Evidence-based Medicine in Small Mammals

Evidence-based medicine in small exotic mammals is often considered challenging because of a lack of information related to reference data, validated diagnostic tests, treatment outcome, side effects, long-term prognosis, and financial constraints of the owner. However, despite this lack of information, it is still possible to provide good medical care to small exotic mammals and confirm a disease diagnosis that can be properly treated. With many small exotic mammal cases, the condition of the animal and, ultimately, the disease diagnosis, may not be familiar to the attending veterinarian, and in some cases the disease itself may not have ever been described in that species in the scientific literature. This article describes the process of diagnosing hyperthyroidism in a guinea pig using a recommended patient assessment, diagnostic, and treatment protocol.     

Induction of precocious maturation in masculinized Atlantic salmon by treatment with sustained-release LHRHa and testosterone

The effect of treating immature, masculinized, Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, with testosterone or [Des-Gly10] D-Ala6-LHRH ethylamide (LHRHa), either alone or in combination, over an 81 day period was evaluated as a method for accelerating maturation. Two sustained-release LHRHa implants were compared: ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAC) and silicone elastomer. Animals primed with testosterone did not express advanced spermatogenesis when compared against control salmon (p > 0.05). However, fish primed with testosterone, followed by sham, LHRHa EVAC, or LHRHa silicone elastomer implants expressed increased (p < 0.05) gonadosomatic index (GSI) when compared with values derived from day 0 of the study. Neither spermatogenesis nor GSI were affected when salmon were treated with LHRHa alone, irrespective of the vehicle employed. In contrast, spermatogenesis was significantly (p < 0.05) advanced in testosterone-treated fish, which were administered LHRHa by EVAC, when compared with groups that received individual treatment only. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Inheritance and linkage of a gene for resistance to race 4 of fusarium wilt and RAPD markers in chickpea

Several races of Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtend.:Fr f. sp. ciceris (Padwick) Matuo and K. Sato cause economic losses from wilting disease of chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.). While the genetics of resistance to race 1 have been reported, little is known of the genetics of resistance to race 4. We undertook a study to determine the inheritance of resistance and identified random amplified polymorphic DNA markers (RAPDs) linked to the gene for resistance. For the investigation, we used 100 F₅ derived F₇ recombinant inbred lines (RILs) that had been developed from the cross of breeding lines C-104 x WR-315. Results indicated that resistance is controlled by a single recessive gene. The RAPD markers previously shown to amplify fragments linked to race 1 resistance also amplified fragments associated with race 4 resistance. The RAPD loci, CS-27₇₀₀, UBC-170₅₅₀ and the gene for resistance to race 4 segregated in 1:1 ratios expected for single genes. Both RAPD markers were located 9 map units from the race 4 resistance locus and were on the same side of the resistance gene. Our results indicated that the genes for resistance to race 1 and 4 are 5 map units apart. The need to determine the genomic locations of race specific resistance genes and the possibility that these genes are clustered to the same genomic region should be investigated. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Developing a new tool based on a quantile regression mixed‐TGC model for optimizing gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L) farm management

In this work, a seasonal quantile regression growth model for the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L) based on an aggregation of the quantile TGC models with exponent 1/3 and 2/3, named the “Quantile TGC‐Mixed Model”, is presented. This model generalizes the proposal of Mayer, Estruch and Jover (Aquaculture, 358‐359, 2012, 6) in the sense that the new model is able to describe the evolution of weight distribution throughout an entire production cycle, which could be a powerful tool for fish farm management. The information provided by the model simulations enables us to estimate total fish production and final fish size distribution and helps to design and simulate production and sales plan strategies considering the market price of different fish sizes, in order to increase economic profits. The most interesting alternative in the studied case results in sending all production when 0.25 quantile fish reach 600 g, although on each fish farm it would be necessary to evaluate optimum strategy depending on its own quantile regression model, the production cost and the market price.     

Angewandte Forstliche Vegetations- und Standortskunde

Ohne ZusammenfassungVortrag vor der Forstlichen Fakultät der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen in Hann. Münden am 4. Dezember 1964. Für manche grundsätzliche Hinweise schulde ich Herrn Prof. Dr.F. K. Hartmann ganz besonders Dank. Den Großteil der Zeichnungen fertigte in bewährter Weise meine Mitarbeiterin FrauU. Lappler.     

Effect of changes in hook pattern and size on catch rate, hooking location, injury and bleeding for a number of tropical reef fish species

The Queensland Great Barrier Reef line fishery in Australia is regulated via a range of input and output controls including minimum size limits, daily catch limits and commercial catch quotas. As a result of these measures a substantial proportion of the catch is released or discarded. The fate of these released fish is uncertain, but hook-related mortality can potentially be decreased by using hooks that reduce the rates of injury, bleeding and deep hooking. There is also the potential to reduce the capture of non-target species though gear selectivity. A total of 1053 individual fish representing five target species and three non-target species were caught using six hook types including three hook patterns (non-offset circle, J and offset circle), each in two sizes (small 4/0 or 5/0 and large 8/0). Catch rates for each of the hook patterns and sizes varied between species with no consistent results for target or non-target species. When data for all of the fish species were aggregated there was a trend for larger hooks, J hooks and offset circle hooks to cause a greater number of injuries. Using larger hooks was more likely to result in bleeding, although this trend was not statistically significant. Larger hooks were also more likely to foul-hook fish or hook fish in the eye. There was a reduction in the rates of injuries and bleeding for both target and non-target species when using the smaller hook sizes. For a number of species included in our study the incidence of deep hooking decreased when using non-offset circle hooks, however, these results were not consistent for all species. Our results highlight the variability in hook performance across a range of tropical demersal finfish species. The most obvious conservation benefits for both target and non-target species arise from using smaller sized hooks and non-offset circle hooks. Fishers should be encouraged to use these hook configurations to reduce the potential for post-release mortality of released fish.