Purification and some properties of Papaya meleira virus, a novel virus infecting papayas in Brazil

'Meleira', or 'sticky disease', is currently the most damaging papaya disease in the mid-eastern Brazilian growing regions. Consistent disease transmission via latex injection, presence of similar isometric particles in the laticiferous vessels of diseased plants, and detection of double-stranded DNA in naturally and experimentally infected papaya trees suggest that a virus is the causal agent. Conclusive evidence for viral aetiology was previously lacking, mostly because every attempt to purify the putative virus from infected papayas had failed. Following the successful purification and partial characterization of the meleira virus, healthy papaya seedlings injected with purified virus particles later developed typical symptoms of the disease. Negatively stained, isometric, full and 'empty' purified virus particles measured 42 and 38 nm, respectively. The viral genome was a single dsRNA molecule of about 12 kbp. Several capsid proteins, ranging in size from 14·4 to 45 kDa, were consistently revealed by PAGE. Papaya meleira virus (PMeV) appears to represent a novel group of viruses, with no known similar counterpart among known plant-, vertebrate-, invertebrate- or prokaryote-infecting viruses.     

Resistance to Leveillula taurica in the genus Capsicum

One hundred and sixty-two Capsicum genotypes were evaluated for powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) resistance, following inoculations with a suspension of 5 × 10⁴ conidia mL⁻¹ on 10-leaved to 12-leaved plants. Genotypes were graded into five resistance classes, based on the areas under the disease progress curves calculated from disease incidence (percentage infected leaves per plant) and severity (total number of colonies per plant). Results revealed a continuum from resistance to susceptibility, with the majority (70%) of C. annuum materials being classified as moderately to highly susceptible to L. taurica. Conversely, C. baccatum, C. chinense and C. frutescens were most often resistant, indicating that resistance to L. taurica among Capsicum species is found mainly outside the C. annuum taxon. Nevertheless, some resistant C. annuum material was identified that may be useful for resistance breeding. Eight genotypes were identified as immune to the pathogen: H-V-12 and 4638 (previously reported), and CNPH 36, 38, 50, 52, 279 and 288. Only H-V-12 and 4638 are C. annuum, while all others belong to the C. baccatum taxon. Latent period of disease on a set of commercial sweet pepper genotypes varied, indicating diverse levels of polygenic resistance. The latent period progressively reduced with plant maturity, from 14·3 days in plants at the mid-vegetative stage to 8·6 days in plants at the fruiting stage. Young plants of all commercial genotypes tested at the early vegetative stage were immune, irrespective of the reaction of the genotype at later stages, demonstrating widespread juvenile resistance to L. taurica in the Capsicum germplasm. Inoculation of plants of different botanical taxa with a local isolate indicated a wide host range. Some hosts, including tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), artichoke (Cynara scolymus) and poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), produced large amounts of secondary inoculum. Other hosts included okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), eggplant (Solanum melongena), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), Solanum gilo, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Nicandra physaloides.     

淡紫拟青霉菌料防治大豆胞囊线虫的后效研究

淡紫拟青霉不同菌株的培养菌料，施２２５ｋｇ／ｈｍ２，对大豆胞囊线虫不但当年有４５％～６９％的较好防效，而且第２年和第３年仍然有２２．５％～３７．７％和７．３％～２２．９％的后效，即空胞囊和被寄生的胞囊数量增加。     

Renal ultrasonographic evaluation in the oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus).

Ultrasonography is currently used in veterinary medicine to examine the anatomy and physiology of internal organs and to establish normal standards for exotic animal species. Specifically, the kidneys may be evaluated and measured in length, width, and height. The kidneys in 33 oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), including 20 males and 13 females, were opportunistically located, characterized, and measured by ultrasound using a 7.5-MHz linear transducer at two different zoologic facilities in S?o Paulo, Brazil. Renal volume was calculated from these linear measurements. The mean linear measurements and volume of the right and left kidneys were not significantly different.     

Results from the treatment of advanced stage squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum in cats, using a combination of intralesional carboplatin and superficial radiotherapy: a pilot study

Six cats with an advanced stage squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the nasal planum were treated with a combination of superficial radiotherapy and intralesional carboplatin therapy. This multimodality protocol was well tolerated by the majority of cats and resulted in complete responses in all cats (100%). Median follow‐up for all cats is 268 days, and the median time‐to‐recurrence, time‐to‐progression and overall survival have not yet been reached. Our study, although limited in number of animals and with a relatively short median follow‐up compared to other studies for this disease, suggests that a combination of radiotherapy and intralesional carboplatin is a useful treatment option for an advanced stage SCC of the nasal planum in cats and warrants further application of the multimodality approach presented here.     

