Secondary Intracranial Neoplasia in the Dog: 177 Cases (1986–2003)

Background: This study investigates the frequency, location, and clinical findings associated with 177 secondary brain tumors in dogs.
Hypothesis: Secondary intracranial neoplasia is more common than primary intracranial neoplasia in dogs during the time period studied, and hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is the most common secondary intracranial tumor.
Animals: One hundred and seventy-seven client-owned dogs presented to the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital between 1986 and 2003.
Methods: Medical records were searched for a diagnosis of intracranial neoplasia in dogs who underwent complete postmortem examination. Of these dogs, those with a diagnosis of primary intracranial neoplasia were excluded.
Results: Of the 177 secondary brain tumors, 51 (29%) were HSAs, 44 (25%) were pituitary tumors, 21 (12%) were lymphosarcomas, and 21 (12%) were metastatic carcinomas. The average age at diagnosis was 9.6 ± 3.0 years. Most tumors were located in the cerebrum, and a mentation change was the most common presenting clinical sign. On postmortem examination, the same tumor that was in the brain was also present in the lung in 84 cases (47%), in the kidney in 62 cases (35%), and in the heart in 55 cases (31%).
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Secondary intracranial neoplasia in dogs was more common than primary intracranial neoplasia during the time period studied. Many of these dogs had related disease in other body systems that was apparent on diagnostic tests such as thoracic radiography.     

Survey on the contamination of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in the soil of public parks of Wuhan, China

Toxoplasma gondii of warm-blooded animals and humans is an important pathogenic agent throughout the world. Soil is increasingly recognized as an important source in the transmission of Toxoplasma. To attain the contamination status of T. gondii in the soil of public parks, a total of 252 soil samples were collected from September 2009 to August 2010 at different sites located in 6 public parks of Wuhan, Hubei, China and detected by PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The detection limit of PCR/B1, PCR/529 and LAMP was determined to be 50, 5, and 5 tachyzoites in soil, respectively. Forty-one samples were found positive for Toxoplasma DNA by PCR on both genes, whereas LAMP products were generated in 58 samples (χ(2)=3.6328, P=0.0567). All parks were found contaminated and no significant difference was found among the parks (PCR: χ(2)=0.0072, P=0.9325; LAMP: χ(2)=0.6101, P=0.4347). However, contamination was found with significantly different among the four seasons (PCR: χ(2)=11.6066, P=0.0007; LAMP: χ(2)=12.4636, P=0.0004), with a gradual decrease in the prevalence from spring to winter on both analyses. This is the first investigation on soil contamination of public parks in China by T. gondii oocysts. The results indicate that the soil of public parks contaminated with T. gondii oocysts may play a role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis and effective preventive measures should be considered. Moreover, the conventional PCR and LAMP used in the present study are applicable to detect T. gondii oocysts in soil samples.     

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in dairy cattle in Bahia, Brazil.

Sera collected from 447 dairy cattle on 14 dairy farms were tested for Neospora caninum antibodies by use of an immunofluorescent antibody technique. Positive reactions with titres > or =1:200 were found in 63 (14.09%) of animals. Neospora positive sera were also tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by using a commercial latex agglutination test. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 3 (4.76%) of 63 N. caninum positive sera. These results indicate that N. caninum infection is widespread among dairy cattle in Bahia state.     

Effects of some phenylurea herbicides on photosynthesis of two wheat varieties

Photosynthesis in the shoots of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was inhibited by certain phenylurea herbicides applied via the nutrient solution. Recovery from this inhibition after short treatments was used as a measure of the rate of inactivation of these herbicides in the leaf tissue of a variety tolerant to metoxuron (Caribo) and of a less tolerant variety (Manella). The introduction of chlorine atoms into fenuron greatly reduced the rate of inactivation in both varieties, whereas that of a methyl or butoxy group had little or no effect. Metoxuron was inactivated more readily than chlortoluron and both compounds were inactivated more rapidly in Caribo than in Manella.     

Effects of postweaning dietary energy source on reproductive traits in primiparous sows

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of major dietary energy source fed from weaning to ovulation or from ovulation to d 35 of pregnancy on reproductive traits in primiparous sows. Dietary energy sources were used to manipulate the plasma insulin concentration. One hundred thirteen sows were used in a split-plot design. From weaning to ovulation sows were fed at two times maintenance either a diet with tallow (Fat) or maize starch plus dextrose (Starch) as the major energy source. From ovulation onward, sows within each dietary group were alternately reassigned to either the Fat or the Starch diet and were fed at 1.25 times maintenance. Estrus detection was performed three times a day from d 3 to 9 after weaning and sows were inseminated each day of standing estrus. On d 35 of pregnancy, the sows were slaughtered and their reproductive tracts were removed. Plasma insulin concentration was higher in sows fed the Starch-rich diet than in sows fed the Fat-rich diet on d 4 after weaning (1.30 vs 0.97 ng/mL, P = 0.08) and on d 32 of pregnancy (1.20 vs 0.51 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Plasma glucose and IGF-I concentration on d 4 after weaning and d 32 of pregnancy did not differ between sows on the two dietary energy sources. The percentage of sows exhibiting estrus within 9 d after weaning was 52 and 67% for the Fat and Starch diet before ovulation, respectively (P = 0.11), whereas the weaning-to-estrus interval was 134 vs 123 h, respectively (P = 0.12). Survival analysis showed that sows fed the Fat-rich diet had a 1.6 times higher risk to remain anestrous until d 9 after weaning than sows fed the Starch-rich diet (P = 0.04). No effect of dietary energy source, either before or after ovulation, on uterine, placental, or embryonal development on d 35 of pregnancy was found. It can be concluded that the dietary energy source provided after weaning can affect the risk of sows to remain anestrous but does not affect uterine, placental, or embryonic traits.     

