Idiopathic disseminated intracytoplasmic neuronal vacuolation in a neonatal Holstein calf born in the USA.

Histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural evaluations were made of a 6-day-old Holstein calf with severe vacuolation of the neuronal perikarya that was widely distributed throughout the central nervous system. No evidence of storage material within the vacuoles was revealed by histopathologic and ultrastructural examinations. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic examinations were negative for protease-resistant prion protein and scrapie-associated fibrils, respectively. These results indicate that the clinical signs in this calf were not associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Neuronal vacuolation has not previously been documented in calves.     

Influence of extracellular matrix on bovine mammary gland progenitor cell growth and differentiation

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of simple versus complex extracellular matrices (ECMs) on morphologic development and differentiation of bovine mammary gland progenitor cells (BMGPCs). SAMPLE POPULATION: Cultures of BMGPCs. PROCEDURES: BMGPCs were grown on the following extracellular matrices: collagen I, collagen IV, laminin, and a commercially available gelatinous protein mixture. Cells were examined with light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: Formation of organoids and production of the gap junction protein, connexin 43, were the criteria for BMGPC differentiation. The BMGPCs formed a 2-dimensional monolayer when grown on plastic, laminin, collagen I, or collagen IV. These cells did not have a network of cells forming epithelial organoids resembling a honeycomb. However, they did produce gap junction proteins. When BMGPCs were cultured on the commercially available gelatinous protein mixture, 3-dimensional epithelial organoids resembling a honeycomb formed and connexin 43 was produced. The thickness of the commercially available gelatinous protein mixture also regulated cell shape reorganization. Cell density affected the formation organoid networks and the rate at which monolayers reached confluency. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: When plated on a commercially available gelatinous protein mixture, the BMGPC culture system allowed us to simulate, in vitro, the interaction between epithelial cells in varying stages of differentiation and the microenvironment. Thus, a heterogeneous ECM, such as the commercially available gelatinous protein mixture, is more physiologically relevant in providing a microenvironment for BMGPC lineage pathway differentiation to mimic an in vivo environment. In contrast, BMGPCs grown on homogenous ECM, although able to produce connexin 43, are unable to form organoids.     

Experimental inoculation of raccoons (Procyon lotor) with Spiroplasma mirum and transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME)

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether or not Spiroplasma mirum would be capable of producing lesions of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) when inoculated in raccoons (Procyon lotor) and, if that was possible, to compare the clinicopathological findings with those of transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) in the same experimental model. For this purpose, 5 groups (n = 5) of raccoon kits were inoculated intracerebrally with either S. mirum and/or TME. Two other groups (n = 5) of raccoon kits served as sham-inoculated controls. All animals inoculated with TME, either alone or in combination, showed clinical signs of neurologic disorder and were euthanized within 6 mo post-inoculation (MPI). None of the carcasses revealed gross lesions. Spongiform encephalopathy was observed by light microscopy and the presence of abnormal disease-causing prion protein (PrP(d)) was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot (WB) techniques in only the raccoons administered TME. Raccoons inoculated with Spiroplasma, but not administered TME agent, were euthanized at 30 MPI. They did not show clinical neurologic signs, their brains did not have lesions of spongiform encephalopathy, and their tissues were negative for S. mirum by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for PrP(d) by IHC and WB techniques. The results of this study indicate that Spiroplasma mirum does not induce TSE-like disease in raccoons.     

Analysis of clinical signs associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy in casualty slaughter cattle

Clinical signs associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) were studied in 1008 casualty slaughter cattle over 30 months of age to compare the results with the BSE status as determined by postmortem tests. The clinical BSE status was assessed using seven different criteria based on various publications. Only one (0.10%) out of 997 casualty slaughter cattle with a matching postmortem test result was positive for BSE. The BSE case was identified by only two case definitions tailored specifically to recumbent cases. The variety and often equivocal definition of clinical signs associated with BSE is reflected by the difference in the criteria that usually identified different animals as BSE suspects. The BSE status may be more difficult to assess in recumbent animals that do not allow a full clinical examination, and BSE may not be suspected if another disease is present that may mask signs of BSE.     

植酸酶对樱桃谷肉鸭矿物元素利用率的影响

选用162只1日龄樱桃谷肉鸭,随机分成6组,研究在低有效磷日粮中添加不同水平的植酸酶对肉鸭胫骨、血清、肝脏、排泄物中矿物元素的沉积和利用的影响。第1组为正对照组,饲喂正常有效磷日粮;第2组为负对照组,饲喂低有效磷日粮(有效磷比第1组降低0.1％);第3、4、5、6组为试验组,分别在第2组日粮的基础上添加300、500、700、900 FTU／kg的植酸酶。试验结果表明:(1)低有效磷日粮中添加植酸酶提高肉鸭对植酸磷、总磷、钙的利用率,减少排泄物中植酸磷、总磷和钙的含量(p<0.05),玉米-豆粕-米糠型日粮条件下,肉鸭在生长后期对植酸磷的利用率为26.40％。(2)低有效磷日粮中添加植酸酶能提高肉鸭胫骨中灰分、灰分中钙、磷、血清中无机磷的含量(p<0.05),但对血清中钙含量无显著影响。(3)低有效磷日粮中添加植酸酶提高了肉鸭对锰、锌的利用率,但降低了对铜、铁的利用率(p<0.05);植酸酶促进了肉鸭肝脏中锰、锌的沉积,但降低了铜、铁在肝脏中的沉积(p<0.05)。     

