Bisphosphonates: Pharmacology and Clinical Approach to Their Use in Equine Osteoarticular Diseases

Bisphosphonates (BPs) are drugs widely used in various bone diseases, mainly for their skeletal antiresorptive effect. Nowadays, they are also used to treat degenerative pathologies such as arthritis because of their particular anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Since the sixties, BPs with different characteristics and biological activity profiles have been studied, although most of the pharmacologic and clinical trials have been carried out in humans. By 2002, however, tiludronate was granted a marketing license in France for use in horses. The objective of this article is to review the literature available on BPs and apply this knowledge, either experimentally or clinically, to equine osteoarticular disease therapy.     

Microbial and chemical composition of liquid‐associated bacteria in goats' rumen and fermenters

This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between chemical composition and microbial profile of rumen liquid‐associated bacteria (LAB) in vivo (Murciano‐Granadina goats) and in a rumen simulation system (single‐flow continuous‐culture fermenters). To achieve this aim, analyses of purine bases along with some molecular techniques (quantitative PCR to assess abundance and DGGE to identify biodiversity and bacterial profile) were carried out. A control diet (AHC) based on alfalfa hay (AH) and concentrate (C) in a 1:1 ratio and two experimental diets (AHCBI and AHCBII), in which concentrate was partially replaced with multinutrient blocks, were used. Diets AHCBI and AHCBII included multinutrient blocks differing in the relative amount of two‐stage olive cake and the source of protein (sunflower meal vs. fava beans). We aimed to investigate the effect of these blocks on rumen microbiota to evaluate their potential as safe substitutes of cereal‐based concentrates. Similar patterns of response to diet were found for chemical composition, microbial abundances and diversity in LAB isolated from goat's rumen and fermenters. Whereas bacterial density (log₁₀ gene copies/g FM: 11.6 and 9.4 for bacteria and methanogens, respectively, in rumen) and diversity indexes (Shannon index: 3.6) were not affected by diet, DGGE analyses showed that bacterial community profile was affected. The cluster analysis suggested differences in bacterial profile between LAB pellets isolated from the rumen of goat and fermenters. A relationship between chemical composition and bacterial community composition in LAB pellets seems to exist. Changes in the former were reflected in the bacterial community profile. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between chemical and microbial composition of ruminal bacterial pellets with diets of different quality.     

Effect of Dietary Protein Level on Apparent Heat Increment and Post-Prandial Nitrogen Excretion of Penaeus setiferus, P. schmitti, P. duorarum, and P. notialis Postlarvae

The calorigenic effect of feeding (apparent heat increment, AHI) and post-prandial nitrogen excretion (PPNE) were measured in postlarval (PL 25–30) Penaeus setiferus, P. schmitti, P. duorarum and P. notialis fed a fixed ration of 3 mg/animal using purified diets with 40, 50, 60, or 65% protein. Both AHI and PPNE increased with increasing dietary protein. The contribution of PPNE to AHI varied from 6.1 to 94%, with lesser values for P. setiferus and greater ones for P. duorarum . Also, the AHI coefficient (percentage of ingested energy) increased with increasing dietary protein. The AHI and PPNE coefficients for the four shrimp species ranged from 0.3 to 6.5% and 0.02 to 5.04% of ingested energy, respectively. These results suggest close relationships among protein requirements, the capacity to use dietary proteins as a source of energy, and adaptation by different species to different types of food. The amount of energy used for production of ammonia is proposed as an adequate measure of the part played by dietary proteins in food cost.     

The Scale‐up of Spotted Rose Snapper,Lutjanus guttatus,Larval Rearing at Mazatlan,Mexico

The scale‐up of spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus, larval rearing is described. Fertilized eggs (480,000) were obtained from a 1‐d harvest of a natural spawning captive broodstock acclimatized for 1 yr and 6 mo in two fiberglass tanks (18 m³). Fourteen hours after spawning, 89.6% of the collected eggs were floating, of which 96.2% were transparent with live embryos. Incubation at 25–26 C lasted 21 h, with 90.2 ± 2.1% hatching percentage of normal larvae. The percentage of viable larvae at 48 h after hatching was 79.7 ± 1.9%. Initial stocking density was 10.4 ± 1.0 larvae/L 2 days after hatching (d.p.h.). A total of 22,600 juveniles (1256 ± 170 juveniles/m³) were harvested from six 3‐m³ cylindrical fiberglass tanks. Average survival was 12.1 ± 1.1%. Final mean length and weight were 5.5 ± 0.05 cm and 2.24 ± 0.04 g, respectively. Growth expressed in total length was TL = 2.1476e^0.0543t (R² = 0.9911). Final mean biomass and condition factor were 2.8 kg/m³, 12.3% and 1.346. General length‐weight ratio was W = 0.05460 LT^2.2306.     

