The horizontal barrier effect of stems on the foraging behaviour of cattle grazing five tropical grasses

The rate of nutrient intake (RNI) is a primary determinant of animal performance in grazing cattle and depends on both diet quality and instantaneous intake rate (IIR). In turn, diet quality and IIR are a function of the foraging behaviour of the animal (selectivity, bite mass and bite rate) and the characteristics of the sward. In this study we evaluated the effect of the stem density and the tensile resistance of stems on the foraging behaviour of cattle grazing tropical pasture species. The methodology involved the use of small sown microswards offered to tethered cattle. The experiment consisted of a factorial combination of five tropical grasses [Bothriochloa pertusa (Bp), Chloris barbata (Cb), Chloris gayana (Cg), Cynodon dactylon (Cd) and Heteropogon contortus (Hc)] and three stem densities (0, 400 and 800 stems m^− 2). Bp and Cd had stems of significantly lower tensile resistance (19 and 15 N respectively) (Group 1) than those of Cb, Cg and Hc (110, 211 and 167 N respectively) (Group 2). The steers avoided stems of Group 2 and thus, reduced bite area, bite mass, IIR and RNI as stem density increased. However, the animals did not avoid stems of Group 1 and there was no effect of stem density on any of the foraging behaviour variables when cattle grazed species in Group 1. These results confirm that RNI and plant part selection is closely associated with the tensile resistance of the stem.     

Invasive dynamics of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) in the international section of the River Minho (NW of the Iberian Peninsula)

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亚马逊黑土及其黑碳颗粒中的真菌丰度和多样性互不相同

Amazonian Dark Earth (ADE) is a highly fertile soil of anthropogenic origin characterized by high levels of charred black carbon (BC).It is considered a model of fertility;however,knowledge on the fungal community structure and diversity inhabiting ADE and its BC particles is scarce.Fungal community structure and diversity of ADE and its BC from four sites under different land uses (three agricultural systems and a secondary pristine forest) in the Brazilian Central Amazon were evaluated by 18S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.Fungal communities in ADE and BC were dissimilar and showed differential abundances of fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs).Estimated fungal species richness (abundance-based coverage estimate and Chao-1 index) and diversity estimators (Shannon and Simpson's reciprocal indices) were higher in ADE than in BC in all agricultural areas.No differences were observed in those parameters in ADE and BC samples from the secondary forest.Pezizomycotina fungi and OTUs assigned to Cordyceps confragosa,Acremonium vitellinum,Camarops microspora,and Hirsutella rhossiliensis were more abundant in BC particles than in ADE.These findings represent a breakthrough in our understanding of fungal communities in BC particles from ADE,and will be valuable in future studies considering biochar application in soil.     

Equine salmonellosis in southern Brazil

The Salmonella sp. genus is identified in several species, and the zoonosis it causes is one of the most important types worldwide. The specifics of salmonellosis vary according to the function of the serovar involved, the species affected, age and predisposing factors. However, few cases of equine salmonellosis have been reported. This study presents ten confirmed salmonellosis cases in equines in southern Brazil. Six were adult animals with stress factors preceding the disease, while four were foals, three of which presented with hyperacute manifestations. The main clinical signs were diarrhea, anorexia, and hyperthermia. Lesions varied in distribution and severity, although fibrinonecrotic or necrohemorrhagic enteritis was observed in all animals, mainly in the large intestine (large colon and cecum—8/10) and small intestine (3/10). Substantial liquid content, mainly hemorrhagic, was observed in all animals. The most characteristic microscopic lesion was mucosa necrosis, which is often accompanied by fibrin deposition, followed by necrosis of follicular centers and vascular changes. Bacterial isolation revealed seven isolates. Five were serotyped, and the serovars Typhimurium and Anatum were associated with two cases each, while Muenster was associated with a case whose lesion pattern varied. Immunohistochemical staining was positive in all cases. All diagnoses were based on the clinical history, macroscopic and histological lesions, and the bacterial isolation and/or immunostaining associated with histological lesions.     

