Sabulous cystitis in the horse: 13 cases (2013–2020)

The objective of this study was to describe the clinical findings, medical management, and outcomes of horses with sabulous cystitis, and to describe a high flow bladder lavage procedure in horses that are standing or under general anesthesia. The medical records of 13 horses diagnosed with sabulous cystitis via cystoscopy between 2013 and 2020 were reviewed. Geldings (92%) and Warmbloods (46%) were overrepresented. The most common presenting complaint was urinary incontinence (69%). Complete blood cell count, serum biochemistry profile and urine cytology results were non-specific. Six (46%) horses had various degrees of erosion, ulceration, and hemorrhage of the bladder mucosa. All horses were treated with bladder lavage either with standing sedation (n = 12) or general anesthesia (n = 2), as well as antimicrobials (54%), anti-inflammatory drugs (62%), bethanechol (15%), and phenazopyridine (15%). Most horses (85%) were discharged from the hospital, but only a small percentage (23%) was reported as having no urinary abnormalities on follow-up communication.Key clinical message:Copious bladder lavage with a high flow rate system could mitigate the acute clinical signs and improve the quality of life of horses with sabulous cystitis, but the prognosis for return to previous level of athletic performance and long-term survival is guarded.     

Performance and serum parameters of calves (Bos taurus) subject to milk restriction associated with supplementation with 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid

Our aim with this study was to evaluate the consumption, performance, quantitative characteristics of carcasses, biochemical profile, plasma levels of ghrelin and leptin, expression of the receptor for ghrelin (GHS-R1a) in the hypothalamus and duodenum, and the number of goblet cells in the duodenum of calves subjected to milk volume restriction and supplemented with 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid (HMTBa). We used 21 Holstein mixed-breed calves, aged between 3 and 15 d with an average weight of 36.8 kg, and housed in pens with troughs for hay, concentrate, and water. The study included two consecutive experimental periods (first period [P1] and second period [P2]) of 21 d each, with 7 d of adaptation to the diet and facilities. The calves were distributed in a completely randomized design in three treatments with seven repetitions. 1) Control: 6 liters of milk/d during P1 and 6 liters of milk/day during P2; 2) RES (milk restriction): 3 liters of milk/day during P1 and 6 liters of milk/day during P2; and 3) RES + HMTBa: 3 liters of milk/day during P1 and 6 liters of milk/day during P2 + 3.3 g of HMTBa/day in both periods. HMTBa was supplied in milk, and the amount of concentrated ration and hay provided and leftovers were recorded daily to estimate dry matter (DM) and crude protein consumption. Mean daily weight gain (DWG), final weight (FW), and feed conversion (FC) were obtained at the beginning and at the end of each 21-d period. Plasma concentrations of ghrelin and leptin, triglycerides, total protein, urea, lactate, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, and cholesterol were measured for P1 and P2 at the end of each 21-d period. At the end of P2, animals were slaughtered; sections of the duodenum were collected to evaluate the expression of GHS-R1a and quantity of goblet cells; hypothalamus was used to evaluate the expression of GHS-R1a; rumen was used to evaluate the thickness of epithelium and keratin and the density, height, and width of ruminal papillae. In P1, total DM consumption, FW, DWG, glucose, and triglycerides were lower in the RES and RES + HMTBa groups (P < 0.001). In P2, there was an improvement in the FC of the RES + HMTBa group (compared with Control and RES groups) and a lower urea concentration in the RES group (compared with Control and RES + HMTBa groups) (P < 0.001). No differences were observed among groups regarding hormonal concentrations, histological parameters, and GHS-R1a expression in the duodenum and hypothalamus. Therefore, milk restriction combined with HMTBa supplementation promoted greater compensatory gain by a mechanism independent of changes in GHS-R1a expression and hormone levels of ghrelin and leptin.     

