MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND PATHOLOGIC FINDINGS ASSOCIATED WITH NECROTIZING ENCEPHALITIS IN TWO YORKSHIRE TERRIERS

Two young adult Yorkshire terriers had neurologic signs consistent with forebrain and brainstem involvement or forebrain involvement alone. On magnetic resonance imaging studies there were asymmetric bilateral lesions mainly in the cerebral cortex, and in the diencephalon. These areas were hyperintense on T2-weighted and FLAIR images, but hypointense or isointense on T1-weighted images. Lesions had a varying degree of contrast enhancement. Areas which were isointense on T1-weighted images had no contrast enhancement or only foci of contrast enhancement. Lesions with hypointensity in T1-weighted images had no enhancement or more frequently ring-like enhancement around the lesion. Necrotizing encephalitis was confirmed pathohistologically in both dogs. The degree of contrast enhancement appeared to be related to the degree of lymphohistiocytic inflammation on histologic examination.     

Mapping of Split-Line Pattern and Cartilage Thickness of Selected Donor and Recipient Sites for Autologous Osteochondral Transplantation in the Canine Stifle Joint

Objective— To characterize donor and recipient sites for autologous osteochondral transplantation in the canine stifle joint with respect to split-line pattern and cartilage thickness.
Study Design— In vitro study.
Sample Population— Stifle joints (n=30) of dogs >20 kg.
Methods— Collagen network orientation of the hyaline cartilage coverage of the distal femur was assessed using split-line technique (n=10). Cartilage thickness was measured radiographically on osteochondral plugs harvested at the abaxial and axial surfaces of the femoropatellar joint (n=15), the most proximal abaxial aspect of the medial condyle (CO; n=5) and at both femoral condyles (n=15).
Results— Cartilage within the femoropatellar joint and both femoral condyles had mostly transversely orientated pattern of split-lines. Abaxial to the femoropatellar joint split-lines were absent. All donor sites had significantly thinner cartilage than the medial condyle (CM). Only the distal trochlea had cartilage thickness comparable to the lateral condyle (CL). The thinnest cartilage was found abaxial to the femoropatellar joint followed by CO, which was ∼2–3 times thinner than the cartilage at both condyles.
Conclusions— None of the investigated donor sites provided transplants of comparable cartilage thickness to CM. Transplants from within the femoropatellar joint should be harvested in priority as they reach cartilage morphology comparable to CL.
Clinical Relevance— Adjusting for cartilage thickness and split-line pattern may improve long-term outcome after autologous osteochondral transplantation. But surface curvature and donor-site morbidity have to be considered as well when choosing the most suitable donor site.     

Percutaneous Cementoplasty in the Palliative, Multimodal Treatment of Primary Bone Tumors of the Distal Aspect of the Radius in Four Dogs

Objective— To (1) evaluate the analgesic effect of percutaneous cementoplasty (PC) in dogs with primary bone tumor (PBT) of the distal aspect of the radius and (2) evaluate the impact on the course of disease by adding PC to a palliative, multimodal treatment protocol in these dogs.
Study Design— Prospective pilot study.
Animals— Dogs (n=4) with PBT of the distal aspect of the radius.
Methods— Tumor lesions were filled percutaneously with polymethylmethacrylate under fluoroscopic guidance. Pamidronate was administered once in a week before PC. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy were initiated 2 and 6 weeks after PC, respectively. Force plate analysis was performed immediately before 2, and 6 weeks after PC. Survival time was defined from PC to euthanasia.
Results— Two dogs had a significant increase in peak vertical force 2 weeks after PC ( P =.043) and remained free of lameness for 18 and 20 weeks, respectively. One dog had an acute relapse after an initially lame-free period of 10 days. The remaining dog failed to improve ( P =.686). Three dogs developed at least 2 complications including transient worsening of the lameness after PC, cement leakage, wound infection and suspected thromboembolism in combination with cough and anemia. Median survival was 4.8 months (range, 1–5.7 months).
Conclusions— PC in combination with pamidronate significantly improved lameness in 2 dogs; however, PC is not risk-free. Deep wound infection, intraarticular cement leakage, and venous thrombosis were the main complications.
Clinical Relevance— PC might be a useful addition to established palliative, multimodal treatment protocols in dogs with PBT; however, because of the complications encountered PC warrants further study before routine use can be considered.     

An optimized high quality male DNA extraction from spermatophores in open thelycum shrimp species

The crucial step of most of the current genetic studies is the extraction of DNA of sufficient quantity and quality. Several genomic DNA isolation methods have been described to successfully obtain male DNA from shrimp species. However, all current protocols require invasive handling methods with males for DNA isolation. Using Aristeus antennatus as a model we tested a reliable non‐invasive differential DNA extraction method to male DNA isolation from spermatophores attached to female thelycum. The present protocol provides high quality and quantity DNA for polymerase chain reaction amplification and male genotyping. This new approach could be useful to experimental shrimp culture to select sires with relevant genetic patterns for selective breeding programs. More importantly, it can be applied to identify the mating pairs and male structure in wild populations of species as A. antennatus, where males are often difficult to capture. Our method could be also valuable for biological studies on other spermatophore‐using species, such as myriapods, arachnids and insects.     

IR64品种内残余变异的来源和遗传模式

 用SSR标记对个体间表型一致的籼稻IR64（由育种家提供的种子，简称S0）品种内的残余遗传变异的来源以及变异的遗传模式进行了研究。发现第2染色体短臂上存在残余变异，该变异区间包含5个SSR座位，大小约为30 cM。进一步研究显示，变异存在于1989年种质库保存的IR64种子中，而变异的根源为IR64的原始亲本（母本IR5657 33 2为1990年的库存，父本为1979年的库存）。S0中存在的变异均能在亲本中检测到。另外，对S0连续套袋自交后代分析表明残余变异以孟德尔方式稳定遗传。验证了在自花授粉作物中，推广品种内的残余变异源于亲本，对种子纯度鉴定、品种指纹图谱的构建、种质资源的保存具有借鉴意义。     

Immunosorbent electron microscopy and gold label antibody decoration of MLOs from crude preparations of infected plants and vector insects

A simple method is given for immunotrapping, gold labelling and electron microscopy of mycoplasmalike organisms (MLOs) from crude preparations of infected plants or insects, enabling MLOs to be confidently distinguished from host materials in negative stain preparations. The appearance of the MLOs is described. MLOs were trapped from extracts of infected periwinkle plants ( Catharanthus roseus ) and infected vector leaf hoppers ( Macrosteles quadripunctulatus ), using electron microscope grids coated with the F(ab)₂ portion of specific rabbit IgGs. The MLOs were then decorated with the intact igG and labelled with goat anti-rabbit IgG conjugated to gold particles 5 or 15 nm in diameter. Preparations were negatively stained in 0.5% ammonium molybdate or left unstained. The MLOs used were European aster yellows (EAY) from plant and vector, and Australian tomato big bud (TBB) from the plant. Preparation time was 4 h; large numbers of MLOs and MLO fragments could be trapped and identified, and EAY could be confidently distinguished from the serologically unrelated TBB. Morphologically, EAY and TBB were indistinguishable, both presenting spheroidal bodies, tubular forms and apparently budding chains of cocci. Bacilliform virus-like particles were sometimes associated with EAY MLOs, especially those from the vector.