Shared cortical anatomy for motor awareness and motor control

In everyday life, the successful monitoring of behavior requires continuous updating of the effectiveness of motor acts; one crucial step is becoming aware of the movements one is performing. We studied the anatomical distribution of lesions in right-brain-damaged hemiplegic patients, who obstinately denied their motor impairment, claiming that they could move their paralyzed limbs. Denial was associated with lesions in areas related to the programming of motor acts, particularly Brodmann's premotor areas 6 and 44, motor area 4, and the somatosensory cortex. This association suggests that monitoring systems may be implemented within the same cortical network that is responsible for the primary function that has to be monitored.     

Outbreak of bovine clinical mastitis caused by Mycoplasma bovis in a North Italian herd

This report describes an outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis mastitis affecting 45 cows in a herd of 122 dairy cattle in Northern Italy. Clinically, the outbreak was characterized by agalactia, multiple swollen and painless quarters, high milk somatic cell count and unresponsiveness to conventional antibiotic therapy. M. bovis was isolated from the milk samples of all the 32 affected cows tested and from the mammary tissue of three affected cows that underwent necropsy. No other pathogens were isolated from these samples. Lesions in two of the necropsied cows were characterized by mild chronic suppurative mastitis and galactophoritis. The other necropsied cow showed a chronic necrosuppurative and pyogranulamaous galactophoritis, a condition not previously associated with M. bovis. M. bovis was detected immunohistochemically in the lumen of the affected mammary ducts suggesting that ascending infection via the teat canal was the likely route of transmission. No other intralesional pathogens were demonstrated microscopically.     

Development of DNA Extraction and PCR Amplification Protocols for Detection of Mycoplasma bovis Directly from Milk Samples

Veterinary Research Communications - Cremonesi, P., Vimercati, C., Pisoni, G., Perez, G., Miranda Ribera, A., Castiglioni, B., Luzzana, M., Ruffo, G. and Moroni, P., 2007. Development of DNA...     

Development of a microarray platform for detection of milk pathogens: preliminary results

Veterinary Research Communications -     

Polygalacturonase inhibiting proteins fromAllium porrumL. and their role in plant tissue against fungal endo-polygalacturonases

Five endo-polygalacturonases (PGs), three produced in culture filtrate byFusarium moniliforme, Sclerotium cepivorumandBotrytis aclada,respectively, and two (one acidic and one basic isoform) obtained fromSclerotinia sclerotiorumsoybean infected hypocotyls, were purified in order to characterize the activity of polygalacturonase inhibitor(s) (PGIP(s)) from leek stalk tissue (Allium porrumL.). Three apparently different PGIPs (PGIP-I, PGIP-II and PGIP-III) were purified from the leek tissue. The two more abundant PGIPs (PGIP-I and PGIP-III), although possessing similar pIs of about 6.5, differed in chromatographic behaviour, their molecular mass (39 and 42 kDa, respectively), and specific activity when assayed with the fungal endo-PGs. In addition, PGIP-I was solubilized from tissue homogenate with a low-salt buffer whilst PGIP-III needed a high-salt buffer for extraction (behaving as an ionically wall-bound protein). PGIP-II had very similar properties to PGIP-I, but was extracted using the high-salt buffer. The purified PGIPs and the crude leek extract showed similar inhibition activity patterns against the five fungal endo-PGs. The maximum inhibition activity was observed against the basic endo-PG fromS. sclerotiorum,followed by the acidic endo-PG ofS. sclerotiorumand the endo-PG fromB. aclada.In contrast, no inhibition of endo-PGs fromS. cepivorumandF. moniliformewas observed. Four different concentrations of the five fungal endo-PGs were incubated separately with slices of leek stalk, and the galacturonides released in the incubation mixture were measured. At every level used the endo-PGs ofF. moniliformeandS. cepivorumshowed the maximum activity in uronide releasing. The endo-PGs ofS. sclerotiorum(acidic PG) andB. acladawere active only when high levels were used while the basic endo-PG ofS. sclerotiorumwas not active in combustion with any level of PGIP. These results indicate that a close relationship exists between PGIP activityin vitroand the ability of PGIP to protect leek tissue from endo-PG degradation.     

