transgenic pigs were produced by EG cell nuclear transfer. -- Abstract: This study was performed to produce transgenic pigs expressing the human complement regulatory protein CD59 (hCD59) using the nuclear transfer (NT) of embryonic germ (EG) cells, which are undifferentiated stem cells derived from primordial germ cells. Because EG cells can be cultured indefinitely in an undifferentiated state, they may provide an inexhaustible source of nuclear donor cells for NT to produce transgenic pigs. A total of 1980 NT embryos derived from hCD59-transgenic EG cells were transferred to ten recipients, resulting in the birth of fifteen piglets from three pregnancies. Among these offspring, ten were alive without overt health problems. Based on PCR analysis, all fifteen piglets were confirmed as hCD59 transgenic. The expression of the hCD59 transgene in the ten living piglets was verified by RT-PCR. Western analysis showed the expression of the hCD59 protein in four of the ten RT-PCR-positive piglets. These results demonstrate that hCD59-transgenic pigs could effectively be produced by EG cell NT and that such transgenic pigs may be used as organ donors in pig-to-human xenotransplantation.

  1. Production of human CD59-transgenic pigs by embryonic germ cell nuclear transfer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahn, Kwang Sung; Won, Ji Young [Department of Physiology, Dankook University School of Medicine, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jin-Ki [Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Sorrell, Alice M. [Department of Physiology, Dankook University School of Medicine, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Soon Young; Kang, Jee Hyun [Department of Nanobiomedical Science, Dankook University, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of); Woo, Jae-Seok [Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Bong-Hwan [Genomics and Bioinformatics Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Won-Kyong [Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Shim, Hosup, E-mail: shim@dku.edu [Department of Nanobiomedical Science, Dankook University, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-10-01

    Research highlights: {yields} Human CD59 (hCD59) gene was introduced into porcine embryonic germ (EG) cells. {yields} hCD59-transgenic EG cells were resistant to hyperacute rejection in cytolytic assay. {yields} hCD59-transgenic pigs were produced by EG cell nuclear transfer. -- Abstract: This study was performed to produce transgenic pigs expressing the human complement regulatory protein CD59 (hCD59) using the nuclear transfer (NT) of embryonic germ (EG) cells, which are undifferentiated stem cells derived from primordial germ cells. Because EG cells can be cultured indefinitely in an undifferentiated state, they may provide an inexhaustible source of nuclear donor cells for NT to produce transgenic pigs. A total of 1980 NT embryos derived from hCD59-transgenic EG cells were transferred to ten recipients, resulting in the birth of fifteen piglets from three pregnancies. Among these offspring, ten were alive without overt health problems. Based on PCR analysis, all fifteen piglets were confirmed as hCD59 transgenic. The expression of the hCD59 transgene in the ten living piglets was verified by RT-PCR. Western analysis showed the expression of the hCD59 protein in four of the ten RT-PCR-positive piglets. These results demonstrate that hCD59-transgenic pigs could effectively be produced by EG cell NT and that such transgenic pigs may be used as organ donors in pig-to-human xenotransplantation.

  2. Characterisation of an in vitro blood-brain barrier model based on primary porcine capillary endothelial cells in monoculture or co-culture with primary rat or porcine astrocytes and pericytes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Louiza Bohn; Larsen, Annette Burkhart; Moos, Torben

    to in vivo such as efflux transporters, tight junction proteins, and high transendothelial electric resistance (TEER). Primary BCECs are isolated from a variety of mammals such as rats, mice, cattle and pigs. Often bovine and porcine BCECs are cultured in monoculture or in co-culture with rat astrocytes......In vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models based on primary brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) in monoculture or in co-culture with primary astrocytes and pericytes are often applied for studying physiology of the BBB. Primary BCECs retain many morphological and biochemical properties similar...... obtained from neonatal rats which have been shown to strengthen the barrier properties of the BCECs. In this study, brain endothelial cells (PBECs), astrocytes and pericytes are isolated from pig brains donated by the local abattoir. The brains are from 6 month old domestic pigs. The availability and high...

  3. Study on the Measurement and Calculation of Environmental Pollution Bearing Index of China’s Pig Scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leng, Bi-Bin; Gong, Jian; Zhang, Wen-bo; Ji, Xue-Qiang

    2017-11-01

    According to the environmental pollution caused by large-scale pig breeding, the SPSS statistical software and factor analysis method were used to calculate the environmental pollution bearing index of China’s breeding scale from 2006 to 2015. The results showed that with the increase of scale the density of live pig farming and the amount of fertilizer application in agricultural production increased. However, due to the improvement of national environmental awareness, industrial waste water discharge is greatly reduced. China's hog farming environmental pollution load index is rising.

  4. Effects of Increasing Space Allowance by Removing a Pig or Gate Adjustment on Finishing Pig Growth Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpenter, Corey B; Holder, Cheyenne J; Wu, Fanghou; Woodworth, Jason C; DeRouchey, Joel M; Tokach, Mike D; Goodband, Robert D; Dritz, Steve S

    2018-05-03

    A total of 256 pigs (initially 55.9 ± 4.88 kg) were used in a 71-d study to determine the effects of increasing space allowance and pig removal on pig growth performance. Pens of pigs were blocked by body weight (BW) and allotted to one of four space allowance treatments, initially with 8 pigs per pen and 8 pens per treatment. First two treatments included pens with 0.91 m2 per pig or 0.63 m2 per pig for the entire study; two additional treatments initially provided 0.63 m2 per pig, but either a gate was adjusted on d 28, 45, and 62 or the heaviest pig in the pen was removed from the pen on d 28 and 45 to provide more space and keep pigs in accordance with their predicted minimum space requirement [(m2) = 0.0336 × (BW, kg)0.67]. From d 0 to 14 (56 to 69 kg), there was no effect of stocking density observed for average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain:feed (G:F). From d 14 to 28 (69 to 83 kg), pigs provided 0.91 m2 had increased (P space adjustment treatments had greater (P space adjustments intermediate. In summary, pigs with 0.91 m2 grew faster and consumed more feed than pigs restricted in space. As pigs reached the critical k value, gate adjustments and pig removals affected growth similarly. As pigs grew to the predicted space requirement and were subsequently allowed more space, performance was greater than those provided 0.63 m2 but less than those allowed 0.91 m2. It appears that the industry accepted critical k value, 0.0336, may not be adequate for optimal pig performance across multiple BW ranges.

  5. Maternal vitamin C deficiency during pregnancy persistently impairs hippocampal neurogenesis in offspring of guinea pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Vogt, Lucile; Schjoldager, Janne Gram

    2012-01-01

    While having the highest vitamin C (VitC) concentrations in the body, specific functions of VitC in the brain have only recently been acknowledged. We have shown that postnatal VitC deficiency in guinea pigs causes impairment of hippocampal memory function and leads to 30% less neurons. This study...

  6. Adeno-associated viral vector serotypes 1 and 5 targeted to the neonatal rat and pig striatum induce widespread transgene expression in the forebrain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kornum, Birgitte R; Stott, Simon R W; Mattsson, Bengt

    2010-01-01

    . Our results show that striatal delivery of rAAV5 vectors in the neonatal brain represents a useful tool to express genes of interest both in the basal ganglia and the neocortex. Furthermore, we apply, for the first time, viral vector-mediated gene transfer to the pig brain providing the opportunity...

  7. Neuroprotection and enhanced neurogenesis by extract from the tropical plant Knema laurina after inflammatory damage in living brain tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Häke, Ines; Schönenberger, Silvia; Neumann, Jens; Franke, Katrin; Paulsen-Merker, Katrin; Reymann, Klaus; Ismail, Ghazally; Bin Din, Laily; Said, Ikram M; Latiff, A; Wessjohann, Ludger; Zipp, Frauke; Ullrich, Oliver

    2009-01-03

    Inflammatory reactions in the CNS, resulting from a loss of control and involving a network of non-neuronal and neuronal cells, are major contributors to the onset and progress of several major neurodegenerative diseases. Therapeutic strategies should therefore keep or restore the well-controlled and finely-tuned balance of immune reactions, and protect neurons from inflammatory damage. In our study, we selected plants of the Malaysian rain forest by an ethnobotanic survey, and investigated them in cell-based-assay-systems and in living brain tissue cultures in order to identify anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. We found that alcoholic extracts from the tropical plant Knema laurina (Black wild nutmeg) exhibited highly anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in cell culture experiments, reduced NO- and IL-6-release from activated microglia cells dose-dependently, and protected living brain tissue from microglia-mediated inflammatory damage at a concentration of 30 microg/ml. On the intracellular level, the extract inhibited ERK-1/2-phosphorylation, IkB-phosphorylation and subsequently NF-kB-translocation in microglia cells. K. laurina belongs to the family of Myristicaceae, which have been used for centuries for treatment of digestive and inflammatory diseases and is also a major food plant of the Giant Hornbill. Moreover, extract from K. laurina promotes also neurogenesis in living brain tissue after oxygen-glucose deprivation. In conclusion, extract from K. laurina not only controls and limits inflammatory reaction after primary neuronal damage, it promotes moreover neurogenesis if given hours until days after stroke-like injury.

  8. The interactive effects of transportation and lairage time on welfare indicators, carcass and meat quality traits in slaughter pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Čobanović, N.; Vasilev, D.; Dimitrijević, M.; Teodorović, V.; Parunović, N.; Betić, N.; Karabasil, N.

    2017-09-01

    This study assessed the effects of transportation and lairage time and their interaction on welfare, carcass and meat quality traits in slaughter pigs under commercial conditions. The study was conducted on 120 pigs with a live weight of approximately 115 kg and about six months old. A complete blood picture was measured in pigs to assess pre-slaughter stress. Also, nine different carcass quality parameters including live weight, hot and cold carcass weights, cooling loss, dressing percentage, backfat thickness, meatiness and skin lesions score were measured. The pH and temperature measurements were performed 45 minutes post-mortem. The results showed that short transportation time and slaughtering without lairaging and long transportation time and overnight lairaging negatively influenced the hematological parameters, which meant that the animal welfare was seriously compromised under these pre-slaughter conditions. Long transportation time and overnight lairaging reduced live and carcass weights and increased the incidence of skin lesions on the carcass and DFD pork. In addition, short transportation time and slaughtering without lairaging caused a significant deterioration in pork quality. It can be concluded that, from the standpoint of animal welfare, carcass and meat quality, the above-mentioned pre-slaughter conditions are not recommended to the farmers and/or pork producers.

  9. Globalisation and global trade influence molecular viral population genetics of Torque Teno Sus Viruses 1 and 2 in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortey, Martí; Pileri, Emanuela; Segalés, Joaquim; Kekarainen, Tuija

    2012-04-23

    Globalisation, in terms of the rapid and free movement of people, animals and food, has created a new paradigm, increasing the range and rate of distribution of many pathogens. In the present study, Torque teno sus viruses (TTSuVs) have been used as a model to evaluate the effects of global trade on viral heterogeneity, and how the movement of live pigs can affect the distribution and composition of virus populations. Seventeen countries from different parts of the world have been screened for TTSuV1 and TTSuvV2. High levels of genetic diversity have been found as well as two new TTSuV subtypes. A small fraction of this diversity (50%) was best explained by the exchange of live pigs among countries, pointing to the direct relationship between the movement of hosts and the diversity of their accompanying viruses. Taking TTSuVs as sentinels, this study revealed that the distribution and diversity of comensal microflora in live animals subjected to global trade is shaped by the commercial movements among countries. In the case of TTSuVs, it appears that commercial movements of animals are eroding the genetic composition of the virus populations that may have been present in pig herds since their domestication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Effect of Lactobacillus salivarius on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, fecal bacterial population and intestinal morphology of suckling pigs challenged with F4+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayan, Harutai; Assavacheep, Pornchalit; Angkanaporn, Kris; Assavacheep, Anongnart

    2018-04-12

    Gut health improvements were monitored with respect to growth performance, diarrhea incidence, fecal bacterial population and intestinal morphology of suckling pigs orally supplemented with live Lactobacillus salivarius oral suspensions and challenged with F4+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Two groups of newborn pigs from 18 multiparous sows were randomly designated as non-supplemented (control: n=114 piglets) and L. salivarius supplemented groups (treatment: n=87 piglets). Treatment pigs were orally administered with 2 ml of 109 CFU/ml L. salivarius on days 1 - 3, then they were orally administered with 5 ml of 109 CFU/ml L. salivarius on days 4 - 10, while those in control group received an equal amount of phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS). On day 24 (2 weeks post supplementation), one pig per replicate of both groups was orally administered with 108 CFU/ml F4+ ETEC, then they were euthanized on day 29 of experiment. Results revealed that pigs in treatment group had statistically significant in average daily gain (ADG), body weight and weight gain, and tended to lower diarrhea throughout the study. Numbers of Lactobacillus population in feces of treatment pigs were higher than control pigs, especially on day 10 of study. Numbers of total bacteria in intestinal contents of control pigs were also increased, but not Coliform and Lactobacillus populations. Histological examination revealed statistically significant improvement of villous height and villous/crypt ratio of duodenum, proximal jejunum and distal jejunum parts of treatment pigs better than control. Duodenal pH of treatment group was significantly decreased. Oral supplementation of live L. salivarius during the first 10 days of suckling pig promoted growth performance and guts health, reduced diarrhea incidence, and increased fecal Lactobacillus populations, and improved intestinal morphology.

  11. Manipulating early pig embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemann, H; Reichelt, B

    1993-01-01

    On the basis of established surgical procedures for embryo recovery and transfer, the early pig embryo can be subjected to various manipulations aimed at a long-term preservation of genetic material, the generation of identical multiplets, the early determination of sex or the alteration of the genetic make-up. Most of these procedures are still at an experimental stage and despite recent considerable progress are far from practical application. Normal piglets have been obtained after cryopreservation of pig blastocysts hatched in vitro, whereas all attempts to freeze embryos with intact zona pellucida have been unsuccessful. Pig embryos at the morula and blastocyst stage can be bisected microsurgically and the resulting demi-embryos possess a high developmental potential in vitro, whereas their development in vivo is impaired. Pregnancy rates are similar (80%) but litter size is reduced compared with intact embryos and twinning rate is approximately 2%. Pig blastomeres isolated from embryos up to the 16-cell stage can be grown in culture and result in normal blastocysts. Normal piglets have been born upon transfer of blastocysts derived from isolated eight-cell blastomeres, clearly underlining the totipotency of this developmental stage. Upon nuclear transfer the developmental capacity of reconstituted pig embryos is low and culture. Sex determination can be achieved either by separation of X and Y chromosome bearing spermatozoa by flow cytometry or by analysing the expression of the HY antigen in pig embryos from the eight-cell to morula stage. Microinjection of foreign DNA has been successfully used to alter growth and development of transgenic pigs, and to produce foreign proteins in the mammary gland or in the bloodstream, indicating that pigs can be used as donors for valuable human pharmaceutical proteins. Another promising area of gene transfer is the increase of disease resistance in transgenic lines of pigs. Approximately 30% of pig spermatozoa bind

  12. Evaluation of conjugated linoleic acid and dietary antibiotics as growth promotants in weanling pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, T E; Schinckel, A P; Houseknecht, K L; Richert, B T

    2001-10-01

    An experiment was conducted to determine the efficacy of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) as a growth promotant in weanling swine. Weanling pigs (n = 192; 7.6 kg and 29 d of age) were randomly assigned to four treatments that were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial. Concentrations of dietary CLA (0 or 0.6%) and antibiotics (+/-) constituted the main effect variables. Dietary CLA treatments consisted of a 1% addition of an oil containing 60% CLA isomers or 1% soybean oil, and dietary antibiotic treatments were antibiotics or no antibiotics. The experimental diets were fed for 9 wk in four phases (1, wk 1; 2, wk 2 and 3; 3, wk 4 through 6; and 4, wk 7 through 9), after which all pigs were fed identical medicated diets for the duration of the finishing phase. Live weights were recorded at wk 17 postweaning and at marketing to determine any residual effects of dietary treatments on finisher ADG and days to market. Medicated diets fed during phases 1 and 2 contained 55 mg carbadox/kg; during phase 3 contained 299 mg tilmicosin/kg; and during phase 4 contained 110 mg tylosin and 110 mg sulfamethazine/kg. Pigs fed medicated diets had higher overall ADG than pigs fed unmedicated diets for wk 0 through 9 (P pigs fed medicated diets than for pigs fed unmedicated diets during phase 1 (P residual effects of nursery CLA or antibiotics on finisher ADG and days to market. Blood samples collected from a subset of pigs (n = 72) at the completion of phases 2, 3, and 4 were assayed for serum IGF-I and antibody concentrations to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. There was a tendency for pigs fed medicated diets to have greater IGF-I concentrations than pigs fed unmedicated diets at the completion of phase 4 (P Pigs fed CLA had greater antibody titers (P pigs fed diets without CLA. These results indicate that feeding 0.6% dietary CLA did not enhance growth performance in weanling swine and that the use of dietary antibiotics can

  13. The effect of doxycycline treatment on the postvaccinal immune response in pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pomorska-Mól, Małgorzata; Kwit, Krzysztof; Markowska-Daniel, Iwona; Pejsak, Zygmunt

    2014-01-01

    The effect of a seven-day antibiotic therapy with doxycycline was investigated on the postvaccinal humoral and cellular immune response in pigs. The selected parameters of non-specific immunity were also studied. Fifty pigs were used (control not vaccinated (C, n = 10), control vaccinated (CV, n = 20), and experimental — received doxycycline (DOXY, n = 20)). For vaccination live-attenuated vaccine against pseudorabies (PR) was used. From day − 1 to day 5 pigs from DOXY group received doxycycline orally with drinking water, at the recommended dose. Pigs from DOXY and CV groups were vaccinated at 8 and 10 weeks of age. The results of the present study showed that cell-mediated postvaccinal immune response can be modulated by oral treatment with doxycycline. Significantly lower values of stimulation index were observed after PRV restimulation in doxycycline-treated pigs. Moreover, in the DOXY group a significant decrease in IFN-γ production after PRV restimulation was noted. The significantly lower number of CD4+CD8 + cells was also observed in doxy-treated, vaccinated pigs, 2 weeks after final vaccination. Simultaneously, specific humoral response was not disturbed. This study demonstrated the importance of defining the immune modulatory activity of doxycycline because it may alter the immune responses to vaccines. The exact mechanism of T-cell response suppression by doxycycline remains to be elucidated, however the influence of doxycycline on the secretion of various cytokines, including IFN-γ, may be considered as a possible cause. The present observations should prompt further studies on the practical significance of such phenomena in terms of clinical implications. - Highlights: • We examine the postvaccinal immune response in pigs treated with doxycycline. • Doxycycline negatively influenced the specific proliferation after recall stimulation. • Doxycycline negatively influenced secretion of IFN-γ after recall stimulation. • The lower number of

  14. The effect of doxycycline treatment on the postvaccinal immune response in pigs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pomorska-Mól, Małgorzata, E-mail: mpomorska@piwet.pulawy.pl; Kwit, Krzysztof; Markowska-Daniel, Iwona; Pejsak, Zygmunt

    2014-07-01

    The effect of a seven-day antibiotic therapy with doxycycline was investigated on the postvaccinal humoral and cellular immune response in pigs. The selected parameters of non-specific immunity were also studied. Fifty pigs were used (control not vaccinated (C, n = 10), control vaccinated (CV, n = 20), and experimental — received doxycycline (DOXY, n = 20)). For vaccination live-attenuated vaccine against pseudorabies (PR) was used. From day − 1 to day 5 pigs from DOXY group received doxycycline orally with drinking water, at the recommended dose. Pigs from DOXY and CV groups were vaccinated at 8 and 10 weeks of age. The results of the present study showed that cell-mediated postvaccinal immune response can be modulated by oral treatment with doxycycline. Significantly lower values of stimulation index were observed after PRV restimulation in doxycycline-treated pigs. Moreover, in the DOXY group a significant decrease in IFN-γ production after PRV restimulation was noted. The significantly lower number of CD4+CD8 + cells was also observed in doxy-treated, vaccinated pigs, 2 weeks after final vaccination. Simultaneously, specific humoral response was not disturbed. This study demonstrated the importance of defining the immune modulatory activity of doxycycline because it may alter the immune responses to vaccines. The exact mechanism of T-cell response suppression by doxycycline remains to be elucidated, however the influence of doxycycline on the secretion of various cytokines, including IFN-γ, may be considered as a possible cause. The present observations should prompt further studies on the practical significance of such phenomena in terms of clinical implications. - Highlights: • We examine the postvaccinal immune response in pigs treated with doxycycline. • Doxycycline negatively influenced the specific proliferation after recall stimulation. • Doxycycline negatively influenced secretion of IFN-γ after recall stimulation. • The lower number of

  15. Auditory-somatosensory bimodal stimulation desynchronizes brain circuitry to reduce tinnitus in guinea pigs and humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marks, Kendra L; Martel, David T; Wu, Calvin; Basura, Gregory J; Roberts, Larry E; Schvartz-Leyzac, Kara C; Shore, Susan E

    2018-01-03

    The dorsal cochlear nucleus is the first site of multisensory convergence in mammalian auditory pathways. Principal output neurons, the fusiform cells, integrate auditory nerve inputs from the cochlea with somatosensory inputs from the head and neck. In previous work, we developed a guinea pig model of tinnitus induced by noise exposure and showed that the fusiform cells in these animals exhibited increased spontaneous activity and cross-unit synchrony, which are physiological correlates of tinnitus. We delivered repeated bimodal auditory-somatosensory stimulation to the dorsal cochlear nucleus of guinea pigs with tinnitus, choosing a stimulus interval known to induce long-term depression (LTD). Twenty minutes per day of LTD-inducing bimodal (but not unimodal) stimulation reduced physiological and behavioral evidence of tinnitus in the guinea pigs after 25 days. Next, we applied the same bimodal treatment to 20 human subjects with tinnitus using a double-blinded, sham-controlled, crossover study. Twenty-eight days of LTD-inducing bimodal stimulation reduced tinnitus loudness and intrusiveness. Unimodal auditory stimulation did not deliver either benefit. Bimodal auditory-somatosensory stimulation that induces LTD in the dorsal cochlear nucleus may hold promise for suppressing chronic tinnitus, which reduces quality of life for millions of tinnitus sufferers worldwide. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  16. Acute toxicity of organophosphorus compounds in guinea pigs is sex- and age-dependent and cannot be solely accounted for by acetylcholinesterase inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fawcett, William P; Aracava, Yasco; Adler, Michael; Pereira, Edna F R; Albuquerque, Edson X

    2009-02-01

    This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the acute toxicity of the nerve agents S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl]-O-ethyl methylphosphonothioate (VX), O-pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate (soman), and O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (sarin) in guinea pigs is age- and sex-dependent and cannot be fully accounted for by the irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The subcutaneous doses of nerve agents needed to decrease 24-h survival of guinea pigs by 50% (LD(50) values) were estimated by probit analysis. In all animal groups, the rank order of LD(50) values was sarin > soman > VX. The LD(50) value of soman was not influenced by sex or age of the animals. In contrast, the LD(50) values of VX and sarin were lower in adult male than in age-matched female or younger guinea pigs. A colorimetric assay was used to determine the concentrations of nerve agents that inhibit in vitro 50% of AChE activity (IC(50) values) in guinea pig brain extracts, plasma, red blood cells, and whole blood. A positive correlation between LD(50) values and IC(50) values for AChE inhibition would support the hypothesis that AChE inhibition is a major determinant of the acute toxicity of the nerve agents. However, such a positive correlation was found only between LD(50) values and IC(50) values for AChE inhibition in brain extracts from neonatal and prepubertal guinea pigs. These results demonstrate for the first time that the lethal potencies of some nerve agents in guinea pigs are age- and sex-dependent. They also support the contention that mechanisms other than AChE inhibition contribute to the lethality of nerve agents.

  17. Experimental induction of malignant catarrhal fever in pigs with ovine herpesvirus 2 by intranasal nebulization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hong; Brooking, Angela; Cunha, Cristina W; Highland, Margaret A; O'Toole, Donal; Knowles, Donald P; Taus, Naomi S

    2012-10-12

    Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), a frequently fatal herpesviral disease primarily of ruminant species, has been sporadically reported in pigs. All cases of naturally occurring porcine MCF reported to date have been linked to ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2), a gammaherpesvirus in the genus Macavirus carried by sheep. Experimental induction of MCF by aerosolization of the virus in nasal secretions collected from infected sheep has been successful in bison, cattle and rabbits. The goals of this study were to determine the susceptibility of pigs to MCF following experimental intranasal inoculation of OvHV-2, and to characterize the disease. Twelve pigs in four groups were nebulized with 10(5), 10(6), 10(7), or 10(8) DNA copies of OvHV-2 from sheep nasal secretions. Three control pigs were nebulized with nasal secretions from uninfected sheep. Three additional pigs were inoculated intravenously with 10(7) DNA copies of OvHV-2 to evaluate this route of infection with cell-free virus. Seven of twelve intranasally challenged pigs became infected with OvHV-2. Five of these seven, all in higher dose groups, developed MCF. Lesions resembled those reported in natural cases of porcine MCF. The most striking and consistent histological lesions were in trachea, lung, kidney and brain. These comprised mucopurulent tracheitis, interstitial pneumonia, necrotizing arteritis-periarteritis, and nonpurulent meningoencephalitis. No infection was established in the intravenously challenged or control groups. The study showed that MCF can be experimentally induced in pigs by aerosol challenge using sheep nasal secretions containing OvHV-2. Domestic pigs are a natural clinically susceptible host for sheep-associated MCF. They represent a useful, cost-effective model for MCF research. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Assessing pig body language: agreement and consistency between pig farmers, veterinarians, and animal activists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wemelsfelder, F; Hunter, A E; Paul, E S; Lawrence, A B

    2012-10-01

    This study investigates the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of qualitative behavior assessments (QBA) of individual pigs by 3 observer groups selected for their diverging backgrounds, experience, and views of pigs. Qualitative behavior assessment is a "whole animal" assessment approach that characterizes the demeanor of an animal as an expressive body language, using descriptors such as relaxed, anxious, or content. This paper addresses the concern that use of such descriptors in animal science may be prone to distortion by observer-related bias. Using a free-choice profiling methodology, 12 pig farmers, 10 large animal veterinarians, and 10 animal protectionists were instructed to describe and score the behavioral expressions of 10 individual pigs (sus scrofa) in 2 repeat sets of 10 video clips, showing these pigs in interaction with a human female. They were also asked to fill in a questionnaire gauging their experiences with and views on pigs. Pig scores were analyzed with generalized procrustes analysis and effect of treatment on these scores with ANOVA. Questionnaire scores were analyzed with a χ(2) test or ANOVA. Observers achieved consensus both within and among observer groups (P 0.90). The 3 groups also repeated their assessments of individual pigs with high precision (r > 0.85). Animal protectionists used a wider quantitative range in scoring individual pigs on dimension 2 than the other groups (P body language. This supports the empirical nature of QBA in context of the wider anthropomorphism debate.

  19. Radiolabelling and PET brain imaging of the α1-adrenoceptor antagonist Lu AE43936

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Risgaard, Rune; Ettrup, Anders; Balle, Thomas; Dyssegaard, Agnete; Hansen, Hanne Demant; Lehel, Szabolcs; Madsen, Jacob; Pedersen, Henrik; Püschl, Ask; Badolo, Lassina; Bang-Andersen, Benny; Knudsen, Gitte Moos; Kristensen, Jesper Langgaard

    2013-01-01

    Cerebral α 1 -adrenoceptors are a common target for many antipsychotic drugs. Thus, access to positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging of α 1 -adrenoceptors could make important contributions to the understanding of psychotic disorders as well as to the pharmacokinetics and occupancy of drugs targeting the α 1 -adrenoceptors. However, so far no suitable PET radioligand has been developed for brain imaging of α 1 -adrenoceptors. Here, we report the synthesis of both enantiomers of the desmethyl precursors of the high affinity α 1 -adrenoceptor ligand Lu AE43936 (). The two enantiomers of were subsequently [ 11 C] radiolabelled and evaluated for brain uptake and binding by PET imaging in Danish Landrace pigs. (S)-[ 11 C]- and (R)-[ 11 C]- showed very limited brain uptake. Pre-treatment with cyclosporine A (CsA) resulted in a large increase in brain uptake, indicating that (R)-[ 11 C]- is a substrate for active efflux-transporters. This was confirmed in Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells overexpressing permeability glycoprotein (Pgp). In conclusion, the limited brain uptake of both (S)-[ 11 C]- and (R)-[ 11 C]- in the pig brain necessitates the search for alternative radioligands for in vivo PET brain imaging of α 1 -adrenoceptors.

  20. Species differences in blood-brain barrier transport of three positron emission tomography radioligands with emphasis on P-glycoprotein transport

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Syvanen, S.; Lindhe, O.; Palner, M.

    2009-01-01

    preclinical data to humans. Compounds found to be P-gp substrates in rodents are likely to also be substrates in higher species, but sufficient blood-brain barrier permeability may be retained in humans to allow the compound to act at intracerebral targets Udgivelsesdato: 2009/3......Species differences occur in the brain concentrations of drugs, but the reasons for these differences are not yet apparent. This study was designed to compare brain uptake of three radiolabeled P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates across species using positron emission tomography. Brain concentrations...... and brain-to-plasma ratios were compared; [(11)C]verapamil in rats, guinea pigs, and monkeys; [(11)C](S)-(2-methoxy-5-(5-trifluoromethyltetrazol-1-yl)-phenylmethylamino )-2(S)-phenylpiperidine (GR205171) in rats, guinea pigs, monkeys, and humans; and [(18)F]altanserin in rats, minipigs, and humans...

  1. Metabolic clues to salubrious longevity in the brain of the longest-lived rodent: the naked mole-rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triplett, Judy C; Swomley, Aaron; Kirk, Jessime; Lewis, Katilyn; Orr, Miranda; Rodriguez, Karl; Cai, Jian; Klein, Jon B; Buffenstein, Rochelle; Butterfield, D Allan

    2015-08-01

    Naked mole-rats (NMRs) are the oldest-living rodent species. Living underground in a thermally stable ecological niche, NMRs have evolved certain exceptional traits, resulting in sustained health spans, negligible cognitive decline, and a pronounced resistance to age-related disease. Uncovering insights into mechanisms underlying these extraordinary traits involved in successful aging may conceivably provide crucial clues to extend the human life span and health span. One of the most fundamental processes inside the cell is the production of ATP, which is an essential fuel in driving all other energy-requiring cellular activities. Not surprisingly, a prominent hallmark in age-related diseases, such as neurodegeneration and cancer, is the impairment and dysregulation of metabolic pathways. Using a two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis proteomics approach, alterations in expression and phosphorylation levels of metabolic proteins in the brains of NMRs, aged 2-24 years, were evaluated in an age-dependent manner. We identified 13 proteins with altered levels and/or phosphorylation states that play key roles in various metabolic pathways including glycolysis, β-oxidation, the malate-aspartate shuttle, the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCA) cycle, the electron transport chain, NADPH production, as well as the production of glutamate. New insights into potential pathways involved in metabolic aspects of successful aging have been obtained by the identification of key proteins through which the NMR brain responds and adapts to the aging process and how the NMR brain adapted to resist age-related degeneration. This study examines the changes in the proteome and phosphoproteome in the brain of the naked mole-rat aged 2-24 years. We identified 13 proteins (labeled in red) with altered expression and/or phosphorylation levels that are conceivably associated with sustained metabolic functions in the oldest NMRs that may promote a sustained health span and life span.

  2. Uptake of elemental mercury and activity of catalase in rat, hamster, guinea-pig, normal and acatalasemic mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eide, I.; Syversen, T.L.M.

    1982-01-01

    Uptake of elemental mercury after inhalation (3.5 mg/m 3 ) and the activity of catalase in brain, liver, kidney and blood were investigated in rat, hamster, guinea-pig, and normal and acatalasemic mice. The uptake of mercury in the species investigated varied considerably, being highest in the two strains of mice, followed by rat and hamster, and lowest in the guinea-pig. The uptake seemed to be more dependent on pulmonary ventilation than on the activity of catalase. The two strains of mice were exposed to a wide range of mercury concentrations in air (0.002-3.5 mg/m 3 ). The content of mercury in brain, liver and kidney was linearly dependent on the mercury concentration in the air, whereas in blood this relationship was exponential. At the lower concentraions of mercury in the inhaled air, the mercury level in blood was significantly lower, and in kidney higher in the acatalasemic mice compared to the normal ones. In acatalasemic mice the mercury content in the liver has higher at all concentrations investigated, whereas in brain no difference between the two strains was found. (author)

  3. Heart size and mean muscle fibre cross-sectional area related to birth weight in pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. RUUSUNEN

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available One of the aims in domestic pig breeding has been to increase the size of litters resulting in variation in birth weight of piglets. Pig breeding has also resulted in increased body muscle mass. Muscles with the same size can consist either of large number of thin muscle fibres or small number of thick muscle fibres. Larger body muscle content means that in living animal the heart must pump blood to larger muscle mass than earlier. Our interest in this study was to investigate the relationship between the pig’s birth weight and (i growth performance and carcass composition, (ii the size of organs, and (iii the mean muscle fibre cross-sectional area at slaughter. The study consisted of twenty pigs slaughtered at the age of 165±2 days. The day after the slaughter, the carcass composition was determined by dissecting the chilled carcass into lean, fat, bones, and skin and organs were weighed. The average cross sectional area of muscle fibres was determined from three fast-twitch muscles longissimus dorsi, semimembranosus, gluteus superficialis, and two slow-twitch muscles infraspinatus and masseter. The birth weight of pigs ranged from 0.9 to 2.2 kg. We found no clear relationships between the birth weight and the pig’s growth performance from birth to slaughter. When the birth weight increased the heart weight at slaughter increased as well (P < 0.01. The heart weight was higher in those pigs with high carcass weight (P < 0.05 and with the high weight of total muscle mass in the carcass (P < 0.001. The cross sectional area of muscle fibres in M. longissimus dorsi (P < 0.05, M. semimembranosus (P < 0.10, and M. gluteus superficialis (P < 0.05 was larger in those pigs with low birth weight compared to those found in pigs with high birth weight.;

  4. Immunization of Pigs by DNA Prime and Recombinant Vaccinia Virus Boost To Identify and Rank African Swine Fever Virus Immunogenic and Protective Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jancovich, James K; Chapman, Dave; Hansen, Debra T; Robida, Mark D; Loskutov, Andrey; Craciunescu, Felicia; Borovkov, Alex; Kibler, Karen; Goatley, Lynnette; King, Katherine; Netherton, Christopher L; Taylor, Geraldine; Jacobs, Bertram; Sykes, Kathryn; Dixon, Linda K

    2018-04-15

    African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes an acute hemorrhagic fever in domestic pigs, with high socioeconomic impact. No vaccine is available, limiting options for control. Although live attenuated ASFV can induce up to 100% protection against lethal challenge, little is known of the antigens which induce this protective response. To identify additional ASFV immunogenic and potentially protective antigens, we cloned 47 viral genes in individual plasmids for gene vaccination and in recombinant vaccinia viruses. These antigens were selected to include proteins with different functions and timing of expression. Pools of up to 22 antigens were delivered by DNA prime and recombinant vaccinia virus boost to groups of pigs. Responses of immune lymphocytes from pigs to individual recombinant proteins and to ASFV were measured by interferon gamma enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assays to identify a subset of the antigens that consistently induced the highest responses. All 47 antigens were then delivered to pigs by DNA prime and recombinant vaccinia virus boost, and pigs were challenged with a lethal dose of ASFV isolate Georgia 2007/1. Although pigs developed clinical and pathological signs consistent with acute ASFV, viral genome levels were significantly reduced in blood and several lymph tissues in those pigs immunized with vectors expressing ASFV antigens compared with the levels in control pigs. IMPORTANCE The lack of a vaccine limits the options to control African swine fever. Advances have been made in the development of genetically modified live attenuated ASFV that can induce protection against challenge. However, there may be safety issues relating to the use of these in the field. There is little information about ASFV antigens that can induce a protective immune response against challenge. We carried out a large screen of 30% of ASFV antigens by delivering individual genes in different pools to pigs by DNA immunization prime and recombinant vaccinia

  5. Selection based on indirect genetic effects for growth, environmental enrichment and coping style affect the immune status of pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reimert, Inonge; Rodenburg, T Bas; Ursinus, Winanda W; Kemp, Bas; Bolhuis, J Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    Pigs living in intensive husbandry systems may experience both acute and chronic stress through standard management procedures and limitations in their physical and social environment, which may have implications for their immune status. Here, the effect of a new breeding method where pigs were selected on their heritable influence on their pen mates' growth, and environmental enrichment on the immune status of pigs was investigated. Hereto, 240 pigs with a relatively positive genetic effect on the growth of their pen mates (+SBV) and 240 pigs with a relatively negative genetic effect on the growth of their pen mates (-SBV) were housed in barren or straw-enriched pens from 4 to 23 weeks of age (n  =  80 pens in total). A blood sample was taken from the pigs before, three days after a 24 h regrouping test, and at week 22. In addition, effects of coping style, as assessed in a backtest, and gender were also investigated. Mainly, +SBV were found to have lower leukocyte, lymphocyte and haptoglobin concentrations than -SBV pigs. Enriched housed pigs had a lower neutrophil to lymphocyte (N:L) ratio and lower haptoglobin concentrations, but had higher antibody titers specific for Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH) than barren housed pigs. No interactions were found between SBV class and housing. Furthermore, pigs with a proactive coping style had higher alternative complement activity and, in the enriched pens, higher antibody titers specific for KLH than pigs with a reactive coping style. Lastly, females tended to have lower leukocyte, but higher haptoglobin concentrations than castrated males. Overall, these results suggest that +SBV pigs and enriched housed pigs were less affected by stress than -SBV and barren housed pigs, respectively. Moreover, immune activation might be differently organized in individuals with different coping styles and to a lesser extent in individuals of opposite genders.

  6. Selection based on indirect genetic effects for growth, environmental enrichment and coping style affect the immune status of pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inonge Reimert

    Full Text Available Pigs living in intensive husbandry systems may experience both acute and chronic stress through standard management procedures and limitations in their physical and social environment, which may have implications for their immune status. Here, the effect of a new breeding method where pigs were selected on their heritable influence on their pen mates' growth, and environmental enrichment on the immune status of pigs was investigated. Hereto, 240 pigs with a relatively positive genetic effect on the growth of their pen mates (+SBV and 240 pigs with a relatively negative genetic effect on the growth of their pen mates (-SBV were housed in barren or straw-enriched pens from 4 to 23 weeks of age (n  =  80 pens in total. A blood sample was taken from the pigs before, three days after a 24 h regrouping test, and at week 22. In addition, effects of coping style, as assessed in a backtest, and gender were also investigated. Mainly, +SBV were found to have lower leukocyte, lymphocyte and haptoglobin concentrations than -SBV pigs. Enriched housed pigs had a lower neutrophil to lymphocyte (N:L ratio and lower haptoglobin concentrations, but had higher antibody titers specific for Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH than barren housed pigs. No interactions were found between SBV class and housing. Furthermore, pigs with a proactive coping style had higher alternative complement activity and, in the enriched pens, higher antibody titers specific for KLH than pigs with a reactive coping style. Lastly, females tended to have lower leukocyte, but higher haptoglobin concentrations than castrated males. Overall, these results suggest that +SBV pigs and enriched housed pigs were less affected by stress than -SBV and barren housed pigs, respectively. Moreover, immune activation might be differently organized in individuals with different coping styles and to a lesser extent in individuals of opposite genders.

  7. Growth performance, carcass characteristics and bioavailability of isoflavones in pigs fed soy bean based diets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhn, Gerda; Hennig, U; Kalbe, Claudia; Rehfeldt, Charlotte; Ren, M Q; Moors, S; Degen, Gisela H

    2004-08-01

    A growth trial with 38 weaners (castrated male pigs) was designed to compare the growth performance and carcass quality of pigs fed diets containing either soy bean meal or soy protein concentrate in a pair-feeding design. Soy bean meal (SBM) and soy protein concentrate (SPC) differed in isoflavone (daidzein plus genistein) content (782 microg/g in SBM and 125 microg/g in SPC, respectively). During the experiment, all pigs were fed four-phases-diets characterized by decreasing protein concentrations with increasing age (weaner I, weaner II, grower, finisher diets). Rations of control and experimental groups were isoenergetic, isonitrogenous, and isoaminogen. The weanling pigs with an initial live weight of 8.4 +/- 1.1 kg were allotted to flat deck boxes. During the growing/finishing period (days 70-170 of age), the pigs were housed in single boxes. Both, the weaning and the grower/finishing performances (daily body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio) were similar in both groups. No differences were found between the groups in carcass composition (percentages of cuts, tissues, and protein/fat), and meat quality of pigs. Moreover, the IGF-1R mRNA expression in longissimus muscle was not influenced by the kind of soy product. However, circulating levels of isoflavones were clearly different between pigs fed SBM (genistein 239 +/- 44; daidzein 162 +/- 42; equol 12 +/- 4 ng/ml plasma) and animals fed SPC (genistein 22 +/- 9 and daidzein 8 +/- 3, and equol 10 +/- 3 ng/ml plasma). The results confirm the expected differences in the bioavailability of soy isoflavones, yet, there were no significant differences in performance of pigs fed either soy bean meal or soy protein concentrate.

  8. Integrated resource-driven pig production systems in a mountainous area of Northeast India: production practices and pig performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumaresan, A; Bujarbaruah, K M; Pathak, K A; Das, Anubrata; Bardoloi, R K

    2009-10-01

    Data on pig production system was derived through structured household interviews from a total number of 320 rural households and performance of pigs was assessed. Results revealed that the pig production system represented mixed farming based mainly on the common property resources. Majority of the pigs were reared in intensive system and fed with home made cooked feed (kitchen waste and locally available plants). The body weight of crossbred, Burmese and local pigs were 67, 65.4 and 45.6 kg, respectively at 12 months of age with average daily body weight of 184, 179 and 125 g, respectively. The overall mortality among the pigs was 17.96%. The major causes of mortality in pigs were Swine fever, Swine erysipelas, digestive disorders, nephritis and respiratory disorders. The body weight gain in pigs subjected to deworming and mineral mixture supplementation (218 g/day) was significantly (p pigs, while the corresponding ratio for local pigs was 1:1.2. It is inferred that the smallholder resource driven pig production system is economically viable and sustainable at household level and there is enough scope to improve the smallholder resource driven pig production system.

