title: Effectiveness of protected areas for bird conservation depends on guild

text: AIM: Protected areas are key conservation tools intended to increase biodiversity and reduce extinction risks of species and populations. However, the degree to which protected areas achieve their conservation goals is generally unknown for many protected areas worldwide. We assess the effect of protected areas on the abundance of 196 common, resident bird species. If protected areas were beneficial to avian biodiversity, we expect landscapes with a higher proportion of protected areas will have higher densities of species compared to landscapes with no protection. LOCATION: Greater Gauteng region, South Africa. METHODS: We analysed bird survey data collected over regular grid cells across the study area. We estimated bird abundance in relation to the proportion of a grid cell that was protected with the Royle–Nichols model and fitted the model once for each of the species. We examined variation in estimated abundance as a function of avian guild (defined by the type of food a species preferentially ate and its foraging mode) with a regression tree analysis. RESULTS: Abundance was significantly positively related to the proportion of protected areas in grid cells for 26% of the species, significantly negatively related in 15%, and not significantly related in 59% species. We found three distinct guild groups which differed in their average abundance, after accounting for associated variance. Group 1 consisted of guilds frugivores, ground‐feeders, hawkers, predators, and vegivores and average abundance was strongly positively related to the proportion of protected areas. Group 2 included granivores, and average abundance was strongly negatively related to proportion of protected areas. Group 3 included gleaners only, and average abundance was not related to proportion of protected areas. MAIN CONCLUSION: We conclude that the network of protected areas within the greater Gauteng region sustained relatively higher abundances of common birds and thus perform an important conservation role.


Literature review of baseline information to support the risk assessment of RNAi‐based GM plants


title: O3 highlights

text: As the third LIGO–Virgo operating run (O3) finishes earlier than planned owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, we look at the ups and down of the past 12 months.


Laboratory‐derived formulations of Echinacea angustifolia roots lack preventive and treatment efficacy against experimental rhinovirus infections of healthy volunteers


FEMS laboratory course on biology of actinomycetes: Osnabrück, Germany, 31 August–13 September 1992


Booklist no. 84 September 1988


title: The control of necrotic enteritis in sucking piglets by means of a Clostridium perfringens toxoid vaccine

text: Necrotic enteritis in sucking piglets constitutes a serious problem in piglet rearing units because of the high morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. The primary causal agent is Clostridium perfringens type C. The β‐toxin plays a decisive role in the pathogenesis of this disease. A toxoid vaccine for use in sows has been developed and studied in field trials. The European Pharmacopoeia Monograph on vaccines for use in animals lays down a method of the efficacy testing based on the immunization of rabbits, the collection of pooled sera and the subsequent assay of anti‐toxin antibodies in mice using an appropriate test toxin. The vaccine is regarded as effective if it induces a minimum of 10 IU of β‐anti‐toxin per ml of rabbit serum. We have established a range of 17.14–98.23 IU β‐anti‐toxin per ml rabbit serum induced by a sample of C. perfringens toxoid vaccine. The vaccine has been used under field conditions in different rearing units at the same time, mostly in the form of emergency vaccinations following the outbreak of disease. The outcome of vaccination was evaluated by recording the total numbers of piglets born alive and the piglet losses. Use of the vaccine, coupled with other measures, resulted in an approximately 30% reduction in the number of losses.


title: Conservation Genetics and the Management of Endangered Fishes

text: The emerging field of endangered fishes management has yet to fully incorporate conservation genetics into recovery programs. Genetic aspects of small populations must be considered at the outset of management programs in order to maximize probability of their long‐term survival and continued adaptability. Total genetic variance of a species consists of within population genetic diversity, and the differences found among populations; both types of variance should be maintained to maximize adaptive flexibility of endangered fishes. Forces that erode genetic variation include small population size, population bottlenecks, genetic drift, inbreeding depression, artificial selection in captivity, and mixing of distinct genetic stocks. These can lead to increased homozygosity, loss of quantitative variation, and exposure of deleterious recessive alleles, all of which may reduce fitness. Suggestions for genetically sound management of endangered fishes include genetic monitoring of natural and captive populations, use of large numbers for captive breeding where feasible, selective mating to avoid inbreeding where necessary, minimization of time in captivity, and separate maintenance of distinct stocks.


title: Indicator organisms for estuarine and marine waters

text: Abstract The use of indicator organisms for estuarine and coastal waters has been reviewed. The natural flora of the environment must be considered in selecting an indicator organism, but, more importantly, recent work which shows a viable but non‐recoverable stage of pathogens entering the marine environment demonstrates that the conventional detection of indicator microorganisms is misleading, if not inaccurate. Results suggest that the newly developed epifluorescent/immunofluorescent direct detection of pathogens in the environment may be the most reliable method for determining public health hazards in marine and estuarine waters.


title: Auf alles gefasst sein

text: Von der Prävention zur Preparedness: Kulturanthropologen werfen einen neuen Blick auf Pandemien als globalisierte und globalisierende Erkrankungen. Virusinfektionen wie SARS sollen über die medizinische Dimension hinaus umfassend verstanden und bekämpft werden.


title: Spatial and temporal patterns in summer ichthyoplankton assemblages on the eastern Bering Sea shelf 1996–2007

text: Larval and early juvenile fishes were sampled from the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) shelf from 2001 to 2005, and in 2007. Data from these collections were used to examine spatial and temporal patterns in species assemblage structure and abundance. The years 2001–2005 were unusual because the EBS water temperature was ‘warm’ compared with the long‐term mean temperature. In contrast, 2007 was a ‘cold’ year. The abundance of the five most numerous taxa at 12 stations common to all years sampled (1996–2005, 2007) were significantly different among years. Larval and early juvenile stage Theragra chalcogramma (walleye pollock), a commercially important gadid, were by far the most abundant fish in all years. Bottom depth alone best explained assemblage structure in most years, but in others, bottom depth and water column temperature combined and percent sea‐ice coverage were most important. Abundance of T. chalcogramma larvae increases with water column temperature until 5°C and then becomes level. Higher abundances of Gadus macrocephalus (Pacific cod) larvae occur in years with the greatest percent sea‐ice cover as indicated by GAM analysis. Larvae of Lepidopsetta polyxystra (northern rock sole) increase in abundance with increasing maximum wind speed, but decrease at a later date during the last winter storm. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that oceanographic conditions, specifically water temperature and sea‐ice coverage, affect the spatial and temporal pattern of larval abundances. In general, ichthyoplankton species assemblages can be important early indicators of environmental change in the Bering Sea and potentially other subarctic seas as well.


Herbal Medicine


Booklist no.41


title: Lipid microdomains are important for the entry process of SARS coronavirus to target cells

text: Cholesterol‐enriched microdomains known as lipid rafts have been shown to be important for the life cycle of several viruses. Here, we investigated whether cholesterol is important during the initial steps of SARS‐CoV spike (S) glycoprotein‐mediated entry. Vero cells were treated with the cholesterol sequestering drug methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (mβCD) and then exposed to SARS‐CoV and Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotyped with SARS‐CoV spike glycoprotein (VSV‐ΔG‐S). Furthermore, a cell‐based binding assay and a binding assay with soluble S protein demonstrated that the binding of S to its receptor angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is affected by cholesterol depletion and that multi‐ligand interactions might be important for the entry process of SARS‐CoV to target cells. Confocal laser microscopy studies and a membrane flotation assay in Vero cells show that the SARS‐CoV receptor is organized within lipid microdomains and cholesterol depletion results in a reduction of ACE2 in the buoyant detergent resistant membrane fraction after Triton‐X 100 solubilization. Further attempts are directed to understand the molecular role of cholesterol during the initial steps of SARS‐CoV life cycle.


Proteases


Liquid lunch – vampire bats feed on invasive feral pigs and other ungulates


title: Navigating the Science-Action Labyrinth

text: Traditionally, scientists assimilate knowledge to inform decision makers. But as sustainability concerns increase, some are seeking other ways to more directly make a difference. In this Voices, we ask scientists about how they see their role in global society and the complex landscape of converting science to action.


title: Advances in Characterizing Recently-Identified Molecular Actions of Melatonin: Clinical Implications

text: Melatonin, N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine, was discovered to be a product of serotonin metabolism in the mammalian pineal gland where its synthesis is under control of the light:dark cycle. Besides its regulatory pathway involving ganglion cells in the retina, the neural connections between the eyes and the pineal gland include the master circadian clock, the suprachiasmatic nuclei, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. Since pineal melatonin is released into the blood and into the cerebrospinal fluid, it has access to every cell in an organism and it mediates system-wide effects. Subsequently, melatonin was found in several extrapineal organs and, more recently, perhaps in every cell of every organ. In contrast to the pinealocytes, non-pineal cells do not discharge melatonin into the blood; rather it is used locally in an intracrine, autocrine, or paracrine manner. Melatonin levels in non-pineal cells do not exhibit a circadian rhythm and do not depend on circulating melatonin concentrations although when animals are treated with exogenous melatonin it is taken up by presumably all cells. Mitochondria are the presumed site of melatonin synthesis in all cells; the enzymatic machinery for melatonin synthesis has been identified in mitochondria. The association of melatonin with mitochondria, because of its ability to inhibit oxidative stress, is very fortuitous since these organelles are a major site of damaging reactive oxygen species generation. In this review, some of the actions of non-pineal-derived melatonin are discussed in terms of cellular and subcellular physiology.


Selections from the current literature


Virtual special issue computers in human behavior technology enhanced distance learning should not forget how learning happens


Dépistage du cancer du col : quand le test HPV s’impose au remboursement « sécu »


Virus Covid-19 : les biologistes s’arment pour le dépistage de masse


Brave New World


Auch Kinder können schwer an COVID-19 erkranken


Neue EBM-Leistung bei mittel- und unmittelbarem Kontakt


"Der generelle Verzicht auf Ibuprofen ist nicht begründet!"


