Theileria orientalis: a review

Theileria orientalis (also known historically as T. sergenti and T. buffeli) is responsible for benign or non-transforming theileriosis, and exerts its major effect through erythrocyte destruction. The life cycle of T. orientalis is essentially similar to that of other Theileria species, except that the schizonts do not induce transformation and fatal lymphoproliferation. The pathogenesis of anaemia as a result of infection is not clearly established and may be multifaceted. Clinical signs of weakness, reluctance to walk and abortion are early but non-specific indications of disease, particularly if accompanied by a history of cattle being moved. Physical examination may reveal pallor (pale eyes, vaginal mucosa), pyrexia, and elevated heart and respiratory rates. T. orientalis is an economically important parasite of cattle in New Zealand, Australia and Japan, especially where naïve animals are introduced into an endemic area or in animals under stress. Increased awareness of the risks posed by the parasite is required to enable management practices to be implemented to minimise its impact.     

Clinical efficacy of diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to antibacterial treatment of respiratory disease of calves

Objective To compare the efficacy of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, diclofenac sodium and flunixin meglumine as adjuncts to the antibiotic treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Procedure We randomly allocated 80 Holstein calves with BRD to three groups. All the calves received a dose of 2.5 mg/kg tulathromycin by single subcutaneous injection and two of the groups received, in addition, either 2.5 mg/kg diclofenac sodium as a single intramuscular injection (diclofenac group, n = 30) or 2.2 mg/kg flunixin meglumine as an intravenous injection on the first three consecutive days after tulathromycin administration (flunixin group, n = 30). All calves were given a clinical score prior to initial treatment (day 0) and after treatment (days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14) by observing appetite, demeanour, rectal temperature, the rate and type of respiration, presence or absence of coughing, and nasal discharge. Results During the first 48 h, improvement of adverse signs of respiratory disease, such as pyrexia and elevated respiratory rate, and of a high clinical index score was significant in the two adjunct groups compared with the calves receiving antibiotic alone. The reduction in pyrexia was greatest in the diclofenac group. There were no statically significant differences between treatment groups with regard to eventual perceived recovery from respiratory disease in 14 days. Conclusion In this trial, a single intramuscular dose of diclofenac sodium was equally effective as three intravenous injections of flunixin meglumine given on consecutive days as adjunctive therapy for BRD.     

A comparison of the autecology of Quercus robur L. and Q. pyrenaica Wild.: present habitat in Galicia, NW Spain

The biotopes occupied by pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.)and rebollo oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) in Galicia were characterizedusing different parameters, enabling a comparative analysisof its habitats. Thirty-nine plots of pedunculate oak and 40of rebollo oak were inventoried and 25 ecological parameters(physiographic, climatic and edaphic) were measured to describethe biotopes, along with 14 stand parameters to characterizethe structure and the silviculture of these forests; some ofthem were used in previous works about the autecology of bothspecies. Quercus robur was found to occupy a wider range ofecological habitats and their distribution is oceanic; Q. pyrenaicapresents a more Mediterranean phytoclimatic position. The resultsindicated that the distribution of oak forests in Galicia ismore closely related to physiographic and climatic featuresthan to edaphic, because the nature of the substrates that theyoccupy is similar. Analysis of fragility/aggressiveness betweenboth species and chestnut shows that the aggressiveness of bothoaks, mainly pedunculate, was much higher, except at high altitudes,and in areas with a high mean temperature, where rebollo ismore aggressiveness. Comparison of the two Quercus shows formost of the parameters that Q. robur is the more aggressivespecies.     

Policies Affecting Forestry Entrepreneurship

Many demand and supply-side policies impede or foster forestry entrepreneurship. A study was conducted to consolidate existing knowledge on policies influencing forestry entrepreneurship in Finland, Norway, Japan, Australia, the Philippines and the USA, and to draw conclusions on these impeding and fostering factors. From the country studies it was difficult to find common structures on policies affecting forestry entrepreneurship. This is understandable because most policies in forestry are aimed at supporting sustainable forest management, wood production and ecological services of the forests rather than entrepreneurship as such. Despite the high variety of policies applied in the study countries, it can be concluded that strict public control on forests’ use and management potentially impedes forestry entrepreneurship. While these policies assist to correct market failure and to promote sustainability of forest management, they may also result into unnecessary and ineffective regulations that limit the opportunities for forestry entrepreneurship. A common feature promoting the demand for forestry entrepreneurship in some of the countries studied is the strong emphasis on forestry cooperatives, which were important institutions to support small-scale forestry entrepreneurship. In many study countries, different ad hoc programs are implemented to find new economic and entrepreneurial opportunities aside from the current use of wood and forests. Subsidies and tax incentives are commonly applied to reduce risks from making forestry investments or otherwise increase the economic return from timber production.     

