Postcoital uterine microbe colonization and endometritis in the mare

In the mare, natural breeding is associated with bacterial contamination of the reproductive tract. The purpose of this study was to examine postcoital bacterial contamination and the resulting inflammatory response of the uterus. Uterine swabs for bacteriological and cytological examination were obtained from 80 mares. Each mare was sampled once between 4 and 69 hours postbreeding. In mares which did not conceive, sampling was repeated at the following estrus. The findings were compared with those obtained prior to breeding and correlated with the breeding outcome. Bacteria were cultured from 72.5% of the postcoital swabs. There was a wide spectrum of organisms which included species known as potential causes of endometritis. Neutrophilic granulocytes were found in varying concentrations in 48.8% of cases. In 16.3% of mares both bacteriological and cytological examinations were negative. Mares with positive bacteriological and/or cytological results at the postcoital examination had better foaling rates compared to the remaining mares (p less than 0.05). The postcoital findings did not correlate with those of the prebreeding examination, or with the interval between breeding and sampling, or with the different stallions.     

Surgical treatment of rectal prolapse in a 1-year-old mare resecting only the mucous membrane

A mare with rectal prolaps was operated at Vienna University. The prolaps was corrected by mucosal resection only. The remaining vital layers of the corresponding intestinal section were saved. The advantage of a special tissue saving operating technique in the rectal area is seen in avoiding postoperative complications.     

Hysteroscopy as a diagnostic aid for uterine diseases of cattle]

A method for hysteroscopy in cattle, using a rigid tube for passage through the cervical canal, is described. Using this method, passage through the cervical canal is possible independent of the stage of the gynaecological cycles. The hysteroscopic findings of 105 examinations in cows are described and discussed.     

Nomenclature of the clitoris and preputium of the mare in relation to the surgical removal of the clitoral sinus according to CEM regulations

The cavity, that belongs to the glans clitoridis and that has to be removed in accord with the regulations and rules for the import of horses of CEM carrier states, has not been taken up in the NAV (1983). Conform to the statements of the clinical physicians and to the declarations of the American literature the nomenclature "Sinus clitoridis" is proposed for the international use.     

Blepharoplasty after tumor ("cancer eye") removal from the eyes of cattle

A literature review of surgical techniques used for resection of periocular tumors with conservation of the eyelid is accompanied by a report of the author's personal experience with blepharoplasty in cattle. Included are 13 cases of Fleckvieh cows with squamous cell carcinoma. Five animals were without tumor recurrence after an average time of 10.7 months, while seven animals with recurrence of the neoplasm had mean survival time of 10.6 months. Those five cows had been slaughtered for unrelated problems, the others because of recurrence of the ocular tumor. One patient was slaughtered five days after surgery because of complications of wound healing.     

克氏螯虾的生物学和生态养殖模式

生物絮凝技术可以通过在养殖水体中调节碳氮比而维持良好水质,促进养殖品种健康生长,产生的生物蛋白可实现蛋白的多级利用,节约经济成本。实验从摄食环境(曝气、无曝气、水草)、摄食时间以及生物絮凝质量浓度等角度,探讨了克氏原螯虾 (Procambarus clarkii) 幼虾摄食絮凝的适宜条件。结果显示,絮凝质量浓度为500~600 mg·L^–1可满足幼虾的摄食需求,并在摄食4 h之后幼虾肠道达饱和状态。相同摄食时间,絮凝曝气组幼虾摄食量最大,显著高于水草组(P<0.05),但与无曝气组差异不显著(P>0.05),比较幼虾肠道的充塞度,可见曝气组在摄食4 h后肠道食糜较多,肠道更为饱满,优于其他各组。综合生物絮凝培养条件、水化指标以及幼虾的摄食情况,认为生物絮凝技术应用到克氏原螯虾的养殖具有可行性。     

