Growth,Feed Utilization,and Glycemic Response in European Sea Bass,Dicentrarchus labrax,Juveniles Fed Carbohydrate of Different Complexities

The effect of dietary carbohydrate complexity on growth, feed utilization, and glycemia was studied in European sea bass juveniles. Four isonitrogenous (50% crude protein) and isolipidic (15% crude lipids) diets were formulated to contain 20% pregelatinized maize starch (PGS diet), dextrin (DEX diet), maltose (MAL diet), or glucose (GLU diet). No effect of dietary carbohydrate complexity on growth was noticed. Feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio were lower in fish fed the GLU diet than in the other groups, whereas the opposite was observed for feed intake. Plasma glucose peaked 3–4 h after feeding in fish fed the MAL and GLU diets, whereas in fish fed the PGS and DEX diets the peak was reached 5–6 h after feeding. Peak plasma glucose concentration (13 mmol/L) was higher in fish fed the GLU diet than the other diets (9 mmol/L). Shorter hyperglycemia duration was observed in fish fed the MALT and GLU diets (6 h) than the PGS and DEX diets (10 h). Complex carbohydrates delayed plasma glucose concentration peak compared with simple sugars, whereas the opposite was observed for hyperglycemia duration. Overall, dietary maltose, dextrin, and starch were apparently better utilized as energy source than glucose by European sea bass juveniles.     

Three new homoisoflavanones from the bulbs of Ledebouria floribunda

Three new homoisoflavanones, namely ledebourin A (1), ledebourin B (2) and ledebourin C (3) were isolated from the bulbs of Ledebouria floribunda. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of detail spectroscopic analyses. This is the first report of this type of homoisoflavanones. Ledebourin B (2) and ledebourin C (3) exhibited potent antioxidant activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging compared to the positive controls, the well-known antioxidant BHT and BHA.     

Red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) management in the dehesa system in Central Extremadura,Spain

In this paper we report the results of a study on the suitability of the dehesa (Mediterranean woodlands) as habitat of red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) in a closed country estate of about 4300 ha total surface situated in the San Pedro Mountain, in Central Extremadura, Spain. We have described the deer management with respect to habitat, exploitation mode, deer feeding, population control and production of goods and services. It is concluded that the dehesa system is a rich natural resource that preserves and improves the degraded environment.

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Resumen En el presente trabajo se estudia la dehesa como hábitat del ciervo (Cervus elaphus hispanicus). Se ha tomado como referencia una finca cerrada de 4300 ha de ST situada en la Sierra de San Pedro, en Extremadura, España. Se describen los sistemas de gestión actuales del ciervo en cuanto a hábitat, modo de explotación, alimentación, control de población y producción de bienes y servicios. Concluyendo con la necesidad de fomentar este tipo de explotaciones cinegéticas de dehesa que ayudan a conservar y potenciar el medio ambiente en zonas despobladas y deprimidas

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Abbreviations CS collected surface - DMFCU deedmixed feed cattle units - Fi final inventory - FS fertilized surface - Ii Initial inventory - K Potassium - N Nitrogen - NBF number of breeding females - NBFIi number of breeding females of initial inventory - NBFR number of breeding females released - NBM number of breeding males - NBMIi number of breeding males of initial inventory - NBMR number of breeding males released - NCCR number of captive calves released - NCFi number of calves of final inventory - NCR number of calves released - NFR number of female renovation - NYMR number of young males released - NYFR number of young females released - P phosphorus - PP permanent Pastures - pts pesetas - QS Quercus stalks - RDED resources directly eaten by deer - SPOM selected hunted down poor quality males - SS sowed surface - TN total needs of deer - TNR total number released - UAS useable agrarian surface - WB wooded brush - WQS wooded Quercus surface - WS wooded surface     

Tracking leaf area index and coefficient of light extinction over the harvesting cycle of black wattle

The amount of photosynthetic radiation intercepted by a crop is a function of the incident solar radiation on the plants, the leaf area index (L _AI), and the light extinction coefficient (k). We quantified L _AI and k in stands of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) over a 7-year growth cycle at two locations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Our study was conducted in commercial stands in agroecological regions with high densities of black wattle plantations. L _AI was calculated as the ratio between the leaf area of a tree and its planting space, and k was derived from Beer’s law. L _AI depends on the planting site and stand age. Between the two sites, the L _AI was similar over time, the amount of variation differed. Values of k depended only on stand age, with the highest average observed for stands up to 5 years old. The trend of k during the plantation cycle was inversely proportional to L _AI and was correlated with L _AI, leaf area, leaf dry mass, canopy volume, height, branches dry mass, total dry mass, and crown diameter.     

