Renal T-cell lymphoma with cerebral metastasis in a dog with chronic canine ehrlichiosis

A renal T-cell lymphoma with exclusive cerebral metastasis was diagnosed in a 5-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier bitch euthanased for aggression. This is the first recorded case of primary renal lymphoma in a dog. Immune suppression, due to chronic canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, may account for the unusual primary site and metastatic pattern of the tumour.     

Influence of variety on the within-plant distribution of cassava green spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae), and leaf anatomical characteristics and chemical components in relation to varietal resistance

The within-plant distribution of the cassava green spider mite, Mononychellus tanajoa Bondar, and the anatomical characteristics and the chemical components relating to varietal resistance of cassava, were studied using 11 cassava genotypes with varying levels of resistance for two dry seasons and one wet season. The results show that M. tanajoa aggregates on the top leaves of cassava at low levels of resistance as compared with a more even within-plant distribution at higher levels of resistance. Thus, for accurate sampling of mite populations, it might be important to consider young and old leaves, not just the young leaves, in fields containing resistant and susceptible cassava genotypes. Correlations between the anatomical characteristics and mite population density and damage scores were not consistent across months, either within or over seasons. This suggests that leaf anatomical characteristics may not be important in the varietal resistance of cassava to M. tanajoa. During the dry season, mite population density was positively correlated with leaf nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus and negatively correlated with leaf calcium and fat. Only calcium was negatively associated with mite damage at the peak of the dry season (January 1993 and 1994). Breeding cassava genotypes with high levels of leaf calcium and fat, and low levels of leaf nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, may improve the level of resistance to M. tanajoa.     

Agroforestry techniques for the rehabilitation of degraded salt-affected lands in India

The development of appropriate technologies for the judicious use of India's 8.11 million ha of salt-affected lands would give increased food, fodder and fuelwood production. A sizeable portion of the salt-affected lands of the Indo-Gangetic plain have been reclaimed through chemical amendments and are being commercially used for arable farming. However, large areas of salt-affected common lands, village and government lands and waste lands near cities, along railway tracks and roads do not have any productive use. Owing to their sparse vegetative cover such lands are vulnerable to further degradation and can be a source of runoff causing floods, especially where cows congregate. Research at the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal has generated agroforestry techniques which could enable the economic exploitation of such marginal lands. This paper deals with various aspects of these techniques, which have been applied to over 50 000 ha by 1994. Based on eight to ten years of growth and biomass figures, the most salt-tolerant woody species identified were: Prosopis juliflora, Acacia nilotica, Casuarina equisetifolia, Tamarix articulata, Leptochloa fusca (a palatable forage grass which was found to be a promising primary colonizer of salt lands). Agronomic practices for the successful establishment of trees such as planting methods, amendment use, irrigation, spacing and lopping schedules are discussed. A Prosopis juliflora-leptochloa fusca silvipastoral model was found to be excellent for fuelwood and forage production and for the amelioration of high pH soils. This system, when followed for little more than four years, reclaims alkali soils to such an extent that normal agriculture crops such as Trifolium alexandrinum and T. resupinatum can be grown successfully. A ridge-trench system of tree planting was found to be helpful in alkali soils, the in situ rainwater conservation it led to assisting biomass production. Eucalyptus tereticornis, Populus deltoides and Tectona grandis based agroforestry were promising for reclaimed salt-affected lands. The short- and long-term effects of various tree plantations on the physicochemical properties of the soil and on soil-water relations are also discussed. Agroforestry options for the development of salt-affected lands found in various agroclimatic zones of India are explored.     

Chemical composition, iron bioavailability, and antioxidant activity of Kappaphycus alvarezzi (Doty)

Kappaphycus alvarezzi, an edible seaweed from the west coast of India, was analyzed for its chemical composition. It was found that K. alvarezzi is rich in protein (16.24% w/w) and contains a high amount of fiber (29.40% w/w) and carbohydrates (27.4% w/w). K. alvarezzi showed vitamin A activity of 865 mug retinal equivalents/100 g of sample. It contained a higher quantity of unsaturated fatty acids (44.50% of the total), in which relative percentage of oleic acid was 11%, cis-heptadecanoic acid 13.50%, and linoleic acid 2.3% and 37.0% of saturated fatty acids (mainly heptadecanoic acid). K. alvarezziwas also found to be good source of minerals, viz 0.16% of calcium, 0.033% of iron, and 0.016% of zinc, which are essential for various vital biological activities. Bioavailability of iron by in vitro methods showed a higher efficiency in intestinal conditions than in stomach conditions. Ascorbic acid influenced higher bioavailability of iron. Successive extracts of n-hexane, acetone, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and direct extractables of chloroform/methanol (1:1 and 2:1) were screened for antioxidant activity using a beta-carotene linoleic acid model system (B-CLAMS), DPPH (alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl) model system and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. The chloroform/methanol (2:1) extract has shown 82.5% scavenging activity at 1000 ppm. Acetone fraction extracts at the 1000 ppm level showed 63.31% antioxidant activity in beta-carotene linoleic acid system. The acetone extract showed 46.04% scavenging activity at 1000 ppm concentration. In the case of hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, all the extracts showed better activity at the concentrations of 25 and 50 ppm, where at the 50 ppm level ethyl acetate extract showed 76.0%, acetone 75.12%, and hexane 71.15% activity, respectively. Results of this study suggest the utility of K. alvarezzi (Eucheuma) for various nutritional products, including antioxidant for use as health food or nutraceutical supplement.     