Buchtipps


title: The Way Forward

text: The concentration of rare earth element in any geological environment alone does not make it suitable for commercial mining. The ease of exploitation is commonly dictated by favourable geological setting, ore grade, tonnage, existing processing technology, costs and attendant environmental concerns including local people. These aspects need to be assessed properly before commencing exploitation. Apart from strengthening downstream sector, upstream sector also need to be developed for identifying and quantifying additional natural resources to sustain “Rare Earth Industry Chain”. This endeavour may also involve innovative groups at the interface of information technology and the minerals, metals and materials engineering domains (cf. Pradip et al. 2019). Assessment of effective recovery of REE and associated metals from industrial wastes and mine dumps, comprising ‘Technospheric mining’, should continue to receive focussed attention. The indigenous manufacturing of intermediate products need to be augmented with matching progressive growth of technological advancements. Industrially speaking, promotion of the “Rare Earth Industry” should be an integral part of the present programme of “Make in India” (Singh 2019). In this regard, a beginning can be made by the AMD-IREL-BARC-NFC-DMRL-ARCI combine. To achieve this goal, several of the industrial partners like Aluminium extraction, Thermal Power Plants, Fertiliser Plants, different Mining Agencies and Steel Plants can also be involved as partners. Also, India can promote its ties with countries, as has been established now with Japan for improving its domain knowledge and new technologies for both upstream and downstream processes of the “Indian Rare Earth Industry”. Significantly, according to REAI News (2020), “2020 looks to be a pivotal year for rare earths”.


The changing face of bovine Cryptosporidiosis


4 Contaminant Control


title: Age‐Associated Lesions in Barrier‐Reared Male Sprague‐Dawley Rats: A Comparison Between Hap: (SD) and Crl:COBS([R])CD([R]) (SD)Stocks,

text: Age‐associated lesions were characterized in two outbred stocks of barrier‐reared male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Seventy‐two virgin Hap:(SD) between 6–29 months of age and 113 retired breeder Crl:COBS([R])CD([R])(SD) between 12–38 months of age were evaluated for the presence of lesions in all major organ systems. Rats of both stocks developed a spectrum of neoplastic, inflammatory and degenerative diseases with highest prevalence in the oldest age groups. In general, the shorter‐lived Hap:(SD) rats had greater incidences and severity of lesions when compared to Crl:COBS([R])CD([R])SD of similar ages. Many of these differences were not apparent when the two stocks were compared over their respective life spans. The study provides baseline pathology data relevant to the use of these rats in gerontologic research.


title: Nestedness of habitat specialists within habitat generalists in a butterfly assemblage

text: 1. The habitat requirements of a species are the resources, conditions and space required for survival and reproduction. The habitat requirements of butterflies have been well studied, but the extent to which individuals within a species and between species utilise and share the habitat is poorly known. 2. In a butterfly assemblage in northern Italy, we found that adults from 30 species avoid deciduous high‐density forests and their ecotones, and they were positively related to open areas and their ecotones. Besides these common features, five groups of species can be discriminated in relation to a gradient from open area to forest, and species within groups were not equally specialised, as observed from a bipartite network analysis. In particular, some species appeared to be specialised and others appeared to be generalist, suggesting a nested pattern of resource use, rather than a clustered pattern in which each species uses a different subset of habitat types. 3. The degree of variation in specialisation among species varied with the number of species falling in each group. Thus, an increased number of species, and thus possibly competition, is more likely to promote the co‐occurrence of generalist and specialised species (nested patterns) rather than an increased niche segregation among species. 4. Ascertaining how species overlap their habitat use at a local scale can be relevant for conservation purposes, because specialised populations are potentially more susceptible to network distortions.


title: Captive breeding of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in North American zoos (1871–1986)

text: The African cheetah has been bred in North American zoological facilities since 1956. The captive population has since grown to around 200 animals because of a combined increase in importation plus captive births. From 1982 to 1986, the captive birth rate declined by 50%, primarily because of a low frequency of breeding individuals in the population. The 1986 population had an effective breeding size of 28.1 in a total population of over 193 cheetahs. The incidence of infant mortality has been high (36.7%) relative to other zoo‐bred species, perhaps as a consequence of the previously observed genetic impoverishment of the species. The combination of low fecundity, high infant mortality, and population dynamics indicates that the North American captive cheetah population is neither a self‐sustaining nor a theoretically “viable population” as defined by Soule et al. [ZOO BIOLOGY 5:101–114, 1986]. Possible recommendations for improving captive cheetah propagation are discussed.


title: North American Species Survival Plan for Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus

text: The North American Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus has developed a cooperative and comprehensive research plan for the long‐term management of the species. Networking with zoos, field biologists and scientists, the SSP has managed the captive population from a situation that was clearly not self‐sustaining into a well‐defined, growing population. This paper describes the development of the SSP and its long‐range goals.


title: THE FAUNISTIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SCARP OF ANGOLA

text: 1.. The geographical features, in particular the western escarpment, and the climate and vegetation of western Angola combine to divide the area into three avifaunal zones. 2.. An unusual relationship exists between some related forms of different zones. This is illustrated by two groups of examples in which the characters of the forms are summarised, their distribution is shown on maps, and an attempt is made to interpret in evolutionary terms the picture presented. 3.. Endemic or near‐endemic forms of the Escarpment Zone are listed with some notes on their affinities with other species. 4.. The botanical history of the area is discussed in relation to the conclusions reached on the evolution of the birds. 5.. The Escarpment Zone of Angola has been of considerable importance in the evolution of species in western Africa, south of the Equator.


title: Management and husbandry of duikers at the Los Angeles Zoo

text: The Los Angeles Zoo has maintained and managed six different species of forest duikers since 1975. Over the years we have achieved relative success with the majority of these species. The maintenance and breeding of duikers has proved to be difficult at best. The major problems that we have experienced concern diet, stress‐related medical conditions, neonatal mortality, and postanesthetic pneumonia. As concentrate selectors, duikers have a diet relatively low in fiber, a well‐developed ability to forage selectively, a rumen bypass that is functionally important, a rapid passage and high fermentation rate for starch, and frequently encountered toxins. From an examination of the captive diet of duikers it is evident that the domestic fruits fed to duikers in captivity are not well suited for them. Duikers are highly susceptible to the slightest amount of stress. The group size in which duikers are managed has proved to be critical in the successful management of these species. In our earlier years of duiker management we often kept five or more animals together in a single exhibit. This would at times result in stress‐related jaw abscesses. Our group size has since been reduced to no more than three animals in any one exhibit. Since 1977, the Los Angeles Zoo has had 92 duiker births. The survival rate past 6 months of age has been 61%. Of the 36 neonatal deaths, 42% were stillborn or died within a few hours of birth. Hypothermia and maternal neglect have been linked to infant mortality. Duikers are also easily prone to capture myopathy and regurgitation during anesthesia or capture, which can often lead to aspiration pneumonia. If at all possible, the capture and restraint of a duiker should be avoided. However, there are times when the capture or restraint (chemically or manually) of a duiker is required. Zoo Biol 21:107–121, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


title: Clinical Forum: Control of the Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex

text: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex remains a significant cause of calf morbidity and mortality in both dairy and beef production in the UK. The respiratory tract offers a vulnerable interphase between the animal and the viruses and commensal bacteria involved in the complex. The defence systems of the respiratory tract are described and the main factors that impair these are explained, allowing a systematic farm specific approach to the management and prevention of BRD to be developed. The article is further informed by the experience and views of four bovine practitioners.


5 Health Effects


Speaker abstracts


Award Abstracts presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 2004


Self Assessment


title: Opportunities and challenges for promoting health in a changing world

text: ISSUE ADDRESSED: A recent review of priorities for the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation's (Healthway) strategic plan provided us with an opportunity to consider the global context within which health promotion practitioners and policy makers are now operating and implications for current policy and practice in Australia. METHODS: Literature review (1998–2003). RESULTS: With some minor modification, risk factors and major causes of death and disability have, by and large, remained much the same since 1998. However, promoting health at the beginning of the 21st century is not the same as promoting health five years ago. A number of global events and trends have practical implications for health promotion policy and practice. CONCLUSION: This was not meant to be a comprehensive review, but rather an overview to stimulate debate and discussion. We conclude that since our earlier review of health priorities in 1998, “nothing has changed, but everything has changed”. In a changing global context, there needs to be: greater emphasis on advocacy to create supportive environments, healthy public policy and legislation; partnerships with sectors outside of health to tackle social determinants of health; and leadership development to facilitate individuals and groups to address these important issues. SO WHAT? There needs to be greater emphasis on building effective partnerships to tackkle social determinants of health, as well as leadership development to facilitate participation by disadvantage groups and advocacy for policy and legislative change. Moreover, the field needs to keep abreast with technological changes that will present challenges and opportunities for communicating with target groups.


title: A systematic approach to calf Gastroenteric disease

text: Gastrointestinal disease represents one of the most significant problems in calf health accounting for up to 50% of the mortality in pre‐weaned dairy heifer calves. The multifactorial nature of disease process necessitates a systematic approach to on farm investigations to ensure correct diagnosis and enable the implementation of appropriate management changes. This article describes a stepwise approach in which the disease process is characterised and its pattern described. Having next identified factors impacting on mucosal health and immunity and potential bio security breakdowns; targeted diagnostics testing can be performed allowing therapeutic and management recommendations to be made.


title: Effect of soil and physiographic factors on ecological plant groups in the eastern Elborz mountain rangeland of Iran

text: To investigate the cause of differences among ecological plant groups in the east of the Elborz mountain rangeland, the role of edaphical and topographical characteristics was considered. Two ordination techniques, detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), were used. The values of slope, aspect, altitude and lithology information were provided by Geographic Information System (GIS), and geomorphological land units were determined by intersection of overlaid data layers. Plant sampling was undertaken within nine land units with similar lithology and altitude but which differed in slope and aspect, using 30 randomly selected 1 m(2) plots per land unit. Soil samples were taken from two depths (0–20 and 20–50 cm) in each plot. Organic matter, bulk density, texture, calcium carbonate, total nitrogen and available phosphorus and potassium contents were determined. The results indicated that plant species have different responses to edaphical and topographical parameters. The invader species group had a balanced amount of influence from all soil components and topographic factors, whereas the native grasses were located in productive soils, which typically have a low grazing intensity, such as the north facing slopes. Coniferous bushy trees, cushion plants and some shrub plant groups were found on steep slopes with alkaline soils. The broad‐leaved bushy trees plant group was abundant in fine texture soils on low and humid slopes.


