Cat and dog ownership and management patterns in central Italy

Three hundred and ninety-seven randomly selected households were interviewed by telephone to determine the numbers and management of owned cats and dogs in the Teramo Province of Italy. The households were selected using stratified random sampling for each municipality; municipalities were combined into coastal, central hills and mountain regions for analysis. The interviews were completed during May and June of 2004 with a response rate of 74% (397/536). Forty-six percent of households (n=181) owned pets; 15% of all households (n=60) owned cats and 33% (n=130) owned dogs. Twenty-seven of these households (7%) owned both cats and dogs. Data were provided on 91 cats evenly divided between males and females. The median age was 3 years (range 0.2-10 years). Forty-one percent of cats (36/87) entered the household as strays. Nearly half lived entirely outside. Seventy percent (62/88) had visited a veterinarian at least once; 43% (39/91) were sterilized. About 1/3 had had a litter and all litters were considered accidental rather than planned. Age, indoor/outdoor status, veterinarian visit and region were all associated with sterilization. Age, confined to a yard, veterinary visit and region were associated with allowing the cat to roam freely. Data were provided on 182 dogs. Sixty-two percent (113/181) were male, with a median age of 4 years (range newborn to 17 years) and 40% (72/181) were purebred. Almost half were acquired as a gift. Sixty-two percent (112/180) were kept entirely outside despite the fact that 82% (147/180) were considered companions rather than working dogs. Almost all of the dogs had been to a veterinarian at least once; only 20% (n=29) were sterilized. Male dogs were significantly less likely to be sterilized than females. Almost half the dogs had had at least one litter. Seventy-six percent (137/180) of dogs knew some basic commands. Sex, source and training to sit/stay/come were significantly associated with whether the dog was sterilized. Dog size, confinement to a yard, trained to leash walk, veterinary visit and region were predictors of roaming freely. Source and trained to leash walk were associated with dog registration. For cats and dogs, education about sterilization seemed to be critically important. For dogs, factors relating to training, which may reflect the strength of the human-animal bond, were also important.     

Equine adipose-tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells and platelet concentrates: their association in vitro and in vivo

Equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are of particular interest both for basic research and for the therapeutic approach to musculoskeletal diseases in the horse. Their multilineage differentiation potential gives them the capability to contribute to the repair of tendon, ligament and bone damage. MSCs are also considered a promising therapeutic aid in allogeneic cell transplantation, since they show low immunogenicity and immunomodulating functions.Adipose tissue-derived adult equine stem cells (AdMSC) can be isolated, expanded in vitro and then inoculated into the damaged tissue, eventually in the presence of a biological scaffold. Here we report our preliminary experience with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in allogeneic cell-therapy of tendonitis in the horse. MSCs, derived from visceral adipose tissue, were grown in the presence of autologous platelet lysate and characterized for their differentiation and growth potential. Expanded AdMSC were inoculated into the damaged tendon after their dispersion in activated platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a biological scaffold that plays an important role in maintaining cells in defect sites and contributes to tissue healing. Fourteen out of sixteen treated horses showed a functional recovery and were able to return to their normal activity.     

Purification and characterization of a lipoxygenase enzyme from durum wheat semolina.

Purification of a lipoxygenase enzyme from the cultivar Tresor of durum wheat semolina (Triticum turgidum var. durum Desf) was reinvestigated furnishing a new procedure. The 895-fold purified homogeneous enzyme showed a monomeric structure with a molecular mass of 95 +/- 5 kDa. Among the substrates tested, linoleic acid showed the highest k(cat)/K(m) value; a beta-carotene bleaching activity was also detected. The enzyme optimal activity was at pH 6. 8 on linoleic acid as substrate and at pH 5.2 for the bleaching activity on beta-carotene, both assayed at 25 degrees C. The dependence of lipoxygenase activity on temperature showed a maximum at 40 degrees C for linoleic acid and at 60 degrees C for bleaching activity on beta-carotene. The amino acid composition showed the presence of only one tryptophan residue per monomer. Far-UV circular dichroism studies carried out at 25 degrees C in acidic, neutral, and basic regions revealed that the protein possesses a secondary structure content with a high percentage of alpha- and beta-structures. Near-UV circular dichroism, at 25 degrees C and at the same pH values, pointed out a strong perturbation of the tertiary structure in the acidic and basic regions compared to the neutral pH condition. Moreover, far-UV CD spectra studying the effects of the temperature on alpha-helix content revealed that the melting point of the alpha-helix is at 60 degrees C at pH 5.0, whereas it was at 50 degrees C at pH 6.8 and 9.0. The NH(2)-terminal sequence allowed a homology comparison with other lipoxygenase sequences from mammalian and vegetable sources.     

