Natural West Nile virus infection in a captive juvenile Arctic wolf (Canis lupus).

A case of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in a captive 4-month-old Arctic wolf (Canis lupus) is described. The animal had vomiting, anorexia, and ataxia before death. Histopathology revealed multifocal severe renal lymphoplasmacytic vasculitis, mostly affecting small arterioles, with fibrinoid degeneration of some vessel walls. Many small foci of gliosis were detected in the cerebral cortex. West Nile virus was demonstrated in the kidneys and cerebrum by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. The described renal changes represent a novel pathological finding of WNV infection.     

Linking changes in the soil microbial community to C and N dynamics during crop residue decomposition

Crop residues are among the main inputs that allow the organic carbon (C) and nutrients to be maintained in agricultural soil. It is an important management strategy that can improve soil fertility and enhance agricultural productivity. This work aims to evaluate the extent of the changes that may occur in the soil heterotrophic microbial communities involved in organic matter decomposition and C and nitrogen (N) mineralization after the addition of crop residues. Soil microcosm experiments were performed at 28°C for 90 days with the addition of three crop residues with contrasting biochemical qualities: pea (Pisum sativum L.), rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Enzyme activities, C and N mineralization, and bacterial and fungal biomasses were monitored, along with the bacterial and fungal community composition, by the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS genes. The addition of crop residues caused decreases in β-glucosidase and arylamidase activities and simultaneous enhancement of the C mineralization and net N immobilization, which were linked to changes in the soil microbial communities. The addition of crop residues decreased the bacterial and fungal biomasses 90 days after treatment and there were shifts in bacterial and fungal diversity at the phyla, order, and genera levels. Some specific orders and genera were dependent on crop residue type. For example, Chloroflexales, Inquilinus, Rubricoccus, Clitocybe, and Verticillium were identified in soils with pea residues; whereas Thermoanaerobacterales, Thermacetogenum, and Hypoxylon were enriched in soils with rapeseed residues, and Halanaerobiales, Rubrobacter, and Volutella were only present in soils with wheat residues. The findings of this study suggest that soil C and N dynamics in the presence of the crop residues were driven by the selection of specific bacterial and fungal decomposers linked to the biochemical qualities of the crop residues. If crop residue decomposition processes showed specific bacterial and fungal operational taxonomic unit (OTU) signatures, this study also suggests a strong functional redundancy that exists among soil microbial communities.     

Damming and seasonality as modulators of fish community structure in a small tributary

River damming alters the physical–chemical variables of water and often causes compartmentalisation of aquatic habitats. Seasonality can add complexity to the longitudinal compartmentalisation. The spatial and temporal effects of these two phenomena on the structure of ichthyofauna from a tributary under the influence of damming were evaluated, based on the following hypotheses: (1) transition habitats have the greatest species richness; (2) community similarity decreases with increasing distance between sites; (3) conservation of free‐flowing areas upstream reservoir contributes to the maintenance of migratory species. To evaluate the effects of these two phenomena, twelve monthly fish samples (September/12 to August/13) were performed with gillnets in three sample areas distributed longitudinally in the tributary. Limnological variables were measured in the same sample areas to confirm compartmentalisation. We observed three distinct limnological compartments (lotic, transition and lentic), with increase differentiation during the rainy season. This compartmentalisation influenced fish fauna where localised communities exhibited different compositions among the three sampled habitats. During the rainy season, these differences become pronounced, with transition habitat showing greater species richness than the others. More pronounced differences in species composition and structure in extremes sampling sites were also observed. Migratory fish presented higher proportion of fish composition in lotic habitat. In conclusion, damming and seasonality acted concomitantly as modulators of fish fauna in a tributary influenced by damming. However, compartmentalisation of habitats was the primary driver of ichthyofauna community structure with the rainy season increasing differences in community composition.     

Response of soil microbial communities to the herbicide mesotrione: A dose-effect microcosm approach

