[Bronchopneumonia and polyarthritis due to Mycoplasma bovis in a calf]. / Bronchopneumonie und Polyarthritis mit Nachweis von Mycoplasma bovis bei einem Rind.

This case report describes gross lesions and histopathological findings in a 3-months-old calf originating from a feedlot with approximately 400 cattle. In this animal and additional 14 cattle of similar age, which were kept together in the same stable, swollen joints had occurred suddenly. The examination of this calf showed that a severe polyarthritis induced by haematogenous spread of Mycoplasma bovis following bronchopenumonia was present, which was characterised by necrotising lesions of the joint capsules and severe cartilage erosions.

Methyl jasmonate increases reported alkamides and ketoalkene/ynes in Echinacea pallida (Asteraceae).

Methyl jasmonate (MJ), a naturally-occurring plant cellular signal molecule, was found to induce production of lipophilic secondary metabolites in Echinacea pallida seedlings. Seedling aerial parts were sprayed with 100 ppm MJ, and roots were harvested and extracted 24 h later. Lipophilic root extracts, separated by HPLC, revealed significant increases (P< 0.05) in six alkamides or related ketoalkene/ynes produced by 34 day-old plants and in seven compounds produced by 58 day-old plants.

Predicting quantitative phytochemical markers in single Echinacea plants or clones from their DNA fingerprints.

Amplified restricted fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) data analysis was found to be a statistically significant predictor of phytochemical markers in cultivated Echinacea purpurea germplasm and some related wild species. Over 50 accessions grown under greenhouse conditions were subjected to AFLP analysis and the same assessed for content of tetraene and cichoric acid by high pressure liquid chromatography. The first and second canonical correlation of DNA variables and the phytochemical variables were significant. Individual regressions of cichoric acid and dodeca-2E, 4E, 8Z, 10E/Z-tetraenoic acid isobutyl amide predicted by DNA polymorphism analysis against actual HPLC determined values were nearly linear. Mantel's test showed that there was a weak correlation but a strong association of values of the phytochemical variables and the DNA polymorphism data.

Use of polyethylenimine-adenovirus complexes to examine triplex formation in intact cells.

Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) show potential for sequence-specific DNA binding and inhibition of gene expression. We have applied this antigene strategy using a TFO incorporating an Auger-emitting radionucleotide, 125I, to study the production of double-strand breaks (dsb) in the rat aquaporin 5 (rAQP5) cDNA. 125I-TFO bound to the pCMVrAQP5 plasmid in vitro in a dose-dependent manner and formed stable triplexes up to 65 degrees C and in the presence of 140 mM KCl. Further, 125I-TFO resulted in a predictable dsb when analyzed by Southern hybridization. To deliver TFOs to epithelial cells, we employed 125I-TFO-polyethyleneimine-adenovirus (125I-TFO-PEI-Ad) complexes. We hypothesized that these complexes would take advantage of adenoviral characteristics to transfer 125I-TFO to the cell nucleus. Adenovirus-containing complexes brought about greater uptake and nuclear localization of TFOs compared with delivery with 125I-TFO-PEI complexes alone. No significant degradation of 125I-TFO was found after delivery into cells using PEI-Ad complexes and freezing and thawing. We next used PEI-Ad complexes to deliver 125I-TFO and pCMVrAQP5 separately to epithelial cells to determine if triplexes can form de novo within cells, resulting in the specific dsb in the rAQP5 cDNA. After delivery, cell pellets were stored at -80 degrees C for more than 60 days. Thereafter, plasmid DNA was isolated from cells and analyzed for dsb by Southern hybridization. However, none were detected. We conclude that under the experimental conditions employed, effective triplexes, with 125I-TFO and pCMVrAQP5, do not form de novo inside cells.

Light-mediated antifungal activity of Echinacea extracts.

