Non-phytate phosphorus requirement for broilers from 8 to 21 days of age under heat stress conditions

Two trials were conducted to determine the non-phytate phosphorus (nPP) requirement for broiler under heat stress. In both trials, birds were distributed in a completely randomized 4 × 2 factorial design with four nPP concentrations: 0.25, 0.35, 0.45, and 0.55%, and two Ca supply techniques: Ca fixed at 0.899% (CaF) or varying along with nPP aiming a 2:1 Ca to nPP ratio (CaV). Both trials had eight pens/treatment, with nine and five birds/pen for exp. 1 and exp. 2, respectively. nPP concentration had no effect on feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), nor fat deposition ratio (FDR). nPP levels showed a linear effect on protein deposition ratio (PDR) only for CaF diets. The nPP levels had a significant effect, regardless the technique adopted, on tibia phosphorus (TibP), which varied quadratically, on tibia calcium (TibCa) that increased quadratically and linearly, respectively, on CaF and CaV diets, and on tibia ash (TibAsh) that showed a quadratic effect for both. No effect was observed on Ca to P ratio in the tibia (TibCa:TibP). The nPP levels showed a linear increase effect over phosphorus intake (PI), phosphorus excreted (PE), and phosphorus retained (PR), and a linear decrease effect on phosphorus retention coefficient (PRC). Therefore, the nPP requirement for broilers from 8 to 21 days of age that provided better performance and bone variables were 0.250 and 0.484%, respectively, for CaF diets and 0.250 and 0.511%, respectively, for CaV diets.     

Land‐Use Type Effects on Soil Organic Carbon and Microbial Properties in a Semi‐arid Region of Northeast Brazil

Land‐use change is one of the most important anthropogenic environmental change drivers affecting the biodiversity and functioning of ecosystems. However, there is limited knowledge of the consequences for soil processes in many regions around the globe. The Brazilian semi‐arid ecosystem known as Caatinga has experienced the transformation from native forest into agricultural land, with heretofore unknown effects on soil processes and microbial properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of five land‐use changes (to maize and cowpea cropland, grape orchard, and cut and grazed pasture) on total organic C (TOC) and total N (TN) stocks and soil microbial properties of Ultisol from Caatinga. Soil samples (0–10 and 10–20 cm depth) were collected during the wet and dry periods. Split–split plot analysis of variance was used to test the effects of land use, soil depth, season and the interaction between land‐use and soil depth on soil microbial properties, TOC and TN stocks. Land‐use effects were more pronounced in the top soil layer than in the lower layer, while the pattern was less consistent in soil microbial properties. Land conversion from native forest to cropland may cause C losses from the soil, but conversion to pastures may even increase the potential of soils to function as C sinks. Grazed pastures showed not only high C and N stocks but also the highest soil microbial biomass and lowest respiratory quotients, all indications for elevated soil C sequestration. Thus, grazed pastures may represent a land‐use form with high ecosystem multifunctionality in Caatinga. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of açaí oil addition in tilapia diets on performance,hepatic energy metabolism enzymes and antioxidant responses

The aim of the present study was to determine whether açai oil (Euterpe oleraceae) addition in the diets of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in biofloc system would stimulate hepatic energy metabolism and antioxidant responses. Treatments are as follows: T0 (6%‐soybean oil), T1 (1%‐AÇAI; 5%‐SOY), T3 (3% AÇAI; 3%‐SOY) and T6 (6%‐AÇAI). In the liver, reactive oxygen species levels were significantly lower in T1, T3 and T6 than in T0, lipid peroxidation levels were significantly lower in T3 and T6, and nitric oxide levels were significantly lower in the T6 than in T0. Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly higher in the T3 and T6 than in T0, while superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant capacity levels were significantly higher in the T6 than in T0. Adenylate kinase activity was significantly lower in the T6 than in T0. These results suggest that the açai oil addition in Nile tilapia diets stimulated antioxidant responses.     

