Laryngeal paralysis in immature and mature dogs as one sign of a more diffuse polyneuropathy

Six dogs with laryngeal paralysis had clinical, electrophysiologic, and pathologic evidence of a more generalized polyneuropathy. Three of the dogs were young Dalmatians, one was a young Bouvier des Flandres, and two were older, large-breed dogs. The results of this study suggest that laryngeal paralysis in dogs may frequently be one clinical sign of an underlying, more generalized polyneuropathy. Two forms of this generalized polyneuropathy may exist: an early form, as seen in young dogs with congenital or hereditary disease, and a delayed-onset form that is usually found in older dogs with so-called idiopathic laryngeal paralysis, some of which may have hypothyroidism.     

Tuberculosis in wild seals and characterisation of the seal bacillus

SUMMARY Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 3 otariid seals found dead on beaches at 3 locations on the south coast of Western Australian between May 1990 and March 1991. This confirms that tuberculosis is present in the 2 native seals (Neophoca cinerea and Arctocephalus forsteri) in Western Australian waters. Mycobacterium sp isolated from the lungs of 2 of the seals were studied to determine the similarity of the strains to each other, to the strains isolated during 1986 from Australian sea lions and New Zealand fur seals kept in captivity at a marine park near Perth, Western Australia, and to a strain isolated in 1988 from a seal trainer who worked with the infected captive seals for 3 years. After restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) with the endonucleases Bst Ell, Bcl I and Pvu II, one of the wild seal strains appeared to have identical DNA fragment patterns to the strains from the captive seals and the seal trainer. The other wild seal isolate had identical REA profiles using Bst EII and Bcl I, but a minor difference was detected using Pvu II. Differences in these isolates were more clearly seen in restriction fragment length polymorphisms after hybridisation with two DNA probes. The secretory protein MPB70, present in M bovis, was not detected in wild seal isolates using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting techniques. Analysis of protein and DNA fragment profiles indicated that seal tuberculosis isolates form a unique cluster within the M tuberculosis complex.     

Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin after intravenous and oral administration of enrofloxacin in dogs

Rung, K., Riond, J.-L. & Wanner, M. Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin after intravenous and oral administration of enrofloxacin in dogs. J. vet
Four dogs were given 5 mg/kg body weight enrofloxacin intravenously (i.v.) and orally (p.o.) in a cross-over study. Plasma concentrations of the active ingredient enrofloxacin and its main metabolite ciprofloxacin were determined by a reversed phase liquid chromatographic method. Pharmacokinetic parameters of both substances were calculated by use of statistical moments and were compared to those of enrofloxacin described in the veterinary literature. Mean enrofloxacin t _½λZ was 2.4 h, mean Cl_s was 27.1 ml/min-kg, and mean V_ss was 7.0 1/kg. After i.v. and p.o. administration, concentrations of ciprofloxacin exceeding minimal inhibitory concentrations of several microorganisms were reached (C_max= 0.2 ng/ml, max = 2.2 h after intravenous administration; C_max= 0.2 (ig/ml, t _max= 3.6 h after oral administration). A considerable part of the antimicrobial activity is due to ciprofloxacin, the main metabolite of enrofloxacin.     

The Effect of Detopping the Field Bean Plants (Vicia faba L. minor) and Lack of the Pod Setting on the Symbiosis with Root Nodule Bacteria

The plants of field bean var. Nadwiślaνski were detopped after about 1 month since the beginning of flowering and after that all flower buds were removed from some plants. The effect of a change in the trophic balance on the setting and subsequent growth of root nodules was studied.
The removal of pods had the greater effect on the increase in the weight of the remaining organs than the detopping of plants. Detopping retarded the ageing of the plants and delayed the phase of the greatest reduction of the number of pods. The detopping of plants revealed their considerable compensative possibilities in terms of production of the pod weight and the potential of leaves for biomass production. The data obtained indicate that plant detopping may disturb the root–bacteria exchange of signals, necessary to initiate the nodule development, while the further growth of nodules depends, above all, on the amount of available photosynthates.
A very high correlation between the dry weight of the whole plant to the dry weight of leaves ratio and the weight of nodules was observed. It proves the importance of the trophic balance of the plant for the root nodule weight production.     

