Glands Of Cattle Research Articles

From ultrasound to microscopy: Actualities in thyroid investigation in cattle.

Thyroid ultrasonography examination is widely used in human and small animal medicine. However, it has rarely been applied in cattle. The aim of this study was to determine whether the measurements of the thyroid gland by ultrasound examination correlate to those taken during post-mortem examination. A sample of 22 cows and 23 calves was selected for thyroid gland evaluation. An ultrasound scan was performed ante-mortem, followed by euthanasia (for medical reasons) or slaughtered in the food chain and the dissection of the thyroid gland was therefore performed. Post-mortem, the gland was weighed and its dimensions and volume measured. The volume and weight measurements were compared with the predicted ones on US using the formulas available in the literature. Finally, histological examination was performed on thyroid glands. The dimensions of the thyroid gland measured by ultrasonography were significantly different (p<0.05) from those observed post-mortem, except for lobe lengths in calves (p>0.1). However, in calves, there was no systematic bias between the ultrasound and post-mortem examination of the thyroid gland, which were concordant (with an average error of 18%). Cystic lesions were observed on ultrasound in 9/22 cows and could be found on histological examination in 7 of these. Other lesions, such as follicular hypoplasia and hyperplasia, were seen on histological examination but not on ultrasound. Although the ultrasound measurements did not significantly correlate with those taken post-mortem, this examination may allow to differentiate non-standard thyroids in the case of hyperplastic goiter, as demonstrated in other species. This study also describes and illustrates interesting lesions of the thyroid gland in cattle. These findings are innovative in the description of the use of thyroid ultrasound in cattle, although further studies are needed to allow deeper conclusions.

Євген Мошков — колектор зоологічних колекцій, дослідник екофізіології ссавців і птахів

An essay about a researcher whose beginnings are associated with the study of mammals and the gathering of zoological collections. In the post-war period, before entering Kyiv University (1945) and until the time of defending his dissertation (1953), he participated in expeditions and collected specimens, primarily rodents and bats. These collections have been preserved in NMNH, where his collections of hollow-nesting birds are also kept. The researcher worked on scientific topics under the supervision of Prof. B. Novykov, his dissertation was devoted to seasonal and age-related changes in the function of the thyroid gland in cattle. In subsequent years, he switched to studying similar changes in birds.

Technical Validation of Ultrasound Assessment of the Thyroid Gland in Cattle.

Little is known about thyroid diseases in ruminants, probably due to the lack of diagnosis techniques developed in this species. However, thyroid ultrasound (TU) is widely used in human and in companion animal's medicine. It is a cheap and non-invasive examination, which allows for the identification of thyroid structures or diffuse diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of TU in five calves and five cows through inter- and intra-observer repeatability. The size of the thyroid gland was measured from three views: left sagittal, right sagittal and transverse; nine measurements per view. The intra-observer coefficient was calculated for each observer. For the inter-observer, the first observer was a board-certified imagist (European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging diplomate), the second was a board-certified specialist in bovine and herd management (European College of Bovine Health Managementdiplomate) and the third was an in-trained veterinarian for the TU. They each scanned the thyroid gland successively, following the same method. The intra-observer variabilities for observers 1, 2 and 3 were 8.22%, 5.53%, 5.38%, and 7.18%, 8.65% and 6.36%, respectively, for calves and cows. The inter-observer variability for calves was 10.4% and for cows, 11.8%. This study confirms the feasibility of repeatable intra- and inter-observer TU-estimated measurements in cattle.

ARE DENDRITIC CELLS A POTENTIAL TOOL FOR MASTITIS VACCINE DEVELOPMENT?

