Three dimensional (3D) spatial metrics for objects

Landscape Ecology - The increasing availability of lidar data and structure from motion processing techniques is moving pattern metric research toward the development of three-dimensional (3D)...     

Septicemic salmonellosis in two cats fed a raw-meat diet

Salmonella gastroenteritis and septicemia were diagnosed in two cats presented for necropsy. Both cats resided in the same household and were fed a home-prepared, raw meat-based diet. Salmonella was isolated from multiple organs in both cats and from samples of raw beef incorporated into the diet fed to one of the cats. Subtyping of the bacterial isolates yielded Salmonella newport from one cat and from the diet it had been fed. This report provides evidence that the practice of feeding raw meat-based diets to domestic cats may result in clinical salmonellosis.     

Phenylbutazone prevents the endotoxin-induced delay in gastric emptying in horses.

The effect of phenylbutazone on gastric emptying in horses was determined by measuring serum concentrations of acetaminophen. Gastric emptying was determined in normal fasted horses (n = 6), horses given endotoxin intravenously (n = 6), horses given intravenous phenylbutazone (n = 6), and horses given intravenous phenylbutazone plus endotoxin (n = 6). The mean time to reach maximum serum acetaminophen concentration (Tmax), the maximum serum concentration (Cmax), and the area under the serum acetaminophen concentration versus time curve (AUC) were compared among treatment groups. Phenylbutazone did not alter gastric emptying in normal horses. Endotoxin caused a profound delay in gastric emptying, and pretreatment with phenylbutazone abolished this effect.     

Phosphofructokinase and Malate Dehydrogenase Participate in the In Vitro Maturation of Porcine Oocytes

Oocyte maturation depends on the metabolic activity of cumulus–oocyte complex (COC) that performs nutritive and regulatory functions during this process. In this work, the enzymes [phosphofructokinase (PFK) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH)] were tested to elucidate the metabolic profile of porcine COCs during the in vitro maturation (IVM). Enzymatic activity was expressed in U/COC and U/mg protein (specific activity) as mean ± SEM. In vitro maturation was performed with 2‐oxoglutarate (5, 10 and 20 mm ) or hydroxymalonate (30, 60 and 100 mm ) inhibitors of PFK and MDH, respectively. The PFK and MDH activities (U) remained constant during maturation. For PFK, the U were (2.48 ± 0.23) 10^?5 and (2.54 ± 0.32) 10^?5, and for MDH, the U were (4.72 ± 0.42) 10^?5 and (4.38 ± 0.25) 10^?5 for immature and in vitro matured COCs, respectively. The specific activities were significantly lower after IVM, for PFK (4.29 ± 0.48) 10^?3 and (0.94 ± 0.12) 10^?3, and for MDH (9.08 ± 0.93) 10^?3 and (1.89 ± 0.10) 10^?3 for immature and in vitro matured COCs, respectively. In vitro maturation percentages and enzymatic activity diminished with 20 mm 2‐oxoglutarate or 60 mm hydroxymalonate (p < 0.05). Viability was not affected by any concentration of the inhibitors evaluated. The U remained unchanged during IVM; however, the increase in the total protein content per COC provoked a decrease in the specific activity of both enzymes. Phosphofructokinase and MDH necessary for oocyte IVM would be already present in the immature oocyte. The presence of inhibitors of these enzymes impairs the meiotic maturation. Therefore, the participation of these enzymes in the energy metabolism of the porcine oocyte during IVM is confirmed in this study.     

A new data aggregation technique to improve landscape metric downscaling

Scale is a fundamental concept in landscape ecology and considerable attention has been given to the scale-dependent relationships of landscape metrics. Many metrics have been found to exhibit very consistent scaling relationships as map resolution (i.e., pixel or grain size) is increased. However, these scaling relationships tend to break down when attempting to ‘downscale’ them, and the scaling function is often unable to accurately predict metric values for finer resolutions than the original data. The reasons for this breakdown are not well understood. This research examines the downscaling behavior of metrics using various data aggregation techniques in an attempt to better understand the characteristics of metric scaling behavior. First, downscaling performance is examined using the traditional method of aggregation known as ‘majority rules’. Second, a new data aggregation technique is introduced that utilizes fractional land cover abundances obtained from sub-pixel remote sensing classifications in order to capture a greater amount of the spatial heterogeneity present in the landscape. The goal of this new aggregation technique is to produce a more accurate scaling relationship that can be downscaled to predict metric values at fine resolutions. Results indicate that sub-pixel classifications have the potential to transform data aggregation to allow more accurate downscaling for certain landscapes, but accuracy is linked to the spatial heterogeneity of the landscape.     