Diagnosis of calf diarrhoea: a different perspective?


title: The Natural History of a Nearctic Temporary Pond in Ontario with Remarks on Continental Variation in such Habitats

text: The seasonal succession of members of the invertebrate community of a temporary vernal pond in southern Ontario is described. Although succession was essentially continuous, 5 faunal groups are suggested, based on time of appearance and duration of active forms in the pond. Some species were found during virtually the entire aquatic phase, while others completed their life cycles in only 2‐3 weeks. Analysis of growth rates revealed many different patterns between species and groups. Analysis of community structure in terms of trophic status indicated shifts which coincided with the seasonal occurrence of the pond's potential food resources. Comparison of this fauna with that of a similar pond on Vancouver Island, British Columbia (some 2,400 km to the west) showed many similarities in niche occupancy, including 6 species in common. The biological characteristics leading to the success of these cosmopolitan species in temporary aquatic habitats is discussed.


title: Conservation of hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae) requires complementary resources at the landscape and local scales

text: 1. Accumulating evidence shows that landscape fragmentation drives the observed worldwide decline in populations of pollinators, particularly in species of Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. However, Little is known about the effects of landscape fragmentation on hoverfly (Diptera, Syrphidae) communities. Hoverflies provide varied ecosystem services: larvae contribute to waste decomposition (saprophagous species) and pest control (aphidophagous species), and adults pollinate a wide range of flowers. 2. To determine how the diversity and quantity of resources for larvae and adults affect hoverfly abundance and species richness at three spatial scales, we recorded insect visitors of five target plant species in Belgian heathlands, habitats that have decreased considerably due to human activities. 3. Hoverflies represented the most abundant visitors on two plant species, and the second most abundant visitors (after bumblebees) on the other target plant species. A large proportion of hoverflies observed were aphidophagous species associated with coniferous and deciduous forests. Resources for the larvae and floral resources for the adults influenced interactions among hoverflies and plants, but acted at different scales: larval habitat availability (distance to larval habitat) was relevant at the landscape scale, whereas adult resource availability (floral density) was relevant at the plot scale. 4. Hoverfly abundance and species richness decreased with distance to larval habitat but increased with floral density. Moreover, landscape structure and composition had different effects according to hoverfly ecological traits. Landscape composition influenced aphidophagous but not saprophagous hoverflies, in that their abundance and species richness decreased with distance to forests. Maintenance of the interactions between plants and their hoverfly visitors requires complementary resources at both landscape and local scales.


Cattle Review


title: Influence of Hydrological Factors on the Seasonal Abundance of Phytoplankton in Kinjhar Lake, Pakistan

text: The correlation of various hydrological factors with the distribution of phytoplankton and bacteria has been studied in Kinjhar Lake, situated 120 km north of Karachi. This lake is highly eutrophic, containing rich concentrations of nutrients, but the temporal distribution of phytoplankton was generally related to the variations of light and temperature. The effects of light and temperature are perhaps modified by nutrients, particularly when nitrogen and phosphorus are present in surprisingly low concentrations. The effect of mechanical disturbances in the artificial lake also has a significant effect on the growth of phytoplankton and indirectly on consumers, especially fishes.


ASCIA 2014 Clinical Ground Rounds Abstracts


GASTROENTEROLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA


title: An outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in a nursing home: Lessons to learn

text: Hong Kong experienced an epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) from March to June 2003. Nursing homes were a potential area of cross‐infection because of the crowded living space, substandard environmental hygiene, inadequate ventilation, low working staff to resident ratio, and staff who lacked knowledge of infection control. The mortality in elderly SARS patients was high because of their atypical presentations, their multiple comorbidities, and that they are more susceptible to the side‐effects of treatment. The community geriatric assessment team need to work closely with the hospitals and the primary health care system to provide surveillance of the disease, infection control, and management of sub‐acute clinical problems, in order to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions in nursing home residents during an epidemic outbreak.


Abstracts 767 to 1019


Poster Abstracts


title: Phylogeny of the deep‐sea cirripede family Scalpellidae (Crustacea, Thoracica) based on shell capitular plate morphology

text: A cladistic analysis of 23 extant species of the deep‐sea pedunculate cirripede family Scalpellidae was undertaken, based on 61 shell plate characters, and taking the Jurassic–Cretaceous scalpellomorph genus C retiscalpellum as an out‐group. The consensus tree shows progressive morphological change from basal to more derived taxa, but a derived group is marked by major morphological innovation, including 27 character state changes that permit subdivision of the family into two sharply demarcated clades – the more basal group is here placed within a redefined Scalpellinae (A rcoscalpellum, A rcuatoscalpellum gen. nov., D iotascalpellum gen. nov., G raviscalpellum, R egioscalpellum gen. nov., and S calpellum), and a more derived group named A migdoscalpellinae subfam. nov. that shows numerous progressive trends in morphology, permitting the recognition of three genera (A migdoscalpellum, C atherinum, and W eltnerium). The phylogeny is independently supported by a recently published multiple DNA marker‐based molecular phylogeny. The more basal Scalpellinae appeared in the Aptian (Early Cretaceous, 120 Mya), and derived Amigdoscalpellinae were already present by the Campanian (Late Cretaceous, 78 Mya), represented by C atherinum anglicum sp. nov. and A migdoscalpellum bellulum from the UK Chalk. Specialized receptacles to accommodate dwarf males in the apical interior of the scutum evolved at least three times during the history of the scalpellids. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London


title: Conservation strategies for the long‐term survival of the Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus by the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Windhoek

text: The Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus is declining throughout its range because of loss of habitat, a declining prey base and competition with livestock interests. Throughout Africa there are less than 15 000 animals remaining. The largest wild population of Cheetahs is in Namibia, although in the last 12 years numbers have been reduced by half to c. 2500 animals. Significant declines have continued as farmers capture and remove Cheetahs as ‘pests’. Established in 1990, the Cheetah Conservation Fund aims to secure habitats for the long‐term survival of the species and its ecosystems. The primary focus of the Fund is working outside of the protected reserves with the local livestock farming communities to develop ways to reduce conflict between humans and Cheetahs. The Fund also conducts independent and collaborative research, disseminates information and recommends management techniques to farmers.


title: Distinct spread of DNA and RNA viruses among mammals amid prominent role of domestic species

text: AIM: Emerging infectious diseases arising from pathogen spillover from mammals to humans constitute a substantial health threat. Tracing virus origin and predicting the most likely host species for future spillover events are major objectives in One Health disciplines. We assessed patterns of virus sharing among a large diversity of mammals, including humans and domestic species. LOCATION: Global. TIME PERIOD: Current. MAJOR TAXA STUDIED: Mammals and associated viruses. METHODS: We used network centrality analysis and trait‐based Bayesian hierarchical models to explore patterns of virus sharing among mammals. We analysed a global database that compiled the associations between 1,785 virus species and 725 mammalian host species as sourced from automatic screening of meta‐data accompanying published nucleotide sequences between 1950 and 2019. RESULTS: We show that based on current evidence, domesticated mammals hold the most central positions in networks of known mammal–virus associations. Among entire host–virus networks, Carnivora and Chiroptera hold central positions for mainly sharing RNA viruses, whereas ungulates hold central positions for sharing both RNA and DNA viruses with other host species. We revealed strong evidence that DNA viruses were phylogenetically more host specific than RNA viruses. RNA viruses exhibited low functional host specificity despite an overall tendency to infect phylogenetically related species, signifying high potential to shift across hosts with different ecological niches. The frequencies of sharing viruses among hosts and the proportion of zoonotic viruses in hosts were larger for RNA than for DNA viruses. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Acknowledging the role of domestic species in addition to host and virus traits in patterns of virus sharing is necessary to improve our understanding of virus spread and spillover in times of global change. Understanding multi‐host virus‐sharing pathways adds focus to curtail disease spread.


THE ROYAL AUSTRALASIAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS


Effects of Microbes on the Immune System Cytotoxic Cells Nutrition and Immunology


Cattle immunology: vaccination and immunological testing


Author's reply to Weijers et al. “Fibrin β(15–42) domain is cryptic in intact fibrinogen: comment on the study by A. Sahni et al.”


title: Porcine respiratory disease complex Part 4: Viral infection

text: In this fourth article in a series on porcine respiratory disease, we look at the role of viral infection in the disease picture. By understanding the role and biology of the various agents that may be involved, and applying appropriate diagnostic and monitoring techniques, a rational approach to control can be applied.


Implications of Emerging Pathogens in the Management of Haemophilia


Hepatology highlights


title: Gorilla adaptations to naturalistic environments

text: In the past few decades there have been increased investigations into the effects of captive environments on behavior. Simultaneously, zoological gardens have undergone a revolution in philosophy and design, resulting in a proliferation of “naturalistic” habitats. Complex environments such as these have been found to affect the behavior of captive animals favorably, including increasing reproductive and rearing success, encouraging the expression of species‐typical behavior patterns, and decreasing abnormal behaviors. In June 1988, Zoo Atlanta completed four naturalistic habitats for western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). These new habitats afforded a unique opportunity to study the adaptation of lowland gorillas to novel, naturalistic habitats. During the first year of habitation, a total of 451 hours of data were collected on 11 gorillas housed in three harem groups. Focal animal sampling with a behavioral change scoring system was used to obtain information on behavior, substrate, environmental components utilized, and location in sun or shade. Instantaneous scans at 15 minute intervals provided information on location and behavior of all individuals. Adaptation to the environments was assessed by using the indices of: time spent manipulating objects across the course of the study, the percent of the habitats utilized, and the dispersal of individual animals over the habitats. Trends in these behaviors indicated that exploration of the environments significantly decreased, but that this decline in exploration took over six months to occur. Several interpretations of these findings are presented including the unfamiliarity of these naturalistic habitats to these subjects.


