Comparison of three in vitro techniques to estimate benzimidazole resistance in Haemonchus contortus of sheep

Three in vitro assays to detect benzimidazole resistance, namely, the egg-hatch assay, tubulin-binding assay, and a larval-development assay, were evaluated by estimating the level of benzimidazole resistance in three field isolates of Haemonchus contortus compared with a susceptible reference strain. Comparisons were also made with estimates of benzimidazole resistance of the three field strains obtained from an in vivo controlled anthelmintic efficacy test. All three in vitro tests showed similar, consistent results which also suggested greater sensitivity than the in vivo assay. These results indicate that selection of an in vitro technique to determine benzimidazole resistance should therefore be based on considerations other than precision, such as technical expertise, availability of equipment, cost and speed in which diagnosis is required.     

A Potential Screening System for Identifying Sorghum Ecotypes with Increased Lysine in the Seeds

Classical “high-lysine” sorghum lines are characterized by smaller seeds than average, due to a decrease in prolamin synthesis and a subsequent decrease in yield. To exploit the natural variation in lysine content and to identify ecotypes with a seed lysine content higher than average, characterized by plump seeds, a method was developed based on root-growth inhibition of seeds growing on a medium containing aminoethylcysteine (AEC), a lysine analogue. By using a collection of sorghum mutants and ecotypes a correlation coefficient of 0.926 between root length and lysine content was established. This method, which uses the root length of plants growing on aec to indicate which lines have a potential elevated lysine content, can be applied for the screening of sorghum germplasm. Since this is a non-destructive method it can also be used at the individual seed level, for example for screening progenies of regenerated plants from in vitro culture to exploit the somaclonal variation.     

A quantitative study of Eimeria infections of goats from central Spain.

A survey on coccidial infections in goats from central Spain was carried out. Fifty-five goat farms from 28 localities belonging to the three bioclimatic subregions of the area were visited. Individual samples (702) were obtained from the rectum of 130 young (under 1 year of age) and adult (572 over 1 year of age) goats. Coproscopical analyses showed a 100% prevalence and a moderate average intensity (7606.48 +/- 17918.78 Eimeria oocysts per gram of faeces), although wide variations were seen among herds and among individuals within each goat flock. Statistical analysis showed a strong age-related reduction in oocysts output in goats up to 4 years of age. The intensity of coccidial infections (young and adult goats, herds) was independent of the prevailing bioclimatic conditions. Heavier infections in young goats were found in bigger herds, whereas adult goats from these same big flocks (over 300 animals) showed the lowest oocyst output. Under our conditions, neither the female restocking rate nor the age structure seemed to play a significant role in the intensity of the Eimeria infections.     

Plasma triglyceride concentration during intravenous infusions of propofol and Intralipid in sheep

Plasma triglyceride concentrations were measured in sheep given Intralipid or propofol, which is carried in a vehicle very similar to 10% Intralipid. A bolus dose was administered followed immediately by an infusion of the same agent for 2 h. In the animals that received propofol, the measured concentration increased by a mean amount of 3.39 mmol/l when the infusion rate was l ml/min (Group Pl) and by 7.13 mmol/l when it was 2 ml/min (Group P2). When 10% Intralipid was administered and infused at 1 ml/min (Group I10), the measured concentration increased only by 0.95 mmol/l. One hour after stopping the infusion, the excess of measured concentration over baseline had decreased in the Pl and I 10 groups to 0.52 and 0.13, respectively, of the corresponding maximum excess. The method adopted for measuring plasma triglycerides is widely used in hospitals; however, an incidental observation revealed that it is inappropriate in the presence of injections of propofol or Intralipid. Despite this, evidence and argument are presented to support the conclusion that, with propofol, plasma triglyceride concentrations increased more rapidly during the infusions and returned to baseline more slowly than with a corresponding amount of Intralipid.     

Die Wurzelentwicklung von Zuckerrübenpflanzen auf einem Sandlöß-Standort und ihre Bedeutung für die Stickstoffernährung

Root development of sugar beet plants on a sandy loess site with regard to nitrogen nutrition.
Root development of sugar beet plants in a sandy loess soil (Haplic Phaeozem) was observed from the early seedling stage up to harvest by measuring at first the greatest vertical and lateral extension of the root systems of single plants and later the rooting density of the whole plant stands (auger method, profile wall method).
During the seedling stage not only the subsoil, but also large parts of the topsoil between the plants remained unoccupied by the root systems. In this phase the greatest lateral extension of single roots reaches nearly the length of the greatest leaf of the plant. With the closure of the canopy the rooting density in the topsoil accounts to 1–2 cm cm⁻³.
In summer roots penetrate to a depth of 100–150 cm with rooting densities of 0.1 to 1 cm - cm⁻³. Thus, the plants gain not only access to water reserves, but sometimes meet remarkable amounts of nitrate which under the relatively dry conditions of the region tends to accumulate in 60–120 cm depth and – when taken up by the beet plants in the late stage of growth – affects crop quality negatively.     

