EFFECT OF DEPENDENCY VERSUS NONDEPENDENCY ON LUNG LESION VISUALIZATION

Paraffin blocks and mineral oil were used as a model to determine the effect of dependency versus nondependency on radiographic visualization of lung lesions in lateral thoracic radiographs. It was concluded that the increased opacity of the material surrounding the lesion, not contact between the heart and the lesion, was responsible for the inability to detect lung disease in the dependent lung. The results were tested in dogs with pneumonia in the right middle lung lobe. When the dog was in right lateral recumbency, the dependent right lung was increased in opacity and decreased in volume and the pulmonary lesion was difficult to detect. When the dog was in left lateral recumbency, the nondependent right lung was increased in volume and decreased in opacity and the pulmonary disease was clearly visible. A single recumbent lateral radiograph must not be used to assess a dog with suspected lung disease because lesions in the dependent lung lobes may not be detected.     

Components of resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans) in eight South AmericanSolanum species

Four components of partial resistance toPhytophthora infestans were measured after inoculation in the greenhouse and in the field ofSolanum arnezii x hondelmannii, S. berthaultii, S. circaeifolium, S. leptophyes, S. microdontum, S. sparsipilum, S. sucrense andS. vernei, and four hybrid progenies ofS. microdontum withS. tuberosum. The four components were infection efficiency, lesion growth rate, generation time and sporulation capacity. The results were compared with resistance ratings derived from field experiments, and with observations made on the potato cultivars Bintje, Bildstar, Libertas and Pimpernel. Genetic variation for all components was found, while the relative importance of the components of partial resistance appeared to vary between the species. InS. microdontum, generation time, infection efficiency and lesion growth rate, and inS. tuberosum infection efficiency, lesion growth rate and sporulation capacity appeared positively associated, but in other species no such association was found. A strong hypersensitive reaction, the expression of which appeared to depend on environmental conditions, was found inS. microdontum. ForS. berthaultii, infection efficiency appeared to be the main resistance component.Abbreviations ADPC area under the disease progress curve - IE infection efficiency - LGR lesion growth rate - GT generation time - SC sporulation capacity     

Comparative efficacy of two single-dose bacterins in the control of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in swine raised under commercial conditions in Brazil

A field study was conducted in Brazil to evaluate the efficacy of single vaccination of pigs with two bacterins to prevent Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae lung lesions. The first (T1) treatment group (174 pigs) was injected with 2 mL of saline solution; group T2 (177 pigs) with 2 mL of bacterin A, and group T3 (174 pigs) with 2 mL of bacterin B. On days-on-test (DOT) 0, 35, 66, 97 and 125, blood samples and tonsil swabs were collected from selected pigs for antibody determination (indirect ELISA) and PCR assay for the presence of M. hyopneumoniae. Pigs were slaughtered on DOT 126-129 and lung lesions were scored blindly. Bacterin A vaccinated pigs had significantly (P < or = 0.05) lower lung lesion scores (0.2%) than bacterin B (0.4%) or saline-treated pigs (1.2%); there was also a significantly lower (P < or = 0.05) number of pigs with lung lesions (27.1%), than bacterin B (38.2%) or saline-treated (55.4%) pigs. The two vaccines had similar (P>0.05) results in terms of mean weight gain, average daily weight gain, feed efficiency, frequency of PCR positives, and there was similar antibody conversion (ELISA). It was concluded that although the productivity parameters and antibody conversions were similar, bacterin A was more effective in preventing and reducing the severity of lung lesions than bacterin B.     

T2‐WEIGHTED MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING MEASUREMENTS OF OPTIC NERVE SHEATH DIAMETER IN DOGS WITH AND WITHOUT PRESUMED INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION

Intracranial hypertension is a cause of cerebral ischemia and neurologic deficits in dogs. Goals of this retrospective study were to test interobserver agreement for MRI measurements of optic nerve sheath diameter and associations between optic nerve sheath diameter, signalment data, and presumed intracranial hypertension status in a cohort of dogs. A veterinary radiologist interpreted scans of 100 dogs and dogs were assigned to groups based on presence or absence of at least two MRI characteristics of presumed intracranial hypertension. Two observers who were unaware of group status independently measured optic nerve diameter from transverse T2‐weighted sequences. Mean optic nerve sheath diameter for all dogs was 3 mm (1–4 mm). The mean difference between observers was 0.3 mm (limits of agreement, ?0.4 and 1.0 mm). There was no correlation between optic nerve sheath diameter and age for either observer (r = ?0.06 to 0.00) but a moderate positive correlation was observed between optic nerve sheath diameter and body weight for both observers (r = 0.70–0.76). The 22 dogs with presumed intracranial hypertension weighed less than the 78 dogs without (P = 0.02) and were more often female (P = 0.04). Dogs with presumed intracranial hypertension had a larger ratio of optic nerve sheath diameter to body weight for each observer‐side pair (P = 0.01–0.04) than dogs without. Findings indicated that the ratio of MRI optic nerve sheath diameter relative to body weight may be a repeatable predictor of intracranial hypertension in dogs.     

