Amanita muscaria toxicosis in two dogs

Objective: To report the manifestations, history, and pathophysiologic basis of disease in 2 dogs with Amanita muscaria toxicosis. Case summaries: Two dogs were evaluated for an acute onset of gastroenteritis and seizures. A. muscaria toxicosis was suspected in each dog after confirmation of environmental exposure and visualization of ingested mushrooms in vomitus. The diagnosis was confirmed following identification of toxic Amanita metabolites in the urine and serum of each dog. Administration of supportive and symptomatic therapies resulted in the complete recovery of each animal. Unique information provided: Ingestion of the mushroom, A. muscaria, by dogs can result in acute gastrointestinal distress that precedes a potentially life‐threatening central neurologic syndrome characterized by seizures, tremors, and somnolence. Central nervous system dysfunction results primarily from the actions of ibotenic acid and its decarboxylation product, muscimol, which are analogues of the neurotransmitters glutamate and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA), respectively. Identification of these toxins in the urine and serum of affected dogs using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) provides a definitive diagnosis.     

The socioeconomics and management of Santiago de Chile''s public urban forests

Santiago, Chile's semi-arid climate and urbanized environment poses a severe limitation for the establishment and maintenance of urban forests. Municipalities, or comunas, are the main stakeholders in the management of Santiago's public urban forests. A tenable hypothesis would be that as the socioeconomic level of a comuna increases, the better the condition of a comuna's urban forest. Unfortunately, there is little comprehensive information on management, public expenditure, and structure of Santiago's public and private urban forests. To examine this hypothesis, Santiago was divided into socioeconomic strata, then using air photo interpretation and stratified field sampling, urban forest structures were quantified by socioeconomic strata. In addition, interview surveys were used to determine municipal urban forest management and expenditures for different public urban forests based on socioeconomic strata. Urban forests in the high socioeconomic strata had fewer public trees, greater tree cover, tree and leaf area density, and leaf area index than lower socioeconomic strata. The percentage of total municipal budget allocated to public urban forest management was consistent among strata, but the total public urban forest budgets were greater in the high socioeconomic strata. Public urban forest structure is related to the socioeconomic strata of Santiago's different comunas.     

Involvement of esterases in diazinon resistance and biphasic effects of piperonyl butoxide on diazinon toxicity to Haematobia irritans irritans (Diptera: Muscidae)

Resistance to insecticides remains a major problem for the successful control of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans irritans (L.), one of the most important pests of cattle in many countries including the United States. The organophosphate (OP) insecticide diazinon has been used to control pyrethroid-resistant populations of the horn fly. There are only a few reported cases of horn fly resistance to diazinon in the United States and Mexico. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) has been used successfully as a synergist of pyrethroid insecticides to control horn flies. PBO-synergized diazinon products are also available for horn fly control in the United States, although PBO is known to inhibit the bio-activation of certain OP insecticides including diazinon. A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of PBO on diazinon toxicity to horn flies using a filter paper bioassay technique. These bioassays in both the susceptible and diazinon-resistant horn fly strains revealed a biphasic effect of PBO on diazinon toxicity to horn flies. PBO inhibited diazinon toxicity when the PBO concentration used was high (5%), and no effect was observed when PBO concentration was intermediate (2%). However, at low concentrations (1% and lower), PBO significantly synergized diazinon toxicity. We demonstrated that enhanced esterase activity was associated with survivability of horn flies exposed to diazinon alone. PBO has been shown to inhibit esterase activity in other insect species. However, results of biochemical assays with esterases from this study suggest that PBO did not have significant effect on the overall esterase activity in the horn fly. The observed synergistic effect of PBO at lower concentrations on diazinon toxicity to horn flies could not be explained by reduced esterase activity due to PBO inhibition. It is likely that PBO synergized diazinon toxicity at lower concentrations by facilitating penetration of diazinon through the cuticle and/or inhibiting the oxidative detoxification of diazinon, and reduced diazinon toxicity at high PBO concentration by inhibiting the bio-activation of diazinon.     

