Hepatic Lobe Torsion as a Cause of Colic in a Horse

A 14-year-old Arabian gelding was examined for colic. An exploratory celiotomy was subsequently performed and the left lobe of the liver was found to be twisted. The lobe was resected using a TA-90 surgical stapling instrument. Histologic examination of the resected liver indicated portal vein and sinusoid dilation and congestion with blood. There were focal areas of necrosis and bacterial cocci and rods throughout the section. The histologic findings were consistent with hepatic lobe torsion. After surgery, the horse was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, heparin, and intravenous fluids. The horse recovered without complications, although serum liver enzymes remained elevated for more than 1 week after surgery. Seven months after surgery the horse showed no adverse affects from the disease.     

Pharmacokinetics of midazolam administered concurrently with ketamine after intravenous bolus or infusion in dogs

Brown, S.A., Jacobson, J.D., Hartsfield, S.M. Pharmacokinetics of midazolam administered concurrently with ketamine after intravenous bolus or infusion in dogs. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 16 , 419–425. Midazolam, a water-soluble benzodiazepine tranquilizer, has been considered by some veterinary anaesthesiologists to be suitable as a combination anaesthetic agent when administered concurrently with ketamine because of its water solubility and miscibility with ketamine. However, the pharmacokinetics of midazolam have not been extensively described in the dog. Twelve clinically healthy mixed breed dogs (22.2–33.4 kg) were divided into two groups at random and were administered ketamine (10 mg/kg) and midazolam (0.5 mg/kg) either as an intravenous bolus over 30 s (group 1) or as an i.v. infusion in 0.9% NaCl (2 ml/kg) over 15 min. Blood samples were obtained immediately before the drugs were injected and periodically for 6 h afterwards. Serum concentrations were determined using gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Serum concentrations were best described using a two-compartment open model and indicated a t_½α of 1.8 min and t_½β.p of 27.8 min after i.v. bolus, and t_½α f 1–35 min and t_½β of 31.6 min after i.v. infusion. The calculated pharmacokinetic coefficient B was significantly smaller after i.v. infusion (429 ± 244 ng/ml) than after i.v. bolus (888 ± 130 ng/ml, P = 0.004). Furthermore, AUC was significantly smaller after i.v. infusion (29 800 ±6120 ng/h/ml) than after i.v. bolus (42 500 ± 8460 ng/h/ml, P < 0.05), resulting in a larger Cl_B after i.v. infusion (17.4 ± 4.00 ml/min/kg than after i.v. bolus (12.1 ± 2.24 ml/min/kg, P < 0.05). No other pharmacokinetic value was significantly affected by rate of intravenous administration.     

Transfer from Erwinia herbicola to Escherichia coli of a plasmid associated with biocontrol of fire blight

Strains of Erwinia herbicola effective in the biocontrol of fire blight of hawthorn were used to investigate the possibility that the antagonistic activity is coded by plasmid-born genes. Agarose gel electrophoresis of isolated plasmids from four antagonistic Erw. herbicola strains showed a band of a supercoiled 12 kb plasmid in each strain, with a second band greater than 16.2 kb consistently seen in two strains. Erw. herbicola strains showed resistance to penicillin-G, which could be conferred on penicillin-G sensitive Escherichia coli TG1 by transformation with a pure Erw. herbicola plasmid preparation. Transformed strains of Esc. coli appeared to contain the Erw. herbicola 12 kb plasmid, but not the > 16.2 kb plasmid. In an agar plate assay, Esc. coli transformants produced an inhibition zone against Erw. amylovora similar to those produced by the original Erw. herbicola strains. In two biocontrol assays, the transformed Esc. coli strains had a suppressive effect on disease development on infected pear fruit slices and hawthorn blossoms.     

Acute oral toxicity of zinc phosphide: an assessment for wild house mice (Mus musculus)

Irregular plagues of house mice, Mus musculus, incur major economic impacts on agricultural production in Australia. The efficacy of zinc phosphide (ZnP), the only registered broadacre control agent for mice, is reported as increasingly variable. Have mice become less sensitive over time or are they taking a sub-lethal dose and developing aversion? In this laboratory study, the sensitivity of mice (wild caught; outbred laboratory strain) was assessed using oral gavage of a range of ZnP concentrations. The estimated LD₅₀ values (72–79 mg ZnP/kg body weight) were similar for each mouse group but are significantly higher than previously reported. The willingness of mice to consume ZnP-coated grains was determined. ZnP-coated grains (50 g ZnP/kg grain) presented in the absence of alternative food were consumed and 94% of wild mice died. Mice provided with alternative food and ZnP-coated wheat grains (either 25 or 50 g ZnP/kg grain) consumed toxic and non-toxic grains, and mortality was lower (33–55%). If a sublethal amount of ZnP-coated grain was consumed, aversion occurred, mostly when alternative food was present. The sensitivity of wild house mice to ZnP in Australia is significantly lower than previously assumed. Under laboratory conditions, ZnP-coated grains coated with a new higher dose (50 g ZnP/kg grain) were readily consumed. Consumption of toxic grain occurred when alternative food was available but was decreased. Our unambiguous findings for house mice indicate a re-assessment of the ZnP loading for baits used for control of many rodents around the world may be warranted.     

