Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nerve Transfer For Restoration Of Lower Motor Neuron-Lesioned Bladder, Urethral, And Anal Sphincter Function In A Dog Model. Part 3. Nicotinic Receptor Characterization, Nagat Frara, Mary F. Barbe, Dania Giaddui, Danielle S. Porreca, Alan S. Braverman, Ekta Tiwari, Attia Ahmad, Justin M. Brown, Benjamin R. Johnston, Stanley F. Bazarek, Michael R. Ruggieri

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Very little is known about the physiological role of nicotinic receptors in canine bladders, although functional nicotinic receptors have been reported in bladders of many species. Utilizing in vitro methods, we evaluated nicotinic receptors mediating bladder function in dogs: control (9 female and 11 male normal controls, 5 sham operated), Decentralized (9 females, decentralized 6–21 mo), and obturator-to-pelvic nerve transfer reinnervated (ObNT-Reinn; 9 females; decentralized 9–13 mo, then reinnervated with 8–12 mo recovery). Muscle strips were collected, mucosa-denuded, and mounted in muscle baths before incubation with neurotransmitter antagonists, and contractions to the nicotinic receptor agonist epibatidine were determined. Strip response …

Parasite Dynamics In Untreated Horses Through One Calendar Year, Ashley E. Steuer, Haley P. Anderson, Taylor Shepherd, Morgan Clark, Jessica A. Scare, Holli S. Gravatte, Martin K. Nielsen

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Horses are host to a plethora of parasites. Knowledge of the seasonality of parasite egg shedding and transmission is important for constructing parasite control programs. However, studies describing these patterns are sparse, and have largely been conducted only in the United Kingdom. This study evaluated strongylid egg shedding patterns and transmission dynamics of Strongylus vulgaris in naturally infected and untreated mares and foals through one calendar year in Kentucky, USA. The study also investigated the existence of a peri-parturient rise (PPR) in strongylid egg counts in foaling mares and collected information about Strongyloides westeri and Parascaris spp. in the …

Advances In Gene Ontology Utilization Improve Statistical Power Of Annotation Enrichment, Eugene Waverly Hinderer Iii, Robert M. Flight, Rashmi Dubey, James N. Macleod, Hunter N. B. Moseley

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Gene-annotation enrichment is a common method for utilizing ontology-based annotations in gene and gene-product centric knowledgebases. Effective utilization of these annotations requires inferring semantic linkages by tracing paths through edges in the ontological graph, referred to as relations. However, some relations are semantically problematic with respect to scope, necessitating their omission or modification lest erroneous term mappings occur. To address these issues, we created the Gene Ontology Categorization Suite, or GOcats—a novel tool that organizes the Gene Ontology into subgraphs representing user-defined concepts, while ensuring that all appropriate relations are congruent with respect to scoping semantics. Here, we demonstrate the …

Serological Proteomic Screening And Evaluation Of A Recombinant Egg Antigen For The Diagnosis Of Low-Intensity Schistosoma Mansoni Infections In Endemic Area In Brazil, Vanessa Silva-Moraes, Lisa Marie Shollenberger, William Castro-Borges, Ana Lucia Teles Rabello, Donald A. Harn, Lia Carolina Soares Medeiros, Wander De Jesus Jeremias, Liliane Maria Vidal Siqueira, Caroline Stephane Salviano Pereira, Maria Luysa Camargos Pedrosa, Nathalie Bonatti Franco Almeida, Aureo Almeida, Jose Roberto Lambertucci, Nidia Francisca De Figueiredo Carneiro, Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho, Refaella Fortini Queiroz Grenfell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Despite decades of use of control programs, schistosomiasis remains a global public health problem. To further reduce prevalence and intensity of infection, or to achieve the goal of elimination in low-endemic areas, there needs to be better diagnostic tools to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas in Brazil. The rationale for development of new diagnostic tools is that the current standard test Kato-Katz (KK) is not sensitive enough to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas. In order to develop new diagnostic tools, we employed a proteomics approach to identify biomarkers associated with schistosome-specific immune responses in hopes of developing …

