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Indirect immunohistochemistry and an androgen receptor antibody. PG-21, was used to characterize rhe onlogeny of cells containing androgen receptor-like immunoreactivity (AR-ir) and the effects of exogenous testosterone administration on AR-ir in the developing Brazilian opossum brain. Cells containing AR-ir were first seen in the anterior pituitary at day 5 of postnatal life (PN). Between 10 and 15 PN, high numbers of immunoreactive cells were detected in the dorsomedial hypolhalamic and ventral premammillary nuclei. and a few cells were seen in the arcuate nucleus of the male brain. The female brain of the same age had a low number of moderately immunostained cells in the dorsomedial hypothalamic and ventral premammillary nuclei. No AR-ir was observed in other areas of the brain until 45 PN. when a low number of immunoreactive cells were seen in the ventral nucleus of the lateral septum of the male. In males, between 60 and 80 PN, cells containing AR-ir were present in additional areas of the forebrain and resembled that of the adult. In the midbrain and brainstem, AR-ir was first seen at 80 PN in the male in the central gray. mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus, medullary reticular formarion. and the nucleus of the solitary tract. In the female, no AR-ir was seen in any of these areas at 60 and 80 PN. Exogenous testosterone injection 2 hours prior to tissue collection did not result in any change in AR-ir in animals at l, 3, and 5 PN. However, between 10 and 15 PN, testosterone exposure resulted in an increase in the number and intensity of AR-ir in cells in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, arcuate nucleus, arcuate-median eminence region, ventral premammillary nucleus, and anterior pituitary gland. Testosterone treatments also resulted in the expression of AR-ir in cells in several of the forebrain and midbrain areas in both sexes. Testosterone injection at 25 PN resulted in expression of AR-ir in cells in similar brain areas as was observed at 15 PN in both the male and female. These findings suggest that the sex differences in AR-ir observed under physiological conditions in the opossum brain are possibly due to differences in plasma androgen levels in the male and female during postnatal development. Further, androgen receptors are present in several brain areas of the opossum during early postnatal development. which can be detected immunohistochemically using PG-21 after exogenous teswsterone administration. The early presence of androgen receptors indicate that androgens may be involved in sexual differentiation and neuroendocrine regulation in the opossum brain. Further work will define the significance of these results.

Histochemical observations were made on corpora lutea of 20 cyclic and 10 pregnant buffaloes. The luteal cells from fully developed corpus luteum of cycle and that of pregnancy were strongly positive for neutral and acidic mucopolysaccharides (NMPS; AMPS), lipids phospholipids and basic proteins, reflecting a better physiological secretory activity. The NMPS and AMPS and basic proteins were comparatively low in the developing and regressing corpus luteum. Calcium deposits were absent in the luteal cells.

Indirect haemagglutination (IHA) test was standardised for monitoring Pasteurella Mulwcida ami bodies. It was observed that human blood group 0 erthrocytes, 1: 16 dilution of bacterial supernant to coat erthrocytes and 30 minutes of supernatant-erthrocytes interaction had improved the sensitivity of the IHA. While either of the serum diluent such as normal saline or phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.2) and final concentration of the sensitised erthrocytes had no. effect on the IHA antibody titre. However, concentration of sensitised erythrocytes was inversely proportional to the reading time of IHA results. With these standards , the results of IHA are reliable with 100% reproducibility.

Spent layers of 128 weeks age from a White Leghorn (Babcock) layer tlock were induced to molt by withdrawal of feed for 14 days. The birds lost approximately 29.64% of their body weight. The blood samples were collected at pre-molt, post-molt and peak production stages. Maximum concentrations of cholesterol and glucose were observed at pre-molt and minimum at post-molt stage. Urea, protein and globulin showed maximum concentration at post-molt and minimum at peak production. Concentration of albumin was maximum at peak production and minimum at post-molt stage. Feed deprivation was followed by ovarian atrophy which significantly decreased the oestradiol (51. 9 ± 1. 2 pg/mL) and progesterone (13 .5 ±0.8 mg/mL) concentration at the post-molt stage and a significant increase ( 164.6±4.6 pg/mL) and (27.1 ± 1.0 ng/mL) was observed. respectively at the peak production stage. It was concluded from this study that molting process significantly affect the concentrations of various biochemical and hormonal parameters indicating that the changes are related to various stages of molt and have substantial impact on the egg production.

A study was conducted to find out some haematological and biochemical alterations in rabbits after inoculating crude hydatid cyst fluid (CHCF) of sheep origin. The rabbits were inoculated with increasing doses 10. 20, 30, 40, and 50 µ-tL of CHCF for 14 weeks. It was noted that due to continuous inoculation of CHCF, the rabbits look weak, pale with loss of body weight and hairs. Fluctuations were noted in the red blood cells counts while their white blood cell counts stimulated initially but later on deviations were noted. Packed cell volume of experimental animals increased as compared to controls except after 20 and 30 µ-tL doses of CHCF. Results of mean corpuscular haemoglobin. mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and haemoglobin were similar in the sense that reduction in these values was common after inoculating 40 µ-tL of CHCF till the end of experiment. However, erythrocyte sedimentation rate fluctuated throughout this period. Activity of transaminases (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase) decreased with few alter􀋾tions (P<0.00I). Among other biochemical components of blood, plasma proteins increased (P<0.001), glucose and bilirubin level decreased in the experimental animals.

A project was conducted to study the prevalence of sarcoptic mange in buffalo calves around Lahore city. The effects of age and sex of the calf and the seasons of the year on the incidence of this disease were also investigated. For this purpose, 2000 buffalo calves. varying in age from I to 12 months. were examined over a 12 month period, from January to December, 1994. The results showed that 7% 140 out of 2000) of the calves were infected with the disease. The highest prevalence ( 12.67%) was recorded in winter while the lowest (0.46) in summer. During spring and autumn, the prevalence of the problem was R. 94 and 8. 17% , respectively. Sex of the calf did not seem to influence the prevalence <51 .42 1fr; for malt calves and 48.58% for females). However. the prevalence was remarkably higher among calves less than 8 months of age than 8-12 month old calves (82.14 v 17.86%). External trealment of 35 affected culves with 0.2% solution of Neguvon resulted in 100% recovery within 20 days.

Four hundred and fifty two blood samples were collected from 86 farms of sheep and goats with a recent history of abortion during the lambing and kidding season in 1989- 199 1 in and around Amman in Jordan. 135 blood samples were collected from sheep and goats which had not aborted. The complement fixation test (CFT) was used for serological examination for Q fever antibodies. 267 (7. 9%) of 340 ewes and 8 (7 .1%) of 112 aborted does had CFT titres of greater or equal to l :40 for antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. However, antibody tit res of 1:20 or greater were found in only 2% of small ruminants that had not a-borted. The presence of Q fever antibody titres in small ruminants in Jordan is of importance to public health as well as to livestock production because Q fever is a zoonotic disease.

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