Necrotic enteritis in collared (Pecari tajacu) and white-lipped (Tayassu pecari) peccaries

An outbreak of necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens type C was diagnosed in captive collared (Pecari tajacu) and white-lipped (Tayassu pecari) peccaries housed in the Laboratory of Applied Ethology of Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz located in Ilhéus, State of Bahia, Brazil. Four collared peccaries and three white-lipped peccaries, all juveniles (25-105 days old), were affected. For all affected animals, lethargy and inappetance were followed by sudden death within 24 hours. Histopathology of intestinal wall, culture of C. perfringens type C, and the identification of beta-toxin from intestinal content confirmed the diagnosis.     

Orthopedic implant of a polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and hydroxyapatite composite in cats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tissue response to a 70% polyhydroxybutyrate and 30% hydroxyapatite composite in the form of a bone implant, placed intracortically in the distal metaphyseal of the right femur, and subcutaneous implants in cats. Samples of the composite were implanted subcutaneously in the dorsolumbar region and the distal metaphyseal region of the right femur of the animals. The study used 12 neutered adult mixed breed cats, weighing an average of 3.5kg. The cats were randomly divided into three groups: GI, GII and GIII, according to the length of the assessment period. The assessments of their subcutaneous and bone tissues were performed at 15, 30 and 45 days and at 30, 60 and 90 days, respectively. The subcutaneous and bone reactions to the composites were characterized by granulomatous inflammation with a predominance of macrophages and giant cells. The results showed that the composites triggered a chronic local inflammatory response, despite their clinical acceptance.     

Cultivation of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in limed or unlimed wastewater sludge,vermicompost or inorganic amended soil

Wastewater sludge can be vermicomposted to increase its nutrient content and reduce pathogens. The effect of vermicompost wastewater sludge on soil characteristics and growth of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was compared with that of inorganic fertilizer, untreated sludge or sludge treated with lime to pH 12. Plants cultivated in vermicompost amended soil developed best while those amended with inorganic fertilizer least. Bean plants grown in the unlimed amended soil had the highest total N content of 3.97 g kg⁻¹, but only 6 active and 8 total nodules. Plants cultivated in unamended soil and added with inorganic fertilizer had >20 active and total nodules, but ≤2.12 g N kg⁻¹ dry plant. It was found that limed and unlimed sludge stimulated development of bean plants to a larger extent than those cultivated in inorganic fertilized soil or unamended soil in the greenhouse, but less than those cultivated in vermicompost amended soil.     

Recent changes in landscape structure and function in a mediterranean region of SW Spain (1950–1984)

Recent economic development has altered landscape structure and function of a mediterranean region in Southwestern Spain. Intensive agricultural systems have concentrated in the more fertile areas, while marginal ones have been abandoned. As a result, landscape structure has changed. Consequences of this structural change on landscape processes are discussed.     

Solvent dependence of the luminescence of N-arylaminonaphthalenesulfonates

N-Methyl,N-phenyl-2-aminonaphthalene-6-sulfonate, a fluorescence probe, adsorbs to cycloheptaamylose with a stoichiometry of 1 : 1. The fluorescence of the complex is similar to that observed when the dye is dissolved in organic solvents. Similar fluorescence is observed with the dye in ice. The results are interpreted in terms of "solvent" relaxation during the excited state lifetime of the dye.     

Body depth variation in crucian carp Carassius carassius: an experimental individual-based study

Abstract –  Induced morphological defences, where individuals develop morphological structures as a response to signals from sympatric predators, are common among invertebrates. Such defences have also been reported in a freshwater fish, the crucian carp Carassius carassius . In crucian carp, the presence of piscivorous fish presumably induces the development of a deep body as a defence mechanism. We tested how the growth rate (in body depth, length and mass) of individually tagged crucian carp responds to pike Esox lucius odours and control water. In general, crucian carp exposed to pike odour grew better (both in length and mass) than control fish. The treatment crucian carp also developed deeper bodies than control crucian carp. Further, there was a strong positive relationship between individual growth rate and the rate of change in body depth and this relationship did not differ between control and treatment fish.     

