Action of selected antibiotics on four common bacteria associated with diseases of fish

Abstract. Four bacteria commonly associated with diseases of fish ( Aeromonas hydrophila complex, Aeromonas salmonicida, Flexibacter columnaris -like organisms and Pseudomonas fluorescens ) were evaluated in a serial dilution system for susceptibility to four antibiotics commonly used in the treatment of bacterial fish diseases (chloramphenicol, erythromycin, furpyrinol and oxytetracycline). Findings were expressed as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Furpyrinol was found to have the lowest MIC and MBC against A. hydrophila complex, A. salmonicida and F. columnaris-like organisms. MIC and MBC's for oxytetracycline were complicated by the presenceof R-plasmids, but were less than 4.0 mcg/ml for those without plasmids. Pseudomonas fluorescens was susceptible only to oxytetracycline. MIC for all groups of organisms using chloramphenicol was generally less than 16.0 mcg/ml. Susceptibility to erythromycin by these groups of organisms was greater than 16 mcg/ml.     

Comparative sensitivity of five fish cell lines to wild type infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus from two Oregon sources

Abstract. Five fish cell lines (CHSE-214, STE-137, RTG-2, EPC and FHM) were compared for sensitivity to infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) from samples obtained from naturally-infected fish. Infectious ovarian fluids were obtained from steelhead trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, at the Round Butte Hatchery in central Oregon and tissue homogenates were prepared from chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), alevins during an IHN virus epizootic at the Elk River Hatchery in coastal Oregon. The only lines to show characteristic viral cytopathology by plaque or end-point dilution assay for the steelhead trout virus isolate were the EPC and FHM cell lines. The chinook salmon isolates produced CPE in CHSE-214, STE-137, FHM and EPC cells. The titre of the salmon virus isolate was 10-50-fold higher on FHM and EPC cells by both assay methods. Neither by end-point nor plaque assay did the Round Butte or Elk River isolates produce CPE on RTG-2 cells. With both virus isolants both cell lines showed that greater sensitivity was obtained with plaque assay than with end-point titration. Pre-treatment of the cells with the polycation, polybrene, did not increase the virus titre in either assay. However, a transient enhancement in virus titre was observed in polybrene-treated STE-137 and CHSE-214 cells.     

The effect of autumn ridging and inter-row subsoiling on potato tuber yield and quality on a sandy soil in Denmark

Autumn ridging is a modified version of the ridge tillage system. Instead of setting up ridges during the growing season, they are established in autumn and left for the winter. Previous studies have documented positive effects of autumn ridging on potato yield and we hypothesized that subsoiling could enhance these effects. To determine the effect of autumn ridging and inter-row subsoiling on potato yield and quality a field experiment was conducted on sandy soil from 2001 to 2003. Autumn ridging resulted in an average total and marketable tuber yield of 25.6 and 9.2 t ha⁻¹, which was not significantly different from the average total and marketable yield of 25.6 and 8.9 t ha⁻¹ with ploughing. However, autumn ridging significantly reduced the incidence of black scurf from 2.5% to 2.2%. Inter-row subsoiling in the growing season significantly increased marketable potato tuber yield from 8.4 to 9.6 t ha⁻¹ and reduced the occurrence of malformed potatoes from 9.3% to 7.5%, irrespective of tillage treatment and irrigation level. There was no significant interaction between autumn ridging and subsoiling. The beneficial effect of subsoiling on marketable yield was driven by a 48.5% increase in the dry year of 2001. Subsoiling reduced the incidence of common scab from 7.8% to 6.9% when irrigation was reduced. It is concluded that at least three factors may modify the effects of subsoiling: Soil water status in the growing season, precipitation immediately before and after the subsoiling operation, and crop growth stage at the time of subsoiling.     

Enteric redmouth bacterium: comparison of isolates from different geographic areas

Abstract. Characteristics of 18 strains of Yersinia ruckeri the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease, from a variety of hosts and a wide geographic range were compared. Except for variations in colonial morphology and in citrate, sorbitol, and trehalose reactions, the strains were morphologically and biochemically homogeneous. Sixteen strains reacted with antiserum against the first serotype reported, and one strain reacted with antiserum against a more recently reported serotype. One strain represented a third serotype. Evidence presented indicated that extension of the geographic range may not be entirely a result of the transport of carrier fish.     