中日农村土地流转制度比较

土地的所有权及其他的权利的使用,在作为社会主义国的中国和作为资本主义国的日本之间存在相当的差异。随着社会情况变化,产生农村土地权利流转的限制会阻碍国家的经济发展,但是从某方面来说,农业是经济发展的基础,权利流转的限制还是需要的。     

The pathology of natural and experimentally induced Campylobacter jejuni abortion in sheep

We describe here the gross and microscopic lesions in 18 experimentally induced and 120 natural Campylobacter abortions. In natural Campylobacter abortions, gross lesions were reported infrequently; placentitis was recorded in 6% and hepatic lesions in 4% of our field cases. Placentitis was the microscopic lesion identified most consistently in natural abortions (93%) and was often observed in association with abundant bacterial colonies in chorionic villi (54%) and less often with placental vasculitis (13%). In natural abortions, suppurative fetal pneumonia (48%), necrosuppurative hepatitis (16%), and purulent meningitis (7%) were also observed. The better-preserved specimens from experimentally induced abortions were utilized to define placental changes more precisely. Placentitis was identified in all 18 experimentally induced abortions and was observed most consistently in the chorionic villus stroma (100%), often accompanied by suppurative surface exudate (89%). An inflammatory infiltrate was less commonly identified in the cotyledonary hilus (39%) and intercotyledonary placenta (22%). Bacteria were visualized in H&E-stained sections in 89% of placentas from experimentally infected ewes, primarily as well-demarcated bacterial colonies within subtrophoblastic, sinusoidal capillaries (89%), in the cotyledonary villus stroma (89%), and within the cytoplasm of trophoblasts (22%). Transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry confirmed that the vast majority of the well-demarcated bacterial colonies characteristic of Campylobacter abortion were within subtrophoblastic sinusoidal capillaries. The most characteristic microscopic lesions identified in cases of Campylobacter abortion in sheep were placentitis with placental bacterial colonies, placental vasculitis, and fetal pneumonia.     

Approaching Cumulative Effects through Air Pollution Modelling

The research presented here represents a segment of a cumulative impact assessment of resource development in northeastern British Columbia. It considers point and area source emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides (SO₂ and NO _x , respectively), over a 2,156-km² area. With the exception of open burning, all emissions are from Upstream Oil and Gas (UOG) sector sources (SO₂, n?=?103; NO _x , n?=?250; area, n?=?25). AERMOD View? was used to estimate the maximum potential concentration and deposition of these pollutants over 1-h, 3-h, 24-h, and annual averaging periods. Results are compared with various thresholds and limits from the policy and scientific literature to assess the potential cumulative effects of these pollutants. Of the thresholds employed, exceedances of the 1-h and 24-h NO _x concentrations and the annual SO₂ concentration are predicted. There were no predicted exceedances of annual deposition thresholds (i.e., ??Critical Loads??). Maximum predicted concentrations vary between compounds and are related to boundary layer stability, elevation, and distance from sources. Comparison with nearby monitoring data indicated that predicted concentrations were reasonable and that AERMOD provides a useful tool for approaching the potential cumulative impacts of air pollution from multiple sources. While the accuracy of Gaussian-based annual deposition estimates is questioned, model enhancements that could extend the application to more comprehensive assessments are suggested. Lastly, the implications of predicted threshold violations for forest ecosystems and local forest-dependent First Nations communities are discussed.     

Observation of Helicobacter-like organisms in gastric mucosa of grey foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and bobcats (Lynx rufus)

Archival specimens of gastric mucosa of 10 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 9 porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum), 6 grey foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), 6 bobcats (Lynx rufus), 4 skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and 3 black bears (Ursus americanus) were microscopically examined for evidence of Helicobacter-like organisms. Such organisms were seen in the specimens from the grey foxes and bobcats only. Histochemical stains (modified Steiner and carbol fuchsin methods) revealed long spiral organisms within lumina of gastric glands; however, neither gross nor microscopic lesions were observed. By electron microscopy (EM), the organisms were found to be free in the glandular lumina and were seen occasionally in the cytoplasm of gastric epithelial cells. Morphologically, 2 different phenotypes of spiral organisms were identified by EM. The organisms associated with bobcats appeared to be more tightly coiled than those seen in grey foxes. The presence of Helicobacter-like organisms in the gastric mucosa of grey foxes has not previously been described.