A specific DNA probe which identifies Babesia bovis in whole blood.

A genomic library of Babesia bovis DNA from the Mexican strain M was constructed in plasmid pUN121 and cloned in Escherichia coli. Several recombinants which hybridized strongly to radioactively labeled B. bovis genomic DNA in an in situ screening were selected and further analyzed for those which specifically hybridized to B. bovis DNA. It was found that pMU-B1 had the highest sensitivity, detecting 25 pg of purified B. bovis DNA, and 300 parasites in 10 microliters of whole infected blood, or 0.00025% parasitemia. pMU-B1 contained a 6.0 kb B. bovis DNA insert which did not cross-hybridize to Babesia bigemina, Trypanosoma evansi, Plasmodium falciparum, Anaplasma marginale, Boophilus microplus and cow DNA. In the Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA, pMU-B1 could differentiate between two B. bovis geographic isolates, Mexican strain M and Thai isolate TS4. Thus, the pMU-B1 probe will be useful in the diagnosis of Babesia infection in cattle and ticks, and in the differentiation of B. bovis strains.     

Coccidioidomycosis in 48 Cats: A Retrospective Study (1984–1993)

Coccidioidomycosis was diagnosed in 48 cats. Forty-one cases were identified within a period of 3 years. Coccidioides immitis was revealed by cytological or histopathological examinations, or culture in 70% of cats. The remaining 30% of cases were diagnosed by appropriate clinical signs, radiographic lesions, and serological test results. The average age of affected cats was 6.2 years with a median age of 5.0 years. Fifty-four percent (n = 26) were female and 46% (n = 22) were male. Domestic shorthaired and longhaired breeds comprised 89% (n = 41) of affected cats. Sixty-seven percent of cases were diagnosed during the 6-month period of December through May. Cats infected with C immitis were presented for evaluation of dermatologic (56%), respiratory (25%), musculoskeletal (19%), and neurological or ophthalmologic signs (19%). Fever, inappetence, and weight loss were present in 44% of the cats. Duration of clinical signs before diagnosis was less than 4 weeks in 85% (n = 42) of cats, with an average of 3.8 weeks and a median of 2 weeks. Agar gel immunodiffusion tests were positive in all 39 cats tested at sometime during the course of their disease. Hyperproteinemia (greater than 7.9 g/dL) was present in 52% (10/23) of cases. The majority of cats (n = 39) were negative for feline leukemia virus. Antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus were absent in the 19 cats tested. Ketoconazole was the most common antifungal agent used to treat cats with Coccidioidomycosis. Duration of treatment ranged from less than 1 week to 43 months. Thirty-two cats are currently asymptomatic, with or without treatment. Eleven cats died or were euthanized. Five cats were lost to follow-up. Ketoconazole likely is more suppressive than curative because relapses were common after discontinuing therapy.     

Effects of Two Underseed Species, Medicago polymorpha L. and Scorpiurus muricatus L., on the Yield of Main Crop (Durum Wheat) and Subsequent Crop (Teff) Under Humid Moisture Regimes in Ethiopia

Mixed cropping of leguminous underseed species and cereal crops may increase productivity and serve some additional purposes. Two leguminous weed species which are widely distributed in annual crops of the Ethiopian highlands have been studied with varying coverage in greenhouse trials in Ethiopia with regard to their suitability as underseeds and with wheat ( Triticum turgidum [L.] Thell. var. durum [Desf.] MacKey) as a main crop. The competitive effects of Scorpiurus muricatus L. on the grain yield of wheat were smaller than those of Medicago polymorpha L. (-14.1 % and -23.6 % respectively, compared with the underseed free control) which is mainly ascribed to differences in their speed of development and shoot height. The residual effects of the underseed's root masses on the grain yield of the successive teff crop (Eragrostis tef [Zucc] Trotter) were significantly higher with Scorpiurus muricatus (+99.3 %) than with Medicago polymorpha (+63.6 %). The results are discussed with regard to the specific site conditions in the cereal-dominated cropping systems of the Ethiopian highlands.     

