THE USE OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC THREE‐DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTIONS TO DEVELOP INSTRUCTIONAL MODELS FOR EQUINE PELVIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Ultrasonography has gained increased utility to diagnose pelvic fractures in horses; however, internal pelvic contours can be difficult to appreciate from external palpable landmarks. We developed three‐dimensional (3D) simulations of the pelvic ultrasonographic examination to assist with translation of pelvic contours into two‐dimensional (2D) images. Contiguous 1 mm transverse computed tomography (CT) images were acquired through an equine femur and hemipelvis using a single slice helical scanner. 3D surface models were created using a DICOM reader and imported into a 3D modeling and animation program. The bone models were combined with a purchased 3D horse model and the skin made translucent to visualize pelvic surface contours. 3D models of ultrasound transducers were made from reference photos, and a thin sector shape was created to depict the ultrasound beam. Ultrasonographic examinations were simulated by moving transducers on the skin surface and rectally to produce images of pelvic structures. Camera angles were manipulated to best illustrate the transducer–beam–bone interface. Fractures were created in multiple configurations. Animations were exported as QuickTime movie files for use in presentations coupled with corresponding ultrasound videoclips. 3D models provide a link between ultrasonographic technique and image generation by depicting the interaction of the transducer, ultrasound beam, and structure of interest. The horse model was important to facilitate understanding of the location of pelvic structures relative to the skin surface. While CT acquisition time was brief, manipulation within the 3D software program was time intensive. Results were worthwhile from an instructional standpoint based on user feedback.     

Pathological conditions in the liver of ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua (L.), from the Elbe estuary

Abstract. During a 3-ycar study of the ruffe population in the highly polluted Elbe estuary, 551 fish were examined for grossly visible liver lesions. Three main types of abnormalities were distinguished, and the histological characteristics of representative livers are described. The rate of occurrence of each abnormality was recorded and correlated with the length of the affected fish. The livers in 11%; of the ruffe were uniformly discoloured due to excessive deposition of fat in the hepatocytes. In 39% of the livers, localized pale flecks, patches, or marbled patterns were observed. A subsample examined histochemically revealed that these were also due to fat deposition, except in a few cases resulting from excessive glycogen accumulation. Distinct from these two syndromes were pale nodules in the hepatic tissue seen in 8% of the ruffe. Microscopy showed the nodules to be neoplastic. A relationship between fish length and prevalence was found only in the case of these nodules. Possible causes of the various liver abnormalities found are discussed.     

Some studies of competition between Avena fatua L. and spring barley I. The influence of A. fatua on yield of barley

A. fauta reduced yields of spring barley in the majority of 51 experiments carried out during 1971 and 1972. Infestations ranging from 8 to 662 seedlings/m² in the spring resulted in yield reductions varying from nothing to 72%; in 11 experiments these exceeded 1–2 t/ha. Reductions in yield were poorly correlated with numbers of seedlings, panicles or wild oat seeds produced. However, there was a good correlation between yield loss and the dry weight of wild oats at harvest. Growth and competitive effects of wild oats differed between the two years. Grain losses were due mainly to reductions in the numbers of ear bearing barley tillers. The influence and significance of the effect of competition on the size of barley grains is discussed.     

The dormancy of wild oat seed (Avena fatua L.) from plants grown under various temperature and soil moisture conditions

Wild oat plants of types fA, fB and fC were grown at a constant 15 or 20°C during the period of seed maturation. Seed of the three types differed little in dormancy when grown at 15°C, but at 20°C a larger proportion of seeds of type fA were dormant compared with fB or fC. Overall, dormancy of seed produced at 15 and 20°C was 97 and 63% respectively. Plants of another collection of type fB were grown from seed at 15 or 20°C with or without water stress applied only from the time of panicle emergence. Water stress and high temperature reduced viable seed production. Seed dormancy was tested immediately after collection by planting the seed in soil, and by Petri dish tests. Further Petri dish tests were made after 6 months storage. Seedling emergence in the first autumn from seeds of plants matured without water stress at 15°C was 10% compared with 30% for seeds grown at 20°C. Seeds grown with water stress at 15°C gave 47%, and at 20°C 78% emergence. The majority of emergence from seeds formed at 15°C without water stress occurred in the second spring after burial. Petri dish tests support these findings and suggest that seeds produced in hot dry summers are less dormant than those produced in cool moist ones.     

