<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Cloprostenol enhances estrus synchronization in tropical hair sheep

To compare the effects of PGF2α (dinoprost tromethamine) and d-cloprostenol in a two-dose protocol for estrus synchronization in hair sheep during breeding season in Yucatán, México, two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, 61 cyclic hair sheep were divided into two groups: G1 (control n?=?30), two doses of 50 μg of dinoprost tromethamine IM with 12 days between applications, and G2 (n?=?31), two doses of 50 μg of d-cloprostenol IM at the same time interval. For determination of progesterone levels, 16 ewes from each group were randomly selected. In experiment 2, 70 cyclic hair sheep were assigned at the same treatments (G1 and G2, n?=?35) and 48 h after the second application, the ewes in estrus were detected by two vasectomized rams. Sheep with detected estrus were inseminated, and 45 days after, pregnant animals were identified by ultrasonography. An exact Fisher’s test was performed for the analysis of ewes in estrus (experiments 1 and 2) and number of pregnant ewes (experiment 2); for the comparison of time between end of treatment-estrus presentation, a survival analysis was used. Duration of estrus in hours was analyzed using a generalized mixed model (GLM) ANOVA whereas plasma progesterone concentrations were analyzed by non-linear regression. There were significant differences (P?<?0.05) in the proportion of ewes in estrus upon treatments (G1, 57% vs G2, 87% and G1, 37.1% vs G2, 65.7% in experiments 1 and 2, respectively), and between the end of treatment-onset estrus interval (P?<?0.01), survival curves showed the highest number of sheep in estrus between 40 and 48 h (G1, 43.7?+?8.05 h vs G2, 42.9?+?6.7 h, experiment 1). There were no significant differences (P?>?0.05) in duration of estrus (G1, 42?+?6.1 h, vs G2, 41.1?+?11.2 h, experiment 1) and pregnancy in the ewes that presented estrus, and were inseminated (G1, 38.4% vs 52.1%, experiment 2). With regard to concentrations of progesterone, significant differences (P?<?0.01) were found between treatments, and progesterone levels before the second application of d-cloprostenol were higher. In consideration of the results, it can be concluded that in a two-dose protocol of a luteolytic agent, more ewes presented estrus in response to d-cloprostenol compared to dinoprost tromethamine with similar pregnancy rates.     

Effect of emerged shipment on the physiological condition of the adductor muscle in adult giant lion's paw scallop Nodipecten subnodosus (Sowerby 1835)

Currently, there is an increasing interest in shipping live adult scallops to markets and broodstock to hatcheries; nevertheless, information about the shipping effect on live scallops physiology is very scarce. In a previous study, a method in emersion was developed to ship scallop seed out of water, but it was not known whether this method is useful to transport adult organisms. As a consequence, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of transportation by the emersion method on the physiological status of the adductor muscle of adult giant lion's paw scallop. Live specimens were packaged in a container and transported in emersion for 11 h. Six scallops were frozen in a farm and a similar number were frozen as soon as they arrived to the laboratory. Physiological indices were determined in each lot and the survival was estimated 24 h after re‐immersion. As a result of the transportation, a significant loss (P<0.05) of total carbohydrates, glycogen, adenosine 5′‐triphosphate and adenilated energetic charge, and a significant increase (P<0.05) in the free amino acids concentration were observed. Eighty‐eight per cent survival was achieved; therefore, we conclude that this method is appropriate for shipping live adult scallops of Nodipecten subnodosus.     

Effect of Copper(II), Lead(II), and Zinc(II) on Growth and Sporulation of Halophytophthora from Taiwan Mangroves

This study evaluated the effect of lead (Pb(II)), zinc (Zn(II)) and copper (Cu(II)) on growth and sporulation of four Halophytophthora species (Halophytophthora vesicula, Halophytophthora elongata, Halophytophthora spinosa var. lobata, and an oogonia-producing Halophytophthora sp.) isolated from different mangrove sites in Taiwan. Results show that all isolates grew well or even better at 1 ppm concentration of the heavy metals tested. Growth of all test isolates was totally inhibited at 500 ppm, except for H. spinosa var. lobata exposed to Zn(II). For sporulation, all isolates produced moderate to abundant zoosporangia or oogonia at 1 ppm Pb(II) and Zn(II). Production of zoosporangia by H. vesicula, H. elongata and H. spinosa var. lobata was significantly affected or totally inhibited at 1 ppm Pb(II) and Zn(II) and all concentrations of Cu(II). Abnormal oogonia were produced by Halophytophthora sp. at 10 ppm Cu(II) and 100 ppm of the three heavy metals. In general, Cu(II) and Zn(II) were found to be the most toxic, and the least toxic was Pb(II). H. spinosa var. lobata was the most tolerant to all the heavy metals, while H. vesicula and H. elongata were the most sensitive. Results of this study shows that increased concentrations of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) in the mangrove environment can significantly affect growth and impair normal reproduction of Halophytophthora species.     

