LTSER platforms as a place-based transdisciplinary research infrastructure: learning landscape approach through evaluation

Landscape Ecology - Place-based transdisciplinary research involves multiple academic disciplines and non-academic actors. Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) platform is one concept with ~...     

Growth rate differences between four Chilean populations of edible seaweed Chondracanthus chamissoi (Rhodophyta,Gigartinales)

The effects of temperature, photon flux density and photoperiod on the growth rate of female gametophytic and tetrasporophytic thalli of Chondracanthus chamissoi from four populations along the Chilean coast were studied in vitro. Both reproductive phases survived and grew under all the conditions tested, with growth rates varying between 0.1 and 7.5% day^?1. The results showed higher growth rates with increases in temperature and photon flux density levels. The growth rate was higher in female gametophytic thalli in almost all treatments. The photoperiod did not cause significant differences in the growth rate for either reproductive phases in any of the populations studied. Temperature was the principal factor affecting the growth rate of C. chamissoi.     

Blindness and behavioural changes in the cat: common neurological causes

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Blindness and behavioural changes occur relatively commonly in cats, either separately or in combination, causing devastating consequences for the cat and owner. Blindness can be caused by primary ophthalmic, metabolic or intracranial disease. Similarly behavioural changes may be the primary result of intracranial or systemic disease, but also occur secondarily to visual deficits or changes in interaction with the external environment (ie, non-medical problems). The anatomical pathways involved in vision are very close to those involved in behavioural regulation. It is, therefore, likely that a brain lesion (especially a forebrain lesion) that causes blindness will also cause behavioural abnormalities. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: In cases of partial or unilateral blindness, obvious visual deficits may not be apparent to the owner or clinician. Rather, the visual impairment may manifest more subtly as changes in behaviour, reluctance to jump or unwillingness to go outside. Similarly, behavioural problems may be episodic and, hence, a cat presenting with behavioural disturbances may appear clinically normal on evaluation. Behavioural changes are unlikely to be noticed unless marked and associated with bilateral blindness or advanced systemic illness. AUDIENCE: This article discusses these two major disorders separately, with the aim of highlighting for the clinician some of the important aspects of the general clinical and neurological examination that can be performed to identify these challenging cases.     

Dural tear and myelomalacia caused by an airgun pellet in a cat

An 8-year-old cat was presented with severe neurological deficits secondary to a traumatic cervical spinal cord injury caused by an airgun pellet. This report describes, for the first time, the myelographic findings of a dural rupture in a cat and also describes a bilateral Horner’s syndrome in a cat.     

Free and bound minor polar compounds in oats: Different extraction methods and analytical determinations

The extraction capacity of several solvent mixtures and comparison between alkaline and acid hydrolysis to extract free and bound minor polar compounds in oat samples were carried out. The extraction yield of each method was evaluated by correlating several spectrophotometric indices (absorption at 320 nm and total phenolic compounds by the Folin–Ciocalteu method) with HPLC-MS and the antioxidant activities of the oat extracts (DPPH radical method). The results showed that methanol and alkaline hydrolysis reported the highest recovery of polar compounds, and spectrophotometric indices overestimated the content of these compounds. Antioxidant compounds of five Romanian oat samples, named Comun, Jeremy, Mures, Lovrin 1, Lovrin 27-T were determined. Large intervarietal differences in phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activities among oat varieties were detected. Total minor polar contents content was in the range of 1179.47 and 1897.18 mg/kg of seed. According to the literature, we found that the majority of the minor polar compounds existed in bound form.     

Ethyl hexanoate transfer modeling in carrageenan matrices for determination of diffusion and partition properties

Aroma compound properties in food matrices, such as volatility and diffusivity, have to be determined to understand the effect of composition and structure on aroma release and perception. This work illustrates the use of mass transfer modeling to identify diffusion and partition properties of ethyl hexanoate in water and in carrageenan matrices with various degrees of structure. The comparison of results obtained with a diffusive model to those obtained with a convective model highlights the importance of considering the appropriate transfer mechanism. Modeling of the preliminary experimental steps ensures correct estimation of the conditions for the main aroma release step. The obtained values of partition and diffusion coefficients are in agreement with those found in the literature (either experimentally determined or predicted by theoretical equations) and demonstrate that the structure level of carrageenan matrices has little influence on diffusion properties of ethyl hexanoate (less than 20%).     

DIAGNOSING SULFUR DEFICIENCY IN SPRING RED WHEAT: PLANT ANALYSIS

Sulfur (S) availability indicators are necessary for rational fertilizer use. The goals were to assess the predictive capacity of: i) malate:sulfate ratio in leaf; ii) total nitrogen (N):S ratio in aerial biomass; and iii) total N:S ratio in grain. Six experiments were carried out in Argentina for two years. Between 90 and 100% of samples were correctly diagnosed by total N:S ratio during tillering, and critical N:S ratios varied from 14.8:1 to 16:1. At the same time, malate:sulfate ratio diagnosed correctly between the 35 and 65% of the samples. Grains with S deficiency were determined as those with a total S concentration lower than 0.15% and a total N:S ratio higher than 13.3:1. Validation of these new thresholds allowed determining that 77% of the samples were correctly diagnosed. A linear association between grain N:S ratio and N:S in aerial biomass during stem elongation was found (r² = 0.76–0.78, respectively).     

Timed artificial insemination and early diagnosis of pregnancy to reduce breeding season in Nelore beef cows

The purpose of this study was conducted to evaluate the use of a system of timed artificial insemination (TAI) and early diagnosis of pregnancy in Nelore beef cows in order to reduce the breeding season (BS) from 150 to 90 days and analyze the factors affecting the conception rate of cows selected for TAI. The study included 110 Nelore cows belonging to the Experimental Farm Capim Branco, Brazil. The body condition scores (BCS) were evaluated, and those above 2.50 were included in the TAI protocol. Five groups of cows were formed at intervals of 21 days postpartum and then commenced a 9-day progesterone protocol. Progesterone devices were used three times. Statistical analysis of binary variables was performed by logistic regression in the program Proc Logistic of Sas. A 5% of significance (P < 0.05) was used to determine the presence of statistical differences and the effect of independent variables on conception rate. The TAI and early diagnosis of pregnancy reduces the BS from 150 to 90 days without changing the pregnancy rate. The conception rate was not affected by the presence of the calf (P > 0.05), the corpus luteum (P > 0.05), the BCS (P > 0.05), or the number of reuses of the intravaginal progesterone device (P > 0.05). Therefore, this technique is beneficial for breeding Nelore beef cattle and can be used in anestrous cows with a BCS above 2.50. Additionally, the progesterone devices can be reused to reduce the cost of the protocol without compromising the results.     

Prevalence and risk factors of astrovirus infection in puppies from French breeding kennels

Aiming at determining the prevalence and the risk factors associated to astrovirus infection in puppy, fecal samples were collected in 316 puppies (age from 5 to 14 weeks of age) from 33 French breeding kennels. Data were registered for each puppy, including age, breed, gender, origin of the dog, and feces quality. The samples were tested by specific RT-PCR for the presence of canine astrovirus. Astroviruses were identified in 20.9% (66/316) of the puppies and in 42% (14/33) of the breeding kennels. Young puppies (i.e. <7 weeks of age) and puppies from large breeding kennels were more likely to be infected by the astrovirus. No association between the quality of feces and astrovirus infection could be determined in this survey.