Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Intraocular Pressure Changes In Equine Athletes During Endurance Competitions, Rachel A. Allbaugh, Susan M. Keil, Zhining Ou, Nora M. Bello

Rachel A. Allbaugh

Objective To assess intraocular pressure (IOP) in conditioned equine athletes and document changes with exercise. A secondary objective was to assess associations between IOP and heart rate, as well as with other subjective physical parameters.

Sample Population Horses were evaluated during 50 mile endurance ride competitions. Data were collected on 69 horses during 5 different competitions at 3 different locations with 59 horses ridden once, 9 horses ridden in two competitions, and 1 horse ridden in three competitions for a total of 80 horse-ride combinations.

Procedures Intraocular pressure was measured using a TonoVet® tonometer in both eyes of each horse …

Linking Social Environment And Stress Physiology In Feral Mares (Equus Caballus): Group Transfers Elevate Fecal Cortisol Levels, Cassandra M.V. Nuñez, James S. Adelman, Jessica Smith, Laurence R. Gesquiere, Daniel I. Rubenstein

Cassandra M.V. Nuñez

Feral horses (Equus caballus) have a complex social structure, the stability of which is important to their overall health. Behavioral and demographic research has shown that decreases in group (or band) stability reduce female fitness, but the potential effects on the physiological stress response have not been demonstrated. To fully understand how band stability affects group-member fitness, we need to understand not only behavioral and demographic, but also physiological consequences of decreases to that stability. We studied group changes in feral mares (an activity that induces instability, including both male and female aggression) on Shackleford Banks, NC. We found that …

Capsular Hyaluronic Acid-Mediated Adhesion Of Pasteurella Multocida To Turkey Air Sac Macrophages, Ingrid M. Pruimboom, Richard B. Rimler, Mark R. Ackermann, Kim A. Brogden

Mark R. Ackermann

Serogroup A strains of Pasteurella multocida, the major cause of fowl cholera, are resistant to phagocytosis in nonimmunized birds. Adherence studies with a capsulated strain of P multocida (serotype A:3) and turkey air sac macrophages in culture showed that the bacteria were capable of adhering in large numbers to the macrophages but were not internalized. A noncapsulated variant of the bacteria (serotype -:3) showed little or no adherence and was not internalized. These data indicated that the adhesive properties were caused by the presence of a capsule on the bacteria. The role of capsular hyaluronic acid in adherence to macrophages …

Comparison Of The Effect Of Different Opsonins On The Phagocytosis Of Fluorescein-Labeled Staphylococcal Bacteria By Chicken Heterophils, Claire B. Andreasen, James R. Andreasen Jr., Anita E. Sonn, Julie A. Oughton

Claire B. Andreasen

Heterophil phagocytosis of fluorescein-labeled staphylococcal bacteria was analyzed by flow cytometry. Opsonization with two types of normal pooled sera and staphylococcal antisera significantly increased bacterial phagocytosis compared to samples without an opsonin. The staphylococcal antisera did not significantly increase bacterial phagocytosis compared to the normal pooled sera. Opsonization appears to increase bacterial phagocytosis but specific antisera may not increase phagocytosis beyond that caused by pooled normal sera.

Heterophil Chemotaxis In Chickens With Natural Staphylococcal Infections, James R. Andreasen Jr., Claire B. Andreasen, Mohammad Anwer, Anita E. Sonn

Claire B. Andreasen

Heterophil chemotaxis using heterophils isolated from the peripheral blood of five commercial broiler chickens naturally infected with staphylococcal bacteria was compared by the modified Boyden-chamber technique with chemotaxis of heterophils from two chickens from the same flock not infected with Staphylococcus (field controls) and from four healthy laboratory control broiler chickens. The infected chickens had gross and histologic lesions of staphylococcal tenosynovitis and osteomyelitis. Staphylococci were isolated from the lesions. Hematologic parameters and histologic lesions of infected chickens also were examined. Compared with field and laboratory controls, Staphylococcus-infected chickens had heterophilic leukocytosis. The heterophils of Staphylococcus-infected chickens had significantly lower …

Chicken Heterophil Chemotaxis Using Staphylococcus-Generated Chemoattractants, James R. Andreasen Jr., Claire B. Andreasen, Mohammad Anwer, Anita E. Sonn

Claire B. Andreasen

Heterophil chemotaxis, in response to chemotactic factors generated by three different strains of staphylococcal bacteria, was measured using the modified Boyden-chamber technique. Heterophils were obtained from healthy 6-to-8-week-old broiler chickens. Each bacterial strain generated factors that were chemotactic for chicken heterophils. Factors generated by two pathogenic isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, however, induced significantly greater chemotaxis in chicken heterophils than those generated by a nonpathogenic Staphylococcus isolate.

