Nutrient Accumulation in Faba Bean Varieties

Increasing the amount of nutrients in plant-based foods will help to improve the nutritional status of people in the World. Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as a staple food in developing countries has the potential to provide many nutrients in human diets. The objective of this study was to characterize the nutrient concentrations in leaf, pod, and seed of faba bean varieties. A field study was conducted with six faba bean varieties. Variation in the elemental concentrations of nutrients and protein occurred among varieties and different parts of the plants. The highest concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, or copper and protein were in the seeds. However, the highest accumulation of calcium, magnesium, iron, or manganese was in the leaves. We recommend that faba bean can be considered as a valuable crop in the diet of nutrient-deficient consumers due to high concentration nutrients in edible parts of the plant.     

Vascular hamartoma as the cause of hind limb lameness in a horse

We report a 5-year-old gelding with a rare benign tumour of 2-month duration in the subcutis of the hind limb that presented with lameness. Physical examination revealed normal vital signs. Laboratory findings were within normal ranges. No bone abnormalities were detected on radiographic examination of the affected area. Bloody fluid was obtained by aspiration. Through an I-shape skin incision the tumour was excised en-block. Microscopic study showed a vascular hamartoma characterized by cavernous haemangiomatous tissue and proliferation of multiple vessels of variable diameter. This report highlights the importance of limb vascular hamartoma, as an infrequent lesion, in the differential diagnosis of lameness in the horse.     

Detection of Minchinia occulta in samples of pearl oysters Pinctada maxima infected by Haplosporidium hinei

Objective   To determine if juvenile pearl oysters ( Pinctada maxima ) infected with Haplosporidium hinei are also infected with another haplosporidian parasite, Minchinia occulta .
Design   Archived samples of pearl oysters infected with H. hinei were examined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and in situ hybridisation (ISH) to analyse and identify haplosporidians. A 144-bp and 220-bp region of Minchinia DNA were targeted by PCR and amplified DNA from formalin-fixed H. hinei -infected pearl oyster samples was sequenced. A 25-bp oligonucleotide probe targeting a variable section of the parasite's small subunit rRNA gene was used in ISH.
Results   The results of DNA-based diagnostic assays supported each other. The sequences obtained by PCR were found to be almost identical to M. occulta from rock oysters and the ISH assay demonstrated infection with M. occulta in affected pearl oysters. ISH indicated a prevalence of infection of 26.7% in one of the previous outbreaks.
Conclusion   Pearl oyster spat are susceptible to infection by a Minchinia parasite, most likely M. occulta , which was recently identified in rock oysters within the pearl-producing zones of Western Australia and is associated with mortalities of up to 80% in this species. The occurrence of haplosporidian co-infections in pearl oysters suggests the immunocompetence of juvenile oysters may be an important factor in preventing infection and therefore preventing mortalities such as those occurring in the recent outbreaks of pearl oyster oedema disease.     

The effect of antibody to caseous lymphadenitis in ewes on the efficacy of vaccination in lambs

The effect of maternal antibody to the toxin of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, produced by caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) in ewes or by vaccinating ewes before lambing, on the efficacy of vaccination against CLA in their lambs was examined. Lambs were allocated to treatments according to either the vaccination history of their dam or level of CLA toxin antibody of their dam. They were vaccinated twice using 2 different inoculation regimes and then artificially infected with CLA organisms. The number of lambs with CLA lesions was assessed at slaughter. In one experiment high levels of CLA toxin antibody activity in ewes were associated with decreased efficacy of CLA vaccination in their lambs, when lambs were vaccinated at 2 and 8 weeks or 8 and 14 weeks of age. In a second experiment the efficacy of lamb vaccination at 8 and 12 weeks, but not at 14 and 18 weeks of age, was decreased. In sheep flocks with a high prevalence of CLA, vaccinating lambs against CLA at less than 10 weeks of age may not produce optimum protection against CLA in lambs. There was no difference in infection rate between lambs from vaccinated and unvaccinated ewes. However, vaccination of lambs at 2 and 8 wks was less effective that vaccination at 8 and 14 weeks, probably due to reduced immunocompetence in young lambs. In sheep flocks where significant numbers of lambs receive their primary vaccination at less than 3 weeks of age vaccination programmes to control CLA in lambs may be less effective.     

Prevalence,phenotypic and genotypic diversity,antibiotic resistance,and frequency of virulence genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from shrimps

Preventive measures should be prioritized for the increased growth of bacterial contamination in aquatic organisms. This study is aimed at molecular investigation of the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, antibiotic resistance, and virulence factor encoding genes. After confirmation of P. aeruginosa collected from shrimp samples (in the same size) in Isfahan and Chabahar (Iran) in summer and autumn, antibiotic resistance encoding genes, virulence factor encoding genes, and multi-drug resistance (MDR) patterns were assessed. Bacterial contamination from Isfahan was higher than Chabahar despite having a cooler climate on summer days. Antibiotic resistance to piperacillin in fresh shrimp samples in summer in Isfahan was contrary to its usage as a front-line antibiotic agent. Lowered MDR pattern in frozen shrimp viability of bacteria was related to the varied expression of antibiotic resistance, highlighting the importance of regulations for cold chain in storage, transportation, and distribution of marine samples compared to fresh shrimps. Foodborne pathogens are of clinical and environmental importance. Results of our study indicated a high rate of frequency for P. aeruginosa isolated from marine samples. Maintenance of cold chain has indispensable roles in preservation, and reduction of P. aeruginosa frequency in aquatic organisms.