In vitro activity of danofloxacin, tylosin and oxytetracycline against mycoplasmas of veterinary importance

The activities of danofloxacin, a novel fluoroquinolone, and two other antimicrobials were determined in vitro against field isolates of seven Mycoplasma species of veterinary importance isolated from cattle, swine and poultry in five European countries. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of danofloxacin, tylosin and oxytetracycline were determined against a total of 68 isolates. Danofloxacin showed excellent activity against isolates of all Mycoplasma species (range 0·008 to 0·5 μg ml⁻¹), but in some isolates there was evidence of reduced sensitivity to tylosin (range 0·008 to 2·0 μg ml⁻¹) and oxytetracycline (range 0·008 to over 16·0 μg ml⁻¹). Danofloxacin was more active than other antimicrobials against, M hyopneumoniae, M dispar and M bovigenitalium, and showed activity similar to that of tylosin against M bovis and M gallisepticum. Tylosin was the most active against M synoviae and M hyosynoviae. Generally, oxytetracycline showed the poorest activity, but was superior to tylosin against M bovigenitalium. A second (final) MIC reading was taken for all isolates 14 or 21 days after the initial reading, and MIC values rose during that time. However, the increase seen in danofloxacin values (typically one to two dilutions) was less than that seen for tylosin and oxytetracycline. It is concluded that danofloxacin is highly active in vitro against all of the Mycoplasma species tested, and thus shows great potential for the treatment of respiratory and other infections caused by Mycoplasma species in cattle, pigs and poultry.     

Predictive relationship between polyphenol and nonfat cocoa solids content of chocolate

Chocolate is often labeled with percent cocoa solids content. It is assumed that higher cocoa solids contents are indicative of higher polyphenol concentrations, which have potential health benefits. However, cocoa solids include polyphenol-free cocoa butter and polyphenol-rich nonfat cocoa solids (NFCS). In this study the strength of the relationship between NFCS content (estimated by theobromine as a proxy) and polyphenol content was tested in chocolate samples with labeled cocoa solids contents in the range of 20-100%, grouped as dark (n = 46), milk (n = 8), and those chocolates containing inclusions such as wafers or nuts (n = 15). The relationship was calculated with regard to both total polyphenol content and individual polyphenols. In dark chocolates, NFCS is linearly related to total polyphenols (r2 = 0.73). Total polyphenol content appears to be systematically slightly higher for milk chocolates than estimated by the dark chocolate model, whereas for chocolates containing other ingredients, the estimates fall close to or slightly below the model results. This shows that extra components such as milk, wafers, or nuts might influence the measurements of both theobromine and polyphenol contents. For each of the six main polyphenols (as well as their sum), the relationship with the estimated NFCS was much lower than for total polyphenols (r2 < 0.40), but these relationships were independent of the nature of the chocolate type, indicating that they might still have some predictive capabilities.     

Uplifted marine terraces along the alpine fault, new zealand

Three types of evidence indicate that marine terraces are widespread in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. (i) Remnants of shore platforms occur as distinct levels of notched ridge crests and flat summits; degraded sea cliffs are common. (ii) Scattered quartz beach pebbles occur on 16 of 18 levels of exhumed shore platforms in the Fox- Franz Josef type area to altitudes as high as 1700 meters. (iii) Altitudinal spacings of New Zealand terrace flights allow correlation with 18 dated global marine terraces at New Guinea, which were formed during glacio-eustatic highstands of sea level within the last 336 x 10(3) years. Inferred uplift rates at Fox-Franz Josef increased from 3.2 to 7.8 meters per 10(3) years since about 135 x 10(3) to 140 x 10(3) years ago, presumably because of increased convergence between the Pacific and Australian plates.     

Multimodal signals: enhancement and constraint of song motor patterns by visual display

Many birds perform visual signals during their learned songs, but little is known about the interrelationship between visual and vocal displays. We show here that male brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) synchronize the most elaborate wing movements of their display with atypically long silent periods in their song, potentially avoiding adverse biomechanical effects on sound production. Furthermore, expiratory effort for song is significantly reduced when cowbirds perform their wing display. These results show a close integration between vocal and visual displays and suggest that constraints and synergistic interactions between the motor patterns of multimodal signals influence the evolution of birdsong.     