Invited Symposia


title: Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) Virus: IV. Propagation in Suckling Rat and Hamster Brain

text: SUMMARY: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus grown in suckling mouse brain was shown to multiply in the brains of one day‐old laboratory rats and hamsters using the direct immunofluorescence test on smear preparations. In suckling rats retardation in growth was consistently observed from the third day post infection, which could be inhibited by a feline anti‐FIP virus immune serum. Specificity was assessed by repeated passages in the rat and hamster, by indirect immunofluorescence and by successful passage back into suckling mice. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Virus der felinen infektiósen Peritonitis (FIP) IV. Vermehrung im Gehirn von Sáuglingsratten und ‐hamstern Mit Hilfe der direkten Immunofluoreszenz in Abklatschpráparaten wurde die Vermehrung von an Sáuglingsmáuse adaptiertem Felinem Infektiósen Peritonitis (FIP) Virus im Gehirn von eintágigen Laboratoriumsratten und ‐hamstern nachgewiesen. Vom dritten Tage post infectionem an wurde bei den Sáuglingsratten eine Verzógerung im Wachstum beobachtet, die sich mit Hilfe eines anti FIP‐Virus Immunserums der Katze hemmen ließ. Zum Spezifiztátsnachweis wurden die Ratten‐ und Hamsterpassagen wiederholt, indirekte Immunofluoreszenztests durchgefúhrt und eine Rúckpassage in Sáuglingsmáusen mit Erfolg durchgefúhrt. RÉSUMÉ: Le virus de la péritonite infectieuse du chat (FIP) IV. Multiplication dans le cerveau du rat et du hamster nouveau‐né La multiplication du virus de la péritonite infectieuse féline (FIP) adapté au cerveau de la souris nouveau‐née est montrée dans les cerveaux de rats et de hamsters d'un jour, utilisant le test d'immunofluorescence sur des préparations empreintes. Retardation de croissance est observée chez des rats à partir du troisième jour après l'infection; cette retardation pouvait être empêchée par un sérum félin dirigé contre le virus FIP. La spécificité êtait montrée dans des passages répétés chez des rats et des hamsters par l'immunofluorescence indirecte et par nouvels passages de ce virus dans des souris nouveau‐nés. RESUMEN: Virus de la peritonitis infecciosa felina (FIP) IV. Multiplicación viral en el cerebro de ratas y de hámsters recién‐nacidos Mediante la técnica de inmunofluorescencia se comprobó la multiplicación del virus FIP (previamente adaptado en cerebro de ratones recién‐nacidos), en preparados cerebrales de presión en portaobjetos, en el cerebro de ratas de laboratorio y el cerebro de hámsters de un día de edad. Tras el transcurso de 3 días p. i. fué notable un retraso de crecimiento en las ratas infectadas. Este proceso de retardo de crecimiento podía ser contrarrestado mediante el uso de un suero felino, inmuno anti‐FIP. Repetición de pasajes intracerebrales en ratas y hámsters con el virus FIP y su detección mediante la inmunofluorescencia indirecta, como también un retropasaje eficaz del virus FIP en ratones mamones, sirvieron para la verificación de la especificidad.


title: Case Study: Calf Pneumonia

text: This article describes the investigation of a calf pneumonia outbreak in a dairy herd and the practical steps taken to treat sick animals, as well as improve overall calf management. High levels of morbidity meant a blanket treatment approach with antibiotics and NSAIDs was taken for all calves. Key management changes were made in calving pens, colostrum management was improved, changes to ventilation in calf sheds were made, and a protocol for feeding calves was drawn up.


title: Book reviews

text: Book reviewed in this article: Aids AND Other Manifestations OF HIV Infection (1992). Edited by Gary P. Wormser. Bacterial Meningitis (1992). Edited by H. Schonfeld and H. Helwig. Genetic Diversity OF RNA Viruses (1992). Edited by J.J. Holland. International Code OF Nomenclature OF Bacteri (1990 Revision) (1992). Edited by P.H.A. Sneath. Stedman's Bergey's Bacteria Words (1992). Edited by J.G. Holt, M.A. Bruns, B.J. Caldwell and C.D. Pease. Animals, Pathogens AND THE Environment (1991). Veterinary Public Health (1991). Veterinary Public Health (1991).


title: Versuche zur Entwicklung einer Immunprophylaxe gegen die übertragbare Gastroenteritis (TGE) der Schweine: III. Passiver Immuntransfer nach oraler Impfung trächtiger Sauen mit dem attenuierten TGE‐Virusstamm Bl

text: ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Mit dem über 300 Passagen in Schilddrüsenzellkulturen vom Schwein attenuierten TGE‐Virusstamm Bl wurden 14 trächtige Sauen zweimal etwa 5 Wochen und 2 Wochen vor dern Geburtstermin oral und oronasal immunisiert. Die orale Applikation des Impfstoffes erfolgte in säurefesten Kapseln; alle Sauen bildeten TGE‐Virusantikörper in Serum, Kolostrum und Milch. Die Auftrennung der Immunglobuline von Kolostrum und Milchproben ergab, daß nach Immunisierung ein hoher IgA‐Anteil in der Gammaglobulinfraktion stimuliert wird. Nach Aufnahme von Kolostrum und Milch von Sauen, die mit flüssigem Virusmaterial in Kapseln oral oder oronasal immunisiert worden waren, waren 90 % der Ferkel (78 von 87 Tieren) gegen eine Testinfektion mit 100–500 LD(50) des TGE‐Virusstammes Miller geschützt. Die meisten Ferkel zaigten lediglich schwachen bis mittelgradigen Durchfall nach der Testinfektion. In den Würfen mit Todesfällen waren stärkere Erkrankungen die Regel. Nach oraler Kapselapplikation von Viruslyophilisat in Pulverform betrug die Schutzrate nur 50 % (7 von 14 Ferkeln). Von der zu Vergleichszwecken mit einer kommerziellen Vakzine parenteral immunisierten Sau überlebte nur eins von 10 Ferkeln nach Testinfektion. Die Ergebnisse werden im Hinblick auf eine Verwendung des Stammes Bl als Lebendimpfstoff für die Bekämpfung der TGE diskutiert. SUMMARY: Attempts to develop an immunoprophylaxis against Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE) in pigs III. Passive immune transfer after oral vaccination with the attenuated TGE virus strain Bl Using the TGE virus strain Bl that had been attenuated during 300 passages in porcine thyroid cell cultures 14 pregnant sows were orally and oronasally immunized twice — 5 and 2 weeks before parturition. The application of the vaccine was carried out in acid‐stable capsules. All sows developed antibodies against TGE virus in serum, colostrum and milk. The separation of immunoglobulins in colostrum and milk showed that high IgA levels are stimulated in the gammaglobulin fraction after immunization. After intake of colostrum and milk from sows, which were immunized orally and oronasally with fluid virus material in capsules, 90 % of the piglets (78 out of 87 animals) were protected against a challenge infection with 100–500 LD(50). Most of the piglets showed diarrhea after challenge. Only in litters with fatal cases was a profuse diarrhea observed regularly. After oral capsule application of viral lyophilisate in powder form the protection rate was only 50 % (7 out of 14 piglets). Only one of ten piglets from a sow immunized parenterally with a commercially available vaccine for comparative reasons survived the challenge. The results are discussed with respect to the use of strain Bl as live vaccine in the control of TGE. RÉSUMÉ: Développement d'une immunoprophylaxie contre la gastroentérite transmissible du porc (TGE) III. Immunotransfert passif après vaccination de truies gestantes par voie orale avec la souche TGE atténuée Bl En utilisant la souche TGE Bl, qui avait été atténuée par 300 passages en cultures de cellules de la thyroide porcine, 14 truies gestantes étaient immunisées par voie orale et oronasale environ 5 et 2 semaines avant la date de naissance. Le vaccin était appliqué en capsules inattaquables par les acides; toutes les truies développaient des anticorps anti‐TGE dans le sérum, le colostrum et le lait. Après immunisation et séparation des immunoglobulines colostrales et lactiques une fraction importante de l'IgA était retrouvée dans les gammaglobulines. Protection contre une infection expérimentale avec 100–500 unités LD(50) de la souche TGE Miller a été obtenue en 90 % (78 de 87 animaux) des porcelets qui avaient reçu du colostrum et du lait provenant des truies immunisées par voie orale ou oronasale (suspension virale encapsulée). Après infection, la plupart des porcelets ne montrait qu'une diarrhée faible ou moyenne. Des signes cliniques plus sévères étaient observés dans les portées avec mortalité. Une protection de seulement 50 % (7 sur 14 porcelets) était constatée après application du virus lyophilisé en capsules par voie orale. Dans le but de comparaison une truie avait été immunisée avec un vaccine commercial par voie parentérale; seul un porcelet sur dix animaux infectés était protégé contre une infection expérimentale. Les résultats de ces expériences sont discutés par rapport à l'utilisation de la souche Bl comme vaccin vivant contre la TGE. RESUMEN: Desarrollo de una inmunoprofilaxis contra la gastroenteritis transmisible del cerdo (TGE) III. Inmunotransferencia pasiva tras vacunación oral de cerdas preñadas con la TGE atenuada Bl Utilizando la cepa virósica TGE Bl, atenuada por medio de 300 pasajes en cultivos de células tiroideas porcinas, se inmunizaron 14 cerdas gestantes 5 y 2 semanas antes de la fecha del parto por vía oral y oronasal. La vacuna fué aplicada en cápsulas ácidorresistentes; todas las cerdas formaban anticuerpos anti‐TGE en el suero sanguíneo, calostro y leche. Después de inmunización y separación de las inmunoglobulinas calostrales y lácticas se apreció una fracción importante de IgA en las gammaglobulinas. Se lograba protección en el 90 % de los lechones (78 de 87 animales) contra una infección experimental con 100–500 unidades DL(50) de la cepa TGE Miller si aquellos habían recibido calostro y leche proveniente de cerdas inmunizadas por vía oral u oronasal (suspensión virósica encapsulada). Después de una infección experimental, la mayoría de los lechones no mostró más que una diarrea insignificante. En las camadas con casos mortales se observaron signos clínicos más graves. Una protección del 50 % nada más (7 de 14 lechones) se evidenció después de aplicar virus liofilizado en cápsulas por vía oral. Con el objeto de comparación, se inmunizó una cerda por vía parenteral con una vacuna comercial; solo un lechón entre diez sobrevivió la infección experimental. Los resultados se discuten en relación con la posibilidad de utilizar la cepa Bl como vacuna viva en la lucha contra la TGE.


title: Porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC)

text: Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex (PRDC) is one of the most common and costly clinical conditions encountered in veterinary medicine in commercially kept pigs. In this introductory article (sponsored by Intervet/Schering Plough AH), the clinical presentation in both the individual pig and groups will be described, along with the pathological lesions encountered. The multiple aetiological factors involved in the syndrome, ranging from primary and secondary infectious agents to environmental and managemental factors will be explored. Diagnostic and monitoring methods are also discussed. Subsequent articles will look in detail at specific elements of the syndrome.


title: History of the Cheetah: Acinonyx jubatus in zoos 1829–1994

text: Since 1829 the African Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus has been exhibited in over 373 zoological facilities. As at 31 December 1994 the international captive population was 1218 animals of which 880 (72%) were captive‐bred and 338 (28%) were wild‐caught. The steady increase in the captive population is a result of captive breeding, co‐operative captive‐management programmes and importation from the wild. Of facilities holding Cheetah 26%. (96) have bred the species, 15% of which have bred continuously producing 63%> (n= 1580) of all cubs born in captivity. Although the number of facilities breeding Cheetah has increased, in 1994 only 10%) of them reported successful reproduction. The N(e) has increased gradually and in 1994 was equivalent to 17% of the captive population. Of 1564 animals that have been imported, c. 20% (n= 308) have reproduced and in 1994 155 have living descendants in the captive population. Except for a few East African Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus raineyi all of the imported animals are the southern African subspecies Acinonyx jubatus jubatus. There has been an increase in the number of subspecific hybrids in the captive population and between 1990 and 1994 28 hybrids produced 24%, (190) of cubs. The captive population is not yet self‐sustaining and is maintained by the importation of wild‐caught animals. Continued progress can be achieved by implication of a co‐ordinated global management programme.


title: Declining winter survival and fitness implications associated with latitudinal distribution in Norwegian Greylag Geese Anser anser

text: The Norwegian Greylag Goose Anser anser population has been increasing steadily over the past few decades, causing increasing nuisance in terms of agricultural crop damage. This, in combination with the importance of Greylags as a hunting target, has called for demographic estimates for the population to assist in management decisions. To this end, we analysed long‐term mark–recapture data using Cormack–Jolly‐Seber models embedded in program MARK to obtain survival estimates for the population. No sex‐specific difference, or age effect on survival after juveniles had completed their first migration (3 months of age), was evident. Mean first‐year survival was reported as 0.485 and annual survival of older birds as 0.700. On a monthly basis, survival in Greylags during summer and winter was very similar over the study period. A significant linear decline in winter survival from 0.909 to 0.807 was, however, apparent during the study period. Over the second half of the study (1994–2002), summer survival was about 3% lower than in the first half (1986–94) but no linear relationship was evident. We found a significant inverse relationship between Greylag survival during summer and latitudinal distribution in Norway. A similar relationship was evident between survival and annual bag numbers. The changes in adult survival observed in this study are likely to have had a substantial impact on the growth rate of the Norwegian Greylag population.


