Accuracy of canine parturition date prediction using fetal measurements obtained by ultrasonography

The length of canine gestation is 65 days from the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Early and accurate determination of canine gestational age is useful for predicting and managing parturition. We performed a retrospective study on fetal measurements obtained by transabdominal ultrasonographic examination of 83 bitches (32 breeds) to estimate gestational age. Gestational age was estimated using two published tables correlating either (1). embryonic vesicle diameter (EVD), crown-rump length (CRL), body diameter (BD), and biparietal diameter (HD) to the LH surge in mid-gestational beagles or (2). BD and HD to parturition in late-gestation retrievers. Parturition date was predicted by obtaining the difference between the gestational age estimate and 65 days. Bitches were divided into four body weight (BW) groups based on nonpregnant body weight: small (9-20 kg), large (>20-40 kg), and giant (>40 kg). Mean+/-S.D. litter size (LS) was calculated for each BW group. The BW groups were then divided into small, average, or large LS groups. The accuracy of the prediction was not affected by LS but was affected by maternal body weight for small and giant BW groups only. When adjusted for weight, the accuracy of prediction within +/-1 day and +/-2 day intervals was 75 and 87%, respectively. Using stepwise logisitic regression, the most accurate prediction of parturition date was obtained when fetuses were measured at 30 days after the LH surge, regardless of body weight or LS. Parturition date predictions made after 39 days of gestation using only biparietal and BD fetal measurements were <50% accurate within +/-2 days.     

Flow and diffusion in the vitreous body of the eye

Solution of the equation that describes simulatenous liquid flow and diffusion in a spherical model of the vitreous body of the eye shows that a small dissolved specie can move both anteriorly and posteriorly from a source behind the lens even though there is a slow liquid movement almost entirely in the posterior direction. This results explains why tracer studies using large particles (dyes or colloids) show only a posterior flow, whereas studies using sodium ion show anterior movement as well.     

Accuracy of canine parturition date prediction from the initial rise in preovulatory progesterone concentration

Accurate prediction of parturition date is useful for clinical management of canine parturition. For nearly all normal canine pregnancies, parturition occurs 64-66 days from the LH peak, the timing of which cannot be differentiated from the initial sharp rise in serum progesterone (P4) concentrations. We sought to determine by retrospective analysis if prebreeding serum progesterone concentrations could accurately predict parturition date. Serum progesterone concentrations recorded as serial samples from 63 bitches (19 breeds) were analyzed. Progesterone concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) or chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA). The CLIA method was validated for use in determining P4 concentrations in canine serum and results were comparable to those obtained with RIA. Bitches were grouped by nonpregnant body weight (BW) and litter size (LS). Day 0 (D0), the day of preovulatory rise in serum P4, was defined as the day that P4 concentration rose to > or =l.5 ng/ml and was at least twice the baseline concentration. The predicted parturition date, 65 days following the day of preovulatory rise in serum P4 (D65), was compared to actual parturition date, the day the first pup was delivered. We determined that mean P4 concentration at D0 for all BW groups was 2.02+/-0.18 ng/ml and there was significant variation in P4 concentrations between BW groups after D1. In addition, we determined that the accuracy of parturition date prediction within a +/-1, +/-2, and +/-3 day interval using prebreeding serum progesterone concentrations was 67, 90, and 100%, respectively, and that the accuracy was not affected by body weight or litter size.     

Scanning electron microscopy of the vitreous body in the rat eye

Summary The vitreous body of the rat eye was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The freeze-dried specimens were either unfixed, freshly frozen or fixed and rinsed before being frozen.The vitreous body is surrounded by a coat of intercellular material covering a thin sheath of chiefly parallel fibers. The latter forms the base for a regularly organized three-dimensional network of fibers. The interfibrillar spaces are filled with ground substance and also contain a few cells. The shape of the cells varies from bipolar to polyhedronal. Their interconnected processes are usually undivided. The functional importance of this complex regular organization of the fibers and cells in the vitreous body is stressed.Supported by grants from H. Jeanssons Stiftelse and the Swedish Medical Research Council (B70-12X-2534-02).I would like to thank the Swedish Silicate Research Institute, Göteborg, for using their scanning electron microscope and Miss M. Persson for skilful technical assistance.     

Attempts to demonstrate specific antibody responses in the vitreous body of the eye

Postmortem serum and vitreous humor specimens obtained from 31 autopsied human bodies were assayed for specific antibody responses to adenoviruses, RS virus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae using the complement-fixation (CF) test and the ELISA procedure (in 23 of the bodies examined). The antibody responses as measured by the CF test were negative in all vitreous body samples tested, with the ELISA five specimens gave a positive reaction at a titre 1 : 40 and one at 1 : 80. These positive antibody titres turned out to invariably coincide with the high-titre antibody levels in the serum. Implicitly, at high-titre levels in the serum these antibodies tend to penetrate in the vitreous body of the eye.     

