Intervention with impact: Reduced isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from dogs following the introduction of antimicrobial prescribing legislation in Germany.

Background: Legislation was introduced in Germany in 2018, requiring bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing before the prescription of fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins to dogs. We hypothesised that, following this intervention, the number of clinical samples testing positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) would reduce.

Methods: Reports of S.

Clinical features, cytology and bacterial culture results in dogs with and without cheilitis and comparison of three sampling techniques.

Background: Cheilitis is a common presentation in dogs associated with a variety of skin diseases and often complicated by microbial infections.

Objectives: To describe and compare clinical and cytological features and bacterial culture results from the lower lips of dogs with cheilitis (as compared to healthy controls), and to evaluate three cytology sampling techniques for their abilities to differentiate between the groups.

Animals: Fifty six dogs with cheilitis and 54 controls.

Reccurent bleeding from Meckel's diverticulum - surgeon's challenge.

The authors of this paper want to share their experience with diagnostic and therapeutic problems in case of chronic small intestinal bleeding from Meckel's diverticulum, which ended with acute episode of massive gastrointestinal bleeding requiring emergent surgery.Despite the progress achieved in diagnosing the sources of gastrointestinal bleeding, the diagnosis of small intestinal bleeding is very frequently beyond the ability of making it right, and thus emergent surgery is often the only possibility of saving the patient's life on the one hand, and allowing stating the correct diagnosis on the other (Fig. 1, Ref.

Rare conditions of gastrointestinal bleeding.

The aim of this paper is to analyze and discuss an infrequent topic, i. e. rare conditions of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Fine mapping of Lvm1: a quantitative trait locus controlling heart size independently of blood pressure.

We have previously reported a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on rat chromosome 2 that influences heart size independently of blood pressure (Left Ventricular Mass Locus 1; Lvm1). The recent release of the rat genome sequence allowed us to retest and refine this relatively broad QTL with a view to identifying within it candidate genes worthy of structural investigation. We sought to achieve this 'fine mapping' by increasing the marker density within the interval and undertaking a linkage analysis in a previously defined population of F2 hybrids generated from inbred spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) of the Okamoto strain and Fischer rat (F344) progenitors.

Sequence analysis of the fibroblast growth factor 2 gene from the spontaneously hypertensive and hypertrophic heart rats.

We have previously reported a quantitative trait locus associated with pressure-independent cardiac hypertrophy in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) of the Okamoto strain. This locus (Lvm1; left ventricular mass locus 1) contains the gene Fgf2 that codes for the potent cardiac growth factor, Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2). Given that FGF2 appears essential for the induction of certain forms of cardiac hypertrophy in the rat, we proposed this gene as a candidate for the cardiac enlargement seen in the SHR.

Genetic map of AFLP markers in the rat (Rattus norvegicus) derived from the H x B/Ipcv and B x H/Cub sets of recombinant inbred strains.

The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique has been used to enhance marker density in a large set of recombinant inbred strains (H x B and B x H) derived from a spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR/OlaIpcv) and a Brown-Norway (BN.lx/Cub) inbred strain. Thirteen different primer combinations were tested and a total of 191 polymorphic bands were detected.

Genetic analysis of metabolic defects in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Abnormalities in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism are common in patients with essential hypertension and in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). To identify chromosome regions contributing to this clustering of cardiovascular risk factors in the SHR, we searched for quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidemia by using the HXB/BXH recombinant inbred (RI) strains. Analysis of variance in RI strains suggested significant effects of genetic factors.

Identification of a mutation in ADD1/SREBP-1 in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

It has recently been proposed that primary mutations in genes involved in fatty acid and lipid metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia often observed in spontaneous forms of hypertension. In the current study in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), we mapped and sequenced the gene encoding a key transcription factor known as ADD1 (adipocyte determination and differentiation factor 1) or SREBP-1c (sterol regulatory element binding protein- c) that has recently been identified as a master regulator of genes involved in the hepatic control of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. We found that (1) the gene for ADD1/SREBP-1c maps to a region of rat Chromosome 10 previously reported to contain a quantitative trait locus involved in the regulation of hepatic cholesterol levels and (2) the SHR harbors a valine-to-methionine substitution in the COOH terminal portion of the ADD1/SREBP-1 protein that is not present in 44 other strains of laboratory rats.

Genetic analysis of cardiovascular risk factor clustering in spontaneous hypertension.

The SHR is the most widely studied animal model of hypertension. In this strain, as in many humans with essential hypertension, increased blood pressure has been reported to cluster with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. However, the genetic mechanisms that mediate this clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular disease or the hypertension "metabolic syndrome" remain poorly understood.

Multiplex-PCR-based differentiation and characterization of Candida-isolates derived from tortoises (Testudinidae).

Candida isolates (n=23) derived from Testudinidae were investigated by multiplex-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The isolates comprised 13 Candida (C.) tropicalis, nine C.