AASLD Abstracts (pp. 282A–382A)


title: Postmodern Chinoiserie in Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese

text: This paper offers a synthesis and critique of the existing academic literature on Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese and an overview of Asian American alternative comics. It examines the range of literary and linguistic sources which Yang draws upon in his collage of Chinoiserie and Japonism. It presents the argument that existing criticism has failed to take into account the rising presence of Asian and Asian American characters and creators in American comics.


Abstracts for the 10th Meeting of the International Liver Transplantation Society, June 9–12, 2004, Kyoto, Japan


title: Prepared for Anything

text: From prevention to preparedness: Cultural anthropologists are re‐examining pandemics as globalised and globalising diseases. Viral infections such as SARS need to be understood in a wider context, beyond a purely medical dimension.


AASLD Abstract (pp. 162A–266A)


title: Book reviews

text: Books review in this article: The Technology of Extrusion Cooking. Edited by N.D. Frame Measurement of Food Preferences. Edited by H.J. McFie and D.M.H. Thomson Nutrition in the ‘90s: Current Controversies and Analysis. Volume 2. Edited by Frank N. Kotsonis and Maureen A. Mackey Safety and Nutritional Adequacy of Irradiated Food. By the World Health Organization Rancidity in Foods, 3rd edn. Edited by J.C. Allen and R.J. Hamilton Advanced Dairy Chemistry. Volume 2: Lipids. 2nd edn. Edited by P.F. Fox Minimally Processed Refrigerated Fruits and Vegetables. Edited by Robert C. Wiley Maillard Reactions in Chemistry, Food, and Health. Edited by T.P. Labuza et al. Human Medicinal Agents from Plants. Edited by A. Douglas Kinghorn and Manuel F. Balandrin Concentrated and Dried Dairy Products. By Marijana Carić. Food Packaging and Preservation. Edited by M. Mathlouthi. Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. By Gail L. Cramer and Clarence W. Jensen. Viral Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract. 2nd Edn. Edited by Albert Z. Kapikian Synergy. Edited by Gordon G. Birch and Geoffrey Campbell‐Platt Dietary Fibre and Related Substances. By I.T. Johnson and D.A.T. Southgate The Lipid Handbook. 2nd Edn. Edited by Frank D. Gunstone, John L. Harwood and Fred B. Padley Functional Foods: Designer Foods, Pharmafoods, Nutraceuticals. Edited by Israel Goldberg Introduction to Food Toxicology. By Takayuki Shibamoto and Leonard F. Bjeldanes Phospholipid Handbook. Edited by Gregor Cevc Shelf Life Evaluation of Foods. Edited by C.M.D. Man and A.A. Jones The Canning of Fish and Meat. Edited by R.J. Footitt and A.S. Lewis Integrated Solid Waste Management. By P.R. White, M. Franke and P. Hindle Fermented Meats. Edited by G. Campbell‐Platt and P.E. Cook Current Good Manufacturing Practices/Food Plant Sanitation. 2nd Edn. By Wilbur A. Gould Mycotoxins in Grain: Compounds Other than Aflatoxin. Edited by J.D. Miller and H.L. Trenholm Biochemistry of Milk Products. Edited by A.T. Andrews and J. Varley Food Dehydration: A Dictionary and Guide. By J.G. Brennan


title: Neonatal calf diarrhoea: a case study

text: This article describes the investigation of a neonatal calf diarrhoea outbreak in a dedicated tuberculosis isolation unit. Like many calf rearers purchasing young calves, this farmer did not have control over the first 7 days of their lives. Focus therefore was on treatment of sick animals, reducing the risk of spread of pathogens and diagnostic testing to aid management. Longer term an all‐in all‐out programme followed by disinfection, and a review of purchasing policy to help selection of source farms was established.


title: Paleohydrological Changes in Highland Desert Rivers and Human Occupation, 7000‐3000 Cal. Yr B.P., South‐Central Andes, Argentina

text: This article focuses on local paleohydrological changes experienced by the Las Pitas and Miriguaca Rivers in the south‐central Andes of Argentina and their impacts on hunter‐gatherers as they transitioned to food‐producing communities 7000–3000 cal. yr B.P. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on geomorphology, alluvial sedimentology, and diatom evidence indicates a dry phase of reduced streamflow between ca. 6700 and 4800 cal. yr B.P. for the Las Pitas River, and 6600 and 3000 cal. yr B.P. for the Miriguaca River. A phase of more humid environmental conditions commenced after ca. 4900 cal. yr B.P. along the Las Pitas River, and after 3000 cal. yr B.P. along the Miriguaca River. Differences in the chronology and magnitude of hydrological changes along both rivers are related to topographic and hydrological characteristics of their respective watersheds. Higher catchment elevation and enhanced orographic precipitation favored greater sensitivity for the Las Pitas River to short humid events during the middle‐to‐late Holocene. The archaeological evidence suggests that the paleohydrological changes within these catchments played a significant role in human occupational dynamics such that the Las Pitas River offered better environmental conditions for human occupation relative to the Miriguaca River as foragers increasingly relied on plant and animal domestication.


An outbreak of Salmonellosis in a Somerset dairy herd


title: Exposure to FIV and FIPV in wild and captive cheetahs

text: Two RNA‐containing viruses, feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), have been observed to infect cheetahs. Although both viruses cause lethal immunogenetic pathology in domestic cats, only FIPV has documented pathogenesis in cheetahs. We summarize and update here a worldwide survey of serum and plasma from cheetah and other nondomestic felids for antibodies to FIV and FIPV, based on Western blot and immunofluorescence assays. FIPV exposure shows an acute pattern with recognizable outbreaks in several zoological facilities, but is virtually nonexistent in sampled free‐ranging populations of cheetahs. FIV is more endemic in certain natural cheetah populations, but infrequent in zoological collections. FIV exposure was also seen in lions, bobcats, leopards, snow leopards, and jaguars. FIV causes T‐cell lymphocyte depletion and associated diseases in domestic cats, but there is little direct evidence for FIV pathology in exotic cats to date. Because of the parallels with a high incidence of simian immunodeficiency virus in free‐ranging African primates without disease, the cat model may also reflect historic infections that have approached an evolutionary balance between the pathogen and immune defenses of their feline host species. Published 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Face to face: Quality leadership: A conversation with Dennis R. Barry


