Representation of visual gravitational motion in the human vestibular cortex

How do we perceive the visual motion of objects that are accelerated by gravity? We propose that, because vision is poorly sensitive to accelerations, an internal model that calculates the effects of gravity is derived from graviceptive information, is stored in the vestibular cortex, and is activated by visual motion that appears to be coherent with natural gravity. The acceleration of visual targets was manipulated while brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In agreement with the internal model hypothesis, we found that the vestibular network was selectively engaged when acceleration was consistent with natural gravity. These findings demonstrate that predictive mechanisms of physical laws of motion are represented in the human brain.     

Genetic variability in Malacomeles denticulata (Rosaceae) from central Mexico revealed with SSR markers

Alternative berry crops belonging with the Rosaceae family currently have a great importance in the US and Canadian agribusiness, in this sense, the Mexican serviceberry (Malacomeles denticulata) is a fruit shrub mainly distributed in Mexico that has potential uses like horticultural crop; however, little information about its variability has been reported. That is why this research aims to determine the variability of M. denticulata by SSR markers. The apple SSR markers had a good transferability to Malacomeles (74 %); all transferable SSR are polymorphic and sixteen of them had high values of polymorphic information content, Nei’s expected heterozygosity (H_e), and Shannon’s information index (I), even the apple SSR loci were not previously proved in this species. Besides it was found high variability in the germplasm of central Mexico mainly within populations (72 %), where three different genetic pool were detected suggesting that a breeding program could be based in individual selection. That is why it is necessary select outstanding individual into population before to make hybridizations among these selected parents.     

Effect of stunting of juvenile bighead carp Aristichthys nobilis (Richardson) on compensatory growth and reproduction

The study was conducted to determine if stunting of young bighead carp Aristichtys nobilis (Richardson) would affect subsequent growth and reproduction. Juveniles (3 g each) were stocked directly in cages (control) in a lake or stunted in tanks for 6, 12, 18 or 24 months before being stocked in cages. Initially, body weights and lengths of stunted carp in cages were significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the control fish. The carp stunted for 6, 12 and 18 months showed growth compensation, although their weights and lengths were slightly lower than those of the control fish. The body weight and length of fish stunted for 24 months were the lowest throughout the rearing period. Sexual maturation occurred only in the control fish and those stunted for 6 and 12 months. However, the onset of gonad maturity was delayed significantly (P<0.05) in males stunted for 12 months and in both groups of stunted female fish. The relative fecundity (44 000–56 000 eggs per kg body weight) and number of 3‐day‐old larvae produced per female (78 000–89 000) did not differ significantly among the three treatments (P>0.05), but production was somewhat lower in fish stunted for 12 months.     

Bilateral Dorsal Subluxation of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint of the Hind Limb in a Mare: Case Report

Subluxation of the proximal interphalangeal joint is a rare and little studied condition in horses. We describe the case of a 12-year-old mare with bilateral dorsal subluxation of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the hind feet. Tenectomy of the medial digital flexor was performed in both limbs, and the patient showed signs of recovery within 14 days. Goniometry of the proximal interphalangeal joints 10 months after surgery showed diminution of 5° for the proximal interphalangeal axis of the left hind limb. However, no change was found for the joint angle of the right limb. Even so, the patient's gait and radiographic results were normal, and clinical abnormalities such as joint clicking and swelling were no longer observed.     

Intradermal DNA vaccination in ear pinnae is an efficient route to protect cats against rabies virus

