Active circulation of bluetongue vaccine virus serotype-2 among unvaccinated cattle in central Italy

Several seroconversions occurring in 2002 among sentinel cattle during the bluetongue-vaccination campaign in Lazio and Tuscany (central Italy) led to the suspicion of vaccine-virus circulation. Therefore in 2003, 17 seroconverting sentinel herds were investigated for the characteristics of the virus involved. From these farms, 91 unvaccinated animals and 57 Culicoides pools were tested for the presence of the bluetongue vaccine virus (serotype-2) or other strains. The presence of vaccine virus serotype-2 was confirmed by PCR followed by restriction analysis in the whole blood of 17 unvaccinated sentinel cattle and 12 pools of Culicoides imicola or C. obsoletus. Of the 17 herds, five were positive only for vaccine virus serotype-2, four were positive for other strains and two for both the vaccine and other strains; the remaining premises were virologicaly negative. The vaccine virus serotype-2 also was detected in areas not included in the vaccination campaign.     

Clinical behavior of intraocular teratoid medulloepithelioma in two‐related Quarter Horses

The objective of this paper is to describe clinical behavior, histopathologic features, and immunohistochemical staining of two‐related horses with intraocular teratoid medulloepithelioma. Two‐related Quarter Horses with similar intraocular masses presented to the UF‐CVM Comparative Ophthalmology Service for evaluation and treatment. The first horse, a 3‐year‐old gelding, had glaucoma and a cyst‐like mass in the anterior chamber. Enucleation was performed. Histopathology revealed a teratoid medulloepithelioma. The tumor was considered to be completely excised. Fifteen months later, the gelding presented with swelling of the enucleated orbit and local lymph nodes with deformation of the skull. Cytology revealed neuroectodermal neoplastic cells. Necropsy confirmed tumor metastasis. Six weeks later, a 9‐year‐old mare, a full sibling to the gelding, presented for examination. An infiltrative mass of the iris and ciliary body was found that extended into the anterior, posterior, and vitreal chambers. Uveitis was present, but secondary glaucoma was not noted. Enucleation was performed and the histopathologic diagnosis was also teratoid medulloepithelioma. The mare has had no recurrence to date, 2 years following enucleation. Metastasis of intraocular teratoid medulloepithelioma is possible. Staging is recommended in cases where the diagnosis of teratoid medulloepithelioma is confirmed. Surveillance of full siblings is recommended until more information regarding etiology is known.     

Synthesis of some 3-phenyl-1-substituted(or 1,1- disubstituted)prop-2-yn-1-ols and their in-vivo activity against some phytopathogenic fungi

Thirty-two 3-phenyl-1-monosubstituted(or 1, 1-disubstituted)prop-2-yn-1-ols, mostly with heterocyclic substituents, and four derivatives, were synthesised and tested in vivo against eight fungal plant pathogens of different taxonomic classes. No compound showed a wide spectrum of activity, however, nine of them were effective against Sphaerotheca fuliginea on Cucumis sativus, both in direct protectant tests and in systemic protectant tests by root application.     

Modellversuch zur Feinstaubbindung: extensive Dachbegrünung vs. Schotterdach

The increasing air pollution of urban areas caused by particulate matter poses a problem for human health. Plants are able to bind the fine dust particles on their surface and to remove them therefore from the air. Therefore, roof plantings can contribute to the reduction of fine particulate matter pollution in cities. To identify roof vegetation forms with high filter ability, suitable test procedures are missing up to now. Trials to identify the filtering potential of different roof top vegetation mats were conducted in a 1 m³ big Perspex chamber under controlled conditions. Geotextile mats with Sedum and moss vegetation were compared. Uncovered geotextile mats as well as crushed stones were used as controls. In the measuring chamber, artificial particulate matter (fire-fighting powder) was applied and the concentration of particle fractions of 0.3, 0.5 and 1 µm over the period of 90 min measured. During 5 min in the middle of the 90 minute measuring period, wind with a speed of 2 m/s in 10 cm height was generated by means of a ventilating fan. Particulate matter binding capacity of different greening mats was determined as difference between the particle concentration after application of the dust (concentration maximum) and the concentration at the end of the trial. After 90-minute dust exposition, significantly lower dust concentrations in the chamber were registered in the treatments with Sedum mats compared to the controls (reductions from: 11.3?% in the fraction of 0.3 µm, 30.9?% in the fraction of 0.5 µm and 33.4?% in the fraction of 1 µm particles). None of the mat variations could bind the particulate matter in the fraction of 0.3 µm under wind speed of 2 m/s. However, the moss as well as the Sedum mats reduced the particulate matter concentration of both, 0.5 and 1 µm fractions, under wind significantly compared to the controls. The high filter performance of Sedum can be explained due to the high surface of the plants. To what extent plants can bind or uptake particulate matter under outdoor conditions permanently cannot be cleared in this experiment. However, the system allows to measure differences in binding capacity for different rooftop greening sytems.     

