In vitro investigation of the effects of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors on contractile activity of the equine dorsal and ventral colon

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of 2 cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors on contractile activity of the circular smooth muscle layer of the equine dorsal and ventral colon. SAMPLE POPULATION: Samples of the dorsal and ventral colon obtained from 10 healthy horses. PROCEDURE: Full-thickness tissue samples were collected from the dorsal colon in the area of the diaphragmatic flexure and the ventral colon in the area of the sternal flexure. Samples were cut into strips oriented along the fibers of the circular muscle layer and mounted in a tissue bath system for determination of contractile strength. Incremental amounts of etodolac, nabumetone, and indomethacin were added, and contractile activity was recorded. RESULTS: Response of the dorsal and ventral colon to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was variable. Indomethacin induced the greatest reduction in contractile activity, followed by nabumetone. For etodolac, the difference from baseline values was only significantly reduced at the highest concentration used (1 X 10(5)M) for the ventral colon. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The NSAIDs that are designed to target the COX-2 isoform appeared to have variable effects on the contractile activity of the equine dorsal and ventral colon. Etodolac appeared to have the least effect on contractile activity, compared with the effects attributable to nabumetone, and would potentially have the fewest adverse effects relative to motility of the dorsal and ventral colon.     

Intestinal permeability to macromolecules during colibacillosis in piglets

Intestinnal macromolecular permeability to macromolecules was determined in a group of specific pathogen free piglets before and after they were infected experimentally with Escherichia coli. Six hours after the infection all piglets developed a profuse diarrhoea. The urea and total protein concentrations in the serum increased markedly after the onset of diarrhoea. Haemoglobin concentration and PCV decreased steadily during the experiment but blood glucose concentration and lipid composition of the faeces did not change. No structural abnormalities in the jejunal and ileal mucosa were seen. No uptake of macromolecules (40 000 KDa) was found suggesting that molecules with a molecular weight of 40 000 or more do not play a role in the persistent diarrhoea sometimes seen in piglets after colibacillosis.     

The inheritance of seed colour and vernalization requirement in Brassica napus using doubled haploid populations

Summary In the Mediterranean coastal region, spring barley cultivars are sown in the autumn, corresponding with the rainy season. Thirty eight cultivars out of 44 spring which were collected from North African countries including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt were of a single dominant spring gene type (+Sh ₂+). Almost the same situation was found in Spain, Italy and Greece, with exceptions for France and Turkey. Kernel row of North African cultivars was characterized by six-rowed type, though there was one exception in Egypt. In the South European countries of Spain, Italy and Greece, six-rowed type varieties were also prevalent. As to non-brittle rachis, in North African countries oriental type cultivars (Btbt ₂) were much higher in frequency than occidental type cultivars (btBt ₂), while in European countries, occidental type cultivars were rather dominant, except for Italian cultivars. In Turkey, located in the joint area between Europe and Asia, cultivars tested were mostly occupied by spring genotype other than +Sh ₂+, and also characterized by tworowed head and occidental type for non-brittle rachis. In the Mediterranean coastal region, especially in North Africa, restricted genotypes, +Sh ₂+ for spring growth habit and v for six-row may indicate adaptability favorable to the growth conditions in these areas. Furthermore, North African cultivars were characterized by the oriental type of non-brittle rachis. This may give us information about the migratory routes of the original landrace to North Africa.     

Clinical differentiation of acute necrotizing from chronic nonsuppurative pancreatitis in cats: 63 cases (1996-2001)

OBJECTIVE: To characterize clinical, clinicopathologic, radiographic, and ultrasonographic findings in cats with histologically confirmed acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) or chronic nonsuppurative pancreatitis (CP) and identify features that may be useful in the antemortem differentiation of these disorders. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 63 cats with histologically confirmed ANP (n = 30) or CP (33). PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed for signalment, clinical signs, concurrent diseases, clinicopathologic findings, and results of radiography and ultrasonography. RESULTS: Cats in both groups had similar nonspecific clinical signs, physical examination findings, and radiographic and ultrasonographic abnormalities. Abdominal ultrasonographic abnormalities, including hypoechoic pancreas, hyperechoic mesentery, and abdominal effusion, were found in cats in both groups and, therefore, were not specific for ANP. Cats with CP were significantly more likely to have concurrent diseases than were cats with ANP (100 and 83%, respectively). Clinicopathologic abnormalities were similar between groups; however, serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities were significantly higher in cats with CP. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that ANP and CP in cats cannot be distinguished from each other solely on the basis of history, physical examination findings, results of clinicopathologic testing, radiographic abnormalities, or ultrasonographic abnormalities.     

Resveratrol inhibits the activity of equine neutrophil myeloperoxidase by a direct interaction with the enzyme

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic antioxidant present in beverage and food known for its multiple protective effects. We report the inhibitory effects of resveratrol on equine myeloperoxidase (MPO), a hemic peroxidase present in the granules of the neutrophils involved in the inflammatory response. Resveratrol inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by stimulated equine neutrophils by acting as a direct scavenger of the ROS released by the cells but did not modify the degranulation of the stimulated neutrophils as the amounts of released MPO were unchanged. Resveratrol strongly inhibited the chlorination, oxidation, and nitration activities of MPO in a dose-dependent manner. By an original technique of specific immunological extraction followed by enzymatic detection (SIEFED), we demonstrated that resveratrol inhibited the peroxidasic activity of the MPO measured by a direct interaction such as the fixation of resveratrol on the enzyme. The observation of a decrease of the accumulation of compound II suggested that resveratrol acts as an electron donor for MPO reduction.     

