Sunrise: An early maturing,golden nematode resistant,round, white potato variety

The Sunrise potato variety is an early maturing variety with round to oblong, moderately smooth, white skinned tubers with medium-shallow eyes. Its characteristics are closely parallel to those of Superior, except Sunrise is resistant to race A of the golden nematode (Globodera rostochiensis). Sunrise is primarily a table potato; however, in southern areas it can be used for chips when processed without prolonged storage at low temperatures. Sunrise is resistant to virus X and does not show the net necrosis symptoms caused by leafroll virus. Its parents are Wauseon and B 6563-2, a selection from the USDA breeding program.     

Diagnosis and treatment of presumptive postobstructive pulmonary edema in a Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi).

A free-ranging, adult male Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) was immobilized and evaluated for hematuria following routine capture. Prior to anesthetic recovery, the panther was fitted with a telemetry collar. After an initially quiet recovery, the panther began thrashing in the transport cage, and was again immobilized. Pink foam was evident from the nostrils, and crackles were ausculted over the chest, indicating pulmonary edema. Postobstructive pulmonary edema was diagnosed based on history, clinical signs, radiographic evaluation, and blood gas analysis. The animal was treated intensively for several hours with diuretics, oxygen, and manual ventilation. The panther responded rapidly to therapy and was released back into the wild 48 hr after presentation. Postobstructive pulmonary edema, also called negative-pressure pulmonary edema, may be underrecognized in veterinary medicine. In this case, the telemetry collar, in conjunction with anesthetic recovery in a small transport crate, may have contributed to tracheal obstruction. Wildlife veterinarians and biologists should be aware of the risk of airway obstruction when placing tracking collars, and animals should be continuously monitored during anesthetic recovery to ensure the presence of a patent airway.     

Measurement of color in potatoes

Reproducible, objective methods which conformed closely to visual appraisal were developed for measuring color differences in either cooked or raw potatoes. Experimental samples, selected from lots stored at various temperatures for different periods of time, differed in extent of graying and yellowing. Ricing was found to be preferable to mashing as a method of cooked sample preparation. A comparison of methods of sample presentation using the Gardner Color Difference Meter showed thin-layer measurement was most successful in separating cooked samples differing in amount of yellow pigment; deep-layer measurement was most successful in separating grayed samples. A simple method for measurement of color differences in raw tubers successfully separated the samples. All three methods of sample presentation were significantly correlated with visual ranking.     

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Puma Lentivirus in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi): Epidemiology and Diagnostic Issues

This study documents the seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and puma lentivirus (PLV) in free-ranging and captive Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) (n = 51) and translocated Texas cougars (P. concolor stanleyana) (n = 10) from 1985 to 1998. The sera were tested for anti-FIV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot tests. The ELISAs were read kinetically (KELA) and the sera were retrospectively examined by PLV peptide ELISA. Eleven panthers and one cougar were positive by KELA; 4 panthers and 4 cougars were equivocal; 35 panthers and 5 cougars were negative; and 1 panther had no data. Seven of the 11 KELA-positive panthers were also positive by Western blot tests and all but one were positive by PLV peptide ELISA. Ten KELA-negative and Western blot-negative cats, were positive by PLV peptide ELISA. KELA results varied within cats from one sample period to the next, but PLV peptide ELISA results were consistent. Territorial sympatry and mating behaviour, noted from radiotelemetry location data on the cats, may have contributed to viral transmission between seropositive animals. These findings suggest that Florida panthers and the introduced Texas cougars have been exposed to FIV and/or PLV.     

A Randomized Study Assessing the Effect of Diet in Cats with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Background

Diet might influence progression of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Objective

To investigate whether diet composition could alter clinical, biochemical, or echocardiographic variables in cats with HCM.

Animals

Twenty‐nine cats with HCM (International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council stage 1b) examined at a university teaching hospital.

Methods

Randomized, placebo‐controlled trial. After physical examination, echocardiogram, and blood collection, cats were randomized to 1 of 3 diets, which varied in carbohydrate and fat content and ingredients. Measurements were repeated after 6 months.

Results

There were no significant differences among the 3 groups at baseline. After 6 months, there were no significant changes in the primary endpoints, left ventricular free wall (Group A, P = .760; Group B, P = .475; Group C, P = .066) or interventricular septal thickness in diastole (Group A, P = .528; Group B, P = .221; Group C, P = .097). Group A had significant increases in BUN (P = .008) and cholesterol (P = .021), while Group B had significant increases in BUN (P = .008), cholesterol (P = .007), and triglycerides (P = .005), and significant decreases in NT‐proBNP (P = .013) and hs‐troponin I (P = .043). Group C had significant decreases in body weight (P = .021), left atrial dimension (P = .035), interventricular septal thickness in systole (P = .038), and liver enzymes (P = .034–.038).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

These data suggest that diet might influence some clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic variables in cats with HCM.     

