Electrocardiographic confirmation of a twin pregnancy in a mare at 8 months of gestation

A 15-year-old Warmblood mare, at 8 months of gestation, was presented to the Ghent University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine for evaluation of suspected stage one labor. Transrectal ultrasonography revealed no clear signs of placentitis or stage one labor. The combined thickness of uterus and placenta was 11 mm and the cervix was closed. Twin pregnancy was suspected by transabdominal ultrasonography but could not be confirmed with certainty. An electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded from the mare's abdominal wall to register a fetal ECG. To confirm twin pregnancy, registration of both fetal ECGs simultaneously on the same ECG trace was attempted. Twelve different electrode configurations were used. In 11 recordings, one fetal ECG was visible. Only one specific right-sided electrode configuration showed both fetal ECGs at the same time, which confirmed twin pregnancy. Although electrocardiographic diagnosis of a twin pregnancy in a mare is possible, this case highlights the need for multiple electrode configurations and the high likelihood of false negatives.     

PCR identification of Leishmania in diagnosis and control of canine Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniases are endemic in many countries, mainly in rural areas. In Brazil, Leishmania infection is responsible for many cases of Leishmaniases, including recent reports in urban regions. Despite their sensitivity, traditional serological and parasitological methods for detecting Leishmaniases have proven inadequate for species discrimination. This study aimed to identify Leishmania species in biological samples by a fast methodology, avoiding "in vitro" cultivation. Knowledge of the Leishmania species is an important tool in regions where both New World visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are prevalent. As these new foci appear in areas not traditionally endemic for VL, the main problem is to distinguish between true autochthonous infections and infections acquired in other well-known endemic areas. Since, domestic dogs are known to be the main VL and CL reservoir, they are regularly investigated in endemic areas to prevent, principally, severe and often fatal VL in humans. However, several infected dogs present no clinical signs or clinical signs similar to other canine diseases. Here, we evaluated the ability of PCR to diagnose VL and distinguish L. (L.) chagasi from other Leishmania species in domestic dogs. Samples from 114 dogs from 30 cities (Sao Paulo, Brazil) were divided into two groups: 44 symptomatic and 70 asymptomatic. They were assayed by parasitological methods (culture and microscopic examination) and PCR to determine L. (L.) chagasi, L. (V.) braziliensis; and in some cases, Leishmania spp. Parasitological tests and PCR-L. chagasi were concordant in 105 samples (92%). VL was confirmed in 49 dogs, while 56 had negative results. Of the 114 samples, 9 had discordant results, but were further tested by PCR-Leishmania spp. with positive results. VL was also confirmed in 4 dogs having negative parasitological tests and positive PCR-L. chagasi. Consequently, this PCR was positive for 100% (53/49) of dogs with parasites detected in parasitological tests. Also, PCR demonstrated high specificity detecting 61 dogs negative for VL. Leishmania infection was negative in 56 dogs, and 5 with positive culture and PCR-Leishmania spp. had CL since they were positive in PCR-L. braziliensis. This study shows the importance of including PCR in diagnosis of Leishmaniases by differential diagnosis contributing to the surveillance and control of VL programs.     

Mycobacterial infection of pigs in Croatia

During a five-year period (2000 to 2004) 74,342 pigs were tested by the intradermal tuberculin test in Croatia. Of them, 248 (0.33%) pigs were positive and 91 (0.12%) were found to be suspicious in 7 out of the 13 farms included in the study. Gross pathological changes characteristic of tuberculosis were observed in tuberculin-positive and/or suspicious swine. Mycobacterium was isolated from the lymph nodes of 183 out of 234 swine (78.2%). For better epidemiological understanding, isolates were typed by conventional methods, PCR and hybridisation. The results show that most of the isolates belonged to the Mycobacterium avium complex (175 isolates, 95.7%). Other isolates belonged to M. fortuitum (6 isolates, 3.3%), M. chelonae (1 isolate, 0.5%), and M. peregrinum (1 isolate, 0.5%). Isolated strains of the M. avium complex were identified as M a. avium (37 isolates, 21.1%) and M. a. hominissuis (138 isolates, 78.9%).     

A new monomeric α-amylase inhibitor from the tetraploid emmer wheat is mostly active against stored product pests

Journal of Pest Science - The tetraploid domesticated emmer wheat, Triticum turgidum L. subsp. dicoccon, expresses α-amylase protein inhibitors of varying sizes and assemblies, i.e. dimers and...     

Impact of Climate and Grazing on Biomass Components of Eastern Russia Typical Steppe

Spatial and structural characteristics of plant communities in the steppe ecosystems of the Baikal region, Russian Federation have been researched in connection with climate change and grazing. The present study, based on a total of 15 typical steppe sampling plots, investigated above-ground biomass （AGB）, below-ground biomass （BGB）, total biomass （TB） and root：shoot ratios （R：S） and their relationships with climatic factors and grazing. All biomass components varied widely depending on the climatic parameters and the degree of grazing affected transformation. A strong negative correlation between mean annual temperature （MAT） and total plant biomass was revealed for all study area. Mean annual precipitation （MAP） signiifcantly affected communities productivity increasing only in the south of the region. Due to the large and mountainous territory, the inlfuence of latitude and elevation （mountain） factors on the components of the biomass were studied. Although all studied plant steppe communities were transformed by uncontrolled grazing, their productivity is signiifcantly reduced only at plots with maximum digression. Vegetation shift is an indicator of climate change, as well as providing a diagnostic tool to build predictive models. Based on the complex index of effective precipitation, it was revealed that at the end of last century in the steppes of the Baikal region the structural and production processes will be affected by an arid climate trend.     

