Management of complicated wounds.

Most injuries, including those with significant tissue loss, can be successfully managed with proper therapy. With delayed healing, potential causes for the delay, such as sequestra, foreign bodies, and excessive motion,should be determined and treated to permit complete wound resolution.Horses have the innate ability to heal rapidly; however, minor injuries can quickly turn into complicated wounds, given the severity of the inciting trauma and the less than ideal environment in which the horses are housed.Wound management must focus on a combination of timely surgical and medical intervention to ensure the best potential outcome.     

Malignant teratoid medulloepithelioma in a llama

A lesion was identified in the eye of a juvenile llama, and preliminary clinical findings included anterior uveitis and an exudative retinal detachment suggestive of infectious disease. However, histopathologic evaluation of the enucleated globe revealed an intraocular neoplasm composed of primitive neuroepithelium forming ribbons, cords, and rosettes, heteroplastic elements including spindle cells in a loose myxomatous matrix, and islands of well-differentiated hyaline cartilage. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and neuron-specific enolase. Spindle cells were multifocally positive for desmin and muscle specific actin, indicating differentiation towards myofibers. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of malignant teratoid medulloepithelioma, an extremely rare ocular neoplasm that affects children and young animals.     

Ultraslow electron spin dynamics in GaAs quantum wells probed by optically pumped NMR

Optically pumped nuclear magnetic resonance (OPNMR) measurements were performed in two different electron-doped multiple quantum well samples near the fractional quantum Hall effect ground state nu = 13. Below 0.5 kelvin, the spectra provide evidence that spin-reversed charged excitations of the nu = 13 ground state are localized over the NMR time scale of about 40 microseconds. Furthermore, by varying NMR pulse parameters, the electron spin temperature (as measured by the Knight shift) could be driven above the lattice temperature, which shows that the value of the electron spin-lattice relaxation time tau1s is between 100 microseconds and 500 milliseconds at nu = 13.     

Formation of molecular chlorine from the photolysis of ozone and aqueous sea-salt particles

Halogen atoms from the reactions of sea-salt particles may play a significant role in the marine boundary layer. Reactions of sodium chloride, the major component of sea-salt particles, with nitrogen oxides generate chlorine atom precursors. However, recent studies suggest there is an additional source of chlorine in the marine troposphere. This study shows that molecular chlorine is generated from the photolysis of ozone in the presence of sea-salt particles above their deliquescence point; this process may also occur in the ocean surface layer. Given the global distribution of ozone, this process may provide a global source of chlorine.     

Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Protein Hydrolysates and Peptide Fractions Derived from Colossoma macropomum and Their Effect on Ground Beef Lipid Oxidation

The objective of this study was to obtain protein hydrolysate from the mechanically separated meat of blackfin pacu to evaluate the influence by ultrafiltration in the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the peptide fractions obtained and to apply in ground beef to evaluate the lipid stability. The enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using the enzyme Protamex (pH 7.0, 60°C) for 240 min. The protein hydrolysate was fractionated by ultrafiltration. Then, the antioxidant capacity of the protein hydrolysate and the peptide fractions were evaluated in vitro by the methods of 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline sulfonic acid) radical capture, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging assay, reducing power, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. The antimicrobial activity of the samples was evaluated by disc-diffusion against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. After evaluation, the peptide fractions did not present higher bioactivities than that shown for the hydrolysate. The protein hydrolysate was applied to ground beef, where the substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid and color were evaluated during 7 days of storage at 4°C. Lipid oxidation was reduced up to 60.9% and there was no modification of the natural coloration. Thus, the protein hydrolysate can be used as an alternative source of antioxidant for the preservation of refrigerated meats.     

QTL examination of a bi-parental mapping population segregating for “short-stature” in hop (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Humulus lupulus</Emphasis> L.)

