Removal of a fragmented nasogastric tube from the transverse colon of a horse undergoing exploratory celiotomy for colic

This report describes the clinical course and surgical findings of a 5-year-old Warmblood gelding referred for colic with a previous history of intermittent colic episodes, and gastric ulcers diagnosed by gastroscopy in the preceding months. The horse underwent medical treatment but remained painful and surgery was elected. The horse underwent an exploratory laparotomy during which an impaction was identified in the transverse colon that was associated with an approximately 1 metre segment of nasogastric tube. The foreign body was removed via an enterotomy in the left dorsal colon, and the horse recovered well from surgery. No complications were encountered post-operatively.     

The efficacy of insecticides against the screw-worm fly (Chrysomya bezziana)

A number of insecticides used for ectoparasite control in the livestock industry were screened for their efficacy against larvae of the screw-worm fly, Chrysomya bezziana, using in vivo and laboratory tests. Proprietary screw-worm fly treatments (after exposure to outdoor conditions for up to 10 days) were also tested against eggs and adults of C bezziana. Three of these were also evaluated on naturally acquired screw-worm infestations. Residual protection was generally of short duration. Among the organophosphorus compounds, the most effective formulations contained relatively high concentrations (3 to 4% al) of coumaphos, 2.5% fenchlorphos or low concentrations (0.05 to 0.5% al) of diazinon, chlorfenvinphos and fenthion methyl. Two chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides containing 3% lindane and 5% dieldrin were very effective but are now prohibited for use in Australia. Preparations had serious deficiencies when used under field conditions, especially for treating large, deepseated myiases for which systemic insecticides are recommended. A comparison of methods demonstrated that a laboratory test could supersede live animal experimentation, at least for the initial screening of potential insecticides.     

Analysis of the risk of introduction and spread of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus through importation of raw pigmeat into New Zealand

AIMS: To determine the frequency with which porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (PRRSv) would become established in a non-commercial pig herd in New Zealand due to illegal feeding of uncooked food waste containing virus-contaminated pigmeat. To determine the likelihood of a single incursion resulting in a multi-farm outbreak of the disease, and describe the spatio-temporal characteristics of such an outbreak.

METHODS: A Monte Carlo simulation model was constructed to determine the expected annual frequency of PRRSv infection being initiated in a non-commercial pig herd as a result of inadvertent feeding of pigmeat imported from countries endemically infected with the disease. Once the likelihood of PRRSv becoming established in a single pig herd was determined, stochastic spatially explicit infectious disease modelling software was utilised to model the temporal and spatial characteristics of the resulting epidemic.

RESULTS: Assuming the proportion of imported pigmeat remained at current levels, consumption patterns of pigmeat in households in New Zealand remained steady, and limited compliance with recently reintroduced regulations to prevent feeding of uncooked food waste, at least 4.3 pig herds per year were predicted to become infected with PRRSv. Simulation modelling of PRRSv epidemics related to initial infection of a non-commercial farm produced an estimate that 36% of these incursions would spread from the initial herd, and that these outbreaks would involve 93 herds on average in the first year. By increasing the estimated persistence of PRRSv infection in small herds, an average of 205 herds became infected in the first year.

CONCLUSIONS: Given a mean of 4.3 infected premises per year and a 36% probability of infection spreading beyond the initial infected herd, there was a 95% likelihood of a multi-farm PRRS outbreak occurring within 3 years.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Introduction of PRRSv through importation of virus-contaminated pigmeat presents a high risk for establishment of the disease in the pig industry in New Zealand.     

