Effects of Incubation Temperature and Semen Pooling on the Viability of Fresh,Chilled and Freeze‐Thawed Canine Semen Samples

This study assessed the effects of different incubation temperatures on semen viability and the influence of pooling on semen longevity. In experiment 1, semen samples were collected from five dogs, individually processed (individual semen: IS) and then aliquots from each male were pooled (pooled semen: PS). Semen samples (IS and PS) were diluted in a Tris‐glucose‐yolk extender and preserved as fresh (37 and 25°C) and chilled semen (4°C). Sperm motility and the percentages of sperm abnormalities and acrosome membrane integrity were assessed for 24 h. Storage at 25 or 4°C for the first 24 h yielded similar semen quality, but incubation at 37°C caused drastic reduction in sperm motility from 8 h of incubation onwards. In experiment 2, the semen was processed in the same way to that of experiment 1 and then preserved at 25 or 4°C until semen inactivation. Semen that was incubated at 25°C became completely inactive after 3–4 days of storage, while semen that was preserved at 4°C presented with more gradually decreased sperm motility (mean values of 40–60% for the first 8 days). In addition, the mixing of semen was only observed to influence the sperm quality of the samples stored at 4°C. In experiment 3, semen was collected from five dogs, pooled and frozen in liquid nitrogen; after thawing, it was preserved at 37, 25, 15 and 4°C, and the sperm quality was defined. The motility of the freeze‐thawed semen samples decreased quickly in the first 4 h after thawing, regardless of the preservation temperature of the thawed semen. This study confirmed that semen preserved at 37°C should be used within a maximum of 12 h, while the semen stored at 25°C shows acceptable quality for 24 h. Chilled semen presented highest most sustainable quality, especially when semen is processed as pooled semen.     

Preliminary evidence of the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Chlamydia abortus infection in goats on the Canary Islands,Spain

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aims of this cross-sectional study were to estimate the prevalence of IgG antibodies against Chlamydia abortus, the cause of enzootic abortion, in goats...     

Genome‐wide association study for feedlot average daily gain in Nellore cattle (Bos indicus)

The genome‐wide association study (GWAS) results are presented for average daily gain (ADG) in Nellore cattle. Phenotype of 720 male Bos indicus animals with information of ADG in feedlots and 354 147 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained from a database added by information from Illumina Bovine HD (777 962 SNPs) and Illumina BovineSNP50 (54 609) by imputation were used. After quality control and imputation, 290 620 SNPs remained in the association analysis, using R package Genome‐wide Rapid Association using Mixed Model and Regression method GRAMMAR‐Gamma. A genomic region with six significant SNPs, at Bonferroni‐corrected significance, was found on chromosome 3. The most significant SNP (rs42518459, BTA3: 85849977, p = 9.49 × 10^?8) explained 5.62% of the phenotypic variance and had the allele substitution effect of ?0.269 kg/day. Important genes such as PDE4B, LEPR, CYP2J2 and FGGY are located near this region, which is overlapped by 12 quantitative trait locus (QTLs) described for several production traits. Other regions with markers with suggestive effects were identified in BTA6 and BTA10. This study showed regions with major effects on ADG in Bos indicus in feedlots. This information may be useful to increase the efficiency of selecting this trait and to understand the physiological processes involved in its regulation.     

Chrysoporthe puriensis causing canker and mortality in Pleroma mutabile in the Atlantic Forest,Brazil

Fungi of the Cryphonectriaceae family are globally known to be tree pathogens. In Brazil, several species of Chrysoporthe have been found causing stem and branch cankers in Pleroma (= Tibouchina) spp. Recently, Chrysoporthe puriensis was described as a new species causing stem and branch cankers in Pleroma granulosum, Pleroma candolleanum, and Pleroma heteromallum, all native species of the Melastomataceae family. During an investigation to collect isolates of the Cryphonectriaceae family in an important Brazilian biome, the Atlantic Forest, in Serra do Mar, structures typical of Chrysoporthe species were found in a different host, Pleroma mutabile. Fruiting bodies present in the bark of these trees were collected and isolated. The isolates were submitted on morphological characterization and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and β-tubulin gene regions using Maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and Maximum parsimony methods. The isolates collected, for this study, were identified as C. puriensis. Pathogenicity tests on seedlings of Pleroma species and Eucalyptus clones revealed C. puriensis can infect and cause canker in these plant species as mortality. The results demonstrate the importance of delimiting the C. puriensis collection range to track its dissemination in other hosts. No host specificity was observed in the inoculation tests, suggesting this is an important finding, the pathogen causes diseases and mortality in several plants of the Atlantic Forest. Additionally, the pathogen can affect others hosts, such as Eucalyptus clones in commercial plantations.     

Soil Classification and Carbon Storage in Cacao Agroforestry Farming Systems of Bahia,Brazil

Information concerning the classification of soils and their properties under cacao agroforestry systems of the Atlantic rain forest biome region in the Southeast of Bahia, Brazil is largely unknown. Soil and climatic conditions in this region are favorable for high soil carbon storage. This study is aimed to classify soils under cacao agroforestry and further, to quantify carbon stocks in these soil profiles. Soil classification was performed, and the amount of C stored was estimated, based on the thickness of the soil horizons, their bulk density, and total organic carbon stored. In the sites studied under cacao, four general classes of soils were identified: Ultisols, Oxisols, Alfisols, and Inceptisols. Carbon stocks in these soil profiles showed wide variation, ranging from 719.24 to 2089.93 Mg ha^?1. Carbon stocks in soil surface and subsurface layers in different agroforestry systems with cacao (cacao cabruca, cacao?×?rubber tree, and cacao?×?erythrina) were comparable; however, total storage of organic C in these soils was higher than expected, compared to values reported for the International Soil Reference and Information Center (ISRIC), based on the FAO-UNESCO database, and were also higher than estimated regional soil data.     

Tannins from barks of Pinus caribaea protect Escherichia coli cells against DNA damage induced by gamma-rays

This work was aimed to evaluate genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity activity against gamma-rays of a tannin fraction obtained from barks of Pinus caribaea, as well as to elucidate the antigenotoxic mechanisms involved in radioprotection by using different approaches as pre-, co- and post-irradiation cell treatments with plant extract. The tannin fraction was not genotoxic to Escherichia coli cells in experiments using different exposure times. This extract was antigenotoxic against gamma-rays when the cells were pre- or co-treated with this extracts, but not during post-irradiation treatments, suggesting a possibly antigenotoxic action through free radical scavenging mechanisms. The results are discussed in relation to the chemopreventive and therapeutic potential of the studied plant species.     

Serratia marcescens associated with bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) soft-rot disease under greenhouse conditions

Soft-rotting bacteria affecting bell peppers crops represent an economically destructive disease of growing importance worldwide. In Venezuela since 2006, soft-rot symptoms have been occasionally observed in bell pepper fruits grown under greenhouse conditions. Affected fruits presented water-soaked lesions that progressed to complete fruit maceration. Bacteria were isolated from water-soaked lesions in order to identify the causal agent of this disease. Of 13 bacterial isolates recovered from affected fruits, only isolate AGPim1A was able to produce a hypersensitive reaction in tobacco plants and to reproduce soft-rot symptoms in bell peppers fruits. Several methods, including classical bacteriological tests and carbon utilization profiling, alongside with sequence analysis of 16S rRNA and housekeeping genes gyrB and groES-groEL, allowed identification of the soft-rotting bacterium as Serratia marcescens. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing a S. marcescens strain associated with soft-rot disease in bell pepper fruits.