Nitrogen removal techniques in aquaculture for a sustainable production

As the aquaculture industry intensively develops, its environmental impact increases. Discharges from aquaculture deteriorate the receiving environment and the need for fishmeal and fish oil for fish feed production increases. Rotating biological contactors, trickling filters, bead filters and fluidized sand biofilters are conventionally used in intensive aquaculture systems to remove nitrogen from culture water. Besides these conventional water treatment systems, there are other possible modi operandi to recycle aquaculture water and simultaneously produce fish feed. These double-purpose techniques are the periphyton treatment technique, which is applicable to extensive systems, and the proteinaceous bio-flocs technology, which can be used in extensive as well as in intensive systems. In addition to maintenance of good water quality, both techniques provide an inexpensive feed source and a higher efficiency of nutrient conversion of feed. The bio-flocs technology has the advantage over the other techniques that it is relatively inexpensive; this makes it an economically viable approach for sustainable aquaculture.     

Phosphorus removal in a marine prototype, recirculating aquaculture system

Phosphorus dynamics were examined in a prototype, zero-discharge, marine-recirculating system. Operation of the system without discharge of water and sludge was enabled by recirculation of effluent water through two separate treatment loops. Surface water from the fish basin was pumped over a trickling filter in one loop, while bottom-water was recirculated through a sedimentation basin followed by a fluidized bed reactor in the other treatment loop. Ammonia oxidation to nitrate in the trickling filter and organic matter digestion together with nitrate reduction in the sedimentation basin and fluidized bed reactor were the main biological features of this treatment system. Orthophosphate concentrations did not exceed 15 mg PO₄–P/l in the culture water during more than 1 year of system operation. Much of the phosphorus was retained within the sedimentation basin and fluidized bed reactor. In these treatment stages, the phosphorus content of organic matter was as high as 17.5% and 19%, respectively. High concentrations of total phosphorus and low concentrations of soluble orthophosphate were measured in the initial stages of sedimentation under oxic and anoxic conditions, suggesting that most of the phosphorus was associated with organic matter. Depletion of oxygen and nitrate in the sludge layers of the sedimentation basin coincided with sulfate reduction to sulfide and a release of soluble orthophosphate. The observed phosphorus dynamics in this marine system supported findings from previous studies in which it was demonstrated that denitrifiers underlie phosphorus immobilization under these conditions.     

Parapox in a pigmy chimpanzee]

Parapoxvirus was found using electron microscopy in skin scrapings from a pygmy chimpanzee with a pustular skin disease. Clinical findings are described and possible ways of transmission are discussed. It seems remarkable that this is the first time parapoxvirus has been diagnosed in a nonhuman primate.     

Fibrosarcoma of the nasal surface in a cat--cosmetically pleasing healing after surgical removal

In a seven year old male domestic cat diagnosis, therapy and healing of a nasal fibrosarcoma is described. After two surgical treatments no recurrence was seen in a time period of 10 months. Even with this unfavourable localization of the tumor a functionally and cosmetically satisfactory result was achieved.     

Abscess of the cervix uteri and uterine wall in a cow of German red-spotted breed

This report concerns a 5-year-old "Deutsche Rotbunte" cow, which was brought into the clinic because of fertility problems 5 months after its fourth calving. A medicine-ball-sized abscess extending from cervix and corpus uteri into the abdominal cavity was diagnosed. A presumable cause of the abscess could have been an uterine treatment carried out prior to insemination.     

Effects of large woody debris removal on physical characteristics of a sand-bed river

