Pseudopregnancy in Saanen Goats (Capra hircus) Raised in Northeast Brazil

The prevalence of pseudopregnancy over 44 months was investigated in 23 Saanen goats raised in Northeast Brazil during continuous oestrous cycling (cyclic group) or after synchronization of oestrus (synchronized group). The goats were monitored by ultrasonography and their plasma progesterone profile. The overall prevalence of pseudopregnancy was 30.4% (7/23). In the cyclic group, 28.6% (4/14) of goats showed pseudopregnancy, while in the synchronized group the prevalence was 33.3% (3/9). There was no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). The mean (+/- SD) length of pseudopregnancy, as shown by the progesterone profile, was 121.6 +/- 33.5 days, ranging from 70 to 155 days. The study defined the prevalence of pseudopregnancy in Saanen goats raised in Northeast Brazil for the first time. This finding identified a major problem for this breed, as without treatment such animals remain unproductive until the spontaneous resolution of the condition. More research seems desirable to ascertain the prevalence of this condition in other breeds in this region of Brazil.     

Kinetic enzymatic determination of glycerol in wine and beer using a sequential injection system with spectrophotometric detection

A sequential injection system for the automatic determination of glycerol in wine and beer was developed. The method is based on the rate of formation of NADH from the reaction of glycerol and NAD+ catalyzed by the enzyme glycerol dehydrogenase in solution. The determination of glycerol was performed between 0.3 and 3.0 mmol L(-1) (0.028 and 0.276 g L(-1)), and good repeatability was attained (rsd < 3.6%, n = 5) for all samples tested. The determination rate was 54 h(-1), the reagent consumption was only 0.75 micromol of NAD+ and 5.4 ng of enzyme per assay, and the waste production was 2.12 mL per assay. Results obtained for samples were in agreement with those obtained with the batch enzymatic method.     

Characterization of extraintestinal Escherichia coli isolated from a peacock (Pavo cristatus) with colisepticemia

Extraintestinal infections by avian pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (APEC) are commonly reported in poultry, but there is little information on infections by APEC in other bird species. Here we report on the characterization of extraintestinal E. coli isolated from a domesticated peacock, from the south of Brazil, that died of colisepticemia. Necropsy examination revealed congested liver, hypertrophied kidneys, peritonitis, severe typhlitis suggestive of coligranuloma, pneumonia, and airsacculitis--typical signs of colisepticemia. The isolates from lungs, kidney, heart, intestine, liver, and bone marrow all harbored the same virulence-associated factors (iucD, colV, iss, mat, fimC, ompA, traT crl, csgA vgrG, and hcp), yielded the same band pattern in amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis, and were allocated to the Escherichia coli Reference Collection group B1. The isolates were resistant to bacitracin, trimethoprim, and tetracycline, but displayed slight differences in their resistance to other antimicrobials. The isolates also differed in their virulence in 1-day-old chickens, but none displayed high virulence in vivo. We conclude that the peacock died of colisepticemia after it was infected with an extraintestinal E. coli strain of low virulence that nevertheless harbored virulence factors generally associated with APEC. This study represents the first characterization of an APEC isolated from a nonpoultry bird species.     

Effect of organic acids and mannanoligosaccharide on excretion of Salmonella typhimurium in experimentally infected growing pigs

The effect of organic acids and mannanoligosaccharide addition to the diet was assessed in pigs orally inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium. Forty-six growers were distributed among four treatments: Basal Diet (BD); BD+encapsulated organic acids; BD+free organic acids; BD+mannanoligosaccharide. Seroconversion was monitored, and feces and tissue samples were tested for Salmonella isolation. No treatment prevented the carrier state, but a tendency of lower fecal excretion was observed in the group treated with mannanoligosaccharide.     

Influence of different supplements and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars on intake, digestible variables and methane production of dairy heifers under tropical conditions

The sulphur hexafluoride (SF(6)) gas tracer method was used to measure methane (CH(4)) production of crossbred (3/4 Holstein x Zebu) dairy heifers fed two types of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.; cultivar IAC-862480 (CC1) or cultivar IAC-873184 (CC2)) and supplemented with urea or concentrate. The study was performed at Embrapa Southeast Cattle, S?o Carlos, SP, Brazil, using a completely randomised design. Differences between treatments were significant for digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and energy. When animals were supplemented with urea differences between sugarcane cultivars did occur for NDF consumption, but not for daily methane production. This suggest that variation in chemical composition of sugarcane did not affect bovine ruminal CH(4) emissions. Concentrate inclusion in animal diet increased digestible organic matter intake, improving the nutrient intake by animals, but did not reduce CH(4) production expressed as a percentage of gross energy intake.     

