Effects of an Enterococcus faecium‐based probiotic on growth performance and health of Pirarucu,Arapaima gigas

Intensive fish farming has resulted in an increased concern for disease outbreaks. Probiotic use is one of the strategies being developed to improve fish health and productivity. Measures of probiotic colonization, growth performance, haematological characteristics and parasite load were used to evaluate the effect of diets supplemented with Enterococcus faecium on growth and health of Arapaima gigas juveniles. A completely randomized design with four treatments (diet with E. faecium at 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g and 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g, control diet and diet with the culture medium MRS) and three replicates was used. Ninety‐six Arapaima juveniles were distributed in 12 cages fed with the specified diet for 68 days. Colonization of the intestinal tract by lactic acid bacteria reduced the total number of heterotrophic bacteria in fish fed with probiotics compared to controls. Fish fed a supplemented diet containing 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g presented higher values of weight gain, survival and fish growth uniformity, and lower values of feed conversion ratio. The prevalence of Trichodina sp. could have affected the survival of fish in the control group. Reduction in parasite load and an increase in haematocrit, the number of erythrocytes, thrombocytes, neutrophils and monocytes were also observed in fish fed the diet containing 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g. Enterococcus faecium presented a probiotic effect in A. gigas juveniles and can be recommended for use at a concentration of 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g to modify the gut microbiota, improve growth performance and haematology and reduce parasitic load.     

Unraveling the morphological patterns of a subantarctic eelpout: a geometric morphometric approach

Phenotypic variation in organisms depends on the genotype and the environmental constraints of the habitat that they exploit. Therefore, for marine species inhabiting contrasting aquatic conditions, it is expected to find covariation between the shape and its spatial distribution. We studied the morphology of the head and cephalic sensory canals of the eelpout Austrolycus depressiceps (4.5–22.5 cm TL) across its latitudinal distribution in South Pacific (45°S–55°S). Geometric morphometric analyses show that the shape varied from individuals with larger snout and an extended suborbital canal to individuals with shorter snouts and frontally compressed suborbital canal. There was size variation across the sampled populations, but that size does not have a clear latitudinal gradient. Only 8% of the shape variation relates to this size variation (allometry), represented by a decrease in the relative size of the eye, and a depression of the posterior margin of the head. There were spatial differences in the shape of the head, but these differences were probably caused by allometric effects. Additionally, 2 of the canals of the cephalic lateralis pores and the head shape showed modularity in its development. This study shows that the morphology of marine fish with a shallow distribution varies across distances of hundreds of kilometers (i.e., phenotypic modulation).     

巴西迈出植物认证第一步

目前,随着人们质量意识的逐渐提高,急需建立一套植物认证体系来证明种植者已经遵守了某种标准,并且在这个标准下种植者生产的产品质量能够达到已制定的目标。今年5月,在巴西莫卡花卉市场(Mercaflora Markrt)举办的第十届花卉论坛上,官方正式启动了这一植物认证体系,巴西南部的圣卡塔林纳州成为这项国家计划的试点。圣卡塔林纳是一个传统的生产景观植物的地区,历来以创新闻名。巴西的花卉研究所也建于该地。该项植物认证的实施方式有两种,一种是由联合机构规定产业标准和产品质量;另一种是根据农业部的相关规定,政府授权认证机构。其中认证…     

巴西剑兰新产地喜获丰收

20世纪50年代,移民去巴西的大批荷兰人开创了观赏植物生产.1959年,荷兰移民柯拉斯·斯马克(Klaas Scho enmake r)开始在如今已是剑兰主产区的奥朗布拉(Holambra)种植他从荷兰带来的剑兰球根,这一做法在当时遭到很多人的怀疑,包括当时的奥朗布拉的领导.在那时,人们认为要谋生只能靠农作物.     

Multiple effects of urbanization on the biodiversity of developing countries: The case of a fast-growing metropolitan area (Concepción, Chile)

Urbanization is increasingly homogenizing the biota of less developed countries. Even though urban sprawl is a worldwide problem, most studies on the effects of urbanization, and the conceptual models have focused on developed countries. South America has not escaped urbanization, and here we discuss the potential impacts of urban sprawl with respect to three ecosystems in the metropolitan area of Concepción, Chile. We consider this area a good model and fairly representative of other cities in developing countries which are also experiencing rapid and uncontrolled growth. We found that the impacts of urban sprawl on biodiversity in the metropolitan area of Concepción differ little from cities in other parts of the world: native ecosystems are replaced by pavements and buildings and what is left of the natural soil is covered with green areas dominated by non-native ornamental species. Wetlands and other peri-urban ecosystems are rapidly being destroyed, fragmented or invaded by non-native species. We found that from a study area of 32,000 ha, there was a net loss to urbanization of 1734 ha of wetlands (23% of the original) and 1417 ha (9%) of agricultural, forest and shrub land cover types between 1975 and 2000. From the total area urbanized (3151 ha), 55% corresponded to wetlands and 45% to agricultural, forest and shrub lands cover types. We see the lack of environmental awareness as a major cause of the increasing deterioration of biodiversity in urban areas of developing countries. More research is needed to fully understand the effects of urban sprawl on the biodiversity of developing countries to include these ecosystems in global conservation strategies.     

