Systemic nocardiosis in a reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus).

Systemic infection by Nocardia asteroides was diagnosed in a reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). At necropsy, the animal had enlarged tracheobronchial lymph nodes, pleural and peritoneal effusions, and numerous, multifocal to coalescing, yellow, firm nodules with inspissated pus in the lung, pleura, omentum, liver, heart, adrenal glands, and left kidney. Microscopically, the nodules consisted of foci of pyogranulomatous inflammation. Microscopic lesions were present in the grossly affected organs as well as spleen and brain. Sections stained with Gram and modified Fite-Faraco histochemical stains had numerous gram-positive, variably acid fast, beaded and branching filamentous organisms in the necrotic centers. N. asteroides was isolated from the lung, bronchial lymph nodes, liver, and left kidney. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of systemic N. asteroides infection in a reindeer.     

Activation of Zona‐Free Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Oocytes by Chemical or Electrical stimulation,and Subsequent Parthenogenetic Embryo Development

Parthenogenetic activation using zona‐free oocytes offers an alternative model that could be applied to develop protocols for the activation of reconstructed embryos for cloning. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of different methods for the activation of zona‐free buffalo oocytes in terms of their effects on the developmental competence of parthenogenetic embryos. The effects of zona removal on parthenogenetic activation and in vitro developmental competence of metaphase II oocytes were also examined. All activation methods were followed by incubation of 2 mm 6‐dimethylaminopurine (6‐DMAP) for 4 h. Out of three different pulse strengths (1.2, 2.1 or 3.3 kV/cm) used, 2.1 kV/cm resulted in the highest blastocyst rate (25.3%). On comparing different chemical agents and electric pulse, highest blastocyst rate was observed for calcium ionophore (CaI) (28.6%) followed by ethanol (25.0%), electric pulse (22.5%) and combined CaI and ethanol treatment (16.7%) although differences among them were not significant. Furthermore, a significantly reduced developmental potential was observed in zona‐free oocytes when compared to zona‐intact ones up to the blastocyst stage (44.3% vs 27.1%). In conclusion, zona‐free buffalo oocytes can be successfully activated for parthenogenetic development using chemical or electrical stimulation. Out of different agents examined, CaI followed by 6‐DMAP resulted in the highest blastocyst rate.     

Differential expression of endometrial toll-like receptors (TLRs) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) with endometritis

Veterinary Research Communications - Toll like receptors (TLRs) and β-defensins expressed in the endometrium are part of the innate uterine defense mechanism (UDM). In the present study,...     

Pathogenic and immunogenic responses in turkeys following in ovo exposure to avian metapneumovirus subtype C

Commercial turkey eggs, free of antibodies to avian metapneumovirus subtype C (aMPV/C), were inoculated with aMPV/C at embryonation day (ED) 24. There was no detectable effect of virus inoculation on the hatchability of eggs. At 4 days post inoculation (DPI) (the day of hatch (ED 28)) and 9 DPI (5 days after hatch), virus replication was detected by quantitative RT-PCR in the turbinate, trachea and lung but not in the thymus or spleen. Mild histological lesions characterized by lymphoid cell infiltration were evident in the turbinate mucosa. Virus exposure inhibited the mitogenic response of splenocytes and thymocytes and upregulated gene expression of IFN-γ and IL-10 in the turbinate tissue. Turkeys hatching from virus-exposed eggs had aMPV/C-specific IgG in the serum and the lachrymal fluid. At 3 week of age, in ovo immunized turkeys were protected against a challenge with pathogenic aMPV/C.     

Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin in goats given enrofloxacin alone and in combination with probenecid.

The pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite ciprofloxacin were investigated in goats given enrofloxacin alone or in combination with probenecid. Enrofloxacin was administered i.m. at a dosage of 5 mg x kg(-1) alone or in conjunction with probenecid (40 mg x kg(-1), i.v.). Blood samples were drawn from the jugular vein at predetermined time intervals after drug injection. Plasma was separated and analysed simultaneously for enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The plasma concentration-time data for both enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were best described by a one-compartment open pharmacokinetic model. The elimination half-life (t(1/2beta)), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), volume of distribution (V(d(area))), mean residence time (MRT) and total systemic clearance (Cl(B)) were 1.39 h, 7.82 microg x h x mL, 1.52 L x kg(-1), 2.37 h and 802.9 mL x h(-1) x kg(-1), respectively. Enrofloxacin was metabolized to ciprofloxacin in goats and the ratio between the AUCs of ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin was 0.34. The t(1/2beta), AUC and MRT of ciprofloxacin were 1.82 h, 2.55 microg x h x mL and 3.59 h, respectively. Following combined administration of probenecid and enrofloxacin in goats, the sum of concentrations of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin levels > or = 0.1 microg x mL(-1) persisted in plasma up to 12 h.Co-administration of probenecid did not affect the t(1/2beta), AUC, V(d (area)) and Cl(B) of enrofloxacin, whereas the values of t(1/2beta) (3.85 h), AUC (6.29 microg x h x mL), MRT (7.34 h) and metabolite ratio (0.86) of ciprofloxacin were significantly increased. The sum of both enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin levels was > or = 0.1 microg x mL(-1) and was maintained in plasma up to 8 h in goats after i.m. administration of enrofloxacin alone. These data indicate that a 12 h dosing regime may be appropriate for use in goats.     

Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from goats with history of reproductive disorders and the prevalence of Toxoplasma and chlamydial antibodies

The prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Chlamydia psittaci was assessed in goats with a history of abortion, stillbirth and neonatal mortality. Antibodies were detected in 540 (30%) and 57 (3.2%) goats out of 1799 tested by indirect haemagglutination and complement fixation tests, respectively. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated for the first time in Botswana from 22 out of 81 sets (27.2%) of foetal tissues, maternal and foetal cotyledons and uterine tissues of goats which had previously aborted or given birth to stillborn or weak kids that died within two days of birth. These results implicate T. gondii and C. psittaci, but especially the former, to be associated with caprine reproductive problems and require appropriate control measures.     

黔北麻羊Tβ4基因多态性及生物信息学分析

本研究旨在对黔北麻羊胸腺素β4（thymosin beta 4,Tβ4）基因的多态位点进行筛选及生物信息学分析。根据GenBank中山羊Tβ4基因序列（登录号：NC_030810和NW_017189516）,应用Primer Premier 5.0软件设计引物,运用混合DNA池结合PCR产物直接测序获得黔北麻羊Tβ4基因X染色体第1、2、3外显子和3号染色体第1外显子序列进行多态性分析,利用生物信息学分析软件对黔北麻羊Tβ4基因进行同源性、系统进化树、理化性质、疏水性、卷曲螺旋、跨膜结构、信号肽、亚细胞定位、结构域、磷酸化位点、糖基化位点、二级结构和三级结构分析。结果显示,共筛选出10个SNPs,分别为：G55C、C82T、G112A、C129T、G216A、G431A、G551T、T579A、A609G和A619G。同源性比对分析结果显示,黔北麻羊与黄牛、马、野猪、人、裸滨鼠、褐家鼠、小家鼠和原鸡Tβ4基因核苷酸序列同源性分别为97.8%、96.3%、95.6%、94.1%、94.8%、91.1%、92.6%和86.7%。蛋白理化性质分析显示,黔北麻羊Tβ4蛋白理论等电点为5.02,亲水值最小为-3.011,无疏水性氨基酸,无卷曲螺旋,不是跨膜蛋白,无信号肽存在,分布在细胞核（60.9%）、线粒体（4.3%）、细胞骨架（17.4%）和细胞质（17.4%）,有1个THY结构域,有1个苏氨酸磷酸化位点,无N糖基化位点,有4个O糖基化位点。二级结构分析显示,C129T突变使其蛋白质二级结构中α-螺旋增加,无规则卷曲减少。本研究成功筛选出黔北麻羊Tβ4基因多态位点,为研究黔北麻羊育种的分子遗传标记辅助选择提供了参考依据。     