Effect of atorvastatin in a case of feline multicentric lymphoma - Case report

A case of feline multicentric lymphoma is reported in an 8-year-old male cat weighing 4.7 kg. At the time of the clinical consultation the animal presented weight loss, anorexia and generalised lymphadenomegaly. After careful clinical observation and a detailed laboratory workup, the diagnosis of small cleaved cell lymphoma was established. It was classified as a stage III b multicentric lymphoma. Chemotherapy was initiated according to a classical COP protocol to which atorvastatin was added. After 34 months, the cat continues to enjoy an excellent quality of life with no clinical or haematological signs of lymphoma. This is the first report in clinical veterinary medicine about a new effective adjuvant therapy in feline multicentric lymphoma. Further studies are needed to confirm that the addition of atorvastatin can provide a regular, safe and improved treatment in feline lymphoma cases.     

The Eco-field Hypothesis: Toward a Cognitive Landscape

Cognition is recognized as an essential component of the living strategies of organisms and the use of cognitive approaches based on an organismic-centered-view is discussed as a strategy to aid the advancement of landscape ecology to a more independent scientific discipline. The incorporation of the theory of information, the theory of meaning and the Umwelt, and the biosemiotic models into the landscape ecology framework is described as the necessary step to create a common paradigmatic background and operational tools to develop basis for a cognitive landscape ecology. Three cognitive landscapes (neutrality-based landscape, individual-based landscape and observer-based landscape) have been described as the result of distinctive mechanisms to extract information from a cognitive matrix based on a growing literature of (bio)semiotic exchange. The eco-field hypothesis is presented as a new possibility to describe landscape processes according to an organismic-centered-view. The eco-field is defined as a spatial configuration carrier of a specific meaning perceived when a specific living function is activated. A species-specific cognitive landscape is composed of all the spatial configurations involved for all the living functions for a particular organism. Eco-field hypothesis offers a detailed vision of (habitat) environmental requirements and creates a novel conceptual bridge between niche, habitat, Umwelt and the methodological approaches of spatial ecology. Finally the eco-field hypothesis promises a new testing ground for experimental investigations in landscape ecology and in related disciplines including environmental psychology, cognitive ethology, cultural ecology, landscape aesthetics, design and planning.     

Iron storage disease in captive Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus): relationship of blood iron parameters to hepatic iron concentrations and hepatic histopathology.

This study evaluated the relationship between blood iron parameters and hepatic iron concentrations, and correlation of histologic findings with hepatic iron concentrations in a captive population of Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) and island flying foxes (Pteropus hypomelanus). Blood samples were collected for complete blood counts, plasma biochemical profiles, serum iron concentrations, total iron-binding capacity, whole-blood lead concentrations, and plasma ferritin assays. Liver samples obtained by laparotomy were divided, with one half processed for histologic examination and the other half frozen and submitted for tissue mineral analysis. The histologic sections were scored by two blinded observers for iron deposition, necrosis, and fibrosis. The Egyptian fruit bats had significantly higher liver iron (mean = 3,669 +/- 1,823 ppm) and lead (mean = 8.9 +/- 5.8 ppm) concentrations than the island flying foxes (mean [Fe] = 174 +/- 173 ppm, mean [Pb] = 1.9 +/- 0.5 ppm). Hepatic iron concentrations significantly correlated with tissue lead concentrations, histologic grading for iron and necrosis, serum iron, transferrin saturation, and plasma ferritin (P < 0.001). Blood lead concentrations negatively correlated with tissue lead concentrations (P < 0.001). When the product of transferrin saturation and serum iron was greater than 51, an individual animal had a high probability of having iron overload. When the product of these two variables was greater than 90, there was a high probability that the animal had hemochromatosis. On the basis of this study, it appears that evaluation of serum iron, transferrin saturation, and plasma ferritin are useful and noninvasive methods for diagnosis of hemochromatosis in Egyptian fruit bats.     

蛋雏鸡传染性喉气管炎的诊治

鸡传染性喉气管炎(ILT)是由鸡传染性喉气管炎病毒引起的以剧烈咳嗽、气喘、高度呼吸困难和气管内有血样渗出物等为特征的一种急性呼吸道传染病.育成蛋鸡感染该病多有报道,而蛋雏鸡感染发病比较少见.本文以一起48日龄海兰褐蛋雏鸡传染性喉气管炎病例为题材,从发病情况、临床症状、病理剖检变化、诊断、防治等几个方面对该病做了详尽阐述.