Pheochromocytoma in an aged female African elephant (Loxodonta africana).

A 43 yr-old female African elephant (Loxodonta africana) collapsed acutely and died. Necropsy revealed an enlarged right adrenal medulla. Histologic appearance was typical of pheochromocytoma. Special stains and electron microscopy demonstrated chromaffin granules, suggesting that the tumor was derived from catecholamine secreting cells of the adrenal medulla, and may have been functionally secretory. Serum levels of both norepinephrine and epinephrine were elevated at time of death, supporting the functional nature of the tumor. Histologic findings of arteriolar sclerosis and smooth muscle hyperplasia suggested that the animal may have suffered from chronic systemic hypertension. Pheochromocytoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases of suspected hypertension and acute death in elephants.     

海岛棉品种资源研究现状与展望

文中概速了新疆吐鲁番棉区海岛棉品种资源研究的现状.其内客包含海岛棉品种资源的收集,整理,保存.研究方法.性状与品质鉴定.在育种工作上的利用.井提出了今后研宄的主要方向等同题.     

Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae causing grapevine trunk diseases and their spatial distribution under different climatic conditions in Algeria

The family Botryosphaeriaceae is one of the most widespread and cosmopolitan endophytic group of fungi. Every year, species of this family cause severe damages on table and wine grape production, worldwide. However, this threat is still poorly known in Algeria. In this study, a large number of Botryosphaeriaceae-like isolates were obtained from symptomatic grapevines collected from eight regions with different ecological conditions, namely: Boumerdès, Médéa, Algiers, Tipaza, El Taref, Sidi Bel Abbes, Biskra and Adrar. The isolates were identified using DNA sequences of the translation elongation factor (tef1-α) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Eleven species belonging to six genera, including Neofusicoccum parvum, N. algeriense, N. vitifusiforme, N. stellenboschiana, N. luteum, Diplodia seriata, D. olivarum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Dothiorella sarmentorum, Botryosphaeria dothidea and Neoscytalidium dimidiatum were identified. The spatial distribution of the Botryosphaeriaceae showed that D. seriata and N. stellenboschiana were the most widespread in the Algerian vineyards, while L. theobromae was recorded in the desert region of Biskra. Pathogenicity trials showed that all species were pathogenic on detached green shoots of grapevine, with N. parvum and L. theobromae being the most aggressive.

     

Response of a desert lizard community to habitat degradation: Do ideas about habitat specialists/generalists hold?

We report the impact of human-induced desertification on the species richness, abundance, and composition of sand dune flora and herpetofauna of North Sinai, Egypt. Our hypothesis was that degraded habitats would have reduced vegetation complexity, richness, and abundance, and consequently lower reptile species richness and abundance. We also hypothesized that desert lizards would not follow the typical generalist/specialist responses to habitat degradation found in other biomes. Instead, we predicted that because vegetation loss intensifies the environmental extremity of deserts, those species specialized for open and sandy environments would be more likely to persist in desertified habitats than would desert generalists. Our results showed that areas protected from vegetation loss did not have significantly higher vegetation richness or abundance except for only a few species. However, protected sites did have significantly higher percent vegetation cover and height. Habitat protection clearly had strong effects on the reptile community as species richness and abundances were significantly higher in protected sites. The composition of the reptile community between protected and unprotected sites differed significantly. Contrary to past studies in other environments, desert generalist species were not able to persist in degraded sites and were only found in protected sites. Specialist species were ubiquitous in that they occurred in both areas protected and unprotected from vegetation loss. We propose that the effects of disturbance on species composition (specialists or generalists) depends on whether the disturbance exacerbates or reduces environmental harshness and the conditions that favor specialization. In extreme environments, specialist and generalist responses to habitat degradation are opposite to that of more productive environments.     

Field and controlled conditions screenings of some faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes for resistance to the parasitic plant Orobanche crenata Forsk. and investigation of involved resistance mechanisms

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The parasitic weed Orobanche crenata is a serious constraint to legumes crops in Mediterranean area. In Morocco, heavy O. crenata infestation level was...     

On some factors influencing the output of the larvae of Prostrongylids of sheep in natural infections

Summary The output of first stage Protostrongvlid larvae of sheep was studied in natural infections. Three sets of observations were obtained from October 1977 to December 1978 in three regions. The larval output varied with the species harboured by sheep and with the density of worm populations. Anthelmintic treatments influenced the fecundity of worms. The age of the animals was an important cause of variation in the size of larval output; a rise of the latter was observed in pregnant ewes at the period of lambing. A seasonal variation in output was recorded. The fauna was characterized by the high prevalence of Muellerius and Neostrongylus.