Detailed analysis of mortality rates in the female progeny of 1,001 Holstein bulls allows the discovery of new dominant genetic defects.

Reducing juvenile mortality in cattle is important for both economic and animal welfare reasons. Previous studies have revealed a large variability in mortality rates between breeds and sire progeny groups, with some extreme cases due to dominant mutations causing various syndromes among the descendants of mosaic bulls. The purpose of this study was to monitor sire-family calf mortality within the French and Walloon Holstein populations, and to use this information to detect genetic defects that might have been overlooked by lack of specific symptoms. In a population of heifers born from 1,001 bulls between 2017 and 2020, the average sire-family mortality rates were of 11.8% from birth to 1 year of age and of 4.2, 2.9, 3.1, and 3.2% for the perinatal, postnatal, preweaning, and postweaning subperiods, respectively. After outlining the 5 worst bulls per category, we paid particular attention to the bulls Mo and Pa, because they were half-brothers. Using a battery of approaches, including necropsies, karyotyping, genetic mapping, and whole-genome sequencing, we described 2 new independent genetic defects in their progeny and their molecular etiology. Mo was found to carry a de novo reciprocal translocation between chromosomes BTA26 and BTA29, leading to increased embryonic and juvenile mortality because of aneuploidy. Clinical examination of 2 calves that were monosomic for a large proportion of BTA29, including an orthologous segment deleted in human Jacobsen syndrome, revealed symptoms shared between species. In contrast, Pa was found to be mosaic for a dominant de novo nonsense mutation of GATA 6 binding protein (GATA6), causing severe cardiac malformations. In conclusion, our results highlight the power of monitoring juvenile mortality to identify dominant genetic defects due to de novo mutation events.

Investigation into the Pathology of Idiopathic Systemic Amyloidosis in Four Captive Badgers (Meles meles).

Systemic idiopathic amyloidosis was described in four captive badgers (Meles meles). Two animals (B1 and B2) were not enrolled in any trial, while animals B3 and B4 took part in a vaccine efficacy study and had been challenged with Mycobacterium bovis. A full set of tissues was collected and processed routinely for histopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies. Splenomegaly was found in three out of four animals. Histopathological evaluation revealed congophilic, permanganate-resistant systemic amyloid deposits in the tissues of all badgers. Animals B2 and B4 displayed a marked granulomatous response to amyloid within the spleen. Animals B1 and B2 also displayed clinicopathological findings suggestive of chronic kidney disease. Ultrastructural examination identified peculiar star-shaped arrays of amyloid. Immunohistochemical studies were unrewarding. Systemic amyloidosis should be considered among the differentials of wasting in captive badgers.

First Case of Idiopathic Eosinophilic Meningoencephalitis in a Sheep.

A 1.5-year-old ewe was presented with neurological signs that had been observed from about 2 days prior to death. There had been no clinical response to anti-inflammatory and antibiotic treatment. Histopathological examination of the brain revealed a severe and widespread eosinophilic meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown aetiology. Defining histological features included diffuse angiocentric eosinophilic infiltrates in the neuroparenchyma and meninges, neuronal necrosis, astrocytosis, neuropil vacuolation and occasional glial scars. Differential diagnostics for eosinophilic meningoencephalitis were taken into account and investigated by means of special stains, immunohistochemistry, bacteriology and polymerase chain reaction. No pathological changes or ancillary tests were supportive or revealed a specific aetiology for the condition and therefore it was considered idiopathic. Idiopathic meningoencephalitis is a rare disease, mainly described in man and rarely in dogs, with no apparent aetiological cause or potential breed predisposition. To our knowledge this is the first case of idiopathic eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in a sheep and provides a histopathological guideline for prospective comparative pathology studies.

SERVAL: a new framework for the evaluation of animal health surveillance.

Animal health surveillance programmes may change in response to altering requirements or perceived weaknesses but are seldom subjected to any formal evaluation to ensure that they provide valuable information in an efficient manner. The literature on the evaluation of animal health surveillance systems is sparse, and those that are published may be unstructured and therefore incomplete. To address this gap, we have developed SERVAL, a SuRveillance EVALuation framework, which is novel and aims to be generic and therefore suitable for the evaluation of any animal health surveillance system. The inclusion of socio-economic criteria ensures that economic evaluation is an integral part of this framework. SERVAL was developed with input from a technical workshop of international experts followed by a consultation process involving providers and users of surveillance and evaluation data. It has been applied to a range of case studies encompassing different surveillance and evaluation objectives. Here, we describe the development, structure and application of the SERVAL framework. We discuss users' experiences in applying SERVAL to evaluate animal health surveillance systems in Great Britain.

