Ultrasonographic anatomy of the atlanto‐occipital region and ultrasound‐guided cerebrospinal fluid collection in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Cerebrospinal fluid analyses are important for diagnosis of neurologic problems in rabbits and for translational research projects using rabbits as models. Blind puncture of the cisterna magna is the current standard technique for sampling cerebrospinal fluid in this species. However, the complexity and small size of the cisterna magna and surrounding structures are limitations of this technique. Aims of this prospective, anatomic, pilot study were to (1) describe the normal anatomy of the atlanto‐occipital region, (2) describe ultrasonographic anatomic landmarks, and (3) develop and evaluate a technique for ultrasound‐guided puncture of the cisterna magna for cerebrospinal fluid sampling in rabbits. Thirty healthy rabbits were included and the study was conducted in three stages. Three rabbit cadavers were used for the first stage of the study. Then, the second stage was completed using 13 rabbit cadavers. Finally, the third stage was completed in 14 live rabbits. The ultrasound‐guided puncture performed in 13 cadavers was successful at the first attempt in 10 cases, and at the second attempt in the remaining three cases. In the in vivo study, the ultrasound‐guided puncture was successful in all 14 cases, without signs of complications. Findings supported the use of ultrasound‐guided puncture of the cisterna magna as a safe technique that may be used routinely or when the sample of cerebrospinal fluid cannot be obtained with the blind technique in rabbits.     

A collaborative Canadian-United Kingdom evaluation of an immunohistochemistry protocol to diagnose bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Collaboration was established in 2001 to evaluate a commercially available immunohistochemistry assay kit for the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) disease-associated prion protein in formic acid-treated formalin-fixed samples of bovine brain. The kit protocol was evaluated at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases (Winnipeg, Canada) and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (Weybridge, U.K.). The U.K. laboratory provided paraffin-embedded blocks of brainstem (medulla oblongata at the level of the obex) from 100 positive cases defined by clinical signs and histopathology, and 100 clinically suspect but BSE-negative samples defined by histopathology and immunohistochemistry with anti-PrP monoclonal antibody R145. The Canadian laboratory provided 400 blocks from surveillance cases defined as clinically suspect but negative by histopathology and immunohistochemistry with anti-PrP antibody 6H4. Consecutive sections from each block were cut and coded. Each set of 600 slides was immunolabeled and read in each laboratory. Evaluation parameters included estimates of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity and reproducibility of the results. The kit performed with 100% sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility in spite of minor differences between the laboratories in brain sample areas, fixation and processing, and in the immunolabeling protocol. Although enzyme linked immunosorbent assays are widely used in high throughput surveillance programs, standardized protocols and reagents for manual immunohistochemistry provide a useful adjunct to surveillance efforts, particularly in laboratories testing small numbers of samples or using immunohistochemistry for confirmation and characterization of BSE cases.     

Effects of suboptimal low temperatures on plant architecture and flowering in muskmelons Cucumis melo L.

Summary

The effects of suboptimal cold temperatures were investigated in an array of vegetative, reproductive and leaf characters in 34 cultivars, both open pollinated and hybrid, of melons, Cucumis melo. The cultivars were grown in two treatments: (i) a heated greenhouse (T1) that produced temperatures similar to those used in commercial cultivation in winter; and (ii) an unheated greenhouse (T2) that produced significantly lower night-time temperatures than T1. Plants grown in T1 had significantly longer main stems and internode lengths, more nodes and more potassium in their leaves but less leaf biomass than plants grown in T2. Plants from T2 also had more green and yellow leaf colour than plants from T1. Open pollinated cultivars had significantly longer main stems, more nodes and more green and yellow leaf colour than hybrid cultivars. Significant differences were found among the cultivars in all traits.     

In situ detection of cellular and abnormal isoforms of prion protein in brains of cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy and sheep with scrapie by use of a histoblot technique.

To detect prion protein, brains from 5 cattle naturally affected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and 3 sheep naturally affected with scrapie were examined and compared with brains of normal cattle and sheep using a histoblot technique. The technique enabled the in situ distinctive detection of the cellular (PrP(C)) and abnormal (PrP(Sc)) isoforms of the prion protein. In BSE- or scrapie-affected brains, the Prp(C) signal decreased, especially in those areas where the PrP(Sc) signal was detected.     

Gabapentin for the treatment of neuropathic pain in a pregnant horse

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 24-year-old 732-kg (1,610-lb) pregnant Belgian draft horse mare developed neuropathy and signs of intractable pain following colic surgery. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Following recovery from colic surgery to treat compression of the small and large intestines because of a large fetus, the mare was noticed to have signs of femoral neuropathy involving the left hind limb. Within 36 hours after recovery, the mare developed signs of severe pain that were unresponsive to conventional treatment. No gastrointestinal tract or muscular abnormalities were found, and the discomfort was attributed to neuropathic pain. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: The mare was treated with gabapentin (2.5 mg/kg [1.1 mg/lb], PO, q 12 h). Shortly after this treatment was initiated, the mare appeared comfortable and no longer had signs of pain. Treatment was continued for 6 days, during which the dosage was progressively decreased, and the mare was discharged. The mare subsequently delivered a healthy foal. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Gabapentin appeared to be a safe, effective, and economical treatment for neuropathic pain in this horse.     

