Isobaric (gasless) laparoscopic liver and kidney biopsy in standing steers

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the suitability of an isobaric laparoscopic procedure, using a single port, for obtaining serial kidney and liver biopsy samples from standing steers. The samples were used in support of a pharmacokinetic tissue–fluid correlation study. Laparoscopic access was performed 3 times in each of 8 healthy Holstein steers, alternating from the right side to the left side and then to the right side again. The surgery was performed in standing stocks after the animals were given 3 doses of sulfadimethoxine sulfate intravenously and fasted for at least 18 h. Sedation and analgesia were achieved with acepromazine and xylazine. Lidocaine 2% was injected at the center of the paralumbar fossa (left or right), and an incision was made for introduction of a trocar–cannula assembly. Room air was allowed to enter the abdomen through the cannula at the time of insertion. Once the peritoneal cavity was reached, an operating endoscope was inserted. No pressurized insufflation was performed. A biopsy forceps was introduced into the operating channel of the endoscope to obtain a 100-mg kidney or liver sample. No complications were encountered. The 24 laparoscopic procedures provided 24 kidney and 16 liver samples. The results suggest that the isobaric (gasless) single-port laparoscopic technique is feasible for kidney and liver biopsy on standing steers. The procedure can be performed in a reliable and efficient manner in the sedated standing bovine.     

Evaluation of the presence of selected viral and bacterial nucleic acids in pericardial samples from dogs with or without idiopathic pericardial effusion

Many viruses have been identified in pericardial fluid and in tissue samples from humans with pericarditis by means of molecular diagnostics. In canine idiopathic pericardial effusion there is as yet no conclusive evidence to support the involvement of an infectious agent. This study was designed to investigate a possible relationship between idiopathic pericardial effusion in dogs and viruses most commonly encountered in humans affected with viral pericarditis. Coxsackievirus B3 RNA, influenza virus type A RNA, human adenovirus type 2 DNA, human cytomegalovirus DNA, and parvovirus B19 DNA were investigated using PCR on pericardial effusion samples and pericardial tissue specimens collected from 14 dogs with idiopathic pericardial effusion. PCR was also used to test for two bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi and Chlamydia pneumoniae. The same microorganisms were also looked for in pericardial effusions or pericardial washes from 10 dogs with neoplastic pericardial effusion, and in samples collected from 10 dogs which died of a non-cardiac disease. One pericardial effusion sample from a dog with the idiopathic form of the disease tested positive for influenza virus type A and sequencing of the amplicon confirmed the PCR result. In another dog from the same group a cytomegalovirus was detected by PCR in the effusion, but sequencing showed this to be a false-positive result. The genomes of the microorganisms investigated were not detected in neoplastic effusions or pericardial washes. The results indicate that viral and bacterial DNA/RNA of relevance for human pericarditis is rare in pericardial samples from dogs with idiopathic pericardial effusion. The finding of influenza type A viral RNA in pericardial fluid from one dog with the idiopathic form of the disease warrants further investigation.     

Quantification of the relationship between the environment and Fusarium head blight, Fusarium pathogen density, and mycotoxins in winter wheat in Europe

Measurements of local environmental conditions, intensity of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat spikes, biomass of Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, and F. poae (pathogens causing FHB) and concentration of the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV) in harvested wheat grain were obtained in a total of 150 location-years, originating in three European countries (Hungary, Ireland, United Kingdom) from 2001 to 2004. Through window-pane methodology, the length and starting time of temporal windows where the environmental variables were significantly associated with the biological variables were identified. Window lengths of 5 to 30?days were evaluated, with starting times from 18?days before anthesis to harvest. Associations were quantified with nonparametric Spearman correlation coefficients. All biological variables were significantly associated with at least one evaluated environmental variable (P?≤?0.05). Moisture-related variables (e.g., average relative humidity, hours of relative humidity above 80%) had the highest positive correlations with the biological variables, but there also was a significant negative correlation between average temperature and several biological variables. When significant correlations were found, they were generally for all window lengths, but for a limited number of window start times (generally before anthesis for disease index and after anthesis for the toxins and late-season fungal biomasses). Semi-partial Spearman correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationship between the environmental variables and the concentration of DON and NIV after the effects of FHB intensity and fungal biomass on the mycotoxins were removed. Significant semi-partial correlations were found between relative humidity variables and DON, and between temperature and relative humidity variables and NIV for time windows that started after anthesis (and not for any earlier time windows). Results confirm that the environment influences disease, fungal biomass, and mycotoxin production, and help refine the time windows where the association is greatest. However, variability in the relationships was high, indicating that no single environmental variable is sufficient for prediction of disease or mycotoxin contamination.     