Abattoir based survey of Salmonella in finishing pigs in the United Kingdom 2006-2007.

All European Union (EU) Member States (MSs) were required to conduct a baseline survey from October 2006 to September 2007 to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella infection in finisher pigs at slaughter. In the United Kingdom (UK), samples for microbiological culture were collected from the ileo-caecal lymph nodes, from carcass swabs and from caecal contents. Meat juice samples were also collected for testing in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MJE) to detect a serological response. Salmonella was isolated from 22% (CI95% 19-25%) of ileo-caecal lymph nodes, 15% (CI95% 12-18%) of carcass swabs and 22% (CI95% 19-26%) of caecal contents. A quarter (25%, CI95% 22-29%) of MJE samples were positive for Salmonella antibodies (cut-off, S/P≥0.25). The most frequently identified serovars were Salmonella typhimurium (57%) and Salmonella derby (26%). The results were used to investigate some factors associated with Salmonella infection in slaughter pigs. The weight of the carcass was significant, with a lower probability of obtaining a positive meat juice result from pigs with a weight greater than 75 kg (p=0.03). The weight of the lymph node sample was significantly associated with Salmonella status, with a heavier sample of lymph nodes being more likely to be positive (OR=2.16 CI95% 1.07-4.39). 'Carcass weight' in two of the classes - 75-79 kg and 80-84 kg - (OR=0.44 CI95% 0.28-0.70; OR=0.64 CI95% 0.49-0.85) and 'fewer-than-1500-pigs' scheduled for slaughter on the day of sampling' (OR=0.41 CI95% 0.24-0.71) were also associated with a reduced risk of isolating Salmonella from lymph node. The model for carcass swabs showed a positive association with 'time-elapsed-since-the-start-of-the-line' indicating a higher risk of contamination as the day progressed (p<0.01). This model also showed positive association between isolation of Salmonella from a carcass swab and the occurrence of Salmonella in caecal contents from the same pig (OR=2.22 CI95% 1.38-3.59) and a negative association with time in singeing units (OR=0.88 CI95% 0.79-0.98).

Gain and loss of multiple functionally related, horizontally transferred genes in the reduced genomes of two microsporidian parasites.

Microsporidia of the genus Encephalitozoon are widespread pathogens of animals that harbor the smallest known nuclear genomes. Complete sequences from Encephalitozoon intestinalis (2.3 Mbp) and Encephalitozoon cuniculi (2.9 Mbp) revealed massive gene losses and reduction of intergenic regions as factors leading to their drastically reduced genome size. However, microsporidian genomes also have gained genes through horizontal gene transfers (HGT), a process that could allow the parasites to exploit their hosts more fully. Here, we describe the complete sequences of two intermediate-sized genomes (2.5 Mbp), from Encephalitozoon hellem and Encephalitozoon romaleae. Overall, the E. hellem and E. romaleae genomes are strikingly similar to those of Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis in both form and content. However, in addition to the expected expansions and contractions of known gene families in subtelomeric regions, both species also were found to harbor a number of protein-coding genes that are not found in any other microsporidian. All these genes are functionally related to the metabolism of folate and purines but appear to have originated by several independent HGT events from different eukaryotic and prokaryotic donors. Surprisingly, the genes are all intact in E. hellem, but in E. romaleae those involved in de novo synthesis of folate are all pseudogenes. Overall, these data suggest that a recent common ancestor of E. hellem and E. romaleae assembled a complete metabolic pathway from multiple independent HGT events and that one descendent already is dispensing with much of this new functionality, highlighting the transient nature of transferred genes.

Evaluation of animal and public health surveillance systems: a systematic review.

