Echinococcus multilocularis and Toxocara canis in urban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Brussels, Belgium

During the last decades, European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) have been implicated in the transmission of several viral or parasitic pathogenic agents to domestic animals and humans. In urban areas, risks of zoonoses transmission are likely to increase as a result of a higher rate of intra- and inter-species contacts. Foxes occur on 35% of the Brussels-Capital Region area and local densities reach up to 4 family groups per square kilometre. According to the directive 2003/99/ECC, a first survey for the presence in foxes of Echinococcus multilocularis and Toxocara canis was conducted in Brussels from 2001 to 2004. None of 160 foxes were found to be infected with E. multilocularis and 24 of 134 foxes were found to be infected with T. canis. Considering numbers of examined foxes, the sensitivity and the specificity of tests used for diagnosis, the 95% credibility intervals for the true prevalence of E. multilocularis and T. canis were estimated in a Bayesian framework to be 0 to 1.87% (median value of 0%) and 12.7 to 26% (median value of 18.7%), respectively. For T. canis, a significantly higher risk to be a carrier occurs in cubs and a significantly lower risk in adults.     

Perceptions of veterinarians and clients to expressions of clinical uncertainty

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes of veterinarians and clients towards expressions of clinical uncertainty. METHODS: Questionnaires that assessed the respondent's attitudes towards expressions of clinical uncertainty were completed by clients at six small animal practices. In addition, questionnaires that evaluated what veterinarians thought their client's attitudes would be towards expressions of clinical uncertainty were completed by veterinarians. The responses from clients and veterinarians were statistically compared. RESULTS: Veterinarians significantly underestimated the desire of clients to be told about uncertainties in treatment and significantly overestimated how the expression of uncertainty would generally reduce client confidence. Veterinarians significantly overestimated the loss of client confidence resulting from saying "I am not sure about this" and from asking a nurse for advice. Both clients and veterinarians considered that verbal expressions of uncertainty would lead to a greater reduction in client confidence than behavioural expressions of uncertainty. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests that most clients want to be told about their veterinarian's clinical uncertainties, and how this uncertainty is expressed can markedly influence client confidence.     

Needle tract implantation after fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder and adenocarcinoma of the lung

This paper reports three clinical cases of needle tract implantation of neoplastic cells on the abdominal and thoracic wall after ultrasound (US) fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Primary tumors were two transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder (2 dogs) and one pulmonary adenocarcinoma (1 cat). All three masses grew up along the needle tract. To our knowledge, the seeding of pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells after FNAB on the thoracic wall has never been reported in veterinary medicine.     

Host status of cover crops for root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) associated with apple orchards in South Africa

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The host response of 17 cover crop cultivars to infection by single-species populations of Pratylenchus hippeastri, Pratylenchus vulnus and Pratylenchus...     

干旱区小麦多功能高分子植物生长调节剂增产和品质改善试验研究

以观测记录和拍照方式研究多功能高分子植物生长调节剂对小麦生长和繁殖、品质的影响,分别用土壤含水量为试剂保水指标,小麦生长、结实和产量指标、小麦品质指标以及经济效益指标与对照比较以评定试验效果。结果显示,施用试剂能够提高土壤保水率,有利于小麦的营养和结实生长,使小麦产量提高12.30%。小麦粗蛋白、赖氨酸和湿面筋含量均有显著提升,不利于人体健康的灰分和粗脂肪含量显著降低;经济效益有所提高,仅仅考虑增产就净增产值734.25￣794.85元/hm2。     

烷基-二醇基硅胶填料的合成及对莠去净类除草剂的在线分离

三步合成了烷基-二醇基硅胶(ADS)色谱材料，首先用γ-缩水甘油醚氧丙基三甲氧基硅烷把功能基团键合到硅胶基体上，再把该环氧化硅胶与硬脂酸反应以制备酯型十八烷基反相填料，最后在20MPa压力下装成色谱预柱(35×4.6mm I.D)。用该预柱通过六通阀后接ODS分析柱(250×4.6mm I.D)，构成中心切割二维HPLC。该系统能对具有一定疏水性的化合物进行在线富集，实现环境及生物复杂样品直接进样分离分析。使用该系统对尿中的莠去净和西玛津残留进行了分离分析，以含有0.1%乙酸的酸性水缓冲液对加标尿液中莠去净类化合物保留在预柱上，干扰分析的大分子被排阻而无保留通过，其它干扰分子保留小而通过，再切换六通阀，以乙腈和0.1%乙酸水溶液进行梯度洗脱，进而在下一级ODS分析柱上进行分离（紫外检测225nm），两种除草剂的分离分析取得了良好的定性定量结果