Dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes in the southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) in the Eastern Pyrenees

Two free-ranging southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) - one 4-year-old male and one 3-year-old male - were diagnosed with clinical dermatophytosis in the French and Spanish Eastern Pyrenees respectively. Skin samples were collected for microbiological studies, Trichophyton mentagrophytes being isolated and identified in both animals. The first chamois was found dead at the base of a cliff, and presented with alopecia and scaling on the dorsum and left forelimb. The second chamois showed grey-yellow, rough to raised scaling and crusting skin lesions at the base of the horns, around the eyes, dorsum of the nose, sternum, tail and limbs. Histological examination was carried out only on the second animal. The main lesions were orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis with focal parakeratosis, irregular to papillary epidermal hyperplasia, intracorneal neutrophilic pustules, perivascular to diffuse dermatitis with neutrophilic folliculitis and furunculosis. In those follicles with folliculitis and/or furunculosis, fungal hyphae and arthrospores associated with the follicular keratin and hair shafts were seen.     

Pharmacokinetic study of oral amitriptyline in horses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of oral amitriptyline in horses. Oral amitriptyline (1 mg/kg) was administered to six horses. Blood samples were collected from jugular and lateral thoracic vein at predetermined times from 0 to 24 hr after administration. Plasma concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed using noncompartmental methods. Pharmacodynamic parameters including heart rate, respiration rate, and intestinal motility were evaluated, and electrocardiographic examinations were performed in all subjects. The mean maximum plasma concentration (C_max) of amitriptyline was 30.7 ng/ml, time to maximum plasma concentration (T_max) 1–2 hr, elimination half-life (t_1/2) 17.2 hr, area under plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) 487.4 ng ml⁻¹ hr⁻¹, apparent clearance (Cl/F) 2.6 L hr⁻¹ kg⁻¹, and apparent volume of distribution (Vd/F) 60.1 L/kg. Jugular vein sampling overestimated the amount of amitriptyline absorbed and should not be used to study uptake following oral administration. Heart rate and intestinal motility showed significant variation (p < .05). Electrocardiography did not provide conclusive results. Further studies are required to discern if multiple dose treatment would take the drug to steady state as expected, consequently increasing plasma concentrations.     

Dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton benhamiae in a dog

Trichophyton benhamiae was diagnosed in a 9-year-old female dog by histopathological evaluation, fungal culture and confirmation by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA. Successful therapy was achieved with itraconazole, bathing with miconazole and chlorhexidine shampoo, and topical application of sodium hypochlorite as a rinse.     

Protein requirements of preschool children consuming rice-milk,rice-toasted mung bean,and rice diets

Rice-milk and rice-toasted mung bean diets, and a high-protein rice (IR58 milled rice) were evaluated as part of a study on the protein requirements of toddlers consuming rice-based diets following the multilevel N balance method. Milk or mung bean contributed 1/3 of dietary N. At a daily energy intake of 418 kJ/kg body weight, weight losses were observed for all diets. The safe level of protein intakes obtained allowing 10 mg N/kg body weight/day for miscellaneous integumental losses and 15 mg N/kg body weight/day for growth was 1.11 g/kg body weight/day for the rice-milk diet and 1.34 g for the rice-mung bean diet. Preliminary data on four children indicate a safe level of protein intake of 1.44 g/kg/day for the IR58 milled rice. The protein quality of the high-protein rice as determined by the very short term N balance index on three children was 79–80% relative to milk.     

Intestinal microbiota variation in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) under different feeding regimes

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the feeding regimes in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) cultured under extensive, semi‐extensive and intensive production systems. A total of 254 bacterial isolates from guts of fish cultured under different production systems and feeding regimes were tested. Biochemical tests and genetic analyses based on the 16S rDNA sequence analysis were conduced to identify bacterial strains. Vibrio species were the most represented taxonomic group in the culturable microbiota of S. senegalensis guts tested. Particularly, Vibrio ichthyoenteri was the most frequently isolated Vibrio species. Comparison among diets showed a significant reduction (P<0.05) in vibrio percentages and a higher occurrence of Shewanella species in Senegalese soles fed polychaeta. In addition, a major influence of environmental temperature on microbiota composition was detected. Cold temperatures brought about a change in the percentages of Vibrio species and a higher representation of α‐Proteobacteria in both outdoor systems (extensive and semi‐extensive). The significant differences between intestinal bacterial composition in Senegalese soles fed commercial diets and natural preys (polychaeta) reveal the necessity to develop specific optimized diets for the intensive rearing of this fish species.     

