Presence of Cocaine in the Tissues of the European Eel, Anguilla anguilla, Exposed to Environmental Cocaine Concentrations

The presence of illicit drugs and their metabolites in surface waters has to be considered a new type of hazard, still unknown, for the aquatic ecosystem, due to the potent pharmacological activities of all the illicit drugs. Our research was therefore aimed at evaluating the impact of illicit drugs on the aquatic fauna, till now still undervalued. To this aim, we verified the ability of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla), a well-known biomonitor of environmental contamination, to bioaccumulate cocaine, one of the most abundant illicit drugs found in surface waters. Silver eels were exposed to a nominal cocaine concentration of 20?ng/l for 1?month; at the same time, control, carrier, and post-exposure recovery groups were made. Brains, gills, liver, kidney, muscle, gonads, spleen, digestive tract, and sections of dorsal skin were assayed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Cocaine was found in the tissues of the treated eels and, at low concentrations, in almost all tissues of post-exposure recovery eels. These results indicate that cocaine is able to accumulate into the eel tissues; its presence suggests potential risks for eels since cocaine could affect their physiology and contribute to their decline, and for humans consuming contaminated fish.     

Effect of salicylate stress on the hypersensitive reaction of asparagus bean to tobacco necrosis virus

Treatments of primary leaves of asparagus bean (Vigna sesquipedalis Fruhw.) with salicylate had different effects on resistance to local lesion development caused by tobacco necrosis virus (TNV), depending upon the concentration used for treatment. At 1 m , salicylate slightly reduced lesion size but not virus accumulation, while at 3 m it significantly decreased lesion size and virus accumulation. Treatments with 5 m solutions appreciably increased both parameters, but also damaged the leaf tissue.The hypersensitive reaction of the leaves to virus inoculation was accompanied by the accumulation of five host-coded protein bands (VS₀to VS₄). However, three (or more) days after treatment with salicylate at any concentration between 1 and 5 m only one band accumulated and this band appeared to correspond to VS₁. This finding clearly questions the role of the VS₁ protein in limiting the spread and multiplication of TNV.The leaves responded rapidly to treatment with salicylate with stomatal closure, increased K⁺ leakage and ethylene production. These responses are generally considered to be general reactions to stress. None of them however, was correlated with any of the observed changes in TNV infection.     

Genetic variability in plants regenerated from in vitro culture of sunflower (Helianthus annum L.)

In vitro regenerated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants (R₁) were self-fertilized and the R₂ generation was evaluated for qualitative traits. A broad range of phenotypic variation was observed and mutation frequencies were calculated. Some in vitro induced variant phenotypes were similar to known spontaneous or induced mutations in sunflower, while others were new. Chlorophyll and carotenoid deficiencies, chimaerical variegation, fasciated stem and capitulum, abnormal shoot development, and other morphological variations, were noted. Substitution of anthers with petaloid structures in a disk-floret mutant indicates a possible homeotic mutation induced by in vitro tissue culture.     

Occurrence of Mirafiori Lettuce Virus and Lettuce Big-vein Virus in Relation to Development of Big-vein Symptoms in Lettuce Crops

Big-vein disease (BV) of lettuce has been attributed to infection by Lettuce big-vein virus (LBVV), vectored by the soil fungus Olpidium brassicae. The finding of a second soil-borne virus in lettuce, Mirafiori lettuce virus (MiLV), led to a re-investigation of the role of LBVV in big-vein disease, with evidence emerging that both MiLV and LBVV are vectored by O. brassicae, and that MiLV, not LBVV, is the cause of BV (Lot et al. (2002), Phytopathology 92: 288–293). The two viruses have coat proteins of similar size but have different morphologies and are serologically unrelated. We tested individual lettuce plants in BV-prone fields and protected crops in France and Italy for the presence of the two viruses, using DAS-ELISA and antisera specific for each virus. Both MiLV and LBVV were found at high incidence, often together but sometimes separately. Symptoms were frequently found to be associated with MiLV alone or both viruses, but rarely LBVV alone. However, no absolute correlation emerged, because sometimes MiLV was present in the absence of symptoms, and vice versa. To clarify the situation, individual lettuce plants were examined over a period of time in two further surveys. In surveys of protected crops in France, plants with big-vein were always ELISA-positive for MiLV, or else symptomless plants positive for MiLV were later seen to develop big-vein symptoms. Presence or absence of LBVV appeared to have no effect on symptom development. In surveys of open fields in Italy, all combinations were found: presence of both viruses, apparent absence of both viruses, or presence of each one alone, in plants that developed BV. At the end of the observation period, nearly all plants had BV and contained both viruses.     

