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1. The plasma levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol were measured in female dromedary camels, female sheep and Sinai desert goats. 2. The camels had levels of 443 +/- 96 ng/ml in summer, and 267 +/- 113 ng/ml in winter. 3. The sheep had levels of 40.7 +/- 9.09 ng/ml in summer and 37.1 +/- 8.82 ng/ml in winter, i.e. roughly the same as man in that region. 4. The goats had lower levels: 23.9 +/- 5.67 ng/ml in summer.
1. The blood of twenty camels has been analyzed and the levels of eight serum enzymes determined. 2. In addition, PK and G6PD activities in the erythrocytes were assayed. 3. A number of other serum constituents were also measured, including haemoglobin, bilirubin, uric acid, phosphorus, cholesterol, total lipids and glucose. 4. Wherever possible, the values obtained were compared with data for the camel reported in the literature. 5. Where no such values existed, comparisons with other ruminants were drawn.
1. The activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, malic enzyme, NAD+ and NADP+ isocitrate isocitrate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase were assayed in homogenate of camel hump and sheep tail tissues. 2. In addition the levels of glucose, cholesterol, total protein and total lipids in these tissues were measured. 3. Results obtained were utilized to compare the state of metabolism of adipose tissue of camel hump to that of sheep tail, and to shed some light on possible contribution of these tissues toward blood glucose level.
1. Camel brain glutathione S-transferase was purified by glutathione-linked agarose affinity column and the different isozymes were separated by chromatofocusing. 2. The basic isozymes which comprise 45% of the total activity were immunologically indistinguishable from the near-neutral isozymes which constitute 55% of the activity. 3. Some differences were detectable among the basic and near-neutral isozymes in relation to substrate specificities and subunit composition. 4. Biochemical and immunological quantification of glutathione S-transferase revealed the presence of the enzyme in all camel brain regions tested and subcellular fractions. 5. The pons had the highest concentration of the enzyme and the cortex had the lowest, while more than 88% of the enzyme was present in the cytosol.
1. The use of an Ultrogel AcA 54 gel-filtration column separates camel lens cortex low molecular weight proteins into four peaks containing beta s-, gamma 1-, gamma 2- and gamma 3-crystallins. 2. The molecular weight of beta s-crystallin corresponded to 29 kDa on SDS-PAGE and showed three major bands between pH 5.85 and 8.45 on isoelectric focusing. In addition, as compared to gamma-crystallins it has a lower degree of homology in amino acid composition, a low sulfhydryl content and a blocked N-terminal amino acid. 3. gamma 1-, gamma 2- and gamma 3-crystallins appeared homogenous on SDS-PAGE and their molecular weights were recorded as 23, 22 and 21 kDa. The isoelectric points of the gamma-crystallin fractions ranged from pH 6.55 to 8.60 and they were found to have an unmodified glycine at the N-terminal end. 4. The three camel gamma-crystallin fractions were similar in molecular weight, isoelectric points, amino acid composition, sulfhydryl concentration and N-terminal amino acid.
1. The activities of the drug-metabolizing enzymes, aminopyrine N-demethylase, aniline 4-hydroxylase and UDP-glucuronyltransferase have been measured in vitro in the liver, kidney and duodenal mucosa of camels, sheep, goats and rats. 2. Enzyme activities were generally higher in the liver, followed by the duodenal mucosa, then the kidney in all species. 3. Male kids had much lower enzyme activity in the liver when compared to adult goats, and in the former animal, no measurable activity could be detected in the duodenal mucosa or kidney. 4. In general, goats seemed to have the highest and camels the lowest enzyme activity when compared to the other species. 5. Some sex differences were noted in the three enzymes studied. In sheep duodenal mucosa and rat liver and duodenal mucosa, males had higher aminopyrine N-demethylase than females. In rat liver and goat duodenal mucosa males had higher aniline 4-hydroxylase than females. Male rats had higher UDP-glucuronyltransferase in liver when compared to females.
E. coli serogroups 02, 08, 083, 0103 and 0120 were isolated from seven camels with diarrhoea of which 02, 08, and 083 were found to be enterotoxigenic on rabbit ligated ileal loop test. Out of 125 apparently healthy camels, 75 strains of E. coli were isolated. The majority of isolates were susceptible to gentamycin, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim plus sulphonamide, neomycin, kanamycin and chloramphenicol.
