Multiple viral plaques with sebaceous differentiation associated with an unclassified papillomavirus type in a cat

Abstract

CASE HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS

A 15-year-old neutered male domestic short-haired cat was presented due to multiple 0.5–2?cm-diameter crusting plaques in the left preauricular region, over the bridge of nose, and in the right periocular region. The plaques did not appear to cause discomfort.     

Participation of Opioid Peptides in Sucking‐induced Oxytocin and Prolactin Secretions in Lactating Goats

The role of opioid peptides in the secretion of oxytocin (OT) and prolactin (PRL) induced by sucking was studied in goats. Seven goats were isolated with their kids (four singletons and three twins) in individual corrals 3–4 weeks after parturition. On day 1 of the experiment, the kids were separated from the does for 7 h and were weighed before and 15 min after being reunited with their mothers to assess the amount of milk obtained by sucking. The does were blood‐sampled 10 min before and at the end of the sucking period. On day 2, a similar protocol was followed, but naloxone was given immediately after the first blood sample. On day 3, the protocol was repeated but saline vehicle was injected instead of naloxone. On day 5, the naloxone experiment was repeated as on day 2. Milk ejection was evaluated as the difference in the weight of the kids before and after sucking for 15 min, and the maternal serum levels of OT and PRL were measured by radioimmunoassay. A significant decrease in the weight gain of the kids was obtained when the mothers were treated with naloxone on day 2. Consistently, serum levels of OT and PRL induced by sucking were significantly reduced; indicating that sucking‐induced OT secretion for milk ejection in lactating goats is facilitated by opioid peptides. In a second experiment performed in the same animals 10 days later, the administration of OT, immediately after naloxone administration, prevented the decrease in the weight gain induced by naloxone, suggesting that the effect of the opioid antagonist on milk ejection in goats is a result of a reduced OT secretion. The results of this study confirm the importance of sucking‐induced OT secretion for milk ejection in lactating goats, and indicate that OT and PRL secretion are regulated by opioid peptides in this species.     

Yield development and nutrient dynamics in cocoa-gliricidia agroforests of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

In the Napu and Palolo Valleys of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, a chronosequence sought to identify the relationship between tree age, nutrient dynamics and cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) yield in association with gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud.). The chronosequence surveyed cocoa-gliricidia plantations with a maximum age of 8 and 15 years, respectively, in Napu and Palolo. The characteristics of the valleys were also quite different, with an altitude of 1,139–1,166 m a.s.l. in Napu and 592–651 m a.s.l. in Palolo. Annual rainfall was 1,543 mm in Napu and 1,811 mm in Palolo. The yield of cocoa increased fairly steadily, with growth rates higher in Palolo than in Napu. Whereas a higher level of bean P led to a higher single bean weight (g d.w.) in Napu, a higher level of bean K led to a lower single bean weight in Palolo. The relatively high level of K appeared to have coincided with immature growth stages of cocoa. As trees matured, their increased rate of C assimilation was seen in the form of higher single bean weight. We found no statistically significant change in the soil’s carbon-nutrient levels when viewed over the entire timeframe of 8 and 15 years in the 2 valleys. In addition, there was no correlation between the soil’s carbon-nutrient levels and the single bean weight. Nor did we find any correlation between the soil’s carbon-nutrient levels impacting the bean’s carbon-nutrient levels. Of regression lines, P had the steepest slope and was considered the most limited nutrient relative to the other nutrients although its correlation was insignificant. The farmers’ estimation of cocoa yield was about 68% less than our measured bean weight per area per year (kg d.w. ha^?1 year^?1), implying a more refined definition of ripeness. In a cocoa agroforest, income could be supplemented by durable tree crops instead of growing gliricidia which is removed after several years of growth. This removal and the shallow rooting of cocoa indicate that the cocoa production would be sustainable only in the immediate future.     