Mastitis is one of the main disease causing big economic losses to dairy farmers. This disease is caused mainly by bacteria. Because of not efficient vaccines, there are necessary to develop new immunotherapy of vaccination strategy to reduce this disease in dairy farms. Dendritic cells are antigen-presenting cells which are able to present antigen to lymphocytes. They are able to induce activation of T naïve lymphocytes. Dendritic cells were used for development of dendritic cell-based anti-tumor vaccines. Development of vaccines against bovine mastitis has many limitations as high number of various pathogens that are able to cause inflammation of mammary gland in cattle; absence of mucus barrier in mammary gland; reduced phagocytic efficiency because of casein and fat globules etc. To this day, it is not available vaccine against bovine mastitis with high efficiency. Development of new immunotherapy or vaccine against mastitis would be very desirable. In this mini review, we are considering possibilities for development of new dendritic cell-based vaccine against bovine mastitis.

Histological study of Sweat gland in Cattle

Histological study of Sweat gland in Cattle

Histological study of Sweat gland in Cattle

The depth of sweat gland of the skin in non-lactating cow at lateral surface was found higher in the present study and pregnant cow showed higher sweat gland length at dorsal aspect of the body. Whereas width was more in lactating cow. The sweat gland were tubule acinar glands. The secretary saccules were either oval or elongated in shape. The secretary portions were lined with flat cuboidal epithelial cells. These glands were located deeply in the dermis below the sebaceous glands. The secretary material was observed in the lumen of these glands. The sweat glands were lined by simple cuboidal epithelium with a oval nuclei.

Ectopic lacrimal gland in cattle and dogs

This datasheet on ectopic lacrimal gland in cattle and dogs covers Identity, Hosts/Species Affected, Diagnosis.

Changes in the hormonal status of cows with subcutaneous administration of an iodine-containing drug

One of the most important aspects of maintaining the health of animals is to meet their needs for nutrients, vitamins and minerals. To solve this problem, it is necessary to optimize the diets of animals. However, when talking about the territory of the Altai Territory, it should be borne in mind that the soil and, accordingly, the plants growing on it, can not meet the need of cattle in such a trace element as iodine. It is obvious that it is necessary to introduce a qualitatively new way to solve this problem in cows. The most productive, in our opinion, is the method of subcutaneous administration of Kayod tablets. Testing of this method was carried out on pregnant cows of the uchkhoz «Prigorodny». Three groups of pregnant cows with 15 animals each were formed for the research. A preliminary analysis of the diet was made, according to which the iodine deficiency was 15 % per animal. During the experiment, cows of different groups were implanted under the skin with Kaiod tablets in different dosages, after which the hormonal parameters of the cows « blood were examined to determine the content of thyroxine and triiodothyronine in it. The study of the dynamics of these indicators most clearly characterizes the presence or absence of hidden pathological processes in the animal’s body that affect the metabolism, and, accordingly, are directly related to iodine deficiency or its absence. Based on the above, it is necessary to conclude that the use of Kaiod tablets in cows during pregnancy in the form of subcutaneous implants according to the method developed and implemented by the authors is a very productive way to normalize the function of the thyroid gland in cattle. The correction of the metabolism begins immediately after the implantation of the tablets and continues to work for 2–3 months in the future.

A dynamic mammary gland model describing colostrum immunoglobulin transfer and milk production in lactating sows.

The physiology of the sow mammary gland is qualitatively well described and understood. However, the quantitative effect of various biological mechanisms contributing to the synthesis of colostrum and milk is lacking and more complicated to obtain. The objective of this study was to integrate physiological and empirical knowledge of the production of colostrum and milk in a dynamic model of a single sow mammary gland to understand and quantify parameters controlling mammary gland output. In 1983, Heather Neal and John Thornley published a model of the mammary gland in cattle, which was used as a starting point for the development of this model. The original cattle model was reparameterized, modified, and extended to describe the production of milk by the sow mammary gland during lactation and the prepartum production of colostrum as the combined output of immunoglobulins (Ig) and milk. Initially, the model was reparameterized to simulate milk synthesis potential of a single gland by considering biological characteristics and empirical estimations of sows and piglets. Secondly, the model was modified to simulate more accurately the responses to changes in milk removal rates. This was done by linking the ejectable milk storage capacity to the number of secretory cells rather than being constant throughout lactation. Finally, the model was extended to include the prepartum synthesis of milk and the kinetics of Ig into and out of the mammary gland. A progressive capacity of secretory cells to synthesize milk was used to differentiate the time between the onset of milk synthesis and Ig transfer. Changes in maximum milk removal rate, duration of milk ejection, and nursing interval exerted a great impact on the modeled milk output. Changes by ±60% in one of these parameters were capable of increasing milk output by 28% to 39% during the first 4 wk in lactation compared with the reference parameterization. This suggests that the ability of the piglet to remove milk from the gland exerts a key control on milk synthesis during lactation. Modeling colostrum as the combined output of Ig and milk allowed to represent the rapid decline in Ig concentration observed during the first hours after farrowing. In conclusion, biological and empirical knowledge was integrated into a model of the sow mammary gland and constitutes a simple approach to explore in which conditions and to what extent individual parameters influence Ig kinetics and milk production.

