FC‐4 Canine serum immunoreactivity to Malassezia pachydermatis is influenced by the phase of growth in vitro

Western immunoblotting studies of canine sera using Malassezia pachydermatis extracts have shown that infected dogs commonly have antibodies that recognize multiple antigens. However, reported patterns of immunoreactivity vary between different laboratories. Since culture duration influences the antigenic composition of lipid‐dependent Malassezia when probed with human sera, we investigated whether the in vitro growth phase of M. pachydermatis influences immunoreactivity to canine sera. Extracts of M. pachydermatis CBS1879 grown in Sabouraud's liquid medium at 37°C for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days were prepared by mechanical disruption, centrifugation, dialysis and lyophilization. Yeast growth phase was assessed by sequential colony counts and optical density measurements. Patterns of IgG immunoreactivity in high (n = 3) and low (n = 3) titre sera were compared using extracts prepared at each time point by SDS‐PAGE and western immunoblotting. Protein bands of 62 and 49 kDa were recognized by all sera, and five sera recognized 98 and 68 kDa bands. Proteins of 188, 66, 58, 57, 38, 28 and 17 kDa were only recognized by high titre sera. All high titre sera recognized more bands in exponential phase (day 2) extracts when compared with decline phase (days 8–10) extracts, and two of these sera showed most bands in stationary phase (days 4–6) extracts. Bands of 62 and 57 kDa were primarily detected in exponential and early stationary phase extracts. Antigenic variation in extracts of M. pachydermatis prepared during different growth phases might explain discrepancies between previous laboratory studies of immunity to this yeast. Funding: Government of Malaysia.     

The distribution of copper, vitamin B12 and zinc in the livers of sheep

Six livers from one-year-old sheep were each sampled at 27 different sites and the concentrations of copper, vitamin B12 and zinc determined for each sample. The distribution of these components was uniform throughout the liver, indicating that analysis of a single liver biopsy sample would give an accurate assessment of their hepatic concentration.     

Cloudy with a chance of sardines: forecasting sardine distributions using regional climate models

Despite the significant advances in making monthly or seasonal forecasts of weather, ocean hypoxia, harmful algal blooms and marine pathogens, few such forecasting efforts have extended to the ecology of upper trophic level marine species. Here, we test our ability to use short‐term (up to 9 months) predictions of ocean conditions to create a novel forecast of the spatial distribution of Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax. Predictions of ocean conditions are derived using the output from the Climate Forecast System (CFS) model downscaled through the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Using generalized additive models (GAMs), we estimated significant relationships between sardine presence in a test year (2009) and salinity and temperature. The model, fitted to 2009 data, had a moderate skill [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.67] in predicting 2009 sardine distributions, 5–8 months in advance. Preliminary tests indicate that the model also had the skill to predict sardine presence in August 2013 (AUC = 0.85) and August 2014 (AUC = 0.96), 4–5 months in advance. The approach could be used to provide fishery managers with an early warning of distributional shifts of this species, which migrates from the U.S.–Mexico border to as far north as British Columbia, Canada, in summers with warm water and other favorable ocean conditions. We expect seasonal and monthly forecasts of ocean conditions to be broadly useful for predicting spatial distributions of other pelagic and midwater species.     

Developmental decline in height growth in Douglas-fir

The characteristic decline in height growth that occurs over a tree's lifespan is often called "age-related decline." But is the reduction in height growth in aging trees a function of age or of size? We grafted shoot tips across different ages and sizes of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) trees to determine whether the decline in height growth is mediated by tree size or by the age of the apical meristem. We also evaluated whether reduced carbon assimilation plays an important role in height growth decline. In one experiment we cut shoot tips from old-growth, young-mature and seedling trees and grafted them onto 2-year-old graft-compatible rootstock in a seed orchard in Lebanon, Oregon. In another experiment we performed reciprocal grafts between lateral branches of old-growth trees accessible from the canopy crane at Wind River, Washington and young-mature trees in a nearby plantation. We measured growth (diameter and elongation of the dominant new stem) and mortality annually for three years in the Seed Orchard experiment and for two years in the Reciprocal Graft experiment. In the Seed Orchard experiment we also measured photosynthetic capacity (determined from the response of net carbon assimilation to the intercellular CO(2) concentration of the leaf, or A/C(i) curves), leaf mass per area (LMA) and carbon isotope composition (delta(13)C) of cellulose in 1-year-old foliage. Grafting caused changes in both growth and physiology of the grafted stems. Within two years after grafting, growth and physiology of all combinations of scions and rootstock exhibited characteristics of the rootstock. In some cases, the change in growth was dramatic-cuttings from old-growth trees showed a 10-fold increase in stem elongation rate within 2 years of grafting onto seedling rootstock. Similarly, carbon isotope discrimination of new foliage on shoots from old-growth trees increased by nearly 3 per thousand and 2 per thousand after grafting onto young-mature and seedling rootstock, respectively, whereas discrimination decreased by a similar magnitude in scions from young-mature trees after grafting on old- growth trees. Furthermore, differences in carbon assimilation estimated from carbon isotope discrimination and A/C(i )relationships were small relative to growth differences. Our results confirm that size, not age, drives developmental changes in height growth in Douglas-fir. Reduced carbon assimilation does not play an important role in height growth decline.     

