Clinicopathologic diagnosis of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in an Angora cat

This report deals with a case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in a 2 year-old female Angora cat. Cutaneous lesions were characterized by prescapular ulcers and hyperemic nodules in the skin of the inguinal and dorsosacral regions. A skin biopsy sample was collected from the lesioned area and processed for histopathologic examination and immunoperoxidase test using Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum specific antibodies. Toxoplasma gondii immunopositive reactions were detected in keratinocytes and dermal macrophages while no immunoreactivity was detected for N. caninum. The case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis was further confirmed by PCR analysis using T. gondii B1 gene-specific primers. In conclusion, we report the first case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in Angora cats.     

Does the length of time dried distillers' grain with solubles substitution for soybean meal affect physiological indicators and meat quality in finishing lambs?

This study examined how inclusion of dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) in finishing lamb diets for different periods affects some physiological indicators and meat quality. A total of 40 male lambs were divided into four groups according to feeding regimen during the 120-day finishing period as follows: C120: no DDGS included in diet for 120 days; D120: DDGS included in diet for 120 days; D75: no DDGS included in diet for 45 days + DDGS included in diet for 75 days; D45: no DDGS included in diet for 75 days + DDGS included in diet for 45 days. Dietary inclusion rate of DDGS was 27.5%. Fattening performance and rumen parameters were not affected by treatment. Feeding regimens had no significant effect on meat quality except the instrumental tenderness and juiciness score. DDGS fed lambs had higher level of total trans fatty acids and n-6/n-3 ratio in meat. 10t-C18:1, 11t-C18:1 and 9c,11t conjugated linoleic acid contents of adipose tissue were higher in all the DDGS groups compared with C120 lambs (p < .001). These results suggest that soybean meal can be replaced with corn DDGS in lamb diets for up to 120 days during the finishing period with no adverse effects on some physiological response feedlot performance and meat quality.     

Effects of vitamin and mineral premix withdrawal from diets on carcass and meat quality of feedlot steers

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The primary objective of the present study was to assess the effects of vitamin and mineral premix (VMP) withdrawal from the diets 30 and 60&nbsp;days...     

Antimicrobial activity of Toona ciliata and Amoora rohituka

The extracts of two Bangladeshi medicinal plants, Toona ciliata (stem bark) and Amoora rohituka (stem bark), along with siderin, a major coumarin from T. ciliata, exhibited significant in vitro antibacterial activity. The extracts also demonstrated mild antifungal effect.     

Fumigant and repellent activities of essential oil from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coriandrum sativum</Emphasis> (L.) (Apiaceae) against red flour beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tribolium castaneum</Emphasis> (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

The biological activity of essential oil extracted from coriander, Coriandrum sativum L. (Apiaceae) against eggs, larvae and adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) was investigated in a series of laboratory experiments. Bioassays conducted in air-tight glass chambers showed vapour toxicity and strong repellency on filter paper arena test towards all the stages used. Responses varied significantly (P < 0.001) within insect stages, dosages and exposures. At 12.0 μg/ml dosage, mortality of adults reached 95%, but for 12-, 14- and 16-days larvae, mortalities were 65, 74 and 82%, respectively. On the developmental inhibition, individuals fumigated at the larval stage confirmed that the percentage of larvae reaching to pupal stage and pupae to adult stage, decreased significantly (P < 0.001) with increasing dosage concentration. The oil fumigation yielded 100% mortality for T. castaneum larvae, pupae and adults at 0.08 μg/ml dosage. The oil had fumigant activity against eggs and the toxicity progressively increased with increased exposure times and concentrations. One hundred per cent T. castaneum egg mortalities were obtained with oil fumigation at 20 μg/ml and 96 h exposure period. C. sativum oil also showed highly repellent activity to the adults of T. castaneum, with overall repellency was 90% and at a dosage of 12 μg/ml repellency was 100% in a filter-paper arena test.     

