The effect of 3,3′,5-triiodo-L-thyronine and 17-α-methyltestosterone on growth and body composition of the glass stage of the eel (Anguilla anguilla L)

This study was undertaken to determine the influence of orally administered 3,3,5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T₃) or 17--methyltestosterone (MT) on growth and body composition of the eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) during the glass stage.Elvers receiving 20 or 40 ppm of T₃ in the food weighed significantly more (P < 0.05) than controls. However, after 61 days of treatment a dosage of 60 ppm was not efficacious.Terminal percentages of body protein were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in elvers that received 20 ppm or 40 ppm T₃ in their diets, than in the control. Crude body fat content was higher (P < 0.05) in elvers receiving 20 ppm (29% fat) or 40 ppm (28% fat), than in the controls (26% fat). Compared to the control, diets containing T₃ at 20 or 40 ppm increased the body glucose concentration.Glass eels fed a diet containing 1 or 10 ppm MT grew significantly more slowly (P < 0.05) than the controls.Total body protein content was higher (P < 0.05), but total body crude fat content was lower (P < 0.05) in elvers fed a diet with 1 or 10 ppm MT compared to the controls. Total body glucose concentration of elvers administered 10 ppm MT was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of the control groups.     

The role of Cox-2 expression in the prognosis of dogs with malignant mammary tumours

Immunohistochemical detection of Cyclooxygenase (Cox)-1 and -2 enzymes in canine mammary tumours (CMT) has recently been described. However, the prognostic value of their expression needs to be established. The aim of this study was to investigate Cox (-1 and -2) prognostic value in malignant CMT by evaluating its correlation with clinicopathological parameters (tumour size, histological type, necrosis, lymph node metastasis) and with Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS). Twenty seven female dogs with malignant tumours were included. Cox-2 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis at surgery time, development of distant metastasis during follow-up (p = 0.038), DFS (p = 0.03) and OS (p = 0.04). Multivariate survival analysis showed that Cox-2 did not retain its significance as an independent prognostic factor. For Cox-1 expression, no statistically significant association was observed. Present study suggests the usefulness of testing Cox-2 specific inhibitors as part of an adjuvant therapy in female dogs with malignant mammary neoplasias.     

Tropical Rain Forest regeneration in an area degraded by mining in Mato Grosso State, Brazil

The floristic composition and structure of vegetation in natural regeneration were studied in a degraded area in Matupá County, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, originally occupied by Tropical Rain Forest. Three plots were used in the shape of a 20 m×160 m transect, divided into 10 m×20 m sub-plots, placed parallel to a remnant fragment. Transect 1 was 0–20 m from the fragment; Transect 2, 20–40 m, and Transect 3, 40–60 m from the forest fragment. The total height and diameter at soil height of all the shrubs and tree individuals (height≥0.50 m) were measured to the 5, 13 and 18 months after the area had been systematized and abandoned. Floristic and structural alterations occurred in space and time. The number of individuals, species, families and diversity increased during the time interval studied and decreased with distance from the remnant fragment. These floristic and structural alterations in the community as a whole and in the populations of the most important species, Trema micrantha (L.) Blume and Schizolobium amazonicum Huber ex Ducke, showed the tendency of a succession model by facilitation, where these pioneers would be improving the ecological conditions and thus easing the regeneration of late species. The conservation of the forest fragment in the surroundings was essential for the natural regeneration process of the forest in the degraded area.     

