Surgery and radiation therapy for extramedullary plasmacytoma of the penile mucosa in a dog

A 10-year-old neutered male Italian greyhound dog was presented because it had a penile plasmacytoma. Surgery followed by radiation therapy resulted in local control and survival for 1688 days. This is the first report of surgery and definitive radiation therapy for curative intent therapy of extramedullary penile plasmacytoma in a dog.     

Effect of glyphosate on symbiotic N2 fixation and nickel concentration in glyphosate-resistant soybeans

Decreased biological nitrogen fixation in glyphosate-resistant (GR) soybeans has been attributed directly to toxicity of glyphosate or its metabolites, to N₂-fixing microorganisms. As a strong metal chelator, glyphosate could influence symbiotic N₂ fixation by lowering the concentration of nickel (Ni) that is essential for the symbiotic microorganisms. Evaluation of different cultivars grown on different soil types at the State University of Maringá, PR, Brazil during the summer 2008 revealed, significant decreases in photosynthetic parameters (chlorophyll, photosynthetic rate, transpiration and stomatal conductance) and nickel content with glyphosate use (single or sequential application). This work demonstrated that glyphosate can influence the symbiotic N₂ fixation by lowering nickel content available to the symbiotic microorganisms.     

Inflammation and wound healing in cats with chronic gingivitis/stomatitis after extraction of all premolars and molars were not affected by feeding of two diets with different omega‐6/omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios

Feline chronic gingivitis/stomatitis (FCGS) is a painful inflammatory disease in cats. Extraction of teeth, including all premolars and molars, has been shown to be the therapy of choice in cats not responding sufficiently to home care (e.g. tooth brushing) and/or medical treatment (corticosteroids and/or antibiotics). In this study, we hypothesize that a cat food with an omega‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω6 PUFA) to ω3 PUFA ratio of 10:1 reduces inflammation of the FCGS and accelerates soft tissue wound healing of the gingiva after dental extractions, compared to a cat food with a ω6:ω3 PUFA ratio of 40:1. The cats were fed diets with chicken fat and fish oil as sources of fatty acids. In one diet, part of the fish oil was replaced by safflower oil, resulting in two diets with ω6:ω3 PUFA ratios of 10:1 and 40:1. This double‐blinded study in two groups of seven cats revealed that dietary fatty acids influence the composition of plasma cholesteryl esters and plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. The diet with the 10:1 ratio lowered PGD₂, PGE₂ and LTB₄ plasma levels significantly, compared to the diet with the 40:1 ratio (p = 0.05, p = 0.04, and p = 0.02 respectively). However, feeding diets with dietary ω6:ω3 PUFA ratios of 10:1 and 40:1, given to cats with FCGS for 4 weeks after extraction of all premolars and molars, did not alter the degree of inflammation or wound healing.     

Chemical disinfectants can reduce potato blackleg caused by ‘Dickeya solani’

Treatments of tubers with chemical disinfectants (70 % ethanol, 1 % sodium hypochlorite, 2 % copper sulphate, 5 % peracetic acid, 10 % hydrogen peroxide, 1 % MennoClean (benzoic acid), 5 % trisodium phosphate and 0.2 % caffeine) were evaluated for control of blackleg caused by ‘D. solani’. All disinfectants effectively killed bacteria in axenic cultures within 5 min and all, except hydrogen peroxide and trisodium phosphate, were able to kill ‘D. solani’ in spiked potato extracts. Treatments with all disinfectants except trisodium phosphate, reduced the pathogen populations on the periderm of tubers previously inoculated by dipping in a suspension of ‘D. solani’, when the disinfectant was applied for at least 15 min. However, in replicated greenhouse experiments, treatments with all disinfectants except hydrogen peroxide and caffeine resulted in phytotoxicity, reducing sprouting of tubers with 10 – 100 %. Sodium hypochlorite and MennoClean were selected for further studies. Treatments of inoculated tubers with these disinfectants prevented developing of soft rot symptoms on tubers when subjected to favourable rotting conditions. In replicated greenhouse experiments, inoculated tubers treated with sodium hypochlorite and MennoClean reduced the blackleg disease incidences from 50 % to 0 % and to 5 %, respectively, and symptomless infection of potato stems from 93 % to 0 % and to 5 %, respectively. A combination of both compounds was highly phytotoxic. The potential use of sodium hypochlorite and MennoClean in an integrated management strategy for potato blackleg is discussed.     

Seeds in a rainforest soil and their relation to shifting cultivation in the Ivory Coast

In the Taï region of the Ivory Coast, mature forest is felled and burned and a crop of rice is grown; forest is then allowed to regenerate for 20 or more years before being cropped again. The top 10 cm of soil beneath a 21-year-old forest prior to felling contained 2000 viable seeds m^?2 of mainly woody species of previous successional stages no longer represented in the vegetation. Seedling emergence was greater in full sunlight than under leaf canopy, especially for herbaceous species of open habitats. Burning destroyed almost half of the seeds, but overall germination of those that survived was advanced by about 2 weeks. Germination of some common pioneer species was enhanced by the fire. Provided that burning took place and the rice was planted immediately, vegetation arising from the seed bank did not present a problem. The density never exceeded 70 seedlings m^?2 and little or no weeding was required. Species present at densities greater than 1 seedling 10 m^?2 were all recorded in the seed bank.     

Reduction of diameter of the left ventricle of dogs by plication of the left ventricular free wall

OBJECTIVE: To determine effects of reducing the diameter of the left ventricle of dogs by plication of the left ventricular free wall. ANIMALS: 8 healthy adult mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURE: Left lateral thoracotomy and a T-shaped pericardiotomy were performed. The free wall of the left ventricle was imbricated with 3 interrupted transfixing sutures applied in a horizontal mattress pattern, using 3-0 polypropylene suture assembled on a straight cutting needle. Surgeons were careful to avoid the coronary vessels. Echocardiography was performed 24 hours before and 48 hours after surgery. Electrocardiography was performed before and 1, 2, 7, 15, 21, 30, and 60 days after surgery. RESULTS: Echocardiographic measurements revealed that the diameter of the left ventricle was reduced by a mean of 23.5%. Electrocardiography revealed ventricular premature complexes 24 hours after surgery that regressed without treatment during the first week after surgery. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Plication of the left ventricular free wall of dogs can reduce end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions of the left ventricle. The technique is simple and does not require cardiopulmonary bypass. According to Laplace's law, the reduction of cardiac diameter leads to reduction on free-wall tension and may improve left ventricular function in dilatated hearts. Thus, additional studies involving dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy should be conducted.     

Automated detection of estrus and mastitis in dairy cows

The development and test of detection models for oestrus and mastitis in dairy cows is described in a PhD thesis that was defended in Wageningen on June 5, 2000. These models were based on sensors for milk yield, milk temperature, electrical conductivity of milk, and cow activity and concentrate intake, and on combined processing of the sensor data. The models alert farmers to cows that need attention, because of possible oestrus or mastitis. A first detection model for cows, milked twice a day, was based on time series models for the sensor variables. A time series model describes the dependence between successive observations. The parameters of the time series models were fitted on-line for each cow after each milking by means of a Kalman filter, a mathematical method to estimate the state of a system on-line. The Kalman filter gives the best estimate of the current state of a system based on all preceding observations. This model was tested for 2 years on two experimental farms, and under field conditions on four farms over several years. A second detection model, for cow milked in an automatic milking system (AMS), was based on a generalization of the first model. Two data sets (one small, one large) were used for testing. The results for oestrus detection were good for both models. The results for mastitis detection were varying (in some cases good, in other cases moderate). Fuzzy logic was used to classify mastitis and oestrus alerts with both detection models, to reduce the number of false positive alerts. Fuzzy logic makes approximate reasoning possible, where statements can be partly true or false. Input for the fuzzy logic model were alerts from the detection models and additional information. The number of false positive alerts decreased considerably, while the number of detected cases remained at the same level. These models make automated detection possible in practice.     

Effect of different methods of administration of ivermectin on its efficacy against the shedding of gastrointestinal nematode eggs by gazelles

Seven different methods of administering ivermectin to gazelles were compared: subcutaneous injection, direct oral administration, administration in individual feeds, administration in a herd feed, direct oral administration of a second ivermectin formulation, administration in individual water supplies, and administration in the herd's water supply. The first five treatments were effective, as monitored by faecal egg count reduction tests, and administration in individual feeds or in a herd feed avoided the need to capture the animals, with the attendant risk of mortality. Of the factors associated with the recipients (species, sex, age and inbreeding coefficient) age was the only significant factor for the efficacy of the treatment. Oral or subcutaneous, individual or collective, and direct or indirect administrations were equally satisfactory for the treatment of all the parasite groups studied. Only when parasitic problems were due to Nematodirus species did direct administration to individual animals appear to be preferable.     

Effect of GnRH and hCG administration on plasma LH and testosterone concentrations in normal stallions, aged stallions and stallions with lack of libido

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (a single intravenous injection with 0.042 mg busereline acetate) was administered to control stallions (n=5), aged stallions (n=5) and stallions with lack of libido (n=5). Jugular blood samples were taken at -10, 0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 minutes after treatment and measured for luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone concentrations. A single intravenous injection of hCG (3000 IE) was given 1 day later. Venous blood samples were taken at -60, 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 240 minutes after treatment and measured for the testosterone concentration. The experiment was performed in the breeding season. There was a wide variation between stallions in basal concentrations of LH and testosterone. The treatment groups all showed a significant increase in LH and testosterone concentrations after treatment with GnRH. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) between the control, the lack of libido stallions and the aged stallions in the production of LH before and after stimulation with GnRH. The aged stallions had higher basal LH concentrations. GnRH induced a rise in plasma LH in all groups, but the greatest response was observed in aged stallions. No response to GnRH was seen with respect to plasma testosterone. There was an increase in plasma testosterone following hCG; however, this increase was very small in aged stallions. After stimulation with hCG the control and lack of libido stallions had a significant increase (P<0.05) in testosterone production. In conclusion, stimulation with either GnRH or hCG can be a valuable method to test whether the function of the stallion's reproductive endocrine system is optimal.