Measurement of airborne foot-and-mouth disease virus: preliminary evaluation of two portable air sampling devices

Until now measurement of airborne foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in the field has not been attempted or been practical; measurements have been restricted to the laboratory and isolation units using instruments developed in the 1960s. However, with the development of air sampling devices for other biological purposes, there is now the possibility that this short-coming can be overcome and as a result earlier detection of virus may be possible in the future. Two recently-introduced commercially-available portable air sampling devices, the BioCapture 650 and the BioBadge 100, have successfully detected airborne virus in three proof-of-concept experiments involving pigs and cattle infected with FMDV. There is an early indication that these devices have potential for use in the field, but for maximum benefit they will need to be combined with a suitable portable analysis instrument. Further evaluation in the laboratory is required before any field measurements are considered.     

Ecogeographical distribution of wild, weedy and cultivated Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench in Kenya: implications for conservation and crop-to-wild gene flow

The potential gene flow between a crop and its wild relatives is largely determined by the overlaps in their ecological and geographical distributions. Ecogeographical databases are therefore indispensable tools for the sustainable management of genetic resources. In order to expand our knowledge of Sorghum bicolor distribution in Kenya, we conducted in situ collections of wild, weedy and cultivated sorghum. Qualitative and quantitative morphological traits were measured for each sampled wild sorghum plant. Farmers’ knowledge relating to the management of sorghum varieties and autecology of wild sorghum was also obtained. Cluster analysis supports the existence of several wild sorghum morphotypes that might correspond to at least three of the five ecotypes recognized in Africa. Intermediate forms between wild and cultivated sorghum belonging to the S. bicolor ssp. drummondii are frequently found in predominantly sorghum growing areas. Crop-wild gene flow in sorghum is likely to occur in many agroecosystems of Kenya.     

Potential effects of food addition to sediment on test conditions in sediment toxicity tests

Purpose  

Standardized sediment toxicity assays often employ periodic additions of uncontaminated food to sustain energy and growth requirements of the test organisms. Consequently, selective feeding on this uncontaminated food may reduce exposure to sediment particles containing the test substance. To address this issue, some standard guidelines propose to add food to the sediment before spiking with the test substance to account for multiple exposure routes, including ingestion of contaminated food. The present study focused on the influence of different feeding regimens and compositions of the aqueous medium on water quality (ammonia concentrations) and test organism development.     

Evaluation of a questionnaire regarding nonphysical aspects of quality of life in sick and healthy dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of a questionnaire regarding the nonphysical aspects of quality of life (QOL) to differentiate sick and healthy dogs. ANIMALS: 120 dogs. PROCEDURE: The questionnaire was administered by telephone to owners of 120 dogs with appointments at a veterinary teaching hospital. A QOL score was calculated for each dog on the basis of questions relevant to the dog during the 7 days before the interview. Scores were recorded as bar graphs, and linear regression was used to examine the effect of health status and other variables on QOL score. Certain questions were eliminated post hoc, on the basis of defined criteria, and the analyses were repeated. RESULTS: Scores were similar for sick (range, 670% to 93.8%) and healthy (range, 68.0% to 89.8%) dogs. Environment (suburban vs rural) and duration of ownership were significant explanatory variables and accounted for 10.5% of the variation in the QOL score. Eleven questions were eliminated post hoc. The scores derived from the 2 versions of the questionnaire were highly correlated (r = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence that the QOL questionnaire could differentiate healthy dogs from sick dogs; environmental and owner factors appeared to be more important.     

Assessing the severity of canine pancreatitis

The objective of this study was to determine whether laboratory testing currently available is able to provide prognostic information in canine pancreatitis. A prospective study of dogs with naturally occurring pancreatitis was undertaken. Twenty-two cases with histologically confirmed pancreatic inflammation were included in the study. Each dog had routine haematology parameters, serum biochemistry (including lipase and amylase), serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity and trypsinogen activation peptides (TAP) in urine and plasma measured. Twelve of the dogs were classified as having severe disease. These dogs had statistically significant increases in urinary TAP-creatinine ratio (UTCR) measurement, serum lipase, serum phosphate and serum creatinine concentrations. Additionally dogs with severe pancreatitis had significantly decreased urine specific gravity levels. The most sensitive and specific test to assess the severity of pancreatitis was the measurement of UTCR.     

Effects of an ethyl lactate shampoo in conjunction with a systemic antibiotic in the treatment of canine superficial bacterial pyoderma in an open-label,nonplacebo-controlled study

An open-label, nonplacebo-controlled study was designed to compare systemic cephalexin therapy versus systemic cephalexin and ethyl lactate shampoo therapy in the treatment of canine superficial bacterial pyoderma. Twenty client-owned dogs diagnosed with generalized superficial bacterial pyoderma (SP) were alternately assigned to oral treatment with cephalexin (25 to 30 mg/kg every 12 hours) or treatment with cephalexin (as for Group 1) and twice-weekly shampooing with a 10% ethyl lactate shampoo, which was left in contact with the dog's skin for 10 minutes. On Days 14 and 28, skin lesion severity scores, assessed by the investigators, were significantly (P <.01) lower for the group treated with cephalexin and shampoo than for the group treated with cephalexin only. On Day 14, dog owners gave better scores to dogs treated with cephalexin and shampoo for haircoat appearance and body odor than for dogs treated only with cephalexin. Clinical and cytologic resolution of SP occurred significantly (P <.02) sooner in the cephalexin/shampoo group (29.4 days) than in the cephalexin only group (37.8 days).     

