Expression of Orexin A and its Receptor 1 in the Epididymis of the South American Camelid Alpaca (Vicugna pacos)

Orexins A (ox A) and B are two peptides originally discovered in neurons of rat hypothalamus, and later found in different cellular types of the gastrointestinal and genital tracts. They arise from the proteolytic cleavage of a common precursor molecule, prepro‐orexin, and bind to two receptors, namely receptor 1 (ox1r) and receptor 2 for orexins, that show different binding affinity. The central role of the two peptides has been extensively studied, whereas their activity in the periphery is still poorly known. Here, we investigated the presence of ox A and ox1r in the epididymis of a South American camelid species, the alpaca, by immunohistochemistry, and we also assessed the expression of prepro‐orexin and ox1r in tissue extracts by Western blotting analysis. Ox A‐ and ox1r‐immunoreactivity was found in the cytoplasm of principal cells of the caput epididymis. A prevalent supranuclear localization of granular‐shaped positive material was observed. No positivity was present in the other cytotypes of epididymis. The expression of two peptides with molecular weight corresponding to those of prepro‐orexin and ox1r, respectively, was detected in the tissue extracts from the organ.     

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.     

Fishing for conservation of freshwater tropical fishes in the Anthropocene

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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 -     

In Vitro Mechanical Evaluation of a Novel Pin–Sleeve System for External Fixation of Distal Limb Fractures in Horses: A Proof of Concept Study

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a novel pin–sleeve cast (PSC) system for external fixation of distal limb fractures in horses and to compare it with the transfixation pin cast (TPC) system. Study Design: Experimental. Sample Population: One bone substitute each was used for the TPC and PSC systems. The PSC was tested in 4 configurations characterized by different pin preloads. Methods: Specimens were loaded in axial compression in the elastic range. Variables compared statistically were: bone substitute axial displacement and axial strain measured above implants with strain gauges. Pin preload was correlated with the variables investigated. Load to failure and a fatigue tests supplemented the investigation. Results: The PSC configuration with the highest pin preload showed a significantly lower axial displacement compared with the TPC. No significant differences were observed between all other PSC configurations and the TPC. All PSC systems had a significant decrease in recorded strain compared with the TPC system. Pin axial preload inversely correlated with axial displacement but had no effect on axial strain. In the failure test, the PSC encountered plastic deformation earlier than the TPC. In the fatigue test, the PSC ran >200,000 cycles. Conclusions: Preliminary in vitro tests showed that the PSC system significantly reduced peri‐implant strain while concurrently having comparable axial displacement to the TPC system. Clinical Relevance: The PSC system has the potential to reduce the risk of pin loosening in horses.     

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.     

Specific Oligonucleotide Primers for the Rapid Identification and Detection of the Agent of Tomato Pith Necrosis, Pseudomonas corrugata, by PCR Amplification: Evidence for two Distinct Genomic Groups

Unique DNA bands from strains representative of two groups of Pseudomonas corrugata, as shown by amplification of their genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction using short random sequence oligonucleotide primers (RAPD-PCR), were isolated, cloned and sequenced. Two pairs of specific primer sequences, based on the ends of the cloned unique DNA bands from strains IPVCT10.3 and IPVCT8.1, were used in multiplex PCR with a range of P. corrugata strains. All strains produced one of the two specific bands, 1100bp (from the IPVCT10.3-based primers) and 600bp (from the IPVCT8.1-based primers), representing groups designated I and II, respectively. The primers were also tested on a wider range of Pseudomonas species, including the closely-related fluorescent Pseudomonas genomospecies FP1, FP2 and FP3: none of these bacteria produced any bands following amplification by PCR with these primers. The primer sets detected P. corrugata in tomato pith necrosis-infected plants providing a useful tool for rapid identification and epidemiological studies.