Anesthesia of Agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha) with Dextroketamine and Midazolam

 Background: Research has increasingly focused on wild animals, and this requires the use of chemical restraints that are safe for both the species and the team involved. Dextroketamine is the levorotatory ketamine isomer that has been used on domestic species as an alternative that is more potent and safer than the racemic form. Midazolam is a benzodiazepine that induces muscle relaxation and minimal cardiorespiratory changes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a combination of dextroketamine and midazolam can be safely used for the chemical restraint of agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha), and the effects of this protocol on physiological and anesthetic parameters. Materials, Methods & Results: This study was carried out under conditions similar to those found for wild animals in captivity or in zoos. A pre-evaluation was also made to compare the baseline values of this study with those of other studies on the same species. Nine healthy adult agoutis were used, weighing between 1.5 kg and 2 kg. All the parameters were evaluated and recorded before the drugs were applied, and this was considered the baseline moment (M0). The dextroketamine and midazolam combination was then administered intramuscularly, in the same syringe, in dosages of 15 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively. Successive evaluations were made every 10 min over a period of 40 min (M10, M20, M30 and M40). The latency stage of anesthesia, effective stage and recovery stage were observed. Heart rate (HR) and breathing frequency (f), body temperature (BT), systolic blood pressure (SBP), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and electrocardiogram were recorded. HR and SBP showed no significant difference between moments. Breathing frequency (f) showed a significant decline at M10 and M20 when compared to baseline values (P < 0.05). BT decreased from the moment the drugs were administered until the end of the experimental period, with a significant difference between M0 and M40, and M10 and M40 (P < 0.05). SpO2 decreased significantly at M10 and M20 when compared to baseline values (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the duration and amplitude of the P wave or in the duration of the QRS complex, QT interval and amplitude of the R wave. Regarding the PR interval, there was a significant difference only at M40 when compared to baseline values (P < 0.05). No arrhythmia was observed. An evaluation of the effects of anesthesia indicated that the animals had an average latency stage of 2 min, an effective stage of 87 min, and an average recovery stage of 111 min. Adverse effects observed during the anesthetic recovery period consisted of tearing, salivation, tongue protrusion, vocalization and chewing reflex. Discussion: The results indicated that the association of anesthetic drugs under study caused minimal changes in the animals’ physiological parameters, except for the breathing frequency (f), which declined considerably, resulting in a reduction in SpO2, which was compensated during the study. In addition, there was a rapid onset of restraint and a satisfactory duration. Thus, from the cardiorespiratory standpoint, the combination of dextroketamine and midazolam in the doses used provides a safe anesthetic protocol for agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha) and can be used for the chemical restraint of these animals for the performance of non-invasive and short-term procedures

Fungal and fungal-like diversity in marine sediments from the maritime Antarctic assessed using DNA metabarcoding

We assessed the fungal and fungal-like sequence diversity present in marine sediments obtained in the vicinity of the South Shetland Islands (Southern Ocean) using DNA metabarcoding through high-throughput sequencing (HTS). A total of 193,436 DNA reads were detected in sediment obtained from three locations: Walker Bay (Livingston Island) at 52 m depth (48,112 reads), Whalers Bay (Deception Island) at 151 m (104,704) and English Strait at 404 m (40,620). The DNA sequence reads were assigned to 133 distinct fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) representing the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mucoromycota and Rozellomycota and the fungal-like Straminopila. Thelebolus balaustiformis, Pseudogymnoascus sp., Fungi sp. 1, Ciliophora sp., Agaricomycetes sp. and Chaetoceros sp. were the dominant assigned taxa. Thirty-eight fungal ASVs could only be assigned to higher taxonomic levels, and may represent taxa not currently included in the available databases or represent new taxa and/or new records for Antarctica. The total fungal community displayed high indices of diversity, richness and moderate to low dominance. However, diversity and taxa distribution varied across the three sampling sites. In Walker Bay, unidentified fungi were dominant in the sequence assemblage. Whalers Bay sediment was dominated by Antarctic endemic and cold-adapted taxa. Sediment from English Strait was dominated by Ciliophora sp. and Chaetoceros sp. These fungal assemblages were dominated by saprotrophic, plant and animal pathogenic and symbiotic taxa. The detection of an apparently rich and diverse fungal community in these marine sediments reinforces the need for further studies to characterize their richness, functional ecology and potential biotechnological applications

