Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time, and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space. While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes, vast areas of the tropics remain understudied. In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity, but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases. To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge, it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Morte súbita causada por ruptura de aneurisma em aorta em ruminantes. (Sudden death caused by aortic aneurysm rupture in ruminants).

Resumen:De um total de 2.088 ruminantes necropsiados no Laboratório de Patologia Animal da Universidade Federal deCampina Grande durante o período de janeiro de 2003 a dezembro de 2015, 803 (38,45%) eram bovinos, 651(31,18%) ovinos e 634 (30,37%) caprinos. Desses, dois caprinos (0,31%), um ovino (0,15%) e um bovino(0,12%) foram diagnosticados com ruptura de artéria aorta devido à presença de aneurismas, correspondendo a0,19% das causas de morte em ruminantes. O caso 1 ocorreu em um caprino que apresentava bom estadocorporal e foi encontrado morto pelo proprietário; o caso 2, em um caprino com diagnóstico clínico presuntivode linfadenite caseosa; o caso 3, em um ovino que foi encontrado morto pelo proprietário; e o caso 4, em umbovino com histórico de timpanismo recidivante. Em todos os casos, a morte ocorreu rapidamente por choquehipovolêmico. Os principais achados macroscópicos na necropsia foram hemotórax ou hemoperitônio e aruptura na artéria aorta. Nos caprinos, abscessos foram visualizados microscopicamente e estavam associados àpresença de bactérias, o que sugere infecção por Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. No ovino, não foramobservadas lesões que pudessem elucidar a causa do aneurisma, por isso foi considerado de provável origemidiopática. No bovino, não foi possível estabelecer a causa, mas a presença do aneurisma dificultava aeructação dos gases da fermentação ruminal, caracterizando um quadro de timpanismo secundário. Aneurismasocorrem de forma esporádica em caprinos, ovinos e bovinos e devem ser considerados como uma importantecausa de morte súbita

Dermatite piogranulomatosa ulcerativa em bovino por Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

RESUMO Relata-se um caso de lesão cutânea secundária à infecção por Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis em bovino. Abscessos e múltiplas lesões cutâneas nodulares, variando de 8x10 para 20x25cm de diâmetro, firmes, sensíveis ao toque e sem mobilidade, algumas com superfície ulcerada, circundada por halo avermelhado e drenando secreção piossanguinolenta, e outras com superfícies alopécicas, foram identificados na região torácica lateral do animal. Exames histopatológicos e o isolamento do agente de fragmentos obtidos após remoção cirúrgica das lesões confirmaram tratar-se da forma cutânea da infecção pelo C. pseudotuberculosis. As lesões microscópicas caracterizaram-se por dermatite nodular piogranulomatosa e ulcerativa. A avaliação da susceptibilidade in vitro do C. pseudotuberculosis a antimicrobianos demonstrou que o agente era resistente à amicacina, kanamicina, neomicina e penicilina G, apresentando sensibilidade à ampicilina adicionada de subactam, amoxicilia com ácido clavulônico, cefalexina, cefalotina, cefotaxima, enrofloxacina, gentamicina e tetraciclina. A retirada cirúrgica das lesões e o tratamento com enrofloxacina resultaram na cura do animal. Lesões de pele observadas em casos de ptiose, carcinoma de células escamosas e na forma atípica da actinobacilose devem ser consideradas no diagnóstico diferencial da forma cutânea da infecção por C. pseudotuberculosis em bovinos. Os dados apresentados demonstram que a infecção pelo C. pseudotuberculosis deve ser considerada no diagnóstico diferencial das lesões de pele em bovinos no Brasil

Cutaneous pythiosis in a donkey (Equus asinus) in Brazil. (Brief Communication)

ABSTRACT.Our study describes the clinical, epidemiologic, pathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular aspects (PCR) of a case of cutaneous pythiosis in a donkey (Equus asinus) from Brazil. During a dry period, the animal grazed for 4 months around a pond where the vegetation remained green. Skin lesions were nodular, multifocal, and disseminated, mainly involving the legs, ventral chest, and mammary gland. On cut surface, there were multifocal to coalescent discrete yellow foci, and occasional small cavitations with a few kunkers. Ulcerative nodular pyogranulomatous and eosinophilic dermatitis with folliculitis and furunculosis were observed histologically. Hyphae were observed in sections stained with Gomori methenamine silver. Immunohistochemistry with Pythium insidiosum antibodies yielded strong immunostaining of hyphae. P. insidiosum DNA was extracted from tissues in paraffin blocks by amplification of a fragment of 105 bp, which targets the 5.8S ribosomal gene. After the diagnosis of pythiosis, the larger skin lesions were excised and treated as second intention healing wounds, which were completely healed 30 days after resection. Small skin lesions regressed spontaneously in ~60 days. The granulomatous inflammation and outcome of the disease in this donkey were similar to cases of pythiosis in cattle.© 2016 The Author(s

Efeitos da suplementação com fósforo em caprinos no semiárido do nordeste brasileiro