Life history parameters and scale-cover surface area of Aonidiella aurantii are altered in a mating disruption environment: implications for biological control

BACKGROUND: In recent years, environmentally safe measures to control the California red scale (CRS), Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), have been successfully implemented. These measures include mating disruption (MD) and biological control. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of high concentrations of the CRS sex pheromone on its life history parameters and scale‐cover surface area under controlled laboratory conditions. RESULTS: The developmental time of both males and females of CRS increased with exposure to airborne pheromone. MD had an effect on both the total number of progeny and on the crawler production period for females. Accordingly, demographic parameters such as net fecundity (R₀) and intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) were significantly lower in the pheromone‐treated populations. The largest scale‐cover surface areas were observed in the CRS reared in the pheromone environment. CONCLUSION: A clear influence of airborne pheromone on the biology of CRS has been demonstrated. In addition to the classical mating disruption benefits of this technique, additional benefits, such as increase in the duration of exposure to natural enemies and increase in size, which benefits some species of parasitoids, have been confirmed. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of maternal habitat choice,environment and spatial distribution of juveniles on their propensity for anadromy in a partially anadromous population of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

This study evaluated the importance of the environment and spatial distribution of juvenile fish for the adoption of alternative migratory tactics in a partially anadromous population of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from the Santa Cruz River. We captured young‐of‐the‐year fish along the river during autumn 2009, 2010 and spring 2010 and determined their maternal origin (anadromous vs. resident) using strontium to calcium ratios in the otolith core. Relative proportion of anadromous offspring, modelled with logistic regression, increased towards headwaters and in areas with deeper channels and larger substrate composition. Body length, modelled with linear multiple regression, varied positively with site depth, water velocity, substrate size and anadromous maternal origin. Based on evidence for limited juvenile movements (<25 km), the spatial extent of this study (240 Rkm) and the identification of large, contrasting reaches along the river, it is likely that the observed spatial distribution of juveniles and their association to sites with coarse substrate composition reflects maternal spawning activity. Results further indicate that anadromous females breed predominantly in middle and upper river sections in areas with coarse substrate. Given that body size in this system has been positively related to propensity for anadromy, we propose that female spawning choice affects their offspring's spatial distribution, providing the adequate physical template for anadromous offspring to reach or maintain larger body sizes and display anadromy themselves. Relevance of this study is also discussed in the context of alterations in response to future dam construction in one of the latest free‐flowing rivers sustaining anadromous O. mykiss.     

A New Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne baetica n. sp. (Nematoda: Heteroderidae), Parasitizing Wild Olive in Southern Spain

ABSTRACT High infection rates of wild olive (Olea europaea sp. sylvestris) feeder roots and soil infestation by a new root-knot nematode were found in sandy soil at Vejer de la Frontera (Cádiz), southern Spain. Morphometric traits and analyses of the nematode esterase electrophoretic pattern as well as of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1)-5.8S gene and D2-D3 fragment of the 28S gene of rDNA showed that specimens differed clearly from known root-knot nematodes. Studies of host-parasite relationships showed a typical susceptible reaction in naturally infected wild olive plants and in olive planting stocks (cvs. Arbequina and Picual) artificially inoculated with the nematode. However, the nematode did not reproduce in artificially inoculated chickpea, pea, and tomato. Because of the ability of this new nematode to infect wild and cultivated olives only, we suggest the common name, "Mediterranean olive root-knot nematode." The species is herein described and illustrated, and named as Meloidogyne baetica n. sp. The new root-knot nematode can be distinguished from other Meloidogyne spp. by (i) the perineal pattern, which is almost similar to that of M. artiellia, characterized by distinct inner striae forming two distinct longitudinal bands, extending throughout the perineum to just below the vulva; (ii) female excretory pore anterior to the level of stylet knobs, excretory pore distance from anterior end/length of stylet ratio extremely small (0.5 to 0.8); and (iii) second-stage juveniles with elongate-conoid tail. Phylogenetic trees derived from maximum parsimony analyses showed that M. baetica is closely related to M. artiellia, the cereal and legume root-knot nematode.     