Influence of temperature,humidity duration and growth stage on the infection and mycotoxin production by Fusarium langsethiae and Fusarium poae in oats

High occurrence of Fusarium poae (FP) and Fusarium langsethiae (FL) and their mycotoxins nivalenol (NIV) and T-2/HT-2 have been observed in Swiss oats. Early prediction of mycotoxin levels is important for farmers and the cereal industry to minimize the risk of contaminated food and feed. Therefore, climate chamber experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of different temperatures (10, 15, 20 °C) and durations (4, 8, 12 h) at 99% relative humidity (RH) on the infection of oats with FP and FL. In addition, to discover the most susceptible period of oats, artificial FL inoculations were conducted at different growth stages. Field experiments were performed to observe the dispersal of these fungal species within the field and to investigate the weather conditions that influence the dispersal. The climate chamber experiments revealed higher contamination with NIV and T-2/HT-2 in the 10 °C treatments and with a prolonged humidity duration of 12 h 99% RH. Inoculations of oat plants at early (DC 61) and mid (DC 65) anthesis, led to higher FL infection and T-2/HT-2 accumulation in the grains compared with treatments at earlier growth stages, which might be due to an increased susceptibility during anthesis. No indication for spore dispersal was observed in the field experiments. The results obtained, together with the cropping factors that influence infection and mycotoxin production, could be used as a first step in developing forecasting models to predict the contamination of oats with the mycotoxins NIV and T-2/HT-2.     

Development of a marker assisted selection program for cacao

ABSTRACT Production of cacao in tropical America has been severely affected by fungal pathogens causing diseases known as witches' broom (WB, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa), frosty pod (FP, caused by M. roreri) and black pod (BP, caused by Phytophthora spp.). BP is pan-tropical and causes losses in all producing areas. WB is found in South America and parts of the Caribbean, while FP is found in Central America and parts of South America. Together, these diseases were responsible for over 700 million US dollars in losses in 2001 (4). Commercial cacao production in West Africa and South Asia are not yet affected by WB and FP, but cacao grown in these regions is susceptible to both. With the goal of providing new disease resistant cultivars the USDA-ARS and Mars, Inc. have developed a marker assisted selection (MAS) program. Quantitative trait loci have been identified for resistance to WB, FP, and BP. The potential usefulness of these markers in identifying resistant individuals has been confirmed in an experimental F(1) family in Ecuador.     

Seasonal effects of liming,irrigation, and acid precipitation on microbial biomass N in a spruce (Picea abies L.) forest soil

Summary Seasonal effects of liming, irrigation, and acid precipitation on microbial biomass N and some physicochemical properties of different topsoil horizons in a spruce forest (Picea abies L.) were measured throughout one growing season. The highest biomass N was recorded in autumn and spring in the upper soil horizons, while the lowest values were obtained in summer and in deeper horizons. The clearest differences between the different soil treatments were apparent in autumn and in the upper horizons. Liming increased the microbial biomass N from 1.7% of the total N content to 6.8% (Olf₁ layer) and from 1% to 2% of the total N content in the Of₂ layer. The main inorganic-N fraction in the deeper horizons was NO _inf3 ^sup- . An increase in cation exchange capacity was observed down to the Oh layer, while soil pH was only slightly higher in the Olf₁ and Of₂ layers after liming. The effects of irrigation were less marked. The microbial biomass N increased from 1.7% of total N to 4.8% in the Olf₁ layer and from 1% to 2% of total N in the Of₂ layer. In the Olf₁ layer an increase in C mineralization was observed. Acid precipitation decreased the microbial biomass N in the upper horizons from 4.8% of total N to 1.8% in the Olf₁ layer and from 2% to 0.5% in the Of₂ layer. No significant changes in soil pH were observed, but the decrease in cation exchange capacity may result in a decrease in the proton buffering capacity in the near future.     

A defect in thyroglobulin synthesis in an inherited ovine goitre: possible neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

A ram lamb with congenital goitre showed signs of respiratory distress at birth. All previously affected lambs from this flock bad been born dead or bad died soon after birth. The serum free-thyroxine level at 1 birth was low (9.8 pmol/l) but treatment with oral L-thyroxine resulted in an increase in thyroxine blood levels to above normal and regression of the goitre. Four weeks after withdrawal of thyroid supplementation and when the lamb was eight weeks old, the radio iodide uptake mechanism of the thyroid glands was shown to be intact but the iodide was not organified. Low normal peroxidase activity was demonstrated in fresh thyroid tissue but gel electrophoresis demonstrated an absence of normal thyroglobulin from extracts of the goitrous thyroid. This lamb and the other affected lambs of this flock have an inherited defect in thyroglobulin synthesis and it is likely that the respiratory distress was associated with the low levels of thyroid hormone affecting foetal lung development.