Biochemical and Protein Profile of Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) Uterine Horn Fluid During Early Pregnancy

South American camelids show high embryo loss rate, during the first 60 days of pregnancy. One of the factors which may be related to this situation is that over 98% of the embryos implant in the left uterine horn (LUH) even though both ovaries contribute similarly to ovulation. There is scarce information about the uterine environment of female camelids at any physiological state that could explain the capability of the LUH to attract the embryo and maintain pregnancy. We describe, for the first time, the biochemical and protein profile of uterine fluid (UF), addressing the right and LUH environment in non‐pregnant and pregnant alpacas. Different substrates, electrolytes and metabolites were assayed in both uterine horn fluids. Small changes were observed in glucose and total protein levels, which were more noticeable during pregnancy. In addition, 10 specific proteins were found in the left horn fluid in 5‐week‐pregnant alpacas, and two protein bands were identified in non‐pregnant alpaca right horn fluid. These results would provide basic information for identification of possible markers for pregnancy diagnosis, reproductive diseases and hormone‐treated animals evaluation and hence contributing to improve the pregnancy rate.     

Focal metatarsal fistulae syndrome affecting a greyhound dog successfully treated with topical 0.1% tacrolimus ointment

Metatarsal fistulation is an uncommon cutaneous condition reported almost exclusively in German shepherd dogs and their cross‐breeds. To the best of the authors’ knowledge this is the first reported case of focal metatarsal fistulae syndrome affecting a greyhound. Remission was obtained within 6 weeks of commencing treatment using compounded 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice daily and the dog remained stable for another 6 months with twice weekly application before treatment was discontinued. The dog remained in remission at the time of writing, which is 1 year after treatment withdrawal.     

Testing woody fuel consumption models for application in Australian southern eucalypt forest fires

Five models for the consumption of coarse woody debris or woody fuels with a diameter larger than 0.6 cm were assessed for application in Australian southern eucalypt forest fires including: CONSUME models for (1) activity fuels, (2) natural western woody and (3) natural southern woody fuels, (4) the BURNUP model and (5) the recommendation by the Australian National Carbon Accounting System which assumes 50% woody fuel consumption. These models were assessed using field data collected as part of the woody fuel consumption project (WFCP) in south-west Western Australia and northern-central Victoria. Three additional datasets were also sourced to increase variability in forest type, fuel complex and fire characteristics. These datasets comprised data from south-west Western Australia collected as part of Project Aquarius, the Warra Long Term Ecological Research site in Tasmania and Tumbarumba in south-eastern New South Wales. Combined the dataset represents a range of fire behaviour characteristic of prescribed burning conditions with a maximum fireline intensity of almost 4000 kW m⁻¹.     

DNA barcoding reveals clear delineation between spawning sites for neritic versus oceanic fishes in the Gulf of Mexico

We combined research‐vessel cruises of opportunity with DNA barcoding to survey planktonic, percomorph fish eggs at 40 stations distributed across and around the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). The objectives were (a) to determine whether eggs of fishes that are potential candidates for the daily egg production method (DEPM) can be readily barcoded, (b) to identify taxa that are spawning in the GoM, (c) to determine encounter rates for eggs of economically valuable taxa, and (d) to characterize individual egg taxa as being primarily neritic, primarily oceanic, or primarily mixed (i.e., both neritic and oceanic). Of the 1,144 eggs that were individually barcoded, 709 (62%) were definitively identified to species (62 species from 42 families), with an additional 20 taxa identified to genus or subfamily level. The eggs of 15 economically important species were identified, most of which had intermediate encounter rates and moderately dispersed spatial distributions, as indicated by an index of aggregation. SIMPROF analysis of stationwise cluster analysis identified eight significant groups within the 35 stations that yielded percomorph eggs; a corresponding specieswise analysis identified six groups of stations as having a neritic egg community and two groups as having an oceanic community, with a community transition located at the shelf break. Although the neritic and oceanic stations did not share important species, it remains possible that coastal pelagic species have mixed neritic–oceanic distributions. Together, these results indicate DEPM fish‐egg surveys based on DNA barcoding are feasible at the large marine ecosystem scale.     

Early maritime economy and El Nino events at quebrada tacahuay, peru

The archaeological site of Quebrada Tacahuay, Peru, dates to 12,700 to 12,500 calibrated years before the present (10,770 to 10,530 carbon-14 years before the present). It contains some of the oldest evidence of maritime-based economic activity in the New World. Recovered materials include a hearth, lithic cutting tools and flakes, and abundant processed marine fauna, primarily seabirds and fish. Sediments below and above the occupation layer were probably generated by El Nino events, indicating that El Nino was active during the Pleistocene as well as during the early and middle Holocene.     