Use of pimobendan in 170 cats (2006–2010)

Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo describe the therapeutic use of pimobendan in cats, describe the patient population to which it was administered, document potential side effects and report the clinical course following administration of pimobendan in conjunction with standard heart failure therapy. It is hypothesized that cats with advanced heart disease including congestive heart failure from a variety of causes will tolerate pimobendan with a minimum of side effects when used in treatment in conjunction with a variety of other medications.Animals, materials and methodsOne hundred and seventy client owned cats with naturally occurring heart disease, one hundred and sixty four of which had congestive heart failure. Medical records were reviewed and owners and referring veterinarians were contacted for follow-up data. Data collected included pimobendan dose, other medications administered concurrently, data collected at physical examination, presence or absence of heart failure, adverse effects, classification of heart disease, echocardiographic data and survival time. The data were analyzed for significance between the initial visit and any follow-up visits.ResultsAll cats were treated with pimobendan. The median pimobendan dose was 0.24 mg/kg q 12 h. Pimobendan was used in combination with multiple concurrent medications including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics and anti-thrombotics. Five cats (3.0%) had potential side effects associated with pimobendan. One cat (0.6%) had presumed side effects severe enough to discontinue pimobendan use. Median survival time for 164 cats with congestive heart failure after initiation of pimobendan was 151 days (range 1–870).ConclusionPimobendan appears to be well tolerated in cats with advanced heart disease when used with a variety of concurrent medications. Randomized controlled studies need to be performed to accurately assess whether it is efficacious for treatment of congestive heart failure in cats.     

Effects of tick infestation on Boran (Bos indicus) cattle immunised against theileriosis in an endemic area of Kenya

Boran (Bos indicus) heifers were immunised by infection with local Theileria parva parva, T p lawrencei and T mutans stocks and treated with parvaquone and later exposed to natural tick and tick-borne disease challenge in the Trans-Mara Division of Kenya. The Theileria species parasites in the challenge were maintained in African buffalo and cattle and the tick vectors were supported by several species of wild Bovidae and domestic livestock present in the area. Thirty immune cattle were observed for 30 weeks while grazing on a ranch in the Trans-Mara Division. Of these, 15 were immersed in toxaphene at weekly or twice-weekly intervals while 15 cattle remained without acaricide application. Cattle which became pregnant were withdrawn from the experiment. There was no evidence of any clinical tick-borne disease in either group of cattle during the experiment. Five species of ixodid ticks infested the cattle during the experiment and cattle which were not treated with acaricide had far more ticks. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus was the most abundant tick species, with a mean infestation of 46 adults per animal in the undipped cattle. This tick also appeared to be the cause of the observed reduction in weight gains. Major haematological parameters did not differ significantly between the groups. Behavioural studies showed that the undipped cattle spent less time grazing and ruminating. This study has shown that, at the expense of some loss in productivity, zebu cattle, immunised against ticks and theileriosis, can be kept despite tick infestation.     

Heat Shock Protein 70 and Sex Steroid Receptors in the Follicular Structures of Induced Ovarian Cysts

The purpose of this study was to estimate the expression and relative amounts of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) and their isoforms as well as heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in ovaries of rats with induced cystic ovarian disease (COD). Primary, secondary, tertiary, atretic and cystic follicles were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and total ovarian proteins were analyzed by Western blot. In the granulosa layer, growing and cystic follicles in the treated group have a higher expression of ERα than growing follicles of control individuals. In the theca interna layer, tertiary follicles presented a significantly higher expression of ERα in the treated group. An increase in total ERα protein was detected in the treated group. Granulosa cells of all growing, atretic and cystic follicles show a lower expression of ERβ in animals with COD, and the total protein expression of ERβ was lower in this group. The expression of PR was lower in the granulosa cell layer of tertiary and cystic follicles in treated animals, and theca interna layer had less intense immunostaining in this group. Although there were no differences in the expression of PR-B by Western blotting, the expression of PR-A was higher and the expression of PR-C was smaller in the treated group. An intense HSP70 immunostaining was observed in the cells of cystic follicles. By Western blotting, higher protein expression of HSP70 was detected in the ovarian samples of the control group than those of the treated ones. Ovaries of animals with COD exhibited an altered steroid receptor expression and subtype balance as compared with control animals, and an increase in HSP70 immunoexpression.