Congestive heart failure in two pet rabbits

This case report describes congestive heart failure with pleural effusion in two middle-aged, pet house rabbits. Both had a history of acute onset dyspnoea, weakness and weight loss. Bi-atrial enlargement was seen on echocardiography in both rabbits. One rabbit had atrial fibrillation and ventricular premature complexes identified on electrocardiography. There was a radiographically evident pleural effusion in both rabbits and thoracocentesis was undertaken in one rabbit. These findings were confirmed on post-mortem examination. The aetiology for the underlying heart disease was not found, but the potential types of cardiomyopathies are discussed.     

Enhancement of triclabendazole action in vivo against a triclabendazole-resistant isolate of Fasciola hepatica by co-treatment with ketoconazole

An in vivo study in the laboratory rat model was carried out to monitor morphological changes in adult Fasciola hepatica over a 4-day period resulting from combination treatment of triclabendazole (TCBZ) and the metabolic inhibitor, ketoconazole (KTZ). Rats were infected with the TCBZ-resistant Oberon isolate of F. hepatica and divided into 3 groups at 12 weeks post-infection. The first group was dosed orally with TCBZ at a dosage of 10mg/kg and KTZ at a dosage of 10mg/kg. Flukes were recovered at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h post-treatment (p.t.). A second group of rats was treated with TCBZ alone (10mg/kg) and sacrificed at 96 h p.t. The third group acted as untreated controls. Surface changes were monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In flukes from the TCBZ+KTZ-treated group, the results showed a progressive and time-dependent increase in the level of disruption to the tegumental syncytium. Swelling, furrowing, blebbing and sloughing of the syncytium increased with time p.t. Another feature seen was a thick layer of tegumental shedding in some fluke samples at different times p.t. By comparison, flukes treated with TCBZ alone remained unaffected. The results demonstrated that the Oberon isolate is only sensitive to drug action in the presence of ketoconazole, indicating that combining triclabendazole with a metabolic inhibitor could be used to preserve the effectiveness of the drug against TCBZ-resistant populations of F. hepatica.     

Aboveground growth interactions of paired conifer seedlings in close proximity

Where belowground resources are relatively abundant, naturally established trees sometimes occur in very close proximity to one another. We conducted a two-year study to assess the aboveground interactions between Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), grand fir (Abies grandis) and noble fir (Abies procera) seedlings planted in closely spaced (stems 10 cm apart) conspecific and heterospecific pairs. Paired seedling growth also was compared to seedlings planted with no neighbor. Stem height growth was not affected by the presence of a neighbor seedling, although diameter growth was slightly reduced. Branch diameter growth and weight were reduced where seedling crowns overlapped; branch morphological data suggested that this was caused by shading rather than mechanical interactions. Light measurements showed the potential for significant shading, particularly by the relatively large, dense crowns of Douglas-fir. Heterospecific pairs including Douglas-fir demonstrated the competitive production principle in that their mean growth was greater than the average of conspecific pairs of both species. Neighbor seedling height significantly affected subject seedling growth; neighbor effects were similar whether the neighbor seedling was growing on the north or south side of the subject seedling. Light reflected from Douglas-fir crowns had a lower red: far-red ratio than that of noble fir, although there was no evidence of a phytochrome-mediated growth response to the neighbor seedling. While heterospecific seedling pairs showed reduced competition, we found no evidence of facilitation for seedlings growing in very close proximity.     

Insecticide use: Contexts and ecological consequences

Constraints to the sustainability of insecticide use include effects on human health, agroecosystems (e.g., beneficial insects), the wider environment (e.g., non-target species, landscapes and communities) and the selection of insecticide-resistant traits. It is possible to find examples where insecticides have impacted disastrously on all these variables and others where the hazards posed have been (through accident or design) ameliorated. In this review, we examine what can currently be surmised about the direct and indirect long-term, field impacts of insecticides upon the environment. We detail specific examples, describe current insecticide use patterns, consider the contexts within which insecticide use occurs and discuss the role of regulation and legislation in reducing risk. We consider how insecticide use is changing in response to increasing environmental awareness and inevitably, as we discuss the main constraints to insecticide use, we suggest why they cannot easily be discarded. Gregor Devine has an MSc in pest management and a PhD in applied entomology from Imperial College, London. He is a Senior Research Scientist employed by Rothamsted Research, UK. He is currently investigating novel disease vector control methods in Peru in association with the US Naval Medical Research Center Detachment, the Peruvian Ministry of Health, the University of California-Davis, and the US Centers for Disease Control. Michael Furlong has an MSc in pest management and a PhD in applied entomology from Imperial College, London. He is a Lecturer and Researcher in the School of Integrative Biology at the University of Queensland, Australia. His research interests include biological control, and the design and implementation of sustainable Integrated Pest Management strategies for international development. He works in Australia, China, North Korea and the Pacific Islands.     