Plasma Cell Myeloma in the Horse

Plasma cell myelomas in horses have been reported infrequently. Data from 10 cases, 9 from the literature and 1 new case, are used to characterize the disease in the horse. Hot-blooded horses (7/10), specifically Quarter Horses (4/10), were most often affected. Median age at diagnosis was 11 years (range, 3 mo-22 yr) and both male (5) and female horses (5) were represented equally. Clinical findings included weight loss (6/8), anorexia (4/8), fever (4/8), limb edema (4/8), pneumonia (3/8), rear leg paresis/ataxia (3/8), epistaxis (3/8), palpable lymphadenopathy (2/8), and bone pain (2/8). Anemia (8/8) was present routinely, and in three horses, RBCs were macrocytic. Leukopenia (2/8), thrombocy-topenia (2/8), and circulating plasma cells (3/8) were variable findings. Except for abnormal protein concentrations and hyponatremia (3), abnormal results from serum biochemical analysis including hypo-cholesterolemia (1), hypercalcemia (1), and azotemia (1) were reported infrequently. Hyperproteinemia (8/9), hypoalbuminemia (7/9), and hyperglobulinemia (8/9) were characteristic but not invariable findings. Monoclonal proteins (7/7) were detected in the α₂, β, or γ region by serum electrophoresis. The paraprotein's heavy chain, determined in four horses, was a subclass of IgG. Three horses had decreased concentrations of normal immunoglobulins. Variable proteinuria (trace to 4+) was detected by routine urinalysis in four of six horses. Bence Jones proteinuria was detected in one of five horses (heat precipitation) and monoclonal proteins were detected in two of three electrophoresed urine samples. Three of the horses had lytic bone lesions detected radiographically. Bone marrow aspirates were diagnostic in two of five horses. Atypical plasma cells or increased numbers of plasma cells or both were present in histologic sections of bone marrow in six of eight horses. Common extraosseous sites of plasma cell infiltration included lymph nodes (8/8), kidney (5/8), spleen (5/8), liver (3/8), lung (3/8), brain (2/8), and orbit (2/8). Two horses had intracellular and extracellular crystalline deposits.     

Yield Stability of Winter Wheat (Triticum sp.) Cultivars and Lines

The purpose of this study was to compare responsiveness to environment as well as the stability of newly developed promising lines with traditional commercial cultivars. Subject research was conducted in Ankara between 1983-1989 on common and durum wheat cultivars and lines. Regression coefficient (b) was used as the criterion of genotypes' responsiveness to environment whereas deviation from regression (S²d) and coefficient of determination (r²) were used as stability parameters. Each experiment year was regarded as an environment and yield average of each year was used as the environmental index.
In consequence of the research, it was determined that new varieties with high yield, adaptable to diverse environments could be developed by means of hybridizations between parents having different genetic characteristics which were provided from diverse ecological regions.     

Apocrine adenocarcinoma in a golden hamster.

An apocrine adenocarcinoma was observed in the subcutis of the abdomen of golden hamster. Histologically, the tumor cells irregularly formed multiple layers of cysts and some detached cells were presented in the cystic space. PAS stain with alpha-amylase digestion revealed PAS-positive alpha-amylase-resistant granules in the cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, cytokeratin was demonstrated in the tumor cells. By electron microscopy, the tumor cells had an oval nucleus with invagination, abundant cytoplasmic organelles and microvilli protruding into the intercellular spaces.     

Measurement of nitrate leaching losses from arable plots under different nitrogen input regimes

Abstract. Leaching losses of nitrate-nitrogen were measured from a set of eight hydrologically isolated plots on a clay loam soil over the period from September 1987 to February 1990. Variable drainflow recovery from the plots hampered accurate estimation of nitrate loading, but results suggest that, when inorganic nitrogen fertilizer is applied up to the recommended amount, there is little influence of the amount applied on the amount leached. We did, however, observe the following effects on nitrate leaching: leguminous green manure incorporated in autumn increased leaching of nitrate-nitrogen by 10–15 kg per hectare during the winter; autumn cultivation caused some increase in leaching compared with no cultivation in one year; some systematic variations in nitrate leaching occurred between years and between plots, but were unrelated to treatments.
From the results we conclude that green manuring does not provide sufficient nitrogen for organically grown crops on this soil but contributes significantly to nitrate leaching, and that growing spring cereals, with the land remaining in stubble as long as possible in autumn, may be the best strategy to minimize nitrate leaching.     

Insemination with Stallion Semen Frozen in 0,5 ml Straws

Contents: An insemination trial using frozen semen is described. The freezing procedure was slightly modified from the Hannover method. The insemination dose consisted of 7 medium straws containing approx 1 10⁹ spermatozoa. A total of 28 mares of the Norwegian Trotter breed were inseminated during the 1991 season. During oestrus the mares were examined at 12 hour intervals, and the insemination was carried out after detection of ovulation. The pregnancy rate was 43% after the first insemination, increased to 68% after second and further to 75% after the third and last insemination. The foaling rate was 61.5%.