Detection of beet yellows virus in sugarbeet plants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Beet yellows virus can be detected in leaf extracts of infected sugarbeet plants by ELISA. The use of discs was studied and proved to be a valuable and qualitatively reliable method. Leaf material could be stored at 4^o or 22°C for at least six days without affecting the detection of this virus by ELISA. A dramatic decrease in ELISA values was found when leaf extracts were frozen.In an analysis of the distribution of virus over the plant it was found that young leaves present at the moment of infection and those which had still to develop after infection will contain virus. Symptoms produced by systemic virus invasion occur on the oldest leaves containing virus.Samenvatting Het bietevergelingsvirus kan op betrouwbare wijze met de ELISA methode in geïnfecteerde bieteplanten worden aangetoond. Een aanzienlijke vereenvoudiging van de procedure kan worden bereikt met de zogenaamde disc-method, waarbij intacte ponsstukjes in de putjes van de ELISA-plaat worden geïncubeerd. Hierbij komt voldoende virus uit de ponsstukjes voor ELISA vrij. Bladmateriaal kon op verschillende wijzen bewaard worden zonder dat de mogelijkheid om het virus aan te tonen achteruitging. Met bladextracten die ingevroren waren, werden echter slechte resultaten verkregen.In een analyse naar de verdeling van het virus over het loof bleek het virus voor te komen in de geïnoculeerde bladeren, in die bladeren die op het tijdstip van inoculatie minder dan de helft van hun uiteindelijke lengte bereikt hadden en in de bladeren die nog moesten verschijnen. De symptomen ontwikkelden zich op de oudste systemisch geïnfecteerde bladeren.     

A comparison of three serological tests for the diagnosis of B. ovis infection in rams

The complement fixation test (CFT), the enzyme labelled immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the gel diffusion precipitin test (GD) were compared, for the diagnosis of Brucella ovis infection in rams. The sensitivities of the tests in 109 rams which were shedding B. ovis in their semen were: CFT 96.3%; ELISA 97.2%; GD 91.7%. The specificities of the tests in 141 rams from non-infected flocks were: CFI 99.3%; ELISA 98.6%; GD 100%. Predictive values of the three tests were measured in 285 rams from infected flocks. Thirty-eight percent of these rams were shedding B. ovis in their semen. Predictive values of positive tests were: CFT 75.5%; ELISA 66.7%; GD 72.5%. Predictive values of negative tests were: CFI 97.1%; ELISA 97.6%; GD 93.8%.     

Antibiotic residues in goats milk following intramammary treatment

Two lactational intramammary antibiotic preparations (cloxacillin and oxytetracycline) were each used to treat eight goats by intramammary infusion in one half. The rate of release of the antibiotics was monitored by a diffusion assay based on the sensitive organism Bacillus stearothermophilus var. calidolactis. Cloxacillin was still detectable 156 hours after the final treatment while oxytetracycline was undetectable 108 hours following treatment. A small but significant amount of antibiotic was translocated between treated and untreated halves of the udder in both cases.     

Characterization of staphylococci associated with clinical and subclinical bovine mastitis

Attempts were made to identify 900 species of staphylococci or micrococci recovered from samples of bovine milk examined for mastitis pathogens. The presence and identity of haemolysins was recorded together with results of disc diffusion antibiotic sensitivity tests. The occurrence of clinical mastitis was also noted and somatic cell counts (SCC) were performed on milk samples which were normal in appearance. Eight hundred and thirty-one coagulase positive staphylococci were obtained, of which 810 were S. aureus and 21 were S. intermedius. Of 65 coagulase negative staphylococci the species of 19 could not be determined by the identification systems used. The remainder were identified as S. hyicus sub sp. hyicus (1), S. hyicus sub sp. chromogenes (19), S. haemolyticus (17), S. hominis (3), S. epidermidis (4), S. capitis (1) and either S. hominis or S. warneri (1). Four other isolates could not clearly be assigned to the genus Staphylococcus or Micrococcus and were designated irregular strains. No micrococci were identified. The presence of alpha, beta, or delta haemolysins occurring singly or in various combinations was identified in 98.3% of coagulase positive staphylococci and in 60% of coagulase negative staphylococci. Epsilon haemolysin was detected in 47.6% of the coagulase negative staphylococci and in 9.5% of S. intermedius. All staphylococci were sensitive to tetracycline (30 microg), novobiocin (1.6 microg), nafcillin (30 microg), methicillin (10 microg) and cephalothin (30 microg) and variable numbers of each species were sensitive to penicillin (2 iu) and streptomycin (10 microg). One non-identified species of coagulase negative staphylococcus was sensitive to erythromycin (0.4 microg) the remaining staphylococci were resistant. Each of the four irregular strains was sensitive to erythromycin and novobiocin. Clinical mastitis was associated with 30.6% of coagulase positive staphylococci, 15.3% of coagulase negative staphylococci, and two of the four irregular strains (50%). Subclinical mastitis as determined by SCC of 500 x 10(3) or greater was associated with 92.7% of coagulase positive and 37.5% of coagulase negative staphylococci.     

Multiple cytopenias associated with monocytic proliferation in a dog

An unusual combination of blood cytopenias and monocytic proliferation was observed in a dog. Initial hematologic findings included severe thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, mild nonregenerative anemia and apparently normal bone marrow. Subsequently, a severe persistent monocytosis developed and the bone marrow became populated with monocytes and cytophagic macrophages. Splenomegaly was due to reticuloendothelial hyperplasia and extramedultary hematopoiesis. Treatment consisted of splenectomy and azathioprine but the response was poor and the dog was euthanized. Postmortem examination revealed a hypocellular bone marrow which contained moderate numbers of monocytes and plasma cells. Neoplastic proliferation was absent in visceral organs. No definite diagnosis was established; chronic blood cell consumption, perhaps immune-mediated, may have been responsible for the extensive reticuloendothelial hyperplasia and cytophagia.     

Somatic cell counts: associated factors and relationship to production.

Factors affecting somatic cell counts and the association between somatic cell counts and milk production were evaluated. Data were collected from 748 Ontario Dairy Herd Improvement Corporation supervised herds that were on production and somatic cell count programs between April 1981 and March 1983. Two data files were created; one, the lactation summary file, contained one record per cow on each of 9406 Holsteins and the other, the test day file, included results of all tests during the complete lactation on each of the above cows. The latter file contained 85,236 records. Multiple curvilinear least squares regression was used to create five separate models. The dependent variables used in the models were natural logarithms (Loge) of the geometric mean of the somatic cell count for the lactation, 305 day milk production and breed class average for milk from the lactation summary file, and loge of the 24 hour somatic cell count and 24 hour milk production from the test day file. The somatic cell count at both the lactation and test day level increased with age up to approximately ten years and thereafter slowly decreased. The variable "days in milk" was not significantly associated with the lactation average somatic cell count. A curvilinear relationship was found between days in lactation at the time of test and the somatic cell count of 24 hour milk production. The somatic cell count increased until approximately 250 days in lactation and thereafter slowly decreased. It was found that the highest cell counts occurred in summer and the lowest in winter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Incompatibility Between the Dimorphic Flowers of Collomia grandiflora, a Cleistogamous Species

The cleistogamous species Collomia grandiflora produces dimorphic cross-incompatible flowers on a single plant. The open or chasmogamous flower has smaller, flask-shaped stigmatic papillae, larger pollen grains, longer styles, and faster pollen tube growth rates down the style than the closed or cleistogamous flower. In intermorph crosses, pollen tube growth rates are greatly decreased and fertilization does not occur.