Use of seismic attributes for sediment classification

A study to understand the relationships between seismic attributes extracted from 2D high-resolution seismic data and the seafloor's sediments of the surveyed area. As seismic attributes are features highly influenced by the medium through which the seismic waves are propagated, the authors can assume that it would be possible to characterise the geological nature of the seafloor by using these attributes. Herein, a survey was performed on the continental margin of the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica, where both 2D high-resolution seismic data and sediment gravity cores samples were simultaneously acquired. A computational script was written to extract the seismic attributes from the data, which have been statistically analysed with clustering analyses, such as principal components analysis, dendrograms and k-means classification. The extracted seismic attributes are the amplitude, the instantaneous phase, the instantaneous frequency, the envelope, the time derivative of the envelope, the second derivative of the envelope and the acceleration of phase. Statistical evaluation showed that geological classification of the seafloor's sediments is possible by associating these attributes according to their coherence. The methodologies here developed seem to be appropriate for glacio-marine environment and coarse-to-medium silt sediment found in the study area and may be applied to other regions in the same geological conditions

Shallow gas seismic structures: forms and distribution on Santa Catarina Island, Southern Brazil

Este artigo apresenta a distribuição espacial das estruturas de gás raso e as classifica com base em dois conjuntos de dados de registros sísmicos diferentes com o CHIRP, um na Lagoa da Conceição (CL) e o outro na Baía Norte (NB), ambos na Ilha de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil. Os dados de sonar de varredura lateral da CL foram usados para facilitar a interpretação. Os dados sísmicos de subsuperfície (SB) foram processados e interpretados por meio do software SeisPrho e os dados obtidos com o sonar de varredura lateral (SSS), pelo software SonarWiz5. A medida espacial foi realizada por intermédio de GIS. As estruturas de gás raso foram definidas de acordo com as formas apresentadas nos registros sísmicos (eco-caráter). Na CL, as acumulações rasas de gás foram encontradas sob a forma de escapes nas exsudações e feições apresentando estruturas de gás superficial, entre a superfície e 8,20 ms (cerca de 12,3 m). Estas acumulações de gás foram encontradas na forma de Cobertura Acústica com Plumas Acústicas associadas, além de Sombra Negra. As pockmarks foram observadas no fundo da lagoa, ligadas aos escapes de gás (diâmetro médio de 0,97 ± 0,19 m e densidade de 54 a 242 unidades por 50 m2). Na NB observou-se três tipos de estruturas de gás raso no perfil sísmico, ou seja, de Cobertura Acústica, Pináculos de Turbidez e Plumas Intrssedimentares. A profundidade variou da superfície até 12,10 ms (cerca de 18,15 m). Em ambos os ambientes, o gás é expelido a partir do sedimento para a coluna de água. As pockmarks na CL e na NB, as feições de pluma acústica e os sedimentos ricos em enxofre total validam essa evidência.This paper presents the spatial distribution of shallow gas structures and classifies them on the basis of two different data sets of CHIRP seismic records, one from the Conceição Lagoon (CL) and the other from North Bay (NB), both on Santa Catarina Island, Southern Brazil. Side scan sonar data from the CL were used to facilitate the understanding. The sub bottom (SB) seismic data were processed and interpreted by means of the SeisPrho software, the side scan sonar (SSS) data by SonarWiz5 software and the spatial extension being measured with the help of GIS. The shallow gas structures were defined in accordance with their shapes in the seismic recordings (echo-character). At the CL, shallow gas accumulations were found in the form of seepages and features presenting shallow gas structures between the surface and 8.20 ms (around 12.3 m). Accumulations of gas were found in the form of Acoustic Blanking with Acoustic Plume, and also Black Shadows. Pockmarks were found on the lagoon floor and associated with gas seepages (average size diameter 0.97 ± 0.19 m and density from 54 to 242 units per 50 m2). In the NB three types of shallow gas features were found in the seismic profile, namely Acoustic Blanking, Turbidity Pinnacles and Intra-sedimentary plumes. The depth varied from the surface to 12.10 ms (around 18.15 m). In both environments, the gas is escaping from the sediment into the water column. The Pockmarks in the CL and the Acoustic Plume features and sediment rich in total sulfur in the NB validate these findings

