The Effect of Size and Diet on Gonad Production by the Chilean Sea Urchin Loxechinus albus

Conadal production was studied in Loxechinus albus (Molina, 1782) maintained in cages suspended from a long-line in the Estero Castro, Chiloé for 3 mo during the austral summer. The sea urchins were fed either an artificial diet or a natural diet consisting of the macroalgae Macrocystis pyrifera and Ulva sp. Both diets were tested for four size ranges: 40–45, 50–55, 60–65 and 70–75 mm diameter. For all four size ranges, highest gonad production was with the artificial diet. Gonad production was greatest in the 40–45 mm individuals with an increase of about 1,400% and 750% in the wet weight of gonads in individuals fed the artificial and natural diet, respectively. With the three other size ranges, the increase was nearly 100% with the artificial diet and nearly 0% with the natural diet The gonad index showed similar patterns, being highest in the smallest individuals. Small individuals fed the artificial diet would provide the most cost effective aquaculture as production is best. It is not necessary to grow L. albus to the minimal legal size for fisheries (70-mm diameter) for cost effective gonad production.     

Adherence of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 to swine buccal epithelial cells involves fibronectin

The swine pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 was investigated for its ability to adhere to swine, rat, and human buccal epithelial cells (BEC). The highest number of bacteria adhered was to swine BEC. This binding ability was affected by heating, extreme pH, treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate, ethylenediamine tetraacetate, or periodate, and proteolysis, suggesting that cell-surface glycoproteins participate in adherence and that adherence is based mostly on ionic interactions. Mannose and swine fibronectin may play a direct role in this interaction. Convalescent-phase serum from naturally infected pigs inhibited the adhesion. There was a correlation between bacterial pathogenicity as well as host specificity and the capacity for adherence to swine BEC. Adhesion to swine BEC provides a convenient method to study in vitro the adherence of A. pleuropneumoniae and other pathogens of the pig respiratory tract.     

Genomic characterization of the first oral avian papillomavirus in a colony of breeding canaries (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Serinus canaria</Emphasis>)

Papillomaviruses are non-enveloped, DNA viruses that infect skin and mucosa of a wide variety of vertebrates, causing neoplasias or simply persisting asymptomatically. Avian papillomaviruses, with six fully sequenced genomes, are the second most studied group after mammalian papillomaviruses. In this study, we describe the first oral avian papillomavirus, detected in the tongue of a dead Yorkshire canary (Serinus canaria) and in oral swabs of the same bird and other two live canaries from an aviary in Madrid, Spain. Its genome is 8,071 bp and presents the canonical papillomavirus architecture with six early (E6, E7, E1, E9, E2, E4) and two late open reading frames (L1 and L2) and a long control region between L1 and E6. This new avian papillomavirus L1 gene shares a 64% pairwise identity with FcPV1 L1, so it has been classified as a new species (ScPV1) within the Ethapapillomavirus genus. Although the canary died after showing breathing problems, there is no evidence that the papillomavirus caused those symptoms so it could be part of the oral microbiota of the birds. Hence, future investigations are needed to evaluate the clinical relevance of the virus.     

Addition of Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate to Corn and Sorghum Starch Extrudates Enhances the Performance of Pregelatinized Beer Adjuncts

Double mashing for wort production is a time‐consuming process that can be reduced if pregelatinized adjuncts are used. Optimal extruding conditions were determined to obtain brewing adjuncts from corn and sorghum starch. For corn starch extrusion, a Box–Behnken design was devised in which moisture, screw speed, temperature of the barrel, and concentrations of sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL) were varied, and sorghum starch was extruded according to a 2³ model in which the modified variables were moisture, SSL concentration, and temperature. The aim was to maximize starch damage and minimize resistant starch and final viscosity as determined with a Rapid Visco Analyzer. The treatments that satisfied these requirements were mashed, and wort extract yield was determined. Glucose, maltose, and maltotriose concentrations in the resulting worts were determined by HPLC with a refractive index detector. Feedstock tempering and SSL content were the most important factors affecting the response; for corn starch, treatments with lower moisture (20%) and middle levels of SSL (0.5%) or with high levels of both moisture (40%) and SSL (1%) produced the most desirable samples for mashing, whereas for sorghum starch the best treatment was tempering to 20% moisture and containing middle levels of SSL (0.5%). No statistical differences were found between these experimental treatments and the control.     

Cytological grading of canine cutaneous mast cell tumours

A cytological grading for mast cell tumours (MCTs) would be highly desirable, allowing to select the most appropriate therapeutic intervention prior to surgery. This study evaluates the applicability on fine‐needle aspirations (FNAs) of the novel Kiupel grading system, based on number of mitoses, multinucleated cells, bizarre nuclei and presence of karyomegaly. Fifty consecutive cases with pre‐operative cytological diagnosis were included. In cytological specimens, approximately 1000 cells were evaluated, and the histological grade was assessed on the corresponding resected specimens. On cytology, the above parameters were significantly different between histologically low‐grade and high‐grade tumours (P < 0.001). The cytograding correctly predicted the histological grade in 47 cases (accuracy, 94%; sensitivity, 84.6%; specificity, 97.3%). Two high‐grade MCTs (4%) were not detected on cytology. The cytograding can provide helpful insights to assist clinical decisions in most cases. However, the risk of underestimation in a minority of patients represents a limit to the overall utility of the technique.     

Cover Image,Volume 14, Issue 3

The cover image, by Giuliano Bettini et al., is based on the Original Article Cytological grading of canine cutaneous mast cell tumours, DOI: 10.1111/vco.12090 .

     

Radiographic,MRI, and CT findings in a young dog with Becker-like muscular dystrophy

An 8-month-old, male, crossbreed dog was presented for macroglossia, reduced mandibular extension, ptyalism, dysphagia, and regurgitation. Serum creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase activity were markedly increased. Thoracic radiographs showed an axial gastro-esophageal hiatal hernia, diaphragmatic thickening, and asymmetry. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed a severely enlarged tongue, symmetric increase in size of the geniohyoid and mylohyoid muscles, and diffuse masticatory hypomyotrophy. Whole-body CT ruled out other musculoskeletal abnormalities and further characterized the radiographic and MRI findings. Muscular histopathology was consistent with Becker muscular dystrophy.     

Resource allocation tradeoffs in Manila’s peri-urban vegetable production systems: An application of multiple objective programming

This paper designed and developed a multi-objective programming (MOP) model to illustrate the dynamic relationship among technologies, productive activities, constraints and farmers’ objectives in the peri-urban vegetable production system and use the model as an economic tool in analysing probable consequences of a given action or innovation on the farm. The best compromise solution was generated using four analytical steps, as follows: single-objective optimization (to determine the ideal and anti-ideal values of the objective functions); constrained optimization (to generate the set of Pareto non-dominated solutions); cluster analysis (to trim down efficient set into smaller homogeneous groups); and compromise programming (to determine where the best compromise solution lies).