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Establishing fees.

Everyone seems to agree that we should be concerned with the economic security of all small businesses, and in particular, the clients whom we serve. Businesses and consumers are equally concerned and occasionally scared. Both are cautious when spending hard-earned dollars. Animal care, which is not a routine budgetary expenditure, is often difficult for a family to fund. As a servicing veterinarian with a product to sell one must be cognizant of these economic dilemmas to understand your consumer. Your product must fit your consumers' needs and ability to pay, and you should not try to mold your clients to your needs. This current recession will close some veterinary practices. Those practices with high fixed overheads, overextended borrowing, too many leases, declining income, and poor management will suffer the most.

Education, Veterinary↗

Sex and death in the mouse: genetically delayed reproduction and senescence.

A mammalian model of genetically postponed aging would be an important tool to test not only different mechanisms of aging but also the predictive value of various biomarkers of the aging process. Under conventional conditions, the historical strains of the laboratory mouse produce their first litter between 9 and 13 weeks of age and have a median time of death in their 2nd year. Our POSCH-2 strain, which was derived from wild-caught Mus musculus domesticus, produces its first litter in the current breeding generations at approximately 47 weeks of age and continues to breed throughout its 2nd and into its 3rd year of life. The aging curve of POSCH-2 has not yet been determined for economic reasons. Late onset of breeding is a characteristic of both females and males, but sexual maturity is more reliably assessed in females. The later breeding phenotype of POSCH-2 is genetically recessive to early breeding of the C57BL/6J historical laboratory strain and, since POSCH-2 females can be induced to ovulate at 8 weeks of age (but pregnancy does not result), the signal rather than the ovarian receptor to ovulate may be delayed. The genetically delayed reproduction and potentially longer life of the POSCH-2 strain appears to be a new trait in the mouse. The strain may be a useful mammalian model for aging studies and for the evaluation of antagonistic pleiotropy as a genetic model for the evolution of aging.

Aging↗

Pharmacogenetics of the S-oxidation of S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine.

The pharmacogenetics of S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine (SCMC) have been studied in detail. When results from administration of SCMC to 200 volunteers were analysed, there was seen to be a wide interindividual variation in the percentage of sulphoxide metabolites excreted. Computer assisted analysis suggested that the population distribution observed could be most economically represented as two overlapping Gaussian distributions with the smaller mode representing poor sulphoxidisers. This phenomenon appears to be largely genetic in origin and to behave as though controlled by one autosomal recessive gene, but environmental factors may also be important. Poor sulphoxidisers seem to be overrepresented in certain patient populations with chronic diseases. These findings are discussed in terms of oxidative metabolism of sulphur-containing compounds.

Animals↗

Decreasing number of young licence holders and reduced number of accidents. A description of trends in Sweden.

The following study compares rates of licence holders and rates of car accidents in two age cohorts born in Sweden in 1972 and 1977, respectively. The research material consists of all accidents with injury which these young people have been involved in as car drivers at age 16-21. The periods concerned are 1988-1993 and 1993-1998, respectively. In the respective periods altogether 2082 and 1453 car accidents leading to injury were recorded. The results show a lower rate of licence holders and a lower rate of car accidents in the later age cohort. Particularly the rate of fatal accidents and accidents leading to serious injury was lower. Comparing the earlier with the later age cohort, the reduction of accidents was greatest in the most densely built-up counties of Sweden and in the groups with the highest risk, namely those age and socio-economic groups who had the highest rate of fatalities and accidents leading to serious injury. Factors behind the decrease in the rates of licence holders and the rates of car accidents are discussed. Recession in the economy and less interest in car driving among young people are factors which are suggested as explanations.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Intersexuality in pigs: clinical, physiological and practical considerations.