  9. Pig and guinea pig skin as surrogates for human in vitro penetration studies: a quantitative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbero, Ana M; Frasch, H Frederick

    2009-02-01

    Both human and animal skin in vitro models are used to predict percutaneous penetration in humans. The objective of this review is a quantitative comparison of permeability and lag time measurements between human and animal skin, including an evaluation of the intra and inter species variability. We limit our focus to domestic pig and rodent guinea pig skin as surrogates for human skin, and consider only studies in which both animal and human penetration of a given chemical were measured jointly in the same lab. When the in vitro permeability of pig and human skin were compared, the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (r) was 0.88 (Ppig and 35% for human, and an inter species average coefficient of variation of 37% for the set of studied compounds (n=41). The lag times of pig skin and human skin did not correlate (r=0.35, P=0.26). When the in vitro permeability of guinea pig and human skin were compared, r=0.96 (Pguinea pig and 24% for human, and an inter species coefficient of variation of permeability of 41% for the set of studied compounds (n=15). Lag times of guinea pig and human skin correlated (r=0.90, Ppig skin (n=50) and guinea pig skin (n=25). For pig skin, 80% of measurements fell within the range 0.3guinea pig skin, 65% fell within that range. Both pig and guinea pig are good models for human skin permeability and have less variability than the human skin model. The skin model of choice will depend on the final purpose of the study and the compound under investigation.

  10. Evaluation of the biodisposition of diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) in mice and guinea pigs after inhalation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scimeca, J.A.

    1987-01-01

    The disposition of 3 H-DFP and its metabolites was determined in the major tissues of the mouse and guinea pig from 5 min to 24 hr after treatment. 3 H-DFP rapidly penetrated all tissues in both species and was quickly hydrolyzed to 3 H-diisopropylphosphoric acid (free 3 H-DIP), or was covalently bound to tissue (bound 3 H-DIP). By 1 hr, the greater portion of the radioactivity in the tissues of the mouse was in the form of bound 3 H-DIP, with similar results found in the guinea pig at 4 hr. Studies were also performed to determine the effect of acute DFP exposure on 3 H-(+/-)-nicotine binding to mouse brain homogenate. The nicotinic binding sites in brain homogenate from DFP-treated mice that were sacrificed 20 min or 10 hr after exposure did not exhibit significant alterations from control. However, brain homogenate from treated mice that were sacrificed 24 hr after exposure resulted in statistically significant differences in the low-affinity KD and Bmax values from controls. Since no alterations were found in the high-affinity binding parameters and DFP had only a minimal effect on the low-affinity site at 24 hr, it was concluded that nicotinic receptor down regulation does not appear to be a compensating mechanism for DFP-induced cholinesterase inhibition

  11. Moderate hypoxia followed by reoxygenation results in blood-brain barrier breakdown via oxidative stress-dependent tight-junction protein disruption.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christoph M Zehendner

    Full Text Available Re-canalization of cerebral vessels in ischemic stroke is pivotal to rescue dysfunctional brain areas that are exposed to moderate hypoxia within the penumbra from irreversible cell death. Goal of the present study was to evaluate the effect of moderate hypoxia followed by reoxygenation (MHR on the evolution of reactive oxygen species (ROS and blood-brain barrier (BBB integrity in brain endothelial cells (BEC. BBB integrity was assessed in BEC in vitro and in microvessels of the guinea pig whole brain in situ preparation. Probes were exposed to MHR (2 hours 67-70 mmHg O2, 3 hours reoxygenation, BEC or towards occlusion of the arteria cerebri media (MCAO with or without subsequent reperfusion in the whole brain preparation. In vitro BBB integrity was evaluated using trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER and transwell permeability assays. ROS in BEC were evaluated using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCF, MitoSox and immunostaining for nitrotyrosine. Tight-junction protein (TJ integrity in BEC, stainings for nitrotyrosine and FITC-albumin extravasation in the guinea pig brain preparation were assessed by confocal microscopy. Diphenyleneiodonium (DPI was used to investigate NADPH oxidase dependent ROS evolution and its effect on BBB parameters in BEC. MHR impaired TJ proteins zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1 and claudin 5 (Cl5, decreased TEER, and significantly increased cytosolic ROS in BEC. These events were blocked by the NADPH oxidase inhibitor DPI. MCAO with or without subsequent reoxygenation resulted in extravasation of FITC-albumin and ROS generation in the penumbra region of the guinea pig brain preparation and confirmed BBB damage. BEC integrity may be impaired through ROS in MHR on the level of TJ and the BBB is also functionally impaired in moderate hypoxic conditions followed by reperfusion in a complex guinea pig brain preparation. These findings suggest that the BBB is susceptible towards MHR and that ROS play a key role

  12. Multi-diameter pigging: factors affecting the design and selection of pigging tools for multi-diameter pipelines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dawson, Karl [Pipeline Engineering and Supply Co. Ltd., Richmond, NY (United States)

    2009-07-01

    This paper will consider the process involved in pigging tool selection for pipelines with two or more significant internal diameters which require pigging tools capable of negotiating the different internal diameters whilst also carrying out the necessary pipeline cleaning operation. The paper will include an analysis of pipeline features that affect pigging tool selection and then go on to look at other variables that determine the pigging tool design; this will include a step by step guide outlining how the tool is designed, the development of prototype pigs and the importance of testing and validation prior to final deployment in operational pigging programmes. (author)

  13. Pig model for diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2016-01-01

    The present invention relates to a transgenic pig comprising a mutated IAPP gene and displaying a phenotype associated with diabetes. The invention also relates to a transgenic blastocyst, embryo, fetus, donor cell and/or cell nucleusderived from said transgenic pig. The invention further relates...... to use of the transgenic pig as a model system for studying therapy, treatment and/or prevention of diabetes....

  14. Malignant transformation of guinea pig cells after exposure to ultraviolet-irradiated guinea pig cytomegalovirus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isom, H.C.; Mummaw, J.; Kreider, J.W.

    1983-01-01

    Guinea pig cells were malignantly transformed in vitro by ultraviolet (uv)-irradiated guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV). When guinea pig hepatocyte monolayers were infected with uv-irradiated GPCMV, three continuous epithelioid cell lines which grew in soft agarose were established. Two independently derived GPCMV-transformed liver cells and a cell line derived from a soft agarose clone of one of these lines induced invasive tumors when inoculated subcutaneously or intraperitoneally into nude mice. The tumors were sarcomas possibly derived from hepatic stroma or sinusoid. Transformed cell lines were also established after infection of guinea pig hepatocyte monolayers with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) or simian virus 40 (SV40). These cell lines also formed colonies in soft agarose and induced sarcomas in nude mice. It is concluded that (i) GPCMV can malignantly transform guinea pig cells; (ii) cloning of GPCMV-transformed cells in soft agarose produced cells that induced tumors with a shorter latency period but with no alteration in growth rate or final tumor size; and (iii) the tumors produced by GPCMV-and HCMV-transformed guinea pig cells were more similar to each other in growth rate than to those induced by SV40-transformed guinea pig cells

  15. Effect of introducing hemp oil into feed on the nutritional quality of pig meat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mourot Jacques

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Research is being carried out to diversify the sources of n-3 fatty acid-rich lipids for animal feed. In this study, 3 batches of 12 pigs with between 50 and 105 kg of live weight, received isolipidic diets containing either palm oil (PO, or rapeseed oil (CO, or hemp oil (HO (providing respectively 0.6; 1.9 and 3.4 g of C18:3 n-3 (ALA /kg of feed. The quantity of ALA deposited in the meat is higher (p< 0.001 in the HO pigs. Hemp oil may be an interesting source of ALA to improve the nutritional quality of pork.

  16. Pigs in Public Health

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, Mette N.

    2017-01-01

    of public health, made me re-evaluate both what ‘public’ and what ‘health’ means in public health. In this commentary I provide a short personal account of that intellectual journey. I argue that entanglements between species make it urgent that public health scholars investigate the moral, socio......Animals are rare topics in public health science texts and speech despite the fact that animal bodies and lives are woven into the health of human populations, and vice versa. Years of ethnographic and documentary research – following pigs and their humans in and out of biomedical research – made......-economic, material, and bacterial passages between humans and animals that constitute the various publics of public health and profoundly shape the health of human and animal populations in a globalized world....

  17. A porcine astrocyte/endothelial cell co-culture model of the blood-brain barrier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeliazkova-Mecheva, Valentina V; Bobilya, Dennis J

    2003-10-01

    A method for the isolation of porcine atrocytes as a simple extension of a previously described procedure for isolation of brain capillary endothelial cells from adolescent pigs [Methods Cell Sci. 17 (1995) 2] is described. The obtained astroglial culture purified through two passages and by the method of the selective detachment was validated by a phase contrast microscopy and through an immunofluorescent assay for the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Porcine astrocytes were co-cultivated with porcine brain capillary endothelial cells (PBCEC) for the development of an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) model. The model was visualized by an electron microscopy and showed elevated transendothellial electrical resistance and reduced inulin permeability. To our knowledge, this is the first report for the establishment of a porcine astrocyte/endothelial cell co-culture BBB model, which avoids interspecies and age differences between the two cell types, usually encountered in the other reported co-culture BBB models. Considering the availability of the porcine brain tissue and the close physiological and anatomical relation between the human and pig brain, the porcine astrocyte/endothelial cell co-culture system can serve as a reliable and easily reproducible model for different in vitro BBB studies.

  18. Disease-associated prion protein detected in lymphoid tissues from pigs challenged with the agent of chronic wasting disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally-occurring, fatal neurodegenerative disease of cervids. We previously demonstrated that disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) can be detected in the brain and retina from pigs challenged intracranially or orally with the CWD agent. In that study,...

  19. Study and use of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri in pigs: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Chengli; Zeng, Xiangfang; Yang, Fengjuan; Liu, Hong; Qiao, Shiyan

    2015-01-01

    Probiotics are living microorganisms that provide a wide variety of health benefits to the host when ingested in adequate amounts. The bacterial strains most frequently used as probiotic agents are lactic acid bacteria, such as Lactobacillus reuteri, which is one of the few endogenous Lactobacillus species found in the gastrointestinal tract of vertebrates, including humans, rats, pigs and chickens. L. reuteri is one of the most well documented probiotic species and has been widely utilized as a probiotic in humans and animals for many years. Initially, L. reuteri was used in humans to reduce the incidence and the severity of diarrhea, prevent colic and necrotic enterocolitis, and maintain a functional mucosal barrier. As interest in alternatives to in-feed antibiotics has grown in recent years, some evidence has emerged that probiotics may promote growth, improve the efficiency of feed utilization, prevent diarrhea, and regulate the immune system in pigs. In this review, the characteristics of L. reuteri are described, in order to update the evidence on the efficacy of using L. reuteri in pigs.

  20. Maternal vitamin C deficiency during pregnancy persistently impairs hippocampal neurogenesis in offspring of guinea pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Vogt, Lucile; Schjoldager, Janne G

    2012-01-01

    While having the highest vitamin C (VitC) concentrations in the body, specific functions of VitC in the brain have only recently been acknowledged. We have shown that postnatal VitC deficiency in guinea pigs causes impairment of hippocampal memory function and leads to 30% less neurons. This study...... investigates how prenatal VitC deficiency affects postnatal hippocampal development and if any such effect can be reversed by postnatal VitC repletion. Eighty pregnant Dunkin Hartley guinea pig dams were randomized into weight stratified groups receiving High (900 mg) or Low (100 mg) VitC per kg diet. Newborn...... by stereology. Prenatal VitC deficiency resulted in a significant reduction in postnatal hippocampal volume (P...

  1. Estimation of body tissue gain of entire and castrated male pigs at ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Rates of tissue gain and body composition of 18 entire (E) and 18 castrated (C) male pigs, fed at one of two levels of feeding (high (H) or low (L)), were investigated in a 2x2 factorial experiment. Calorimetric, energy and nitrogen balances were carried out on each animal at 30, 60 and 90 kg live weight. The animals were ...

  2. The Agrocentre. A sustainable pig cluster; Het Agrocentrum. Een duurzaam varkenscluster

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    De Wilt, J.G. [InnovatieNetwerk, Utrecht (Netherlands); Noorduyn, L. [De Schrijfster, Bennekom (Netherlands)

    2011-02-15

    To what extent does the continuous process of upscaling in pig farming present opportunities to take sustainability to a new level? To answer this question, several pig farmers, assisted by InnovationNetwork, have devised a concept for a sustainable pig cluster which they have dubbed Agrocentre. Various studies have shown that the Agrocentre can grow into an animal- and environment-friendly form of pig farming that blends in well with the countryside whilst also being economically viable. An Agrocentre is a type of Agropark where pig farming is clustered with an agro-power station and an abattoir. Another characteristic is that direct connections with other sectors make it possible to largely close energy, CO2, mineral and water cycles. The Agrocentre accommodates all categories of pigs, ranging from sows and piglets to meat pigs. A scale of about 80,000 to 100,000 pigs is necessary to make the abattoir economically viable. The on-site abattoir prevents the stressful transportation of live animals. The meat is processed elsewhere. The power station runs on the manure from the farm's own pigs and supplies all energy required for the pig farm, while any residual heat and electricity is supplied to nearby greenhouse growers or fish farms. The pig feed is mainly sourced from surrounding arable farms which, in turn, procure the manure product from the agro-power station [Dutch] In hoeverre biedt de voortgaande schaalvergroting in de varkenshouderij kansen voor een duurzaamheidssprong? Met deze vraagstelling hebben enkele varkenshouders met ondersteuning vanuit InnovatieNetwerk een ontwerp gemaakt voor een duurzaam varkenscluster, dat ze 'Agrocentrum' hebben genoemd. Uit verschillende studies is gebleken dat het Agrocentrum kan uitgroeien tot een welzijns- en milieuvriendelijke vorm van varkenshouderij die goed in het landschap past en die ook economisch kansen biedt. Een Agrocentrum is een specifieke vorm van een Agropark waar varkenshouderij is

  3. Pipeline pig or swipe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Girard, H J

    1974-03-26

    A pig or swipe is used for cleaning piplines and for maintaining fluids separated while being transmitted through the line. It is adapted to be propelled through the line by a pressure gradient therein. The pig includes a sponge-like body of foamed plastic material, having an external coating or cover of durable material, such as unfoamed plastic in which reenforcing material, such a wire mesh or glass fabric may be embedded to increase resistance to tearing and wear. The covering is applied to leave openings through which the sponge-like body may project into wiping contact with the surrounding internal surface of the pipe when a longitudinal compressive force is exerted on the pig by the fluid in the pipe in advance of and following the pig therein. The pig also has a barrier layer at one end positioned to close the sponge-like body against the passage of fluid there through and to form a fluid-tight seal with the surrounding pipe. (3 claims)

  4. Comparison of serum pools and oral fluid samples for detection of porcine circovirus type 2 by quantitative real-time PCR in finisher pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Gitte Blach; Nielsen, Jens Peter; Haugegaard, John

    2018-01-01

    Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) diagnostics in live pigs often involves pooled serum and/or oral fluid samples for group-level determination of viral load by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The purpose of the study was to compare the PCV2 viral load determined by q......PCR of paired samples at the pen level of pools of sera (SP) from 4 to 5 pigs and the collective oral fluid (OF) from around 30 pigs corresponding to one rope put in the same pen. Pigs in pens of 2 finishing herds were sampled by cross-sectional (Herd 1) and cross-sectional with follow-up (Herd 2) study designs....... In Herd 1, 50 sample pairs consisting of SP from 4 to 5 pigs and OF from around 23 pigs were collected. In Herd 2, 65 sample pairs consisting of 4 (SP) and around 30 (OF) pigs were collected 4 times at 3-week intervals. A higher proportion of PCV2-positive pens (86% vs. 80% and 100% vs. 91%) and higher...

  5. Brain implants for substituting lost motor function: state of the art and potential impact on the lives of motor-impaired seniors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramsey, N F; Aarnoutse, E J; Vansteensel, M J

    2014-01-01

    Recent scientific achievements bring the concept of neural prosthetics for reinstating lost motor function closer to medical application. Current research involves severely paralyzed people under the age of 65, but implications for seniors with stroke or trauma-induced impairments are clearly on the horizon. Demographic changes will lead to a shortage of personnel to care for an increasing population of senior citizens, threatening maintenance of an acceptable level of care and urging ways for people to live longer at their home independent from personal assistance. This is particularly challenging when people suffer from disabilities such as partial paralysis after stroke or trauma, where daily personal assistance is required. For some of these people, neural prosthetics can reinstate some lost motor function and/or lost communication, thereby increasing independence and possibly quality of life. In this viewpoint article, we present the state of the art in decoding brain activity in the service of brain-computer interfacing. Although some noninvasive applications produce good results, we focus on brain implants that benefit from better quality brain signals. Fully implantable neural prostheses for home use are not available yet, but clinical trials are being prepared. More sophisticated systems are expected to follow in the years to come, with capabilities of interest for less severe paralysis. Eventually the combination of smart robotics and brain implants is expected to enable people to interact well enough with their environment to live an independent life in spite of motor disabilities. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Macrolides and lincosamides in cattle and pigs: use and development of antimicrobial resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pyörälä, Satu; Baptiste, Keith Edward; Catry, Boudewijn; van Duijkeren, Engeline; Greko, Christina; Moreno, Miguel A; Pomba, M Constança Matias Ferreira; Rantala, Merja; Ružauskas, Modestas; Sanders, Pascal; Threlfall, E John; Torren-Edo, Jordi; Törneke, Karolina

    2014-05-01

    Macrolides and lincosamides are important antibacterials for the treatment of many common infections in cattle and pigs. Products for in-feed medication with these compounds in combination with other antimicrobials are commonly used in Europe. Most recently approved injectable macrolides have very long elimination half-lives in both pigs and cattle, which allows once-only dosing regimens. Both in-feed medication and use of long-acting injections result in low concentrations of the active substance for prolonged periods, which causes concerns related to development of antimicrobial resistance. Acquired resistance to macrolides and lincosamides among food animal pathogens, including some zoonotic bacteria, has now emerged. A comparison of studies on the prevalence of resistance is difficult, since for many micro-organisms no agreed standards for susceptibility testing are available. With animal pathogens, the most dramatic increase in resistance has been seen in the genus Brachyspira. Resistance towards macrolides and lincosamides has also been detected in staphylococci isolated from pigs and streptococci from cattle. This article reviews the use of macrolides and lincosamides in cattle and pigs, as well as the development of resistance in target and some zoonotic pathogens. The focus of the review is on European conditions. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Modeling production functions and economic weights in intensive meat production of guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pascual, Mariam; Cruz, Danny Julio; Blasco, Agustín

    2017-10-01

    A profit function for a typical commercial farm of intensive guinea pig production was designed. The simulated farm contained 86 cages with a ratio of 7:1 females/males, with continuous mating. Kits were weaned at 15 days of age and slaughtered for meat production at 90 days of age. The absolute (EW) and relative economic weights of the main traits were calculated. The highest EW were kits produced per kindling (US$25), kits weaned per kindling (US$22), kits born alive per kindling (US$20), and the number of kindlings per female and year (US$12). Profit, returns, and costs per female and year were US$15, 68, and 53, respectively. Returns came from the production of young guinea pigs and discarded reproductive adults for meat production, 90 and 10% of the total returns. The highest costs were feeding and labor, 44 and 23% of the total cost. The EW and profit did not substantially change when simulating variations of ±20% in the prices of kilograms of fattening feed and kilograms of live weight of guinea pig, showing their robustness to future variations in market prices or to variations in prices between countries. The results obtained highlight the importance of the feeding costs in the guinea pig meat production.

  8. Noninvasive Blood-Brain Barrier Opening in Live Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, James J.; Pernot, Mathieu; Small, Scott; Konofagou, Elisa E.

    2006-05-01

    Most therapeutic agents cannot be delivered to the brain because of brain's natural defense: the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). It has recently been shown that Focused Ultrasound (FUS) can produce reversible and localized BBB opening in the brain when applied in the presence of ultrasound contrast agents post-craniotomy in rabbits [1]. However, a major limitation of ultrasound in the brain is the strong phase aberration and attenuation of the skull bone, and, as a result, no study of trans-cranial ultrasound-targeted drug treatment in the brain in vivo has been reported as of yet. In this study, the feasibility of BBB opening in the hippocampus of wildtype mice using FUS through the intact skull and skin was investigated. In order to investigate the effect of the skull, simulations of ultrasound wave propagation (1.5 MHz) through the skull using μCT data, and needle hydrophone measurements through an ex-vivo skull were made. The pressure field showed minimal attenuation (18% of the pressure amplitude) and a well-focused pattern through the left and right halves of the parietal bone. In experiments in vivo, the brains of four mice were sonicated through intact skull and skin. Ultrasound sonications (burst length: 20 ms; duty cycle: 20%; acoustic pressure range: 2.0 to 2.7 MPa) was applied 5 times for 30 s per shot with a 30 s delay between shots. Prior to sonication, ultrasound contrast agents (Optison; 10 μL) were injected intravenously. Contrast material enhanced high resolution MR Imaging (9.4 Tesla) was able to distinguish opening of large vessels in the region of the hippocampus. These results demonstrate the feasibility of locally opening the BBB in the mouse hippocampus using focused ultrasound through intact skull and skin. Future investigations will deal with optimization and reproducibility of the technique as well as application on Alzheimer's-model mice.

  9. Light-enhanced inhibition of ouabain binding to digitalis receptor in rat brain and guinea pig heart by the food dye erythrosine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hnatowich, M.; LaBella, F.S.

    1982-01-01

    Erythrosine (ERY) (FD and C red no. 3) inhibited specific binding of [ 3 H]ouabain to rat brain homogenates with an IC50 of 23 microM in the dark and 1 microM in ordinary fluorescent light. Competition studies demonstrated the presence of two components, only one of which was affected by light. Lineweaver-Burk analysis indicated that ERY preferentially antagonizes [ 3 H]ouabain binding at a high-affinity site in the light, whereas in the dark the dye inhibits binding in a manner qualitatively similar to inhibition by ouabain. Light enhancement of ERY potency occurred only when dye and tissue were present together in the incubation medium, pointing to participation of transient molecular species. However, neither superoxide dismutase nor catalase altered the effects of ERY in the light or dark, suggesting the absence of oxygen free radicals. When oxygen levels were raised, there was enhancement of inhibition by ERY at a high-affinity receptor accompanied by disappearance of [ 3 H]ouabain binding at one of lower affinity. In contrast to brain, membranes from guinea pig heart showed only one binding site for [ 3 H]ouabain, and antagonism by ERY at this site was markedly enhanced by light. Structural differences between classes of ouabain binding regions probably accounts for the discrimination exhibited by ERY in the presence of light and oxygen. Our findings also caution that metabolic transformation of this common food dye, light decomposition, or photoreaction with foodstuff may yield more toxic derivatives

  10. WILD PIGS: BIOLOGY, DAMAGE, CONTROL TECHINQUES AND MANAGEMENT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mayer, John; Brisbin, I. Lehr

    2009-12-31

    about anything; and, they can live just about anywhere. On top of that, wild pigs are both very difficult to control and, with the possible exception of island ecosystems, almost impossible to eradicate (Dickson et al. 2001, Sweeney et al. 2003). The solution to the wild pig problem has not been readily apparent. The ultimate answer as to how to control these animals has not been found to date. In many ways, wild pigs are America's most successful large invasive species. All of which means that wild pigs are a veritable nightmare for land and resource managers trying to keep the numbers of these animals and the damage that they do under control. Since the more that one knows about an invasive species, the easier it is to deal with and hopefully control. For wild pigs then, it is better to 'know thy enemy' than to not, especially if one expects to be able to successfully control them. In an effort to better 'know thy enemy,' a two-day symposium was held in Augusta, Georgia, on April 21-22, 2004. This symposium was organized and sponsored by U.S.D.A. Forest Service-Savannah River (USFS-SR), U. S. Department of Energy-Savannah River Operations Office (DOE-SR), the Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC), the South Carolina Chapter of the Soil & Water Conservation Society, and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL). The goal of this symposium was to assemble researchers and land managers to first address various aspects of the biology and damage of wild pigs, and then review the control techniques and management of this invasive species. The result would then be a collected synopsis of what is known about wild pigs in the United States. Although the focus of the symposium was primarily directed toward federal agencies, presenters also included professionals from academic institutions, and private-sector control contractors and land managers. Most of the organizations associated with implementing this symposium were affiliated with the

  11. Effects on pig immunophysiology, PBMC proteome and brain neurotransmitters caused by group mixing stress and human-animal relationship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valent, Daniel; Arroyo, Laura; Peña, Raquel; Yu, Kuai; Carreras, Ricard; Mainau, Eva; Velarde, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are an interesting sample for searching for biomarkers with proteomic techniques because they are easy to obtain and do not contain highly abundant, potentially masking proteins. Two groups of pigs (n = 56) were subjected to mixing under farm conditions and afterwards subjected to different management treatments: negative handling (NH) and positive handling (PH). Serum and PBMC samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment one week after mixing (t0) and after two months of different handling (t2). Brain areas were collected after slaughter and neurotransmitters quantified by HPLC. Hair cortisol and serum acute phase proteins decreased and serum glutathione peroxidase increased at t2, indicating a lower degree of stress at t2 after adaptation to the farm. Differential gel electrophoresis (DIGE) was applied to study the effects of time and treatment on the PBMC proteome. A total of 54 differentially expressed proteins were identified, which were involved in immune system modulation, cell adhesion and motility, gene expression, splicing and translation, protein degradation and folding, oxidative stress and metabolism. Thirty-seven protein spots were up-regulated at t2 versus t0 whereas 27 were down-regulated. Many of the identified proteins share the characteristic of being potentially up or down-regulated by cortisol, indicating that changes in protein abundance between t0 and t2 are, at least in part, consequence of lower stress upon adaptation to the farm conditions after group mixing. Only slight changes in brain neurotransmitters and PBMC oxidative stress markers were observed. In conclusion, the variation in hair cortisol and serum APPs as well as the careful analysis of the identified proteins indicate that changes in protein composition in PBMC throughout time is mainly due to a decrease in the stress status of the individuals, following accommodation to the farm and the new group. PMID:28475627

  12. Effects on pig immunophysiology, PBMC proteome and brain neurotransmitters caused by group mixing stress and human-animal relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valent, Daniel; Arroyo, Laura; Peña, Raquel; Yu, Kuai; Carreras, Ricard; Mainau, Eva; Velarde, Antonio; Bassols, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are an interesting sample for searching for biomarkers with proteomic techniques because they are easy to obtain and do not contain highly abundant, potentially masking proteins. Two groups of pigs (n = 56) were subjected to mixing under farm conditions and afterwards subjected to different management treatments: negative handling (NH) and positive handling (PH). Serum and PBMC samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment one week after mixing (t0) and after two months of different handling (t2). Brain areas were collected after slaughter and neurotransmitters quantified by HPLC. Hair cortisol and serum acute phase proteins decreased and serum glutathione peroxidase increased at t2, indicating a lower degree of stress at t2 after adaptation to the farm. Differential gel electrophoresis (DIGE) was applied to study the effects of time and treatment on the PBMC proteome. A total of 54 differentially expressed proteins were identified, which were involved in immune system modulation, cell adhesion and motility, gene expression, splicing and translation, protein degradation and folding, oxidative stress and metabolism. Thirty-seven protein spots were up-regulated at t2 versus t0 whereas 27 were down-regulated. Many of the identified proteins share the characteristic of being potentially up or down-regulated by cortisol, indicating that changes in protein abundance between t0 and t2 are, at least in part, consequence of lower stress upon adaptation to the farm conditions after group mixing. Only slight changes in brain neurotransmitters and PBMC oxidative stress markers were observed. In conclusion, the variation in hair cortisol and serum APPs as well as the careful analysis of the identified proteins indicate that changes in protein composition in PBMC throughout time is mainly due to a decrease in the stress status of the individuals, following accommodation to the farm and the new group.

  13. Efficient generation of P53 biallelic knockout Diannan miniature pigs via TALENs and somatic cell nuclear transfer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youfeng Shen

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pigs have many features that make them attractive as biomedical models for various diseases, including cancer. P53 is an important tumor suppressor gene that exerts a central role in protecting cells from oncogenic transformation and is mutated in a large number of human cancers. P53 mutations occur in almost every type of tumor and in over 50% of all tumors. In a recent publication, pigs with a mutated P53 gene were generated that resulted in lymphoma and renal and osteogenic tumors. However, approximately 80% of human tumors have dysfunctional P53. A P53-deficient pig model is still required to elucidate. Methods Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs were designed to target porcine P53 exon 4. The targeting activity was evaluated using a luciferase SSA recombination assay. P53 biallelic knockout (KO cell lines were established from single-cell colonies of fetal fibroblasts derived from Diannan miniature pigs followed by electroporation with TALENs plasmids. One cell line was selected as the donor cell line for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT for the generation of P53 KO pigs. P53 KO stillborn fetuses and living piglets were obtained. Gene typing of the collected cloned individuals was performed by T7EI assay and sequencing. Fibroblast cells from Diannan miniature piglets with a P53 biallelic knockout or wild type were analyzed for the P53 response to doxorubicin treatment by confocal microscopy and western blotting. Results The luciferase SSA recombination assay revealed that the targeting activities of the designed TALENs were 55.35-fold higher than those of the control. Eight cell lines (8/19 were mutated for P53, and five of them were biallelic knockouts. One of the biallelic knockout cell lines was selected as nuclear donor cells for SCNT. The cloned embryos were transferred into five recipient gilts, three of them becoming pregnant. Five live fetuses were obtained from one surrogate by caesarean

  14. M/sub r/ 25,000 heparin-binding protein from guinea pig brain is a high molecular weight form of basic fibroblast growth factor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moscatelli, D.; Joseph-Silverstein, J.; Manejias, R.; Rifkin, D.B.

    1987-01-01

    A M/sub r/ 25,000 form of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been isolated from guinea pig grain along with the typical M/sub r/ 18,000 form. Both forms were purified to homogeneity by a combination of heparin-affinity chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography on an FPLC Mono S column. The M/sub r/ 25,000 form, like the M/sub r/ 18,000 form was not eluted from the heparin-affinity column with 0.95 M NaCl, but was eluted with 2 M NaCl. The M/sub r/ 25,000 guinea pig protein stimulated plasminogen activator production by cultured bovine capillary endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner at concentration of 0.1-10 ngml, the same range that was effective for guinea pig and human M/sub r/ 18,000 bFGFs. The binding of human 125 I-labeled bFGF to baby hamster kidney cells is inhibited equally by the M/sub r/ 25,000 guinea pig protein and the M/sub r/ 18,000 guinea pig and human bFGFs. Polyclonal antibodies raised against human bFGF recognize both the M/sub r/ 25,000 and 18,000 guinea pig proteins in an immunoblot analysis. In a radioimmunoassay, both the M/sub r/ 25,000 and M/sub r/ 18,000 guinea pig proteins compete equally well with iodinated human bFGF for binding to the anti-human bFGF antibodies. When treated with low concentrations of trypsin, the M/sub r/ 25,000 guinea pig bFGF was converted to a M/sub r/ 18,000 protein. These results show that the two molecules are closely related and suggest that the M/sub r/ 25,000 protein shares substantial homology with the M/sub r/ 18,000 bFGF

  15. Adeno-associated virus transformation into the normal miniature pig and the normal guinea pigs cochlea via scala tympani.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Xunbei; Wu, Nan; Zhang, Yue; Guo, Weiwei; Lin, Chang; Yang, Shiming

    2017-09-01

    To investigate the expression of the miniature pig cochlea after AAV1 transfect into the cochlea via round window membrane (RWM). Twenty miniature pigs are equally divided into four experimental groups. Twelve miniature pigs are equally divided into four control groups. Each pig was transfected with the AAV1 in the experimental group via RWM and each pig was transduced with the artificial perilymph in the control group. The expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was observed at 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively. Likewise, AAV1 was delivered into the guinea pigs cochleas using the same method, and the results were compared with that of the miniature pigs. The expression was mainly in the inner hair cells of the miniature pig. The expression of GFP began to appear at 2 weeks, reached the peak at 3 weeks. It also expressed in Hensen's cells, inner pillar cells, outer pillar cells, spiral limbus, and spiral ligament. In the meanwhile, AAV1 was delivered into guinea pig cochlea via the same method, and AAV1 was also expressed in the inner hair cells. But the expression peaked at 2 weeks, and the efficiency of the inner hair cell transfection was higher than that of the pig. AAV1 can be transformed into miniature pig cochlea via scala tympani by the RWM method efficiently.

  16. Single-nanotube tracking reveals the nanoscale organization of the extracellular space in the live brain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godin, Antoine G.; Varela, Juan A.; Gao, Zhenghong; Danné, Noémie; Dupuis, Julien P.; Lounis, Brahim; Groc, Laurent; Cognet, Laurent

    2017-03-01

    The brain is a dynamic structure with the extracellular space (ECS) taking up almost a quarter of its volume. Signalling molecules, neurotransmitters and nutrients transit via the ECS, which constitutes a key microenvironment for cellular communication and the clearance of toxic metabolites. The spatial organization of the ECS varies during sleep, development and aging and is probably altered in neuropsychiatric and degenerative diseases, as inferred from electron microscopy and macroscopic biophysical investigations. Here we show an approach to directly observe the local ECS structures and rheology in brain tissue using super-resolution imaging. We inject single-walled carbon nanotubes into rat cerebroventricles and follow the near-infrared emission of individual nanotubes as they diffuse inside the ECS for tens of minutes in acute slices. Because of the interplay between the nanotube geometry and the ECS local environment, we can extract information about the dimensions and local viscosity of the ECS. We find a striking diversity of ECS dimensions down to 40 nm, and as well as of local viscosity values. Moreover, by chemically altering the extracellular matrix of the brains of live animals before nanotube injection, we reveal that the rheological properties of the ECS are affected, but these alterations are local and inhomogeneous at the nanoscale.

  17. The association between seizures and deposition of collagen in the brain in porcine Taenia solium neurocysticercosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Nina Møller; Trevisan, Chiara; Leifsson, Páll Skúli

    2016-01-01

    Neurocysticercosis caused by infection with Taenia solium is a significant cause of epilepsy and seizures in humans. The aim of this study was to assess the association between seizures and the deposition of collagen in brain tissue in pigs with T. solium neurocysticercosis. In total 78 brain tis...

  18. Characterization of kappa 1 and kappa 2 opioid binding sites in frog (Rana esculenta) brain membrane preparation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benyhe, S.; Varga, E.; Hepp, J.; Magyar, A.; Borsodi, A.; Wollemann, M.

    1990-09-01

    The distribution and properties of frog brain kappa-opioid receptor subtypes differ not only from those of the guinea pig brain, but also from that of the rat brain. In guinea pig cerebellum the kappa 1 is the dominant receptor subtype, frog brain contains mainly the kappa 2 subtype, and the distribution of the rat brain subtypes is intermediate between the two others. In competition experiments it has been established that ethylketocyclazocine and N-cyclopropylmethyl-norazidomorphine, which are nonselective kappa-ligands, have relatively high affinities to frog brain membranes. The kappa 2 ligands (Met5)enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 and etorphine also show high affinities to the frog brain. Kappa 1 binding sites measured in the presence of 5 microM/D-Ala2-Leu5/enkephalin represent 25-30% of (3H)ethylketocyclazocine binding in frog brain membranes. The kappa 2 subtype in frog brain resembles more to the mu subtype than the delta subtype of opioid receptors, but it differs from the mu subtype in displaying low affinity toward beta-endorphin and /D-Ala2-(Me)Phe4-Gly5-ol/enkephalin (DAGO). From our data it is evident that the opioid receptor subtypes are already present in the amphibian brain but the differences among them are less pronounced than in mammalian brain.

  19. Characterization of kappa 1 and kappa 2 opioid binding sites in frog (Rana esculenta) brain membrane preparation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benyhe, S.; Varga, E.; Hepp, J.; Magyar, A.; Borsodi, A.; Wollemann, M.

    1990-01-01

    The distribution and properties of frog brain kappa-opioid receptor subtypes differ not only from those of the guinea pig brain, but also from that of the rat brain. In guinea pig cerebellum the kappa 1 is the dominant receptor subtype, frog brain contains mainly the kappa 2 subtype, and the distribution of the rat brain subtypes is intermediate between the two others. In competition experiments it has been established that ethylketocyclazocine and N-cyclopropylmethyl-norazidomorphine, which are nonselective kappa-ligands, have relatively high affinities to frog brain membranes. The kappa 2 ligands (Met5)enkephalin-Arg6-Phe7 and etorphine also show high affinities to the frog brain. Kappa 1 binding sites measured in the presence of 5 microM/D-Ala2-Leu5/enkephalin represent 25-30% of [3H]ethylketocyclazocine binding in frog brain membranes. The kappa 2 subtype in frog brain resembles more to the mu subtype than the delta subtype of opioid receptors, but it differs from the mu subtype in displaying low affinity toward beta-endorphin and /D-Ala2-(Me)Phe4-Gly5-ol/enkephalin (DAGO). From our data it is evident that the opioid receptor subtypes are already present in the amphibian brain but the differences among them are less pronounced than in mammalian brain

  20. Minireview of Stereoselective Brain Imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Smith, Donald F.; Jakobsen, Steen

    2014-01-01

    Stereoselectivity is a fundamental principle in living systems. Stereoselectivity reflects the dependence of molecular processes on the spatial orientation of constituent atoms. Stereoselective processes govern many aspects of brain function and direct the course of many psychotropic drugs. Today......, modern imaging techniques such as SPECT and PET provide a means for studying stereoselective processes in the living brain. Chemists have prepared numerous radiolabelled stereoisomers for use in SPECT and PET in order to explore various molecular processes in the living brain of anesthetized laboratory...... animals and awake humans. The studies have demonstrated how many aspects of neurotransmission consist of crucial stereoselective events that can affect brain function in health and disease. Here, we present a brief account of those findings in hope of stimulating further interest in the vital topic....

  1. Modelling of nutrient partitioning in growing pigs to predict their anatomical body composition. 1. Model description

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Halas, V.; Dijkstra, J.; Babinszky, L.; Verstegen, M.W.A.; Gerrits, W.J.J.

    2004-01-01

    A dynamic mechanistic model was developed for growing and fattening pigs. The aim of the model was to predict growth rate and the chemical and anatomical body compositions from the digestible nutrient intake of gilts (20-105 kg live weight). The model represents the partitioning of digestible

  2. Enteric Methane Emission from Pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Henry; Theil, Peter Kappel; Knudsen, Knud Erik Bach

    2011-01-01

    per kg meat produced is increased (Fernández et al. 1983; Lekule et al. 1990). The present chapter will summarise our current knowledge concerning dietary and enteric fermentation that may influence the methane (CH4) emission in pigs. Enteric fermentation is the digestive process by which.......3 % of the worlds pig population. The main number of pigs is in Asia (59.6 %) where the main pig population stay in China (47.8 % of the worlds pig population). The objective of the chapter is therefore: To obtain a general overview of the pigs’ contribution to methane emission. Where is the pigs’ enteric gas...... produced and how is it measured. The variation in methane emission and factors affecting the emission. Possibility for reducing the enteric methane emission and the consequences....

  3. Post-treatment vascular leakage and inflammatory responses around brain cysts in porcine neurocysticercosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siddhartha Mahanty

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Cysticidal treatment of neurocysticercosis, an infection of humans and pig brains with Taenia solium, results in an early inflammatory response directed to cysts causing seizures and focal neurological manifestations. Treatment-induced pericystic inflammation and its association with blood brain barrier (BBB dysfunction, as determined by Evans blue (EB extravasation, was studied in infected untreated and anthelmintic-treated pigs. We compared the magnitude and extent of the pericystic inflammation, presence of EB-stained capsules, the level of damage to the parasite, expression of genes for proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines, chemokines, and tissue remodeling by quantitative PCR assays between treated and untreated infected pigs and between EB-stained (blue and non stained (clear cysts. Inflammatory scores were higher in pericystic tissues from EB-stained cysts compared to clear cysts from untreated pigs and also from anthelmintic-treated pigs 48 hr and 120 hr after treatment. The degree of inflammation correlated with the severity of cyst wall damage and both increased significantly at 120 hours. Expression levels of the proinflammatory genes for IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α were higher in EB-stained cysts compared to clear cysts and unaffected brain tissues, and were generally highest at 120 hr. Additionally, expression of some markers of immunoregulatory activity (IL-10, IL-2Rα were decreased in EB-stained capsules. An increase in other markers for regulatory T cells (CTLA4, FoxP3 was found, as well as significant increases in expression of two metalloproteases, MMP1 and MMP2 at 48 hr and 120 hr post-treatment. We conclude that the increase in severity of the inflammation caused by treatment is accompanied by both a proinflammatory and a complex regulatory response, largely limited to pericystic tissues with compromised vascular integrity. Because treatment induced inflammation occurs in porcine NCC similar to that in human cases, this model

  4. A comparison of brain gene expression levels in domesticated and wild animals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank W Albert

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Domestication has led to similar changes in morphology and behavior in several animal species, raising the question whether similarities between different domestication events also exist at the molecular level. We used mRNA sequencing to analyze genome-wide gene expression patterns in brain frontal cortex in three pairs of domesticated and wild species (dogs and wolves, pigs and wild boars, and domesticated and wild rabbits. We compared the expression differences with those between domesticated guinea pigs and a distant wild relative (Cavia aperea as well as between two lines of rats selected for tameness or aggression towards humans. There were few gene expression differences between domesticated and wild dogs, pigs, and rabbits (30-75 genes (less than 1% of expressed genes were differentially expressed, while guinea pigs and C. aperea differed more strongly. Almost no overlap was found between the genes with differential expression in the different domestication events. In addition, joint analyses of all domesticated and wild samples provided only suggestive evidence for the existence of a small group of genes that changed their expression in a similar fashion in different domesticated species. The most extreme of these shared expression changes include up-regulation in domesticates of SOX6 and PROM1, two modulators of brain development. There was almost no overlap between gene expression in domesticated animals and the tame and aggressive rats. However, two of the genes with the strongest expression differences between the rats (DLL3 and DHDH were located in a genomic region associated with tameness and aggression, suggesting a role in influencing tameness. In summary, the majority of brain gene expression changes in domesticated animals are specific to the given domestication event, suggesting that the causative variants of behavioral domestication traits may likewise be different.