TILLING and Ecotilling the Plant Kingdom

The modem crop scientist has a large amount of available nucleotide sequence information to identify genes of potential agronomic importance. Using reverse genetic approaches, specific genes can be disrupted, and hypotheses regarding gene function directly tested in vivo. Although a number of reverse genetic methods have been introduced, many are limited in application because they are organism-specific, expensive, transgenic, or only transiently disrupt gene function. However, traditional mutagenesis using chemical mutagens has been widely used as a forward genetics strategy to create many new crop plant varieties at relatively low cost. Mutagens such as ethyl methanesulphonate （EMS） cause stable point mutations and thus produce an allelic series of truncation and missense changes that can provide a range of phenotypes （Greene et al., 2003）. TILLING （targeting induced local lesions IN genomes） is a high-throughput reverse genetic strategy that combines traditional mutagenesis and SNP discovery methods （Colbert et al., 2001; McCallum et al., 2000）. To identify mutations, target regions of-l.5 kb are amplified with fluorescently labeled gene specific primers. Heteroduplexes are then formed between wild-type and mutant strands, mismatches are cleaved by incubation with a single-strand specific nuclease,     

A systematic survey of loss-of-function variants in human protein-coding genes

Genome-sequencing studies indicate that all humans carry many genetic variants predicted to cause loss of function (LoF) of protein-coding genes, suggesting unexpected redundancy in the human genome. Here we apply stringent filters to 2951 putative LoF variants obtained from 185 human genomes to determine their true prevalence and properties. We estimate that human genomes typically contain ~100 genuine LoF variants with ~20 genes completely inactivated. We identify rare and likely deleterious LoF alleles, including 26 known and 21 predicted severe disease-causing variants, as well as common LoF variants in nonessential genes. We describe functional and evolutionary differences between LoF-tolerant and recessive disease genes and a method for using these differences to prioritize candidate genes found in clinical sequencing studies.     

PEG bulking of wood cell walls as affected by moisture content and nature of solvent

Movement of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000 from wood cell lumens into adjacent cell walls was studied for different cell wall moisture contents (MCs) and PEG solvents; relative amounts of PEG that penetrated into the cell walls were estimated by Raman microscopy. It was shown that samples treated with PEG from chloroform solution adsorb less PEG than samples treated with PEG-water solution even in the case of samples with open cell wall structure near fibre saturation point MC. Reconditioning of PEG-chloroform treated samples at high relative humidities enhanced PEG bulking of cell walls, but not to the maximum amounts observed with PEG-water treatments. Raman microscopy was a useful tool for estimating relative PEG amounts in the cell walls.     

Impact of fixation/drying conditions on fixation rate, teachability and bioefficacy in CCA-C treated red pine and southern pine

Red pine (Pinus resinosia Ait) and southern pine (Pinus spp.) sapwood blocks were pressure treated with CCA-C at retention of 6.4, 2.0, 1.5 kgm^-3 followed by fixation using 11 post-treatment schedules ranging from 50–70 °C and 5 different relative humidity conditions. The effect of these post-treatment schedules on fixation rate, chemical leachability and decay resistant once were evaluated to better understand the effects of fixation/drying conditions on leachability and biodeterioration. Southern pine blocks fixes slightly slower than red pine. Fixation of CCA at high temperature high humidity, essential initially fixation at high humidity for fixation/drying schedules, resulted in lower leaching of chromium and arsenic elements than high temperature low humidity or initially fixation at the high temperature low humidity conditions. Copper leaching was indicated no significant difference under 11 fixation/drying conditions for both species. Weight losses for southern pine byChaetomium globosum was lower than red pine byGloeophyllom trabeum. There were some different capacities of decay resistance for both species under those post treatment conditions.     

Necrotizing Meningoencephalitis in Atypical Dog Breeds: A Case Series and Literature Review

Background

Canine necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME) is a fatal, noninfectious inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. NME has been reported only in a small number of dog breeds, which has led to the presumption that it is a breed‐restricted disorder.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Our objective was to describe histopathologically confirmed NME in dog breeds in which the condition has not been reported previously and to provide preliminary evidence that NME affects a wider spectrum of dog breeds than previously reported.

Animals

Four dogs with NME.

Methods

Archives from 3 institutions and from 1 author''s (BS) collection were reviewed to identify histopathologically confirmed cases of NME in breeds in which the disease has not been reported previously. Age, sex, breed, survival from onset of clinical signs, and histopathologic findings were evaluated.

Results

Necrotizing meningoencephalitis was identified in 4 small dog breeds (Papillon, Shih Tzu, Coton de Tulear, and Brussels Griffon). Median age at clinical evaluation was 2.5 years. Histopathologic abnormalities included 2 or more of the following: lymphoplasmacytic or histiocytic meningoencephalitis or encephalitis, moderate‐to‐severe cerebrocortical necrosis, variable involvement of other anatomic locations within the brain (cerebellum, brainstem), and absence of detectable infectious agents.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Until now, NME has only been described in 5 small dog breeds. We document an additional 4 small breeds previously not shown to develop NME. Our cases further illustrate that NME is not a breed‐restricted disorder and should be considered in the differential diagnosis for dogs with signalment and clinical signs consistent with inflammatory brain disease.