Development of a seedling screening test for predicting relative grain protein content in oats

Summary Growth room experiments were conducted to study associations of grain protein content with properties of seedling leaf sections of oats (Avena sativa L.) using (1) 10 cultivars differing genetically in grain % protein, and (2) 10 populations of a single high protien cultivar (Hinoat) differing phenotypically in grain % protein. These populations, which were derived from a nitrogen fertilizer experiment, had grain protein concentrations which varied over the whole range displayed by the high and low protein cultivars when the latter were tested in a conventional field trial.Seedling leaf % protein was closely associated with grain % protein in both (1) and (2). Chlorophyll content per unit leaf area and leaf dry weight per unit leaf area were significantly higher in the high than in the low protein cultivars, and were significantly higher in all the Hinoat populations than in the low protein cultivars.Excised seedling leaf sections were placed on filter paper moistened with 1 ppm kinetin solution and kept in the dark at 25°C. After 96 h chlorophyll content per unit leaf area was again significantly higher in the high protein cultivars and in all the Hinoat populations than in the low protein cultivars, and the consequent differences in leaf colour were then readily visible. Absolute amounts of chlorophyll lost per unit leaf area were similar in all cultivars and populations, but the low protein cultivars showed a greater proportional loss (as % of initial content). A colour scale was used to visually rate the senesced leaf sections. The visual rating allowed the rapid separation of the high and low protein cultivars, and there was no significant variation in the ratings of the Hinoat populations.It is suggested that this procedure may be useful in the early selection phases of protein breeding programs for screening large populations rapidly at the seedling stage to detect genetic differences in potential grain protein content.Contribution No. 438 from Ottawa Research Station.     

Morphological variation of Solanum elaeagnifolium in south‐eastern Australia

Solanum elaeagnifolium (silverleaf nightshade) is an invasive perennial weed in Australia, with aerial growth commencing in spring from either the perennial root system or the soil seedbank, with senescence occurring in autumn. A total of 642 S. elaeagnifolium individuals were collected at flowering from 92 locations in south‐eastern Australia to study morphological variation and its implications for management. Large morphological variation was found between individuals from different locations. Leaf length, width and area ranged from 1.44 to 10.6 cm, 0.39 to 4.09 cm and 0.41 to 25.8 cm² respectively. Plants from higher rainfall regions were significantly taller and had larger leaves, suggesting a possible correlation between rainfall and morphology. Scanning electron microscopy comparison of leaf surfaces showed lower trichome and stomatal densities on the adaxial surface (67.0 ± 3.3 trichomes mm^?2 and 603.4 ± 29.2 stomata mm^?2 respectively) than on the abaxial surface (131.9 ± 7.2 trichomes mm^?2 and 813.7 ± 30.5 stomata mm^?2 respectively). The morphological plasticity of S. elaeagnifolium highlighted in this study could probably contribute to its adaptability and partly explain its establishment and continuing expansion in Australia.     

The nutritional management of gastrointestinal tract disorders in companion animals

Dietary protein, carbohydrates, fats and fibre have marked influences on gastrointestinal tract function and dysfunction. This article reviews the nutritional management of common gastrointestinal disorders in companion animals and introduces some of the current areas of research including probiotics, prebiotics, protein-hydrolysate diets, immunonutrition and dietary fibre.

Nutritional management of oesophageal disease revolves around varying the consistency of the diet and feeding the animal from an elevated container. Provision of bowel rest remains the mainstay of the management of acute gastroenteritis but food-based oral rehydration solutions are a useful adjunct. The recommended diet for chronic small bowel diarrhoea is a highly digestible, hypoallergenic, gluten-free, low-lactose and low-fat diet with modest amounts of fermentable fibre. The use of probiotics in the management of diarrhoea in companion animals has not yet been shown to be beneficial. It is likely that prebiotics will prove more effective than probiotics in the prevention of enteropathogenic infections.

Approximately 50% of cats in New Zealand that suffer from chronic idiopathic vomiting or diarrhoea will respond to a novel-protein-elimination diet and approximately 30% meet the diagnostic criteria for food sensitivity. Growing evidence supports the use of protein-hydrolysate diets in the management of inflammatory bowel disease and further advances in immunonutrition are expected. The dietary management of colitis should include a hypoallergenic diet with a fermentable fibre source.

Manipulation of the diet provides clinicians a powerful therapeutic strategy to be used alone or concurrently with drug therapy in the management of gastrointestinal disorders.     

Time of emergence impacts the growth and reproduction of silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.)

Silverleaf nightshade is one of the worst agricultural weeds on a worldwide basis. Improved understanding of its life cycle will be useful for weed management. This research showed that the growth and reproduction of silverleaf nightshade were affected significantly by the time of emergence. Plants (both root‐ and seed‐generated) that emerged early in the growing season, such as in September or November (spring), were significantly taller and produced more biomass and fruit than plants that emerged in January (summer) and March (autumn). Delayed emergence resulted in a shorter vegetative phase and less fruit production. As a result, the silverleaf nightshade plants that emerged in September produced a large amount of seeds, while the plants that emerged later in the season did not flower. Thus, control of early‐emerging plants is important. The dynamics of fruit production indicated that silverleaf nightshade fruit formed in December and peaked in March, which suggests that a control action is required before December to control the soil seed bank.