Veterinary surgeons and practical pig farmers need to be aware of a condition that can have important deleterious consequences in a breeding herd. The animals in question have sometimes been referred to as hermaphrodites but would more correctly be termed intersexes. Whilst there is a complete spectrum of phenotypic sexual development within a population of such animals, the most common form is that of a putative female with a prominent up-turned vulva. Reflection of the vulval lips reveals a much-enlarged clitoris. There may be scrotal development, in conjunction with an enlarged penile and preputial sheath. Coarse hair and incipient tusk development may further indicate differing degrees of masculinization. Surgical exploration of intersex animals confirms a complete spectrum of gonadal types, ranging from 2 ovaries with a proportion of testicular tissue in one of them (i.e., an ovotestis) to 2, much-enlarged testicular-like structures with no detectable ovarian tissue. The gonads usually remain within the abdomen, but those with testicular tissue may descend to an inguinal or even scrotal location. The genital tract invariably comprises a bicornuate uterus, a partially vestigial Fallopian tube, and some development of one or both Wolffian ducts adjoining an ovotestis or testicular-like structure to form a convoluted epididymis. Spermatozoa are never present, either in abdominal or scrotal testicular tissue, nor are there any germ cells within the seminiferous tubules, only Sertoli-like cells. Due to the spectrum of gonadal types, sexual behaviour ranges from male-type aggressivity on the one hand to regular oestrous cycles on the other, with periods of standing oestrus during which intromission may be achieved. In animals with functional ovarian tissue in both gonads, foetal development has been observed, at least until days 25-30 of gestation. Almost all intersex pigs possess XX sex chromosomes and usually 36 autosomes; only a very small proportion are chimaeras or mosaics. Chromosome banding techniques have failed to demonstrate a portion of the Y chromosome translocated onto an X chromosome nor has molecular probing revealed the presence of the sex determining gene Sry or other classical Y-related DNA sequences, except in one instance. Breeding records suggest that the intersex condition results most frequently from the influence of an autosomal recessive gene carried by certain boars. Identification of such boars is therefore essential, as the incidence of intersexuality in their offspring may reach 4-5% or more. In terms of the pig industry, economic losses may result from: 1. Lack of fertility in intersex animals. 2. Aggressive behaviour in groups of growing/fattening pigs. 3. Boar taint in the carcase of animals possessing ovotestis. 4. Propagation of the deleterious condition, either by mating or more widely by artificial insemination.

Animals↗

A combined allele-specific PCR and RFLP assay to detect the 35delG mutation in the Connexin 26 gene.

Mutations in the Connexin-26 (specified GJB2) gene have been shown to be a major cause of nonsyndromic recessive deafness (NSRD), and a single mutation 35delG in the GJB2 gene accounts for the majority of cases of NSRD. For diagnostic analyses and for scientific studies of large numbers of patients, fast and economic assays that can be performed with standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instruments are highly desirable. We have developed an allele-specific amplification (ASA)-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. We evaluated the multiplex method for its ability to 35delG mutation. Our method is a stable, reproducible and concordend with previously reported PCR-RFLP assays.

Base Sequence↗

Primary, severe, combined immunodeficiency disease of Arabian foals.

Set in a context of immunodeficiency diseases in general this paper provides a brief, illustrated review of a primary, severe, combined immunodeficiency (PSCID) disease of Arabian foals. Affected foals are clinically normal at birth but beginning at about 10 days of age they develop a range of clinical signs particularly bronchopneumonia and diarrhoea with which adenoviruses are peculiarly associated. Despite intensive therapy foals invariably die by about 3 months of age. Affected foals are profoundly lymphopagenic (greater than 1000 lymphcoytes per mm3). There is thymic and lymph node hypoplasia and all lymphoid tissues are profoundly depleted of both T and B lymphocytes. The depletion of both T and B lymphocytes suggests that the primary defect is at the level of bone marrow stem cells which are the precursor cells for both lymphocyte populations. PSCID of Arabian foals is inherited as a simple, autosomal, recessive gene. Some 2 to 3% of all such foals may be born with PSCID, this frequency corresponds to a gene frequency of about 30% in parents. The syndrome is, therefore, an important cause of economic wastage. It also represents the only occurrence of the syndrome in an animal species other than man and as such has considerable comparative interest.

Adenoviridae Infections↗

High genetic load in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas.

