Evaluation of a portable lactate analyzer (Lactate Scout) in dogs

BACKGROUND: Measurement of blood lactate concentration has become a common practice in canine medicine. However, the accuracy of portable lactate monitors has not been reported in dogs. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and precision of a portable analyzer (Lactate-Scout) in measuring canine blood lactate concentration. METHODS: A preliminary study was performed to assess the effects of sample storage time and temperature on plasma lactate concentration. Blood samples obtained from 6 canine patients at our hospital were divided into 8 aliquots and stored at 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C; plasma lactate was measured in duplicate with a spectrophotometric system (Konelab) at 0, 30, 60, 120, and 240 minutes after the blood collection. Values were compared with those obtained immediately after blood collection. Lactate values obtained by the portable method also were compared with those obtained by the reference spectrophotometric analyzer on blood samples collected from 48 additional canine patients. RESULTS: There was no significant effect of storage time (P = .89) or temperature (P = .51) on plasma lactate levels. The correlation between lactate values measured with the Lactate-Scout and the Konelab method was r = .98 (slope = .81, 95% confidence interval = .73-.87; intercept = .20, 95% confidence interval = .13-.31). The level of agreement between the 2 methods was generally good for mean lactate concentrations <5 mmol/L. However, at higher lactate concentrations (5 of 48 samples), the values recorded by the Lactate-Scout analyzer were lower than those measured by the Konelab method. CONCLUSION: The Lactate-Scout analyzer is reliably comparable to a reference method for measuring whole blood lactate concentration in dogs; however, caution should be used when interpreting lactate values of 5 mmol/L and higher.     

Teaching veterinary clinical pathology to undergraduate students: an integrated European project

BACKGROUND: Veterinary clinical pathology is a relatively new and emerging discipline in Europe that has gained momentum with the recent establishment of a specialty college. In this situation, veterinary faculties may face challenges in understanding and defining what clinical pathology is and how it can best be integrated into existing curricula. In addition, many schools in Europe may not yet have available a critical mass of suitably qualified faculty capable of teaching in all areas of clinical pathology. OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this report is to describe the goals, procedures adopted, teaching material produced, and proposed future activities of a major European initiative designed to develop a veterinary clinical pathology curriculum. METHODS: Four working subgroups were formed to establish a list of course objectives and topics and prepare a series of lectures. These contents were reviewed and discussed several times at a series of general meetings. RESULTS: An undergraduate course on veterinary clinical pathology was designed with course objectives, a list of topics and a CD-ROM consisting of 24 lectures. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this project could be useful in the establishment or improvement of training programs in veterinary clinical pathology at the undergraduate level in Europe and in other places around the world. The provision of teaching resources for faculty could help to instill in veterinary students a strong understanding of the discipline and promote development of advanced training programs and career opportunities in clinical pathology in Europe.     

Response of Two Olive Cultivars to Salt Stress and Potassium Supplement

ABSTRACT

The effects of saline water containing 0, 50, 100, and 150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl), and 100 mM NaCl + 100 mM potassium (K) on photosynthesis, water relations, and ion and carbohydrate content of olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Mastoidis’ were studied on five-year-old trees. Salinity increased sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl^?) in tissues of both cultivars, but more so in ‘Koroneiki’ than in ‘Mastoidis.’ Salt-toxicity symptoms were observed at 100 and 150 mM, but not in plants receiving extra K. In salt-stressed plants, leaf water potential declined, whereas turgor potential remained positive due to a rapid decrease in osmotic potential. Salinity increased mannitol content up to 41.3% in ‘Mastoidis’ and 15.8% in ‘Koroneiki’, but reduced starch content in leaves. Photosynthetic rates fell significantly with increasing salinity in both cultivars, but more so in ‘Koroneiki’ than in ‘Mastoidis’. Potassium supplements reduced the concentration of Na⁺ and increased the concentrations of K⁺ in leaves, but decreased photosynthesis.     

Assessment of species specificity of moulting accelerating compounds in Lepidoptera: comparison of activity between Bombyx mori and Spodoptera littoralis by in vitro reporter and in vivo toxicity assays

BACKGROUND: Dibenzoylhydrazine analogues have been developed successfully as a new group of insect growth regulators, called ecdysone agonists or moulting accelerating compounds. A notable feature is their high activity against lepidopteran insects, raising the question as to whether species‐specific analogues can be isolated. In this study, the specificity of ecdysone agonists was addressed through a comparative analysis in two important lepidopterans, the silkworm Bombyx mori L. and the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.). RESULTS: When collections of non‐steroidal ecdysone agonists containing different mother structures (dibenzoylhydrazine, acylaminoketone, tetrahydroquinoline) were tested, in vitro reporter assays showed minor differences using cell lines derived from both species. However, when compounds with high ecdysone agonist activity were examined in toxicity assays, larvicidal activity differed considerably. Of note was the identification of three dibenzoylhydrazine analogues with > 100‐fold higher activity against Bombyx than against Spodoptera larvae. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that species‐specific ecdysone‐agonist‐based insecticides can be developed, but their species specificity is not based on differences in the activation of the ecdysone receptor but rather on unidentified in vivo parameters such as permeability of the cuticle, uptake/excretion by the gut or metabolic detoxification. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Comparison of white blood cell differential percentages determined by the in-house LaserCyte hematology analyzer and a manual method