Invasive black spiny‐tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) on Gasparilla Island,Florida, USA

The native range of Ctenosaura similis extends from southern Mexico through Panama. From an initial introduction of 3 animals in 1979, the species now numbers in the thousands on Gasparilla Island in southwest Florida. In response to complaints of property damage from residents and threats to native species, local officials and the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services began a removal program in 2008. Through 2011, trappers removed 9467 ctenosaurs. The number removed declined from 32 iguanas/day in 2008 to 1.9 iguanas/day in 2011 despite no easing of the control effort. We necropsied 2757 ctenosaurs to document aspects of their natural history. Females outnumbered males overall, although the largest size class (>300 mm snout–vent length) included 32 males and just 2 females. Reproduction was seasonal. We found oviducal eggs in females from early Apr to early Jun, approximately 2 months later than C. similis in its native range. We trapped hatchlings from late Jul to early Oct coincident with the summer rainy season. Clutch size increased with female body size, with 62 being the largest clutch size recorded. In general, the biology of the invasive population on Gasparilla Island resembles native C. similis populations in Central America, except for the lack of large individuals. We suggest that shorter day length and colder temperatures create environmental conditions that are suboptimal for individual growth compared to those in the native range.     

Traders' preference for goat characteristics in selected markets of Pangasinan, Philippines

Preference for goat characteristics was determined from 42 traders in six markets in Pangasinan, an important trading center for goats in Luzon, the Philippines, and analyzed using a hedonic price model to determine whether these characteristics are important price determinants of goats. This information is important to goat raisers to respond to the needs of the local market, and thus to achieve a better price and higher income in goat raising. Meatiness, size, breed, sex and age (in descending order) were the dominant goat characteristics preferred by traders. Meatiness had the largest positive influence on price, with a price premium of US$6.24 (US$1.00 = PhP 53), whereas the age of the animal had the smallest influence at US$3.72. However, size and meatiness are manifestations of good breeds. Therefore, continued efforts to improve breeds in order to produce good quality goats are imperative to cater to market needs. Different characteristics implied different price premiums. Traders offered a higher price premium for better goat characteristics; thus, the improvement of these characteristics could result in higher returns for goat raisers.     

PCR-based detection of Colletotrichum acutatum on strawberry

An oligonucleotide primer ( Ca Int 2) was synthesized from the variable internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) from Colletotrichum acutatum . PCR with primers Ca Int2 and ITS4 (from a conserved sequence of the rDNA) amplified a 490 bp fragment from several isolates of C. acutatum but not from other members of the genus Colletotrichum . Amplification of this fragment was achieved from 100 fg of fungal DNA. These primers amplified a fragment of the same size from DNA extracted from strawberry tissues infected by C. acutatum . Southern hybridization analysis confirmed the 490 bp fragment from C. acutatum DNA and infected strawberry to be identical. The species-specific primer ( Ca Int2) developed in this work could be used for the accurate identification of C. acutatum and its detection on other host plants.     

Adaptation of barley powdery mildew populations in England to varieties with two resistance genes

In 1986, two spring barley cultivars were widely grown in the UK for the first time: Klaxon, which carries the powdery mildew resistance alleles Mla7, Mlk and Ml ( La ), and Natasha ( Mla12 + Ml(Ab) ). Significant amounts of a third cultivar, Doublet ( Mla7+ Ml(La) ), were grown for the first time in 1986. The individual resistance genes, and the combination Mla7+Mlk , had previously been used separately in different varieties. Isolates of the mildew pathogen Erysiphe graminis f.sp. hordei , which were virulent on Doublet and Klaxon, were rare up to June 1986. One clone of E. g. f.sp. hordei , virulent on Doublet and Klaxon, increased in frequency from < 1% to 36% from June to October 1986, in samples from the airborne population in Cambridge, UK. This consisted of isolates with apparently identical virulences, responses to fungicides and genetic fingerprints. It also formed the majority of Doublet-virulent mildew sampled from a field of Doublet near Cambridge in 1987. By contrast, isolates virulent on Natasha were already common and genetically diverse in 1985:22 of 100 isolates sampled in October 1985, belonging to 13 races, were virulent. Natasha appeared not to influence the E. g. f.sp. hordei population greatly, as the frequency of Natasha-virulent isolates fell slightly, from 15·5% to 11·7% between June and October 1986. No single clone predominated in the Natasha-virulent population. These results support the view that new epidemics of barley powdery mildew in the UK arise by highly stochastic evolution of E. g. f.sp. hordei populations. They also indicate that varieties with new combinations of previously exposed resistance genes do not necessarily provide durable control of mildew, because the frequency of a virulent clone may rise rapidly.