Disease surveillance programmes ought to be evaluated regularly to ensure they provide valuable information in an efficient manner. Evaluation of human and animal health surveillance programmes around the world is currently not standardized and therefore inconsistent. The aim of this systematic review was to review surveillance system attributes and the methods used for their assessment, together with the strengths and weaknesses of existing frameworks for evaluating surveillance in animal health, public health and allied disciplines. Information from 99 articles describing the evaluation of 101 surveillance systems was examined. A wide range of approaches for assessing 23 different system attributes was identified although most evaluations addressed only one or two attributes and comprehensive evaluations were uncommon. Surveillance objectives were often not stated in the articles reviewed and so the reasons for choosing certain attributes for assessment were not always apparent. This has the potential to introduce misleading results in surveillance evaluation. Due to the wide range of system attributes that may be assessed, methods should be explored which collapse these down into a small number of grouped characteristics by focusing on the relationships between attributes and their links to the objectives of the surveillance system and the evaluation. A generic and comprehensive evaluation framework could then be developed consisting of a limited number of common attributes together with several sets of secondary attributes which could be selected depending on the disease or range of diseases under surveillance and the purpose of the surveillance. Economic evaluation should be an integral part of the surveillance evaluation process. This would provide a significant benefit to decision-makers who often need to make choices based on limited or diminishing resources.

Bluetongue serotype 8 vaccine coverage in northern and south-eastern England in 2008.

A postal survey of all registered cattle and sheep farmers in East Anglia was carried out from July 2008 to determine bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) vaccine uptake in the region. The vaccine was available to farmers in this region from May 2008. The survey was repeated in Cumbria and Northumberland at the beginning of 2009. In these regions, the vaccine was not available until September 1, 2008. Holding-level vaccine uptake was estimated to be 85 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 83 to 87 per cent, n=1623) in East Anglia and 36 per cent (95 per cent CI 32 to 40 per cent, n=633) in northern England. A telephone follow-up of non-responders reduced these estimates to 79 and 29 per cent in East Anglia and northern England, respectively. In both regions, vaccine coverage was higher in sheep than in cattle, with 92 per cent of sheep in East Anglia having been vaccinated. The proportion of holdings that had applied the vaccine or were intending to apply the vaccine in 2009 in the northern region was 51 per cent (95 per cent CI 47 to 54 per cent, n=664), with a further 37 per cent undecided at the time of response.

Colostral antibody protection and interference with immunity in lambs born from sheep vaccinated with an inactivated Bluetongue serotype 8 vaccine.

Widespread vaccination programmes against Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8), using inactivated vaccines, are being carried out across many countries in northern, western and southern Europe. This study investigates the extent and length of colostral antibody protection, as well as the degree of colostral antibody induced interference of the immune response to BTV-8, in sheep. Significantly lower titres of neutralising antibodies were transferred in colostrum to lambs born from sheep vaccinated once as opposed those vaccinated twice (single vaccine in the first year and a booster vaccine in the second year). On BTV-8 challenge, lambs born from sheep vaccinated on two occasions, with the second booster vaccine given approximately 1 month prior to lambing, were protected from clinical disease for up to 14 weeks. BTV-8 was isolated from 5 of the 22 challenged lambs, although only one of these lambs showed a transient rise in body temperature with no other clinical signs. Lambs born from ewes given a second booster vaccine 1 month prior to lambing, are likely to be protected from clinical disease for at least 14 weeks, whereas lambs born from ewes vaccinated once are likely to be protected for a shorter time. Colostral antibodies present in the 13-14-week-old lambs appeared to interfere with the humoral response to challenge virus. These results suggest that colostral antibodies may interfere with vaccination in lambs up to at least 14 weeks of age.

Seroconversion, neutralising antibodies and protection in bluetongue serotype 8 vaccinated sheep.

Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) has caused a major outbreak of disease in cattle and sheep in several countries across northern and western Europe from 2006 to 2008. In 2008 the European Union instigated a mass-vaccination programme in affected countries using whole virus inactivated vaccines. We evaluated vaccinal responses in sheep and the ability of the vaccine to protect against experimental challenge. Sheep vaccinated 10 months previously under field conditions were challenged with BTV-8. One of 7 vaccinated sheep became infected, as evidenced by detection of viral RNA by real-time RT-PCR and by virus isolation. The remaining 6 sheep appeared fully protected from virus replication. None of the vaccinated sheep showed clinical signs of BTV and there was a good correlation between the presence of neutralising antibodies on challenge and protection. Commercially available ELISAs were evaluated for their ability to detect antibodies in sheep vaccinated on a single occasion. The sandwich (double antigen) ELISA assays were found to be more sensitive at detecting antibodies in vaccinated sheep than the competitive ELISAs.