Virulence factors in Escherichia coli strains isolated from urinary tract infection and pyometra cases and from feces of healthy dogs

The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of virulence genes in 158 Escherichia coli strains isolated from 51 clinical cases of UTIs, 52 of pyometra and from 55 fecal samples from healthy dogs by PCR. papC was found in 12 (23.5%) strains isolated from UTIs, 19 (36.5%) from pyometra and 10 (18.2%) from feces. papGII was observed in 3 (5.8%) strains from pyometra, and papGIII in 10 (19.6%) from UTIs, 15 (28.8%) from pyometra and 9 (16.4%) from feces. sfaS was detected in 22 (43.1%) strains from UTIs, 24 (46.1%) from pyometra and 19 (34.5%) from feces. hlyA was observed in 17 (33.3%) strains from UTIs, 18 (34.6%) from pyometra and 7 (12.7%) from feces, while cnf-1 was detected in 11 (21.6%) from UTIs, 21 (40.4%) from pyometra and 9 (16.4%) from feces. iucD was observed in 12 (23.5%) strains from UTIs, 9 (17.3%) from pyometra and 1 (1.8%) from feces. usp was found 17 (33.3%) isolates from UTIs and 36 (69.9%) from pyometra.     

Type 2 heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-II)-producing Escherichia coli isolated from ostriches with diarrhea

The culture supernatant of Escherichia coli, isolated from ostriches with diarrhea in Brazil, caused elongation in Vero cell, rounding in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and a cytoplasmic vacuolation in ostrich embryo fibroblasts (OEF), but it was not cytotoxic for chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF). These effects were not neutralized by antiserum to cholera toxin. Polymerase chain reaction assays showed that the ostrich E. coli contained the gene encoding (eltII-A), but not those for type 1 heat-labile enterotoxin (eltA), heat-stable enterotoxins (estA, estB), verocytotoxins (stx-I, stx-II), or cytotoxic necrotizing factors (cnf 1, cnf 2). All isolates belonged to serotype O15:H8. The enteropathogenic relevance of LT-II in ostrich diarrhea remains undetermined.     

Investigation of putative CDT gene in Escherichia coli isolates from pigs with diarrhea

In this study, 98 Escherichia coli isolates from 42 diarrheic neonatal piglets were screened for the presence of cytolethal distending toxin coding gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR yielded a single product which was specifically generated for E. coli cdt(+) control strain and not for other control strains. Twenty two (22.4%) of the isolates tested were cdtB positive, and 50% of the cdtB(+) isolates were also estII positive. The most prevalent pathotype was O32 cdtB(+) estII(+), which accounted for 59% of the cdtB positive strains. These results indicate an association between the presence of the cdtB gene and diarrhea, and support the need for further studies to determine the role of this toxin in diarrhea.     

Partial characterization of the extracellular matrix released onto hydrophobic surfaces by conidia and conidial germlings ofColletotrichum graminicola

The extracellular matrix (ECM) released by conidia ofColletotrichum graminicolawhen incubated on artificial hydrophobic substrata was investigated. Time-course experiments revealed that proteins and carbohydrates were released in the ECM of both ungerminated and germinated conidia. Stains for protein and carbohydrate revealed that part of the ECM remained attached to the substratum after the fungus had been removed. The ECM isolated from substrata where ungerminated conidia had adhered and from substrata where germinated conidia had adhered exhibited the same profiles when analysed by SDS-PAGE for proteins and glycoproteins and by HPLC for carbohydrate analysis. The ECM was found to be composed of glycoproteins with a molecular weight of around 200 kDa. Deglycosylation of the isolated ECM material resulted in the release of a protein with a molecular weight of approx. 116 kDa, indicating that the original protein was extensively glycosylated. Carbohydrate analysis demonstrated that mannose was the predominant sugar. That the ECM remained attached to the surface of the hydrophobic substrata suggests that it has a role in adhesion.     

Comparative study of the microbial profile from bilateral canine otitis externa

Fifty dogs with bilateral otitis externa were studied over a 10-month period. The exudates of both external ears were obtained, using sterile swabs, and microorganisms were isolated according to standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Staphylococcus intermedius was done by the agar diffusion method. There was bacterial and/or fungal growth in all of the samples. These were all polymicrobial infections. Anaerobic bacteria were not isolated in any sample. The most common pathogens isolated were S. intermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the isolation pattern between the right and left ears in 34 of the 50 animals (68%). High resistance rates of S. intermedius strains to penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and clindamycin were found. The results suggest that in bilateral canine otitis externa, each ear should be cultured separately and considered as separate units.