1. The activities of the drug metabolizing enzymes ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase, glutathione-S-transferase, and protein concentrations were measured in vitro in the liver, kidney and duodenal mucosa of camels, sheep, goats and rats. 2. Enzyme activities were generally higher in the liver than in the kidney and duodenal mucosa in the four species studied. 3. The activities of ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase and glutathione-S-transferase in liver of male kids were about one third and half of that in adult male goats, respectively. In the kidney and duodenal mucosa of male kids, the activity of glutathione-S-transferase was about 70% and 53% of that in the mature male goat, respectively. In the latter tissues, however, there was no detectable activity of ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase. 4. In general, goats and sheep had similar activities of the two enzymes which were significantly higher than those found in camels and rats. 5. Some sex-related differences were noted in the activity of the two enzymes studied. Female sheep had significantly higher hepatic glutathione-S-transferase than the male: while the enzyme activity in the kidney and duodenal mucosa of male goats was significantly higher than in females. Male rats had higher hepatic ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activity than females.
Earlier studies demonstrated that forestomach herbivores are less insulin sensitive than monogastric omnivores. The present study was carried out to determine if different distribution patterns of the glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT4 may contribute to these different insulin sensitivities. Western blotting was used to measure GLUT1 and GLUT4 protein contents in oxidative (masseter, diaphragm) and glycolytic (longissimus lumborum, semitendinosus) skeletal muscle membranes of monogastric omnivores (rats and pigs), and of forestomach herbivores (cows, adult goats, goat kids, and camels). Muscles were characterized biochemically. Comparing red and white muscles, the isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) activity was 1.5-15-times higher in oxidative muscles of all species, whereas lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was 1.4-4.4-times higher in glycolytic muscles except in adult goats. GLUT4 levels were 1.5-6.3-times higher in oxidative muscles. GLUT1 levels were 2.2-8.3-times higher in glycolytic muscles in forestomach herbivores but not in monogastric animals. We conclude that GLUT1 may be the predominant glucose transporter in glycolytic muscles of ruminating animals. The GLUT1 distribution patterns were identical in adult and pre-ruminant goats, indicating that GLUT1 expression among these muscles is determined genetically. The high blood glucose levels of camels cited in literature may be due to an "NIDDM-like" impaired GLUT4 activity in skeletal muscle.
Atrial and B-type natriuretic peptide (ANP and BNP) are cardiac hormones synthesized and secreted by the myoendocrine cells of the heart. They exert potent actions on body fluid balance. Since various body organs including the heart are under high physiological stress during water and food deprivation in the desert nomads, we intended to perform molecular biological and histological studies of ANP in the heart of the dromedary camel Camelus dromedarius. Initially, we isolated cDNAs encoding ANP from the atrium and BNP from the atrium and ventricle of the dromedary camel. Putative mature ANP, deduced from the cDNA sequence, was identical to that of human and pig ANP, but the putative mature BNP was more diverse and was most similar to pig BNP (94% identity). Thus, we used antisera raised against human ANP that did not cross-react with pig BNP in the subsequent immunohistochemical studies. The ANP-expressing myoendocrine cells are most concentrated in the right atrium, to a lesser extent in the left atrium, and almost absent in the left ventricle. The immuno-positive cells are scattered uniformly in each region and are characterized by the presence of immunoreactive granular deposits around the nucleus. The left atrium comprises some ramifications of conductive cells (Purkinje fibers), some of which also contained ANP-immunoreactive granules. At the electron microscopic level, myoendocrine cells possessed secretory granules primarily in the perinuclear zone and a well-developed Golgi apparatus. The present study is the first comprehensive report dealing with the molecular cloning and immunohistochemical localization of ANP in the heart of a desert dwelling mammal.
