Two new species of the genus Amphimermis Kaburaki and Imamura, 1932 (Nematoda : Mermithidae) from Argentine grasshoppers (Orthoptera : Acrididae)

Deux nouveaux Mermithides, #Amphimermis ronderosi n. sp. et #A. dichroplusi n. sp., sont décrits et illustrés ; l'un et l'autre sont parasites de sauterelles récoltées dans la Province de Buenos Aires, Argentine. La première espèce se caractérise par : vagin long et en forme de S ; spicules enroulés de manière lâche sur les premiers 41% de la longueur, non enroulés sur les 14% suivants, de nouveau enroulés sur les 31% suivants et non enroulés sur les 14% postérieurs ; trois rangées de papilles génitales, la rangée ventrale comprenant 30 papilles préanales et 15 papilles postanales. #A. dichroplusi$ n. sp. est caractérisée par le vagin en forme de S ; les spicules non enroulés sur les premiers 6% de leur longueur, enroulés sur les 24% suivants, non enroulés sur les 12% suivants, de nouveau enroulés sur les 44% suivants et non enroulés sur les 14% postérieurs ; trois rangées de papilles génitales, la rangée ventrale comprenant 25 papilles préanales et 12 papilles postanales. (Résumé d'auteur

Silage- and forage-based diets compared to commercial diets in Ugandan pig growth

Introduction: Smallholder pig farmers in east Africa report that lack of feed, seasonal feed shortages, quality and cost of feed are key constraints to pig rearing. Commercially prepared pig diets are too expensive and there is competition for food between pigs and people. Smallholder farmers typically feed nutritionally unbalanced diets. This results in low average daily gain (ADG) and poor farmer profits. The objective was to compare the ADG of Ugandan pigs fed forage- or silage-based or commercial diets. Materials and Methods: Local and crossbred Ugandan weaner-grower pigs were randomly assigned to commercial or forage- or silage-based diets. The forage-based diet, on an as-fed basis included specific amounts (%) of the following ingredients; avocado (25.5 kg), banana leaf (1.7), cottonseed meal (1.8), jackfruit (21.9), maize bran (9.5), sun-dried fish (3.1), sweet potato vine (36.1), limestone (0.14), salt (0.14) and vitamin/mineral premix (0.07). Silage-based diet included similar amounts of cottonseed meal, jackfruit, minerals and vitamins, but more maize bran (12.4), sun-dried fish (2.7), and ensiled sweet potato vine and tubers (60.8). Pigs were individually weighed every 3 weeks from 9 to 32 weeks of age. Pen-level ADG was compared across diets controlling for breed and starting weight using multiple linear regression. Results: ADG of pigs fed commercial diet was higher than those fed forage- or silage-based diets between 9 and 24 weeks of age (p<0.03). Between 28 and 32 weeks, pigs fed forage-based diets had a lower ADG than those on other diets (P<0.001). Least squares mean ADG (g/pig/day) for pigs fed commercial, forage- and silage-based diets were 294, 36 and 52, respectively at 9–15 weeks; 329, 163, 212 at 15–19 weeks; 574, 112, 362 at 20-24 weeks and 1233, 694, and 994 at 28 to 32 weeks of age. Conclusion: Forage-and silage-based diets were unsuitable for newly-weaned pigs, which may be attributed to higher than anticipated diet ash and fiber contents. However, pigs on forage- and silage-based diets grew better than those on smallholder farms once they reached 20–24 weeks and 15–19 weeks, respectively. This was when pigs were approximately 12 kg body weight. Well-balanced cost-effective diets are needed to improve pig performance in east Africa. Fresh and ensiled locally available feedstuffs can be used in diets that meet the nutrient requirements of pigs. Low-cost forage- and silage-based diets containing some zero-cost feedstuffs are needed to improve the potential for profitability of smallholder pig farming. Efficient use of these feedstuffs is required to promote sustainable smallholder pig rearing enterprises