Increased labor costs and reduced labor pools for hop production necessitate the development of strategies that improve efficiency and automation of hop production. One solution for reducing labor inputs is the use of “short-trellis” hop varieties. Unfortunately, little information exists on the genetic control of this trait in hop, and there are no known molecular markers available for selection. This preliminary study was enacted to identify QTLs associated with expression of short-stature growth phenotype using SNPs identified within genome-assembled scaffolds. A bi-parental mapping population of 87 offspring was obtained from the cross, “Pioneer × 25/95/15”. Genotyping-by-sequencing was performed on parents and offspring. SNPs were identified using TASSEL v3.0 with either ‘Teamaker’ reference genome or ‘Shinsuwase’ genome. The genetic map derived from ‘Teamaker’ SNPs was far superior and was used for all further analysis. QTL analysis identified eight QTLs linked to short stature with five showing strong statistical association based upon three different statistical analyses. All eight QTLs were found on linkage group one. Evaluation of scaffolds containing SNP markers located at or surrounding QTL regions (±1 cM) identified 67 putative genes—several of which are known structural genes. A genome-wide scan of SNP markers identified an additional marker found on a scaffold containing a putative gene (Aspartyl protease family protein) known to induce dwarf characteristics in other species. Further validation of significantly associated markers on different populations is necessary prior to implementation in marker-assisted selection.     

Evaluation of canine serum for the presence of antiretinal autoantibodies in sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To determine the presence of serum antiretinal antibodies in sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) affected dogs and the size of the antigen to which these antibodies bind via the use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot immunoassays. ANIMALS STUDIED: Serum was collected from 13 dogs affected by SARDS and five dogs with normal ocular examinations. PROCEDURES: All serum samples were subjected to ELISA with saline-soluble canine retinal tissue and Western blot analyses with SDS solubilized normal canine retinal tissue as the antigen. Antirecoverin (23 kDa) and antiheat shock cognate (65 kDa) antibodies were used as positive controls for both procedures. Affinity-purified goat antidog IgG and IgM labeled with horseradish peroxidase were used for all clinical samples and goat antirabbit IgG was used as the secondary antibody for the positive controls. RESULTS: ELISA demonstrated antibody reaction with all samples. Western blot immunoassays identified multiple bands in all canine serum samples, as well as in negative controls. Approximate sizes of the bands were 25 and 50 kDa, corresponding to IgG light and heavy chains, respectively. CONCLUSION: No antiretinal autoantibodies were identified in the serum of dogs affected by SARDS as compared to normal canine patients.     

Competition between invasive earthworms (Amynthas corticis, Megascolecidae) and native North American millipedes (Pseudopolydesmus erasus, Polydesmidae): Effects on carbon cycling and soil structure

Invasive earthworms can have significant impacts on C dynamics through their feeding, burrowing, and casting activities, including the protection of C in microaggregates and alteration of soil respiration. European earthworm invasion is known to affect soil micro- and mesofauna, but little is known about impacts of invasive earthworms on other soil macrofauna. Asian earthworms (Amynthas spp.) are increasingly being reported in the southern Appalachian Mountains in southeastern North America. This region is home to a diverse assemblage of native millipedes, many of which share niches with earthworm species. This situation indicates potential for earthworm-millipede competition in areas subject to Amynthas invasion.In a laboratory microcosm experiment, we used two ¹³C enriched food sources (red oak, Quercus rubra, and eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis) to assess food preferences of millipedes (Pseudopolydesmus erasus), to determine the effects of millipedes and earthworms (Amynthas corticis) on soil structure, and to ascertain the nature and extent of the interactions between earthworms and millipedes. Millipedes consumed both litter species and preferred red oak litter over eastern hemlock litter. Mortality and growth of millipedes were not affected by earthworm presence during the course of the experiment, but millipedes assimilated much less litter-derived C when earthworms were present.Fauna and litter treatments had significant effects on soil respiration. Millipedes alone reduced CO₂ efflux from microcosms relative to no fauna controls, whereas earthworms alone and together with millipedes increased respiration, relative to the no fauna treatment. CO₂ derived from fresh litter was repressed by the presence of macrofauna. The presence of red oak litter increased CO₂ efflux considerably, compared to hemlock litter treatments.Millipedes, earthworms, and both together reduced particulate organic matter. Additionally, earthworms created significant shifts in soil aggregates from the 2000-250 and 250-53 μm fractions to the >2000 μm size class. Earthworm-induced soil aggregation was lessened in the 0-2 cm layer in the presence of millipedes. Earthworms translocated litter-derived C to soil throughout the microcosm.Our results suggest that invasion of ecosystems by A. corticis in the southern Appalachian Mountains is unlikely to be limited by litter species and these earthworms are likely to compete directly for food resources with native millipedes. Widespread invasion could cause a net loss of C due to increased respiration rates, but this may be offset by C protected in water-stable soil aggregates.     

