Airborne fungal succession in a rice field of Cuba

This study characterised the airborne mycobiota of a rice plantation in Bauta (Havana, Cuba), with a view to improving crop quality. Culturable airborne fungi were sampled between March 2007 and February 2008 using a volumetric method (SAS Super 100) with potato dextrose agar as culture medium. The total fungal count was 51,425 cfu/m³. The 39 filamentous genera identified included several major rice pathogens (Bipolaris, Curvularia, Alternaria, Pyricularia, Cercospora and Fusarium) as well as potentially mycotoxigenic species of Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus. Analysis of the influence of weather-related factors on spore counts revealed that total counts and Penicillium counts correlated positively with daily relative humidity, mean temperature and dew point.     

Geminivirus C2 protein represses genes involved in sulphur assimilation and this effect can be counteracted by jasmonate treatment

Geminiviruses are plant viruses that infect a broad range of crops and cause extensive losses worldwide, having an important economic impact. C2, a multifunctional pathogenicity factor encoded by geminiviruses, has been recently shown to suppress the responses to jasmonates in the host plant, which might at least partially explain its well-established role in pathogenicity. Sulphur is one of the essential macro-elements for plant life, and is considered to have a role in plant defence, in a phenomenon named sulphur-induced resistance (SIR) or sulphur-enhanced defence (SED). In this work, we show that geminivirus C2 protein represses the expression of genes involved in the sulphur assimilation pathway in Arabidopsis, but, interestingly, this effect can be neutralized by exogenous jasmonate treatment. These preliminary results may raise the idea that geminiviruses might be affecting sulphur metabolism, and maybe counteracting SIR/SED, through the manipulation of the jasmonate signalling pathway, which would define a novel strategy in plant-virus interactions and may unveil SIR/SED as an important player in the plant defence against viruses.     

Disseminated mite infection with ocular involvement in a juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was found unable to fly and was admitted to The Raptor Center (TRC). Major clinical signs were thin body condition and a cardiac arrhythmia. Ten days after admission to TRC, ophthalmic examination revealed multiple, distinct serpiginous lesions of chorioretinal atrophy in the ocular fundus of the right eye (OD). The bird was euthanized because of clinical deterioration and poor prognosis. Mites of an undetermined species were found histologically in the retina, episcleral tissues, lungs, and liver at the postmortem examination. Disseminated mite infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of serpiginous chorioretinal lesions in bald eagles (H. leucocephalus).     

Field evaluation of a new commercially available ELISA based on a recombinant antigen for diagnosing Chlamydophila abortus (Chlamydia psittaci serotype 1) infection

A new commercially available ELISA (ELISAr-Chlamydia) for detecting antibodies against Chlamydophila abortus has been evaluated using sheep field serum samples. The ELISA is based on a recombinant antigen which expresses part of a protein from the 80-90kDa family that is specific to C. abortus. Sera (105) from six flocks with confirmed ovine chlamydial abortion (OEA) outbreaks were used in this study, as well as sera (258) from 18 flocks which had suffered no OEA in the last lambing. The ELISAr-Chlamydia was compared with the complement fixation test (CFT) and with an ELISA using purified C. abortus elementary bodies (ELISA-EB), employing as reference technique a comparative microimmunofluorescence test that differentiates C. abortus infection from Chlamydophila pecorum infection. The results showed that the sensitivity of ELISAr-Chlamydia was 90.9% with a specificity of 85.9%, the sensitivity of CFT was 71.0% with a specificity of 83.6%, while the sensitivity of ELISA-EB was 95.2% and the specificity was 54.2%. Furthermore, ELISAr-Chlamydia was the test with fewer false positives resulting from positive reactivity to C. pecorum, although 15% of the sera positive for C. pecorum but negative for C. abortus antibodies reacted positively. This study demonstrated with field material that ELISAr-Chlamydia provides the most balanced results between sensitivity and specificity, especially in flocks with no clinical OEA but reactivity to C. abortus.     