Edible neotropical blueberries: antioxidant and compositional fingerprint analysis

Edible blueberry species are well recognized for their potential health benefits. Ericaceae fruits including the North American highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) and five less common edible blueberry relatives from the New World tropics, Anthopterus wardii Ball, Cavendishia grandifolia Hoerold, Macleania coccoloboides A. C. Smith, Sphyrospermum buxifolium Poeppig & Endlicher, and Sphyrospermum cordifolium Benth, were investigated for their antioxidant properties and phenolic profiles. The neotropical berries C. grandifolia and A. wardii exhibited significantly higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(?)) and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS(??+)) free radical scavenging and iron chelation activities than V. corymbosum. Total phenolic content and high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-PDA) compositional fingerprint analyses were also carried out. Significant correlations were observed among total phenolic contents, DPPH(?) and ABTS(??+) scavenging, and iron chelation activities. By use of HPLC-PDA, the phenolic constituents in the berries were identified as chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, hyperoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, isoorientin, isovitexin, orientin and vitexin. Principal component analysis reduced the dimensions of antioxidant and total phenolic data to two components, which accounted for 95% of total variation among the six fruits. Each fruit species formed its own cluster, and therefore the antioxidant profile of each species was shown to be distinct.     

Immunodiagnosis of current fasciolosis in sheep naturally exposed to Fasciola hepatica by using a 2.9 kDa recombinant protein

A 2.9 kDa recombinant-Fasciola hepatica protein (FhrAPS) was employed to estimate the prevalence of fasciolosis in sheep maintained under field conditions. For this purpose, 340 samples with known status in relation to fasciolosis by using a direct-ELISA and the coprological sedimentation were used. These samples were analysed by using an indirect-ELISA (iELISA) and the FhrAPS recombinant protein and excretory/secretory antigens (FhES) of this trematode. Current fasciolosis (CF) was named when results were positive to antigenemia and/or coprology. Out of 198 sheep with current fasciolosis, 68% were positive to the FhrAPS-ELISA test and 53% to the FhES. We observed 14% of the CF-neg sheep were positive to the FhrAPS, whereas this percentage was 52% with the FhES. A significant correlation between FhrAPS and current fasciolosis was obtained (r2=0.513, p=0.001). We concluded that the FhrAPS provides a more suitable antigen than FhES for developing field trials to know the prevalence of early and current fasciolosis.     

Bioindication and modelling of atmospheric deposition in forests enable exposure and effect monitoring at high spatial density across scales

Key message

Moss surveys provide spatially dense data on environmental concentrations of heavy metals and nitrogen which, together with other biomonitoring and modelling data, can be used for indicating deposition to terrestrial ecosystems and related effects across time and areas of different spatial extension.

Context

For enhancing the spatial resolution of measuring and mapping atmospheric deposition by technical devices and by modelling, moss is used complementarily as bio-monitor.

Aims

This paper investigated whether nitrogen and heavy metal concentrations derived by biomonitoring of atmospheric deposition are statistically meaningful in terms of compliance with minimum sample size across several spatial levels (objective 1), whether this is also true in terms of geostatistical criteria such as spatial auto-correlation and, by this, estimated values for unsampled locations (objective 2) and whether moss indicates atmospheric deposition in a similar way as modelled deposition, tree foliage and natural surface soil at the European and country level, and whether they indicate site-specific variance due to canopy drip (objective 3).

Methods

Data from modelling and biomonitoring atmospheric deposition were statistically analysed by means of minimum sample size calculation, by geostatistics as well as by bivariate correlation analyses and by multivariate correlation analyses using the Classification and Regression Tree approach and the Random Forests method.

Results

It was found that the compliance of measurements with the minimum sample size varies by spatial scale and element measured. For unsampled locations, estimation could be derived. Statistically significant correlations between concentrations of heavy metals and nitrogen in moss and modelled atmospheric deposition, and concentrations in leaves, needles and soil were found. Significant influence of canopy drip on nitrogen concentration in moss was proven.

