Biological characteristics and pathogenicity of avian Escherichia coli strains.

Fifty avian (chicken) pathogenic Escherichia coli strains (APEC) isolated from individuals suffering from omphalitis, septicaemia and swollen head syndrome, and 30 strains isolated from healthy chickens were studied regarding their biological characteristics such as serogroups, haemolysin, colicin, cytotoxin, toxin and siderophore production, adhesion capacity to in vitro cultivated cells, and absorption of Congo red dye. Serotyping demonstrated that most of the omphalitis and normal strains were untypable, whereas most of the septicaemic strains were either untypable or rough. There was no prevalent serogroup among the pathogenic strains studied. The capacity for adhesion and invasion of in vitro cultured cells (HeLa, HEp-2, KPCC), as well as the agglutination of different types of red blood cells and the LD50 of each strain were also evaluated. No correlation was observed between the biological characteristics and pathogenicity, except that colicin was characteristically produced by swollen head syndrome E. coli strains. No correlation was found between adhesion or haemagglutination patterns and pathogenicity. Only six of the 50 strains revealed invasive capacity and the strain that best invaded the cell lines was the one with the lowest LD50.     

Assessing foraging strategies of herbivores in Mediterranean oak woodlands: a review of key issues and selected methodologies

Montados are agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems, typical of the Southwest Iberian Peninsula, of high socio-economic and conservation importance, where grazing is a dominant activity. Montados are characterized by an open tree canopy of Quercus sp. and a diverse undercover of shrubs and grasslands that constitute the plant food resources for grazing animals. Plant food resources of Montados are highly variable, both spatially and seasonally, in quantity and quality. Reliable and easy to use methods to monitor grazing are necessary to allow proper understanding of foraging strategies of grazing animals and to set sustainable grazing management. We describe the main characteristics of the plant food resources available for grazing animals, striking its variability, and revise the potential of using N-alkanes and saliva proteome methods to assess foraging strategies in Montados. In a scenario of dynamic multiple choices, we discuss the use of n-alkane methodology for the simultaneous estimation of diet composition and voluntary intake and saliva proteome as a mean of increasing the knowledge on diet adjustments.     

Evaluation of electrical nerve stimulation for epidural catheter positioning in the dog

ObjectiveTo evaluate the accuracy of epidural catheter placement at different levels of the spinal cord guided solely by electrical nerve stimulation and resultant segmental muscle contraction.Study designProspective, experiment.AnimalsSix male and two female Beagles, age (1 ± 0.17 years) and weight (12.9 ± 1.1 kg).MethodsAnimals were anesthetized with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. An insulated epidural needle was used to reach the lumbosacral epidural space. A Tsui epidural catheter was inserted and connected to a nerve stimulator (1.0 mA, 0.1 ms, 2 Hz) to assess positioning of the tip at specific spinal cord segments. The catheter was advanced to three different levels of the spinal cord: lumbar (L2–L5), thoracic (T5–T10) and cervical (C4–C6). Subcutaneous needles were previously placed at these spinal levels and the catheter was advanced to match the needle location, guided only by corresponding muscle contractions. Catheter position was verified by fluoroscopy. If catheter tip and needle were at the same vertebral body a score of zero was assigned. When catheter tip was cranial or caudal to the needle, positive or negative numbers, respectively, corresponding to the number of vertebrae between them, were assigned. The mean and standard deviation of the number of vertebrae between catheter tip and needle were calculated to assess accuracy. Results are given as mean ± SD.ResultsThe catheter position in relation to the needle was within 0.3 ± 2.0 vertebral bodies. Positive predictive values (PPV) were 57%, 83% and 71% for lumbar, thoracic and cervical regions respectively. Overall PPV was 70%. No significant difference in PPV among regions was found.Conclusion and clinical relevancePlacement of an epidural catheter at specific spinal levels using electrical nerve stimulation was feasible without radiographic assistance in dogs. Two vertebral bodies difference from the target site may be clinically acceptable when performing segmental epidural regional anesthesia.     

Multivariate approach for young bull selection from a performance test using multiple traits of economic importance

This study used multivariate statistics to identify clusters of animals with similar expected progeny difference (EPD) and also identify leading traits that discriminate between bulls. Various linear selection indices based on specific selection criteria were proposed. Records were collected from 880 young Nelore bulls submitted to performance testing in central Brazil between 2001 and 2012. Pre-weaning average daily gain and weights at 210 days with direct and maternal effects were used in the analysis, in addition to post-weaning weight, scrotal circumference at 365 and 450 days, carcass finish and rib eye area. EPDs were classified into three groups, and the EPD means of two of these groups stood out and were considered important based on principal component analysis that associated higher values of direct EPD of weights, average daily weight gain and scrotal circumference. The EPDs for weight at 210, 365 and 450 days, pre- and post-weaning daily gain and scrotal circumference at 365 and 450 days were major causes of variation. Each linear selection index proposed (SI₁, SI₂, SI₃, SI₄ and SI₅) defined a specific approach meaning that a different selection index should be used depending on breeding goals and selection criteria.     

Geospatial variation of physical attributes and sugarcane productivity in cohesive soils

Precision Agriculture - Sugarcane productivity is highly variable across space, and knowledge about the spatial distribution of soil physical attributes is important to guide management practices...     

