Biological characteristics and pathogenicity of avian Escherichia coli strains.

Fifty avian (chicken) pathogenic Escherichia coli strains (APEC) isolated from individuals suffering from omphalitis, septicaemia and swollen head syndrome, and 30 strains isolated from healthy chickens were studied regarding their biological characteristics such as serogroups, haemolysin, colicin, cytotoxin, toxin and siderophore production, adhesion capacity to in vitro cultivated cells, and absorption of Congo red dye. Serotyping demonstrated that most of the omphalitis and normal strains were untypable, whereas most of the septicaemic strains were either untypable or rough. There was no prevalent serogroup among the pathogenic strains studied. The capacity for adhesion and invasion of in vitro cultured cells (HeLa, HEp-2, KPCC), as well as the agglutination of different types of red blood cells and the LD50 of each strain were also evaluated. No correlation was observed between the biological characteristics and pathogenicity, except that colicin was characteristically produced by swollen head syndrome E. coli strains. No correlation was found between adhesion or haemagglutination patterns and pathogenicity. Only six of the 50 strains revealed invasive capacity and the strain that best invaded the cell lines was the one with the lowest LD50.     

Effect of shade on biomass accumulation and partitioning for Eucalyptus camaldulensis sprouts

ABSTRACT

Eucalyptus is widely cultivated in homogeneous monocultures throughout the world alongside plants of the same age. Furthermore, the productivity of forest stands is highly dependent on how solar radiation is intercepted and used. Meanwhile, it is possible to consider cultivating trees of different ages in the same area, and thus under different regimes of available solar radiation, creating a sequence of plantings and harvestings and to develop Eucalyptus-based agroforestry systems. We have examined biomass accumulation of Eucalyptus camaldulensis along a shade gradient. Eucalyptus trees presented power-law responses to increasing irradiance for biomass, indicating it has low plasticity and is unable to maintain growth under lower irradiance levels. Biomass partitioning showed no dependence on available irradiation. Leaf density presented very little increase toward sunnier places meaning that an increment in Eucalyptus biomass would be mostly due to its increase in size and thus higher radiation interception. Careful management of shade will be a key consideration for the integration of Eucalyptus into agroforestry. With knowledge of the growth habits of different species, we will have the potential to propose more perennial ways in which to manage land and reduce anthropogenic disturbances by avoiding clear-cuts of areas that removes all plant structures.     

Natural enemies of the South American moth, Tuta absoluta, in Europe, North Africa and Middle East, and their potential use in pest control strategies

The South American tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is an invasive Neotropical pest. After its first detection in Europe, it rapidly invaded more than 30 Western Palaearctic countries becoming a serious agricultural threat to tomato production in both protected and open-field crops. Among the pest control tactics against exotic pests, biological control using indigenous natural enemies is one of the most promising. Here, available data on the Afro-Eurasian natural enemies of T. absoluta are compiled. Then, their potential for inclusion in sustainable pest control packages is discussed providing relevant examples. Collections were conducted in 12 countries, both in open-field and protected susceptible crops, as well as in wild flora and/or using infested sentinel plants. More than 70 arthropod species, 20 % predators and 80 % parasitoids, were recorded attacking the new pest so far. Among the recovered indigenous natural enemies, only few parasitoid species, namely, some eulophid and braconid wasps, and especially mirid predators, have promising potential to be included in effective and environmentally friendly management strategies for the pest in the newly invaded areas. Finally, a brief outlook of the future research and applications of indigenous T. absoluta biological control agents are provided.     

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor as a cause of chronic cardiac insufficiency in cattle

Chronic cardiac insufficiency was associated with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a cow. An eight-year-old cow developed a progressive condition (over a period of three months) characterized by an enhanced abdominal volume, reluctance to move, a positive jugular pulse, watery diarrhea and death. At necropsy, moderate subcutaneous edema and an enhanced hepatic lobular pattern were observed. A 23x20x11 cm firm, grayish-white mass adhered to and infiltrated the right atrium. Multiple firm, yellowish-white nodules of 0.5 to 12 cm in diameter were diffusely scattered in the epicardium and parietal pericardium. Histologically, the tumor was poorly circumscribed with foci of infiltration of the myocardium. The neoplastic cells had two major histologic patterns, Antoni types A and B. Within occasional foci, pleomorphic cells with an epithelioid appearance were present in addition to multinucleated cells with periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-positive cytoplasmic globules. Foci of cartilaginous and granular differentiations were interspersed among the neoplastic cells. Multiple vessels presented wall hyalinization and tumoral embolus. Large necrotic foci with mineralization and cholesterol clefts were also observed. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for S100 protein, vimentin and neuron-specific enolase labeling.     