Risk factors to incidental leptospirosis and its role on the reproduction of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state,Brazil

Ovine and caprine stockbreeding have been gaining attention in developing countries as an attractive investment. On these animals, infectious diseases of the reproductive tract, such as leptospirosis, can compromise the production leading to economic losses. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with incidental leptospirosis and its influence on the reproductive parameters of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. A total of 737 animals distributed on 24 herds/flocks were studied, and an overall prevalence of 10.9 % seroreactive animals was observed. Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae was the most frequent in goats (97.0 %) as well as in ewes (78.3 %). Regarding risk factors related to leptospirosis, the presence of waterholes and the semi-intensive breeding system were the most important associated to seroreactivity. Besides, there was an observed association between seroreactivity and reproductive failures (P?<?0.05). Moreover, seroreactive ewes (relative risk (RR)?=?1.3) and goats (RR?=?1.9) presented more chances to have abortions than seronegative animals. Furthermore, seroreactive ewes presented 11.6 more chances of having premature births when compared to the seronegative ones. It can be concluded that Leptospira infection, mainly those caused incidental strains (such as Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup), is a significant factor to reduce the productivity of small ruminants’ herds/flocks in the studied region, and environmental measures must be considered on control programs.

     

Subcutaneous administration of paclitaxel in dogs with cancer: A preliminary study

Intravenous paclitaxel has been underused in dogs due to severe and acute hypersensitivity reactions. Subcutaneous (SC) administration of paclitaxel and its safety are unknown. In this preliminary study, SC administration of paclitaxel was evaluated for hypersensitivity reactions and toxicity in 21 dogs with advanced cancer. Dogs received 1 to 5 paclitaxel doses, ranging from 85 to 170 mg/m², SC every 14 or 21 days. A total of 40 paclitaxel doses were administered and none of the 21 dogs developed systemic or acute local hypersensitivity reactions. Severe skin lesions at the injection site developed in 2 dogs after the 4th injection at the same location. Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 50% of the dogs 5 days after the first treatment at 115 mg/m² (n = 14). Two animals developed Grade 5 diarrhea and died likely due to hemodynamic failure or sepsis. Paclitaxel can be administered SC in dogs with no hypersensitivity reaction.     

Experimental Infections of Bluegill with the Trematode Ribeiroia ondatrae (Digenea: Cathaemasiidae): Histopathology and Hematological Response

Infections by the digenetic trematode, Ribeiroia ondatrae, cause severe limb malformations in many North American amphibians. Ribeiroia ondatrae also infects fishes as second intermediate hosts, but less is known about the pathology and immune responses initiated in infected fish, even though reports of infected fish date back to early 1900s. To this end, we experimentally exposed juvenile Bluegills Lepomis macrochirus to three doses of R. ondatrae cercariae and monitored the pathology, parasite infection success, and humoral responses over 648 h. All exposed fish became infected with metacercariae, and the average infection load increased with exposure dose. Histologically, infection was associated with acute hemorrhages in the lateral line and local dermis at 36 h, followed by progressive granulomatous inflammation that led to the destruction of encysted metacercariae. Correspondingly, over the course of 648 h we observed an 85% decline in average infection load among hosts, reflecting the host's clearance of the parasite. Infection was not associated with changes in fish growth or survival, but did correlate with leukocytosis and neutrophilia in circulating host blood. Understanding the physiological responses of R. ondatrae in Bluegill will help to clarify the ecological effects of this parasite and provide a foundation for subsequent comparisons into its effects on behavior, individual health, and population dynamics of Bluegill.

Received March 4, 2015; accepted August 9, 2015     

A calorimetric study of thermal denaturation of recombinant human lactoferrin from rice

Thermal denaturation of recombinant human lactoferrin from transgenic rice with different degrees of iron saturation has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The maximum temperature, enthalpy change, and activation energy of denaturation were higher when recombinant lactoferrin was more saturated with iron, indicating an increase in the stability of the protein structure. Maximum temperature and activation energy values for apo- and holo-lactoferrins were practically identical to those reported for the same forms of lactoferrin from human milk, which indicates a similar thermal stability. However, the value of enthalpy change for denaturation of the recombinant lactoferrin was 2.5-3-fold lower than that found for the human milk protein. This finding may reflect the influence that the different glycosylation pattern may have in the relationship between lactoferrin domains. Denaturation of recombinant lactoferrin in milk was compared with denaturation in phosphate buffer, and results indicated that the protein was more heat-sensitive when treated in milk than in buffer.     

Different drought-adaptive capacity of a native Patagonian tree species (Nothofagus pumilio) resulting from local adaptation

European Journal of Forest Research - The resistance of different genotypes to abiotic stress may be due to genetic effects and/or to phenotypic plasticity allowing them to acclimate to variable...