Identification of Hammondia heydorni oocysts by a heminested-PCR (hnPCR-AP10) based on the H. heydorni RAPD fragment AP10

Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia hammondi, Neospora caninum, Neospora hughesi and Hammondia heydorni are members of the Toxoplasmatinae sub-family. They are closely related coccidians with similarly sized oocysts. Molecular diagnostic techniques, especially those based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), can be successfully applied for the differentiation of Hammondia-like oocysts. In this paper, we describe a rapid and simple method for the identification of H. heydorni oocysts among other members of the Toxoplasmatinae sub-family, using a heminested-PCR (hnPCR-AP10) based on a H. heydorni RAPD fragment available in molecular database. DNA of oocysts of H. heydorni yielded a specific fragment of 289-290 bp in the heminested-PCR assay. No product was yielded when the primers were used for the amplification of DNA extracted from T. gondii, N. caninum, N. hughesi and H. hammondi, thus allowing the differentiation of H. heydorni among other members of the Toxoplasmatinae sub-family. The hnPCR-AP10 was capable of detecting H. heydorni genetic sequences from suspensions with at least 10 oocysts. In conclusion, the hnPCR-AP10 proved to be a reliable method to be used in the identification of H. heydorni oocysts from feces of dogs.     

Effect of floor cooling on performance of lactating sows during summer

Forty Landrace × Large White lactating sows were used to evaluate the effects of cooling of the floor when maintained under high temperature conditions during summer on their productive and reproductive performance. The sows were allocated in a completely randomized design with two treatments with 20 replicates according to parity number and body weight, with each animal being considered an experimental unit. The treatments consisted of cooling of the floor under the sow with water circulation at about 17 °C and no cooling. The resulting temperatures of the floor were 27.6 and 35.8 °C for the cooled and the control treatments, respectively. The sows from both treatments were exposed to average maximum and minimum environmental temperatures of 26.9 and 20.8 °C, respectively. Sows maintained on a cooled floor had a higher feed intake (6.47 vs. 5.61 kg/day; P < 0.01). Despite this higher intake, sows maintained on a cooled floor had higher body weight and body protein losses during the lactation period (P < 0.01) in connection with a higher milk yield and subsequent growth of the litter (2280 vs. 1798 g/day; P < 0.01). There was an effect of treatment on rectal temperature, surface temperatures and respiratory rate (P < 0.01) with lower values in sows submitted to floor cooling. It is concluded that floor cooling under the lactating sow improves its productive and reproductive performance, as well as the performance of its litter.     

Effects of supplemental‐nitrogen on the quality of rice proteins

A study was conducted on the effect of supplemental nitrogen (N) (20 hg/ha) applied as a foliar spray or to the soil on seed production, protein percentage, and protein fractions of rice. Plants were grown in a greenhouse over two different periods of time, i.e., August 1988 to January 1989 (Period I), and December 1988 to April 1989 (Period II). Nitrogen was applied to the leaves 10 and 20 days after anthesis (DAA), and to the soil at anthesis and at 15 DAA. Average temperature was 28.7°C during Period I and 32°C during Period II, corresponding to 18.7 and 22.0 growing degree‐day/day (GDD/day), respectively. The difference in GDD/day reduced the plant cycle from 130 days during Period I to 109 days during Period II. Plants grown during Period II had larger numbers of spikelets, a higher percentage of “full grown grains”;, and higher grain weight. Although percentage crude protein was about the same for the two periods, prolamin content was increased and the albumin+globulin fraction was decreased during Period II, but with no difference in glutelin content. The increase in number of spikelets, percent full grains, and grain weight appeared to result in a greater energy demand for plants grown during Period II. This may explain the increase in prolamins, since prolamin synthesis requires less energy than globulin or albumin synthesis. There was a simultaneous decrease in albumin and globulin synthesis during Period II. The content of glutelins, which represent the major reserve proteins in rice grains, was constant during both periods.     

Use of Thermography Techniques in Equines: Principles and Applications

This review of the use of thermographic technique in equines introduces the principles upon which infrared radiation and thermoregulatory physiology are based and describes the instrumentation used and its practical use. The advantage of this imaging technique is that it is a noninvasive thermographic examination, both from an operational (the animal and the operator) and health (no penetrating radiation is used) standpoint. Advantages and disadvantages of this technique, equine applications, and physiological assessments are discussed.     