Efficacy of the morantel sustained release trilaminate matrix against gastrointestinal nematodes in beef calves

The effectiveness of the morantel sustained release trilaminate (MSRT) in controlling gastrointestinal nematodes through a grazing season was evaluated using 60 yearling beef stocker calves randomly divided into 2 groups of 30 animals each. In April 1985, the calves comprising the treatment group each received an MSRT designed to release morantel tartrate continuously for 90 days while those of the control group remained unmedicated. All animals were weighed and samples of rectal feces were taken at 14-day intervals, beginning on Day 0, until trial termination (Day 168). At trial termination, 10 control and 10 treated calves were necropsied for recovery of gastrointestinal nematodes. Three sets of parasite-na?ve tracer calves were utilized to evaluate the initial, interim and final levels of pasture contamination by nematode larvae. Overall, the use of the MSRT resulted in a 75.5% reduction (P less than 0.001) in output of nematode eggs from the principals, an 81.8% reduction (P less than 0.001) in numbers of gastrointestinal nematodes in principals (at trial termination), and a 96.9% reduction (P less than 0.05) of pasture larval nematode contamination (as indirectly indicated by parasite burdens in tracer calves). The mean weight advantage of treated calves was 16.6 kg per head (P less than 0.001).     

The effectiveness of the combined treatment of thrombocytic hemorrhagic diathesis of dogs with prednisolone and blood transfusion in the model of an aspirin-produced thrombocytopathy

The administration of 20 mg/kg of acetylsalicylic acid in 18 clinically healthy dogs resulted in a thrombocytopathy with lengthened capillary bleeding time and irreversible aggregation inhibition. Through the set up of individual dilution series, one could conclude the proportional percentage of aggregation functional transfused thrombocytes. The capillary bleeding time was shortened after the intravenous injection of prednisolone (5 mg/kg) without measurable influence on the thrombocytes. Compared to the singular use of cortisone or blood transfusion alone, the effect on capillary bleeding time became magnified when one combined transfusion and corticosteroids. The fresh blood conserves (12 hours) were, with respect to the haemostyptical properties, superior to blood stored for 5 days. The component of aggregation-functional thrombocytes was, due to the prophylactic cortisone application prior to transfusion, not increased.     

Thrombocytopenia in Cats: A Retrospective Study of 41 Cases

The prevalence of feline thrombocytopenia (<200,000 platelets/L) at North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, from January 1985 to March 1990, was 1.2% (41/3300). Cats were divided into six categories based on clinical diagnoses: 29% (12/41) had infectious disease, 20% (8/41) had neoplasia, 7% (3/41) had cardiac disease, 2% (1/41) had primary immune-mediated disease, 22% (9/41) had multiple diseases, and 20% (8/41) had disorders of unknown etiology. The mean platelet count for all thrombocytopenic cats was 52,000/μL ± 46,000/μL (1 SD) with a range of 1000–190,000/μL. No significant differences were found between groups with respect to platelet count, packed cell volume, or white blood cell count, though anemia and leukopenia were common among the cats as a whole. Bleeding disorders (hemorrhage or thrombosis) were observed in 29% (12/41) of thrombocytopenic cats and were more likely to be associated with neoplasia, cardiac disease, and platelet counts less than or equal to 30,000/μL. Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy was diagnosed in 12% (5/41) of the cats. Infections and/or neoplasia affecting the bone marrow were the most common diseases associated with thrombocytopenia. Feline leukemia virus and myeloproliferative neoplasia accounted for approximately 44% (18/41) of the specific diagnoses in thrombocytopenic cats. (Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1993; 7:261–265. Copyright © 1993 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)     

In vivo kinetic study on uptake and distribution of intramuscular tritium-labeled polysulfated glycosaminoglycan in equine body fluid compartments and articular cartilage in an osteochondrial defect model

The uptake and distribution of intramuscularly (IM) administered tritium-labeled polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (³H-PSGAG) in serum, synovial fluid, and articular cartilage of eight horses was quantitated, and hyaluronic acid (HA) concentration of the middle carpal joint was evaluated in a pharmacokinetic study. A full-thickness articular cartilage defect, created on the distal articular surface of the left radial carpal bone of each horse served as an osteochondral defect model. ³H-PSGAG (500 mg) was injected IM, between 14 and 35 days after creation of the defects. Scintillation analysis of serum and synovial fluid, collected from both middle carpal joints at specific predetermined times up to 96 hours post-injection, revealed mean ³H-PSGAG concentrations peaked at 2 hours post-injection. ³H-PSGAG was detected in cartilage and subchondral bone 96 hours post-injection in samples from all eight horses. There were no statistically significant differences in ³H-PSGAG concentration of synovial fluid or cartilage between cartilage defect and control (right middle carpal) joints.

