Black-pigmented anaerobic bacteria associated with ovine periodontitis

Periodontitis is a polymicrobial infectious disease that causes occlusion change, tooth loss, difficulty in rumination, and premature culling of animals. This study aimed to detect species of the genera Porphyromonas and Prevotella present in the periodontal pocket of sheep with lesions deeper than 5mm (n=14) and in the gingival sulcus of animals considered periodontally healthy (n=20). The presence of microorganisms was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers for Porphyromonas asaccharolytica, Porphyromonas endodontalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Porphyromonas gulae, Prevotella buccae, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella loescheii, Prevotella melaninogenica, Prevotella nigrescens, Prevotella oralis, and Prevotella tannerae. Prevalence and risk analysis were performed using Student's t-test and Spearman's correlation. Among the Prevotella and Porphyromonas species detected in the periodontal lesions of sheep, P. melaninogenica (85.7%), P. buccae (64.3%), P. gingivalis (50%), and P. endodontalis (50%) were most prevalent. P. gingivalis (15%) and P. oralis (10%) prevailed in the gingival sulcus. P. gulae and P. tannerae were not detected in the 34 samples studied. Data evaluation by t-test verified that occurrence of P. asaccharolytica, P. endodontalis, P. gingivalis, P. buccae, P. intermedia, P. melalinogenica, and P. nigrescens correlated with sheep periodontitis. The findings of this study will be an important contribution to research on pathogenesis of sheep periodontitis and development of its control measures

Exploiting scanning surveillance data to inform future strategies for the control of endemic diseases: the example of sheep scab

Scanning surveillance facilitates the monitoring of many endemic diseases of livestock in Great Britain, including sheep scab, an ectoparasitic disease of major welfare and economic burden. There is, however, a drive to improve the cost-effectiveness of animal health surveillance, for example by thoroughly exploiting existing data sources. By analysing the Veterinary Investigation Diagnosis Analysis (VIDA) database, this study aimed to enhance the use of existing scanning surveillance data for sheep scab to identify current trends, highlighting geographical “hotspots” for targeted disease control measures, and identifying a denominator to aid the interpretation of the diagnostic count data. Furthermore, this study collated and assessed the impact of past targeted disease control initiatives using a temporal aberration detection algorithm, the Farrington algorithm, to provide an evidence base towards developing cost-effective disease control strategies. A total of 2,401 positive skin scrapes were recorded from 2003 to 2018. A statistically significant decline in the number of positive skin scrapes diagnosed (p < 0.001) occurred across the study period, and significant clustering was observed in Wales, with a maximum of 47 positive scrapes in Ceredigion in 2007. Scheduled ectoparasite tests was also identified as a potential denominator for the interpretation of positive scrapes by stakeholders. Across the study period, 11 national disease control initiatives occurred: four in Wales, three in England, and four in Scotland. The majority (n = 8) offered free diagnostic testing while the remainder involved knowledge transfer either combined with free testing or skills training and the introduction of the Sheep Scab (Scotland) Order 2010. The Farrington algorithm raised 20 alarms of which 11 occurred within a period of free testing in Wales and one following the introduction of the Sheep Scab (Scotland) Order 2010. In summary, our analysis of the VIDA database has greatly enhanced our knowledge of sheep scab in Great Britain, firstly by identifying areas for targeted action and secondly by offering a framework to measure the impact of future disease control initiatives. Importantly this framework could be applied to inform future strategies for the control of other endemic diseases

Effect of Air Injection Depth on Big-bubble Formation in Lamellar Keratoplasty: an Ex Vivo Study

This study evaluated the effect of air injection depth in the big-bubble (BB) technique, which is used for corneal tissue preparation in lamellar keratoplasty. The BB technique was performed on ex vivo human corneoscleral buttons using a depth-sensing needle, based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging technology. The needle tip, equipped with a miniaturized OCT depth-sensing probe, was inserted for air injection at a specified depth. Inside the corneal tissue, our needle obtained OCT line profiles, from which residual thickness below the needle tip was measured. Subjects were classified into Groups I, II, III, and IV based on injection depths of 75-80%, 80-85%, 85-90%, and > 90% of the full corneal thickness, respectively. Both Type I and II BBs were produced when the mean residual thicknesses of air injection were 109.7 +/- 38.0 mu m and 52.4 +/- 19.2 mu m, respectively. Type II BB (4/5) was dominant in group IV. Bubble burst occurred in 1/16 cases of type I BB and 3/16 cases of type II BB, respectively. Injection depth was an important factor in determining the types of BBs produced. Deeper air injection could facilitate formation of Type II BBs, with an increased risk of bubble bursts

Eye bank issues: II. Preservation techniques: warm versus cold storage

Most of the tissue used for penetrating keratoplasty is issued through eye banks that store the corneoscleral button either in hypothermic storage at 2–6°C or in organ culture at 31–37°C

Chromosome evolution in Cophomantini (Amphibia, Anura, Hylinae)

The hylid tribe Cophomantini is a diverse clade of Neotropical treefrogs composed of the genera Aplastodiscus, Boana, Bokermannohyla, Hyloscirtus, and Myersiohyla. The phylogenetic relationships of Cophomantini have been comprehensively reviewed in the literature, providing a suitable framework for the study of chromosome evolution. Employing different banding techniques, we studied the chromosomes of 25 species of Boana and 3 of Hyloscirtus; thus providing, for the first time, data for Hyloscirtus and for 15 species of Boana. Most species showed karyotypes with 2n = 2x = 24 chromosomes; some species of the B. albopunctata group have 2n = 2x = 22, and H. alytolylax has 2n = 2x = 20. Karyotypes are all bi-armed in most species presented, with the exception of H. larinopygion (FN = 46) and H. alytolylax (FN = 38), with karyotypes that have a single pair of small telocentric chromosomes. In most species of Boana, NORs are observed in a single pair of chromosomes, mostly in the small chromosomes, although in some species of the B. albopunctata, B. pulchella, and B. semilineata groups, this marker occurs on the larger pairs 8, 1, and 7, respectively. In Hyloscirtus, NOR position differs in the three studied species: H. alytolylax (4p), H. palmeri (4q), and H. larinopygion (1p). Heterochromatin is a variable marker that could provide valuable evidence, but it would be necesserary to understand the molecular composition of the C-bands that are observed in different species in order to test its putative homology. In H. alytolylax, a centromeric DAPI+ band was observed on one homologue of chromosome pair 2. The band was present in males but absent in females, providing evidence for an XX/XY sex determining system in this species. We review and discuss the importance of the different chromosome markers (NOR position, C-bands, and DAPI/CMA3 patterns) for their impact on the taxonomy and karyotype evolution in Cophomantini

Effect of Fibrin Glue on the Biomechanical Properties of Human Descemet's Membrane

10.1371/journal.pone.0037456PLoS ONE75