Experimental aerosol infection of cattle (Bos taurus) with ovine herpesvirus 2 using nasal secretions from infected sheep

Infection of clinically susceptible ruminants, including domesticated cattle and American bison, with ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) can result in the fatal lymphoproliferative and vasculitis syndrome known as malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). A reliable experimental infection model is needed to study the pathogenesis of MCF and to develop effective vaccination strategies to control the disease. An experimental aerosol infection model using sheep, the natural carriers of OvHV-2, has been developed (Taus et al., 2005). Using the protocol and OvHV-2 inoculum established in the previous study, eight calves were nebulized with four different doses of OvHV-2 in nasal secretions from infected sheep. Two control calves were nebulized with nasal secretions from uninfected sheep. Infection status of all calves was monitored using competitive inhibition ELISA, PCR and clinical parameters. Six of eight nebulized calves became infected with OvHV-2. One calf receiving the highest dose of virus developed typical clinical, gross and histological changes of MCF. This study showed that nasal secretions collected from sheep experiencing OvHV-2 shedding episodes were infectious for cattle and capable of inducing MCF. The data also indicate that cattle are relatively resistant to disease following infection. The use of more susceptible species as experimental animal models, such as bison and selected cervid species should be examined.     

Occurrence of the free and Peptide forms of pyroglutamic acid in plasma from the portal blood of rats that had ingested a wheat gluten hydrolysate containing pyroglutamyl peptides

In order to determine pyroglutamic acid levels in plasma, we developed a method based on precolumn derivatization of the carboxyl group of pyroglutamic acid with 2-nitrophenylhydrazine. Eight-week-old male SD strain rats were administered 200 mg of an acidic peptide fraction obtained from a commercial wheat gluten hydrolysate containing 0.63 mmol/g pyroglutamyl peptide. After administration, significant amounts of free pyroglutamic acid were observed in the ethanol-soluble fraction of the plasma from the portal vein. In addition, pyroglutamate aminopeptidase digestion of the ethanol-soluble fraction liberated significant amounts of pyroglutamic acid, which indicated the presence of the pyroglutamyl peptide. The presence of the pyroglutamyl peptide in the plasma was further confirmed by size exclusion chromatography. The levels of free and peptide forms of pyroglutamic acid increased significantly and reached a maximum (approximately 40 nmol/mL) at 15 and 30 min after administration, respectively.     

中药乳头浸蘸剂防治奶牛隐性乳房炎的研究

采用抑菌试验并考虑成膜的屏障作用，筛选中药制成奶牛乳头浸蘸剂防治奶牛隐性乳房炎。经63头252个乳区的临床试验证明。复方黄连(黄连 蜂胶 乳没)和复方大青叶(大青叶 五倍子 乳没)2个处方分别制成的中药乳头浸蘸剂，对奶牛隐性乳房炎均有较好的防冶效果。     

Induction of apoptosis in cancer cells by Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and the anthocyanins

Among ethanol extracts of 10 edible berries, bilberry extract was found to be the most effective at inhibiting the growth of HL60 human leukemia cells and HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells in vitro. Bilberry extract induced apoptotic cell bodies and nucleosomal DNA fragmentation in HL60 cells. The proportion of apoptotic cells induced by bilberry extract in HCT116 was much lower than that in HL60 cells, and DNA fragmentation was not induced in the former. Of the extracts tested, that from bilberry contained the largest amounts of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, and showed the greatest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Pure delphinidin and malvidin, like the glycosides isolated from the bilberry extract, induced apoptosis in HL60 cells. These results indicate that the bilberry extract and the anthocyanins, bearing delphinidin or malvidin as the aglycon, inhibit the growth of HL60 cells through the induction of apoptosis. Only pure delphinidin and the glycoside isolated from the bilberry extract, but not malvidin and the glycoside, inhibited the growth of HCT116 cells.     

Development and validation of instruments measuring body image and body weight dissatisfaction in South African mothers and their daughters

OBJECTIVE: We sought to validate questionnaires concerning body image perception, body size dissatisfaction and weight-related beliefs in multi-ethnic South African mothers and their daughters. SETTINGS AND SUBJECTS: Girls attending primary school (ages 9-12 years, n = 333) and their mothers (n = 204) were interviewed regarding their demographics and body image. Weight, height and skinfold thicknesses were measured. Body image questions and body mass index (BMI) were compared with silhouettes adapted from the Pathways Study for girls and Stunkard's body image figures for mothers. A Feel-Ideal Difference (FID) index score was created by subtracting the score of the silhouette selected by the participants as 'Ideal' from the one selected as most closely representing their current appearance or 'Feel'. We hypothesised that a higher FID index score would be associated with greater body size dissatisfaction. RESULTS: BMI percentiles in girls (r = 0.46, P < 0.05) and BMI in mothers (r = 0.68, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the selected silhouettes based on size. Participants who reported feelings of being 'fat' and those who perceived that their family and friends were more dissatisfied with their body size had significantly higher FID index scores. Scores were lower in black than white girls (all P<0.05). No differences were found in FID index scores between ethnic groups of mothers. Internal reliability of the 'thin' and 'fat' belief constructs for girls was demonstrated by standardised Cronbach's alpha values > or = 0.7. CONCLUSION: Silhouettes, FID index, 'fat' and 'thin' belief constructs (in girls) are age-appropriate, culturally sensitive and can be used in further intervention studies to understand body image.     

Independent and parallel recruitment of preexisting mechanisms underlying C₄ photosynthesis

C? photosynthesis allows increased photosynthetic efficiency because carbon dioxide (CO?) is concentrated around the key enzyme RuBisCO. Leaves of C? plants exhibit modified biochemistry, cell biology, and leaf development, but despite this complexity, C? photosynthesis has evolved independently in at least 45 lineages of plants. We found that two independent lineages of C? plant, whose last common ancestor predates the divergence of monocotyledons and dicotyledons about 180 million years ago, show conserved mechanisms controlling the expression of genes important for release of CO(2) around RuBisCO in bundle sheath (BS) cells. Orthologous genes from monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous C? species also contained conserved regulatory elements that conferred BS specificity when placed into C? species. We conclude that these conserved functional genetic elements likely facilitated the repeated evolution of C? photosynthesis.     

Orbitofrontal dysfunction in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and their unaffected relatives

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repetitive thoughts and behaviors associated with underlying dysregulation of frontostriatal circuitry. Central to neurobiological models of OCD is the orbitofrontal cortex, a neural region that facilitates behavioral flexibility after negative feedback (reversal learning). We identified abnormally reduced activation of several cortical regions, including the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, during reversal learning in OCD patients and their clinically unaffected close relatives, supporting the existence of an underlying previously undiscovered endophenotype for this disorder.