Contrasting the financial efficiency of agroforestry practices in buffer zone management of Madhupur National Park, Bangladesh

This research contrasts the financial profitability of different agroforestry practices in community-based buffer zone management of Madhupur National Park (MNP), Bangladesh. This park is the second largest in Bangladesh and subjected to enormous anthropogenic pressure and land rights-related conflicts. This paper reports the different agroforestry practices of villagers in different modules of the buffer zone of MNP, identified by a participatory research approach. It then assesses the profitability of each module on the basis of cost–benefit analysis, net present value, internal rate of return, and annualized income. Results indicate three agroforestry systems were being practised in the buffer zone by the participants: agro-silviculture, agro-silvo-horticulture, and combined woodlot and agroforestry. Among these modules, agro-silvo-horticulture was the most profitable, followed by agro-silviculture then combined woodlot and agroforestry. We recognize that not all of the participants can practise intensive agroforestry; our results suggest that the community-based buffer zone management strategy for MNP would benefit from prioritizing agroforestry practices where possible. This will lead to more successful buffer zone management for the conservation of natural forests while supporting the development of local resource-dependent communities.     

Microbial origin of the abdominal swelling affecting farmed larvae of gilt-head seabream, Sparus aurata L.

The aetiological agents of the abdominal swelling affecting farmed larvae of gilt-head seabream, Sparus aurata L., were studied. Four Vibrio strains were isolated from larvae of S. aurata affected by this disease, and all strains reproduced the disease in healthy larvae under controlled infection experiments, producing a significant increase of the mortality rates compared to the control (non-inoculated larvae). Several enzymatic properties, which can act as .virulence factors, were demonstrated both in the extracellular products (ECPs) and In live cells of the strains tested. Histopathological examinations of the infected fish larvae revealed important changes of the anterior intestine and liver characterized by a marked hyperthrophy of the intestinal epithelium and hepatocytes, and by a separation of the mucosal and submucosal layers in the digestive tube. These histological alterations were associated with the constant presence of cocobacillar bacteria in the anterior intestine and in the liver. However, the precise pathogenic mechanisms of the strains tested have not been completely elucidated yet.     

Genetic parameters for EUROP carcass traits within different groups of cattle in Ireland

The first objective of this study was to test the ability of systems of weighing and classifying bovine carcasses used in commercial abattoirs in Ireland to provide information that can be used for the purposes of genetic evaluation of carcass weight, carcass fatness class, and carcass conformation class. Secondly, the study aimed to test whether genetic and phenotypic variances differed by breed of sire. Variance components for carcass traits were estimated for crosses between dairy cows and 8 breeds of sire commonly found in the Irish cattle population. These 8 breeds were Aberdeen Angus, Belgian Blue, Charolais, Friesian, Hereford, Holstein, Limousin, and Simmental. A multivariate animal model was used to estimate genetic parameters within the Holstein sire breed group. Univariate analyses were used to estimate variance components for the remaining 7 sire breed groups. Multivariate sire models were used to formally test differences in genetic variances in sire breed groups. Field data on 64,443 animals, which were slaughtered in commercial abattoirs between the ages of 300 and 875 d, were analyzed in 8 analyses. Carcass fat class and carcass conformation class were measured using the European Union beef carcass classification system (EUROP) scale. For all 3 traits, the sire breed group with the greatest genetic variance had a value of more than 8 times the sire breed group with least genetic variance. Heritabilities ranged from zero to moderate for carcass fatness class (0.00 to 0.40), from low to moderate for carcass conformation class (0.04 to 0.36), and from low to high for carcass weight (0.06 to 0.65). Carcass weight was the most heritable (0.26) of the 3 traits. Carcass conformation class and carcass fatness class were equally heritable (0.17). Genetic and phenotypic correlations were all positive in the Holstein sire breed group. The genetic correlations varied from 0.11 for the relationship between carcass weight and carcass fatness class to 0.44 for the relationship between carcass conformation class and carcass fatness class. Carcass weight and classification data collected in Irish abattoirs are useful for the purposes of genetic evaluation for beef traits of Irish cattle. There were significantly different variance components across the sire breed groups.     

An aptian plant with attached leaves and flowers: implications for angiosperm origin

Recent phylogenetic studies and fossil finds support a new view of the ancestral angiosperm. A diminutive fossil angiosperm from the Aptian of Australia has attached leaves, with intermediate pinnate-palmate, low-rank venation, and lateral axes bearing pistillate organs subtended by bracts and bracteoles that are the oldest direct evidence of flowers. A variety of data suggests a similar morphology for the ancestral angiosperm. This hypothesis explains similarities between rhizomatous to herbaceous Magnoliidae and basal monocots, scarcity of early agniosperm wood, and lack of recognition of earlier remains.