Insecticide resistance in Egyptian populations of the cotton whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Three collections of Bemisia tabaci were taken from cotton and vegetable crops at the beginning of the growing season in Egypt. These displayed marked resistance to the carbamates carbosulfan (ca 20- to 50-fold) and aldicarb (ca 40- to 80-fold) and moderate resistance to the pyrethroids cypermethrin (ca 10- to 30-fold) and lambda-cyhalothrin (ca 10- to 25-fold). They displayed no resistance to the organophosphates profenofos and pirimiphos-methyl, or to imidacloprid. Another population, collected at the end of the growing season, differed markedly in its response. In this population, resistance to carbosulfan remained high (ca 40-fold), resistance to profenofos and cypermethrin was increased (ca 20- and 50-fold respectively) and a slight resistance to imidacloprid was detected (ca 6-fold). Resistance to cypermethrin and profenofos was shown to be similar among adults and nymphs. Irrespective of collection date, none of the populations showed resistance to pyriproxyfen. These Egyptian populations were compared with two representative Israeli populations. The differences between their resistance profiles is discussed in terms of their collection date, their geographical proximity and the patterns of insecticide use at their sites of collection.     

Gravitational inconsistency in the lunar theory: numerical determination

Preliminary numerical integrations of the lunar motion indicate that defects in the lunar ephemeris, due to omissions in the revised Brown lunar theory, produce errors of the order of several hundred meters in the coordinates at certain times. Such errors are large enough to affect adversely analyses of data from spacecraft, as well as determination of ephemeris time. Distinct planetary periodicities seem to appear in the residuals.     

Histochemical Properties of Fast Twitch Muscle in the Rat

A histochemical study of muscle fibers comprising the extensor digitorum longus muscle of adult female Wistar rats was carried out in which Acid ATPase, Alkaline ATPase, Phosphorylase and SDHase determinations were used to classify muscle fibers. On the basis of Alkaline and Acid ATPase determinations three classes of muscle fibers were determined, Dark, Intermediate and Light, respectively. On the basis of Phosphorylase and SDHase, two classes of muscle fibers were found, classed as Dark and Light fibers. Therefore fibers could be identified within the muscle of 13 different types. An analysis of the muscle on this basis is compared with that of other muscles in the rat and with muscles of other species studied with either cytochemical or physiological techniques.     

Use of BACTEC radiometric culture method and polymerase chain reaction for the rapid screening of faeces and tissues for Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

SUMMARY The BACTEC radiometric culture method for detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was evaluated on faeces from cattle on a farm in quarantine for Johne's disease. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the IS900 sequence specific for M paratuberculosis and a genus specific 16S rRNA region was developed and used to test cultures showing evidence of mycobacterial growth in the BACTEC liquid radiometric culture medium. Using the BACTEC - PCR combination, confirmation of M paratuberculosis from faeces and tissue of clinically affected animals was achieved within 2 to 4 weeks and 1 week, respectively, a substantial improvement on traditional culture and identification methods. The PCR provided rapid exclusion of M paratuberculosis when other Mycobacterium spp were grown. The radiometric culture medium proved to be very sensitive for culturing Mycobacterium spp.     

L7-S1 fixation-fusion for treatment of cauda equina compression in the dog

The L7-S1 fixation-fusion technique for treatment of cauda equina compression was performed on 14 dogs, 13 of which were 6 years old or older, were severely lame, and had ventral bridging spondylitis at the L7-S1 vertebrae. One dog, 3 months old, had a congenital malformation of the L7 vertebra. The principles of the L7-S1 fusion technique were to expand the L7-S1 intervertebral foramina and spinal canal, remove pressure on the nerve roots, and provide stability to the L7-S1 vertebrae. This technique appeared to be applicable clinically for restoring normal function and activity to dogs with cauda equina compression.