Effect of a trace mineral injection at weaning on growth,antioxidant enzymes activity,and immune system in Nellore calves

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of injectable trace minerals (ITM) at the time of weaning on growth, antioxidant, and immune response...     

A morphological and stereological study on brain,cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum of New Zealand rabbits

The aim of this research was to determine brain, cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum volume and volume ratios by using stereological methods and investigate morphological differences between female and male New Zealand rabbits. The study was applied on 14-month old (10 male and 10 female) New Zealand rabbits. The materials removed from the cavum cranii using dorsal approach. After following routine histological procedure, paraffin blocks were prepared and cut every seventieth section at 10 μm thickness. Slides were stained with Crossmon's triple stain and photographed. The sectional images obtained were transferred to ImageJ program to estimate grey and white matter volume on cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum with principle of Cavalieri. According to results, there was no asymmetry on the left and right cerebral hemispheres of New Zealand rabbits. In the total hemisphere volume calculated by Cavalieri principle, grey and white matter ratio was 81.57% and 18.43% in female, 82.80% and 17.20% in male. It was found that the white matter was significantly higher in females than males in cerebral hemispheres (p < .05). Also, it was found that grey and white matter ratio in total cerebellum volume was 67.82% and 32.18% in female, 67.94% and 32.06% in male respectively. It was determined that the females' white matter was larger than male rabbits in cerebellum (p < .05). It is thought that morphometric data obtained from this study will contribute to the existing anatomical knowledge and also considered as reference values in the clinical sciences.     

Haemoperitoneum secondary to testicular rupture caused by blunt trauma in a stallion

Testicular trauma is a commonly reported consequence of injury to the scrotum in humans and horses. In the majority of cases in stallions, injury is caused by a kick from a mare during mating. This case report describes a traumatically induced unilateral testicular rupture in a stallion associated with haemoperitoneum and acute, severe signs of abdominal discomfort. Initially, testicular ultrasound and clinical examinations were inconclusive and the clinical signs led to a diagnosis of an inflammatory abdominal disorder, possibly caused by inguinoscrotal herniation. The patient underwent exploratory celiotomy with unilateral orchiectomy at which time no involvement of the gastrointestinal tract was noted (aside from the presence of haemoperitoneum) and the testicular trauma was discovered. As this case demonstrates, testicular trauma should be considered as a differential diagnosis for inguinoscrotal herniation in stallions with clinical signs of discomfort even when there is no history of recent mating. Detailed clinical examination should be performed to establish a diagnosis but may not be conclusive.     

Verticillium diseases of vegetable crops in Brazil: Host range,microsclerotia production,molecular haplotype network,and pathogen species determination

Recent outbreaks of Verticillium wilt diseases in various vegetable crops have been reported in Brazil. This fact was our initial stimulus to carry out a nationwide survey aiming to determine their causal agent(s). Thus far, Verticillium dahliae has been reported as the predominant species based solely on morphological traits. As other Verticillium species can be associated with wilt diseases, we characterized a collection of 80 isolates, collected across 10 agricultural Brazilian regions, by combining morphological, biological, and molecular traits. A multilocus approach was employed for identification of Verticillium species with information from three genomic regions (ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and actin genes). Only 21 out of the 80 isolates were unable to produce microsclerotia in culture. The analyses of all genomic regions indicated V. dahliae as the sole species associated with vascular wilt of distinct hosts, including major solanaceous vegetables and other hosts such as strawberry, okra, and cacao. Pathogenicity tests confirmed the infection by the V. dahliae isolates and the development of typical disease symptoms on their original hosts. This is the first nationwide characterization of Verticillium isolates associated with major vegetable crops in Neotropical areas. This provides valuable information to design sound management strategies for these diseases, mainly for establishing efficient rotation systems and for the development of resistant cultivars.     

Potentiation of soybean resistance against Phakopsora pachyrhizi infection using phosphite combined with free amino acids

Considering the importance of Asian soybean rust (ASR), caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, in the decrease in soybean yield, this study investigated the potential of using phosphite combined with l -α-free amino acids (referred to as induced resistance [IR] stimulus hereafter) to boost defence responses of soybean plants against P. pachyrhizi infection. Plants were sprayed with water (control), acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) or IR stimulus and noninoculated or inoculated with P. pachyrhizi. Urediniospore germination was not affected by the IR stimulus in vitro. Reduced ASR severity, lower malondialdehyde concentration and less colonization of leaf tissues by P. pachyrhizi (lower TEF-1α expression from 1 to 15 days after inoculation [dai]) occurred for IR stimulus-sprayed plants. The pattern of gene expression for IR stimulus-sprayed and infected plants was strikingly similar but sometimes more remarkable than that in ASM-sprayed and infected plants. Higher production of phenolics and lignin along with stronger up-regulation of PAL1.3 (5 and 10 dai), PAL2.2 (3 dai), PAL3.1 (1, 3 and 5 dai), ICS1 (5 dai), CHIA1 (1, 5 and 10 dai), CHI1B1 (5 dai), PR-1A (5 and 10 dai), NR1-2 (5 and 10 dai) and INR-2 (5 and 10 dai) for IR stimulus-sprayed plants increased their resistance against ASR. In addition, IR stimulus-sprayed and infected plants showed less impairment of the photosynthetic apparatus and maintained high concentrations of chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids. These findings highlight the potential of using this IR stimulus for developing a well-tuned and effective defensive strategy in soybean plants against P. pachyrhizi infection.     

Three novel species of fungi associated with pine species showing needle blight-like disease symptoms

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Pine needle diseases, such as red band and brown spot needle blight, are serious pine diseases that threatens forests in many countries. Several outbreaks have...     

Assessment of susceptibility of different rootstock/ variety combinations of pear to Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri and experimental transmission studies by Cacopsylla pyri

European Journal of Plant Pathology - In this study, efficient transmission ways of ‘Ca. P. pyri’ which causes Pear Decline (PD) disease and response of different rootstock-scion...     

Staphylococcus aureus seroproteomes discriminate ruminant isolates causing mild or severe mastitis

ABSTRACT: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of mastitis in ruminants. In ewe mastitis, symptoms range from subclinical to gangrenous mastitis. S. aureus factors or host-factors contributing to the different outcomes are not completely elucidated. In this study, experimental mastitis was induced on primiparous ewes using two S. aureus strains, isolated from gangrenous (strain O11) or subclinical (strain O46) mastitis. Strains induced drastically distinct clinical symptoms when tested in ewe and mice experimental mastitis. Notably, they reproduced mild (O46) or severe (O11) mastitis in ewes. Ewe sera were used to identify staphylococcal immunoreactive proteins commonly or differentially produced during infections of variable severity and to define core and accessory seroproteomes. Such SERological Proteome Analysis (SERPA) allowed the identification of 89 immunoreactive proteins, of which only 52 (58.4%) were previously identified as immunogenic proteins in other staphylococcal infections. Among the 89 proteins identified, 74 appear to constitute the core seroproteome. Among the 15 remaining proteins defining the accessory seroproteome, 12 were specific for strain O11, 3 were specific for O46. Distribution of one protein specific for each mastitis severity was investigated in ten other strains isolated from subclinical or clinical mastitis. We report here for the first time the identification of staphylococcal immunogenic proteins common or specific to S. aureus strains responsible for mild or severe mastitis. These findings open avenues in S. aureus mastitis studies as some of these proteins, expressed in vivo, are likely to account for the success of S. aureus as a pathogen of the ruminant mammary gland.