Polyadenylated RNA and scrapie in mice

It has been reported that infection of mice with scrapie results in changes in the polyadenylated RNA metabolism of the host. We have attempted to repeat some aspects of this work, using the same methods, but have failed to confirm the earlier fundamental conclusions.     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to quantitate serum ferritin in black and white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata).

Lemurs in captivity progressively accumulate iron deposits in a variety of organs (hemosiderosis) including duodenum, liver, and spleen throughout their lives. When excessive, the toxic effects of intracellular iron on parenchymal cells, particularly the liver, can result in clinical disease and death. The pathogenesis of excessive iron storage in these species has been attributed to dietary factors related to diets commonly fed in captivity. Tissue iron stores can be directly estimated by tissue biopsy and histologic examination, or quantitated by chemical analysis of biopsy tissue, However, expense and risk associated with anesthesia and surgery prevent routine use of tissue biopsy to assess iron status. A noninvasive means of assessing total body iron stores is needed to monitor iron stores in lemurs to determine whether dietary modification is preventing excessive iron deposition, and to monitor potential therapies such as phlebotomy or chelation. Serum ferritin concentration correlates with tissue iron stores in humans, horses, calves, dogs, cats, and pigs. Serum ferritin is considered the best serum analyte to predict total body iron stores in these species and is more reliable than serum iron or total iron binding capacity, both of which may be affected by disorders unrelated to iron adequacy or excess including hypoproteinemia, chronic infection, hemolytic anemia, hypothyroidism, renal disease, and drug administration. We have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure serum ferritin in lemurs. The assay uses polyclonal rabbit anti-human ferritin antibodies in a sandwich arrangement. Ferritin isolated from liver and spleen of a black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata) was used as a standard. Ferritin standards were linear from 0 to 50 microg/L. Recovery of purified ferritin from lemur serum varied from 95% to 110%. The within-assay variability was 4.5%, and the assay-to-assay variability for three different samples ranged from 10% to 17%. The assay also measures serum ferritin in several other lemur species.     

Injuries and blemishes in a semi-feral herd of ponies

With the goal of characterizing the type and degree of injuries and blemishes incurred by horses living under natural social conditions, all members of a semi-feral herd of ponies were inspected on 4 occasions over a period of 28 months. Two occasions were during breeding/foaling season and 2 during non–breeding/foaling season months. On each occasion, each animal was examined (N = 47-65) and all injuries or blemish marks were recorded. Based on the types and number of injuries or blemishes, an injury/blemish grade was assigned for each inspection, ranging from 1 for no blemishes to 6 for more than 1 open wound. Almost all injuries and blemishes recorded were extremely mild. Only 12 of the 213 inspections and 14 of the 858 total injuries and blemishes involved wounds affecting tissues other than hair and skin.Males had significantly greater mean injury/blemish grade than females (P < .0001). For all social categories and ages, the mean injury/blemish grade was significantly greater in the breeding/foaling season months than during the non–breeding/foaling season (P < .0001).All foals were blemish-free at the non–breeding/foaling season inspections (n = 24) and relatively blemish-free (9 of 14) at the breeding/foaling season inspections. The rump and the barrel areas were the most common site of injuries or blemishes, both as a percentage of the total injury count and as a percentage of inspections involving those areas. These findings are consistent with the seasonal and gender patterns of aggressive behavior seen in this herd. Compared with reports of truly feral horse populations, it appears that injuries are fewer and less severe in this semi-feral herd. In addition, there appear to be fewer leg injuries in this semi-feral herd than has been described for truly feral horse populations.     

Impact of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection on serologic surveillance for Johne's disease in goats.

False-positive results on serologic assays for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) are believed to occur due to cross-reacting antibody produced by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pstb) infection in goats. This issue of compromised specificity was evaluated by testing 771 adult goats from 10 Midwestern goat herds in 2004. Assays for MAP infection included radiometric fecal culture and 2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs); ELISA-positive samples were tested by agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID). A synergistic hemolysin inhibition assay (SHI) was used to detect C. pstb antibody. Four infection status categories were evaluated. Category 1 goats (free of both MAP and C. pstb infection) tested negative on all MAP fecal cultures and SHI tests. Five of 181 goats were positive in both ELISAs, and 2 more were positive in ELISA-1 only. For Category 2 (MAP infected; no C. pstb infection), all animals were SHI negative. Six goats were fecal culture positive and strongly positive in both ELISAs; 2 more goats were positive only in ELISA-1. For Category 3 (C. pstb infected or vaccinated; no history of MAP infection), all fecal cultures were negative and 91% were SHI test-positive. In this population, only 2 goats were positive in both MAP ELISAs, while 84 additional goats were test-positive only on ELISA-1. In the absence of C. pstb infection, both ELISAs performed comparably, but when C. pstb infection was present the performance of ELISA-1 was significantly perturbed. Use of the ELISA-2 for goats is an effective and efficient method for Johne's disease surveillance in any goat herd.     