Diagnosis of sarcocystosis in sheep using the indirect fluorescence test and ELISA]

The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was compared with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of specific antibodies to Sarcocystis sp. A set of 275 ovine blood samples was examined by both reactions. Cystozoites of Sarcocystis gigantea were used as the corpuscular antigen for the IFAT. For the diagnostics of sarcocystosis by the ELISA technique used the sandwich test of the antibody titration with a soluble antigen which was also prepared from S. gigantea macrocysts. Our studies confirmed that this antigen did not cross-react with Toxoplasma gondii. Titre 40 was determined as the limit one for the IFAT and titre 80 for the ELISA; which was confirmed by the direct detection of cysts in the muscles (Svobodová, 1989). The results of both methods are shown in Table I. 76.7% of the blood samples reacted positively in the IFAT and 83.6% in the ELISA. These methods were found to be suitable and can be utilized for the intravital routine diagnostics.     

Actinomycin D for Reinduction of Remission in Dogs With Resistant Lymphoma

Twenty-five dogs with malignant lymphoma refractory to chemotherapy were treated with actinomycin D at a median dose of 0.7 mg/m² (range, 0.5 to 0.9 mg/m²) every 3 weeks. The dogs treated had received between 2 and 8 chemotherapeutic agents (median 7), for a median of 266 days before being treated with actinomycin D. For 23 of the 25 dogs, previous chemotherapy included doxorubicin. No dog responded to actinomycin D chemotherapy.     

Studies on mutlispecific resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes to benzimidazoles on dairy-goat farms

Multispecific resistance to benzimidazoles was studied in three selected farms. These farms had bred dairy goats for more than 15 years. The helminths were introduced with the goats at the establishment of the farms which afterwards remained isolated. Nematode resistance could then be related to their own management practices. Faecal egg count tests and egg hatch assays were performed to assess intensity of resistance. The generic (infective larvae in faecal cultures) and specific richness (adult worms) were assessed. The resistant species were Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum venulosum. Faecal egg count reduction tests and egg-hatch assays did not match exactly. Faecal larval counts after treatments gave a distorted picture of multispecific resistance: Haemonchus and Oesophagostomum were very largely over represented. The number of species found in the three farms was relatively low compared with other reports in goat farms of the area. This reduction of diversity might also be due in part to characteristics of breeding management and history (use of permanent pasture and introduction of goats at the establishment of farm).     

Efficacy of abamectin against natural infections of gastrointestinal nematodes and lungworm of cattle with special emphasis on inhibited, early fourth stage larvae of Ostertagia ostertagi.

The anthelmintic efficacy of abamectin (avermectin B1) was evaluated against gastrointestinal nematodes, including Ostertagia ostertagi inhibited larvae and lungworm, in yearling crossbred beef heifers during late spring. The calves were grazed on contaminated pasture for 10 weeks and then held under conditions free of nematode infection for 3 weeks prior to allotment and treatment on 5 June. Thirteen calves were randomly assigned to two groups of six by restricted randomization on body weights; the extra lightest calf was assigned to the non-treated control group. Group 1 calves were treated with abamectin at 200 micrograms kg-1 body weight by s.c. injection and Group 2 calves were not treated; all were killed at 14 days after treatment. Ostertagia ostertagi was present in all controls; arithmetic mean numbers of adults, developing fourth stage larvae (L4) and inhibited EL4 were 7683, 605 and 36,102, respectively. Other nematode genera present in controls in sufficient numbers for the experiment were Haemonchus placei adults, Trichostrongylus axei adults, Cooperia spp. adults, Oesophagostomum radiatum adults, Bunostomum phlebotomum adults, Dictyocaulus viviparus adults and E5 (immature adults). Abamectin was highly effective (consistently greater than 99% efficacy and P less than 0.05) in removing all nematodes present in treated calves as represented in non-treated controls, including the primary target of Ostertagia ostertagi inhibited EL4. The lowest efficacy was 93.8%, against D. viviparus E5.     

Toxic peripheral neuropathy with demyelination in Sprague-Dawley rats given CGS 21595--a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor.

Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were given CGS 21595, a pro-drug that is almost immediately metabolized to CGS 19213, a naphthoquinone that acts as a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor. The compound was administered by gavage to five groups of Sprague-Dawley rats (group Nos. 1, 5, n = 30; group Nos. 2-4, n = 20) at daily doses of 0, 50, 150, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg for 13 weeks. Rats in the higher dose groups had a reduced weight gain, but significant neurologic signs were not observed. A peripheral neuropathy consisting predominantly of myelin destruction in the spinal nerve roots and sciatic nerves in male rats treated with greater than or equal to 150 mg/kg CGS 21595 and in female rats treated with greater than or equal to 50 mg/kg CGS 21595 for 13 weeks. This lesion was not fully reversible after a recovery period of 4 weeks. Lesions consisted of ballooning of myelin sheaths, infiltration by macrophages, demyelination, and occasional areas of remyelination. Axons were generally preserved, and the brain and spinal cord were not affected. Male and female rats in all treatment groups had cytoplasmic hyaline droplets in the proximal renal tubules. This change was reversible after 4 weeks and was not associated with any other adverse effects on the kidney.