Radar observations of asteroid 216 kleopatra

Radar observations of the main-belt, M-class asteroid 216 Kleopatra reveal a dumbbell-shaped object with overall dimensions of 217 kilometers by 94 kilometers by 81 kilometers (+/-25%). The asteroid's surface properties are consistent with a regolith having a metallic composition and a porosity comparable to that of lunar soil. Kleopatra's shape is probably the outcome of an exotic sequence of collisional events, and much of its interior may have an unconsolidated rubble-pile structure.     

Rabies Vaccination: Higher Failure Rates in Imported Dogs than in those Vaccinated in Italy

The current European Union (EU) legislation decrees that pets entering the EU from a rabies‐infected third country have to obtain a satisfactory virus‐neutralizing antibody level, while those moving within the EU require only rabies vaccination as the risk of moving a rabid pet within the EU is considered negligible. A number of factors driving individual variations in dog vaccine response have been previously reported, including a high rate of vaccine failure in puppies, especially those subject to commercial transport. A total of 21 001 observations collected from dogs (2006–2012) vaccinated in compliance with the current EU regulations were statistically analysed to assess the effect of different risk factors related to rabies vaccine efficacy. Within this framework, we were able to compare the vaccination failure rate in a group of dogs entering the Italian border from EU and non‐EU countries to those vaccinated in Italy prior to international travel. Our analysis identified that cross‐breeds and two breed categories showed high vaccine success rates, while Beagles and Boxers were the least likely to show a successful response to vaccination (88.82% and 90.32%, respectively). Our analysis revealed diverse performances among the commercially available vaccines, in terms of serological peak windows, and marked differences according to geographical area. Of note, we found a higher vaccine failure rate in imported dogs (13.15%) than in those vaccinated in Italy (5.89%). Our findings suggest that the choice of vaccine may influence the likelihood of an animal achieving a protective serological level and that time from vaccination to sampling should be considered when interpreting serological results. A higher vaccine failure in imported compared to Italian dogs highlights the key role that border controls still have in assessing the full compliance of pet movements with EU legislation to minimize the risk of rabies being reintroduced into a disease‐free area.     

A large excess in apparent solar oblateness due to surface magnetism

The shape of the Sun subtly reflects its rotation and internal flows. The surface rotation rate, approximately 2 kilometers per second at the equator, predicts an oblateness (equator-pole radius difference) of 7.8 milli-arc seconds, or approximately 0.001%. Observations from the Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager satellite show unexpectedly large flattening, relative to the expectation from surface rotation. This excess is dominated by the quadrupole term and gives a total oblateness of 10.77 +/- 0.44 milli-arc seconds. The position of the limb correlates with a sensitive extreme ultraviolet proxy, the 284 angstrom limb brightness. We relate the larger radius values to magnetic elements in the enhanced network and use the correlation to correct for it as a systematic error term in the oblateness measurement. The corrected oblateness of the nonmagnetic Sun is 8.01 +/- 0.14 milli-arc seconds, which is near the value expected from rotation.     

Genetic control of melatonin synthesis in the pineal gland of the mouse

Pineal melatonin may play an important role in regulation of vertebrate circadian rhythms and in human affective disorders. In some mammals, such as hamsters and sheep, melatonin is involved in photoperiodic time measurement and in control of reproduction. Although wild mice (Mus domesticus) and some wild-derived inbred strains of mice have melatonin in their pineal glands, several inbred strains of laboratory mice (for example, C57BL/6J) were found not to have detectable melatonin in their pineal glands. Genetic analysis suggests that melatonin deficiency in C57BL/6J mice results from mutations in two independently segregating, autosomal recessive genes. Synthesis of melatonin from serotonin in the pineal gland requires the enzymes N-acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT). Pineal glands from C57BL/6J mice have neither NAT nor HIOMT activity. These results suggest that the two genes involved in melatonin deficiency are responsible for the absence of normal NAT and HIOMT enzyme activity.     

Equine post operative ileus: A review of current thinking on pathophysiology and management

Equine post operative ileus (POI) is a serious post surgical complication in the horse, with a significant fatality rate. Despite the ongoing debate with regard to both the clinical definition of equine POI and the optimal management of this condition, there is increasing awareness and acceptance, supported by scientific research, that inflammation plays a key role in its pathophysiology. This review aims to outline the current thinking on the pathophysiology and management of this condition, with reference to the published literature on equine, rodent and human POI. Although studies conducted in other species are likely to provide an abundant source of information with potentially useful translational applications for the equine condition, such an approach needs to be cognisant of potential interspecies differences both in the pathogenesis of the condition and in basic gastrointestinal physiology.     

Quantitative measures of disease in broiler breeder chicks of different major histocompatibility complex genotypes after challenge with infectious bursal disease virus

Criteria for evaluating genetic differences in resistance and susceptibility to infectious bursal disease (IBD) within a commercial broiler breeder line of chickens were compared. Line A broiler breeder chickens were challenged with graded doses of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) strain IBD virus (IBDV) and evaluated at 2 time points, 3 days postinoculation (PI) and 10 days PI. Measures obtained at both time points included bursa to body weight, bursa histology, bursa lymphocyte count, and percentage of T cells in the bursa. Furthermore, viral load in the bursa was determined 3 days PI and anti-IBDV antibody titers, 10 days PI. A dose of 50 50% embryo infective dose caused IBD in about half the line A birds at the 10-day time point, and this dose was chosen for further studies. The data were analyzed for correlation among the various measures. Comparison of the 3-day- and 10-day-PI bursa lymphocyte counts indicated that birds challenged with low doses of virus suffered lymphocyte depletion at the 3-day time point, but many or all (depending on the dose) recovered by the 10-day time point. With a viral dose that caused bursal atrophy in about half the birds by 10 days PI, families segregating for 2 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes were compared in terms of resistance to IBD. Results indicated that there was no difference among the 3 MHC genotypes in incidence of IBD by any of the disease measures.     

Quantifying sperm egg interaction to assess the breeding efficiency through artificial insemination in guinea fowls

• 1. Guinea fowl hens were inseminated weekly once with two doses of spermatozoa (75 million and 100 million) in two different diluents, Beltsville poultry semen extender (BPSE), and Instruments for Veterinary Medicine (IMV), each with and without pre-insemination vaginal douching. Per cent fertility, hatchability, dead germ, dead in shells along with data on sperm egg interaction and vaginal microbial counts were recorded.

• 2. Artificial insemination had significantly improved the per cent fertility and hatchability compared to natural mating. Dose dependent improvement in fertility was noticed with both diluents.

• 3. There was a beneficial effect of vaginal douching, which was more pronounced at lower insemination doses.

• 4. For optimum fertility and hatchability in guinea fowl, insemination of 75 million spermatozoa diluted in BPSE once in 4 d and 100 million spermatozoa diluted in BPSE or IMV once in 5 d coupled with vaginal douching is recommended.