Essential role of Fkbp6 in male fertility and homologous chromosome pairing in meiosis

Meiosis is a critical stage of gametogenesis in which alignment and synapsis of chromosomal pairs occur, allowing for the recombination of maternal and paternal genomes. Here we show that FK506 binding protein (Fkbp6) localizes to meiotic chromosome cores and regions of homologous chromosome synapsis. Targeted inactivation of Fkbp6 in mice results in aspermic males and the absence of normal pachytene spermatocytes. Moreover, we identified the deletion of Fkbp6 exon 8 as the causative mutation in spontaneously male sterile as/as mutant rats. Loss of Fkbp6 results in abnormal pairing and misalignments between homologous chromosomes, nonhomologous partner switches, and autosynapsis of X chromosome cores in meiotic spermatocytes. Fertility and meiosis are normal in Fkbp6 mutant females. Thus, Fkbp6 is a component of the synaptonemal complex essential for sex-specific fertility and for the fidelity of homologous chromosome pairing in meiosis.     

Clinical and pathologic features of acute bovine liver disease in Australia

Acute bovine liver disease (ABLD) is a sporadic hepatic disease affecting cattle in southern Australia, characterized histologically by striking periportal hepatocellular necrosis. The cause of ABLD is unknown; however, the seasonality and acute presentation of outbreaks suggest mycotoxin involvement. We describe here the clinical and pathologic findings of ABLD in 45 naturally affected cattle from 13 outbreaks occurring from 2010 to 2019 in Victoria, Australia. Outbreaks occurred in herds located along the southern coastal plain of Victoria and were observed most frequently in lactating dairy cattle. Clinical signs commonly included a combination of mild photosensitization, progressive neurologic signs, and hypogalactia, which preceded death by ≤ 48 h. All affected animals had marked elevations in activities of glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase. At autopsy, the most common lesions were serosal petechiae and/or gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and hepatomegaly with a pronounced hepatic reticular pattern. The principal histologic lesion was widespread—severe periportal hepatocellular coagulative necrosis and erythrocyte pooling—which often extended to massive necrosis. Lesions in other organs were uncommon. Our study of ABLD suggests involvement of a potent hepatotoxin that is either directly cytopathic or requires bioactivation by periportal-specific enzymes.     

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in free-ranging wild cervids in Norway

Faecal samples were collected from 1,190 wild cervids in Norway and analyzed for cysts/oocysts of the protozoan parasites Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Samples were from calves, yearlings and adults of moose (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) shot during the hunting season. Cryptosporidium was found in 15 (3.3%) of 455 moose, 1 (0.3%) of 289 red deer, 18 (6.2%) of 291 roe deer, but was not found in any of 155 reindeer. Giardia was found in 56 (12.3%) moose, 5 (1.7%) red deer, 45 (15.5%) roe deer and 11 (7.1%) reindeer. The calves had the highest prevalence of infection, but this was only statistically significant for Giardia in moose and for Cryptosporidium and Giardia in roe deer. Calves generally had the highest intensity of infection, but this difference was only statistically significant for calves with Giarda and the highest intensity of infection. Both Giardia and Cryptosporidium were found in samples from several geographical areas, indicating that these parasites are distributed among the cervid population in all parts of Norway, especially in moose and roe deer. This is the first published report of Cryptosporidium in moose and of Giardia in reindeer.     

Do early infant feeding practices vary by maternal ethnic group?

OBJECTIVE: To examine UK country and ethnic variations in infant feeding practices. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Infants enrolled in the Millennium Cohort Study, born between September 2000 and January 2002. SUBJECTS: A total of 18 150 natural mothers (11 286 (8207 white) living in England) of singleton infants. OUTCOME MEASURES: Breast-feeding initiation, breast-feeding discontinuation and introduction of solid foods before 4 months. EXPLANATORY VARIABLES: Maternal ethnic group, education and social class. RESULTS: Seventy per cent of UK mothers started to breast-feed, of whom 62% stopped before 4 months. Median age at discontinuing breast-feeding was 14, 13, 10 and 6 weeks in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively. Thirty-six per cent of UK mothers (34% in England) introduced solids before 4 months. White mothers were more likely to discontinue breast-feeding (62%) and introduce solids early (37%) than most other ethnic minority groups; those stopping before 4 months were more likely to introduce solids early compared with those continuing to breast-feed beyond this age (adjusted rate ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.3 (1.1-1.2)). Educated mothers were less likely to stop breast-feeding before 4 months (white mothers, 0.8 (0.8-0.9); non-white mothers, 0.9 (0.8-1.0)) than those with no/minimal qualifications but, among ethnic minorities, were more likely to introduce solids early (1.3 (1.0-1.6)). Socio-economic status was positively associated with breast-feeding continuation among white women, and with age at introduction of solids among non-white women. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified important geographic, ethnic and social inequalities in breast-feeding continuation and introduction of solids within the UK, many of which have not been reported previously. The factors mediating these associations are complex and merit further study to ensure that interventions proposed to promote maternal adherence to current infant feeding recommendations are appropriate and effective.     

Detection of antibiotic residues and association of cefquinome residues with the occurrence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria in waste milk samples from dairy farms in England and Wales in 2011

Waste milk samples from 103 farms in England and Wales were examined for the presence of β-lactam antibiotics and ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Approximately 10 months after the initial sampling, further waste milk, environmental and faecal samples from farms shown to be positive for CTX-M Escherichia coli were investigated further. Isolates with an ESBL phenotype were tested by PCR for the presence of bla_CTX-M, bla_OXA, bla_SHV and bla_TEM genes. Isolates positive for bla_CTX-M were sequenced to determine CTX-M type. Representative isolates were further examined by PFGE, plasmid replicon typing and serotyping. Of particular interest, 21.4% of waste milk samples contained residues of the cephalosporin cefquinome, which was significantly associated with CTX-M bacteria. Such bacteria occurred in 5.8% of the waste milk samples (including 3.9% CTX-M E. coli). CTX-M types identified were 1, 14, 14b and 15, but none of the E. coli were serotype O25, the serotype of the human pandemic strain.     

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced ovulation and luteinizing hormone release in beef heifers: effect of day of the cycle

The COSynch protocol has been used to synchronize ovulation and facilitate fixed-time AI in beef cattle. Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy was negatively affected, in previous studies, by GnRH-induced ovulation of small dominant follicles (/=10 mm) and increased ovulatory response after GnRH 2.     

Detection of Meloidogyne enterolobii in potatoes in South Africa and phylogenetic analysis based on intergenic region and the mitochondrial DNA sequences

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are a major problem facing crop production globally including potatoes. During the 2011/2012 potato growing season, root-knot nematode infected potato tubers were obtained from different potato growing regions in South Africa for identification of Meloidogyne spp. Using the intergenic region of the ribosomal DNA (IGS-rDNA) together with the region between the cytochrome oxidase small subunit II (COII) and the 16S rRNA gene in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), five of the 78 composite samples received produced amplicon sizes of 705 bp for COII and 780 bp for IGS typical of M. enterolobii. These five samples were from the KwaZulu-Natal potato producing region. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the COII and IGS fragment showed that the five Meloidogyne populations were 100 % similar and they clustered closely with those of M. enterolobii in the GenBank database. The high damage potential of resistance-breaking populations of Meloidogyne species is a threat to profitable potato production and will require effective pest management programmes to be put in place.     

Historical changes in bivalve growth rates indicate ecological consequences of human occupation in estuaries

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