Toxic peripheral neuropathy with demyelination in Sprague-Dawley rats given CGS 21595--a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor.

Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were given CGS 21595, a pro-drug that is almost immediately metabolized to CGS 19213, a naphthoquinone that acts as a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor. The compound was administered by gavage to five groups of Sprague-Dawley rats (group Nos. 1, 5, n = 30; group Nos. 2-4, n = 20) at daily doses of 0, 50, 150, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg for 13 weeks. Rats in the higher dose groups had a reduced weight gain, but significant neurologic signs were not observed. A peripheral neuropathy consisting predominantly of myelin destruction in the spinal nerve roots and sciatic nerves in male rats treated with greater than or equal to 150 mg/kg CGS 21595 and in female rats treated with greater than or equal to 50 mg/kg CGS 21595 for 13 weeks. This lesion was not fully reversible after a recovery period of 4 weeks. Lesions consisted of ballooning of myelin sheaths, infiltration by macrophages, demyelination, and occasional areas of remyelination. Axons were generally preserved, and the brain and spinal cord were not affected. Male and female rats in all treatment groups had cytoplasmic hyaline droplets in the proximal renal tubules. This change was reversible after 4 weeks and was not associated with any other adverse effects on the kidney.     

Validation of the accuracy of household reporting of subsistence fishing catch and effort: a Fijian case study

Abstract  The accuracy of household reporting of subsistence fishing catch and effort and seafood consumption on the Fijian island of Ono-i-Lau was studied. A creel survey was carried out concurrently to validate the household survey data. Reported estimates of fishing participation, effort, and fish consumption were not significantly different to the creel survey estimates. Householder's appeared to overestimate the number of fish from the most abundant family Lethrinidae, and underestimate rarer fish. However, there was no significant difference between the reported and observed contribution of the majority of finfish families and invertebrate taxa. The reported and observed catch rate estimates were not significantly different, indicating that Ono-i-Lau villagers are relatively accurate in their estimation of the number and size of fish from recalled catches.     

Spermatophore cryopreservation and artificial insemination of black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius)

To develop an appropriate cryopreservation protocol for spermatophores of black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon, three cryoprotectants (dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), methanol (MeOH) and ethylene glycol (EG)) at two concentrations (5% and 10%) were examined. Artificial implantation of spermatophores was also carried out to assess the fertilizing ability of fresh and post‐thaw spermatophores. Spermatophores were collected during consecutive regenerations (15‐day intervals) and assessed for qualitative and quantitative changes and also for fertilizing ability by implantation. The mean fertilization rate for artificial insemination using post‐thaw spermatophore was 79.9±3.7%, lower than the fertilization rates observed for artificial implantation using fresh spermatophore and natural mating. Mean hatch rates for fresh spermatophore, frozen‐thawed spermatophore and natural mating were 88.8±0.6%, 87.8±0.4% and 88.3±0.5%, respectively; and there was no difference among the three groups. The mean fertilization rate of spermatophores collected during the first stripping was higher (90.6±0.6) than during the second stripping (85.7±2.6), but the mean hatch rate was not different between the two strippings. The highest mean sperm viability (79.7±0.4%) was obtained from DMSO (5%), with no survival observed in the 10% MeOH treatment. Spermatophore weight, total sperm count and percentage of abnormal sperm were not different between spermatophores collected at the first and second stripping. This is the first study to report high fertilization and hatch rates from cryopreserved spermatophore using artificial implantation of spermatophore before spawning.     

The use of a Giardia vaccine as an immunotherapeutic agent in dogs.

Dogs (n = 13), which had failed to be cured of giardiosis following chemotherapeutic measures, were treated with a Giardia vaccine (2-3 injections). Clinical signs resolved between 16 and 42 days postvaccination and cessation of fecal cyst shedding was between 21 and 70 days. Vaccination is a potential method of treating giardiosis in dogs.     

Leishmaniasis phytotherapy. Nature's leadership against an ancient disease.