An Epidemiologic Study Of Antimicrobial Resistance Of Staphylococcus Species Isolated From Equine Samples Submitted To A Diagnostic Laboratory, Ronita Adams, Jackie Smith, Stephan Locke, Erica Phillips, Erdal Erol, Craig N. Carter, Agricola Odoi

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background

Antimicrobial resistance limits traditional treatment options and increases costs. It is therefore important to estimate the magnitude of the problem so as to provide empirical data to guide control efforts. The aim of this study was to investigate the burden and patterns of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among equine Staphylococcus samples submitted to the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UKVDL) from 1993 to 2009. Retrospective data of 1711 equine Staphylococcus samples submitted to the UKVDL during the time period 1993 to 2009 were included in the study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, that included 16 drugs, were performed using cultures followed …

Seroepidemiology Of Sarcocystis Neurona And Neospora Hughesi Infections In Domestic Donkeys (Equus Asinus) In Durango, Mexico, Cosme Alvarado-Esquivel, Daniel K. Howe, Michelle R. Yeargan, Domingo Alvarado-Esquivel, José Alfredo Zamarripa-Barboza, Jitender P. Dubey

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

There is currently no information regarding Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi infections in donkeys in Mexico. Here, we determined the presence of antibodies against S. neurona and N. hughesi in donkeys in the northern Mexican state of Durango. Serum samples of 239 domestic donkeys (Equus asinus) were assayed for S. neurona and N. hughesi antibodies using home-made enzyme-linked immunoassays; six (2.5%) of the 239 donkeys tested seropositive for S. neurona. The seroprevalence of S. neurona infection was comparable among donkeys regardless of their origin, health status, or sex. Multivariate analysis showed that seropositivity to S. neurona was …

A Serosurvey Of Selected Cystogenic Coccidia In Spanish Equids: First Detection Of Anti-Besnoitia Spp. Specific Antibodies In Europe, Daniel Gutiérrez-Expósito, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Daniel K. Howe, Antonio Arenas-Montes, Michelle R. Yeargan, Sallyanne L. Ness, Luis M Ortega-Mora, G. Álvarez-García

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background: Equine besnoitiosis, caused by Besnoitia bennetti, and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), caused by Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi are relevant equine diseases in the Americas that have been scarcely studied in Europe. Thus, a serosurvey of these cystogenic coccidia was carried out in Southern Spain. A cross-sectional study was performed and serum samples from horses (n = 553), donkeys (n = 85) and mules (n = 83) were included. An in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to identify a Besnoitia spp. infection and positive results were confirmed by an a posteriori western blot. For Neospora …

Evaluation Of Circulating Mirnas During Late Pregnancy In The Mare, Shavahn C. Loux, Kirsten E. Scoggin, Jason E. Bruemmer, Igor F. Canisso, Mats H. T. Troedsson, Edward L. Squires, Barry A. Ball

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs which are produced throughout the body. Individual tissues tend to have a specific expression profile and excrete many of these miRNAs into circulation. These circulating miRNAs may be diagnostically valuable biomarkers for assessing the presence of disease while minimizing invasive testing. In women, numerous circulating miRNAs have been identified which change significantly during pregnancy-related complications (e.g. chorioamnionitis, eclampsia, recurrent pregnancy loss); however, no prior work has been done in this area in the horse. To identify pregnancy-specific miRNAs, we collected serial whole blood samples in pregnant mares at 8, 9, 10 m of gestation …

Effect Of Dietary Starch Source And Concentration On Equine Fecal Microbiota, Brittany E. Harlow, Laurie M. Lawrence, Susan H. Hayes, Andrea Crum, Michael D. Flythe

