Canine fetal echocardiography: correlations for the analysis of cardiac dimensions

The aim of this study was to develop regression models for correlation of canine fetal heart development with body size to characterize normal development or suggest cardiac anomalies. Twenty clinically healthy pregnant bitches, either brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic, were examined ultrasonographically. Transabdominal fetal echocardiography was conducted every 4 days from the beginning of cardiac chambers differentiation until parturition. Ten cardiac parameters were measured: length, width and diameter of the heart; heart area; left and right ventricular dimensions; left and right atrial dimensions; and aortic and pulmonary artery diameter. Femoral length, biparietal diameter and abdominal cross-sectional area were also recorded. Regression equations were developed for each parameter of fetal body size, and linear and logarithmic models were compared. The model with the highest correlation coefficient was chosen to produce equations to calculate relative dimensions based on the correlations. Only the left-ventricular chamber differed between the two racial groups. Biparietal diameter was the independent parameter that produced the highest correlation coefficient for the most fetal cardiac dimensions, although good correlations were also observed using femoral length and abdominal cross-sectional area. Heart width and heart diameter were used as surrogates of cardiac development, as these measurements showed the best statistical correlation. Quantitative evaluation of fetal cardiac structures can be used to monitor normal and abnormal cardiac development.     

First report of Seville root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hispanica) infecting tobacco in the Brazil

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is one of the major nonfood crops in the Southern of Brazil. During 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 crop seasons, Root Knot...     

Canine squamous cell carcinoma: Electrochemotherapy association with surgery and correlation with overall survival

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an important malignancy in dogs, due to its incidence and clinical presentation, which can be of locally aggressive single or multiple lesions with a metastatic potential. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate SCC response to treatment, anatomopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics, disease-free interval and overall survival time. 54 dogs with histopathologically diagnosed SCC were included in this study. Their mean age was 9.16 years with a range of 1–14 years. Of the 54 animals in the study, 34 (65.4%) had white skin and white fur coats. There was a significant correlation between fur coat colour and the development of tumours in areas of sun exposure (p = .001). Animals with tumours in areas of the body exposed to the sun had longer overall survival time than animals with tumours in areas not associated with sun exposure (p = .001). Surgery combined with electrochemotherapy (ECT) yielded a survival rate 32% higher than using a surgical approach alone (HR = 0.32, p = .038, IC = 0.11–0.94). ECT, with or without surgery, had an objective response rate of 90.9%. Local lymph node and/or distant site metastasis at diagnosis, or at some point during follow-up, occurred in 34.6% (18/52) of animals. Animals with tumours in sun exposed locations had more aggressive histopathological characteristics but had longer overall survival time. This is probably due to individualised therapeutic treatment with both surgery and ECT.     

Total Phenolic Levels,In Vitro Antioxidant Properties,and Fatty Acid Profile of Two Microalgae,Tetraselmis marina Strain IMA043 and Naviculoid Diatom Strain IMA053, Isolated from the North Adriatic Sea

This work studied the potential biotechnological applications of a naviculoid diatom (IMA053) and a green microalga (Tetraselmis marina IMA043) isolated from the North Adriatic Sea. Water, methanol, and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts were prepared from microalgae biomass and evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC) and in vitro antioxidant properties. Biomass was profiled for fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) composition. The DCM extracts had the highest levels of total phenolics, with values of 40.58 and 86.14 mg GAE/g dry weight (DW in IMA053 and IMA043, respectively). The DCM extracts had a higher radical scavenging activity (RSA) than the water and methanol ones, especially those from IMA043, with RSAs of 99.65% toward 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)diammonium salt (ABTS) at 10 mg/mL, and of 103.43% against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) at 5 mg/mL. The DCM extract of IMA053 displayed relevant copper chelating properties (67.48% at 10 mg/mL), while the highest iron chelating activity was observed in the water extract of the same species (92.05% at 10 mg/mL). Both strains presented a high proportion of saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids. The results suggested that these microalgae could be further explored as sources of natural antioxidants for the pharmaceutical and food industry and as feedstock for biofuel production.     

First molecular detection of canine herpesvirus 1 (CaHV-1) in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon

BackgroundCanine herpesvirus type 1 (CaHV-1) infects dogs and is associated with neonatal deaths and reproductive, ocular, neurological, and respiratory problems. In Brazil, reports of CaHV-1 have been restricted to the southeast and south regions, particularly in municipalities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.ObjectivesTo assess the presence and variability of CaHV-1 in canine populations in the state of Pará, North Brazil.MethodsBiological samples from 159 dogs from 4 municipalities in the State of Pará were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction and phylogenetic analyses, with the target being the viral enzyme, thymidine kinase.ResultsCaHV-1 was detected in 13 dogs (8.2%), with 2 animals being from the municipality of Santa Bárbara do Pará, 8 from Algodoal Island, 2 from Salinópolis, and one from Capanema. The study sequences revealed 100% identity among themselves and 64% to 100% identity with the other nucleotide sequences from Australia, Brazil, United Kingdom, and United States, including 100% identity with the 2002 isolate from Australia. The 1996 isolate from France was grouped in a branch that was different from the sequence of this study.ConclusionsThis study presents the first molecular detection of CaHV-1 in dogs from the Amazon region in northern Brazil. The nucleotide identity between the strains and cytosine insertion in the sequences isolated in this study suggests at least 2 strains of CaHV-1 circulating in Brazil (Pará and BTU-1).     