Polymyxa betae zoospores as vectors of beet necrotic yellow vein furovirus1

When beet seedlings exposed as bait plants in infested soil were placed in a nutrient solution, they released Polymyxa betae zoospores, infected with beet necrotic yellow vein furovirus. The roots produced the first zoospores 5 days after the start of soil baiting. When seedlings were inoculated with zoospore suspensions, infection occurred within 5 min and reached a maximum in 30 min. The suspensions remained infectious for at least 2 h after removal of the bait plants from which the zoospores were released. So many spores were released into the suspension that disease transmission could be obtained within half an hour from an infected plant to a healthy plant, placed together into fresh medium. Suspensions could be diluted 1/16 with nutrient solution without any loss of infectivity, whereas 1/4 dilution with tap water resulted in a complete loss of infectivity.     

土壤疏水性对土壤和大气间能源分区的影响研究:一个概念的方法

Water repellency （WR） is a phenomenon known from many soils around the world and can occur in arid as well as in humid climates; few studies, however, have examined the effect of soil WR on the soil-plant-atmosphere energy balance. The aim of our study was to estimate the effects of soil WR on the calculated soil-atmosphere energy balance, using a solely model-based approach. We made out evapotranspiration to have the largest influence on the energy balance; therefore the effect of WR on actual evapotranspiration was assessed. To achieve this we used climate data and measured soil hydraulic properties of a potentially water-repellent sandy soil from a site near Berlin, Germany. A numerical 1D soil water balance model in which WR was incorporated in a straightforward way was applied, using the effective cross section concept. Simulations were carried out with vegetated soil and bare soil. The simulation results showed a reduction in evapotranspiration of 30-300 mm year-1 （9%-76%） at different degrees of WR compared to completely wettable soil, depending on the severity degree of soil WR. The energy that is not being transported away by water vapor （i.e., due to reduced evapotranspiration） had to be transformed into other parts of the energy balance and thus would influence the local climate.     

Besnoitiosis in a miniature donkey

A 1-year-old male miniature donkey ( Equus asinus ) from a herd of eight was presented with a 9-month history of pruritic dermatitis, lethargy and anorexia. Physical examination revealed diffuse lichenification and scales involving the skin of the face, head and dorsum from the neck to the pelvis. The main histological alteration within the superficial and deep dermis was the presence of multiple large, spherical, thick walled, protozoal Besnoitia cysts. In addition, the inflammatory response consisted of a moderate, superficial and deep perivascular, mixed mononuclear cell infiltrate, with epidermal hyperplasia and compact orthokeratosis. Based upon the large size of the protozoal cysts and the ultrastructural features of the bradyzoites contained therein (conoid, polar ring, rhoptries, micronemes and microtubules), a diagnosis of cutaneous besnoitiosis was established. Treatment with trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole resulted in significant clinical improvement. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of besnoitiosis in a miniature donkey in North America.     

Transmission of some fish pathogenic viruses by the heron, Ardea cinerea

Abstract. Various possibilities of transmitting fish pathogenic VHS, SVC and IPN viruses by the heron, Ardea cinerea , were investigated. Shedding of IPN virus in the faeces could be demonstrated for a period of 7 days when about 1 g of IPN virus-infected trout fry was fed to the birds once only, whereas feeding larger quantities of infected fish on 5 consecutive days resulted in virus excretion for a further 5 days only. Infectious IPN virus could not be isolated from samples of blood and virus specific neutralizing antibodies could not be demonstrated in serum samples. A waterborne infection of trout fry was established by adding very small (0·2 g) quantities of faeces from herons fed IPN virus-contaminated fish to 20 1 water. Infectious SVC and VHS virus was also re-isolated from samples of food which were regurgitated by the herons at different times up to 120 min after feeding of contaminated fish. It was concluded that herons are able to act as mechanical vectors for IPN, VHS and SVC viruses and therefore, may be a potential source of infection and spread of the diseases.     

Factors affecting seedling emergence of different strains of Avena fatua L.