HA assay of synovial fluid revealed concentrations significantly increased at 24, 48, and 96 hours post-injection in both joints. The concentration nearly doubled 48 hours post-injection. However, no statistically significant differences were found between synovial concentrations of HA in cartilage defect and control joints.

³H-PSGAG administered IM to horses, was distributed in the blood, synovial fluid, and articular cartilage. HA concentrations in synovial fluid increased after IM administration of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan.     

Residue management for reducing evaporation in relation to soil type and evaporativity1

Abstract. Usual residue-management options are to remove the residue, use it as mulch with or without undercutting or to incorporate it into the soil. While the role of surface mulch in evaporation has been widely studied, the information on the effect on evaporation of mulch with undercutting or residue incorporated into soil, particularly in relation to soil type and evaporativity (E_o) is lacking. We studied the effect of wheat straw used in various ways on the course of evaporation loss from soil columns with three soils at Ludhiana, India and one soil at Bushland, Texas, USA, under two E_o's Energy-limited evaporation rates under mulch (E_om) followed the soil-specific relation E_om/E_o= a e^(bRes+cEo), where Res is residue rate t/ha and a, b and c are constants; E_o, is expressed in mm/d. In an effort to model the total evaporation (CE) during the energy-limited stage ‘U’ was obtained from appropriate CE versus time curves and (CE-U) was regressed over (t - ti)^0.5 to obtain the slope ‘α’ (Ritchie 1972) for the soil-limited evaporation stage. The observed ‘U’ was independent of mulch rate and E_o but was strongly affected by soil type, Values of ‘α’ decreased with increase in mulch rate and decrease in E_o and coarseness of soil. The otherwise short lived benefit of evaporation reduction with mulch per se, which peaked after a few days was maintained when residue was mixed with soil at the stage when evaporation reduction reached a maximum; this benefit continued for several weeks. Cumulative evaporation values computed from ‘U’ and ‘α’ agreed closely with the observed values under straw mulch for loamy sand and clay loam soils and for ‘undercut’ and ‘residue mixed’ treatments on all soils regardless of E_o, and for all situations under small E_o. However, for sandy loam and silt loam soils under E_o of 10 mm/d, the modified square root of the time function of Jalota et al. (1988) gave a better fit.     

Effect of dietary copper and vitamin E supplementation, and extensive feeding with acorn and grass on longissimus muscle composition and susceptibility to oxidation in Iberian pigs

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of dietary copper and/or vitamin E supplementation on composition and oxidation of M. longissimus in Iberian pigs and to compare it with meat samples from pigs produced extensively and fed with acorn and grass. Grass had the highest α-tocopherol content (> 150 mg/kg DM), while acorns had the highest copper concentration (78.1 mg/kg DM). Dietary treatment did not affect copper composition in muscle and no interactions were detected between copper and α-tocopherol. The α-tocopherol content in muscle from pigs fed diets supplemented with α-tocopheryl acetate (100 mg/kg feed) was 1.5 times greater (p < 0.0001) than those from pigs receiving a basel diet. M. longisssimus dorsi from pigs fed extensively had a higher concentration of α-tocopherol than those fed in confinement with the basel level of α-tocopheryl acetate, but lower values than pigs fed supplemented levels. Total n -3 fatty acids (p < 0.02) and hematin (p < 0.0001) concentrations were significantly higher in muscle from pigs fed extensively than when fed in confinement. Muscle homogenates from Iberian pigs fed in extensive conditions showed significantly (p < 0.02) higher susceptibility to oxidation than those from pigs fed mixed diets. Dietary α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation (100 mg/kg feed) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced lipid oxidation of muscle, while dietary copper concentration did not modify susceptibility to lipid oxidation.