Conclusion

Moss surveys should complement modelled atmospheric deposition data as well as other biomonitoring approaches and offer a great potential for various terrestrial monitoring programmes dealing with exposure and effects.

     

Preparation and promotion of fruit growth in kiwifruit of fluorinated N-phenyl-N'-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl ureas

Seventeen phenyl-fluorinated analogues of thidiazuron [N-phenyl-N'-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea, TDZ] have been prepared and characterized. The effects of each fluorinated urea on growth and quality of kiwifruits (Actinidia deliciosa) were evaluated by comparison with untreated (control) and TDZ-treated fruits. The results obtained showed a clear dependence of the growth-promoting activity of these fluorinated ureas on the pattern and degree of fluorine substitution in the phenyl ring. The most effective for promoting fruit growth was N-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)-N'-(1',2',3'-thiadiazol-5'-yl)urea at 25 ppm (at harvest, treated fruits were 58% heavier than untreated ones) followed by N-(3,5-difluorophenyl)-N'-(1',2',3'-thiadiazol-5'-yl)urea at 10 ppm (50%). Comparatively, TDZ-treated fruits were 31% (10 ppm) and 38% (25 ppm) heavier than untreated ones. The results also indicate that the effects of the more active phenyl-fluorinated ureas on some standard quality parameters of fruits, for example, percent of fruit dry matter content, soluble solids contents, total titratable acids, shape, and internal structure, are similar to those of TDZ. Quantitative structure-activity relationships have been derived for the fruit growth promoting activity of the phenyl-fluorinated analogues of TDZ.     

Effects of month of breeding on reproductive efficiency of Holstein cows and heifers inseminated with sex-sorted or conventional semen in a hot environment

The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of month of breeding on reproduction performance of Holstein heifers and cows inseminated with sex-sorted or conventional semen in a hot environment. Pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI; 64,666 services over an 8-year period) both in heifers (n?=?22,313) and cows (n?=?42,353) from a large dairy herd in northern Mexico (26°N) were evaluated with the GENMOD procedure of SAS, with respect to month of AI. Overall, P/AI with sex-sorted semen was greater (P?<?0.01) in heifers (41.6 %) than cows (17.3 %). P/AI for cows serviced with conventional semen was 10 % points higher (P?<?0.01) in January and December (31 vs. 21 %) than cows serviced with sex-sorted semen. While there was no difference in P/AI between the sex-sorted sperm and conventional semen in cows inseminated in July (16 and 18 %, respectively), P/AI plummeted for both groups of cows during the summer and fall (more severe heat stress). P/AI was not different between heifers serviced with sex-sorted or conventional semen during the hottest months of the year (July to October). However, during the coldest month of the year (January and February), P/AI was 10 percentage points greater (P?<?0.01) in heifers serviced with conventional than sex-sorted semen. It was concluded that in this hot climate cow and heifer fertility declined in the summer and fall when inseminated with conventional semen. However, the use of sex-sorted semen during summer and fall did not compromise the breeding success in heifers. Thus, this data suggest that sex-sorted semen promotes some embryonic thermoprotective mechanism, which leads to a marginal summer and fall fertility depression with this type of semen in this particular hot environment.     

Development of a functional scoring system in dogs with acute spinal cord injuries

OBJECTIVES: To develop and compare the reliability of 2 methods of scoring pelvic limb gait in dogs recovering from thoracolumbar spinal cord injuries and to use this scoring system to determine the rate and level of functional recovery of dogs with acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniations. ANIMALS: 46 dogs with spinal cord injuries resulting from intervertebral disk herniations. PROCEDURE: Dogs' gaits were videotaped at different time intervals after injury. In phase 1 of the study, the stages of recovery of pelvic limb function were identified, and a numeric scoring system was devised to reflect that recovery. In phase 2, pelvic limb gait was scored by different observers, using a numeric and a visual analog scale. Intra- and interobserver coefficients of variability of both methods were compared. In phase 3, pelvic limb function was scored, using the numeric scale at various intervals after acute thoracolumbar disk herniations. RESULTS: The numeric scale was significantly more reliable than the visual analog scale when both intra- and interobserver coefficients of variability were evaluated. Dogs that were paraplegic with no deep pain sensation recovered at different rates during the first 3 months, whereas dogs that were paraplegic with deep pain sensation typically recovered within 1 month of injury. CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic limb gait of dogs recovering from thoracolumbar spinal cord injuries can be reliably quantified, using a numeric scale. This scale will facilitate the performance of clinical trials aimed at improving the outcome of acute spinal cord injuries.