An idiopathic facial dermatitis of Persian cats

The clinical and histopathological features of 13 Persian cats which presented with chronic skin disease primarily affecting the face are described. Lesions were characterized by black material adherent to the skin and hair, accompanied by erythema and variable degrees of excoriation. Concurrent ceruminous otitis externa was observed in 7 cases. Histopathological examination of skin biopsy specimens showed marked acanthosis with crusting, hydropic degeneration and dyskeratotic basal epithelial cells, a mixed diffuse superficial inflammatory infiltrate and sebaceous hyperplasia. Malassezia pachydermatis yeasts and various bacteria were isolated from the lesions in some of the cats but in no case was antimicrobial therapy curative. The response to glucocorticoids was variable and often poor. No satisfactory therapeutic regimen could be identified and the cause of the disorder is unknown although a genetic basis is possible.     

Reservoir to river: Quantifying fine-scale fish movements after translocation

Translocation of individuals is a widely used tool in the conservation of threatened species. The movement behaviours of translocated individuals in their new environment are a key factor that can influence translocation success (i.e. survival and reproduction). In this study, eel-tailed catfish (Tandanus tandanus) and Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) movements were monitored using fine-scale acoustic telemetry over a 5-month period in two lowland rivers in eastern Australia. Fine-scale movement and habitat selection were compared among translocated lacustrine and resident riverine T. tandanus and between species. We found no difference in fine-scale movement behaviours between translocated and resident T. tandanus; however, there was some variation in movement response to environmental variation between species. In contrast, habitat selection varied not only between the two species, but also between resident and translocated T. tandanus individuals. Notably, activity was significantly lower in the first day after release compared to the remainder of the study period. Although T. tandanus translocated from a reservoir had never experienced the environmental fluctuations of a riverine system, individuals still responded in the same way as resident riverine fish, suggesting an innate behavioural response. However, this was not the case for habitat selection, where translocated individuals preferred habitats more common in their source population's lacustrine environment. The findings of this study are important in guiding future conservation efforts involving the translocation of wild-caught fish, primarily the importance of the suitable habitat at the release site to ensure the success and persistence of translocated populations.     

What’s happened to Staphylococcus intermedius? Taxonomic revision and emergence of multi‐drug resistance

Staphylococcus intermedius has been the predominant coagulase-positive Staphylococcus isolated from canine skin and mucosae and the most commonly reported staphylococcal pathogen in small animal practice for the last 35 years. Although microbiological tests have historically indicated variability in biochemical characteristics amongst S. intermedius isolates from animals, an acceptable level of diagnostic accuracy for clinical purposes was readily achievable with routine phenotypic testing. However, three recent developments have changed our understanding of the term "S. intermedius" and have challenged veterinary bacteriologists to ensure correct species identification of pathogenic staphylococci from small animals. First, the increasing recognition of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in small animal practice and its human health implications demand accurate species identification. Secondly, the application of molecular techniques to analysis of staphylococcal isolates has led to a revised taxonomy and canine isolates of S. intermedius being re-named S. pseudintermedius. Thirdly, the recent, rapid emergence of meticillin- and multi-drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) has become a major therapeutic challenge in veterinary practice worldwide, including the UK. This article discusses the background of the recent taxonomic changes within the genus Staphylococcus and reviews the key features of MRSP and its implications for day-to-day laboratory diagnosis and small animal practice.     

LiDAR-Based Classification of Sagebrush Community Types

Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities constitute the largest temperate semidesert in North America and provide important rangelands for livestock and habitat for wildlife. Remote sensing methods might provide an efficient method to monitor sagebrush communities. This study used airborne LiDAR and field data to measure vegetation heights in five different community types at the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed, southwestern Idaho: herbaceous-dominated, low sagebrush (Artemisia arbuscula) –dominated, big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp.) –dominated, bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) -dominated, and other vegetation community types. The objectives were 1) to quantify the correlation between field-measured and airborne LiDAR-derived shrub heights, and 2) to determine if airborne LiDAR-derived mean vegetation heights can be used to classify the five community types. The dominant vegetation type and vegetation heights were measured in 3 × 3 m field plots. The LiDAR point cloud data were converted into a raster format to generate a maximum vegetation height map in 3-m raster cells. The regression relationship between field-based and airborne LiDAR-derived shrub heights was significant (R²=0.77; P value < 0.001). An analysis of variance test with all pairwise post hoc comparisons indicated that LiDAR-derived vegetation heights were significantly different among all vegetation community types (all P values < 0.01), except for herbaceous-dominated communities compared to low sagebrush-dominated communities. Although LiDAR measurements consistently underestimated vegetation heights in all community types, shrub heights at some locations were overestimated due to adjacent taller vegetation. We recommend for future studies a smaller rasterized pixel size that is consistent with the target vegetation canopy diameter.