Prickly paddy melon (Cucumis myriocarpus) poisoning of cattle

Twenty-six Hereford heifers died after eating mostly ripe fruit of Cucumis myriocarpus growing in a fallowed cultivation paddock. Four affected cattle were dehydrated and apparently had abdominal pain. Necropsy of three revealed intense congestion with haemorrhage of the alimentary tract, numerous C. myriocarpus seeds in ruminal contents, pulmonary congestion and oedema and, in two, swollen livers. Midzonal swelling and vacuolation of hepatocytes occurred in these two. C. myriocarpus fruit (83% by weight ripe) were dosed to two calves at 60 g wet weight/kg live weight. Both collapsed with tachycardia and dyspnoea and died within 6 h. Their packed cell volumes just before death had increased to 0.7. They had hydropic degeneration and necrosis of the ruminal mucosa, intense congestion and oedema of the rumen, abomasum and intestines, swollen and vacuolated hepatocytes and foci of myocardial degeneration and necrosis. Two other calves were dosed daily with 20 g fruit/kg for three days, then 40 g/kg for three days. One calf received a further 40 g/kg next day. Both calves developed persistent diarrhoea and neutrophilia, and their plasma gamma glutamyltransferase and bilirubin concentrations increased. Necropsy revealed necrosis and oedema of the rumen and swollen degenerate hepatocytes.     

Evaluation of ciliary movement in tracheal rings to assess immunity against infectious bronchitis virus

Chickens vaccinated at one and 14 days of age with a live vaccine containing the Massachusetts and Connecticut strains of infectious bronchitis virus were protected against challenge with a Massachusetts strain administered at 5 weeks of age. The virus recovery method in which tracheal swabs taken 4 days post-challenge were used to inoculate chicken embryos was compared with the method based on ciliary activity in tracheal explants. The results showed that evaluation of ciliary activity effectively measured immunity to infectious bronchitis virus. Serological results obtained in a microneutralization test using chicken embryo kidney cells correlated with the immune status of the birds as well as with the alpha neutralization results obtained using chicken embryos.     

Protection of Brucella abortus RB51 revaccinated cows, introduced in a herd with active brucellosis, with presence of atypical humoral response

It is a dogma, that RB51 vaccination does not induce antibodies that interfere with Brucellosis diagnosis, therefore any animal positive to serological test is considered as an infected animal. To determine protection against Brucellosis virulent field strain, 35 pregnant cows from a free-Brucellosis herd, previously vaccinated as calves with 1 x 10(10) CFU of RB51, were revaccinated with RB51 reduced dose, and then introduced into a herd with an active outbreak. Seventeen cows resulted positive in card test after revaccination. All 35 pregnant revaccinated cows had normal parturition; nevertheless, RB51 vaccine strain was isolated from milk and vaginal exudates from two cows after delivery at day 120 post-revaccination. At 150 days post-revaccination, two cows were positives to card and rivanol test and the field virulent strain was isolated. Revaccination with a reduced dose of RB51 in endemic zones did not cause abortion and protected 94% of animals against field infection, but caused an atypical response to conventional serological tests.     

Morphometric analysis of the corneal endothelium of Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) using scanning electron microscopy

The objective of this study was to examine the endothelial surface morphology and to perform morphometric analysis of the corneal endothelial cells of Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) using scanning electron microscopy. Morphometric analysis with regard to polygonality, mean cell area, cell density and coefficient of variation of mean cell area was performed. Cell areas were measured using image analysis software. The normal corneal endothelium of Yacare caiman consisted of polygonal cells of uniform size and shape with interdigitations of the cell borders. Microvilli appeared as protrusions on the cellular surface. The average cell area was 270 +/- 24 microm(2) and the endothelial cell density was 3704 +/- 324 cells/mm(2). The coefficient of variation of cell area was 0.22. This study demonstrates that the Yacare caiman corneal endothelium is similar to those described in other vertebrates.     

Contents of carboxylic acids and two phenolics and antioxidant activity of dried portuguese wild edible mushrooms

The organic acids and phenolics compositions of nine wild edible mushrooms species (Suillus bellini, Tricholomopsis rutilans, Hygrophorus agathosmus, Amanita rubescens, Russula cyanoxantha, Boletus edulis, Tricholoma equestre, Suillus luteus, and Suillus granulatus) were determined by HPLC-UV and HPLC-DAD, respectively. The antioxidant potential of these species was also assessed by using the DPPH* scavenging assay. The results showed that all of the species presented a profile composed of at least five organic acids: oxalic, citric, malic, quinic, and fumaric acids. In a general way, the pair of malic plus quinic acids were the major compounds. Only very small amounts of two phenolic compounds were found in some of the analyzed species: p-hydroxybenzoic acid (in A. rubescens, R. cyanoxantha, and T. equestre) and quercetin (in S. luteus and S. granulatus). All of the species exhibited a concentration-dependent scavenging ability against DPPH*. T. rutilans revealed the highest antioxidant capacity.     

Myophosphorylase deficiency (glycogen storage disease Type V) in Charolais cattle

Extract

Myophosphorylase deficiency (glycogen storage disease Type V) has been diagnosed in Charolais calves in New Zealand. It is manifested as exercise intolerance and recumbency, usually at several weeks of age, due to an inability to mobilise glucose, as glucose phosphate, from glycogen. Affected calves may rise and walk after a rest to again become affected on further exercise. There is rhabdomyolysis and after repeated or severe attacks the calf may remain recumbent and need to be euthanised. The mutant phosphorylase gene has been described. We have established a PCR-RFLP test based on a published method, and have confirmed the diagnosis in affected calves and heterozygous status of sires, dams and other related individuals belonging to an extended family. In addition, several other non-related heterozygotes have been identified in that and another herd. There appears to have been importations of the gene from both England and America.     

Comparison of Synthetic Oviductal Fluid and G1/G2 Medium under Low‐1 Oxygen Atmosphere on Embryo Production and Pregnancy Rates in Nelore (Bos indicus) Cattle

In this work, we evaluated whether embryo development and pregnancy rates would be affected by culturing bovine Bos indicus embryos in Synthetic Oviductal Fluid with amino acids (SOFaa) or G1/G2 sequential medium under a low‐oxygen atmosphere. Using Ovum Pick Up, we obtained 1,538 oocytes, divided into G1/G2 (n = 783) and SOFaa (n = 755). No difference was observed for blastocyst development among the groups (27.8% ± 14.6 and 34.9% ± 20.0 for G1/G2 and SOFaa respectively, p > 0.05). Transferring the embryos (n = 450) from both groups to recipients resulted in similar pregnancy rates for the G1/G2 (38.4% n = 78/203) compared to the SOFaa (39.7% n = 98/247). Our findings confirm that Bos indicus embryos cultured in SOFaa and G1/G2 under low‐oxygen atmosphere have similar in vitro (blastocyst rate) and in vivo (pregnancy rate) developmental capacity. However, embryos cultured in G1/G2 medium have higher cleavage than those cultured in SOFaa medium.     

Determining the bioavailability of contaminants and assessing the quality of sediments

Background, Aims and Scope  

Our study determined if and when an avoidance or attraction behavioural response would be displayed by Ilyanassa obsoleta when presented with a choice between harbour and reference sediments. Our goal was to develop a non-lethal approach that could be used in future assessments of the environmental quality of field sediments.