Three strategic feeding during hatchering of Nile tilapia: effects on organs integrity,parasitism and performance parameters

The effect of natural feed, artificial feed, and artificial feed with hormone 17 alpha-methyltestosterone on gill and liver integrity, parasite prevalence and performance parameters during the masculinization phase of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were evaluated. The experiment consisted of the three feeding strategies in triplicate. Water parameters, histopathological, parasitological and performance analyses were performed on day 7, 14, 28 and 60. Both artificial feeds (with and without hormone) were harmful to the hepatic and branchial integrity. The most significant change in liver was lipid degeneration, while in gills a significantly higher lamellar edema was observed when compared to fish that received the natural feed. Fish fed with the artificial diet (with and without hormone) showed a high prevalence (p < 0.05) of trichodinids and Cryptobia, while fish that received natural feed showed no parasites after 28 days of study. Fries that received diet with hormone experienced damage to their health, which decreased the survival of this group. The anabolic effect of this molecule, however, improved significantly (p < 0.05) their productive performance. Despite the absence of deleterious effects to fish health, the use of natural feed has a high risk of introducing predators. Introduction of odonate larvae drastically affected the survival of this group at the end of the study. All feeding strategies investigated have positive and negative effects that were discussed in the present study.     

Genetic diversity of 16SrIII group phytoplasmas in Argentina. Predominance of subgroups 16SrIII-J and B and two new subgroups 16SrIII-W and X

Twelve Argentinean 16SrIII (X-disease)-group phytoplasma strains were analyzed. Ten of them, detected in daisy (Bellis perennis), garlic (Allium sativum), ‘lagaña de perro’ (Caesalpinia gilliesii), periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), ‘rama negra’ (Conyza bonariensis), ‘romerillo’ (Heterothalamus alienus), summer squash (Cucurbita maxima var. zapallito) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), are new phytoplasma strains while two strains, detected in garlic and China tree (Melia azedarach), have been previously described. The plants showed typical symptoms of phytoplasma diseases, such as leaf size reduction, proliferation, stunting and virescence. The identification and genetic diversity analysis of the phytoplasmas were performed based on 16S rDNA and ribosomal protein gene sequences. The classification into 16Sr groups and subgroups was established by actual and virtual RFLP analysis of the PCR products (R16F2/R16R2) compared with reference strains. According to the classification scheme, strains HetLL and ConWB-A and B represent two new subgroups 16SrIII-W and X, respectively. On the other hand, strains CatLL, TomLL and CaesLL are related to subgroup 16SrIII-B, and strains BellVir, TomRed, CucVir and GDIII-207 are related to subgroup 16SrIII-J. Ribosomal protein genes were amplified using primers rpF1/rpR1 and rpIIIF1/rpIIIR1. RFLP analysis performed with AluI, DraI and Tru1I (MseI isoschizomer) distinguished three new rp profiles within subgroup 16SrIII-B, one for subgroup 16SrIII-J, and one shared with strains of the new subgroups 16SrIII-W and X. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA and ribosomal protein gene sequences confirmed the separation of HetLL and ConWB strains in two new subgroups and the close relatedness among subgroup J phytoplasmas, which have been detected only in South America.     

Histopathological and parasitological study of the gastrointestinal tract of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum

Background

The aim of this study was to provide a systematic pathological and parasitological overview of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon, of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania.

Methods

Twenty mongrel dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and obtained from the Control Zoonosis Center of the Municipality of Ribeirão das Neves, Belo Horizonte Metropolitan area, Minas Gerais (MG) state, Brazil, were analyzed. The dogs were divided into two groups: Group 1 comprised nine clinically normal dogs and group 2 comprised 11 clinically affected dogs. After necropsy, one sample was collected from each GIT segment, namely the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon. Furthermore, paraffin-embedded samples were used for histological and parasitological (immunohistochemistry) evaluation and a morphometrical study were carried out to determine the parasite load (immunolabeled amastigote forms of Leishmania). The Friedman and the Mann Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis. The Friedman test was used to analyze each segment of the GIT within each group of dogs and the Mann Whitney test was used to compare the GIT segments between clinically unaffected and affected dogs.

Results

The infected dogs had an increased number of macrophages, plasma cells and lymphocytes, but lesions were generally mild. Parasite distribution in the GIT was evident in all intestinal segments and layers of the intestinal wall (mucosal, muscular and submucosal) irrespective of the clinical status of the dogs. However, the parasite load was statistically higher in the caecum and colon than in other segments of the GIT.

Conclusion

The high parasite burden evident throughout the GIT mucosa with only mild pathological alterations led us to consider whether Leishmania gains an advantage from the intestinal immunoregulatory response (immunological tolerance).     