Exploratory analysis of differences in sperm morphology in Nelore and Gir (Bos indicus) bulls

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of breed and season on semen quality parameters of zebu bulls. Data (1,632 registers) of semen production from Gir (n?=?4) and Nelore (n?=?15) bulls were collected between October 2005 and November 2009. The ejaculates were collected twice a week during various seasons (summer, fall, winter, and spring) and evaluated for the following semen parameters: ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, forward progressive motility (FPM), and sperm morphology. Factor analysis was used to determine the relationship among variables. The effect of breed (Gir and Nelore) and season and their cross effect on each parameter and extracted factor were tested using ANOVA. A negative correlation (P?<?0.05) was observed between FPM and proximal droplet, as well as with abnormal loose head, abnormal small head, pouch formation, abnormal mid-peace, and strongly folded tail. Gir bull sperm showed more major defects, detached acrosome, and minor FPM (P?<?0.01), whereas Nelore bulls showed a higher number of sperm with normally loose head.     

Identification of potent odorants formed by autoxidation of arachidonic acid: structure elucidation and synthesis of (E,Z,Z)-2,4,7-tridecatrienal.

The aroma composition of autoxidized arachidonic acid was characterized by aroma extract dilution analysis. The most potent odorant was trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal followed by 1-octen-3-one, (E,Z)-2,4-decadienal, (E,Z,Z)-2,4,7-tridecatrienal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, and hexanal. (E,Z,Z)-2,4,7-Tridecatrienal was unequivocally identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data. The stereochemistry of its extended double-bond system was elucidated on the basis of NMR measurements. The target compound was synthesized in four steps starting with bromination of 2-octyn-1-ol, followed by copper-catalyzed coupling of the bromide with ethylmagnesium bromide and (E)-2-penten-4-yn-1-ol. Partial hydrogenation of the resulting C(13)-compound with triple bonds in the positions C-4 and C-7 gave rise to (E,Z,Z)-2,4,7-tridecatrien-1-ol, which was finally oxidized to the target compound. It exhibits a typical egg-white-like, marine-like odor at low concentrations, and an intense orange-citrus, animal-like odor at higher concentrations. Its odor threshold was estimated by gas chromatography-olfactometry to be 0.07 ng/L air, which is of the same order of magnitude as that reported for 1-octen-3-one and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal.     

NsLTP1 and NsLTP2 isoforms in soft wheat (Triticum aestivum Cv. Centauro) and farro (Triticum dicoccon Schrank) bran

Isoforms of nonspecific lipid-transfer protein 1 (nsLTP1) and nonspecific lipid-transfer protein 2 (nsLTP2) were investigated in bran tissues isolated from caryopses of two cereal crops quite relevant for the Italian market, the cultivar Centauro of soft wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Italian emmer or farro (Triticum dicoccon Schrank). By sequential separation of the bran extracts on cation-exchange and gel filtration chromatographies, fractions containing only proteins belonging to the nsLTP1 and nsLTP2 classes were obtained. The proteins were roughly identified by SDS-PAGE and by immunoreactions in Western blotting experiments. By MALDI-MS and RP-HPLC/ESI-MS analyses we were able to show the presence of several LTP1 and LTP2 isoforms in the investigated species. Bioinformatic searches based on the determined Mr indicated that (i) two nsLTP1s already identified in T. aestivum have Mr and number of Cys residues identical to that of a 9.6 kDa protein present both in soft wheat cv. Centauro and in farro; (ii) two isoforms of nsLTP2 detected in T. aestivum have the same Mr and number of Cys residues of two 7 kDa proteins found in Centauro; and (iii) a nsLTP1 detected in Ambrosia artemisiifolia has Mr and number of Cys residues coincident to that of a 9.9 kDa protein found both in soft wheat cv. Centauro and in farro.     

Root-associated bacteria containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase improve growth and nutrient uptake by pea genotypes cultivated in cadmium supplemented soil

The effect of inoculation with Pseudomonas brassicacearum Am3, Pseudomonas marginalis Dp1 and Rhodococcus sp. Fp2 containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase (ACCD) on growth and uptake of N, P, K, Ca, S, Fe and Cd in shoots of pea (Pisum sativum) genotypes VIR188, VIR1658, VIR3429 and VIR4488 was studied in pot experiment with non-polluted and Cd-supplemented (10 mg Cd kg⁻¹) sod-podzolic soil. The growth-promoting effect of bacteria depended on plant genotype and bacterial strain. Only Rhodococcus sp. Fp2 had no ACCD activity in vitro in the presence of Cd and did not stimulate pea growth in Cd-supplemented soil. Inoculation with bacteria counteracted the Cd-induced inhibition of nutrient uptake by plants probably through stimulation of root growth and enhancement of nutrient uptake processes. Nutritional effects of the bacteria were specific with respect to the nutrient.     

Alkylpyridiniums. 1. Formation in model systems via thermal degradation of trigonelline

Trigonelline is a well-known precursor of flavor/aroma compounds in coffee and undergoes significant degradation during roasting. This study investigates the major nonvolatile products that are procured after trigonelline has been subjected to mild pyrolysis conditions (220-250 degrees C) under atmospheric pressure. Various salt forms of trigonelline were also prepared and the thermally produced nonvolatiles analyzed by thin layer chromatography, liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, and (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance. Results revealed the decarboxylated derivative 1-methylpyridinium as a major product of certain salts, the formation of which is positively correlated to temperature from 220 to 245 degrees C. Moreover, trigonelline hydrochloride afforded far greater amounts of 1-methylpyridinium compared to the monohydrate over the temperature range studied. Investigations into other potential quaternary amine products of trigonelline also indicate nucleophilic substitution reactions that lead to dialkylpyridiniums, albeit at concentration levels approximately 100-fold lower than those recorded for 1-methylpyridinium.