Organic carbon stocks and soil erodibility in Canary Islands Andosols

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a key role in the structural stability of soils and in their resistance against erosion. However, and as far as andic soils are concerned, these mechanisms and processes, as well as the influence of the different types of SOC on aggregate stability, are not fully understood. The targets of this paper are: (i) to determine the content and forms of SOC in Andosols under evergreen forest vegetation [laurel (Laurus) and heather (Erica) forest] and (ii) to find out the role of soil organic matter (SOM) in the aggregate stability and in the resistance of Andosols to water erosion. Soil samples have been collected in 80 sites in a 40 km² area under udic soil moisture regime. In them, fulvic and humic acids, Walkley–Black SOC, pyrophosphate-extractable SOC, Fe and Al, potassium sulphate extractable SOC, dissolved SOC, acid oxalate-extractable Fe, Al and Si, USLE K-factor and aggregate stability have been determined. The Andosols over volcanic ash are Aluandic Andosols (non-allophanic Andosols), whereas over basaltic lava flows are Silandic Andosols (allophanic Andosols). The surface (0–30 cm) samples analyzed contain 9.5–30 kg C m^− 2 being significantly higher in allophanic Andosols (p < 0.5). Organic carbon adsorbed onto the mineral fraction (extractable pyrophosphate, C_p) accounts for 35–55% of the total SOC. All samples show a high stability to slaking and raindrop impact, being the first one highly correlated (r = 0.6) with pyrophosphate extractable C (C_p), Fe (Fe_p), and Al (Al_p) in allophanic Andosols, unlike non-allophanic ones. The stability to raindrop impact correlates with pyrophosphate extractable C (C_p) and Fe (Fe_p) in both types of soils (r = 0.3–0.6, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the high stability to both slaking and water-drop impact is due to the occurrence of allophane–Fe–OC complexes, rather than to the total OC, and the active Fe and Al forms, generated by the weathering of volcanic materials, constitute an essential constituent responsible for C sequestration and resistance to degradation in these soils.     

Effects of organic manure and chemical fertilizer on soil fertility and productivity of plant and ratoon crops of sugarcane

A long-term field experiment was initiated in November, 1967 at Research Area of Department of Soil Science to study the response of nitrogen to pearl millet-wheat cropping system at various doses and modes of farmyard manure application. The soil organic carbon increased with farmyard manure application and ranged from 0.68% in control to 1.82% in the plot receiving the highest annual dose (90 Mg ha^?1) of farmyard manure. To study the contribution of farmyard manure on the productivity of pearl millet and wheat crops, the constants (intercept and slope) were determined between the grain yield of pearl millet and wheat crops with increasing dose of fertilizer nitrogen. Another linear regression was fitted between the intercept of the linear model and the soil organic carbon content. It has been observed that with each unit increase in the soil organic carbon, the productivity of pearl millet increased by 273 kg ha^?1 and that of wheat by 1591 kg ha^?1. The regression between the slope and soil organic carbon was linear in case of pearl millet (R² 0.49) but in case of wheat there was no relationship.     

Histopathologic patterns of nephropathy in naturally acquired canine visceral leishmaniasis

Although the nephropathy of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is known both in humans and dogs, histopathologic alterations have not been thoroughly studied. We examined renal alterations in 55 dogs with naturally acquired VL compared with five noninfected dogs from an endemic area in northeastern Brazil. Glomerulonephritis was found in 55 dogs, interstitial alterations in 53 dogs, and tubular changes in 43 dogs with VL. The glomerular alterations found were minor glomerular abnormalities (n = 8, 14.5%), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (n = 10, 18.2%), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (n = 17, 32.7%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, (n = 18, 30.9%), crescentic glomerulonephritis (n = 1, 1.8%), and chronic glomerulonephritis (n = 1, 1.8%). Morphometric and ultrastructural studies complemented the analysis. The five control animals exhibited no glomerular alterations. The glomerular lesions were related to functional alterations. Considering that the alterations of canine and human nephropathy in VL are very similar, the data obtained in this study constitute an important contribution to the understanding of canine and human VL nephropathy.     

Improvements in somatic embryogenesis protocol in Feijoa (Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret): Induction,conversion and synthetic seeds

Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) syn. Feijoa sellowiana, a Brazilian indigenous Myrtaceae is under domestication in South Brazil. Previous works showed that this species is responsive to somatic embryogenesis and recalcitrant to conventional methods of clonal propagation. In the present work it was evaluated the role of components of culture medium in the induction and development of somatic embryos. The technology of synthetic seeds was also evaluated. Zygotic embryos were inoculated in LPm medium supplemented with 8 mM glutamic acid and 8 mM l-glutamine, 2,4-dichlophenoxiacetic acid (20 μM) and myo-inositol. For conversion of somatic embryos and synthetic seeds it was tested the effect of 6-benzylaminopurine and gibberellic acid combined or not with activated charcoal. The highest values for embryogenetic induction (100%) and number of somatic embryos/explant (113) were observed in the LPm medium supplemented with Glu (8 mM), and 2,4-D. The culture medium supplemented with BA (0.5 μM) and GA₃ (1 μM) and activated charcoal (1.5 g L⁻¹) enhanced the conversion of somatic embryos to plantlets. Pre-germinated somatic embryos encapsulated in sodium alginate with BA (0.5 μM) and GA₃ (1 μM) developed radicles. The use of synthetic seed was a requisite for the survival of plantlets.     