Finding of carotenoids in the vitreous body of human eye during prenatal development

Carotenoids were found for the first time in the vitreous body of human eye during the fetal period from week 15 until week 28. Their maximum content was timed to week 16–22. No carotenoids were found the vitreous body of 31-week fetuses, as well as adult humans, which corresponds to the published data. It was shown using HPLC that chromatographic characteristics of these carotenoids correspond to those of lutein and zeaxanthin, characteristic pigments of the retinal yellow macula.     

Cortisol in fetal fluids and the fetal adrenal at parturition in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii)

Glucocorticoid hormones may play a critical role in initiating parturition in tammar wallabies. In this study, we investigated the concentration of cortisol in fetal fluids and cortisol production by fetal adrenals over the last 3 days of the 26-day pregnancy and within 24 h postpartum. The fetal adrenals almost doubled in size between Days 24 and 26 of pregnancy, and their cortisol content increased over 10-fold during this period, from 10 pg to over 100 pg per adrenal pair. After birth, neonatal adrenals continued to grow, but cortisol content fell dramatically to 20 pg. The prepartum increase in adrenal cortisol was reflected by a substantial rise in cortisol concentrations in yolk sac fluid, allantoic fluid, and fetal blood, which were below 10 ng/ml on Day 24 and rose to over 40 ng/ml by Day 26. Cortisol concentrations in neonatal blood decreased postpartum, mirroring decreased cortisol content in neonatal adrenals. Cortisol production by the fetal adrenal was stimulated in vitro by ACTH and prostaglandin E2, suggesting that the in vivo increase may be stimulated by release of ACTH from the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary axis and prostaglandin E2 from the placenta. These results indicate that increasing cortisol production by the fetal adrenal is a characteristic of late pregnancy in the tammar wallaby and support the suggestion that fetal cortisol may trigger the initiation of parturition in this marsupial species.     

Detection of carotenoids in the vitreous body of the human eye during prenatal development

Carotenoids were found for the first time in the vitreous body of human eye during the fetal period from week 15 until week 28. Their maximum content was timed to week 16-22. No carotenoids were found the vitreous body of 31-week fetuses, as well as adult humans, which corresponds to the published data. It was shown using HPLC that chromatographic characteristics of these carotenoids correspond to those of lutein and zeaxanthin, characteristic pigments of the retinal yellow macula.     

A study on the structural protein of the vitreous body (vitrosin)

A method is described for the isolation of a structural protein of the vitreous body, which has been named vitrosin. The analyses show that vitrosin is a viscous, thixotropic, fibrous protein. Electron micrographs reveal that vitrosin particles are long fibrils, averaging 250 A in width. The isoelectric point was found to be around pH 5.5 and the shrinkage temperature 60°C. Vitrosin is composed of a protein-carbohydrate complex. It contains cystine and the aromatic amino acids in low quantities. Hexosamine could not be detected in the complex.     

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can accurately and nondestructively measure the body composition of small, free-living rodents

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a nondestructive technique that can potentially measure specific components of whole-body composition in free-living and lab-raised animals. Our aim was to test the ability of DXA to measure the composition of a common arvicoline rodent, the northern red-backed vole (Clethrionomys rutilus). We used a DXA apparatus to obtain measurements of fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM),bone mineral content, bone mineral density, and fat-free mass(FFM) in carcasses of free-living and lab-raised voles. We then used chemical carcass analysis to derive predictive algorithms for actual values of FM, total body water, total protein, total mineral, LM, and FFM. Unexplained error in the equations for all voles grouped collectively ranged from R(2) = 0.82 to R(2) = 0.98. The DXA FM measurement had the highest coefficient of variation, and it was higher for free-living voles than for lab-raised voles. However, FM can be determined by difference with excellent precision by using the FFM equation (R(2) = 0.98). We also derived corrective terms for passive integrated transponder-tagged animals. Thus, DXA is a nonlethal, nondestructive tool capable of precisely and accurately measuring many specific parameters of whole-body composition in small free-living and lab-raised rodents.     

Investigation of the content of alpha-fetoprotein and serum albumin in the vitreous body of the eye of human embryos

The content of serum albumin and alpha-fetoprotein in the vitreous body of the eyes of human fetuses from the 16th through the 24th week was investigated. It was detected that albumin and alpha-fetoprotein in the vitreous body of human eyes are presented in equal molar concentrations in the 16th week. There is 1.5-fold increased concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in comparison to albumin during the 17th week. After the 17th week, there was a reduction in the concentration of both proteins. It was reported that cyanine dye, used for detection of albumin, does not interact with alpha-fetoprotein.     