Ultrastructural characteristics of the anterior pituitary gland of cattle in the definitive period of postnatal ontogenesis

Today much attention is paid to the study of the pituitary ultrastructure of laboratory animals and humans. But there is not enough available literature to study the most important organ of internal secretion of productive animal. The aim of our work is to study the structure of the ultrastructure of cells of the anterior pituitary gland of cattle in the definitive period of postnatal ontogenesis. Histological, morphometric, and electron microscopic techniques were used to study the cellular composition of the anterior pituitary gland of cattle. It was revealed that the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland occupies 64 % of the entire pituitary parenchyma, while the posterior and middle lobes occupy 27% and 9%, respectively. After using general histological methods there are detected the functionally inactive chromophobes (41%) and chromophilic cells, which include acidophils (38%) and basophils (21%) in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. The electron microscopic studies in the parenchyma of the anterior pituitary gland let find Somatotropes that differ in the presence of a large number of secretory granules in the cytoplasm. Lactotropes are less common than somatotropes and differ from them in larger secretory granules. Corticotropes, gonadotropes and thyrotropes with a minimum content of secretory granules are the least detected. All identified endocrine cells are at different stages of functional activity.

Ultrasonography of Normal Adrenal Glands in Adult Holstein-Friesian Cows: A Pilot Study.

Simple SummaryKnowledge of the normal appearance of the abdominal organs of animals is essential for accurate ultrasound evaluation in daily clinical routine in veterinary practice. In this paper we describe, for the first time, a systematic protocol for ultrasonographic examination of the adrenal glands of cows and provide preliminary reference values for healthy adult Holstein–Friesian cows.Ultrasonographic reference values for the adrenal glands of cattle have not been reported to date. Adrenal glands can be affected by different pathologies, such as hyperplasia, neoplasia and atrophy (either primary or secondary). The present findings indicate that the right adrenal gland can be easily characterized by transabdominal ultrasound in adult Holstein–Friesian cows, with no apparent influence of age or weight. The right adrenal gland (mean length 3.86 ± 1.39 cm; and mean thickness 1.39 ± 0.26 cm) was consistently and mainly located in the 12th intercostal space. The left adrenal gland was more difficult to locate due to its more medial position, and to the presence of gas in the gastrointestinal tract, so it could not be visualized in most animals (18/25). Its mean length was 3.72 ± 0.95 cm, and mean thickness was 1.36 ± 0.33 cm, in the sagittal section. This is the first report of the ultrasonographic appearance of the adrenal glands of cows and of the corresponding reference preliminary values.

Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics reveals potential targets associated with onset of Sub-clinical Mastitis in cows

