Foliar application of calcium plus boron reduces the incidence of sunburn in ‘Golden Delicious’ apple

Summary

Losses of apple fruit due to sunburn damage under South African climatic conditions can reach up to 40% per annum for specific cultivars in certain years. Various approaches to reduce the incidence and severity of sunburn resulted in temporary effects but, at present, no single remedy is available to provide a significant and consistent reduction in sunburn damage on a commercial scale. ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees that received both calcium (Ca) and boron (B) as foliar applications on a weekly basis, when applied from approx. 21 – 70 d after full bloom (DAFB), showed significantly less sunburn in two consecutive seasons (P = 0.0500 and P = 0.0247 respectively) than untreated control fruit, or treatments based on Ca alone. The minerals were applied as supplements of sugar-alcohol complexed with Ca and B, trading as Manni-Plex^® Ca [10% (w/w) Ca] and Manni-Plex^® B [3.3% (w/w) B], respectively. The mode of action by which the incidence of sunburn was reduced using combined sprays of Manni-Plex^® Ca plus Manni-Plex^® B remains to be elucidated.     

The use of a medetomidine,butorphanol and atropine combination to enable blood sampling in young pigs

AIM: To determine the suitability of a reversible, injectable anaesthetic combination including medetomidine, butorphanol and atropine to produce the degree of immobilisation required to allow blood sampling in young pigs.

METHODS: Twenty 6-week-old crossbred, intact male pigs were sedated with an intramuscular (I/M) injection of 80 µ'g/kg medetomidine, 200 µ'g/kg butorphanol and 25 µ'g/kg atropine. Heart and respiratory rates and rectal temperatures were monitored. Excessive salivation, gagging, laryngeal reflex, presence of pedal reflex and deep and surface analgesia were noted. Time of injection and the time when pigs reached mild and full sedation were also recorded.

RESULTS: Mild sedation was produced in 90% of pigs after 5.6 (SEM 0.96) min (n=18; median 5, range 2–16 min), and full sedation (lateral recumbency and loss of jaw tone) in 60% of pigs after 12.5 (SEM 2.14) min (n=12; median 10, range 5-28 min). The depth and duration of sedation were very variable and most animals were easily aroused. Ninety percent of the animals required the administration of halothane by mask to allow blood sampling, but the amount of halothane required was small. Heart and respiratory rates decreased (p<0.001) but remained within the normal range. Rectal temperature was above normal at the time of sedation and at the time of blood sampling when the ambient temperature was 29° C but not when the ambient temperature was reduced to 25°C.

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of medetomidine, butorphanol and atropine at these doses produced sedation of variable depth and duration that was insufficient on its own to allow blood sampling in the majority of pigs. Hyperthermia can occur in temperature-controlled environments when using medetomidine, butorphanol and atropine in pigs. Reduction of stress and a quieter environment may improve the effects of the anaesthetic combination.     

Inflammatory airway disease of horses

The purpose of this consensus statement is to provide a review of current knowledge and opinions concerning inflammatory airway disease (IAD) and to help practitioners differentiate IAD from heaves (or recurrent airway obstruction; RAO) and other inflammatory respiratory diseases of horses.     

Glucocorticoid Receptor Density and Binding Affinity in Healthy Horses and Horses with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Background

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis occurs in horses with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Peripheral resistance to glucocorticoids has not been investigated in horses.

Objective

To determine if glucocorticoid receptor (GR) function in horses can be measured using flow cytometry, and to use this information to evaluate HPA axis dynamics.

Animals

Eleven healthy adult horses in parts 1 and 2. Ten horses with SIRS and 10 age and sex matched controls in part 3.

Methods

Flow cytometry was used to evaluate GR density and binding affinity (BA) in 3 healthy horses in part 1. In part 2, exogenous ACTH was administered to eight healthy horses. Their cortisol response and GR properties were measured. In part 3, CBC, serum biochemistry, cortisol and ACTH, and GR properties were compared between controls without SIRS (n = 10) and horses with SIRS (n = 10), and between survivors and nonsurvivors (n = 4 and n = 6 respectively).

Results

Flow cytometry can be used to measure GR properties in equine PBMCs. No correlation was observed between plasma cortisol concentration and GR density or BA in healthy horses (r = −0.145, P = .428 and r = 0.046, P = .802 respectively). Nonsurvivors with SIRS had significantly decreased GR BA (P = .008). Horses with triglyceride concentration > 28.5 mg/dL had increased odds of nonsurvival (OR=117; 95% CI, 1.94–7,060). GR BA <35.79% was associated with nonsurvival (OR = 30.33; 95% CI, 0.96–960.5).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Tissue resistance to glucocorticoids contributes to HPA axis dysfunction in adult horses with SIRS. These horses might benefit from treatment with exogenous glucocorticoids.     

A case series of unilateral orbital aspergillosis in three cats and treatment with voriconazole

Feline orbital aspergillosis is increasingly described in the published reports and may be an emerging disease. Orbital mycotic infections were diagnosed in three cats with exophthalmos, significant dorso‐temporal globe deviation and pronounced resistance to retropulsion. Advanced imaging was performed in all three cases to evaluate the extent of disease as well as to obtain guided orbital biopsies in two cases. Surgical intervention in the form of a lateral orbitotomy was pursued in the first case with the other two cases treated with enucleation or medical management alone. The available published reports concerning sino‐orbital aspergillosis are reviewed. Oral therapy with a novel triazole, voriconazole, was instituted in two cases. Although voriconazole was apparently effective against the fungal organisms, it is also resulted in adverse reactions.     

Photosensitization in cattle and sheep caused by feeding Ammi majus (greater Ammi; Bishop's-Weed)

Feeding Ammi majus to cattle and sheep caused photosensitization in both species. It also caused photosensitization in human beings who had dermal contact with the plant and subsequent exposure to sunlight.