A multidimensional analysis of marine capture fisheries in China’s coastal provinces

Fisheries Science - China (herein referred as China’s mainland, and excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) is the largest contributor to global seafood production. While China’s marine...     

Antimicrobial drug resistance as determined by the E-test in Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, and C. lari isolates from the ceca of broiler and layer chickens in Grenada

One hundred and twenty five chickens from Grenada, consisting of 77 broilers and 48 layers were examined for carriage of thermophilic campylobacters in their ceca by culture. Seventy nine percent of chickens were positive for campylobacters, with an isolation rate of 93.5% for broilers and 56.3% for layers, the difference being significant. Sixty-four pure cultures comprising 39 Campylobacter coli, 21 Campylobacter jejuni, and 4 Campyilobacter lari isolates were tested for their resistance against 7 antibiotics using the E-test. None of the isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol and gentamicin. Resistance rates to other drugs were: ampicillin, 9.4%; ciprofloxacin, 12.5%; erythromycin, 3.1%; metronidazole, 9.4%, and tetracycline, 50% with MICs of >or=256 microg/mL for tetracycline. There were no significant differences in resistance rates between C. coli and C. jejuni. Multiple resistance to >or=2 drugs was seen in 15.6% of total isolates. All C. lari isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, and 3 of 4 isolates had multiple drug resistance. Overall, erythromycin, which is the drug of choice for treatment of Campylobacter infections in humans, is effective in vitro against 97% of chicken isolates in Grenada.     

Development and reproduction of Sancassania polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae) feeding on entomopathogenic nematodes and tissues of insect larvae

We studied the effect of different food sources, infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae), and tissues from the insect larva, Polyphylla fullo (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) or Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), on the development, reproduction and longevity of Sancassania polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae). We showed that the immature mite stages - protonymph and tritonymph - could develop to the next developmental stage on living or sonicated (i.e., ruptured) S. feltiae or H. bacteriophora. However, the mite larval stage could only develop to the next developmental stage on sonicated infective juveniles of the nematodes. Subsequently, we demonstrated that S. polyphyllae completed development from protonymph to adult on live S. feltiae or H. bacteriophora, whereas all immature stages of S. polyphyllae completed their development from larva to adult on insect tissues. The total developmental period of S. polyphyllae that fed on insect tissues was significantly shorter than those that fed on live infective juveniles. The pre-oviposition, oviposition, and post-oviposition periods and female longevity were not significantly different among the food sources. The total and daily fecundity of S. polyphyllae feeding on P. fullo and G. mellonella was significantly higher than those feeding on S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora, although there was no significant difference observed between P. fullo and G. mellonella or between S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora. The net reproductive rate (R₀) was highest (588.3♀/♀) when S. polyphyllae fed on P. fullo. The longest mean generation time (T₀) occurred on H. bacteriophora (12.6 days) and the shortest occurred on P. fullo (10.5 days). S. polyphyllae, which fed on P. fullo (r_m=0.61) and G. mellonella (r_m=0.55) had the highest intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) compared to mites that fed on S .feltiae (r_m=0.45) and H. bacteriophora (r_m=0.41).     

Reducing the dimensionality of soil microinvertebrate community datasets using Indicator Species Analysis: Implications for ecosystem monitoring and soil management

Soil microinvertebrates are closely associated with soil decomposition and nutrient cycles and may be particularly responsive indicators for soil management practices. However, identification of appropriate bioindicator species for many systems has been severely limited by a lack of information on species taxonomy, distribution, and functional role. We evaluated Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) as an objective method for assessing the indicator potential of different taxa without regard to their ecological role or expected management response. Restricting ordination and site classification to significant indicator morphotaxa reduced the dimensionality of the community data matrix by 69% while only slightly decreasing the efficiency of unsupervised classification (from 87.2 to 84.4%); the percentage of total variability explained by first two PCA axes increased following ISA. When these same indicator morphotaxa were used to classify an independent set of samples, the percentage of total variability explained by the first two PCA axes increased from 55.3 to 65.2%; cluster analysis of the test dataset correctly classified 47 out of 50 plots by cover type (94% accuracy). However, restriction of analysis to indicator morphotaxa alone reduced detection of differences between sampling dates relative to the complete dataset. Although care needs to be taken to ensure that the dataset used for indicator selection is fully representative of underlying temporal and spatial variability, ISA appears to overcome many of the limitations associated with parametric and multivariate approaches for identifying indicator morphotaxa and has the potential to greatly reduce the taxonomic expertise and labor costs associated with sorting and identification of soil microarthropods.     

