Phenotypic and genetic characterization of Erwinia carotovora from mulberry (Morus spp.)

Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of nine bacterial strains isolated from mulberry ( Morus spp.), which were originally described as Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora (Ecc), were investigated. Based on the results of biochemical tests, these bacterial strains were divided into two different types, type 1 and type 2. Two strains of type 1 were similar to Ecc, whereas seven strains of type 2 were distinct from Ecc. A polyphasic study that included serological assay, specific PCR assay for E. carotovora ssp. atroseptica (Eca), PCR-RFLP of a pectate lyase ( pel ) gene and RAPD-PCR was performed on the type 2 strains, and the data were compared with those of related E. carotovora subspecies. The results of serological and specific PCR assays for Eca showed that the type 2 strains were distinct from Eca. In RFLP analysis of the pel gene using Sau 3AI, the type 2 strains showed a unique RFLP pattern. On the basis of RAPD analysis, similarity of RAPD patterns within the type 2 strains was very high. A unique RAPD fragment was isolated from the type 2 strains and used as a probe for Southern hybridization. This probe hybridized only with PCR products from the type 2 strains. Based on phenotypic, serological and genetic characteristics, the type 2 strains isolated from mulberry may belong to a distinct E. carotovora subspecies other than Eca or Ecc.     

Effects of oral administration of different dosages of carvacrol essential oils on intestinal barrier function in broilers

Essential oils are widely used in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries, and many plant essential oils have shown that they have positive effects on broilers nutrition. This experiment was conducted to study the effects of orally administered different dosages of carvacrol essential oils on intestinal barrier function in broiler chickens. A total of eighty 28‐day‐old (1.28 ± 0.15 kg) ROSS 308 broilers were randomly allocated to four groups of 20 replicates each, with one chicken per replicate per cage, and all were fed with the same diet. Four experimental groups were orally administered 0, 200, 300 or 400 μl carvacrol essential oils at 18:00 hr every day during the 2‐week experimental period. As a result of which, the gene expression of the occludin, claudin‐1, claudin‐5, ZO‐1 and ZO‐2 in intestinal mucosa of small intestine (p < 0.05) and the goblet cell content in small intestine epithelium (p < 0.05) were significantly increased; test subjects with 300 or 400 μl carvacrol essential oils reduced the microbial counts of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli in the intestines (p < 0.05); Essential oils administration also significantly increased activity of the sucrase (p < 0.05) and lactase (p < 0.05) in intestinal mucosa. In conclusion, the carvacrol essential oils have positive effects on growth performance and intestinal barriers function of broilers; those effects may be related to the dosage, as administration of 300 or 400 μl was more effective than that of 200 μl.     

The effects of maxillary nerve block,ethmoidal nerve block and their combination on cardiopulmonary responses to nasal stimulation in anesthetized Beagle dogs

ObjectiveTo describe an approach for ethmoidal nerve block (E_BLOCK) and to compare the effects of a maxillary nerve block (M_BLOCK), E_BLOCK and their combination (M-E_BLOCK) on heart rate (HR), systolic (SAP), mean (MAP), diastolic (DAP) arterial pressures and respiratory rate (f_R) during nasal stimulation in dogs.Study designProspective, blinded, randomized, crossover placebo-controlled study.AnimalsBeagle dogs (five cadavers, nine live dogs), with a median (interquartile range) weight of 10.5 (10.3–11.0) kg.MethodsThe accuracy of iohexol injections (each 1 mL) at the maxillary and ethmoidal foramina in cadavers was evaluated using computed tomography. Then, anesthetized dogs were administered four bilateral treatments separated by 1 week, saline or 2% lidocaine 1 mL per injection: injections of saline at the maxillary and ethmoidal foramina (Control), injections of lidocaine at the maxillary foramina and saline at the ethmoidal foramina (M_BLOCK), injections of saline at the maxillary foramina and lidocaine at the ethmoidal foramina (E_BLOCK) and injections of lidocaine at all foramina (M-E_BLOCK). The ventral nasal meatus was bilaterally stimulated using cotton swabs, and HR, SAP, MAP, DAP and f_R were continuously recorded. Values for each variable were compared before and after stimulation using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Changes in variables among treatments were analyzed using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests (p ≤ 0.05).ResultsComputed tomography revealed iohexol distribution around the openings of the target foramina in all cadavers. In living dogs, HR, SAP, MAP, DAP and f_R significantly increased after stimulation within each treatment (p < 0.03). Physiologic responses were significantly attenuated, but not absent, in the M-E_BLOCK [HR (p = 0.019), SAP, MAP, DAP and f_R (all p ≤ 0.001)] compared with those in the Control.Conclusions and clinical relevanceConcurrent injections of lidocaine at the maxillary and ethmoidal foramina attenuated HR, arterial pressure and f_R responses to nasal stimulation in Beagle dogs.     

