Effects of silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) on seed potatoes

Summary Seed tubers with severe (80–100% of surface affected) or slight (less than 20% of surface affected) silver scurf were selected from commercial stocks and planted at Rothamsted in 1979–81. Severely affected seed lost more weight (13%) than slightly affected seed (8%) during storage on trays, and produced more but smaller sprouts. Ground cover, leaf area and tuber yields were decreased by severe infection for up to 7 weeks after planting but thereafter effects of seed infection were non-significant. In two years, tubers produced from seed with severe silver scurf had less infection than those from slightly affected seed, but in 1980 most disease developed on tubers from seed with severe infection.

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Zusammenfassung In Rothamsted wurden in den drei Jahren zwischen 1979 und 1981 Pflanzkartoffeln mit starkem (80–100% Oberfl?chenbefall) oder schwachem (Weniger als 20%) Silberschorfbesatz gepflanzt, die aus Konsumanbau stammten. 1979 wurden auch Knollen mit mittlerem Befall (40–60%) einbezogen. Die verwendeten Sorten zeigt Tabelle 1: Ulster Sceptre und King Edward (1979), Désirée (1980), Wilja und King Edward (1981). In allen Jahren war der Gewichtsverlust w?hrend der Keimung bei den stark befallenen Pflanzknollen gr?sser als bei den wenig befallenen, und in drei von fünf Versuchen hatten die stark befallenen Knollen auch kürzere Keime. Das Gesamtgewicht der Keime wurde durch die Befallsst?rke nicht beeinflusst, stark befallene Knollen bildeten mehr Keime als schwach befallene (Tab. 2). Im Jahr 1979 war 4 Wochen nach der Pflanzung die Bodenbedeckung nach stark befallenem Pflanzgut gesichert schw?cher (Tab. 3), und in 1980 und 1981 waren sieben Wochen nach der Pflanzung die Blattfl?chenindizes von stark befallenem Pflanzgut geringer als von schwach befallenem. Die Einflüsse der Pflanzgutinfektion auf die Stengelzahl waren schwankend (Tab. 4): eine starke Infektion erh?hte die Stengelzahl in 1981 bei Wilja und verminderte sie in 1979 bei Ulster Sceptre und in 1981 bei King Edward. Im Jahr 1979 war sieben Wochen nach der Pflanzung von stark infiziertem Pflanzgut der Sorte Ulster Sceptre das Stengelgewicht gesichert niedriger, aber bei sp?teren Probennahmen anderer Jahre und Sorten ergaben sich keine gesicherten Unterschiede. In 1979 waren auch die Zahl der Knollen und deren Gewicht bei der Sorte Ulster Sceptre nach starker Pflanzgutinfektion bis zu sieben Wochen nach der Pflanzung reduziert (Tab. 5), bei sp?teren Probennahmen und bei anderen Sorten zeigten sich keine gesicherten Differenzen. Im Jahre 1979 hatten Knollen der Sorten King Edward und Ulster Sceptre nach stark infiziertem Pflanzgut weniger Befall als nach schwach infiziertem Pflanzgut (Tab. 6), und bei der Ernte und nach der Lagerung war in 1981 auf Knollen der Sorte Wilja und King Edward mehr Silberschorf nach schwach befallenem Pflanzgut als nach stark befallenem. Im Jahr 1980 war jedoch der Silberschorfbesatz bei der Ernte auf Knollen nach stark befallenem Pflanzgut am h?chsten.

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Résumé Au cours des années 1979 à 81, des tubercules de semence destinés à la commercialisation et atteints de gale argentée ont été prélevés et différenciés selon l'importance de la maladie: tubercules sévèrement atteints (80 à 100% de la surface couverte), tubercules légèrement atteints (moins de 20%). Les échantillons ont été plantés à la station de Rothamsted, ainsi que des lots moyennement atteints en 1979 (40 à 60% de la surface couverte). Les variétés Ulster Sceptre et King Edward ont été cultivées en 1979, Désirée en 1980, et Wilja et King Edward en 1981 (tableau 1). Tous les ans des pertes de poids plus importants pendant la germination sont observés pour les tubercules sévèrement atteints, donnant des germes plus courts dans trois cas sur cinq. La gravité de l'infection n'a pas d'incidence sur le poids sec total de germes, les tubercules sévèrement atteints donnant un nombre de germes plus élevé (tableau 2). En 1979, la couverture du sol 4 semaines après plantation est significativement plus faible pour le plant sévèrement atteint (tableau 3), et en 1980 et 1981 l'indice foliaire, 7 semaines après plantation, est inférieur pour les plantes provenant de semences fortement contaminées. L'effet de l'infection de la semence sur le nombre de tiges est controversé (tableau 4). Les plants sévèrement atteints ont donné en 1981 davantage de tiges pour Wilja et pert de tiges en 1979 et en 1981 pour respectivement Ulster Sceptre et King Edward. En 1979 le poids des fanes de la variété Ulster Sceptre est significativement plus faible 7 semaines après plantation dans le cas d'une infection grave, mais les poids ne sont pas significativement différents pour les autres conditions. En 1979, les nombres et les poids de tubercules de la variété Ulster Sceptre sont plus faibles dans le cas d'une infection grave durant les sept premières semaines après plantation (tableau 5), alors q'aucune différence significative n'est observée par ailleurs. En 1979, les tubercules issus de semences gravement atteints des variétés King Edward et Ulster Sceptre, sont moins infectés que ceux provenant de semences légèrement contaminées (tableau 6) tandis qu'à la récolte et après conservation en 1981, pour les variétés Wilja et King Edward, la gale argentée se rencontrait plus communément sur des tubercules issus de semences faiblement contaminées. Toutefois, en 1980, il a été observé plus de gale argentée sur des tubercules gravement atteints (tableau 7).

