Craniocervical junction in dogs revisited--new ligaments and confirmed presence of enthesis fibrocartilage

The study was performed to investigate and to describe features of gross and microscopic morphology of craniocervical junction (CCJ) in dogs. Seventy mature dogs (38 females, 32 males) of different body weight, representing small, medium and large breeds of dolicho-, mesati-, and brachycephalic morphotype were dissected. Morphological details were localised using an operating microscope with integrated video channel. Occurrence and distribution of fibrocartilage in the ligaments from 10 dogs was analysed histologically. Three new pairs of ligaments were described and named: dorsal ligaments of atlas, cranial internal collateral ligaments of atlas, and caudal internal collateral ligaments of atlas. Several new findings in the course of the known ligaments were found relating to breed and body weight. For the first time enthesis fibrocartilage was identified in ligaments of CCJ in dogs. Sesamoidal fibrocartilage was identified in the transversal ligament of atlas in large dogs. The findings are discussed for clinical importance.     

Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in the white stork Ciconia ciconia

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in chicks of wild birds and captive individuals was studied in the Poznań environs and in the Poznań Zoological Garden in the years 2002-2003. Bird blood was tested for T. gondii antibodies by an indirect fluorescent antibody test. T. gondii antibodies were detected from 5.8% of 205 analysed white stork chicks and 13.6% of 44 analysed adult storks in the zoo. Because toxoplasmosis is one of the more common parasitic zoonoses worldwide, we briefly discuss the potential epidemiological importance of stork toxoplasmosis to humans.     

Rapid protocol for visualization of rust fungi structures using fluorochrome Uvitex 2B

Background

Histological examination using fluorochromes is one of the standard methods for observation of microorganisms in tissues and other compartments. In the study of fungi, especially those that cannot be cultured in axenic media such as biotrophic fungi, histological examination of processes associated with the fungal growth, differentiation, infection and other cellular functions can lead to the better understanding of host-parasite interactions. Fluorescence microscopy coupled with Fluorochrome Uvitex 2B have been extensively utilized to study rust fungi structures and host-pathogen interactions. In this study, we report development of a rapid staining protocol of the rust fungus Puccinia triticina using fluorochrome Uvitex 2B. The newly developed rapid procedure was compared with a standard staining technique to observe in planta fungal infection structures development during the wheat—Puccinia triticina interaction.

Results

While significantly reducing the time for staining, the rapid protocol described here was equally efficient or better compared to standard procedure in detecting fungal infection structures using Uvitex 2B. In the rapid staining procedure, pre-heating of the stain increased efficiency to detect all the infection structures including haustoria with highly reduced background noise from plant tissue.

Conclusion

This staining process described here is simple and quick. It can be completed in 4 h, which is of 6 times faster than the standard Uvitex 2B staining procedure.

     

A kinetic study on the isomerization of hop alpha-acids

In this article, a detailed study on hop alpha-acid isomerization kinetics is presented. Because of the complex wort matrix and interfering interactions occurring during real wort boiling (i.e., trub formation and alpha-acids/iso-alpha-acids complexation), this investigation on alpha-acid isomerization kinetics was performed in aqueous buffer solution as a function of time (0-90 min) and heating temperature (80-100 degrees C). Rate constants and activation energies for the formation of individual iso-alpha-acids were determined. It was found that iso-alpha-acid formation follows first-order kinetics and Arrhenius behavior. Differences in activation energies for the formation of trans- and cis-isomers were noticed, the activation energy for the formation of trans-iso-alpha-acids being approximately 9 kJmol (-1) lower.