Anatomic distribution and clinical findings of intermuscular lipomas in 17 dogs (2005-2010)

Intermuscular lipomas (IML) in dogs can be associated with ominous clinical signs, especially in the thoracic limb. However, the prognosis is excellent following surgical excision. There is a paucity of information in the veterinary literature regarding IML. Our objective was to describe the anatomical location, imaging techniques, and clinical findings in a series of dogs that were diagnosed and treated for IML. The prevalence of thoracic versus pelvic limb IML was not different. Most IML of the thoracic limb were located in the axilla. Operative time for IML of the thoracic and pelvic limb averaged 60 minutes. Complications were rare after marginal surgical excision and recurrence was not seen in any of the cases in this report. Intermuscular lipomas of the axilla are as common as IML of the caudal thigh. Surgical treatment of both axillary and caudal-thigh IML is associated with an excellent prognosis in dogs.     

Magnetic field-tuned quantum criticality in the metallic ruthenate Sr3Ru2O7

The concept of quantum criticality is proving to be central to attempts to understand the physics of strongly correlated electrons. Here, we argue that observations on the itinerant metamagnet Sr3Ru2O7 represent good evidence for a new class of quantum critical point, arising when the critical end point terminating a line of first-order transitions is depressed toward zero temperature. This is of interest both in its own right and because of the convenience of having a quantum critical point for which the tuning parameter is the magnetic field. The relationship between the resultant critical fluctuations and novel behavior very near the critical field is discussed.     

The assessment of partial resistance of potato clones to cyst nematodes at six test centres

Summary Eleven potato cultivars or clones representing a range of resistances to potato cyst nematodes derived fromSolanum vernei orSolanum tuberosum ssp.andigena CPC 2802 were assessed in eight pot tests and one field trial. Six involvedGlobodera pallida Pa2/3, oneG. pallida Pa1, and twoG. rostochiensis Ro1. The nine tests were at six different centres each using their own nematode populations and standard techniques. The results showed that with the same nematode species there was a strong correlation between experiments in the ranking of the resistance of the clones. If only those clones with quantitative resistance were considered there was good agreement over all tests. Analysis of the data indicated a small clone by test interaction, but this arose mostly as a result of genotypic rather than environmental effects. The results support a proposal that partially resistant reference clones should be included in tests to assess resistance to potato cyst nematodes.

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Zusammenfassung Elf Kartoffelsorten oder Klone mit unterschiedlichem Resistenzgrad gegen Kartoffel-Zystennematoden, vonSolanum vernei oderS. tuberosum ssp.andigena CPC 2802 (Tab. 1) abstammend, wurden in acht Topfversuchen und in einem Feldversuch untersucht. Sechs Tests beinhaltetenGlobodera pallida Pa2/3-, einerG. pallida Pa1- und zweiG. rostochiensis Ro1 — Populationen. Die neun Tests wurden an sechs verschiedenen Zentren, von denen jedes seine eigenen Nematoden- Populationen und seine eigenen Techniken verwendete, durchgeführt (Tab. 2). Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass in Tests mit den gleichen Nematoden-Species eine strenge Korrelation zwischen Experimenten und der Rangfolge der Resistenz der Klone vorhanden war (Tab. 4). Wenn nur Klone mit quantitativer Resistenz betrachtet werden, ergaben alle Tests gute übereinstimmung. Die Tests zeigten Unterschiede in den allgemeinen Vermehrungsraten zwischen den Tests (Tab. 3) und zeigten, dass der Ausdruck der Ergebnisse bei den partiell resistenten Klonen im Verh?ltnis zu den Vermehrungsraten bei nicht-resistenten Kontrollen diese Unterschiede nicht eliminierten (Tab. 5). Die statistische Analyse der Daten ergab eine geringe, aber statistisch signifikante Klon/Test-Wechselwirkung, aber diese ergab sich prinzipiell eher als Ergebnis genotypischer als umweltbedingter Effekte. Die Ergebnisse dieser Tests stützen die Vermutung, dass Klone mit bekannter partieller Resistenz in Tests zur Ermittlung von Resistenz gegen Zystennematoden eingeschlossen werden sollten, sowohl zur Erm?glichung einer Vergleichbarkeit als auch zur Definierung von Kategorien für die Resistenz.

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Résumé Onze variétés ou cl?nes de résistance diverse aux nématodes à kystes dérivés deSolanum vernei ouS. tuberosum ssp.andigena CPC 2802 (tableau 1) sont testés dans huit essais en pots et un essai de plein champ. Six tests comportentGlobodera pallida Pa2/3, un testG. pallida Pa1 et deux tests de populations deG. rostochiensis Ro1. Les neuf tests sont conduits dans six centres différents, chacun ayant sa propre populations de nématodes et ses propres normes techniques (tableau 2). Les résultats indiquent que dans les tests ayant les mêmes espèces de nématodes, la corrélation entre les expérimentations est très bonne en ce qui concerne le classement de résistance des cl?nes (tableau 4). Si l'on ne prend en compte que la résistance quantitative des cl?nes, les résultats sont concordants pour tous les tests. Les taux de multiplication sont différents entre les tests (tableau 3) et les résultats obtenus sur cl?nes de résistance partielle exprimés par rapport aux taux de multiplication des témoins non résistants ne modifient en rien ces différences (tableau 5). Une analyse statistique des résultats montre une faible mais néanmoins intération clone × test due davantage à des effets génotypiques que d'environnement. Les résultats de ces essais appuient l'idée que des cl?nes de résistance partielle de référence devraient être inclus dans des tests d'évaluation de la résistance aux nématodes à kystes de la pomme de terre pour faciliter les comparaisons et définir des catégories de résistance.

     

RNA/DNA ratio is an early responding,accurate performance parameter in growth experiments of noble crayfish Astacus astacus (L.)

Recent intensification efforts of astacid culture considerably depend on the appropriate assessment of the animal's physiological condition both for research and application. We conducted a 4 weeks feeding experiment to assess temporal resolution and accuracy of different response parameters (RNA/DNA ratio, RNA per wet weight, carapace length, wet weight, specific growth rate). Juvenile noble crayfish were exposed to five feeding regimes that differed in feeding frequency and food availability. Continuous growth was detected in all feeding regimes with individual increase up to 90% (wet weight) and 17% (carapace length), respectively. Morphometric parameters allowed separation of three weight‐groups or two length‐groups. During the experimental period RNA/DNA ratios showed both decrease (?17%) and increase (+35%), with superior accuracy than morphometric parameters, separating four groups. Based on RNA/DNA ratios, different feeding regimes were detected earlier, with two groups separated already after 3 weeks. RNA/DNA ratio was clearly superior to RNA per unit wet weight, as the latter failed to detect any differences between groups. In conclusion, RNA/DNA ratio is a valuable tool in nutritional studies with freshwater crayfish if overall growth is the key variable of interest.     

Immunostimulatory effects of dietary poly‐β‐hydroxybutyrate in European sea bass postlarvae

The stable production of high‐quality fry in marine aquaculture is still hampered by unpredictable mortality caused by infectious diseases during larval rearing. Consequently, the development of new biocontrol agents is crucial for a viable aquaculture industry. The bacterial energy storage compound poly‐β‐hydroxybutyrate (PHB) has been shown to exhibit beneficial properties on aquatic organisms such as enhanced survival, growth, disease resistance and a controlling effect on the gastrointestinal microbiota. However, the effect of PHB on the developing immune system of fish larvae has so far not been investigated. In this study, the effect of feeding PHB‐enriched Artemia nauplii on survival, growth and immune response in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) postlarvae was examined. Amorphous PHB was administered to 28‐day‐old sea bass postlarvae over a period of 10 days. The survival and growth performance were monitored, and the expression of 29 genes involved in immunity, growth, metabolism and stress‐response was measured. While the expression of the insulin‐like growth factor 1 (igf1), an indicator of relative growth, was upregulated in response to feeding PHB, the larval survival and growth performance remained unaffected. After 10 days of PHB treatment, the expression of the antimicrobial peptides dicentracin (dic) and hepcidin (hep) as well as mhc class IIa and mhc class IIb was elevated in the PHB fed postlarvae. This indicates that PHB is capable of stimulating the immune system of fish early life stages, which may be the cause of the increased resistance to diseases and robustness observed in previous studies.     

Climate‐induced response of commercially important flatfish species during the 20th century

The consequence of elevated ocean temperatures on commercial fish stocks is addressed using time series of commercial landings (1906–2004) and juvenile survey catch data (1904–2006) collected around Denmark. We analyze (i) whether warm‐water sole (Solea solea) has increased relative to Boreal plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) and (ii) whether two related warm‐water species (turbot, Psetta maxima and brill, Scophthalmus rhombus) show similar responses to increasing temperature or, alternatively, whether turbot (which has a broader juvenile diet) has been favored. Since the early 1980s, both sole and turbot have constituted an increasing part of the commercial landings and survey catches, as compared with plaice and brill, respectively. These changes in species composition were linked to sea surface temperatures, Northern Hemisphere temperature anomalies (NHA) and the North Atlantic Oscillation. NHA was closely related and explained 43% of the observed variation in sole survey catches relative to the plaice catches and almost 38% of the observed variation in the sole landings relative to the plaice landings. For the less common species, turbot and brill, none of the global change indicators explained more than 15% of the variation, although all showed a positive relationship. Survey catch per unit effort increased significantly for both sole and turbot around the early 1980s, whereas catch per unit effort for plaice and brill remained constant. The results indicate that the abundance of warm‐water species is likely to increase with increasing temperature but also that species with similar life histories might react differently according to degree of specialization.     

Silica in sea water: control by silica minerals

Silicate minerals typical of those carried in the suspended load of streams release silica to silica-deficient sea water and abstract silica from silicaenriched sea water. Experimental rates of release and uptake permit the conclusion that the suspended solids carried into the oceans by streams are a major control of the concentration of silica in the ocean.     

Establishment of Initially Unrooted Stool Shoots of M.27 Apple Rootstock

Wounding and the application of IBA and basal heat to unrooted shoots from stools of M.27 apple rootstock greatly improved their establishment when planted back into the nursery for a second season. The effect of wounding was to cut through the phloem sclerenchymatous sheath, partially simulating the anatomy of ready rooting basal hardwood cuttings in which the sclerenchyma is divided by a number of leaf traces.