Crop use and profile distribution of phosphorus in soils that developed on mafic rocks in southern Portugal

The phytoavailability of soil phosphorus (P) depends on the different forms in which it occurs and how these forms change after the application of P fertiliser to the soil. Forms of P in the A, B and C horizons of eleven pedons that developed on mafic rocks were characterised by a fractionation method before and after fertilisation with single superphosphate, and a micropot experiment was conducted to assess the short-term use of P fertiliser by rye (Secale cereale L.). The main sources of P to the crop were (i) phosphate adsorbed on mineral surfaces and pedogenic Fe, Al or Ca phosphates in the A horizon and (ii) Ca-phosphates in B and C horizons. In the C horizons, poor in Fe/Al phases and clay, the precipitated Ca-P showed low solubility, resulting in a reduction in shoot biomass. The apparent P recovery by rye was similar in the A (36%) and B (29%) but decreased in the C (15%) horizons. The partial factor productivity (g g^?1) decreased from the A (58) to B (11) and C (5) horizons. P phytoavailability decreased with increasing profile depth because the transformation of P fertiliser to poorly soluble Ca-P forms increased with depth.     

Use of two fungal species to induce agarwood resin formation in Gyrinops walla

Gyrinops walla Gaertn. is the only species growing in Sri Lanka that belongs to the agarwood family,Thymelaeaceae. Although agarwood resin induction and extraction from Aquilaria species of the same family have been practised for many decades in Southeast Asian region,the ability of producing agarwood resins in G. walla was discovered recently. Since previous studies were on agarwood resins formed due to natural causes, the present study was conducted to identify the potential fungal species that are capable of artificially inducing agarwood resin formation in G. walla. Since this is the first ever study conducted on artificial inducement of agarwood resin formation in G.walla, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium solani were selected owing to their high abundance in the naturally formed agarwood resinous tissues collected from 25 G. walla trees.Both fungal species were separately grown in yeast extract glucose agar and used to inoculate healthy G. walla trees under aseptic conditions. Three holes were made for each tree and 2 g of fungal culture including the medium were placed in each hole. Tissue discoloration, characteristic aroma, resin content and resin constituents were checked at10 cm intervals above and below the inoculation points for a period of 1 year. Results revealed that tissue discoloration and resin content were higher in the trees inoculated with A. niger. Other than at 10 cm above and below the inoculation points, samples collected at all locations had significantly higher resin contents when inoculated with A. niger compared to F. solani. Sixteen agarwood resin constituents, which were also recorded in Aquilaria species, were identified from the discolored tissues using GC–MS analysis. Jinkohol, agarospirol and 2(2-phenyl)chromone derivatives were found in all discolored tissues collected at 10-cm intervals of the trees inoculated with both fungi. b-Seline, c-eudesmol and valerenal were found in nine of 10 sample points on the stem. c-Elemene was recorded only in one sample. The characteristic aroma during burning was stronger for dark-colored tissues than the light-colored ones. The present study confirmed the potential use of certain fungal species to induce agarwood resin in G. walla and that A. niger is more effective than F.solani.     

Safety evaluation of an oak-flavored milk powder containing ellagitannins upon oral administration in the rat

Ellagitannins are phenolic compounds that occur in a number of dietary sources such as walnuts, raspberries, pomegranate, strawberries, and oak-aged wines. Ellagitannins have been acknowledged to have antioxidant and cancer chemopreventive activities. However, ellagitannins have also been considered to be "antinutrients" and have been reported to provoke adverse effects in animals. In this context, risk assessment studies are demanded to ensure that chemicals present in food do not compromise food safety. Oak-flavored milk can be obtained by thermal treatment of milk in the presence of oak shavings. The oak-flavored milk can be used to impart wood-like flavor to different recipes. The present study evaluated, under a subchronic approach, the safety of an oak-flavored milk powder containing ellagitannins in rats upon repeated oral administration for 96 days. The effect of 30% oak-flavored milk powder in the diet was evaluated. This amount involved a margin of safety equivalent to the daily intake of 134 yogurts by a 70 kg person for 96 days. Growth rate, food utility index, 9 hematological, and 13 serobiochemical parameters as well as the metabolism and tissue distribution of ellagitannins and derived metabolites were studied. Overall, no significant differences were found in oak-milk-fed rats in any blood parameter analyzed. No effect was found on growth rate and food utility index. Urolithin A was identified in feces of rats fed oak-flavored milk and the glucuronide derivative in urine. No metabolites were found in the liver, kidney, or uterus. Histopathological analysis of liver and kidney corroborated the absence of toxicity. Therefore, these results suggest that the intake of the oak-flavored milk powder assayed in this study is safe and does not involve potential hazard to human health.     

Heavy metals and mineral elements not included on the nutritional labels in table olives

The average contents, in mg/kg edible portion (e.p.), of elements not considered for nutritional labeling in Spanish table olives were as follows: aluminum, 71.1; boron, 4.41; barium, 2.77; cadmium, 0.04; cobalt, 0.12; chromium, 0.19; lithium, 6.56; nickel, 0.15; lead, 0.15; sulfur, 321; tin, 18.4; strontium, 9.71; and zirconium, 0.04. Sulfur was the most abundant element in table olives, followed by aluminum and tin (related to green olives). There were significant differences between elaboration styles, except for aluminum, tin, and sulfur. Ripe olives had significantly higher concentrations (mg/kg e.p.) of boron (5.32), barium (3.91), cadmium (0.065), cobalt (0.190), chromium (0.256), lithium (10.01), nickel (0.220), and strontium (10.21), but the levels of tin (25.55) and zirconium (0.039) were higher in green olives. The content of contaminants (cadmium, nickel, and tin) was always below the maximum limits legally established. The discriminant analysis led to an overall 86% correct classification of cases (80% after cross-validation).