Isolation and pathogenicity of Colletotrichum spp. causing anthracnose of strawberry in south west Spain

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum spp., is a major disease of cultivated strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa. This study identifies the Colletotrichum spp. which causes strawberry anthracnose in the southwest of Spain. A survey of the region was carried out, and the strains isolated were identified as C. acutatum by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with genus and species-specific primers, demonstrating that this species is currently the causal agent of strawberry anthracnose in the studied region. The pathogenicity of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides strains was evaluated on two principal strawberry cultivars (cvs Camarosa and Ventana) under field conditions, the latter being more pathogenic than the former.     

MULTICENTRIC LYMPHOMA WITH INTESTINAL INVOLVEMENT IN A DOG

A 5-year-old, male German shepherd dog was evaluated for a 5-week history of vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and weight loss. In abdominal radiographs, there was an unusual corrugated appearance within a loop of intestine. Sonographically, this loop also had a similar corrugated appearance with alternating hyperechoic and hypoechoic bands. Lymph nodes within the abdomen and thorax were enlarged, and a thoracic mass was also detected. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirates of the mesenteric lymph nodes were highly suggestive of lymphoma. After postmortem examination, a diagnosis of multicentric lymphoma with involvement of the gastrointestinal tract was made.     

GMOs in animal agriculture: time to consider both costs and benefits in regulatory evaluations

In 2012, genetically engineered (GE) crops were grown by 17.3 million farmers on over 170 million hectares. Over 70% of harvested GE biomass is fed to food producing animals, making them the major consumers of GE crops for the past 15 plus years. Prior to commercialization, GE crops go through an extensive regulatory evaluation. Over one hundred regulatory submissions have shown compositional equivalence, and comparable levels of safety, between GE crops and their conventional counterparts. One component of regulatory compliance is whole GE food/feed animal feeding studies. Both regulatory studies and independent peer-reviewed studies have shown that GE crops can be safely used in animal feed, and rDNA fragments have never been detected in products (e.g. milk, meat, eggs) derived from animals that consumed GE feed. Despite the fact that the scientific weight of evidence from these hundreds of studies have not revealed unique risks associated with GE feed, some groups are calling for more animal feeding studies, including long-term rodent studies and studies in target livestock species for the approval of GE crops. It is an opportune time to review the results of such studies as have been done to date to evaluate the value of the additional information obtained. Requiring long-term and target animal feeding studies would sharply increase regulatory compliance costs and prolong the regulatory process associated with the commercialization of GE crops. Such costs may impede the development of feed crops with enhanced nutritional characteristics and durability, particularly in the local varieties in small and poor developing countries. More generally it is time for regulatory evaluations to more explicitly consider both the reasonable and unique risks and benefits associated with the use of both GE plants and animals in agricultural systems, and weigh them against those associated with existing systems, and those of regulatory inaction. This would represent a shift away from a GE evaluation process that currently focuses only on risk assessment and identifying ever diminishing marginal hazards, to a regulatory approach that more objectively evaluates and communicates the likely impact of approving a new GE plant or animal on agricultural production systems.     

A COMPARISON OF THE ROSTROCAUDAL OPEN MOUTH AND ROSTRO 10° VENTRO-CAUDODORSAL OBLIQUE RADIOGRAPHIC VIEWS FOR IMAGING FLUID IN THE FELINE TYMPANIC BULLA

Fluid within the tympanic bulla is an indication of middle ear disease. Radiography has a relatively low accuracy for the detection of soft tissue opacification in the tympanic bulla, and the most useful radiographic projection, the rostrocaudal open mouth (RCd (open mouth)), is technically difficult to perform in dogs and cats. An alternative projection for the feline tympanic bulla, the rostro 10 degrees ventro-caudodorsal oblique (R10 degrees V-CdDO), was compared to the RCd (open mouth) in 41 feline cadaver heads with the tympanic bullae randomly filled with KY jelly. Computed tomography was used as the gold standard. Each tympanic bulla was recorded as being positive or negative for soft tissue opacification. Although there was no significant difference between the accuracy of the two views, the R10 degrees V-CdDO was subjectively more accurate and easier to perform, and in a live patient may be performed without the need for general anesthesia. The R10 degrees V-CdDO projection is a good alternative to the RCd (open mouth) projection for detecting otitis media in the cat.     

