Preslaughter Anesthesia with Lippia alba Essential Oil Delays the Spoilage of Chilled Rhamdia quelen

This study evaluated whether anesthesia with essential oil (EO) of Lippia alba (300 mg L^?1 for 4 min) prior to electronarcosis (128 V m^?1 × 300 Hz for 5 s) or hypothermia (ice/water slurry) could delay fish spoilage during chilled storage of whole fish. Silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) were subjected to two different pre-stunning treatments (water or anesthesia with EO of L. alba) followed by two different stunning procedures (hypothermia or electrical stunning), yielding four groups (n = 32/group): water (control) + hypothermia, water (control) + electrical stunning, EO of L. alba + hypothermia, and EO of L. alba + electrical stunning. After stunning, fish were slaughtered by percussion and stored in ice. Preslaughter anesthesia with the EO of L. alba extended fish shelf life by delaying the loss of freshness (nucleotide degradation), growth of Enterobacteriaceae, and fish deterioration (sensory evaluation). Such preservative effect was most remarkable for fish that were subsequently submitted to electrical stunning, as they had the lowest demerit scores and greatest shelf life in the sensory evaluation. Our results showed that preslaughter anesthesia with EO of L. alba followed by electrical stunning can delay the loss of freshness and extend fish shelf life during chilled storage.     

Influence of Electronarcosis on Behavioral Responses,Blood Markers,and Fillet Properties of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen)

Behavioral responses, blood markers, and fillet properties were investigated after silver catfish exposure to different electric field strengths, frequency, and duration of electric current in the preslaughter stunning. All combinations of electric fields and frequencies were able to stun fish. Longer apparent stun was obtained at the intermediate electrical frequencies. High electric field strength detracted the texture of fillets. At least 5 s was required to stun fish, and longer exposure to electrical current did not prolong the apparent stun or damage fillet properties. Results indicate that silver catfish are relatively resistant to electronarcosis.     

Nitrogenous and phosphorus excretions in juvenile silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) exposed to different water hardness, humic acid, and pH levels

This study examined ammonia, urea, creatinine, protein, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphorus (P) excretion at different water hardness, humic acid, or pH levels in silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) juveniles. The fish were exposed to different levels of water hardness (4, 24, 50, or 100 mg L^?1 CaCO₃), humic acid (0, 2.5, or 5.0 mg L^?1), or pH (5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, or 9.0) for 10 days. The overall measured nitrogen excretions were 88.1 % (244–423 μmol kg^?1 h^?1) for ammonia, 10.9 % (30–52 μmol kg^?1 h^?1) for creatinine, 0.02 % (0.05–0.08 μmol kg^?1 h^?1) for protein, 0.001 % (0.002–0.004 μmol kg^?1 h^?1) for urea, 0.5 % (0.64–3.6 μmol kg^?1 h^?1) for nitrite, and 0.5 % (0.0–6.9 μmol kg^?1 h^?1) for nitrate, and these proportions were not affected by water hardness or humic acid levels. The overall P excretion in R. quelen was 0.14–2.97 μmol kg^?1 h^?1. Ammonia excretion in R. quelen usually was significantly higher in the first 12 h after feeding, and no clear effect of water hardness, humic acid levels, and pH on this daily pattern of ammonia excretion could be observed. Water hardness only affected the ammonia and P excretion of R. quelen juveniles in the initial and fifth days after transfer, respectively. The exposure of this species to humic acid increased ammonia excretion after 10 days of exposure but did not affect P excretion. An increase in pH decreased ammonia and increased creatinine excretion but did not change P excretion in R. quelen. Therefore, when there is any change on humic acid levels or pH in the culture of this species, nitrogenous compounds must be monitored because their excretion rates are variable. On the other hand, P excretion rates determined in the present study are applicable to a wide range of fish culture conditions.     

Modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty. Experimental study in dogs

Background

This prospective experimental study evaluated the surgical procedure and results of modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty in dogs.

Methods

Ten skeletally mature healthy mongrel dogs with weights varying between 19 and 27 kg were used. Cemented modular femoral stems and uncemented porous-coated acetabular cups were employed. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed before surgery and at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360 days post-operation.

Results

Excellent weight bearing was noticed in the operated limb in seven dogs. Dislocation followed by loosening of the prosthesis was noticed in two dogs, which were therefore properly treated with a femoral head osteotomy. Femoral fracture occurred in one dog, which was promptly treated with full implant removal and femoral osteosynthesis.

Conclusions

The canine modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty provided excellent functionality of the operated limb.     

Damping-off of soybean in southern Brazil can be associated with different species of Globisporangium spp. and Pythium spp.

Damping-off of soybean is a common problem in some fields in southern Brazil. Frequently, Phytophthora sojae has been pointed out as the main causal agent. However, questions were raised as to whether other oomycetes could also be present. Hence, the objectives of this study were to isolate, identify, and determine the pathogenicity and aggressiveness of oomycetes isolated from soybean seedlings. Thirty-three isolates were obtained from 13 fields. Isolates were identified based on morphology and molecular methods. Nine species were recovered: Pythium conidiophorum (n = 14, 42.4%), Globisporangium rostratifingens (n = 7, 21.2%), G. irregulare (n = 2, 6.1%), G. spinosum (n = 1, 3.0%), G. ultimum var. sporangiiferum (n = 2, 6.1%), Pythium acanthicum (n = 2, 6.1%), P. deliense (n = 1, 3.0%), P. inflatum (n = 1, 3.0%), and P. torulosum (n = 3, 9.1%). Pathogenicity and aggressiveness were determined with two soybean cultivars (DM57i52 and NEO530) in a seed rot assay and a root rot assay. All isolates were pathogenic to soybean with variable levels of aggressiveness in both assays. The range of seed disease severity index varied from 7.5 to 100 for DM57i52 and from 23.1 to 100 for NEO530. The mean root disease severity index of the soybean cultivars ranged from 29.4 to 92.8. This is the first official report of G. irregulare, G. rostratifingens, G. spinosum, G. ultimum var. sporangiiferum, P. acanthicum, P. conidiophorum, P. deliense, P. inflatum, and P. torulosum causing damping-off of soybean in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil.     

Development and validation of a set of standard area diagrams to assess severity of gray mold in strawberry fruit

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) is one of the main diseases that affect strawberries. Severity assessments of the disease in fruits have been mainly performed...