Comparative characteristics of the vitreous body proteins in vertebrates

Using disc-electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel and immunochemical methods, studies have been made on proteins from the vitreous body of mammals (albino mouse, rat, guinea pig, pig, dog, cat), birds (hen), amphibians (the frog Rana ridibunda) and fish (the perch Perca fluviatilis). It was found that vitreous body proteins in man and animals include both the specific proteins and those of the blood serum. During evolution, specific antigens of the vitreous body attained strict species specificity, although some of them preserved the initial properties.     

Determination of prediction equations for estimating body weight of Zulu (Nguni) sheep

Data on linear body measurements (LBM) of 403 sheep collected in three areas of KwaZulu-Natal were utilized to develop a prediction equation for live body weight of Zulu sheep. Data were collected on live weight (LW), heart girth (HG), wither height (WH) and scrotum circumference (SC) on sheep of all ages. The age of sheep was estimated by dentition. The analysis of variance showed that age and sex were important factors contributing to variation in LW of Zulu sheep. Phenotypic correlation coefficients and regression equations of LW on HG, WH and SC were computed within different age groups (milk set of teeth, one pair, two pairs and the three and four pairs of incisors). Low correlation coefficients (r = 0.21–0.48) between LW, HG and WH were found among the pregnant ewes. The relationship between LBM and LW was stronger (r = 0.66–0.86) for males than among females (r = 0.42–0.75). The cubic polynomial of HG was the best fit (R² = 0.76) for the live weight prediction of young sheep with milk set of teeth. The combination of HG and WH produced the best fit for the two tooth and above males and non-pregnant females. The LW prediction equations for pregnant females were not reliable (R² = 0.05–0.26). The SC was more precise (R² = 0.61–0.80) when estimating the live weight of young males (<15–22-month-old) than of the older rams (R² = 0.23–0.56). It was concluded that LW of Zulu sheep can be reasonably estimated using the HG and WH. A table could be constructed for the farmers to estimate the LW of their animals.     

Characterization of the composition of the aqueous humor and the vitreous body of the eye of the frog Rana temporaria L

This study aimed to analyze the aqueous humor (AH) and the vitreous body (VB) of the eye of the adult frog Rana temporaria L. as a representative species of amphibians, which lead a semi-terrestrial life. The presence of collagen, albumin, uric acid and electron donors was shown in both media; however, there are slight differences in their concentrations. To determine collagen, a spectral-fluorescent probe, cyanine dye, was used. The presence of collagen in AH of the frog was found at the first time. The total content of electron donors (ascorbic and uric acids, tryptophan, and tyrosine) in VB and HA was roughly estimated at ~ 1.5 × 10^− 4 mol/L. Both VB and AH absorb light in similar UV regions. The total protein and albumin contents in AH were found to be somewhat higher than those in VB. The uric acid content was at an equally low level in both intraocular media. It is supposed that the similarity of VB and AH compositions shown in this work is due to some exchange between VB and AH contents in the course of accommodation. The role of intraocular fluids in physiological functions of the eye and in protecting the retina against UV light is discussed.     

Taurine and other free amino acids in the retina,vitreous, lens,irisciliary body,and cornea of the rat eye

Levels of free amino acids were determined quantitatively in whole ocular tissues of the rat eye with aid of a sensitive amino acid analyzer. The tissues studied were the retina, vitreous, lens, iris-ciliary body, and cornea. The retina and lens contained a more concentrated free amino acid pool than other tissues. The neuroactive amino acids taurine, GABA, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and glycine were clearly enriched in the retina. Taurine was the most abundant amino acid in all five tissue studied, and its high concentration in non-neural tissues, especially the lens, suggests that it must have other functions as well as neurotransmitter ones in the rat eye.     

Induction of parturition in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis )

Parturition was induced in ten buffaloes by combining treatments of dexamethasone and vetoestrol, so that they calved about one month before the expected term. Either dexamethasone alone (Group B) or dexamethasone and vetoestrol (Group C) was used. Another five animals served as controls (Group A). Calving was induced in four animals in group B and three animals in group C after two injections of the compounds four days apart. The average time from first injection to calving for these animals was 117.22 hr and 117.66 hr for groups B and C respectively. Induced calves weighed less at birth (P < 0.05) averaging 24.4 and 26.2 kg for groups B and C respectively, than controls (Group A; 30.20 kg). The body weight gain/week among calves was not significantly different (P > 0.05). The service period, number of services/conception and the milk yield of the buffaloes induced to calve was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from their previous records.