Dermatophilus congolensis bovine dermatophilosis in the French West Indies. III. A comparison between infected and non-infected cattle

The determination of the distinctive features between infected and uninfected cattle by Dermatophilus has been performed among 93 bovine stock in La Martinique, and 120 in La Guadeloupe and Saint-Martin Islands. Nearly half of the herds had been or were infected. Morbidity rates reach 33 per cent in La Martinique and 29 per cent in La Guadeloupe with a mortality ratio of 15 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. No frequency difference could be observed with respect to the season or the geographical area. Similarly, differences are little or nil as regards animal exposure toward aggressive factors such as sun, soil moisture, thorns, etc. On the other hand, the presence of Amblyomma variegatum is a determining factor considering the prevailing situation in La Martinique, where all breeds of cattle are sensitive to the disease. In this case, 63 per cent of the tick infested cattle develops dermatophilosis versus 2.5 per cent for the still uninfected animals. Conversely, in La Guadeloupe were Creole zebus are highly resistant (as a consequence of their natural selection), only 27 per cent of the infected stock suffers from this illness. In these two islands, regular dipping measures have proved to be beneficial in that it reduces the disease frequency. The study also reveals an underlying typology of the various rearing systems, thus allowing their classification as for their behaviour and response when meeting illness. In La Martinique, whatever they may be, quite none of them is infected in the tick free area. In the tick infested zones, the traditional small breeders rearing a sensitive cattle and who do not care with prophylactic rules, are mostly stricken, while more structured ones have succeeded in controlling the disease, owning to some appropriate measures together with a fair animal management. On the other hand, in La Guadeloupe where this tick is cosmopolitan, the small breeders who run a resistant Creole cattle, are not concerned, despite a rudimentary prophylactic behaviour. Conversely, the intensive rearing system, based upon improved imported breeds, meets great difficulties to master the infection.     

Prediction of field atrazine persistence in an allophanic soil with Opus2

A modified version of the model Opus was applied to measurements of soil water dynamics and atrazine (6-chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) persistence in a Bruntwood silt loam soil (Haplic Andosol, FAO system) in Hamilton, New Zealand. The modified model, Opus2, is briefly described and parameter estimation for the simulations is discussed. Soil water dynamics were more accurately described by applying measured soil hydraulic properties than by estimating them using pedotransfer functions. A parameter sensitivity analysis revealed that degradation was the most relevant process in simulating pesticide behaviour by Opus2. The Arrhenius equation incorporated in Opus2 did not correctly describe the effect of temperature on degradation rates obtained at 10, 20 and 30 degrees C. However, as the Arrhenius coefficient is a very sensitive parameter and soil temperature variation was relatively narrow in the field, the Arrhenius coefficient was approximated from the laboratory study. The simulation results obtained were superior to modelling at constant temperature. Field measured persistence of atrazine in the topsoil was underpredicted using the half-life determined in the laboratory at 10 degrees C. Modelling with a lag phase followed by accelerated degradation by use of a sigmoidal degradation equation in Opus2 significantly improved the modelling results. Nevertheless, degradation processes in the laboratory under controlled conditions did not accurately represent field dissipation, however well the laboratory degradation data could be described by simple kinetic equations. The study indicates the importance of improving field techniques for measuring degradation, and developing laboratory protocols that yield degradation data that are more representative of pesticide dynamics in field soils.     

Ischemia opens neuronal gap junction hemichannels

Neuronal excitotoxicity during stroke is caused by activation of unidentified large-conductance channels, leading to swelling and calcium dysregulation. We show that ischemic-like conditions [O(2)/glucose deprivation (OGD)] open hemichannels, or half gap junctions, in neurons. Hemichannel opening was indicated by a large linear current and flux across the membrane of small fluorescent molecules. Single-channel openings of hemichannels (530 picosiemens) were observed in OGD. Both the current and dye flux were blocked by inhibitors of hemichannels. Therefore, hemichannel opening contributes to the profound ionic dysregulation during stroke and may be a ubiquitous component of ischemic neuronal death.     

Discrimination of Cognacs and other distilled drinks by mid-infrared spectropscopy

Mid-infrared spectroscopy was applied to the analysis and discrimination of Cognacs and other distilled drinks (Armagnacs, whiskies, brandies, bourbons, rums, and counterfeit products). Strong correlations were found between dry extract spectra, polyphenolic dry extract spectra, and the total polyphenol concentration of samples, notably of Cognacs. Principal component analysis applied to spectral data made it possible to emphasize the importance of dry extract data when a distinction is made between Cognacs and Armagnacs, whiskies, bourbons, and rums, and of polyphenol concentration when Cognacs, brandies, and counterfeit products are separated. Ninety-six percent of samples in the test set were correctly assigned to Cognacs and non-Cognacs by partial least-squares discriminant analysis.     

Relationship between increased albendazole systemic exposure and changes in single nucleotide polymorphisms on the β-tubulin isotype 1 encoding gene in Haemonchus contortus

Resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics in the nematode Haemonchus contortus has been correlated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the β-tubulin isotype 1 gene. Three mutations can be used as markers for the detection of resistance, namely SNPs at position 200 and 167 (both TTC to TAC) or at position 198 (GAA to GCA). Harbouring a resistance genotype at any one of these codons can lead to a resistant phenotype. Our objective in this study was to analyse the frequencies of the three mutations when the albendazole dose rate and selection pressure were increased. We used adult H. contortus (males and females) collected directly from the abomasum of untreated lambs, or lambs treated with the manufacturer's recommended dose rate (5mg/kg), three times the recommended dose rate (15 mg/kg), or nine times the recommended dose rate (45 mg/kg). Anthelmintic efficacy was determined by worm and egg count reductions. For the surviving worms of the four treatment groups, the frequencies of each resistance SNP at codons 167, 200 and 198 were measured using pyrosequencing. Our results showed a strong relationship between an increasing dose rate and an increase in the frequency of the (TAC)(200) SNP and a decrease in the (TAC)(167) SNP. All worms genotyped were GAA at codon 198.