Ichthyoplankton distribution and abundance in relation to nearshore dissolved oxygen levels and other environmental variables within the Northern California Current System

Nearshore hypoxia along the coast of Oregon and Washington is a seasonal phenomenon that has generated concern among scientists studying this temperate upwelling ecosystem. These waters are affected by coastal upwelling‐induced hypoxia mainly during late summer and fall, but the effects of low oxygen levels on fish and invertebrate communities, particularly during the early‐life history stages, are poorly known. We investigated the effects of hypoxia and other variables on the species composition, density, vertical and horizontal distribution of fish larvae along the Oregon and Washington coasts during the summers of 2008, 2009 and 2010. Bottom‐dissolved oxygen (DO) values ranged from 0.49 to 4.79 mL L^?1, but the overall water column DO values were only moderately hypoxic during the 3 yr of sampling compared with recent extreme years. In this study, DO was found to be an environmental parameter affecting the species composition, but other variables such as season, year and depth of capture were also important. Although the overall density of fish larvae increased with increasing bottom‐DO values, the effect on individual species density was limited. Slender sole (Lyopsetta exilis) and sand sole (Psettichthys melanostictus) were the only species to have a weak trend of density with DO, but both showed negative relationships and neither relationship was significant. Our results indicate that larval fish spatial distribution was only moderately affected within the range of observed oxygen values, but low DO may be an important factor under intense hypoxic conditions.     

Local infection associated with vascular bundles: the colonization of coconut palm leaflets by two <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camarotella</Emphasis> species

Two Camarotella (Phyllachoraceae) species, C. torrendiella and C. acrocomiae are the causative agents of small (SV) and large verrucosis (LV), respectively, which are important diseases affecting Brazilian coconut palms. The small verrucosis produces necrotic lesions in coconut palm leaflets, whereas LV just produces chlorosis. Semi-thin sections of asymptomatic leaflets and of leaves presenting stromata in different development stages were compared through light microscopy in order to characterize the colonization process of these two coconut palm verrucosis agents. Camarotella torrendiella initially colonized the adaxial epidermal cells and the cells underlying the epidermis close to the vascular bundles. In latter colonization stages, the hyphae of C. torrendiella remained limited to the underlying necrotic tissue adjacent to the mature stromata, mostly in the intracellular spaces and in the collapsing cells of necrotized tissues around the vascular bundles. This species does not colonize intracellular intact fiber cells, xylem vessels or phloem sieve tube elements. In contrast, C. acrocomiae presented a typical biotrophic parasitism model such as that of some gramineous Phyllachora spp. High densities of C. acrocomiae hyphae were found inside intact sieve tube elements; however, with no evidence of cellular death. The extensive hyphal colonization by C. acrocomiae within sieve tube elements was also observed in tertiary and quaternary bundles, as well as in anastomosing vascular bundles. The dependence of both species on the colonization sites associated with vascular bundles indicates the need for additional studies about these intricate host-pathogen relationships. These studies could be important to define new strategies to control coconut palm verrucosis diseases.     

Comparison on accuracy of different nonlinear models in predicting growth of Podolica bulls

Animal growth does not follow a linear pattern, being explained mathematically by functions that have parameters with biological meaning. These parameters are used to estimate the expected weight of animals at specific ages. Several nonlinear models have been used to describe growth. This study was carried out to estimate the parameters of logistic, Gompertz, Richards and von Bertalanffy growth curve models in a sample of Podolica young bulls to determine the goodness of fit. Animals were weighed every 3 months from birth to 810 days of age. The results indicate that all the growth models used were easily fitted to the observed data with Gompertz and logistic functions presenting less computational difficulty in terms of number of iterations to achieve convergence. Moreover, logistic and Richards equations provided the best overall fit being useful to describe the growth of Podolica bulls. Considering that the literature lacks information on growth curves in Podolica breed, the study of a mathematical model for growth describing the developmental pattern of a specific population within a peculiar environment is a useful tool to improve Podolica breed production.     