  5. Distribution and histopathological changes induced by cysts of Taenia solium in the brain of pigs from Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mkupasi, E M; Ngowi, H A; Sikasunge, C S; Leifsson, P S; Johansen, M V

    2015-09-01

    Neurocysticercosis (NCC) caused by Taenia solium cysts is a frequent but neglected parasitic disease of the central nervous system (CNS) worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe anatomical locations of cysts in the CNS and the corresponding inflammation. A total of 17 naturally infected pigs were used to evaluate the distribution of cysts and, of these, seven were used to evaluate the corresponding inflammation further, through histopathology. Clinical signs in the pigs included dullness, sluggishness, somnolence, apathy and loss of consciousness. Cysts were distributed in all cerebral lobes, i.e. 39.7% in the frontal lobe, 20.3% in the parietal lobe, 20.0% in the occipital lobe and 19.7% in the temporal lobe, and only 0.4% in the cerebellum. No cysts were found in the spinal cord. Cysts were localized as follows: 47.9% in the dorsal subarachnoid, 46.9% in the parenchyma, 4.4% in the subarachnoid base and 0.9% in the ventricles. The results of the histopathology revealed lesions in an early inflammatory stage, i.e. stage I, in all anatomical locations except for two, which showed more of an inflammatory reaction, stage III, in one pig. It was concluded that clinical signs in pigs were neither pathognomonic nor consistent. These signs, therefore, cannot be used as a reliable indicator of porcine NCC. Furthermore, T. solium cysts were found to be in abundance in all cerebral lobes, and only a few were found in the cerebellum. Regarding the inflammatory response, no significant differences were found in the location and total number of cysts. Thus, further studies are needed to explain the determinants of cyst distribution in the CNS and assess in detail clinical signs associated with porcine NCC.

  6. Direct plasma interaction with living tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fridman, Gregory

    For some time, plasma has been used in medicine to cauterize or cut tissue using heat and mechanical energy. In the recent decade, some researchers around the world have started to investigate how gas jets that pass through thermal plasma can be employed in medicine. This thesis presents the first investigation of biomedical uses of non-thermal plasma discharge which comes in direct contact with living tissue. It is demonstrated that the direct application of non-thermal plasma in air can cause rapid deactivation of bacteria on surfaces of tissues without causing any visible tissue damage. Medical need for such a device is discussed. Construction and operation of various types of non-thermal plasma power supplies and many types of treatment electrodes are presented as well. Application of this plasma to living organisms is shown to be safe from both the electrical perspective and from the biological perspective. Biological safety is revealed through a series of differential skin toxicity trials on human cadaver tissue, live hairless mouse skin tissue, live pig skin tissue, and finally in an open wound model on pigs. Direct non-thermal plasma in air is shown to deactivate bacteria about 100 times faster than indirect application using jets. A series of experiments reveal that this effectiveness is due to the ability of direct discharge to bring charges to tissue surfaces. It is demonstrated that neither ultraviolet (UV) radiation nor neutral active species such as hydroxyl radicals or ozone produced in plasma are responsible for the main effect on bacteria. Although much additional work remains on establishing detailed mechanism by which charges from plasma achieve this effect, the work carried out in this thesis clearly demonstrates that direct application of non-thermal plasma in air can be a very useful tool in medicine.

  7. Exploring the Feasibility of Using Silage-Based Feed with Alternative Sources of Protein in Organic Pig Rations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth C. Clements

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Current regulations for organic pig and poultry production systems permit feed ingredients of non-organic origin at an inclusion rate of up to 5 per cent. This is primarily due to concerns that there is an insufficient supply of organic protein on the European Union market, in terms of quality and quantity, to meet the nutritional requirements of pigs and poultry raised on organic farms. However, 100 per cent organic diets for monogastric livestock will become compulsory in the EU from 1 January 2018, and there is therefore a need to develop sustainable feeding strategies based on organic feeds. This feed trial conducted in the UK explores the feasibility of using a silage-based feeding system for Gloucester Old Spot pigs, and compares the inclusion of soya, beans and peas as protein sources in terms of pig growth performance. No significant difference in the pen mean daily live weight gain was observed during the grower phase (pen mean age of 11-14 weeks between the diet groups. However, during the finisher phase (pen mean age of 15-22 weeks, pigs on the soya and pea rations had significantly faster growth rates than pigs fed the bean ration. It is speculated that the slight shortfall in growth rate observed in the pigs fed the bean ration may be offset by the lower cost of production of beans in the UK. This feasibility trial demonstrates that a 100 per cent organic diet for pigs using alternative, locally-grown sources of protein as part of a forage-based ration can provide a viable alternative to a soya-based diet.

  8. Exploring the Pregnant Guinea Pig as a Model for Group B Streptococcus Intrauterine Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrell, Maria I; Burnside, Kellie; Whidbey, Christopher; Vornhagen, Jay; Adams Waldorf, Kristina M; Rajagopal, Lakshmi

    2017-09-01

    Infection of the amniotic cavity remains a major cause of preterm birth, stillbirth, fetal injury and early onset, fulminant infections in newborns. Currently, there are no effective therapies to prevent in utero infection and consequent co-morbidities. This is in part due to the lack of feasible and appropriate animal models to understand mechanisms that lead to in utero infections. Use of mouse and rat models do not fully recapitulate human pregnancy, while pregnant nonhuman primate models are limited by ethical considerations, technical constraints, and cost. Given these limitations, the guinea pig is an attractive animal model for studying pregnancy infections, particularly as the placental structure is quite similar to the human placenta. Here, we describe our studies that explored the pregnant guinea pig as a model to study in utero Group B Streptococci (GBS) infections. We observed that intrauterine inoculation of wild type GBS in pregnant guinea pigs resulted in bacterial invasion and dissemination to the placenta, amniotic fluid and fetal organs. Also, hyperhemolytic GBS such as those lacking the hemolysin repressor CovR/S showed increased dissemination into the amniotic fluid and fetal organs such as the fetal lung and brain. These results are similar to those observed in mouse and non-human primate models of in utero infection, and support use of the guinea pig as a model for studying GBS infections in pregnancy.

  9. Characterization and distribution of receptors for the atrial natriuretic peptides in mammalian brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quirion, R.; Dalpe, M.; Dam, T.V.

    1986-01-01

    Both rat 125 I-labeled atrial natriuretic polypeptide [ 125 I-ANP or atrial natriuretic factor fragment ANF-(99-126)] and human 125 I-α-ANP or human ANF-(99-126)] bind with high specificity and affinity to an apparent single class of sites in guinea pig brain. Similar results have been reported in peripheral tissues, which indicate that central and peripheral ANP binding sites have fairly similar structural requirements. In vitro receptor autoradiography shows that in the guinea pig brain, 125 I-ANP binding sites are highly concentrated in the external plexiform layer of the olfactory bulb, subfornical organ, various thalamic nuclei, medial geniculate nucleus, and cerebellum. Lower densities are found in the central nucleus of the amygdala, dentate gyrus, hippocampus, and area postrema. Most remaining regions contain much lower densities of sites. In rat brain 125 I-ANP binding sites are differentially distributed, with high densities in the subfornical organ, area postrema, and linings of ventricles but low densities in the thalamus and cerebellum. In monkey brain, 125 I-ANP binding sites are concentrated in the cerebellum. The presence of high densities of 125 I-ANP binding sites in various brain regions strongly suggests the existence of a family of brain-heart peptides, in analogy to the well-known brain-gut peptides. Moreover, the extensive distribution of 125 I-ANP binding sites in mammalian brain suggests that the possible roles of ANP/ANF-like peptides in brain are not restricted to the central regulation of cardiovascular parameters

  10. Presence of abscisic acid, a phytohormone, in the mammalian brain.

    OpenAIRE

    Le Page-Degivry, M T; Bidard, J N; Rouvier, E; Bulard, C; Lazdunski, M

    1986-01-01

    This paper reports the presence of abscisic acid, one of the most important phytohormones, in the central nervous system of pigs and rats. The identification of this hormone in brain was made after extensive purification by using a radioimmunoassay that is very specific for (+)-cis-abscisic acid. The final product of purification from mammalian brain has the same properties as authentic abscisic acid: it crossreacts in the radioimmunoassay for the phytohormone and it has the same retention pr...

  11. Effect of fenbendazole in water on pigs infected with Ascaris suum in finishing pigs under field conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lassen, Brian; Oliviero, Claudio; Orro, Toomas; Jukola, Elias; Laurila, Tapio; Haimi-Hakala, Minna; Heinonen, Mari

    2017-04-15

    The husbandry of pigs for meat production is a constantly developing industry. Most studies on the effects of Ascaris suum infection in pigs and its prevention with anthelmintics are over a decade old. We examined the effect of 2.5mg fenbendazole per kg bodyweight administered in drinking water for two consecutive days on A. suum infection 1 and 6 weeks after pigs arrived to fattening units. We hypothesised that the treatment would reduce the presence of A. suum-infections, improve the average daily weight gain of pigs, reduce the percentage of liver rejections in pens by 50% and increase the lean meat percentage at slaughter by 1%. The study included a placebo group (427 pigs) and a treatment group (420 pigs) spanning four different farms previously reporting ≥15% liver rejection. The treatment was given for 2 consecutive days 1 and 6 weeks after the pigs arrived to the fattening unit. Faecal samples were collected during weeks 1, 6 and 12 from all pigs and examined for A. suum eggs. Blood was collected during weeks 1 and 12 from a subgroup of the pigs and examined for anti-A. suum antibodies and clinical blood parameters. Data on liver rejection and lean meat percentage were collected post-mortem. The proportion of Ascaris seropositive pigs changed from 8.6% to 22.2% and 20.3% to 16.3% in the placebo and treatment group respectively. Fenbendazole reduced the presence of A. suum eggs in faeces the percentage of liver rejections by 69.8%. The treatment did not affect daily weight gain or lean meat percentage. Pigs with A. suum eggs in faeces at week 6 had a lower average daily weight gain of 61.8g/day compared with pigs without parasite eggs. Fenbendazole treatment may be a useful option for farms struggling with persistent A. suum problems and demonstrate a beneficial effect on the weight gain of the animals shedding eggs in faeces and result in fewer condemned livers at slaughter. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Studies on nitrogen retention in growing pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorbek, G; Henckel, S; Chwalibog, André

    1987-01-01

    Nitrogen retention (RN) was measured in 60 barrows of Danish Landrace and a total of 470 balance periods was carried out during the growth period from 20 to 85 kg live weight. In the first serie (Expt A) six different feed compounds of high biological value (HBV) were fed to 48 barrows, while...... in the second serie (Expt B) 12 barrows were measured on feed compounds of HBV or low biological value (LBV). Three different levels of gross energy were used in Expt B. Individual differences of 10-20% in the pigs capability for nitrogen retention were observed. Nitrogen retention increased from 12 to 21 g N....../d on the HBV-compounds and was not influenced by increasing nitrogen or energy intake. Nitrogen retention was curvilinear in relation to metabolic live weight (kg0.75) in both series. A parabolic function on kg0.75 gave the best fit to the data with the following regression equations: Expt A + B: RN, g/d = 1...

  13. Distribution of mercury in guinea pig offspring after in utero exposure to mercury vapor during late gestation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshida, Minoru; Yamamura, Yukio; Sataoh, Hiroshi

    1986-04-01

    Organ distribution of mercury after in utero mercury vapor exposure was investigated in neonatal guinea pigs. Mother guinea pigs in late gestation were exposed to 0.2-0.3 mg/m/sup 3/ mercury vapor 2 h per day until giving birth. Mercury concentrations in neonatal brain, lungs, heart, kidneys, plasma and erythrocytes were much lower than those of maternal organs and tissues. Neonatal liver, however, showed a mercury concentration twice as high as maternal liver. Mercury concentration ratios of erythrocytes to plasma in offspring were quite different from those of mothers, being 0.2-0.4 for offspring, and 1.3-3.0 for mothers. These results suggested that mercury vapor metabolism in fetuses was quite different from that in their mothers. This may be due to the different blood circulation, as mercury vapor transferred through the placental barrier would be rapidly oxidized into ionic mercury in fetal liver and accumulated in the organ. The different mercury vapor metabolism may prevent fetal brain, which is rapidly developing, and thus vulnerable, from being exposed to excessive mercury vapor.

  14. Update on Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs: Knowledge gaps for improved disease control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maes, D; Sibila, M; Kuhnert, P; Segalés, J; Haesebrouck, F; Pieters, M

    2017-08-23

    Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is the primary pathogen of enzootic pneumonia, a chronic respiratory disease in pigs. Infections occur worldwide and cause major economic losses to the pig industry. The present paper reviews the current knowledge on M. hyopneumoniae infections, with emphasis on identification and analysis of knowledge gaps for optimizing control of the disease. Close contact between infected and susceptible pigs is the main route of M. hyopneumoniae transmission. Management and housing conditions predisposing for infection or disease are known, but further research is needed to better understand M. hyopneumoniae transmission patterns in modern pig production systems, and to assess the importance of the breeding population for downstream disease control. The organism is primarily found on the mucosal surface of the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles. Different adhesins and lipoproteins are involved in the adherence process. However, a clear picture of the virulence and pathogenicity of M. hyopneumoniae is still missing. The role of glycerol metabolism, myoinositol metabolism and the Mycoplasma Ig binding protein-Mycoplasma Ig protease system should be further investigated for their contribution to virulence. The destruction of the mucociliary apparatus, together with modulating the immune response, enhances the susceptibility of infected pigs to secondary pathogens. Clinical signs and severity of lesions depend on different factors, such as management, environmental conditions and likely also M. hyopneumoniae strain. The potential impact of strain variability on disease severity is not well defined. Diagnostics could be improved by developing tests that may detect virulent strains, by improving sampling in live animals and by designing ELISAs allowing discrimination between infected and vaccinated pigs. The currently available vaccines are often cost-efficient, but the ongoing research on developing new vaccines that confer protective

  15. A Triple Culture Model of the Blood-Brain Barrier Using Porcine Brain Endothelial cells, Astrocytes and Pericytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomsen, Louiza Bohn; Burkhart, Annette; Moos, Torben

    2015-01-01

    In vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models based on primary brain endothelial cells (BECs) cultured as monoculture or in co-culture with primary astrocytes and pericytes are useful for studying many properties of the BBB. The BECs retain their expression of tight junction proteins and efflux transporters leading to high trans-endothelial electric resistance (TEER) and low passive paracellular permeability. The BECs, astrocytes and pericytes are often isolated from small rodents. Larger species as cows and pigs however, reveal a higher yield, are readily available and have a closer resemblance to humans, which make them favorable high-throughput sources for cellular isolation. The aim of the present study has been to determine if the preferable combination of purely porcine cells isolated from the 6 months old domestic pigs, i.e. porcine brain endothelial cells (PBECs) in co-culture with porcine astrocytes and pericytes, would compare with PBECs co-cultured with astrocytes and pericytes isolated from newborn rats with respect to TEER value and low passive permeability. The astrocytes and pericytes were grown both as contact and non-contact co-cultures as well as in triple culture to examine their effects on the PBECs for barrier formation as revealed by TEER, passive permeability, and expression patterns of tight junction proteins, efflux transporters and the transferrin receptor. This syngenic porcine in vitro BBB model is comparable to triple cultures using PBECs, rat astrocytes and rat pericytes with respect to TEER formation, low passive permeability, and expression of hallmark proteins signifying the brain endothelium (tight junction proteins claudin 5 and occludin, the efflux transporters P-glycoprotein (PgP) and breast cancer related protein (BCRP), and the transferrin receptor).

  16. A Triple Culture Model of the Blood-Brain Barrier Using Porcine Brain Endothelial cells, Astrocytes and Pericytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Louiza Bohn Thomsen

    Full Text Available In vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB models based on primary brain endothelial cells (BECs cultured as monoculture or in co-culture with primary astrocytes and pericytes are useful for studying many properties of the BBB. The BECs retain their expression of tight junction proteins and efflux transporters leading to high trans-endothelial electric resistance (TEER and low passive paracellular permeability. The BECs, astrocytes and pericytes are often isolated from small rodents. Larger species as cows and pigs however, reveal a higher yield, are readily available and have a closer resemblance to humans, which make them favorable high-throughput sources for cellular isolation. The aim of the present study has been to determine if the preferable combination of purely porcine cells isolated from the 6 months old domestic pigs, i.e. porcine brain endothelial cells (PBECs in co-culture with porcine astrocytes and pericytes, would compare with PBECs co-cultured with astrocytes and pericytes isolated from newborn rats with respect to TEER value and low passive permeability. The astrocytes and pericytes were grown both as contact and non-contact co-cultures as well as in triple culture to examine their effects on the PBECs for barrier formation as revealed by TEER, passive permeability, and expression patterns of tight junction proteins, efflux transporters and the transferrin receptor. This syngenic porcine in vitro BBB model is comparable to triple cultures using PBECs, rat astrocytes and rat pericytes with respect to TEER formation, low passive permeability, and expression of hallmark proteins signifying the brain endothelium (tight junction proteins claudin 5 and occludin, the efflux transporters P-glycoprotein (PgP and breast cancer related protein (BCRP, and the transferrin receptor.

  17. Effect of feeding spent coffee grounds on the feedlot performance and carcass quality of fattening pigs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sikka, S S; Chawla, J S

    1986-01-01

    Twelve fattening pigs of large white Yorkshire breed, divided into three equal groups, were fed isonitrogenous concentrate mixture containing 0, 10 and 15% spent coffee grounds (SCG) for 70 days. The crude fibre and ether extract content increased while that of nitrogen-free extract decreased with the increase in the level of SCG. The daily live weight gain and the feed conversion efficiency were depressed significantly at a 15% level of SCG. However, the inclusion of SCG in the rations did not have any adverse effect on carcass quality. It was concluded that SCG at 10% can be included in the ration of pigs safely without affecting their health. 10 references.

  18. Recombinant IgA Is Sufficient To Prevent Influenza Virus Transmission in Guinea Pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seibert, Christopher W.; Rahmat, Saad; Krause, Jens C.; Eggink, Dirk; Albrecht, Randy A.; Goff, Peter H.; Krammer, Florian; Duty, J. Andrew; Bouvier, Nicole M.; García-Sastre, Adolfo

    2013-01-01

    A serum hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) titer of 40 or greater is thought to be associated with reduced influenza virus pathogenesis in humans and is often used as a correlate of protection in influenza vaccine studies. We have previously demonstrated that intramuscular vaccination of guinea pigs with inactivated influenza virus generates HAI titers greater than 300 but does not protect vaccinated animals from becoming infected with influenza virus by transmission from an infected cage mate. Only guinea pigs intranasally inoculated with a live influenza virus or a live attenuated virus vaccine, prior to challenge, were protected from transmission (A. C. Lowen et al., J. Virol. 83:2803–2818, 2009.). Because the serum HAI titer is mostly determined by IgG content, these results led us to speculate that prevention of viral transmission may require IgA antibodies or cellular immune responses. To evaluate this hypothesis, guinea pigs and ferrets were administered a potent, neutralizing mouse IgG monoclonal antibody, 30D1 (Ms 30D1 IgG), against the A/California/04/2009 (H1N1) virus hemagglutinin and exposed to respiratory droplets from animals infected with this virus. Even though HAI titers were greater than 160 1 day postadministration, Ms 30D1 IgG did not prevent airborne transmission to passively immunized recipient animals. In contrast, intramuscular administration of recombinant 30D1 IgA (Ms 30D1 IgA) prevented transmission to 88% of recipient guinea pigs, and Ms 30D1 IgA was detected in animal nasal washes. Ms 30D1 IgG administered intranasally also prevented transmission, suggesting the importance of mucosal immunity in preventing influenza virus transmission. Collectively, our data indicate that IgG antibodies may prevent pathogenesis associated with influenza virus infection but do not protect from virus infection by airborne transmission, while IgA antibodies are more important for preventing transmission of influenza viruses. PMID:23698296

  19. Promoting positive states: the effect of early human handling on play and exploratory behaviour in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zupan, M; Rehn, T; de Oliveira, D; Keeling, L J

    2016-01-01

    It is known that tactile stimulation (TS) during ontogeny modifies brain plasticity and enhances the motor and cognitive skills. Our hypothesis was that early handling including TS would increase play and exploratory behaviour in commercial pigs under standardized test conditions. Piglets from 13 litters were subjected to three handling treatments from 5 to 35 days of age: all the piglets were handled (H), none of the piglets were handled (NH) or half of the piglets in the litter were handled (50/50). At 42 days of age, the pigs' behaviour was observed in pairs in a novel pen with a 'toy' (tug rope). The main results were that more locomotor play was performed by pigs from litters where all or half of them had been handled, whereas social exploratory behaviour was more pronounced in pigs from litters where half of them had been handled. Although behaviour was affected by the interaction of treatment with sex or with weight category, we propose that the handling procedure does seem to have acted to increase locomotor skills and that handling half of the piglets in the litter may have triggered a series of socio-emotional interactions that were beneficial for the whole group.

  20. Communication calls produced by electrical stimulation of four structures in the guinea pig brain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, David B.; Shackleton, Trevor M.; Grimsley, Jasmine M. S.; Zobay, Oliver; Palmer, Alan R.

    2018-01-01

    One of the main central processes affecting the cortical representation of conspecific vocalizations is the collateral output from the extended motor system for call generation. Before starting to study this interaction we sought to compare the characteristics of calls produced by stimulating four different parts of the brain in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). By using anaesthetised animals we were able to reposition electrodes without distressing the animals. Trains of 100 electrical pulses were used to stimulate the midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG), hypothalamus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Each structure produced a similar range of calls, but in significantly different proportions. Two of the spontaneous calls (chirrup and purr) were never produced by electrical stimulation and although we identified versions of chutter, durr and tooth chatter, they differed significantly from our natural call templates. However, we were routinely able to elicit seven other identifiable calls. All seven calls were produced both during the 1.6 s period of stimulation and subsequently in a period which could last for more than a minute. A single stimulation site could produce four or five different calls, but the amygdala was much less likely to produce a scream, whistle or rising whistle than any of the other structures. These three high-frequency calls were more likely to be produced by females than males. There were also differences in the timing of the call production with the amygdala primarily producing calls during the electrical stimulation and the hypothalamus mainly producing calls after the electrical stimulation. For all four structures a significantly higher stimulation current was required in males than females. We conclude that all four structures can be stimulated to produce fictive vocalizations that should be useful in studying the relationship between the vocal motor system and cortical sensory representation. PMID:29584746

  1. Communication calls produced by electrical stimulation of four structures in the guinea pig brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David B Green

    Full Text Available One of the main central processes affecting the cortical representation of conspecific vocalizations is the collateral output from the extended motor system for call generation. Before starting to study this interaction we sought to compare the characteristics of calls produced by stimulating four different parts of the brain in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus. By using anaesthetised animals we were able to reposition electrodes without distressing the animals. Trains of 100 electrical pulses were used to stimulate the midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG, hypothalamus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC. Each structure produced a similar range of calls, but in significantly different proportions. Two of the spontaneous calls (chirrup and purr were never produced by electrical stimulation and although we identified versions of chutter, durr and tooth chatter, they differed significantly from our natural call templates. However, we were routinely able to elicit seven other identifiable calls. All seven calls were produced both during the 1.6 s period of stimulation and subsequently in a period which could last for more than a minute. A single stimulation site could produce four or five different calls, but the amygdala was much less likely to produce a scream, whistle or rising whistle than any of the other structures. These three high-frequency calls were more likely to be produced by females than males. There were also differences in the timing of the call production with the amygdala primarily producing calls during the electrical stimulation and the hypothalamus mainly producing calls after the electrical stimulation. For all four structures a significantly higher stimulation current was required in males than females. We conclude that all four structures can be stimulated to produce fictive vocalizations that should be useful in studying the relationship between the vocal motor system and cortical sensory representation.

  2. Communication calls produced by electrical stimulation of four structures in the guinea pig brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, David B; Shackleton, Trevor M; Grimsley, Jasmine M S; Zobay, Oliver; Palmer, Alan R; Wallace, Mark N

    2018-01-01

    One of the main central processes affecting the cortical representation of conspecific vocalizations is the collateral output from the extended motor system for call generation. Before starting to study this interaction we sought to compare the characteristics of calls produced by stimulating four different parts of the brain in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). By using anaesthetised animals we were able to reposition electrodes without distressing the animals. Trains of 100 electrical pulses were used to stimulate the midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG), hypothalamus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Each structure produced a similar range of calls, but in significantly different proportions. Two of the spontaneous calls (chirrup and purr) were never produced by electrical stimulation and although we identified versions of chutter, durr and tooth chatter, they differed significantly from our natural call templates. However, we were routinely able to elicit seven other identifiable calls. All seven calls were produced both during the 1.6 s period of stimulation and subsequently in a period which could last for more than a minute. A single stimulation site could produce four or five different calls, but the amygdala was much less likely to produce a scream, whistle or rising whistle than any of the other structures. These three high-frequency calls were more likely to be produced by females than males. There were also differences in the timing of the call production with the amygdala primarily producing calls during the electrical stimulation and the hypothalamus mainly producing calls after the electrical stimulation. For all four structures a significantly higher stimulation current was required in males than females. We conclude that all four structures can be stimulated to produce fictive vocalizations that should be useful in studying the relationship between the vocal motor system and cortical sensory representation.

  3. The Guinea Pig as a Model for Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD): The Impact of Cholesterol Intake on Expression of AD-Related Genes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ong, Daniel; Wijaya, Linda; Laws, Simon M.; Taddei, Kevin; Newman, Morgan; Lardelli, Michael; Martins, Ralph N.; Verdile, Giuseppe

    2013-01-01

    We investigated the guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, as a model for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), both in terms of the conservation of genes involved in AD and the regulatory responses of these to a known AD risk factor - high cholesterol intake. Unlike rats and mice, guinea pigs possess an Aβ peptide sequence identical to human Aβ. Consistent with the commonality between cardiovascular and AD risk factors in humans, we saw that a high cholesterol diet leads to up-regulation of BACE1 (β-secretase) transcription and down-regulation of ADAM10 (α-secretase) transcription which should increase release of Aβ from APP. Significantly, guinea pigs possess isoforms of AD-related genes found in humans but not present in mice or rats. For example, we discovered that the truncated PS2V isoform of human PSEN2, that is found at raised levels in AD brains and that increases γ-secretase activity and Aβ synthesis, is not uniquely human or aberrant as previously believed. We show that PS2V formation is up-regulated by hypoxia and a high-cholesterol diet while, consistent with observations in humans, Aβ concentrations are raised in some brain regions but not others. Also like humans, but unlike mice, the guinea pig gene encoding tau, MAPT, encodes isoforms with both three and four microtubule binding domains, and cholesterol alters the ratio of these isoforms. We conclude that AD-related genes are highly conserved and more similar to human than the rat or mouse. Guinea pigs represent a superior rodent model for analysis of the impact of dietary factors such as cholesterol on the regulation of AD-related genes. PMID:23805206

  4. Benchmarking of pluck lesions at slaughter as a health monitoring tool for pigs slaughtered at 170kg (heavy pigs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scollo, Annalisa; Gottardo, Flaviana; Contiero, Barbara; Mazzoni, Claudio; Leneveu, Philippe; Edwards, Sandra A

    2017-09-01

    Abattoir post-mortem inspections offer a useful tool for the development and monitoring of animal health plans and a source of data for epidemiological investigation. The aim of the present work was to develop an abattoir benchmarking system which provides feedback on the prevalence and severity of lesions of the pluck (lung, pleura and liver) in batches of pigs to inform individual producers and their veterinarians of the occurrence of pathological conditions affecting their herds. The weekly collection of data throughout a year (from September 2014 to September 2015) supported the further aim of providing benchmark values for the prevalence of lesions and their seasonality in Italian heavy pig production. Finally, correlations and redundancies among different lesions were evaluated. In total, 727 batches of heavy pigs (around 165kg live weight and 9 months of age) derived from 272 intensive commercial farms located in Northern Italy were monitored. Within each batch, an average number of 100 plucks was individually scored, assigning a value for lesions of lungs (0-24), pleura (0-4) and liver (1-3). Presence of lung scars, abscesses, consolidations, lobular/chessboard pattern lesions and pleural sequestra was also recorded. Statistical analysis showed a strong farm effect (36-68% of variation depending of the lesion) and a seasonal effect on all lesions. Winter showed the lowest percentage of severe lung and pleural lesions (Pbenchmarking of each farm in a determined health class, scores for each quartile of the population are reported. Whilst such a benchmarking scheme provides useful data for herd health management, challenges of repeatability of scoring and cost of implementation need to be overcome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. L-dehydroascorbic acid can substitute l-ascorbic acid as dietary vitamin C source in guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frikke-Schmidt, Henriette; Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Lykkesfeldt, Jens

    2016-04-01

    Vitamin C deficiency globally affects several hundred million people and has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in numerous studies. In this study, bioavailability of the oxidized form of vitamin C (l-dehydroascorbic acid or DHA)-commonly found in vitamin C containing food products prone to oxidation-was studied. Our aim was to compare tissue accumulation of vitamin C in guinea pigs receiving different oral doses of either ascorbate or DHA. In all tissues tested (plasma, liver, spleen, lung, adrenal glands, kidney, muscle, heart, and brain), only sporadic differences in vitamin C accumulation from ascorbate or DHA were observed except for the lowest dose of DHA (0.25mg/ml in the drinking water), where approximately half of the tissues had slightly yet significantly less vitamin C accumulation than from the ascorbate source. As these results contradicted data from rats, we continued to explore the ability to recycle DHA in blood, liver and intestine in guinea pigs, rats and mice. These investigations revealed that guinea pigs have similar recycling capacity in red blood cells as observed in humans, while rats and mice do not have near the same ability to reduce DHA in erythrocytes. In liver and intestinal homogenates, guinea pigs also showed a significantly higher ability to recycle DHA compared to rats and mice. These data demonstrate that DHA in guinea pigs-as in humans-is almost as effective as ascorbate as vitamin C source when it comes to taking up and storing vitamin C and further suggest that the guinea pig is superior to other rodents in modeling human vitamin C homeostasis. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Species differences in the localization and number of CNS beta adrenergic receptors: Rat versus guinea pig

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Booze, R.M.; Crisostomo, E.A.; Davis, J.N.

    1989-01-01

    The localization and number of beta adrenergic receptors were directly compared in the brains of rats and guinea pigs. The time course of association and saturability of [125I]cyanopindolol (CYP) binding to slide-mounted tissue sections was similar in rats (Kd = 17 pM) and guinea pigs (Kd = 20 pM). The beta-1 and beta-2 receptor subtypes were examined through the use of highly selective unlabeled receptor antagonists, ICI 118,551 (50 nM) and ICI 89,406 (70 nM). Dramatic species differences between rats and guinea pigs were observed in the neuroanatomical regional localization of the beta adrenergic receptor subtypes. For example, in the thalamus prominent beta-1 and beta-2 receptor populations were identified in the rat; however, the entire thalamus of the guinea pig had few, if any, beta adrenergic receptors of either subtype. Hippocampal area CA1 had high levels of beta-2 adrenergic receptors in both rats and guinea pigs but was accompanied by a widespread distribution of beta-2 adrenergic receptors only in rats. Quantitative autoradiographic analyses of 25 selected neuroanatomical regions (1) confirmed the qualitative differences in CNS beta adrenergic receptor localization, (2) determined that guinea pigs had significantly lower levels of beta adrenergic receptors than rats and (3) indicated a differential pattern of receptor subtypes between the two species. Knowledge of species differences in receptor patterns may be useful in designing effective experiments as well as in exploring the relationships between receptor and innervation patterns. Collectively, these data suggest caution be used in extrapolation of the relationships of neurotransmitters and receptors from studies of a single species

  7. Intestinal absorption and retention of cadmium in neonatal pigs compared to rats and guinea pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasser, L.B.; Jarboe, G.E.

    1980-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure intestinal absorption and retention of cadmium in the newborn pig and to compare data from the pig, rat and guinea pig, three species that differ greatly in their ability to absorb macromolecules at birth. Newborn pigs were administered a single oral dose of 50 μCi of /sup 115m/Cd 24 hours after birth and killed at intervals between 1 and 14 days after dosing. Cd absorption and gastrointestinal retention were then determined; these data were compared with similar data from the rat and guinea pig. Cd absorption in the neonate appears to be a two-step process; mucosal uptake of Cd from the lumen, probably by pinocytosis, followed by transfer of a portion of this Cd into the body. This transfer process is similar, but does not entirely coincide with changes associated with protein absorption in the neonate

  8. Serological evidence of hepatitis E virus infection in pigs and jaundice among pig handlers in Bangladesh

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haider, Najmul; Khan, M. S. U.; Hossain, M. B.

    2017-01-01

    Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the most common cause of viral hepatitis in humans. Pigs may act as a reservoir of HEV, and pig handlers were frequently identified with a higher prevalence of antibodies to HEV. The objectives of this study were to identify evidence of HEV infection in pigs and compare...

  9. Identifying factors contributing to slow growth in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Y; Deen, J; Shurson, G C; Wang, L; Chen, C; Keisler, D H; Li, Y Z

    2016-05-01

    Pigs that grow slower than their contemporaries can cause complications for animal welfare and profitability. This study was conducted to investigate factors that may contribute to slow growth of pigs. Pigs ( = 440) farrowed by 65 sows were monitored from birth to market. Pigs were categorized as slow, average, and fast growers based on market weight adjusted to 170 d of age (slow growers were 125 kg). Blood samples were collected from 48 focal pigs at 9 and 21 wk of age and analyzed for hormone and free AA concentrations. Data were analyzed using the Mixed and Logistic procedures of SAS. Slow-growing pigs accounted for 10% of pigs marketed, average growers accounted for 49% of pigs marketed, and fast growers accounted for 41% of pigs marketed. Compared with fast growers, slow growers were lighter at birth ( ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.19 to 3.96, = 0.01). Litter size and parity of the pigs' dam were not associated with slow growth. These results suggest that low concentrations of IGF-1, insulin, leptin, and AA may contribute to or be associated with slow growth in pigs.

  10. Identification of 5HT2-receptors on longitudinal muscle of the guinea pig ileum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engel, G.; Hoyer, D.; Kalkman, H.O.; Wick, M.B.

    1984-01-01

    In binding experiments with the radioligands [ 3 H]Ketanserin (HKet) and [ 125 I]LSD (ILSD) 21 compounds were investigated using rat brain cortex membranes. The pK/sub D/-values of the compounds were virtually independent of the radioligand used and their rank order was consistent with classification of the binding sites as being of the 5-HT 2 -type. In contrast, in the longitudinal muscle of the guinea pig ileum in the presence of 0.3 microM cinanserin, ILSD labelled sites which were quite different to those in the cortex. In a functional test antagonism of the 5HT induced contraction of the guinea-pig ileum was measured in the presence of 1 microM atropine. The pharmacological inhibition constants (IC 50 -values) of 8 compounds correlated well with the dissociation constants for HKet binding in the cortex and did not correlate with the data from ILSD binding in the guinea pig ileum. It is concluded that the ileum contains postjunctional 5HT 2 -receptors which mediate contraction. The nature of the ILSD binding sites in the ileum remains to be elucidated

  11. Prediction of Pig Trade Movements in Different European Production Systems Using Exponential Random Graph Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Relun, Anne; Grosbois, Vladimir; Alexandrov, Tsviatko; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, Jose M; Waret-Szkuta, Agnes; Molia, Sophie; Etter, Eric Marcel Charles; Martínez-López, Beatriz

    2017-01-01

    In most European countries, data regarding movements of live animals are routinely collected and can greatly aid predictive epidemic modeling. However, the use of complete movements' dataset to conduct policy-relevant predictions has been so far limited by the massive amount of data that have to be processed (e.g., in intensive commercial systems) or the restricted availability of timely and updated records on animal movements (e.g., in areas where small-scale or extensive production is predominant). The aim of this study was to use exponential random graph models (ERGMs) to reproduce, understand, and predict pig trade networks in different European production systems. Three trade networks were built by aggregating movements of pig batches among premises (farms and trade operators) over 2011 in Bulgaria, Extremadura (Spain), and Côtes-d'Armor (France), where small-scale, extensive, and intensive pig production are predominant, respectively. Three ERGMs were fitted to each network with various demographic and geographic attributes of the nodes as well as six internal network configurations. Several statistical and graphical diagnostic methods were applied to assess the goodness of fit of the models. For all systems, both exogenous (attribute-based) and endogenous (network-based) processes appeared to govern the structure of pig trade network, and neither alone were capable of capturing all aspects of the network structure. Geographic mixing patterns strongly structured pig trade organization in the small-scale production system, whereas belonging to the same company or keeping pigs in the same housing system appeared to be key drivers of pig trade, in intensive and extensive production systems, respectively. Heterogeneous mixing between types of production also explained a part of network structure, whichever production system considered. Limited information is thus needed to capture most of the global structure of pig trade networks. Such findings will be useful

  12. Intellectual function, activities of daily living and computerized tomography of the brain in geriatric demented patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Omura, Fumiaki; Ogura, Chikara; Kishimoto, Akira; Okubo, Masayo; Imamoto, Atsushi [Tottori Univ., Yonago (Japan). School of Medicine; Tsuchie, Harutaka; Sugihara, Kanichiro; Fujii, Shozo

    1984-09-01

    Thirty eight patients of geriatric dementia (mean age 74.9 years) were examined by computerized tomography (CT) and their intellectual functions and activities of daily living (ADL) were evaluated. CT was evaluated by both visual assessment method and direct measuring method. Intellectual function was evaluated by Jikei University dementia rating scale. ADL was evaluated by both Hasegawa's rating scale and Sengoku's rating scale. Results were as follows: significant influence by age was observed in intellectual functions and ADL of subjects above 75 years old. There were good correlations between the higher intellectual function, the better grooming and hygiene, and less needs of nursing care. The severe brain atrophy evaluated by the visual assessment method was correlated with the depressed level of intellectual function. When brain atrophy is mild despite high degree of dementia, reexamination should be made to explore somatic diseases inducing depression of mental activity. It also should be noted that sex and age difference is important in studying geriatric patients.

  13. Intellectual function, activities of daily living and computerized tomography of the brain in geriatric demented patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omura, Fumiaki; Ogura, Chikara; Kishimoto, Akira; Okubo, Masayo; Imamoto, Atsushi; Tsuchie, Harutaka; Sugihara, Kanichiro; Fujii, Shozo.

    1984-01-01

    Thirty eight patients of geriatric dementia (mean age 74.9 years) were examined by computerized tomography (CT) and their intellectual functions and activities of daily living (ADL) were evaluated. CT was evaluated by both visual assessment method and direct measuring method. Intellectual function was evaluated by Jikei University dementia rating scale. ADL was evaluated by both Hasegawa's rating scale and Sengoku's rating scale. Results were as follows: significant influence by age was observed in intellectual functions and ADL of subjects above 75 years old. There were good correlations between the higher intellectual function, the better grooming and hygiene, and less needs of nursing care. The severe brain atrophy evaluated by the visual assessment method was correlated with the depressed level of intellectual function. When brain atrophy is mild despite high degree of dementia, reexamination should be made to explore somatic diseases inducing depression of mental activity. It also should be noted that sex and age difference is important in studying geriatric patients. (author)

  14. Reporting the national antimicrobial consumption in Danish pigs: influence of assigned daily dosage values and population measurement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dupont, Nana Hee; Fertner, Mette Ely; Kristensen, Charlotte Sonne

    2016-01-01

    Transparent calculation methods are crucial when investigating trends in antimicrobial consumption over time and between populations. Until 2011, one single standardized method was applied when quantifying the Danish pig antimicrobial consumption with the unit "Animal Daily Dose" (ADD). However...... assignment methods, Denmark has also experienced a shift in the production pattern, towards a larger export of live pigs. The aims of this paper were to (1) describe previous and current ADD assignment methods used by the major Danish institutions and (2) to illustrate how ADD assignment method and choice...... DANMAP and DVFA were only identical for 48 % of antimicrobial products approved for use in pigs. From 2007 to 2013, the total number of ADDs per year increased by 9 % when using the new DVFA ADD-values, but decreased by 2 and 7 % when using the new DANMAP ADD-values or the old VetStat ADD...

  15. Automated Computational Processing of 3-D MR Images of Mouse Brain for Phenotyping of Living Animals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina, Christopher S; Manifold-Wheeler, Brett; Gonzales, Aaron; Bearer, Elaine L

    2017-07-05

    Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides a method to obtain anatomical information from the brain in vivo that is not typically available by optical imaging because of this organ's opacity. MR is nondestructive and obtains deep tissue contrast with 100-µm 3 voxel resolution or better. Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) may be used to observe axonal transport and localized neural activity in the living rodent and avian brain. Such enhancement enables researchers to investigate differences in functional circuitry or neuronal activity in images of brains of different animals. Moreover, once MR images of a number of animals are aligned into a single matrix, statistical analysis can be done comparing MR intensities between different multi-animal cohorts comprising individuals from different mouse strains or different transgenic animals, or at different time points after an experimental manipulation. Although preprocessing steps for such comparisons (including skull stripping and alignment) are automated for human imaging, no such automated processing has previously been readily available for mouse or other widely used experimental animals, and most investigators use in-house custom processing. This protocol describes a stepwise method to perform such preprocessing for mouse. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  16. Dermatophytes in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraemer, A; Mueller, R S; Werckenthin, C; Straubinger, R K; Hein, J

    2012-05-25

    The frequency of dermatophytes in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits. To determine the frequency and types of dermatophytes in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits. First, 2153 samples collected from pet Guinea pigs (n=1132) and rabbits (n=1021) with suspected dermatophytosis and submitted to three different laboratories for fungal culture were analysed. Subsequently, healthy Guinea pigs and rabbits, animals with skin lesions and with noncutaneous diseases were examined prospectively for dermatophytes. Trichophyton (T.) mentagrophytes was the most common fungal species isolated (91.6% and 72.3% of positive cultures from Guinea pigs (n=431) and rabbits (n=83), respectively). Animals with positive fungal culture did not show any gender predisposition, but affected animals were younger than those with negative fungal culture (PGuinea pigs and 0/140 healthy rabbits. In addition, fungal cultures of Guinea pigs with skin lesions (n=26) and other diseases (n=25) were positive in 7.7% and 8.0% respectively. Samples collected from 17 rabbits with skin lesions and 32 rabbits with noncutaneous disease were all negative in culture. T. mentagrophytes is the most common dermatophyte in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits, asymptomatic carriers are regularly seen in Guinea pigs, but not in rabbits. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Discrete mapping of brain Mu and delta opioid receptors using selective peptides: Quantitative autoradiography, species differences and comparison with kappa receptors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharif, N.A.; Hughes, J. (Addenbrookes Hospital Site, Cambridge (England))

    1989-05-01

    The opioid peptides, (3H)DAGO and (3H)DPDPE, bound to rat and guinea pig brain homogenates with a high, nanomolar affinity and to a high density of mu and delta receptors, respectively. (3H)DAGO binding to mu receptors was competitively inhibited by unlabelled opioids with the following rank order of potency: DAGO greater than morphine greater than DADLE greater than naloxone greater than etorphine much greater than U50488 much greater than DPDPE. In contrast, (3H)DPDPE binding to delta receptors was inhibited by compounds with the following rank order of potency: DPDPE greater than DADLE greater than etorphine greater than dynorphin(1-8) greater than naloxone much greater than U50488 much greater than DAGO. These profiles were consistent with specific labelling of the mu and delta opioid receptors, respectively. In vitro autoradiographic techniques coupled with computer-assisted image analyses revealed a discrete but differential anatomical localization of mu and delta receptors in the rat and guinea pig brain. In general, mu and delta receptor density in the rat exceeded that in the guinea pig brain and differed markedly from that of kappa receptors in these species. However, while mu receptors were distributed throughout the brain with hotspots in the fore-, mid- and hindbrain of the two rodents, the delta sites were relatively diffusely distributed, and were mainly concentrated in the forebrain with particularly high levels within the olfactory bulb (OB), n. accumbens and striatum. Notable regions of high density of mu receptors in the rat and guinea pig brain were the accessory olfactory bulb, striatal patches and streaks, amygdaloid nuclei, ventral hippocampal subiculum and dentate gyrus, numerous thalamic nuclei, geniculate bodies, central grey, superior and inferior colliculi, solitary and pontine nuclei and s. nigra.