Physiologic response of six plant species grown in two contrasting soils and irrigated with brackish groundwater and RO concentrate

With declining availability of fresh surface water, brackish groundwater is increasingly used for irrigation in the arid and semi-arid southwestern United States. Brackish water can be desalinated by reverse osmosis (RO) but RO results in a highly saline concentrate. Disposal of concentrate is a major problem hindering augmentation of inland desalination in arid areas. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of texture and saline water irrigation on the physiology of six species (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt., Hordeum vulgare L., Lepidium alyssoides A. Gray, Distichlis stricta (L.) Greene, Panicum virgatum L., and ×Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus [Secale?×?Triticum]). All species were grown in two contrasting soils and irrigated with the same volume of control water (EC 0.9?dS/m), brackish groundwater (4.1?dS/m), RO concentrate (EC 8.0?dS/m). Several plant physiological measurements were made during the growing season including height, number of stem nodes, average internodal length, number of leaves, leaf length, photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance rates, transpiration rates, leaf temperatures, stem water potential, and osmotic potential. P. virgatum was the only species that showed significant decrease in plant height and growth with texture and irrigation water salinity. Except for A. canescens and L. alyssoides, number and length of leaves decreased with increasing salinity for all species. No significant differences were observed for photosynthetic, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates by soil texture or irrigation water salinity. Stem water potential and osmotic potential did show some significant influence by soil texture and irrigation water salinity. Based on the results, RO concentrate can be reused to grow all six species in sand; however, growth of all species showed some limitations in clay. Local reuse of RO concentrate along desert margins with regular soil and environmental quality monitoring can accelerate implementation of inland desalination for sustaining food security.     

Evaluation of concentration of voriconazole in aqueous humor after topical and oral administration in horses

OBJECTIVE: To determine penetration of topically and orally administered voriconazole into ocular tissues and evaluate concentrations of the drug in blood and signs of toxicosis after topical application in horses. ANIMALS: 11 healthy adult horses. PROCEDURE: Each eye in 6 horses was treated with a single concentration (0.5%, 1.0%, or 3.0%) of a topically administered voriconazole solution every 4 hours for 7 doses. Anterior chamber paracentesis was performed and plasma samples were collected after application of the final dose. Voriconazole concentrations in aqueous humor (AH) and plasma were measured via high-performance liquid chromatography. Five horses received a single orally administered dose of voriconazole (4 mg/kg); anterior chamber paracentesis was performed, and voriconazole concentrations in AH were measured. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD voriconazole concentrations in AH after topical administration of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 3.0% solutions (n = 4 eyes for each concentration) were 1.43 +/- 0.37 microg/mL, 2.35 +/- 0.78 microg/mL, and 2.40 +/- 0.29 microg/mL, respectively. The 1.0% and 3.0% solutions resulted in significantly higher AH concentrations than the 0.5% solution, and only the 3.0% solution induced signs of ocular toxicosis. Voriconazole was detected in the plasma for 1 hour after the final topically administered dose of all solutions. Mean +/- SD voriconazole concentration in AH after a single orally administered dose was 0.86 +/- 0.22 microg/mL. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that voriconazole effectively penetrated the cornea in clinically normal eyes and reached detectable concentrations in the AH after topical administration. The drug also penetrated noninflamed equine eyes after oral administration. Low plasma concentrations of voriconazole were detected after topical administration.     

Ericaceous shrubs affect black spruce physiology independently from inherent site fertility