The causes of inbreeding depression and the converse phenomenon of heterosis or hybrid vigor remain poorly understood despite their scientific and agricultural importance. In bivalve molluscs, related phenomena, marker-associated heterosis and distortion of marker segregation ratios, have been widely reported over the past 25 years. A large load of deleterious recessive mutations could explain both phenomena, according to the dominance hypothesis of heterosis. Using inbred lines derived from a natural population of Pacific oysters and classical crossbreeding experiments, we compare the segregation ratios of microsatellite DNA markers at 6 hr and 2-3 months postfertilization in F(2) or F(3) hybrid families. We find evidence for strong and widespread selection against identical-by-descent marker homozygotes. The marker segregation data, when fit to models of selection against linked deleterious recessive mutations and extrapolated to the whole genome, suggest that the wild founders of inbred lines carried a minimum of 8-14 highly deleterious recessive mutations. This evidence for a high genetic load strongly supports the dominance theory of heterosis and inbreeding depression and establishes the oyster as an animal model for understanding the genetic and physiological causes of these economically important phenomena.

Alleles↗

Major advances in genetic evaluation techniques.

The past quarter-century in genetic evaluation of dairy cattle has been marked by evolution in methodology and computer capacity, expansion in the array of evaluated traits, and globalization. Animal models replaced sire and sire-maternal grandsire models and, more recently, application of Bayesian theory has become standard. Individual test-day observations have been used more effectively in estimation of lactation yield or directly as input to evaluation models. Computer speed and storage are less limiting in choosing procedures. The increased capabilities have supported evaluation of additional traits that affect the net profitability of dairy cows. The importance of traits other than yield has increased, in a few cases due to an antagonistic relationship with yield. National evaluations combined internationally provide evaluations for bulls from all participating countries on each of the national scales, facilitating choices from among many more bulls. Selection within countries has increased inbreeding and the use of similar genetics across countries reduces the previously available outcross population. Concern about inbreeding has prompted changes in evaluation methodology and mating practices, and has promoted interest in crossbreeding. In just the past decade, distribution of genetic evaluations has gone from mailed paper or computer tapes for a limited audience to publicly accessible, request-driven distribution via the Internet. Among the distributed information is a choice of economic indices that combine an increasing array of traits into numbers reflecting breeding goals under different milk-pricing conditions. Considerable progress in genomics and the mapping of the bovine genome have identified markers for some deleterious recessive genes, but broader benefits of marker-assisted selection are still in the future. A possible exception is the proprietary use of DNA testing by semen producers to select among potential progeny test bulls. The collection and analysis of industry-wide data to evaluate genetic merit will continue to be the most important tool for genetic progress into the foreseeable future.

Animals↗

Genetic mapping of Z chromosome and identification of W chromosome-specific markers in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

In the silkworm, Bombyx mori, the female is the heterogametic (ZW) sex and the male is homogametic (ZZ). The female heterogamety is a typical situation in the insect order Lepidoptera. Although the W chromosome in silkworm is strongly female determining, no W-linked gene for a morphological character has been found on it. The Z chromosome carries important traits of economic value as well as genes for various phenotypic traits, but only 2% of molecular information based on its relative size is known. Studies conducted so far indicate that the Z-linked genes are not dosage compensated. In the present study, we constructed a genetic map of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fragments (RAPD), simple sequence repeats (SSR), and fluorescent intersimple sequence repeat PCR (FISSR) markers for the Z chromosome using a backcross mapping population. A total of 16 Z-linked markers were identified, characterized, and mapped using od, a recessive trait for translucent skin as an anchor marker yielding a total recombination map of 334.5 cM. The linkage distances obtained suggested that the markers were distributed throughout the Z chromosome. Four RAPD and four SSR markers that were linked to W chromosome were also identified. The proposed mapping approach should be useful to identify and map sex-linked traits in the silkworm. The economic and evolutionary significance of Z- and W-linked genes in silkworm, in particular, and lepidopterans, in general, is discussed.

Animals↗

Generational differences in U.S. public spending, 1980-2000.

The balance between spending on children and spending on the elderly is important in evaluating the allocation of public welfare spending. We examine trends in public spending on social welfare programs for children and the elderly during 1980-2000. For both groups, social welfare spending as a percentage of gross domestic product changed little, even during the economic expansions of the 1990s. In constant dollars, the gap in per capita social welfare spending between children and the elderly grew 20 percent. Unlike spending for programs for the elderly, spending for children's programs suffered during recessions. Public discussion about the current imbalance in public spending is needed.