     

Similar cefoxitin-resistance plasmids circulating in Escherichia coli from human and animal sources

The aim of this study was to determine the molecular epidemiology of cefoxitin-resistance Escherichia coli identified in cattle entering feedlots and determine if there were any similarities to E. coli causing human infections in Canadian hospitals. A total of 51 E. coli were isolated from a total of 2483 cattle entering four feedlots in southern Alberta, Canada. DNA fingerprinting using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed thirty-two unique patterns with two major clusters observed comprised of Cluster A (11 strains) and Cluster B (7 strains). PCR and sequence analysis revealed 38 isolates (74.5%) harboured bla(CMY-2), whereas the remainder were found to contain mutations in the promoter region of the chromosomal ampC gene, which has been previously associated with cefoxitin resistance. No resistance to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, or amikacin was observed in the clinical isolates. bla(CMY-2) harbouring plasmids were transferred to E. coli DH10B. All of the plasmids carrying bla(CMY-2) contained the A/C replicon and also harboured other resistance genes. Plasmid fingerprinting using BglII revealed 17 unique patterns with all but one clustering within 70% similarity. Comparison of the plasmid fingerprints to those isolated from human clinically significant E. coli in Canada during a similar time period [Mulvey, M.R., Bryce, E., Boyd, D.A., Ofner-Agostini, M., Land, A.M., Simor, A.E, Paton, S., 2005. The Canadian Hospital Epidemiology Committee, and The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program, Health Canada. Molecular characterization of cefoxitin resistant Escherichia coli from Canadian hospitals. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49, 358-365] revealed four strains that harboured bla(CMY-2) A/C replicon type plasmid with fingerprint similarities of greater than 90% to the ones identified in E. coli from the cattle in this study. These findings highlight the potential linkage of multidrug resistant organisms in food producing animals and human infections in Canadian hospitals. The plasmids conferred resistance to multiple antibiotics which could limit options for the treatment of infections caused by these strains.     

Effects of diazepam, ketamine, and their combination on intraocular pressure in normal dogs

Ketamine has been implicated as causing increases in intraocular pressure. The purpose of this study is to document the effects of ketamine, diazepam, and their combination on intraocular pressure (IOP) in normal, unpremedicated dogs. Random-source dogs were assigned to one of five groups of 10 dogs each: ketamine 5 mg kg^–1 (KET5), ketamine 10 mg kg^–1 (KET10), diazepam 0.5 mg kg^–1 (VAL), ketamine 10 mg kg^–1 with diazepam 0.5 mg kg^–1 (KETVAL), saline 0.1 mL kg^–1 (SAL), all given intravenously. A baseline IOP was measured before injection, immediately after injection, and at 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes following injection. IOP was increased over baseline immediately after injection in the KET5, KET10, and KETVAL groups; at 5, 10, and 15 minutes in the KET5 group; and at 20 minutes in the KETVAL group. The mean IOP change compared to SAL increased immediately after injection and at 5 minutes in the KET5, KET10, and KETVAL groups; at 10 and 15 minutes in the KET5 group, and at 20 minutes in the KETVAL group. The mean IOP increased up to 5.7, 3.2, and 3.1 mm Hg over mean baseline in the KET5, KET10, and KETVAL groups, respectively. All dogs in the KET5 group and the majority in the KETVAL and KET10 groups had an increase in their IOP over baseline. Ketamine caused a clinically and statistically significant elevation in IOP over baseline and compared to SAL. The concurrent addition of diazepam did not blunt this increase. Ketamine should be avoided in dogs with corneal trauma, glaucoma, or in those undergoing intraocular surgery.     

Plant community composition affects the biomass, activity and diversity of microorganisms in limestone grassland soil

The diversity and functional type of plants can affect the microbial biomass in the soil, its respiratory activity and the diversity of its bacterial population. We have studied these effects in microcosms of reconstituted limestone grassland containing (i) a 12‐species mixture of graminoids and forbs, (ii) a monoculture of the sedge Carex flacca, (iii) a monoculture of the grass Festuca ovina, and (iv) similar soil without plants. Microbial biomass was significantly greater in soil under monocultures of F. ovina than in the other microcosms. Basal respiration was largest in the F. ovina and mixed‐species treatments where values were more than double those in the C. flacca and bare soil microcosms. The basal respiration was strongly linearly related to plant productivity (r = 0.89). Analysis of the active bacterial population by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA revealed its diversity to be significantly greater in the C. flacca and bare soil treatments than in the F. ovina or mixed‐species microcosms. This suggests that the functional type of plants has a strong influence on the composition of the bacterial community. We hypothesize that the discriminating functional attribute leading to a reduction of bacterial diversity in these microcosms was the presence in the F. ovina and mixed‐plant communities of an active arbuscular–mycorrhizal mycelium that is absent from bare soil and monocultures of C. flacca.     

