Leaf area index estimation in vineyards using a ground-based LiDAR scanner

Estimation of grapevine vigour using mobile proximal sensors can provide an indirect method for determining grape yield and quality. Of the various indexes related to the characteristics of grapevine foliage, the leaf area index (LAI) is probably the most widely used in viticulture. To assess the feasibility of using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors for predicting the LAI, several field trials were performed using a tractor-mounted LiDAR system. This system measured the crop in a transverse direction along the rows of vines and geometric and structural parameters were computed. The parameters evaluated were the height of the vines (H), the cross-sectional area (A), the canopy volume (V) and the tree area index (TAI). This last parameter was formulated as the ratio of the crop estimated area per unit ground area, using a local Poisson distribution to approximate the laser beam transmission probability within vines. In order to compare the calculated indexes with the actual values of LAI, the scanned vines were defoliated to obtain LAI values for different row sections. Linear regression analysis showed a good correlation (R ² = 0.81) between canopy volume and the measured values of LAI for 1 m long sections. Nevertheless, the best estimation of the LAI was given by the TAI (R ² = 0.92) for the same length, confirming LiDAR sensors as an interesting option for foliage characterization of grapevines. However, current limitations exist related to the complexity of data process and to the need to accumulate a sufficient number of scans to adequately estimate the LAI.     

Infectivity of seropositive dogs, showing different clinical forms of leishmaniasis, to Lutzomyia longipalpis phlebotomine sand flies

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a growing zoonosis with an increasing number of new cases and a rapid geographical spreading of the disease. In the present study, a canine survey was carried out in the city of Montes Claros (320,000 inhabitants), an endemic area of American visceral leishmaniasis in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total number of 4795 dogs were examined by serology, which showed a rate of seropositivity of 5%. Isoenzymatic analysis confirmed Leishmania infantum chagasi as the local aetiological agent of CVL. Canine tissues were assayed for the presence of Leishmania parasite DNA using different techniques. The infectivity of asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic and symptomatic seropositive dogs was tested by xenodiagnosis using laboratory reared Lutzomyia longipalpis. Rates of infection of 5.4%, 5.1% and 28.4% were found for the phlebotomine sand flies that fed in asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic and symptomatic dogs, respectively. Our results indicate that, under experimental conditions, symptomatic dogs are about four times more infective to VL vectors than oligosymptomatic or asymptomatic animals. The lower infectivity rates of dogs displaying any of the last two clinical forms of leishmaniasis, however, must be taken into account in the epidemiology of CVL.     

Carbohydrate profiling and protein identification of tegumental and excreted/secreted glycoproteins of adult Schistosoma bovis worms

Schistosoma bovis is a parasite of wild and domestic ruminants that is broadly distributed throughout many tropical and temperate regions of the old world. S. bovis causes severe health problems and significant economic losses in livestock, but in contrast to human schistosomes, S. bovis has been little investigated at a molecular level. Since schistosome glycans and glycoproteins can play important roles in the host-parasite interplay, the aims of the present work were: (i) to characterize the glycans expressed by adult S. bovis worms on their excreted/secreted (ES) and tegumental (TG) glycoproteins and (ii) to identify their carrier protein backbones by mass spectrometry. Using a panel of lectins and monoclonal and polyclonal anti-glycan antibodies, we observed: (i) the absence of sialic acid in S. bovis; (ii) the presence of complex-type N-glycans and LDN antennae on ES glycoproteins; (iii) the presence of glycans containing the Fucalpha1-2Galbeta motif in many TG glycoproteins, and (iv) the presence of glycans containing the Fucalpha1-3GlcNAc motif on many ES and TG glycoproteins but, simultaneously, the absence of the F-LDN(-F) glycans from both the ES and TG glycoproteins. Interestingly, we also found the Lewis(X) and Lewis(Y) antigens co-expressed on several TG isoforms of ATP:guanidino kinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Finally, by ELISA we observed the presence of antibodies against Lewis(X), Lewis(Y) and F-LDN(-F) in the sera of sheep experimentally infected with S. bovis.     