To evaluate the effect of phosphorus supplementation for goats grazing for the semiarid region, one group of 16 recently weaned Moxotó goats was supplemented with a mineral supplement containing Na, Cl, Zn, Cu, Se, Co, and P during 240 days. Another similar group was supplemented with a similar mineral supplement without P. The mean daily consumption of supplement by animal was of 7.09±2.77g and 7.67±3.14g for the groups with and without P, respectively. The mean weight gain of the P supplemented group (45.20±5.56g) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than the non-supplemented group (40.03±2.80g). The average total P in soil was 30.8mg/kg and in the pasture 0.13% in dry matter. These results demonstrate the occurrence of P deficiency in some areas of the Brazilian semiarid region

Morte súbita causada por ruptura de aneurisma em aorta em ruminantes

RESUMO De um total de 2.088 ruminantes necropsiados no Laboratório de Patologia Animal da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande durante o período de janeiro de 2003 a dezembro de 2015, 803 (38,45%) eram bovinos, 651 (31,18%) ovinos e 634 (30,37%) caprinos. Desses, dois caprinos (0,31%), um ovino (0,15%) e um bovino (0,12%) foram diagnosticados com ruptura de artéria aorta devido à presença de aneurismas, correspondendo a 0,19% das causas de morte em ruminantes. O caso 1 ocorreu em um caprino que apresentava bom estado corporal e foi encontrado morto pelo proprietário; o caso 2, em um caprino com diagnóstico clínico presuntivo de linfadenite caseosa; o caso 3, em um ovino que foi encontrado morto pelo proprietário; e o caso 4, em um bovino com histórico de timpanismo recidivante. Em todos os casos, a morte ocorreu rapidamente por choque hipovolêmico. Os principais achados macroscópicos na necropsia foram hemotórax ou hemoperitônio e a ruptura na artéria aorta. Nos caprinos, abscessos foram visualizados microscopicamente e estavam associados à presença de bactérias, o que sugere infecção por Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. No ovino, não foram observadas lesões que pudessem elucidar a causa do aneurisma, por isso foi considerado de provável origem idiopática. No bovino, não foi possível estabelecer a causa, mas a presença do aneurisma dificultava a eructação dos gases da fermentação ruminal, caracterizando um quadro de timpanismo secundário. Aneurismas ocorrem de forma esporádica em caprinos, ovinos e bovinos e devem ser considerados como uma importante causa de morte súbita

Sarcoide associado à infecção por Habronema spp. em equinos no Brasil.(Sarcoid Associated with Infection by Habronema spp. in Equines in Brazil).

Resumo:Background: Equine sarcoid, supposed to be caused by infection with bovine papillomavirus type 1 or 2, is usually observed in previously traumatized skin areas, including lesions of habronemosis due to inoculation of third stage larvae in ulcerated wounds by Musca domestica or Stomoxys calcitrans. Little is known about the occurrence of diseases associated with equine sarcoid, mainly because limitations on clinical diagnosis, due to the different skin diseases that have to be considered as differential diagnoses. This report aimed to describe three cases of equine sarcoid associated with habronemosis in horses in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil. Cases: Three cases of sarcoid associated with habronemosis in equines were diagnosed at the Animal Pathology Laboratory of the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba. Case 1. A 5-year-old female showed in the ventral branch of the mandible a nodule of 3 cm in diameter, partially covered with skin and hair intercepted by areas of irregular surface with yellow-red ulcerations. The cut surface was formed by whitish and firm tissue. Case 2. It was a biopsy from a 4-year-old mare, who was not informed of the macroscopic characteristics of the lesion. Case 3. A 5-year-old horse presenting a nodular mass in the region of the tarsal-metatarsal joint, measuring 8.0x5.0x3.0 cm with an irregular, ulcerated, red-blackish surface. The cut surface was firm and whitish with brownish punctate areas. Microscopically all the lesions were classified as equine sarcoid of mixed type with abundant collagen fibers and randomly extensive proliferation of fibroblasts in the dermis. These fibroblasts had an elongated and weakly eosinophilic cytoplasm, rounded nucleus and prominent nucleoli. There were low mitotic activity. Hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis and sometimes ulcerated areas covered by serous cellular scabs were observed in the skin. Multifocal coalescing, granulomatous and eosinophilic lesions were observed within the neoplastic tissue. Cylindrical structures with an elongated thick eosinophilic outer cuticle and obvious side spicules, morphologically compatible with larvae Habronema spp, surrounded by inflammatory cells and cellular debris were observed in Cases 1 and 2. In case 3, intralesional larvae were not observed, but histologic lesions had a similar pattern than cases 1 and 2. Discussion: In these cases the affected animals presented simultaneously a mixed lesion of sarcoid and habronemosis, which leads to complications in clinical diagnosis and difficulties to institute appropriate therapy. Histopathological examination of such lesions is necessary because should characterize their morphology and the causative agent, discarding the other differential diagnoses. The combination of these two conditions can probably be related to the fact that sarcoid may develop up in places previously traumatized, such us lesions of habronemosis. It is important to differentiate these lesions from other skin diseases such as granulation tissue, pythiosis, squamous cell carcinoma and fibroid. Though the occurrence of sarcoid and simultaneous habronemosis in horses is rare in equine medicine, clinicians and pathologists who work with diagnosis may sporadically encounter similar cases, hence the importance of histopathologic analysis of skin samples, as this may help definition of the a etiology and also the institution of therapeutic measures and prognosis of affected ani