Selenium accumulation in a rapid‐cycling Brassica oleracea population responds to increasing sodium seienate concentrations

Because of their short life cycle, rapid‐cycling base populations (RCBP) of Brassica can act as model systems for investigating selenium (Se) metabolism in high sulfur (S) accumulating plants. To establish treatment responses for a B. oleracea RCBP, plants were grown in nutrient solutions containing 0, 3, 6, and 9 mg sodium seienate (Na₂SeO₄) L^‐1. Depletion of Se from nutrient solutions increased linearly with in‐creasing Na₂SeO₄ concentrations. Selenium accumulation ranged from 551 to 1,916 μg Se g^‐1 dry weight for leaf tissue, 267 to 1,165 μg Se g^‐1 dry weight for stem tissue, and 338 to 1,636 μg Se g^‐1 dry weight for root tissue. Selenium additions also resulted in linear increases in S accumulation in leaves and stems. Selenium supplementation has been shown to improve the health of individuals with low Se status. Because Brassica species are important vegetable and forage crops, their enrichment with Se maybe a good delivery system for mammalian diets.     

Passive transfer of maternal antibodies to West Nile virus in flamingo chicks (Phoenicopterus chilensis and Phoenicopterus ruber ruber).

Passive transfer of maternal antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV) was studied in a captive population of Chilean (Phoenicopterus chilensis) and Caribbean flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber). Transfer of WNV antibodies from hens to chicks was documented and measured by plaque-reduction neutralization test. Hen titers were significantly correlated to chick titers. Mean half-life of maternal WNV antibodies was 13.4 days in chicks for which half-life was measurable.     

Assessment of commercial probiotic bacterial contents and label accuracy

Probiotics are widely available for use in animals but quality control of veterinary probiotics has been shown to be poor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the labels and bacterial contents of commercial probiotics marketed for use in animals. Twenty-five probiotics were purchased, labels were scrutinized, and bacterial contents were enumerated. Twenty-one (84%) products listed specific microorganisms. Expected bacterial numbers were listed for 15 (60%) products. One or more organisms were misspelled on the labels of 7/22 (32%) of products that listed specific organisms. Viable growth ranged from 0 to 2×10(9) colony forming units (CFU)/g. Only 4/15 (27%) products that had specific claims of viable organisms met or exceeded their label claim. Only 2 of these also had an acceptable label, which properly described the contents. Deficiencies in veterinary probiotic quality remain. Veterinarians and owners should scrutinize commercial probiotics and demand evidence of quality control and efficacy.     

Colonization of specific regions of the reproductive tract and deposition at different locations inside eggs laid by hens infected with Salmonella enteritidis or Salmonella heidelberg

Internal contamination of eggs by Salmonella Enteritidis has been a significant source of human illness for several decades and is the focus of a recently proposed U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory plan. Salmonella Heidelberg has also been identified as an egg-transmitted human pathogen. The deposition of Salmonella strains inside eggs is apparently a consequence of reproductive tissue colonization in infected laying hens, but the relationship between colonization of specific regions of the reproductive tract and deposition in different locations within eggs is not well documented. In the present study, groups of laying hens were experimentally infected with large oral doses of Salmonella Heidelberg, Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 13a, or Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 14b. For all of these isolates, the overall frequency of ovarian colonization (34.0%) was significantly higher than the frequency of recovery from either the upper (22.9%) or lower (18.1%) regions of the oviduct. No significant differences were observed between the frequencies of Salmonella isolation from egg yolk and albumen (4.0% and 3.3%, respectively). Some significant differences between Salmonella isolates were observed in the frequency of recovery from eggs, but not in the frequency or patterns of recovery from reproductive organs. Accordingly, although the ability of these Salmonella isolates to colonize different regions of the reproductive tract in laying hens was reflected in deposition in both yolk and albumen, there was no indication that any specific affinity of individual isolates for particular regions of this tract produced distinctive patterns of deposition in eggs.