Adherence as a Prerequisite for Infection of the Bovine Mammary Gland by Bacteria

Using a simple in vitro test it was demonstrated that staphylococci, Streptococcus agalactiae, and micrococci, the species of bacteria which are commonly isolated from udder infections, adhered to mammary gland epithelial cells readily and in large numbers. Some strains of organisms which are associated with sporadic outbreaks or occur less commonly, like Str. dysgalactiae and Str. uberis, adhered moderately. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Corynebacterium pyogenes, C. bovis, Str. bovis, and Str. faecalis, species which are isolated occasionally, adhered poorly. From these studies, it appears that selective adherence of bacteria to the epithelial cells is a factor contributing to the ability of organisms to infect the mammary gland and may, therefore, be considered an important stage in the pathogenesis of bovine mastitis.     

Comparison of postoperative pain after ovariohysterectomy by harmonic scalpel-assisted laparoscopy compared with median celiotomy and ligation in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of postoperative pain after ovariohysterectomy by harmonic scalpel-assisted laparoscopy (HALO) and traditional ovariohysterectomy (OVH) in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized, blinded, prospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Sixteen, purpose-bred, intact female, Beagle dogs. METHODS: Dogs were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (8 dogs), which had OVH by HALO, and Group 2 (8 dogs), which had traditional OVH. Physiologic data, abdominal nociceptive threshold scores, and University of Melbourne pain scores (UMPS) were recorded at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery. Blood samples for measurement of plasma cortisol, glucose, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) concentrations were collected at the time of the incision, and 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery. RESULTS: No significant surgical complications occurred. The HALO mean surgical time was significantly longer (55.7 minutes) than traditional OVH (31.7 minutes). No significant differences were observed between groups for the pain measures of heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, CPK, and glucose concentrations. The OVH group had significantly higher mean plasma cortisol levels at hour 2 after surgery than the HALO group (P=.0001). The mean UMPS were significantly higher in OVH than the HALO group at all postoperative times (P=.0001). The mean nociceptive threshold measurements revealed significantly higher tolerated palpation pressures in HALO than OVH at all postoperative times, except hour 72 (P=.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Dogs appeared to be in less pain with HALO than OVH. The harmonic scalpel coagulated ovarian and uterine vessels completely with minimal collateral damage to surrounding tissues. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: HALO is a safe alternative to OVH and offers a minimally invasive and less painful method of surgery.     

Radiographically Detectable Soft Tissue Calcification in Chronic Renal Failure

Soft tissue calcification is known to occur in association with chronic renal failure. This soft tissue calcification is frequently recognized microscopically, but infrequently identified radiographically. This paper reviews the role of chronic renal failure in soft tissue calcification and presents three case histories of chronic renal failure in dogs in which soft tissue calcification of the stomach, kidneys, and footpads was detected radiographically. In all three dogs, gastric-wall mineralization was visible radiographically as thin, linear, mineralized densities. Renal mineralization was seen radiographically in two of the dogs. One of the dogs had nodular mineral deposits in the footpads of all feet. Although microscopy confirmed the soft tissue calcification of these and other structures, there was poor correlation between microscopic and radiographic degrees of visceral soft tissue calcification. There was also poor correlation between the degree of calcium and phosphate imbalance and the extent of radiographic evidence of soft tissue calcification.     

An outbreak of septic endometritis in the Arctic blue fox (Alopex lagopus) caused by Clostridium carnis

An outbreak of endometritis and septicaemia in farms that raise Arctic blue foxes is described. Eleven animals from eight different farms were examined, most of them pregnant or with newly delivered litters. Pathological examination indicated inflammation of the uterus, and focal necrotic changes in the liver. In some animals evidence of hemorrhaging was found in the anterior part of the small intestine. Bacteriological examination revealed abundant growth from different organs of the animals of a pure culture of a small, slender, Gram-variable, sporeforming rod, which was identified phenotypically as aerotolerant Clostridium carnis. This identification was confirmed by DNA hybridization. The organism caused death in mice 1–2 days after intraperitoneal inoculation, and killed an Arctic blue fox which was inoculated intracervically. Two foxes, pretreated with diethyl-stilboestrol, became seriously ill after intrauterine inoculation, but survived. The spontaneous outbreak of the disease was characterized by sudden onset of septicaemia with few or no clinical symptoms before the animals succumbed.     

Infrared spectroscopy of comet 81P/Wild 2 samples returned by Stardust

Infrared spectra of material captured from comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft reveal indigenous aliphatic hydrocarbons similar to those in interplanetary dust particles thought to be derived from comets, but with longer chain lengths than those observed in the diffuse interstellar medium. Similarly, the Stardust samples contain abundant amorphous silicates in addition to crystalline silicates such as olivine and pyroxene. The presence of crystalline silicates in Wild 2 is consistent with mixing of solar system and interstellar matter. No hydrous silicates or carbonate minerals were detected, which suggests a lack of aqueous processing of Wild 2 dust.     

Quantitative trait locus mapping for Verticillium wilt resistance in a backcross inbred line population of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum × Gossypium barbadense) based on RGA-AFLP analysis

Verticillium wilt (VW), caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is one of the most important diseases in cotton. The objective of this study was to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring VW resistance using resistance gene analog (RGA)-targeted amplified fragment length polymorphism (RGA-AFLP) markers in an interspecific backcross inbred line mapping population, consisting of 146 lines from a susceptible Sure-Grow 747 (Gossypium hirsutum L.) × resistant Pima S-7 (G. barbadense L.) cross. VW resistance was evaluated in replicated tests based on disease incidence in the field, and disease incidence and severity in the greenhouse. Of 160 polymorphic RGA-AFLP markers, 42 were significantly correlated with one or more VW traits and 41 were placed on a linkage map which covered 1,226 cM of the cotton genome and contained 251 other molecular markers. Three QTLs for VW resistance were detected, each of which explained 12.0–18.6 % of the phenotypic variation. Two of these QTLs for disease incidence and severity detected in the greenhouse inoculation tests using root wounding are located on chromosome c4. Both are closely linked to four RGA-AFLP markers and therefore considered as the same QTL for VW resistance. The other QTL detected in the field test was located on c19 and flanked by several RGA-AFLP markers. The desirable QTL allele on c4 for VW resistance detected in the greenhouse was from the VW susceptible Upland parent and absent from the resistant Pima parent which was more VW susceptible due to the disarmament of the first line of defense mechanism due to root wounding during inoculation. The other desirable VW resistance QTL allele, on c19, was from the resistant parent Pima S-7, consistent with the fact that Pima cotton was more resistant to VW when naturally infected in the field. The results should facilitate the development of more sequence specific markers and the transfer of VW resistance from Pima to Upland cotton through marker-assisted selection.