Participatory landrace selection for on-farm conservation: An example from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico

On-farm conservation is recognized as a key component of a comprehensive strategy to conserve crop genetic resources. A fundamental problem faced by any on-farm conservation project is the identification of crop populations on which efforts should be focused. This paper describes a method to identify a subset of landraces for further conservation efforts from a larger collection representing the diversity found in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mexico is a center of origin and diversity for maize (Zea mays L.). The 17 landraces selected from an initial collection of 152 satisfy two criteria. First, they represent the diversity present in the larger collection. Second, they appear to serve the interests of farmers in the region. Data for applying the method were elicited through participatory as well as conventional techniques. They incorporate the complementary perspectives of both men and women members of farm households, and of plant breeders and social scientists.     

In vivo bioinsecticidal activity toward Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly) and Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea weevil) and in vitro bioinsecticidal activity toward different orders of insect pests of a trypsin inhibitor purified from tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) seeds

A proteinaceous inhibitor with high activity against trypsin-like serine proteinases was purified from seeds of the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) by gel filtration on Shephacryl S-200 followed by a reverse-phase HPLC Vidac C18 TP. The inhibitor, called the tamarind trypsin inhibitor (TTI), showed a Mr of 21.42 kDa by mass spectrometry analysis. TTI was a noncompetitive inhibitor with a Ki value of 1.7 x 10(-9) M. In vitro bioinsecticidal activity against insect digestive enzymes from different orders showed that TTI had remarkable activity against enzymes from coleopteran, Anthonomus grandis (29.6%), Zabrotes subfasciatus (51.6%), Callosobruchus maculatus (86.7%), Rhyzopertha dominica(88.2%), and lepidopteron, Plodia interpuncptella (26.7%), Alabama argillacea (53.8%), and Spodoptera frugiperda (75.5%). Also, digestive enzymes from Diptera, Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly), were inhibited (52.9%). In vivo bioinsecticidal assays toward C. capitata and C. maculatus larvae were developed. The concentration of TTI (w/w) in the artificial seed necessary to cause 50% mortality (LD50) of larvae was 3.6%, and that to reduce mass larvae by 50.0% (ED50) was 3.2%. Furthermore, the mass C. capitata larvae were affected at 53.2% and produced approximately 34% mortality at a level of 4.0% (w/w) of TTI incorporated in artificial diets.     

Cryopreservation effects on the sperm quality of cachama blanca Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier 1818)

The effects of straws volume, cryoprotectants and thawing temperatures were evaluated on the sperm quality of cachama blanca Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier), an important Colombian fish species. Sexually mature fish were induced to ovulation or spermiation with a carp pituitary extract. A pool of suitable sperm samples was diluted in glucose, egg yolk, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO‐10%), methanol (MET‐10%) or ethylene glycol (ETG‐5%) and packed in 0.5, 2.5 or 5.0 mL straws and frozen in nitrogen vapour. The thawing process was performed in a 35 or an 80 °C water bath. The fertility was evaluated after 6 h post fertilization. The highest motility percentage (33 ± 3%) was observed with sperm cryopreserved with DMSO, packed in 5 mL straws and thawed at 35 °C. The treatments with DMSO and MET packed in 0.5 and 5.0 mL straws and thawed at 35 °C showed the highest fertility (higher than 71%) and the lowest fertility was obtained with MET‐2.5 mL (9 ± 5%). In all the treatments, a significant decrease in the sperm quality was observed at 80 °C. Sperm cryopreserved with DMSO‐10% or MET‐10%, packed in 2.5 or 5.0 mL straws are suitable to achieve acceptable fertilization and to fertilize high amounts of eggs.     

实施产后健康监测 及时发现病牛

牛群健康的一个重要理念就是早发现早治疗,早发现甚至比治疗本身更重要。对于泌乳牛,更要强调这个观念,因为耽误治疗不仅会降低治愈率,而且会导致产奶量下降,影响繁殖性能,围产后期发生的疾病尤为如此。尽管实施产后健康监测使我们在产后牛管理上取得很大进步,但还是经常漏诊早期发病牛,导致延误治疗。     

Cone beam computed tomography and intraoral radiography for diagnosis of dental abnormalities in dogs and cats

The development of veterinary dentistry has substantially improved the ability to diagnose canine and feline dental abnormalities. Consequently, examinations previously performed only on humans are now available for small animals, thus improving the diagnostic quality. This has increased the need for technical qualification of veterinary professionals and increased technological investments. This study evaluated the use of cone beam computed tomography and intraoral radiography as complementary exams for diagnosing dental abnormalities in dogs and cats. Cone beam computed tomography was provided faster image acquisition with high image quality, was associated with low ionizing radiation levels, enabled image editing, and reduced the exam duration. Our results showed that radiography was an effective method for dental radiographic examination with low cost and fast execution times, and can be performed during surgical procedures.