Pelodera (syn. Rhabditis) strongyloides as a cause of dermatitis – a report of 11 dogs from Finland

Background  

Pelodera (Rhabditis) strongyloides is a small saprophytic nematode that lives in decaying organic matter. On rare occasions, it can invade the mammalian skin, causing a pruritic, erythematous, alopecic and crusting dermatitis on skin sites that come into contact with the ground. Diagnosis of the disease is based on case history (a dog living outdoors on damp straw bedding) with characteristic skin lesions and on the demonstration of typical larvae in skin scrapings or biopsy. Pelodera (rhabditic) dermatitis cases have been reported mainly from Central European countries and the United States.     

Influence of body condition and forage type on prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in grazing beef cows

Aim:  To determine the influence of body condition (BC) and forage type on the prevalence of faecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella from beef cows.
Methods and Results:  Thin or moderately conditioned cows ( n  =   115) were randomly assigned to graze either common bermudagrass ( n  =   3 pastures) or toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue ( n  =   3 pastures) for 62 days. Faecal samples were collected on day 0, 30 and 62. Overall percentage of faecal samples positive for E. coli O157:H7 was 2·6% and 2·0% for Salmonella . Percentage of cows positive for both E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on at least one occasion was 6·1%. BC, forage type or the interaction did not influence the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella in the faeces of cows.
Conclusions:  BC at initiation of the grazing period or loss of BC in moderate conditioned cows during the grazing period did not influence faecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella . Consumption of either forage type did not influence faecal shedding of either E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella in beef cows of thin or moderate BC.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Change in BC that typically occurs during the normal production cycle in grazing cows did not influence faecal shedding of pathogenic bacteria regardless of forage type.     

Cell-cell matrix interactions in induced lung injury. IV. Quantitative alterations in pulmonary fibronectin and laminin following X irradiation

Male LAF/1 mice were locally irradiated at doses of 5, 9, and 13 Gy and compared with untreated and sham-irradiated animals. Lungs were subsequently examined at times of 1, 4, 13, 28, 41, and 63 weeks postirradiation (PI) for alterations in pulmonary fibronectin (Fbn) and laminin (Lam) as a consequence of the irradiation. Thoroughly perfused lungs dissected clear of major airways were homogenized and fractionated by centrifugation into two fractions, soluble (supernate) and insoluble (pellet). Each fraction was analyzed by nonequilibrium competitive enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) for Fbn and Lam normalized to mg protein. The results show a dose-related increase in soluble Fbn demonstrable at 1 week PI and approaching seven times control values by 28 weeks for doses of 13 Gy. Thereafter amounts decrease steadily to 63 weeks. Insoluble Fbn remains at or near control values through 13 weeks, increases in a dose-related fashion almost fivefold by 41 weeks for doses of 13 Gy, and then decreases by 63 weeks. Soluble Lam increased slightly during the duration of the study, returning to normal by 63 weeks. Insoluble Lam shows a dose-dependent increase demonstrable at 4 weeks PI which continues through 63 weeks. Interactions between these alterations in Fbn and Lam and previously reported changes in basal laminar proteoglycans may, in concert with other cellular and extracellular components, relate to the initiation and/or maintenance of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis.     

Bases and spaces: resources on the web for accessing the draft human genome - II - After publication of the draft

The volume of human genome sequence and the variety of web-based tools to access it continue to grow at an impressive rate, but a working knowledge of certain key resources can be sufficient to get the most from your genome. This article provides an update to Genome Biology 2000, 1(4):reviews2001.1-2001.5.