Effect of propiconazole on substrate amended soil respiration following laboratory and field application

The effect of the fungicide propiconazole (‘Tilt’^TM 250 EC) on substrate-amended soil respiration has been studied in dose-response experiments, following application of the compound in the field and in the laboratory. The field study was supplemented with spray-deposition measurements showing a throughfall at the soil surface of 15-45%, depending on the time of fungicide application. When propiconazole was amended to the soil in low dosages in laboratory conditions, the soil respiration was stimulated. Even at the very high and agriculturally unrealistic dosages in the laboratory experiment, the mean, daily soil respiration almost recovered within the incubation period of 30 days. Given the present conditions, the results did, however, also show that side-effects of the application of the fungicide were provoked at lower dosages in the field, and that they lasted for a considerably longer time than in the laboratory, indicating the importance of indirect effects of fungicide application in field conditions. Possible reasons for the dose-response relationship in the field being different from the one found in the laboratory are discussed.     

Cover Image,Volume 16, Issue 1

The cover image, by Alexandra Keller et al., is based on the Original Article The JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathway as a potential therapeutic target in canine mastocytoma, DOI: 10.1111/vco.12311

     

Vaccination elicits a prominent acute phase response in horses

European and American guidelines for vaccination against tetanus and influenza in horses recommend annual and annual/semi-annual vaccinations, respectively, against the two pathogens. Too-frequent vaccination may, however, have adverse effects, among other things because an inflammatory response is elicited with subsequent alterations in homeostasis. The objective of the study was to compare the acute phase response (APR) in 10 horses following administration of two different types of vaccines, namely, an inactivated Immune Stimulating COMplex (ISCOM) vaccine and a live recombinant vector vaccine. Blood was sampled before and after vaccination to measure levels of serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, white blood cell counts (WBC) and iron. Vaccination induced a prominent APR with increased WBC, elevated blood levels of SAA and fibrinogen, and decreased serum iron concentrations. The ISCOM vaccine caused significantly (P<0.05) greater SAA, fibrinogen and WBC responses than the vector vaccine. During the APR muscle catabolism and liver and kidney metabolism are altered. Also drug metabolism may change during the APR. The findings of the present study may be relevant for advising horse owners about convalescence after vaccination.     

In vitro effect of ventriculocordectomy before laryngoplasty on abduction of the equine arytenoid cartilage

Objective: To determine whether ventriculocordectomy (VCE) performed before prosthetic laryngoplasty (PL) results in increased rima glottidis size compared with PL alone. Study Design: Experimental study. Animals: Equine cadaver larynges (n=13). Methods: Right arytenoid cartilages were maximally abducted using a standard PL technique. Standard PLs were then performed on the left side and the force required to maximally abduct the left arytenoid cartilage recorded (F_max). Photographs were taken of the rima glottidis at zero force and at five equal levels of force up to F_max. The force applied was released, left VCE performed, and photographs repeated. Arytenoid left:right angle quotients (LRQ) and glottic cross‐sectional area ratios (CSAR) were calculated at each force level in each condition (PL and VCE‐PL). Results: Mean LRQ and CSAR for both PL and VCE‐PL increased with increasing force, initially rapidly before plateauing at ～50% of F_max. LRQ and CSAR were significantly greater for VCE‐PL than for PL (P<.001). When VCE was performed before PL, 12% less force was required to achieve an LRQ of 0.8, and 45% less for a CSAR of 0.8. Conclusions: In vitro, VCE performed before PL enables the arytenoid cartilage to be abducted to a greater degree for a given PL suture force.     

Dose-response-models and their implications for quantitative risk assessment for Campylobacter infections

For some time now there have been several projects dealing with the assessment of campylobacteriosis risks for consumers. Dose-response relationships form a crucial part of such assessments, as they specify disease probabilities depending on different microbial concentrations in foods. Evaluation of such models, however, is difficult because of problems to find data on which reliable assumptions could be based. Ongoing risk analyses for Campylobacter mainly refer to a single administration study with human volunteers published by Black et al. (1988). However, whether results from this study can be transferred to target populations envisaged in risk assessments remains questionable for several reasons. In this paper some alternative dose-response models, their fit to the data of Black et al., and risk estimates resulting in a fictitious scenario are discussed and compared. Depending on the dose-response model assumed risk estimates can differ remarkably. Therefore it is hardly possible to make reliable quantifications of risks in reality, however, it can be determined how much they may vary assuming different scenarios.     

A scavenging double mask to reduce workplace contamination during mask induction of inhalation anesthesia in dogs

Background

Workplace contamination by the use of volatile anesthetic agents should be kept to a minimum if a potential health hazard is to be minimised. Mask induction of animals is a common procedure. The present study investigates the efficiency of a novel scavenging double mask in reducing waste gas concentrations in the breathing zone of the anesthetist performing this procedure.

