Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy in two young horses

Two cases of temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) in young Australian horses are described. The pathogenesis of THO is yet to be fully elucidated, but current theories include extension of infection from otitis media or interna to the temporohyoid joint or a primary but non‐infectious degenerative condition within the temporohyoid joint. The young age of the horses and the unilateral distribution suggested an infectious aetiology. Both horses partially responded to treatment with broad‐spectrum antimicrobial and anti‐inflammatory drugs with concurrent management of ulcerative keratitis. The management of violent head shaking in one horse included the administration of gabapentin, an anticonvulsant known to have antihyperalgesic effects and reduce neuropathic pain.     

Detection, molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of full-length equine infectious anemia (EIAV) gag genes isolated from Shackleford Banks wild horses

The genetically distinct wild horse herds inhabiting Shackleford Banks, North Carolina are probably the direct descendents of Spanish stock abandoned after failed attempts to settle mid-Atlantic coastal regions of North America in the Sixteenth Century. In a 1996 island survey, 41% of the gathered horses were discovered seropositive for Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) with additional cases identified in 1997 and 1998. As a result of their unique genetic heritage, EIAV seropositive individuals identified in the two latter surveys were transferred to a quarantine facility on the mainland. In September 2008 two of the horses SB1 and SB2 after 10 and 11 years in quarantine respectively, developed clinical signs of EIA. In the case of SB2 these were so severe that the only humane option was euthanasia. Although SB1, survived it experienced a second clinical episode one month later. In May 2009, a third horse in quarantine, SB3, developed extremely severe clinical EIA and was euthanized. This demonstrates naturally infected long-term inapparent carriers can experience recrudescence of very severe disease many years after initial exposure to EIAV. Phylogenetic analysis of complete EIAV gag gene sequences obtained from each of three Shackleford horses demonstrated they were infected with very closely related viruses. Although these were distinguishable from all other strains examined, they belong to a monophyletic group comprising almost exclusively of New World isolates that is distinct from a number of recently characterized Central European EIAV strains.     

Growing common plantation tree species in Kenya for sale of carbon and wood supply: what is the best bet?

The introduction of carbon finance as an incentive in forestry farming has a potential of increasing the amount of carbon sequestered. However, this has created a daunting task among investors in forestry to optimise the joint production of wood and carbon sequestration. For instance, investors might find it profitable to give up some timber returns in exchange for carbon credits. This study evaluated expected income from growing Cupressus lusitanica Mill., Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham., Eucalyptus saligna Sm. and Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl. for wood and/or the carbon market in central Kenya. The global average unit price of carbon and stumpage royalty were used to estimate expected returns from sale of carbon credits and wood, respectively. There were significant differences (p < 0.01) in the expected amount of income from sale of carbon and wood among the four species. Specifically, at economic rotation of 30 years with stand density of 532 trees ha^?1 P. patula and C. lusitanica yielded US$28 050 and US$23 650, respectively, from sale of carbon compared with US$59 000 and US$51 000, respectively, from sale of wood. This was twice the value investors receive from clear-felling as compared with sales from carbon. Similarly, at economic rotation of 33 years with stand density of 150 trees ha^?1, a forest investor in E. saligna would earn US$15 400 from sale of carbon compared with US$33 000 from sale of wood. Overall, the amount expected to be realised from sale of carbon was lower compared with that from sale of wood. This demonstrates that the price dynamics of carbon offsets in the voluntary and the compliance markets need to remain competitive and attractive for the forest owners to give up some timber returns in exchange for carbon income or to modify forest management regulation in order to increase carbon sequestration.     

Evaluation of dressings to aid healing of mulesing wounds on sheep

Five proprietary and one experimental dressing were compared with no treatment in their ability to aid healing of mulesing wounds in over 1900 young lambs. Healing was judged as the completeness of shrinkage of the mulesing cuts and the condition of scabs on the new skin surface. When assessed at 21 d it was found that treatment with Heriots Crown Wound Powder or Coopers Mulesing Powder offered a significant advantage over leaving the wounds untreated. Neither aqueous organophosphate washes, Defiance nor Defiance containing 0.08% chlorfenvinphos offered any healing advantage over controls. However, washing the wounds with an aqueous organophosphate solution aided healing more than the Defiance-based dressings. It was considered that the powders or the washes encouraged quick scab formation either by creating a dry covering (powders) or by washing away blood and allowing fast drying of the wound. The Defiance-type dressings slowed healing by keeping the wound moist for up to 10 d, but healing was not significantly different to the untreated group by 21 d.     

Virulence and in vitro growth of a cell-adapted strain of equine infectious anemia virus after serial passage in ponies

Five serial passages of a cell-adapted strain of equine infectious anemia (EIA) virus were conducted in Shetland ponies. The 13 recipient ponies became agar-gel immunodiffusion test-positive by 25 days after they were inoculated. The virulence of the cell-adapted strain of EIA virus markedly increased through 3 serial passages, although individual variation within passages was high. The 1st serial-passage recipient remained afebrile through 200 days, whereas a febrile episode occurred about every 185, 44, 35, and 33 days in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th serial-passage recipients, respectively. Severe clinical signs of EIA were noted in the ponies at each serial passage, but the mean virulence rating of each passage, graded on frequency of febrile episodes and number of clinical signs evident within 200 days after ponies were inoculated, increased from 0 through 4, 21, 24, and 29 for the 1st through 5th serial passages, respectively. Isolates of EIA virus, made in fetal equine kidney cells, were obtained from plasma of 75% of the samples of blood collected during febrile episodes and from 45% of the samples collected during afebrile periods, indicating that the cell culture growth capacity of this strain of EIA virus may be relatively stable through 5 serial passages in Shetland ponies.     

Growth kinetics of equine respiratory tract viruses in cell and organ cultures

Growth kinetics of equine influenza virus-A1, equine herpesvirus-1, and equine rhinovirus-1 were determined in susceptible cell monolayers and in organ cultures of equine fetal tracheal and nasal turbinate epithelium. Equine influenza virus-A1 was replicated in cell and organ cultures and was released more readily and for longer periods from nasal turbinate epithelium than from tracheal epithelium. Equine herpesvirus-1 was also replicated in cell and organ cultures. During the first 24 hours after inoculation, equine herpesvirus-1 was released more readily from tracheal epithelium than from nasal turbinate epithelium. Beyond postinoculation day 1, virus was released more readily and for longer periods from nasal turbinate epithelium than from tracheal epithelium. Equine rhinovirus-1 replicated in cell and organ cultures, but almost exclusively from nasal turbinate epithelium.     

Plutonium-fission xenon found in Earth's mantle

Data from mid-ocean ridge basalt glasses indicate that the short-lived radionuclide plutonium-244 that was present during an early stage of the development of the solar system is responsible for roughly 30 percent of the fissiogenic xenon excesses in the interior of Earth today. The rest of the fissiogenic xenon can be ascribed to the spontaneous fission of still live uranium-238. This result, in combination with the refined determination of xenon-129 excesses from extinct iodine-129, implies that the accretion of Earth was finished roughly 50 million to 70 million years after solar system formation and that the atmosphere was formed by mantle degassing.     

Copper-Catalyzed Oxidation of Alcohols to Aldehydes and Ketones: An Efficient, Aerobic Alternative

An efficient, copper-based catalyst has been discovered that oxidizes a wide range of alcohols into aldehydes and ketones under mild conditions. This catalytic system utilizes oxygen or air as the ultimate, stoichiometric oxidant, producing water as the only by-product.