Cholecystocutaneous fistula containing multiple gallstones in a dog

A 7-year-old dog was presented with a history of an open lesion on the right thoracic wall, discharging honey-like fluid and small stones. Ultrasonography and computed tomographic fistulography identified a cholecystocutaneous fistula; cholecystectomy was curative. Veterinarians should consider this disease in patients with long-term discharging lesions on the right thoracic or abdominal wall.     

Comparison between manual and automated total nucleated cell counts using the ADVIA 120 for pleural and peritoneal fluid samples from dogs,cats, horses,and alpacas

Background: Analysis of body fluids includes an estimate of total nucleated cell count (TNCC). Automated methods may enhance the accuracy and timeliness of TNCC results. Objective: The purpose of this report was to assess the ability of the ADVIA 120 hematology analyzer to accurately count nucleated cells in pleural and peritoneal fluids from animals, compared with manual counts. Methods: Pleural and peritoneal fluids submitted in EDTA tubes to our laboratory over a 17‐month period were used in the study. TNCC/μL was determined by a manual method, using a hemocytometer, and by an automated method, using the ADVIA 120. Correlation of results was determined by Passing‐Bablok regression, Bland–Altman plots, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Samples from dogs (n=36), cats (n=36), horses (n=59), and alpacas (n=11) were analyzed. High correlation in TNCC between methods was found for peritoneal fluid (n=93, r=.959), pleural fluid (n=49, r=.966), and all fluids combined (n=142, r=.960) (P<.001). Variation between methods was greater in samples with TNCCs<1000/μL (r=.62, P<.001). The ADVIA systematically overestimated the number of cells in all fluid samples by 95 cells/μL (confidence interval=19.2–190.5/μL). Conclusion: The ADVIA 120 reliably determines TNCC in pleural and peritoneal effusions and can be recommended for routine veterinary laboratory analysis.     

Traces of human migrations in Helicobacter pylori populations

Helicobacter pylori, a chronic gastric pathogen of human beings, can be divided into seven populations and subpopulations with distinct geographical distributions. These modern populations derive their gene pools from ancestral populations that arose in Africa, Central Asia, and East Asia. Subsequent spread can be attributed to human migratory fluxes such as the prehistoric colonization of Polynesia and the Americas, the neolithic introduction of farming to Europe, the Bantu expansion within Africa, and the slave trade.     

Assessing seed desiccation responses of native trees in the Caribbean

New Forests - Native trees from the Caribbean were tested for seed desiccation responses, by adapting the “100-seed test” protocol. Ninety-seven seed lots of 91 species were collected...     

Determination of Ploidy Level and Nuclear DNA Content in Tunisian Populations of Atriplex halimus L.

Atriplex halimus L. (Chenopodiaceae) (Saltbush) is a perennial species used as a fodder shrub for livestock in arid and semi-arid areas, particularly in North Africa. The aim of this work was to determine whether differences in ploidy level and/or nuclear DNA content exist among populations from widely-separated sites in Tunisia. We determined nuclear DNA content and chromosome numbers for populations of A. halimus from seven different locations (Gabes, Medenine, Tataouine, Monastir, Tunis, Sidi Bouzid, Kairouan). The chromosome counts showed that all the Tunisian populations, plus a population from Eraclea (Italy), were tetraploid (2n = 4x = 36) whereas a population from Cala Tarida (Spain) was diploid (2n = 2x = 18). With respect to nuclear DNA, the 2C DNA content of population Cala Tarida was estimated to be 2.41 pg. There was no significant difference among the tetraploid populations (or among plants within populations), whose 2C DNA content ranged from 4.92 to 4.97 pg.     

Gas chromatography for detection of citrus infestation by fruit fly larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Tephritid fruit flies are serious economic pests worldwide. As larvae, they feed and develop within the pulp of host fruits, making infestation difficult to detect by visual inspection. At U.S. ports of entry, incoming produce shipments are checked for infestation by manually cutting open a small sample of fruit and searching for tephritid larvae. Consequently, there is a need for more sensitive, high-throughput screening methods. This study evaluated gas chromatography (GC) as a potential technology for improved detection of hidden infestation. Grapefruits (Citrus × paradisi Macfad.) infested with immature stages of the Caribbean fruit fly Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) were examined to determine if infested fruit emitted a chemical profile distinct from that of non-infested fruit. Peaks identified by GC analysis were grouped into three classes. Chemicals detected in similar quantities in all samples, or slightly elevated in infested samples, were regarded as non-diagnostic background volatiles. Chemicals highly elevated after oviposition, during the last instar exit stage, and in experimentally-pierced fruit were interpreted to be indicators of citrus peel injury, and included d-limonene and β-ocimene. Chemicals elevated exclusively in the larval infestation stages were considered indicators of feeding damage and potentially diagnostic of infestation, and included hexyl butanoate and an unidentified compound. The peaks associated with injury and feeding were also detectable with a portable ultra-fast GC analyzer that required less than 80 s per sample. Further studies will investigate the potential application of these results for development of a rapid, non-destructive screening method for detection of tephritid infestation.     