Surgical excision of primary canine rectal tumors by an anal approach in twenty-three dogs

OBJECTIVE: To describe an anal approach for excision of primary rectal tumors in dogs and to report outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Dogs (n=23) with primary rectal tumors. METHODS: Review of medical records (1990-2000) of dogs with primary rectal neoplasia excised surgically using an anal approach with rectal prolapse. With dogs anesthetized, the rectum was prolapsed, stabilized with stay sutures during tumor excision with 1 cm margins to the level of the muscularis, then the rectal mucosa was sutured. RESULTS: Each dog had only 1 tumor type (adenocarcinoma [8], solitary polyp [5], carcinoma [4], plasmacytoma [2], adenoma [1], leiomyoma [1], mucinous carcinoma [1], and papilloma [1]). Mean tumor volume was 3.1 cm(3) (range 0.1-37.7 cm(3)). Postoperative complications (rectal bleeding [5], tenesmus [4]) were mild and resolved within 7 days after surgery; another dog had partial mucosal dehiscence identified at 6 days. The primary tumor was incompletely excised in 1 dog (4.3%), and local recurrence occurred 16 and 24 months after surgery in 2 dogs. Outcome beyond the immediate postoperative period was known for 18 dogs, including 2 dogs still alive. Mean postoperative disease-free interval for these 18 dogs was 36.8 months (range 5-84 months). CONCLUSION: Surgical excision of tumors of the caudal rectum can be accomplished through the anus after rectal prolapse. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: An anal approach facilitated by rectal prolapse should be considered as a viable option for the surgical treatment of selected cases of tumors of the caudal aspect of the rectum in dogs.     

Evaluation of the effects of animal age, concurrent bacterial infection, and pathogenicity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus on virus concentration in pigs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influences of animal age, bacterial coinfection, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) isolate pathogenicity on virus concentration in pigs. ANIMALS: Twenty-one 2-month-old pigs and eighteen 6-month-old pigs. PROCEDURE: Pigs were grouped according to age and infected with mildly virulent or virulent isolates of PRRSV. The role of concurrent bacterial infection was assessed by infecting selected pigs with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae 21 days prior to inoculation with PRRSV. On alternating days, blood and swab specimens of nasal secretions and oropharyngeal secretions were collected. On day 21 after inoculation with PRRSV, selected tissues were harvested. Concentrations of PRRSV were determined by use of quantitative real-time PCR and expressed in units of TCID(50) per milliliter (sera and swab specimens) or TCID(50) per gram (tissue specimens). RESULTS: Concentrations of virus were higher in blood and tonsils of pigs infected with virulent PRRSV. Pigs infected with virulent PRRSV and M hyopneumoniae had significantly higher concentrations of viral RNA in lymphoid and tonsillar tissue. Coinfection with M hyopneumoniae resulted in a higher viral load in oropharyngeal swab specimens and blood samples, independent of virulence of the PRRSV isolate. Two-month-old pigs had significantly higher viral loads in lymph nodes, lungs, and tracheal swab specimens than did 6-month-old pigs, independent of virulence of the PRRSV isolate. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Multiple factors affect PRRSV concentration in pigs, including pathogenicity of the PRRSV isolate, age, and concurrent infection with M hyopneumoniae.     

Protection against Toxoplasma gondii brain cyst formation in mice immunized with Toxoplasma gondii cytoskeleton proteins and Lactobacillus casei as adjuvant

The aim of the study was to evaluate the protection generated in mice against Toxoplasma gondii brain cyst burden by vaccination with T. gondii cytoskeleton proteins using Lactobacillus casei as adjuvant. One hundred and sixty-eight NIH mice were randomly allocated into eight groups of 21 mice each. Animals were immunized as follows: in group 1 with Toxoplasma lysate antigen (TLA) in Freund's modified adjuvant, containing L. casei (FMA), in group 2 with Toxoplasma cytoskeleton proteins (TCPs) in FMA, in group 3 with FMA, in group 4 with phosphate buffered saline (PBS), in group 5 with L. casei dead by heath (Lc), in group 6 with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), in group 7 with TLA in FCA, and in group 8 with TCP in FCA. Mean brain cyst burden (±S.E.M.) was assessed in mice 8 weeks after challenge with T. gondii Me49 strain (20 cysts per mouse). The percentages of reduction in cyst burden per brain (P < 0.01) as compared with the group 4 (control: mean 3181 ± 97.5) were 77.25% (724 ± 98) in group 1, 88.02% (381 ± 97.5) in group 2, 38.92% (1943 ± 130.3) in group 3, 44.31% (1771.4 ± 102) in group 5, 59.28% (1295.2 ± 99.1) in group 7 and 55.69% (1409.5 ± 89.9) in group 8. In order of importance, the best protection was obtained in groups 2, 1, 7, 8, 5 and 3. Noticeably the mice inoculated with L. casei alone showed a significant reduction in T. gondii brain cysts (P < 0.01), while those animals treated with FCA alone did not. Additionally, IgM anti-T. gondii antibody levels, as determined by ELISA 2 weeks after challenge, were highest in group 2 (P < 0.01) than in the other seven groups. Results suggest that T. gondii cytoskeleton proteins with L. casei as adjuvant constitute a good anti-toxoplasmosis vaccine candidate.     