Vegetative layering of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) is the principal mode of regeneration for over mature, uneven-aged stands subject to long fire cycles (>300 years) in northeastern Québec, Canada. However, growth response of black spruce layers following disturbance by fire or harvest can be slow, due to a lag of morphological acclimation and potential nutrient limitation. This phenomenon can be accentuated if black spruce is associated with ericaceous shrubs such as Kalmia angustifolia and Rhododendron groenlandicum, which are known to interfere with conifer growth through direct and indirect competition. Such interactions can result in productive stands being converted to unproductive heathlands. It is not known whether these effects of ericaceous shrubs on black spruce are accentuated on low fertility sites, or if the impacts are independent of inherent site fertility. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of ericaceous shrubs on both resource availability and on functional traits of black spruce advance regeneration across a gradient of site fertility (as defined by a site classification system). We monitored black spruce advanced regeneration physiology and soil nutrient availability over two growing seasons on a gradient of ecological site types in northeastern Québec (Canada). The eradication of competing vegetation favored higher soil NH₄-N and K availability, with increases of 67% and 28% compared to control conditions, respectively. Black spruce photosynthesis rate (A) and foliar K content were higher in plots where vegetation was eradicated, compared to the control plots, but did not vary among ecological site types. Photosynthesis did not appear to be limited by nitrogen or water relations, but was possibly limited by a deficit of foliar K⁺, probably resulting from reduced availability following sequestration by the ericaceous root systems. The absence of interaction between inherent site fertility and the eradication of ericaceous shrubs suggests that vegetation management of ericaceous shrubs must be planned independently from the ecological site type.     

Co-amelioration of red soil acidity and fertility with pig manure rather than liming

Lime (calcium oxide), animal manure and crop straw soil treatments have been shown to ameliorate soil acidity, yet their effectiveness at concurrently enhancing soil fertility status and improving crop yields is less well understood. In this study, an acidic nutrient deficient red soil (Ferralic Cambisol) received these treatments at various dosage rates (% of DW soil) in pot experiments with maize plants. Lime was applied at four dosage rates (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20%), pig manure at three rates (0.50%, 1.00% and 1.50%), maize straw or milk vetch at two rates (0.50% and 1.00%) and combinations of lime (0.10% or 0.15%) with maize straw (0.50%) and/or pig manure (0.50%). Soils treated with and without chemical fertilizers were also included as controls. Measurements of soil pH, exchangeable acidity, plant available nutrients and maize shoot biomass were recorded. Maize shoot biomass increased by 4.7–7.6 times under pig manure treatments, 1.1–1.6 times under milk vetch, 0.4–1.5 times under lime and 1.1–6.2 times under combination treatments, compared with the control. Soil pH increased by 0.5–0.9 units under lime, by 0.2–0.4 units under pig manure and by 0.7 pH units under the combination treatment relative to the control. Variance partitioning analysis showed that on an individual basis, soil acidity amelioration (pH, exchangeable H⁺ and Al³⁺) or nutrient input (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn) explained only 4.3% and 5.6% of improved maize growth, respectively. Whereas, their interaction explained 85.9% of the variation. We also report that the over-application of pig manure could lead to P saturation and negative impacts on aquatic systems in the wider environment. Therefore, we recommend a combination of lime, pig manure and straw provides an optimal solution for addressing soil acidity and limiting P saturation in acid soils.     

European bat lyssaviruses: Distribution, prevalence and implications for conservation

Worldwide, there are more than 1100 species of the Order Chiroptera, 45 of which are present in Europe, and 16 in the UK. Bats are reservoirs of, or can be infected by, several viral diseases, including rabies virus strains (in the Lyssavirus genus). Within this genus are bat variants that have been recorded in Europe; European bat lyssavirus 1 (EBLV-1), European bat lyssavirus 2 (EBLV-2) and, four currently unclassified isolates. Since 1977, 783 cases of EBLVs (by isolation of viral RNA) have been recorded in Europe. EBLV-1 or EBLV-2 has been identified in 12 bat species, with over 95% of EBLV-1 infections identified in Eptesicus serotinus. EBLV-2 is associated with Myotis species (Myotis daubentonii and Myotis dasycneme). A programme of passive surveillance in the United Kingdom between 1987 and 2004 tested 4871 bats for lyssaviruses. Of these, four M. daubentonii (3.57% of submitted M. daubentonii) were positive for EBLV-2. Potential bias in the passive surveillance includes possible over-representation of synanthropic species and regional biases caused by varying bat submission numbers from different parts of the UK. In 2003, active surveillance in the UK began, and has detected an antibody prevalence level of 1-5% of EBLV-2 in M. daubentonii (n = 350), and one bat with antibodies to EBLV-1 in E. serotinus (n = 52). No cases of live lyssavirus infection or lyssavirus viral RNA have been detected through active surveillance. Further research and monitoring regarding prevalence, transmission, pathogenesis and immunity is required to ensure that integrated bat conservation continues throughout Europe, whilst enabling informed policy decision regarding both human and wildlife health issues.