The transcript encoding a predominant Trypanosoma evansi variable surface glycoprotein RoTat 1.2 was cloned and expressed as a recombinant protein in Spodoptera frugiperda and Trichoplusia ni (insect) cells. Its potential as an antigen for specific detection of antibody in serum of dromedary camels affected by surra, was evaluated. In ELISA, the reactivity of the recombinant RoTat 1.2 VSG was similar to that of native RoTat 1.2 VSG. An indirect agglutination reagent was therefore prepared by coupling the recombinant RoTat 1.2 VSG onto latex particles. The performance of the latex agglutination test was evaluated on camel sera, and compared with the performance of CATT/T. evansi and LATEX/T. evansi tests, using the immune trypanolysis assay with T. evansi RoTat 1.2 as a reference test. The relative sensitivity and specificity of the latex coated with recombinant RoTat 1.2 VSG, using a 1:4 serum dilution, were respectively, 89.3 and 99.1%. No differences were observed between the performance of latex coated with recombinant RoTat 1.2 VSG and LATEX/T. evansi or CATT/T. evansi. Here, we describe the successful use of the recombinant RoTat 1.2 VSG for detection of specific antibodies induced by T. evansi infections.
Small children are predisposed for animal bite wounds in the craniofacial region, because the likelihood of sustaining trunk and extremity injuries increases with height. The clinical picture of animal bite wounds is highly variable. Depending on the dental anatomy of the biting animal, such wounds may range from sharp stitch wounds to extensive lacerations with or without tissue loss. The ears and nose are injured most often because of their exposed location. Nevertheless, depressed skull fractures with injury to the dura and to the brain parenchyma are extremely rare. This case presentation describes the rare case of a craniocerebral camel bite wound (Lackmann stage IV B) in a 3-year-old girl that required immediate neurosurgical management. The neurosurgical management, choice of antibiotic, postoperative treatment, and clinical course are discussed, and background information on camel bite injuries is given.
We identified clinical disorders of all 200 city-dwelling cart pulling male camels attending the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan during a 7-year period (1993-1999). Data were collected prospectively on a predesigned form and collated. Diagnoses of different diseases/disorders were based on clinical examination supplemented with relevant laboratory tests. A total of 463 entries of 34 different clinical diseases/disorders were recorded. Sarcoptic mange (35% of 200 camels) followed by anhidrosis (23%) and trypanosomosis (19%) were the three most frequently encountered disorders. The body system most often involved was the integument (31%) followed by gastrointestinal (21%), locomotory (12%), thermoregulatory (6%), blood (6%), urogenital (6%), lymphatic (3%), nervous (3%), respiratory (3%) and ocular (3%).
The effect of ovariectomy or administration of progesterone (P4) on the disposition kinetics of P4 was determined in dromedary camels. The disappearance of P4 from peripheral circulation of the camel following ovariectomy or after a single intravenous (I.V.) injection of 1 mg kg(-1) body weight followed a bioexponential curve. Both curves were parallel indicating that the disappearance of injected P4 behaved similarly to endogenous P4. The mean (+/- SD) half-life calculated from the slower component of this decline, was 26.0 +/- 2.0 min after I.V. injection of P4 and 28.0 +/- 2.1 min after ovariectomy. The apparent volume of distribution (1370 ml kg(-1)) exceeded total body water suggesting extensive tissue penetration.
Seminal characteristics were investigated in Bactrian camel in this study. Semen samples from ten mature Bactrian camel bulls were collected using a modified bovine artificial vagina. The biophysical parameters including volume, color, sperm concentration and fast forward progressive motility, percentage of live sperm and the biochemical parameters including osmolarity, pH, glucose, calcium, phosphorus, chloride, triglycerides, phospholipids, total protein, albumin and non-protein nitrogen concentrations in seminal plasma were measured. The mean time for semen collection was 5.3 +/- 0.29 min. The volume of semen varies from 1.2 to 26 (8.2 +/- 0.7 mls). The majority of semen samples (83.6%) were milky in color and consistency. The average osmolarity of semen was 316.1 +/- 1.48 mOsm/kg H(2)O. The pH of semen was slightly alkaline (7.4 +/- 0.03). The mean concentration of spermatozoa was 414.8 +/- 25.04 x 10(6)cells/ml. The fast forward progressive motility of spermatozoa was 62.4 +/- 1.57%. The percentage of live spermatozoa was 85.6 +/- 1.15. Seminal plasma concentration of glucose was 35.8 +/- 0.9 mg/dl. Non-protein nitrogen, total protein and albumin were 32.5 +/- 2.5, 2200 +/- 100 and 1100 +/- 100mg/dl, respectively. The average concentrations of phospholipids and triglycerides in seminal plasma were 36.4 +/- 2.1 and 101.6 +/- 5.5mg/dl, respectively. The concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and chloride were 8.2 +/- 0.1, 2.9 +/- 1.7 mg/dl and 97.9 +/- 2.9 mEq./l, respectively.
Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from non-pregnant camels at a local slaughterhouse by aspiration from antral follicles (2-6 mm). In Experiment I, camel COCs (n=304) were matured in vitro in Hams-F10, fixed at different time intervals (6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, or 48 h) and stained with 1% aceto-orcein to assess nuclear changes in culture. A majority of the oocytes (81.5%) underwent germinal vesicle break down (GVBD) between 6 and 12h. Forty-eight percent of the oocytes were observed at the metaphase I (M I) stage by 18 h culture. The percentage of matured oocytes (M II stage) at 30 and 42 h were 66.5 and 71% respectively, which were significantly (p<0.05) different to that observed at 24 h (42.5%). In Experiment II, after different periods of culture (12, 24, 36, or 48 h), the COCs (n=26) were processed for transmission electron microscopy. Expansion of both the cumulus and corona radiate cells occurred between 12 and 24 h in the majority of oocytes concomitant with enlargement of the cumulus cell process endings (CCPEs) in the developed perivitelline space. After 12 h of culture disruption of the junctions between CCPEs and the oolemma was observed together with and breakdown of the GV. For 24-36 h of culture cortical granules had spread and aligned along the oolemma. Signs of degeneration in the cytoplasmic organelles of the oocytes were also observed from less than 36 h. After 48 h of culture, larger vesicles and lipid droplets had appeared in the central part of the oocytes and showed uneven distribution throughout the ooplasm. Predominantly non-penetrating CCPEs were also observed in four oocytes by 48 h. In conclusion, based on both light and electron microscopic evaluations, the optimal culture time for the development of competent Camelus dromedarius oocytes in vitro appears to be 30 h using Hams-F10 medium.
The ovarian follicular wave patterns of sixty adult female camels were monitored by serial trans-rectal ultrasound examinations and when the dominant follicle reached 1.3-1.8 cm in diameter they received a single intravenous injection of 20 microg buserelin, to induce ovulation, and were inseminated with a known number of spermatozoa 24 h later. Ejaculates were collected from the male camels and diluted 1:1 in Green Buffer with 20% egg yolk (v:v) added. Sperm concentration and motility were assessed and a dose of 40, 80 or 150 x 10(6) motile spermatozoa were deposited either just through the cervix into the uterine body or at the tip of the horn ipsilateral with the ovary containing the dominant follicle. Insemination of 150, 80 and 40 x 10(6) spermatozoa into the uterine body resulted in conception rates of 53, 7 and 0%, respectively, whereas insemination at the tip of the uterine horn resulted in conception rates of 43, 40 and 7%, respectively.
Envenoming by snakes results in severe systemic and local pathology. Intravenous administration of antivenom, prepared from IgG of venom immunised horses or sheep, is the only effective treatment of systemic envenoming. Conventional antivenoms, formulated as intact IgG, papain-cleaved (Fab) or pepsin-cleaved F(ab')2 fragments, are however ineffective against the local venom effects because of their inability to penetrate the blood/tissue barrier. We have embarked on a new research program to examine (i) whether the unusually small (15 kDa) antigen-binding fragment of camelid heavy chain IgG (V(H)H) can be exploited to neutralise the local effects of envenoming and (ii) whether a novel antivenom to treat both the systemic and local effects of envenoming can be formulated by combining anti-snake venom V(H)H and conventional F(ab')2. In this preliminary study, we demonstrate that camels and llamas respond to immunisation with Echis ocellatus venom with high antibody titres and broad antigen specificity. These encouraging immunological results were matched by the successful elimination of venom-induced haemorrhage by IgG from the venom-immunised camels and llamas. Unexpectedly, we report for the first time that camelid serum contains a non-IgG, highly potent inhibitor of venom-induced haemorrhage.