Abomasal cannulation in the milk-fed calf using a 7 mm polyurethane tube

The main objective of this study was to develop a simple and effective surgical technique for abomasal cannulation in neonatal calves. General anaesthesia was induced in 12, 3-day-old male dairy calves and a polyurethane cannula surgically implanted in the abomasal body (n = 12) and pyloric antrum (n = 6) through a right paracostal incision. Fifteen cannulae remained in situ from day 3 to 34 of life (mean: 29 days), and three cannulae were extruded 13-14 days after placement. Calves were clinically healthy and gained weight during the study. Cannulae were well tolerated by the calves and abomasal contents did not leak from the cannula sites. Necropsy examination revealed firm adhesions between the abomasum and parietal peritoneum at the cannula sites with no evidence of leakage or peritonitis. We conclude that surgical placement of polyurethane tubes designed for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy provided a useful method for cannulation of the abomasum of neonatal calves. The cannulation technique can be used for experimental studies, as well as for nutritional and fluid support of sick calves that cannot be managed by oral treatment.     

Effects of oxygen tension in the gas atmosphere during in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization and in vitro culture on the efficiency of in vitro production of mouse embryos

Effects of oxygen (O2) tension in the gas atmosphere during in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC) on the efficiency of in vitro production of mouse embryos were examined. Mouse oocytes recovered from large antral follicles were subjected to IVM in Waymouth medium for 15, 16 and 17 hr under 5 or 20% O2 and then subjected to IVF and IVC under 5 or 20% O2 tension. Lowering the O2 tension in the gas atmosphere for IVM from 20 to 5% improved the cleavage rate after IVF when the oocytes were subjected to IVM for 15 hr; however, no improvement in the cleavage rate was observed when the culture period for IVM was extended to 16 and 17 hr. Lowering the O2 tension to 5% for IVM and IVC improved the development of the cleaved oocytes to the blastocyst stage, regardless of the culture period for IVM. However, the O2 tension for IVF had no remarkable effect on the subsequent embryonic development. These results demonstrate that 5% O2 is superior to 20% O2 for IVM and IVC, and suggest that 20% O2 for IVM may delay oocyte maturation and/or the acquisition of fertilizability and impair the developmental competence of oocytes.     

Fixation to the canine bone of artificial implant with new surface structure

Screw and laser (SL) column by making screw threads and forming small holes using laser irradiation on the base metal and conventional beads coating (BC) columns were embedded into the shaft of canine femurs, and compared the implant fixation to the host bone. The interfacial strength in SL columns was almost equivalent as BC columns, and bone-column contact rate was higher than BC columns significantly at twelve weeks after implantation. The newly devised SL surface had almost equivalent bone fixation strength comparable to the conventional BC surface. Also, this surface should provide a useful porous surface for use in artificial joints since there is no risk of surface structure detachment.     

Bovine hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met: cDNA cloning and expression analysis in the mammary gland

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a crucial role in the embryonic and postnatal development of various organs including the mammary gland. We cloned bovine HGF and its c-Met receptor cDNAs, and examined their expression during mammary gland development in dairy cows. The 2.5-kbp HGF cDNA clone contained a 2190 bp open reading frame coding a 730 amino acid protein, while the 4.8-kbp c-Met cDNA clone contained a 4152 bp open reading frame coding a 1384 amino acid protein. The bovine HGF and c-Met sequences exhibited more than 87% identity with those of other mammals. RT-PCR analysis revealed ubiquitous expression of both HGF and c-Met mRNAs in various bovine tissues tested. HGF mRNA was detected only in the inactive stage of bovine mammary gland development and not in the developing, lactating, and involuting stages, while c-Met mRNA was detected in the inactive and involuting stages. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the c-Met protein was found on mammary epithelial cells in the inactive, developing, and involuting stages, and on myoepithelial cells in all stages. These results suggest pivotal roles of HGF and c-Met in the development of bovine mammary gland.     

Unusual manifestation of a concurrent demodectic and sarcoptic mange in a Zebu-Friesian cross-bred heifer

We describe a rare case of a concurrent demodectic and sarcoptic mange in a 2-year-old heifer in Khartoum, Sudan. The lesions were massive lumps of granulomatous tumour-like dermatitis with thick, nodular folds mainly covering the head, neck and shoulders. Histopathological examination of the lesions revealed the presence of both Demodex bovis and Sarcoptes scabiei. The animal died regardless of the anti-parasitic treatment it received.     

Loss of virulence of the phytopathogen Ralstonia solanacearum through infection by φRSM filamentous phages

φRSM1 and φRSM3 (φRSM phages) are filamentous phages (inoviruses) that infect Ralstonia solanacearum, the causative agent of bacterial wilt. Infection by φRSM phages causes several cultural and physiological changes to host cells, especially loss of virulence. In this study, we characterized changes related to the virulence in φRSM3-infected cells, including (i) reduced twitching motility and reduced amounts of type IV pili (Tfp), (ii) lower levels of β-1,4-endoglucanase (Egl) activity and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) production, and (iii) reduced expression of certain genes (egl, pehC, phcA, phcB, pilT, and hrpB). The significantly lower levels of phcA and phcB expression in φRSM3-infected cells suggested that functional PhcA was insufficient to activate many virulence genes. Tomato plants injected with φRSM3-infected cells of different R. solanacearum strains did not show wilting symptoms. The virulence and virulence factors were restored when φRSM3-encoded orf15, the gene for a putative repressor-like protein, was disrupted. Expression levels of phcA as well as other virulence-related genes in φRSM3-ΔORF15-infected cells were comparable with those in wild-type cells, suggesting that orf15 of φRSM3 may repress phcA and, consequently, result in loss of virulence.     

Effect of antioxidant supplementation on free radical scavenging system and immune response in lindane treated scabies patients

The scabicide, lindane induces oxidative stress and immunological alterations. The present study was undertaken to assess the ameliorative effects of antioxidant supplementation in lindane treated scabies patients. Scabies patients were treated with either 1% lindane or 1% lindane along with antioxidant (Lycored or Vitamin-E). Oxidative stress and immunological parameters were evaluated in blood samples and compared with healthy controls. Lindane caused a significant increase in malonedialdehyde (MDA) levels and decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), which was attenuated by anti-oxidant therapy. The IL-1α levels were significantly enhanced in scabies patients per se and remained unaffected after lindane/anti-oxidant treatment. The TNF-α and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction levels were not significantly different in all the groups. Topical application of lindane induces significant free radical generation and may cause immunological alterations which can be reversed by antioxidant therapy.     

Assessment of the impact of resistant and susceptible canola on Plasmodiophora brassicae inoculum potential

The impact on clubroot severity of growing susceptible canola or mixtures of resistant and susceptible canola genotypes was examined. Bioassays revealed greater clubroot severity and incidence, and reduced plant height, where 100% of a susceptible cultivar had been grown. A higher proportion of susceptible plants within a resistant canola crop increased root hair and secondary infections. Regression analysis of root hair infection and the amount of Plasmodiophora brassicae DNA (as determined by quantitative PCR) revealed strong linear relationships between the two parameters. The linear relationships between root hair infection and P. brassicae DNA were stronger for the resistant cultivar than for the susceptible cultivar when regression analysis was conducted by cultivar over the sampling dates. In conclusion, the cropping of a resistant cultivar reduced clubroot severity, while the presence of susceptible volunteer canola increased inoculum potential. Quantitative PCR was a reliable tool for the quantification of root hair infection.