Wie steht es mit der Ausbreitung des Kartoffelkäfers (Koloradokäfers,Leptinotarsa decemlineata) in Frankreich?

Ohne Zusammenfassung Mit 1 Abbildung.     

Early harvest and ensilage of forage sorghum infected with ergot (Claviceps africana) reduces the risk of livestock poisoning

Sorghum ergot produces dihydroergosine (DHES) and related alkaloids, which cause hyperthermia in cattle. Proportions of infected panicles (grain heads), leaves and stems were determined in two forage sorghum crops extensively infected 2 to 4 weeks prior to sampling and the panicles were assayed for DHES. Composite samples from each crop, plus a third grain variety crop, were coarsely chopped and half of each sealed in plastic buckets for 6 weeks to simulate ensilation. The worst-infected panicles contained up to 55 mg DHES/kg, but dilution reduced average concentrations of DHES in crops to approximately 1 mg/kg, a relatively safe level for cattle. Ensilation significantly (P = 0.043) reduced mean DHES concentrations from 0.85 to 0.46 mg/kg.     

Use of cyproheptadine to control urine spraying and masturbation in a cat

A 5-year-old male domestic longhair cat was examined because of urine spraying and masturbation. The cat had sprayed urine from the time it was acquired as a stray 4 years earlier. The cat was cryptorchid, and at 1 year of age, the scrotal testicle was removed. The cryptorchid testicle was surgically removed several months later; however, urine spraying and masturbation persisted. A diagnosis of territorial marking and separation anxiety was made. Serum testosterone concentration was within the reference range for sexually intact male cats. Treatment included behavior modification and administration of cyproheptadine (2 mg, p.o., q 12 h), which has been shown to have antiandrogenic effects in other species. Frequency of urine marking and masturbation decreased, along with serum testosterone concentration. The cat continued to do well as long as medication was given consistently. Eventually, the cat underwent a laparotomy for removal of remnant testicular tissues but was then lost to follow-up.     

Influence of diet on the shedding of Candida glabrata by experimentally infected preweaned calves

The influence of three diets, comprising dam's milk (DM) from the same farm, commercial milk replacer with (CMRL) or without 3.2% lactose (CMR), on the duration and intensity of Candida glabrata shedding in the faeces of preweaned calves following experimental oral infection was examined. Shedding of other potential enteric pathogens was also monitored. The duration and intensity of C. glabrata shedding in DM-fed calves were reduced significantly compared with the calves fed the two diets based on milk replacers. Consequently, feeding calves with DM might disrupt the infective cycle, resulting in the yeast's elimination from a farm. In the CMR and CMRL groups, the periods of intensive shedding of C. glabrata and rotavirus overlapped but no diarrhoea was associated with the shedding of either microorganism. There was no evidence that lactose diminished colonization in vivo.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in canine oral malignant melanoma

Serum, plasma and tissue expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was measured in 20 dogs previously diagnosed histologically with oral melanoma. The concentrations of VEGF in serum and plasma were significantly higher in dogs with melanoma than in a control population (P ≤ 0.002). Concentrations of VEGF in the serum and plasma of dogs with melanoma were highly correlated (r = 0.867). Ninety‐five per cent of melanoma tissues expressed VEGF. Two staining patterns were detected: diffuse and granular cytoplasmic staining. High blood concentrations of VEGF were correlated to a shorter survival time in dogs receiving definitive therapy (P = 0.002). Survival times were significantly longer in dogs receiving definitive therapy versus palliative therapy (median 496 versus 97 days, P = 0.007). Blood concentrations of VEGF were associated with stage (P < 0.05). Dogs with oral melanoma have increased serum, plasma and tissue concentrations of VEGF. Increased expression of VEGF may be a reasonable target for future therapy of canine oral melanoma.     

Acute onset of pulmonary necrotising arteritis in a dog with a left-to-right patent ductus arteriosus

A 12-week-old, clinically normal Chihuahua was referred for investigation for a continuous heart murmur. Cardiac evaluation revealed an anatomically and haemodynamically typical left-to-right shunting patent ductus arteriosus. The continuous wave Doppler measurement of peak ductal jet velocity of 5.6 m/s was suggestive of a normal pulmonary to systemic arterial pressure ratio. The dog returned 16 days later with right heart failure and severe pulmonary hypertension. Marked reduction in left-to-right shunting was demonstrated and the ductal jet velocity had decreased to 2.5 m/s. Immediate ductus ligation, oxygen therapy before and after the operation, and administration of hydralazine failed to reduce pulmonary hypertension, and the dog was euthanased. Histopathological examination of the lung showed pulmonary necrotising arteritis with acute and chronic arterial lesions. Chronic pulmonary vascular changes related to high flow have been associated with altered nitric oxide and endothelin responses. These changes may be responsible for the acute onset of pulmonary hypertension due to relatively minor vascular insults in some human and veterinary patients with left-to-right shunts. The potential for acute progression supports the recommendations for early ductus ligation and the prognostic importance of detecting pulmonary hypertension presurgically in patent ductus arteriosus patients.     

Affinity of detomidine, medetomidine and xylazine for alpha-2 adrenergic receptor subtypes

α₂-Adrenergic receptor agonists are widely used in veterinary medicine as sedative/hypnotic agents. Four pharmacological subtypes of the α₂-adrenergic receptor (A, B, C and D) have been identified based primarily on differences in affinity for several drugs. The purpose of this study was to examine the affinities of the sedative agents, xylazine, detomidine and medetomidine at the four α₂-adrenergic receptor subtypes. Saturation and inhibition binding curves were performed in membranes of tissues containing only one subtype of a₂-adrenergic receptor. The K_D for the α₂-adrenergic receptor radioligand, [³H]-MK-912, in HT29 cells (α_2A-), neonatal rat lung (α_2B-), OK cells (α_2C-) and PC12 cells transfected with RG20 (α_2D-) were 0.38 ± 0.08 n m , 0.70 ± 0.5 n m , 0.07 ± 0.02 n m and 0.87 ± 0.03 n m , respectively. Detomidine and medetomidine had approximately a 100 fold higher affinity for all the α₂-adrenergic receptors compared to xylazine but neither agonist displayed selectivity for the α₂-adrenergic receptor subtypes. These data suggest that available sedative/hypnotic α₂-adrenergic receptor agonists can not discriminate between the four known α₂-adrenergic receptor subtypes.