A DNA vaccine against rabies (pGQH) was administrated to cats in order to examine different administration routes. Four groups of three cats each were inoculated with pGQH as follows: group A, intramuscularly (IM), 100 microg; group B, intranasally (IN), 100 microg; group C, intradermally into ear pinnae (ID-EP), 100 microg, and group D, IM, 200 microL of phosphate buffer solution (PBS) alone (control group). Blood was drawn on days 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180. Groups A, B, and C received a booster on day 30. At day 200 all animals were challenged. A passive transfer of cat sera, as well as a viral challenge, was performed in mice. The results displayed that neutralizing antibody titers were higher in cats of group C (ID-EP) showing high early titers (> 2 IU) and the highest titer was on day 120 (> 14 IU). In group B (IN), two out of three cats seroconverted on day 30 (> 0.5 IU), the third cat seroconverted until day 60 (> 0.5 IU). In contrast, the lowest levels of neutralizing antibodies were detected in group A (IM). The control group showed no anti-rabies antibodies. Groups A (IM) and D (control) succumbed after lethal challenge. All animals from the ID-EP group (C) survived, only one individual from the IN (B) group died. Mice that received cat sera from ID-EP, IM, and IN groups survived and were protected (30/30 survivors). Mice groups that received pre-immunization sera from cats were not protected (0/30 survivors). This study demonstrates that pGQH immunization was successful when it was administrated ID-EP, and acceptable through the IN route. The IM route, however, was not effective in cats. For vaccination, the IN route seems attractive due to its accessibility for application, but it seems to activate seroconversion slowly. The best route to promote anti-rabies antibody titers was the ID-EP route. This practical and efficient route should be further studied.     

Defoliation Intensity and Simulated Grazing Strategy Effects on Three C4 Rangeland Bunchgrasses

Defoliation intensity and timing are two important factors determining plants response to grazing. These factors can be managed by adjusting stocking rate and applying a grazing strategy. In a 6-yr clipping experiment conducted in northwestern Argentina, we assessed the effect of different defoliation intensities (~ 30%, ~ 50%, and ~ 70% removal of the annually produced aboveground biomass) and simulated grazing strategies (continuous grazing, two-paddock rest-rotation, three-paddock rest-rotation, dormant season grazing) on plots of three C4 native bunchgrasses (Pappophorum vaginatum, Trichloris crinita, and Digitaria californica). Response variables were mean and trend of clipped-off biomass during the 6 yr of treatments, number of inflorescences, and aboveground biomass produced on the year following treatments end (to evaluate residual effect of treatments). Results were species dependent. Mean clipped-off biomass increased with defoliation intensity in T. crinita and D. californica. However, defoliation intensity negatively affected clipped-off biomass trend in T. crinita and the production of P. vaginatum and T. crinita during “residual effect” evaluation. The three species responded positively at least in one response variable to the amount of rest periods in the grazing strategy. Our results are not fully consistent with the concept that forage production is more influenced by defoliation intensity than by grazing strategy: In two of the three species, grazing strategy presented greater impact on response variables than defoliation intensity. When significant “defoliation intensity × grazing strategy” was detected, intensity tended to be more detrimental as grazing strategy allows fewer rest periods. We observed a residual effect of treatments in the three species (generally, negative effect of defoliation intensity and positive effect of grazing strategies with more rest periods). Our results show that dormant season utilization and rest periods are beneficial for maximizing mean clipped-off biomass and ensuring clipped-off biomass trend. High defoliation intensities can maximize short-term clipped-off biomass, but it may produce negative residual effects and trends.     

The Eberhart and Russel’s Bayesian method used as an instrument to select maize hybrids

Adaptability and stability analysis methods that use a priori information allow identifying and selecting potentially productive genotypes with greater accuracy. The aim of the current study is to use the Eberhart and Russel’ Bayesian method as an instrument to analyze the adaptability and stability of hybrid maize cultivars and to assess the efficiency of using the distribution of informative and non-informative priors to select cultivars. Twenty-five (25) hybrid maize cultivars were assessed in 11 environments located in the Brazilian Northeastern region, during 2012 and 2013, according to a complete randomized block design, with two repetitions. The Eberhart and Russel’s methodology was performed in the GENES software, whereas the Bayesian procedure was implemented in the free software R, by using the MCMCregress function of the MCMCpack package. The adaptability and stability parameters values and the credibility intervals have shown that the Eberhart and Russel’s method via Bayesian technique has shown greater stability-estimation accuracy and greater efficiency in recommending cultivars adapted to favorable and unfavorable environments. The Bayesian methods using priories informative (M1) and few informative (M2) distributions have presented the same genotype classifications in the comparison between a priori distributions; however, according to the Bayes Factor, the M1 was the most adequate distribution to help finding more reliable estimates.