Recreational tree-climbing programs in a rural Japanese community forest: Social impacts and “fun factors”

We examined whether recreational tree climbing (TC) activities would have positive social impacts and rejuvenate an outdoor activity center and surrounding community forest in central Japan. Our case study comprised 3800 adults and children participating in TC activities at the Jyokoji Outdoor Activity Center (JOAC) in Seto, Japan. We focused on 1393 adult participants whom we considered to be the decision makers regarding family recreation, and we explored both the social impacts of TC and various factors that contributed to and distracted from the overall experience. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated that elements such as age, gender, tree preferences, tree appreciation, tree education, and technical instruction influenced the enjoyment of recreational TC and the positive effects on tree climbers. Overall, the climbing program had positive social impacts for the community forest and contributed to local conservation initiatives. Our case study suggests that other areas can benefit from incorporating TC programs into community forest planning to complement aesthetic, ecological, and restoration benefits and provide a new venue for recreation and conservation awareness.     

Empirical relationships between land use/cover and estuarine condition in the Northeastern United States

Land–water interactions were examined in three regions in the Virginian Biogeographic Province; the southern shore of Cape Cod, Massachusetts; the Hudson/Raritan region of New York; and the eastern shore of the Delmarva (Delaware/Maryland/Virginia) Peninsula. Cumulative distribution functions were used to evaluate similarity in environmental condition among estuaries. Spatial-setting variables (location in a river, coastal lagoon, or in open waters) were associated with variation for some measures of estuarine condition. Patterns of coastal urban and agriculture gradients were measured and their relationship with indicators of estuarine condition was modeled statistically. When estuaries were pooled, the highest variation explained by spatial-setting variables was found for dissolved oxygen (DO, R ² = 0.44) and salinity (R ² = 0.58), with DO decreasing in river locations and salinity decreasing with rainfall and sampling locations near rivers. The explanatory power for the other indicator variables was low and varied from 6% to 27%. Rainfall explained some of the variation (R ² = 0.23) in total suspended solids. Moderate (0.4 < | r | < 0.7) to strong (| r | ≥ 0.7) linear associations were found between total urban area and measures of estuarine condition. Within regions, total urban area was positively associated with Silver (r = 0.59), Cadmium (r = 0.65), and Mercury (r = 0.47) in Cape Cod, and inversely related to DO (r = −0.65) in the Hudson/Raritan region. No associations were found in the Delmarva Peninsula study area. Total area of agriculture showed a moderate association with Arsenic in Cape Cod, but no other associations were found in the other two regions. Our analyses show a measurable impact of urban land use on coastal ecosystem condition over large areas of the northeastern United States. This pattern was most evident when many different landscapes were considered simultaneously. The relationship between urban development and estuarine condition were weaker within the individual regions studied. The use of land use/cover models for predicting estuarine condition is a challenging task that warrants enhancements in the type, quantity, and quality of data to improve our ability to discern relationships between anthropogenic activities on land and the condition of coastal environments.     

Biological control ofBotrytis cinerea in residues and flowers of Rose (Rosa hybrida)

Microbial isolates from living petals, petal residues and leaf residues of rose, and from laboratory collections, were evaluated for control ofBotrytis cinerea in rose. In leaf residues artificially infested withB. cinerea, isolates of the filamentous fungiGliocladium roseum, FR136 (unidentified) andTrichoderma inhamatum reduced sporulation of the pathogen by >90%, other filamentous fungi were 25–90% effective, and those of yeasts and bacteria were <50% effective. In artificially inoculated petal residues, no microbe reduced sporulation ofB. cinerea by >75%, but isolates ofCladosporium oxysporum and four yeasts were 51–75% effective, and three filamentous fungi, eight yeasts andBacillus subtilis isolates were 26–50% effective. Isolates ofT. inhamatum, C. oxysporum andG. roseum performed best againstB. cinerea among isolates evaluated in leaf residues naturally infested with the pathogen and indigenous microorganisms. Totals of ten isolates of filamentous fungi (includingC. oxysporum andC. cladosporioides), two of yeasts and five ofBacillus subtilis completely prevented lesion production byB. cinerea in detached petals, and a further six isolates of filamentous fungi (includingG. roseum) and six yeasts were 90–99% effective. Isolates ofC. oxysporum, C. cladosporioides andB. subtilis, the most effective microorganisms againstB. cinerea in flower buds, reduced number of lesions in the range of 42–65% compared with 59–89% for à standard fungicide (vinclozolin). It is suggested that application of leading antagonists Jo living rose leaves and flowers should optimize control of inoculum production byB. cinerea when the tissues die. Optimal biocontrol of lesion production in flower buds requires a better understanding of the microenvironment of petals.