Effect of peripartal administration of mycobacterium cell wall fraction on health and fertility of Holstein cows under organic-certified management

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of peripartal administration of a commercially available nonspecific immune stimulant (mycobacterium cell wall fraction; MCWF [Amplimune, NovaVive Inc., Napanee, ON, Canada]) on the incidence of disease during early lactation and subsequent fertility of dairy cows. A second objective was to characterize the dynamics of circulating white blood cells (WBC) and metabolic markers following treatment administration. Cows in an United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic-certified dairy herd were blocked by parity and, based on sequential calving dates, randomly assigned to receive two injections (5 mL s.c.) of either a placebo (saline solution) as a control (CON; n = 71) or MCWF (n = 65) at enrollment (7 d before expected calving) and within 24 h after calving. Blood samples were collected from a subsample of the study population (MCWF = 16; CON = 18) for WBC count at enrollment, at day 2 post enrollment, and at days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after calving. Serum fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and Ca concentrations were determined at days 1 and 7 postpartum (MCWF = 21; CON = 21). Main outcome variables included incidence risk of peripartal and early lactation health disorders and pregnancy at first artificial insemination (AI), at 100, and at 150 days in milk (DIM). In addition, the average daily milk yield up to 90 DIM and death and live culling before 305 DIM were compared. Treatment effects were assessed using multivariable logistic regression, time-to-event analyses, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). A treatment effect on the incidence risk of some of the health disorders in the study was established. Incidence risk of metritis and clinical mastitis <28 DIM was smaller in MCWF than in CON cows (36.9% vs. 50.7% and 6.3% vs. 19.7%, respectively). On the contrary, the incidence risk of respiratory disease <28 DIM was smaller in CON (0%) than in MCWF (7.7%). Reproductive performance of multiparous cows was affected by MCWF administration: pregnancy at first AI and pregnancy at 100 and 150 DIM were greater in MCWF than in CON (35.6% vs. 19.2%; 51.1% vs. 25.0%; and 64.4% vs. 40.4%, respectively). Overall, median intervals from calving to pregnancy were 90 vs. 121 d in MCWF and CON cows, respectively. No treatment effects on the dynamics of circulating WBC or in postpartum metabolic status were established. No differences for milk yield or for the proportion of cows that survived up to 305 DIM were determined, although cows in MCWF left the herd earlier than cows in CON. In conclusion, incidence risks of metritis and mastitis in early lactation were smaller in cows receiving MCWF, whereas the incidence risk of respiratory disease was smaller in CON. Fertility significantly improved in MCWF compared with CON cows. As this study was performed in an organic-certified dairy, specific health and reproductive management practices may affect the external validity of the current findings.     

Extracts of Peels and Seeds of Five Varieties of Brazilian Jabuticaba Present High Capacity to Deactivate Reactive Species of Oxygen and Nitrogen

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Jabuticaba has a high concentration of phenolic compounds, which have a significant antioxidant capacity. Methodologies have been developed to evaluate the ability...     

Detection of enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV) in a sheep flock in southern Brazil

Enzootic nasal tumor (ENT) is a contagious neoplasm associated with enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV), which may induce disease in sheep (ENTV-1) and goats (ENTV-2). This study aimed to describe the occurrence of ENT in two Texel sheep (Ovis aries) from a 75-sheep flock, located in the city of Gravataí, southern Brazil. Animals used to be purchased from different origins, and no specific tests for disease monitoring or quarantine procedure were performed. Affected animals presented respiratory distress, anorexia with severe weight loss, and mucopurulent unilateral nasal discharge. Necropsy was performed in both animals and nasal cavity masses were observed. Histopathological analysis demonstrated an epithelial neoplasm compatible with nasal adenocarcinoma. PCR using a protocol that amplifies a 591 bp sequence of 5’LTR-gag region of ENTV1 was performed followed by DNA sequencing. Both samples were positive, and the sequences obtained presented highest identity (97%) with ENTV strain TN28 (GenBank accession number MH899613) detected in a Texel sheep from Scotland. This is the first report of ENTV-1 leading to enzootic nasal tumor in sheep in Latin America, which confirms the presence of the retrovirus in sheep flocks in the Brazilian territory.

     

Landscape context affects site occupancy of pond-breeding anurans across a disturbance gradient in the Brazilian Cerrado

Context

The Brazilian Cerrado, a global biodiversity hotspot, is being converted to agricultural production. Amphibians in particular are susceptible to agricultural practices that threaten both their wetland and upland habitats. Although local site variables are important for determining species occurrence, site occupancy is also mediated by the broader landscape and management context in which the site occurs.

Objectives

Investigate the relative effects of broad-, intermediate-, and local-scale factors on species occurrence for pond-breeding anurans within different landscapes across an agricultural-disturbance gradient in the Cerrado.

Methods

Ponds were surveyed for adult anurans over 3 years within 18 landscapes (each 625 km²) that varied in their degree of agricultural land use (landscape context). We analyzed species distribution models for eight pond-breeding anurans, using hierarchical binomial generalized linear models.

Results

The broader landscape context had a significant effect on the incidence of pond-breeding anurans, even after accounting for variation in other environmental factors at more local (pond) or intermediate (1-km²) scales. The top-ranked models for most species included some combination of broad-, intermediate- and local-scale factors, however. These covariates influenced species occurrence in different ways, with the response to agricultural disturbance varying among species. Although some species were negatively affected, others appeared to benefit from agricultural activities that increased breeding habitat (e.g., impoundments to provide water for cattle).

Conclusions

Landscape context, the degree to which landscapes have been transformed by agricultural land use, has a major influence on the distribution of pond-breeding anurans in the Brazilian Cerrado.