Equine Granulocytic Anaplasmosis: A Case Report and Review

A 15 year-old Thoroughbred mare was examined for lethargy, fever, and inappetence of 1-day duration. A hard-bodied tick was removed from the horse. A complete blood count (CBC) demonstrated leukopenia with lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia. Morulae were visualized in circulating granulocytes. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed the identity of these organisms as Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The horse was treated symptomatically for fever and inappetence with flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg [0.5 mg/lb]) and oral electrolyte paste. Oxytetracycline (6.6 mg/kg [3 mg/lb] intravenously every 24 hours) treatment was begun as soon as a definitive diagnosis was determined. The mare responded to treatment, but she was switched to oral doxycycline (10 mg/kg [4.5 mg/lb] every 12 hours) after 5 days because of perivascular swelling at the injection site. Complete resolution of clinical signs was seen. There was no evidence of recurrence 1 year later. No additional horses at the farm were affected. The horse in this report presented for lethargy, inappetence, and fever, with limited other abnormalities. This represents a classical presentation of a mild to moderate case of anaplasmosis, which had not previously been reported in Virginia. The disease may be more widespread than has been previously reported, and it should warrant inclusion on a complete differential diagnosis list in a case of fever of unknown origin.     

Behavior, preference for, and use of alfalfa, tall fescue, white clover, and buffalograss by pregnant gilts in an outdoor production system

Sustainable outdoor pig production requires vegetation that can maintain ground cover, assimilate manure nutrients, and prevent soil erosion. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the suitability of four forages: alfalfa (Medicago sativa), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), white clover (Trifolium repens), and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) for grazing or ground cover in pastures for pigs. Each forage plot covered 7.5 m2, with nine replicates in a randomized block design. In Exp. 1, eight pregnant gilts had free access to all forages during a 2-d adjustment period. Immediately thereafter, pairs of gilts were assigned randomly to one of each of four blocks of the four forages during a 2-d measurement period. The percentage of ground cover for each forage was visually estimated at 0, 24, and 48 h of study. Behavioral data, including walking, eating, grazing, rooting, drinking, standing, lying, and time spent in hut were video-monitored continuously for 48 h. Initial percentage of ground cover was 100% for all species. By 48 h, percentage of ground cover decreased (P < 0.001) for white clover (11.3 +/- 0.88%) and alfalfa (36.3 +/- 0.88%), but not for tall fescue (98.0 +/- 0.88%) or buffalograss (98.0 +/- 0.88%). Gilts spent more (P < 0.01) time grazing white clover (16.3 +/- 1.97 min/d) and alfalfa (11.2 +/- 1.97) than tall fescue (0.8 +/- 1.97) or buffalograss (0.3 +/- 1.97), and rooted more (P < 0.04) white clover than other forages. In Exp. 2, six gilts from the initial group were put on six blocks of the four forages. Each gilt was assigned randomly to three replicates of each forage, including alfalfa, tall fescue, or buffalograss (white clover was excluded because of damage by gilts during Exp. 1), and gilts grazed single forages for 2 d. After this grazing period, the percentage of ground cover was less (P < 0.01) for alfalfa than for buffalograss or tall fescue (37.5 +/- 0.38, 96.7 +/- 0.39, 96.3 +/- 0.39%, respectively). With access to a single forage, pregnant gilts spent more (P < 0.01) time grazing alfalfa (15.8 +/- 2.36 min/d) than buffalograss (1.5 +/- 2.36) or tall fescue (0.7 +/- 2.37). These gilts clearly preferred grazing white clover and alfalfa, and rooting and eating white clover compared with buffalograss or tall fescue. Rates of ground cover loss were less (P < 0.01) for tall fescue and buffalograss than for the more preferred forages. Less preferred forages could have potential as pasture for swine when the primary objective is ground cover maintenance rather than nutrient supply.