Methods

Twelve beagle dogs (ASA I) undergoing general anesthesia for a dental procedure were intravenously premedicated with medetomidine and butorphanol (10 μg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg). Anesthesia was induced via a custom-made scavenging mask using isoflurane in oxygen. In six dogs (group S), scavenging from the mask was performed whereas in six other dogs (group NS) the scavenging function was disabled. Isoflurane concentration was continuously measured with photoacoustic spectroscopy at the level of the shoulder of the anesthetist before and during mask induction and additionally during intubation. Statistical analysis was performed with a Student t- test and a Mann-Whitney U test (p < 0.05 for significance).

Results

The mean isoflurane concentration during baseline (premedication) was 1.8 ± 0.8 ppm and 2.3 ± 0.6 ppm in group S and NS respectively. This increased during mask induction to 2.0 ± 0.8 ppm and 11.2 ± 6.0 ppm respectively (p < 0.01). The maximum isoflurane concentration ranged from 0.7 ppm to 2.8 ppm and from from 8.3 ppm to 43.7 ppm in group S and NS respectively.

Conclusion

This double mask can be used to induce inhalation anesthesia in dogs. Scavenging from the mask significantly decreases the amount of waste anaesthetic gas concentrations in the breathing zone of the anesthetist. Therefore, such a system can be recommended whenever induction or maintenance of general anesthesia by mask is considered.     

Effect of soil drying on mucilage exudation and its water repellency: a new method to collect mucilage

Despite the importance of mucilage for soil–plant relations, little is known about the effect of soil drying on mucilage exudation. We introduce a method to collect mucilage from maize growing in wet and dry soils. Mucilage was collected from brace roots. The amount of mucilage exuded did not change with soil water content and transpiration rate. Mucilage exuded in dry soils had a higher degree of hydrophobicity, suggesting that the wetting properties of mucilage change in response to soil drying.     

Few alterations in clinical pathology and histopathology observed in a CYP2C18&19 humanized mice model

Background

This study was performed to characterize a gene-addition transgenic mouse containing a BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) clone spanning the human CYP2C18&19 genes (tg-CYP2C18&19).

Methods

Hemizygous tg-CYP2C18&19, 11 week old mice were compared with wild-type littermates to obtain information regarding clinical status, clinical pathology and anatomical pathology. After one week of clinical observations, blood samples were collected, organs weighed, and tissues collected for histopathology.

Results

In males, the tissue weights were lower in tg-CYP2C18&19 than in wild-type mice for brain (p ≤ 0.05), adrenal glands (p ≤ 0.05) and brown fat deposits (p ≤ 0.001) while the heart weight was higher (p ≤ 0.001). In female tg-CYP2C18&19, the tissue weights were lower for brain (p ≤ 0.001) and spleen (p ≤ 0.001) compared to wild-type females. Male tg-CYP2C18&19 had increased blood glucose levels (p ≤ 0.01) while females had decreased blood triglyceride levels (p ≤ 0.01).

Conclusion

Despite the observed alterations, tg-CYP2C18&19 did not show any macroscopic or microscopic pathology at the examined age. Hence, these hemizygous transgenic mice were considered to be viable and healthy animals.     

Intraobserver and interobserver repeatability of ocular biometric measurements obtained by means of B-mode ultrasonography in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To assess intra- and interobserver repeatability of ocular biometric measurements obtained by means of high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography in dogs. Animals-6 Beagles without ocular abnormalities. PROCEDURES: B-mode ultrasonography was performed bilaterally with a 10.5-MHz broadband compact linear array transducer. All measurements were made on 2 different occasions by 2 observers. The Bland-Altman method was used to assess agreement between measurements obtained by the 2 observers and between the 2 sets of measurements obtained by each observer. RESULTS: Intra- and interobserver repeatability was highest for larger measurements, such as depth of the eye and depth of the anterior chamber. When repeatability was examined, bias was significantly different from 0 for only a few measurements, but the percentage difference between observations was as high as 180% for some measurements. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that most measurements of intraocular distances and structures obtained by means of high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography have acceptable intra- and interobserver repeatability. However, the percentage difference between observations can be high for smaller measurements.     

M-MODE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE VALUES IN CATS IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF LIFE

Thirty-five young cats were studied by echocardiography from the 2nd to 12th weeks of life to analyze correlation between body weight, body surface area, age and heart rate with fourteen echocardiographic parameters. There was a positive linear correlation (r = 0.49-0.78) between the independent variables (body weight, body surface area, age) and left ventricular wall thickness and diameter, aortic diameter and left atrial diameter, whereas there was a negative correlation (r = -0.39 and r = -0.43) between the heart rate and left ventricular diameter during systole and diastole. No linear dependence of the fractional shortening, ejection fraction, percentage thickening of the interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall, LA/AO ratio, and the ratio IVSED/LVWED to the independent variables was observed.