Perivascular wall tumour presenting as pastern mass in a Standardbred gelding

A 2-year-old Standardbred gelding was referred for a mass on the palmaromedial right front pastern which was accompanied by progressively worsening lameness. The mass was firm to palpation and covered by normal skin. Ultrasonographically, a smooth encapsulated mass was present, medial to the flexor tendons and palmar to the neurovascular bundle. Because of a poor prognosis for future athletic performance without surgical or chemotherapeutic intervention and economic constraints preventing further diagnostics and treatment, the horse was euthanised. Post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging, histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed the mass to be a perivascular wall tumour, the first record of such a neoplasia in the horse.     

Analysis of archive samples of spring and winter barley support an increase in individual Fusarium species in Bavarian barley grain over the last decades

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - A broad range of different Fusarium (F.) species is associated with Fusarium head blight (FHB) on barley and the corresponding negative effects in...     

Impact of Endocrine‐Disrupting Chemicals on Reproductive Function in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The prevalence of endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the aquatic environment has been associated with the wide detection of alterations in the development and physiology of vertebrates. Zebrafish, as a model species, has been extensively used in toxicological research. In this review, we focus on recent published evidence of the harmful effects of EDCs on reproductive function in zebrafish, including skewed sex ratio, immature gonads, diminished sexual behaviour, decreased sperm count, reduced spawning and fertilization. These impairments mostly result from disruption to sex‐steroid hormones induced by endocrine disruptors. We also discuss other effects of exposure to EDCs. In EDC exposure research, despite incomplete assessments of altered gonad histopathology and sexual behaviour, these present potential effective biomarkers or pathways for evaluating the reproductive function in zebrafish on EDC exposure. To date, the pernicious effects of some EDCs on the reproductive performance in laboratory zebrafish are well understood; however, similar alterations remain for further determination in wild‐type fish and more kinds of EDCs. More studies should be performed under established scientific regulatory criteria to investigate the impact of EDCs on reproduction in zebrafish. Moreover, further research is required to explain the definite mechanism of sexual differentiation, which helps in understanding the shift of sexual phenotype with EDC exposure.     

Proteolytic enzymes in fish development and the importance of dietary enzymes

The development of proteolytic enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin and aminopeptidase) was studied in three species of fish: Coregonus sp. (hybrids of C. wartmanni and C. lavaretus from Lake Constance), Salmo gairdneri and Rutilus rutilus. Enzyme activity increased more or less with increasing age, particularly in R. rutilus. In this species (a stomachless cyprinid), the level of proteolytic activity was considerably higher than that of S. gairdneri and Coregonus. However, in trout, the low activity of pancreatic enzymes may be compensated by the action of the stomach whereas in coregonids the stomach is not developed until 50 days (body weight without gut content: 65 mg; temperature: 10°C) after hatching. In coregonids this may lead to insufficient digestion of proteins which nevertheless can be compensated by the use of exogenous (dietary) enzymes ingested together with the natural diet. In coregonid larvae fed with Moina sp., exogenous trypsin represents a very high portion of the total tryptic activity. In juveniles older than 60 days (> 150 mg) and in the other two species, the exogenous portion of tryptic activity is less important. Furthermore, a change in the pattern of tryptic isozymes has been found during development of coregonids. It is concluded that low enzyme production as well as the absence of a stomach in the first few weeks after hatching are two important reasons for difficulties in rearing coregonids on an artificial diet.