Outbreak of Septicaemic Colibacillosis in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

We have carried out an aetiological and pathological study of an outbreak of septicaemia caused by the O165 serogroup of Escherichia coli in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) which resulted in high mortality (90 %). After treatment with amoxicilin in drinking water (200 mg/l), morbility and mortality rates dropped markedly. Microbiological studies showed that the organism responsible was an atypical E. coli strain, on the basis of the non-fermentation of lactose (ONPG–), which belonged to the O165 serogroup and was highly virulent for 1-day-old chickens.     

Viral reinfection affecting bulb production in garlic after seven years of cultivation under field conditions

Six sequential field experiments were conducted from 1999 to 2002 to evaluate virus reinfection in garlic cv. Amarante and its effect on bulb production. The treatments in the year 1999 were: T₁ – virus-free garlic-seed obtained by thermotherapy and meristem-tip culture and indexed for virus by immuno-sorbent electron microscopy (ISEM) under its first field cycle; T₂, T₃ and T₄ – garlic-seed in the second, third and fourth field cycles, respectively; and C – standard garlic-seed from the grower (with no control of virus infection) as a control. In the years 2000 to 2002, a new plot of virus-free seed was added to the experiment and cloves from the previous treatments were again grown under field conditions. In the fourth year of experiments, the treatments comprised T₁ (virus-free garlic seeds under the first field cycle) to T₇ (garlic-seed in the sixth field cycle) and C. Two experiments were conducted in the years 1999 and 2000, at two locations and in the years 2001 and 2002 only one experiment per year at one location. The combined analysis of variance for all experiments indicated a significant difference between the treatments for plant height and yield. The bulbs were classified into commercial classes according the Brazilian regulation and the commercial classes 4–7 were 72 %, 60%, 59%, 53% and 35% of the total number of bulbs harvested, from T₁ to T₅, respectively. Virus reinfection at the end of the second field cycle, determined by serology using antisera against the most common viruses of garlic in Brazil reached 83%. Treatments T₁–T₇ yielded 118%, 79%, 57%, 51%, 39%, 33% and 31% higher than the control.     

Cotton Responses to Nitrophenolate-Based Stimulant: Effects of Foliar Application Rates on Yield and Fiber Quality

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the effects of the nitrophenolate-based protein enhancer Chaperone? on yield and fiber quality of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) grown under two irrigated and two rain-fed growing conditions. Treatments included four foliar spray rates: 0.183, 0.365, 0.731, and 1.462 L ha^{? 1} applied at early bloom when plants had between 8 and 10 nodes above white flower. Results showed that Chaperone? applied at 0.365 L ha^{? 1} increased lint yields significantly (at 5% probability level) over the untreated check (UTC) in one of the two irrigated experiments and marginally (10% probability level) in the other irrigated experiment and one of the two rain-fed experiments, when water supply, during the rapid boll growth stage, was adequate. Yield increases in these experiments were related to increases in boll mass. Chaperone? also affected fiber quality properties, specifically, decreased micronaire values and increased fiber strength, but only in the highest yielding irrigated conditions and the lowest yielding rain-fed conditions.