Luteoforol,a flavan 4-ol,is induced in pome fruits by prohexadione-calciumand shows phytoalexin-like properties against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erwinia amylovora</Emphasis>and other plant pathogens

Treatments with prohexadione-calcium led to lowered incidence of fire blight, scab and other diseases in pome fruit trees and other crop plants. In addition to acting as a growth regulator, prohexadione-calcium interferes with flavonoid metabolism and induces the accumulation of the 3-deoxycatechin luteoliflavan in shoots of pome fruit trees. Luteoliflavan does not possess any remarkable antimicrobial activity. Therefore luteoforol, its unstable and highly reactive precursor, has been tested in vitro for its bactericidal and fungicidal activities. Luteoforol was found to be highly active against different strains of Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight, and all other bacterial and fungal organisms tested. Phytotoxic effects were also observed in pear plantlets. The results obtained indicate that prohexadione-calcium induces luteoforol as an active principle with non-specific biocidal properties. It is proposed that luteoforol is released upon pathogen attack from its cellular compartment and inhibits further disease development by destroying pathogen cells as well as by inducing a hypersensitive-like reaction in the host plant tissue. This mechanism would be closely analogous to the one known for structurally related phytoalexins in sorghum.     

Primary hyperaldosteronism in the cat: a series of 13 cases

Thirteen cases of feline primary hyperaldosteronism were diagnosed based on clinical signs, serum biochemistry, plasma aldosterone concentration, adrenal imaging and histopathology of adrenal tissue. Two cases presented with blindness caused by systemic hypertension, whilst the remaining 11 cases showed weakness resulting from hypokalaemic polymyopathy. Elevated concentrations of plasma aldosterone and adrenocortical neoplasia were documented in all cases. Seven cases had adrenal adenomas (unilateral in five and bilateral in two) and six had unilateral adrenal carcinomas. Three cases underwent medical treatment only with amlodipine, spironolactone and potassium gluconate; two cases survived for 304 and 984 days until they were euthanased because of chronic renal failure, whilst the third case was euthanased at 50 days following failure of the owner to medicate the cat. Ten cases underwent surgical adrenalectomy following a successful stabilisation period on medical management. Five cases remain alive at the time of writing with follow-up periods of between 240 and 1803 days. Three cases were euthanased during or immediately following surgery because of surgical-induced haemorrhage. One cat was euthanased 14 days after surgery because of generalised sepsis, whilst the remaining cat was euthanased 1045 days after surgery because of anorexia and the development of a cranial abdominal mass. It is recommended that primary hyperaldosteronism should be considered as a differential diagnosis in middle-aged and older cats with hypokalaemic polymyopathy and/or systemic hypertension and should no longer be considered a rare condition.     

Epizootiology of bovine cysticercosis in the Jindrichuv Hradec District

The results of the study of the epidemiology and epizootology of Taenia saginata in the Jindrich?v Hradec district indicate that this tapeworm species has adapted successfully to anthropogenic conditions. Mass occurrence of bovine cysticercosis, coming from a limited source, was observed in the Jindrich?v Hradec district. Our of the 907 employees of one farm, T. saginata was found in two workers engaged in animal production and in one person working in crop production. Their recovery resulted in the eradication of cysticercosis in the cattle kept on that farm; before eradication the disease was responsible for losses of several hundreds of thousands of crowns.     

Planned control of reproduction processes in industrialized pig production

A planned process of concentration and specialisation in pig production has been introduced in the USSR, GDR, and other socialist countries in recent years and is likely to open up wider opportunities for the use of up-to-date technologies and latest findings of the biological sciences. Large-scale use of bio-engineering and methods of reproduction control is quite logical, in this context. This will provide a real chance for cyclogram control of all events important to management, planning, and follow-up of reproduction processes and for a planful implementation of industrialised production methods. Processes of cycle control are being increasingly applied to industrialised sow breeding units against the background of artificial insemination of pigs which is gaining widespread popularity after its emphasised introduction in the USSR. Research and field results regarding biological engineering in sow of oestrus, ovulation, pregnancy, and birth are reported in this paper and will, hopefully, help in determining mating and farrowing deadlines for breeding on the basis of artificial insemination and, consequently, contribute to widest possible programming of life cycles for the breeding animals concerned.