Treatment of hypoxemia during xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam immobilization of wapiti.

Hypoxemia is a commonly observed complication during the chemical immobilization of wild ruminants. If severe and left untreated, it can predispose animals to arrhythmias, organ failure, and capture myopathy. The following prospective study was designed to measure the degree of hypoxemia in wapiti that were immobilized with a combination of xylazine and tiletamine-zolazepam and to assess the response to nasal oxygen therapy. Pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas analysis were used to assess the degree of hypoxemia prior to nasal insufflation of oxygen and to demonstrate any beneficial effects of this intervention. All wapiti exhibited mild to marked hypoxemia (PaO2 = 43 +/- 11.8 mmHg) prior to treatment and showed marked improvement after 5 minutes of nasal insufflation of oxygen at 10 L/min (PaO2 = 207 +/- 60 mmHg). This inexpensive, noninvasive technique has great benefit in treating clinical hypoxemia under field conditions, and we recommend that nasal insufflation of oxygen be implemented during xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam-induced immobilization of wapiti and other wild ruminants.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva in a cow

An 8-year-old Holstein cow was evaluated because of a slowly enlarging vulvar mass that had impaired artificial insemination attempts. Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed. Clinical cases of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma have not been as widely reported as those of ocular squamous cell carcinoma in cattle. Treatment modalities for vulvar squamous cell carcinoma have not been as thoroughly investigated as for those of the ocular condition. Cryosurgery and radio-frequency hyperthermia appear to be the optimal therapeutic modalities, each providing up to 90% tumor remission.     

Use of azaperone and zuclopenthixol acetate to facilitate translocation of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

Thirteen wild-caught white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from two different holding sites were chemically immobilized to facilitate capture, processing, and translocation to a new facility. The deer were divided into two treatment groups on the basis of age and received i.m. injections of the immobilizing agents via remote drug delivery systems. Group 1 (<1 yr old; n = 6) animals were immobilized with a combination of xylazine 1 mg/kg i.m. and azaperone 0.3 mg/kg i.m. At the end of the procedure the deer received zuclopenthixol acetate 1 mg/kg i.m. and (to antagonize the xylazine) tolazoline 2 mg/kg i.m. Group 2 (>1 yr old; n = 7) deer were administered xylazine 1 mg/kg i.m.. tiletamine-zolazepam 1 mg/kg i.m., and ketamine 1 mg/kg i.m. The deer in this group received a combination of azaperone 0.3 mg/kg i.m. and zuclopenthixol acetate 1 mg/kg i.m. before reversal with tolazoline 2 mg/kg i.m. All deer were recovered in a trailer before being moved in small groups to the new facility and released into the new enclosures. Azaperone and zuclopenthixol acetate provided short- and long-term relief from anxiety and allowed the animals to gradually become familiar with their new surroundings without excitement, injuries, or mortalities. Two deer exhibited mild signs of extrapyramidal side effects, which suggests that they may have received a relative overdose of the tranquilizers.     

Papillomatous digital dermatitis on a commercial dairy farm in Mexicali, Mexico: Incidence and effect on reproduction and milk production

This retrospective study of papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD) was performed using data for cows that calved between July 1993 and June 1994 on a Mexicali, Mexico, dairy farm in order to calculate incidence rates, and to compare milk yield and reproduction data between affected and nonaffected dairy cows. A total of 190 out of 577 (33%) cows were affected during lactation and six (1%) during the dry period. Fifty-two of 77 (68%) cows that had lesions in the previous lactation and were also present on the farm in the current lactation had lesions in the current lactation. The highest risk for PDD occurred during the first month of lactation (9%). The yearly estimated cumulative incidence risk was 35% and the incidence density rate was 44.6 cases per 1000 cow-months. More animals were affected in summer and fall than in winter and spring. Purchased animals were 3.4 times more likely to be affected than animals born on the farm. Survival analyses indicated healthy cows conceived 93 days after calving (median), but affected cows conceived 113 days after calving (median) (P < 0.01). PDD-affected animals produced less milk than healthy cows, but the difference was not statistically significant in the multiple regression.     

Jupiter's atmospheric composition from the Cassini thermal infrared spectroscopy experiment

The Composite Infrared Spectrometer observed Jupiter in the thermal infrared during the swing-by of the Cassini spacecraft. Results include the detection of two new stratospheric species, the methyl radical and diacetylene, gaseous species present in the north and south auroral infrared hot spots; determination of the variations with latitude of acetylene and ethane, the latter a tracer of atmospheric motion; observations of unexpected spatial distributions of carbon dioxide and hydrogen cyanide, both considered to be products of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts; characterization of the morphology of the auroral infrared hot spot acetylene emission; and a new evaluation of the energetics of the northern auroral infrared hot spot.