This study demonstrated that plant extracts containing acetylenic isobutylamides and polyacetylenes, previously reported as occurring in Echinacea, have phototoxic antimicrobial activity against fungi, including clinically relevant pathogenic fungi. Results show that hexane extracts of Echinacea variably inhibit growth of yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida shehata, C. kefyr, C. albicans, C. steatulytica and C. tropicalis under near UV irradiation (phototoxicity) and to a lower extent without irradiation (conventional antifungal activity). The presence of polyacetylenes and alkylamides in extracts of different organs was confirmed in Echinacea purpurea by HPLC in agreement with previously reported data in the literature, and was related to phototoxic activity. Two representative pure compounds, undeca-2E,4Z-diene-8,10-diynoic acid isobutylamide and dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10E/Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamide, were isolated from Echinacea purpurea root extracts, and compared in a disk assay (5 micrograms/disk) with the highly conjugated trideca-1-ene-3,5,7,9,10-pentayne (previously isolated in our laboratory and found here in E. purpurea). Significant phototoxicity was demonstrated by pure trideca-1-ene-3,5,7,9,10-pentayne, while only minor phototoxicity was induced by the other two acetylenic compounds. Phototoxic activity of Echinacea spp. is primarily attributed to the ketoalkenes and ketoalkynes abundantly present in the roots.

Sjögren's syndrome: a model for dental care in the 21st century.

The diagnosis and treatment of Sjögren's syndrome, which poses many severe complications, should be of critical interest to dentists, who are often the first practitioners to detect symptoms. Dentistry is an integral part of health care delivery for patients with this condition. Management of Sjögren's syndrome can be seen as a model for the expanded scope of dental care in the future.

A polarized salivary cell monolayer useful for studying transepithelial fluid movement in vitro.

There are no reported, convenient in vitro models for studying polarized functions in salivary epithelial cells. Accordingly, we examined three often-used salivary cell lines for their ability to form a polarized monolayer on permeable, collagen-coated polycarbonate filters. Only the SMIE line, derived from rat submandibular gland, had this ability. The SMIE cell monolayer exhibited junctional complexes, with a tight-junction-associated protein, ZO-1, localized to cell-cell contact areas. The Na+/K+-ATPase alpha1-subunit was detected predominantly in the basolateral membranes, while the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 2 appeared primarily in the apical membranes. Using adenovirus-mediated cDNA transfer, SMIE cells were shown to be capable of routing marker proteins (beta-galactosidase +/- a nuclear targeting signal, alpha1-antitrypsin, aquaporin-1) to appropriate locations. Furthermore, this salivary cell monolayer provided a convenient tool for studying aquaporin-1-mediated, osmotically directed, transepithelial fluid movement in vitro. Thus, SMIE cells appear to be a useful experimental model with which to study some polarized functions in a salivary epithelial cell line.

Etude Ethnopharmacologique traditionnelle de quelques plantes medicinales antihelmintiques de la Republique de Guinee

La situation generale de la Republique de Guinee en tant que milieu d'etude a ete examinee. Les helminthes parasites intestinaux sont representes d'apres un recensement des especes les plus frequentes qui sont au nombre de 7. Le recensement a ete fait a partir des registres d'examen coprologique des hopitaux de Kouroussa; Kankan; Siguiri et Kerouane (quelques prefectures de la province de Kankan; Haute Guinee). Une investigation ethnobotanique a permis d'obtenir une liste synoptique de 89 especes de plantes medicinales qui ont ete ensuite etudiees

Cellular characteristics of long-term cultured rat parotid acinar cells.

We have successfully maintained and biochemically characterized differentiated rat parotid acinar cells cultured for long periods (6 mo.). The cells were cultured on a reconstituted basement membrane matrix in a medium containing a variety of agents that promote cellular proliferation and differentiation. The cultured cells retain the characteristics of the parental parotid acinar cells. They exhibit both secretory granules and abundant cellular organelles required for protein synthesis and secretion. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry demonstrate high levels of proline-rich protein mRNA and protein, and lower levels of amylase mRNA and protein, in their cytoplasm. These findings suggest that rat parotid acinar cells can be maintained in a differentiated state in vitro for long periods, and can serve as a useful model system for studying the regulation of exocrine secretory processes.

Saliva secretion from the rat submandibular gland after retrograde infusion of radiographic contrast media.

Rat submandibular saliva was collected at various times after retrograde infusion of water-soluble (Renografin 60%) or lipid-soluble (Lipiodol UF) radiographic contrast medium. Significant alterations in flow rate occurred following heavy parenchymal filling with both types of contrast media. Occasional changes in protein concentration, lactoperoxidase activity, and K+ levels were also noted. These changes were relatively mild and transient, and gland function had generally returned to normal by one wk after infusion. No alterations in glandular function were detected after infusion of contrast medium to a degree (ductal filling) comparable to that usually employed in clinical sialography.