Leptospirosis in selected wild mammals of the Florida panhandle and southwestern Georgia.

A group of 144 wild mammals, including white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits, fox squirrels, gray squirrels, raccoons, opossums, a bobcat, and various small rodents was examined for cultural or serologic evidence of leptospiral infection. Leptospires were isolated from 1 of 25 rabbits, 1 of 27 fox squirrels, 1 of 26 gray squirrels, 4 of 18 mice and rats, 8 of 21 raccoons, 7 of 17 opossums, and a bobcat. Isolations were not made from 6 deer examined. Serotypes isolated were Leptospira interrogans, serotype grippotyphosa and L interrogans, serotype ballum. New host-serotype relationships were noticed in the following instances: bobcat: grippotyphosa, and gray squirrel: ballum. These studies further confirm the occurrence of grippotyphosa in the fox squirrel. Serologic response in these animals did not necessarily correlate with isolations, although some relationship was noticed in raccoons and opossums.     

The Danger of Dog and Cat Worms to Children

Abstract— A review of the problems arising from cross-infection of helminth parasites in children derived from dogs and cats. The particular danger of visceral larvae migrans is outlined.
Résumé— Examen des problemès soulevés par la parasitose intestinale croisée entre des enfants d'une part, des chiens et des chats de l'autre. Le danger des migrations de larves dans les viscères est particulièrement souligné.
Zusammenfassung— Ein Überblick über die Probleme, die sich aus der infektiösen Übertragung der von Hunden und Katzen herrührenden Wurmparasiten auf Kinder ergeben. Auf die besondere Gefahrlichkeit der wandernden Eingeweidelarven wird hingewiesen.     

Relationship between Polyamines and Other Cold‐induced Response Mechanisms in Different Cereal Species

To find a connection between polyamines and various protective effectors involved in the development of cold tolerance, eight different cereal genotypes, including wheat, barley and oat species, were investigated during the acclimation phase to low temperature. Exposure to low temperature induced different changes in the levels of polyamines, and other signalling molecules, such as salicylic acid and abscisic acid, and of other protective compounds, namely flavonols, sugars and antioxidant enzyme activity, and in the lipid composition of certain membrane factions. The most remarkable differences were observed in the oat varieties compared to the other cereal genotypes, which was manifested in the lack of spermidine accumulation and of decrease in trans‐Δ³‐hexadecanoic acid content, in lower initial and not cold‐inducible abscisic acid content and guaiacol peroxidase activity after cold treatment. Correlation analysis revealed that spermidine shows strong positive relationship with flavonols, abscisic acid and ascorbate peroxidase, while was in negative relationship with trans‐Δ³‐hexadecanoic acid. These results suggest that spermidine may have a crucial role in the cold acclimation signalling processes in cereals.     

Effect of Spirulina fusiformis on cyclophosphamide and mitomycin-C induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in mice

Spirulina fusiformis was tested for its possible in vivo protective effects against cyclophosphamide (CP) and mitomycin-C (MMC) induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in mice. Pre-treatment with S. fusiformis (250, 500 and 1000 mg kg(-1), p.o., daily for 5 days) significantly reduced the chromosomal damage and lipid peroxidation with concomitant changes in antioxidants and detoxification systems. All the three tested doses were effective in exerting a protective effect against CP and MMC.     

Germinate to exterminate: chemical stimulation of Spongospora subterranea resting spore germination and its potential to diminish soil inoculum

Hoagland's solution (HS), a defined nutrient supplement for plants, has been previously reported to stimulate zoospore release from resting spores of the potato pathogen Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea. This study obtained direct empirical evidence for an increase in zoospore release with HS treatment, and identified Fe‐EDTA as the stimulant component of HS. Stimulation of resting spores by HS and Fe‐EDTA resulted in greater and earlier zoospore release compared to a distilled water control, and in the presence of a susceptible tomato host plant resulted in enhanced root infection. Given the labile nature of S. subterranea zoospores, it was postulated that stimulation of premature release of zoospores from the dormant resting spores in absence of susceptible hosts could reduce soil inoculum levels. In two glasshouse trials in the absence of host plants, both Fe‐EDTA and HS soil treatments reduced S. subterranea soil inoculum levels, providing proof of concept for the ‘germinate to exterminate’ approach to inoculum management.     

Pest status and control of blister beetles in West Africa

Abstract

During recent years, blister beetles have gained importance in species diversity and as pests of food crops in West Africa. Among the 97 species reported, Psalydolytta fusca Oliv, and P. vestita Duf. are economically important beetle species. Beetle abundance is generally associated with the flowering of crops in a region. Regular intensive weeding and early crop establishment are recommended for pest management in food crops. Global pest control strategies are discussed in the context of subsistence agriculture.     

Evaluation of Cassia fistula meal as a replacement for soybean meal in practical diets of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings

This study was undertaken to determine the replacement value of Cassia fistula seed meal (CFM) for soybean meal (SBM) in practical diets of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings. Five practical diets (350 g kg^?1 crude protein) containing 0 g kg^?1 (control), 170 g kg^?1 (diet II), 340 g kg^?1 (diet III), 509 g kg^?1 (diet IV) and 670 g kg^?1 (diet V) substitution levels of CFM for SBM were formulated and fed to triplicate groups of O. niloticus fingerlings (mean initial weight of 10.22 ± 0.03 g) for 70 days. Fish mortality increased linearly with increase in inclusion levels of CFM in the diet. Growth and diet utilization efficiency were depressed in fish fed diets containing CFM at varying inclusion levels. Feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio of O. niloticus fed on diet containing 170 g kg^?1 substitution level of CFM were similar (P > 0.05) to the control diet. Digestibility of the different diets decreased with increase in inclusion levels of CFM. Fish fed diet containing 670 g kg^?1 CFM had significantly lower carcass protein. However, no significant differences were observed in carcass protein and lipid contents between fish fed the control diets and diet containing 170 g kg^?1 CFM. The most efficient diet in terms of cost per unit weight gain of fish was obtained in 170 g kg^?1 CFM dietary substitution.