[Cystic testicular anomaly with subsequent stenosis of the small intestine in an emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus L., 1758)].

A case report with emphasis on diagnostic procedures and differential diagnoses is given. The etiology is discussed in comparison to similar malformations in mammals and other reptiles. The literature is reviewed with emphasis on differential diagnostic aspects.

Observations on the significance of diagnostic findings in egg-binding of Psittaciformes.

Clinical examination of 2192 psittacine birds of both sexes revealed a prevalence of 2.74 per cent (60 birds) of egg-binding. Domesticated species easily bred in captivity were the most commonly affected; the prevalence in cockatiels (15.

Comparative studies of diagnostic bacteriological methods for the recovery of Salmonella from faecal samples from flocks of layers.

Several conventional culture procedures were compared for the recovery of Salmonella from faecal samples of layer flocks. The cultural media employed consisted of Rappaport-Vassiliadis and tetrathionate broth for selective enrichment and three different plating media (Brilliant Green, Xylose-Lysine-Desoxycholate and modified semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium). The initial enrichment and plating procedures were repeated in a four-stage secondary enrichment.

Failure to induce formation of proteinase K resistant fibrils in pigeons through experimental infection with paramyxovirus type 1.

Ten racing pigeons were infected experimentally with the paramyxovirus (PMV) type 1 of the pigeon. Within twelve weeks of observation, they were euthanized at different times. Their brains were examined for proteinase K resistant fibrils and histopathologically for spongiform lesions.

Review of the literature and investigations on the prevalence and consequences of yeasts in reptiles.

Ninety-one reptiles were examined for the presence of yeasts by standard protocols and pathohistological methods. Yeasts were isolated from 42 of the animals. Representatives of herbivorous families (Testudinidae and Iguanidae) carried yeasts more often than animals belonging to carnivorous taxa (Boidae and Emydidae).

[Polyostotic hyperostosis in a plum-headed parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala L., 1766].

With emphasis on a case report, the clinical and pathological findings commonly associated with polyostotic hyperostosis as well as its etiology are discussed, and the available literature is reviewed. The diagnostic specifics of the disease are detailed, and a survey of possible differential diagnoses is given.

Evaluation of aminolysis of anilinothiazolinones to phenylthiocarbamoyl amino acid methyl amides as an alternative conversion method in protein sequencing.

The aminolysis of products of sequential degradation of proteins and peptides by methylamine is an alternative method of conversion of the unstable 5-alkyl-2-anilino-4-thiazolinones into the stable methyl amides of N alpha-phenylthiocarbamoyl amino acids. The volatility of methylamine permits use in the gas phase during both manual and automatic sequential degradation. Two procedures were studied: (mode A) aminolysis by methylamine in the sequencer reaction chamber after liberation of the thiazolinones by trifluoroacetic acid and (mode B) aminolysis by methylamine vapors passed through a 1-chlorobutane solution of thiazolinones in the conversion flask of the sequencer.

Isolation, biochemical characterization and crystallization of the p15gag proteinase of myeloblastosis associated virus expressed in E. coli.

1. The p15gag proteinase responsible for the processing of the polyprotein precursor of the myeloblastosis associated virus was obtained by a recombinant technique in an E. coli expression system.

Chicken pepsin and the other avian aspartic proteinases.

The results of studies on chicken pepsinogen and pepsin from the adult animals and from chicken embryos are presented and some of the problems are discussed. A brief summary of other investigations on aspartic and acid proteinases of birds is given and the possible future trends of research in this field are outlined.

Subsite specificity of the proteinase from myeloblastosis associated virus.

The subsite requirements of the aspartic proteinase from the myeloblastosis-associated virus (MAV) for the cleavage of peptide substrates were studied with a series of synthetic peptides of general structure Ala-Thr-P4-P3-P2-P1*Nph-Val-Arg-Lys-Ala. The residues in positions P4, P3, P2 and P1 were varied and the kinetic parameters for the cleavage of substrates in 2.0 M NaCl were spectrophotometrically determined at pH 6.

Specificity studies on retroviral proteinase from myeloblastosis-associated virus.

The specificity of the p15 proteinase of myeloblastosis-associated virus (MAV) was tested with nonviral high molecular weight substrates and with synthetic peptides. Peptides with sequences spanning known cleavage sites in viral polyproteins of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and avian leukemia viruses, as well as in BSA and HSA, were synthesized, and the rate of their cleavage by the MAV proteinase was compared. Synthetic peptides require for successful cleavage at least 4 residues at the N-terminal side and 3 residues at the C-terminal side.

[Pathologic X-ray signs in tuberculosis of ornamental birds and birds of prey].

Tuberculosis is still important as a disease of birds kept as pets and in zoos, and as a zoonosis. In living birds the diagnosis is difficult. In combination with the clinical and laboratory examination, radiology may help to lead to the diagnosis "generalised mycobacterial infection".