Surgical repair of peripheral detachment of the medial meniscus in 34 cattle

A detachment of the periphery of the medial meniscus from the joint capsule and medial collateral ligament in 34 cattle was repaired by securing the meniscus to the joint capsule with vertical mattress sutures during arthrotomy. Of 28 cattle with follow-up reports, 20 had recovered satisfactorily by their owners' evaluations; 17 were either not lame or slightly lame after the operation and three were moderately lame. Three of four cattle without follow-up reports were either not lame or slightly lame when discharged from the hospital.     

Lyso-phosphatidylcholine is a signal in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis represents the most widely distributed mutualistic root symbiosis. We report that root extracts of mycorrhizal plants contain a lipophilic signal capable of inducing the phosphate transporter genes StPT3 and StPT4 of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), genes that are specifically induced in roots colonized by AM fungi. The same signal caused rapid extracellular alkalinization in suspension-cultured tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cells and induction of the mycorrhiza-specific phosphate transporter gene LePT4 in these cells. The active principle was characterized as the lysolipid lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) via a combination of gene expression studies, alkalinization assays in cell cultures, and chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses. Our results highlight the importance of lysophospholipids as signals in plants and in particular in the AM symbiosis.     

Bibliographie der Gibberellin-Untersuchungen an Kulturpflanzen

Zusammenfassung Als I. Mitteilung einer Serie über die Bibliographie der Gibberellin-Untersuchungen an Kulturpflanzen werden für die Kartoffelpflanze,Solanum tuberosum L., die bis 1964 vorliegenden Veröffentlichungen in alphabetischer Anordnung aufgeführt.

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Summary In the I. part of a series on the bibliography of the gibberellin investigations on cultivated plants the papers concerning the potato plant,Solanum tuberosum L., published till 1964 are catalogued alphabetically.

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am ¶rt;au , , ,Solanum tuberosum L., 1964 .

     

More than classical Chlamydia psittaci in urban pigeons

In the literature, studies of Chlamydia infection in birds have usually been confined to the search for Chlamydia (C., formerly Chlamydophila) psittaci, so that little is known about the presence of other chlamydial agents. In the present study, cloacal swabs and faeces samples of urban pigeons have been examined by real-time PCR, DNA microarray assays and partial ompA sequencing. Whilst C. psittaci was the predominant chlamydial agent in this pigeon population (75.8% of all Chlamydiaceae positives), the combined use of highly specific and sensitive molecular assays facilitated the detection of atypical serovars of C. psittaci, as well as other species of Chlamydia, such as C. abortus. Detection of C. pecorum and C. trachomatis from an avian host is reported here for the first time. Rather unexpectedly, 19.5% of all Chlamydiaceae-positive cases turned out to be infected with non-classified organisms. The considerable prevalence of these novel agents raises the question of their epidemiological importance and possible role as pathogens. Future surveys in domestic and wild birds will have to take the extended variety of chlamydial organisms into account.     

Incomplete linear tibial fractures in two horses

Incomplete linear tibial fractures were identified in two horses with the aid of scintigraphy. Both horses were treated successfully by strict stall confinement, and both returned to normal athletic activity. Scintigraphy can be used to facilitate the generally difficult diagnosis of incomplete tibial fractures.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of feline hippocampal necrosis

The clinical, neuropathologic, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features in four cats with necrosis of the hippocampus and piriform lobe are described. All cats had acute generalized seizures and behavioral changes including aggression, salivation, polyphagia, and disorientation. Routine hematologic, serum chemistry, and cerebrospinal fluid analyses were normal. MR imaging abnormalities were restricted to the area of the hippocampus and piriform lobe. The lesions were T2-hyperintense, T1-hypointense, and were characterized by various degrees of contrast enhancement. Lesions were consistent with necrotizing encephalitis. Two cats were euthanized and underwent postmortem examination within a week after MR imaging due to the lack of response to antiepileptic drug therapy and progressive neuropathy. The remaining two cats lived for about four months and were then euthanized because of persistent behavioral and neurologic signs; only one of these cats underwent postmortem examination with histopathologic examination. Histopathological findings were typical of severe, diffuse, bilateral symmetric necrosis, and degeneration of neurons in the hippocampus and piriform lobe, but an etiologic agent was not apparent. This apparently unique feline syndrome, now reported in Switzerland and Italy, has no known cause at this time.     

Nuclear gene indicates coat-color polymorphism in mammoths

By amplifying the melanocortin type 1 receptor from the woolly mammoth, we can report the complete nucleotide sequence of a nuclear-encoded gene from an extinct species. We found two alleles and show that one allele produces a functional protein whereas the other one encodes a protein with strongly reduced activity. This finding suggests that mammoths may have been polymorphic in coat color, with both dark- and light-haired individuals co-occurring.     

Right ventricular rupture after lateral thoracotomy for removal of rib-associated telangiectatic osteosarcoma in a dog

Objective – To describe a case of a focal right ventricular rupture following removal of a rib-associated telangiectatic osteosarcoma (TOS) in a dog.
Case Summary – A 2-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog, weighing 20 kg, was presented in compensated hypovolemic shock due to active bleeding into the thoracic cavity. The dog was stabilized with appropriate fluid administration. Subsequent computed tomographic examination revealed a large mineralized mass originating from the body of a rib and displacing the heart. Two days after surgical removal of this mass, focal right ventricular rupture occurred and the dog died. The mass was later identified as a TOS.
New or Unique Information Provided – Although hemothorax secondary to TOS has been described previously, this report describes for the first time, spontaneous focal right ventricular rupture as a rare complication of thoracotomy and rib resection for the removal of a rib-associated, intrathoracic TOS.     

Novel PCR primers for detection of genetically diverse virulent <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium tumefaciens</Emphasis> biovar 1 strains

Novel PCR primers were developed to amplify a 243-bp fragment of an intergenic region between gene 5 and tms2 on the T-DNA of Agrobacterium tumefaciens biovar 1. These primers exhibit 100% positive correlation with strain virulence, 100% negative correlation with avirulence, and did not generate extraneous bands, thus facilitating robust real-time PCR detection.     

Metabolism of amitrole in apple: III. Model systems

Excised shoots from apple trees and cell suspension cultures were used as model systems to study the metabolism of [3,5-¹⁴C]amitrole in Malus domestica Borkh. Significant differences in the metabolism of the compound applied were observed with excised shoots, cultured cells and whole apple trees. The major metabolite in excised shoots was aminotriazolylalanine which occurred both in the free form and as conjugates. The major metabolite from whole plants. triazolylalanine, was detected in shoots in minor amounts only. In cell suspension cultures, the type of metabolism strongly depended on the concentration of amitrole when initially applied. At 10 ^?3 m or lower, mainly aminotriazolylalanine was formed. Depending on the concentration of the active ingredient, this metabolite predominantly occurred in free form or as glycosides. At concentrations above 5 × 10^?4 M a new metabolite, 3,5-dihydroxytriazole, was detected which was the only metabolite found at 5 × 10^?3M. Significant amounts of nonmetabolized amitrole remained in the medium.