  18. Chlamydiaceae infections in pig

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schautteet Katelijn

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Chlamydiaceae are Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacteria. They are responsible for a broad range of diseases in animals and humans. In pigs, Chlamydia suis, Chlamydia abortus, Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia psittaci have been isolated. Chlamydiaceae infections in pigs are associated with different pathologies such as conjunctivitis, pneumonia, pericarditis, polyarthritis, polyserositis, pseudo-membranous or necrotizing enteritis, periparturient dysgalactiae syndrome, vaginal discharge, return to oestrus, abortion, mummification, delivery of weak piglets, increased perinatal and neonatal mortality and inferior semen quality, orchitis, epididymitis and urethritis in boars. However, Chlamydiaceae are still considered as non-important pathogens because reports of porcine chlamydiosis are rare. Furthermore, Chlamydiaceae infections are often unnoticed because tests for Chlamydiaceae are not routinely performed in all veterinary diagnostic laboratories and Chlamydiaceae are often found in association with other pathogens, which are sometimes more easily to detect. However, recent studies have demonstrated that Chlamydiaceae infections in breeding sows, boars and piglets occur more often than thought and are economically important. This paper presents an overview on: the taxonomy of Chlamydiaceae occurring in pigs, diagnostic considerations, epidemiology and pathology of infections with Chlamydiaceae in pigs, public health significance and finally on prevention and treatment of Chlamydiaceae infections in pigs.

  19. How social factors and behavioural strategies affect feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boumans, Iris J M M; de Boer, Imke J M; Hofstede, Gert Jan; Bokkers, Eddie A M

    2018-04-26

    Animals living in groups compete for food resources and face food conflicts. These conflicts are affected by social factors (e.g. competition level) and behavioural strategies (e.g. avoidance). This study aimed to deepen our understanding of the complex interactions between social factors and behavioural strategies affecting feeding and social interaction patterns in animals. We focused on group-housed growing pigs, Sus scrofa, which typically face conflicts around the feeder, and of which patterns in various competitive environments (i.e. pig:feeder ratio) have been documented soundly. An agent-based model was developed to explore how interactions among social factors and behavioural strategies can affect various feeding and social interaction patterns differently under competitive situations. Model results show that pig and diet characteristics interact with group size and affect daily feeding patterns (e.g. feed intake and feeding time) and conflicts around the feeder. The level of competition can cause a turning point in feeding and social interaction patterns. Beyond a certain point of competition, meal-based (e.g. meal frequency) and social interaction patterns (e.g. displacements) are determined mainly by behavioural strategies. The average daily feeding time can be used to predict the group size at which this turning point occurs. Under the model's assumptions, social facilitation was relatively unimportant in the causation of behavioural patterns in pigs. To validate our model, simulated patterns were compared with empirical patterns in conventionally housed pigs. Similarities between empirical and model patterns support the model results. Our model can be used as a tool in further research for studying the effects of social factors and group dynamics on individual variation in feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs, as well as in other animal species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Controlling disease outbreaks in wildlife using limited culling: modelling classical swine fever incursions in wild pigs in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowled, Brendan D; Garner, M Graeme; Negus, Katherine; Ward, Michael P

    2012-01-16

    Disease modelling is one approach for providing new insights into wildlife disease epidemiology. This paper describes a spatio-temporal, stochastic, susceptible- exposed-infected-recovered process model that simulates the potential spread of classical swine fever through a documented, large and free living wild pig population following a simulated incursion. The study area (300 000 km2) was in northern Australia. Published data on wild pig ecology from Australia, and international Classical Swine Fever data was used to parameterise the model. Sensitivity analyses revealed that herd density (best estimate 1-3 pigs km-2), daily herd movement distances (best estimate approximately 1 km), probability of infection transmission between herds (best estimate 0.75) and disease related herd mortality (best estimate 42%) were highly influential on epidemic size but that extraordinary movements of pigs and the yearly home range size of a pig herd were not. CSF generally established (98% of simulations) following a single point introduction. CSF spread at approximately 9 km2 per day with low incidence rates (management in wildlife. An important finding was that it may only be necessary to cull or vaccinate relatively small proportions of a population to successfully contain and eradicate some wildlife disease epidemics.

  1. Identification and characterization of insulin receptors on foetal-mouse brain-cortical cells.

    OpenAIRE

    Van Schravendijk, C F; Hooghe-Peters, E L; De Meyts, P; Pipeleers, D G

    1984-01-01

    The occurrence of insulin receptors was investigated in freshly dissociated brain-cortical cells from mouse embryos. By analogy with classical insulin-binding cell types, binding of 125I-insulin to foetal brain-cortical cells was time- and pH-dependent, only partially reversible, and competed for by unlabelled insulin and closely related peptides. Desalanine-desasparagine-insulin, pig proinsulin, hagfish insulin and turkey insulin were respectively 2%, 4%, 2% and 200% as potent as bovine insu...

  2. Experimental and iatrogenic poisoning by sodium selenite in pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo V. Peixoto

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Following a case of iatrogenic selenium poisoning in a young pig, an experimental study was carry out. Sodium selenite was orally and parenterally administered to 13 pigs that were subdivided into three groups (G1, G2 and G3. The animals in groups G1 and G3 received sodium selenite intramuscularly (IM, G1 received a comercial formula, and G3 received sodium selenite mixed with distilled water at different dosages, and those in group G2 were fed commercial sodium selenite. Acute and subacute poisoning was observed in both groups, although the onset of clinical signs was slower in group G2. Only one pig (in group G1 that had received the highest dose showed a peracute course. Apathy, anorexia, dyspnea, vomiting, muscular tremors, proprioceptive deficit, ataxia and paresis of the hind limbs progressing to the front limbs evolving to tetraplegia were observed. Postmortem findings differed whether the animals received the injected (G1 and G3 or oral (G2 sodium selenite. The liver was moderately atrophic in some animals of G2. Some of the animals in groups G1 and G3 presented with lung edema. One pig in G3 had yellowish-brown areas in the ventral horns of the cervical intumescences of the spinal cord. The most important histological changes were present in the ventral horns of the cervical and lumbar intumescences of the spinal cord. In one animal, changes were present in the brainstem and mesencephalon. The initial lesion was a perivascular and astrocyte edema that progressing to lysis and death of astrocytes and neurons. In the chronic stage of the lesions, there were extensive areas of liquefaction necrosis with perivascular lymphocytic and histiocytic infiltration and occasional eosinophils. It seems that disruption of the blood-brain barrier due to astrocyte edema is the most likely mechanism of CNS lesion.

  3. Live porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus vaccines: Current status and future direction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renukaradhya, Gourapura J; Meng, Xiang-Jin; Calvert, Jay G; Roof, Michael; Lager, Kelly M

    2015-08-07

    Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV) was reported in the late 1980s. PRRS still is a huge economic concern to the global pig industry with a current annual loss estimated at one billion US dollars in North America alone. It has been 20 years since the first modified live-attenuated PRRSV vaccine (PRRSV-MLV) became commercially available. PRRSV-MLVs provide homologous protection and help in reducing shedding of heterologous viruses, but they do not completely protect pigs against heterologous field strains. There have been many advances in understanding the biology and ecology of PRRSV; however, the complexities of virus-host interaction and PRRSV vaccinology are not yet completely understood leaving a significant gap for improving breadth of immunity against diverse PRRS isolates. This review provides insights on immunization efforts using infectious PRRSV-based vaccines since the 1990s, beginning with live PRRSV immunization, development and commercialization of PRRSV-MLV, and strategies to overcome the deficiencies of PRRSV-MLV through use of replicating viral vectors expressing multiple PRRSV membrane proteins. Finally, powerful reverse genetics systems (infectious cDNA clones) generated from more than 20 PRRSV isolates of both genotypes 1 and 2 viruses have provided a great resource for exploring many innovative strategies to improve the safety and cross-protective efficacy of live PRRSV vaccines. Examples include vaccines with diminished ability to down-regulate the immune system, positive and negative marker vaccines, multivalent vaccines incorporating antigens from other porcine pathogens, vaccines that carry their own cytokine adjuvants, and chimeric vaccine viruses with the potential for broad cross-protection against heterologous strains. To combat this devastating pig disease in the future, evaluation and commercialization of such improved live PRRSV vaccines is a shared goal among PRRSV researchers, pork

  4. Herd-level risk factors for the seropositivity to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and the occurrence of enzootic pneumonia among fattening pigs in areas of endemic infection and high pig density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathues, H; Chang, Y M; Wieland, B; Rechter, G; Spergser, J; Rosengarten, R; Kreienbrock, L; Grosse Beilage, E

    2014-08-01

    The aim of the present study was to identify potential risk factors for the occurrence of enzootic pneumonia (EP) in herds situated in a region of high pig density, where a majority of herds is endemically infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Between 2006 and 2010, overall 100 herds were enrolled in a case-control study. Data were collected through personal interview with the farmers, clinical examination of pigs and their environments, and serological testing for M. hyopneumoniae, swine influenza virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. There were 40 case herds (coughing index high, seroprevalence high) with a mean coughing index of 4.3 and a seroprevalence of 86.6%. There were two control groups. Control group I consisted of 25 herds (coughing index low, seroprevalence low) with mean values of 0.7 and 11.2%, and 35 herds were allocated to control group II (coughing index low, seroprevalence high) where the mean coughing index was 0.9 and seroprevalence 86.3%. Case herds and control II herds had an increased age of piglets at weaning compared to control I herds. Any contact between fattening pigs of different age during restocking of compartments increased the risk for the occurrence of EP in a herd. Finally, farms that use living animals for the exposure to gilts during the acclimatization and farms that had increased number of weaned piglets per sow and year were less likely to test positive for M. hyopneumoniae and less likely to develop clinical symptoms of EP in fattening pigs. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  5. Modelling the distribution of pig production and diseases in Thailand

    OpenAIRE

    Thanapongtharm, Weerapong

    2015-01-01

    This thesis, entitled “Modelling the distribution of pig production and diseases in Thailand”, presents many aspects of pig production in Thailand including the characteristics of pig farming system, distribution of pig population and pig farms, spatio-temporal distribution and risk of most important diseases in pig at present, and the suitability area for pig farming. Spatial distribution and characteristics of pig farming in Thailand were studied using time-series pig population data to des...

  6. Seroprevalence and risk factors for Taenia solium cysticercosis in rural pigs of northern Peru.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César M Jayashi

    Full Text Available Taenia solium is a cestode parasite that causes cysticercosis in both humans and pigs. A serological survey was undertaken to assess the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with porcine cysticercosis in the rural district of Morropon, Peru. Pigs aged between 2 and 60 months were assessed by the Enzyme-linked Immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB assay to determine their serological status against porcine cysticercosis in a cross-sectional study. A total of 1,153 pigs were sampled. Porcine seroprevalence was 45.19% (42.31-48.06. The information about the animals and households was analyzed and risk factors associated with seroprevalence were determined by a multivariate logistic regression analysis. In the porcine population, the risk of being seropositive increased by 7% with every month of age (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.05-1.09, and by 148% for pigs living in East Morropon (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.82-3.37. Whereas, the presence of latrines in a household decreased the risk of being seropositive by 49% (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.39-0.67. Sex and rearing system did not represent either risk or protective factors associated with the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis. The findings of this study could be used for further development of control programs that might focus on similar population groups within rural communities of developing countries where cysticercosis is endemic.

  7. Anaerobic digestion of pig manure fibres from commercial pig slurry separation units

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thygesen, Ole; Triolo, Jin M.; Sommer, Sven G.

    2014-01-01

    and screw press on average produced approximately 220l [CH4]kg-1 [VS]. Initial methane production can be described using a first-order kinetic model. The average rate constant for manure fibres was 0.030d-1 and for pig slurry 0.071d-1, showing that pig slurry is digested much faster than manure fibres....

  8. Endocrine tumours in the guinea pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Künzel, Frank; Mayer, Jörg

    2015-12-01

    Functional endocrine tumours have long been thought to be rare in guinea pigs, although conditions such as hyperthyroidism and hyperadrenocorticism have been documented with increasing frequency so the prevalence of hormonal disorders may have been underestimated. Both the clinical signs and diagnosis of hyperthyroidism in guinea pigs appear to be very similar to those described in feline hyperthyroidism, and methimazole has been proven to be a practical therapy option. Hyperadrenocorticism has been confirmed in several guinea pigs with an adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test using saliva as a non-invasive sample matrix; trilostane has been successfully used to treat a guinea pig with hyperadrenocorticism. Insulinomas have only rarely been documented in guinea pigs and one animal was effectively treated with diazoxide. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The effect of parenteral immunisation on antibody production in the pig colon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rees, A S; Lysons, R J; Stokes, C R; Bourne, F J

    1989-11-30

    Local and systemic antibody production was studied in pigs to compare responses to live and killed bacterial antigen and purified protein antigen, with and without prior mucosal stimulation. Recovery from challenge with live bacteria and intramuscular injection with killed bacteria gave rise to similar high levels of serum IgG antibody, but the ratio of specific IgA to IgG in the colon was significantly higher after infection than following vaccination with killed bacteria. Vaccination with a protein antigen gave rise to serum and local antibody production. Prior feeding of the antigen had a tolerising effect on the serum antibody response, but production of IgG and IgA antibody by the colon was not suppressed.

  10. Prolactin family of the guinea pig, Cavia porcellus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alam, S M Khorshed; Konno, Toshihiro; Rumi, M A Karim; Dong, Yafeng; Weiner, Carl P; Soares, Michael J

    2010-08-01

    Prolactin (PRL) is a multifunctional hormone with prominent roles in regulating growth and reproduction. The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) has been extensively used in endocrine and reproduction research. Thus far, the PRL cDNA and protein have not been isolated from the guinea pig. In the present study, we used information derived from the public guinea pig genome database as a tool for identifying guinea pig PRL and PRL-related proteins. Guinea pig PRL exhibits prominent nucleotide and amino acid sequence differences when compared with PRLs of other eutherian mammals. In contrast, guinea pig GH is highly conserved. Expression of PRL and GH in the guinea pig is prominent in the anterior pituitary, similar to known expression patterns of PRL and GH for other species. Two additional guinea pig cDNAs were identified and termed PRL-related proteins (PRLRP1, PRLRP2). They exhibited a more distant relationship to PRL and their expression was restricted to the placenta. Recombinant guinea pig PRL protein was generated and shown to be biologically active in the PRL-responsive Nb2 lymphoma cell bioassay. In contrast, recombinant guinea pig PRLRP1 protein did not exhibit PRL-like bioactivity. In summary, we have developed a new set of research tools for investigating the biology of the PRL family in an important animal model, the guinea pig.

  11. Presence of abscisic acid, a phytohormone, in the mammalian brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Page-Degivry, M.T.; Bidard, J.N.; Rouvier, E.; Bulard, C.; Lazdunski, M.

    1986-01-01

    This paper reports the presence of abscisic acid, one of the most important phytohormones, in the central nervous system of pigs and rats. The identification of this hormone in brain was made after extensive purification by using a radioimmunoassay that is very specific for (+)-cis-abscisic acid. The final product of purification from mammalian brain has the same properties as authentic abscisic acid: it crossreacts in the radioimmunoassay for the phytohormone and it has the same retention properties and the same gas chromatography/mass spectrometry characteristics. Moreover, like (+)-cis-abscisic acid itself, the brain factor inhibits stomatal apertures of abaxial epidermis strips of Setcreasea purpurea Boom (Commelinaceae). The presence of abscisic acid conjugates that are present in plants has also been identified in brain

  12. Listeria monocytogenes strains encoding premature stop codons in inlA invade mice and guinea pig fetuses in orally dosed dams

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holch, Anne; Ingmer, Hanne; Licht, Tine Rask

    2013-01-01

    potential of a group of food-processing persistent L. monocytogenes strains encoding a premature stop codon in inlA (encoding internalin A) by using two orally dosed models, pregnant mice and pregnant guinea pigs. A food-processing persistent strain of L. monocytogenes invaded placentas (n = 58; 10...... % positive) and fetuses (3 % positive) of pregnant mice (n = 9 animals per strain), similar to a genetically manipulated murinized strain, EGD-e InlAm* (n = 61; 3 and 2 %, respectively). In pregnant guinea pigs (n = 9 animals per bacterial strain), a maternofetal strain (from a human fetal clinical fatal...... case) was isolated from 34 % of placenta samples (n = 50), whereas both food-processing persistent strains were found in 5 % of placenta samples (n = 36 or 37). One of the food-processing persistent strains, N53-1, was found in up to 8 % of guinea pig fetal liver and brain samples, whereas...

  13. Cultural and Economic Motivation of Pig Raising Practices in Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nahar, Nazmun; Uddin, Main; Gurley, Emily S; Jahangir Hossain, M; Sultana, Rebeca; Luby, Stephen P

    2015-12-01

    The interactions that pig raisers in Bangladesh have with their pigs could increase the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Since raising pigs is a cultural taboo to Muslims, we aimed at understanding the motivation for raising pigs and resulting practices that could pose the risk of transmitting disease from pigs to humans in Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country. These understandings could help identify acceptable strategies to reduce the risk of disease transmission from pigs to people. To achieve this objective, we conducted 34 in-depth interviews among pig herders and backyard pig raisers in eight districts of Bangladesh. Informants explained that pig raising is an old tradition, embedded in cultural and religious beliefs and practices, the primary livelihood of pig herders, and a supplemental income of backyard pig raisers. To secure additional income, pig raisers sell feces, liver, bile, and other pig parts often used as traditional medicine. Pig raisers have limited economic ability to change the current practices that may put them at risk of exposure to diseases from their pigs. An intervention that improves their financial situation and reduces the risk of zoonotic disease may be of interest to pig raisers.

  14. Social preferences of developing guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) from the preweaning to the periadolescent periods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hennessy, Michael B; Young, Travis L; O'Leary, Shonagh K; Maken, Deborah S

    2003-12-01

    Preference tests in a novel environment (Experiment 1) and unobtrusive observations in a specialized living environment (Experiment 2) examined the attractiveness of various classes of conspecifics for maturing guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). It was found that (a). the young continued to remain near the mother well beyond weaning; (b). there was increased time spent with unrelated adult females, but not males, after weaning; (c). male and female offspring behaved similarly; and (d). littermates spent considerable time with each other. These results provide no evidence that guinea pigs approaching sexual maturity begin to associate preferentially with novel animals or potential breeding partners. Choices were largely predictable from earlier findings of the ability of various classes of conspecifics to reduce hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity of the young.

  15. Environmental impact of heavy pig production in a sample of Italian farms. A cradle to farm-gate analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pirlo, G.; Carè, S.; Casa, G. Della; Marchetti, R.; Ponzoni, G.; Faeti, V.; Fantin, V.; Masoni, P.; Buttol, P.; Zerbinatti, L.; Falconi, F.

    2016-01-01

    Four breeding piggeries and eight growing-fattening piggeries were analyzed to estimate potential environmental impacts of heavy pig production (> 160 kg of live height at slaughtering). Life Cycle Assessment methodology was adopted in the study, considering a system from breeding phase to growing fattening phase. Environmental impacts of breeding phase and growing-fattening phase were accounted separately and then combined to obtain the impacts of heavy pig production. The functional unit was 1 kg of live weight gain. Impact categories investigated were global warming (GW), acidification (AC), eutrophication (EU), abiotic depletion (AD), and photochemical ozone formation (PO). The total environmental impact of 1 kg of live weight gain was 3.3 kg CO_2eq, 4.9 E − 2 kg SO_2eq, 3.1 E − 2 kg PO_4"3"− eq, 3.7 E − 3 kg Sbeq, 1.7 E − 3 kg C_2H_4eq for GW, AC, EU, AD, and PO respectively. Feed production was the main hotspot in all impact categories. Greenhouse gases responsible for GW were mainly CH_4, N_2O, and CO_2. Ammonia was the most important source of AC, sharing about 90%. Nitrate and NH_3 were the main emissions responsible for EU, whereas P and NOx showed minor contributions. Crude oil and natural gas consumption was the main source of AD. A large spectrum of pollutants had a significant impact on PO: they comprised CH_4 from manure fermentation, CO_2 caused by fossil fuel combustion in agricultural operations and industrial processes, ethane and propene emitted during oil extraction and refining, and hexane used in soybean oil extraction. The farm characteristics that best explained the results were fundamentally connected with performance indicators Farms showed a wide variability of results, meaning that there was wide margin for improving the environmental performance of either breeding or growing-fattening farms. The effectiveness of some mitigation measures was evaluated and the results that could be obtained by their introduction have been

  16. Development of a radioimmunoassay for pig pancreatic kallikrein

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fink, E; Guettel, C [Muenchen Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Chirurgische Klinik

    1978-07-01

    A radioimmunoassay for the determination of pig pancreatic kallikrein was developed. The chloramine-T method was employed for the labelling of the antigen with /sup 125/I. The assay allows the determination of kallikrein in concentrations as low as 0.4 ..mu..g/l. Pig urinary and pig submandibular kallikreins are indistinguishable from pig pancreatic kallikrein by the assay. No cross reactivity was observed for bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin, porcine trypsin and kallikreins of guinea pig submandibular glands and guinea pig coagulation glands. Because of the high specificity of the assay, which is not attainable with conventional assays based on the enzymatic activity, the radioimmunoassay is highly suited for investigations into the physiological role and the pharmacological mechanism of action of pig glandular kallikreins.

  17. Protein profiles of serum, brain regions and hypophyses of pubertal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The effects of dietary fumonisin B1 (FB1 ), a toxin produced mainly by Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum that grow on maize worldwide, on protein profiles of serum, brain regions and hypophyses were studied in 24 male Large White weanling pigs randomly divided into four groups (n = 6). In a completely ...

  18. MicroRNA and the innate immune response toinfluenza A virus infection in pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brogaard, Louise

    response to influenza A virus infection requires the joint expression profiling of protein-coding gene and microRNA expression. Paper 1 is a review which emphasizes the importance of the pig in the study of influenza Avirus infections. Pigs are themselves natural hosts for influenza A virus, and our close......Influenza A virus infections are a major public health concern. Many million cases of diseaseassociated with influenza A virus occur every year during seasonal epidemics, and especially vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and individual swith underlying...... conditions such as diabetes and patients of autoimmune diseases are at higher risk of severe complications from influenza A virus infection. However, in otherwise healthy individuals, influenza A virus infection is relatively short-lived, commonly being cleared within one to two weeks. Influenza A virus...

  19. A cross-sectional study of hepatitis E virus infection in healthy people directly exposed and unexposed to pigs in a rural community in northern Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinjoy, S; Nelson, K E; Gibbons, R V; Jarman, R G; Mongkolsirichaikul, D; Smithsuwan, P; Fernandez, S; Labrique, A B; Patchanee, P

    2013-12-01

    A cross-sectional study of the association between occupational pig exposure and hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in adult pig farmers and the general population who were not directly exposed to pigs was conducted in Nan Province, Thailand, from November 2010 to April 2011. All participants were interviewed to provide information on their job history, eating habits and other potential confounders. The prevalence of anti-HEV immunoglobulin G antibodies (IgG) among 513 subjects was 23.0%. Hand washing with water and soap was associated with a lower seroprevalence of HEV infection, whereas living in an area with frequent flooding (OR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.00-2.68) and consuming internal pig organs more than twice per week (OR 3.23, 95%CI: 1.15-9.01) were both associated with a higher seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgG. There was no association between HEV seroprevalence and frequent, direct occupational pig contact. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  20. Ascaris suum infection negatively affects the response to a Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccination and subsequent challenge infection in pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steenhard, Nina R.; Jungersen, Gregers; Kokotovic, Branko

    2009-01-01

    Since their first introduction more than a century ago, vaccines have become one of the most cost-effective tools to prevent and manage infectious diseases in human and animal populations. It is vital to understand the possible mechanisms that may impair optimal vaccine efficacy. The hypothesis...... posed in this study was that a concurrent Ascaris suum infection of pigs vaccinated with a Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mh)vaccine would modulate the protectiveimmuneresponse to a subsequent challenge infection. Four groups of pigs were either (1) untreated (group C), (2) vaccinated againstMh 3 weeks after...... the start of the study (group V), (3) given a trickle infection with A. suum throughout the study (group A), or (4) given a trickle infection with A. suum and vaccinated against Mh (group AV). All pigs were subsequently inoculated with live Mh bacteria 4 weeks after the Mh vaccination and necropsied after...

  1. Qualitative analysis of the risks and practices associated with the spread of African swine fever within the smallholder pig value chains in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dione, Michel; Ouma, Emily; Opio, Felix; Kawuma, Brian; Pezo, Danilo

    2016-12-01

    A study was undertaken between September 2014 and December 2014 to assess the perceptions of smallholder pig value chain actors of the risks and practices associated with the spread of African swine fever (ASF) disease within the pig value chains. Data was collected from 136 value chain actors and 36 key informants through 17 group discussions and two key informant interview (KII) sessions respectively using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools. Results from this study revealed that according to value chain actors and stakeholders, the transporting, slaughtering, and collecting/bulking nodes represent the highest risk, followed by the inputs and services (feeds and drugs) supply nodes. The processing, whole sale and consumption nodes represented the lowest risk. Value chain actors are aware of the disease and its consequences to the pig industry, however biosecurity measures are poorly implemented at all nodes. As for the causes, value chain actors pointed to several factors, such as inadequate knowledge of mechanisms for the spread of the disease, poor enforcement of regulations on disease control, and low capacities of actors to implement biosecurity measures, amongst others. Although traders, butchers and veterinary practitioners accepted that they played an important role in the spread of the virus, they did not perceive themselves as key actors in the control of the disease; instead, they believed that only farmers should adopt biosecurity measures on their farms because they keep the pigs for a longer period. Most of the recommendations given by the value chain actors for controlling and preventing ASF disease were short term, and targeted mainly pig producers. These recommendations included: the establishment of live pig collection centres so that traders and brokers do not have to directly access pig farms, capacity building of value chain actors on application of biosecurity, enactment and enforcement of by-laws on live pig movements and establishment

  2. Investigation into endogenous N metabolism in 15N-labelled pigs. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergner, H.; Bergner, U.; Adam, K.

    1984-01-01

    4 male castrated pigs (55-65 kg) either received a wheat-fish meal diet (1 and 2) or a wheat-horse bean diet (3 and 4) without straw meal supplement (1 and 3) or with a supplement of 20% dry matter (2 and 4). In order to investigate whether a 15 N labelling of the pigs is also possible with a protein excess in the ration, the animals received 24.8 g (1 and 2) and 11.6 g crude protein/kg/sup 0.75/ live weight (3 and 4). During a 10-day 15 N-labelling 385 mg 15 N excess ( 15 N') per kg/sup 0.75/ were applied with 15 N labelling the following quotas of the applied 15 N amount were incorporated: 1 = 10.2%, 2 = 7.2%, 3 = 18.7%, 4 = 14.4%. 15 N excretion in both TCA fractions of feces showed a highly significant positive correlation to the increasing content of crude fibre in the 4 diets. The immediate 15 N incorporation into the TCA-precipitable fraction of feces proves that 15 N enters the large intestine endogenously and serves bacterial protein synthesis. 3 days after the last 15 application the pigs were killed. The values of atom-% 15 N' were determined in the TCA-precipitable blood plasma and in the TCA-precipitable fraction of the liver. The other examined organs and tissues showed smaller differences between the test animals. The results show that the 15 N labelling of tissues and organs of pigs is also possible at a high level of protein supply by means of an oral application of [ 15 N] ammonia salts. (author)

  3. MRSA CC398 in the pig production chain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Broens, E.M.; Graat, E.A.M.; Wolf, van der P.J.; Giessen, van de A.W.; Duijkeren, van E.; Wagenaar, J.A.; Nes, van A.; Mevius, D.J.; Jong, de M.C.M.

    2011-01-01

    In 2005, a distinct clone of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA CC398) was found in pigs and people in contact with pigs. The structure of the pig production chain in high technology pig husbandry enables pathogens to spread during animal trading, with an increasing prevalence in

  4. Smallholder Pig Marketing Systems in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kimbi, Eliakunda C.; Mlangwa, James; Thamsborg, Stig Milan

    2016-01-01

    A study using two cross-sectional and a longitudinal research designs was undertaken to assess smallholder pig marketing system to explore basic information for improving smallholder pig production and marketing systems. The first design involved a cross-sectional survey of 300 pig farmers randomly...... by informal marketing channels, hence, limit the effectiveness of pig production and marketing. Marketed pigs had smaller weights compared to their ages, therefore contributing to poor returns to pig farmers and sub-optimal pork market supply. The study recommends strategic development of pig value chain...... villages who had also participated in the first design. Results showed that, pig-marketing systems had various channels and segments moving mainly pigs and pork to farmers, traders and consumers. Major market participants in the pig market chain were the pig farmers who played a dual role as pig producers...

  5. Immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and non-replicative status of the HSV-2 vaccine candidate HSV529 in mice and guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Marie-Clotilde; Barban, Véronique; Pradezynski, Fabrine; de Montfort, Aymeric; Ryall, Robert; Caillet, Catherine; Londono-Hayes, Patricia

    2015-01-01

    HSV-2 vaccine is needed to prevent genital disease, latent infection, and virus transmission. A replication-deficient mutant virus (dl5-29) has demonstrated promising efficacy in animal models of genital herpes. However, the immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and non-replicative status of the highly purified clinical vaccine candidate (HSV529) derived from dl5-29 have not been evaluated. Humoral and cellular immune responses were measured in mice and guinea pigs immunized with HSV529. Protection against acute and recurrent genital herpes, mortality, latent infection, and viral shedding after vaginal HSV-2 infection was determined in mice or in naïve and HSV-1 seropositive guinea pigs. HSV529 replication and pathogenicity were investigated in three sensitive models of virus replication: severe combined immunodeficient (SCID/Beige) mice inoculated by the intramuscular route, suckling mice inoculated by the intracranial route, and vaginally-inoculated guinea pigs. HSV529 immunization induced HSV-2-neutralizing antibody production in mice and guinea pigs. In mice, it induced production of specific HSV-2 antibodies and splenocytes secreting IFNγ or IL-5. Immunization effectively prevented HSV-2 infection in all three animal models by reducing mortality, acute genital disease severity and frequency, and viral shedding. It also reduced ganglionic viral latency and recurrent disease in naïve and HSV-1 seropositive guinea pigs. HSV529 replication/propagation was not detected in the muscles of SCID/Beige mice, in the brains of suckling mice, or in vaginal secretions of inoculated guinea pigs. These results confirm the non-replicative status, as well as its immunogenicity and efficacy in mice and guinea pigs, including HSV-1 seropositive guinea pigs. In mice, HSV529 produced Th1/Th2 characteristic immune response thought to be necessary for an effective vaccine. These results further support the clinical investigation of HSV529 in human subjects as a prophylactic vaccine.

  6. Immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and non-replicative status of the HSV-2 vaccine candidate HSV529 in mice and guinea pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie-Clotilde Bernard

    Full Text Available HSV-2 vaccine is needed to prevent genital disease, latent infection, and virus transmission. A replication-deficient mutant virus (dl5-29 has demonstrated promising efficacy in animal models of genital herpes. However, the immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and non-replicative status of the highly purified clinical vaccine candidate (HSV529 derived from dl5-29 have not been evaluated. Humoral and cellular immune responses were measured in mice and guinea pigs immunized with HSV529. Protection against acute and recurrent genital herpes, mortality, latent infection, and viral shedding after vaginal HSV-2 infection was determined in mice or in naïve and HSV-1 seropositive guinea pigs. HSV529 replication and pathogenicity were investigated in three sensitive models of virus replication: severe combined immunodeficient (SCID/Beige mice inoculated by the intramuscular route, suckling mice inoculated by the intracranial route, and vaginally-inoculated guinea pigs. HSV529 immunization induced HSV-2-neutralizing antibody production in mice and guinea pigs. In mice, it induced production of specific HSV-2 antibodies and splenocytes secreting IFNγ or IL-5. Immunization effectively prevented HSV-2 infection in all three animal models by reducing mortality, acute genital disease severity and frequency, and viral shedding. It also reduced ganglionic viral latency and recurrent disease in naïve and HSV-1 seropositive guinea pigs. HSV529 replication/propagation was not detected in the muscles of SCID/Beige mice, in the brains of suckling mice, or in vaginal secretions of inoculated guinea pigs. These results confirm the non-replicative status, as well as its immunogenicity and efficacy in mice and guinea pigs, including HSV-1 seropositive guinea pigs. In mice, HSV529 produced Th1/Th2 characteristic immune response thought to be necessary for an effective vaccine. These results further support the clinical investigation of HSV529 in human subjects as a

  7. Basic pulmonary function tests in pig farmers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đuričić Slaviša M.

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION Many epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated an increased risk for the symptoms of respiratory disorders consistent with chronic bronchitis and asthma and alterations of pulmonary function tests in pig farmers. AIM The aim of this study was to determine basic pulmonary function values in workers in swine confinement buildings and to compare them with the same values in the control group of unexposed persons. The next aim was to examine the association between these values with duration of professional exposure, cigarette smoking, age, and sex of the examined persons. METHODS We randomly selected for examination 145 workers of both sex who had worked for at least 2 previous years in pig farms and spent at least 3 hours per day, 6 days per week in a swine confinement building. The farmers worked at 6 different farms with 12,383 pigs on average on each farms. The subject was eligible for the study if he had had no history of atopic disease nor any serious chronic disease, and no acute respiratory infection within 3 previous months. As control group we examined 156 subjects who had lived and/or worked in the same areas and had had no history of exposure to farming environment or any other known occupational air pollutants. In both groups the study comprised cigarette smokers and persons who had never smoked. Pulmonary function data were collected according to the standard protocol with a Micro Spirometer, (Micro Medical Ltd, England, UK. The registered parameters were FEV1 and FVC At least three satisfactory forced maximal expirations were performed by each subject and the best value was accepted for analyses. The results were also expressed as a percentage of predicted values and FEV1/FVCxlOO was calculated. RESULTS There were no differences in the main demographic characteristics between two examined groups (Table1. Mean duration of work in pig farming was 11.6 years (SD=8.5; range 2-40. The average values of examined

  8. Direct exposure of guinea pig CNS to human luteinizing hormone increases cerebrospinal fluid and cerebral beta amyloid levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahjoepramono, Eka J; Wijaya, Linda K; Taddei, Kevin; Bates, Kristyn A; Howard, Matthew; Martins, Georgia; deRuyck, Karl; Matthews, Paul M; Verdile, Giuseppe; Martins, Ralph N

    2011-01-01

    Luteinizing hormone (LH) has been shown to alter the metabolism of beta amyloid (Aβ), a key protein in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. While LH and components required for LH receptor signalling are present in the brain, their role in the CNS remains unclear. In vitro, LH has been shown to facilitate neurosteroid production and alter Aβ metabolism. However, whether LH can directly modulate cerebral Aβ levels in vivo has not previously been studied. In this study, we investigated the effect of chronic administration of LH to the guinea pig CNS on cerebral Aβ levels. Gonadectomised male animals were administered, via cortical placement, either placebo or LH slow-release pellets. At 14 and 28 days after treatment, animals were sacrificed. Brain, plasma and CSF were collected and Aβ levels measured via ELISA. Levels of the Aβ precursor protein (APP) and the neurosteroidogenic enzyme cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) were also assayed. An increase in CSF Aβ40 levels was observed 28 days following treatment. These CSF data also reflected changes in Aβ40 levels observed in brain homogenates. No change was observed in plasma Aβ40 levels but APP and its C-terminal fragments (APP-CTF) were significantly increased in response to LH exposure. Protein expression of P450scc was increased after 28 days of LH exposure, suggesting activation of the LH receptor. These data indicate that direct exposure of guinea pig CNS to LH results in altered brain Aβ levels, perhaps due to altered APP expression/metabolism. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  9. Differential effects of centrally-active antihypertensives on 5-HT1A receptors in rat dorso-lateral septum, rat hippocampus and guinea-pig hippocampus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leishman, D J; Boeijinga, P H; Galvan, M

    1994-01-01

    1. The electrophysiological responses elicited by 5-hydroxytryptamine1A-(5-HT1A) receptor agonists in rat and guinea-pig CA1 pyramidal neurones and rat dorso-lateral septal neurones were compared in vitro by use of conventional intracellular recording techniques. 2. In the presence of 1 microM tetrodotoxin (TTX), to prevent indirect effects, 5-HT, N,N-dipropyl-5-carboxamidotryptamine (DP-5-CT) and 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) hyperpolarized the neurones from rat and guinea-pig brain. 3. The hypotensive drug flesinoxan, a selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist, hyperpolarized neurones in all three areas tested; however, another hypotensive agent with high affinity at 5-HT1A-receptors, 5-methyl-urapidil, hyperpolarized only the neurones in rat hippocampus and septum. 4. In guinea-pig hippocampal neurones, 5-methyl-urapidil behaved as a 5-HT1A-receptor antagonist. 5. The relative efficacies (5-HT = 1) of DP-5-CT, 8-OH-DPAT, flesinoxan and 5-methyl-urapidil at the three sites were: rat hippocampus, 1.09, 0.7, 0.5 and 0.24; rat septum, 0.88, 0.69, 0.82 and 0.7; guinea-pig hippocampus, 1.0, 0.69, 0.89 and 0, respectively. 6. It is concluded that the hypotensive agents flesinoxan and 5-methyl-urapidil appear to have different efficacies at 5-HT1A receptors located in different regions of the rodent brain. Whether these regional and species differences arise from receptor plurality or variability in intracellular transduction mechanisms remains to be elucidated.

  10. Histotripsy for Pediatric Cardiac Applications: In Vivo Neonatal Pig Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Ryan M.; Owens, Gabe; Ensing, Gregory; Ludomirsky, Achiau; Cain, Charles; Xu, Zhen

    2010-03-01

    This study investigated the in vivo feasibility of using histotripsy to non-invasively create a flow channel between the ventricles by generating a perforation of the ventricular septum, clinically referred to as a ventricular septum defect (VSD). The overall goal is to develop a non-invasive procedure to aid in the treatment of neonatal patients with complex congenital heart diseases such as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). Histotripsy is a therapeutic ultrasound technique that produces mechanical fractionation of soft tissue through controlled cavitation. The study was conducted in a live and intact neonatal pig model. The ventricular septum in the neonatal pig heart was treated with histotripsy delivered by a spherically focused 1 MHz transducer positioned outside the chest wall. Histotripsy treatment was applied using 5-cycle ultrasound pulses at 1 kHz pulse repetition frequency with 12-18 MPa peak negative pressure. The treatment was guided and monitored with ultrasound imaging. In all nine subjects treated, a bubble cloud was generated on the ventricular septum using histotripsy, and visualized with ultrasound imaging. Within 20 seconds to 4 minutes following the initiation of a bubble cloud, a VSD was created in all nine pigs and confirmed by the detection of blood flow through the ventricular septum with color Doppler ultrasound. Gross morphology and histology on all hearts showed a demarcated perforation in the ventricular septum. This study shows that a VSD can be created in an intact neonatal animal using extracorporeal histotripsy under real-time ultrasound guidance.

  11. Aluminium hydroxide-induced granulomas in pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valtulini, S; Macchi, C; Ballanti, P

    2005-01-01

    The effect of intramuscular injection of 40 mg/2 ml aluminium hydroxide in the neck of pigs was examined in a number of ways. The investigation followed repeated slaughterhouse reports, according to which 64.8% of pigs from one particular farm were found at slaughter to have one or more nodules...... in the muscles of the neck (group slaughtered). The pigs had been injected with a vaccine containing 40 mg/2 ml dose of aluminium hydroxide as adjuvant. Research consisted of two phases: first, an epidemiological study was carried out, aimed at determining the risk factors for the granulomas. The results...... and adjuvant) to pigs inoculated twice with apyrogenic bi-distilled water (group water) and to pigs inoculated once with the adjuvant and once with apyrogenic bi-distilled water (group adjuvant/water). Both studies agreed in their conclusions, which indicate that the high amount of aluminium hydroxide...