Pancytopenia in a cat with visceral leishmaniasis

Abstract: A 4‐year‐old, domestic shorthair, female spayed cat was presented for decreased appetite and depression. Severe pancytopenia with erythrocyte autoagglutination was found. The cat was seronegative for feline immunodeficiency and leukemia viruses. Immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia was suspected but no response to treatment with a blood transfusion, enrofloxacin, and prednisone was observed. Blood and bone marrow smears obtained 11 days later contained Leishmania amastigotes in the cytoplasm of neutrophils and macrophages, respectively. Serologic and PCR testing of peripheral blood confirmed infection with Leishmania infantum. Despite treatment, the cat worsened clinically and was euthanized. At necropsy, visceral dissemination of the parasite was confirmed. The findings in this case indicate that visceral leishmaniasis should be considered as a differential diagnoses in cats with pancytopenia in areas endemic for Leishmania. In addition, amastigotes may be observed in peripheral blood neutrophils.     

Effect of Ogura male-sterile cytoplasm on the performance of cabbage hybrid variety. II. Commercial characteristics

Summary The main constraint of using Ogura male-sterile cytoplasm in Brassica is the induction of leaf yellowing at low temperature and the low seed set. But whether or not the cytoplasm can disturb the general commerical performance of the plants is not well-known. Therefore, this work was carried out with the purpose of evaluating Ogura cytoplasmic male-sterile cabbage hybrids and compare them to genomic similar male-fertile ones and to the most popular cabbage hybrid cultivated in Brazil. Harvest data showed an effect of the cytoplasm on reducing plant and head weight, core length and head length and width, although not altering heading index, shape and core indexes, nor head compactness. On the other hand, it was observed also that a careful selection of the parental lineages can produce male-sterile hybrids as good as their male-fertile analogues. All the evaluated hybrids were similar or better than the check for the characteristics under study.Abbreviations dat - days after transplanting - CNPH - National Center for Vegetable Crops Research     

Oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of canine zinc‐responsive dermatosis

Zinc deficiency causes skin diseases both in humans and in animals. The underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear, but a growing body of evidence indicates a role for zinc in skin protection against free radical‐induced oxidative damage. The immunohistochemical expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs; Hsp27, Hsp72, Hsp73 and Hsp90), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), metallothionein (MT), Ki‐67 antigen and active caspase‐3 were evaluated in normal canine skin and in samples from eight dogs with zinc‐responsive dermatosis. All investigated HSPs showed intense cytoplasmic immunostaining in the affected epidermis. Focal nuclear positivity of Hsp72 was also detected in keratinocytes. Although Cu/Zn SOD expression was similar to that observed in normal skin, MT immunoreactivity occurred in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of basal cells in normal skin but was absent from the affected epidermis. Caspase‐3 activation was also absent in the involved epidermis, which revealed a high Ki‐67 index (a 3.5‐ to 9‐fold increase compared with normal skin). These results support the hypothesis that cellular response to stress, particularly oxidative stress, is involved in the pathogenesis of skin lesions in canine zinc‐responsive dermatosis. The lack of MT immunoreactivity in the affected epidermis may be indicative of low zinc levels, thus resulting in vulnerability to oxidative damage. In contrast, high expression levels of HSPs in skin during zinc deficiency may confer protection against a variety of dangerous stimuli, contributing to inhibition of apoptosis and to cell cycle regulation of proliferating keratinocytes.     

Genetic background of CTX‐M‐15‐producing Enterobacter hormaechei ST114 and Citrobacter freundii ST265 co‐infecting a free‐living green turtle (Chelonia mydas)

CTX‐M‐type extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL)‐producing Enterobacteriaceae have become identified in marine ecosystem constituting a serious ecological issue. In this respect, although contamination of coastal waters and seafood, and even colonization of seabirds and fishes have been increasingly reported, molecular data are lacking to elucidate the clinical impact of ESBL producers in infected marine animals. In this study, using a genomic approach, we have analysed the genetic background of CTX‐M‐15‐producing Enterobacter hormaechei (belonging to the international human clone ST114) and Citrobacter freundii (ST265) co‐infecting a free‐living green turtle (Chelonia mydas) suffering from septic arthritis, which progressed to generalized coelomitis and death. Wide resistome of these pathogens contributed to treatment failure and death of the animal.