Indirect connectivity estimates of amphibian breeding wetlands from spatially explicit occupancy models

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Characterization and expression of NADPH oxidase genes in stimulated splenic neutrophils of tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus by a mix of traditional Chinese medicine and Bacillus species (TCMBS)

Traditional Chinese medicine and Bacillus species (TCMBS) mixture is an immunostimulant with considerable promise as an alternative in improving fish health. However, nothing is known on its effects on the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase genes and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the neutrophils of fish. The full lengths of tilapia phagocytic NADPH oxidase genes gp91^phox, p22^phox, p40^phox, p47^phox, and p67^phox were cloned and their expression profiles after TCMBS stimulus investigated. The cDNAs of tilapia gp91^phox, p22^phox, p40^phox, p47^phox, and p67^phox contained open reading frames of 1698 bp, 561 bp, 1053 bp, 1584 bp, and 1470 bp respectively, encoding 561, 186, 350, 527, and 489 amino acids respectively. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences showed that tilapia NADPH oxidase genes shared 58%–91% and 21%–67% identity with those of other teleost and mammals respectively. Besides, tilapia NADPH oxidase genes contain conserved domains and motifs required for ROS generation. Phylogenetic analysis suggested tilapia NADPH oxidase genes were close to those of Fundulus heteroclitus. After 2 weeks of TCMBS application showed significant upregulation in expression of NADPH oxidase genes, antioxidant genes (i.e., superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione‐disulphide reductase), and an increase in the production of ROS compared to the control in splenic neutrophils of tilapia. Collectively, our study provides evidence of the structure of tilapia NADPH oxidase genes and demonstrate that TCMBS application could modulate their activity in neutrophils to improve immunity in tilapia.     

Current research in canine and feline pheromones.

Pheromonotherapy seems to be a new therapeutic approach allowing practitioners to tackle the treatment of behavioral disorders in a natural, specific, and safe way. Although the efficacy of pheromones has been assessed in some specific behavioral problems, it seems that their range of action could cover the wide field of reduction of stress. Therefore, the use of pheromones should not be reduced to treatment of behavioral disorders (potentially associated with psychotropes or a behavioral modification program) but should be included in a strategy of improving the welfare of pets in veterinary structures (during examination and hospitalization) and in breeding networks (separation from the mother and transport). Moreover, further studies may allow the veterinary practitioner to use pheromone analogues in the field of diagnostics to determine the behavioral status of a pet (e.g., anxious or not, dominant or not). Pheromonotherapy is at its beginning, and the use of pheromones in various fields of medicine is heartening.     

用牦牛睾丸细胞生产羊传染性脓疱皮炎疫苗效果观察

为满足生产批量化要求，用牦牛睾丸细胞代替犊牛睾丸细胞，接种G0-BT弱毒株，收获，加适当保护剂，经冷冻真空干燥制备羊传染性脓疱皮炎疫苗。结果半成品及成品检验均符合《规程》标准，取得了良好的效果。     

Endogenous uric acid and urea metabolism in the chicken

1. Four chickens were used in nine successive experiments using a single injection radioisotope dilution technique to study the kinetics of endogenous uric acid and urea metabolism. 2. Starvation lowered uric acid and urea entry rates, but elevated the extent of degradation of these compounds. 3. Urea turnover time and the extent of urea pool degradation were higher, and urea excretion rate was lower than that of uric acid. 4. In colostomised chickens, the extent of uric acid and urea degradation were lower than in non-colostomised birds. 5. The average uric acid and urea entry rates in chickens fed on a diet containing 200 g protein/kg were 7.32 and 2.6 mumol/h g liver, respectively. 6. It is concluded that the contribution of uric acid and urea to the nitrogen economy of the birds is negligible.     

Polyphenols in the woody roots of Norway spruce and European beech reduce TTC

A common method to determine the vitality of fine root tissue is the measurement of respiratory activity with triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). The colorless TTC is reduced to the red-colored triphenyl formazan (TF) as a result of the dehydrogenase activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. However, measurements with woody fine roots of adult Norway spruce and European beech trees showed that dead control roots had a high potential to react with TTC. High reactivity was found in boiled fine roots and the bark of coarse roots, but not in the boiled wood of coarse roots. By sequential extraction of dried and ground adult Norway spruce fine roots, reactivity with TTC was reduced by about 75% (water extraction), 93% (water/methanol extraction) and 94% (water/acetone extraction). The water extract reacted with TTC in the same way as polyphenols such as lignin, catechin and epicatechin. Boiling did not affect the extent to which fine roots of adult trees reduced TTC, whereas it greatly reduced TTC reduction by seedling roots. Application of the TTC test to roots of spruce seedlings subjected to increasing drought showed a progressive decrease in TTC reduction. The decrease in TTC reduction was paralleled by a reduction in O(2) consumption, thus supporting the conclusion that for roots with a low polyphenol content the TTC test provides a valid assessment of tissue vitality. Our results suggest, however, that the TTC test should not be applied to the fine roots of adult trees because of their high content of polyphenolic compounds whose reaction with TTC masks changes in TTC reduction due to changes in the respiratory capacity of the tissue.     