Intestinal Adenocarcinoma Of The Ileocecal Junction In A Chicken, James R. Andreasen Jr., Claire B. Andreasen

Claire B. Andreasen

An 89-week-old male chicken was presented with signs of depression, emaciation, and weakness. At necropsy, a stricture was found at the ileocecal junction that resulted in blockage and dilation of the ileum proximal to the stricture. Histologically, neoplastic epithelial cells that contained mucin had invaded the intestinal wall and produced a fibrous connective tissue reaction. The lesion was diagnosed as scirrhous intestinal adenocarcinoma.

Evaluation Of Chicken Heterophil Adherence, Claire B. Andreasen, Kenneth S. Latimer, W. L. Steffens

Claire B. Andreasen

Adherence of chicken heterophils was evaluated at 37 C using preconstructed columns containing various weights of nylon fiber (75 mg, 100 mg, or 125 mg) and whole blood anticoagulated with sodium heparin or 10% disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). Additionally, 50-mg and 75-mg nylon fiber columns incubated at 41 C were used to evaluate heterophil adherence at an increased temperature. The mean percent adherence for heparin-anticoagulated blood applied to 75-mg, 100-mg, and 125-mg nylon fiber columns at 37 C was 76%, 92% and 97.4%, respectively. Samples applied to 50-mg and 75-mg columns at 41 C had adherence values of 27% …

Separation Of Turkey Heterophils From Blood Using Two-Step Ficoll-Hypaque Discontinuous Gradients, Kenneth S. Latimer, Ingrid M. Kircher, Claire B. Andreasen

Claire B. Andreasen

A method is presented to separate turkey heterophils from anticoagulated whole blood using two-step Ficoll-Hypaque discontinuous gradients and ammonium chloride lysis of contaminating erythrocytes. Heterophils can be isolated from multiple blood samples within 3 to 4 hours. Using this technique, 66.4 +- 18.4% (mean +- standard deviation) of blood heterophils were harvested. Final cell isolates averaged 96.0 +- 2.9% heterophils with few contaminating eosinophils (2.5 +- 2.3%) or basophils (1.6 +- 1.8%). Cell viability, as determined by trypan blue dye exclusion, was 98.0 +- 1.4%.

Determination Of Chicken And Turkey Plasma And Serum Protein Concentrations By Refractometry And The Biuret Method, Claire B. Andreasen, Kenneth S. Latimer, Ingrid M. Kircher, John Brown

Claire B. Andreasen

Plasma and serum protein concentrations were determined in chickens and turkeys by refractometry (with human and veterinary refractometers)and by the biuret method. Chicken and turkey serum protein values were significantly lower than respective plasma protein values according to both methods. Refractometer readings for both plasma and serum correlated closely with the results of the biuret test (r2 = 0.72 to 0.97). These findings indicate that plasma and serum protein values may be determined accurately in chickens and turkeys with a handheld refractometer.

Separation Of Avian Heterophils From Blood Using Ficoll-Hypaque Discontinuous Gradients, Claire B. Andreasen, Kenneth S. Latimer

Claire B. Andreasen

Rapid separation of avian heterophils from anticoagulated whole blood was achieved using Ficoll-Hypaque discontinuous gradients. An average of 14.4% of blood heterophils was harvested with a mean purity exceeding 99%. Heterophil viability, as determined by trypan blue dye exclusion, averaged 99.8%. The integrity of isolated heterophils was evaluated by cytochemical staining and ultrastructural examination. Cytochemical staining reactions of heterophils in whole blood and of isolated cell suspensions were similar. No ultrastructural abnormalities were observed. Using this procedure, viable intact heterophils were rapidly isolated from blood with an acceptable cell yield and purity for cell function studies.