MAGNETIC RESONANCE, ULTRASOUND AND HISTOPATHOLOGIC CORRELATION OF ACUTE AND HEALING EQUINE TENDON INJURIES

Ultrasonography and MRI have become valuable tools for imaging of tendon injuries. The current study examines the histopathologic basis for the imaging abnormalities. Five injured equine forelimbs and two normal contralateral limbs were studied with high resolution real time ultrasound and MRI. Histologic sections were made and correlated with the diagnostic images. All lesions were readily seen by both modalities. Lesions characterized by hemorrhage, edma, and cellular infiltration were sonolucent on ultrasound and bright on MRI images. MRI returned to normal as fibrogenesis ensued. Ultrasound images remained abnormal until fibrillar reallgnment occured with completion of the healing process. High resolution real time ultrasound and MRI both accurately reflect the tissue abnormalities in acute tendon injuries. The injured horse does appear to be an effective model for correlative imaging studies of tendon injuries.     

Arthropathy associated with Brucella abortus strain 19 vaccination in cattle. II. Experimental studies

Attempts to reproduce in calves the arthropathy associated with Brucella abortus strain 19 (S19) vaccination by direct intra-articular injection of S19 or virulent Brucella cells were unsuccessful. Intra-articular injection of rabbits and a calf with immune complexes isolated from the synovial fluid of a field case produced clinical and histological signs of arthropathy accompanied by the development of rheumatoid factor.     

Chylothorax associated with cryptococcal mediastinal granuloma in a cat

A 10-year-old neutered female cat had chylothorax, precaval syndrome, and a mediastinal granuloma resulting from infection with Cryptococcus neoformans. Diagnosis of a chylous effusion was made by cytologic examination of pleural fluid and by finding higher triglyceride levels in the effusion than in serum (825 vs. 64 mg/dl, respectively). Postmortem examination revealed cryptococcal organisms in the mediastinal granuloma, lungs, cerebral meninges, and connective tissues adjacent to the thyroid gland. Chylous effusion in a cat associated with cryptococcosis has not been reported previously. Cryptococcosis should be included in the differential diagnosis in chylous effusions in cats.     

Bilateral phacofragmentation in a New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri).

Ophthalmic examination under anesthesia of a 5-yr-old, captive, male New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) with reduced visual capacity revealed bilateral cataracts. Surgical extraction of the lenses was performed by phacofragmentation. Preoperative mydriasis was unsuccessful using common topical mydriatic agents. Intraoperative intracameral epinephrine 1:10,000 produced minimal pupillary dilation, but excellent dilation was achieved with intracameral epinephrine at 1:1,000. Postoperative uveitis was controlled with oral prednisolone. Postoperative complications included generalized corneal edema persisting for approximately 1 wk and corneal ulceration caused by the lateral canthotomy sutures. Vision was restored in both eyes.     

In Vivo Embryo Recovery Rate by Laparoscopic Technique from Rabbit Does Selected for Growth Rate

Rabbit does from R line selected for growth rate present a low reproductive performance and this study aimed to evaluate both the recovery efficacy and viability of recovered embryos after vitrification and the reproductive performance of donor does subjected to in vivo recovery. Does were divided into three groups: 28 does without in vivo recovery (control), 25 does in which in vivo recovery was started in the nulliparous state (group 1) and 30 does with at least one litter before in vivo recovery (group 2). Does were superovulated with a single subcutaneous injection of 50 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) per female, and were then artificially inseminated 60 h later and immediately administered an intravenous dose of 75 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) per female. Does from group 1 and 2 were recovered in vivo 76-80 h post-insemination by repeated laparoscopies at one to four times and permitted one or two parturitions between recoveries [in vivo (IV) recovery]. At the end of the experiment, about 16 does of all groups were recovered post-mortem (PM recovery). All normal embryos were vitrified, devitrified and then cultivated in vitro to evaluate the viability after thawing. A significant increase in the ovulation rate was found in does recovered PM than in those recovered IV in the nulliparous state. However, no significant differences were observed in the recovery rate, the donor rate, the number of normal embryos recovered with at least one normal embryo per doe and the viability after thawing between the PM and IV groups. A significant decrease in the fertility rate, total born, live born and weaned kids was found for does from group 1 in comparison with does from group 2. Results support the use of repeated laparoscopy to increase the number of recovered embryos per donor doe especially in such R line does, if they are permitted to produce at least one litter before the beginning of in vivo recovery.     