1. Removal of large woody debris (LWD) is one of the most widely practised stream alterations, particularly in sand-bed rivers of the south-eastern USA. Selective removal of LWD has been proposed as an alternative to orthodox non-selective clearing in order to conserve ecological resources, but methods for comparing hydraulic and environmental effects of selective and non-selective removal have not been developed. Conservation of stream habitats requires quantification of LWD removal impacts on physical habitat. 2. Physical characteristics of straightened, sand-bed reaches of the South Fork Obion River in western Tennessee, USA that were rich in LWD were compared with those in similar reaches where debris had recently been removed using selective removal guidelines. 3. The mean volume of LWD per unit water volume was 0.0545 in the uncleared reaches, but nearly 60% lower (0.0225) in the cleared reach. 4. A simple technique for predicting hydraulic roughness in channels with varying amounts of LWD was developed. Hydraulic roughness, as measured by the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor, was about 400% greater in uncleared reaches at base flow but declined to a level about 35% greater than for the cleared reaches at higher flows. Predicted friction factors were within 35% of measured friction factors at higher flows. 5. Physical habitat diversity in this channelized sand-bed stream was strongly related to the density of LWD. Flow conditions in the uncleared reaches were more heterogeneous than in the cleared reach, especially at low flow. At low flow, uncleared reaches tended to be shallower, have lower velocities, slightly finer bed material, and more heterogeneous conditions overall. Shannon indices based on depth and velocity were an average of 48% higher in uncleared reaches. 6. Bed sediments underneath and immediately adjacent to LWD formations were finer and contained more organic matter than sediments distant from LWD. However, when all bed samples were considered, organic content was positively correlated with median grain size.     

Rapid response of fish and aquatic habitat to removal of a tidal barrier

1. River barrier removal is used increasingly as a conservation tool to restore lotic habitat and river connectivity, but evidence of its efficacy is incomplete. This study used a before–after methodology to determine the effects of removing a tidal-limit barrier on the fishes, macroinvertebrates, and habitats of an English coastal stream.
2. Following barrier removal, habitat diversity increased immediately upstream and remained similar downstream. Mobilized silt altered the substrate composition immediately downstream, but this was temporary as silt was flushed out the following winter. Changes to macroinvertebrate communities occurred upstream and downstream of the former barrier but these were transient.
3. A dramatic and sustained increase in fish density occurred immediately upstream of the barrier after its removal, but effects downstream were minor. The fish community upstream changed, largely due to rapid recruitment and dispersal of endangered European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Eel density in the formerly impounded zone increased from 0.5 per 100 m² before barrier removal to 32.5 per 100 m² 5 months after removal. By 17 months after barrier removal there was no difference in eel density across the six sections sampled.
4. Although resident stream fishes such as bullhead (Cottus gobio species complex, protected under the European Habitats Directive) were abundant in middle and upper-stream sections, brown trout (Salmo trutta, a listed species for biodiversity conservation in England and Wales) density remained low during the study and recruitment was poor. This suggests that although colonization access for anadromous trout was available, habitat upstream may have been unsuitable for reproduction, indicating that wider catchment management is required to complement the restoration of connectivity.
5. These findings suggest that tidal barrier removal is an effective method of restoring lotic habitats and connectivity, and can be beneficial for resident and migratory fishes including those of conservation importance (e.g. European eel) in coastal streams.

     

Surgical therapy of laying distress in reptiles

Based on 29 operations on reptiles with egg-binding (dystocia) successful methods for surgical therapy in turtles, tortoises, snakes and lizards are described. Indications, anesthesia, surgical techniques and postoperative treatment are explained. A totally new method for dystocia surgery in some turtles and tortoises is described. The knee fold was used for extraction of the eggs.     

Symptoms and course of a parakeratosis outbreak in a boar raising facility]

A case of parakeratosis in pigs due to secondary zinc deficiency (zinc/calcium ratio 0.4 g/100 g; 68.7 mg zinc, 17.1 g calcium per kg food) is reported. Morbidity and symptoms were much more marked in growing boars than in female animals of the same age. In sows the disorder appeared ten days after the first symptoms were seen in the boars. Adult breeding pigs developed no signs of parakeratosis.     

Poxvirus infections in a cat and its owner]

A poxvirus infection in a cat and its owner is recorded. The clinical course of the disease as well as the pathological and the histopathological changes are described. The diagnosis "poxvirus infection" was confirmed by electronmicroscopy and cell culture techniques. This is the first human poxvirus infection in the Federal Republic of Germany in which the source of infection was found to be an infected cat. The serological investigation of 104 cat sera revealed antibody titres in 14 cases, indicating that poxvirus infections in cats are not isolated cases.