[Stress parameters and behaviour of horses in walkers with and without the use of electricity]. / Stressbelastung und Verhalten von Pferden in stromführenden gegenüber nicht stromführenden Führanlagen.

In order to investigate stress responses of horses in walkers with and without electricity, 12 horses were trained during 3 weeks in a horse walker with and without the use of electricity (3.7 kV). To evaluate the stress response, cortisol levels in the blood were measured, the heart rate was monitored using the Polar® system and the behaviour was evaluated. Neither the cortisol levels nor the heart rates showed any relevant statistically significant difference between horses moved in the horse walker with or without the use of electricity. The highest cortisol levels and heart rates were recorded during the first week (habituation period). A significant difference could be observed regarding spontaneous compartment changes: while this happened mainly during the first week and before the first use of electricity, no horses changed compartments in the periods when electricity was used and thereafter. The results of this study indicate that the use of electricity in the horse walker does not seem to cause significant detectable stress in the horses.

Pour comparer le stress ressenti par les chevaux dans les marcheurs, on a placé 12 chevaux durant 3 semaines dans un marcheur avec ou sans courant électrique (3.7 kV) dans les séparations. On a mesuré le taux de cortisol sanguin et la fréquence cardiaque au moyen d'un appareil Polar® et noté le comportement des chevaux. Ni les taux de cortisol ni les fréquences cardiaques ne présentaient de différences significatives entre les chevaux placés dans un marcheur avec ou sans courant électrique dans les séparations. Les taux de cortisol et les fréquences cardiaques les plus élevés ont été observés dans la première semaine (phase d'accoutumance). Des différences significatives de comportement ont par contre été constatées quant aux paramètres «changement spontané de compartiment¼ et «contact avec la séparation¼: alors que ces faits se produisaient particulièrement durant la première semaine et avant le premier usage du courant électrique, les chevaux ne changeaient plus de compartiment pendant et après l'emploi de l'électricité. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent que l'emploi de l'électricité dans les séparations des marcheurs ne cause pas de stress mesurable significatif pour les chevaux.

Serological and biochemical detection of B-cell antigens in goats.

The production of B-cell specific alloantisera by lymphocyte transfusion between class I matched, MLR positive goats is described. Furthermore, the usefulness of preceding IEF typing is demonstrated in the selection of immunization pairs. After suitable absorptions and cluster analysis the detected B-cell specific antigens were designated BeD1-BeD6. The specificity BeD3 could also be detected by two class II-specific murine anti-H2 monoclonal antibodies. IEF class II typing of 34 animals gave concordant results between the two techniques. One additional allelic variant could be detected by IEF typing. The detected products segregated in close linkage to the earlier described caprine class I antigens. One recombinant has been found in 78 offspring. The reactivity of cells in mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) was correlated with the compatibility of the test cells for their B-cell specific antigens. Three of the B-cell specific sera were characterized by immunoprecipitation. The precipitated antigens corresponded in molecular weight to MHC class II products as described in other species indicating that the here described caprine products are of class II nature.

Characterization of the plasma lipoproteins of the genetically obese hyperlipoproteinemic Zucker fatty rat.

The plasma lipoproteins of the Zucker fatty rat were characterized with respect to lipid and apoprotein composition, and results were compared with those obtained from lean controls. Information on apoproteins was obtained from gel filtration experiments and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) were increased several-fold in fatties, and 78% of their mass was triglycerides compared with 60% in the controls. Low density (LDL) and high density (HDL) lipoproteins were increased by a factor of 2, although their compositions were similar to those of the controls. Levels of apoVLDL, apoLDL, and apoHDL were five, two and two times higher, respectively, in the fatties, and the two most rapidly moving subunit peptides on polyacrylamide gels were disproportionately elevated in the apoproteins. The slower of these two bands was present in relatively greater amounts than the faster one in fatties. If the slower peptide is an activator of lipoprotein lipase, analogous to the comparable subunit peptides of human apolipoproteins, plasmas of fatties could contain up to 10 times more lipase activator activity than control plasma. This finding, and the fact that adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity of fatties was about 150% of controls, suggests that fatties have increased capacities for VLDL catabolism. We have previously shown that hepatic VLDL secretory rates are higher than normal in these animals. The increased capacity for catabolism may be a response to the altered secretory rates.