Resonance of scantlings indicates the stiffness even of small specimens of Eucalyptus from plantations

The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between the stiffness of scantlings, approaching structural size materials, and small specimens of 6-year-old Eucalyptus urophylla?×?grandis wood using a resonance technique. The correlation between the elastic modulus (E) of the scantlings in longitudinal vibration and small specimens in flexural vibration was r?=?75 when comparing the scantling values with the averaged values of the specimens per scantling. However, when the E of each single specimen was compared with its respective scantling, the coefficient of correlation decreased to r?=?0.64 in the longitudinal tests and r?=?0.61 in the flexural tests. A roughly linear correlation (r?=?0.59) between specific modulus and loss tangent was obtained for the small specimens of Eucalyptus. In short, the resonance technique rapidly provided a large, accurate data set of mechanical wood properties as required for high-throughput phenotyping in recent genetic studies.     

Gene expression and immunolocalization of fibroblast growth factor 2 in the ovary and its effect on the in vitro culture of caprine preantral ovarian follicles

This study quantified Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) mRNA and localized FGF-2 protein in different categories of follicles isolated from goat ovaries. In addition, we verified the effects of this factor on the in vitro culture of preantral follicles isolated from goats. For mRNA quantification, we performed real-time PCR using primordial, primary and secondary follicles, as well as cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) and mural granulosa and theca cells of small and large antral follicles. For FGF-2 protein localization, the ovaries were subjected to conventional immunohistochemical procedures. Preantral follicles were isolated and cultured in vitro for 12 days in either control (basic) or supplemented with FGF-2 medium. The expression of FGF-2 mRNA was detected in all categories of follicles and there was no difference in preantral follicles and COCs or granulosa/theca cells from small and large antral follicles. However, in large antral follicles, COCs showed expression levels significantly lower than in granulosa/theca cells (p < 0.05). We observed moderate expression of FGF-2 protein in preantral follicles but not in granulosa cells of primordial follicles and theca cells of secondary follicles. In both small and large antral follicles, strong, moderate and weak staining was observed in oocytes, granulosa and theca cells, respectively. The addition of FGF-2 caused a significant increase in the daily follicular growth rate compared to the control group. We conclude that FGF-2 mRNA is expressed throughout follicular development and that its protein can be found in different patterns in preantral and antral follicles. Furthermore, FGF-2 increases the follicular growth rate in vitro.     

Gastroprotective potential of frutalin, a D-galactose binding lectin, against ethanol-induced gastric lesions

The present study was designed to verify whether frutalin (FTL) affords gastroprotection against the ethanol-induced gastric damage and to examine the underlying mechanism(s). Gastric damage was induced by intragastric administration of 0.2 ml of ethanol (96%). Mice in groups were pretreated with FTL (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg; i.p.), cimetidine (100 mg/kg; p.o.), or vehicle (0.9% of NaCl, 10 mL/kg; p.o.), 30 min before ethanol administration. They were sacrificed 30 min later, the stomachs excised, and the mucosal lesion area (mm2) measured by planimetry. Gastroprotection was assessed in relation to inhibition of gastric lesion area. To study the gastroprotective mechanism(s), its relations to capsaicin-sensitive fibers, endogenous prostaglandins, nitric oxide, sulphydryls, ATP-sensitive potassium channels, adrenoceptors, opioid receptors and calcium channels were analyzed. Treatments effects on ethanol-associated oxidative stress markers GSH and MDA were measured in gastric tissue. FTL afforded a dose-unrelated gastroprotection against the ethanol damage. However, it failed to prevent the ethanol-induced changes in the levels of GSH and MDA. It was observed that the gastroprotection by FTL was greatly reduced in animals pretreated with capsazepine, indomethacin, L-NAME or glibenclamide. Considering the results, it is suggested that the FTL could probably be a good therapeutic agent for the development of new medicine for the treatment of gastric ulcer.