Identification of the genotype from the content and composition of the essential oil of lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora Palau)

Aloysia citriodora accessions from cultivated material, botanical collections, and wild populations were studied by means of their biomass and essential oil production and composition to assist the selection of the most promising genotype. The study was carried out through both field experiments during two year's time and laboratory processes. Data were evaluated by means of univariate and multivariate techniques. Aloysia citriodora intraspecific variation was accounted for by differences in both yield and chemical profiles of the essential oils, but no differences were found in the biomass production. Three chemotypes were identified according to qualitative and quantitative differences of the essential oils. For the higher contents of neral and geranial, Mendoza accession was the most promising to be encouraged for future crops.     

Dynamic manganese-enhanced MRI signal intensity processing based on nonlinear mixed modeling to study changes in neuronal activity

We analyze data on the impact of testosterone on the dynamics of Mn²⁺ accumulation measured by magnetic resonance imaging in three songbird brain areas: the nucleus robustus arcopallii (RA), area X, and the high vocal center (HVC). Birds with and without testosterone were included in the experiment, and repeated measurements were available in both a preand post-drug administration period. We formulate a nonlinear modeling strategy, allowing for the incorporation of (1) within-bird correlation, (2) the nonlinearity of the profiles, and (3) the effect of treatment. For two of the outcomes (RA and area X), biological theory suggests a parametric form, but for HVC this is not the case. Because the HVC outcome bears some resemblance with the two-compartment model known from pharmacokinetics, this model was considered a sensible choice. We use a different model, based on fractional polynomials, as a sensitivity analysis for the latter. All methods used provide good fits to the data, confirm results from previous, simple analyses undertaken in the literature, but were able to detect additional effects of treatment that had so far gone undetected. The fractional polynomial and two-compartment models provide similar substantive conclusions; the two together can be seen as a form of sensitivity analysis.     

Combining ability analysis of Fusarium head blight resistance in western European wheat lines

The inheritance of Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance was investigated in eight western European wheat lines using a half-diallel of F₁ crosses. The parents and F₁ crosses were point-inoculated, with a highly aggressive isolate of Fusarium graminearum, in replicated field and glasshouse trials. Type II resistance was assessed by measuring the % FHB spread and % wilted tips. There was a good correlation between the two disease parameters, % FHB spread area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and % wilted tips AUDPC (r = 0.86, P < 0.01). Correlation coefficients between the field and glasshouse environments were r = 0.46 (P < 0.01) for % FHB spread AUDPC and r = 0.40 (P < 0.05) for % wilted tips AUDPC. Both general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects influenced the inheritance of FHB resistance, suggesting that in this set of parents both additive and non-additive (dominance or epistatic) effects influence the inheritance of type II FHB resistance. Highly significant GCA-by-environment (P < 0.0001) and SCA-by-environment (P < 0.005) interactions were also observed. Specific combinations of western European wheat varieties were identified with type II FHB resistance at a level equal to or more resistant than the winter wheat variety ‘Arina’.     

Single nucleotide polymorphism discovery and linkage mapping of lipoxygenase-2 gene (Lx 2) in soybean

Lipoxygenase-2 (Lx ₂) in soybean seed is mainly responsible for generation of grassy-beany and bitter flavors. Genetic elimination of this flavor can be accelerated by the development of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers linked to Lx ₂. A frame map based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers was constructed first using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of Pureunkong × Jinpumkong 2. Sixty-five SSR markers were incorporated into 13 linkage groups (LGs) spanning a total of 737 cM. Among five primer pairs designed from the Lx ₂ gene sequence, one produced an amplicon with sequence variations between Pureunkong and Jinpumkong 2. Three SNPs, T/C, G/A and C/A, were identified at 251,367 and 420 bp, respectively, in the intron region of the 804 bp amplified product. Using single base chain extension based on the capture probe sequence in the 5' region of the T/C SNP, the 90 RILs were genotyped for each allele of Lx ₂. The allelic segregation for the SNP linked toLx ₂ was in accordance with the expected ratio of 1:1 in the RIL population. Based on the results of linkage analysis between Lx ₂ and the SSR markers, Lx ₂ was found to be positioned on one end of LG F in the frame map, flanked by the SSR markers Satt522 and Sat074. This study demonstrates that SNP markers closely linked to Lx ₂can be developed to facilitate marker-assisted selection and fine mapping of the region around this locus. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Analysis of population structure and genetic diversity reveals gene flow and geographic patterns in cultivated rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">O. sativa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">O. glaberrima</Emphasis>) in West Africa

To fully exploit the diversity in African rice germplasm and to broaden the gene pool reliable information on the population genetic diversity and phenotypic characteristics is a prerequisite. In this paper, the population structure and genetic diversity of 42 cultivated African rice (Oryza spp.) accessions originating from West Africa (Benin, Mali and Nigeria, Liberia etc.) were investigated using 20 simple sequence repeats (SSR) and 77 amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP). Additionally, field trials were set up to gain insight into phenotypic characteristics that differentiate the genetic populations among rice accessions. The analysis revealed considerably high polymorphisms for SSR markers (PIC mean?=?0.78) in the germplasm studied. A significant association was found between AFLP markers and geographic origin of rice accessions (R?=?0.72). Germplasm structure showed that Oryza sativa accessions were not totally isolated from Oryza glaberrima accessions. The results allowed identification of five O. glaberrima accessions which grouped together with O. sativa accessions, sharing common alleles of 18 loci out of the 20 SSR markers analyzed. Population structure analysis revealed existence of a gene flow between O. sativa and O. glaberrima rice accessions which can be used to combine several interesting traits in breeding programs. Further studies are needed to clarify the contributions of this gene flow to valuable traits such as abiotic and biotic stresses including disease resistance.