Spawning and Larval Development of the Four‐Sided Sea Cucumber,Isostichopus badionotus (Selenka 1867), under Controlled Conditions

The objective of this study was to generate information for the development of Isostichopus badionotus culture protocols by determining optimal spawning methods, egg production, length and duration of larval stages, and larval habitat settlement preferences. Studies performed during the spawning seasons of 2010 and 2011 showed that this organism spawns between July and November without mechanical or chemical induction. The larval development has five well‐defined stages: early, mid and late auricularia, doliolaria, and pentactula. Juveniles (654.3 µm length) were obtained on average 25 days after fertilization (DAF), when larvae were incubated at 25 ± 1 C. No preference was observed for any of the materials used for settlement of the larvae. The easy adaptation of I. badionotus to the culture conditions and the competence of the larvae to complete metamorphosis while feeding solely on microalgae concentrates make this species an excellent candidate for farming. However, it is necessary to continue designing techniques for larval culture and to establish appropriate captivity conditions that allow multiannual reproduction.     

Presymptomatic detection of prions in blood

Prions are thought to be the proteinaceous infectious agents responsible for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). PrP(Sc), the main component of the infectious agent, is also the only validated surrogate marker for the disease, and its sensitive detection is critical for minimizing the spread of the disease. We detected PrP(Sc) biochemically in the blood of hamsters infected with scrapie during most of the presymptomatic phase of the disease. At early stages of the incubation period, PrP(Sc) detected in blood was likely to be from the peripheral replication of prions, whereas at the symptomatic phase, PrP(Sc) in blood was more likely to have leaked from the brain. The ability to detect prions biochemically in the blood of infected but not clinically sick animals offers a great promise for the noninvasive early diagnosis of TSEs.     

Designing a transfrontier conservation landscape for the Maputaland centre of endemism using biodiversity, economic and threat data

A number of global priority region schemes have been developed, but local assessments are needed to identify priority areas for conservation within these regions. Here, we describe results from a conservation assessment for Maputaland, part of a biodiversity hotspot in southern Africa that is also the focus of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) initiative between South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland. The TFCA seeks to establish new state-, private- and communally-managed conservation areas to boost economic development through nature-based tourism and game ranching. The assessment will guide the TFCA process and used a systematic conservation planning approach to design a landscape to conserve 44 landcover types, 53 species and 14 ecological processes. The assessment also included data on modelled risk of agricultural transformation, of which low-risk areas were selected where possible. The current PA systems in the three countries cover 3830 km², which represents 21.2% of the region, and meet the representation targets for 46% of the conservation features. The proposed conservation landscape adds 4291 km² of new core areas and 480 km² of linkages and, if appropriate, could provide potential revenues of US$18.8 million from game ranching, based on modelled large ungulate density, life history and game auction data. We also discuss the benefits of including data on widely distributed, better known conservation features together with less-well studied, range-restricted species and the advantages of using agricultural transformation risk data in conservation assessments.     

Effect of Thermal Processing on Potato Sensory Profile and off-Odours Detection during Storage

One of the most used thermal treatments in potatoes to inactivate enzymes and prevent their oxidation is the boiling process. This treatment significantly decreases the taste of the potato and causes “off-odours” during storage, whatsoever, represents a big problem for the production of potato-based foodstuffs. This study focused on evaluating the sensory profile of potato slices subjected to a boiling process of three Mexican potato varieties (Alpha, Chica and Gallo) and on off-odours detection in potato produced during storage. According to the examined parameters through PanelCheck, the trained panel had a good performance, resulting 8 of the 12 attributes evaluated were significant. The formation of “cardboard-like off-odour” was detected in the Alpha and Chica varieties at the 24 and 33 h of storage, respectively. Chica potato presented this off-odours with at level significantly lower than Alpha potato (about 30% lower). With respect of Gallo variety, this presented different oxidation olfactory perceptions described by the assessors as “burnt note”, detected after 5 h of refrigerated storage. An adequate election of the variety of potato according to processing will allow an effective utilization of this vegetable and the obtention of potato-based foodstuffs much more stable.