  12. Oscillatory brain correlates of live joint attention: a dual-EEG study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fanny eLachat

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Joint attention consists in following another’s gaze onto an environmental object, which leads to the alignment of both subjects' attention onto this object. It is a fundamental mechanism of non-verbal communication, and it is essential for dynamic, online, interindividual synchronization during interactions. We aimed at investigating the oscillatory brain correlates of joint attention in a face-to-face paradigm where dyads of participants dynamically oriented their attention toward objects during joint and no-joint attention periods respectively. We also manipulated task instruction: in socially-driven instructions, the participants had to follow explicitly their partner’s gaze, while in color-driven instructions, the objects to be looked at were designated at by their color so that no explicit gaze following was required. We focused on oscillatory activities in the 10 Hz frequency range, where parieto-occipital alpha and the centro-parietal mu rhythms have been described, as these rhythms have been associated with attention and social coordination processes respectively. We tested the hypothesis of a modulation of these oscillatory activities by joint attention. We used dual EEG to record simultaneously the brain activities of the participant dyads during our live, face-to-face joint attention paradigm. We showed that joint attention periods – as compared to the no-joint attention periods – were associated with a decrease of signal power between 11 and 13 Hz over a large set of left centro-parieto-occipital electrodes, encompassing the scalp regions where alpha and mu rhythms have been described. This 11-13 Hz signal power decrease was observed independently of the task instruction: it was similar when joint versus no-joint attention situations were socially-driven and when they were color-driven. These results are interpreted in terms of the processes of attention mirroring, social coordination, and mutual attentiveness associated

  13. 9 CFR 113.38 - Guinea pig safety test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Guinea pig safety test. 113.38 Section... Standard Procedures § 113.38 Guinea pig safety test. The guinea pig safety test provided in this section... be injected either intramuscularly or subcutaneously into each of two guinea pigs and the animals...

  14. Pigs in sequence space: A 0.66X coverage pig genome survey based on shotgun sequencing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Wei

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Comparative whole genome analysis of Mammalia can benefit from the addition of more species. The pig is an obvious choice due to its economic and medical importance as well as its evolutionary position in the artiodactyls. Results We have generated ~3.84 million shotgun sequences (0.66X coverage from the pig genome. The data are hereby released (NCBI Trace repository with center name "SDJVP", and project name "Sino-Danish Pig Genome Project" together with an initial evolutionary analysis. The non-repetitive fraction of the sequences was aligned to the UCSC human-mouse alignment and the resulting three-species alignments were annotated using the human genome annotation. Ultra-conserved elements and miRNAs were identified. The results show that for each of these types of orthologous data, pig is much closer to human than mouse is. Purifying selection has been more efficient in pig compared to human, but not as efficient as in mouse, and pig seems to have an isochore structure most similar to the structure in human. Conclusion The addition of the pig to the set of species sequenced at low coverage adds to the understanding of selective pressures that have acted on the human genome by bisecting the evolutionary branch between human and mouse with the mouse branch being approximately 3 times as long as the human branch. Additionally, the joint alignment of the shot-gun sequences to the human-mouse alignment offers the investigator a rapid way to defining specific regions for analysis and resequencing.

  15. The problem of living in a world contaminated with chemicals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Metcalf, R.L. [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana (United States)

    1990-12-31

    The proliferation of xenobiotic chemicals in the global environment poses living problems for each of us aboard {open_quotes}spaceship earth.{close_quotes} Seven case studies are presented that illustrate the magnitude of the problem that can result from waiting to identify toxic hazards until there have been decades of {open_quotes}human guinea pig{close_quotes} exposure. 25 refs., 5 tabs.

  16. Expression of Shiga toxin 2e glycosphingolipid receptors of primary porcine brain endothelial cells and toxin-mediated breakdown of the blood-brain barrier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meisen, Iris; Rosenbrück, Regina; Galla, Hans-Joachim; Hüwel, Sabine; Kouzel, Ivan U; Mormann, Michael; Karch, Helge; Müthing, Johannes

    2013-06-01

    Shiga toxin (Stx) 2e, released by certain Stx-producing Escherichia coli, is presently the best characterized virulence factor responsible for pig edema disease, which is characterized by hemorrhagic lesions, neurological disorders and often fatal outcomes. Although Stx2e-mediated brain vascular injury is the key event in development of neurologic signs, the glycosphingolipid (GSL) receptors of Stx2e and toxin-mediated impairment of pig brain endothelial cells have not been investigated so far. Here, we report on the detailed structural characterization of Stx2e receptors globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer) and globotetraosylceramide (Gb4Cer), which make up the major neutral GSLs in primary porcine brain capillary endothelial cells (PBCECs). Various Gb3Cer and Gb4Cer lipoforms harboring sphingenine (d18:1) or sphinganine (d18:0) and mostly a long-chain fatty acid (C20-C24) were detected. A notable batch-to-batch heterogeneity of primary endothelial cells was observed regarding the extent of ceramide hydroxylation of Gb3Cer or Gb4Cer species. Gb3Cer, Gb4Cer and sphingomyelin preferentially distribute to detergent-resistant membrane fractions and can be considered lipid raft markers in PBCECs. Moreover, we employed an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which exhibited strong cytotoxic effects of Stx2e on the endothelial monolayer and a rapid collapse of the BBB. These data strongly suggest the involvement of Stx2e in cerebral vascular damage with resultant neurological disturbance characteristic of edema disease.

  17. Vector optimization and needle-free intradermal application of a broadly protective polyvalent influenza A DNA vaccine for pigs and humans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borggren, Marie; Nielsen, Jens; Bragstad, Karoline

    2015-01-01

    such as the induction of cellular and humoral immunity, inherent safety and rapid production time. We have previously developed a DNA vaccine encoding selected influenza proteins of pandemic origin and demonstrated broad protective immune responses in ferrets and pigs. In this study, we evaluated our DNA vaccine......The threat posed by the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus emphasized the need for new influenza A virus vaccines inducing a broad cross-protective immune response for use in both humans and pigs. An effective and broad influenza vaccine for pigs would greatly benefit the pork industry and contribute...... to public health by diminishing the risk of emerging highly pathogenic reassortants. Current inactivated protein vaccines against swine influenza produce only short-lived immunity and have no efficacy against heterologous strains. DNA vaccines are a potential alternative with advantages...

  18. Reactions of pigs to a hot environment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy,; Aarnink, A.J.A.; Verstegen, M.W.A.

    2005-01-01

    When compared to other species of farm animals, pigs are relatively sensitive to high environmental temperatures because the pig cannot sweat and is relatively poor at panting. Little information is available about the ambient temperatures above which group-housed pigs start to adapt their

  19. Absorption of methylmercury by the fetal guinea pig during mid to late gestation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelman, B.J.; Steinmetz, S.E.; Walter, B.K.; Sasser, L.B.

    1980-01-01

    Pregnant guinea pigs were injected with CH 3 203 HgCl at 22, 40, 47, 59, and 66 days of gestation, and fetal tissues were obtained 24 hours later. Autologous fetal erythrocytes were labeled with 51 Cr and used to label the fetal blood pool at each gestational age except 22 days so that tissue-bound Hg could be calculated. In general, Hg absorbed by the whole fetus increased during gestation, in parallel with increasing tissue mass, while Hg found in whole placentas remained the same. Liver, kidney, blood, and brain contained the highest Hg concentration early in gestation. While it is difficult to interpret the potential effects of the increased Hg concentrations, particular attention should be paid to the brain, since it is considered a target tissue in MeHg toxicity

  20. Assessment of Domestic Pigs, Wild Boars and Feral Hybrid Pigs as Reservoirs of Hepatitis E Virus in Corsica, France

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferran Jori

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In Corsica, extensive pig breeding systems allow frequent interactions between wild boars and domestic pigs, which are suspected to act as reservoirs of several zoonotic diseases including hepatitis E virus (HEV. In this context, 370 sera and 166 liver samples were collected from phenotypically characterized as pure or hybrid wild boars, between 2009 and 2012. In addition, serum and liver from 208 domestic pigs belonging to 30 farms were collected at the abattoir during the end of 2013. Anti-HEV antibodies were detected in 26% (21%–31.6% of the pure wild boar, 43.5% (31%–56.7% of hybrid wild boar and 88% (82.6%–91.9% of the domestic pig sera. In addition, HEV RNA was detected in five wild boars, three hybrid wild boars and two domestic pig livers tested. Our findings provide evidence that both domestic pig and wild boar (pure and hybrid act as reservoirs of HEV in Corsica, representing an important zoonotic risk for Corsican hunters and farmers but also for the large population of consumers of raw pig liver specialties produced in Corsica. In addition, hybrid wild boars seem to play an important ecological role in the dissemination of HEV between domestic pig and wild boar populations, unnoticed to date, that deserves further investigation.

  1. Assessment of gastrointestinal pH, fluid and lymphoid tissue in the guinea pig, rabbit and pig, and implications for their use in drug development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merchant, Hamid A; McConnell, Emma L; Liu, Fang; Ramaswamy, Chandrasekaran; Kulkarni, Rucha P; Basit, Abdul W; Murdan, Sudaxshina

    2011-01-18

    Laboratory animals are often used in drug delivery and research. However, basic information about their gastrointestinal pH, fluid volume, and lymphoid tissue is not completely known. We have investigated these post-mortem in healthy guinea pigs, rabbits and pigs, to assess their suitability for pre-clinical studies by comparing the results with reported human literature. The mean gastric pH (fed ad libitum) was 2.9 and 4.4 in guinea pig and pig, respectively. In contrast, a very low pH (1.6) was recorded in the rabbits. The small intestinal pH was found in the range of 6.4-7.4 in the guinea pigs and rabbits, whereas lower pH (6.1-6.7) was recorded in the pig, which may have consequences for ionisable or pH responsive systems when tested in pig. A relatively lower pH than in the small intestine was found in the caecum (6.0-6.4) and colon (6.1-6.6) of the guinea pig, rabbit and the pig. The water content in the gastrointestinal tract of guinea pig, rabbit and pig was 51g, 153g and 1546g, respectively. When normalized to the body weight, the guinea pig, had larger amounts of water compared to the rabbit and the pig (guinea pig>rabbit>pig); in contrast, a reverse order was found when normalized to per unit length of the gut (guinea pigpig). The lymphoid tissue distribution (lymphoid follicles, Peyer's patches and long strips) along the length of the gut in these animals is presented; in particular, an abundance of lymphoid tissue was found in pig's stomach, small intestine and caecum, and rabbit's appendix. Their ample presence indicated the potential utility of these animal species in oral and colonic vaccination. These differences in the gastrointestinal parameters of the guinea pig, rabbit and pig reiterates the crucial importance of correctly selecting animal models for pre-clinical studies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluating environmental impacts of contrasting pig farming systems with life cycle assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dourmad, J Y; Ryschawy, J; Trousson, T; Bonneau, M; Gonzàlez, J; Houwers, H W J; Hviid, M; Zimmer, C; Nguyen, T L T; Morgensen, L

    2014-12-01

    Environmental impacts of 15 European pig farming systems were evaluated in the European Union Q-PorkChains project using life cycle assessment. One conventional and two non-conventional systems were evaluated from each of the five countries: Denmark, The Netherlands, Spain, France and Germany. The data needed for calculations were obtained from surveys of 5 to 10 farms from each system. The systems studied were categorised into conventional (C), adapted conventional (AC), traditional (T) and organic (O). Compared with C systems, AC systems differed little, with only minor changes to improve meat quality, animal welfare or environmental impacts, depending on the system. The difference was much larger for T systems, using very fat, slow-growing traditional breeds and generally outdoor raising of fattening pigs. Environmental impacts were calculated at the farm gate and expressed per kg of pig live weight and per ha of land used. For C systems, impacts per kg LW for climate change, acidification, eutrophication, energy use and land occupation were 2.3 kg CO2-eq, 44.0 g SO2-eq, 18.5 g PO4-eq, 16.2 MJ and 4.1 m2, respectively. Compared with C, differences in corresponding mean values were +13%, +5%, 0%, +2% and +16% higher for AC; +54%, +79%, +23%, +50% and +156% for T, and +4%, -16%, +29%, +11% and +121% for O. Conversely, when expressed per ha of land use, mean impacts were 10% to 60% lower for T and O systems, depending on the impact category. This was mainly because of higher land occupation per kg of pig produced, owing to feed production and the outdoor raising of sows and/or fattening pigs. The use of straw bedding tended to increase climate change impact per kg LW. The use of traditional local breeds, with reduced productivity and feed efficiency, resulted in higher impacts per kg LW for all impact categories. T systems with extensive outdoor raising of pigs resulted in markedly lower impact per ha of land used. Eutrophication potential per ha was substantially

  3. Restricted use of antibiotics in organic pig farming

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aabo, Søren; Jensen, Annette Nygaard

    2013-01-01

    Can the restricted use of antibiotics in organic pig farming be documented to provide a safer, high quality meat product with less antibiotic resistant bacteria? The project SafeOrganic aims to document that the restricted use of antimicrobials in organic pig production leads to lower levels...... of antibiotic resistant bacteria compared with the level in conventional pigs. However, the project will also address the risk of losing this quality parameter, due to a widespread practice of slaughtering organic pigs together with conventional pigs, implying a risk of cross-contamination....

  4. Ovulation Statuses of Surrogate Gilts Are Associated with the Efficiency of Excellent Pig Cloning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huan, Yanjun; Hu, Kui; Xie, Bingteng; Shi, Yongqian; Wang, Feng; Zhou, Yang; Liu, Shichao; Huang, Bo; Zhu, Jiang; Liu, Zhongfeng; He, Yilong; Li, Jingyu; Kong, Qingran; Liu, Zhonghua

    2015-01-01

    Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is an assisted reproductive technique that can produce multiple copies of excellent livestock. However, low cloning efficiency limits the application of SCNT. In this study, we systematically investigated the major influencing factors related to the overall cloning efficiency in pigs. Here, 13620 cloned embryos derived from excellent pigs were transferred into 79 surrogate gilts, and 119 live cloned piglets were eventually generated. During cloning, group of cloned embryos derived from excellent Landrace or Large white pigs presented no significant differences of cleavage and blastocyst rates, blastocyst cell numbers, surrogate pregnancy and delivery rates, average numbers of piglets born and alive and cloning efficiencies, and group of 101-150, 151-200 or 201-250 cloned embryos transferred per surrogate also displayed a similar developmental efficiency. When estrus stage of surrogate gilts was compared, group of embryo transfer on Day 2 of estrus showed significantly higher pregnancy rate, delivery rate, average number of piglets born, average alive piglet number or cloning efficiency than group on Day 1, Day 3, Day 4 or Day 5, respectively (Pcloning efficiency (Pcloning efficiency. And more, follicle puncture for preovulation, not transfer position shallowed for preovulation or deepened for postovulation, significantly improved the average number of piglets alive and cloning efficiency (Pcloning efficiency of excellent pigs, and follicle puncture, not transfer position change, improved cloning efficiency. This work would have important implications in preserving and breeding excellent livestock and improving the overall cloning efficiency.

  5. Salmonella in the lairage of pig slaughterhouses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Swanenburg, M.; Urlings, H.A.P.; Keuzenkamp, D.A.; Snijders, J.M.A.

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if lairages of pig slaughterhouses can act as a source of contamination of slaughtered pigs with Salmonella. The prevalence and variety of serotypes of Salmonella in the lairages of two pig slaughterhouses were determined, and the efficacy of the usual

  6. Abcb1 in Pigs: Molecular cloning, tissues distribution, functional analysis, and its effect on pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Tingting; Huang, Jinhu; Zhang, Hongyu; Dong, Lingling; Guo, Dawei; Guo, Li; He, Fang; Bhutto, Zohaib Ahmed; Wang, Liping

    2016-01-01

    P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is one of the best-known ATP-dependent efflux transporters, contributing to differences in pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions. Until now, studies on pig P-gp have been scarce. In our studies, the full-length porcine P-gp cDNA was cloned and expressed in a Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell line. P-gp expression was then determined in tissues and its role in the pharmacokinetics of oral enrofloxacin in pigs was studied. The coding region of pig Abcb1 gene was 3,861 bp, encoding 1,286 amino acid residues (Mw = 141,966). Phylogenetic analysis indicated a close evolutionary relationship between porcine P-gp and those of cow and sheep. Pig P-gp was successfully stably overexpressed in MDCK cells and had efflux activity for rhodamine 123, a substrate of P-gp. Tissue distribution analysis indicated that P-gp was highly expressed in brain capillaries, small intestine, and liver. In MDCK-pAbcb1 cells, enrofloxacin was transported by P-gp with net efflux ratio of 2.48 and the efflux function was blocked by P-gp inhibitor verapamil. High expression of P-gp in the small intestine could modify the pharmacokinetics of orally administrated enrofloxacin by increasing the Cmax, AUC and Ka, which was demonstrated using verapamil, an inhibitor of P-gp. PMID:27572343

  7. Effect of fenbendazole in water on pigs infected with Ascaris suum in finishing pigs under field conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lassen, Brian; Oliviero, Claudio; Orro, Toomas

    2017-01-01

    The husbandry of pigs for meat production is a constantly developing industry. Most studies on the effects of Ascaris suum infection in pigs and its prevention with anthelmintics are over a decade old. We examined the effect of 2.5 mg fenbendazole per kg bodyweight administered in drinking water...... post-mortem. The proportion of Ascaris seropositive pigs changed from 8.6% to 22.2% and 20.3% to 16.3% in the placebo and treatment group respectively. Fenbendazole reduced the presence of A. suum eggs in faeces the percentage of liver rejections by 69.8%. The treatment did not affect daily weight gain...... or lean meat percentage. Pigs with A. suum eggs in faeces at week 6 had a lower average daily weight gain of 61.8 g/day compared with pigs without parasite eggs. Fenbendazole treatment may be a useful option for farms struggling with persistent A. suum problems and demonstrate a beneficial effect...

  8. Efficacy and safety of simultaneous vaccination with two modified live virus vaccines against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus types 1 and 2 in pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Charlotte S.; Kvisgaard, Lise Kirstine; Pawlowski, Maciej

    2018-01-01

    from groups 1–4 were mingled in new groups and challenged (DPC 0) with PRRSV-1, subtype 1, PRRSV-1, subtype 2 or PRRSV-2. On DPC 13/14 all pigs were necropsied. Samples were collected after vaccination and challenge. PRRSV was detected in all vaccinated pigs and the majority of the pigs were positive...... there was limited effect on the viral load in serum following challenge with the PRRSV-1 strains. Vaccination against PRRSV-1 had less impact on viremia following challenge. The protective effects of simultaneous vaccination with PRRSV Type 1 and 2 MLV vaccines and single PRRS MLV vaccination were comparable. None....... Thus, simultaneous administration of the two vaccines is an option in herds with both PRRSV types....

  9. Adding insult to brain injury: young adults' experiences of residing in nursing homes following acquired brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwyer, Aoife; Heary, Caroline; Ward, Marcia; MacNeela, Pádraig

    2017-08-28

    There is general consensus that adults under age 65 with acquired brain injury residing in nursing homes is inappropriate, however there is a limited evidence base on the issue. Previous research has relied heavily on third-party informants and qualitative studies have been of questionable methodological quality, with no known study adopting a phenomenological approach. This study explored the lived experiences of young adults with brain injury residing in aged care facilities. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to collect and analyze data from six semi-structured interviews with participants regarding their experiences of living in nursing homes. Two themes were identified, including "Corporeal prison of acquired brain injury: broken selves" and "Existential prison of the nursing home: stagnated lives". Results illustrated that young adults with acquired brain injury can experience aged care as an existential prison in which their lives feel at a standstill. This experience was characterized by feelings of not belonging in a terminal environment, confinement, disempowerment, emptiness and hope for greater autonomy through rehabilitation. It is hoped that this study will provide relevant professionals, services and policy-makers with insight into the challenges and needs of young adults with brain injury facing these circumstances. Implications for rehabilitation This study supports the contention that more home-like and age-appropriate residential rehabilitation services for young adults with acquired brain injury are needed. As development of alternative accommodation is a lengthy process, the study findings suggest that the interim implementation of rehabilitative care in nursing homes should be considered. Taken together with existing research, it is proposed that nursing home staff may require training to deliver evidence-based rehabilitative interventions to those with brain injury. The present findings add support to the call for systemic

  10. Radioimmunoassay studies of intestinal calcium-binding protein in the pig. 2. The distribution of intestinal CaBP in pig tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnold, B.M.; Kuttner, M.; Willis, D.M.; Hitchman, A.J.W.; Harrison, J.E.; Murray, T.M.

    1975-01-01

    Using a specific radioimmunoassay for porcine intestinal calcium-binding protein (CaBP), we have measured the concentration of CaBP in the various tissues and organs of normal pigs. Intestinal CaBP was present in highest concentration in the upper small intestine, with lower concentrations in the distal small intestine. Intestinal CaBP was also found, in lower concentrations, in kidney, liver, thyroid, pancreas, and blood. In all other tissues, including parathyroid, bone, skeletal muscle, and brain, CaBP immunoreactivity was undetectable or less than in blood. The elution profile of calcium-binding activity and immunoreactivity from gel filtration analysis of kidney and parathyroid extracts suggest that the calcium-binding protein in the parathyroid gland, and the major calcium-binding protein(s) in the kidney, are chemically and immunochemically different from intestinal CaBP. (author)

  11. Radioimmunoassay studies of intestinal calcium-binding protein in the pig. II. The distribution of intestinal CaBP in pig tissues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arnold, B M; Kuttner, M; Willis, D M; Hitchman, A J.W.; Harrison, J E; Murray, T M [Toronto Univ., Ontario (Canada). Dept. of Medicine

    1975-12-01

    Using a specific radioimmunoassay for porcine intestinal calcium-binding protein (CaBP), we have measured the concentration of CaBP in the various tissues and organs of normal pigs. Intestinal CaBP was present in highest concentration in the upper small intestine, with lower concentrations in the distal small intestine. Intestinal CaBP was also found, in lower concentrations, in kidney, liver, thyroid, pancreas, and blood. In all other tissues, including parathyroid, bone, skeletal muscle, and brain, CaBP immunoreactivity was undetectable or less than in blood. The elution profile of calcium-binding activity and immunoreactivity from gel filtration analysis of kidney and parathyroid extracts suggest that the calcium-binding protein in the parathyroid gland, and the major calcium-binding protein(s) in the kidney, are chemically and immunochemically different from intestinal CaBP.

  12. Spatial analysis and characteristics of pig farming in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thanapongtharm, Weerapong; Linard, Catherine; Chinson, Pornpiroon; Kasemsuwan, Suwicha; Visser, Marjolein; Gaughan, Andrea E; Epprech, Michael; Robinson, Timothy P; Gilbert, Marius

    2016-10-06

    In Thailand, pig production intensified significantly during the last decade, with many economic, epidemiological and environmental implications. Strategies toward more sustainable future developments are currently investigated, and these could be informed by a detailed assessment of the main trends in the pig sector, and on how different production systems are geographically distributed. This study had two main objectives. First, we aimed to describe the main trends and geographic patterns of pig production systems in Thailand in terms of pig type (native, breeding, and fattening pigs), farm scales (smallholder and large-scale farming systems) and type of farming systems (farrow-to-finish, nursery, and finishing systems) based on a very detailed 2010 census. Second, we aimed to study the statistical spatial association between these different types of pig farming distribution and a set of spatial variables describing access to feed and markets. Over the last decades, pig population gradually increased, with a continuously increasing number of pigs per holder, suggesting a continuing intensification of the sector. The different pig-production systems showed very contrasted geographical distributions. The spatial distribution of large-scale pig farms corresponds with that of commercial pig breeds, and spatial analysis conducted using Random Forest distribution models indicated that these were concentrated in lowland urban or peri-urban areas, close to means of transportation, facilitating supply to major markets such as provincial capitals and the Bangkok Metropolitan region. Conversely the smallholders were distributed throughout the country, with higher densities located in highland, remote, and rural areas, where they supply local rural markets. A limitation of the study was that pig farming systems were defined from the number of animals per farm, resulting in their possible misclassification, but this should have a limited impact on the main patterns revealed

  13. The effect of long or chopped straw on pig behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahrmann, H P; Oxholm, L C; Steinmetz, H; Nielsen, M B F; D'Eath, R B

    2015-05-01

    In the EU, pigs must have permanent access to manipulable materials such as straw, rope, wood, etc. Long straw can fulfil this function, but can increase labour requirements for cleaning pens, and result in problems with blocked slatted floors and slurry systems. Chopped straw might be more practical, but what is the effect on pigs' behaviour of using chopped straw instead of long straw? Commercial pigs in 1/3 slatted, 2/3 solid pens of 15 pigs were provided with either 100 g/pig per day of long straw (20 pens) or of chopped straw (19 pens). Behavioural observations were made of three focal pigs per pen (one from each of small, medium and large weight tertiles) for one full day between 0600 and 2300 h at each of ~40 and ~80 kg. The time spent rooting/investigating overall (709 s/pig per hour at 40 kg to 533 s/pig per hour at 80 kg), or directed to the straw/solid floor (497 s/pig per hour at 40 kg to 343 s/pig per hour at 80 kg), was not affected by straw length but reduced with age. Time spent investigating other pigs (83 s/pig per hour at 40 kg), the slatted floor (57 s/pig per hour) or pen fixtures (21 s/pig per hour) was not affected by age or straw length. Aggressive behaviour was infrequent, but lasted about twice as long in pens with chopped straw (2.3 s/pig per hour at 40 kg) compared with pens with long straw (1.0 s/pig per hour at 40 kg, P=0.060). There were no significant effects of straw length on tail or ear lesions, but shoulders were significantly more likely to have minor scratches with chopped straw (P=0.031), which may reflect the higher levels of aggression. Smaller pigs showed more rooting/investigatory behaviour, and in particular directed towards the straw/solid floor and the slatted floor than their larger pen-mates. Females exhibited more straw and pen fixture-directed behaviour than males. There were no effects of pig size or sex on behaviour directed towards other pigs. In summary, pigs spent similar amounts of time interacting with straw

  14. Odors from evaporation of acidified pig urine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Willers, H.C.; Hobbs, P.J.; Ogink, N.W.M.

    2004-01-01

    In the Dutch Hercules project feces and urine from pigs are collected separately underneath the slatted floor in a pig house and treated in two processes. Feces are composted and urine is concentrated by water evaporation in a packed bed. Exhaust air from the pig house is used for the evaporation in

  15. Cytochrome b based genetic differentiation of Indian wild pig (Sus scrofa cristatus) and domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica) and its use in wildlife forensics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Sandeep Kumar; Kumar, Ajit; Hussain, Syed Ainul; Vipin; Singh, Lalji

    2013-06-01

    The Indian wild pig (Sus scrofa cristatus) is a protected species and listed in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The wild pig is often hunted illegally and sold in market as meat warranting punishment under law. To avoid confusion in identification of these two subspecies during wildlife forensic examinations, we describe genetic differentiation of Indian wild and domestic pigs using a molecular technique. Analysis of sequence generated from the partial fragment (421bp) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene exhibited unambiguous (>3%) genetic variation between Indian wild and domestic pigs. We observed nine forensically informative nucleotide sequence (FINS) variations between Indian wild and domestic pigs. The overall genetic variation described in this study is helpful in forensic identification of the biological samples of wild and domestic pigs. It also helped in differentiating the Indian wild pig from other wild pig races. This study indicates that domestic pigs in India are not descendent of the Indian wild pig, however; they are closer to the other wild pig races found in Asia and Europe. Copyright © 2012 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Extreme hypoxia tolerance of naked mole-rat brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, John; Park, Thomas J

    2009-12-09

    Mammalian brains have extremely high levels of aerobic metabolism and typically suffer irreversible damage after brief periods of oxygen deprivation such as occur during stroke or cardiac arrest. Here we report that brain tissue from naked mole-rats, rodents that live in a chronically low-oxygen environment, is remarkably resistant to hypoxia: naked mole-rat neurons maintain synaptic transmission much longer than mouse neurons and can recover from periods of anoxia exceeding 30 min. We suggest that brain tolerance to hypoxia may result from slowed or arrested brain development in these extremely long-lived animals.

  17. Adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder in guinea pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoch-Ligeti, C.; Congdon, C.C.; Deringer, M.K.; Stewart, H.L.

    1979-01-01

    Adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder developed in 17 of 68 untreated and in 26 of 83 irradiated guinea pigs of inbred strains 2 and 13. The carcinomas spread widely by direct extension and through lymphatic and blood vessels to lymph nodes, mesenteries, omenta, abdominal wall, liver, lungs, bones, and spleen. Whole-body exposure to gamma or x radiation increased both the number of tumors and metastases in male inbred guinea pigs but not in females. Significantly fewer (9 of 98) noninbred than inbred guinea pigs developed gallbladder carcinomas after irradiation. In 9 untreated noninbred guinea pigs gallbladder carcinomas were not found. Inasmuch as the effect of irradiation was not dose-dependent, an indirect systemic effect of irradiation was postulated. This is the first report on the occurrence of spontaneous gallbladder adenocarcinomas in guinea pigs

  18. Radiation induced micrencephaly in guinea pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagner, L.K.; Johnston, D.A.; Felleman, D.J.

    1991-01-01

    A brain weight deficit of about 70 mg was induced at doses of approximately 75-mGy and a deficit of 60 mg was induced at 100 mGy. This confirms the effects projected and observed by Wanner and Edwards. Although the data do not demonstrate a clear dose-response relationship between the 75-mGy and 100-mGy groups, the data are statistically consistent with a dose-response effect because of the overlapping confidence intervals. The lack of a statistically significant observation is most likely related to the small difference in doses and the limited numbers of animals examined. There are several factors that can influence the brain weight of guinea pig pups, such as caging and housing conditions, the sex of the animal, and litter size. These should be taken into account for accurate analysis. Dam weight did not appear to have a significant effect. The confirmation of a micrencephalic effect induced x rays at doses of 75-mGy during this late embryonic stage of development is consistent with the findings of small head size induced in those exposed prior to the eight week of conception at Hiroshima. This implies a mechanism for micrencephaly different from those previously suggested and lends credence to a causal relation between radiation and small head size in humans at low doses as reported by Miller and Mulvihill. 16 refs., 13 tabs

  19. Environmental impact of heavy pig production in a sample of Italian farms. A cradle to farm-gate analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pirlo, G., E-mail: giacomo.pirlo@crea.gov.it [Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Fodder and Dairy Production Research Centre, Via A. Lombardo 11, 26900 Lodi (Italy); Carè, S. [Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Fodder and Dairy Production Research Centre, Via A. Lombardo 11, 26900 Lodi (Italy); Casa, G. Della; Marchetti, R.; Ponzoni, G.; Faeti, V. [Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Unit for Swine Husbandry, Via Beccastecca 345, San Cesario sul Panaro, 41018 (Italy); Fantin, V.; Masoni, P.; Buttol, P. [ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Via Martiri di Monte Sole 4, 40129 Bologna (Italy); Zerbinatti, L. [Associazione Regionale Allevatori dell' Emilia Romagna, Via Roma 89/2—Loc. Viadagola, 40057 Granarolo dell' Emilia (Italy); Falconi, F. [LCA-lab SRL, Bologna (Italy)

    2016-09-15

    Four breeding piggeries and eight growing-fattening piggeries were analyzed to estimate potential environmental impacts of heavy pig production (> 160 kg of live height at slaughtering). Life Cycle Assessment methodology was adopted in the study, considering a system from breeding phase to growing fattening phase. Environmental impacts of breeding phase and growing-fattening phase were accounted separately and then combined to obtain the impacts of heavy pig production. The functional unit was 1 kg of live weight gain. Impact categories investigated were global warming (GW), acidification (AC), eutrophication (EU), abiotic depletion (AD), and photochemical ozone formation (PO). The total environmental impact of 1 kg of live weight gain was 3.3 kg CO{sub 2}eq, 4.9 E − 2 kg SO{sub 2}eq, 3.1 E − 2 kg PO{sub 4}{sup 3−} eq, 3.7 E − 3 kg Sbeq, 1.7 E − 3 kg C{sub 2}H{sub 4}eq for GW, AC, EU, AD, and PO respectively. Feed production was the main hotspot in all impact categories. Greenhouse gases responsible for GW were mainly CH{sub 4}, N{sub 2}O, and CO{sub 2}. Ammonia was the most important source of AC, sharing about 90%. Nitrate and NH{sub 3} were the main emissions responsible for EU, whereas P and NOx showed minor contributions. Crude oil and natural gas consumption was the main source of AD. A large spectrum of pollutants had a significant impact on PO: they comprised CH{sub 4} from manure fermentation, CO{sub 2} caused by fossil fuel combustion in agricultural operations and industrial processes, ethane and propene emitted during oil extraction and refining, and hexane used in soybean oil extraction. The farm characteristics that best explained the results were fundamentally connected with performance indicators Farms showed a wide variability of results, meaning that there was wide margin for improving the environmental performance of either breeding or growing-fattening farms. The effectiveness of some mitigation measures was evaluated and the results

  20. Distribution of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript in the hippocampal formation of the guinea pig and domestic pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolenkiewicz, M; Robak, A; Równiak, M; Bogus-Nowakowska, K; Całka, J; Majewski, M

    2009-02-01

    This study provides a detailed description concerning the distribution of cocaineand amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) subunits - CART(61-102) and rhCART(28-116) - in the hippocampal formation (HF) of the guinea pig and domestic pig, focussing on the dentate gyrus (DG) and hippocampus proper (HP). Although in both studied species CART-immunoreactive (CART-IR) neuronal somata and processes were present generally in the same layers, some species-specific differences were still found. In the granular layer (GL) of both species, the ovalshaped neurons and some thick varicose fibres were encountered. In the guinea pig there was an immunoreactive "band of dots", probably representing crosssectioned terminals within the DG molecular layer (MOL), whereas in the domestic pig, some varicose fibres were detected, thus suggesting a different orientation of, at least, some nerve terminals. Furthermore, some CART-positive cells and fibres were observed in the hilus (HL) of the guinea pig, whereas in the analogical part of the domestic pig only nerve terminals were labelled. In both species, in the pyramidal layer (PL) of the hippocampus proper, CART-IR triangular somata were observed in the CA3 sector, as well as some positive processes in MOL; however, a few immunoreactive perikarya were found only in the CA1 sector of the guinea pig. As regards the localization patterns of two isoforms of CART in the guinea pig, both peptide fragments were present simultaneously in each of the labelled neurons or fibres, whereas in the domestic pig three types of fibres may be distinguished within the area of the DG. In the hilus and MOL of the dentate gyrus, there were fibres expressing both isoforms of CART in their whole length (fibres of the first type). Fibres of the second type (in GL) coexpressed both peptides only on their short segments, and the last ones (in MOL) expressed solely rhCART(28-116). These results indicate that the distribution of the two CART isoforms are

  1. A description of smallholder pig production systems in eastern Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, Edwina E C; Geong, Maria; Abdurrahman, Muktasam; Ward, Michael P; Toribio, Jenny-Ann L M L

    2015-03-01

    Pig farming is a common practice among smallholder farmers in Nusa Tenggara Timur province (NTT), eastern Indonesia. To understand their production systems a survey of smallholder pig farmers was conducted. Eighteen villages were randomly selected across West Timor, Flores and Sumba islands, and 289 pig farmers were interviewed. Information on pig management, biosecurity practices, pig movements and knowledge of pig health and disease, specifically classical swine fever was collected. The mean number of pigs per herd was 5.0 (not including piglets), and total marketable herd size (pigs≥two months of age) did not differ significantly between islands (P=0.215). Chickens (71%) and dogs (62%) were the most commonly kept animal species in addition to pigs. Pigs were mainly kept as a secondary income source (69%) and 83% of farmers owned at least one sow. Seventy-four percent (74%) of pigs were housed in a kandang (small bamboo pen) and 25% were tethered. Pig feeds were primarily locally sourced agricultural products (93%). The majority of farmers had no knowledge of classical swine fever (91%) and biosecurity practices were minimal. Forty-five percent (45%) reported to consuming a pig when it died and 74% failed to report cases of sick or dead pigs to appropriate authorities. Sixty-five percent (65%) of farmers reported that a veterinarian or animal health worker had never visited their village. Backyard slaughter was common practice (55%), with meat mainly used for home consumption (89%). Most (73%) farmers purchased pigs in order to raise the animal on their farm with 36% purchasing at least one pig within the last year. Predominantly fattener pigs (34%) were given as gifts for celebratory events, most commonly for funerals (32%), traditional ceremonies (27%) and marriages (10%). For improved productivity of this traditional low-input system, research incorporating farming training and improved knowledge on pig disease and biosecurity needs to be integrated with

  2. Preclinical electrogastrography in experimental pigs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Květina, Jaroslav; Varayil, Jithinraj Edakkanambeth; Ali, Shahzad Marghoob; Kuneš, Martin; Bureš, Jan; Tachecí, Ilja; Rejchrt, Stanislav; Kopáčová, Marcela

    2010-01-01

    Surface electrogastrography (EGG) is a non-invasive means of recording gastric myoelectric activity or slow waves from cutaneous leads placed over the stomach. This paper provides a comprehensive review of preclinical EGG. Our group recently set up and worked out the methods for EGG in experimental pigs. We gained our initial experience in the use of EGG in assessment of porcine gastric myoelectric activity after volume challenge and after intragastric administration of itopride and erythromycin. The mean dominant frequency in pigs is comparable with that found in humans. EGG in experimental pigs is feasible. Experimental EGG is an important basis for further preclinical projects in pharmacology and toxicology. PMID:21217873

  3. Arsanilic acid blindness in pigs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Menges, R.W.; Kintner, L.D.; Selby, L.A.; Stewart, R.W.; Marlenfeld, C.J.

    1970-06-01

    Blindness in pigs that were given an overdosage of arsanilic acid is reported. A 0.0375% level of arsanilic acid was fed to 640 pigs for 90 days beginning when the animals were 3 months old. Approximately one month after the start of feeding, partial or complete blindness was observed in 50 of the pigs. Clinical signs, pathologic findings and the chemical analysis of hair are discussed. The level of arsanilic acid used was that recommended for the control of swine dysentery, to be fed for only five or six days. The overdosage resulted from a misunderstanding between the farmer and the feed mill.

  4. Using Pig skin to treat Burns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katebe, R.

    2001-01-01

    The paper discusses the use of irradiated Pig Skin for the treatment of Burns, traumatic dermal denudations and poorly healing Decubitus ulcers. It gives a brief history of Pig skin use its characteristics

  5. Semen quality of Italian local pig breeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Gandini

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available From 1996 to 1999 a conservation programme was carried out within the framework of EC contract “European gene banking project for the pig genetic resources” (Ollivier et al., 2001 in the Italian local pig breeds. The aims of the program included the primary characterization of the breeds, i.e. information on the organization in charge of the breed, breeding population numbers, breed description and qualifications, and field trials on productive and reproductive performances. In this context the “Semen Bank of Italian local pig breeds” was built. A total of 30,835 straws of four Italian local pig breeds (Cinta Senese, Casertana, Mora Romagnola and Nero Siciliano, collected from 42 sires, have been stored. In this work semen quality traits, lipid composition and freezability of the four Italian local pig breeds are reported.

  6. Brain-Based Learning. Research Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Karen

    2005-01-01

    What does brain-based research say about how adolescents learn? The 1990s was declared as the Decade of the Brain by President Bush and Congress. With the advancement of MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imagining) and PET (positron emission tomography) scans, it has become much easier to study live healthy brains. As a result, the concept of…

  7. "Rickettsia amblyommii" induces cross protection against lethal Rocky Mountain spotted fever in a guinea pig model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanton, Lucas S; Mendell, Nicole L; Walker, David H; Bouyer, Donald H

    2014-08-01

    Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a severe illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii for which there is no available vaccine. We hypothesize that exposure to the highly prevalent, relatively nonpathogenic "Rickettsia amblyommii" protects against R. rickettsii challenge. To test this hypothesis, guinea pigs were inoculated with "R. amblyommii." After inoculation, the animals showed no signs of illness. When later challenged with lethal doses of R. rickettsii, those previously exposed to "R. amblyommii" remained well, whereas unimmunized controls developed severe illness and died. We conclude that "R. amblyommii" induces an immune response that protects from illness and death in the guinea pig model of RMSF. These results provide a basis for exploring the use of low-virulence rickettsiae as a platform to develop live attenuated vaccine candidates to prevent severe rickettsioses.

  8. On-farm estimation of pig growth parameters from longitudinal data of live weight and feed consumption and the use of a mathematical model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Schiavon

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Experimental data of feed consumption and composition, recorded over 5 consecutive short periods of growth from 30 crossbred male pigs divided 2 two groups and fed two restricted feeding regimes from 25 to 160 kg LW, were used to run a model in which a set of theoretical values, to describe the potential chemical growth of the pig, was preliminarily assumed. Simulated values of average daily gain (ADG and feed conversion ratio (FCR were the outputs. Estimates of protein mass at maturity (Pm, kg and relative growth rate (B, d-1 for each feeding regimes where successively obtained through an optimization procedure which has minimized the coefficients of variation of the differences between the estimates and the measurements of ADG and FCR. The very similar values of Pm (33.7 and 33.2 kg, and B (0.0104 and 0.0105 d-1, obtained for the two feed treatments suggested that these values can be used as operational data to describe the growth parameters of the experimental pigs used.

  9. Genetic diversity, virulotyping and antimicrobial resistance susceptibility of Yersinia enterocolitica isolated from pigs and porcine products in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thong, Kwai Lin; Tan, Lai Kuan; Ooi, Peck Toung

    2018-01-01

    The objectives of the present study were to determine the antimicrobial resistance, virulotypes and genetic diversity of Yersinia enterocolitica isolated from uncooked porcine food and live pigs in Malaysia. Thirty-two non-repeat Y. enterocolitica strains of three bioserotypes (3 variant/O:3, n = 27; 1B/O:8, n = 3; 1A/O:5, n = 2) were analysed. Approximately 90% of strains were multidrug-resistant with a multiple antibiotic resistance index Yersinia enterocolitica could be distinguished distinctly into three clusters by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, with each belonging to a particular bioserotype. Strains of 3 variant/O:3 were more heterogeneous than others. Eleven of the 15 virulence genes tested (hreP, virF, rfbC, myfA, sat, inv, ail, ymoA, ystA, tccC, yadA) and pYV virulence plasmid were present in all the bioserotpe 3 variant/03 strains. The occurrence of virulent strains of Y. enterocolitica in pigs and porcine products reiterated that pigs are important reservoirs for Y. enterocolitica. The increasing trend of multidrug resistant strains is a public health concern. This is the first report on the occurrence of potential pathogenic and resistant strains of Y. enterocolitica in pigs in Malaysia. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  10. Detection of radiation-induced brain necrosis in live rats using label-free time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS) (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartl, Brad A.; Ma, Htet S. W.; Sridharan, Shamira; Hansen, Katherine; Klich, Melanie; Perks, Julian; Kent, Michael; Kim, Kyoungmi; Fragoso, Ruben; Marcu, Laura

    2017-02-01

    Differentiating radiation-induced necrosis from recurrent tumor in the brain remains a significant challenge to the neurosurgeon. Clinical imaging modalities are not able to reliably discriminate the two tissue types, making biopsy location selection and surgical management difficult. Label-free fluorescence lifetime techniques have previously been shown to be able to delineate human brain tumor from healthy tissues. Thus, fluorescence lifetime techniques represent a potential means to discriminate the two tissues in real-time during surgery. This study aims to characterize the endogenous fluorescence lifetime signatures from radiation induced brain necrosis in a tumor-free rat model. Fischer rats received a single fraction of 60 Gy of radiation to the right hemisphere using a linear accelerator. Animals underwent a terminal live surgery after gross necrosis had developed, as verified with MRI. During surgery, healthy and necrotic brain tissue was measured with a fiber optic needle connected to a multispectral fluorescence lifetime system. Measurements of the necrotic tissue showed a 48% decrease in intensity and 20% increase in lifetimes relative to healthy tissue. Using a support vector machine classifier and leave-one-out validation technique, the necrotic tissue was correctly classified with 94% sensitivity and 97% specificity. Spectral contribution analysis also confirmed that the primary source of fluorescence contrast lies within the redox and bound-unbound population shifts of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. A clinical trial is presently underway to measure these tissue types in humans. These results show for the first time that radiation-induced necrotic tissue in the brain contains significantly different metabolic signatures that are detectable with label-free fluorescence lifetime techniques.

