Improved rat spinal cord injury model using spinal cord compression by percutaneous method

Here, percutaneous spinal cord injury (SCI) methods using a balloon catheter in adult rats are described. A balloon catheter was inserted into the epidural space through the lumbosacral junction and then inflated between T9-T10 for 10min under fluoroscopic guidance. Animals were divided into three groups with respect to inflation volume: 20 µL (n = 18), 50 µL (n = 18) and control (Fogarty catheter inserted but not inflated; n = 10). Neurological assessments were then made based on BBB score, magnetic resonance imaging and histopathology. Both inflation volumes produced complete paralysis. Gradual recovery of motor function occurred when 20 µL was used, but not after 50 µL was applied. In the 50 µL group, all gray and white matter was lost from the center of the lesion. In addition, supramaximal damage was noted, which likely prevented spontaneous recovery. This percutaneous spinal cord compression injury model is simple, rapid with high reproducibility and the potential to serve as a useful tool for investigation of pathophysiology and possible protective treatments of SCI in vivo.     

Evaluation of changes in the taste of cooked meat products during curing using an artificial taste sensor

The purpose of this study was to assess an evaluation method using an artificial taste sensor, in comparison with chemical analysis and sensory evaluation of the taste of meat during curing. Samples of Canadian pork were treated with salt, nitrite and phosphate. Curing time ranged from 0 to 168 h. In the sensory evaluation, there were no significant differences in the all characteristic items at 72‐h cured sample compared to the 0‐h sample. Some of the characteristic items for the 168‐h sample (umami, overall taste, richness and overall palatability) showed significant difference (P < 0.05) compared to the 0‐h sample. Taste sensor analysis indicated that the sensor outputs of bitterness and saltiness were significantly correlated with curing time (R = 0.98 and 0.97, respectively), and total free amino acids (R = 0.91 and 0.96, respectively). The sensor output of bitterness was significantly correlated (R = 0.96) with the sum of amino acids corresponding to bitter taste. The increase in the chemical components contributing to bitterness and/or saltiness was indicated as the cause of the characteristic taste. Taste sensor analysis may be applicable as a qualitative method for evaluating taste characteristics generated during the curing of manufactured cooked meat products.     

New insights into the survival strategy of the invasive soilborne pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi in different natural ecosystems in Western Australia

Despite its importance as one of the most notorious, globally distributed, multihost plant pathogens, knowledge on the survival strategy of Phytophthora cinnamomi in seasonally dry climates is limited. Soil and fine roots were collected from the rhizosphere of severely declining or recently dead specimens of 13 woody species at 11 dieback sites and two dieback spots and from healthy specimens of five woody species at four dieback‐free sites in native forests, woodlands and heathlands of the south‐west of Western Australia (WA). Phytophthora cinnamomi was recovered from 80.4, 78.1 and 100% of tested soil, fine root and soil–debris slurry samples at the 11 dieback sites, in some cases even after 18‐month storage under air‐dry conditions, but not from the small dieback spots and the healthy sites. Direct isolations from soil–debris slurry showed that P. cinnamomi colonies exclusively originated from fine roots and root fragments not from free propagules in the soil. Microscopic investigation of P. cinnamomi‐infected fine and small woody roots and root fragments demonstrated in 68.8, 81.3 and 93.8% of samples from nine woody species the presence of thick‐walled oospores, stromata‐like hyphal aggregations and intracellular hyphae encased by lignitubers, respectively, while thin‐walled putative chlamydospores were found in only 21.2% of samples from five woody species. These findings were confirmed by microscopic examination of fine roots from artificially inoculated young trees of 10 woody species. It is suggested that (i) the main function of chlamydospores is the survival in moderately dry conditions between consecutive rain events and (ii) selfed oospores, hyphal aggregations, and encased hyphae and vesicles in infected root tissue of both host and non‐host species are the major long‐term survival propagules of P. cinnamomi during the extremely dry summer conditions in WA.     

Previously unrecorded low‐temperature Phytophthora species associated with Quercus decline in a Mediterranean forest in eastern Spain

Oak decline has been a serious problem in Europe since the beginning of the twentieth century. In south‐west Spain, Quercus ilex and Q. suber are the main affected species, and their decline has been associated with Phytophthora cinnamomi. During the last 10 years, a severe decline of Q. ilex and Q. faginea accompanied by a significant decrease in the production of acorns affecting natural regeneration was observed in the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of Phytophthora spp. in the decline. A forest in the Natural Park ‘Carrascar de la Font Roja’ in Comunidad Valenciana (eastern Spain), which is dominated by Q. ilex and Q. faginea, was surveyed during 2010–2011. Symptomatic trees showed thinning and dieback of the crown, withering of leaves and death. An extensive loss of both lateral small woody roots and fine roots and callusing or open cankers on suberized roots were observed. Soil samples containing fine roots were baited using both Q. robur leaves and apple fruits. Six Phytophthora species were isolated: P. cryptogea, P. gonapodyides, P. megasperma, P. quercina, P. psychrophila and P. syringae. These are the first records of P. quercina and P. psychrophila on Q. faginea, of P. quercina in Spain and of P. psychrophila in mainland Spain. A soil infestation trial was conducted for 6 months under controlled conditions with 1‐year‐old seedlings of Q. ilex and Q. faginea. Phytophthora cinnamomi was included in the pathogenicity test for comparison. The results showed that Q. ilex seedlings were generally more susceptible to infection than Q. faginea with P. cinnamomi being the most aggressive pathogen to both oak species. The two most commonly isolated Phytophthora species, P. quercina and P. psychrophila, also proved their pathogenicity towards both Q. ilex and Q. faginea.     