Bovine milk is vital for infant nutrition and is a major component of the human diet. Bovine mastitis is a common inflammatory disease of mammary gland in cattle. It alters the immune profile of the animal and lowers the quality and yield of milk causing huge economic losses to dairy industry. The incidence of sub-clinical mastitis (SCM) is higher (25–65% worldwide) than clinical mastitis (CM) (>5%), and frequently progresses to clinical stage due to lack of sensitive and specific detection method. We used quantitative proteomics to identify changes in milk during sub-clinical mastitis, which may be potential biomarkers for developing rapid, non-invasive, sensitive detection methods. We performed comparative proteome analysis of the bovine milk, collected from the Indian hybrid cow Karan Fries. The differential proteome in the milk of Indian crossbred cows during sub-acute and clinical intramammary gland infection has not been investigated to date. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics of the bovine whey proteins, we identified a total of 1459 and 1358 proteins in biological replicates, out of which 220 and 157 proteins were differentially expressed between normal and infected samples. A total of 82 proteins were up-regulated and 27 proteins were down-regulated, having fold changes of ≥2 and ≤0.8 respectively. Among these proteins, overexpression of CHI3L1, LBP, GSN, GCLC, C4 and PIGR proteins was positively correlated with the events that elicit host defence system, triggering production of cytokines and inflammatory molecules. The appearance of these potential biomarkers in milk may be used to segregate affected cattle from the normal herd and may support mitigation measures for prevention of SCM and CM.

Detection and whole genomic characterization of &lt;em&gt;Bovine Papillomavirus&lt;/em&gt; type 1 associated with severe mammary cutaneous warts in Turkey

Papilloma viruses (PVs) induce epithelial tumors in their natural hosts. These tumors are located on the mammary gland of cattle; therefore, PVs are considered viral agents with significant effects, both economical and on the animals’ health. Also, knowing the diversity of bovine PV (BPV) and its prevalence in countries worldwide is important to develop optimal diagnostic methods, as well as methods to fight this infection.The aim of the present study was to characterize the full-length genome of BPV 1 as the dominant type circulating among cattle in Turkey. It is the authors’ opinion that the results of this work provide useful information for further studies on the preventative steps that can be taken against BPV infection.

Fatty acid elongase7 is regulated via SP1 and is involved in lipid accumulation in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Fatty Acid Elongase 7 (ELOVL7) is the newly discovered protein on human that catalyzes the rate-limiting step towards the synthesis of very long-chain fatty acids and exhibits the highest activity toward C18: 3 (n-3) acyl-CoAs, which is the precursor of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20: 5n-3). However, in ruminants, an overall understanding of ELOVLs gene family and the transcriptional regulation of ELOVL7 remain unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the transcriptional regulation and the influence of bovine ELOVL7 in bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMECs). Quantitative real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that ELOVLs gene family had differential expression patterns in bMECs, and bovine ELOVL7 was expressed in a tissue-specific manner, which was high in kidney, followed by in abdominal fat and in bMECs. Promoter analysis of bovine ELOVL7, including bioinformatics analyzes, dual-luciferase reporter assays, protein pull-down assay, Western blot assay, over-expression and RNA interference assay, have independently and synthetically demonstrated that transcription factor Sp1 (SP1) specifically interacted with the GC-box at -143 to -128 base pair on ELOVL7 promoter. Furthermore, the exogenous α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18: 3n-3), strengthened the binding of SP1 to the ELOVL7 proximal promoter, resulting in the accumulation of lipid droplets in bMECs. In conclusion, these data suggest that the transcription of bovine ELOVL7 is affected by the binding of SP1 and the treatment of ALA, moreover, enlightening us the profound role of SP1 in modulating lipid synthesis of the mammary gland in cattle.

Comparative histochemical studies of lacrimal gland in Ruminants

The present study was carried out to observe the histochemical details of the lacrimal gland in ruminants. The lacrimal gland located at the dorsolateral aspect of the eyeball which helps to nourish the cornea. In the present study a strong PAS positive reaction were seen in the secretory units of lacrimal gland in cattle, sheep and goat whereas, few secretory units showed strong PAS positive reaction and few secretory units showed weak PAS positive reaction in buffalo. Few secretory units and few secretory cells in some secretory units showed positive reaction for Alcian blue at (pH 2.5) in cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat. Intralobular and interlobular lipids were observed in buffalo, sheep and goat.