Vermicomposting leachate as liquid fertilizer for the cultivation of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.)

In vermicomposting, the main product is the worm casts, but a leachate is generated that contains large amounts of plant nutrients. This leachate is normally diluted to avoid plant damage. We investigated how dilution of vermicompost leachate combined with different concentrations of nitrogen (N) - phosphorus (P) - potassium (K) triple 17 fertilizer, and polyoxyethylene tridecyl alcohol as dispersant and polyethylene nonylphenol as adherent to increase efficiency of fertilizer uptake, affected sugarcane plant development. The vermicomposting leachate with pH 7.8 and electrolytic conductivity 2.6 dS m^?1, contained 834 mg potassium (K) l^?1, 247 mg nitrate (NO₃^?) l^?1 and 168 mg phosphate (PO₄^3?) l^?1, was free of pathogens and resulted in a 65% germination index. Vermicompost leachate did not inhibit sugarcane growth and mixed with 170 g l^?1 NPK triple 17 fertilizer resulted in the best plant development. No dispersant or adherent was required to improve plant height and stem development.     

Multidrug- and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius as a cause of canine pyoderma: a case report

A case of a dog with a long-term inflammatory skin disorder due to infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is described. After initial diagnostics of MRSP, follow-up swabs of the dog (nose, skin) were taken twice after four and seven weeks. MRSP was constantly isolated from the skin and once from the nose. Since infected humans might be a source of reinfection, the owners of the dog were screened (nasal) three times during their pet's therapy. Thereby, the male owner was found to be colonized with MRSP once in the first sampling round. Comparative typing of all MRSP-isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), SCCmec typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing, PCR-detection of the leukotoxin encoding operon (LukI) and the Staphylococcus intermedius-exfoliative toxin (SIET) as well as antimicrobial resistance profiling by broth microdilution revealed that all five MRSP isolates from the dog and the single isolate from the owner were indistinguishable by any of the applied methods. All isolates were assigned to a certain strain, a multidrug-resistant MRSP belonging to sequence type (ST) 71, spa type (t)05, harbouring SCCmecIII as well as the genes encoding LukI and SIET. In this case, a number of reasons might have contributed to therapy failure and re-infection, respectively (e. g. contact to other MRSP-colonized dogs, contact to MRSP-colonized humans, refusal to clip the dog's fur). In addition, MRSP-contaminated objects or surfaces in the household, which were difficult to disinfect or simply not considered as a potential source of MRSP, might have served as a source of re-infection. These results envision the possibility of a dog-to-human transmission of MRSP and the relevance of this aspect as a potential source of re-infection in cases of bacterial-supported long-term skin disorders in canine patients. First cases of MRSP infections in humans have been described only recently. However, the general pathogenic potential of multidrug resistant MRSP in humans is unknown so far and needs further investigation.     

Peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia: a retrospective study of 31 cats and eight dogs

The records of 31 cats and eight dogs undergoing surgical correction of peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia (PPDH) from 2000 through 2007 were reviewed. Weimaraners and long-haired cats of varying breeds, particularly Maine Coon cats, appear to be at higher risk of PPDH. Presenting complaints were most commonly related to the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts in both dogs and cats, although respiratory signs were more prevalent in cats, and gastrointestinal signs were more common in dogs. The most common herniated organs were liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. Mortality associated with surgical repair of PPDH in cats and dogs was low in the first 2 weeks postoperatively, and prognosis for return to normal function was excellent. Peri-and postoperative complications were typically minor and self-limiting.     

孕妇营养补充指南

常言道：孕妇一人吃两人补。但相对于纯粹地增加食物摄入量,孕妈妈们更应该注意摄入合适的膳食,以保证为自己和胎儿提供最佳的营养。事实上,胎儿的发育全赖于通过妈妈的脐带输送必需的营养。因此,孕妇缺乏任何一种营养都可能导致腹中胎儿营养不良。