Evaluation of the eradication program forAmblyomma variegatum (Acari: Ixodidae) on Puerto Rico

A cooperative effort between the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, the Agricultural Research Service, and the Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth Government of Puerto Rico has been successful in eardicatingAmblyomma variegatum (Fabricius) from the islands of Puerto Rico and Vieques (an island municipality of Puerto Rico). Application of acaricides to livestock and dogs at 14-day intervals for an 18-month period eliminated foci of tick infestation on 188 farms in four different locations without additional aerial or ground treatment. Reasons for the success and some of the costs associated with the eradication program on Puerto Rico are presented.     

Motor End-Plates

In the preparation of motor end-plates for class room work the use of sodium thiosulfate is suggested as a precaution against overstaining and as a regressive measure. Digestion of the connective tissue eliminates the tedious teasing and the possible destruction of the delicate nerve fibers. Mounting in a solution of gum arable makes the slides more durable than glycerin jelly for class use. Whole neuromuscular spindles may be obtained by this method.     

Effects of selenium on colonic fermentation in the rat

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of dietary selenium (Se) on the hindgut microbial activity in rats. Selenium was fed asl-selenomethionine (SeMet) at either 0 or 2 ppm Se in the presence or absence of wheat bran (WB, 10%), a known substrate for the enteric microflora. Wheat bran feeding caused the greatest fermentation, measured by the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) along the entire intestinal tract and feces; however, its effects were suppressed by SeMet in the proximal large bowel, cecum, and colon. Selenium significantly enhanced fermentation in the colon and rectum, but not in the cecum or feces. Selenium was found in association with the bacterial cell fractions of gut contents and feces: 40–46% of the total Se was associated with colonic microbes and 58% in fecal microbes. Increased acetate and reduced butyrate production were driven by the addition of Se regardless of whether WB was fed.     

Anorectal volume–pressure relations,contraction work,and flow during defecation

Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology - Fecobionics is an integrated device that has shown promise for assessment of anorectal function. We used a wireless Fecobionics prototype to visualize...     

Correlations of daily activity with avian cholera mortality among wildfowl.

We tested the hypothesis that wildfowl activities can influence the risk of avian cholera (Pasteurella multocida infection) for susceptible birds at Centerville, Humboldt County, California (USA). Avian cholera mortality characteristics from past epizootics were correlated with variations in flock size, habitat use and 11 feeding and nonfeeding behaviors among six empirically defined groups of wildfowl: American coots (Fulica americana), tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus), American wigeon (Anas americana), northern pintails (A. acuta), northern shovelers (A. clypeata)/mallards (A. platyrhynchos), and teal (A. discors, A. crecca, A. cyanoptera). The position of these wildfowl groups in past mortality sequences was directly correlated with mean flock size, time spent on land, and time spent grazing on land or in shallow water. We propose that variations in bird density, habitat use and frequency of grazing may serve as predisposing factors to avian cholera among wildfowl.