Pathogenic specialization in Melampsora epitea var. epitea on Salix

Eighteen isolates of the rust fungus Melampsora from different locations in England were tested for pathogenicity to a large range of willow clones ( Salix spp.) in experiments involving inoculation of leaf discs. Seventeen of the isolates were of leaf-infecting M. epitea var. epitea , 16 of which represented forms which alternated on Larix and one of which alternated on Ribes . The remaining isolate was of uncertain identity. Two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment, 24 willow clones consisting of 20 Salix species and interspecific hybrids were inoculated with eight isolates from clones of S. viminalis . In the other experiment, 77 clones from 57 species or hybrids were inoculated with 10 isolates from several Salix spp. The M. epitea var. epitea isolates from S. viminalis clones were all similarly pathogenic, whilst most of the other isolates expressed distinct host specificity. Eight distinct pathotypes were recognized within M. epitea var. epitea . All except one of these alternated on Larix and could be assigned to three formae speciales which had been reported previously in Europe: four pathotypes to f.sp. larici-epitea typica , two to f.sp. larici-retusae , and one to f.sp. larici-daphnoides . The Ribes -alternating pathotype of M. epitea var. epitea infected only S. purpurea . Nine differential willow hosts are proposed as reference clones to distinguish between the larch-alternating pathotypes, the Ribes -alternating rust and the 'stem-infecting' form. The extent of pathogenic variation encountered amongst sexually reproducing rusts suggests that more pathotypes probably exist and will arise in future in response to selection given by long-term clonal willow plantings.     

Prevalences of feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus infections in cats in Sydney

Objective To determine prevalences of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infections in ‘healthy’ cats that, through acute misadventure or other circumstance, were presented to veterinary practitioners. Prevalences of FeLV and FIV in this population were compared to those in a population of predominantly sick cats. Design and procedures Serum specimens were obtained over a 2-year period from 200 cats oldeer than 1 year of age presented to veterinary clinics for routine procedures, including cat fight injuries or abscesses, vehicular trauma, neutering, dental scaling, vaccination, grooming or boarding. An additional 894 sera were obtained over approximately the same period from specimens submitted by veterinarians to a private clinical pathology laboratory, mainly from sick cats suspected of having immune dysfunction, but including some sera from healthy cats being screened prior to FeLV vaccination. FIV antibody and FeLV antigen were detected in samples using commercial enzyme immunoassays. Results Amongst 200 ‘healthy’ cats, the prevalence of FeLV infection was 0 to 2%, and the prevalence of FIV was 6.5 to 7.5%, depending on the stringency of the criteria used to define positivity. FIV infection was significantly more prevalent in cats which resided in an inner city environment (P = 0.013). Of the 894 serum specimens submitted to the laboratory by practitioners, 11/761 (1.4%) were FeLV positive, while 148/711 (20.8%) were FIV positive. The prevalence of FIV was significantly higher in these predominantly ‘sick’ cats than in cats seen for routine veterinary procedures (P < 0.00001), while there was no difference in the prevalence of FeLV (P = 0.75) Conclusions The prevalence of FeLV and FIV in healthy cats may have been substantially overestimated in some previous Australian surveys. FeLV infection would appear to be a rare cause of disease in Australian cats. The higher prevalence of FIV positivity in sick as opposed to healthy cats infers that FIV infection contributes to the development of disease.     

Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of parenterally administered doramectin in cattle

Plasma concentrations of doramectin in 40 cattle dosed by subcutaneous (sc) or intramuscular (i.m.) injection (200 μg/kg) were compared to assess the bioequivalence of the two routes of administration. Peak concentration ( C _max), and areas under the concentration curve ( AUC_0– ) were determined from plasma concentrations. Animals treated by the sc route showed a mean AUC_0– of 457 ± 66 ng±day/mL (± SD) and a mean C _max of 27.8 ± 7.9 ng/mL. Results from the i.m. treatment group showed a mean AUC _0– of 475 ± 82 ng-day/mL and a mean C _max of 33.1 ± 9.0 ng/mL Absorption constants ( k _a) determined by modelling were 0.542 ± 0.336 day^-1after sc administration and 0.710 ± 0.357 day^-1after i.m. administration. The 90% confidence limits on the difference between mean AUC _0– values for the sc and i.m. groups fell within 20% of the mean value for the subcutaneous group. C _max was somewhat greater for the i.m. route. The 90% confidence limits on the difference in mean In ( T _max+1) also fell within 20% of the mean sc value. Based on this analysis, bioequivalence of the sc and i.m. formulation has been established.     

Gas diffusion, fluid flow and derived pore continuity indices in relation to vehicle traffic and tillage

Relative gas diffusivity, air permeability and hydraulic conductivity were measured in undisturbed soil cores from tillage and traffic experiments. Continuity indices were taken as the quotient of relative diffusivity and air-filled porosity, and of air permeability and air-filled porosity (and the square of air-filled porosity). These were applied to individual measurements or to treatment means. More general continuity indices were derived from the changes in flow or diffusion with porosity, where the variations in porosity were due to both field variability and applied changes of water potential. These indices were the exponent in the relationship between relative diffusivity and air-filled porosity and the slope of log–log plots of air permeability and air-filled porosity or hydraulic conductivity and degree of saturation. Some physical significance was attached to the exponents by comparison with models of soil porosity. Positive intercepts of the relative diffusivity or air permeability plots on the air-filled porosity axes were taken as porosities blocked to gas movement.
Continuity indices and flow measurements showed differences between tillage and traffic treatments which did not necessarily reflect differences in bulk density. Intrinsic permeability was better estimated from air permeability than from unsaturated hydraulic conductivity.     

MICRO-STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ARABLE AND OLD GRASSLAND SOILS AS SHOWN IN THE SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

The scanning electron microscope has been used to compare the microstructure of an old grassland soil with that of an arable soil of the same soil series. The micrographs give more direct evidence than previously available of the presence of an adherent, presumably organic, matrix binding the clay and other particles of the old grassland soil. Fungal hyphae were also observed. Neither of these features was present to the same extent in the old arable soil.