Immunization of Sows in an Integrated Pig‐breeding Herd using a Homologous Inactivated Salmonella Vaccine Decreases the Prevalence of Salmonella typhimurium Infection in the Offspring

The efficacy of a homologous vaccination in preventing infection of suckling piglets with Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium was evaluated after an immunization of pregnant sows using an inactivated herd‐specific S. Typhimurium vaccine. Twenty‐five pregnant sows were vaccinated three times antepartum. The efficiency of this vaccine regime was assessed by comparison with a control group of 37 sows and their suckling piglets, which were daily treated with enrofloxacin from day 14 antepartum until the day of weaning. From the first day of life until day 142 post‐partum, faecal samples of the piglets were collected and analysed for Salmonella shedding. In parallel, systemic antibody responses were monitored using a whole cell‐based isotype‐specific enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The bacteriological investigation showed marked effects of vaccination. Salmonella Typhimurium could not be detected in any of the faecal samples of the piglets from the vaccinated sows. In contrast, the piglets of the group with long‐time antibiotic treatment shed salmonellae rating to 47.4% of the animals. Furthermore, the offspring from vaccinated sows showed significantly decreased antibody activities of immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG. These bacteriological and serological results indicate a significantly lower Salmonella prevalence in piglets of the vaccinated group. As this study shows, the presented strategy of vaccination of pregnant sows with an inactivated Salmonella vaccine seems to be a suitable measure in decreasing Salmonella prevalence in offspring of infected sows.     

The phytopathogenic mollicute-insect vector interface: a closer look

ABSTRACT Spiroplasma citri, transmitted by phloem-feeding leafhoppers, moves from the gut lumen through the gut wall, hemolymph, and salivary glands and multiplies in insect tissues. Nontransmissible lines were deficient in their ability to cross these barriers. Molecular analysis revealed extensive chromosomal rearrangements between the transmissible and nontransmissible spiroplasma lines including a large chromosomal inversion and deletions of about 10 kb at each inversion border. One open reading frame of the deleted region, cloned from the transmissible strain BR3-3X, encodes an integral membrane protein of 58 kDa that shares limited sequence similarity with major adhesin proteins of two zoopathogenic mycoplasmas. Adhesion of spiroplasmas to cultured leafhopper cells was inhibited by proteases, suggesting that adherence to host cells is mediated by spiroplasma membrane protein(s). A hypothetical model for insect transmission of phytopathogenic mollicutes is presented.     

Ultrasonographic comparison of adhesions induced by two different methods of gastropexy in the dog

Ultrasonography was used to compare adhesions induced by two different methods of gastropexy in 16 dogs. An incisional gastropexy technique was used in eight dogs (group 1) and a 'modified' gastropexy technique in the remaining eight (group 2). The length and thickness of the gastropexy and the peristaltic activity of the stomach were measured ultrasonographically and compared between groups. Measurements for the two groups were taken in the early postoperative interval (two to four days), intermediate postoperative interval (eight to 20 days) and late postoperative interval (57 to 79 days). Both techniques were equally successful in forming permanent adhesions at two months postoperatively and there was no recurrence of gastric dilatation and volvulus. The length and thickness of the gastropexy were similar for both groups at two months postoperatively and there were no surgical complications with either technique. The modified gastropexy provides a technique that can easily be performed by a single surgeon , with no increased operative time or duration of anaesthesia, and with the formation of a permanent adhesion.     

Lightning,precipitation and vegetation at landscape scale

Landscape Ecology - We investigated the question “Is there a relationship between seasonality in precipitation and vegetative cover in Pole Canyon, NM?” GIS and statistical methods were...     

Anti‐microbial Susceptibility for east1+Escherichia coli Isolated from Diarrheic Pigs in Korea

The in vitro susceptibilities of 128 isolates of east1⁺Escherichia coli from pre‐weaned and post‐weaned pigs with diarrhoea were tested with nine commonly used anti‐microbial agents by an agar dilution minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) procedure according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards guidelines. For the isolates from pre‐weaned and post‐weaned pigs, most of them were susceptible to low concentrations (MIC₉₀) of tetracycline (4 and 2 μg/ml), ceftiofur (2 and 2 μg/ml), and colistin (4 and 2 μg/ml). Marked resistance was found in others.     

