Seroprevalence and risk factors for Neospora caninum in sheep in the state Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with infection due to Neospora caninum in serum samples from 488 sheep originating from 63 farms in 63 municipalities distributed across eight of the twelve mesoregions of the state Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. For detection of N. caninum the sheep serum samples were subjected to the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT ≥ 50). To identify the risk factors associated with infection due to N. caninum a questionnaire was filled out for each herd by interviewing, the individual responsible for the herd, demanding information on the general characteristics of the property. Sixty-four sheep sera (13.1%; 95% CI=10.3-16.4) presented IgG-specific anti-N. caninum antibodies with the following titers: 50 (49; 76.6%), 100 (7; 10.9%), 200 (4; 6.2%), 400 (3; 4.7%) and 800 (1; 1.6%). The prevalence of infected sheep per mesoregion ranged from 0 to 28.1%. Out of the 63 farms sampled, 31 (49.2%; 95% CI=36.4-62.1) presented at least one seropositive sheep. No significant association was found between the presence of anti-N. caninum antibodies and the risk factors evaluated on the farms, except for the mesoregion variable (p=0.004; OR=0.429; CI95%=0.182-1.008). These results indicate that there is a need for additional research to define the epidemiological importance of this parasite as a cause of reproductive problems in sheep herds in Minas Gerais.     

Sex‐dependent responses of perch to changes in water clarity and temperature

Rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency of lakes have strong wide ranging effects on fish. Fish responses to various changes in the environment are usually species‐dependent, but responses may also vary within species. In general, large individuals are considered to be more sensitive to environmental variation due to higher energy demand, than smaller individuals. Similarly, large individuals require more food to maintain bodily functions and are thus more sensitive to resource and food scarcity. These size‐specific responses to environmental gradients are also sex‐dependent in species that exhibit sexual size dimorphism (SSD). We studied in enclosures with short‐term experiments how rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency regulate the feeding rates of female and male European perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). To explore experimental results, we calculated perch SSD in nine lakes with varying environmental conditions using previously collected field data. The results of the experiments revealed that the combined effect of water transparency and temperature on the feeding rate of fish is gender‐dependent: feeding rate of females decreased more than that of males. The experimental results were also supported by field data that revealed a negative relation between water transparency and the magnitude of SSD in perch. Our results suggest that rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency may potentially decrease fish size in a sex‐dependent manner. As female size is one of the main demographic traits determining the reproductive success of a fish population, changing environments may have unexpected and far‐reaching consequences on fish population dynamics.     

Abscisic Acid May Alter the Salicylic Acid‐Related Abiotic Stress Response in Maize

The effect of 0, 0.05 or 0.1 mm abscisic acid treatment on chilling tolerance and salicylic acid‐related responses was investigated in young maize seedlings (Zea mays L., hybrid Norma). Although the pre‐treatment of maize seedlings with abscisic acid slightly decreased the chlorophyll content, it also reduced the level of chilling injury caused by 6 days of cold treatment at 5 °C. Under normal growth conditions, increased levels of bound salicylic acid and of bound ortho‐hydroxycinnamic acid were observed in the leaves during abscisic acid treatment. In the roots, abscisic acid did not affect the free and bound salicylic acid levels, but increased the amount of free and bound ortho‐hydroxycinnamic acid. The activity of glutathione‐S‐transferase increased on the 3rd day of abscisic acid treatment, whereas it did not change when followed by cold stress, compared with the control leaves. In the roots, the activities of glutathione reductase, glutathione‐S‐transferase and ascorbate peroxidase increased during the abscisic acid treatment, and those of glutathione‐S‐transferase and ascorbate peroxidase were also stimulated when abscisic acid pre‐treatment was followed by cold stress, compared with the control roots. Our results suggest that an overlap may exist between the abscisic acid‐induced cold acclimation and the salicylic acid‐related stress response.     

Physiological Response of Multiple Contrasting Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars to Suboptimal Temperatures

The physiological response of multiple rice cultivars, eighteen initially and eight cultivars later on, to suboptimal temperatures (ST) conditions was investigated in laboratory and outdoor experimental conditions. Treatment with ST decreased growth in different extents according to the cultivar and affected the PSII performance, determined by chlorophyll fluorescence fast‐transient test, and stomatal conductance, regardless the experimental condition. Two groups of cultivars could be distinguished on the base of their growth and physiological parameters. The group of cultivars presenting higher growths displayed optimal JIP values, and higher instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE_i), due to a lower Gs under ST, unlike cultivars showing lower growth values, which presented worse JIP values and could not adjust their Gs and hence their WUE_i. In this work, we detected at least two cultivars with superior tolerance to ST than the cold tolerant referent Koshihikari. These cultivars could be used as parents or tolerance donors in breeding for new crop varieties. On other hand, positive and significant correlations between data obtained from laboratory and outdoor experiments suggest that laboratory measurements of most of the above mentioned parameters would be useful to predict the response of rice cultivars to ST outdoor.     

Digestive Enzyme Activity during Larval Development of Black Snook,Centropomus nigrescens

Black snook, Centropomus nigrescens, have been identified as a promising candidate for aquaculture although, like many of the Centropomid species, high mortality associated with early larval stages presents a significant bottleneck to their commercialization. The digestive capacity of black snook larvae throughout the first 37 d after hatch (d.a.h.) was evaluated by quantifying digestive enzyme activities using biochemical techniques. Results showed that black snook larvae have alkaline proteases at hatching, which are known to be important during the first days of feeding for digestion. Toward the end of the study, acid proteases concentration increased (37 d.a.h.). Enzymes for lipid digestion, pancreatic lipase and bile salt‐activated lipase, were already present in the larvae before exogenous feeding commenced, and their activity increased with age and growth (length). Intracellular digestion, measured as the activity of leucine‐alanine peptidase, was high early on (5 d.a.h.) and decreased as development progressed (next 32 d). In contrast, alkaline phosphatase activity was lowest at first feeding and subsequently increased with age. Overall patterns in enzyme activity suggest the possibility of live feed weaning before 32 d.a.h. if artificial diets can be properly balanced.