Acromyrmex octospinosus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) management. Part 1: Effects of TRAMIL's insecticidal plant extracts

BACKGROUND: Leaf‐cutting ants are considered to be one of the most important pest species of the New World. Until now, control strategies against these leaf‐cutting ants have mainly been synthetic chemicals. The aim of the present study was to test the action of several plant extracts quoted as an example by TRAMIL participative surveys for their insecticidal properties on adult major workers of Acromyrmex octospinosus. Three tests were used to that end: contact toxicity, repellent test and ingestion bioassay. Six traditional plant uses recommended by interviewed people in surveys were tested: (1) maceration of Mammea americana fresh crushed seeds; (2) decoction of Nerium oleander fresh leaves; (3) Nerium oleander dried leaf water juice; (4) decoction of Nicotiana tabacum dried leaves; (5) Trichillia pallida dried leaf water juice; (6) decoction of Rollinia mucosa dried seeds. RESULTS: Two plant extracts with contact toxicity (Mammea americana and Nicotiana tabacum), six plant extracts with repellent activity and four plant extracts with ingestion toxicity (Mammea americana, Nicotiana tabacum and both extracts of Nerium oleander) were found. CONCLUSION: The data presented in this study showed that plant extracts cited by TRAMIL ethnopharmacological surveys have the potential to control the leaf‐cutting ant, Acromyrmex octospinosus. In particular, the Mammea americana extract, with its natural low repellent effect and its high toxicity by ingestion, and Nerium oleander extracts, with their natural delay action, are possibly the best extracts for the control of these ants. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluation of the concentration of marbofloxacin in alveolar macrophages and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid after administration in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine concentrations of marbofloxacin in alveolar macrophages (AMs) and epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and compare those concentrations with plasma concentrations in healthy dogs. ANIMALS: 12 adult mixed-breed and purebred hounds. PROCEDURE: 10 dogs received orally administered marbofloxacin at a dosage of 2.75 mg/kg every 24 hours for 5 days. Two dogs served as nontreated controls. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage procedures were performed while dogs were anesthetized with propofol, approximately 6 hours after the fifth dose. The concentrations of marbofloxacin in plasma and bronchoalveolar fluid (cell and supernatant fractions) were determined by use of high-performance liquid chromatography with detection of fluorescence. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD plasma marbofloxacin concentrations 2 and 6 hours after the fifth dose were 2.36 +/- 0.52 microg/mL and 1.81 +/- 0.21 microg/mL, respectively. Mean +/- SD marbofloxacin concentration 6 hours after the fifth dose in AMs (37.43 +/- 24.61 microg/mL) was significantly greater than that in plasma (1.81 +/- 0.21 microg/mL) and ELF (0.82 +/- 0.34 microg/mL), resulting in a mean AM concentration-to-plasma concentration ratio of 20.4, a mean AM:ELF ratio of 60.8, and a mean ELF-to-plasma ratio of 0.46. Marbofloxacin was not detected in any samples from control dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Marbofloxacin concentrations in AMs were greater than the mean inhibitory concentrations of major bacterial pathogens in dogs. Results indicated that marbofloxacin accumulates in AMs at concentrations exceeding those reached in plasma and ELF The accumulation of marbofloxacin in AMs may facilitate treatment for susceptible intracellular pathogens or infections associated with pulmonary macrophage infiltration.     