Evaluation of skate meal and sablefish viscera meal as fish meal replacement in diets for Pacific threadfin (Polydactylus sexfilis)

The objectives of this study were to investigate the nutritional value of skate meal and sablefish viscera meal from Alaskan fishery processing and to ascertain their suitability as replacements for pollock fishmeal in diets for Pacific threadfin (Polydactylus sexfilis). Test diets were made by replacing 50% or 100% protein from fish meal in the control diet with skate or sablefish viscera meal. The test diets and a commercial feed were each assigned to four tanks with eight juvenile fish (9.7 g) per tank in an indoor flow‐through culture system. After 6 weeks, Pacific threadfin fed skate meal‐50% and ‐100% substituted diets exhibited similar weight gains (374%; 369%) and feed conversion ratios (1.29; 1.27) as those fed the control diet (345%; 1.30 respectively) (P > 0.05). In contrast, Pacific threadfin fed the sablefish viscera meal‐50% substituted diet exhibited significantly lower weight gain (112%) than fish fed the control diets (P < 0.05). The fish fed the control diet and skate meal substituted diets also achieved significantly higher (P < 0.05) weight gain than those fed the commercial feed (288%). In conclusion, skate meal can fully replace the commercial fishmeal in a Pacific threadfin diet without adversely effecting growth performance.     

Pathology of ocular lesions associated with gas supersaturation in white seabass

Cultured juvenile white seabass Atractoscion nobilis (WSB) can suffer from intraocular emphysemas and exophthalmia in the hatchery environment. To identify the cause, two size-groups of WSB were exposed to five gas saturation levels, ranging from 98% to 122% total gas pressure (TGP), over a 96-h exposure period in 18 degrees C and 23 degrees C seawater. Histological examination revealed that the gross and subgross lesions associated with gas supersaturation included corneal and orbital emphysema, along with subretinal, optic nerve, and iridial hemorrhage. Corneal emphysema was the most prominent gross lesion, with the severity and prevalence increasing between size-groups and water temperatures as TGP increased. Following the same pattern was orbital emphysema, which affected more than 93% of the fish examined and caused hemorrhage in the subretinal space, around the optic nerve, in the iris, or a combination thereof. Iridial hemorrhage occurred in 91% of the fish examined and decreased significantly with fish size. The prevalence and severity of hemorrhage in the subretinal space increased significantly with TGP and fish size but not with temperature. Optic nerve hemorrhage was absent in small fish exposed at 18 degrees C but increased significantly with temperature and fish size. The reverse was true for the large fish.     

Evaluation of a Urine Cortisol:Creatinine Ratio as a Screening Test for Hyperadrenocorticism in Dogs

The authors collected urine specimens in 31 normal dogs, 25 dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, 21 dogs in which hyperadrenocorticism was suspected but was not present, and 28 dogs with a variety of severe, nonadrenal diseases. Cortisol and creatinine were measured in unextracted urine by radioimmunoassay and spectrophotometry, respectively, and the cortisol:creatinine ratio was calculated for each specimen. The mean ± SD urine cortisol:creatinine concentration ratio in the dogs with hyperadrenocorticism (103.1 ± 100.7) was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than that in the normal dogs (13.1 ± 7.0). The mean urine cortisohcreatinine ratio in dogs initially suspected of having hyperadrenocorticism (16.3 ± 7.0) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than the ratio in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, but was not significantly different than that in the normal dogs. The mean urinary cortisohcreatinine ratio in the dogs with nonadrenal disease (82.8 ± 97.7) was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than that in both the normal dogs and dogs in which hyperadrenocorticism was initially suspected, but was not different than the ratio in the dogs with hyperadrenocorticism. The sensitivity of the urine cortisohcreatinine ratio as a diagnostic test for hyperadrenocorticism was 0.92. The specificity was high in the normal dogs (0.97) and the dogs initially suspected of having hyperadrenocorticism (0.95), with ≤ 5% having false-positive results. However, the specificity was very low (0.21) in the dogs with moderate to severe nonadrenal disease, with 79% having false-positive results. Similarly, both positive and negative predictive values and diagnostic efficiency were high in the normal dogs and dogs suspected of having hyperadrenocorticism but were low in the dogs with nonadrenal illness. When the results of the cortisol assay used in the study were compared to results obtained by two other commercially available cortisol radioimmunoassays, a high correlation between results was found. The urine cortisohcreatinine ratio is a sensitive screening test for the detection of hyperadrenocorticism in dogs. As with other pituitary-adrenal function tests, however, the urine cortisohcreatinine ratio cannot be used to diagnose hyperadrenocorticism in dogs that have moderate to severe nonadrenal disease.     

The effect of planting grass filter strips on fishes in agricultural headwater streams

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