Synovial membrane microarthroscopy of the equine midcarpal joint

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of microarthroscopy in the equine midcarpal joint using the vital stains methylene blue, trypan blue, neutral red, and Janus green B to observe components of the synovial lamina propria, vascular architecture, and synoviocytes. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental. ANIMALS: Ten horses. METHODS: Microarthroscopy of left and right midcarpal joints was performed with and without vital staining of the synovium. Four vital stains (methylene blue, trypan blue, neutral red, and Janus green B) were evaluated, with each stain used in 5 joints. Synovial biopsy specimens were collected from the dorsomedial and dorsolateral aspects of the joint. RESULTS: All dyes were biocompatible. At x 60 without vital staining, synovial surface topography, vascular network, and translucency were observed. Intra-articular vital dyes improved evaluation of synovial surface topography. At x 150 with vital staining, individual synoviocytes were clearly identified with all dyes, except neutral red. Although methylene blue provided the best in vivo microscopic differentiation of the structure of the intima, trypan blue had superior retention in conventionally processed synovial biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: Methylene blue, trypan blue, neutral red, and Janus green B stains can be used safely for microarthroscopy. Good visualization of cells and vascular network can be obtained by microarthroscopy, and microarthroscopic evaluation of the synovium compares favorably with conventional histologic evaluation of biopsy specimens. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Microarthroscopy may be beneficial in both research and clinical diagnosis of equine articular diseases.     

Aerobic bacterial isolations from harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) stranded in Washington: 1992-2003.

Bacterial cultures collected over 12 yr from stranded harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) pups and weanlings located in the North Puget Sound and San Juan Islands region of Washington were analyzed retrospectively to determine the most common pathogenic isolates and to describe their antimicrobial resistance patterns. Culture attempts (n = 58) from wounds, umbilici, ears, conjunctiva, nares, oral lesions, and feces yielded 134 pathogenic isolates that represented 17 genera. The majority of isolates were Gram-negative (n = 87; 65%) and of the tested isolates were most susceptible to amikacin (n = 76; 99%) and gentamicin (n = 76; 97%) and least susceptible to ampicillin (n = 76; 26%). Of the Gram-positive isolates tested (n = 29), all were susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. The most frequent isolates were Escherichia coli (17%), beta-hemolytic Streptococcus spp. (15%), Enterococcus spp. (11%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11%), with all four exhibiting resistance to more than 50% of the antimicrobials tested. The variety of organisms isolated, the variation in either Gram-negative or Gram-positive predominance, and the multiple drug resistance patterns observed suggest that when treating stranded harbor seals, culture and sensitivity testing are warranted and that antibiotic therapy should be based on results.     

Nitrogen fertilization of warm‐season turfgrasses irrigated with saline water from varying irrigation systems. 1. Quality,spring green‐up and fall colour retention

A 3‐year study was conducted at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM, to investigate the effects of different fertilization treatments on turf performance when water conservation strategies are applied. These strategies include the use of non‐potable saline irrigation water and the use of efficient subsurface irrigation systems. Two low water use warm‐season grasses, “Princess 77” bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) and “Sea Spray” seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum O. Swartz), were irrigated with either potable [Electrical Conductivity (EC) = 0.6 dS/m] or saline (EC = 3.1 dS/m) water from either an overhead or a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system. Four different fertilizers, liquid slow release, granular slow release, granular urea and liquid urea, were applied at two rates: 10 and 20 g N m^?2 year^?1 for “Sea Spray” and 20 and 30 g N m^?2 year^?1 for “Princess 77.” Spring green‐up, summer quality and fall colour retention were determined using digital image analysis, visual quality ratings and normalized difference vegetation index. Generally, subsurface drip‐irrigated grasses were slower to green‐up than overhead irrigated ones. “Sea Spray” irrigated from the SDI system took 18, 28 and 15 days longer to reach 80% green cover in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively, than their sprinkler‐irrigated counterparts. The combination of “Princess 77” and overhead irrigation reached 80% green cover 35 (in 2010), 34 (in 2011) and 12 (in 2012) days faster than SDI‐irrigated “Princess 77.” Fertilization rate and type had no effect on summer turfgrass quality of “Princess 77” irrigated from a sprinkler system throughout the research period reaching ratings of greater than 7 during all 3 years. Similar results were observed for “Princess 77” irrigated from a SDI system during 2010 and 2011. Summer quality of sprinkler‐irrigated “Sea Spray” was negatively affected by liquid fertilization. During two of three summers, visual quality of plots fertilized with either liquid slow release or liquid urea was lower than “Sea Spray” fertilized with granular fertilizer. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of fertilization on bermudagrass and seashore paspalum over a wider nitrogen range including both granular and foliar products.     

Viridenepoxydiol, a new pentasubstituted oxiranyldecene produced by Trichoderma viride

A new pentasubstituted oxiranyldecene, named viridenepoxydiol, has been isolated (0.9 mg/L) from the culture filtrate of a strain of Trichoderma viride showing in vitro and in vivo antagonistic activity against Sclerotium rolfsii, which is the causal agent of crown and stem rot of artichoke. Viridenepoxydiol was characterized as 3,5,9-trimethyl-2-oxiranyl-dec-8-ene-2,5-diol (3) using spectroscopic methods. It showed inhibitor effect on mycelial growth of S. rolfsii and its minimum inhibitory concentration (over 90% inhibition) was found to be 396 mug/mL. This is the first time that viridenepoxydiol was reported.     