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Starch from corn is less susceptible to equine small intestinal digestion than starch from oats, and starch that reaches the hindgut can be utilized by the microbiota. The objective of the current study was to examine the effects of starch source on equine fecal microbiota. Thirty horses were assigned to treatments: control (hay only), HC (high corn), HO (high oats), LC (low corn), LO (low oats), and LW (low pelleted wheat middlings). Horses received an all-forage diet (2 wk; d -14 to d -1) before the treatment diets (2 wk; d 1 to 14). Starch was introduced gradually so that …

Recurrent Streptococcus Equi Subsp. Zooepidemicus Bacteremia In An Infant, Joshua R. Watson, Amy Leber, Sridhar Velineni, John F. Timoney, Monica I. Ardura

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

We describe a case of an infant with recurrent bacteremia caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus, likely transmitted from mother to infant. Our case highlights the importance of an epidemiological history and molecular diagnostics in ascertaining insights into transmission, pathogenesis, and optimal management.

The Distribution Pattern Of Halicephalobus Gingivalis In A Horse Is Suggestive Of A Haematogenous Spread Of The Nematode, Christina Henneke, Anna Jespersen, Stine Jacobsen, Martin K. Nielsen, Fintan Mcevoy, Henrik E. Jensen

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The majority of Halicephalobus gingivalis-infections in horses have been fatal and are usually not diagnosed before necropsy. Therefore, knowledge about the nematode and the pathogenesis of infection in horses is limited. This has resulted in an on-going discussion about the port of entry and subsequent dissemination of H. gingivalis within the host. The present case of H. gingivalis-infection in a horse was diagnosed ante mortem. Post mortem findings, the distribution pattern of H. gingivalis nematodes in the brain, a high prevalence of inflammation in close relation to blood vessels, and the presence of the nematode in multiple organs …

Svsxp: A Strongylus Vulgaris Antigen With Potential For Prepatent Diagnosis, Ulla V. Andersen, Daniel K. Howe, Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam, Nils Toft, Craig R. Reinemeyer, Eugene T. Lyons, Susanne N. Olsen, Jesper Monrad, Peter Nejsum, Martin K. Nielsen

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Strongyle parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses. Strongylus vulgaris, the most pathogenic of the large strongyles, is known for its extensive migration in the mesenteric arterial system. The lifecycle of S. vulgaris is characterised by a long prepatent period where the migrating larvae are virtually undetectable as there currently is no test available for diagnosing prepatent S. vulgaris infection. Presence of S. vulgaris larvae in the arterial system causes endarteritis and thrombosis with a risk of non-strangulating intestinal infarctions. Emergence of anthelmintic resistance among cyathostomins has led to recommendations of reduced treatment intensity by targeting horses that exceed a …

Inflammatory Responses To Induced Infectious Endometritis In Mares Resistant Or Susceptible To Persistent Endometritis, Mette Christoffersen, Elizabeth Woodward, Anders M. Bojesen, Stine Jacobsen, Morten R. Petersen, Mats H. T. Troedsson, Henrik Lehn-Jensen

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to evaluate the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, IL-1 receptor antagonist [ra] and serum amyloid A (SAA) in endometrial tissue and circulating leukocytes in response to uterine inoculation of 105 colony forming units (CFU) Escherichia coli in mares. Before inoculation, mares were classified as resistant or susceptible to persistent endometritis based on their uterine inflammatory response to infusion of 109 killed spermatozoa and histological assessment of the endometrial quality. Endometrial biopsies were obtained 3, 12, 24 and 72 hours (h) after bacterial inoculation and …

Missense Mutation In Exon 2 Of Slc36a1 Responsible For Champagne Dilution In Horses, Deborah Cook, Samantha Brooks, Rebecca Bellone, Ernest Bailey

