IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—BACTERIAL DISKOSPONDYLITIS IN A GOAT

A 3-year-old intact male Boer goat was evaluated for paraplegia. Computed tomography (CT) indicated the presence of diskospondylitis, which had previously not been reported in this species, and significant compressive myelopathy. Chronic bacterial pneumonia, epididymitis, nephritis, and soft-tissue abscesses were believed to result in hematogenous spread of bacteria to the affected disk spaces. Staphylococcus spp. and Archanobacterium pyogenes were both identified from postmortem cultures of the vertebral column.     

CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING OF THE AUDITORY TUBE IN MESATICEPHALIC DOGS

Computed tomography after contrast medium injection was performed in three mesaticephalic canine cadavers to image the auditory tube. Cadavers were positioned in lateral recumbency for imaging. A myringotomy incision was made in the left tympanic membrane of each dog, and contrast medium was infused into the ear canal and middle ear through a balloon-tip catheter. With this method, contrast medium filled the left bulla and auditory tube in all three cadavers. Computed tomography following contrast medium injection was effective for evaluation of the canine auditory tube. Future studies are required to determine the usefulness, as well as the safety, of this procedure in the evaluation of the auditory tube in other breeds of dogs as well as dogs with otitis     

TRANSSPLENIC PORTAL SCINTIGRAPHY USING 99MTC-MEBROFENIN IN NORMAL DOGS

Transsplenic portal scintigraphy using sodium pertechnetate is superior to per-rectal portal scintigraphy due to improved visualization of the portal vasculature with decreased patient and personnel exposure. The purpose of this study was to describe the use of 99mTc-mebrofenin, the radiopharmaceutical of choice for the evaluation of hepatic function, in place of pertechnetate for transsplenic portal scintigraphy in normal dogs. Sixteen juvenile dogs underwent transsplenic portal scintigraphy using 37-130 MBq 99mTc-mebrofenin in a 0.2-0.5 ml volume. After the initial dynamic acquisition obtained at 4 frames/s in right lateral recumbency, static right lateral, and ventral views were obtained at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min. A nuclear angiogram of the splenic and portal veins was visible in all dogs, followed by rapid distribution of the radiopharmaceutical in the liver. Hepatic morphology was more easily defined than with pertechnetate. Transit time could not be calculated due to the high hepatic extraction of 99mTc-mebrofenin. Mean +/- SD shunt fraction was 0.8 +/- 0.8%. Time to peak liver activity was 3.1 +/- 1.1 min, and hepatic excretion T1/2 was 19.4 +/- 6.3 min. No visible blood pool and cardiac activity was seen after 5 min. The mean +/- SD time to visualization of defined biliary activity was 8.8 +/- 2.9 min. Absorption from the spleen was significantly higher than that reported for pertechnetate (87.9 +/- 8.2%, vs. 52.5 +/- 19.1%). 99mTc-mebrofenin can be used in place of pertechnetate for transsplenic portal scintigraphy, with the advantage of combining quantitative parameters of liver function with the already known advantage of transsplenic portal scintigraphy.     

Cytology of the host-pathogen interactions between Lolium perenne and Drechslera dictyoides

The interactions between Drechslera dictyoides and Lolium perenne resulting in the development of the net blotch lesion were examined using light and electron microscopy. Following appressorium formation a reorganization of the network of cytoplasmic strands in underlying epidermal cells resulted in the accumulation of cytoplasm and the migration of the nucleus towards the appressorium. Successful penetration was followed by extensive colonization of the invaded epidermal cell. Abortive penetration attempts often resulted in the formation of hyphae within the epidermal cell wall. During lesion development, advancing hyphae came into contact with unmodified host cells which responded with the production of wall appositions. Hyphae were sparsely distributed within the developing lesions and their sparingly branched, predominantly linear pattern of growth resulted in the formation of discrete net lesions. Prior to the commencement of sporulation, the density of hyphae increased and the invasion of moribund cells of the senescent host tissue was observed.     

Effect of fluoxymesterone on sex ratio and growth of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

The androgenic and anabolic potential of fluoxymesterone (FM) was evaluated by incorporating the hormone into the feed of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus(L.) fry. Phenotypic all-male populations were produced when FM was given at 1, 5 and 25mg/kg of feed. Fry fed methyltestosterone (MT) at 60 mg/kg of feed and 0-2 mg of FM per kg of feed had a sex ratio of 97-7% and 87-3% phenotypic males. No positive anabolic effect was evident in response to adding FM or MT to the feed at the end of the 28-day treatment period or after an additional 6 weeks of growth without hormone. Growth was less for fry which received 25 mg/kg of FM compared to those receiving lesser rates of FM, 60 mg/kg MT, and controls.     

Interactions between Cercospora arachidicola and Phoma arachidicola, and their effects on defoliation and kernel yield of groundnut

Cercospora arachidicola and Phoma arachidicola spread independently on groundnuts when leaf area was not limiting, but where C. arachidicola colonized leaves early, it usually spread at the expense of P. arachidicola. Juice extracted from leaflets infected with C. arachidicola and separated by thin-layer chromatography contained unidentified compounds which were not present in juice from uninfected leaflets, and prevented the growth of P. arachidicola. Cercospora leaf spot reduced photosynthesis and was the major contributor to premature leaf drop, which had an adverse effect on yield. Well blotch ( P. arachidicola ) only caused defoliation and depressed yield where there was very little Cercospora leaf spot present.     

Influence of glyphosate on selected plant processes

Biochemical effects of glyphosate have been examined with a variety of plant materials using mostly merislematic or actively growing tissues. The accumulation of chlorophyll was severely retarded and photosynthetic CO₂ uptake was inhibited to a lesser extent. These inhibitory effects could not be alleviated by the simultaneous admixture of divalent cations. Glyphosate enhanced the initial substrate-induction of nitrate reductase, but repressed induction of nitrite reductase, in Ihe latter case correlating with both inhibition of chlorophyll accumulation and CO₂ uptake. Inhibition of macromolecule synthesis in single node buds of Agropyron repens(L.) Beauv. was due partly to inhibition of ¹⁴C-precursor uptake. The specific activity of soluble acid phosphatase was enhanced as was the evolution of ethane. Ethylene production was not greatly affected. A marked decrease in microsomal protein was observed but the specific activities of several microsomal enzymes did not decline. Glyphosate had little inhibitory effect on the activity of microsomal ATPases in vitro.     

DISSOCIATION OF HOMOGRAFT RESPONSE TO ALLOGENEIC VERSUS XENOGENEIC SKIN GRAFTS IN IRRADIATED MICE

Lethally x-irradiated (C3H x DBA/2)F(1) mice were protected with syngeneic (isogenic) bone marrow and/ or prior treatment with urethan and skin grafted at various times after irradiation. The ability to reject a first-set xenogeneic (heterologous) skin graft with normal vigor returned within 92 days; the first-set response to allogeneic (homologous) grafts was still impaired 350 days after irradiation.