A visceral mycosis in ayu fry, Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck & Schlegel, caused by a species of Phoma

Abstract. Epizootics and histopathology of a new visceral mycosis due to fungi impefecti which occurred in farmed ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck & Schlegel, in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan are described. Histopathological examination suggested that fungal infection occurred primarily in the airbladder. A fungus with characteristics of the genus Phoma isolated from diseased fish is described and its taxonomic position discussed.     

Siliceous tablets in the larval shells of apatitic discinid brachiopods

The marine bivalved Brachiopoda are abundant throughout the geological record and have apatitic (CaPO4-rich) or calcitic (CaCO3-rich) shells. Vesicles covering the larval valves of living apatitic-shelled discinids contain tablets of silica. The tablets are cemented into close-packed mosaics by spherular apatite in glycosaminoglycans. They are usually lost as vesicles degrade but leave imprints on the underlying apatitic shell. Similar imprints ornament larval surfaces of some of the earliest Paleozoic apatitic-shelled brachiopods and may also be indicators of siliceous biomineralization.     

Lobster larval transport in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence

A bio‐physical semi‐Langrangian model was developed to follow the drift and abundance of lobster larvae from hatching to settlement as post‐larvae. The geographic domain encompasses Northumberland Strait and the areas surrounding Prince Edward Island in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The model was run for ten larval seasons, 1983–87 and 1997–2001, representing two periods of egg production. The model was forced with tides, winds, heat fluxes, and marine and freshwater fluxes at open boundaries. Biological inputs were location, date, and density of larvae at hatching, development rates, a time window and a minimum bottom temperature required for successful settlement, and two scenarios of daily mortality. Net drift was west to east but stronger on the north than the south side of Prince Edward Island. The hatch was greater in the second 5‐yr period, but the spatial patterns of settlement were similar. For both mortality scenarios, the same five of the 24 larval source areas were important in providing settlers. Horizontal shear of larval distribution indicates fishing communities were dependent on the hatch from fishing grounds of multiple upstream communities. Variation in daily and annual post‐larval settlement was greatest north of Prince Edward Island. From the 24 source areas there was an eightfold range in the fraction of larvae surviving to settlement, with advection into deep water an important cause of mortality. Four to five possible fishery management areas were identified using multidimensional scaling to group sink areas having shared source areas. We hypothesize leaky discontinuity in connectivity between these groups.     

Cloning of the short-tailed Gyeongju Donggyeong dog via SCNT: conserving phenotypic inheritance

Somatic cell nuclear transfer is a useful tool to maintain genetic information of animals. The Gyeongju Donggyeong dog is a breed registered as natural monument in Korea. The unique feature of the Donggyeong dog is its tail, as the Donggyeong dog can be classified as either short tailed or tailless. The aim of this study was to preserve the Donggyeong dog’s unique feature by cloning. Fibroblasts were obtained from a short-tailed Donggyeong dog. In vivo matured oocytes were enucleated, microinjected with a donor cell and fused electrically. Reconstructed embryos were transferred to six recipient dogs. One surrogate became pregnant, and one short-tailed Donggyeong dog was delivered. This study demonstrated that the phenotype of the Donggyeong dog could be conserved by somatic cell nuclear transfer.     

A simple and easy method to measure ammonia volatilization: Accuracy under field conditions

Field studies on soil ammonia(NH₃)volatilization are restricted in many countries owing to the high costs commonly demanded for accurate quantification.We assessed the accuracy of a simple,open chamber design to capture NH₃under field conditions,as affected by different chamber placement schemes.Urea-15 N was surface applied to lysimeters installed in the spaces between maize rows.Open chambers made from plastic bottles were installed on each lysimeter with variations in i)N rates(3,8,13,and 18 g m^-2),ii)the height of the chamber above the soil surface(0,5,and 10 mm),and iii)chamber relocation(static vs.dynamic).Reference lysimeters without chambers were used to measure NH₃losses by¹⁵N-balance.Losses of NH₃-N accounted for more than 50%of the applied N.Relocation of the chambers had no impact on their NH₃-trapping efficiencies,proving to be an unnecessary procedure.Variation in the height of the chambers above the soil surface affected the capture of NH₃,but the results still maintained high linearity with the NH₃losses quantified by the reference method(R²>0.98).When the same placement scheme used in the introductory study describing the chamber was utilized(static and touching the soil surface),we found a trapping efficiency of 60%,which was very similar to that(57%)obtained in the previous study.Our results show that this simple,open chamber design can be used with satisfactory accuracy under field conditions,provided that simple,standardized procedures are warranted.     

