Polymorphisms in cyanogenic glucoside and cyano‐amino acid content in natural accessions of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and selection for improved agronomic performance

Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) is an important annual forage legume. It is used as a cover crop, green manure, pasture legume and for silage and hay production. Its seeds can be used as a source of highly digestible protein and minerals in animal diets. However, their utilization as a feedstuff for monogastric animals is hindered by the fact that the seeds contain cyanogenic antinutritional factors that reduce their palatability. An effective utilization of V. sativa seeds as a successful monogastric feed stuff requires selection for higher protein availability and minimization of the cyanogenic antinutritional factors content. In this study, we selected one natural accession named Mjez Ibeb, from a collection of 25 accessions and cultivars, based on its superior agronomic performance and its naturally occurring genetic variation for cyanogenic traits. We investigated the genetic variation that exists for the cyanogenesis trait in more detail and analysed the seeds of 133 lines derived from accession Mjez lbeb. Of these, 40 naturally polymorphic lines that showed deficiencies in cyanogenesis and cyano‐amino acid content, were subsequently selected for detailed chemical analysis. Cyanogenic glucosides and cyano‐amino acid concentrations varied widely in the 40 lines. Multivariate analysis was performed and three lines (L₁₆, L₂₁, L₁₈) with low content of cyanogenic compounds were identified.     

A photographic method for drop characterization in agricultural sprinklers

The characterization of drops resulting from impact sprinkler irrigation has been addressed by a number of techniques. In this article, a new technique based on low-speed photography (1/100 s) is presented and validated. The technique permits to directly measure drop diameter, velocity and angle. The photographic technique was applied to the characterization of drops resulting from an isolated sprinkler equipped with a 4.8 mm nozzle and operating at a pressure of 200 kPa. Sprinkler performance was characterized from photographs of 1,464 drops taken at distances ranging from 1.5 to 12.5 m. It was possible to analyze separately the drops emitted by the main jet and those emitted by the impact arm. The proposed technique does not require specific equipment, although it is labor intensive.     

Genetic monitoring of broodstocks of the marine shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei in a closed rearing system in Pernambuco,Brazil

Loss of genetic variability can be detrimental to a population's survival traits and fitness. These effects are likely to be maximized in shrimp closed broodstock rearing systems where post‐larvae are often produced from crosses of breeders collected from an associated grow‐out farm after mass selection. Longtime broodstock management in closed systems is also expected to lead to reduction in or even complete eradication of genetic variability. The present work aimed at monitoring the genetic variability of a Litopenaeus vannamei hatchery in the state of Pernambuco (Brazil), during three successive replacements, using microsatellite markers. No significant genetic diversity losses have been observed through the values of mean heterozygosity (H_o=0.460 and H_e=0.660 in the first sample; H_o=0.420 and H_e=0.620 in the second sample; and H_o=0.600 and H_e=0.660 in the third sample). However, some alleles appear to have been lost after three replacements. The diversity level was considered to be high and is comparable to those reported for wild populations, suggesting that the original imported founder stock of Brazilian L. vannamei is likely to have had a high genetic diversity, possibly due to multiple origins.     

Identification of S-alleles in almond using multiplex PCR

The S-genotypes of eight almond (Prunus dulcis Miller (D.A. Webb)) cultivars from different geographical origins and of nine new selections from the CEBAS-CSIC (Murcia, Spain) breeding program were determined using single and multiplex PCR with different sets of specific oligonucleotide primers. The results of PCR using the AS1II- and AmyC5R-specific primers showed amplification in a single reaction of 10 different self-incompatibility alleles and of the self-compatibility allele S _f. However, the amplified fragments of the S _f allele were of similar sizes to those amplified from the S ₃ self-incompatibility allele. For this reason, a specific PCR primer CEBASf was designed from the intron sequence of S _f. A multiplex-PCR reaction using the AS1II, CEBASf and AmyC5R primers permitted unequivocal identification of the 10 self-incompatibility alleles and of the self-compatibility allele. Multiplex PCR opens the possibility to identify new S-alleles using different sets of primers. The applications of these PCR markers in the almond-breeding programs are discussed.     

Eco-epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis in the urban area of Paracatu, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The present study was developed in the urban area of Paracatu, an endemic city for the American visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. A six-month canine survey was performed with 6295 domiciled dogs in 28 districts in that area and showed that 4.2% of those (267 dogs) were positive for VL by ELISA and IFAT serum assays. Prevalence ratios for canine VL varied between 1.2% and 16.1%, depending on the district under investigation. Fifteen dogs - 80% of which were clinically asymptomatic for VL - were submitted to a more detailed study that comprised direct parasitological examination and Leishmania kDNA amplification of tissue samples as well as two PCR-RFLP methods using myelocultures. Leishmania amastigotes or Leishmania DNA were detected in all dogs but one. The infecting species of Leishmania was identified in about 50% (7/15) of the sample dogs: Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi in two of them and, unexpectedly, Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis in the remaining five. Three months after the end of confiscation and elimination of the VL-seropositive dogs in the 28 districts of Paracatu, a systematic entomological survey was performed in five of them. Six hundred and sixty five (665) phlebotomine sand flies were captured in total, from which 89.5% were identified as Lutzomyia longipalpis. The population density of that species increased during the rainy season. Other thirteen (13) species of phlebotomine sand flies were captured at varying percentages from 0.2 to 5.0%. It is worth noting that L. longipalpis females were predominantely intradomicile when compared to males, suggesting that the VL transmission cycle in Paracatu may be occurring inside home.     