Use of albumin quotient and IgG index to differentiate blood- vs brain-derived proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid of cats with feline infectious peritonitis

BACKGROUND: Inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) is a frequent condition in cats but etiology often remains unsolved. Routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis can be extended through the calculation of the albumin quotient (Q(alb)), a marker of the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and IgG index, an estimate of intrathecal IgG synthesis. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to validate nephelometric methods for CSF protein analysis, and to use the Q(alb) and IgG index to discriminate blood- and brain-derived immunoglobulin fractions in cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). METHODS: Cats presented to our clinic between 2001 and 2005 were included in the study based on clinical and laboratory data and histopathologic findings at necropsy. Cats were grouped as having nonneurologic disease (controls; n=37), brain tumors (n=8), FIP involving the CNS (n=12), and extraneural FIP (n=12). CSF-total protein (TP) was measured and albumin and IgG concentrations were measured in paired CSF/serum samples; Q(alb) and IgG index were calculated. Intraassay and interassay precision of the nephelometric assays were determined using pooled samples. RESULTS: Coefficients of variation for the nephelometric assays ranged from 2.7% to 7.2%. In control cats, CSF-TP concentration ranged from 0.06 to 0.36 g/L, Q(alb) ranged from 0.6 to 5.7 x 10(-3), and IgG index ranged from 0.3 to 0.6. Q(alb) and IgG index were significantly higher in cats with brain tumors and cats with CNS-FIP compared with other groups. Compared with control cats, pleocytosis was evident in 8 of 12 (67%) cats and CSF-TP was increased in 3 of 12 (25%) cats with CNS-FIP. CONCLUSION: Nephelometry is a reliable method for measurement of CSF protein, albumin, and IgG in cats. The Q(alb) and IgG index did not identify a CSF protein pattern specific for BBB dysfunction or intrathecal IgG synthesis in cats with CNS-FIP.     

Kinetics of the expression of CD163 and CD107a in the lung and tonsil of pigs after infection with PRRSV-1 strains of different virulence

Veterinary Research Communications - The emergence of virulent strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), causing atypical and severe outbreaks, has been notified...     

Effects of Yucca schidigera extract on growth performance and antioxidative function of small intestine in broilers

Dietary Yucca schidigera extract (YSE) could enhance immune function in broilers, which was attributed primarily to its saponin components. However, YSE also contains phenolic compounds which possess antioxidant ability. This study tested the effects of YSE on growth performance of broilers, its antioxidative enzyme activities and corresponding gene expressions in the small intestine. A total of 128 15‐day‐old broilers were randomly assigned to 4 treatments: corn‐soya bean meal as the basal control diet or the basal diet containing either 100, 200 or 300 mg/kg of YSE. Each treatment consisted of four replicate pens with eight broilers per pen. The experiment lasted 28 days which was divided into a grower period (day: 15–28) and a finisher period (day: 29–42). On day 28 and day 42 body weight (BW), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion rate (FCR) were recorded. Duodenum, jejunum and ileum were collected to analyse superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC) and gene expressions of SOD, CAT, GPx. The results showed that during the grower period a diet including 100 mg/kg YSE improved CAT capacity in the ileum, tended to increase activities of GPx in the duodenum, and further showed enhancing tendencies in SOD and GPx abilities in ileum. Gene expressions of CAT, SOD and GPx in the ileum tended to upregulate at 100 mg/kg YSE level. In the finisher period and over the whole period, all YSE groups had a reduced FI compared to the control group without compromising BW; 100 and 200 mg/kg YSE significantly improved FCR. In conclusion, the improved growth performance of broilers during the finisher period may be due to enhanced antioxidative ability in the grower period with YSE supplementation. This study provided evidence of using YSE as an additive to enhance growth in broilers.     

Difficulties associated with modeling growth in the Atlantic angel shark (Squatina dumeril)

Several methods were used in an attempt to develop an age and growth model for the Atlantic angel shark (Squatina dumeril). Band counts from vertebral sections, which were fit to the traditional von Bertalanffy growth equation, the Gompertz growth equation, and the two-parameter von Bertalanffy growth equation, did not produce realistic parameter estimates. Additionally, a length-based Bayesian model was applied to fishery-independent length–frequency data, and a full Bayesian model was fitted to length-at-age data to estimate parameters for von Bertalanffy growth equation. Both the length-based and full Bayesian models failed to converge; the length–frequency data showed high bimodality unrelated to season, year, or other factors, and band counts were not predictable by length. Vertebral band counts were not valid for ageing Atlantic angel sharks, and length-based methods, which require normally distributed length–frequencies, were not appropriate for this data set. This study represents the first attempt at modeling age and growth for this species and provides research guidelines for future research initiatives.