Improving regeneration of mahogany: techniques for vegetative propagation of four African mahogany species using leafy stem cuttings

Regeneration to ensure sustainable production and conservation of mahogany species globally is considered very important to foresters, investors in plantation, conservationists and timber industries worldwide. Natural regeneration of the mahoganies has been found to be far less than the rate of exploitation hence strong efforts are being made to develop other methods to regenerate mahogany seedlings to augment the low natural replacement and to ensure sustainability. This study was commissioned to investigate the effect of rooting media (river-sand, top soil and a mix of the two (50:50 v/v) on the rooting ability of four mahogany species (Khaya grandifoliola, K. ivorensis, Entandrophragma angolense and E. utile) using non-mist propagators. We investigated the effects of the source of stem cutting within a shoot (top, middle and basal position) on the rooting ability of stem cuttings from the four species in river-sand. Roots per cutting, longest root length and rooting percentage differed significantly among species in all three rooting media. Rooting ability was greatest in K. grandifoliola, which exhibited the highest average rooting percentage (73 %), longest average single root (9.9 mm) and the most roots per cutting (4.9). Rooting percentage was higher in the Khaya species than in the Entandrophragma species in all three rooting media. The mixed medium had the highest rooting percentage and the highest number of roots per rooted cutting in the two Khaya species, while the topsoil media had the best rooting percentage in the Entandrophragma species. Rooting of the two Khaya species can be maximized using a mixture of river-sand and topsoil. Cutting position within a shoot had significant impact on rooting in all four species with rooting percentage being best from middle positions in all four species. However, length of longest root and the number of roots per rooted cutting varied between the middle and basal portions. The study provides useful information for vegetative propagation of leafy stem cutting of the four African mahogany species, which could contribute to regeneration and conservation of these important timber species in the tropics.     

Comparative Utilization of Different Fibre Feedstuffs by Weaning/Growing Pigs in the Tropics

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding different fibre feedstuffs on the performance, nutrient utilization and economics of production of weaning/growing pigs. Five fibre feedstuffs--palm kernel cake （PKC）, wheat offal （WO）, corn bran （CB）, rice bran （RB） and brewers＇ dried grain （BDG） were used at 25% in each of the five experimental diets that were formulated in this study. Twenty weaner pigs （12.75 ± 0.6 kg） were used for the growth study while 15 pigs （14.95 ± 0.57 kg） were used for the digestibility study. The design of the experiment was completely randomized. The results of the study showed that the performance of the experimental animals were significantly influenced （P 〈 0.05） by the dietary treatments. The apparent digestibility of the crude protein, crude fiber and ether extract showed significant differences （P 〈 0.05） while there was no significant difference （P 〉 0.05） in the apparent digestibility of their dry matter, ash and nitrogen free extract. The diet that contained WO had the best growth response and apparent nutrient digestibility. Results of economics of production also showed that diet with WO gave the best （P 〈 0.05） value in feed cost/＇kg gain and net profit/animal. It can be concluded from this study that although all the animals fed the different fibre feedstuffs performed satisfactorily on all the parameters monitored, but for optimum growth, apparent nutrients digestibility and economics of production. WO should be used as a fibre feedstuff in the diets of weaning/growing pigs in the tropics.     

Management of a caseous lymphadenitis outbreak in a new Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) stock reservoir

Background

In 2010, an Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) stock reservoir was established for conservation purposes in north-eastern Spain. Eighteen ibexes were captured in the wild and housed in a 17 hectare enclosure. Once in captivity, a caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) outbreak occurred and ibex handlings were carried out at six-month intervals between 2010 and 2013 to perform health examinations and sampling. Treatment with a bacterin-based autovaccine and penicillin G benzatine was added during the third and subsequent handlings, when infection by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was confirmed. Changes in lesion score, serum anti-C. pseudotuberculosis antibodies and haematological parameters were analyzed to assess captivity effects, disease emergence and treatment efficacy. Serum acute phase proteins (APP) Haptoglobin (Hp), Amyloid A (SAA) and Acid Soluble Glycoprotein (ASG) concentrations were also determined to evaluate their usefulness as indicators of clinical status.Once in captivity, 12 out of 14 ibexes (85.7%) seroconverted, preceding the emergence of clinical signs; moreover, TP, WBC, eosinophil and platelet cell counts increased while monocyte and basophil cell counts decreased. After treatment, casualties and fistulas disappeared and both packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin concentration significantly increased. Hp, SAA and ASG values were under the limit of detection or showed no significant differences.

Conclusions

A role for captivity in contagion rate is suggested by the increase in antibody levels against C. pseudotuberculosis and the emergence of clinical signs. Although boosted by captivity, this is the first report of an outbreak of caseous lymphadenitis displaying high morbidity and mortality in wild ungulates. Treatment consisting of both vaccination and antibiotic therapy seemed to prevent mortality and alleviate disease severity, but was not reflected in the humoural response. Haematology and APP were not useful indicators in our study, perhaps due to the sampling frequency. Presumably endemic and irrelevant in the wild, this common disease of domestic small ruminants is complicating conservation efforts for the Iberian ibex in north-eastern Spain.