title: Immunkomplex‐Krankheiten bei Mensch und Tieren

text: ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: 1. Bei bestimmten Infektionskrankheiten sind die klinischen Symptome und Organveränderungen nicht auf die direkte Wirkung des Infektionserregers zurückzuführen. Vielmehr entwickeln sich nach Ablagerung oder örtlicher Bildung von pathogenen Immunkomplexen in einer Reihe von Zielorganen charakteristische Entzündungsprozesse; es entsteht die Immunkomplexkrankheit. 2. In zahlreichen Beobachtungen an Spontankrankheiten sowie in tier‐experimentellen Untersuchungen konnte geklärt werden, welche Faktoren für die Entstehung, biologische Wirkung, Elimination und Lokalisation von Immunkomplexen im Gewebe maßgebend sind. Die wichtigsten, die Pathogenität von Immunkomplexen bestimmenden Faktoren sind die Art des Antigens, Klasse und Subklasse des Immunglobulins, das molare Verhältnis zwischen Antigen und Antikörper, die Produktionsrate und Verfügbarkeit der beiden Immunreaktanten sowie der Funktionszustand des RES. Weiterhin könnten genetische Faktoren bedeutsam sein, da sie die Menge des produzierten Anti‐körpers sowie dessen Affinität zum Antigen determinieren. 3. Die pathogene, insbesondere entzündungserregende Wirkung von Immunkomplexen beruht auf ihrer Fähigkeit, das Komplementsystem zu aktivieren, d. h. der Bildung von biologisch aktiven Komplementspaltprodukten; mit Fc‐Rezeptoren auf Thrombozyten, neutrophilen und eosinophilen Granulozyten und Makrophagen zu reagieren; sowie Mediatoren des Kinin‐Systems zu aktivieren. 4. Die Lokalisation zirkulierender Immunkomplexe im Gewebe wird entscheidend bestimmt durch die Größe der Immunkomplexe, das molare Verhältnis von Antigen zu Antikörper, die hämodynamischen Verhältnisse am Ablagerungsort, die örtliche Erhöhung der Gefäßpermeabilität durch vasoaktive Mediatoren und für die Niere das Vorhandensein von C 3 b‐Rezeptoren in den Glomerula. Immunkomplexen kommt eine gewisse Bedeutung als Regulatoren der zellvermittelten und humoralen Immunantwort zu, da sie mit Zellen, die Fc‐ und C‐Rezeptoren tragen, in Reaktion treten können und die Immunantwort teils verstärken, teils supprimieren. 5. Zirkulierende Immunkomplexe wirken pathogen nach Ablagerung in bestimmten Zielorganen wie Nierenglomerula, Gefäßwänden, Plexus chorioideus, Synovialis und Haut, und nach Aktivierung humoraler und zellulärer Mediatoren. Als Ursachen einer langen Persistenz von Immunkomplexen in der Zirkulation werden eine mangelhafte Elimination durch das Monozyten‐Makrophagen‐System, Mangel an bestimmten Komplementfaktoren, ein für die Phagozytose ungünstiges Antigen‐Antikorper‐Verhältnis sowie der Grad der Antikörper‐Affinität diskutiert. 6. Die Entwicklung neuer Methoden zum Nachweis von Immunkomplexen in biologischen Flüssigkeiten und im Gewebe hat zur Klärung der primären Bedeutung von Immunkomplexen bei der Entstehung von Krankheiten bei Mensch und Tieren geführt. Bei einzelnen Krankheiten konnte nach Identifizierung von Antigenen in isolierten Immunkomplexen auch die Ätiologie weiter aufgeklärt werden. SUMMARY: Immune‐complex diseases in man and animals 1. In certain infectious diseases the clinical signs and changes in organs are not due to the direct effects of the infectious agent. After deposition or local formation of pathogenic immune complexes there develop in a series of target organs characteristic inflammatory processes; an immune complex disease develops. 2. From numerous observations of spontaneous diseases as well as experimental studies it is possible to explain which factors are responsible for the development, biological effects, elimination and localization of immune complexes in the tissues. The most important factors responsible for determining the pathogenicity of immune complexes are the nature of the antigen, class and sub‐class of immunoglobulin, molar relationship between antigen and antibody, rate of production and availability of both immune reactants, and the functional state of the reticulo‐endothelial system. In addition, genetic factors may be important since they determine the amount of antibody produced as well as its affinity for the antigen. 3. The pathogenic, especially the inflammation‐stimulating action, of immune complexes rests on their ability to activate the complement system i. e. the formation of biologically active complement breakdown products; to react with Fc‐receptors on thrombocytes, neutrophil and eosinophil granulocytes and macrophages; and also to activate mediators of the kinin system. 4. The localization of circulating immune complexes in tissues is determined by the size of the immune complex, the molar relations between antigen and antibody, the haemodynamic relationships in the area of deposition, the local increase in vascular permeability caused by vaso‐active mediators, and, in the case of the kidney, by the presence of C 3 b‐receptors in the glomeruli. Immune complexes have some significance as regulators of cell‐mediated and humoral responses since they can react with cells which carry Fc and C receptors and can sometimes increase and at other times reduce the immune response. 5. Circulating immune complexes have a pathogenic effect after deposition in certain target organs such as renal glomeruli, vessel walls, choroid plexus, synovial membranes and skin, as well as after activation of humoral and cellular mediators. The reasons for the continuing persistence of immune complexes in the circulation are deficient elimination by the monocyte‐macrophage system, lack of certain complement factors, an antigen‐antibody relationship unfavourable for phagocytosis, and the degree of antibody affinity; these various reasons are discussed. 6. The development of new methods to detect immune complexes in biological fluids and in tissues has resulted in explaining the primary importance of immune complexes in the development of diseases in man and animals. In some diseases the aetiology can be further explained after indentifying the antigens in isolated immune complexes.


title: Land degradation of abandoned croplands in the Xilingol steppe region, Inner Mongolia, China

text: Steppe grasslands are distributed over vast areas in arid and semiarid regions of Eurasia. However, steppe grasslands face desertification or degradation caused by human over‐activity. In the last decades, steppe regions have seen increased areas of crop cultivation and subsequent abandonment due to inappropriate agricultural management. Land degradation of abandoned croplands has become a common problem in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. A field survey was conducted in the Xilingol steppe, and vegetation was classified into three groups. Based on comparisons of species composition and soil characters, group 1 represents steppe grassland, group 2 represents abandoned croplands and group 3 represents yardangs. The typical indicator species of steppe, abandoned croplands and yardangs are Leymus chinensis, Cleistogenes squarrosa and Elymus dahuricus, respectively. Abandoned croplands are exposed to wind and rain, resulting in soil erosion, which not only increases coarse sand content but also decreases total carbon and total nitrogen in the soil. We found that soil condition is an important factor affecting the early stages of secondary succession in abandoned croplands and that farming in typical steppes might contribute to land degradation. We concluded that abandoned croplands can be converted to yardangs by erosion. The extension of yardangs might then lead to desertification in steppe regions. Land managers should be aware that farming in typical steppes is associated with a risk of desertification. The degree of degradation of steppe can be measured by monitoring these indicator species.


title: Efficient synthesis of novel six‐member ring‐fused quinoline derivatives via the friedländer reaction

text: Novel quinolines fused with a six‐member ring 5a–j were prepared in high yields (75–95%) via the Friedländer reaction of dimethoxy‐substituted o‐aminobenzaldehydes of 3a or 3b with cyclic ketones 4, respectively. The structures of 5a–j were determined by IR, (1)H NMR, MS, and elemental analysis. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 19:229–233, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20356


Poster Session (pp. 78A–178A)


title: Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus: II. Propagation in Suckling Mouse Brain

text: SUMMARY: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus multiplication was demonstrated in the brains of one‐day‐old laboratory mice using direct immunofluorescence tests. Specificity was assessed by virus reisolation, indirect immunofluorescence and reproduction of FIP after inoculation of SPF kittens using brain material from the 6th mouse passage. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Virus der felinen infektiösen Peritonitis II. Vermehrung im Gehirn von Säuglingsmäusen Mit Hilfe der direkten Immunofluoreszenz wurde die Vermehrung des Virus der Felinen Infektiösen Peritonitis (FIP) im Gehirn eintägiger Laboratoriumsmäuse nachgewiesen. Die Spezifität wurde durch Reisolierung des Virus und indirekte Immunofluoreszenz belegt, sowie durch die Auslösung der FIP nach Inokulation von Gehirnmaterial der sechsten Mäusepassage in SPF Katzenwelpen. RÉSUMÉ: Virus de la péritonite infectieuse du chat II. Multiplication dans le cerveau de la souris nouveau‐née A l'aide de l'immunofluorescence directe la multiplication du virus de la péritonite infectieuze féline a été démontrée dans le cerveau de la souris nouveau‐née. Epreuves de spécificité étaient le réisolement du virus, l'immunofluorescence indirecte et la reproduction de la maladie par inoculation de chats SPF utilisant du material cerveau provenant du 6ième passage en souris. RESUMEN: Virus de la peritonitis infecciosa del gato II. Multiplicación en cerebro de ratoncitos recién‐nacidos Utilizando la inmunofluorescencia directa se mostró la multiplicación en cerebro de ratoncitos recién‐nacidos del virus de la peritonitis infecciosa del gato. Se pudo evidenciar la especificidad por medio de re‐aislamiento del virus y de la inmunofluorescencia indirecta; además, se logró reproducir la enfermedad en gatos SPF, inoculándoles material del 6° pasaje en cerebros de ratoncitos.


title: Clinical Forum: Neonatal Diarrhoea

text: Diarrhoea is the most common disease in young calves, accounting for about 50% of all calf deaths. The disease can be easily recognised and it is important that treatment is administered rapidly in order to maximise the chance of survival. However, equally important is a thorough understanding of the underlying causes of the disease and the implementation of appropriate management steps to minimise the impact of the disease in the future. This article discusses the most common causes of neonatal diarrhoea and seeks the advice of the panel on how best to treat and manage them.


title: THE BIRD SUCCESSION IN THE CONIFER PLANTATIONS ON MAT‐GRASS LAND IN SLOVAKIA (CSR).

text: 1. The species‐composition, number of individuals and biomass per one‐hectare are given. The three groups of areas studied were: (1) bare pastures, with an intermediate number of bird species, few individuals and high biomass of mainly carnivorous and insectivorous birds; (2) conifer plantations 1 to 5 years old, with the smallest number of bird species and the smallest biomass, but an intermediate number of individuals; (3) plantations six to twenty years old, with the highest number of both species and individuals of birds, but only intermediate biomass. 2. The change from pasture to forest occurs about six to ten years after planting. The last forest birds come in about 20 years after planting. 3. Birds have an important role in establishing the shrub layer and mixing some tree‐species into the plantation, by dissemination. 4. Throughout the entire successional series the bird population seems to have a kernel of species, while other species come or go and/or change in density with the stages.


title: Infectious disease surveillance in captive and free‐living cheetahs: An integral part of the species survival plan

text: During the formulative stages of developing the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the cheetah, the impact of infectious disease upon its survival in captivity was of prime consideration, together with genetics, nutrition, physiology, and behavior. This paper summarizes the results of an infectious disease surveillance program, initially designed to monitor the infectious agents associated with clinically normal and clinically ill cheetahs in captivity, but subsequently supplemented with data from free‐living cheetahs. The focus was on two viral infections, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and feline rhinotracheitis virus. Results indicated that between 1989 and 1991, there was an increase in the seroprevalence (number antibody‐positive animals) of cheetahs to feline coronavirus from 41% to 64% in captivity. During this same time period, there were only two documented cases of FIP in cheetahs in the United States. The results suggest that feline coronavirus (feline enteric coronavirus‐‐feline infectious peritonitis group) or a closely related coronavirus of cheetahs is becoming endemic in the captive cheetah population. Further serologic results from 39 free‐living cheetahs demonstrated that there was a high seroprevalence (61%) to feline coronavirus, although serum antibody titers were considerably lower than those encountered in captive cheetahs. The observation of a high percentage of free‐living cheetahs, which were seropositive to feline herpesvirus (44%), was unexpected, since it has been generally regarded that this infection is primarily associated with cheetahs in captivity. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


title: CT radiomics can help screen the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a preliminary study

text: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is raging across the world. The radiomics, which explores huge amounts of features from medical image for disease diagnosis, may help the screen of the COVID-19. In this study, we aim to develop a radiomic signature to screen COVID-19 from CT images. We retrospectively collect 75 pneumonia patients from Beijing Youan Hospital, including 46 patients with COVID-19 and 29 other types of pneumonias. These patients are divided into training set (n = 50) and test set (n = 25) at random. We segment the lung lesions from the CT images, and extract 77 radiomic features from the lesions. Then unsupervised consensus clustering and multiple cross-validation are utilized to select the key features that are associated with the COVID-19. In the experiments, while twenty-three radiomic features are found to be highly associated with COVID-19, four key features are screened and used as the inputs of support vector machine to build the radiomic signature. We use area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration curve to assess the performance of our model. It yields AUCs of 0.862 and 0.826 in the training set and the test set respectively. We also perform the stratified analysis and find that its predictive ability is not affected by gender, age, chronic disease and degree of severity. In conclusion, we investigate the value of radiomics in screening COVID-19, and the experimental results suggest the radiomic signature could be a potential tool for diagnosis of COVID-19.