Effect of tympanic cavity evacuation and flushing on microbial isolates during total ear canal ablation with lateral bulla osteotomy in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in bacterial numbers, identity, and susceptibility in samples obtained from the tympanic cavity on entry (preflush) and after evacuation and lavage (postflush) and assess perioperative and empiric antimicrobial selection in dogs that underwent total ear canal ablation (TECA) with lateral bulla osteotomy (LBO) or reoperation LBO. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: 34 dogs. PROCEDURE: TECA with LBO or reoperation LBO was performed on 47 ears. Pre- and postflush aerobic and anaerobic samples were obtained from the tympanic cavity. Isolates and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were compared. RESULTS: Different isolates (31/44 [70%] ears) and susceptibility patterns of isolate pairs (6/44 [14%] ears) were detected in pre- and postflush samples from 84% of ears. Evacuation and lavage of the tympanic cavity decreased the number of bacterial isolates by 33%. In 26% of ears, bacteria were isolated from post-flush samples but not preflush samples. Only 26% of isolates tested were susceptible to cefazolin. At least 1 isolate from 53% of dogs that received empirically chosen antimicrobials postoperatively was resistant to the selected drugs. Anaerobic bacteria were recovered from 6 ears. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Accurate microbiologic assessment of the tympanic cavity should be the basis for selection of antimicrobials in dogs undergoing TECA with LBO. Bacteria remain in the tympanic cavity after evacuation and lavage. Cefazolin was a poor choice for dogs that underwent TECA with LBO, as judged on the basis of culture and susceptibility testing results.     

Bacterial flora of free-living double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) chicks on Prince Edward Island, Canada, with reference to enteric bacteria and antibiotic resistance

Cloacal and pharyngeal swabs from 100 tree-nesting Double-crested cormorant (DCC) chicks were examined by culture for commensal and potentially pathogenic bacteria. No Salmonella or Erysipelothrix were isolated from the cloacal swabs. Twenty-two cloacal swabs were positive for Campylobacter, of which 14 were C. jejuni, C. coli, and 1 C. lari. None belonged to common serotypes isolated from humans or animals in recent years in Canada. Tests for antimicrobial drug resistance among 187 commensal Escherichia coli isolates from the cloacal swabs indicated that < or =5% were resistant to any of the 12 antibiotics tested. This contrasts with the frequently high resistance rates among E. coli isolates from poultry. Pharyngeal swabs from DCC were negative for Pasteurella multocida. Culture of cloacal swabs from 100 ground-nesting DCC chicks resulted in the recovery of 19 Salmonella isolates, all of which were S. enterica serotype Typhimurium. None of these isolates were resistant to any of the 12 antibiotics tested. Altogether, these findings suggest that DCC from this region are not being colonized with commensal or potentially pathogenic enteric bacteria from agricultural or human sources and that enteric bacteria isolated from these birds are unlikely to contribute to a gene pool of antimicrobial drug resistance.     

Student assessment of the educational benefits of using a CD-ROM for instruction of basic surgical skills

RATIONALE FOR STUDY: At Texas A&M University, introductory-level surgical lecture and laboratory notes were converted to a CD-ROM format that included illustrative photographs as well as instructional videos demonstrating the basic surgical skills that all students were required to master. The CD-ROM was distributed to all students in place of traditional paper notes in the second-year surgical class in the professional veterinary curriculum. The study reported here was designed to evaluate the educational benefits of the use of the CD-ROM in place of traditional paper notes by examining the attitudes and practices of students before and after exposure to the CD-ROM format. METHODOLOGY: An anonymous survey was distributed to students in the second-year introductory surgery course on the first day of class and again on the last day of class. Responses to questions were tabulated, response frequencies determined, and Chi-square analysis performed to determine differences between initial and final responses. RESULTS: On the final survey, 89 per cent of students responded that the instructional videos definitely helped them prepare for the laboratory, and 77 per cent responded that they were more likely to practice techniques learned from the CD-ROM videos than those learned from traditional study materials. The majority of students believed that the CD-ROM improved both the course (60 per cent) and their learning experience (62 per cent) as compared to traditional paper notes. CONCLUSIONS: Including instructional videos on the CD-ROM enhanced the educational experience of the students by promoting preparedness for laboratories and promoting practice of techniques learned from the videos outside of the laboratory.