Protein and energy concentrations of meat meal and meat and bone meal fed to pigs based on in vitro assays

The objective of this study was to develop equations for estimating ileal digestible crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME) contents of meat meal (MM) and meat and bone meal (MBM) as feed ingredients for pigs based on in vitro assays. Test ingredients were 4 sources of MM and 3 sources of MBM. Ash and CP contents of the ingredients ranged from 3.8% to 33.1% and 46.8% to 82.9% (as-is basis), respectively. In vitro ileal disappearance (IVID) of CP was determined and ileal digestible CP content was calculated by multiplying CP content by IVID of CP. In vitro total tract disappearance (IVTTD) of dry matter (DM) was determined and ME was calculated using gross energy, CP contents, and IVTTD of DM. The IVID of CP and IVTTD of DM ranged from 77.2% to 88.7% and from 82.7% to 92.4%, respectively. Calculated ileal digestible CP and ME contents ranged from 37.8% to 73.5% DM and 2,405 to 3,905 kcal/kg DM, respectively. Ash contents were negatively correlated (P < 0.001) with CP (r = −0.99), in vitro ileal digestible CP (r = −0.97), gross energy (r = −1.00), in vitro digestible energy (r = −0.97), and adjusted ME (r = −0.97). The most fitting equations for ileal digestible CP and adjusted ME were: ileal digestible CP (% DM) = 11.91 − 0.90 × Ash (% DM) + 0.74 × IVID of CP (%) (R² = 0.99) and adjusted ME (kcal/kg DM) = 130.85 − 50.90 × ash (% DM) + 47.06 × IVTTD of DM (%) (R² = 0.99). To validate the accuracy of the prediction equations for ME, mean bias and linear bias were determined using a regression analysis. Calculated ME values of MM and MBM were in a good agreement with data obtained from animal experiments based on a statistically insignificant bias in the models. In conclusion, ME concentrations of MM and MBM as swine feed ingredients can be calculated using ash concentration and in vitro disappearance of dry matter.     

Isolation and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli from national horse racetracks and private horse-riding courses in Korea

Limited information is available regarding horse-associated antimicrobial resistant (AR) Escherichia (E.) coli. This study was designed to evaluate the frequency and characterize the pattern of AR E. coli from healthy horse-associated samples. A total of 143 E. coli (4.6%) were isolated from 3,078 samples collected from three national racetracks and 14 private horse-riding courses in Korea. Thirty of the E. coli isolates (21%) showed antimicrobial resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent, and four of the AR E. coli (13.3%) were defined as multi-drug resistance. Most of the AR E. coli harbored AR genes corresponding to their antimicrobial resistance phenotypes. Four of the AR E. coli carried class 1 integrase gene (intI1), a gene associated with multi-drug resistance. Pulsed-field gel electrophoretic analysis showed no genetic relatedness among AR E. coli isolated from different facilities; however, cross-transmissions between horses or horses and environments were detected in two facilities. Although cross-transmission of AR E. coli in horses and their environments was generally low, our study suggests a risk of transmission of AR bacteria between horses and humans. Further studies are needed to evaluate the risk of possible transmission of horse-associated AR bacteria to human communities through horse riders and horse-care workers.     

Apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients and amino acids in soybean meal,fish meal,spray‐dried plasma protein and fermented soybean meal to weaned pigs

This study sought to determine whether fermentation could increase apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), energy (E) and amino acids (AA) in fermented soybean meal (FSBM) greater than that of soybean meal (SBM) in weaned pigs. Four weaned pigs (10.00 ± 0.30 kg) were surgically equipped with T‐cannulas and randomly followed a 4 × 4 Latin square design of treatments (SBM, FSBM, fish meal and spray‐dried plasma protein). Overall, the fermentation process was able to reduce the amount of anti‐nutritional factors (ANF), including trypsin inhibitors, raffinose and stachyose, in the FSBM diet, which were significantly reduced by 39.4, 92.2, and 92.9%, respectively, as compared to the SBM diet. As a consequence of ANF reduction in FSBM, the AID of DM, N and E as well as AA was significantly greater with FSBM than SBM. Taken all together, the fermentation process improved the nutritional quality of SBM, due to ANF reduction, leading to improvement of digestibility of AA. As such, FSBM can be potentially used as a specialized feed ingredient, especially for young animal diets in an attempt to reduce diet costs.     

Pharmacokinetic study of meropenem in healthy beagle dogs receiving intermittent hemodialysis

Meropenem, a second carbapenem antimicrobial agent with a broad spectrum of activity, is used to treat sepsis and resistant‐bacterial infections in veterinary medicine. The objective of this study was to identify the pharmacokinetics of meropenem in dogs receiving intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) and to determine the proper dosing in renal failure patients receiving IHD. Five healthy beagle dogs were given a single i.v. dose of 24 mg/kg of meropenem and received IHD. The blood flow rate, dialysate flow, and ultrafiltration rate were maintained at 40 mL/min, 300 mL/min, and 40 mL/h, respectively. Blood samples were collected for 24 h from the jugular vein and from the extracorporeal arterial and venous line. Urine samples and dialysate were also collected. The concentrations of meropenem were assayed using HPLC/MS/MS determination. The peak plasma concentration was 116 ± 37 μg/mL at 15 min. The systemic clearance was 347 ± 117 mL/h/kg, and the steady‐state volume of distribution was 223 ± 67 mL/kg. Dialysis clearance was 71.1 ± 34.3 mL/h/kg, and the extraction ratio by hemodialysis was 0.455 ± 0.150. The half‐life (T_1/2) in dogs with IHD decreased compared with those without IHD, and the reduction in T_1/2 was greater in renal failure patients than in normal patients. Sixty‐nine percent and 21% of the administered drug were recovered by urine and dialysate in the unchanged form, respectively. In conclusion, additional dosing of 24 mg/kg of meropenem after dialysis could be necessary according to the residual renal function of the patient based on the simulated data.     

Comparison of the rebound tonometer (TonoVet) with the applanation tonometer (TonoPen XL) in normal Eurasian Eagle owls (Bubo bubo)

OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility and accuracy of a handheld rebound tonometer, TonoVet, and to compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) readings of the TonoVet with those of an applanation tonometer, TonoPen XL, in normal Eurasian Eagle owls. ANIMALS STUDIED: Ten clinically normal Eurasian Eagle owls (20 eyes). PROCEDURES: Complete ocular examinations, using slit-lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy, were conducted on each raptor. The IOP was measured bilaterally using a rebound tonometer followed by a topical anesthetic agent after 1 min. The TonoPen XL tonometer was applied in both eyes 30 s following topical anesthesia. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD IOP obtained by rebound tonometer was 10.45 +/- 1.64 mmHg (range 7-14 mmHg), and by applanation tonometer was 9.35 +/- 1.81 mmHg (range 6-12 mmHg). There was a significant difference (P = 0.001) in the IOP obtained from both tonometers. The linear regression equation describing the relationship between both devices was y = 0.669x + 4.194 (x = TonoPen XL and y = TonoVet). The determination coefficient (r(2)) was r(2) = 0.550. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that readings from the rebound tonometer significantly overestimated those from the applanation tonometer and that the rebound tonometer was tolerated well because of the rapid and minimal stress-inducing method of tonometry in the Eurasian Eagle owls, even without topical anesthesia. Further studies comparing TonoVet with manometric measurements may be necessary to employ rebound tonometer for routine clinical use in Eurasian Eagle owls.