EP News: Allied Professionals


title: Photoperiodism in waterfowl: phasing of breeding cycles and zoogeography

text: The egg‐laying seasons of various captive waterfowl in the Wildfowl Trust collections at Slimbridge and Peakirk are compared with the situation in the wild. Special attention is focussed on the shelduck and sheldgeese (Tadornini), perching duck (Cairinini), diving duck (Aythyini), sea duck (Mergini), eiders (Somateriini) and stifftails (Oxyurini). Two kinds of response could be distinguished at Slimbridge. In one, egg‐laying began sometime in spring, when daylengths reached a stimulatory level, and continued until the corresponding daylengths in summer or autumn were reached, that is, the egg‐laying season extended symmetrically on either side of the summer solstice. This is regarded as a “primitive‐type” response and is characteristic of phylogenetic lines which are thought to have evolved in, and radiated from, the tropics; the comb duck, muscovy duck, ringed teal and southern pochard are examples. The second kind of response was characterized by the cessation of egg‐laying when daylengths still remained stimulatory, that is, a characteristic photo‐refractoriness to long days developed, and egg‐laying occurred during the first half of the year at Slimbridge. We term this a “temperate‐type” response, and examples are provided by nearly all the sheldgeese and shelduck, by the mandarin, Carolina, white‐winged wood duck and all Aythya and the sea duck. Only a few examples of apparently intermediate breeding response were noted and these transitional species are discussed, for example the Andean goose, Abyssinian blue‐winged goose and Radjah shelduck. The egg‐laying cycles can be described as entrained rhythms and their phase angles measured in relation to seasonal daylength changes at Slimbridge. In Aythya, the onset of reproductive activity was strongly correlated with the latitude of origin whereas the end of breeding was not. This was because refractoriness developed at about the same time in all species, even though they began breeding in response to different photoperiods. For this reason, the length of breeding season expressed at Slimbridge was correlated with the midlatitude of the breeding range in the wild but even more strongly with the photoperiod under which egg‐laying was initiated. The onset of breeding in the sheldgeese and perching duck was not related to latitude, perhaps because species have had time to modify their ranges. However, the end of breeding in perching duck was related to latitude. Cessation of breeding corresponds to the onset of moult and the secretion of thyroid hormones. We suggest that as waterfowl radiated to higher latitudes their “biological clocks” became entrained to the new light regimes and a host of physiological functions were ordered in an adaptive rather than competitive sequence. It is because so many biological functions are liable to compete for scarce environmental energy supplies that some kind of endogenous partitioning is necessary. This endogenous component is seen when different species are kept under standard lighting conditions. It follows that the photo‐response of a species reflects its evolutionary history and so the discussion broaches zoogeographical and taxonomic topics. For example, it seems unlikely that the white‐winged wood duck evolved in the tropics, and likely that the sheldgeese and shelduck radiated from a post‐


Neurotrophic factors


title: Political Incentives to Suppress Negative Information: Evidence from Chinese Listed Firms

text: This paper tests the proposition that politicians and their affiliated firms (i.e., firms operating in their province) temporarily suppress negative information in response to political incentives. We examine the stock price behavior of Chinese listed firms around two visible political events—meetings of the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and promotions of high‐level provincial politicians—that are expected to asymmetrically increase the costs of releasing bad news. The costs create an incentive for local politicians and their affiliated firms to temporarily restrict the flow of negative information about the companies. The result will be fewer stock price crashes for the affiliated firms during these event windows, followed by an increase in crashes after the event. Consistent with these predictions, we find that the affiliated firms experience a reduction (an increase) in negative stock return skewness before (after) the event. These effects are strongest in the three‐month period directly preceding the event, among firms that are more politically connected, and when the province is dominated by faction politics and cronyism. Additional tests document a significant reduction in published newspaper articles about affected firms in advance of these political events, suggestive of a link between our observed stock price behavior and temporary shifts in the listed firms’ information environment.


New Public Health Strategies for a New Era


title: Current literature in mass spectrometry

text: In order to keep subscribers up‐to‐date with the latest developments in their field, John Wiley & Sons are providing a current awareness service in each issue of the journal. The bibliography contains newly published material in the field of mass spectrometry. Each bibliography is divided into 11 sections: 1 Reviews; 2 Instrumental Techniques & Methods; 3 Gas Phase Ion Chemistry; 4 Biology/Biochemistry: Amino Acids, Peptides & Proteins; Carbohydrates; Lipids; Nucleic Acids; 5 Pharmacology/Toxicology; 6 Natural Products; 7 Analysis of Organic Compounds; 8 Analysis of Inorganics/Organometallics; 9 Surface Analysis; 10 Environmental Analysis; 11 Elemental Analysis. Within each section, articles are listed in alphabetical order with respect to author (4 Weeks journals ‐ Search completed at 27th. Feb. 2008)


title: Predicting abundance from occupancy: a test for an aggregated insect assemblage

text: 1.. The ubiquitous, positive abundance‐occupancy relationship is of potential value to conservation and pest management because of the possibility of using it to predict species abundance from occupancy measures. 2.. He & Gaston (2000a) developed a model, and a parameterization method, for the prediction of abundance from occupancy based on the negative binomial distribution. There are to date few empirical tests of either the estimation method or model. Here we conduct such a test in a field‐based mesocosm experiment using a Drosophilidae assemblage associated with decaying fruit. 3.. With individual (and groups of) fruit as minimum mapping units, abundance estimates derived using the parameterization method of the He‐Gaston model differed significantly from measured values, and were least accurate for the most abundant species. 4.. Substitution of k‐values corrected for species density in the model did not improve abundance predictions significantly. However, substitution of k‐values calculated directly from the negative binomial distribution yielded highly accurate abundance predictions. 5.. Although the distribution of fly species did not deviate significantly from the negative binomial distribution, and the finest possible minimum mapping units were used (individual fruit), the parameterization method in the He‐Gaston model consistently underestimated the abundance of species in the assemblage because individuals were very highly aggregated within fruit. 6.. Because of its potential importance, this model and parameterization method require further exploration at fine scales, commonly represented by individual habitat units, for highly aggregated species. The incorporation of spatially explicit information may provide a means of improving abundance predictions in this regard.


2017 Peripheral Nerve Society Meeting July 8–12, 2017 Sitges, Barcelona, Spain


title: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)–the present state of knowledge

text: This paper gives a summary of our present knowledge of the aetiology, clinics, diagnosis, pathology and pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis. Special emphasis is given to the participation of the immune system in the development of the condition. A therapy protocol is proposed and an extensive list of original literature for further study is presented.


2012 ACVIM Forum Research Abstracts Program


title: THE PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP OF PFIESTERIA PISCICIDA, CRYPTOPERIDINIOPSOID SP. AMYLOODINOUM OCELLATUM AND A PFIESTERIA‐LIKE DINOFLAGELLATE TO OTHER DINOFLAGELLATES AND APICOMPLEXANS

text: The taxonomic relationship between heterotrophic and parasitic dinoflagellates has not been studied extensively at the molecular level. In order to investigate these taxonomic relationships, we sequenced the small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene of Pfiesteria piscicida (Steidinger et Burkholder), a Pfiesteria‐like dinoflagellate, Cryptoperidiniopsoid sp., and Amyloodinium ocellatum (Brown) and submitted those sequences to GenBank. Pfiesteria piscicida and Cryptoperidiniopsoid sp. are heterotrophic dinoflagellates, purportedly pathogenic to fish, and A. ocellatum, a major fish pathogen, has caused extensive economic losses in both the aquarium and aquaculture industries. The pathogenicity of the Pfiesteria‐like dinoflagellate is unknown at this time, but its growth characteristics and in vitro food preferences are similar to those of P. piscicda. The SSU sequences of these species were aligned with the other full‐length dinoflagellate sequences, as well as those of representative apicomplexans and Perkinsus species, the groups most closely related to dinoflagellates. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Cryptoperidiniopsoid sp., P. piscicida, and the Pfiesteria‐like dinoflagellate are closely related and group into the class Blastodiniphyceae, as does A. ocellatum. None of the species examined were closely related to the apicomplexans or to Perkinsus marinus, the parasite that causes “Dermo disease” in oysters. The overall phylogenetic analyses largely supported the current class and subclass groupings within the dinoflagellates.


title: Cats, coronaviruses and coronavirus antibody tests

text: Feline infectious peritonitis and other coronavirus infections of cats are briefly reviewed. Interpretation and applications of feline coronavirus antibody tests are described, and general recommendations are provided for practitioners. Some of the major unresolved questions regarding coronavirus infections of cats are delineated.


Gary A. Boorman, Scotl. Eustis, Michael R. Elwell, Charles A. Montgomery, Jr. and William F. Mackenzie (eds) Pathology of the Fischer Rat. Reference and Atlas Academic Press, New York, 1990; 580 pp., $125


Immunogenicity


title: The Tourism Industry and the Process of Internationalization in the Middle East: The Example of Jordan

text: Ongoing internationalization processes have resulted in significant changes on the supply side in many fields of the economy and specifically in tourism. Although the scientific discourse is working hard to keep pace with these rapid changes, there is nevertheless a considerable deficit in research on the problems and risks as well as the potential and opportunities associated with intensifying processes of internationalization. This paper focuses on the internationalization process of small and medium‐sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in the Middle East, specifically in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which continues to be a tourist destination for Westerners in spite of major political and other crises. Internationalization of SMTEs is a complex process, and studies that take a more holistic view of this phenomenon are needed. This paper will therefore attempt to investigate the internationalization process in Jordan from a problem‐centred perspective and to critically examine and discuss it on the basis of comments made by leading actors in the Jordanian tourism business. The thus gained insights should help to reduce the still existing theoretical deficits in the study of the internationalization process. Particularly, the impact of the Arab Spring on the Jordanian tourism market must be included in a critical assessment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Scientific Report 1979‐1981