Porcine Parvovirus infection: review and diagnosis in a sow herd with reproductive failure

In a commercial swine herd a rise was noted during the summer of 1981 in the number of repeat breeders, mostly four to eight weeks after serving. During the autumn there was a decrease in the litter size at birth and an increase in the number of stillborn and mummified piglets. Several gilts and sows showed a seroconversion against Porcine Parvovirus (PPV), determined by the Haemagglutination Inhibition test (HI-test). Characteristic pathological findings were seen in some maturely stillborn and neonatally decreased piglets (up to an age of 28 days); hepatic congestion and necrosis, accummulation of fluid in body cavities, myocarditis, and encephalitis were the most prominent features. Serological tests for antibodies in blood samples of one sow and body fluids of two stillborn piglets were suggestive of Porcine Parvovirus as the aetiological agent.     

In vitro fermentation of different starches by mixed micro-organisms from the sheep rumen

Fermentation characteristics of wheat, rye, maize and triticale starches by mixed micro-organisms from the sheep rumen were determined in an in vitro experiment. Starch was incubated with ruminal fluid for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 h and various fermentation variables were determined. The rates of fermentation of the starches were not different (p > 0.05) from each other except for 2 and 4 h of incubation. Likewise, net ammonia production, sugar utilization, microbial biomass and the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis did not differ between the starches (p > 0.05). The proportions of sugar utilized were similar between the starches and approximately 75% of the starches were fermented during the 12-h incubation. The 12-h net concentrations of individual and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) were affected (p < 0.05) by the type of starch. The concentrations of acetate, propionate and butyrate and that of total VFA from wheat, maize and triticale incubations were higher (p < 0.05) than those from rye incubation. The results suggest that the type of starch subject to investigation had no measurable effects on fermentation variables determined in this study except for individual and total VFA concentrations.     

Factors related to shell deaths during artificial incubation of ostrich eggs

The ostrich industry experiences a high rate of embryonic mortalities during artificial incubation of eggs. Embryonic deaths were studied from data recorded on 37,740 fertile eggs incubated artificially during the 1998-2005 breeding seasons. Roughly 10,000 eggs that sustained embryonic mortalities were classified according to the stage and nature of death, i.e. before 21 days of incubation, after 21 days of incubation, deaths after pipping and rotten eggs. Although infection may have played a role in approximately 1300 rotten eggs, no detailed knowledge of the pathogens involved was available. The remainder of deaths could not be related to pathogens and the deaths were thus generally referred to as non-infectious. The overall level of embryonic mortality in all the eggs studied was 28.5 %. Overall embryonic mortality was affected by incubator, with higher levels (57.0 %) found in eggs incubated in an African Incubator and also in eggs that were transferred between incubators during incubation (38.1%). Overall embryonic mortality also increased in eggs produced by older females. Eggs produced in the autumn had the highest level of embryonic mortality at 53.6 %, whereas eggs produced in the winter had a marginally higher level of embryonic mortalities of 29.2 % compared with eggs produced during summer (27.4 %). Eggs produced by South African (SA) Black males crossed to Zimbabwean Blue females had high levels of embryonic losses of 45.7 %. The embryonic mortality of eggs produced by SA Blacks or Zimbabwean Blue breeding birds subjected to pure breeding was similar at approximately 33-34 %, but embryonic mortality was improved in eggs produced by Zimbabwean Blue males crossed to SA Black females (27 %). Embryonic mortality was increased in eggs that were set directly (32.0 %) or subjected to longer than 6 days of storage (43.5 %). Embryonic mortality was affected by year. The results that were obtained will assist in determining non-infectious factors that have a negative effect on hatching success. Steps can thus be taken to eliminate such factors that may compromise hatching success.