Genetic variation in feather‐pecking behaviour

1. Chicks reared from 1 d old were classified as either feather peckers or feather pecked at about 3 weeks of age.

2. Subsequent analysis of the pecking propensities of the birds showed that there was an inherited component in this behaviour.     

Risk factors associated with development of seizures after use of iohexol for myelography in dogs: 182 cases (1998)

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of seizures after use of iohexol for myelography and identify associated risk factors in dogs. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 182 dogs that received iohexol for myelography in 1998. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed for age, breed, sex, weight, dose and total volume of iohexol, injection site, number of injections, lesion type and location, total duration of anesthesia, duration from time of iohexol injection to recovery, presence and number of seizures, and whether surgery followed the myelogram. RESULTS: 39 (21.4%) dogs had at least 1 generalized seizure during or after myelography. Injection site was strongly associated with prevalence of seizures, and risk of seizure was significantly higher after cerebellomedullary injections, compared with lumbar injections. Mean total volume of iohexol administered to dogs that had seizures was significantly higher, compared with that administered to dogs that did not have seizures, although dosage did not differ between groups. Weight was significantly correlated with risk of seizure, and dogs that weighed > 20 kg (44 lb) had higher prevalence of seizures than dogs that weighed < 20 kg. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: It is preferential to administer iohexol via the L5-6 intervertebral space to minimize the risk of seizures. Higher prevalence of seizures in large dogs, compared with smaller dogs, may be caused by administration of larger total volumes of contrast agent per volume of CSF.     

Using mixed methods to investigate factors influencing reporting of livestock diseases: A case study among smallholders in Bolivia

Livestock disease surveillance is particularly challenging in resource-scarce settings, where disease events are often unreported. Surveillance performance is determined as much by the quantifiable biological attributes of the disease, as it is by motivations and barriers perceived by livestock keepers for disease reporting. Mixed methods designs, which integrate the collection, analysis and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data in a single study, are increasingly used across different disciplines. These designs allow for a deeper exploration of the topic under investigation, than can be achieved by either approach alone.     

Palmitic Acid and Ergosta-7,22-dien-3-ol Contribute to the Apoptotic Effect and Cell Cycle Arrest of an Extract from Marthasterias glacialis L. in Neuroblastoma Cells

We describe the effect of a chemically characterized lipophilic extract obtained from Marthasterias glacialis L. against human breast cancer (MCF-7) and human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell lines. Evaluation of DNA synthesis revealed that both cell lines were markedly affected in a concentration-dependent way, the SH-SY5Y cell line being more susceptible. Cell cycle arrest was observed, an effect induced by the sterol, ergosta-7,22-dien-3-ol, present in the extract. Morphological evaluation of treated cells showed the advent of lipid droplets and chromatin condensation compatible with apoptosis, which was confirmed by the evaluation of caspase-3 and -9 activities. Palmitic acid was the main compound responsible for this apoptotic effect by a ceramide-independent mechanism that involved endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress with upregulation of CCAAT/-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP).     

Detection of Flexibacter maritimus in fish tissue using nested PCR amplification

A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system was developed for the detection of Flexibacter maritimus from fish tissue. The total procedure for the diagnosis of marine flexibacteriosis, from the point of DNA extraction to the electrophoretic analysis, can be performed in < 4 h. This was achieved by the combination of a short thermal cycling programme with a rapid DNA extraction procedure. The assay was extremely sensitive, capable of detecting as few as 75 cfu mg(-1) fish tissue. The accuracy of the nested PCR was confirmed under field conditions using tissue samples recovered during 1993-2002 from fish suffering marine flexibacteriosis. The nested PCR method proved to be efficient for the rapid and sensitive detection of F. maritimus from fish tissues and can be used for routine diagnosis of the disease caused by this pathogen.     

Adult-onset cerebellar cortical abiotrophy and retinal degeneration in a domestic shorthair cat.

A 4-year-old, neutered male domestic shorthair cat presented for evaluation of ataxia and visual deficits. Neurological examination revealed severe cerebellar ataxia with symmetrical hypermetria and spasticity, a coarse whole-body tremor, positional vertical nystagmus, and frequent loss of balance. A menace response was absent bilaterally, and the pupils were widely dilated in room light. A funduscopic examination revealed markedly attenuated to absent retinal vessels and pronounced tapetal hyperreflectivity, findings consistent with end-stage retinal degeneration. Blood work evaluation included retroviral testing, a complete blood count, serum biochemistry analysis, taurine levels, and toxoplasma immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M titers. All were within reference ranges. The patient was euthanized, and a necropsy was performed. Microscopically, lesions of the nervous system were confined to the cerebellum and were consistent with cerebellar cortical abiotrophy. Selective photoreceptor degeneration was seen on histopathological examination of the retina with a reduction in the number of rods and cones. The combination of clinical findings and histopathological lesions seen here has not been previously reported in the cat.     

Preserving the tree of life

Phylogenies provide new ways to measure biodiversity, to assess conservation priorities, and to quantify the evolutionary history in any set of species. Methodological problems and a lack of knowledge about most species have so far hampered their use. In the future, as techniques improve and more data become accessible, we will have an expanded set of conservation options, including ways to prioritize outcomes from evolutionary and ecological processes.     

A critical role for eosinophils in allergic airways remodeling

Features of chronic asthma include airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammatory infiltrates, and structural changes in the airways, termed remodeling. The contribution of eosinophils, cells associated with asthma and allergy, remains to be established. We show that in mice with a total ablation of the eosinophil lineage, increases in airway hyperresponsiveness and mucus secretion were similar to those observed in wild-type mice, but eosinophil-deficient mice were significantly protected from peribronchiolar collagen deposition and increases in airway smooth muscle. These data suggest that eosinophils contribute substantially to airway remodeling but are not obligatory for allergen-induced lung dysfunction, and support an important role for eosinophil-targeted therapies in chronic asthma.     

Survey of ixodid ticks and two tick-borne pathogens in African buffaloes, Syncerus caffer, from the Caprivi Strip, Namibia

A capture operation to ascertain health status in free-ranging buffaloes from six different areas in the Caprivi Strip in the northeast corner of Namibia was conducted in October 2009. Basic information on the ticks and tick-borne pathogens normally found in wildlife from this area are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the host status of African buffaloes, Syncerus caffer, for ixodid ticks and two selected tick-borne pathogens in the Caprivi Strip, a key area bordering Angola, Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Four different tick species have been identified among the 233 collected specimens, and, of 95 tested buffaloes, 54 (57%) were positive for Theileria parva, whereas only 3 (3%) showed evidence of being infected with Ehrlichia ruminantium.