  11. Isolation of progenitor cells from GFP-transgenic pigs and transplantation to the retina of allorecipients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klassen, Henry; Warfvinge, Karin; Schwartz, Philip H

    2008-01-01

    to survival as allografts and integrate into the host retinal architecture, we isolated donor cells from fetal green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic pigs. Cultures were propagated from the brain, retina, and corneo-scleral limbus. GFP expression rapidly increased with time in culture, although lower...... in conjunction with photoreceptor markers and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), thus suggesting downregulation of GFP during differentiation. Following transplantation, GFP expression allowed histological visualization of integrated cells and extension of fine processes to adjacent plexiform layers. GFP...

  12. Evidence implicating BRD1 with brain development and susceptibility to both schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Severinsen, Jacob; Bjarkam, Carsten; Kiær-Larsen, Stine

    . Quantitative mRNA analysis in developing fetal pig brain revealed spatiotemporal differences with high expression at early embryonic stages, with intense nuclear and cytosolar immunohistochemical staining of the neuroepithelial layer and early neuroblasts, whilst more mature neurons at later embryonic stages...

  13. Biotechnology. Perseverance leads to cloned pig in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennisi, E; Normile, D

    2000-08-18

    Low success rates and unpredictable results have plagued cloning researchers, particularly those trying to clone pigs. Now, on page 1188, Japanese researchers offer the first scientific report of a cloned pig, named Xena, raising hopes that pigs could one day provide an unlimited supply of organs for transplantation thanks to their close physiological relationship to humans. But this week those hopes were dealt a blow by more evidence suggesting that pig retroviruses can infect human cells.

  14. Unilateral flank ovariohysterectomy in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozanska, D; Rozanski, P; Orzelski, M; Chlebicka, N; Putowska, K

    2016-11-01

    To describe a simple, minimally invasive method of ovariohysterectomy via a unilateral flank approach in guinea pigs, for use in routine desexing of healthy female guinea pigs or treatment of ovarian cysts. The subjects of this retrospective study were 41 client-owned guinea pigs submitted for routine desexing or treatment of ovarian cysts. They included 16 healthy female guinea pigs aged 8-12 months (Group 1), and 15 females aged from 9 months to 3 years (Group 2), and 10 females aged from 3 to 7 years (Group 3) with different-sized ovarian cysts. Prior to surgery, the animals received clinical examination, blood testing (complete blood count and serum biochemistry profile) and examination of the abdomen using ultrasonography, to assess the condition of the reproductive tract and ensure the guinea pigs were fit for surgery. Ovariohysterectomy was performed via a unilateral flank incision made close to the erector spinae muscle starting approximately 1 cm caudal to the last rib. Both ovaries, uterine horns, and the uterine cervix were localised, ligated, and dissected through this unilateral retroperitoneal incision. Ovariohysterectomy was successfully completed via a single flank incision in 38/41 (93%) guinea pigs. Three guinea pigs with ovarian cysts from Group 3, which were >6 years old died during surgery due to circulatory and respiratory failure under anaesthesia. In the remaining 38 cases, surgery proceeded without complications. A further two guinea pigs from Group 3 were reluctant to move or eat for the first 3 days after surgery but recovered after provision of supportive care. All 38 animals fully recovered and wound healing was normal. This is the first report of ovariohysterectomy via a unilateral flank incision in guinea pigs. This approach is a simple, minimally invasive and safe alternative to the midline or bilateral flank approaches currently used for surgery of the reproductive tract in guinea pigs.

  15. Pig design patterns

    CERN Document Server

    Pasupuleti, Pradeep

    2014-01-01

    Pig makes Hadoop programming simple, intuitive, and fun to work with. It removes the complexity from Map Reduce programming by giving the programmer immense power through its flexibility. What used to be extremely lengthy and intricate code written in other high level languages can now be written in almost one tenth of the size using its easy to understand constructs. Pig has proven to be the easiest way to learn how to program Hadoop clusters, as evidenced by its widespread adoption. This comprehensive guide enables readers to readily use design patterns to simplify the creation of complex da

  16. The guinea-pig

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Klaus Ejner; Maibach, H I; Anjo, M D

    1980-01-01

    14C ring-labelled hydrocortisone, testosterone and benzoic acid dissolved in acetone were applied to the backs of guinea-pigs (4 microgram/cm2). Percutaneous absorption was quantified by following the excretion of tracer in urine and faeces for 5 days. Absorption of hydrocortisone and benzoic acid...... was 2.4% (s.d. = 0.5; n = 3) and 31.4% (s.d. = 9.1; n = 3) of the applied dose respectively, similar to published human absorption data. Testosterone was absorbed to a greater extent in guinea-pigs (34.9% +/- 5.4; n = 5) than man. A thioglycollate based depilatory cream significantly increased the skin...

  17. A consumer study of entire male pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Godt, Jannik; Kristensen, Kai; Poulsen, Carsten Stig

    1996-01-01

    made in-home by consumers, thus bringing the analysis out of the laboratory and into the market place. The vast majority of the population of uncastrated male pigs have low concentrations of skatole and androstenone. The cutlets that were evaluated in this study were selected from uncastrated male pigs...... on a number of castrated male pigs and gilts. No difference was found in the way the odour components affected the eating quality determined by men and women. A total of 5.4% of the consumers in the study reacted negatively in their evaluation of the eating quality of the cutlets selected for the study......Former studies of the unpleasant odour of meat from certain uncastrated male pigs have been based mainly on evaluations made by trained sensory panellists. This study analyses the effect of the two dominating male pig odour components, skatole and androstenone, on the evaluation of eating quality...

  18. A Consumer Study of Entire Male Pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Carsten Stig; Godt, J.; Kristensen, K.

    1996-01-01

    Former studies of the unpleasant odour of meat from certain uncastrated male pigs have been based mainly on evaluations made by trained sensory panellists. This study analyses the effect of the two dominating male pig odour components, skatole and androstenone, on the evaluation of eating quality...... made in-home by consumers, thus bringing the analysis out of the laboratory and into the market place. The vast majority of the population of uncastrated male pigs have low concentrations of skatole and androstenone. The cutlets that were evaluated in this study were selected from uncastrated male pigs...... on a number of castrated male pigs and gilts. No difference was found in the way the odour components affected the eating quality determined by men and women. A total of 5.4% of the consumers in the study reacted negatively in their evaluation of the eating quality of the cutlets selected for the study...

  19. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Related to African Swine Fever Within Smallholder Pig Production in Northern Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chenais, E; Boqvist, S; Sternberg-Lewerin, S; Emanuelson, U; Ouma, E; Dione, M; Aliro, T; Crafoord, F; Masembe, C; Ståhl, K

    2017-02-01

    Uganda is a low-income country with the largest pig population in East Africa. Pig keeping has a large potential, commercially and as a tool for poverty reduction, but African swine fever (ASF) is a major hurdle for development of the sector. The objective of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices related to ASF in the smallholder pig production value chain in northern Uganda. The study included three separate series of participatory rural appraisals (PRA), comprising purposively selected farmers and other actors in the pig production value chain. In the PRAs, various participatory epidemiology tools were used. A total of 49 PRAs and 574 participants, representing 64 different villages, were included. The results indicate that participants were well aware of the clinical signs of ASF, routes for disease spread and measures for disease control. However, awareness of the control measures did not guarantee their implementation. A majority of middlemen and butchers acknowledged having sold live pigs, carcasses or pork they believed infected with ASF. Outbreaks of ASF had a strong negative impact on participants' socio-economic status with loss of revenue and reversal into more severe poverty. In conclusion, lack of knowledge is not what is driving the continuous circulation of ASF virus in this setting. To control ASF and reduce its impact, initiatives that stimulate changes in management are needed. Because the behaviour of all actors in the value chain is largely influenced by the deep rural poverty in the region, this needs to be combined with efforts to reduce rural poverty. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  20. The roots of the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis: PIGS vs non-PIGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernandes Costa Abel L.

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The main purposes of this paper are twofold: a to determine if there are significant differences on the determinants of public expenditures and tax revenues between the so-called PIGS and the remaining Eurozone member states; b to uncover possible explanations for the different situations in which these countries find themselves nowadays. The paper focus on the effects of the cyclical state of the economy on those fiscal variables, and on the actual adherence to the fiscal rules imposed by the Maastricht Treaty. Based on the estimated results we conclude that the anti-cyclical reaction with respect to the unemployment rate is much stronger among non-PIGS. We also find that fiscal rules have, in general, not been followed by those two groups of countries. Moreover, PIGS, in spite of their economic frailties, have tried to emulate the fiscal behavior of their more prosperous Eurozone partners instead of executing more rigorous policies.

  1. Relevant radiological anatomy of the pig as a training model in interventional radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dondelinger, R.F.; Ghysels, M.P.; Brisbois, D.; Donkers, E.; Snaps, F.R.; Saunders, J.; Deviere, J.

    1998-01-01

    The use of swine for teaching purposes in medicine and surgery has largely increased in recent years. Detailed knowledge of the porcine anatomy and physiology is a prerequisite for proper use of pigs as a teaching or an experimental model in interventional radiology. A systematic study of the radiological anatomy was undertaken in more than 100 female pigs aged 6-8 weeks. All studies were performed under general anesthesia in a single session. Animals were sacrificed at the end of the study. Selective angiographies were systematically obtained in all anatomical territories. In other animals CT and MRI examinations were performed and were correlated to anatomical sections and acrylic casts of the vascular structures. Endoscopical examinations of the upper gastrointestinal tract, including retrograde opacification of the biliary and pancreatic ducts, were added in selected animals. The main angiographic aspects of the brain, head and neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis were recorded. Similarities and differences in comparison with human anatomy are stressed. Potential applications in interventional radiology are indicated. (orig.)

  2. Whole-genome resequencing reveals candidate mutations for pig prolificacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wen-Ting; Zhang, Meng-Meng; Li, Qi-Gang; Tang, Hui; Zhang, Li-Fan; Wang, Ke-Jun; Zhu, Mu-Zhen; Lu, Yun-Feng; Bao, Hai-Gang; Zhang, Yuan-Ming; Li, Qiu-Yan; Wu, Ke-Liang; Wu, Chang-Xin

    2017-12-20

    Changes in pig fertility have occurred as a result of domestication, but are not understood at the level of genetic variation. To identify variations potentially responsible for prolificacy, we sequenced the genomes of the highly prolific Taihu pig breed and four control breeds. Genes involved in embryogenesis and morphogenesis were targeted in the Taihu pig, consistent with the morphological differences observed between the Taihu pig and others during pregnancy. Additionally, excessive functional non-coding mutations have been specifically fixed or nearly fixed in the Taihu pig. We focused attention on an oestrogen response element (ERE) within the first intron of the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type-1B gene ( BMPR1B ) that overlaps with a known quantitative trait locus (QTL) for pig fecundity. Using 242 pigs from 30 different breeds, we confirmed that the genotype of the ERE was nearly fixed in the Taihu pig. ERE function was assessed by luciferase assays, examination of histological sections, chromatin immunoprecipitation, quantitative polymerase chain reactions, and western blots. The results suggest that the ERE may control pig prolificacy via the cis-regulation of BMPR1B expression. This study provides new insight into changes in reproductive performance and highlights the role of non-coding mutations in generating phenotypic diversity between breeds. © 2017 The Author(s).

  3. Detection of Streptococcus suis by in situ hybridization, indirect immunofluorescence, and peroxidase-antiperoxidase assays in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boye, Mette; Feenstra, Anne Avlund; Tegtmeier, Conny

    2000-01-01

    and the immunohistochemical methods were used for detection of S. suis in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of brain, endocardium, and lung from pigs infected with S. suis. The methods developed were able to detect single cells of S. suis in situ in the respective samples, whereas no signal was observed from...

  4. Structure, dynamics and movement patterns of the Australian pig industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    East, I J; Davis, J; Sergeant, E S G; Garner, M G

    2014-03-01

    To assess management practices and movement patterns that could influence the establishment and spread of exotic animal diseases (EAD) in pigs in Australia. A literature review of published information and a telephone survey of 370 pig producers owning >10 pigs who were registered with the PigPass national vendor declaration scheme. The movement and marketing patterns of Australian pig producers interviewed were divided into two groups based predominantly on the size of the herd. Major pig producers maintain closed herds, use artificial insemination and market direct to abattoirs. Smaller producers continue to purchase from saleyards and market to other farms, abattoirs and through saleyards in an apparently opportunistic fashion. The role of saleyards in the Australian pig industry continues to decline, with 92% of all pigs marketed directly from farm to abattoir. This survey described movement patterns that will assist in modelling the potential spread of EAD in the Australian pig industry. Continued movement towards vertical integration and closed herds in the Australian pig industry effectively divides the industry into a number of compartments that mitigate against the widespread dissemination of disease to farms adopting these practices. © 2014 Australian Veterinary Association.

  5. High Leucine Diets Stimulate Cerebral Branched-Chain Amino Acid Degradation and Modify Serotonin and Ketone Body Concentrations in a Pig Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wessels, Anna G.; Kluge, Holger; Hirche, Frank; Kiowski, Andreas; Schutkowski, Alexandra; Corrent, Etienne; Bartelt, Jörg; König, Bettina; Stangl, Gabriele I.

    2016-01-01

    In addition to its role as an essential protein component, leucine (Leu) displays several other metabolic functions such as activation of protein synthesis. This property makes it an interesting amino acid for the therapy of human muscle atrophy and for livestock production. However, Leu can stimulate its own degradation via the branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDH). To examine the response of several tissues to excessive Leu, pigs were fed diets containing two- (L2) and four-fold (L4) higher Leu contents than the recommended amount (control). We found that the L4 diet led to a pronounced increase in BCKDH activity in the brain (2.5-fold, P diet had only weak effects on BCKDH activity. Both high Leu diets reduced the concentrations of free valine and isoleucine in nearly all tissues. In the brain, high Leu diets modified the amount of tryptophan available: for serotonin synthesis. Compared to the controls, pigs treated with the high Leu diets consumed less food, showed increased plasma concentrations of 3-hydroxybutyrate and reduced levels of circulating serotonin. In conclusion, excessive Leu can stimulate BCKDH activity in several tissues, including the brain. Changes in cerebral tryptophan, along with the changes in amino acid-derived metabolites in the plasma may limit the use of high Leu diets to treat muscle atrophy or to increase muscle growth. PMID:26930301

  6. Efficient generation of GGTA1-null Diannan miniature pigs using TALENs combined with somatic cell nuclear transfer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenmin Cheng

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background α1,3-Galactosyltransferase (GGTA1 is essential for the biosynthesis of glycoproteins and therefore a simple and effective target for disrupting the expression of galactose α-1,3-galactose epitopes, which mediate hyperacute rejection (HAR in xenotransplantation. Miniature pigs are considered to have the greatest potential as xenotransplantation donors. A GGTA1-knockout (GTKO miniature pig might mitigate or prevent HAR in xenotransplantation. Methods Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs were designed to target exon 6 of porcine GGTA1 gene. The targeting activity was evaluated using a luciferase SSA recombination assay. Biallelic GTKO cell lines were established from single-cell colonies of fetal fibroblasts derived from Diannan miniature pigs following transfection by electroporation with TALEN plasmids. One cell line was selected as donor cell line for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT for the generation of GTKO pigs. GTKO aborted fetuses, stillborn fetuses and live piglets were obtained. Genotyping of the collected cloned individuals was performed. The Gal expression in the fibroblasts and one piglet was analyzed by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS, confocal microscopy, immunohistochemical (IHC staining and western blotting. Results The luciferase SSA recombination assay revealed that the targeting activities of the designed TALENs were 17.1-fold higher than those of the control. Three cell lines (3/126 showed GGTA1 biallelic knockout after modification by the TALENs. The GGTA1 biallelic modified C99# cell line enabled high-quality SCNT, as evidenced by the 22.3 % (458/2068 blastocyst developmental rate of the reconstructed embryos. The reconstructed GTKO embryos were subsequently transferred into 18 recipient gilts, of which 12 became pregnant, and six miscarried. Eight aborted fetuses were collected from the gilts that miscarried. One live fetus was obtained from one surrogate by caesarean

  7. Use of a Guinea pig-specific transcriptome array for evaluation of protective immunity against genital chlamydial infection following intranasal vaccination in Guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wali, Shradha; Gupta, Rishein; Veselenak, Ronald L; Li, Yansong; Yu, Jieh-Juen; Murthy, Ashlesh K; Cap, Andrew P; Guentzel, M Neal; Chambers, James P; Zhong, Guangming; Rank, Roger G; Pyles, Richard B; Arulanandam, Bernard P

    2014-01-01

    Guinea pigs have been used as a second animal model to validate putative anti-chlamydial vaccine candidates tested in mice. However, the lack of guinea pig-specific reagents has limited the utility of this animal model in Chlamydia sp. vaccine studies. Using a novel guinea pig-specific transcriptome array, we determined correlates of protection in guinea pigs vaccinated with Chlamydia caviae (C. caviae) via the intranasal route, previously reported by us and others to provide robust antigen specific immunity against subsequent intravaginal challenge. C. caviae vaccinated guinea pigs resolved genital infection by day 3 post challenge. In contrast, mock vaccinated animals continued to shed viable Chlamydia up to day 18 post challenge. Importantly, at day 80 post challenge, vaccinated guinea pigs experienced significantly reduced genital pathology - a sequelae of genital chlamydial infections, in comparison to mock vaccinated guinea pigs. Sera from vaccinated guinea pigs displayed antigen specific IgG responses and increased IgG1 and IgG2 titers capable of neutralizing GPIC in vitro. Th1-cellular/inflammatory immune genes and Th2-humoral associated genes were also found to be elevated in vaccinated guinea pigs at day 3 post-challenge and correlated with early clearance of the bacterium. Overall, this study provides the first evidence of guinea pig-specific genes involved in anti-chlamydial vaccination and illustrates the enhancement of the utility of this animal model in chlamydial pathogenesis.

  8. Gene expression analyses of the small intestine of pigs in the ex-evacuation zone of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morimoto, Motoko; Kato, Ayaka; Kobayashi, Jin; Okuda, Kei; Kuwahara, Yoshikazu; Kino, Yasushi; Abe, Yasuyuki; Sekine, Tsutomu; Fukuda, Tomokazu; Isogai, Emiko; Fukumoto, Manabu

    2017-11-15

    After the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, radioactive contaminants were released over a widespread area. Monitoring the biological effects of radiation exposure in animals in the ex-evacuation zone should be continued to understand the health effects of radiation exposure in humans. The present study aimed to clarify the effects of radiation by investigating whether there is any alteration in the morphology and gene expressions of immune molecules in the intestine of pigs and inobuta (wild boar and domestic pig hybrid) in the ex-evacuation zone in 2012. Gene expression analysis was performed in small intestine samples from pigs, which were collected from January to February 2012, in the ex-evacuation zone. Pigs lived freely in this zone, and their small intestine was considered to be affected by the dietary intake of radioactive contaminants. Several genes were selected by microarray analysis for further investigation using real-time polymerase chain reaction. IFN-γ, which is an important inflammatory cytokine, and TLR3, which is a pattern recognize receptor for innate immune system genes, were highly elevated in these pigs. The expressions of the genes of these proteins were associated with the radiation level in the muscles. We also examined the alteration of gene expressions in wild boars 5 years after the disaster. The expression of IFN-γ and TLR3 remained high, and that of Cyclin G1, which is important in the cell cycle, was elevated. We demonstrated that some changes in gene expression occurred in the small intestine of animals in the ex-evacuation zone after radiation. It is difficult to conclude that these alterations are caused by only artificial radionuclides from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. However, the animals in the ex-evacuation zone might have experienced some changes owing to radioactive materials, including contaminated soil, small animals, and insects. We need to continue monitoring the effects of long

  9. Patterns and risks of trichinella infection in humans and pigs in northern Laos.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James V Conlan

    Full Text Available Several outbreaks of trichinellosis associated with the consumption of raw pork have occurred in Laos since 2004. This cross-sectional study was conducted in four provinces of northern Laos to investigate the seroepidemiology of trichinellosis in the human population and determine the prevalence and species of Trichinella infection in the domestic pig population. Serum samples and questionnaire data were obtained from 1419 individuals. Serum samples were tested for Trichinella antibodies by ELISA using larval excretory-secretory (ES antigens and a subset of 68 positive samples were tested by western blot. The seroprevalence of Trichinella antibodies was 19.1% (95% confidence interval (CI = 17.1-21.1%. The risk of having antibodies detected by ELISA using ES antigens increased with age, being of Lao-Tai ethnicity, living in Oudomxay province and being male. Tongue and diaphragm muscle samples were collected from 728 pigs and tested for Trichinella larvae by the artificial digestion method. Trichinella larvae were isolated from 15 pigs (2.1% of which 13 were identified as T. spiralis by molecular typing; the species of the two remaining isolates could not be determined due to DNA degradation. Trichinella spp. are endemic in the domestic environment of northern Laos and targeted preventative health measures should be initiated to reduce the risk of further outbreaks occurring.

  10. sigma opiates and certain antipsychotic drugs mutually inhibit (+)-[3H]SKF 10,047 and [3H]haloperidol binding in guinea pig brain membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tam, S.W.; Cook, L.

    1984-01-01

    The relationship between binding of antipsychotic drugs and sigma psychotomimetic opiates to binding sites for the sigma agonist (+)-[ 3 H]SKF 10,047 (N-allylnormetazocine) and to dopamine D 2 sites was investigated. In guinea pig brain membranes, (+)-[ 3 H]SKF 10,047 bound to single class of sites with a K/sub d/ of 4 x 10 -8 M and a B/sub max/ of 333 fmol/mg of protein. This binding was different from μ, kappa, or delta opiate receptor binding. It was inhibited by opiates that produce psychotomimetic activities but not by opiates that lack such activities. Some antipsychotic drugs inhibited (+)-[ 3 H]SKF 10,047 binding with high to moderate affinities in the following order of potency: haloperidol > perphenazine > fluphenazine > acetophenazine > trifluoperazine > molindone greater than or equal to pimozide greater than or equal to thioridazine greater than or equal to chlorpromazine greater than or equal to triflupromazine. However, there were other antipsychotic drugs such as spiperone and clozapine that showed low affinity for the (+)-[ 3 H]SKF 10,047 binding sites. Affinities of antipsychotic drugs for (+)-[ 3 H]SKF 10,047 binding sites did not correlate with those for [ 3 H]spiperone (dopamine D 2 ) sites. [ 3 H]-Haloperidol binding in whole brain membranes was also inhibited by the sigma opiates pentazocine, cyclazocine, and (+)-[ 3 H]SKF 10,047. In the striatum, about half of the saturable [ 3 H]haloperidol binding was to [ 3 H]spiperone (D 2 ) sites and the other half was to sites similar to (+)-[ 3 H]SKF 10,047 binding sites. 15 references, 4 figures, 1 table

  11. Blood lactate kinetics in normal and stress-susceptible pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darrah, P.S.; Beitz, D.C.; Topel, D.G.; Christian, L.L.

    1981-01-01

    In vitro rates of lactate metabolism were determined in stress-susceptible (SS) and stress-resistant (SR) pigs. Three SR and three SS pigs were given 20 muCi of [U-/sup 14/C] L-lactate by a single injection method and resting blood lactate kinetics were measured. Seventeen blood samples were taken during the 60 min after injection. Lactate was separated from the deproteinized plasma by silicic acid column chromatography, and specific radioactivity was determined. Kinetic characteristics were calculated from plots of specific activity versus time. Pigs met steady-state requirements during the sampling period. There were no differences in kinetic characteristics of resting SS and SR pigs. Later, a second isotope injection was given after 5 min of electrical stress. Lactate pool sizes increased similarly in both types of pigs after stress; however, SS pigs had greater plasma lactate concentrations after stress. It is concluded that SS and SR pigs respond differently to stress but have similar capacities to metabolize lactate while resting

  12. Mechanisms of cannabidiol neuroprotection in hypoxic-ischemic newborn pigs: role of 5HT(1A) and CB2 receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pazos, M Ruth; Mohammed, Nagat; Lafuente, Hector; Santos, Martin; Martínez-Pinilla, Eva; Moreno, Estefania; Valdizan, Elsa; Romero, Julián; Pazos, Angel; Franco, Rafael; Hillard, Cecilia J; Alvarez, Francisco J; Martínez-Orgado, Jose

    2013-08-01

    The mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of cannabidiol (CBD) were studied in vivo using a hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury model in newborn pigs. One- to two-day-old piglets were exposed to HI for 30 min by interrupting carotid blood flow and reducing the fraction of inspired oxygen to 10%. Thirty minutes after HI, the piglets were treated with vehicle (HV) or 1 mg/kg CBD, alone (HC) or in combination with 1 mg/kg of a CB₂ receptor antagonist (AM630) or a serotonin 5HT(1A) receptor antagonist (WAY100635). HI decreased the number of viable neurons and affected the amplitude-integrated EEG background activity as well as different prognostic proton-magnetic-resonance-spectroscopy (H(±)-MRS)-detectable biomarkers (lactate/N-acetylaspartate and N-acetylaspartate/choline ratios). HI brain damage was also associated with increases in excitotoxicity (increased glutamate/N-acetylaspartate ratio), oxidative stress (decreased glutathione/creatine ratio and increased protein carbonylation) and inflammation (increased brain IL-1 levels). CBD administration after HI prevented all these alterations, although this CBD-mediated neuroprotection was reversed by co-administration of either WAY100635 or AM630, suggesting the involvement of CB₂ and 5HT(1A) receptors. The involvement of CB₂ receptors was not dependent on a CBD-mediated increase in endocannabinoids. Finally, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer studies indicated that CB₂ and 5HT(1A) receptors may form heteromers in living HEK-293T cells. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that CBD exerts robust neuroprotective effects in vivo in HI piglets, modulating excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation, and that both CB₂ and 5HT(1A) receptors are implicated in these effects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Direct and indirect transmission of four Salmonella enterica serotypes in pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Österberg Julia

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Feed-borne spread of Salmonella spp. to pigs has been documented several times in recent years in Sweden. Experiences from the field suggest that feed-associated serotypes might be less transmittable and subsequently easier to eradicate from pig herds than other serotypes more commonly associated to pigs. Four Salmonella serotypes were selected for experimental studies in pigs in order to study transmissibility and compare possible differences between feed-assoociated (S Cubana and S Yoruba and pig-associated serotypes (S Derby and S Typhimurium. Methods Direct contact transmission was studied in four groups of pigs formed by six 10-week-old salmonella negative pigs commingled with two fatteners excreting one of the four salmonella serotypes. Indirect transmission was studied by putting six 10-week-old salmonella negative pigs in each of four salmonella contaminated rooms. Each room had previously housed a group of pigs, excreting one of the four selected serotypes. All pigs were monitored for two weeks with respect to the faecal excretion of salmonella and the presence of serum antibodies. At the end of the trial, eight samples from inner tissues and organs were collected from each pig at necropsy. Results In the four direct transmission groups, one pig shed Salmonella (Cubana at one occasion. At necropsy, S Typhimurium was isolated from one pig. In the indirect transmission groups, two pigs in the Yoruba room and one pig in each of the other rooms were excreting detectable levels of Salmonella once during the study period of two weeks. At necropsy, S Derby was isolated from one of six pigs in the Derby room and S Typhimurium was isolated from four of the six pigs in the Typhimurium room. No significant serological response could be detected in any of the 48 pigs. Conclusions These results show that all four selected serotypes were able to be transmitted in at least one of these field-like trials, but the transmission rate

  14. Attention Functions in Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke: An Exploration of the Predictors of Daily Living Difficulties and the Correlates of the CogniPlus Vigilance Training Programme

    OpenAIRE

    Shehab, Al Amira Safa

    2012-01-01

    Attention deficits are common in traumatic brain injury and stroke. These difficulties can impact the individual’s everyday life, affecting activities of daily living such as running errands, increasing cognitive errors such as failing to notice signs, and minimising community integration. They also call for specific training to improve these functions. We investigated the relationship between attention functions and these daily living aspects, as well as the correlates of the CogniPlus VIG t...

  15. Development of a Guinea Pig Lung Deposition Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Development of a Guinea Pig Lung Deposition Model Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. January...4 Figure 2. Particle deposition in the lung of the guinea pig via endotracheal breathing...Particle deposition in the lungs of guinea pigs via nasal breathing. ......................................... 12 v PREFACE The research work

  16. Serotonin depletion induces pessimistic-like behavior in a cognitive bias paradigm in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stracke, Jenny; Otten, Winfried; Tuchscherer, Armin; Puppe, Birger; Düpjan, Sandra

    2017-05-15

    Cognitive and affective processes are highly interrelated. This has implications for neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder in humans but also for the welfare of non-human animals. The brain serotonergic system might play a key role in mediating the relationship between cognitive functions and affective regulation. The aim of our study was to examine the influence of serotonin depletion on the affective state and cognitive processing in pigs, an important farm animal species but also a potential model species for biomedical research in humans. For this purpose, we modified a serotonin depletion model using para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) to decrease serotonin levels in brain areas involved in cognitive and affective processing (part 1). The consequences of serotonin depletion were then measured in two behavioral tests (part 2): the spatial judgement task (SJT), providing information about the effects of the affective state on cognitive processing, and the open field/novel object (OFNO) test, which measures behavioral reactions to novelty that are assumed to reflect affective state. In part 1, 40 pigs were treated with either pCPA or saline for six consecutive days. Serotonin levels were assessed in seven different brain regions 4, 5, 6, 11 and 13days after the first injection. Serotonin was significantly depleted in all analyzed brain regions up to 13days after the first application. In part 2, the pCPA model was applied to 48 animals in behavioral testing. Behavioral tests, the OFNO test and the SJT, were conducted both before and after pCPA/saline injections. While results from the OFNO tests were inconclusive, an effect of treatment as well as an effect of the phase (before and after treatment) was observed in the SJT. Animals treated with pCPA showed more pessimistic-like behavior, suggesting a more negative affective state due to serotonin depletion. Thus, our results confirm that the serotonergic system is a key player in cognitive

  17. Instrumented PIG's field performance; Desenvolvimento de PIG MFL de alta resolucao

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Camerini, Claudio Soligo; Oliveira, Carlos H.F. de; Nazario, Fabiana; Sant' Anna, Antonio Claudio [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas (CENPES); Silva, Jos Augusto; Janvrot, Ivan Vicente [PipeWay Engenharia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Weid, Jean Pierre Van Der; Lima, Vinicius; Freitas, Miguel; Domingos, Luis Carlos [Pontificia Univ. Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Estudos em Telecomunicacoes; Silva, Guttemberg C. da [Chemtech Ltda., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2003-07-01

    About ten years ago PETROBRAS and PUC-Rio started a cooperation agreement aiming the development of intelligent PIG technology for pipeline inspection. The PETROBRAS R and D center (CENPES) and PUC' Center for Telecommunications Studies (CETUC) were the research units involved in this technological partnership. Many different results were generated from this 10-year work, including a spin-off company for the commercialization of the results. Within this work, the development of a high resolution magnetic PIG - MFL PIG - which is the main pipeline inspection tool and central theme of the technological partnership. Technical features of the development are described, such as the evolution of the detected signal quality and resolution, test beds, etc. The cooperation between PETROBRAS and PUC-Rio, the financial support of the government agency FINEP, as well as the technology license, which allowed the commercial use of the technology, are also described. (author)

  18. Pigs in sequence space: A 0.66X coverage pig genome survey based on shotgun sequencing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wernersson, Rasmus; Schierup, M.H.; Jorgensen, F.G.

    2005-01-01

    sequences (0.66X coverage) from the pig genome. The data are hereby released (NCBI Trace repository with center name "SDJVP", and project name "Sino-Danish Pig Genome Project") together with an initial evolutionary analysis. The non-repetitive fraction of the sequences was aligned to the UCSC human...

  19. Effects of hyperbaric treatment in cerebral air embolism on intracranial pressure, brain oxygenation, and brain glucose metabolism in the pig

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hulst, Robert A.; Drenthen, Judith; Haitsma, Jack J.; Lameris, Thomas W.; Visser, Gerhard H.; Klein, Jan; Lachmann, Burkhard

    2005-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment after cerebral air embolism on intracranial pressure, brain oxygenation, brain glucose/lactate metabolism, and electroencephalograph. DESIGN: Prospective animal study. SETTING: Hyperbaric chamber. SUBJECTS: Eleven Landrace/Yorkshire

  20. Pig lift applications in offshore dry completion wells; Aplicacao do pig lift em pocos offshore de completacao seca

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lima, Paulo C.R.; Faria, Rogerio Costa; Almeida, Alcino Resende [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2000-07-01

    Production increases of 10% to 130% have been obtained with pig lift installations on offshore oil wells in the Cacao Field, southeast Brazil. At the present time 3 wells out of 5 are being produced with pig lift. These deep, highly deviated wells with little space on the platform to the required surface equipment presented a challenge to pig lift technology. However, these difficulties were overcame and the benefits obtained helped to maintain the economical attractiveness of the platform. (author)

  1. Prevalence and characterization of plasmids carrying sulfonamide resistance genes among Escherichia coli from pigs, pig carcasses and human

    OpenAIRE

    Wu, Shuyu; Dalsgaard, Anders; Hammerum, Anette M; Porsbo, Lone J; Jensen, Lars B

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Background Sulfonamide resistance is very common in Escherichia coli. The aim of this study was to characterize plasmids carrying sulfonamide resistance genes (sul1, sul2 and sul3) in E. coli isolated from pigs and humans with a specific objective to assess the genetic diversity of plasmids involved in the mobility of sul genes. Methods A total of 501 E. coli isolates from pig feces, pig carcasses and human stools were tested for their susceptibility to selected antimicrobial. Multip...

  2. The efficacy of Aspergillus niger phytase in rendering phytate phosphorus available for absorption in pigs is influenced by pig physiological status

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kemme, P.A.; Jongbloed, A.W.; Mroz, Z.; Beynen, A.C.

    1997-01-01

    We performed an experiment with 112 piglets, 32 growing-finishing pigs, and 12 sows during pregnancy and lactation to test the hypotheses that apparent total tract digestibilities of P and Ca as well as the efficacy of Aspergillus niger phytase in rendering phytate P available in pigs depend on pig

  3. Living longer living happier: My journey from clinical neurology to complexities of brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashok Panagariya

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The present article is a treatise on the illuminating voyage of a Neurophysician along the fascinating horizons and frontiers of neurosciences. During the career as a clinical neurologist, some very interesting and intriguing cases and issues were dealt with and documented scientifically. The working of the brain and its operational architectonics came up for critical analysis, opening up new vistas in the appreciation and management of various neurological disorders. Issues regarding the working of the mind and the guidelines for health and happiness became apparent, and some very interesting generalizations with far-reaching consequences on the general well-being and health have been formulated and put forward for a healthy and happy future for mankind. A paradigm shift is warranted for a closer and better appreciation of neural dynamics at all levels of the brain, namely microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic levels!

  4. DIVA vaccine properties of the live chimeric pestivirus strain CP7_E2gif.

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Rosen, Tanya; Rangelova, Desislava; Nielsen, Jens; Rasmussen, Thomas Bruun; Uttenthal, Åse

    2014-06-04

    Live modified vaccines to protect against classical swine fever virus (CSFV), based on chimeric pestiviruses, have been developed to enable serological Differentiation of Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA). In this context, the chimeric virus CP7_E2gif vaccine candidate is unique as it does not include any CSFV components. In the present study, the DIVA vaccine properties of CP7_E2gif were evaluated in comparison to the conventional live attenuated Riemser C-strain vaccine. Sera and tonsil samples obtained from pigs immunised with these two vaccines were analysed. No viral RNA was found in serum after vaccination with CP7_E2gif, whereas some serum samples from C-strain vaccinated animals were positive. In both vaccinated groups, individual viral RNA-positive tonsil samples were detected in animals euthanised between 7 and 21 days post vaccination. Furthermore, serum samples from these animals, together with archival samples from pigs vaccinated with CP7_E2gif and subsequently CSFV challenged, were analysed for specific antibodies using ELISAs and for homologous neutralising antibodies. In animals vaccinated with CP7_E2gif, neutralising antibodies were detected from day 10. However, the sera remained negative for anti-CSFV E2-specific antibodies whereas pigs vaccinated with C-strain seroconverted against CSFV by 14 days after vaccination, as determined by a CSFV-E2 specific blocking ELISA. One week after subsequent CSFV challenge, a strong anti-CSFV E2 reaction was detected in CP7_E2gif vaccinated pigs and anti-E(rns) antibodies were detected from 10 days after infection. In conclusion, CP7_E2gif has the potential to be used as a DIVA vaccine in combination with detection of anti-CSFV E2-specific antibodies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Nasal colonization of humans with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA CC398 with and without exposure to pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christiane Cuny

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Studies in several European countries and in North America revealed a frequent nasal colonization of livestock with MRSA CC398 and also in humans with direct professional exposure to colonized animals. The study presented here addresses the question of further transmission to non exposed humans. METHODS: After selecting 47 farms with colonized pigs in different regions of Germany we sampled the nares of 113 humans working daily with pigs and of their 116 non exposed family members. The same was performed in 18 veterinarians attending pig farms and in 44 of their non exposed family members. For investigating transmission beyond families we samples the nares of 462 pupils attending a secondary school in a high density pig farming area. MRSA were detected by direct culture on selective agar. The isolates were typed by means of spa-sequence typing and classification of SCCmec elements. For attribution of spa sequence types to clonal lineages as defined by multi locus sequence typing we used the BURP algorithm. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by microbroth dilution assay. RESULTS: At the farms investigated 86% of humans exposed and only 4.3% of their family members were found to carry MRSA exhibiting spa-types corresponding to clonal complex CC398. Nasal colonization was also found in 45% of veterinarians caring for pig farms and in 9% of their non exposed family members. Multivariate analysis revealed that antibiotic usage prior to sampling beard no risk with respect to colonization. From 462 pupils only 3 were found colonized, all 3 were living on pig farms. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that so far the dissemination of MRSA CC398 to non exposed humans is infrequent and probably does not reach beyond familial communities.

  6. The production of the heavy pig for high quality processed products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Bosi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The review discusses the topics presented below, with experimental data and more evidence for some aspects which areproblematic for the pig producer. To obtain high quality processed pig products, heavy pig production in Italy is subjectedto rules fixed by several Consortia, on the basis of the experience of producers and the results from scientific research.Slaughter animals of at least 9 months of age and 160 kg live weight are required to provide heavy cuts with excellentmeat. Breeds are limited to Italian Large White and Landrace, selected for specific parameters such as loss at 1st saltingof the ham, and their crosses. Crosses with Duroc and hybrids can be used if obtained from selection and crossingschemes that fit the objectives of Italian selection. Backfat thickness must be “sufficient” to obtain retailed fresh hamswith fat cover ranging from 20 to 30 mm, depending on ham weight, and the content of linoleic acid in ham fat covercannot exceed 15%. Fat quantity and quality in feeds should be carefully controlled to satisfy the quality of fat in theham. The feeding level is also relevant, due to the imposed minimum age at slaughter. Feed restriction is a necessarypractice to respect the rules for ham production. For castrate males of medium genetic value, the restriction shouldreduce fat deposition, but the diet composition can be adapted to maintain the maximum growth of protein. For strainswith high lean deposition potential and particularly for gilts, protein deposition should also be limited to maintain a sufficientfat cover of ham.

  7. Plasma and muscle cortisol measurements as indicators of meat quality and stress in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, F D; Trout, G R; McPhee, C P

    1995-01-01

    Post-slaughter blood samples and muscle samples were collected from pigs slaughtered at the completion of a live-animal performance trial. There were two lines of pigs in which the halothane allele (n) was segregating. The lines were a lean line selected for rapid lean growth and an unselected fat line. There were homozygous normal (NN), homozygous halothane positive (nn) and heterozygous (Nn) genotypes in both lnes. Cortisol was measured in the plasma of the blood samples and in muscle juice obtained by high-speed centrifugation. Meat quality was assessed using pH, colour, fibre-optic probe, drip loss and cure yield measurements. Plasma cortisol concentrations in the fat line were significantly (P meat quality attributes were generally highly significant (r = 0·31 to r = 0·51, P < 0·001) There was a highly significant correlation (r = 0·73, P < 0·0001) between plasma and muscle cortisol concentrations.