CANINE GASTROENTEROLOGY


title: FRUSTULAR MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMIC AFFINITIES OF NAVICULA COMPLANATOIDES (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)

text: Live and prepared cells of the marine pennate diatom Navicula complanatoides Hust. were examined with light and electron microscopy. It has narrowly lanceolate valves (26–55 μm long, 4–5 μm wide) and girdles 10–24 μm in depth. Striae are parallel at the center of the valve (24–28 in 10 μm), becoming slightly convergent toward the apices. Electron microscopy revealed that the external valve surface presents a longitudinally ribbed appearance (20–28 parallel ribs at its maximum width), whereas internally, rectangular areolae are occluded by ricae. The raphe slit lies in a narrow axial area, and one side of the raphe sternum is deeper and folds over the other, obscuring the internal opening. Internally, the central virga on one side of the raphe and two virgae on the other are somewhat broader. A conspicuous pore (stigma) is present between the two broadened virgae. The girdle consists of valvocopulae, copulae, and pleurae. There are 16–20 bands per cingulum. The valvocopulae and copulae are hollow tube‐like structures, with inner and outer portions contrsting in morphology. They decrease in diameter in an abvalvar direction. There are four pleurae. These are flat bands which facilitate overlap of the epicingulum and hypocingulum. Fundamental features of the valve and girdle reveal the distinctness of this species within Navicula. The areolae, external longitudinal ribs, and raphe structure suggest affinities with Pleurosigma, Gyrosigma, and Haslea. It is hypothesized that they share a derived state which indicates a recent common ancestor for these taxa. N. complanatoides and related species of the Naviculae microstigmatacae are distinctive enough to merit their own genus within the Naviculaceae.


title: Acquired immune‐mediated myasthenia gravis in a cat

text: Acquired myasthenia gravis was diagnosed in a four‐year‐old castrated male Somali in which the presenting signs consisted of progressive lameness, weakness, generalised muscle tremors, an inability to blink and voice loss. Clinical testing with edrophonium chloride, electrophysiology, immunocytochemistry and serum immunological techniques confirmed the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis and proved its immune‐mediated nature. Clinical remission was achieved following long term immunosuppression with corticosteroids.


American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Research Abstract Program of the 13th Annual AC VIM Forum in Orlando, FL, May 18, 1995: Index of Abstracts


SMALL ANIMAL LITERATURE INDEX


2018 ACCP Global Conference on Clinical Pharmacy: October 20–23, 2018


title: Book Reviews

text: Book reviewed in this article: Feline medicine Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine:J. R. August Diagnostic ultrasonography Diagnostic Ultrasound in the Dog and Cat:F. Barr


title: Comparison of aroma characteristics of 16 fish species by sensory evaluation and gas chromatographic analysis

text: The aroma properties of fish broths prepared from 16 fish species (10 saltwater, three freshwater, two anadromous and one brackish water species) were described quantitatively by reference to 10 sensory attributes. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis of sensory attributes classified the fish into four groups. Group 1, characterised by a strong ‘green’ odour, comprised all three freshwater species (loach, pond smelt and carp), two saltwater whitefish species (snapper and conger) and eel. Group 2 included migratory coastal species (sardine, banded blue‐sprat and mackerel) and was distinguished by strong ‘fish oil’ and ‘grilled fish’ notes. Group 3 consisted of swordfish, sablefish and salmon, which exhibited a strong ‘fried chicken’ note. Group 4 included flounder, cod, tuna and goby, which were scored high for ‘cooked fish’, ‘roasted soy sauce’, ‘canned tuna’ and ‘sweet’ aromas. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) models derived from selected influential peaks in the gas chromatograms of the volatile components in the broths for each attribute were highly predictive (R (2) ≥ 0.936). The selected peaks corresponded well to each sensory attribute. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry


title: Books Reviews

text: Science Writing for Beginners Microbiology. Essentials and Applications (1985). L. McKane & J. Kandel. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research Volume 178 Bluetongue and Related Orbiviruses (1985). Edited by T. Lynwood Barber, M. M. Jochim & B. I. Osburn. Antimicrobial Drug Resistance (1984) Edited by L. E. Bryan. Aspects of Microbial Metabolism and Ecology (1984). Edited by G. A. Codd. Progress in Leukocyte Biology Volume 1 Viral Mechanisms of Immunosuppression (1985). Edited by N. Gilmore & M. A. Wainberg. The Society for Applied Bacteriology Technical Series No. 19 Microbiological Methods for Environmental Biotechnology (1984). Edited by J. M. Grainger & J. M. Lynch. Scrapie Disease in Sheep (1983). H. B. Parry. Edited by D. R. Oppenheimer.


Clinical features and management


Global Supply Chains: Globalization Research in a Changing World


title: Acquired immune‐mediated myasthenia gravis in a cat associated with a cystic thymus

text: Acquired myasthenia gravis was diagnosed in a five‐year‐old domestic shorthair, neutered, female cat with generalised muscle weakness, tremors, dysphagia and alterations in voice. Radiographs indicated the presence of a mass in the anterior thorax. A response to edrophonium chloride, and raised levels of anti‐acetylcholine receptor antibodies in the serum, confirmed the diagnosis and indicated an immune‐mediated aetiology. Clinical remission occurred following thymectomy and the use of immunosuppressive corticosteroids. This is the first fully‐documented case of acquired feline myasthenia gravis associated with the presence of a thymic abnormality in the United Kingdom. The clinical features, laboratory findings and response to treatment are compared with those reported previously in cats and other species.


WORKSHOPS


Molecular biology of the human brain


Cell biology of virus entry, replication and pathogenesis


Research Abstract Program of the 12(th) Annual ACVIM Forum


Electron microscopy as an aid to diagnosis


P124: Development of universal HCV vaccine by coupling HCV NS3 proteins to the surface of liposomes


title: Untersuchungen zur prophylaktischen Wirkung der Verfütterung eines Probiotikums und von erregerspezifischen Kolostrum‐ und Dotterantikörpern bei neugeborenen Kälbern

text: Studies on the prophylactic effect of feeding probiotics, pathogen‐specific colostrum antibodies or egg yolk antibodies in newborn calves The prophylactic efficacy of feeding probiotics, specific egg yolk antibodies and specific colostrum antibodies on neonatal diarrhoea was investigated in a field trial with calves, grouped (n = 39/40 per group) according to the following treatments: Group I: feeding no additive; Group II: feeding probiotics (5 g powder/day with Bacillus cereus var. toyoi); Group III: feeding egg powder (10 g/day with specific egg yolk antibodies against rotavirus, coronavirus and Escherichia coli F5); Group IV: feeding colostrum antibodies (10 ml/day containing 1 g bovine immunoglobulins with specific antibodies against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli antigens); Group V: feeding egg powder together with probiotics (according to group II and III). The additives were given twice daily with the meal from day 2 to day 14 post‐natum. The presence of infectious agents was proved in fecal samples of all calves. Intestinal infections with rotavirus (30.8% of the calves) predominated compared to those with coronavirus (7.1%), E. coli F5 (1.5%) and cryptosporidia (24.2%). In contrast to earlier studies, the manifestation of diarrhoea did not differ significantly between the five groups. Only the growth rate of the calves between day 2 and day 14 of life as a measure of their welfare showed treatmentFspecific differences. The control group (I) showed the lowest body weight gain of about 5.8 kg (SD 5.0), whereas in the treated groups it averaged 6.3 kg (SD 4.1, p = 0,60; group II), 6.8 kg (SD 4.3, p = 0.36; group III), 6.9 kg (SD 4.7, p = 0.61; group IV) and 7.7 kg (SD 4.9, p = 0.08; group V). Considering only the rotavirus‐positive calves the body weight gain of the control group (I) was 3.5 kg (SD 4.8) and of the treated groups was 3.8 kg (SD 3.3, p = 0.65; II), 5.0 kg (SD 3.5, p = 0.54; III), 6.6 kg (SD 4.5, p = 0.05; IV) and 6.1 kg (SD 5.0, p = 0.13; V). Obviously, the feeding of antibodies from colostrum or from egg powder does increase the mean body weight gain. The feeding of probiotics alone has nearly no effect. However, in the combination with specific egg antibodies probiotics seem to have a synergistic effect. In serum from the 198 newborn calves the IgG concentration averaged 4.9 mg/ml serum (SD 3.3). From 93 dams of these calves a sample of the first colostrum could be obtained showing a mean IgG concentration of 22.0 mg/ml (SD 11.0). IgG levels in the colostrum and in the serum have been positively correlated (r = 0.37, p < 0.05). Calves with a high intensity of diarrhoea had a significantly (p = 0.01) lower mean IgG serum level (3.7 mg/ml; n = 36; SD 2.5) than calves without diarrhoea (5.6 mg/ml; n = 75; SD 4.0).


Molecular immunology of virus infections


title: New ideas for the dietary management of gastrointestinal tract disease

text: Drugs are often given inappropriate precedence in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract diseases. Diet has a marked influence on gastrointestinal tract function and the manipulation of dietary composition provides clinicians with a powerful therapeutic tool. During acute gastroenteritis, a short period of fasting is recommended. ‘Feeding through’ diarrhoea (without a period of fasting) is recommended in human infants but has limited applicability in dogs and cats, primarily because different types of diarrhoea are commonly treated by veterinary surgeons compared to physicians. Following the fast, a change from the animal's regular food to a diet containing novel protein sources is advisable. This minimises the likelihood of acquired food allergies to staple proteins. Allergy avoidance may require special techniques such as rotation diets or protein hydrolysates. Dietary fat is usually kept to a minimum during gastrointestinal dysfunction as malabsorbed fatty acids and bile acids promote secretory diarrhoea in the large bowel. Recommendations to feed high fat rather than high carbohydrate diets to cats with diarrhoea need to be objectively examined. The type of fat fed may also prove to be an important consideration. Incorporation of omega‐3 fatty acids into the diet has been shown to have anti‐inflammatory effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa. In diseases of the small bowel, it is traditional to use low fibre diets. This recommendation needs re‐examination because the binding and gelling properties of fibre are of potential benefit in the treatment of small bowel diarrhoea. High fibre diets are useful in most large bowel diseases. Soluble (fermentable) fibres (eg, psyllium, oat bran and fibrim) rather than insoluble (non‐fermentable) fibres (eg, wheat bran) give better results in treating colitis. The benefits from soluble fibre probably relates to the binding of irritant bile acids and the generation of volatile fatty acids, such as butyrate, that nourish the colonic epithelium and encourage growth of normal bacterial flora.


Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and camels


title: Book Reviews

text: Book reviewed in this article: Electron Microscopy in Diagnostic Virology—A Practical Guide and Atlas. By Frances W. Doane and Nan Anderson. The Ultrastructure and Phylogeny of Insect Spermatozoa. By Barrie G.M. Jamieson. Clastic Particles. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Shape Analysis of Sedimentary and Volcanic Clast.


Clinical Research Abstracts Presented at Bsava Congress 2001


AVEPA Valencia 1991


Protein transport and secretion


ACVIM Forum Abstracts