Inorganic Parameters as Water Quality Indicators in Acidic Groundwater in a Tropical Region – Brasilia-DF (Brazil)

In Brazilian Tropical Cerrado Region, reactions related to parental-material breakdown and oxisols genesis strongly affect the groundwater chemical characteristics. These reactions are responsible for the low water pH values, the soil charge balance, and the re-equilibrium of dissolved inorganic carbon species. Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, lies in the Distrito Federal, in the central part of the Brazilian Cerrado Region and has been experiencing an intense urban development during the last 15 years. Many town-house complexes have been built without proper water supply or wastewater disposal conditions. In this work, we discuss the adequacy of traditional ground waters geochemical classification models applied to the most exploited aquifers in DF. Forty groundwater samples were collected and pH, conductivity and total dissolved solids were determined in the field. Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Al, Cu, Cd, Cr Mn e Zn were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. We identify inorganic indicators of human interference on the quality of these waters and also suggest a new mean of interpretation of dissolved inorganic elements based on statistic treatment of multivariate data. It is revealed a particular geochemical feature concerning to the alkali and the earth alkali metals concentrations, and a typical trace-element behaviour, closely related to the human activities and to the geological-bearing material characteristics. For all of the samples supposed to be altered by any kind of human activity, the physico-chemical parameters were lower than the standards established by the water quality legal system.     

Live and frozen Artemia nauplii for catfish Lophiosilurus alexandri (Steindachner, 1876) larvae in different salinities

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The objective of the study was to verify the combination of live and frozen Artemia nauplii, in different salinized water, and its influence in growth and...     

Plant growth,leaf photosynthesis,and nutrient‐use efficiency of citrus rootstocks decrease with phosphite supply

Some formulations of phosphite (Phi) have been recommended as a source of P nutrition for several crops including citrus even though there are known negative effects of Phi on plant growth. Changes in plant growth and metabolism after Phi application should be reflected in altered nutrient‐use efficiency and leaf photosynthesis. We carried out a greenhouse study using seedlings of two contrasting citrus (Citrus spp.) rootstocks, Carrizo citrange (CC) and Smooth Flat Seville (SFS), growing in either aerated hydroponic culture or sterilized native sandy soil. Plants were subjected to four P treatments: No P (control, P₀); 0.5 mM P_i (PO₄‐P); 0.25 mM P_i + 0.25 mM Phi (P_i + Phi), or 0.5 mM Phi (Phi). Photosynthetic characteristics, concentrations of total P (P_t) and soluble PO₄‐P or PO₃‐P in leaves and roots, and plant growth were evaluated after 80–83 d P treatments. Overall, the P_i plants had the highest P_t (total P) and total plant dry weight while the P₀ plants had the lowest P_t but highest total root length and root‐to‐shoot ratio. Leaf chlorophyll (SPAD readings) and net assimilation of CO₂ (A_CO2) of the P₀ and Phi plants were similarly lower than those of P_i and P_i + Phi plants. Growth responses of the P_i + Phi treatment were intermediate between the P_i and Phi treatments. Although Phi increased P_t and soluble‐PO₄‐P concentration in leaves and roots above the P₀ treatment, this did not translate into increased plant growth. In fact, the Phi treatment had some phytotoxic symptoms, impaired P‐ and N‐utilization efficiency for biomass production as well as lower nutrient‐use efficiency in the photosynthetic process. Thus, these two rootstocks could not use Phi as a nutritional source of P.     

Biological control of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ascaris suum</Emphasis> eggs by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pochonia chlamydosporia</Emphasis> fungus