Dispersal dynamics of post-larval blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, within a wind-driven estuary

We examined how post‐larval blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) dispersal occurs within Pamlico Sound, NC, USA, a predominantly wind‐driven system. We sampled during multiple 24‐h periods over 2 years (2000–01) to relate the spatial distribution of post‐larvae in the water column with circulation patterns. A hydrodynamic model of the region was used to recreate dispersal trajectories and to assess potential transport mechanisms and pathways that link near‐inlet and across‐Sound nursery habitats. Most post‐larval blue crabs were collected in surface waters at night, and were consistently distributed within the north‐western region of Pamlico Sound. Particle‐tracking simulations suggested that dispersal from the inlets to across‐Sound nursery habitats only resulted from the combination of tidal and wind‐driven currents. Our simulation results further indicated that the northernmost inlet (Oregon Inlet) was the primary supplier of post‐larval blue crabs throughout the northern basin of Pamlico Sound, as crabs ingressing through Hatteras Inlet to the south were not retained within our study area. A dispersal pathway connecting Oregon Inlet and across‐Sound settlement habitats was evident from field observations. Collectively, our results indicate how multiple forcing agents, coupled with post‐larval vertical positioning within the water column, drive estuarine dispersal and connect spatially separated nursery habitats.     

The Quantum Event of Oceanic Crustal Accretion: Impacts of Diking at Mid-Ocean Ridges

Seafloor diking-eruptive events represent the irreducible, quantum events of upper oceanic crustal accretion. They record events by which a large portion of the oceanic crust has formed through geological history. Since 1993, the U.S. Navy's real-time Sound Surveillance System has allowed location of ongoing acoustic signatures of dike emplacement and basalt eruptions at ridge crests in the northeast Pacific. These diking-eruptive events trigger a sequence of related, rapidly evolving physical, chemical, and biological processes. Magmatic volatiles released during these events may provide nutrients for communities of subseafloor microorganisms, some of which thrive in high-temperature anaerobic environments. Many of the organisms identified from these systems are Archaea. If microorganisms can thrive in the water-saturated pores and cracks within deep, volcanically active portions of our planet, other hydrothermally active planets may harbor similar life forms.     

The structure of the upper atmosphere of mars: In situ accelerometer measurements from mars global surveyor

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) z-axis accelerometer has obtained over 200 vertical structures of thermospheric density, temperature, and pressure, ranging from 110 to 170 kilometers, compared to only three previous such vertical structures. In November 1997, a regional dust storm in the Southern Hemisphere triggered an unexpectedly large thermospheric response at mid-northern latitudes, increasing the altitude of thermospheric pressure surfaces there by as much as 8 kilometers and indicating a strong global thermospheric response to a regional dust storm. Throughout the MGS mission, thermospheric density bulges have been detected on opposite sides of the planet near 90 degreesE and 90 degreesW, in the vicinity of maximum terrain heights. This wave 2 pattern may be caused by topographically-forced planetary waves propagating up from the lower atmosphere.     

The prevalence of encephalitozoonosis in Danish farmed foxes

The prevalence of Encephalitozoonosis in Danish farmed foxes variated between 3.0% and 73.8% with an average of 19.3%. The prevalence was at little higher in silver foxes than in blue foxes. It seemed, that the titers variated in relation to the sexual period with the maximum value in the oestrus.     

Resection and anastomosis of the small colon in four horses

Resection and anastomosis of the small colon was performed on 4 horses with vascular lesions (strangulating lipoma, mesenteric tear, dissecting haematoma) or functional obstruction (stricture) of this area of the bowel. The anastomoses were performed using a variety of suture materials in 2 layers. An appositional, full-thickness, simple, interrupted pattern was used in the first layer in all cases and oversewn with either a Cushing pattern (3 cases) or a Utrecht pattern (1 case). Post-operative complications associated with suture material and surgical technique were not seen. All horses were discharged from the hospital and all were alive more than one year after discharge.