Antifungal and antitermitic activities of wood vinegar from oil palm trunk

We evaluated the antifungal and antitermite activities of wood vinegars produced from oil palm trunk. The wood vinegars were produced at three different pyrolysis temperatures, 350, 400, and 450 °C. Antifungal activities of vinegars were evaluated using a Petri dish bioassay with 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% (v/v) against a white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, and a brown-rot fungus, Fomitopsis palustris. Antitermite activities were tested using a no-choice bioassay method for Coptotermes formosanus with 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% (v/v). All the wood vinegars exhibited antifungal activities against T. versicolor. In particular, the wood vinegar produced at 350 °C resulted in complete inhibition of T. versicolor growth at 1.0 and 1.5%. However, higher concentrations were required to obtain growth inhibition of F. palustris. All the wood vinegars exhibited antitermite activity to C. formosanus workers in the no-choice experiment at relatively high concentrations. For instance, 10% concentration was required to achieve 100% mortality against C. formosanus at all production temperatures. The lowest mass loss of the treated filter paper of 11.75% was obtained with a 350 °C—10.0% combination.     

Ganoderma boninense basidiospores in oil palm plantations: evaluation of their possible role in stem rots of Elaeis guineensis

Basidiospores are implicated in the distribution and genetic diversity of Ganoderma boninense, cause of basal stem rot (BSR) and upper stem rot (USR) of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Measurement of aerial basidiospores within plantations in Sumatra showed continuous and high production over 24 h (range c. 2–11 000 spores m^?3) with maximum release during early evening. Basidiospores applied to cut surfaces of fronds, peduncles and stems germinated in situ. Equivalent, extensive wounds are created during plantation harvesting and management and represent potential sites for formation of infective heterokaryons following mating of haploid basidiospore germlings. Use of spore‐sized micro‐beads showed that basidiospores could be pulled up to 10 cm into severed xylem vessels, where they are relatively protected from dehydration, UV irradiation and competing microflora. Diversity of isolates from five locations on two plantations was assessed by RAMS fingerprinting. Isolates from within individual palms with USR were identical and represent single infections, but different USR infections had unique band patterns and revealed separate infections. Some BSR‐affected trees contained more than one isolate, and thus had multiple infections. There was one example of adjacent BSR palms with the same isolate, indicating vegetative spread, but there were no identical genets from BSR infections and adjacent fallen palms. Isolate diversity was as great within a plantation as between plantations. It is evident that basidiospores play a major role in spread and genetic variability of G. boninense. Evidence for direct basidiospore infection via cut fronds, indirectly through roots via colonized debris and less frequently, infection by vegetative, clonal spread is considered.     

Korean <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica oleracea</Emphasis> germplasm offers a novel source of qualitative resistance to blackleg disease

Blackleg disease, caused by the hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, is one of the most devastating disease of Brassica species worldwide. To date, a total of 20 race-specific blackleg resistance (R) genes have been reported and all of those loci are located in either the A or B genomes of various Brassica species. The B. oleracea genome (CC) shares a high ancestral synteny with the A genome of B. rapa, suggesting the presence of qualitative (race specific) resistance to blackleg disease is also possible in B. oleracea germplasm. In the present study the C genome of Korean B. oleracea germplasm was screened for the presence of blackleg R genes. Thirty-two inbred cabbage lines with unknown resistance profiles, along with five control B. napus lines with well-characterised race-specific R genes, were assessed for cotyledon resistance against two L. maculans isolates with known and highly-contrasting avirulence gene (Avr) profiles. Two cabbage accessions were identified which produced a strong resistance when challenged with either isolate, demonstrating the presence of effective blackleg R genes in the cabbage C genome. Additionally, 16 microsatellite markers linked to seven different R genes of the B. napus A genome were converted into markers for their homologous regions on the B. oleracea C genome. These markers were used to screen all B. oleracea lines to assess if the novel C genome R genes were syntenous to known R gene-homologous regions of the A genome. The resistant cabbage lines offer C genome R genes for the protection of B. oleracea varieties against incursion of blackleg disease, as well as novel additional resistance sources for introgression into B. napus and B. carinata breeding material.