Mesotrione is a new selective herbicide used for maize crops. The responses of microbial communities of a chernozem soil (Limagne basin, France) to pure or formulated (Callisto^®) mesotrione, applied at three different doses [one fold field rate (1 × FR), 10 × FR and 100 × FR], were studied using a laboratory microcosm approach. The effects were assessed on the prokaryotic cell abundance, the overall microbial activities (substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and dehydrogenase activity (DHA)) and the genetic structure of the bacterial and fungal communities (temporal temperature/denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (TT/DGGE)). Mesotrione dissipation was similar whatever the formulation applied and the amounts dissipated were positively correlated to application rates. Several biodegradation products including the metabolites 4-methylsulfonyl-2-nitrobenzoic acid (MNBA) and 2-amino-4-methylsulfonylbenzoic acid (AMBA) were detected from day 42 post-treatment, in 10 × FR and 100 × FR treated soils. No response of the soil microbial communities was detected in soil spread with both the 1 × FR applications. Overall soil microbial activity was stimulated from day 6 by 10 × FR of Callisto^® and more strongly by 100 × FR of pure mesotrione and Callisto^®, whereas prokaryote abundance did not increase before day 95 in both the 100 × FR treatments. Genetic structural shifts recorded from day 42 in the bacterial and fungal communities were small and mainly attributable to variations in band intensity. Maximum dissimilarity of the bacterial and fungal genetic structures between control and 100 × FR treated soils did not exceed 12% and 28%, respectively. The general pattern was that more consistent effects occurred with increasing exposure times, especially in both the 100 × FR treated soils. These microbial responses could be due to the stimulation of (i) adapted mesotrione-degrading microorganisms and (ii) the activity of resistant heterotrophic microbial groups promoted by dead biomass from sensitive organisms. In addition, at 100 × FR doses, pure mesotrione seemed to induce stronger microbial responses than Callisto^®, formulation which contains adjuvants with potential side-effects on some microbial populations. This experimental approach indicated that pure mesotrione and Callisto^® affected soil microbial communities, but the effects were only detected at doses far exceeding the recommended field rates.     

Influence of the allelic variants encoded at the Gli-B1 locus, responsible for a major allergen of wheat, on IgE reactivity for patients suffering from food allergy to wheat

Wheat presents an important genetic diversity that could be useful to look for cultivars with reduced allergencity. omega5-Gliadins have been described as major allergens for wheat allergic patients suffering from wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) and some cases of chronic urticaria (U). Our objective was to study the influence of genetic variability at the Gli-B1 locus encoding for omega5-gliadins on the reactivity of IgE antibodies from these patients. We selected cultivars expressing 13 alleles at Gli-B1 including a wheat/rye translocation and studied the reactivity to gliadins of a rabbit antiserum specific for omega5-gliadins and of IgE from 10 patients. The antiserum and IgE from nine patients with WDEIA and U strongly detected omega5-gliadins expressed by most of the Gli-B1 alleles but showed no or faint responses to the gliadins and secalins extracted from the translocated wheat. The selection of genotypes lacking the Gli-B1 locus may reduce wheat allergenicity.     

Comparative effects of Cymbopogon schoenanthus essential oil and piperitone on Callosobruchus maculatus development

The insecticidal activity of crude essential oil extracted from Cymbopogon schoenanthus and of its main constituent, piperitone, was assessed on different developmental stages of Callosobruchus maculatus. Piperitone was more toxic to adults with a LC(50) value of 1.6 microl/l vs. 2.7 microl/l obtained with the crude extract. Piperitone inhibited the development of newly laid eggs and of neonate larvae, but was less toxic than the crude extract to individuals developing inside the seeds.     

Surgical resection of a gastrointestinal stromal cell tumor by double enterectomy and partial pancreatectomy on a 13-year-old mixed breed dog

Surgical resection of a gastrointestinal stromal cell tumor by double enterectomy and partial pancreatectomy on a 13-year-old mixed breed dog. A 13 year-old, male, mixed breed dog, has been presented for an abdominal mass. The exam showed the presence of an ileo-caeco-colic mass adhered to the distal portion of the pancreas and the mid duodenum. A double enterectomy and a partial pancreatectomy were carried out and a diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal cell tumor has been established.     

Evaluation of variables to describe the shape of volumetric capnography curves during bronchoconstriction in dogs

The aim of the study was to investigate changes in volumetric capnography (V(C)) variables during bronchoconstriction in dogs and compare it with total respiratory resistance (R(L)) measured with a Fleisch pneumotachograph. Six dogs were challenged with increasing concentrations of carbachol until obvious signs of bronchoconstriction were seen. All V(C) parameters were obtained before, directly after, 10 and 20 min after maximal bronchoconstriction. The slope of phase III (SIII) and airway and alveolar dead space parameters were significantly different from baseline directly after the challenge. The V(C) curve obtained a typical shape at the time of maximal bronchoconstriction and a trend to return to baseline shape was seen over time. A significant correlation was found for all aforementioned parameters with R(L). We conclude that the shape of the V(C) curve in combination with dead space calculation can be used to verify bronchoconstriction on a breath-to-breath basis.