Seroprevalence and comparison of isolates of endometriotropic bovine herpesvirus-4.

Sixty-eight cases of suppurative, ulcerative endometritis associated with Bovine Herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4) in postparturient dairy cows (62 Holsteins and 6 Jerseys, mean age 4.2 years) were confirmed by a combination of histopathology, fluorescent antibody assays, electron microscopic evaluation of uterus, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All cases occurred in the 3- to 28-day postpartum period, and histologic lesions among various cows were consistent when compared with postpartum interval. The endometrial lining epithelium was necrotic and ulcerated from 3 to 7 days postpartum, with only mild inflammation in the lamina propria and submucosa. From 1 to 4 weeks postpartum, the ulcers were confluent to diffuse. Epithelium was replaced by fibrinonecrotic, suppurative mats, resulting in severe bacterial pyometra by day 24. Seroprevalence to BHV-4 in one dairy with a history of 18 mortality cases was 36% (107 of 296). In a random sample of 8 cows from this herd, none had serologic titers in blood sampled 2 weeks prepartum, but 3 of 8 seroconverted with significant titers of 1:8 to 1:16 at 2 weeks postpartum. By 10 weeks postpartum, all 8 cows returned to negative serologic status. Two of 6 cats from the premises also had positive titers. Random serum samples taken from 480 dairy cattle at sale barns indicated 76 (16%) were positive by serum neutralization. Clinical signs, postparturient timing, and histologic lesions were very similar to those previously reported in Belgium with BHV-4. But sequence analysis of PCR products of the glycoprotein B region of 4 separate field isolates of endometriotropic BHV-4 suggests these field isolates were more closely related to the North American nonvirulent strain DN-599 than to the endometriotropic European strain V.     

Interaction of flavonoids with bovine serum albumin: a fluorescence quenching study

The interaction between four flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, rutin, and quercetin) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated using tryptophan fluorescence quenching. Quenching constants were determined using the Stern-Volmer equation to provide a measure of the binding affinity between the flavonoids and BSA. The binding affinity was strongest for quercetin and ranked in the order quercetin > rutin > epicatechin = catechin. The pH in the range of 5-7.4 does not affect significantly (p < 0.05) the association of rutin, epicatechin, and catechin with BSA, but quercetin exhibited a stronger affinity at pH 7.4 than at lower pH (p < 0.05). Quercetin has a total quenching effect on BSA tryptophan fluorescence at a molar ratio of 10:1 and rutin at approximately 25:1. However, epicatechin and catechin did not fully quench tryptophan fluorescence over the concentration range studied. Furthermore, the data suggested that the association between flavonoids and BSA did not change molecular conformation of BSA and that hydrogen bonding, ionic, and hydrophobic interaction are equally important driving forces for protein-flavonoid association.     

Bacterial pathogens isolated from cultured bullfrogs (Rana castesbeiana).

A commercial bullfrog (Rana castesbeiana) operation in south Georgia had multiple epizootics of systemic bacterial infections over a 3-year period, 1998-2000. A number of potential pathogens (Aeromonas hydrophila, Chryseobacterium (Flavobacterium) meningosepticum, Chryseobacterium (Flavobacterium) indolgenes, Edwardsiella tarda, Citrobacterfreundii, Pseudomonas spp., and (Streptococcus iniae) were isolated from various tissues. Clinically, frogs demonstrated acute onset of torticolis, stupor, and indifference to stimuli. Cutaneous hyperemia, subcutaneous and muscular hemorrhage, and peripheral edema were consistent gross findings. Histologically, clusters of lymphocytes, monocytes, and occasional acidophiles with scattered granulomas occurred in liver, kidney, and spleen. This is the first report of S. inae and C. meningosepticum as potential disease agents in R. castesbeiana. These findings suggest that a variety of bacteria may be associated with redleg and that culture results must be obtained for accurate diagnosis.