  8. Direct cortical hemodynamic mapping of somatotopy of pig nostril sensation by functional near-infrared cortical imaging (fNCI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uga, Minako; Saito, Toshiyuki; Sano, Toshifumi; Yokota, Hidenori; Oguro, Keiji; Rizki, Edmi Edison; Mizutani, Tsutomu; Katura, Takusige; Dan, Ippeita; Watanabe, Eiju

    2014-05-01

    Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a neuroimaging technique for the noninvasive monitoring of human brain activation states utilizing the coupling between neural activity and regional cerebral hemodynamics. Illuminators and detectors, together constituting optodes, are placed on the scalp, but due to the presence of head tissues, an inter-optode distance of more than 2.5cm is necessary to detect cortical signals. Although direct cortical monitoring with fNIRS has been pursued, a high-resolution visualization of hemodynamic changes associated with sensory, motor and cognitive neural responses directly from the cortical surface has yet to be realized. To acquire robust information on the hemodynamics of the cortex, devoid of signal complications in transcranial measurement, we devised a functional near-infrared cortical imaging (fNCI) technique. Here we demonstrate the first direct functional measurement of temporal and spatial patterns of cortical hemodynamics using the fNCI technique. For fNCI, inter-optode distance was set at 5mm, and light leakage from illuminators was prevented by a special optode holder made of a light-shielding rubber sheet. fNCI successfully detected the somatotopy of pig nostril sensation, as assessed in comparison with concurrent and sequential somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP) measurements on the same stimulation sites. Accordingly, the fNCI system realized a direct cortical hemodynamic measurement with a spatial resolution comparable to that of SEP mapping on the rostral region of the pig brain. This study provides an important initial step toward realizing functional cortical hemodynamic monitoring during neurosurgery of human brains. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Characterization of cholecystokinin receptors on guinea pig gastric chief cell membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matozaki, T.; Sakamoto, C.; Nagao, M.; Nishisaki, H.; Konda, Y.; Nakano, O.; Matsuda, K.; Wada, K.; Suzuki, T.; Kasuga, M.

    1991-01-01

    The binding of cholecystokinin (CCK) to its receptors on guinea pig gastric chief cell membranes were characterized by the use of 125 I-CCK-octapeptide (CCK8). At 30 degrees C optimal binding was obtained at acidic pH in the presence of Mg2+, while Na+ reduced the binding. In contrast to reports on pancreatic and brain CCK receptors, scatchard analysis of CCK binding to chief cell membranes revealed two classes of binding sites. Whereas, in the presence of a non-hydrolyzable GTP analog, GTP gamma S, only a low affinity site of CCK binding was observed. Chief cell receptors recognized CCK analogs, with an order of potency of: CCK8 greater than gastrin-I greater than CCK4. Although all CCK receptor antagonists tested (dibutyryl cyclic GMP, L-364718 and CR1409) inhibited labeled CCK binding to chief cell membranes, the relative potencies of these antagonists in terms of inhibiting labeled CCK binding were different from those observed in either pancreatic membranes or brain membranes. The results indicate, therefore, that on gastric chief cell membranes there exist specific CCK receptors, which are coupled to G protein. Furthermore, chief cell CCK receptors may be distinct from pancreatic or brain type CCK receptors

  10. Effect of different adjuvant formulations on the immunogenicity and protective effect of a live Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine after intramuscular inoculation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Qiyan; Wei, Yanna; Xie, Haidong; Feng, Zhixin; Gan, Yuan; Wang, Chunlai; Liu, Maojun; Bai, Fangfang; Xie, Fang; Shao, Guoqing

    2014-06-05

    Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) vaccine strain 168 is an intrapulmonically injected attenuated live vaccine that is available in the Chinese market. The aim of this study was to develop suitable adjuvants for this live vaccine to provide effective protection after intramuscular inoculation. Several adjuvant components were screened to assess their toxicity for the live vaccine, and various adjuvant formulations were then designed and prepared. Vaccines supplemented with these adjuvants were used to immunize mice intramuscularly to assess the capacity of the adjuvants to induce a specific immune response. The screened formulations were then evaluated in pigs. Seven of the eight adjuvant components did not affect the viability of the live vaccine, and seven different adjuvant formulations were then designed. In mice, the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant and the levamisole-chitosan mixture adjuvant significantly enhanced serum IgG responses against M. hyopneumoniae, while lymphocyte proliferation was enhanced by the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant, the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant and an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant. These four adjuvants were evaluated in pigs. Enhancement of specific lymphocyte proliferation responses was observed in the groups vaccinated with the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant and the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant. Significant enhancement of serum IgG antibody production was observed before challenge in pigs vaccinated with the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant and the levamisole-chitosan mixture adjuvant, while after challenge, all of the animals that received vaccines containing adjuvants had higher antibody concentrations against M. hyopneumoniae than unvaccinated animals. Animals inoculated with a vaccine containing the ISCOM-matrix adjuvant (median score 3.57) or the carbomer-astragalus polysaccharide mixture adjuvant (median score 5.28) had reduced lesion scores compared to unvaccinated animals

  11. Can intubation harm the brain in critical care situations? A new simple technique may provide a method for controlling brain temperature

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Einer-Jensen, N.; Baptiste, K.E.; Madsen, F.

    2002-01-01

    Many animal species are able to keep the brain temperature some degrees centigrade lower than the deep body temperature when exposed to environmental heat stress. The lower temperature is based on cooling of the nasal venous blood through the respiratory airflow and local counter-current transfer...... of heat between venous and arterial blood in the cavernous sinus-carotid artery complex. Anaesthetized, intubated animals do not have any air flow through the nasal cavities. However, when the nasal cavities were flushed with oxygen, the deep brain temperature dropped within minutes and returned...... to previous values when the oxygen flushing was stopped. Cooling was found in animals with a rete a similar cooling mechanism is present in man (no rete) under mirabile (pigs), and in animals without a rete (rats). intensive care, a simple flushing of the nasal cavities with gas will protect the brain against...

  12. Technical pitfalls in a porcine brain retraction model. The impact of brain spatula on the retracted brain tissue in a porcine model: a feasibility study and its technical pitfalls

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thiex, R.; Hans, F.J.; Gilsbach, J.M. [Aachen University, Department of Neurosurgery, Aachen (Germany); Krings, T. [Aachen University, Department of Neuroradiology, Aachen (Germany); Sellhaus, B. [Aachen University, Department of Neuropathology, Aachen (Germany)

    2005-10-01

    We describe technical pitfalls of a porcine brain injury model for identifying primary and secondary pathological sequelae following brain retraction by brain spatula. In 16 anaesthetised male pigs, the right frontal brain was retracted in the interhemispheric fissure by a brain spatulum with varying pressures applied by the gravitational force of weights from 10 to 70 g for a duration of 30 min. The retracted brain tissue was monitored for changes in intracranial pressure and perfusion of the cortex using a Laser Doppler Perfusion Imager (MoorLDI). To evaluate the extent of oedema and cortical contusions, MRI was performed 30 min and 72 h after brain retraction. Following the MR scan, the retracted brain areas were histopathologically assessed using H and E and Fluoro-Jade B staining for neuronal damage. Sinus occlusion occurred in four animals, resulting in bilateral cortical contusions and extensive brain oedema. Retracting the brain with weights of 70 g (n=4) caused extensive oedema on FLAIR images that correlated clinically with a hemiparesis in three animals. Morphologically, an increased number of Fluoro-Jade B-positive neurons were found. A sequential decrease in weights prevented functional deficits in animals. A retraction pressure applied by 10-g weights (n=7) caused a mean rise in intracranial pressure to 4.0{+-}3.1 mm Hg, and a decrement in mean cortical perfusion from 740.8{+-}41.5 to 693.8{+-}72.4 PU/cm2, (P<0.24). A meticulous dissection of the interhemispheric fissure and a reduction of weights to 10 g were found to be mandatory to study the cortical impact caused by brain spatula reproducibly. (orig.)

  13. Technical pitfalls in a porcine brain retraction model. The impact of brain spatula on the retracted brain tissue in a porcine model: a feasibility study and its technical pitfalls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thiex, R.; Hans, F.J.; Gilsbach, J.M.; Krings, T.; Sellhaus, B.

    2005-01-01

    We describe technical pitfalls of a porcine brain injury model for identifying primary and secondary pathological sequelae following brain retraction by brain spatula. In 16 anaesthetised male pigs, the right frontal brain was retracted in the interhemispheric fissure by a brain spatulum with varying pressures applied by the gravitational force of weights from 10 to 70 g for a duration of 30 min. The retracted brain tissue was monitored for changes in intracranial pressure and perfusion of the cortex using a Laser Doppler Perfusion Imager (MoorLDI). To evaluate the extent of oedema and cortical contusions, MRI was performed 30 min and 72 h after brain retraction. Following the MR scan, the retracted brain areas were histopathologically assessed using H and E and Fluoro-Jade B staining for neuronal damage. Sinus occlusion occurred in four animals, resulting in bilateral cortical contusions and extensive brain oedema. Retracting the brain with weights of 70 g (n=4) caused extensive oedema on FLAIR images that correlated clinically with a hemiparesis in three animals. Morphologically, an increased number of Fluoro-Jade B-positive neurons were found. A sequential decrease in weights prevented functional deficits in animals. A retraction pressure applied by 10-g weights (n=7) caused a mean rise in intracranial pressure to 4.0±3.1 mm Hg, and a decrement in mean cortical perfusion from 740.8±41.5 to 693.8±72.4 PU/cm2, (P<0.24). A meticulous dissection of the interhemispheric fissure and a reduction of weights to 10 g were found to be mandatory to study the cortical impact caused by brain spatula reproducibly. (orig.)

  14. Protective immunity against influenza in pigs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heinen, Peter Paul

    2002-01-01

    Swine influenza is a highly contagious acute viral disease of the respiratory tract in pigs, which is prevalent world-wide. The disease causes considerable economic damage primarily due to reduced weight gain in finishing pigs and reduced reproductive performance of sows. In addition, influenza is a

  15. Antioxidative and antihypertensive activities of pig meat before and after cooking and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion: Comparison between Italian autochthonous pig Suino Nero Lucano and a modern crossbred pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonetti, Amalia; Gambacorta, Emilio; Perna, Annamaria

    2016-12-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare antioxidative and antihypertensive activities of Longissimus dorsi muscle from Suino Nero Lucano (SNL) and a modern crossbred (CG) pigs, before and after cooking and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Pig meat showed antioxidative and antihypertensive activities, heat treatment decreased the thiols content but at the same time increased angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion enhanced the biological activity of meat. Autochthonous SNL meat showed a higher nutraceutical quality compared to CG meat, highlighting a greater potential beneficial physiological effect on human health. The results of this study indicate that the pig meat, in particular autochthonous pig meat, may be considered a functional food since it is a good source of antioxidative and antihypertensive peptides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Radiographic imaging of otitis media and interna in pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harlizius, J.; Kluczniok, C.; Bollwahn, W.

    1997-01-01

    Middle and inner ear infections have been reported as a clinical entity in swine, other animal species and humans. In pigs, the anatomical-pathological and microbiological findings have been described. In this report, we describe radiographic findings in affected pigs. A total of 25 pigs with a head tilt and circling, as clinical signs of otitis media and interna, were examined. The majority were weaner-pigs with dyspnea or rhinitis. In radiographs, there was an increased opacity of the bulla tympanica, often accompanied by marginal destruction or thickening of the bulla wall. The radiographic findings confirmed the clinical diagnosis in each affected pig, but there were 5 false positive interpretations

  17. Mass loading of typical artificial sweeteners in a pig farm and their dissipation and uptake by plants in neighboring farmland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Ling; Liu, Yarui; Xu, Jiayao; Sun, Hongwen; Chen, Hao; Yao, Yiming; Zhang, Peng; Shen, Fengju; Alder, Aldredo C

    2017-12-15

    Pig farm is an important potential source for artificial sweeteners (ASs) in the environment due to their wide use as additives in pig feed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fate of typical ASs in pig farm and neighboring farmland. For this purpose, the levels of four typical artificial ASs, i.e. saccharin (SAC), cyclamate (CYC), acesulfame (ACE) and sucralose (SUC), in pig feed and manure from a pig farm and water samples from an on-farm wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Tianjin, China were measured and the mass loadings and removal efficiencies were assessed. Moreover, the levels of ASs in different layers of soil and vegetables in neighboring farmland that received manure fertilizers and wastewater from the farm were consecutively monitored for 60-80days. The SAC, CYC and ACE were widely determined in all kinds of the samples, while SUC was only found in few soil samples. The mass loadings of the ASs in pig feed were estimated up to 311kg/year for SAC, 59.1kg/year for CYC, and 17.1kg/year for ACE, respectively. The fractions of the total mass of ASs excreted via manure were estimated to be 36.0% for SAC, 59.4% for CYC, and 36.7% for ACE as compared to those in pig feed. High removal efficiencies (>90%) of ASs in the on-farm WWTP was achieved. In greenhouse soils, CYC, SAC, ACE, and SUC were degraded quickly, with half-lives of 4.3-5.9 d, 2.7-4.2 d, 8.4-12.3 d, and 7.3-10.8 d, respectively. Lower levels of ASs were found in deeper soil layer (20-30cm). The ASs were considerably absorbed by plants when the ASs' concentrations were high in soil. This study presents the first comprehensive overview of ASs fate from a pig farm to the neighboring agricultural ecosystem. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. The Application of Internet of Things in Pig Breeding

    OpenAIRE

    Shang , Minghua; Dong , Gang; Mu , Yuanjie; Wang , Fujun; Ruan , Huaijun

    2015-01-01

    International audience; A pig breeding IoT system is designed, in view of the human resources, natural resources consumption, the quality and safety problems occurred frequently, the management mode is backward and so on. In this paper, the system architecture, information awareness, system application of the three aspects of pig farming system is introduced. The system can use all aspects of pig farming to sales, has some reference to the intensive farming of pigs.

  19. Adult-Brain-Derived Neural Stem Cells Grafting into a Vein Bridge Increases Postlesional Recovery and Regeneration in a Peripheral Nerve of Adult Pig

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivier Liard

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We attempted transplantation of adult neural stem cells (ANSCs inside an autologous venous graft following surgical transsection of nervis cruralis with 30 mm long gap in adult pig. The transplanted cell suspension was a primary culture of neurospheres from adult pig subventricular zone (SVZ which had been labeled in vitro with BrdU or lentivirally transferred fluorescent protein. Lesion-induced loss of leg extension on the thigh became definitive in controls but was reversed by 45–90 days after neurosphere-filled vein grafting. Electromyography showed stimulodetection recovery in neurosphere-transplanted pigs but not in controls. Postmortem immunohistochemistry revealed neurosphere-derived cells that survived inside the venous graft from 10 to 240 post-lesion days and all displayed a neuronal phenotype. Newly formed neurons were distributed inside the venous graft along the severed nerve longitudinal axis. Moreover, ANSC transplantation increased CNPase expression, indicating activation of intrinsic Schwann cells. Thus ANSC transplantation inside an autologous venous graft provides an efficient repair strategy.

  20. Graph Analysis of Functional Brain Networks for Cognitive Control of Action in Traumatic Brain Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caeyenberghs, Karen; Leemans, Alexander; Heitger, Marcus H.; Leunissen, Inge; Dhollander, Thijs; Sunaert, Stefan; Dupont, Patrick; Swinnen, Stephan P.

    2012-01-01

    Patients with traumatic brain injury show clear impairments in behavioural flexibility and inhibition that often persist beyond the time of injury, affecting independent living and psychosocial functioning. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that patients with traumatic brain injury typically show increased and more broadly…

  1. Transmission of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 1 to and from vaccinated pigs in a one-to-one model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pileri, E; Gibert, E; Martín-Valls, G E; Nofrarias, M; López-Soria, S; Martín, M; Díaz, I; Darwich, L; Mateu, E

    2017-03-01

    The present study examined transmission by contact of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) 1 in a one-to-one model to vaccinated and unvaccinated pigs and from vaccinated infected pigs to other vaccinated pigs. The experiment started by randomly assigning weaned pigs to groups V (n=24) and U (n=26). V pigs were vaccinated with a commercial live attenuated PRRSV vaccine and the U animals were kept as unvaccinated controls. Twenty-eight days later, 6U pigs were separated and allocated in individual boxes. The remaining 20U pigs were intranasally inoculated with PRRSV isolate 3267 (from now on designated as seeder (S) pigs) and 48h later were distributed in boxes where they were commingled with either V or U pigs in 1:1 groups (first contact phase), resulting in 6S:U and 14S:V pairs. As soon as a V pig was detected to be viremic because of contact with a S, the infected V (from now on designated as V inf ) was transferred (days at maximum and for the second contact phase the maximum exposure period was 14days. Two V pigs tested positive for the vaccine virus (>99.5% similarity) when they were relocated with the corresponding V 2 pigs and they were removed; thus, only 12V inf were finally considered. All V pigs (12/12) exposed to S animals became infected although the first detection of viremia occurred at 13.6±3.6days, one week later than in U (pdays versus 12.5±2.7days). The V inf group showed remarkable individual variability: eight animals had a viremic period of 5 or less days (3.0±1.4) while the remaining four had a longer viremic period of more than one week (10.8±2.9). This situation was not observed in U. In the second contact phase, transmission from V inf to V 2 pigs occurred in 7/8 cases (87.5%). The mean duration of viremia for V 2 was 4.8±3.4 and two different patterns were again observed: two animals had viremias of 9-10days and the rest averaged 3.0±1.4days (range: 2-5days). Vaccinated groups V inf and V 2 had a

  2. Functional analysis of guinea pig β1-adrenoceptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Yoshio; Takahashi, Hiromi; Shibata, Sayuri; Namiki, Kana; Kimura, Sadao; Koike, Katsuo; Kasuya, Yoshitoshi

    2011-12-01

    Although similarity of pharmacological responses to certain stimuli between guinea pigs and humans has been reported, this has been poorly defined by a molecular biological approach. In this study, we cloned the gene of guinea pig ?1-adrenoceptor (ADRB1). The deduced amino acid sequence of guinea pig ADRB1 (467-aa) showed 91% and 92% identity with the human and rat ADRB1 sequences, respectively. Using HEK293T cells expressing guinea pig, human and rat ADRB1s independently, we elucidated the functional characteristics of each ADRB1. The ligand-binding profiles and the concentration-response relationships for isoprenaline-induced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production were similar among the three ADRB1s. Isoprenaline also induced phosphorylation of extracellular-signal related kinases (ERK) through ADRB1s in a concentration-dependent manner. The minimum effective concentration of isoprenaline for phosphorylation of ERK, through guinea pig ADRB1 was the same as through human ADRB1, but markedly lower than that of through rat ADRB1. ERK phosphorylation through guinea pig ADRB1 was sensitive to pertussis toxin, a dominant-negative ras and PD98059, indicating that a G(i)-mediated pathway is involved in the ADRB1/ERK signaling loop. These results suggest that the G(i)-coupling efficacy of guinea pig and human ADRB1s may be higher than that of rat ADRB1.

  3. Simple instrument for biochemical studies of the living human brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bice, A.N.; Wagner, H.N. Jr.; Lee, M.C.; Frost, J.J.

    1986-01-01

    A simple, relatively inexpensive radiation detection system was developed for measurement of positron-emitting receptor-binding drugs in the human brain. This high-efficiency coincidence counting system requires that only a few hundred microcuries of labeled drug be administered to the subject, thereby allowing for multiple studies without an excessive radiation dose. Measurement of the binding of [ 11 C]-carfentanil, a high-affinity synthetic opiate, to opiate receptors in the presence and in the absence of a competitive opiate antagonist exemplifies the use of this system for estimating different degrees of receptor binding of drugs in the human brain. The instrument has also been used for measurement of the transport into the brain of other positron-emitting radiotracers, such as large neutral amino acids

  4. From miracle to reconciliation: a hermeneutic phenomenological study exploring the experience of living with Parkinson's disease following deep brain stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haahr, Anita; Kirkevold, Marit; Hall, Elisabeth O C; Ostergaard, Karen

    2010-10-01

    Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's disease is a promising treatment for patients who can no longer be treated satisfactorily with L-dopa. Deep Brain Stimulation is known to relieve motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease and improve quality of life. Focusing on how patients experience life when treated with Deep Brain Stimulation can provide essential information on the process patients go through when receiving a treatment that alters the body and changes the illness trajectory. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experience of living with Parkinson's disease when treated with Deep Brain Stimulation. The study was designed as a longitudinal study and data were gathered through qualitative in-depth interviews three times during the first year of treatment. Nine patients participated in the study. They were included when they had accepted treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's disease. Data collection and data analysis were inspired by the hermeneutic phenomenological methodology of Van Manen. The treatment had a major impact on the body. Participants experienced great bodily changes and went through a process of adjustment in three phases during the first year of treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation. These stages were; being liberated: a kind of miracle, changes as a challenge: decline or opportunity and reconciliation: re-defining life with Parkinson's disease. The course of the process was unique for each participant, but dominant was that difficulties during the adjustment of stimulation and medication did affect the re-defining process. Patients go through a dramatic process of change following Deep Brain Stimulation. A changing body affects their entire lifeworld. Some adjust smoothly to changes while others are affected by loss of control, uncertainty and loss of everyday life as they knew it. These experiences affect the process of adjusting to life with Deep Brain Stimulation and re-define life with Parkinson's disease

  5. Simple and rapid detection of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus from pig whole blood using filter paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inoue, Ryo; Tsukahara, Takamitsu; Sunaba, Chinatsu; Itoh, Mitsugi; Ushida, Kazunari

    2007-04-01

    The combination of Flinders Technology Associates filter papers (FTA cards) and real-time PCR was examined to establish a simple and rapid technique for the detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) from whole pig blood. A modified live PRRS vaccine was diluted with either sterilised saline or pig whole blood, and the suspensions were applied onto the FTA cards. The real-time RT-PCR detection of PRRSV was performed directly with the samples applied to the FTA card without the RNA extraction step. Six whole blood samples from at random selected piglets in the PRRSV infected farm were also assayed in this study. The expected PCR product was successfully amplified from either saline diluted or pig whole blood diluted vaccine. The same PCR ampliocon was detected from all blood samples assayed in this study. This study suggested that the combination of an FTA card and real-time PCR is a rapid and easy technique for the detection of PRRSV. This technique can remarkably shorten the time required for PRRSV detection from whole blood and makes the procedure much easier.

  6. [Telomere lengthening by trichostatin A treatment in cloned pigs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Bing-Teng; Ji, Guang-Zhen; Kong, Qing-Ran; Mao, Jian; Shi, Yong-Qian; Liu, Shi-Chao; Wu, Mei-Ling; Wang, Juan; Liu, Lin; Liu, Zhong-Hua

    2012-12-01

    Telomeres are repeated GC rich sequences at the end of chromosomes, and shorten with each cell division due to DNA end replication problem. Previously, reprogrammed somatic cells of cloned animals display variable telomere elongation. However, it was reported that the cloned animals including Dolly do not reset telomeres and show premature aging. In this study, we investigated telomere function in cloned or transgenic cloned pigs, including the cloned Northeast Min pigs, eGFP, Mx, and PGC1α transgenic cloned pigs, and found that the telomere lengths of cloned pigs were significantly shorter than the nuclear donor adult fibroblasts and age-matched noncloned pigs (Pstage for 24 h. Consistent with previous reports, the developmental rate of SCNT embryos to the blastocyst stage was significantly increased compared with those of the control group (16.35% vs. 27.09%, 21.60% vs. 34.90%, Plengthen the telomere lengths of cloned pigs.

  7. Mechanistic positron emission tomography studies: demonstration of a deuterium isotope effect in the monoamine oxidase-catalyzed binding of (/sup 11/C)L-deprenyl in living baboon brain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fowler, J.S.; Wolf, A.P.; MacGregor, R.R.; Dewey, S.L.; Logan, J.; Schlyer, D.J.; Langstrom, B.

    1988-11-01

    The application of positron emission tomography (PET) to the study of biochemical transformations in the living human and animal body requires the development of highly selective radiotracers whose concentrations in tissue provide a record of a discrete metabolic process. L-N-(11C-methyl)Deprenyl ((11C)L-deprenyl), a suicide inactivator of monoamine oxidase (MAO) type B, has been developed as a radiotracer for mapping MAO B in the living human and animal brain. In this investigation, (11C)L-deprenyl (1) and (11C)L-deprenyl-alpha, alpha-2H2 (2) have been compared in three different baboons by PET measurement of carbon-11 uptake and retention in the brain and the measurement of the amount of unchanged tracer in the arterial plasma over a 90-min time interval. For one baboon, N-(11C-methyl-2H3)L-deprenyl (3) was also studied. Kinetic parameters calculated using a three-compartment model revealed a deuterium isotope effect of 3.8 +/- 1.1. Comparison of the two tracers (1 and 2) in mouse brain demonstrated that deuterium substitution significantly reduced the amount of radioactivity bound to protein. HPLC and GLC analysis of the soluble radioactivity in mouse brain after injection of (11C)L-deprenyl showed the presence of (11C)methamphetamine as a major product along with unidentified labeled products. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis with carbon-14-labeled L-deprenyl showed that a protein of molecular weight 58,000 was labeled. These results establish that MAO-catalyzed cleavage of the alpha carbon-hydrogen bond on the propargyl group is the rate limiting (or a major rate contributing) step in the retention of carbon-11 in brain and that the in vivo detection of labeled products in brain after the injection of (11C)L-deprenyl provides a record of MAO activity.

  8. Calibration and validation of a physiologically based model for soman intoxication in the rat, marmoset, guinea pig and pig.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kaizhen; Seng, Kok-Yong

    2012-09-01

    A physiologically based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) model has been developed for low, medium and high levels of soman intoxication in the rat, marmoset, guinea pig and pig. The primary objective of this model was to describe the pharmacokinetics of soman after intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration in the rat, marmoset, guinea pig, and pig as well as its subsequent pharmacodynamic effects on blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels, relating dosimetry to physiological response. The reactions modelled in each physiologically realistic compartment are: (1) partitioning of C(±)P(±) soman from the blood into the tissue; (2) inhibition of AChE and carboxylesterase (CaE) by soman; (3) elimination of soman by enzymatic hydrolysis; (4) de novo synthesis and degradation of AChE and CaE; and (5) aging of AChE-soman and CaE-soman complexes. The model was first calibrated for the rat, then extrapolated for validation in the marmoset, guinea pig and pig. Adequate fits to experimental data on the time course of soman pharmacokinetics and AChE inhibition were achieved in the mammalian models. In conclusion, the present model adequately predicts the dose-response relationship resulting from soman intoxication and can potentially be applied to predict soman pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in other species, including human. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Effect of pig genotypes from Slovak and Polish breeds on meat quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. Debrecéni

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, meat and meat products from indigenous pig breeds are desired by consumers for their high sensory quality. For that reason, the trend to use indigenous pig breeds for production of these products has widened. The aim of this study was to compare physical and chemical parameters of Musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD as well as content of cholesterol and fatty acid profiles among Mangalitsa, the crossbreed Mangalitsa  ×  Duroc, and pig meat breed Slovak Large White with Polish indigenous breeds Pulawska and Zlotnicka spotted. In the study, 48 pigs were used. The pigs were divided into 5 groups of different genotypes: Mangalitsa breed (n  =  9, the crossbreed Mangalitsa  ×  Duroc (n  =  9, Slovak Large White – SLW (n  =  10, Zlotnicka spotted (n  =  10 and Pulawska (n  =  10. The pigs were reared under intensive conditions, and they were fed by an ad libitum system with complete feed mixtures. The fattening period lasted from 30 to 100 kg of live weight. The SLW had the highest average daily gain with the lowest feed intake compared to Mangalitsa, the crossbreed Ma  ×  Du and Polish indigenous breeds (P  <  0.001. SLW had the highest meat content in the carcass while Mangalitsa had the lowest (P  <  0.001. Mangalitsa and their crossbreed Ma  ×  Du had the highest fat content in the carcass, but the SLW and Polish indigenous pig breeds had the lowest fat content in the carcass (P  <  0.001. As regards the physical properties of MLD, the Polish indigenous pig breeds achieved the highest values of pH45 min post mortem, the lowest drip loss values, the lowest colour values of CIE L* and the highest values of CIE b* compared to other genotypes in the experiment (P  <  0.001. However the meat of crossbreed Ma  ×  Du had pale, soft and exudative (PSE-like conditions due to the low pH45 min post mortem, the high values

  10. Socio-economic factors affecting pig production in Enugu state Nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Regression analysis showed that average market weight of the pigs in the state was 79.0kg. The system of pig production practiced by the farmers highly influenced the weight gain of pigs (P<0.01). It was concluded from the study that majority of the pig farmers in Enugu State were educated, young men who practice ...

  11. Such as pigs eat: the rise and fall of the pannage pig in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wealleans, Alexandra L

    2013-07-01

    Mast-feeding systems once formed the mainstay of pork production across Europe, but have now largely been forgotten. One of the earliest farming practices, it allowed people to fatten pigs on an otherwise wasted resource. Mast feeding was vital in the ancient world: Rome, Saxon England and the Normans all relied heavily on woodland pigs. As time and technology advanced, mast systems became outmoded and fell into disuse. However, recent public interest in improved animal welfare and sustainable agriculture, combined with anecdotal reports of improved flavour, has once again brought mast feeding into the spotlight. This article chronicles the changes in popularity and perception of mast-feeding systems throughout history, and uses the historical perspective to outline a possible future for woodland pigs. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  12. A consumer study of Danish entire male pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Godt, Jannik; Kristensen, Kai; Poulsen, Carsten Stig

    1996-01-01

    made in-home by consumers, thus bringing the analysis out of the laboratory and into the market place. The vast majority of the population of uncastrated male pigs have low concentrations of skatole and androstenone. The cutlets that were evaluated in this study were selected from uncastrated male pigs...... on a number of castrated male pigs and gilts. No difference was found in the way the odour components affected the eating quality determined by men and women. A total of 5.4% of the consumers in the study reacted negatively in their evaluation of the eating quality of the cutlets selected for the study......Former studies of the unpleasant odour of meat from certain uncastrated male pigs have been based mainly on evaluations made by trained sensory panellists. This study analyses the effect of the two dominating male pig odour components, skatole and androstenone, on the evaluation of eating quality...

  13. A Consumer Study of Danish Entire Male Pigs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Carsten Stig; Godt, J.; Kristensen, K.

    1996-01-01

    Former studies of the unpleasant odour of meat from certain uncastrated male pigs have been based mainly on evaluations made by trained sensory panellists. This study analyses the effect of the two dominating male pig odour components, skatole and androstenone, on the evaluation of eating quality...... made in-home by consumers, thus bringing the analysis out of the laboratory and into the market place. The vast majority of the population of uncastrated male pigs have low concentrations of skatole and androstenone. The cutlets that were evaluated in this study were selected from uncastrated male pigs...... on a number of castrated male pigs and gilts. No difference was found in the way the odour components affected the eating quality determined by men and women. A total of 5.4% of the consumers in the study reacted negatively in their evaluation of the eating quality of the cutlets selected for the study...

  14. Genetic relatedness of commensal Escherichia coli from nursery pigs in intensive pig production in Denmark and molecular characterization of genetically different strains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herrero Fresno, Ana; Larsen, Inge; Olsen, John Elmerdahl

    2015-01-01

    AIMS: To determine the genetic relatedness and the presence of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes in commensal Escherichia coli from nursery pigs in Danish intensive production. METHODS AND RESULTS: The genetic diversity of 1000 E. coli strains randomly picked (N = 50 isolates) from cultured...... in depth the genetic variability of commensal E. coli from pigs in Danish intensive pig production. A tendency for higher diversity was observed with in nursery pigs that were treated with zinc oxide only, in absence of other antimicrobials. Strains with potential to disseminate virulence and antibiotic...

  15. Comparison of mouse, guinea pig and rabbit models for evaluation of plague subunit vaccine F1+rV270.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Zhizhen; Zhou, Lei; Zhang, Qingwen; Ren, Lingling; Dai, Ruixia; Wu, Benchuan; Wang, Tang; Zhu, Ziwen; Yang, Yonghai; Cui, Baizhong; Wang, Zuyun; Wang, Hu; Qiu, Yefeng; Guo, Zhaobiao; Yang, Ruifu; Wang, Xiaoyi

    2010-02-10

    In this study, a new subunit vaccine that comprised native F1 and recombinant rV270 was evaluated for protective efficacy using mouse, guinea pig and rabbit models in comparison with the live attenuated vaccine EV76. Complete protection against challenging with 10(6) colony-forming units (CFU) of virulent Yersinia pestis strain 141 was observed for mice immunized with the subunit vaccines and EV76 vaccine. In contrast, the subunit vaccine recipes VII (F1-20 microg+rV270-10 microg) and IX (F1-40 microg+rV270-20 microg) and EV76 vaccine provided 86%, 79% and 93% protection against the same level of challenge in guinea pigs and 100%, 83% and 100% protection in rabbits, respectively. The immunized mice with the vaccines had significantly higher IgG titres than the guinea pigs and rabbits, and the immunized guinea pigs developed significantly higher IgG titres than the rabbits, but the anti-F1 response in guinea pigs was more variable than in the mice and rabbits, indicating that guinea pig is not an ideal model for evaluating protective efficacy of plague subunit vaccine, instead the rabbits could be used as an alternative model. All the immunized animals with EV76 developed a negligible IgG titre to rV270 antigen. Furthermore, analysis of IgG subclasses in the immunized animals showed a strong response for IgG1, whereas those receiving EV76 immunization demonstrated predominant production of IgG1 and IgG2a isotypes. The subunit vaccine and EV76 vaccine are able to provide protection for animals against Y. pestis challenge, but the subunit vaccines have obvious advantages over EV76 in terms of safety of use. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Review of wallowing in pigs: implications for animal welfare

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bracke, M.B.M.; Spoolder, H.A.M.

    2011-01-01

    Most modern production systems, especially in temperate climates, do not offer wallowing facilities to pigs and, to date, this has neither generated much concern in welfare science nor public debate on pig welfare. Nevertheless, wallowing is a natural behaviour of pigs which may be important to

  17. Living with advanced Parkinson's disease: a constant struggle with unpredictability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haahr, Anita; Kirkevold, Marit; Hall, Elisabeth O C; Ostergaard, Karen

    2011-02-01

    This paper is a report of an exploration of patients' lifeworld and way of managing life with advanced Parkinson's disease prior to Deep Brain Stimulation and what they expect from life following this treatment. Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, which is initially well-treated with L-dopa. Living with Parkinson's disease means living with the experience of continuous loss of independence and self-esteem and unpredictable ON/OFF phenomena. Thus, in the advanced stage of the disease, treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation may become relevant. Eleven patients eligible for Deep Brain Stimulation were interviewed prior to treatment. Data were collected in 2007 and analysed according to the hermeneutic phenomenological methodology of van Manen, using the four existentials as analytic tools. Living with advanced Parkinson's disease can be described as the experience of living with and managing unpredictability. The disease gradually took over, and participants had to struggle with unpredictability on a daily basis. Themes in relation to this were: The body - setting the agenda, Always a struggle to be on time, Living in dependence and compromise - being a burden, and Living with restrained space and changes in social life. Parkinson's disease leads to profound bodily restrictions. Living with an unpredictable body affects all aspects of life, and nurses need to be aware of the impact the disease has on the entire lifeworld, and how this may affect the way treatment is perceived. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Characterizing the Input-Output Function of the Olfactory-Limbic Pathway in the Guinea Pig

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gian Luca Breschi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays the neuroscientific community is taking more and more advantage of the continuous interaction between engineers and computational neuroscientists in order to develop neuroprostheses aimed at replacing damaged brain areas with artificial devices. To this end, a technological effort is required to develop neural network models which can be fed with the recorded electrophysiological patterns to yield the correct brain stimulation to recover the desired functions. In this paper we present a machine learning approach to derive the input-output function of the olfactory-limbic pathway in the in vitro whole brain of guinea pig, less complex and more controllable than an in vivo system. We first experimentally characterized the neuronal pathway by delivering different sets of electrical stimuli from the lateral olfactory tract (LOT and by recording the corresponding responses in the lateral entorhinal cortex (l-ERC. As a second step, we used information theory to evaluate how much information output features carry about the input. Finally we used the acquired data to learn the LOT-l-ERC “I/O function,” by means of the kernel regularized least squares method, able to predict l-ERC responses on the basis of LOT stimulation features. Our modeling approach can be further exploited for brain prostheses applications.

  19. A genome wide association study for backfat thickness in Italian Large White pigs highlights new regions affecting fat deposition including neuronal genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fontanesi Luca

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Carcass fatness is an important trait in most pig breeding programs. Following market requests, breeding plans for fresh pork consumption are usually designed to reduce carcass fat content and increase lean meat deposition. However, the Italian pig industry is mainly devoted to the production of Protected Designation of Origin dry cured hams: pigs are slaughtered at around 160 kg of live weight and the breeding goal aims at maintaining fat coverage, measured as backfat thickness to avoid excessive desiccation of the hams. This objective has shaped the genetic pool of Italian heavy pig breeds for a few decades. In this study we applied a selective genotyping approach within a population of ~ 12,000 performance tested Italian Large White pigs. Within this population, we selectively genotyped 304 pigs with extreme and divergent backfat thickness estimated breeding value by the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip and performed a genome wide association study to identify loci associated to this trait. Results We identified 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms with P≤5.0E-07 and additional 119 ones with 5.0E-07 Conclusions Further investigations are needed to evaluate the effects of the identified single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with backfat thickness on other traits as a pre-requisite for practical applications in breeding programs. Reported results could improve our understanding of the biology of fat metabolism and deposition that could also be relevant for other mammalian species including humans, confirming the role of neuronal genes on obesity.

  20. Experimental MR-guided cryotherapy of the brain with almost real-time imaging by radial k-space scanning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tacke, J.; Schorn, R.; Glowinski, A.; Grosskortenhaus, S.; Adam, G.; Guenther, R.W.; Rasche, V.

    1999-01-01

    Purpose: To test radial k-space scanning by MR fluoroscopy to guide and control MR-guided interstitial cryotherapy of the healthy pig brain. Methods: After MR tomographic planning of the approach, an MR-compatible experimental cryotherapy probe of 2.7 mm diameter was introduced through a 5 mm burr hole into the right frontal brain of five healthy pigs. The freeze-thaw cycles were imaged using a T 1 -weighted gradient echo sequence with radial k-space scanning in coronal, sagittal, and axial directions. Results: The high temporal resolution of the chosen sequence permits a continuous representation of the freezing process with good image quality and high contrast between ice and unfrozen brain parenchyma. Because of the interactive conception of the sequence the layer plane could be chosen as desired during the measurement. Ice formation was sharply demarcated, spherically configurated, and was free of signals. Its maximum diameter was 13 mm. Conclusions: With use of the novel, interactively controllable gradient echo sequence with radial k-space scanning, guidance of the intervention under fluoroscopic conditions with the advantages of MRT is possible. MR-guided cryotherapy allows a minimally-invasive, precisely dosable focal tissue ablation. (orig.) [de

  1. Growth hormone receptor-deficient pigs resemble the pathophysiology of human Laron syndrome and reveal altered activation of signaling cascades in the liver

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arne Hinrichs

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Laron syndrome (LS is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder in humans caused by loss-of-function mutations of the growth hormone receptor (GHR gene. To establish a large animal model for LS, pigs with GHR knockout (KO mutations were generated and characterized. Methods: CRISPR/Cas9 technology was applied to mutate exon 3 of the GHR gene in porcine zygotes. Two heterozygous founder sows with a 1-bp or 7-bp insertion in GHR exon 3 were obtained, and their heterozygous F1 offspring were intercrossed to produce GHR-KO, heterozygous GHR mutant, and wild-type pigs. Since the latter two groups were not significantly different in any parameter investigated, they were pooled as the GHR expressing control group. The characterization program included body and organ growth, body composition, endocrine and clinical-chemical parameters, as well as signaling studies in liver tissue. Results: GHR-KO pigs lacked GHR and had markedly reduced serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1 levels and reduced IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3 activity but increased IGFBP2 levels. Serum GH concentrations were significantly elevated compared with control pigs. GHR-KO pigs had a normal birth weight. Growth retardation became significant at the age of five weeks. At the age of six months, the body weight of GHR-KO pigs was reduced by 60% compared with controls. Most organ weights of GHR-KO pigs were reduced proportionally to body weight. However, the weights of liver, kidneys, and heart were disproportionately reduced, while the relative brain weight was almost doubled. GHR-KO pigs had a markedly increased percentage of total body fat relative to body weight and displayed transient juvenile hypoglycemia along with decreased serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Analysis of insulin receptor related signaling in the liver of adult fasted pigs revealed increased phosphorylation of IRS1 and PI3K. In agreement with the loss of GHR, phosphorylation of STAT5 was

  2. [Salmonella in pig farms. Limitations of counselling and alternatives to the exclusive control of slaughter pigs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rostalski, A

    2015-01-01

    The goal of reducing salmonella prevalence in slaughter pigs using a monitoring system is difficult to realize. Many of the category-III-farms have proper hygiene and clinical signs are often lacking, which makes the implementation of sustainable counselling concepts difficult. The improvement of biological performances and the changes in sow keeping and feeding concepts lays the focus on the breeding and farrowing units. Information on the salmonella status of the delivering pig farms is essential for establishing, for example, vaccination programs. A general inspection duty for all pig-producing units beginning with the breeding herds is reasonable. To achieve this, measurements for stress reduction, changes of the current detection systems and early information of farms with an acute salmonella problem are discussed.

  3. Pig skin apposite dehydrated by lyophilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reyes F, M.L.; Gonzalez V, C.; Flores A, M.; Peralta R, J.; Reboyo B, D.; Rodriguez U, M.D.

    2007-01-01

    Taking like base a work carried out in 2001 in the Radio sterilized Tissue Bank (BTR) in which lyophilized apposite of pig skin were obtained at laboratory scale, this work is presented that had as purpose to process pig skin to produce temporary covers of skin (apposite) dehydrated by lyophilization to commercial scale. (Author)

  4. Assessment of in vivo MR imaging compared to physical sections in vitro-A quantitative study of brain volumes using stereology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jelsing, Jacob; Rostrup, Egill; Markenroth, Karin

    2005-01-01

    The object of the present study was to compare stereological estimates of brain volumes obtained in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to corresponding volumes from physical sections in vitro. Brains of ten domestic pigs were imaged using a 3-T scanner. The volumes of different brain....... However, although intraobserver difference of MRI estimates was acceptable, the interobserver difference was not. A statistical highly significant difference of 11-41% was observed between observers for volume estimates of all compartments considered. The study demonstrates that quantitative MRI...