Antigens of Goat Spermatozoa that Recognize Homologous Zona Pellucida

Goat sperm surface proteins obtained from purified plasma membrane (PPM) vesicles (purity of membrane checked by marker enzymes and transmission electron microscopy) were size fractionated on an fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) gel filtration column. All the seven surface proteins (129, 100, 46, 28, 27, 18 and 10 kDa) obtained were further fractionated and purified on high-efficiency gel filtration (GFC-HPLC) as well as ion exchange (DEAE-HPLC) columns. Antibodies were generated against the PPM and the protein fractions. Such resolved and purified surface antigens were tested by Dot Blot Immunoassay and homologous in vitro sperm-zona binding assays. It was revealed that the binding of goat spermatozoa to homologous zona pellucida was inhibited by antisera raised against the five lower molecular weight surface antigens. Further, the components of FPLC-AIII (46 kDa; A represents antigenic protein) and IV (28 kDa) were most promising as the antibodies against these fractions inhibited sperm binding to zona pellucida even at a dilution of 1 : 1000 as tested by the sperm-zona binding assays.     

Plant growth stage, fertiliser management and bio-inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria affect the rhizobacterial community structure in rain-fed wheat fields

The goal of this study was first to assess the dynamics of the bacterial community during a growing season in three Indian rain-fed wheat fields which differ mainly through their fertilizer management and yield and then to study the effects of PGPR/AMF bio-inoculations on the bacterial community structure and wheat growth. The bacterial community structure of the rhizosphere soil (RS) and the rhizoplane/endorhizosphere (RE) was determined by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Seed treatments consisted of consortia of two PGPR strains alone or combined with AMF or AMF alone. The PGPR strains were Pseudomonas spp. which included some or all of the following plant growth promoting properties: phosphate solubilisation and production of indole-3-acetic acid, siderophores, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase and diacetyl-phloroglucinol. The mycorrhizal inoculum was an indigenous AMF consortium isolated from the field with the lowest level of fertilization and yield. Variation partitioning analysis of the DGGE data indicated a predominant effect of the wheat growth stage (30.4% of the variance, P=0.001) over the type of field (9.0%, P=0.027) on the bacterial community structure in the RE. The impact of plant age in the RS was less than in the RE and the bacterial community structure of the field with the highest input of fertilization was very different from the low input fields. The bio-inoculants induced a significant modification in the bacterial community structure. In the RS, the bacterial consortia explained 28.3% (P=0.001) and the presence of AMF 10.6% (P=0.02) of the variance and the same trend was observed in the RE. Plant yield or grain quality was either increased or remained unaffected. For example, protein content was significantly higher in the treated plants' grain compared to the control plants; maximum values were obtained when the PGPR were co-inoculated with the AMF. The percentage of root colonization by AMF was significantly higher in the treatments containing a mycorrhizal inoculum than in the untreated control and remained unaffected by the PGPR treatments. In conclusion, the wheat rhizobacterial community structure is highly dynamic and influenced by different factors such as the plant's age, the fertilizer input and the type of bio-inoculant. In addition, there is a distance-related effect of the root on the bacterial community. Finally, a combined bio-inoculation of diacetyl-phloroglucinol producing PGPR strains and AMF can synergistically improve the nutritional quality of the grain without negatively affecting mycorrhizal growth.     

Hypocholesterolemic activity of Marsilea minuta in gerbils

Feeding of a Marsilea minuta leaf extract [Fr. I] reduced serum cholesterol and triglycerides by 31 and 63%, respectively, in athero diet fed gerbils. Liver cholesterol and triglycerides were also lowered by 71 and 27%, respectively, in comparison to athero fed controls. Moreover, treatment with Fr. I prevented the accumulation of cholesterol and triglycerides in liver and aorta and was able to dissolve atheromatous plaques of thoracic and abdominal aorta. Fecal excretions of cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly increased in Fr. I fed gerbils.