Development of PCR Primers for a New Fusarium oxysporum Pathogenic on Paris Daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens L.)

The inverse PCR technique was applied to clone genomic DNA flanking insertion sites of sequences homologous to the transposable element Fot1 in the genome of a new pathogenic isolate of Fusarium oxysporum obtained from wilted Argyranthemum frutescens (Paris daisy). Based on the genomic flanking regions, a primer was designed which when paired to a second primer matching the Fot1 sequence allowed detection of this pathogen by PCR. The primer pair Mg5/Mg6 could specifically identify nine tested isolates of F. oxysporum from A. frutescens, when fungal genomic DNA was used as template. Moreover, the primer pair Mg5/Mg6 allowed successful detection of the pathogen in stem and root tissue from asymptomatic plants that were artificially inoculated with a representative isolate of F. oxysporum from A. frutescens.     

Comparison of feed intake, digestibility and fattening performance of Brahman grade cattle (Bos indicus) and crossbred water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Twenty growing crossbred cattle and crossbred water buffalo (carabao) with an average age of 22 (18–24 months) months were equally distributed into two treatment groups according to species. The animals were fed with the same ration made up of corn silage (50%) + wet brewer's spent grain (30%) + concentrate mixture (20%), and their fattening performance was monitored. The digestibilities of the different nutrients were likewise determined. The economics of raising the animals under intensive production system was calculated. Species differences did not influence total dry matter intake of the animals, when expressed as percentage of the bodyweight and per metabolic body size. There were no significant differences in digestion coefficients of the different nutrients, except for crude protein in crossbred water buffalo and crossbred cattle, although the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and nitrogen free extract tended to be high in the former than in the latter. Likewise, average daily gain (ADG) was similar, although crossbred water buffalo had numerically higher ADG (828.6 vs 785.5 g) than crossbred cattle during the 6 months feeding. During the first 3 months of feeding (1–90 days), the ADG of crossbred water buffalo was 1066.1 g compared to 940.1 g for crossbred cattle. From 91 to 180 days, the crossbred cattle had slightly higher ADG (630.1 vs 591.1 g) but also the difference was not significant. The return above feed cost was comparable for crossbred cattle and crossbred water buffalo during the first 90 days of feeding. However, extending the feeding period from 91 to 180 days , income over feed cost was higher (P < 0.05) for crossbred cattle by PhP 5.3/kg gain than crossbred water buffalo. Results showed that crossbred water buffalo could attain similar growth rate with that of crossbred cattle under intensive system, when fed with high quality feed materials.     

Phylogeography of New World isolates of Anaplasma marginale based on major surface protein sequences

Gene and protein sequences of major surface proteins (MSP) 1a and 4 of Anaplasma marginale (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) were used to infer phylogenetic relationships between New World isolates from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the United States. Seventeen isolates of A. marginale plus two outgroup taxa (A. centrale and A. ovis) were used for maximum-parsimony analysis of MSP4, while 20 isolates were used for phylogenetic analysis of MSP1a. msp4 analysis provided strong bootstrap support for a Latin American clade and, within this clade, support was detected for Mexican and South American clades. Isolates of A. marginale from the United States also grouped into two clades from the southern (isolates from Florida, Mississippi, and Virginia) and west-central (isolates from California, Idaho, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas) states. Although little phylogeographic resolution was detected within these higher clades, msp4 sequences appear to be a good genetic marker for inferring phylogeographic patterns of A. marginale isolates. In contrast to the phylogeographic resolution provided by msp4, MSP1a DNA and protein sequence were quite variable and did not provide phylogeographic resolution. Most variation in MSP1a sequences appeared unique to a given isolate and similar DNA sequence variation in msp1alpha was detected within isolates from Idaho and Florida and from Idaho and Argentina. The results of these studies demonstrated that msp4 provided phylogenetic information on the evolution of A. marginale isolates. In contrast MSP1a sequences appeared to be rapidly evolving and these sequences may provide phylogeographic information only when numerous isolate MSP1a sequences are analyzed from a geographic area.