Relationship between geoacoustic properties and chemical content of submarine polymetallic crusts from offshore Brazil

Marine mining is the ocean’s new exploration frontier, and polymetallic crusts (PMCs) and ferromanganese nodules are considered a strategic resource for the future. Acoustic geophysical methods are a valuable tool for oceanic research and have been employed for several decades in the exploration of marine resources and environmental evaluations. The main objective of this work was to investigate the correlation between the chemical composition of PMCs from three different areas along the Brazilian continental margin and their physico-acoustic attributes (P-wave velocity, density and acoustic impedance). The results show that the geoacoustic properties of PMCs are correlated to their chemical composition. Measurements showed positive and negative trends between acoustic impedance and studied elements (Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, W and Ni) according to the direction of measurement, indicting high anisotropy levels. Our study sheds initial light on the correlation between acoustic properties and metal content of PMCs. The study facilitates assessments of the acoustic responses of PMCs allowing more efficient prospection and exploitation compared to ship-board geophysical techniques that are too qualitative to identify PMCs. The results can contribute to determining the best procedures and techniques for more efficient future exploration of this resource.SCOPUS: ar.jDecretOANoAutActifinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Fungi present in Antarctic deep-sea sediments assessed using DNA metabarcoding

We assessed fungal diversity in deep-sea sediments obtained from different depths in the Southern Ocean using the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA bymetabarcoding through high-throughput sequencing (HTS). We detected 655,991 DNA reads representing 263 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), dominated by Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Chytridiomycota and Rozellomycota, confirming that deep-sea sediments can represent a hotspot of fungal diversity in Antarctica. The community diversity detected included 17 dominant fungal ASVs, 62 intermediate and 213 rare. The dominant fungi included taxa of Mortierella, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Pseudogymnoascus, Phaeosphaeria and Torula. Despite the extreme conditions of the Southern Ocean benthos, the total fungal community detected in these marine sediments displayed high indices of diversity and richness, and moderate dominance, which varied between the different depths sampled. The highest diversity indices were obtained in sediments from 550 m and 250 m depths. Only 49 ASVs (18.63%) were detected at all the depths sampled, while 16 ASVs were detected only in the deepest sediment sampled at 1463 m. Based on sequence identities, the fungal community included some globally distributed taxa, primarily recorded otherwise from terrestrial environments, suggesting transport from these to deep marine sediments. The assigned taxa included symbionts, decomposers and plant-, animal- and human-pathogenic fungi, suggesting that deep-sea sediments host a complex fungal diversity, although metabarcoding does not itself confirm that living or viable organisms are present

Shallow gas seismic structures: forms and distribution on Santa Catarina Island, Southern Brazil

Abstract This paper presents the spatial distribution of shallow gas structures and classifies them on the basis of two different data sets of CHIRP seismic records, one from the Conceição Lagoon (CL) and the other from North Bay (NB), both on Santa Catarina Island, Southern Brazil. Side scan sonar data from the CL were used to facilitate the understanding. The sub bottom (SB) seismic data were processed and interpreted by means of the SeisPrho software, the side scan sonar (SSS) data by SonarWiz5 software and the spatial extension being measured with the help of GIS. The shallow gas structures were defined in accordance with their shapes in the seismic recordings (echo-character). At the CL, shallow gas accumulations were found in the form of seepages and features presenting shallow gas structures between the surface and 8.20 ms (around 12.3 m). Accumulations of gas were found in the form of Acoustic Blanking with Acoustic Plume, and also Black Shadows. Pockmarks were found on the lagoon floor and associated with gas seepages (average size diameter 0.97 ± 0.19 m and density from 54 to 242 units per 50 m2). In the NB three types of shallow gas features were found in the seismic profile, namely Acoustic Blanking, Turbidity Pinnacles and Intra-sedimentary plumes. The depth varied from the surface to 12.10 ms (around 18.15 m). In both environments, the gas is escaping from the sediment into the water column. The Pockmarks in the CL and the Acoustic Plume features and sediment rich in total sulfur in the NB validate these findings