Characterization of Salmonella spp. isolated from an integrated broiler chicken operation in Korea

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological and genetic characterization of persistent Salmonella isolates in an integrated broiler chicken operation, in an attempt to elucidate the source of contamination. From the breeder farm, the hatchery, the broiler farm and the chicken slaughter house of an integrated broiler chicken operation, a total of 6 serotypes were observed. Although S. Heidelberg was not detected in the broiler farm, it was consistently found in the breeder farm, the hatchery and the chicken slaughter house. Also, S. Enteritidis and S. Senftenberg were found in the hatchery and the chicken slaughter house, and the hatchery and the broiler farm, respectively. S. Gallinarum and S. Blockley were found only in the broiler farm, and S. Virchow was only recovered in the chicken slaughter house. Isolated S. Heidelberg, S. Enteritidis and S. Senftenberg strains were divided into 3, 5 and 7 types, respectively, on the basis of all properties. Especially, S. Senftenberg isolates, divided into four types by their antimicrobial resistance patterns, were all obviously the XbaI PFGE pattern. Also, four S. Enteritidis isolates resistant to nalidixic acid showed a difference in phage type and PFGE pattern. Such a different pattern was shown despite Salmonella isolates originating from an integrated broiler operation, suggesting that further epidemiological studies on many integrated chicken companies in Korea are needed.     

Palliative intravenous cisplatin treatment for concurrent peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma in a dog

A 10-year-old Maltese dog was presented with abdominal distention and dyspnea. Cytological examination of pleural and peritoneal effusion was suggestive of malignant effusion of glandular origin. Numerous, multifocal, tan to white nodules were disseminated throughout the surface of the abdominal organs and peritoneum at biopsy. Histologically, the tumors were revealed to be an epithelial type of mesothelioma. Neoplastic cells co-expressed cytokeratin and vimentin. Intravenous administration of cisplatin was chosen as the treatment. During treatment, the dog's overall body condition improved and the clinical signs were relieved without significant side effects. The survival time from diagnosis to sudden death by unknown cause was 153 days.     

Pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis in a dog: evidence of immunophenotypic diversity and relationship to human pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis and pulmonary Hodgkin's disease

We describe a 10-month-old, intact female American Cocker Spaniel with pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis (PLG). On clinical examination, this dog presented with nonproductive dry cough, serous nasal discharge, dyspnea, and lack of appetite. Radiography showed a consolidated lesion in the left cranial lung lobe. Histopathologic examination showed a mixed population of atypical lymphoid cells that had infiltrated into the pulmonary blood vessels angiocentrically. The lymphocytes were CD3 positive, consistent with a pan-T-cell phenotype. The lymphoid cells in the lesion were also positive for CD20cy and CD79a, indicative of the presence of B cells. We also observed large Reed-Sternberg-like cells that were positive for CD15 and CD30, similar to observations in human pulmonary Hodgkin's disease (PHD). In conclusion, canine PLG in this Cocker Spaniel was associated with B and T cells, which is first identified in a case of canine PLG. It was histopathologically similar to human lymphomatoid granulomatosis and immunophenotypically similar to human PHD.     

Friction anisotropy-driven domain imaging on exfoliated monolayer graphene

Graphene produced by exfoliation has not been able to provide an ideal graphene with performance comparable to that predicted by theory, and structural and/or electronic defects have been proposed as one cause of reduced performance. We report the observation of domains on exfoliated monolayer graphene that differ by their friction characteristics, as measured by friction force microscopy. Angle-dependent scanning revealed friction anisotropy with a periodicity of 180° on each friction domain. The friction anisotropy decreased as the applied load increased. We propose that the domains arise from ripple distortions that give rise to anisotropic friction in each domain as a result of the anisotropic puckering of the graphene.     

Administration of L. salivarius expressing 3D8 scFv as a feed additive improved the growth performance,immune homeostasis,and gut microbiota of chickens

Probiotics have been defined as live microorganisms that are administered in an appropriate amount to provide health benefits to the host animal. In this study, we investigated the effect of L. salivarius DJ‐sa‐01 secreting the 3D8 single‐chain variable fragment (3D8 scFv) on the growth performance, cytokine secretion, and intestinal microbial flora of chickens. The experiment was divided into the control group and L. salivarius expressing 3D8 scFv experimental group. Chicken was fed 10⁹ colony‐forming units (CFUs) of wild‐type (WT) L. salivarius or 3D8 scFv‐secreting L. salivarius daily for 35 days. The administration of L. salivarius expressing 3D8 scFv significantly improved the body weight of chickens compared with the administration of WT L. salivarius. A 16S ribosomal RNA metagenomic analysis showed that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla in both experimental groups. At the genus level, Lactobacillus was more abundant (22.82%) in the L. salivarius/3D8 group compared with the WT L. salivarius group. The serum levels of cytokines, such as IL‐8, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IFN‐γ, IL‐4, and IGF1, were significantly reduced in the L. salivarius/3D8‐treated chickens. In summary, our results suggest that L. salivarius expressing 3D8 scFv could be considered a feed additive for improving the growth performance, immune function, and disease resistance of poultry.