Evaluation of the survival prediction index as a model of risk stratification for clinical research in dogs admitted to intensive care units at four locations

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate a survival prediction index (SPI) in dogs admitted to intensive care units (ICU) and to generate and test an improved SPI (ie, SPI2). SAMPLE POPULATION: Medical records of 624 critically ill dogs admitted to an ICU. PROCEDURE: Data were collected from dogs within 24 hours after admission to an ICU. Variables recorded reflected function of vital organ systems, severity of underlying physiologic derangement, and extent of physiologic reserve; outcome was defined as dogs that survived or did not survive until 30 days after admission to the ICU. Probabilities of survival were calculated, using an established model (SPI). We then performed another logistic regression analysis, thereby reestimating the variables to create the new SPI2. Cross-validation of the models obtained was performed by randomly assigning the total sample of 624 dogs into an estimation group of 499 dogs and validation group of 125 dogs. RESULTS: Testing of SPI resulted in an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.723. Testing of SPI2 revealed an AUC of 0.773. A backwards-elimination procedure was used to create a model containing fewer variables, and variables were sequentially eliminated. The AUC for the reduced model of SPI2 was 0.76, indicating little loss in predictive accuracy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The new SPI2 objectively stratified clinical patients into groups according to severity of disease. This index could provide an important tool for clinical research.     

Efficient application of in vitro anther culture for different European winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding programmes

The efficiency of our anther culture protocol was tested with high‐ and low‐responding genotypes, ‘Svilena’ and ‘Berengar’, and 93 F₁ winter wheat crosses in 2010 and 2011. Based on data for these genotypes, the effect of genotype influenced the number of embryo‐like structures, regenerated plantlets and green plantlets, while the number of albino plantlets was affected by genotype, year and environmental factors. Although genotype also influenced the production of green plantlets from breeding crosses, with green plantlets per 100 anthers ranging from 0.04 to 28.67, the average regeneration rate over all crosses was 5.3 green plantlets/100 anthers, which resulted in a total of 11 416 well‐rooted green plantlets. The survival rate of green plantlets following acclimatization was 97.21% in 2010 and 96.34% in 2011. In this study, the phenomenon of albinism and genotype dependency did not hinder the production of more than five thousand green plantlets each year. In our experiments, anther culture proved to be an efficient method in winter wheat breeding programmes with lower costs than alternative technologies.     

Tracheal Obstruction due to Glossal Entrapment by a String Foreign Body in a Peahen (Pavo cristatus)

A female juvenile peahen (Pavo cristatus) presented with acute respiratory distress after the owner observed the bird apparently “choking” the night before presentation. A swelling at the base of the throat was also noted by the owner approximately 2 days prior to the “choking” incident. An air sac breathing tube was placed immediately following presentation and the respiratory rate and effort returned to normal. While performing a physical examination on the patient, a string foreign body was identified and removed from the oral cavity. The string had been wrapped around the base of the tongue, initially resulting in a laceration at the base of the tongue and displacing the glottis caudally, but eventually retroflexed the tongue resulting in occlusion of the glottis. Once the string was transected, the tongue was replaced into normal anatomic position. Three days after presentation, the bird was able to breathe normally with the air sac tube occluded, thus the air sac tube was removed. The lesions under the tongue completely resolved 8 weeks following the initial presentation. Although there have been reports of string foreign bodies in avian species, there are no reports of these foreign bodies causing entrapment of the tongue with subsequent obstruction of the glottis.     

长沙市城市主干道绿化植物调查与分析

对长沙市城市主干道绿化植物配置种类、组成及人工群落结构等进行了实地调查,共有绿化植物80种,隶属57科72属;指出了长沙市主干道植物绿化存在植物配置种类太少、形式太单调、配置艺术感低及养护水平不高等问题,并有针对性的提出了改进建议.