ГИСТОХИМИЧЕСКАЯ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА ГИПОФИЗА КРУПНОГО РОГАТОГО СКОТА

Histochemical studies allowed to investigate the main aspects of the chemical statics and dynamics of the pituitary gland: location and nature of the reaction to the contents of nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids in cattle of different ages.It is installed the increased intensity of histochemical reactions to identify DNA and RNA. This indicates about the nucleic nature of the colloid, which is produced by the body and is a carrier of hormonal substances. The greatest concentration of nucleic acids was observed in the adenohypophysis of animals of 6 months of age. Here they are accumulated more in the adenocytes nuclei. The cells of a connective–tissue capsule of the pituitary gland have increased intensity of histochemical reactions to identify nucleic acids. Common proteins found in all histoststructure of the pituitary gland, but sometimes the preferential localization of the total protein in the pituitary gland of cattle in the age aspect is the anterior pituitary. The lipid in microstructures of the pituitary gland contained in all its parts. The intermediate fraction and the capsule of the pituitary gland are rich by them. Fat cells in the structures of the pituitary gland have not been identified because they usually are contained in the form of biocomplexity connections.The nature of the histochemical features of the pituitary gland of cattle depends on the age of the animals, and we studied the histochemical reactions of the colloid allow to characterize it as a mucopolysaccharide with impurities of proteins and a small amount of lipids.

Comprehensive identification of sexually dimorphic genes in diverse cattle tissues using RNA-seq.

BackgroundMolecular mechanisms associated with sexual dimorphism in cattle have not been well elucidated. Furthermore, as recent studies have implied that gene expression patterns are highly tissue specific, it is essential to investigate gene expression in a variety of tissues using RNA-seq. Here, we employed and compared two statistical methods, a simple two group test and Analysis of deviance (ANODEV), in order to investigate bovine sexually dimorphic genes in 40 RNA-seq samples distributed across two factors: sex and tissue.ResultsAs a result, we detected 752 sexually dimorphic genes across tissues from two statistical approaches and identified strong tissue-specific patterns of gene expression. Additionally, significantly detected sex-related genes shared between two mammal species (cattle and rat) were identified using qRT-PCR.ConclusionsResults of our analyses reveal that sexual dimorphism of metabolic tissues and pituitary gland in cattle involves various biological processes. Several differentially expressed genes between sexes in cattle and rat species are shared, but show tissue-specific patterns. Finally, we concluded that two distinct statistical approaches have their advantages and disadvantages in RNA-seq studies investigating multiple tissues.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2400-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The works of professor N.P. Kravkov in the area of endocrinology

This article describes the academic works of the N.P. Kravkov (1865–1924), a prominent Russian pharmacologist, on the study of the endocrine glands.In N.P. Kravkov’s laboratory, via experiments on rabbits and dogs, a method of isolating the pancreas and extracting its perfusate was developed based on passing Ringer-Locke’s solution through the vessels of the isolated gland. It was discovered that the perfusate contains a substance that reduces the level of glucose in the blood of healthy animals and, in large doses, causes hypoglycaemic coma. N.P. Kravkov called this substance pancreotoxin.The experiments of N.P. Kravkov’s followers on the isolated hearts of animals showed that, for a heart in the normal condition, pancreotoxin decelerates the heartbeat and reduces the amplitude of contractions, whereas for the heart tired above a certain threshold, the opposite effect is observed.The study of the blood vessels in isolated ears of rabbits and the eyes of frogs revealed antagonism between pancreotoxin and adrenalin: pancreotoxin weakens the vasoconstrictive effect of adrenalin and reduces its influence on the size of the pupil in frogs. It was also shown that passing the perfusate containing pancreotoxin through the adrenal gland increases the secretion of adrenalin.Later, pancreotoxin was obtained in the dried form and used to prepare a drug prescribed to patients with diabetes in hospitals.From its properties, pancreotoxin turned out to be insulin. It should be noted that the news that insulin had been isolated from the pancreas by the Canadian researchers F. Banting and C. Best reached Russia only after the researchers in N.P. Kravkov’s laboratory had extracted and studied pancreotoxin from isolated pancreases. Thus, N.P. Kravkov and foreign researchers discovered this hormone independently.In experiments on the isolated adrenal glands of cattle, N.P. Kravkov and his collaborators obtained the perfusate containing an adrenalin-like substance produced in the medulla of the adrenal gland and a muscarine-like substance produced by the suprarenal cortex.The research by N.P. Kravkov and his followers on the physiology, pathology and pharmacology of the glands of internal secretion at the beginning of the 20th century has proved to be of great importance for the development of endocrinology in Russia.