Effect of methoprene on the progeny production of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

BACKGROUND: Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle) is a serious insect pest of stored products around the world. Current control measures for this species have several limitations: loss of registration of insecticides, insecticide resistance and consumer concerns about chemical residues in food. The objective of this study was to determine whether methoprene affects progeny production of T. castaneum. Late‐instar larvae or young adults were exposed to methoprene‐treated wheat, and progeny production was determined. The pairing of male and female adults was performed as untreated × untreated, treated × untreated or treated × treated, to study sex‐based effects. RESULTS: There were three outcomes to late‐instar larvae held on methoprene‐treated wheat kernels (0.001 and 0.0165 ppm): (1) failure to emerge as an adult; (2) emergence as an adult, and almost no offspring produced; (3) emergence as an adult and normal production of offspring. Male larvae were more susceptible to methoprene than female larvae. In contrast, young adults exposed to methoprene (1.67–66.6 ppm) showed no reduction in offspring production. CONCLUSION: Methoprene concentrations will decline with time following its application. However, this research indicates that methoprene can still reduce populations of T. castaneum by reducing their progeny production, even if adults emerge. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Interactive effects of native and exotic earthworms on resource use and nutrient mineralization in a tropical wet forest soil of Puerto Rico

Investigation of single or mixed assemblages of native Estherella sp. and exotic Pontoscolex corethrurus from a rain forest in Puerto Rico was undertaken to understand resource use patterns, and linkages with C and N mineralization in a 19-day incubation. Resource use was explored with addition of ¹⁵N-enriched leaf litter and ¹³C-enriched glucose to reconstructed organic and mineral soil horizons. Juvenile Estherella sp. became at least 6.06‰ more enriched in ¹³C than sub-adult Estherella sp. or adult P. corethrurus. Sub-adult Estherella sp. became >3.6‰ enriched in ¹³C over P. corethrurus. '¹⁵N acquired by P. corethrurus was greater by 0.83-1.56‰ in the mixed-species than the single-species assemblages. '¹⁵N of sub-adult Estherella sp. was enriched by 0.73-0.81‰ over juvenile Estherella sp. in the single-species assemblage. Net N immobilization occurred in the organic layer of all ¹⁵N-enriched treatments. Net N mineralization in mineral soil layers was significantly greater in microcosms with P. corethrurus than in those containing only Estherella sp.. Cumulative respiration was greatest in P. corethrurus assemblages, however, assemblages with only Estherella sp. released more ¹³C in respiration. P. corethrurus assimilated different N resources when incubated with, as compared to without, native Estherella sp.. '¹³C and '¹⁵N signatures acquired by assimilation of ¹³C and ¹⁵N differed by species, developmental stage, and competitive interactions. The results showed that alone, exotic P. corethrurus induced higher mineralization rates than native Estherella sp., but that the interaction of exotic and native species impinged on resource use by P. corethrurus, reducing the effect of the exotic species on C and N mineralization. Invasion of exotic P. corethrurus may change the mineralization potentials of C and N and their biogeochemical cycling in soils.