Dyserythropoeisis, sideroblasts/siderocytes and hemoglobin crystallization in a dog

Dyserythropoiesis characterized by enhanced intramedullary destruction, pathologic sideroblasts and siderocytes, and hemoglobin crystallization was detected in a female Cocker Spaniel presented for poor exercise tolerance. Examination of peripheral blood revealed intraerythrocytic crystals, granulation of erythrocytes, nucleated erythroid cells, reticulocytosis and marked variation in erythrocyte morphology in the absence of anemia. Bone marrow examination revealed sideroblasts, a low M:E ratio and evidence of enhanced intramedullary destruction of erythroid cells. Electron microscopy of peripheral blood and bone marrow confirmed pathologic mitochondrial iron accumulation in erythroid cells and the presence of intraerythrocytic hemoglobin crystals. A cause for the hematologic changes was not identified. After the animal became clinically normal, siderocytes disappeared from peripheral blood but intraerythrocytic crystals and reticulocytosis persisted.     

Effect of take-all root infections on nitrate uptake in winter wheat

The effect of take-all root lesions on nitrate uptake of wheat was investigated in two experiments under controlled conditions. Plants were supplied with a nutrient solution labelled with ¹⁵N during stem elongation and flowering to assess the distribution of the isotopic tracer in the different plant organs, and particularly in root segments located on both sides of take-all lesions. The ¹⁵N atom percentage excess measured in root segments located below lesions longer than 1 cm was reduced on average by half compared with that in healthy roots and root segments above lesions, reflecting a reduction in nitrogen uptake by these root segments. This reduction probably resulted from the invasion and breakdown of phloem vessels by the fungus hyphae, interrupting energy supply and thus the uptake process. Severely infected plants showed an increase in the uptake rate per unit of efficient root, which appeared to be a compensatory response to reduction of efficient root biomass in order to satisfy shoot nitrogen demand. However, this compensatory response was insufficient to ensure nitrogen accumulation equivalent to that of healthy plants, as reductions in nitrogen accumulated in roots and aerial parts at flowering were up to 56 and 49%, respectively, for plants with more than 50% of the root system below lesions longer than 1 cm.     

Intramedullary Intervertebral Disk Extrusion in a Cat

Intervertebral disk extrusion is rarely reported in the cat. In this case, the clinical, radiologic, and magnetic resonance imaging findings of an acute intramedullary intervertebral disk extrusion in a 5-year-old domestic shorthaired cat are described. Radiographically, there was mineralized disk material within the vertebral canal. On magnetic resonance images, the disk material was found to be within the spinal cord. A linear disk trail extending from the disk space into the spinal cord may be specific for intramedullary disk extrusion.     

Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Solanum lycopersicoides is Dominant in Hybrids with Tomato, and Involves induced Hyphal Death

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease and affects hundreds of plant species, including tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The wild nightshade, Solanum lycopersicoides, is cross compatible with tomato and is more resistant to B. cinerea, thus representing a potential source for crop improvement. Tests involving droplet inoculation of detached leaves and spray inoculation of entire seedlings demonstrated that resistance to B. cinerea varies among S. lycopersicoides accessions, with S. lycopersicoides LA2951 being the most resistant accession tested. Expression of resistance in the intergeneric hybrid (L. esculentum cv. 'VF36' × S. lycopersicoides LA2951) suggested that resistance is at least partially dominant in tomato. A green fluorescent protein-tagged B. cinerea strain was used for confocal microscopic comparison of infection in leaves of S. lycopersicoides and tomato. Even though S. lycopersicoides supported spore germination, there was evidence for hyphal lysis and death 3 days after inoculation, at a time when lesions were expanding on susceptible tomato plants. The reduced frequency of B. cinerea lesion spread on S. lycopersicoides explains why this fungus produced fewer spores in this wild nightshade than in tomato.     

一起山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤的诊断

陕西省某山羊养殖场发生一起山羊鼻内肿瘤病,通过流行病学和临床症状调查、病理剖检、病理切片检查进行初步诊断。其次根据GenBank收录的山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤病毒基因组序列设计1对特异性引物,通过PCR方法从肿瘤组织中扩增获得目的片段并测序。序列比对分析表明,该目的基因和山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤病毒高度相似,最终确定该病为山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤病毒引起的山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤(ENT)。     

A filter-assisted culture method for isolation of Treponema spp. from bovine digital dermatitis and their identification by MALDI-TOF MS

Digital dermatitis (DD) is a major infectious foot disease of cattle worldwide. Some DD stages are associated with lameness, and the disease has significant economic and animal welfare consequences. The pathogenesis of the disease is not yet fully understood, but Treponema spp. have been associated consistently with clinical cases. Isolation of these fastidious bacteria is difficult and cumbersome. We describe an improved method enabling the culturing of the 3 Treponema spp. (T. pedis, T. phagedenis, and T. medium) from bovine foot specimens derived from DD lesions, using a combination of membrane filtering and subsequent growth on selective agar media. The entire procedure from sampling to verification of individual Treponema spp. takes up to 24 d. In addition, we established a MALDI-TOF MS–based identification method to be applied for confirmation of the different Treponema spp. This scheme provides an unambiguous, simple, and straightforward identification procedure for DD-associated Treponema spp.     

Immunogenic properties and mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions in Large White pigs selected for higher peripheral blood immune capacity

Immunogenic properties and mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions were compared between the immunity‐selected Large White line and the non‐selected Large White line. The selected Large White line showed a higher level of pulmonary MPS lesions compared with the non‐selected Large White line. Subsequent to vaccination, the percentage of natural killer cells and T cells (CD3⁺CD4⁺CD8^‐ and CD3⁺CD4^?CD8⁺ T cells) were significantly increased in the non‐selected line but remained unchanged in the immunity‐selected Large White line. Secretion of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine‐specific immunoblogulin G and phagocyte activity in peripheral blood were significantly higher in the immunity‐selected Large White line than in the non‐selected line. Expression of interleukin (IL)‐4 and IL‐6 messenger RNA in hilar lymph nodes was significantly lower in the immunity‐selected Large White line than in the non‐selected line. However, expression of IL‐10 in all immune tissues was significantly higher in the immunity‐selected Large White line. These results suggest that the selection for high immunity was not effective in increasing resistance to MPS lung lesions.     

四种短体线虫的形态和分子生物学鉴定

 采用形态学和分子生物学方法对来自荷兰的藏橐吾和铃兰、泰国的高山榕、缅甸的香蕉等种苗(球)分别鉴定出玻利维亚短体线虫Pratylenchus bolivianus、铃兰短体线虫P. convallariae、咖啡短体线虫P. coffeae和斯佩奇短体线虫 P. speijeri。对这4种线虫的形态特征进行较为详细的描述后,认为头环、口针、侧区、生殖系统和尾形等形态特征是种类鉴定的重要依据;进一步利用引物28S-D2A/28S-D3Br扩增测序得到上述4种线虫的28S rRNA基因D2/D3区序列,序列分析发现玻利维亚短体线虫从欧洲到美洲的不同种群之间的遗传距离变异较小,仅为0~0.007;铃兰短体线虫同一种群不同个体之间的遗传变异较大,为0.006~0.029;咖啡短体线虫不同种群之间的平均遗传距离为0.013;斯佩奇短体线虫不同种群之间的平均遗传距离为0.010;咖啡短体线虫P. coffeae和斯佩奇短体线虫P. speijeri亲缘关系很近,二者种间平均遗传距离仅为0.026。本研究再次证明线虫28S rRNA基因D2/D3区基因序列可作为短体线虫种间鉴定的依据。