Alpine skiing, snowboarding, and spinal trauma.

This 10-year retrospective review of spinal injuries at a destination ski resort was done to determine the incidence and type of spinal and neurologic injury associated with alpine winter sports. Spinal injury patterns and outcomes in skiers and snowboarders over a period of 11 seasons at a destination resort were studied. One-fourth of cervical injuries were associated with a temporary neurologic deficit. Only 1 in 25 thoracic injuries had an associated neurologic deficit, and this was permanent. None of the lumbar injuries required surgery, nor were any associated with a neurologic deficit. There was approximately one significant spinal injury every 100,000 skier-days, and only 9% of spinal injuries required surgery. The incidence of death or associated permanent neurologic deficit is low (approximately one per two million skier-days). Skiing and snowboarding have a low incidence of significant spinal trauma.

Functional MRI and its applications to the clinical neurosciences.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an emerging methodology for studying regional brain function in vivo at relatively high spatial and temporal resolution. Because MRI methods are comparatively inexpensive and entirely noninvasive, fMRI has rapidly become one of the most popular approaches for brain mapping in cognitive and systems neuroscience. There has also been great interest in using fMRI to assist in clinical diagnosis and management, with promising demonstrations of feasibility in a number of applications. Both resting and task-specific regional brain activity can be measured, primarily utilizing alterations in regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) as a surrogate marker for neural function. This article reviews the biophysical and physiological bases of fMRI and its applications to the clinical neurosciences, with particular attention to potential challenges of fMRI under pathophysiological conditions. Carefully controlled prospective evaluation of clinical fMRI in its various potential applications will be required for fMRI to be validated as a clinically useful tool. Because the technology for fMRI is widely available, its impact could be substantial.

Translaminar screws in the atlas.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective review of a new surgical technique. OBJECTIVES: To describe a new method of fixation augmentation in posterior C1-C2 spondylodesis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Posterior atlantoaxial spondylodesis using transarticular screws is often supplemented with sublaminar wires to enhance stability. This technique is not possible if the arch of C1 is deficient. A method of stabilizing the segment and the graft was developed, and the early results were reviewed. METHODS: Five patients with a deficient posterior arch of the atlas, who also needed atlantoaxial spondylodesis, were reviewed. In each patient, fixation was augmented with translaminar screws that attached the graft to the arch of C1. RESULTS: In all five patients, solid arthrodesis was achieved, and all had substantial relief of pain. There were no neurologic complications or failures of fixation. CONCLUSIONS: The method of fixation of graft to the atlas using translaminar screws is a safe and reasonable alternative to external halo immobilization or more extensive surgery, such as occiput to C2 fusion.

A meta-analysis of autograft versus allograft in anterior cervical fusion.

We performed a metaanalysis of one- and two-level anterior cervical interbody fusion (ACDF) on data derived from published, peer-reviewed journal articles to determine whether there is a difference in fusion rate, graft complications, or clinical outcome in patients undergoing ACDF according to whether autograft or allograft was used. ACDF is a common procedure for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. Most published studies comparing autograft and allograft have not demonstrated any difference between grafts. The medical literature dating from 1955 was reviewed. Of 395 titles, only four studies comparing autograft with allograft in ACDF were appropriate for this analysis. The data from these studies--310 patients and 379 intervertebral levels were pooled and statistical methods were applied. For both one- and two-level ACDF, autograft demonstrated a higher rate of radiographic union and a lower incidence of graft collapse. It was not possible to ascertain whether autograft is clinically superior to allograft. Although autograft has a higher fusion rate than allograft, clinical results do not depend solely on radiographic results. The risk of graft site morbidity and patient preference should be considered when choosing the type of graft for this operation.

Postoperative neurologic assessment and management of the cardiac surgical patient.

The neurologic evaluation of patients in the immediate postoperative period and postanesthetic state is unique and challenging. Neurologic assessment is complicated by the lingering residual effects of anesthetics as well as by the effects of narcotic analgesics, anxiolytics, and muscle relaxants, especially in ventilated patients. In this review we examine the suspected causes, clinical manifestations, diagnostic options, and intervention schemes for the common neurologic syndromes seen after cardiac operations.