Ultrastructural analysis of sequential cyprinid herpesvirus 3 morphogenesis in vitro

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) is an alloherpesvirus, and it is the aetiological agent of koi herpesvirus disease. Although the complex morphogenic stages of the replication cycle of CyHV‐3 were shown to resemble that of other members of the Herpesvirales, detailed analysis of the sequence and timing of these events was not definitively determined. This study describes these features through a time course using cyprinid cell cultures (KF‐1 and CCB) infected with CyHV‐3 (KHV isolate, H361) and analysed by transmission electron microscopy. Rapid viral entry was noted, with high levels of intracellular virus within 1–4 h post‐infection (hpi). Intranuclear capsid assembly, paracrystalline array formation and primary envelopment of capsids occurred within 4 hpi. Between 1 and 3 days post‐infection (dpi), intracytoplasmic secondary envelopment occurred, as well as budding of infectious virions at the plasma membrane. At 5–7 dpi, the cytoplasm contained cytopathic vacuoles, enveloped virions within vesicles, and abundant non‐enveloped capsids; also there was frequent nuclear deformation. Several morphological features are suggestive of inefficient viral assembly, with production of non‐infectious particles, particularly in KF‐1 cells. The timing of this alloherpesvirus morphogenesis is similar to other members of the Herpesvirales, but there may be possible implications of using different cell lines for CyHV‐3 propagation.     

The antihistaminic chlorpheniramine inhibitsin vitro growth of several fungi isolated from harvested fruits

Chlorpheniramine (CPA) is an antihistaminic that changes the conformation of DNA and inhibits polyamine biosynthesis in mammalian cells. In the present work, we tested the effect of CPA on four genera of fungi species (Altemaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium cladosporioides and threePenicillium spp.) grownin vitro. Similar growth inhibitions of these genera were produced by 0.5 raM iprodione, CPA and histidinol, but CPA was the most effective. The CPA sensitivities of the twoB. cinerea strains were different. Putrescine did not restore the fungal growth inhibited by CPA.     

Ocular teratoid medulloepithelioma in a northern red-shouldered macaw: case report and literature review

A 4-mo-old northern red-shouldered macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis) was admitted to the veterinary hospital of the Arruda Câmara Zoo, in the State of Paraiba, Brazil, for investigation of an orbital mass. Given rapid progression and lack of response to treatment, the bird was euthanized, and an autopsy was performed. Histologically, the mass consisted of a retrobulbar invasive tumor characterized by tubular and rosette-like structures, with interspersed heteroplastic tissues, such as aggregates of neuroglial cells and islands of hyaline cartilage. The tumor was immunopositive for pancytokeratin, GFAP, NSE, and S100. These findings were compatible with an ocular teratoid medulloepithelioma, a neoplasm best described in humans but also reported rarely in young cockatiels and African Grey parrots.     

Potential longevity (Ki) of malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain lots relates to their degree of pre-germination assessed through different industrial quality parameters

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain germination is required to perform the malting process. Maintenance of barley seed viability during storage is crucial for the malt industry; and modern cultivars are bred for rapid grain dormancy release after physiological maturity. Low dormancy level combined with rain close to harvest induces pre-germination/pre-harvest sprouting damage. Pre-germination might not affect viability in the short term after harvest, but it could reduce potential longevity (K_i) of a barley seed lot. K_i value is inherent for each barley lot; however, its determination is time-consuming which precludes its assessment at an industrial scale. In this study we sought quantitative relationships between K_i and the pre-germination degree of barley grain lots, assessed through quality tests routinely performed by malthouses [Falling Number (FN), α-Amylase Activity and Carlsberg]. Field pre-germinated lots from one old barley cultivar (Quilmes Palomar) and artificially pre-germinated lots from major varieties currently grown in Argentina were used. Associations between K_i and values obtained from all quality tests analysed were found for Q. Palomar. However, FN was the parameter that yielded the best and simplest explanation of K_i variability. A significant positive linear K_i -FN relationship was also obtained for each modern barley cultivar.