Feeding decisions for the newly weaned pigs in East Africa are weight dependent

Introduction: Smallholder pig farmers in east Africa typically wean pigs at 6 to 8 weeks. Farmers report that commercially prepared pig diets are too expensive and therefore typically feed forage and food waste. This results in low average daily gain (ADG), especially for the newly weaned pig. The objective was to describe the weaning weights of local and crossbred Ugandan pigs purchased from smallholder farmers and to compare the growth rate of the pigs fed forage- or silage-based or commercial diets by their starting weights. Materials and Methods: Littermate local (n = 45) and crossbred (n = 45) Ugandan pigs were purchased from 14 smallholder farmers and individually weighed at 9 weeks of age. Pigs were randomly assigned to forage- or silage-based or commercial diets, housed in pens of 3 pigs and weighed every 3 weeks. Pigs on each diet were categorized into the lightest, middle, or heaviest tertile. Pig-level ADG was compared within diet and across diet by weight tertile multiple linear regression. Results: Average (SD) and range of body weight for 9-week-old pigs was 5.7 (1.6) and 2.8–10.2 kg for local and 8.0 (1.8) and 3.9 to 11.4 kg for crossbred pigs. From 9 to 20 weeks of age, 19 pigs gained less than 5 kg. All were fed either forage- or silage-based diets. Most pigs on these diets gained less than the smallest pigs fed commercial diet. For pigs fed forage-based, silage-based or commercial diets, the ADG of the lightest tertile of pigs was 18, -8 and 154 gm/d from 9–12 weeks and 115, 142 and 268 gm/d for 18–20 week old pigs fed forage-based, silage-based and commercial diets, respectively. Similarly, for these 3 diets, the ADG for the heaviest tertile of pigs was 32, 44, and 247 gm/d from 9–12 weeks, and 221, 332, and 319 gm/d for 18- to 20-week-old pigs. The ash levels ranged from 9–12, 12–20, and 9–11 % DM for forage-based, silage-based, and commercial diets. The high ash levels may in part explain the low ADG in the study. The highest ash levels were found in the first diets fed to the 9-week-old pigs because we included animal-grade dried fish dust rather than human-grade whole dried fish. The ash levels decreased when this change was made. Conclusion: At 9 weeks of age, there was a wide range of weaning weights for local and crossbred Ugandan pigs purchased from smallholder farms. Farmers should be encouraged to feed commercial diet until the pigs reach 11 kg of body weight. Older and heavier pigs grow well on less expensive forage-based and silage-based diets. ADG will likely be further improved when the ash content of diets can be reduced from both farmer made and commercial diets

Rapid tranquillisation for agitated patients in emergency psychiatric rooms: a randomised trial of midazolam versus haloperidol plus promethazine

OBJECTIVE: To compare two widely used drug treatments for people with aggression or agitation due to mental illness. DESIGN: Pragmatic, randomised clinical trial. SETTING: Three psychiatric emergency rooms in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. SUBJECTS: 301 aggressive or agitated people. INTERVENTIONS: Open treatment with intramuscular midazolam or intramuscular haloperidol plus promethazine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients tranquil or sedated at 20 minutes. Secondary outcomes: patients tranquil or asleep by 40, 60, and 120 minutes; restrained or given extra drugs within 2 hours; severe adverse events; another episode of agitation or aggression; needing extra visits from doctor during first 24 hours; overall antipsychotic load in first 24 hours; and not discharged by two weeks

Pérdida de forraje ocasionada por diferentes densidades de Dichroplus maculipennis (Acrididae: Melanoplinae) en una pastura de Festuca arundinacea Schreb