Avena fatua L. seed of types fA (brown very hairy lemma) and fB (grey moderately hairy lemma) were collected from six locations in Britain during summer 1974. Primary and secondary seeds were planted separately at 20 and 100 mm depths. Emergence was recorded for 5 years and the number of viable seeds remaining at the end of the experiment was determined. With an increase in planting depth from 20 to 100 mm, there was a decrease in final emergence from secondary seed from 84 to 61% and from primary seed from 93 to 83%. At 20 mm there was no difference in emergence between collections, but at 100 mm there were differences between secondary seeds of some collections. There were also differences in the emergence behaviour of types fA and fB, both between and within collections. More seedlings from primary seeds than from secondary seeds emerged in the early stages, but later the reverse was true. After 5 years secondary seed had produced 16% fewer seedlings than primary seed. Seed unaccounted for at the end of the experiment was 18% for both types, twice as many seeds were unaccounted for at 100 mm than at 20 mm. Likewise, twice as many secondary than primary seeds were unaccounted for. On average the number of viable seeds remaining at the end of the 5 years was less than 1%, although 23% of secondary seeds of type fA from one collection buried at 100 mm remained viable. Flushes of emergence were correlated with prior experience of periods of temperature below 6°C in the soil. Facteurs qui influent sur la levée de plantules de différentes souches d'Avena fatua L. Des semences d'Avena fatua L. de deux sortes, fA (glumelle brune, très velue) et fB (glumelle grise, moyennement velue) ont été collectionnées pendant l'été 1974 à six endroits en Grand Bretagne. Les semences primaires et secondaires ont été plantées séparément à des profondeurs de 20 et de 100 mm. La levée a été signalée au cours de 5 ans et le nombre de semences viables qui restaient à la fin de l'essai a été déterminé. A mesure quàugmentait la profounder du semis de 20 à 100 mm. la levée définitive diminuait de 84 à 61 % pour les semences secondaires et de 93 à 83% pour les primaires. A 20 mm, aucune différence dans la levée n'a été constatée entre les différentes collections mais à 100 mm. centaines différences se sont fait voir entre les semences secondaires de certaines collections. Des différences ont été constatées aussi dans le comportement des sortes fA et fB en ce qui concerne la levée, différences entre les collections et à l'intérieur d'une collection. Au début, les plants provenant des semences primaires étaient plus nombreux que ceux des secondaires, mais plus tard on a constaté le contraire. Au bout de 5 ans, les semences secondaires avaient produit 16% moins de jeunes plants que les primaires. A la fin de l'essai, 18% des semences des deux sortes avaient disparu, deux fois plus à 100 mm qu'a 20 mm. De même deux fois plus de semences secondaires avait disparu que de semences primaires. En moyenne, moins de 1% des semences restaient aptes à germer au bout des 5 ans; néanmoions, 23% de semences secondaires de la sorte fA dans une des collections, enfouies à 100 mm, étaient toujours viables. Des levées sporadiques se trouvaient correlées à des périodes préalables où la température du sol ne dépassait pas 6°C. Ueber Faktoren, welche das Auflaufen verschiedener Linien von Avena fatua L. beeinflussen Im Laufe des Sommers 1974 wurden an sechs verschiedenen Orten in England Spelzfrüchte der Formen fA (braune, sehr stark behaarte Deckspelzen) und fB (graue, mässig behaarte Deckspelzen) von Avena fatua L. gesammelt. 1. und 2.Spelzfrüchte wurden getrennt in 20 und 100 mm Tiefe ausgesät und während 5 Jahren ihr Auflaufen beobachtet; am Ende der Beobachtungsperiode erfolgte eine Bestandesaufnahme der noch lebensfähigen Samen. Mit zunehmender Saattiefe nahm die Auflaurate für die 2.Spelzfrüchte von 84 auf 61% und für die 1. von 93 auf 83% ab. Bei 20 mm Saattiefe bestanden keine Differenzen im Auflaufen zwischen den an den verschiedenen Standorten gesammelten Mustern; bei 100 mm Tiefe wurden jedoch lokale Unterschiede bei den 2.Spclzfrüchten festgestellt. Es bestanden auch Unterschiede im Auflaufverhalten der Formen fA und fB, sowohl zwischen als auch innerhalb der verschiedenen Standortmuster. In der Anfangsphase der Beobachtungsperiode erschienen mehr Keimlinge aus 1. als aus 2. Spelzfrüchten; später war das Gegenteil der Fall. Im Vergleich zwischen 1. und 2.Spelzfrüchten hatten letztere nach 5 Jahren 16% weniger Pflanzen hervorgebracht als die 1. Für beide Formen (fA und fB) wurden am Ende der Versuchsperiode 18% nicht gekeimte, resp. nicht mehr lebensfähige Samen registriert; in 100 mm Tiefe waren es doppelt so viel als bei 20 mm. Ebenfalls doppelt so viele 2.Spelzfrüchte als 1. waren nicht keimfähig. Im Mittel waren nach 5 Jahren weniger als 1% lebensfähig, obwohl bei einem Standortmuster 23% der 2.Spelzfrüchte in 100 mm Tiefe noch lebensfähig waren. Vorange-gangene Perioden mit Bodentemperaturen unter 6°C waren für gehäuftes Auflaufen verantwortlich.