Bear-inflicted human injury and fatality.

This review attempts to summarize credible scientific information, and to dispel myths, regarding bear attacks. Publications in the scientific literature were sought through a Medline search and by reviewing the bibliographies of related books and scientific articles. Personal experience and interviews with authorities were also used in preparation of this review, although only published articles or books are cited. This is a summary of case series reported or observed elsewhere. Bear-inflicted human injury and death is rare. Brown bear attacks tend to be severe and to occur suddenly, without provocation. Black bear attacks usually result in minor injuries and tend to be predacious. Polar bear attacks are exceedingly rare, and the ferocity of polar bears has probably been overemphasized. Bear-inflicted wounds should be treated as major trauma in accordance with advanced trauma life support guidelines. This information may be useful in counseling patients with regard to prevention of injury or death from bear attack.

Cervical fracture in a nordic skier.

Cervical injuries with subtle physical and radiographic signs can occur in any sport, even those that do not usually produce significant musculoskeletal trauma. In this case, a cross-country skier's symptoms-shoulder pain and thumb numbness-were initially thought to represent a shoulder injury. Reflex testing raised the possibility of a cervical spine injury. Radiographs were negative for fracture, but computed tomography revealed a fracture of the C-6 right articular pillar. The patient was placed in a rigid cervical orthosis. After 4 months the patient's symptoms resolved and the fracture healed.

Clinical symptoms of schizophrenia affect reference-independent measures of task-induced EEG alpha asymmetry.

Differential patterns of EEG alpha asymmetry during verbal and spatial cognitive activity are commonly described and are thought to reflect predominance of left- vs. right-sided cortical activation. Although these patterns have been difficult to elicit reliably in schizophrenics, the authors have previously suggested that clinical status may have confounded results. Therefore, EEG data from 17 additional schizophrenic patients, 16 mood disorder patient controls, and 17 normal controls were used to examine the relationship between severity of schizophrenic symptoms and task induced alpha asymmetry. Subjects performed verbal and spatial tasks during recording of 16-channel EEG. After transformation to the average reference, log alpha power from central and temporal leads was analyzed by MANOVA and MANCOVA. The expected task-side interaction (P < 0.02) was present for the total sample and for each control group when analyzed alone. However, it was only present in schizophrenics when the BPRS score was entered as a covariable. Patterns of correlations between BPRS scores, left temporal alpha power, right/left temporal alpha ratios, and task differences in ratios suggested that higher symptom levels were associated with excessive left-sided activation during spatial activity. This is consistent with other evidence of left hemisphere overactivity in schizophrenics.

The susceptibility of parental and hybrid willows to plant enemies under contrasting soil nutrient conditions.

We conducted an experimental study of the effects of nutrient addition on the susceptibility of two species of willows (Salix eriocephala and S. sericea) and their hybrid to a pathogen and several herbivores. We hypothesized that the relative susceptibility of parental and hybrid willows would depend upon soil nutrient availability and vary among plant enemies. Using potted plants in a common garden, we found that S. eriocephala was significantly more susceptible to attack by a fungal rust (Melampsora sp.), a leaf-chewing beetle (Popillia japonica), and a leaf-folding sawfly (Phyllocolpa nigrita) than was S. sericea. Conversely, S. sericea was significantly more susceptible to attack by a spider mite (Tetranychus sp.) and a leaf-mining caterpillar (Phyllocnistis sp.) than was S. eriocephala. Hybrid susceptibility to Melampsora sp. and to Phyllocnistis sp. resembled S. eriocephala's, while hybrid susceptibility to Phyllocolpa nigrita, Tetranychus sp., and Popillia japonica resembled S. sericea's. Susceptibility to a sixth enemy, another leaf-mining caterpillar, Phyllonorycter salicifoliella, did not differ among the parents and hybrid. Susceptibility to herbivores and pathogens increased along a gradient of increasing fertilizer application, and this effect was independent of plant taxon or enemy. The results of our study point to the contrasting influences of a taxonomically and functionally diverse enemy community, reinforce the hybrid dominance model of enemy susceptibility, and demonstrate that physiological stress and enemy susceptibility can be inversely related.