An epidemiological survey of equine piroplasmosis in donkeys and horses in Malawi

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi, Theileria haneyi, and Babesia caballi in equids, such as horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras. A comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology of T. equi and B. caballi is vital for EP management. The present study surveyed T. equi and B. caballi infections in donkeys and horses in Malawi. Blood samples were collected from 185 equines, including 178 donkeys in Lilongwe (n = 136) and Dedza (n = 42) districts, and seven horses in Lilongwe district. The blood samples were used to measure hematocrit values and prepare thin smears and blood spots on FTA cards. Microscopic examination of the blood smears detected T. equi in 91 equines (49.2 %), including 88 donkeys (49.4 %) and three horses (42.9 %), while B. caballi was not detected. Screening of DNA samples extracted from FTA cards with species-specific PCR assays detected T. equi in 156 (84.3 %) equines, including 152 (85.4 %) donkeys and four (57.1 %) horses, whereas all animals were negative for B. caballi. We found that the mean hematocrit value of infected donkeys (28.1 %) was significantly lower (P value = 0.0004) than that of uninfected donkeys (31.9 %). Additional analysis of T. equi-positive DNAs with the genotype-specific PCR assays detected all five genotypes (A, B, C, D, and E) in donkeys and four genotypes (A, B, C, and D) in horses. In summary, the present study, the first to report the T. equi infection in Malawi, suggests the need for EP control due to its potential clinical significance. © 2025 Elsevier B.V

乾物収量は１、２期作ともにトウモロコシの1.6倍以上 : 北海道におけるソルガム導入の利点と栽培法

application/pdf技術ワイド　飼料費削減と安定確保へ①journal articl

Effects of diet mixing on the survival and performance of the brachypterous grasshopper Podisma sapporensis (Orthoptera: Acrididae) nymphs and adults

This study examined the effects of diet mixing during the nymphal stage on the performance of the brachypterous grasshopper Podisma sapporensis during both the nymphal and adult stages. This species mainly feed on the leaves of Japanese butterbur, Petasites japonicus var. giganteus (Pjg), and also feed on the leaves of giant knotweed, Reynoutria sachalinensis (Rs), wormwood leaves, Artemisia montana, and angular Solomon's seal, Polygonatum odoratum var. maximowiczii. We investigated whether diet mixing with Pjg during the nymphal stage enhances the survival or fecundity of this grasshopper. It was revealed that feeding nutritionally inferior Rs to nymphs extended the adult lifespan. The reproductive speed per lifespan was reduced in females fed the mixed diet, as there was no significant difference in the number of eggs laid per lifespan regardless of the Rs ingested. These results indicate that diet mixing, or the additional Rs intake, had an opposite effect on the life history in the form of higher nymphal mortality and longer adult lifespan of P. sapporensis, altering the reproduction schedule. © 2025 The Entomological Society of Japan

Evaluation of long-term roadkill monitoring as a population index : Case study of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides)

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人材育成、在来微生物発掘など進め日常生活の中での消費拡大へ : 「ミルク＆チーズコンソーシアム」のビジョン

application/pdf視点2025　チーズ国内生産をどう伸ばすかjournal articl

Involvement of the placenta in the regression of the accessory corpus luteum in pregnant cows

帯広畜産大学博士（獣医学）Doctor of Veterinary Medicine2024application/pdf博士学位論文大学院畜産学研究科 獣医学専攻Doctoral Program of Veterinary Sciencedoctoral thesi

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Theileria and Anaplasma species infecting cattle in Paraguay

Bovine theileriosis and anaplasmosis are major tick-borne diseases affecting cattle health and productivity worldwide. Although cattle farming significantly contributes to Paraguay's economy, limited epidemiological data on the causative agents hinder the formulation of disease control measures. To address this challenge, the present study investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis, and Anaplasma marginale among cattle populations in Paraguay. Blood DNA samples from 326 cattle in nine departments of Paraguay were screened with the pathogen-specific PCR assays. All three pathogens were detected with A. marginale (18.0 %) being the most prevalent, followed by T. orientalis (2.4 %) and T. annulata (1.5 %). In addition, further screening of A. marginale-negative samples using two PCR assays targeting the 16S rRNA and groEL genes of Anaplasma spp., followed by sequencing, detected an infection with Candidatus Anaplasma cinensis. We observed significantly higher A. marginale-positive rates in the Eastern region, males, and extensively managed cattle, as compared to those in the Western region, females, and semi-intensively managed cattle, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that T. annulata tams1 gene sequences were diverse and occurred in multiple clades, while T. orientalis mpsp gene sequences clustered into the genotypes 1, 2, and 3. In contrast, A. marginale msp5 gene sequences occurred within a single clade, suggesting a low genetic diversity. In conclusion, the detection of T. annulata, T. orientalis genotype 2, and A. marginale indicates that cattle populations in Paraguay are at risk of clinical theileriosis and anaplasmosis, highlighting the need to develop disease management strategies. © 2025 Elsevier B.V

土の元素はなじみのものばかり

application/pdf谷先生に聞く！はじめての土壌化学：連載4journal articl

リンにまつわる勘違い

application/pdf谷先生に聞く！はじめての土壌化学：連載5journal articl

Arginine Vasopressin Exerts Opposing Effects on Milk Ejection via Oxytocin and Vasopressin V1a Receptors in Mice

Milk ejection is the final process in maternal milk transfer from mothers to offspring and is regulated by oxytocin (OT) released from the neurohypophysis in response to the milk ejection reflex. Arginine vasopressin (AVP), another neurohypophyseal hormone well known for its antidiuretic and vasoconstrictive effects, shares structural similarity with OT, and intravenous AVP injection can also induce milk ejection. Nonetheless, AVP has also been reported to inhibit OT-induced milk ejection in rabbits. In this study, we examined the roles of OT and AVP receptors in these opposing effects of AVP on milk ejection using an in vivo assay model in mice. AVP induced milk ejection, and this effect was inhibited by an OT receptor antagonist. Intravenous pretreatment with AVP suppressed the following transient milk ejection induced by intravenous OT injection. Furthermore, AVP treatment interrupted the continuous milk ejection induced by intraperitoneal OT. These inhibitory effects of AVP were ameliorated by pretreatment with a selective Avpr1a antagonist. We further examined the role of AVP receptors using Avpr1a and Avpr1b knockout mice. The AVP-dependent inhibition of OT-induced milk ejection was abolished in Avpr1a knockout mice, but not in Avpr1b knockout mice. Our findings suggest that AVP induces milk ejection through the OT receptor while inhibiting OT-induced milk ejection via Avpr1a. This duality might reflect a physiological mechanism for restricting milk transfer under severe stress or hyperosmotic conditions and could provide insights into breastfeeding difficulties in humans, including the perception of insufficient milk and infant failure to thrive. This record is sourced from MEDLINE/PubMed, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicin