Reproductive characteristics in female Swedish moose (Alces alces), with emphasis on puberty,timing of oestrus,and mating

Background

The moose (Alces alces) is an intensively managed keystone species in Fennoscandia. Several aspects of reproduction in moose have not been fully elucidated, including puberty, timing of mating and oestrus, and the length of the oestrus period. These aspects are relevant for an adaptive management of moose with respect to harvest, population size, demography and environmental conditions. Therefore, an investigation of female moose reproduction was conducted during the moose-hunting period in southern Sweden from 2008 to 2011.

Results

A total of 250 reproductive organs and information on carcass weight and age was collected from four different hunting areas (provinces of Öland, Småland, Södermanland, and Västergötland) in southern Sweden. The results showed that puberty in female moose varied with carcass weight, age, and time of season. The period for oestrous/mating lasted from about mid September to the beginning of November.

Conclusions

The oestrus period (predominantly for heifers) is longer than previously reported and was not finished when the hunting period started. Sampling the uterine cervix to detect spermatozoa was a useful method to determine if mating had occurred. To avoid hunting of moose during oestrus, we suggest that the hunting period should be postponed by at least 14 days in southern Sweden.     

Rodenticides.

Rodenticides are second only to insecticides in the prevalence of pesticide exposure. Hundreds of rodenticide products currently exist, yet only a handful of them are involved in most toxicoses of companion animals. The most commonly reported toxicoses in the United States are those caused by anticoagulant rodenticides, bromethalin, cholecalciferol, strychnine, and zinc phosphide. The pathophysiologic findings, diagnosis, and treatment of each of these five rodenticides are discussed.     

Consensus statement on ehrlichial disease of small animals from the infectious disease study group of the ACVIM. American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Within the past several decades, the number of Ehrlichia spp. recognized to infect cats, dogs, and human beings has expanded substantially. The recent application of advanced techniques in molecular biology has changed how ehrlichiosis is diagnosed and has provided new tools for the assessment of treatment. As these techniques are applied, the numerous questions that relate to the management of dogs and cats with ehrlichiosis ultimately will be answered. We hope this consensus statement will assist veterinarians in the management of their patients.     

The toxicity of benomyl and some related 2-substituted benzimidazoles to the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris

Benzimidazole and its 2-amino analogue were non-toxic to Lumbricus terrestris when administered orally. The fungicidal 2-substituted benzimidazoles (benomyl, carben-dazim, fuberidazole and thiabendazole) and l-(benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-butylurea were highly and equally toxic. The equitoxicity of compounds with widely differing substituent groups suggests a common mode of action—the benzimidazole moiety being the active part of the molecule. It is likely that there is a common mode of action for benzimidazole analogues for both fungicidal activity and earthworm toxicity. There was no detectable effect on the cholinesterase levels of earthworms poisoned by benomyl. But it is confirmed that the cholinesterase inhibitory activity of benomyl in vitro is due to formation of butyl isocyanate.     

Fipronil modulation of GABAA receptor single-channel currents

Fipronil is the first phenylpyrazole insecticide introduced for pest control. Although fipronil is known to inhibit GABA receptors, the detailed mechanism of action remains to be seen. In order to elucidate the mechanism of fipronil interaction with the mammalian GABAA system, single-channel patch clamp experiments were performed using rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. The amplitude of main conductance state (27pS) current was not significantly altered by co-application of 10 microM fipronil and 10 microM GABA. The histograms of open time distribution were fitted to a sum of three exponential functions. After application of 10 microM fipronil, the proportion of the fastest component increased slightly and that of the slowest component decreased slightly. Thus, the mean open time was decreased from 11.4 ms to 7.8 ms by fipronil. The histograms of closed time distribution were fitted to a sum of four exponential functions. Fipronil 10 microM prolonged the slowest time constant resulting in a prolongation of the mean closed time from 29.7 ms to 52.8 ms. Thus, the frequency of channel openings was reduced. Thus, the fipronil suppression of GABA-induced whole-cell currents is caused in part by decreases in the channel open time and the frequency of channel openings.     

Chromosome and plasmid-encoded N-acyl homoserine lactones produced by Agrobacterium vitis wildtype and mutants that differ in their interactions with grape and tobacco

Agrobacterium vitis causes crown gall disease on grapevines. It also induces a specific necrosis on grape roots and a hypersensitive response (HR) on tobacco that are regulated by a complex quorum-sensing regulatory system. Strain F2/5 produces at least six N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) that function as signal molecules in quorum-sensing. The AHLs differ in acyl side chain length (8–16 carbons) as determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Mutant derivatives of F2/5 differ in ability to cause necrosis and the HR and show variable AHL profiles as determined by a thin-layer chromatography/biosensor assay. All wildtype A. vitis strains revealed the presence of long-chain AHLs regardless of tumorigenicity or ability to cause the HR. Whereas genes encoding long-chain AHLs are predicted to reside on the F2/5 chromosome, the determinants for short-chain AHLs were shown to be located on conjugal plasmids.     

The pyrethrins and related compounds. Part XXII. Preparation of isomeric cyano-substituted 3-phenoxybenzyl esters

Preparation of 3-phenoxybenzyl chrysanthemates and their dihalovinyl analogues substituted with a cyano group at the 2-, 6-, (R)-α-, or (S)-α- positions is described. The (R)- and (S)- isomers of α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl esters of 2,2-difluoro-, -dichloro-, and -dibromo-vinyl analogues of cis- and trans- chrysanthemic acid are separated chromatographically, as are the separate pairs of enantiomers of fenvalerate, (RS)-α- cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (RS)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methylbutyrate. An optically active ester of α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol (obtained using D -oxynitrilase) with 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid is synthesised.     

The hymenopterous parasites of Nitidulidae

The known information on hymenopterous parasites of Nitidulidae was consolidated in this article. Species of parasites, nitidulid hosts and, where possible, plant host of the nitidulids are provided along with citations to sources of information. Thirty-three species of hymenopterous parasites are recorded in nine different families. Since nomenclature of several of the parasites has changed, it was updated with the assistance of specialists.     

USE OF ULTRASOUND-GUIDED FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY AND AUTOMATED CORE BIOPSY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES IN SMALL ANIMALS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy and core biopsy in the diagnosis of infiltrative gastrointestinal diseases. Six dogs and seven cats with clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease underwent ultrasonography and intestinal lesions were identified. One or more ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy and/or core biopsy procedures were performed in each patient. Each patient also underwent one of the following additional procedures for comparison of results: 1) surgery (n=4), 2) endoscopy (n=2), 3) post mortem exam (n=3), and, 4) for lymphoma diagnosed with ultrasound-guided procedures, response to chemotherapy (n=4). Correct diagnoses were obtained in nine of the 13 patients, incorrect diagnoses in two of the 13 patients, and inconclusive diagnoses in two of the thirteen patients. Of the 16 total ultrasound-guided procedures performed, ten were confirmed as correct, three as incorrect, and three were non-diagnostic. Intestinal lesions with bowel wall thickness greater than 2.0 cm had a higher percentage of correct diagnoses than lesions of lesser wall thickness. Gastric lesions had a higher percentage of correct diagnoses than small and large intestinal lesions. Malignant lesions had a higher percentage of correct diagnoses than benign lesions. There were no complications. Ultrasound-guided gastrointestinal fine-needle aspiration biopsy and core biopsy appears to be a safe, accurate, and rapid procedure for use in the diagnosis of infiltrative gastrointestinal disease.