Use of conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction for confirmation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in a broth-based culture system ESP II.

The ESP II Culture System (ESP II), a broth-based culture system, has been modified and optimized for culturing Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) in animal feces since 2000. Conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays based on the IS900 sequence were performed as confirmatory tests for M. paratuberculosis in ESP II liquid culture medium. There were no differences between test results of conventional and real-time PCR assays. During the 5-week incubation period, if acid-fast bacilli (AFB) were detected in ESP culture-positive samples, IS900 PCR assays were performed to confirm whether those AFB were M. paratuberculosis. At the end of the 5-week incubation, AF staining was performed on all ESP II-negative cultures to screen any false-negative cultures; IS900 PCR assays were performed on AFB-positive cultures. During a period of 1 year, of a total of 18,499 ESP II cultures, 2,814 (15.2%) PCR confirmation assays were performed. Of those, 2,259 (80%) were both ESP and PCR positive; 104 (4%) were ESP positive and PCR negative; 423 (15%) were ESP negative and PCR positive; 28 (1%) were both ESP and PCR negative. The AF-staining step after the 5-week incubation produced 423 (15%) more PCR-positive cultures. Of a total of 2,814 AFB-positive cultures, 132 (5%) were not confirmed as M. paratuberculosis. Further studies are needed for speciation of non-M. paratuberculosis isolates.     

Functional amino acid supplementation,regardless of dietary protein content,improves growth performance and immune status of weaned pigs challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium

High dietary protein may increase susceptibility of weaned pigs to enteric pathogens. Dietary supplementation with functional amino acids (FAA) may improve growth performance of pigs during disease challenge. The objective of this study was to evaluate the interactive effects of dietary protein content and FAA supplementation above requirements for growth on performance and immune response of weaned pigs challenged with Salmonella. Sixty-four mixed-sex weanling pigs (13.9 ± 0.82 kg) were randomly assigned to dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with low (LP) or high protein (HP) content and basal (AA–) or FAA profile (AA+; Thr, Met, and Trp at 120% of requirements) as factors. After a 7-d adaptation period, pigs were inoculated with either a sterile saline solution (CT) or saline solution containing Salmonella Typhimurium (ST; 3.3 × 10⁹ CFU/mL). Growth performance, body temperature, fecal score, acute-phase proteins, oxidant/antioxidant balance, ST shedding score in feces and intestinal colonization, fecal and digesta myeloperoxidase (MPO), and plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) were measured pre- and postinoculation. There were no dietary effects on any measures pre-inoculation or post-CT inoculation (P > 0.05). Inoculation with ST increased body temperature and fecal score (P < 0.05), serum haptoglobin, plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), PUN, and fecal MPO, and decreased serum albumin and plasma reduced glutathione (GSH):oxidized glutathione (GSSG) compared with CT pigs (P < 0.05). ST-inoculation reduced average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (ADFI) vs. CT pigs (P < 0.05) but was increased by AA+ vs. AA– in ST pigs (P < 0.05). Serum albumin and GSH:GSSG were increased while haptoglobin and SOD were decreased in ST-inoculated pigs fed AA+ vs. AA– (P < 0.05). PUN was higher in HP vs. LP-fed pigs postinoculation (P < 0.05). Fecal ST score was increased in ST-inoculated pigs on days 1 and 2 postinoculation and declined by day 6 (P < 0.05) in all pigs while the overall score was reduced in AA+ vs. AA– pigs (P < 0.05). Cecal digesta ST score was higher in HP vs. LP-fed pigs and were lower in AA+ compared with AA– fed pigs in the colon (P < 0.05). Fecal and digesta MPO were reduced in ST pigs fed AA+ vs. AA– (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate a positive effect of FAA supplementation, with minimal effects of dietary protein, on performance and immune status in weaned pigs challenged with Salmonella.     

Ethanol and polyphenolic free wine matrix stimulate the differentiation of human intestinal Caco-2 cells. Influence of their association with a procyanidin-rich grape seed extract

The effect of daily contact with ethanol on Caco-2 cell differentiation was investigated. Pure ethanol (1%) and a polyphenolic free wine matrix (polyphenol-free wine containing 1% ethanol) associated or not with a procyanidin-rich grape seed extract (GSE) were added to Caco-2 cells from confluency for 2 h a day after successive incubation in salivary, gastric, and pancreatic media. Treatment with 1% ethanol did not appear to be cytotoxic to cells, but it also stimulated Caco-2 cell differentiation, particularly in the first days following confluency, and this effect was more marked when associated with polyphenolic free wine matrix constituents. This activation resulted in an increase in microvillar density, organization, and elongation (+70%) and was associated with strong stimulation of sucrase-isomaltase (+780%) and a concomitant regular increase in cell protein content (+50-88%). While the presence of GSE in alcoholic solutions did not modify the morphological pattern observed in cells subjected to ethanol and polyphenolic free wine matrix alone, it had a clear reducing effect on their microvillus elongation (-30%). However, these stimulating effects of ethanol on morphological differentiation were attenuated from day 10 postconfluency, which could suggest cell cytoprotection against ethanol. These are the first results in support of the notion that moderate concentration of ethanol may stimulate the differentiation of Caco-2 cells, particularly when integrated with a polyphenolic free wine matrix.