Euphresco Sendo: An international laboratory comparison study of molecular tests for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synchytrium endobioticum</Emphasis> detection and identification

An international test performance study (TPS) was organised to generate validation data for three molecular Synchytrium endobioticum tests: van den Boogert et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology 113, 47–57, 2005), and van Gent-Pelzer et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 126, 129-133, 2010) for the detection of S. endobioticum, and the pathotype 1(D1) identification test described by Bonants et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 143, 495-506, 2015). Two TPS rounds were organised focussing on different test matrices, i.e. round 1: warted potato tissue, and round 2: resting spore suspensions. When using the tests for detection and identification of S. endobioticum in warted potato tissue, no significant differences were observed for diagnostic sensitivity, diagnostic specificity, overall accuracy, analytical sensitivity and robustness. When using the tests for detection and identification of S. endobioticum in resting spore suspensions, the van den Boogert and van Gent-Pelzer tests significantly outperform the Bonants test for diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity. For overall accuracy and analytical sensitivity, the van Gent-Pelzer significantly outperforms the van den Boogert and Bonants tests and is regarded as the test of choice when identifying S. endobioticum from resting spores. Tests regarded fit for purpose for routine testing of wart material and resting spore suspensions are proposed for the update of EPPO standard PM7/28(1) Synchytrium endobioticum.     

Folate status and mood: is there a relationship?

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between subjective mood, folate status and homocysteine in healthy individuals. DESIGN: Subjective mood assessments were completed twice daily over the course of one week using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). The PANAS is a validated scale which considers mood state on two distinct continua, one reflecting positive mood and the other negative mood, each requiring response to 10 adjectives on a Likert scale. A blood sample was taken on one occasion at the start of the week during which subjective mood was assessed and analysed for red-blood-cell (RBC) folate, serum folate and plasma homocysteine concentrations. SUBJECTS: Male volunteers aged 19-47 years (n = 58) were recruited from local industries. RESULTS: High concentrations of RBC folate were associated with less variability (lower standard deviation) in negative mood (P = 0.023). Subjective mood, however, was not related to serum folate or homocysteine. CONCLUSIONS: This study appears to be the first to uncover an association between long-term folate status and subjective mood (employing the PANAS) in healthy males. More research is needed to further explore the relationship between nutritional status and mood.     

Disease,production and culling in Holstein-Friesian cows III. Disease and production as determinants of disease

The effects of the level of milk production and previous disease occurrence (both within the same lactation and in the previous lactation) on the risk of disease occurrence in Holstein-Friesian cows were investigated. The data were from 2875 lactation records from 2008 cows in 32 commercial dairy herds within a 50 mile radius of Guelph, Ontario.Discriminant analysis was applied to data from a subset of 817 cows which completed 2 lactations during the study. This was done in order to simultaneously evaluate the effects of the level of milk production and disease occurrence in 1 lactation, on the risk of disease in a subsequent lactation. Many diseases tended to recur in the second lactation, but the level of milk production was not related significantly to the risk of any of the common disease conditions. A path model, with previous lactation production entered as an exogenous variable, was constructed in order to further evaluate the role of the level of milk production as a determinant of disease. Only milk fever was significantly associated with the level of milk production.Relationships amongst diseases within a lactation were identified by a modified case-control procedure and were used to construct several path models. Relationships amongst diseases in heifers, mature cows and all cows combined are discussed.     

The extensive myelopathy of intervertebral disc protrusions in dogs (''the ascending syndrome'')

The spinal cords of eight dogs with 'the ascending syndrome' were examined. There was extensive necrosis with ischaemic changes in the neurones. Many intramedullary and meningeal blood vessels were necrotic and there were perivascular deposits of fibrin. Some vessels were markedly congested and others contained thrombi. The pathogenesis of the condition is discussed, particularly in relation to factors causing a failure of collateral circulation.
Résumé. Les moelles épinières de huit chiens avec "l'ascendant syndrome" étaient examinées. II y avait la nécrose étendue avec des changements ischémiques dans les neurones. Beaucoup de vaisseaux sanguins intramédullaires et de méningite etaient nécrotiques et il y avait des dépôts perivasculaies de fibrine. Quelques vaisseaux étaient congestionnés d'une façon marquée et d'autres contenaient les thrombi. La pathogénie de la condition est discutée particulièrement à l'égard de facteurs qui sont cause de manque de circulation collatérale.
Zusammenfassung. Man hat die Rückenmarke von acht Hundc mit "dem aufsteigenden Synchdrom" geprüft. Es gab ausgedehnte Nekrose mit Ischämieveränderung in den Neuronen. Viele intraraedüllaren Blutgefässe und Blutgefässe van Hirnhäute waren nekrotisch und es gab Perigefässablagerungen von Fibrin. Die einigen Gefässe waren deutlich überfüllt und die anderen behielten Thrombi. Die Pathogenese der Bedingung wird besprochen, besonders in Beziehung auf Erbfaktoren, die der Grund eines Ausbleibens des kollateralen Blutkrieslauf sind.     

Cavernous tuberculosis of the lungs and secondary hypertrophic osteo-arthropathy in a Siberian tiger (Panthera tigrus)

In a colony of large felines, a Siberian tiger died after having shown lameness for 4 months. X-ray examination 3 months prior to death revealed extensive bone proliferations around the left carpus and cavitations in the lungs. In spite of tuberculostatic therapy the animal died and a final diagnosis of cavernous lung tuberculosis(M. bovis) and a related osteo-arthropathy was made. A 7-year-old Siberian tiger owned by the Royal Rotterdam Zoo ‘Blijdorp’, was brought for examination to the veterinary surgery clinic of the State University of Utrecht. The patient walked with difficulty and showed thickening of the left and right carpi. The weight of the animal was 180 kg. After sedation by means of an intramuscular injection of 45 mg of phencyclidine (Sernylan-Parke Davis) and 90 mg of acepromazine (Ventranquil-Philips Duphar), combined with 10 mg of atropine, it was possible to inject 19 ml of 5 % thiopentone sodium (B.P. Boots Pure Drug Go. Ltd) into the tail vein. Narcosis was maintained using nitrous oxide and halothane (Fluothane-ICI Ltd). Résumé. Un tigre de Sibérie, appartenant à un groupe de gros félins est mort après avoir présenté pendant 4 mois des phénomènes paralytiques. Un examen radiologique, effectué 3 mois avant la mort a révélé d'importantes proliférations osseuses autour du carpe gauche et la présence de cavernes pulmonaires. Malgré l'institution d'un traitement anti-tuberculeux, l'animal mourut, et le diagnostic final était celui de tuberculose pulmonaire à Mycobacterium bovis avec ostéo-arthropathie de la même origine. Zusammenfassung. In einer Grosskatzenkolonie starb ein sibirischer Tiger, nachdem er 4 Monate lang Lahmheit gezeigt hatte. Die Röntgenuntersuchung 3 Monate vor dem Tode zeigte ausgedehnte Knochenwucherungen um den linken Carpus und Cavitationen in der Lunge. Trotz tuberculostatischer Therapie starb das Tier, und die abschliessende Diagnose lautete auf cavernöse Lungentuberkulose (M. bovis) und eine damit in Beziehung stehende Osteo-arthropathie.