Refractory seizures associated with an organic aciduria in a dog

A 6-month-old, female Cavalier King Charles spaniel exhibited seizures that were difficult to control with standard anticonvulsants over a 12-month period. The diagnosis of an organic aciduria with excessive excretion of hexanoylglycine was determined when the dog was 20 months old. Recurrent and cluster seizures were eventually controlled with the addition of levetiracetam to potassium bromide and phenobarbital.     

Wildfire disturbance and shallow landsliding in coastal British Columbia over millennial time scales: A numerical modelling study

An algorithm for wildfire occurrence is introduced for incorporation into a numerical model of drainage basin evolution. Within the model, fire return intervals are determined using a stochastic rule set and fire sizes are assigned according to a pareto distribution. A Weibull distribution was fit to millennial-scale lake charcoal data for calibration of fire return intervals in this study, while data for the Olympic Peninsula were used to determine the fire size distribution. Loss of tree root strength resulting from stand-replacing wildfires has been found to be comparable to loss after timber harvesting. Hence, data for increased shallow landslide activity associated with logging were used to calibrate transport equations for years following wildfire incidence. A weathering relation is incorporated in the model, which drives the supply of sediment. When sediment supply is depleted in the model, the shallow landsliding module shuts off until new material is available for transport. Time since last fire analysis indicates that the Weibull parameters defined for the Clayoquot charcoal data produce results that are weighted too heavily towards recent fires. Sensitivity analysis was undertaken, suggesting alternative values may be more reasonable for further model runs. The introduction of a weighted probability factor for aspect, whereby south-facing slopes have a higher likelihood of fire initiation, was not found to significantly affect patterns of fire age in the landscape. Patterns of net topographic change after 6000 years of model run time indicate that greatest net erosion is found on steep, upper slopes, with the highest deposition occurring in hillslope hollows and low-order channels. Depositional grid cells in interfluves show a variable response to the inclusion of wildfire in the model. Net erosion occurs over a relatively low proportion of hillslope area, with wildfire model runs showing a strong erosional signal in these locations. For stream grid cells, the additional deposition due to the inclusion of wildfire in model runs is about 9–10% for 1st to 3rd order streams. Overall, deposition rates increase with decreasing stream order, reflecting greater hillslope/channel coupling in low-order streams.     

Selectivity matters: Rules of thumb for management of plate‐sized,sex‐changing fish in the live reef food fish trade

Effective management of fisheries depends on the selectivity of different fishing methods, control of fishing effort and the life history and mating system of the target species. For sex‐changing species, it is unclear how the truncation of age‐structure or selection of specific size or age classes (by fishing for specific markets) affects population dynamics. We specifically address the consequences of plate‐sized selectivity, whereby submature, “plate‐sized” fish are preferred in the live reef food fish trade. We use an age‐structured model to investigate the decline and recovery of populations fished with three different selectivity scenarios (asymptotic, dome‐shaped and plate‐sized) applied to two sexual systems (female‐first hermaphroditism and gonochorism). We parameterized our model with life‐history data from Brown‐marbled grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) and Napoleon fish (Cheilinus undulatus). “Plate‐sized” selectivity had the greatest negative effect on population trajectories, assuming accumulated fishing effort across ages was equal, while the relative effect of fishing on biomass was greatest with low natural mortality. Fishing such sex‐changing species before maturation decreased egg production (and the spawning potential ratio) in two ways: average individual size decreased and, assuming plasticity, females became males at a smaller size. Somatic growth rate affected biomass if selectivity was based on size at age because in slow growers, a smaller proportion of total biomass was vulnerable to fishing. We recommend fisheries avoid taking individuals near their maturation age, regardless of mating system, unless catch is tightly controlled. We also discuss the implications of fishing post‐settlement individuals on population dynamics and offer practical management recommendations.     

Assessing the risk of pollen-mediated gene flow from exotic Eucalyptus globulus plantations into native eucalypt populations of Australia

Eucalyptus globulus is the most commonly planted hardwood species in industrial plantations in Australia. It is typically planted well out of its natural range and may therefore present a significant risk of exotic pollen-mediated gene flow into native eucalypt populations. This risk was assessed by documenting levels of flowering within plantations, frequencies at which reproductively compatible native species are found adjacent to plantations, levels of F₁ hybridisation with native populations, and the existence of F₁ hybrid seedling recruitment. We surveyed over 300 plantations across southern Australia over two years. Flower abundance was found to be low with an average of 3% of trees found to flower on an inside row and 7% on the outside edge row of mature plantations. Considerable variation in flowering was found between locations (0–20% of trees reproductive) and 52% of plantations did not have compatible native species growing adjacent. Consequently, 65% of reproductive age plantations presented minimal or low risk of hybridisation due to lack of flowering and/or lack of adjacent compatible native species. Only three out of 10 surveyed high risk plantations were found to hybridise with native eucalypts (Eucalyptus camaldulensis, 0–3% hybrids in open-pollinated seed; Eucalyptus ovata, 0–2%). Established exotic E. ovata × globulus F₁ hybrid seedlings were also identified at just one site, in response to disturbance from fire. The potential for gene flow from E. globulus plantations into native eucalypt populations does exist, however, the implementation of an outlined risk management framework would greatly reduce the likelihood.