Single Intramammary Infusion of Recombinant Bovine Interleukin-8 at Dry-Off Induces the Prolonged Secretion of Leukocyte Elastase, Inflammatory Lactoferrin-Derived Peptides, and Interleukin-8 in Dairy Cows

A single intramammary infusion of recombinant bovine interleukin-8 (IL-8) at 50 μg/quarter/head, but not 10 μg/quarter/head, induced clinical mastitis in three of four cows during the dry-off period, resulting in an elevated rectal temperature, redness and swelling of the mammary gland, extensive polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) infiltration, and milk clot formation from 1 to 28 days post infusion (PI). In the mammary secretions of the mastitic glands, high levels of IL-8 were sustained from 8 hours to 28 days PI, peaking at 1–3 days PI. The levels of leukocyte-derived elastase and inflammatory 22 and 23 kDa lactoferrin derived peptides (LDP) were also increased in the mammary secretions from the mastitic glands. In addition to the experimentally induced mastitis, the mammary secretions from the glands of cattle with spontaneous Staphylococcus aureus dry-period mastitis displayed milk clot formations and significant increases in their levels of PMNL counts, elastase, LDP, and IL-8, compared with those of the mammary secretions from the uninfected glands. These results suggest that after an intramammary infusion of IL-8 has elicited inflammatory responses, it induces the prolonged secretion of elastase, inflammatory LDP, and IL-8, and that long-lasting IL-8-induced inflammatory reactions are involved in the pathogenesis of S. aureus dry-period mastitis.

Eficácia in vitro de desinfetantes utilizados na anti-sepsia dos tetos frente a leveduras isoladas do leite de vaca com mastite

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar a sensibilidade in vitro de leveduras isoladas do leite de vaca com mastite frente a alguns desinfetantes comerciais utilizados no pré e pós-dipping em propriedades leiteiras do Estado de Pernambuco. Após a identificação, 12 isolados de leveduras foram submetidos aos testes com os seguintes princípios ativos: iodo (0,57%), cloro (2,5%), clorexidine (2,0%), ácido láctico (2,0%) e amônia quaternária (2,0%) em cinco tempos distintos (15", 30", 60", 300" e 600"). Observou-se que 100% dos isolados mostraram-se sensíveis ao clorexidine, em todos os tempos de exposição. O iodo obteve o segundo melhor resultado com os seguintes percentuais: 83,33% foram sensíveis em 15" de exposição, 91,67% em 30" e 100% foram sensíveis nos tempos 60", 300" e 600". Para o ácido láctico, os resultados foram: 41,67% sensíveis em 15" de exposição, 58,33% em 30", 66,67% em 60" e 300" e 75% em 600". Na Análise dos resultados para amônia quaternária, observou-se que 66,67% foram sensíveis nos tempos 15" e 30", e 91,67% em 60", 300" e 600". Em relação ao princípio ativo cloro apenas 16,67% foram sensíveis no tempo de 15" e 30", e 25% em 60", 300" e 600". Conclui-se que o clorexidine e o iodo apresentam atividade desinfetante significativamente superior ao cloro, frente a leveduras envolvidas nos processos infecciosos da glândula mamária em bovinos. É necessário realizar uma avaliação periódica da atividade desinfetante dos produtos utilizados na rotina do pré e pós-dipping nas propriedades leiteiras frente aos microrganismos mais comumente envolvidos nos casos de mastite (micótica ou bacteriana), pois esta é uma medida eficaz para reduzir a frequência de casos de mastite nos rebanhos.