Dichroplus maculipennis es una de las especies de tucura más característica y perjudicial de Argentina, principalmente en zonas de la región pampeana y la Patagonia. En años de explosiones poblacionales esta especie ocasiona importantes daños en pastizales naturales, pasturas implantadas y en diversos cultivos. Considerando esto, el objetivo principal de este estudio fue estimar la pérdida de forraje ocasionada por diferentes densidades de D. maculipennis en el estado adulto, sobre una pastura de valor forrajero como Festuca arundinacea, en condiciones de campo. La experiencia se realizó en un campo del partido de Tandil, durante el mes de enero de 2016. Se utilizaron jaulas donde se colocaron individuos adultos de D. maculipennis en una proporción 1:1 de machos y hembras. Se estimó la pérdida de forraje ocasionada por tres densidades diferentes: 8 ind/m2, 16 ind/m2 y 32 ind/m2. Se realizaron tres réplicas por densidad ensayada y también se establecieron tres jaulas sin tucuras como control. La biomasa cosechada al final de la experiencia en las jaulas control fue 337,8 ± 7,5 g/m2, en las jaulas con una densidad de 8 ind/m2 fue de 262,9 ± 11,8 g/m2, en aquellas con 16 ind/m2 fue de 227,6 ± 6 g/m2 y en las jaulas con 32 ind/m2 fue de 154,6 ± 9,9 g/m2. Las tres densidades utilizadas ocasionaron una disminución significativa en la biomasa de F. arundinacea respecto del control (p<0,0001). Asimismo, la biomasa vegetal cosechada en las jaulas con la mayor densidad de tucuras fue significativamente menor a la obtenida en las jaulas con las otras dos densidades (p <0,05). En promedio un individuo por día ocasionó una pérdida de forraje de 0,236 ± 0,02 g. A partir de los resultados obtenidos, se puede inferir que 8 ind/m2 producirían una pérdida de forraje de 749 kg/ha. Con 16 ind/m2 la pérdida sería de 1107,4 kg/ha y con 32 ind/m2 la pérdida sería de 1873 kg/ha. Esta última densidad ocasionaría una disminución del 55% de la biomasa de la pastura en el lapso de un mes.The grasshopper Dichroplus maculipennis is considered one of the most characteristic and damaging species of Argentina, mainly in areas of Pampas and Patagonia regions. In outbreak years, this species causes serious damage to grasslands as well as to implanted pastures and various crops. Considering this, the main goal of this study was to estimate the loss of forage caused by different densities of D. maculipennis in adulthood on a pasture of forage value as Festuca arundinacea, under field conditions. The experience was conducted in a field of Tandil County, during January 2016. Adult individuals of D. maculipennis were placed in cages in a sex ratio 1:1. Forage loss caused by three different densities was estimated with 8 ind/m2, 16 ind/m2 and 32 ind/m2. Three replicates were performed for each assayed density; also three cages were established without grasshoppers as control. The harvested biomass at the end of the experiment in control cages was 337,8 ± 7,5 g/m2, in cages with a density of 8 ind/m2 was 262,9 ± 11,8 g/m2, those with 16 ind / m2 was 227,6 ± 6 g / m2 and in cages with 32 ind/m2 was 154,6 ± 9,9 g/m2. The three densities caused a significant decrease in the biomass of F. arundinacea respect to the control (p <0,0001). Plant biomass harvested from cages with the highest density of grasshoppers was significantly lower than that obtained from cages with the other two densities (p <0,05). One insect per day caused a forage loss of 0,02 ± 0,236 g/m2, on average. From the results, it can be inferred that a density of 8 ind/m2 would produce a forage loss of 749 kg/ha, 16 ind/m2 would produce a forage loss of 1107,4 kg/ha, and with 32 ind/m2 the loss would be 1873 kg/ha. The latter would cause a decrease of 55% of the biomass of pasture in one month.Gerencia de Comunicación e Imagen Institucional, DNA SICC, INTAFil: Mariottini, Yanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable; ArgentinaFil: De Wysiecki, M.L. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Lange, C.E. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentina. Buenos Aires (provincia). Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentin