A case report of an ectopic fetus in a cat

An ectopic fetus was discovered in an 18-month-old uniparous queen that was admitted for an elective ovariectomy. Six months prior she had delivered three healthy kittens. During the preoperative examination, a mass similar in size to a full-term fetus was detected in the abdominal cavity. Ultrasound examination revealed the mass to be an ectopic fetus in the mid-abdominal region. A mummified fetus was removed by laparotomy. No rupture of the uterine wall was visible, but a small necrotic area was present on the left uterine horn, adjacent to the very proximal portion of the uterine horn. The fetus, which was fully developed and covered by a thin membrane, was carefully dissected. Histological examination did not enable us to definitively prove the extra-uterine development of the fetus; however, the ectopic development of the conceptus secondarily expelled into the peritoneal cavity could be assumed.     

A methodology for assessing the risk posed by the deliberate and harmful use of plant pathogens in Europe

Deliberate and malevolent use of plant pathogens, i.e. agroterrorism lato sensu (anticrop bioterrorism and use of bioweapons against the agricultural sector), may represent a non-negligible threat for crops and forests in Europe. In order to assess this risk objectively, a methodology based on a critical review of existing Pest Risk Analysis schemes has been elaborated and is described in the present paper. In this methodology, three interdependent steps are suggested: (i) definition of an a priori list of potentially dangerous plant pathogens for Europe, (ii) detailed elaboration and analysis of theoretical scenarios of possible acts of agroterrorism, and (iii) elaboration and use of a risk assessment scheme adapted to agroterrorism.     

Open woodland and savanna decline in a mixed-disturbance landscape (1938 to 1998) in the Northwest Wisconsin (USA) Sand Plain

Our research illustrates how a landscape mosaic changes in association with a mixed natural-anthropogenic disturbance history. Our study area is the Northwest Wisconsin (USA) Sand Plain (NWSP), a region with a rich disturbance history including fire, insects and clearcut forestry. We integrated historic airphotos from 1938, 1960, 1980 and 1998 within a GIS to describe change among four landcover classes describing a canopy-closure gradient: closed forests, woodlands, savannas and “open barrens”. Our work addresses two literature needs: empirical studies of mixed-disturbance landscapes, and nonforest habitats within a forest matrix. Our analysis shows that: the area of open barrens fluctuated, woodlands and savannas declined severely and closed forests increased through time. Falling median patch sizes and other landscape metrics suggest that the woodlands are becoming more fragmented. The landcover transitions driving this change vary according to time and place. The dominant transitions are toward closed forests from all classes, and transitions toward open barrens are also consistently important. The woodlands, savannas and open barrens habitats are mostly comprised of transient patches, persisting for less than 20 years. This contrasts with closed forests that often persist for 40 plus years. These changes are consistent with the disturbance regime that is shifting from fire- to forestry-dominance. Our results show a trend towards landscape simplification, manifest as losses of intermediate-density habitats (woodland and savanna) and shrinking patch sizes. The transient nature of the nonforest habitats shows that disturbance resulting in total or partial canopy removal will be vital for their conservation at a landscape scale.     

Interfacial polygonal nanopatterning of stable microbubbles

Micrometer-sized bubbles are unstable and therefore difficult to make and store for substantial lengths of time. Short-term stabilization is achieved by the addition of amphiphilic molecules, which reduce the driving force for dissolution. When these molecules crystallize on the air/liquid interface, the lifetime of individual bubbles may extend over a few months. We demonstrated low gas-fraction dispersions with mean bubble radii of less than 1 micrometer and stability lasting more than a year. An insoluble, self-assembled surfactant layer covers the surface of the microbubbles, which can result in nanometer-scale hexagonal patterning that we explain with thermodynamic and molecular models. The elastic response of the interface arrests the shrinkage of the bubbles. Our study identifies a route to fabricate highly stable dispersions of microbubbles.     

Primary extracranial nasopharyngeal meningioma in a dog

An 8‐year‐old Labrador Retriever was presented for inspiratory efforts with stertor. A rhinoscopy and a magnetic resonance imaging scan were performed and revealed a naso‐pharyngeal mass. The mass was identified in the nasopharynx without meningeal extension. This mass was both T1‐ and T2‐hyperintense, compared to normal brain parenchyma without significant postcontrast enhancement. The mass was surgically removed and the histologic diagnosis was a mesenchymal tumor. Immunohistochemistry with antibodies was conducted and consistent with an extracranial meningioma. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report documenting a primary extracranial nasopharyngeal meningioma in a dog.     

First description of onychomycosis caused by Chrysosporium keratinophilum in captive Bennett's wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus)

Seven Bennett's wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus) presented within a period of several months with onychodystrophy, onychomadesis, and severe digital tumefaction. Histopathologic findings included a pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia of the claw matrix surrounding a cavity filled with keratin and septate hyphae stained with periodic acid Schiff reagent. The fungal species Chrysosporium keratinophilum was identified on cultures. The wallabies were orally treated with ketoconazole (15 mg/kg s.i.d.) for 20 wk. Material and enclosures were cleaned and sprayed with 0.2% enilconazole solution once a month over a period of 4 mo. No improvement of advanced cases was observed, but no new case appeared for the next 6 mo. The positive mycological culture and the invasion of tissues on histopathologic examination suggested that the fungal species C. keratinophilum was implicated in this claw disease. This is the first report of onychomycosis caused by C. keratinophilum in animals.     

Landscape context matters: local habitat and landscape effects on the abundance and patch occupancy of collared lizards in managed grasslands

The distribution and abundance of a species may be simultaneously influenced by both local-scale habitat features and the broader patch and landscape contexts in which these populations occur. Different factors may influence patch occupancy (presence–absence) versus local abundance (number of individuals within patches), and at different scales, and thus ideally both occupancy and abundance should be investigated, especially in studies that seek to understand the consequences of land management on species persistence. Our study evaluated the relative influences of variables associated with the local habitat patch, hillside (patch context), and landscape context on patch occupancy and abundance of the collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) within tallgrass prairie managed under different fire and grazing regimes in the northern Flint Hills of Kansas, USA. Using a multi-model information-theoretic approach that accounted for detection bias, we found that collared lizard abundance and occupancy was influenced by factors measured at both the local habitat and landscape scales. At a local scale, collared lizard abundance was greatest on large rock ledges that had lots of crevices, high vegetation complexity, and were located higher up on the hillslope. At the landscape scale, collared lizard abundance and occupancy were both higher in watersheds that were burned frequently (1–2 year intervals). Interestingly, grazing only had a significant effect on occupancy and abundance within less frequently burned (4-year burn interval) watersheds. Our results suggest that, in addition to the obvious habitat needs of this species (availability of suitable rock habitat), land-management practices have the potential to influence collared lizard presence and abundance in the grasslands of the Flint Hills. Thus, mapping the availability of suitable habitat is unlikely to be sufficient for evaluating species distributions and persistence in such cases without consideration of landscape management and disturbance history.     

Characterization and estimation of proanthocyanidins and other phenolics in coffee pulp (Coffea arabica) by thiolysis-high-performance liquid chromatography

Fresh and 3-day-old coffee pulp of the Arabica variety were analyzed for polyphenol composition followed by characterization by two different methods. The first method consisted in subjecting coffee pulp powder to direct thiolysis. For the second method, coffee pulp was subjected to successive solvent extractions, followed by thiolysis. Quantification of phenolic compounds was then achieved by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of thiolysis products. Four major classes of polyphenols were identified: flavan-3-ols (monomers and procyanidins), hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, and anthocyanidins. Differences in concentration of procyanidins were observed between fresh and 3-day-old coffee pulp. Constitutive units were mainly epicatechin, representing more than 90% of the proanthocyanidin units, with average degrees of polymerization in the range of 3.8-9.1. Monomer to hexamer units of flavan-3-ols from fresh coffee pulp were separated by normal-phase HPLC. Molecular size of oligomeric proanthocyanidins was obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Results obtained confirm the presence of oligomers of the flavan-3-ol (-)-epicatechin.