Ascaris suum is a gastrointestinal nematode parasite of swines. The aim of this study was to observe Pochonia chlamydosporia fungus on biological control of A. suum eggs after fungus passage through swines gastrointestinal tract. Eighteen pigs, previously dewormed, were randomly divided into three groups: group 1, treated with the fungus isolate VC4; group 2, treated with the fungus isolate VC1 and group 3 did not receive fungus (control). In the treated groups, each animal received a 9 g single dose of mycelium mass containing P. chlamydosporia (VC1 or VC4). Thereafter, animal fecal samples were collected at the following intervals: 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h after treatment beginning and these were poured in Petri dishes containing 2% water-agar culture medium. Then, 1,000 A. suum eggs were poured into each dish and kept in an incubator at 26°C and in the dark for 30 days. After this period, approximately 100 eggs were removed from each Petri dish and morphologically analyzed under light microscopy following the ovicidal activity parameters. The higher percentage observed for isolated VC4 eggs destruction was 57.5% (36 h) after fungus administration and for isolate VC1 this percentage was 45.8% (24 h and 72 h) (p > 0.01). P. chlamydosporia remained viable after passing through the gastrointestinal tract of swines, maintaining its ability of destroying A. suum eggs.     

Genetic diversity of Meloidogyne spp. from rice and identification of multiresistant sources in Oryza spp. accessions

Recently a Meloidogyne species complex was detected parasitizing and causing damage to irrigated rice in southern Brazil, highlighting the need to study the genetic diversity of these species and their pathogenicity to Oryza spp. in order to select genotypes of rice with multiple resistance. This study compared the genetic diversity of Brazilian Meloidogyne spp. isolates from irrigated rice and evaluated the reaction of four wild accessions of Oryza species (O. glumaepatula, O. longistaminata, O. grandiglumis, and O. alta) and two cultivated species, O. glaberrima and O. sativa (control) to M. ottersoni, M. oryzae, and two variants of M. graminicola (Est G2 and Est G3). Genetic variability was assessed using RAPD and AFLP markers. M. graminicola and M. ottersoni showed high intraspecific variability: 83.76% and 41.14%, respectively. Cluster analysis showed a clear separation among rice root-knot nematodes (RKNs) into subclades according to their esterase phenotypes with 100% bootstrap. For rice resistance screening, plants were inoculated with 5,000 eggs, and the nematode reproduction factor evaluated 90–120 days postinoculation. O. glumaepatula, an American wild species, was highly resistant or resistant to all rice RKNs tested and is a valuable source of multiple resistance. Overall, the other rice species also showed different levels of resistance. Conversely, O. longistaminata exhibited low levels of resistance. M. graminicola Est G3 was the most aggressive isolate. Sources of resistance against RKN in wild Oryza genotypes, especially in an AA genome like O. glumaepatula, may be of great interest for future breeding programmes in cultivated rice.     

Hypnea musciformis: alternative or complement to the production of Kappaphycus alvarezii introduced in tropical countries?

Hypnea musciformis that are harvested from natural beds and introduced Kappaphycus alvarezii are the two main sources of raw material for the production of carrageenan in Brazil. The daily growth rate (DGR) and carrageenan yield (CY) of both species were evaluated in vitro and in the sea to assess the feasibility of cultivating H. musciformis as a complement or as an alternative to the production of K. alvarezii. The DGR of H. musciformis (10.8 ± 0.6% day^?1) was higher than the DGR of K. alvarezii (5.6 ± 0.3% day^?1) in vitro, and the CY extracted using NaOH (62.3 ± 0.15%) was better than using KOH (32.0 ± 0.3%). In eutrophic medium, the DGR of H. musciformis (9.4 ± 2.1% day^?1) was higher than that of K. alvarezii (5.0 ± 1.2% day^?1). However, in this condition, the CY was similar for both species (50.2 ± 3.5%), and both species were effective in removing nutrients (30% NH₄⁺, 18% NO^2? and 2.4% ). H. musciformis did not survive when cultivated in the sea, neither in monospecific nor in multispecific cultivation. Moreover, K. alvarezii grew better in monospecific cultivation throughout the year (from 1.73 to 5.15% day^?1) except during the wet period and the CY was high in both cultivation types (33.7–50.8%). We conclude that the cultivation of H. musciformis is not an alternative to K. alvarezii on the Brazilian southeastern coast. However, the results in vitro suggested its use as a complementary source of carrageenan or as a biological filter.