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Champagne coat color in horses is controlled by a single, autosomal-dominant gene (CH). The phenotype produced by this gene is valued by many horse breeders, but can be difficult to distinguish from the effect produced by the Cream coat color dilution gene (CR). Three sires and their families segregating for CH were tested by genome scanning with microsatellite markers. The CH gene was mapped within a 6 cM region on horse chromosome 14 (LOD = 11.74 for theta = 0.00). Four candidate genes were identified within the region, namely SPARC [Secreted protein, acidic, cysteine-rich (osteonectin)], SLC36A1 (Solute Carrier 36 family …

A Missense Mutation In Pmel17 Is Associated With The Silver Coat Color In The Horse, Emma Brunberg, Leif Andersson, Gus Cothran, Kaj Sandberg, Sofia Mikko, Gabriella Lindgren

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The Silver coat color, also called Silver dapple, in the horse is characterized by dilution of the black pigment in the hair. This phenotype shows an autosomal dominant inheritance. The effect of the mutation is most visible in the long hairs of the mane and tail, which are diluted to a mixture of white and gray hairs. Herein we describe the identification of the responsible gene and a missense mutation associated with the Silver phenotype.

RESULTS: Segregation data on the Silver locus (Z) were obtained within one half-sib family that consisted of a heterozygous Silver colored stallion with 34 …

The Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome And The Eastern Tent Caterpillar: A Toxicokinetic/Statistical Analysis With Clinical, Epidemiologic, And Mechanistic Implications, Manu Sebastian, Marie G. Gantz, Thomas Tobin, J. Daniel Harkins, Jeffrey M. Bosken, Charlie Hughes, Lenn R. Harrison, William V. Bernard, Dana L. Richter, Terrence D. Fitzgerald

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

During 2001, central Kentucky experienced acute transient epidemics of early and late fetal losses, pericarditis, and unilateral endophthalmitis, collectively referred to as mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). A toxicokinetic/statistical analysis of experimental and field MRLS data was conducted using accelerated failure time (AFT) analysis of abortions following administration of Eastern tent caterpillars (ETCs; 100 or 50 g/day or 100 g of irradiated caterpillars/day) to late-term pregnant mares. In addition, 2001 late-term fetal loss field data were used in the analysis. Experimental data were fitted by AFT analysis at a high (P < .0001) significance. Times to first abortion (“lag time”) and abortion rates were dose dependent. Lag times decreased and abortion rates increased exponentially with dose. Calculated dose × response data curves allow interpretation of abortion data in terms of “intubated ETC equivalents.” Analysis suggested that field exposure to ETCs in 2001 in central Kentucky commenced on approximately April 27, was initially equivalent to approximately 5 g of intubated ETCs/day, and increased to approximately 30 g/day at the outbreak peak. This analysis accounts for many aspects of the epidemiology, clinical presentations, and manifestations of MRLS. It allows quantitative interpretation of experimental and field MRLS data and has implications for the basic mechanisms underlying MRLS. The results support suggestions that MRLS is caused by exposure to or ingestion of ETCs. The results also show that high levels of ETC exposure produce intense, focused outbreaks of MRLS, closely linked in time and place to dispersing ETCs, as occurred in central Kentucky in 2001. With less intense exposure, lag time is longer and abortions tend to spread out over time and may occur out of phase with ETC exposure, obscuring both diagnosis of this syndrome and the role of the caterpillars.

Biochemical And Mutational Analysis Of The Histidine Residues Of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A., M Hoffman, M Tremaine, J Mansfield, M Betley

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The goal of this study was to examine the role of histidine residues in the biological activities of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). Carboxymethylated SEA was unable to stimulate murine T-cell proliferation but was resistant to monkey stomach lavage fluid degradation, suggesting that native conformation was intact. Site-directed mutagenesis of the histidine residues of SEA was subsequently performed. SEA-H44A (SEA with histidine 44 replaced with alanine), SEA-H44D, SEA-H50A, SEA-H50D, SEA-H114A, SEA-H114D, SEA-H187A, and SEA-H187D retained superantigen and emetic activities, whereas SEA-H225A and SEA-H225D were defective in the ability to stimulate T-cell proliferation. These mutants were unable to compete with SEA for …