Biotechnology initiative to achieve plant pest and disease resistance

Biotechnology applications are primarily proprietary, with 70% of the annual global research expenditures of US$11 × 10⁹ being in the private sector. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) addresses this challenge by building a new partnership of three donor groups (bilateral/multilateral agencies, private philanthropic foundations, and private companies) to support a not-for-profit institution within existing centres of excellence (Cornell University in North America, John Innes Centre in Europe, Technova in the Asian Pacific Rim, and three additional locations to be established in developing countries). Brokered projects involve only near-term technologies with a high probability of success, using tissue culture/micropropagation, disease diagnostics and transgenic plants. The main targets for transgenic plants are coat protein-mediated protection for non-conventional virus resistance (NCVR) and insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); both NCVR and Bt can contribute to integrated pest management strategies using reduced inputs for chemical control of insects. Four ISAAA projects demonstrate the potential of NCVR and Bt in developing countries: (1) potato resistant to potato viruses X and Y with Mexico/Monsanto/Rockefeller Foundation, (2) melon resistant to cucumber mosaic virus with Costa Rica/Asgrow Seed/USAID and the ISAAA Fellowship Program, (3) papaya resistant to papaya ringspot virus with Brazil and other countries/Cornell University/Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA), and (4) cotton resistant to Lepidoptera with Brazil/EMBRAPA. Although over 1000 field trials of transgenic plants have taken place worldwide, those experiments have been mostly small scale and do not provide sufficient data to assess either the durability of resistance achieved with genetic engineering or conclusive public acceptance of this technology. However, resistance management modelling is speculative and can not decisively indicate a deployment strategy in the absence of continued monitoring and experimentation. ISAAA's projects should allow opportunities for assessment of resistance management practices for applied plant biotechnology to control agricultural pests under diverse production systems.     

Protothecosis in two cats

Protothecosis was diagnosed in 2 cats from Florida with nodular skin lesions. Microscopically, lesions were composed of macrophages and multinucleated giant cells arranged in solid sheets in the dermis and subcutis. In both cats, characteristic algal endospores identified as Prototheca wickerhamii were observed within the cytoplasm of infiltrating cells.     

Development of small-cell osteogenic sarcoma after ulnar ostectomy in a dog

A 5-year-old male Saint Bernard was evaluated for vague forelimb lameness. Four and a half years earlier, the dog had undergone left ulnar ostectomy to correct a valgus deformity. Focal bone lysis was evident radiographically at the ostectomy site. Four months later, marked bony swelling was apparent and the dog was bearing partial weight. The dog was euthanatized, and at necropsy, a bone tumor with lung metastasis was found. Microscopically, features of the tumor were compatible with those of small-cell osteogenic sarcoma.     

Measurement of cardiac output by transesophageal Doppler ultrasonography in anesthetized dogs: comparison with thermodilution

Thermodilution (TD) is the standard method for cardiac output (CO) monitoring in human medicine. Although called the ‘gold standard’, TD is related to numerous complications and data misinterpretations. Recently, a noninvasive, continuous, ultrasound‐based technique for CO measurement has been developed (Hemosonic 100, Arrow Intl). This study compared transesophageal Doppler ultrasonography (TED) for measuring CO with TD in anesthetized dogs. In this study, ten dogs were used to simultaneously measure CO by TED and TD. All dogs were pre‐medicated with acepromazine at 0.1 mg kg^?1 IM, induced with thiopental at 10 mg kg^?1 IV, and maintained on isoflurane at end‐tidal concentrations of 1.3%. Baseline and four different levels of CO were used for comparison. Low CO levels were induced by caudal vena cava occlusion. High CO levels were induced by the constant IV infusion of dopamine, dobutamine, or norepinephrine. Each level of CO allowed one comparison between TED and TD. Forty‐nine paired comparisons of CO were determined ranging from 0.73 to 10.9 L minute^?1. Simple linear regression was used to determine the correlation between the two techniques. Correlation coefficient (r²) was 0.53. Bland and Altman statistical method was used for assessing agreement between the two methods. The difference between the TD and TED when all data were included was 0.82 (bias) ± 1.63 L minute^?1 (mean ± SD). At low CO levels (baseline and caudal vena cava occlusion), the correlation coefficient was 0.77, bias was 0.35 ± 0.64 L minute^?1. At high CO levels (dopamine, dobutamine, or norepinephrine), the correlation coefficient was 0.39. It was concluded that TED was not a reliable monitoring method in determining CO when positive inotropes were used. TED might have importance in situations of low CO values; however, further investigation is warranted.     

Complex dynamics may limit prediction in marine fisheries

Complex nonlinear dynamics in marine fisheries create challenges for prediction and management, yet the extent to which they occur in fisheries is not well known. Using nonlinear forecasting models, we analysed over 200 time series of survey abundance and landings from two distinct ecosystems for patterns of dynamic complexity (dimensionality and nonlinear dynamics) and predictability. Differences in system dimensionality and nonlinear dynamics were associated with time series that reflected human intervention via fishing effort, implying the coupling between human and natural systems generated dynamics distinct from those detected in the natural resource subsystem alone. Estimated dimensionality was highest for landings and higher in abundance indices of unfished species than fished species. Fished species were more likely to display nonlinear dynamics than unfished species, and landings were significantly less predictable than abundance indices. Results were robust to variation in life history characteristics. Dynamics were predictable over a 1‐year time horizon in seventy percent of time series, but predictability declined exponentially over a 5‐year horizon. The ability to make predictions in fisheries systems is therefore extremely limited. To our knowledge, this is the first cross‐system comparative study, and the first at the scale of individual species, to analyse empirically the dynamic complexity observed in fisheries data and to quantify predictability broadly. We outline one application of short‐term forecasts to a precautionary approach to fisheries management that could improve how uncertainty and forecast error are incorporated into assessment through catch limit buffers.