Radiography and computed tomography of the heart and lower respiratory tract in toco toucans (Ramphastos toco)

This study aimed to evaluate normal features of the heart and lower respiratory tract in toco toucans by means of radiography and helical computed tomography (CT) scanner. Fifteen healthy adult toco toucans (Ramphastos toco), 10 females and 5 males, average body mass of 650 g were studied. CT examination as well as right lateral and ventrodorsal radiographic examinations of the coelomic cavity were performed under chemical restraint. Heart, lungs, air sacs, trachea and syrinx were analysed. The mean values of heart length, heart width and thoracic cavity in radiographs were, respectively, 23.76 mm, 25.94 mm and 48.87 mm. In both X-rays and CT scans, the lung parenchyma had honeycomb-like pattern. The topographic areas of the anterior and posterior air sacs were visualized as dark and air-filled spaces in X-rays. On CT evaluation, the air sacs occupied a larger area in the coelomic cavity compared to X-ray. In the lateral radiographic view, the cervical part of the trachea was positioned more ventrally in the transition from cervical to thoracic regions showing a V-shaped appearance. In all CT planes was visible division of the trachea into the right and left main bronchi at the level of 3rd thoracic vertebra. The syrinx was difficult to visualize in X-rays, but on CT it was easily identified in axial slice. In conclusion, the normal features of toco toucan's heart and lower respiratory tract that were determined on X-rays and CT scans are useful to compare with sick toco toucans, as well as other bird species.     

The Fusarium graminearum Xyr1 transcription factor regulates xylanase expression but is not essential for fungal virulence

The fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum is the causal agent of fusarium head blight in wheat and other small grain cereals. This fungus is known to produce high amounts of cell wall‐degrading enzymes during infection of wheat spikes. In addition, wheat tissue is particularly rich in xylan, which can be hydrolysed by fungal xylanases. In order to establish the role of F. graminearum xylanase activity in pathogenicity, targeted gene disruption of the F. graminearum xyr1 gene, encoding the major regulator of xylanase gene expression, was performed. When grown on xylan as carbon source, the xylanase activity of the Δxyr1 mutant was dramatically reduced and fungal growth was significantly reduced compared to the wildtype fungus. When grown on carboxymethylcellulose, the cellulolytic activity of the mutant was also reduced and the mutant did not grow on wheat cell walls. The disruption of the xyr1 gene greatly reduced the expression of xylanase‐encoding genes both in vitro and during wheat spike infection, thus confirming the involvement of F. graminearum Xyr1 in the regulation of genes controlling xylan degradation. However, despite the deep impact caused by xyr1 gene disruption on the expression of xylanase genes and on total xylanase activity, the virulence of the Δxyr1 mutant appeared unaffected on Triticum aestivum and T. durum spikes and on soybean seedlings. In conclusion, although a possible role for residual xylanase activity in the virulence of F. graminearum cannot be conclusively excluded, the results question the importance of xylanase activity during the infection process.     

Enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. in colonic biopsies of dogs: molecular, histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations

Enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. have been described colonizing the large intestine and liver of healthy and symptomatic subjects and are thought to have a role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The prevalence of enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. infection in dogs is largely unknown and to our knowledge there are no data about their potential pathogenic role. In light of these considerations, the aims of this study were (i) to assess the prevalence of enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. in colonic biopsies of symptomatic pet dogs and (ii) to evaluate a possible association between Helicobacter spp. colonization status (heavily colonized, poorly colonized and uncolonized biopsies) and histological lesions. Colonic biopsies from 27 pet dogs of different ages were evaluated by family Helicobacteraceae and enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. PCR, histology, and immunohistochemistry for the in situ detection of Helicobacter spp. organisms. 85% and 52% of colonic biopsies were positive by Helicobacteraceae and enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. PCR, respectively. Immunohistochemistry revealed Helicobacter spp. were localized both in the superficial mucus (55%) and within intestinal crypts (33%). Dogs with heavy enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. colonization were significantly younger and had a higher level of mucosal fibrosis/atrophy than dogs with uncolonized or poorly colonized biopsies (p<0.05). These findings contribute to widen current knowledge regarding canine enterohepatic Helicobacter spp., suggesting the infection is rather common in dogs and acquired at an early age. Furthermore, heavy colonization of colonic crypts is associated with chronic inflammatory lesions (fibrosis/atrophy), supporting the role of enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. in the development of canine IBD.