Acquired hydrocephalus and hydromyelia in a cat with feline infectious peritonitis: A case report and brief review

A one-year-old domestic long-haired cat was referred to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine because of acute onset of paraparesis and hyperesthesia associated with trauma. Myelography and cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed severe hydromyelia and myelitis, respectively. The definitive diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis was made by histological examination at necropsy. Lesions were confined exclusively to the brain and spinal cord. Partial occlusion of the third and fourth ventricles with pyogranulomatous debris caused hydrocephalus and subsequent hydromyelia. The hydromyelia may have been the primary means of compensation for the hydrocephalus, thus masking subclinical disease.     

Weed:spring barley competition for applied nitrogen in pig slurry

Summary The experiments were carried out in the two spring barley fields of the organic six-course cattle:crop rotation at Foulumgaard, Denmark. The weed density was 300 and 1800 plants m⁻² respectively. Pig slurry was applied by hand in microplots by four methods: broadcasting followed by incorporation, or injected in bands to depths of 5, 10 or 15 cm. Spring barley and weeds were sampled separately six times during the tillering and elongation phase of the spring barley. The effect of application method on dry-matter (d.m.) production, nitrogen uptake and recovery of applied nitrogen in the spring barley and the weeds is reported. Slurry banding halved the weed d.m. and weed N uptake compared with broadcasting, irrespective of weed density. Weeds recovered up to 12% of the applied nitrogen, which made them a significant competitor when the slurry was broadcast and incorporated. Banding by direct injection reduced the slurry:soil contact and the weed:crop competition balance for applied nitrogen moved in favour of the crop. Thus, the crop recovery of applied nitrogen at the end of the sampling period was increased from approximately 45% for broadcast and incorporated to approximately 50% for injected slurry, and coincidental weed recovery was reduced to a maximum of 5%. As the nitrogen supply normally affects plant d.m. production, banding of slurry might well improve crop competitiveness and its tolerance to mechanical weed control.     

Chemical and sensory quantification of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from recirculated aquacultures in relation to concentrations in basin water

Globally, aquaculture systems with water recirculation experience increasing problems with microbial taste and odor compounds (TOCs) such as geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB). This study investigated the content of geosmin and MIB in water and the flesh of 200 rainbow trouts from eight recirculated aquaculture systems in Denmark. TOC content in the fish flesh was measured by a dynamic headspace extraction method and was evaluated by a sensory panel. The results showed significant correlations between TOC content in water and fish and between chemical analysis and sensory perception. When geosmin exceeded 20 ng/L in the water, 96% of the fish had an intense muddy flavor, but below 10 ng geosmin/L, 18% of the fish (only 3% in special depuration ponds) had an intense muddy flavor. The results indicate that TOC levels <10 ng/L will ensure that a negligible portion of the fish obtains an unpalatable taste and flavor due to TOCs.     

近35年苏南典型地区的城镇扩展动态研究——以1966～2001年常熟市为例

利用常熟市不同时期 (1 966、1 984、1 992、1 999、2 0 0 0、2 0 0 1年 )、不同类型卫星遥感影像 (Corona、TM、SPOT、ETM )进行多波段合成 ,图像增强处理与精校正 ,建立不同影像城镇用地解译标志 ,通过人机交互判读 ,获得不同时期的各乡镇城镇用地矢量图的方法。统计出 35年来常熟市城镇建设用地扩大近 6 .4倍。城镇扩展空间上受到地貌条件和城市经济水平以及政策决策影响 ,城镇多数沿河流或交通线方向扩展 ,各城镇间扩展数量和相对速率有明显差异 ,且存在一定地理分布规律。结合社会经济的统计资料 ,分析发现城镇扩展与不断增加的城镇人口、GDP极显著相关 ,各乡镇单位城镇面积创造的GDP有较大的差异。     

Characterization of an Insoluble and Soluble Form of Melanin Produced by Streptomyces cavourensis SV 21, a Sea Cucumber Associated Bacterium