北方地区小西葫芦黄花叶病毒的酶联检测和西瓜品种抗病性鉴定

应用DAS-ELISA对分别于1998年在河南、陕西和1999年在河南、陕西、河北和山西采集的葫芦科病毒病样本84份、186份进行小西葫芦黄花叶病毒的检测,表明该病毒在这些地区广泛发生,ZYMV阳性检出率分别为79.8%和57.5%熏在北京和河南临颖县ZYMV发生率较低熏≤23.1%,在其余地区即河北石家庄,河南郑州、开封、孟津,山西运城,陕西西安其阳性检出率在40.0%～92.9%之间。除冬瓜样本没有ZYMV外,西瓜、甜瓜、南瓜、丝瓜、小西葫芦、苦瓜、黄瓜和瓠子均受到ZYMV的侵染。不同地区、年份和作物之间ZYMV阳性检出率存在差异。对18份西瓜品种的抗ZYMV温室人工接种鉴定的试验表明,目前推广的一些品种对ZYMV缺乏抗病性。     

Long term use of hydraulic artificial urethral sphincters in nine dogs from New Zealand with urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence

AIMS: To report on the long-term outcomes of hydraulic artificial urethral sphincter (HAUS) placement for the correction of urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) in New Zealand dogs.

METHODS: Retrospective data were obtained from cases of dogs which had a HAUS placed after failed medical and/or surgical management of USMI between August 2012 and November 2016. Owner assessment of urinary incontinence was evaluated by an online survey in May 2017 using a visual analogue scale (0 being normal, 100 being severely affected) for the frequency, volume and severity of any straining to urinate, immediately prior to the placement of the HAUS and at the time of the survey. The number of days between surgery and the completion of survey were recorded.

RESULTS: Seven females and two male dogs, which were all desexed except for one female, were eligible for inclusion in the study. The period of follow-up following HAUS placement ranged from 206–1,685 days. Following HAUS placement, frequency and volume of urinary incontinence decreased for six dogs and were practically unchanged for three dogs. The median frequency score decreased from 70 to 13 and the volume score decreased from 73 to 12. There was no consistent change in the perceived degree of straining to urinate. Complications occurred in three dogs; one required repositioning of a dislodged injection port, one required management for haematuria and a hypoplastic bladder, and one required surgical removal of fibrous tissue around the HAUS cuff.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVENCE: HAUS placement was an effective method for the treatment of persistent USMI in most dogs and provided good clinical results based on owner assessment. The technique was associated with few complications and allowed successful long-term control of urinary incontinence without the need for medical management.     

Evaluation of an Immunochromatographic Test to the Diagnosis of Canine Brucellosis Caused by Brucella canis

This study evaluated the performance of an immunochromatographic test (ICT) for the diagnosis of canine brucellosis caused by Brucella canis, comparing its results with that of the rapid slide agglutination test with and without the use of 2‐mercaptoethanol and the agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID). The microbiological culture, PCR and clinical examination were used as reference. According to the results obtained in clinical examination, blood culture, culture of semen and vaginal swab and PCR in blood, semen and vaginal swab, a total of 102 dogs were divided into three groups: B. canis‐infected dogs (Group 1), B. canis‐non‐infected dogs (Group 2) and dogs with suspected brucellosis (Group 3). The diagnostic sensitivity of RSAT, 2ME‐RSAT, AGID and ICT in Group 1 was, respectively, 75%, 37.5%, 27.8% and 89.58%. The diagnostic specificity of RSAT, 2ME‐RSAT, AGID and ICT in Group 2 was, respectively, 91%, 100%, 100%, and 100%. In dogs with suspected brucellosis, 9.67% were RSAT positive, none was positive by 2ME‐RSAT, 3.22% were AGID positive and 6.45% were ICT positive. The main drawback concerning canine brucellosis diagnosis is the lack of a highly sensitive serological assay to be used as a screening test to the rapid identification of infected animals. The ICT showed a high diagnostic specificity and a diagnostic sensitivity value greater than that observed in the RSAT, 2ME‐RSAT and AGID. However, 10.41% of infected dogs had negative results by ICT. These dogs were positive by microbiological culture and/or PCR, indicating active infection and consequently a higher potential of spreading Brucella. Although rapid and simple to perform, the ICT lacked sensitivity to be used as a screening test.     

Environmental risk factors for the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats

BackgroundRisk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in cats are derived from a single study dated almost 20 years ago. The relationship between inflammation of oral tissues and OSCC is still unclear.ObjectivesTo investigate previously proposed and novel potential risk factors for OSCC development, including oral inflammatory diseases.AnimalsHundred cats with OSCC, 70 cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (CGS), 63 cats with periodontal disease (PD), and 500 controls.MethodsProspective, observational case‐control study. Cats with OSCC were compared with an age‐matched control sample of client‐owned cats and cats with CGS or PD. Owners of cats completed an anonymous questionnaire including demographic, environmental and lifestyle information.ResultsOn multivariable logistic regression, covariates significantly associated with an increased risk of OSCC were rural environment (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.03‐3.04; P = .04), outdoor access (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.07‐2.63; P = .02), environmental tobacco smoke (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.05‐3; P = .03), and petfood containing chemical additives (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.04‐3.76; P = .04). Risk factors shared with CGS and PD were outdoor access and petfood containing chemical additives, respectively. A history of oral inflammation was reported in 35% of cats with OSCC but did not emerge as a risk factor.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe study proposes novel potential risk factors for OSCC in cats. Although a history of inflammatory oral disease was not significantly more frequent compared with random age‐matched controls, OSCC shared several risk factors with CGS and PD.