Oak leaf (Quercus pyrenaica) poisoning in cattle

Three experiments were conducted to study the clinical and pathological findings associated with poisoning in cattle due to ingestion of young oak leaves (OL) and the main factors responsible for toxicosis. In Experiment 1, six 1.4 year-old bulls were fed up to 5 kg of young OL per animal per day and showed no signs of toxicity, apart from a slight proteinuria. In Experiment 2, another six 1.4 year-old bulls were first subjected to severe feed restriction for eight days and then fed a higher amount of OL (approx. 10 kg) daily. A marked increase of serum creatinine and blood urea (BUN) was detected in urine as well as clinical signs consistent with renal failure. At necropsy, animals showed gastrointestinal ulcers and kidney tubular necrosis. Since these results suggested a crucial role of the feed restricting period, a third experiment was conducted administering the same amount of young OL as in Experiment 1, but adding the severe feed restricting period as in Experiment 2. There was a wide variation in clinical signs, with one bull showing clinical signs and lesions, another recovering after showing mild clinical signs and high levels of creatinine and BUN, and the third appearing clinically normal. The relevance of restriction access to food in the development of OL toxicosis appears to be critical because the intoxication was only elicited when the OL administration was preceded by a severe feed restricting period.     

Development of expression vectors based on pepino mosaic virus

Background  

Plant viruses are useful expression vectors because they can mount systemic infections allowing large amounts of recombinant protein to be produced rapidly in differentiated plant tissues. Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) (genus Potexvirus, family Flexiviridae), a widespread plant virus, is a promising candidate expression vector for plants because of its high level of accumulation in its hosts and the absence of severe infection symptoms. We report here the construction of a stable and efficient expression vector for plants based on PepMV.     

Principal component and cluster analyses of production and fertility traits in Red Sindhi dairy cattle breed in Brazil

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship among functional traits (age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), reproductive...     

In vitro and in vivo effects of toceranib phosphate on canine osteosarcoma cell lines and xenograft orthotopic models

Canine osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common primary malignant bone tumour in dogs, and it has a high metastatic rate and poor prognosis. Toceranib phosphate (TOC; Palladia, Zoetis) is a veterinary tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively inhibits VEGFR‐2, PDGFRs and c‐Kit, but its efficacy is not yet fully understood in the treatment of canine OSA. Here, we evaluated the functional effects of TOC on six OSA cell lines by transwell, wound healing and colony formation assays. Subsequently, two cell lines (Wall and Penny) were selected and were inoculated in mice by intrafemoral injection to develop an orthotopic xenograft model of canine OSA. For each cell line, 30 mice were xenografted; half of them were used as controls, and the other half were treated with TOC at 40 mg/kg body weight for 20 days. TOC inhibited cell growth of all cell lines, but reduced invasion and migration was only observed in Penny and Wall cell lines. In mice engrafted with Penny cells and subjected to TOC treatment, decreased tumour growth was observed, and PDGFRs and c‐Kit mRNA were downregulated. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated a significant reduction of Ki67 staining in treated mice when compared to controls. The results obtained here demonstrate that TOC is able to slightly inhibit cell growth in vitro, while its effect is evident only in a Penny cell xenograft model, in which TOC significantly reduced tumour size and the Ki67 index without modifying apoptosis markers.     

Effects of Jugular Vein Occlusion on Cardiovascular Parameters in Horses During Exercise on a Treadmill

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the effects of unilateral and bilateral jugular vein occlusion by temporary surgical ligature on the heart rate and arterial and venous blood pressure in sedentary horses during progressive treadmill exercise. Six horses performed three exercise tests (ET). ET1, considered the control, was performed in horses without jugular occlusions. ET2 and ET3 were performed with unilateral and bilateral occlusion by temporary surgical ligature of the jugular veins, respectively. Heart rate, arterial pressure, and pressure of the occluded jugular vein were evaluated. Clinically, the horses presented apathy, head edema, congested mucous membranes, increased capillary refill time, and dysphagia. These signs were observed with the unilateral jugular vein occlusion and became more evident with the bilateral occlusion. Comparing ETs, no differences were observed in heart rate. However, jugular occlusions promoted a decrease in the mean arterial pressure and a severe increase in jugular pressure. Head edema caused by the jugular vein occlusion in the horses could interfere with the autonomic cardiovascular regulation of arterial blood pressure during exercise, likely leading to an impairment of tissue perfusion. Jugular occlusion, even unilateral, also causes severe head venous congestion, leading to venous hypertension that was aggravated by exercise, which could risk development of cerebral edema and neurological damage. The present results obtained from sedentary horses are preliminary data that lead us to suggest that sport horses presenting jugular occlusive thrombophlebitis, even unilateral, may be prevented from performing athletic activities.