Comparative Expression Analysis of Gametogenesis‐Associated Genes in Foetal and Adult Bubaline (Bubalus bubalis) Ovaries and Testes

This study was conducted to identify and analyse the expression of gametogenesis‐associated genes and proteins in foetal and adult buffalo gonads of both the sexes. Relative quantification of the genes was determined by qPCR and Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was also performed for various gametogenesis‐associated proteins in foetal and adult gonads of both the sexes. We observed significantly (p < 0.05) increased expression of primordial germ cell‐specific, meiotic as well as genes associated with oocyte maturation and development in foetal ovaries as compared to the adult ones. However, significantly (p < 0.05) increased expression of proteins associated with oocyte maturation like GDF9 and ZP4 was found in adult ovaries, indicating temporal regulation of mRNA translation during oogenesis. Meiotic genes showed significantly (p < 0.05) increased expression in adult testes as compared to foetal testes and ovaries, indicating onset of meiosis at a later stage in spermatogenesis. In general, the expression of primordial germ cell‐associated as well as meiotic genes was higher in adult testes, indicating the increased biological activity in the organ. Immunohistochemistry revealed localized expression of gametogenesis‐associated proteins in ovarian follicles and seminiferous tubules of testes, while the surrounding somatic tissues were devoid of these proteins. The study gives an understanding of the sequential and temporal events of gene expression as well as mRNA translation during male and female gametogenesis. It could also be concluded that follicles and seminiferous tubules are the functional units of the female and male gonads, respectively, and their function could be enhanced by appropriate chemical and genetic intervention of the somatic tissue immediately surrounding them. This assumes importance in the context that buffalo attains sexual maturity at an older age of 2–3 years and have smaller ovaries with lesser number of primordial follicles in comparison with cattle, which is suggested to be the main reason of their poor breeding performance.     

Morphological Analysis of the Tongue and the Digestive Tube of Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola brasiliensis,LINNAUES 1766) Apprehended by CETAS/IBAMA‐PB

The saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola brasiliensis) is a Passeriforme of the Brazilian wildlife. There are scarcely any morphological studies on it, although it is frequently trafficked for its birdsong abilities. Its peculiarities, such as territorialism and developed syrinx that provides outstanding song, draw attention towards its domestication. Thus, this study aimed to morphologically describe the tongue and digestive tube organs of this species to furnish subsidies for nutritional, clinical and conservation studies. Forty‐one birds from the Wild Animal Screening Center (CETAS)/Brazilian Institute of Environment (IBAMA)/city of Cabedelo, state of Paraíba (PB) were used. Samples were collected, identified and sent to standard light microscopy; samples of proventriculus and gizzard were sent to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The samples showed stratification similar to that of other domestic and wild birds, confirmed in the scanning electron microscopy; however, they differed in the absence of dermal papillae in the tongue, lack of ingluvial glands and lack of muscular mucosa and sub‐mucosa in the large intestine.     

Improved <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-genotyping and new incompatibility groups in Japanese plum

The selection of cross-compatible cultivars is essential to ensure fruit set in self-incompatible species like Japanese plum and thus the S-genotype must be determined in order to establish incompatibility groups. In this study an improved Japanese plum S-genotyping method, based in polymerase chain reaction and capillary electrophoresis detection of intron polymorphisms of S-locus genes, S-RNase and SFB, has been assayed and validated in a wide sample of cultivars. This method allows a more precise determination of amplified fragment sizes and therefore a better differentiation of self-incompatibility alleles. The assayed methodology was proven effective in the detection of 13 different S-alleles of S-RNases and SFBs and was used to S-genotype 105 Japanese plum cultivars, 32 of which are described by first time in this work. Analysed cultivars were assigned into 11 incompatibility groups and two new incompatibility groups (XX and XXI) were identified, increasing to 21 the number of incompatibility groups described in this crop.