Age Factors↗

[Hereditary lysosomal storage diseases (author's transl)].

The literature on hereditary lysosomal storage diseases occurring in man and various domestic animals is reviewed. These forms of disease are usually recessively autosomally heritable and are reflected in partial or total deficiency of a lysosomal enzyme, resulting in accumulation of metabolites. The majority of these lysosomal storage diseases show a predilection for localization in the nervous system. As a rule, the main clinical features are neurological symptoms. The first symptoms are usually observed at an early age and the disease is marked by the fact that it is familial in character. Heterozygotes may be identified by controlled haematological studies in a number of these diseases. In domestic animals, these forms of disease may serve as models for human pathology and some may be of economic importance, such as mannosidosis of Angus cattle in New Zealand and GM1 gangliosidosis of Friesian cattle in Ireland.

Animals↗

Why do UK-born Pakistani babies have high perinatal and neonatal mortality rates?

A prospective study of 4934 babies of different ethnic groups has confirmed the high perinatal mortality rate for Pakistanis and has shown that this was not due to a reluctance to terminate a fetus who is known to be seriously malformed. The major cause of early mortality was a high rate of lethal malformations, which occurred in about 1 in 100 Pakistani babies and which accounted for about half of their perinatal mortality. Many of these were autosomal recessive and occurred only in the offspring of consanguineous parents. However, there was also an excess of lethal cardiac malformations which were not associated with parental consanguinity. The remainder of the excess perinatal mortality was probably due to socio-economic factors. These causes are partly amenable to preventive measures, such as the referral of Pakistani women for expert ultrasonography at 18 to 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Cause of Death↗

Reversal of cardiac complications by deferiprone and deferoxamine combination therapy in a patient affected by a severe type of juvenile hemochromatosis (JH).

Juvenile hemochromatosis (JH) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of iron metabolism, genetically heterogeneous. In JH, symptomatic organ involvement occurs as early as the second decade of life. Heart failure and/or arrhythmias are the most frequent causes of death. Phlebotomy is the safest, most effective, and most economic therapeutic approach in hemochromatosis patients but is not indicated during the treatment of severe congestive heart failure with unstable hemodynamic status. The treatment of iron overload in these prohibitive clinical situations has to be carried out using iron chelators. We report a case of heart failure in the setting of unrecognized juvenile hemochromatosis successfully treated by the simultaneous administration of deferoxamine and deferiprone. To our knowledge, this is the first patient affected by JH treated with combined chelation regimen.

Adult↗

Cumulative discounted expressions of sire genotypes for the complex vertebral malformation and beta-casein loci in commercial dairy herds.

Based on discounted gene-flow principles, a set of recursive equations was developed to quantify the value of using sires with a specific genotype for an identified gene in a commercial dairy herd. Two examples were used to demonstrate the usefulness of the method. The first example deals with the implications of using sires that are known carriers of the lethal recessive genetic defect, complex vertebral malformation (CVM). The second example examines the value of using sires homozygous for the A2 allele of beta-casein. Results are presented in terms of cumulative discounted expressions. These are then multiplied by the economic values of specific genotypes to determine the cost or benefit of using these sires. In general, the degree of mortality and the required price reduction for carrier sires increased as the proportion of carrier sires used, the duration of sire use, and the initial frequency in the cow herd increased. A semen discount of 3.10 pound sterling per CVM straw used would be required to offset the expected mortality when 20% of CVM carrier sires are used for 3 yr when 5% of cows are carriers. The cumulative discounted expressions' of using sires homozygous for the A2 allele of beta-casein also increased when the proportion and duration of carrier sire use and the initial frequency of the A2 allele increased. Assuming an A2A2 cow is worth 160 pound sterling more than a non-A2A2 cow, the expected benefit of using A2A2 sires in a 100-cow herd for 5 yr would be 57 pound sterling,120 for a 20-yr planning horizon. The results of this study demonstrate how the starting gene frequency in the herd, and the proportion and duration of use of sires of particular genotypes are critical to the economic implications of using single genes in commercial dairy farms.

Abortion, Veterinary↗