Effects of butafosfan with or without cyanocobalamin on the metabolism of early lactating cows with subclinical ketosis

Fifty‐one dairy cows with subclinical ketosis were used to investigate the effects of butafosfan alone or in combination with cyanocobalamin on metabolism. Treatments included i.v. injection of 10 ml/100 kg of body weight with butafosfan (BUT) or combined cyanocobalamin with butafosfan (BUTCO) at a similar concentration as in Catosal^®. Control cows (CON) received a 0.9% saline solution. Cows were injected on days 1–3 at 22.3 ± 0.7 days post‐partum. Milk production and composition were not affected by the treatments. In plasma, CON cows had a significantly higher plasma NEFA concentration (0.59 ± 0.03 mm ) across the study period than BUTCO cows (p < 0.05; 0.42 ± 0.03 mm ), whereas the plasma NEFA concentration of BUT was intermediate (0.52 ± 0.03 mm ) but not significantly different from CON. Both BUTCO and BUT cows had lower (p < 0.05) plasma BHBA concentrations (1.02 ± 0.06 mm and 1.21 ± 0.06 mm , respectively) across the study period than CON (1.34 ± 0.06 mm ). Plasma glucose was not different between treatments, but plasma glucagon concentrations were consistently high in BUT compared to BUTCO and CON. Lowest post‐treatment glucagon levels were observed in BUTCO. Hepatic mRNA abundance of liver X receptor α, a nuclear receptor protein involved in lipid metabolism, was higher in BUTCO compared to BUT and CON (p < 0.05) on day 7. Furthermore, on day 7, the mRNA abundance of beta‐hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 2 was higher in BUTCO compared to BUT and CON (p < 0.01). In conclusion, injections of combined cyanocobalamin with butafosfan post‐partum in early lactation ketotic dairy cows act on lipid metabolism with effects on plasma metabolites, most likely mediated via modified activity of key factors in the liver. Results indicate that the application of butafosfan only in combination with cyanocobalamin exhibits the expected positive effects on metabolism.     

Acclimation to low irradiance in Picea abies: influences of past and present light climate on foliage structure and function

Leaf retention time increases with decreasing irradiance, providing an effective way of amortizing the costs of foliage construction over time. To elucidate the physiological mechanisms underlying this dependence, I studied needle life span, morphology, and concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and nonstructural carbohydrates along a gradient of relative irradiance in understory trees of Picea abies (L.) Karst. Maximum needle life span was greater in shaded trees than in sun-exposed trees. However, irrespective of irradiance, needles with maximum longevity were situated in the middle rather than the bottom of the canopy, suggesting that needle life span is determined by the irradiance to which needles are exposed during their primary growth. Morphology and chemistry of current-year needles were adapted to prevailing light conditions. Current-year needles exposed to high irradiances had greater packing of foliar biomass per unit area than shaded needles, whereas shaded needles maximized foliar area to capture more light. Nitrogen concentrations were higher in shaded needles than in sun-exposed needles. This nitrogen distribution pattern was related to the high nitrogen cost of light interception and was assumed to improve light absorptance per needle mass of shaded needles. In contrast, in both 1- and 2-year-old needles, morphology was independent of prevailing light conditions; however, needle nitrogen concentrations were adjusted toward more effective light interception in 2-year-old foliage but not in 1-year-old foliage, indicating that acclimation of sun-adapted needles to shading takes more than one year. At the same time, needle aging was accompanied by accumulation of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), and increasing concentrations of needle carbon, suggesting a shift in the balance between photosynthesis and photosynthate export. The accumulation of NSC and carbon resulted in a dilution of the concentrations of other needle chemicals and explained the decline in needle nitrogen concentrations with increasing age. Thus, although morphological inadequacy to low light availabilities may partly be compensated for by modifications in needle chemistry, age-related changes in needle stoichiometric composition progressively lessen the potential for acclimation to low irradiance. A conceptual model, advanced to explain how environmental factors and age-related changes in the activities of needle xylem and phloem transport affect needle longevity, predicted that adaptation of needle morphology to irradiance during the primary growth period largely determines the fate of needles during subsequent tree growth and development.     

Olfactory and quantitative analysis of aroma compounds in elder flower (Sambucus nigra L.) drink processed from five cultivars

Fresh elder flowers (Sambucus nigra L.) were extracted with an aqueous solution containing sucrose, peeled lemon slices, tartaric acid, and sodium benzoate to make elder flower syrup. Aroma compounds emitted from the elder flower syrup were collected by the dynamic headspace technique and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 59 compounds were identified, 18 of which have not previously been detected in elder flower products. The concentrations of the identified volatiles were measured in five elder cultivars, Allesoe, Donau, Sambu, Sampo, and Samyl, and significant differences were detected among cultivars in the concentration levels of 48 compounds. The odor of the volatiles was evaluated by the GC-sniffing technique. cis-Rose oxide, nerol oxide, hotrienol, and nonanal contributed to the characteristic elder flower odor, whereas linalool, alpha-terpineol, 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one, and (Z)-beta-ocimene contributed with floral notes. Fruity odors were associated with pentanal, heptanal, and beta-damascenone. Fresh and grassy odors were primarily correlated with hexanal, hexanol, and (Z)-3-hexenol.