A non-invasive technique for standing surgical repair of urinary bladder rupture in a post-partum mare: a case report

An 11-year-old mare presented 36 hours after foaling with a ruptured bladder. Uroperitoneum was diagnosed on ultrasound and from the creatinine concentration of the peritoneal fluid. Bladder endoscopy demonstrated tissue necrosis and a rent in the dorsocranial aspect of the bladder. Following stabilisation, including abdominal drainage and lavage, the mare was taken to standing surgery. Under continuous sedation and epidural anaesthesia, and after surgical preparation, a Balfour retractor was placed in the vagina. Using sterile lubricant and moderate force, it was possible to insert a hand into the bladder. The tear was easily palpable on the dorsal portion of the bladder. Two fingers were inserted through the tear and used to provide traction to evert the bladder completely into the vagina where it could grasped with the surgeons other hand to prevent further trauma. A second surgeon could then visualise the entire tear and repaired this using a single layer of size zero PDS suture in a single continuous pattern. As soon as the bladder was repaired, it was replaced via the urethra. The mare did well after surgery and was discharged after 48 hours, apparently normal.This report is the first describing repair of the bladder without an abdominal incision or incision into the urethral sphincter. This greatly reduces the chance of possible complications such as urine pooling after surgery with the previously described standing technique or bladder trauma due to traction with abdominal surgery.     

SCINTIGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF THE PROXIMAL METACARPAL AND METATARSAL REGIONS OF HORSES WITH PROXIMAL SUSPENSORY DESMITIS

The aim of the study was to characterize radiopharmaceutical uptake patterns in horses with clinical and ultrasonographic evidence of proximal suspensory desmitis. It was hypothesized that radiopharmaceutical uptake in the proximal palmar (plantar) aspect of the third metacarpal (metatarsal) bone would be greater in lame limbs of horses with proximal suspensory desmitis than in sound limbs and that there would be a positive correlation between the severity of ultrasonographic abnormalities and the degree of radiopharmaceutical uptake. Nuclear scintigraphic evaluation of the proximal metacarpal or metatarsal regions of 126 horses with ultrasonographic evidence of proximal suspensory desmitis was performed. In all horses lameness was substantially improved by perineural analgesia of the palmar metacarpal (subcarpal) or plantar metatarsal (subtarsal) nerves. Scintigraphic images were assessed subjectively, by profile analysis and using region of interest analysis. Associations between the degree of ultrasonographic abnormality and radiopharmaceutical uptake ratios and the presence of radiographic abnormalities and radiopharmaceutical uptake ratios were analyzed. Subjectively, the majority of horses had normal radiopharmaceutical uptake. Profile analysis provided little additional information. However with region of interest analysis there was greater radiopharmaceutical uptake ratios in plantar images in the proximal metatarsal regions of lame limbs compared with nonlame limbs. There was no association between radiological abnormalities and radiopharmaceutical uptake ratios. In forelimbs there was no association between ultrasonographic lesion grade and radiopharmaceutical uptake ratios, however in hindlimbs there was a significant relationship between ultrasonographic grade and radiopharmaceutical uptake ratios.     

Clinical, diagnostic and biochemical features of generalised glycogenosis type II in Brahman cattle

SUMMARY Clinical, diagnostic and biochemical features of generalised glycogenosis are described In 96 Brahman-type calves. Typically the calves were presented when about 6 months of age, with III-thrift and muscular weakness as the most common signs. Acidic α-glucosidase activity was reduced in peripheral blood lymphocytes and skeletal muscle. Muscle glycogen concentration was consistently higher in affected animals than In clinically normal cattle. Other observations in affected calves Included elevation of serum aspartate amlnotransferase and creatine kinase activities and excessive amounts of high molecular weight oligosaccharides in urine. Fine cytoplasmic vacuolation of neurones In the brain and spinal cord, skeletal muscle, myocardlum and of Purkinje fibres were consistent histological observations. Periodic acid-Schlff staining revealed the presence of glycogen-like material In peripheral blood lymphocytes of all affected calves, Indicating that this is a useful aid for the diagnosis of glycogenosis. While 3 of the 96 calves showed somewhat different clinical signs, the similarity of pathology and the biochemical and clinical evidence in the remainder suggested that, In these animals, the disease was expressed as a single syndrome.