Río de la Plata voyagers: Deciphering the migration ecology of a vulnerable marine catfish (Genidens barbus) in a large subtropical river (lower Uruguay River)

1. Genidens barbus is a vulnerable marine migrant catfish with low fecundity, a complex life cycle (i.e. mouth breeding), and is the target of industrial and artisanal fisheries of several countries. This species regularly migrates from marine to freshwater environments of the south-western Atlantic.
2. The aim of this work was to delve deeper into the migration ecology of G. barbus, characterizing both its timing and potential environmental drivers. Furthermore, aspects of the population structure and reproduction of migrants in the lower Uruguay River were studied and the presence of juveniles in the adjacent estuarine recruitment area was evaluated.
3. Data from 11 years (2008–2018) of records of adult G. barbus captured by artisanal fisheries were used alongside relevant environmental variables that were recorded monthly. Reproductive biology (i.e. sex ratio, gonadosomatic index, fecundity, and oocyte size) was analysed for a period of 3 years (2016–2018). The juvenile abundance in the Río de la Plata estuary was evaluated seasonally.
4. A total of 935 adult individuals of G. barbus were captured, representing a total biomass of 3,123 kg. The migration timing was from early spring to early summer. The abundance of migrants strongly increased with river discharge, suggesting that this variable regulates the upriver migration. Furthermore, pre- and post-spawn females and males displaying mouth breeding were recorded during the study period, confirming G. barbus reproduction in the lower Uruguay River.
5. The results obtained suggest that G. barbus ascend to spawn in the freshwater environments upstream from the mouth of the Uruguay River. Then, adult males incubate and carry the embryos downstream, releasing juveniles in the Río de la Plata estuary.
6. This relevant information will help with the implementation of effective management polices (e.g. fishing restrictions during the reproductive period) for the presently unregulated fishery of this vulnerable species in the lower Uruguay River.

     

Short communication: Estrus synchronization using progestogens or cloprostenol in tropical hair sheep

The objective of the experiment was to compare the use of a PGF2α analogue (Cloprostenol) IM, with an intravaginal progestagen sponge, flurogestone acetate (FGA), and equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) IM application protocol. A total of 30 cyclical hair ewes (54.07?±?0.5 kg live weight, body condition score 3.5?±?0.5, and age 3?±?1 years) were used. For the control group ewes (n?=?15), intravaginal sponges (IS) impregnated with 20 mg of FGA were inserted for 12 days with 500 IU of eCG IM at sponges withdrawal. For the PG group ewes (Treatment group n?=?15), two injections of Cloprostenol (75 mcg) were given 12 days apart. The presence of estrus was detected using two rams with 8 h interval beginning at the end of the treatment. Progesterone concentrations in blood were measured by solid phase radioimmunoassay. A student’s t test was performed to analyze the duration of estrus and the interval between the ends of the treatment and the onset of estrus (ET-OE) presentation. Progesterone levels were compared with two-way ANOVA, with treatment, and day of menstrual cycle as fixed factors. Treatment costs ratio was calculated by dividing the total costs of FGA IS application between total costs of Cloprostenol application. Significant differences (P?P?相似文献   

Evaluation of embedding strength on Uruguayan wood to apply the European yield theory for double shear bolted joint

The main objective of this study was to evaluate embedding strength on Uruguayan wood to apply the European yield theory (EYT) for double shear bolted joints’ on Eucalyptus grandis H.(EGH). To introduce the dowel-type connection performance, double shear tests were conducted. The embedding tests were conducted to calculate the yield strength of bolted joint by EYT and the compression test, to estimate the embedding strength. The yield strength obtained from the experiments showed a good agreement with the yield strength calculated by EYT method. The yield strength of double shear bolted joint evaluated from compressive strengths is a very close to the yield strength calculated by EYT. The average value and variability of the yield strength of double shear bolted joint calculated by EYT applying the embedding strengths of experimental results were very close to the yield strength or 5 % offset method of experimental results. The results from this study showed a good behavior to structural design with EGH in accordance to the Japanese standard code.     

Temperature, the GacS/GacA system, and host metabolites regulate the type VI secretion system of Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola

The recently discovered type VI secretion system (T6SS) is implicated in the pathogenic and/or virulence processes of diverse bacteria. The expression pattern of the T6SS differs among different organisms and also depends on several environmental factors. We initiated a study of the conditions that influence T6SS gene expression in Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola NPS3121. Our results indicate that low temperatures and plant extracts impact the expression of T6SS genes and that the process is subject to regulation by the GacS/GacA two-component system.     

Isolation and genetic characterization of Acidovorax avenae from red stripe infected sugarcane in Northwestern Argentina

Red stripe is a bacterial disease of sugarcane causing important economic losses in Argentina that affects 30 % of the milling stems and consequently the juice quality. In this study, sugarcane leaves exhibiting red stripe symptoms were sampled in the 2008–09 growing season from 13 different sugarcane producing areas of Tucumán and Salta (northwest of Argentina). To achieve the identification and characterization of the causal agent of red stripe, bacterial isolation was performed. Species-specific PCR using Oaf1/Oar1 primers allowed the amplification of a fragment of 550 bp from approximately 50 % of the isolates; 16S rDNA sequences analysis displayed a similarity greater than 99 % with Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae. By means of RAPD-PCR the presence of at least four different biotypes among the analyzed isolates was detected. Results of pathogenicity test allowed us to confirm A. avenae subsp. avenae as the pathogenic agent for red stripe. This study constitutes the first report on the identification and molecular characterization of this plant pathogen from the Argentina sugarcane production areas. The genetic diversity observed among A. avenae is an important factor to be considered to improve an accurate diagnosis and/or the selection of sugarcane tolerant clones.