Genetic diversity and changes in phenolic contents and antiradical activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vaccinium myrtillus</Emphasis> berries from its southernmost growing area in Italy

In this study, we evaluated by the RAPD technique the genetic diversity of 42 individual Vaccinium myrtillus L. plant samples, collected from different locations of Tuscan Apennines (Italy), which represent the southernmost growing latitude of this plant. Total polyphenols, total anthocyanins and radical scavenging activity were also determined in two successive harvesting years on bilberry samples obtained from the same individuals characterized by molecular analysis. The RAPD analysis indicated a highly prevalent gamic propagation of bilberry in the investigated area, and, in accordance with genetic findings elsewhere reported for populations of Central and Northern Europe, suggested the presence, from North-to-South Europe, of a clonal-to-gamic genetic gradient of the propagation strategy. In the context of a quite homogeneous panorama of biochemical data, significant variations were occasionally evidenced by comparing closely-located individuals. We tentatively attributed such variations mainly to genetics, due to the very close location of biomes exhibiting different biochemical attributes. However, molecular clustering by RAPD did not show any relationship with biochemical diversity. Strong variations of climatic conditions were probable responsible of the remarkable variability of the investigated biochemical parameters in the two harvesting years.     

Antibiotic properties of the glucosinolates of Brassica oleracea var. acephala similarly affect generalist and specialist larvae of two lepidopteran pests

Glucosinolates may deter generalist insect feeding as their toxicity causes fitness damage, whereas insects specialized in brassicaceous plants may circumvent the toxic effect. By using no-choice leaf tests, we investigated whether larval development time, body weight, mortality and feeding rate of the generalist Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) and the specialist Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera, Pieridae), were affected by six genotypes of Brassica oleracea var. acephala, selected for having high or low concentration of sinigrin, glucoiberin (aliphatics) and glucobrassicin (indole). Two phenological plant stages were used. On young plants, M. brassicae most consumed the high sinigrin and low glucoiberin genotypes. Larvae weighed more on the high sinigrin plants. Development time took longer on the low glucoiberin genotype. On mature plants, consumption rate decreased on the high glucoiberin genotype. Larval weight decreased on the high sinigrin, glucoiberin and glucobrassicin genotypes, and development time increased with high glucobrassicin concentration. Pupal weight and mortality rate increased on mature plants, irrespective of the genotype. Pieris rapae fed most on young plants with high sinigrin, and larval weight increased on the high glucoiberin genotype. Mortality increased with low glucoiberin and low glucobrassicin. On mature plants, larval weight decreased with high sinigrin and glucoiberin. The high glucoiberin genotype was the less consumed and also induced a longer development time. High content of aliphatic glucosinolates offered mature plants significant antibiosis defence against both the lepidopterans, whereas the indole glucosinolate was marginally effective. Young plants were more consumed and increased larval weight likely because glucosinolate concentration was still not optimal.     

Influence of dietary fiber on luminal environment and morphology in the small and large intestine of sows

In this study, the effect of feeding different types and amounts of dietary fiber (DF) on luminal environment and morphology in the small and large intestine of sows was studied. Three diets, a low-fiber diet (LF) and 2 high-fiber diets (high fiber 1, HF1, and high fiber 2, HF2) were used. Diet LF (DF, 17%; soluble DF 4.6%) was based on wheat and barley, whereas the 2 high-fiber diets (HF1: DF, 43%; soluble DF, 11.0%; and HF2: DF, 45%; soluble DF, 7.6%) were based on wheat and barley supplemented with different coproducts from the vegetable food and agroindustry (HF1 and HF2: sugar beet pulp, potato pulp, and pectin residue; HF2: brewers spent grain, seed residue, and pea hull). The diets were fed for a 4-wk period to 12 sows (4 receiving each diet). Thereafter, the sows were killed 4 h postfeeding, and digesta and tissue samples were collected from various parts of the small and large intestine. The carbohydrates in the LF diet were well digested in the small intestine, resulting in less digesta in all segments of the intestinal tract. The fermentation of nonstarch polysaccharides in the large intestine was affected by the chemical composition and physicochemical properties. The digesta from pigs fed the LF diet provided low levels of fermentable carbohydrates that were depleted in proximal colon, whereas for pigs fed the 2 high-DF diets, the digesta was depleted of fermentable carbohydrates at more distal locations of the colon. The consequence was an increased retention time, greater DM percentage, decreased amount of material, and a decreased tissue weight after feeding the LF diet compared with the HF diets. The concentration of short-chain fatty acids was consistent with the fermentability of carbohydrates in the large intestine, but there was no effect of the dietary composition on the molar short-chain fatty acid proportions. It was further shown that feeding the diet providing the greatest amount of fermentable carbohydrates (diet HF1, which was high in soluble DF) resulted in significant morphological changes in the colon compared with the LF diet.