Effects of surgical implantation of temperature dataloggers on reproduction of captive striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis).

A total of 20 (14 females, six males) captive striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) with miniature temperature dataloggers implanted free in the abdominal cavity were examined for reproductive performance and pathology because of implants. Eleven of 12 female skunks reproduced successfully 45.9+/-3.7 days after surgery to remove implanted dataloggers. The pregnancy rate of 91.7% (11/12) was much higher than other captive studies and was comparable with that of wild skunks. Eight striped skunks (six males, two females) that were euthanatized and necropsied after having implants in the abdominal cavity for 5 mo showed no apparent pathology associated with the implant. Implantation of the intraperitoneal devices did not lead to complications in abdominal tissues. Neither implant nor surgery affected reproduction. We conclude that implanted dataloggers can safely be used in physiologic studies of striped skunks or possibly other small carnivores in captive or field studies.     

Survival and spatial fidelity of moufl on (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ovis gmelini</Emphasis>): A Bayesian analysis of an age-dependent capture-recapture model

We study the influence of age and sex on survival and spatial fidelity of moufl on (Ovis gmelini) in the Caroux-Espinouse massif. Survival and movement probabilities are estimated through a Bayesian analysis of an age-dependent capture-recapture model. Prior information is based on external data, namely on radio-tracked animals. Recapture rates differed between age, sexes, and areas. Whatever the area, survival of males and females less than 5 years old was high and decreased for older animals, particularly males. Female spatial fidelity was high; males were as faithful as females to their capture area in their first 2 years of life but gradually used distinct areas in two successive years as they were getting older.     

Occurrence of ochratoxin A- and aflatoxin B1-producing fungi in Lebanese grapes and ochratoxin a content in musts and finished wines during 2004

This paper reports the results of an extensive survey on the occurrence of filamentous fungi isolated from wine-grapes in Lebanon and to test their ability to produce ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on CYA culture medium, in order to assess their potential for producing these mycotoxins on grapes. From the 470 grapes samples taken during season 2004, 550 fungi strains were isolated with 490 belonging to Aspergillus spp. and 60 belonging to Penicillium spp. All these isolated fungi starins were tested for their ability to produce OTA and AFB1. Aspergillus carbonarius shows that it is the only species able to produce OTA with a production percentage reaching 100% and a maximum concentration of 52.8 microg/g of Czapek yeast extract agar (CYA). In its turn, Aspergillus flavus was considered as the only AFB1-producing species with production percentage of 45.3% and a maximum concentration reaching 40 microg/g CYA. A total of 47 handmade musts produced from the collected grapes were also analyzed in order to correlate the presence of OTA in must and the occurrence of filamentous fungi on grapes; 57.4% were contaminated with OTA at low level with concentrations ranging between 0.011 and 0.221 microg OTA L(-1). The analysis of these must samples was not performed with regard to AFB1. Seventy samples of finish red wine were also assayed for OTA content. The results showed that 42 of the tested samples (60%) were found to be positive for OTA with low levels (0.012-0.126 microg OTA L(-1)).     

Genetic Linkage Maps and Genomic Organization in Leptosphaeria maculans

Leptosphaeria maculans is a haploid outcrossing ascomycete with a genome size of about 34 Megabases (Mb) which is predicted to have between 10,000 and 12,000 genes. The chromosomes of L. maculans are of a size range (0.7–3.5 Mb) and number (15–16) that can be readily resolved by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Chromosome length polymorphisms are generated by meiosis giving rise to size differences as high as 57%, in the case of the ribosomal DNA-harbouring chromosome whose size varies between 1.8 and 4.2 Mb. Genetic maps are characterised by linkage groups comprising an accumulation of markers based on retrotransposon sequences. This, along with sequencing of pericentromeric regions and stretches of ORF-rich regions, suggest that the genome of L. maculans consists of a mosaic of GC-equilibrated coding regions with no or few transposons, and of stretches of highly degenerated and truncated retrotransposons, encompassing very few genes. Chromosome length polymorphisms are linked with the loss of dispensable regions. We suggest that the degree of length polymorphism for a particular chromosome correlates to the amount of dispensable retrotransposons, and that some gene-rich chromosomes may be less prone to undergo chromosome length polymorphisms than other chromosomes.     

Comparative hydrolysis and photolysis of four antibacterial agents (oxytetracycline oxolinic acid, flumequine and florfenicol) in deionised water, freshwater and seawater under abiotic conditions

A large fraction of antibacterial agents administered to farmed fish is released into the environment, either in leaching from uneaten medicated pelleted feed, or through urinary, branchial and faecal excretions. Processes such as hydrolysis and photolysis might be important for the elimination of antibacterial agents from water. The aim of the present study was to compare hydrolysis and photolysis of oxytetracycline (OTC), oxolinic acid (OXA), flumequine (FLU) and florfenicol (FLO) in three types of water (deionised water, freshwater and seawater) under abiotic conditions. For each antibacterial agent, a 7-day factorial experiment was designed in order to study the effect of light, pH and dissolved oxygen on hydrolysis and photolysis in deionised water. Furthermore, 14-day kinetics experiments were performed for each antibacterial agent and each type of water. FLO was not degraded by hydrolysis or photolysis phenomena. Hydrolysis phenomena only concerned OTC and were responsible for about 20% of its degradation following a 14-day exposure at a temperature of + 8 °C. Photolysis was responsible for about 70% of the OTC degradation in freshwater and seawater and 10% of the OXA and FLU degradation in seawater following the same exposure. Water pH played a role in OTC hydrolysis and photolysis. There was no close connection between OTC hydrolysis and photolysis and OTC binding to cations and organic matter, but it would be suggested that there was a connection between absence of OXA and FLU photolysis and OXA and FLU binding to organic matter.