Unconditional quantum teleportation

Quantum teleportation of optical coherent states was demonstrated experimentally using squeezed-state entanglement. The quantum nature of the achieved teleportation was verified by the experimentally determined fidelity Fexp = 0.58 +/- 0.02, which describes the match between input and output states. A fidelity greater than 0.5 is not possible for coherent states without the use of entanglement. This is the first realization of unconditional quantum teleportation where every state entering the device is actually teleported.     

Effects of Addition of Tissue‐Type Plasminogen Activator in In Vitro Fertilization Medium on Bovine Embryo Development and Quality

Plasminogen activators/Plasmin system plays pivotal role in regulating reproductive functions of mammals. Here, we examined the effects of modification of in vitro fertilization medium (IVF medium) with the addition of tissue‐type plasminogen activator (t‐PA), on bovine embryo development and quality, assessed by quantification of expression of various genes related to metabolism, oxidation, implantation and apoptosis. In addition, plasminogen activator activity (PAA) and plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) were measured in the spent media. After conventional IVM, 2016 cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were divided into four groups with modified composition of the IVF medium containing t‐PA and/or its inhibitor epsilon‐aminocaproic acid (control, t‐PA, t‐PA+ε‐ACA, ε‐ACA). Presumptive zygotes were cultured for 8 days in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) medium; gene expression studies were carried out on morulae and blastocysts. t‐PA alone significantly suppressed cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, but this effect was neutralized by the addition of ε‐ACA. PAA in the treated group was significantly reduced by ε‐ACA, but without total elimination. Significant differences were detected in the expression of genes related to apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest (BAX, BCL2L1, KAT2B) between embryos produced in t‐PA‐modified media and controls, giving an overall notion that the inferior developmental competence of treated embryos may be attributed to apoptotic phenomena induced by t‐PA. In conclusion, it appears that excessive t‐PA content in the IVF media, suppresses blastocyst formation rate, possibly due to induction of apoptotic phenomena.     

The effect on pathogenesis of Newcastle disease virus LaSota strain from a mutation of the fusion cleavage site to a virulent sequence

The principal molecular determinant of virulence of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is the amino acid sequence at the fusion cleavage activation site. To extend the understanding of the role of the fusion cleavage activation site in NDV virulence, the pathogenesis in chickens of a lentogenic LaSota isolate and two infectious clones, NDFL and NDFLtag, were compared. NDFL is an infectious clone of a lentogenic NDV strain (LaSota E13-1), and NDFLtag is the infectious clone with the fusion cleavage site sequence mutated to the virulent motif. NDFL and NDFLtag were described by Peeters et al. The viruses were inoculated intraconjunctivally into groups of 4-wk-old white leghorn chickens and compared in a pathogenesis study for determination of disease causation (clinical signs of disease, gross lesions, histology, virus isolation, and serology) and viral distribution (presence of viral nucleoprotein and mRNA was detected by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, respectively). The modification of the fusion cleavage activation site to the virulent motif in the infectious clone only slightly increased disease severity and viral distribution in the pathogenesis assessment, even though dramatically increased pathogenicity of NDFLtag was confirmed by standard pathogenicity index tests. The result, that the mutated fusion cleavage site of NDV-NDFLtag had only a small influence on pathogenesis in chickens compared to either E13-1 or NDFL, suggests that the pathogenic effects of NDV are not dependent on the fusion cleavage site alone.     

Comparison of bronchoalveolar lavage cytospins and smears in dogs and cats

Differences in the cytological interpretation of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after cytospin preparation (CP) or manual smearing of pelleted cells preparation (MSP) were investigated in client-owned dogs and cats with inflammatory or infectious lower respiratory disease. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from healthy cats was also examined. With MSP, cell lysis was more frequently observed, and cellular distribution was more heterogeneous throughout the slide. When samples from healthy and diseased animals were considered together, a significantly greater percentage of neutrophils was seen on CP than on MSP slides (P<0.002). Cytospin preparations were considered of better quality in all individual comparisons. Cytospin preparation is advised in the evaluation of BALF with low total cell count. When only MSPs are evaluated, clinicians should be aware that differential neutrophil counts may underestimate the counts found on CP slides.     

Experimental evidence that tryptamine alkaloids do not cause Phalaris aquatica sudden death syndrome in sheep

The acute toxicity for sheep of 3 alkaloids that occur in Phalaris acquatica was examined by intravenous and oral administration. The lowest tested dose rates that produced clinically observed signs were, for 5-methoxy dimethyltryptamine, 0.1 mg/kg body weight intravenously and 40 mg/kg orally; for gramine, 10 mg/kg intravenously and 500 mg/kg orally; and for hordenine, 20 mg/kg intravenously and 800 mg/kg orally. All induced the clinical signs observed in the nervous form of phalaris toxicity, but none induced the cardiac, sudden death, syndrome.     

Oncocytoma in the mandibular salivary gland of a cat

A cat was referred for investigation of a soft tissue mass caudal to the left mandible. Initial investigations suggested a malignant salivary gland tumour, and the mass was removed by extracapsular resection of the mandibular gland. Histopathology showed an oncocytoma within the salivary gland. An oncocytoma is a neoplastic transformation of oncocytes. Oncocytes are cells with a small nucleus and intense eosinophilic granular cytoplasm due to numerous mitochondria, which proliferate during ageing in exocrine and endocrine glandular tissues. Physiological proliferation occurs next to oncocytosis, oncocytoma, and oncocytic carcinoma. This is the first report of an oncocytoma in a feline mandibular salivary gland, and the first report of long-term survival after surgical removal.