The use of phytotherapy to treat human diseases has its roots in pre-historical times. Despite the modern advances achieved in the field of synthetic chemistry, the most efficient drugs available have their genesis directly or indirectly related with the vegetal kingdom. Indigenous communities have long used plant extracts to treat illnesses. Many of these extracts have shown effective action, with new bioactive compounds being extracted and screened every year. These extracts have also proven to be good sources of therapeutic agents to the treatment of Leishmaniasis. This work highlights some of these agents, while trying to emphasize the importance of plants as a source of new and powerful drugs against this widespread disease.     

Inland commercial fisheries management in France

The French fisheries management regime is based on public and private ownership of fishing waters associated with a complex multilevel management system. A total of 730 operational commercial inland fisheries were examined by analysis of thematic interviews and questionnaires. Commercial fishermen are beginning to understand the nature of their own activity and its relationship to the concept of sustainable management. Nevertheless, fishermen have to face two major problems: first, they are poorly represented on decision making bodies where anglers are dominant, and secondly their activities are governed by two separate ministries. Opportunities for future development may lie in decision making at the catchment level.     

Cubicle refusal in Norwegian dairy herds.

In order to survey the behaviour of choosing the alley area instead of a cubicle as a lying place (cubicle refusal), a questionnaire was sent to the 273 dairy farms in Norway known to keep cows in cubicle housing systems. Sixty-six percent of the farmers contacted were included in the study. The median herd size was 18 cows (range 7-118). More than 85% of the herds had sheds providing one or more cubicles per cow. The mean herd occurrence of cubicle refusal was 6%, but showed great variation (range 0-55%). Regression analysis showed a significant association between rearing heifers in slatted floor pens and an increased cubicle refusal occurrence (p = 0.02, R2 = 0.05), while herd size, use of litter, or cubicle-to-animal ratio were not found to be associated with cubicle refusal. The practice of rearing heifers in slatted floor pens accounted for about one half of the observed cubicle refusal (etiologic fraction = 0.51).     

Coxofemoral Luxation in the Dog and Cat

The medical records from 95 cases of coxofemoral luxation in dogs and cats were reviewed. Unilateral craniodorsal luxation was most common, (78.1% of dogs, 72.7% of cats). Trauma from being struck by an automobile was the most frequent cause (59.0%). Treatment was closed (manual) or open (surgical) reduction. The failure rate following single closed reduction was 64.8%. The surgical reduction procedure included capsular repair (capsulorrhaphy) via a craniolateral approach to the hip or via trochanteric osteotomy or gluteal tenotomy. The success rate following reduction via the craniolateral approach was 82%; no failure was recorded with trochanteric transposition, but reluxa-tion followed the single gluteal tenotomy. The Ehmer sling was the most common external fixation and was kept in place an average of 12.5 days. Thirty-three animals were available for follow-up, and no difference was recorded in limb function between the two groups of animals treated by closed vs surgical reduction. Patients with degenerative joint disease at the time of luxation were less likely to be successfully reduced; 64.3% of these animals were eventually treated by femoral head and neck excision. Thirty-eight patients had associated major injuries. Long-term follow-up results were better in those patients with concomitant orthopedic injuries than in those without other injuries.     

Long-term variation in brown trout, Salmo trutta L., stocking success in a large lake: interplay between availability of suitable prey and size at release

Abstract –  Factors affecting long-term variation in brown trout, Salmo trutta L., stocking success were examined in a large lake, Lake Oulujärvi, in central Finland. Brown trout were stocked in spring (late May to early June) in 1974–1991 and in summer (late June to early July) in 1992–2001. The biomass of the vendace, Coregonus albula (L.), population (prey) at release time had the largest positive effect on stocking success within both periods: biomass of adult vendace in spring and both 0+ and adult vendace in summer. Increasing the size of stocked fish had a positive effect if the vendace available at release were only adults. The increasing trend of predator-catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) [combined CPUE of northern pike Esox lucius L., burbot Lota lota (L.), and pike-perch Stizostedion lucioperca (L.)] through the study period and its negative effect on trout stocking success suggested an increasing effect of predation within the entire time series.     

Cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest.

Severe heart disease may cause hypotension and hypoperfusion, and ultimately circulation may cease altogether. These two clinical syndromes are cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest, respectively. This review summarizes the causes and clinical features of each, and describes the treatment options available to clinicians managing patients in cardiogenic shock.