Use of Powdered Egg Yolk vs Fresh Egg Yolk for the Cryopreservation of Ovine Semen

Egg yolk is a common additive to sperm cryopreservation diluents. Because of its animal origin, however, it also represents a potential risk of microbiological contamination in the diluent. This potential contamination can be avoided by using powdered egg yolk, instead of fresh egg yolk, as it is pasteurized. This study was conducted to determine ram sperm cryosurvival was affected by the type of egg yolk used (powdered egg yolk or fresh egg yolk) and by yolk concentration (10, 15 or 20%) in the diluent. Microbiological analyses were also performed to quantify the microbiological contamination in the diluents containing the two types of egg yolk. Sperm cryosurvival was determined by motility and morphology analyses after thawing. Motility parameters were assessed using a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system, and the percentage of sperm with a normal apical ridge was evaluated using a differential interference contrast microscope. No significant differences were observed between diluents in the percentage of sperm with normal apical ridge. However, higher percentages of total motile cells were observed for samples containing powdered egg yolk (69%) compared to samples containing fresh egg yolk (60%). However, sperm in diluents containing fresh egg yolk, exhibited higher values for average-path velocity, straight-line velocity and beat cross frequency and lower values for amplitude of lateral head displacement (p <0.05), compared to cells in diluents containing powdered egg yolk. Microbiological contamination was similar (<200 CFU/ml) in both diluents, and no bacterial growth was observed in either, when antibiotics were added. Therefore, powdered egg yolk can be effective used in diluents for the freezing of ram semen. However, the in vivo fertility of sperm frozen in diluents containing powdered egg yolk should be tested, as some motility parameters were different for sperm treated with powdered egg yolk compared to fresh egg yolk.     

Expression of the tobacco β-1,3-glucanase gene, PR-2d, following induction of SAR with Peronospora tabacina

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is induced following inoculation of Peronospora tabacina sporangia into the stems of Nicotiana tabacum plants highly susceptible to the pathogen. Previous results have shown that accumulation of acidic β-1,3-glucanases (PR-2's) following induction of SAR by P. tabacina may contribute to resistance to P. tabacina. We showed that up-regulation of the PR-2 gene, PR-2d, following stem inoculation with P. tabacina, is associated with SAR. Studies using plants transformed with GUS constructs containing the full length promoter from PR-2d or promoter deletions, provided evidence that a previously characterized regulatory element that is involved in response to salicylic acid (SA), may be involved in regulation of PR-2d following induction of SAR with P. tabacina. This work provides evidence that regulation of PR-2 genes during P. tabacina-induced SAR may be similar to regulation of these genes during infection of N-gene tobacco by TMV or following exogenous application of SA, and provides further support for the role of SA in regulation of genes during P. tabacina-induced SAR.     

Characterization and PCR-based Typing of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria from Peppers and Tomatoes in Serbia

During the last two decades bacterial strains associated with necrotic leaf spots of pepper and tomato fruit spots were collected in Serbia. Twenty-eight strains isolated from pepper and six from tomato were characterized. A study of their physiological and pathological characteristics, and fatty acid composition analysis revealed that all of the strains belong to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. Being non-amylolytic and non-pectolytic, pathogenic on pepper but not on tomato, containing lower amounts of fatty acid 15 : 0 ante–iso, the pepper strains were designated as members of the A group of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria. However, the tomato strains hydrolyzed starch and pectate, caused compatible reactions on tomato but not on pepper, had higher percent of 15 : 0 ante–iso fatty acid, and were classified into B phenotypic group and identified as X. vesicatoria. PCR primers were developed which amplified conserved DNA regions related to the hrp genes of different strains of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria associated with pepper and tomato. Restriction analysis of the PCR product resulted in different patterns and enabled grouping of the strains into four groups. When xanthomonads isolated from pepper and tomato in Serbia were analyzed, they clustered into two groups corresponding to the grouping based on their physiological and pathological characteristics. According to the reaction of pepper and tomato differential varieties, the strains from pepper belong to races P7 and P8 and tomato strains belong to the race T2. All strains were sensitive to copper and streptomycin. Advantages and disadvantages of various bacterial spot management practices are discussed.