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli MT78 invades chicken fibroblasts

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) are responsible for extraintestinal diseases, called colibacillosis, in avian species. The most severe manifestation of the disease is colisepticemia that usually starts at the respiratory tract and may result in bird death. However, it is not yet clear how APEC cross the respiratory epithelium and get into the bloodstream. In this work, we studied the interaction between 8 APEC strains (UEL31, UEL17, UEL13, UEL29, MT78, IMT5155, IMT2470, A2363) and a chicken non-phagocytic cell, the fibroblast CEC-32 cell line. We investigated the association profile, the invasion capability, the cytotoxicity effect and the induction of caspase-3/7 activation in an attempt to understand the way the pathogen gains access to the host bloodstream. Association to cells was determined after 1 h of infection, while cell invasion was determined after 4 and 24 h of infection. The cytotoxic effect of bacterial infection was measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and the activation of the apoptotic program was verified by caspase-3/7 activation. Also, the presence of genes for adhesins, invasins and other related virulence-associated factors was verified by PCR. All bacterial strains showed similarity in relation to adhesion, LDH release and caspase-3/7 activation. However, one APEC strain, MT78, showed high invasion capability, comparable to the invasive Salmonella typhimurium strain SL1344. Since an APEC strain was capable of invading non-phagocytic cells in vitro, the same may be happening with the epithelial cells of the avian respiratory tract in vivo. CEC-32 monolayers can also provide a useful experimental model to study the molecular mechanisms used by APEC to invade non-phagocytic cells.     

Cross comparison of seminal plasma proteins from cattle and buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

The objective of this study was to evaluate seminal plasma proteins from cattle and buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), to identify differences between related species. Sixteen buffaloes and 16 cattle between 30 and 60 months of age were used. Semen collection was performed by electroejaculation, followed by macroscopic and microscopic subjective analyses. After analysis, the samples were centrifuged at 800 g for 10 min, and the supernatant (seminal plasma) was recentrifuged at 10,000 g for 30 min at 4°C. The total protein concentration was determined by the Bradford method, and the proteins were digested in solution for mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS). Multivariate statistical analysis was used to evaluate the proteomics results by non-hierarchical clustering the considering exponentially modified protein abundance index (emPAI). Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used for clustering. Proteomics identified 78 proteins, and multivariate analysis showed 4 that were over-expressed in buffaloes (cystatin C, prosaposin, peptide YY and keratin type II cytoskeletal 5) and 9 in cattle (spermadhesin-1, seminal plasma protein PDC-109, ribonuclease 4, metalloproteinase inhibitor 2, acrosin inhibitor 1, seminal ribonuclease, C-type natriuretic peptide, angiogenin-1 and osteopontin). Among the proteins identified in seminal plasma, the C-type natriuretic peptide and metalloproteinase inhibitors were described for the first time in buffaloes. Some protease inhibitors were found over-expressed in buffaloes, and important proteins in seminal plasma of cattle were not identified or were found at lower expression levels in buffaloes, which can contribute to reproductive performance in this species.     

Oxidative homeostasis in oocyte competence for in vitro embryo development

The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) in oocytes from follicles of different diameters and their relevance in the in vitro production of embryos (IVPE). Bovine ovaries were aspirated according to the diameter of the follicle [2–8 (general), 4–8 (large), and 2 < 4 mm (small)]. The oocytes were evaluated for levels of ROS, GSH, in vitro maturation, and IVPE. Higher levels of ROS and GSH were observed (p < 0.05) in oocytes of the large group (85.6 ± 7.2 and 140.0 ± 9.6) followed by those in the general (81.1 ± 10.5 and 134.3 ± 7.8) and small (73.5 ± 10.1 and 125.0 ± 10.6) groups. However, the proportion of ROS/GSH did not differ (p > 0.05) between the general, large, and small groups. The maturation was higher (p < 0.05) in the large group (87.8 ± 3.0%) than in the small group (72.2 ± 5.8%), but both were similar (p > 0.05) to that in the general group (82.2 ± 2.5%), whereas the IVPE of the large group (57.3 ± 3.0%) was higher (p < 0.05) than those in the general (44.7 ± 4.4%) and small (34.0 ± 4.0%) groups. We report that oocytes from large follicles are more competent for IVPE, whereas higher levels of ROS and GSH appear to be correlated with oocyte competence, as long as oxidative homeostasis is retained.