The pathology of disseminated Aspergillus terreus infection in dogs

Disseminated Aspergillus terreus infection was diagnosed in ten previously healthy adult dogs--nine German shepherds and one dalmatian. The disease was characterized by the presence of multiple granulomas and infarcts in a wide range of organs. The kidney, spleen, and skeletal system were most commonly and severely affected. Fungal hyphae were demonstrated in large numbers within granulomas and thrombi, and A. terreus was readily isolated by culture. This disseminated mycosis appears unique; in this series of cases there was no apparent predisposing factor, portal of entry, or primary focus for dissemination of the infection.     

Passive protection of mice with antiserum to neuraminidase fromPasteurella multocida serotype A:3

Antiserum to a partially purified neuraminidase fromPasteurella multocida, type A:3, was adsorbed with protease-digestedP. multocida type 3 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to remove LPS immunoreactivity. The LPS-adsorbed antineuraminidase caused a 77% reduction in the neuraminidase activity of homologousP. multocida in anin vitro enzyme neutralization test. All 14 mice passively immunized with the adsorbed antineuraminidase were protected against challenge infection with homologousP. multocida in a mouse protection test. Ten out of 14 mice in one group that received antisera containing antibodies to both neuraminidase and LPS were protected. In contrast, only 1 out of 14 mice that were immunized with pre-immune serum survived the challenge. These results suggest that antiserum toP. multocida neuraminidase was, at least partly, responsible for the protection observed in this study. Neuraminidase may be one of the immunogenic protective proteins present in aqueous extracts ofPasteurella multocida.     

绵羊瘤胃微生物胞外蛋白酶性质的研究

本试验测定了pH、温度和EDTA对纯化的绵羊的瘤胃微生物胞外蛋白酶活性的影响,并用一已知氨基酸排列顺序的肽段(由15个氨基酸组成)作为底物,进一步测定了蛋白酶的酶切位点。结果表明,(1)纯化蛋白酶的最适pH在6.0～6.5之间,最适温度为40℃左右。(2)不同浓度的EDTA(浓度分别为1,10,25,50,75和100mM)对蛋白酶活性没有影响,因而该酶属于丝氨酸蛋白酶类。(3)纯化蛋白酶是一种内肽酶,其酶切位点在组氨酸—酪氨酸(?)、天冬氨酸—丙氨酸(?)、亮氨酸—赖氨酸(?)和(或)缬氨酸—赖氨酸(?)相连的肽键。(4)胰蛋白酶和纯化的蛋白酶虽同属丝氨酸蛋白酶类,但前者对底物具有高度的专一性,后者对底物的专一性不强,这是瘤胃内饲料蛋白质强烈降解的主要原因之     

New concepts in fetal and placental amino acid metabolism.

Fetal amino acid nutrition and metabolism have been studied primarily in pregnant sheep. The umbilical uptake of amino acids changes during gestation, but at both mid- and late gestation the total supply exceeds that required for growth. Weight-specific protein synthetic rate decreases with increasing gestational age, and these changes are proportional to the changes in metabolic rate. The use of multiple tracer methodology coupled with measurement of net tracer fluxes into and out of fetal and placental tissues can be used to delineate amino acid metabolism in considerable detail. Such studies demonstrate that even essential amino acids can be oxidized extensively by the fetus. The oxidation rate of leucine exceeds its rate of accretion in tissue proteins. Glycine metabolism is unique in several ways; there is a large umbilical uptake of glycine without a measurable uterine uptake. In late gestation there is no significant umbilical uptake of serine, although there is a significant uterine uptake, suggesting net uteroplacental utilization. Glycine is oxidized within the fetal liver and used for serum production. The interorgan exchange of amino acids between the fetal liver and placenta is clearly of major importance for serine and glycine metabolism and is likely to be of major importance for most nonessential amino acids.     

In vitro nitroimidazole resistance of Trichomonas gallinae and successful therapy with an increased dosage of ronidazole in racing pigeons (Columba livia domestica)

Six out of eight different Trichomonas gallinae strains isolated from racing pigeons proved to be resistant to the nitroimidazole drugs ronidazole, carnidazole and metronidazole. The minimal cytocidal concentration of ronidazole was determined in in vitro experiments. Moreover, a therapeutic dose for ronidazole was determined for the control of trichomoniasis in pigeons from which the resistant T. gallinae strains were isolated. It was a 5-fold increase of the recommended ronidazole dosage which eliminated the infection in affected pigeons.