急性铜胁迫对暗纹东方鲀组织铜积累、氧化应激、消化酶、组织病变及脂代谢相关基因表达的影响

通过 96 h 急性毒性实验研究水体铜暴露对暗纹东方鲀(Takifugu fasciatus)生理生化及脂代谢相关基因表达的影响。实验设置对照组、0.1 mg/L 和 0.2 mg/L (96-h LC50) 3 个铜处理组。结果表明,铜在暗纹东方鲀肝、肌肉和全鱼中的积累量随着处理浓度的提高而提高。同等浓度处理下,铜的积累量为肝脏>全鱼>肌肉。随着铜处理浓度的提高,肝脏中丙二醛(MDA)含量及抗氧化酶活性[谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-PX),总超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)]显著上升。急性铜暴露诱发肝脏血细胞沉积以及血窦扩张的症状。在鳃中,诱发上皮细胞增生,顶部棒状以及产生动脉瘤等症状。急性铜胁迫后,暗纹东方鲀肠道中的淀粉酶活性显著上升,但脂肪酶活性显著下降。在肝脏中,随着处理浓度的提高,淀粉酶、蛋白酶和脂肪酶活性显著降低。在 0.1 mg/L 处理组,脂肪合成相关基因(G6PD、6PGD、LPL、Fas 和 Acc)的表达量最高。但在 0.2 mg/L 处理组中,脂肪分解相关基因(HSL 和 CPT 1)的表达最高。急性铜胁迫后对转运因子 PPARα的影响不显著,但转运因子 PPAR γ的表达量显著上升。本实验表明铜对暗纹东方鲀生理生化指标及脂代谢相关基因的表达均产生显著影响,本研究为暗纹东方鲀养殖过程中铜的合理使用提供有益的指导价值,也为生产中更好地监控重金属污染提供一定的技术指标参考。     

Experimental amoebic gill disease of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.: further evidence for the primary pathogenic role of Neoparamoeba sp. (Page, 1987)

Amoebic gill disease (AGD) has been attributed to infection by Neoparamoeba sp. The causal mechanisms for AGD lesion development and the primary pathogenic role of Neoparamoeba sp. require elucidation. Three groups of Atlantic salmon were exposed to viable gill isolated amoebae, to sonicated amoebae, or to sea water containing viable amoebae without direct contact with gill epithelia. Fish were removed 8 days post-exposure and the gills assessed histologically for AGD. AGD occurred only when fish were exposed to viable trophozoites. Consequently, in an accompanying experiment, infection was evaluated histologically at 12, 24 and 48 h post-exposure in three groups of salmon, one group being mechanically injured 12 h prior to exposure. A progressive host response and significant increase (P < 0.001) in the numbers of attached amoebae was apparent over the 48-h duration in undamaged hemibranchs in both treatment groups. There were no significant differences to mucous cell populations. Attachment of Neoparamoeba sp. to damaged gill filaments was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by 48 h post-exposure. These data further confirm and describe the primary pathogenic role of Neoparamoeba sp. and the early host response in AGD. Preliminary evidence suggests that lesions resulting from physical gill damage are not preferentially colonized by Neoparamoeba sp.     

Use of standing low‐field magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose middle phalanx bone marrow lesions in horses

Bone marrow lesions (BMLs) (also known as ‘bone bruises’, ‘bone oedema’, ‘bone contusions’ and ‘occult fractures’) within the middle phalanx were diagnosed by standing low field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 7 horses. The lesions were characterised by low signal intensity on T1‐ and T2*‐weighted gradient echo sequences, mildly increased signal intensity on T2 fast spin echo sequences, and high signal intensity on short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequences. Four distinct patterns of abnormal signal were identified: BML associated with osteoarthritis of either the proximal or distal interphalangeal joints; BML associated with soft tissue injury; BML associated with acute trauma; and BML unassociated with any other injury or lameness (assumed to represent bone response to biomechanical stress). Repeat MRI was undertaken in 4 cases. In most cases the BML resolved with rest and time, although lameness was persistent in 2 horses (one of which had an associated osteoarthritis of the proximal interphalangeal joint).     

Barley mutants with enhanced level of resistance to Swedish isolates of Bipolaris sorokiniana,casual agent of spot blotch

Spot blotch, caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, has become an increasingly important disease on barley in Sweden. In order to enhance our knowledge of this disease, eight Swedish B. sorokiniana isolates were assessed for their virulence pathotype on 30 barley genotypes including eight lines of mutant origin, designated B. sorokiniana tolerant (bst). A leaf screen assay revealed the presence of virulence groups 1 and 7 in Sweden. Several mutant genotypes demonstrated enhanced resistance responses (P = 0.0001), of which bst1:3 had the lowest leaf scoring value to the most virulent isolate, Swe2 (virulence group 7). To evaluate the host root responses, two contrasting isolates Swe2 and Swe4 (virulence group 7 and 1) were used to inoculate a set of eight differential lines, including four promising mutant lines from the leaf screen. Mutant bst1:6 was significantly less susceptible (P = 0.001) compared with the other barley genotypes tested, independent of the two isolates used. Mutants bst1, bst1:3 and bst1:4, which displayed less or no spots, are also considered promising genotypes for further breeding attempts.     

水稻类病斑突变体的初步研究

粳稻秀水11经γ射线辐照诱变后获得19个类病斑突变体(xsl1～19),均属全生育期类病斑型,突变体长至分蘖期后类病斑不再变大,不导致叶片枯死,不影响植株抽穗、结实。苗期昼最高气温高于32℃后,除xsl19外其他突变体类病斑均消褪,昼最高气温降到32℃以下类病斑又逐渐显现,植株到5叶期后类病斑不再受高温抑制。分蘖期所有突变体株高在47.56～63.54cm之间,对照株高为83.75cm,但突变体的矮化现象只出现在分蘖期前,最终不影响株高;突变体与对照抽穗时间相近,突变体穗长在9.43～15.19cm之间,对照穗长为16.41cm;突变体每穗总粒数约为88.17～165.33粒,xsl19是49.50粒,对照是76.17粒。上述结果表明,除xsl19外的突变体均表现为穗短和每穗总粒数增多。类病斑突变体对稻瘟病菌表现为感病,与抗性无关。