Influence of Salinity in the Bioavailability of Zn in Sediments of the Gulf of Cádiz (Spain)

This study assesses the effect of salinity in bioavailability and toxicity of Zn by means of laboratory bioassays by observing contamination in both sediment and water, accumulation of Zn in biological tissues, and histopathological damage in the gills and guts tissues of Ruditapes philippinarum clams, which were exposed to different types of sediments from the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Spain) as well as two dilutions of toxic mud coming from an accidental mining spill. With this objective, the coefficients of distribution (K _D) for Zn between overlying water and sediments were calculated, the histopathological frequencies in the tissues of the gills and guts of clams were determined, and the biota-sediment bioaccumulation factors as well as the bioaccumulation factors were quantified in the different stations. Results showed that the greatest histopathological damages appeared when the salinity values decreased. Statistical results showed that salinity was inversely correlated with histopathological damage (p?<?0.01) for the lesion index for gills. The most outstanding results were observed in the two dilutions of toxic mud (0.3% and 7.9%) at a salinity value of 10. Salinity was inversely correlated with the concentration of Zn in biological tissues (p?<?0.05) and inversely correlated with the concentration of Zn in water and sediment. Zn mobilization to the overlying water is produced when salinity values decrease.     

Effect of nutrient solution salinity and ionic concentration on parsley (Petroselinum crispum Mill.) essential oil yield and content

The growth and essential oil (EO) production of parsley were evaluated in response to salinity and nutrient solution concentrations in a soilless culture. Parsley plants that were 60 days old were potted in a coconut fiber and peat moss medium and were treated with four different nutrient solutions, including T1, T2, T3 and T4. The T1 nutrient solution was the standard, the T2 and T3 solutions contained incremental macronutrient concentrations with an electrical conductivity (EC) of up to 2.2 and 3.2 dS m^?1, respectively, and the T4 solution was the same as T2 but with sodium chloride (NaCl) and an incremental macronutrient concentration with an EC of 3.2 dS m^?1. Next, these plants were grown for 90 days in a greenhouse with natural daylight in Nador, Morocco. Shoot and root growth significant decreased with increasing EC. However, the salinity that resulted from the addition of NaCl did not affect plant growth in the nutrient solutions. The optimum obtained growth and EO production were 1.2 and 2.2 dS m^?1, respectively. Consequently, the optimum EC value (based on the EO production) of parsley in the soilless culture was 1.2–2.2 dS m^?1.     

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Coupled with Chemometrics Tools: A Rapid and Non-Destructive Alternative on Soil Evaluation

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a rapid, non-destructive and accurate technique for analyzing a wide variety of samples, thus, the growing interest of using this technique in soil science. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of NIR spectroscopy to predict organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (P) and available potassium (K) in the soil. NIR spectra from 20 cm³ of soil samples were acquired on the range of 750 to 2500 nm in diffuse reflectance mode, resolution of 16 cm^?1 and 64 scans. Eight models of calibration/validation were constructed. Calibration and validation models showed that the predictive potential of NIR varied with the specific soil property (OC, TN, P and K) under evaluation and according to the methodology employed in the model construction (cross-validation or test set). Good prediction models were obtained for OC and TN content based on the statistical parameters. Test set methodology was able to predict soil OC, TN, P, and K better than cross-validation methodology.     

Intermediate landscape disturbance maximizes metapopulation density

The viability of metapopulations in fragmented landscapes has become a central theme in conservation biology. Landscape fragmentation is increasingly recognized as a dynamical process: in many situations, the quality of local habitats must be expected to undergo continual changes. Here we assess the implications of such recurrent local disturbances for the equilibrium density of metapopulations. Using a spatially explicit lattice model in which the considered metapopulation as well as the underlying landscape pattern change dynamically, we show that equilibrium metapopulation density is maximized at intermediate frequencies of local landscape disturbance. On both sides around this maximum, the metapopulation may go extinct. We show how the position and shape of the intermediate viability maximum is responding to changes in the landscape’s overall habitat quality and the population’s propensity for local extinction. We interpret our findings in terms of a dual effect of intensified landscape disturbances, which on the one hand exterminate local populations and on the other hand enhance a metapopulation’s capacity for spreading between habitat clusters.     

Comparative intestinal absorption of amino acids in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi) and Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis)

The kinetics of amino acid absorption in the proximal section of three fish species were studied using an everted intestine technique and a pancreatic digest of casein (Tryptone), as the model amino acid mixture. Fresh intestine of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was used to set up the experimental system, and results were compared with those obtained using intestines from totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi) and bluefin tuna fish (Thunnus orientalis). The kinetics of amino acid absorption was sigmoidal for all amino acids and for each species of fish tested. In general, specific absorptions of essential amino acids were higher than those of non‐essential ones. No correlation between the concentration of amino acids in the Tryptone solution and the corresponding absorptions was found. The maximum specific absorption rates of all amino acids for trout were 10 times higher than those determined for totoaba and bluefin tuna. The relative amounts of the different amino acids preferentially absorbed in all three species were different. Results obtained from the everted technique may be applicable to the design of formulated diets for large fish species with commercial value.