Caprine toxoplasmosis in Southern Brazil: a comparative seroepidemiological study between the indirect immunofluorescence assay,the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the modified agglutination test

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study investigated the prevalence of caprine toxoplasmosis in goat herds from Southern Brazil by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and...     

Effect of sweet potato vines on performance parameters and some carcass characteristics of rabbits

Conventional feedstuffs in Brazil are expensive, which has led to the search for less conventional cheaper and locally available feedstuffs. Thus, this study was carried out to determine the dietary effect of dry sweet potato vines (SPV) on the performance and some carcass characteristics of rabbits. A total of twenty‐seven weaned White New Zealand rabbits (14 male and 13 female) 35 days old with an average initial weight of 755 g were allocated into three treatments. Nine rabbits were assigned to each treatment in a completely randomized design. Three diets were formulated to similar protein and energy levels: 0SPV – diet without inclusion of dry sweet potato vines; 10SPV – diet with 10% alfalfa hay replaced by dry sweet potato vines; and 15SPV – diet with 15% of alfalfa hay replaced by dry sweet potato vines. The experiment lasted for 49 days during which data for feed intake and body weight were recorded. The daily feed intake ranged from 73.17 to 78.02 g; daily weight gain from 22.32 to 23.17 g; feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 3.16 to 3.49 and final live weight ranged from 1839.44 to 1880.55 g. None of the evaluated performance parameters as well as carcass weight, heart weight and percentages of fat and protein in meat were significantly affected by any of the tested dietary treatments. However, the liver weight was statistically lower in animals fed the diets containing 10% of SPV, mainly due to lower glucose content. Glycogen within the tissue, did not differ significantly among treatments. It was therefore concluded that up to 15% of SPV can successfully be included in the diet of rabbits as a cheaper replacement for alfalfa hay without adversely affecting performance.     

Heritability and genetic correlations between rumination time and production traits in Holstein dairy cows during different lactation phases

So far, rumination has been used as a proxy for monitoring dairy cow health at farm level. However, investigating its genetic aspects as well as its correlation with other important productive traits may turn this management tool into a new informative selection criterion. However, scientific evidences on genetic correlation among rumination time (RT) and milk production and milk composition are still scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the heritability of RT across three lactation phases and its genetic correlation with milk production, milk composition and somatic cell count (SCC). Results of our study showed that heritability for RT was 0.34 and was constant across lactation. The mean genetic correlations between RT and milk production and composition traits were 0.07 (milk production), ?0.07 (protein yield), ?0.31 (fat yield), and ?0.32 (fat/protein ratio). The mean genetic correlation between RT and the SCC was 0.05.     

Idiopathic eosinophilic colitis lesions of the equine small (descending) colon

Five horses with a primary surgical lesion of the small (descending) colon were diagnosed with eosinophilic colitis based on visual and histopathological examination. These were evident as visibly striking, hyperaemic, focal lesions of the small colon, with serosal petechiation, oedema and marked thickening of the intestinal wall at the site. Areas of focal necrosis were also evident. The gross appearance of the lesions were considered to be sufficiently severe in all cases to merit resection, due to concerns about intestinal necrosis and septic peritonitis. An inability to fully exteriorise the affected portion of intestine to perform a resection and anastomosis necessitated intraoperative euthanasia of one horse. A total of three horses survived to hospital discharge. Eosinophilic colitis lesions are a rare cause of severe small colon disease, but should be considered in cases with similar visual characteristics.     

Analysis of fat-soluble vitamins. XXIII. High performance liquid chromatographic assay for vitamin D in vitamin D3 and multivitamin preparations.

Vitamin D is determined in preparations containing other fat-soluble vitamins by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The unsaponifiable residue is extracted and separated from interferences by reverse phase chromatography; the fraction corresponding to vitamin D3 is collected and quantitated using normal phase chromatography (amylalcohol-n-hexane as mobile phase) by measuring the vitamin D3 and pre-vitamin D3 peaks at 254 nm. Previtamin D3 content is calculated as vitamin D3 with a conversion factor (determined on the equipment used). Application of the method to vitamin AD3 mixtures in oils gives 98-102% recovery. The reproducibility, using an external standard, is 2-3%, calculated as the coefficient of variation; with an internal standard, the coefficient of variation is 1-1.5%. The method measures potential vitamin D3 content in preparations containing greater than or equal to 200 IU/g in the presence of all known vitamin D3 isomers, vitamin A, and vitamin E.