  5. Replication, pathogenicity, shedding, and transmission of Zaire ebolavirus in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobinger, Gary P; Leung, Anders; Neufeld, James; Richardson, Jason S; Falzarano, Darryl; Smith, Greg; Tierney, Kevin; Patel, Ami; Weingartl, Hana M

    2011-07-15

    (See the editorial commentary by Bausch, on pages 179-81.) Reston ebolavirus was recently detected in pigs in the Philippines. Specific antibodies were found in pig farmers, indicating exposure to the virus. This important observation raises the possibility that pigs may be susceptible to Ebola virus infection, including from other species, such as Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), and can transmit to other susceptible hosts. This study investigated whether ZEBOV, a species commonly reemerging in central Africa, can replicate and induce disease in pigs and can be transmitted to naive animals. Domesticated Landrace pigs were challenged through mucosal exposure with a total of 1 ×10(6) plaque-forming units of ZEBOV and monitored for virus replication, shedding, and pathogenesis. Using similar conditions, virus transmission from infected to naive animals was evaluated in a second set of pigs. Following mucosal exposure, pigs replicated ZEBOV to high titers (reaching 10(7) median tissue culture infective doses/mL), mainly in the respiratory tract, and developed severe lung pathology. Shedding from the oronasal mucosa was detected for up to 14 days after infection, and transmission was confirmed in all naive pigs cohabiting with inoculated animals. These results shed light on the susceptibility of pigs to ZEBOV infection and identify an unexpected site of virus amplification and shedding linked to transmission of infectious virus.

  6. CARCASS QUALITY OF PIGS OF DIFFERENT GENOTYPES ON FAMILY FARMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Petričević

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available Within the project titled “Optimal pig production models on family farms of eastern Croatia”, researches have been curried on in several family farms from three counties. Together with establishing the current state, researches on the possibilities of improvement of reproductive, production and other quality traits of pigs have been started. This improvement should be reached by getting the suitable sires and dams whose crosses (2- and 3-way crossbreeds would give fattening pigs with satisfying lean meat yield. Fattenng pigs as final products of pig productions were monitored in this study. Carcass quality of 1592 fattening pigs from 6 family farms were determined at the slaughter line during 1999 and 2000 year. The highest shares of lean meat determined by “two points” according to current national regulations method (1999 have been founded in Hypor hybrid pigs (55.49%, n=51 and 3-way crossbreeds (SLxLWxP (55.28%, n=692. Markedly lower results have been recorded in GLxSL and SLxGL crossbred pigs (50.37%, n=204; GLxP (50.34%, n=195; GL and GLxP (49.00%, n=96; SLxGL and GLxSL (47.51%, n=354. Poorer results achieved at those four farms could be explained by evidently inapropriate feeding of fattening pigs which should, regarding the genotype, yield in higher share of lean meat.

  7. [Effect of Electroacupuncture on Expression of Catechol-O-methyltransferase in the Inferior Colliculus and Auditory Cortex in Age-related Hearing Loss Guinea Pigs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shu-Yun; Deng, Li-Qiang; Yang, Ye; Yin, Ze-Deng

    2017-04-25

    To observe the expression of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) in inferior colliculus and auditory cortex of guinea pigs with age-related hearing loss(AHL) induced by D-galactose, so as to explore the possible mechanism of electroacupuncture(EA) underlying preventing AHL. Thirty 3-month-old guinea pigs were randomly divided into control group, model group and EA group( n =10 in each group), and ten 18-month-old guinea pigs were allocated as elderly group. The AHL model was established by subcutaneous injection of D-galactose. EA was applied to bilateral "Yifeng"(SJ 17) and "Tinggong"(SI 19) for 15 min in the EA group while modeling, once daily for 6 weeks. After treatment, the latency of auditory brainstem response(ABR) Ⅲ wave was measured by a brain-stem evoked potentiometer. The expressions of COMT in the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex were detected by Western blot. Compared with the control group, the latencies of ABR Ⅲ wave were significantly prolonged and the expressions of COMT in the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex were significantly decreased in the model group and the elderly group( P guinea pigs, which may contribute to its effect in up-regulating the expression of COMT in the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex.

  8. Molecular genetic diversity and genetic structure of Vietnamese indigenous pig populations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pham, L. D.; Do, Duy Ngoc; Nam, L. Q.

    2014-01-01

    The study characterized genetic diversity and genetic structure of five indigenous pig populations (Ha Lang, Muong Te, Mong Cai, Lung and Lung Pu), two wild pig populations (Vietnamese and Thai wild pigs) and an exotic pig breed (Yorkshire) using FAO/ISAG recommended 16 microsatellite markers...

  9. Effects of Dietary L-carnosine and Alpha-lipoic Acid on Growth Performance, Blood Thyroid Hormones and Lipid Profiles in Finishing Pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yinghui Bao

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The present study was conducted to determine the effects of L-carnosine (LC and/or alpha-lipoic acid (ALA supplementation on growth performance, blood thyroid hormones and lipid profiles in finishing pigs. A total of 40 (Landrace×Yorkshire pigs with an initial body weight of 57.93±3.14 kg were randomly allocated to 4 experimental diets using a 2×2 factorial arrangement with 2 LC supplemental levels (0 or 0.1% and 2 ALA supplemental levels (0 or 0.03% in basal diets. The results showed that pigs fed LC-supplemented diets increased final live weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake compared to those of pigs fed without LC-supplemented diets (p0.05. Additionally, LC supplementation increased serum triiodothyronine, thyroxine levels, and ALA supplementation increased serum triiodothyronine levels (p<0.05. Serum total cholesterol and triglycerides levels were significantly decreased in LC and ALA supplemented groups, respectively (p<0.05. Moreover, serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were lower in the ALA-supplemented groups than those of pigs fed without ALA-supplemented diets (p<0.05. However, no significant LC×ALA interaction effect on growth performance, blood thyroid hormones and lipid profiles was found. This study suggested that dietary supplementation of LC resulted in better growth performance compared to that of ALA supplementation. L-carnosine and/or ALA supplementation positively modified blood lipid profiles, which may have the potential to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

  10. The 'Real Welfare' scheme: benchmarking welfare outcomes for commercially farmed pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandolfi, F; Stoddart, K; Wainwright, N; Kyriazakis, I; Edwards, S A

    2017-10-01

    Animal welfare standards have been incorporated in EU legislation and in farm assurance schemes, based on scientific information and aiming to safeguard the welfare of the species concerned. Recently, emphasis has shifted from resource-based measures of welfare to animal-based measures, which are considered to assess more accurately the welfare status. The data used in this analysis were collected from April 2013 to May 2016 through the 'Real Welfare' scheme in order to assess on-farm pig welfare, as required for those finishing pigs under the UK Red Tractor Assurance scheme. The assessment involved five main measures (percentage of pigs requiring hospitalization, percentage of lame pigs, percentage of pigs with severe tail lesions, percentage of pigs with severe body marks and enrichment use ratio) and optional secondary measures (percentage of pigs with mild tail lesions, percentage of pigs with dirty tails, percentage of pigs with mild body marks, percentage of pigs with dirty bodies), with associated information about the environment and the enrichment in the farms. For the complete database, a sample of pens was assessed from 1928 farm units. Repeated measures were taken in the same farm unit over time, giving 112 240 records at pen level. These concerned a total of 13 480 289 pigs present on the farm during the assessments, with 5 463 348 pigs directly assessed using the 'Real Welfare' protocol. The three most common enrichment types were straw, chain and plastic objects. The main substrate was straw which was present in 67.9% of the farms. Compared with 2013, a significant increase of pens with undocked-tail pigs, substrates and objects was observed over time (P0.3). The results from the first 3 years of the scheme demonstrate a reduction of the prevalence of animal-based measures of welfare problems and highlight the value of this initiative.

  11. Mycobacterium bovis infection in domestic pigs in Great Britain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Suzanne S; Crawshaw, Timothy R; Smith, Noel H; Palgrave, Christopher J

    2013-11-01

    Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (TB), infects a wide range of wild and domestic mammals. Despite a control programme spanning decades, M. bovis infection levels in cattle in Great Britain (GB) have continued to rise over recent years. As the incidence of infection in cattle and wildlife may be linked to that in swine, data relating to infection of pigs identified at slaughter were examined in this study. Between 2007 and 2011, almost all M. bovis-infected pigs originated from farms in the South-West and West-Midland regions of England. The data suggest that pigs raised outdoors or on holdings with poor biosecurity may be more vulnerable to infection with M. bovis. In the majority of cases, the same strains of M. bovis were found in pigs and cattle, despite that fact that direct contact between these species was rarely observed. Genotyping and geographical mapping data indicated that some strains found in pigs may correlate better with those present in badgers, rather than cattle. In consequence, it is proposed that pigs may represent a useful sentinel for M. bovis infection in wildlife in GB. Given the potential implications of this infection for the pig industry, and for the on-going effort to control bovine TB, the importance of understanding the epidemiology and pathogenesis of M. bovis infection, as well as monitoring its prevalence, in pigs should not be underestimated. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Genome-wide SNP data unveils the globalization of domesticated pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bin; Cui, Leilei; Perez-Enciso, Miguel; Traspov, Aleksei; Crooijmans, Richard P M A; Zinovieva, Natalia; Schook, Lawrence B; Archibald, Alan; Gatphayak, Kesinee; Knorr, Christophe; Triantafyllidis, Alex; Alexandri, Panoraia; Semiadi, Gono; Hanotte, Olivier; Dias, Deodália; Dovč, Peter; Uimari, Pekka; Iacolina, Laura; Scandura, Massimo; Groenen, Martien A M; Huang, Lusheng; Megens, Hendrik-Jan

    2017-09-21

    Pigs were domesticated independently in Eastern and Western Eurasia early during the agricultural revolution, and have since been transported and traded across the globe. Here, we present a worldwide survey on 60K genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data for 2093 pigs, including 1839 domestic pigs representing 122 local and commercial breeds, 215 wild boars, and 39 out-group suids, from Asia, Europe, America, Oceania and Africa. The aim of this study was to infer global patterns in pig domestication and diversity related to demography, migration, and selection. A deep phylogeographic division reflects the dichotomy between early domestication centers. In the core Eastern and Western domestication regions, Chinese pigs show differentiation between breeds due to geographic isolation, whereas this is less pronounced in European pigs. The inferred European origin of pigs in the Americas, Africa, and Australia reflects European expansion during the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Human-mediated introgression, which is due, in particular, to importing Chinese pigs into the UK during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, played an important role in the formation of modern pig breeds. Inbreeding levels vary markedly between populations, from almost no runs of homozygosity (ROH) in a number of Asian wild boar populations, to up to 20% of the genome covered by ROH in a number of Southern European breeds. Commercial populations show moderate ROH statistics. For domesticated pigs and wild boars in Asia and Europe, we identified highly differentiated loci that include candidate genes related to muscle and body development, central nervous system, reproduction, and energy balance, which are putatively under artificial selection. Key events related to domestication, dispersal, and mixing of pigs from different regions are reflected in the 60K SNP data, including the globalization that has recently become full circle since Chinese pig breeders in the past

  13. High Antifouling Property of Ion-Selective Membrane: toward In Vivo Monitoring of pH Change in Live Brain of Rats with Membrane-Coated Carbon Fiber Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Jie; Xiao, Tongfang; Wu, Fei; Yu, Ping; Mao, Lanqun

    2016-11-15

    In vivo monitoring of pH in live brain remains very essential to understanding acid-base chemistry in various physiological processes. This study demonstrates a potentiometric method for in vivo monitoring of pH in the central nervous system with carbon fiber-based proton-selective electrodes (CF-H + ISEs) with high antifouling property. The CF-H + ISEs are prepared by formation of a H + -selective membrane (H + ISM) with polyvinyl chloride polymeric matrixes containing plasticizer bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate, H + ionophore tridodecylamine, and ion exchanger potassium tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate onto carbon fiber electrodes (CFEs). Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that the H + ISM exhibits strong antifouling property against proteins, which enables the CF-H + ISEs to well maintain the sensitivity and reversibility for pH sensing after in vivo measurements. Moreover, the CF-H + ISEs exhibit a good response to pH changes within a narrow physiological pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 in quick response time with high reversibility and selectivity against species endogenously existing in the central nervous system. The applicability of the CF-H + ISEs is illustrated by real-time monitoring of pH changes during acid-base disturbances, in which the brain acidosis is induced by CO 2 inhalation and brain alkalosis is induced by bicarbonate injections. The results demonstrate that brain pH value rapidly decreases in the amygdaloid nucleus by ca. 0.14 ± 0.01 (n = 5) when the rats breath in pure CO 2 gas, while increases in the cortex by about 0.77 ± 0.12 (n = 3) following intraperitoneal injection of 5 mmol/kg NaHCO 3 . This study demonstrates a new potentiometric method for in vivo measurement of pH change in the live brain of rats with high reliability.

  14. A Pathway-Centered Analysis of Pig Domestication and Breeding in Eurasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jordi Leno-Colorado

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Ascertaining the molecular and physiological basis of domestication and breeding is an active area of research. Due to the current wide distribution of its wild ancestor, the wild boar, the pig (Sus scrofa is an excellent model to study these processes, which occurred independently in East Asia and Europe ca. 9000 yr ago. Analyzing genome variability patterns in terms of metabolic pathways is attractive since it considers the impact of interrelated functions of genes, in contrast to genome-wide scans that treat genes or genome windows in isolation. To that end, we studied 40 wild boars and 123 domestic pig genomes from Asia and Europe when metabolic pathway was the unit of analysis. We computed statistical significance for differentiation (Fst and linkage disequilibrium (nSL statistics at the pathway level. In terms of Fst, we found 21 and 12 pathways significantly differentiated at a q-value 10 significant pathways (in terms of Fst, comprising genes involved in the transduction of a large number of signals, like phospholipase PCLB1, which is expressed in the brain, or ITPR3, which has an important role in taste transduction. In terms of nSL, significant pathways were mainly related to reproductive performance (ovarian steroidogenesis, a similarly important target trait during domestication and modern animal breeding. Different levels of recombination cannot explain these results, since we found no correlation between Fst and recombination rate. However, we did find an increased ratio of deleterious mutations in domestic vs. wild populations, suggesting a relaxed functional constraint associated with the domestication and breeding processes. Purifying selection was, nevertheless, stronger in significantly differentiated pathways than in random pathways, mainly in Europe. We conclude that pathway analysis facilitates the biological interpretation of genome-wide studies. Notably, in the case of pig, behavior played an important role, among other

  15. A Pathway-Centered Analysis of Pig Domestication and Breeding in Eurasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leno-Colorado, Jordi; Hudson, Nick J; Reverter, Antonio; Pérez-Enciso, Miguel

    2017-07-05

    Ascertaining the molecular and physiological basis of domestication and breeding is an active area of research. Due to the current wide distribution of its wild ancestor, the wild boar, the pig ( Sus scrofa ) is an excellent model to study these processes, which occurred independently in East Asia and Europe ca. 9000 yr ago. Analyzing genome variability patterns in terms of metabolic pathways is attractive since it considers the impact of interrelated functions of genes, in contrast to genome-wide scans that treat genes or genome windows in isolation. To that end, we studied 40 wild boars and 123 domestic pig genomes from Asia and Europe when metabolic pathway was the unit of analysis. We computed statistical significance for differentiation (Fst) and linkage disequilibrium (nSL) statistics at the pathway level. In terms of Fst, we found 21 and 12 pathways significantly differentiated at a q -value 10 significant pathways (in terms of Fst), comprising genes involved in the transduction of a large number of signals, like phospholipase PCLB1, which is expressed in the brain, or ITPR3, which has an important role in taste transduction. In terms of nSL, significant pathways were mainly related to reproductive performance (ovarian steroidogenesis), a similarly important target trait during domestication and modern animal breeding. Different levels of recombination cannot explain these results, since we found no correlation between Fst and recombination rate. However, we did find an increased ratio of deleterious mutations in domestic vs. wild populations, suggesting a relaxed functional constraint associated with the domestication and breeding processes. Purifying selection was, nevertheless, stronger in significantly differentiated pathways than in random pathways, mainly in Europe. We conclude that pathway analysis facilitates the biological interpretation of genome-wide studies. Notably, in the case of pig, behavior played an important role, among other physiological

  16. The Vaginal Microbiota of Guinea Pigs

    OpenAIRE

    Hafner, L. M.; Rush, C. M.; Timms, P.

    2011-01-01

    The vaginae of four guinea pigs were swabbed and samples cultured aerobically on horse blood agar, in 5 per cent carbon dioxide on MRS agar or anaerobically on anaerobic horse blood agar. Vaginal microbiota consisted almost exclusively of gram-positive bacteria including Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus and Lactobacillus species.Keywords: guinea pigs, vaginal microbiota, vaginal vaccines.

  17. Evaluation of plant available nitrogen in concentrated pig slurry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramirez, M.; Comas, J.; Pujola, M.

    2009-01-01

    In Northeast Spin the expansion of the pig industry has brought as a result the production of vast amounts of pig slurry that exceeds field crops fertilization needs and consequently has contributed to the environmental deterioration of the region particularly ground water with NO 3 pollution. Under such circumstances, it is needed to treat and/or export pig slurry. During the last year the implantation of cogeneration plants that take advantage of the surplus of energy to produce concentrate pig slurry by water evaporation that could easily transported. (Author)

  18. PIGS BREEDING FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRADITIONAL MEAT PRODUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đuro Senčić

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The fertile Slavonia is known for production of several types of cured meats: kulen, kulen sis, sausage, ham and bacon, and other pork products (“krvavica” - blood sausage, “švargl” - a type of brawn where chopped parts of head are stuffed inside the pig’s stomach, “čvarci” - a variant of pork crisps, fat. These products require “mature pigs” of adequate slaughter quality. Production of pigs intended for traditional meat products may take place in different production systems (open, closed, semi-open, “organic”. Each of these systems provides a specific quality of pigs for slaughter, reflecting on the quality of the final product. Production systems can have a significant impact on growth performance and carcass and meat quality of pigs. This effect arises from the interaction between housing conditions, the amount and composition of food and used pig genotype. The choice of a production system depends on local production conditions, pig genotype, consumer demand (market for a given product quality, and other factors. Due to their quality, the traditional Slavonian meat products can become a recognizable Croatian brand in both domestic and international markets. Production of standard quality products requires standard quality of pigs. Therefore this book is focused on such pigs production.

  19. Performance Of Growing Pigs And Finisher Broilers Housed Together

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Growth performance and cost of feeding young growing pigs and finisher broilers under integrated broiler/pig production system were investigated. Four young growing pigs (the control) were housed in pen A and fed 4% of their body weight as commercial growers feed. Another 4 were housed in pen B with broilers in ...

  20. Protein digestion kinetics in pigs and poultry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chen, Hsuan

    2017-01-01

    Increasing the protein efficiency is considered a main strategy for sustainable feeding of pigs and poultry. In practice, protein in pig and poultry diets originates from different ingredients, selected in diet formulation based on their nutritional value and cost. Currently, the nutritional

  1. European surveillance network for influenza in pigs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Simon, Gaëlle; Larsen, Lars E.; Dürrwald, Ralf; Foni, Emanuela; Harder, Timm; Reeth, Van Kristien; Markowska-Daniel, Iwona; Reid, Scott M.; Dan, Adam; Maldonado, Jaime; Huovilainen, Anita; Billinis, Charalambos; Davidson, Irit; Agüero, Montserrat; Vila, Thaïs; Hervé, Séverine; Breum, Solvej Østergaard; Chiapponi, Chiara; Urbaniak, Kinga; Kyriakis, Constantinos S.; Brown, Ian H.; Loeffen, Willie; Meulen, Van der Karen; Schlegel, Michael; Bublot, Michel; Kellam, Paul; Watson, Simon; Lewis, Nicola S.; Pybus, Oliver G.; Webby, Richard; Chen, Hualan; Vincent, Amy L.

    2014-01-01

    Swine influenza causes concern for global veterinary and public health officials. In continuing two previous networks that initiated the surveillance of swine influenza viruses (SIVs) circulating in European pigs between 2001 and 2008, a third European Surveillance Network for Influenza in Pigs

  2. The comparative morphology of the muscle tissues and changes in constituents in the pig types.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fehér, G; Fazekas, S; Sándor, I; Kollár, N

    1990-09-01

    The authors have revealed the main value characteristics of pork production by testing in five different types of pig the volume of contractile and collagen proteins, that of proteoglycans, the constituents of blood and the enzymes of the blood plasma. The contractile proteins of the muscle tissues basically determine the quality of pork. The same applies to the water retention capacity, colloidal characteristics and glycogen content of meat. The amount of contractile proteins has decreased in the best meat producing types of pig. Parallel with the decrease of white meat, and with the increase in the volume of ham, chop and chuck the contractile protein content of muscles decreased. The scientific fact according to which there is a certain correlation among the changes in the volume of contractile proteins, blood sugar level, blood serum CPK and the intensity of activity of the LDH enzymes promotes the qualifying of live animals and the work of the geneticists aiming at the increasing of the contractile protein content of the muscle tissues of pigs by selection. According to tests carried out by us the primary cause of PSE changes is a decreased volume of contractile proteins. Increased stress sensitivity and all the other factors have but a secondary importance and are all consequential. The decrease in the quantity of contractile proteins or--it is better to put it this way--the lack of the proper amount of such proteins characterizing a fully developed pig's organism is caused by the nowadays usual breeding technologies and can be well explained by those selection activities which aim at a one-sided kind of pork production.

  3. Production and characterization of guinea pig recombinant gamma interferon and its effect on macrophage activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeevan, A; McFarland, C T; Yoshimura, T; Skwor, T; Cho, H; Lasco, T; McMurray, D N

    2006-01-01

    Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) plays a critical role in the protective immune responses against mycobacteria. We previously cloned a cDNA coding for guinea pig IFN-gamma (gpIFN-gamma) and reported that BCG vaccination induced a significant increase in the IFN-gamma mRNA expression in guinea pig cells in response to living mycobacteria and that the virulent H37Rv strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis stimulated less IFN-gamma mRNA than did the attenuated H37Ra strain. In this study, we successfully expressed and characterized recombinant gpIFN-gamma with a histidine tag at the N terminus (His-tagged rgpIFN-gamma) in Escherichia coli. rgpIFN-gamma was identified as an 18-kDa band in the insoluble fraction; therefore, the protein was purified under denaturing conditions and renatured. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the recombinant protein yielded the sequence corresponding to the N terminus of His-tagged gpIFN-gamma. The recombinant protein upregulated major histocompatibility complex class II expression in peritoneal macrophages. The antiviral activity of rgpIFN-gamma was demonstrated with a guinea pig fibroblast cell line (104C1) infected with encephalomyocarditis virus. Interestingly, peritoneal macrophages treated with rgpIFN-gamma did not produce any nitric oxide but did produce hydrogen peroxide and suppressed the intracellular growth of mycobacteria. Furthermore, rgpIFN-gamma induced morphological alterations in cultured macrophages. Thus, biologically active rgpIFN-gamma has been successfully produced and characterized in our laboratory. The study of rgpIFN-gamma will further increase our understanding of the cellular and molecular responses induced by BCG vaccination in the guinea pig model of pulmonary tuberculosis.

  4. Quantitative aspects of the metabolism of lignans in pigs fed fibre-enriched rye and wheat bread

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lærke, Helle N; Mortensen, Marianne A; Hedemann, Mette S

    2009-01-01

    A diet rich in lignans has been suggested to be protective against a range of chronic diseases. The distribution and metabolic fate of lignans is, however, very poorly understood. We fed high-fibre wheat breads low in lignans (n 8) or high-fibre rye breads (n 9) rich in plant lignans to pigs for ......, liver, breast and brain at a much higher level with rye than with wheat, but only in the form of enterolactone. The importance and implications of systemic exposure to plant lignans remain to be elucidated....

  5. Heterogeneous infectiousness in guinea pigs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo-Neyra, Ricardo; Borrini Mayorí, Katty; Salazar Sánchez, Renzo; Ancca Suarez, Jenny; Xie, Sherrie; Náquira Velarde, Cesar; Levy, Michael Z

    2016-02-01

    Guinea pigs are important reservoirs of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative parasite of Chagas disease, and in the Southern Cone of South America, transmission is mediated mainly by the vector Triatoma infestans. Interestingly, colonies of Triatoma infestans captured from guinea pig corrals sporadically have infection prevalence rates above 80%. Such high values are not consistent with the relatively short 7-8 week parasitemic period that has been reported for guinea pigs in the literature. We experimentally measured the infectious periods of a group of T. cruzi-infected guinea pigs by performing xenodiagnosis and direct microscopy each week for one year. Another group of infected guinea pigs received only direct microscopy to control for the effect that inoculation by triatomine saliva may have on parasitemia in the host. We observed infectious periods longer than those previously reported in a number of guinea pigs from both the xenodiagnosis and control groups. While some guinea pigs were infectious for a short time, other "super-shedders" were parasitemic up to 22 weeks after infection, and/or positive by xenodiagnosis for a year after infection. This heterogeneity in infectiousness has strong implications for T. cruzi transmission dynamics and control, as super-shedder guinea pigs may play a disproportionate role in pathogen spread. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Guinea pig ID-like families of SINEs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kass, David H; Schaetz, Brian A; Beitler, Lindsey; Bonney, Kevin M; Jamison, Nicole; Wiesner, Cathy

    2009-05-01

    Previous studies have indicated a paucity of SINEs within the genomes of the guinea pig and nutria, representatives of the Hystricognathi suborder of rodents. More recent work has shown that the guinea pig genome contains a large number of B1 elements, expanding to various levels among different rodents. In this work we utilized A-B PCR and screened GenBank with sequences from isolated clones to identify potentially uncharacterized SINEs within the guinea pig genome, and identified numerous sequences with a high degree of similarity (>92%) specific to the guinea pig. The presence of A-tails and flanking direct repeats associated with these sequences supported the identification of a full-length SINE, with a consensus sequence notably distinct from other rodent SINEs. Although most similar to the ID SINE, it clearly was not derived from the known ID master gene (BC1), hence we refer to this element as guinea pig ID-like (GPIDL). Using the consensus to screen the guinea pig genomic database (Assembly CavPor2) with Ensembl BlastView, we estimated at least 100,000 copies, which contrasts markedly to just over 100 copies of ID elements. Additionally we provided evidence of recent integrations of GPIDL as two of seven analyzed conserved GPIDL-containing loci demonstrated presence/absence variants in Cavia porcellus and C. aperea. Using intra-IDL PCR and sequence analyses we also provide evidence that GPIDL is derived from a hystricognath-specific SINE family. These results demonstrate that this SINE family continues to contribute to the dynamics of genomes of hystricognath rodents.

  7. Perceptions of living with a device-based treatment: an account of patients treated with deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hariz, Gun-Marie; Hamberg, Katarina

    2014-04-01

    Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for Parkinson's disease. Little is known about patients' own perceptions of living with the implanted hardware. We aimed to explore patients' own perceptions of living with an implanted device. Semistructured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 42 patients (11 women) who had been on DBS for a mean of three years. The questions focused on patients' experiences of living with and managing the DBS device. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to the difference and similarity technique in grounded theory. From the patients' narratives concerning living with and managing the DBS device, the following four categories emerged: 1) The device-not a big issue: although the hardware was felt inside the body and also visible from outside, the device as such was not a big issue. 2) Necessary carefulness: Patients expressed the need to be careful when performing certain daily activities in order not to dislocate or harm the device. 3) Continuous need for professional support: Most patients relied solely on professionals for fine-tuning the stimulation rather than using their handheld controller, even if this entailed numerous visits to a remote hospital. 4) Balancing symptom relief and side-effects: Patients expressed difficulties in finding the optimal match between decrease of symptoms and stimulation-induced side-effects. The in-depth interviews of patients on chronic DBS about their perceptions of living with an implanted device provided useful insights that would be difficult to capture by quantitative evaluations. © 2013 International Neuromodulation Society.

  8. Measurements of brain microstructure and connectivity with diffusion MRI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Po Lin

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available By probing direction-dependent diffusivity of water molecules, diffusion MRI has shown its capability to reflect the microstructural tissue status and to estimate the neural orientation and pathways in the living brain. This approach has supplied novel insights into in-vivo human brain connections. By detecting the connection patterns, anatomical architecture and structural integrity between cortical regions or subcortical nuclei in the living human brain can be easily identified. It thus opens a new window on brain connectivity studies and disease processes. During the past years, there is a growing interest in exploring the connectivity patterns of the human brain. Specifically, the utilities of noninvasive neuroimaging data and graph theoretical analysis have provided important insights into the anatomical connections and topological pattern of human brain structural networks in vivo. Here, we review the progress of this important technique and the recent methodological and application studies utilizing graph theoretical approaches on brain structural networks with structural MRI and diffusion MRI.

  9. Trends in slaughter pig production and antimicrobial consumption in Danish slaughter pig herds, 2002-2008

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vieira, Antonio; Pires, Sara Monteiro; Houe, H.

    2011-01-01

    Overuse of antimicrobials in food-animal production is thought to be a major risk factor for the development of resistant bacterial populations. Data on non-human antimicrobial usage is essential for planning of intervention strategies to lower resistance levels at the country, region or herd...... levels. In this study we evaluated Danish national antimicrobial usage data for five antimicrobial classes used in slaughter pigs in different herd sizes and data on the number of slaughter pigs produced per herd, between 2002 and 2008, in Denmark. The objective was to ascertain...... if there is an association between herd size and amount of antimicrobials consumed. During this period, the overall number of herds with slaughter pigs decreased by 43%, with larger herds becoming more prevalent. The tetracycline treatment incidence (TI) rate increased from 0·28 to 0·70 animal-defined daily dose (ADD)/100...

  10. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the pig pancreas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Steen Seier

    1984-01-01

    Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the pig pancreas is localized to nerves, many of which travel along the pancreatic ducts. VIP stimulates pancreatic fluid and bicarbonate secretion like secretin. Electrical vagal stimulation in the pig causes an atropine-resistant profuse secretion...... of bicarbonate-rich pancreatic juice. In an isolated perfused preparation of the pig pancreas with intact vagal nerve supply, electrical vagal stimulation caused an atropine-resistant release of VIP, which accurately parallelled the exocrine secretion of juice and bicarbonate. Perfusion of the pancreas...... with a potent VIP-antiserum inhibited the effect of vagal stimulation on the exocrine secretion. It is concluded, that VIP is responsible for (at least part of) the neurally controlled fluid and bicarbonate secretion from the pig pancreas....

  11. Development of the Young Brain

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... human brain has a track record of successfully adapting to challenges it wasn’t initially designed to take on- such as reading. Dr. Giedd: It’s sobering to realize most humans that have lived and died have never read. And so, we’ve been able to change what our brain does based on having the ...

  12. Human brain imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuhar, M.J.

    1987-01-01

    Just as there have been dramatic advances in the molecular biology of the human brain in recent years, there also have been remarkable advances in brain imaging. This paper reports on the development and broad application of microscopic imaging techniques which include the autoradiographic localization of receptors and the measurement of glucose utilization by autoradiography. These approaches provide great sensitivity and excellent anatomical resolution in exploring brain organization and function. The first noninvasive external imaging of receptor distributions in the living human brain was achieved by positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. Developments, techniques and applications continue to progress. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also becoming important. Its initial clinical applications were in examining the structure and anatomy of the brain. However, more recent uses, such as MRI spectroscopy, indicate the feasibility of exploring biochemical pathways in the brain, the metabolism of drugs in the brain, and also of examining some of these procedures at an anatomical resolution which is substantially greater than that obtainable by PET scanning. The issues will be discussed in greater detail

  13. Characterization of smallholder pig production system: productive and reproductive performances of local and crossbred pigs in Sikkim Himalayan region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nath, B G; Pathak, P K; Ngachan, S V; Tripathi, A K; Mohanty, A K

    2013-10-01

    The present study was conducted to know the smallholder pig production system in tribal areas of Sikkim State, India. Two hundred tribal farmers were selected randomly from the North and East District of the state. Information on socio-economic characteristics of farmers (gender, occupation, educational status, and farming experience), management practices, disease prevalence, and economics in pig production was collected. The study recorded the mean land holding as 1.2 ± 0.8 ha, and the number of pigs per farm was 5.0 ± 0.28. Pigs were mainly kept as a source of income, and 70 % of farmers reared crossbreed pigs. Ninety percent (90 %) of respondents practiced the intensive system of management whereby kitchen wastes along with cooked mixture comprising maize bhusa, mustard oil cake, pseudostem of banana, tuber, stem, and plant leaves were used to feed their animals. About 40.5 % of farmers procured their breeding stock from government farms that had good records and utilized veterinary services like timely vaccination and deworming. The diseases prevalent in the study area were swine fever, diarrhea, helminthoses, sarcoptic mange, pneumonia, etc. The litter sizes at birth (local, 4.3 ± 0.45; crossbreed, 7.2 ± 0.33), at weaning (local, 2.79 ± 0.24; crossbreed, 6.1 ± 0.21), and age at first farrowing (local, 365.39 ± 7.96 days; crossbreed, 337.24 ± 8.79 days) were recorded. Production costs of meat extracted from local and crossbred pigs were 1.08 $/kg and 0.86 $/kg, respectively.

  14. D-BRAIN : Anatomically accurate simulated diffusion MRI brain data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Perrone, Daniele; Jeurissen, Ben; Aelterman, Jan; Roine, Timo; Sijbers, Jan; Pizurica, Aleksandra; Leemans, Alexander; Philips, Wilfried

    2016-01-01

    Diffusion Weighted (DW) MRI allows for the non-invasive study of water diffusion inside living tissues. As such, it is useful for the investigation of human brain white matter (WM) connectivity in vivo through fiber tractography (FT) algorithms. Many DW-MRI tailored restoration techniques and FT

  15. Analyses of pig genomes provide insight into porcine demography and evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groenen, Martien A. M.; Archibald, Alan L.; Uenishi, Hirohide; Tuggle, Christopher K.; Takeuchi, Yasuhiro; Rothschild, Max F.; Rogel-Gaillard, Claire; Park, Chankyu; Milan, Denis; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Li, Shengting; Larkin, Denis M.; Kim, Heebal; Frantz, Laurent A. F.; Caccamo, Mario; Ahn, Hyeonju; Aken, Bronwen L.; Anselmo, Anna; Anthon, Christian; Auvil, Loretta; Badaoui, Bouabid; Beattie, Craig W.; Bendixen, Christian; Berman, Daniel; Blecha, Frank; Blomberg, Jonas; Bolund, Lars; Bosse, Mirte; Botti, Sara; Bujie, Zhan; Bystrom, Megan; Capitanu, Boris; Silva, Denise Carvalho; Chardon, Patrick; Chen, Celine; Cheng, Ryan; Choi, Sang-Haeng; Chow, William; Clark, Richard C.; Clee, Christopher; Crooijmans, Richard P. M. A.; Dawson, Harry D.; Dehais, Patrice; De Sapio, Fioravante; Dibbits, Bert; Drou, Nizar; Du, Zhi-Qiang; Eversole, Kellye; Fadista, João; Fairley, Susan; Faraut, Thomas; Faulkner, Geoffrey J.; Fowler, Katie E.; Fredholm, Merete; Fritz, Eric; Gilbert, James G. R.; Giuffra, Elisabetta; Gorodkin, Jan; Griffin, Darren K.; Harrow, Jennifer L.; Hayward, Alexander; Howe, Kerstin; Hu, Zhi-Liang; Humphray, Sean J.; Hunt, Toby; Hornshøj, Henrik; Jeon, Jin-Tae; Jern, Patric; Jones, Matthew; Jurka, Jerzy; Kanamori, Hiroyuki; Kapetanovic, Ronan; Kim, Jaebum; Kim, Jae-Hwan; Kim, Kyu-Won; Kim, Tae-Hun; Larson, Greger; Lee, Kyooyeol; Lee, Kyung-Tai; Leggett, Richard; Lewin, Harris A.; Li, Yingrui; Liu, Wansheng; Loveland, Jane E.; Lu, Yao; Lunney, Joan K.; Ma, Jian; Madsen, Ole; Mann, Katherine; Matthews, Lucy; McLaren, Stuart; Morozumi, Takeya; Murtaugh, Michael P.; Narayan, Jitendra; Nguyen, Dinh Truong; Ni, Peixiang; Oh, Song-Jung; Onteru, Suneel; Panitz, Frank; Park, Eung-Woo; Park, Hong-Seog; Pascal, Geraldine; Paudel, Yogesh; Perez-Enciso, Miguel; Ramirez-Gonzalez, Ricardo; Reecy, James M.; Zas, Sandra Rodriguez; Rohrer, Gary A.; Rund, Lauretta; Sang, Yongming; Schachtschneider, Kyle; Schraiber, Joshua G.; Schwartz, John; Scobie, Linda; Scott, Carol; Searle, Stephen; Servin, Bertrand; Southey, Bruce R.; Sperber, Goran; Stadler, Peter; Sweedler, Jonathan V.; Tafer, Hakim; Thomsen, Bo; Wali, Rashmi; Wang, Jian; Wang, Jun; White, Simon; Xu, Xun; Yerle, Martine; Zhang, Guojie; Zhang, Jianguo; Zhang, Jie; Zhao, Shuhong; Rogers, Jane; Churcher, Carol; Schook, Lawrence B.

    2013-01-01

    For 10,000 years pigs and humans have shared a close and complex relationship. From domestication to modern breeding practices, humans have shaped the genomes of domestic pigs. Here we present the assembly and analysis of the genome sequence of a female domestic Duroc pig (Sus scrofa) and a comparison with the genomes of wild and domestic pigs from Europe and Asia. Wild pigs emerged in South East Asia and subsequently spread across Eurasia. Our results reveal a deep phylogenetic split between European and Asian wild boars ~1 million years ago, and a selective sweep analysis indicates selection on genes involved in RNA processing and regulation. Genes associated with immune response and olfaction exhibit fast evolution. Pigs have the largest repertoire of functional olfactory receptor genes, reflecting the importance of smell in this scavenging animal. The pig genome sequence provides an important resource for further improvements of this important livestock species, and our identification of many putative disease-causing variants extends the potential of the pig as a biomedical model. PMID:23151582

  16. Gastric volvulus in guinea pigs: comparison with other species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dudley, Emily S; Boivin, Gregory P

    2011-07-01

    Gastric volvulus has been documented in several species of animals and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We report 2 cases of gastric volvulus in guinea pigs that died without detection of prior clinical signs. Both guinea pigs were adult female guinea pigs in a breeding colony and had given birth to multiple litters; one was pregnant at the time of death. Gastric rotations of 540° and 360° were identified at necropsy examination. These cases include the first known report of gastric rotation greater than 360° in any species. Although gastric volvulus has been reported to occur in guinea pigs, little is known about its risk factors, etiology, and pathogenesis. We conducted a literature review to compare gastric volvulus between guinea pigs and other species. Copyright 2011 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science

  17. Growth hormone receptor-deficient pigs resemble the pathophysiology of human Laron syndrome and reveal altered activation of signaling cascades in the liver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinrichs, Arne; Kessler, Barbara; Kurome, Mayuko; Blutke, Andreas; Kemter, Elisabeth; Bernau, Maren; Scholz, Armin M; Rathkolb, Birgit; Renner, Simone; Bultmann, Sebastian; Leonhardt, Heinrich; de Angelis, Martin Hrabĕ; Nagashima, Hiroshi; Hoeflich, Andreas; Blum, Werner F; Bidlingmaier, Martin; Wanke, Rüdiger; Dahlhoff, Maik; Wolf, Eckhard

    2018-05-01

    Laron syndrome (LS) is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder in humans caused by loss-of-function mutations of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene. To establish a large animal model for LS, pigs with GHR knockout (KO) mutations were generated and characterized. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was applied to mutate exon 3 of the GHR gene in porcine zygotes. Two heterozygous founder sows with a 1-bp or 7-bp insertion in GHR exon 3 were obtained, and their heterozygous F1 offspring were intercrossed to produce GHR-KO, heterozygous GHR mutant, and wild-type pigs. Since the latter two groups were not significantly different in any parameter investigated, they were pooled as the GHR expressing control group. The characterization program included body and organ growth, body composition, endocrine and clinical-chemical parameters, as well as signaling studies in liver tissue. GHR-KO pigs lacked GHR and had markedly reduced serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) levels and reduced IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) activity but increased IGFBP2 levels. Serum GH concentrations were significantly elevated compared with control pigs. GHR-KO pigs had a normal birth weight. Growth retardation became significant at the age of five weeks. At the age of six months, the body weight of GHR-KO pigs was reduced by 60% compared with controls. Most organ weights of GHR-KO pigs were reduced proportionally to body weight. However, the weights of liver, kidneys, and heart were disproportionately reduced, while the relative brain weight was almost doubled. GHR-KO pigs had a markedly increased percentage of total body fat relative to body weight and displayed transient juvenile hypoglycemia along with decreased serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Analysis of insulin receptor related signaling in the liver of adult fasted pigs revealed increased phosphorylation of IRS1 and PI3K. In agreement with the loss of GHR, phosphorylation of STAT5 was significantly reduced. In contrast, phosphorylation

  18. Evaluation of Ebola Virus Countermeasures in Guinea Pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marzi, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Ebola virus (EBOV) pathology in humans remains incompletely understood; therefore, a number of rodent and nonhuman primate (NHP) models have been established to study the disease caused by this virus. While the macaque model most accurately recapitulates human disease, rodent models, which display only certain aspects of human disease but are more cost-effective, are widely used for initial screens during EBOV countermeasure development. In particular, mice and guinea pigs were among the first species used for the efficacy testing of EBOV vaccines and therapeutics. While mice have low predictive value, guinea pigs have proven to be a more reliable predictor for the evaluation of countermeasures in NHPs. In addition, guinea pigs are larger in size compared to mice, allowing for more frequent collection of blood samples at larger volumes. However, guinea pigs have the disadvantage that there is only a limited pool of immunological tools available to characterize host responses to vaccination, treatment and infection. In this chapter, the efficacy testing of an EBOV vaccine and a therapeutic in the guinea pig model are described.

  19. Analyzing Protein Changes in Guinea Pig Tissue Lysates Using Non-guinea Pig Specific Antibodies: Procedures for Western Blotting and Examples Using 16 Individual Antibodies for Common CNS Proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-05-01

    guinea pig model does present a significant problem...trying to correlate behavioral and protein changes due to the absence of guinea pig -specific antibodies. We...have developed a procedure to determine the specificity of commercially available, non- guinea pig -specific antibodies in guinea pig lysates.

  20. Guinea Pigs: Versatile Animals for the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barman, Charles R.

    1977-01-01

    Guinea pigs are presented as versatile classroom animals. Suggestions for animal behavior and genetics studies are given. Also included is information concerning sex determination and the breeding of guinea pigs, and hints on keeping these animals in the classroom. References and illustrations complete the article. (MA)