Identification of point mutations in a putative carboxylesterase and their association with acaricide resistance in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

Chemical control based on the use of pyrethroid and organophosphate compounds has selected resistant genotypes in populations of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Point mutations in esterase-encoding genes represent one of the main resistance mechanisms in this species. In this study, the PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) technique was used to investigate the presence of mutations in a fragment of a putative carboxylesterase in a population of ticks with a history of resistance. The digestion of a fragment of 372 pb with EcoRI revealed three genotypes: W, H and M, observed in different frequencies. The homozygous wild-type genotype (W) was detected only in sensitive strains, with high frequency. The heterozygous genotype (H) was observed in all the strains, albeit with higher frequency in the strains with a moderate resistance, while the homozygous mutant genotype (M) was found only in the moderate resistant strain and resistant strains, with higher frequency in the resistant strains. A comparison of the sequences indicated the presence of other mutations, besides EcoRI polymorphism in the moderate resistant and resistant strains. Also found was the presence of stop codons generating truncated proteins in the sensitive and moderate resistant strains. A domain analysis revealed the presence of additional domains in the resistant strain. These findings suggest that different point mutations, as well as the influence of post-translational modification mechanisms, are altering the activity of the translated proteins and may be associated with resistance.     

The status of the world's land and marine mammals: diversity, threat, and knowledge

Knowledge of mammalian diversity is still surprisingly disparate, both regionally and taxonomically. Here, we present a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status and distribution of the world's mammals. Data, compiled by 1700+ experts, cover all 5487 species, including marine mammals. Global macroecological patterns are very different for land and marine species but suggest common mechanisms driving diversity and endemism across systems. Compared with land species, threat levels are higher among marine mammals, driven by different processes (accidental mortality and pollution, rather than habitat loss), and are spatially distinct (peaking in northern oceans, rather than in Southeast Asia). Marine mammals are also disproportionately poorly known. These data are made freely available to support further scientific developments and conservation action.     

Estimation of body weight in hair ewes using an indirect measurement method

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of the present study was to develop and evaluate an equation to predict body weight (BW) using hip width (HW) in Pelibuey ewe lambs and ewes. Five...     

Dynamics of degradation of high-quality tropical forage according to levels of nitrogen supplementation

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The present study aimed to evaluate the degradation dynamics of high-quality tropical forage according to the levels of nitrogen supplementation. In this...     

Activation of goat primordial follicles in vitro: Influence of alginate and ovarian tissue

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of three culture systems on caprine primordial follicle activation in vitro: follicles cultured either in the isolated form within alginate (Isolated follicles + Alginate treatment), or enclosed in ovarian tissue (in situ), with or without alginate (Fragment + Alginate, and Fragment alone treatments, respectively). After culture, the Isolated follicles + Alginate treatment presented a percentage of morphologically normal follicles (MNF) similar to both the non-cultured control and the Fragment Alone treatments. Nevertheless, Fragment + Alginate treatment showed a significant reduction in the number of MNF when compared to the other treatments. Regarding follicle development, our results showed that regardless of the alginate, the presence of ovarian tissue limited primordial follicle activation during in vitro culture. Remarkably, the Isolated primordial follicle + Alginate treatment was the only one that significantly promoted follicle activation and increased both follicle and oocyte diameters during IVFC, pointing out a higher cell proliferation. In conclusion, the presence of ovarian tissue with or without alginate limited follicle development (activation) after culture. Nevertheless, when primordial follicles were isolated and encapsulated in alginate they presented suitable survival rates, higher rates of follicle activation and continued to grow throughout the culture period.     

Genome-wide identification of runs of homozygosity islands in the Gyr breed (Bos indicus)

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are contiguous homozygous regions of the genome. These regions can be used to identify genes associated with traits of economic interest, as well as inbreeding levels. The aim of the present study was to analyse the length and distribution of ROH islands in Gyr cattle and to identify genes within these regions. A population of 173 animals selected for beef production and a population of 291 animals selected for dairy production were used. Differences in the number of short ROH (ROH_{1-2 Mb}) were observed between the two populations, while the number of long ROH (ROH_{>16 Mb}) was similar. ROH islands with the highest incidences (>0.50) overlapped in several segments of the genome in the two populations. The genes identified were associated with milk production, growth, reproduction, immune response and resistance traits. Our results contribute to the understanding of how selection can shape the distribution of ROH and ROH islands within the same breed when animals are selected for different purposes such as dairy or beef production.