Covariation between plant biodiversity and soil systems in a European beech forest and a black pine plantation: the case of Mount Faito,(Campania,Southern Italy)OA

Both climate and land-use changes, including the introduction and spread of allochthonous species, are forecast to affect forest ecosystems. Accordingly, forests will be affected in terms of species composition as well as their soil chemical and biological characteristics. The possible changes in both tree cover and soil system might impact the amount of carbon that is stored in living plants and dead biomass and within the soil itself. Additionally, such alterations can have a strong impact on ...     

Effects of oral supplementation of probiotic strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Enterococcus faecium on diarrhoea events of foals in their first weeks of life

Foal first diarrhoea is one of the most prominent problems in the early life of horses. Probiotics might have the potency to prevent or at least diminish neonatal diarrhoea. We hypothesised that the treatment of foals with probiotic strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Enterococcus faecium starting early after birth and then daily over 2 weeks would prevent or mitigate foal heat diarrhoea. The influence of this probiotic treatment on diarrhoea incidence and growth and health performance of young foals was investigated. Thirty‐four foals were randomly allocated to two groups. From day 1 to 14 of life, the foals received either placebo (PG, n = 16) or the probiotic treatment (TG, n = 18). Clinical examination was performed, and the faeces consistency score (FCS, 1–5; with diarrhoea defined by ≤3) was recorded once per day in weeks 1 and 2 and once weekly in weeks 3–8 of life (WL). The body height was measured at birth and after two and eight WL. Diarrhoea occurred in the 1st WL in 19% and 61% of PG and TG foals respectively. In the 1st WL, diarrhoea lasted 0.3 ± 0.8 and 1.6 ± 1.4 days in PG and TG foals respectively. In the 2nd WL, diarrhoea occurred in 94% and 84% of PG and TG foals, respectively, and lasted for 3.0 ± 1.5 and 3.7 ± 1.6 days respectively. At least two periods of diarrhoea developed in 33% and 65% of PG and TG foals respectively. The TG foals grew slightly slower than the PG foals. The results indicated that the probiotic treatment of neonatal foals as performed in this study was not suitable to reduce diarrhoea within the first two WL, because contrary to the hypothesis, the TG foals suffered more frequently and for longer periods from diarrhoea than the PG foals.     

Effect of hypo- and hyper-saline conditions on osmolarity and fatty acid composition of juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) fed low- and high-HUFA diets

Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) grown in ponds are exposed to salinities of less than 5 g L^?1 during inland shrimp culture or to more than 40 g L^?1 from evaporation and reduced water exchange in dry, hot climates. However, dietary requirements for shrimp grown in low or high salinities are not well defined, particularly for fatty acids. Feeding shrimp postlarvae with highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) enhances tolerance to acute exposure to low salinity, as a result of better nutritional status, or/and specific effects of HUFA on membrane function and osmoregulation mechanisms. This study analysed the effect of HUFA supplementation (3% vs. 34%) on L. vannamei juveniles reared for 21 days at low (5 g L^?1), medium (30 g L^?1) and high salinities (50 g L^?1). Juveniles grown at 5 g L^?1 had lower survival compared with controls (30 g L^?1) or shrimp grown at 50 g L^?1, but no significant effect on survival was observed as a result of HUFA enrichment. In contrast, growth was significantly lower for shrimp grown at 50 g L^?1, but this effect was compensated by the HUFA‐enriched diet. Osmotic pressure in haemolymph was affected by salinity, but not by HUFA enrichment. Shrimp fed HUFA‐enriched diets had significantly higher levels of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in hepatopancreas and gills. These results demonstrate that growth at high salinities is enhanced with diets containing high HUFA levels, but that HUFA‐enriched diets have no effect on shrimp reared at low salinities.     

Characterization,Pathogenicity and Chemical Control of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces acidiscabies</Emphasis> Associated to Potato Common Scab

The pathogenicity of 10 bacterial isolates was investigated on potato, radish, carrot and beet, including sensitivity and pathogen control efficacy. The isolates were identified by morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. All isolates were pathogenic on radish, carrot, and beet, and were highly virulent on potato. Although the isolates were obtained from different locations in the El Fuerte Valley (Sinaloa, Mexico), they were similar in their morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. Sequences of the 16S rRNA gene obtained by PCR were identical for all isolates. These results indicate that the bacterial isolates from potato scabby tissue belong to S. acidiscabies. Furthermore, the effectiveness of fluazinam, both in vitro and under greenhouse and field conditions, represents a possibleoption for chemical control of potato common scab disease. While our results suggest that spraying at seeding is effective in controlling common scab, future studies to combine this treatment with seed dressing before planting will be conducted to determine if there is an increase in disease control.