Quinolone resistance in Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli is an important pathogen of animals and humans that causes great financial cost in food production by causing disease in food animals. The quinolones are a class of synthetic antimicrobial agents with excellent activity against Escherichia coli and other Gram-negative bacteria used in human and veterinary medicine. Different quinolones are used to treat various conditions in animals in different parts of the world. All members of this class of drug have the same mode of action: inhibition of topoisomerase enzymes, DNA Gyrase and Topoisomerase IV. Escherichia coli can become resistant to quinolones by altering the target enzymes, reducing permeability of the cell to inhibit their entry, or by actively pumping the drug out of the cell. All these resistance mechanisms can play a role in high-level fluoroquinolone resistance, however target site mutations appear to be most important. As all quinolones act in the same way resistance to one member of the class will also confer decreased susceptibility to all members of the family. Quinolone resistant Escherichia coli in animals have increased in numbers after quinolone introduction in a number of different case studies. The resistance mechanisms in these isolates are the same as those in resistant strains found in humans. Care needs to be taken to ensure that quinolones are used sparingly and appropriately as highly resistant strains of Escherichia coli can be selected and may pass into the food chain. As these drugs are of major therapeutic importance in human medicine, this is a public health concern. More information as to the numbers of quinolone resistant Escherichia coli and the relationship between resistance and quinolone use is needed to allow us to make better informed decisions about when and when not to use quinolones in the treatment of animals.     

Pocono mesic till barrens in retreat: topography,fire and forest contagion effects

The Pocono mesic till barrens (PMTB) are a unique assemblage of fire-maintained shrub communities that support numerous rare species. Historically these barrens covered a large area in the vicinity of Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA. However, due largely to regional fire suppression instituted in the early 1960s, over 70% of the area covered by barrens succeeded to fire-intolerant forest that does not support the rare species. We investigated the influence of forest proximity on barrens succession across three geomorphic types during periods of high fire frequency and fire suppression, testing the hypothesis that forest processes such as seed rain, shading, and detrital enrichment of soils enhances barrens succession through a contagion effect. Evidence of a forest contagion effect should be shown by increased rates of barrens succession with increasing proximity to the nearest forest edge. In order to detect a forest contagion effect, barrens persistence and barrens succession were modeled in proximity zones of 0-50 m, 50-100 m, 100-200 m, and greater than 200 m from the nearest forest edge. We used existing GIS data layers for fire, geomorphology, and vegetation distribution in 1938, 1963, and 1992. The layers were modified and overlain using ArcView software to determine persistence and succession rates for each unique combination of layers in each proximity zone from 1938 to 1963 (pre-fire suppression) and 1963 to 1992 (post-fire suppression). ANCOVA results indicate that proximity to the nearest forest edge significantly affected barrens persistence rates in both time periods, but succession rates were significantly affected in 1938 to 1963 only. Twenty-eight percent of the 1938 barrens succeeded to forest by 1963; 56% of the 1963 barrens became forest by 1992. Results support previous findings that barrens persistence is enhanced by increased fire frequency, and that barrens persist longer where they overlie flat glacial till than on other geomorphology types.     

Effect of allele combinations at Ppd-1 loci on durum wheat grain filling at contrasting latitudes

Flowering time is the most critical developmental stage in wheat, as it determines environmental conditions during grain filling. Thirty-five spring durum genotypes carrying all known allele variants at Ppd-1 loci were evaluated in fully irrigated field experiments for three years at latitudes of 41°N (Spain), 27°N (northern Mexico) and 19°N (southern Mexico). Relationships between weight of central grains of main spikes (W) and thermal time from flowering to maturity were described by a logistic equation. Differences in flowering time between the allele combination causing the earliest (GS100/Ppd-B1a) and the latest (Ppd-A1b/Ppd-B1a) flowering were 7, 20 and 18 days in Spain, northern Mexico and southern Mexico, respectively. Flowering delay drastically reduced the mean grain filling rate (R) and W at all sites. At autumn-sowing sites, an increase of 1°C in mean temperature during the first half of the grain filling period decreased W by 5.2 mg per grain. At these sites, W was strongly dependent on R. At the spring-sowing site (southern Mexico), W depended on both R and grain filling duration. Our results suggest that incorporating the allele combinations GS100/Ppd-B1a and GS105/Ppd-B1a (alleles conferring photoperiod insensitivity) in newly released varieties can reduce the negative effects of climate change on grain filling at the studied latitudes.     

XY male pseudohermaphroditism in a captive Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx).

A 2-yr-old Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) was presented for evaluation of abnormal genitalia and infantile behavior. The oryx had a penis and a scrotum, but testes were not palpable within the scrotum or inguinal canal. The total serum testosterone for the individual was lower than in age-matched males of the same species. Surgical exploration showed markedly hypoplastic intra-abdominal gonads, which demonstrated both testicular and uterine tissue on histologic examination. After karyotype analysis, the individual was classified as an XY male pseudohermaphrodite. This condition resembles two human intersex syndromes: embryonic testicular regression syndrome and partial gonadal dysgenesis syndrome, which occur in familial lines.     

Feeding Larval Red Drum on Microparticulate Diets in a Closed Recirculating Water System1

A feeding protocol was developed for red drum larvae based on combining a commercial microparticulate diet (Kyowa Fry Feed) with live prey (rotifers) in a closed, water reuse system. In five trials, growth and survival were measured on larvae reared on a combination of live and microdiet for 1–5 d and then microdiet alone. Results in each trial were compared to control larvae reared on live rotifers Brachionus plicatilis and brine shrimp nauplii Artemia salinas. The most satisfactory combination was feeding live food and microdiet together for the first five days and then completely discontinuing live prey, eliminating the need to feed brine shrimp to the larvae. Growth rates of larvae fed progressively larger sizes of the microdiet were as good as larvae reared on live prey. Both groups metamorphosed to the juvenile stage at less than one month. Survival rates on the five day live food and microdiet combination were a remarkable 60% from egg to the juvenile stage. The successful weaning of red drum to microdiets paves the way to produce a semipurified diet to test nutrient requirements of larval fish.     

Surgical removal of an intramedullary spinal cord foreign body granuloma in a dog

A 2-year-old, spayed female, mixed-breed dog was presented for evaluation of a progressive asymmetric tetraparesis and cranial nerve deficits with a 3-week duration. Computed tomography showed a contrast-enhancing lesion along the left side of the junction of the medulla and the cervical spinal cord. An exploratory surgery determined the presence of an intramedullary lesion of the first cervical spinal cord segment. The mass was removed through a dorsal midline myelotomy. Microscopic examination identified a foreign body granuloma that contained a dense, anisotropic outer wall, supporting the conclusion that the foreign body was of plant origin. The dog recovered to a more improved ambulatory status than prior to surgery.     

Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of 25% diet restriction on life span of dogs and on markers of aging. DESIGN: Paired feeding study. ANIMALS: 48 Labrador Retrievers. PROCEDURES: Dogs were paired, and 1 dog in each pair was fed 25% less food than its pair-mate from 8 weeks of age until death. Serum biochemical analyses were performed, body condition was scored, and body composition was measured annually until 12 years of age. Age at onset of chronic disease and median (age when 50% of the dogs were deceased) and maximum (age when 90% of the dogs were deceased) life spans were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with control dogs, food-restricted dogs weighed less and had lower body fat content and lower serum triglycerides, triiodothyronine, insulin, and glucose concentrations. Median life span was significantly longer for dogs in which food was restricted. The onset of clinical signs of chronic disease generally was delayed for food-restricted dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that 25% restriction in food intake increased median life span and delayed the onset of signs of chronic disease in these dogs.