BACKGROUND: The LaserCyte hematology analyzer (IDEXX Laboratories, Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks, UK) is the first in-house laser-based single channel flow cytometer designed specifically for veterinary practice. The instrument provides a full hematologic analysis including a 5-part WBC differential (LC-diff%). We are unaware of published studies comparing LC-diff% results to those determined by other methods used in practice. OBJECTIVE: To compare LC-diff% results to those obtained by a manual differential cell count (M-diff%). METHODS: Eighty-six venous blood samples from 44 dogs and 42 cats were collected into EDTA tubes at the Forest Veterinary Centre (Epping, UK). Samples were analyzed using the LaserCyte within 1 hour of collection. Unstained blood smears were then posted to Langford Veterinary Diagnostics, University of Bristol, and stained with modified Wright's stain. One hundred-cell manual differential counts were performed by 2 technicians and the mean percentage was calculated for each cell type. Data (LC-diff% vs M-diff%) were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank tests, Deming regression, and Bland-Altman difference plots. RESULTS: Significant differences between methods were found for neutrophil and monocyte percentages in samples from dogs and cats and for eosinophil percentage in samples from cats. Correlations (r) (canine/feline) were .55/.72 for neutrophils, .76/.69 for lymphocytes, .05/.29 for monocytes and .60/.82 for eosinophils. Agreement between LC-diff% and Mdiff% results was poor in samples from both species. Bland-Altman plots revealed outliers in samples with atypical WBCs (1 cat), leukocytosis (2 dogs, 9 cats), and leukopenia (16 dogs, 11 cats). The LaserCyte generated error flags in 28 of 86 (32.6%) samples, included 7 with leukopenia, 8 with lymphopenia, 7 with leukocytosis, 1 with anemia, and 1 with erythrocytosis. When results from these 28 samples were excluded, correlations from the remaining nonflagged results (canine/feline) were .63/.65 for neutrophils, .67/.65 for lymphocytes, .11/.33 for monocytes, and .63/.82 for eosinophils. CONCLUSION: Although use of a 100-cell (vs 200-cell) M-diff% may be a limitation of our study, good correlation between WBC differentials obtained using the LaserCyte and the manual method was achieved only for feline eosinophils.     

Groundwater Pollution by Heavy Metals in Historical Mining Area of Lavrio,Attica, Greece

This article deals with the impacts of past mining activities andinefficient water resources management on groundwater quality inthe Lavrio area. Thirty-three water samples were collectedduring March 1998 and were analyzed for major ions (Ca, Mg, Na,K, HCO₃, Cl, NO₃, SO₄, PO₄), trace elements(Fe, Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, Cd) and water parameters (Temperature,pH, conductivity, hardness and SiO₂). High concentrationsof heavy metals (lead, cadmium, zinc, nickel) are recorded ingroundwater samples in the Lavrio area. The highestconcentrations are recorded in the unconfined aquifer (alluvialdeposits and schists), due to mining activities. Qualitydeterioration of groundwater is also decumented and attributedto seawater intrusion and nitrate pollution of agriculturalorigin. The data were subjected to simple correlation analysisand R-mode factor analysis in order to examine the relationshipsbetween the parameters. There is a relationship between theelements participating in the sulfide (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd) andiron-manganese mineralization and a strong relationship betweenNi–Cr. In the factor analysis a four-factor model is suggested,which can explain 72.5% of the total variance. The contributionof each factor at every site is also computed and maps showingthe geographical distribution are illustrated. The areas withhigh concentrations of heavy metals are defined from these maps.     

Insecticide resistance in Tephritid flies

Tephritid flies attack a large variety of fruits, which constitute highly-priced commodities in many countries. Insecticides have been used extensively for their control.Although resistance development in fruit flies has not kept pace with that in other insects, possibly due to their high mobility and tendency for wide spatial dispersal, recent studies have indicated that selection pressure has now reached the point where resistance is detectable in the field and control may therefore become problematic. The status of resistance to the commonly used insecticides in the most significant Tephritid pests, such as the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata, the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis, the olive fly Bactrocera oleae and the melon fly Bactrocera cucurbitae, is reviewed. Emphasis has been placed on the resistance mechanisms that have been elucidated at the biochemical and molecular level. Prospects for using this knowledge alongside genomic information in Tephritidae to develop novel strategies of potential practical importance for resistance management are discussed.     

Plant regeneration of Nerium oleander L. from alginate-encapsulated shoot explants after short-term cold storage

In this study, an efficient protocol for the regeneration of encapsulated explants of oleander (Nerium oleander L.) has been developed. Shoot tips and 1st nodal segments below the shoot tip, from in vitro-derived oleander microshoots, were encapsulated in 2.5% sodium alginate prepared in liquid MS sucrose-free nutrient medium and hardened in 50 mM of calcium chloride producing solid beads, uniform in shape. These artificial seeds, irrespective of their maintenance under light or in darkness, germinated at frequencies of 38.8–42.2%, producing 3.0–3.3 microshoots per bead. In the case of using 100 mM of calcium chloride for hardening, the beads were firm, of uniform globular shape and suitable for handling, exhibiting a germination response of 68.9%. Encapsulated shoot tip explants, following storage at 4°C for 8 weeks, exhibited a higher regeneration response (60.0%) than non-encapsulated similar explants stored under the same conditions (11.1%). Microshoots, excised from cold-stored encapsulated explants after germination, rooted easily in agar-solidified MS medium with 2 μΜ IBA and after their transplantation into a peat-perlite substrate (3:1, v/v), were acclimatised successfully and established in the greenhouse with minimal losses. The present encapsulation procedure could be applied as an alternative method of micropropagation of desirable elite clones of oleander.