Melanin is a widely distributed and striking dark-colored pigment produced by countless living organisms. Although a wide range of bioactivities have been recognized, there are still major constraints in using melanin for biotechnological applications such as its fragmentary known chemical structure and its insolubility in inorganic and organic solvents. In this study, a bacterial culture of Streptomyces cavourensis SV 21 produced two distinct forms of melanin: (1) a particulate, insoluble form as well as (2) a rarely observed water-soluble form. The here presented novel, acid-free purification protocol of purified particulate melanin (PPM) and purified dissolved melanin (PDM) represents the basis for an in-depth comparison of their physicochemical and biological properties, which were compared to the traditional acid-based precipitation of melanin (AM) and to a synthetic melanin standard (SM). Our data show that the differences in solubility between PDM and PPM in aqueous solutions may be a result of different adjoining cation species, since the soluble PDM polymer is largely composed of Mg²⁺ ions and the insoluble PPM is dominated by Ca²⁺ ions. Furthermore, AM shared most properties with SM, which is likely attributed to a similar, acid-based production protocol. The here presented gentler approach of purifying melanin facilitates a new perspective of an intact form of soluble and insoluble melanin that is less chemical altered and thus closer to its original biological form.     

Outbreak of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) in lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) in Iceland caused by VHS virus genotype IV

A novel viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) of genotype IV was isolated from wild lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus), brought to a land‐based farm in Iceland, to serve as broodfish. Two groups of lumpfish juveniles, kept in tanks in the same facility, got infected. The virus isolated was identified as VHSV by ELISA and real‐time RT‐PCR. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the glycoprotein (G) gene sequences, may indicate a novel subgroup of VHSV genotype IV. In controlled laboratory exposure studies with this new isolate, there was 3% survival in the I.P. injection challenged group while there was 90% survival in the immersion group. VHSV was not re‐isolated from fish challenged by immersion. In a cohabitation trial, lumpfish infected I.P. (shedders) were placed in tanks with naïve lumpfish as well as naïve Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). 10% of the lumpfish shedders and 43%–50% of the cohabiting lumpfish survived after 4 weeks. 80%–92% of the Atlantic salmon survived, but no viral RNA was detected by real‐time RT‐PCR nor VHSV was isolated from Atlantic salmon. This is the first isolation of a notifiable virus in Iceland and the first report of VHSV of genotype IV in European waters.     

Production of Antibody in Mammary Gland of Pregnant, Non-Lactating and Lactating Cows, Evoked by Polyvalent Antigen with Reference to Dosage and Frequency of Immunization

Sixteen cows were used in a series of experiments to test dose, route and frequency responses in the production of milk and serum agglutinins to a spectrum of 9 proven bovine pathogens. The bacterial species were: Pasteurella multocida (2 isolates), Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus, Streptococcus sp., Corynebacterium sp., Salmonella enteriditis, and Aerobacter aerogenes. Primary immunizations were made either through the teat canal or intramuscularly. “Booster” injections were made through the teat canal. Agglutinins in the blood appeared only after a week or more. In the milk, titers were recorded in 1 or 2 days following primary immunization. Variation of titer in the blood and milk was somewhat independent. In all but 1 cow, antibody was produced against each organism in milk and blood serum. Udder inflammation was observed in the experiments when a 15-day interval separated immunizations. Inflammation was minimal in the experiments employing the 7-day interval of immunization. A positive Whiteside test was observed following most injections, even where no other clinical signs of reaction were seen. The findings are discussed in relation to the previous literature.     

Frequency of isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Staphylococcus intermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from canine skin and ear samples over a 6-year period (1992-1997)

Staphylococcus intermedius (S. intermedius) was isolated from 88.6% and 49.4% of skin and ear samples, respectively, during the years 1992 through 1997, and frequency of isolation remained unchanged. More than 95% of all S. intermedius isolates were susceptible to cephalothin and oxacillin, providing support for empirical treatment of canine skin and ear infections with cephalexin. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) was isolated from 7.5% and 27.8% of skin and ear samples, respectively. The frequency of isolation from skin samples increased over the study period. Because of multidrug-resistant profiles for P. aeruginosa isolates, especially for ear isolates, empirical treatment of P. aeruginosa infections is not advisable.