Risk factors to incidental leptospirosis and its role on the reproduction of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state,Brazil

Ovine and caprine stockbreeding have been gaining attention in developing countries as an attractive investment. On these animals, infectious diseases of the reproductive tract, such as leptospirosis, can compromise the production leading to economic losses. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with incidental leptospirosis and its influence on the reproductive parameters of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. A total of 737 animals distributed on 24 herds/flocks were studied, and an overall prevalence of 10.9 % seroreactive animals was observed. Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae was the most frequent in goats (97.0 %) as well as in ewes (78.3 %). Regarding risk factors related to leptospirosis, the presence of waterholes and the semi-intensive breeding system were the most important associated to seroreactivity. Besides, there was an observed association between seroreactivity and reproductive failures (P?<?0.05). Moreover, seroreactive ewes (relative risk (RR)?=?1.3) and goats (RR?=?1.9) presented more chances to have abortions than seronegative animals. Furthermore, seroreactive ewes presented 11.6 more chances of having premature births when compared to the seronegative ones. It can be concluded that Leptospira infection, mainly those caused incidental strains (such as Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup), is a significant factor to reduce the productivity of small ruminants’ herds/flocks in the studied region, and environmental measures must be considered on control programs.

     

Bioactive Compounds in Wild Asteraceae Edible Plants Consumed in the Mediterranean Diet

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Three wild edible plant species belonging to the Asteraceae family, Crepis vesicaria L. (s.l.), Sonchus asper (L.) Hill s.l., and Sonchus oleraceus L., usually...     

Phenolic composition in grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Malbec) ripened with different solar UV-B radiation levels by capillary zone electrophoresis

The responses of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Malbec to different solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) levels were assessed in two contrasting situations, under sunlight with full UV-B (+UV-B) and filtered UV-B (-UV-B), in three different locations at 500, 1000, and 1500 m above sea level (asl). To evaluate the effects of radiation, a simple, accurate, and rapid method for the separation and simultaneous determination of representative phenolic compounds in grape berry skins by capillary zone electrophoresis was developed. Separation was carried out in less than 20 min with 20 mM sodium tetraborate buffer containing 30% methanol, pH 9.00. The procedure is fast and reliable, and extracted grape berry skins can be directly analyzed without prior sample cleanup procedure. Berry skins from the +UV-B treatment at 1500 m asl showed the highest levels of total polyphenols anthocyanins, and resveratrol, compared with the -UV-B treatment at this altitude.     

Transverse shrinkage in G-fibers as a function of cell wall layering and growth strain

Transverse drying shrinkage was measured at microscopic and mesoscopic levels in poplar wood characterised by an increasing growth strain (GS), from normal to tension wood. Results show that: (a) the drying shrinkage, measured as a relative thickness decrease, was significantly higher for G-layer (GL) than for the other layers (OL), GL shrinkage was not significantly correlated with GS, and OL shrinkage was negatively correlated with GS. (b) In gelatinous fibre (G-fibre), lumen size increased during drying and this increase was positively related with GS, but in normal wood fibre, lumen size decreased during drying. These findings suggest that GL shrank outwards (i.e., its internal perimeter increases), so that its shrinkage weakly affected the total cell shrinkage and the mesoscopic shrinkage was controlled by the OL shrinkage which shrank inwards (i.e., its external perimeter decreases). (c) Measurements done on 7 × 7 mm2 thin sections evidenced a negative correlation between transverse shrinkage and GS, significant in T direction but weak in R direction. These observations at both levels allow to discuss the contribution of GL to the mesoscopic shrinkage of tension wood.     

Phenological investigations of different winter-deciduous species growing under Mediterranean conditions

Phenological stages are the result of biorhythms and environmental factors, these last are probably the same ones that caused, during evolution, adjustments of the species to different climate. The present study was carried out in a Phenological Garden located in central Italy (Perugia, Umbria Region) which contains indicator species, common to all International Phenological Gardens. The aim of this study was to determine and analyse the average trends of development of eight plant species and their phenological adjustment to the Mediterranean environment, over a nine-year period (1997–2005). The results of the statistical analyses show a strong relationship between the temperature trends and vegetative seasonal evolutions interpreted by phenological data for all the species considered. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the plants studied may approach or close completely the timing gaps eventually created during the first phenological phases, adjusting thus the beginning of subsequent phenophases.     

Shoot water status and ABA responses of transgenic hybrid larch Larix kaempferi x L. decidua to ectomycorrhizal fungi and osmotic stress

It has been postulated that osmotic effects on plant tissue are mediated by abscisic acid (ABA). Hybrid larch (Larix kaempferi (Lambert) Carr. x L. decidua Mill.) plantlets, transformed with the ABA-inducible wheat Em promoter associated with the Gus reporter gene, were axenically inoculated with two ectomycorrhizal fungi: Cenococcum geophilum Fr., considered tolerant to water stress, and Laccaria bicolor (Marie) Orton, considered less tolerant to drought. The mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal transgenic plantlets were subjected to osmotic stress by adding polyethylene glycol (PEG) to the culture medium. In the presence of PEG, L. bicolor and C. geophilum reduced shoot water potential and turgor potential, but increased host osmotic potential. Treatment of plantlets with PEG induced a significant increase in endogenous ABA concentrations. Laccaria bicolor and C. geophilum behaved similarly and significantly decreased the ABA response of plantlets to PEG treatment. Moreover, inoculation with either fungus regulated the ABA response of the plantlets even when the fungus was separated from the host by a cellophane sheet that prevented mycorrhiza formation. Although the wheat Em promoter was inducible in larch plantlets, it was not regulated by endogenous ABA. Induction of the wheat Em promoter in larch plantlets depended on organ type, with maximum induction in the root apex. Induction of the Em promoter was significantly decreased by mycorrhizal inoculation.     

Arboretums,common gardens and forest tree resilience

New Forests - Climate change triggered forest die-back is a huge concern worldwide. Arboretums and common gardens comparing geographic origins within species can provide a large body of valuable...