Release of Lungworm Larvae from Snails in the Environment: Potential for Alternative Transmission Pathways

Background: Gastropod-borne parasites may cause debilitating clinical conditions in animals and humans following the consumption of infected intermediate or paratenic hosts. However, the ingestion of fresh vegetables contaminated by snail mucus and/or water has also been proposed as a source of the infection for some zoonotic metastrongyloids (e.g., Angiostrongylus cantonensis). In the meantime, the feline lungworms Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior are increasingly spreading among cat populations, along with their gastropod intermediate hosts. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of alternative transmission pathways for A. abstrusus and T. brevior L3 via the mucus of infected Helix aspersa snails and the water where gastropods died. In addition, the histological examination of snail specimens provided information on the larval localization and inflammatory reactions in the intermediate host. Methodology/Principal Findings: Twenty-four specimens of H. aspersa received ~500 L1 of A. abstrusus and T. brevior, and were assigned to six study groups. Snails were subjected to different mechanical and chemical stimuli throughout 20 days in order to elicit the production of mucus. At the end of the study, gastropods were submerged in tap water and the sediment was observed for lungworm larvae for three consecutive days. Finally, snails were artificially digested and recovered larvae were counted and morphologically and molecularly identified. The anatomical localization of A. abstrusus and T. brevior larvae within snail tissues was investigated by histology. L3 were detected in the snail mucus (i.e., 37 A. abstrusus and 19 T. brevior) and in the sediment of submerged specimens (172 A. abstrusus and 39 T. brevior). Following the artificial digestion of H. aspersa snails, a mean number of 127.8 A. abstrusus and 60.3 T. brevior larvae were recovered. The number of snail sections positive for A. abstrusus was higher than those for T. brevior. Conclusions: Results of this study indicate that A. abstrusus and T. brevior infective L3 are shed in the mucus of H. aspersa or in water where infected gastropods had died submerged. Both elimination pathways may represent alternative route(s) of environmental contamination and source of the infection for these nematodes under field conditions and may significantly affect the epidemiology of feline lungworms. Considering that snails may act as intermediate hosts for other metastrongyloid species, the environmental contamination by mucus-released larvae is discussed in a broader context

Percentages of cooled Artemia Nauplii for pacam? larvae culture

Todos os textos, informa??es e resultados apresentados s?o de inteira responsabilidade dos autores.O pacam? ? uma esp?cie nativa e end?mica da bacia hidrografia do Rio S?o Francisco. Os n?uplios de Artemia sp. constituem um importante insumo, principalmente para a cria??o de larvas de peixes, de camar?es marinhos e de ?gua doce. Portanto o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar diferentes porcentagens de n?uplios de Artemia sp.resfriada na alimenta??o de larvas de pacam?. Os n?uplios de Artemia sp. s?o adequadas para a alimenta??o de larvas de pacam?, sendo recomendado o fornecimento de 70 a 100% do seu peso vivo.The pacam? is a native and endemic species of the basin hydrography basin of the S?o Francisco River. Artemia sp. nauplii constituted an important ingredient especially for fish larvae breeding of marine, and freshwater prawns. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate different percentages of Artemia sp.resfriada the power pacam? larvae. Artemia sp. nauplii. are suitable for pacam? larvae feeding, being recommended 70 to 100% of body weight

Acute kidney disease and renal recovery : consensus report of the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) 16 Workgroup

Consensus definitions have been reached for both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and these definitions are now routinely used in research and clinical practice. The KDIGO guideline defines AKI as an abrupt decrease in kidney function occurring over 7 days or less, whereas CKD is defined by the persistence of kidney disease for a period of > 90 days. AKI and CKD are increasingly recognized as related entities and in some instances probably represent a continuum of the disease process. For patients in whom pathophysiologic processes are ongoing, the term acute kidney disease (AKD) has been proposed to define the course of disease after AKI; however, definitions of AKD and strategies for the management of patients with AKD are not currently available. In this consensus statement, the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) proposes definitions, staging criteria for AKD, and strategies for the management of affected patients. We also make recommendations for areas of future research, which aim to improve understanding of the underlying processes and improve outcomes for patients with AKD

Microalgae Schizochytrium sp. in diets for Piau juvenilles

Todos os textos, informa??es e resultados apresentados s?o de inteira responsabilidade dos autores.O DHA ? um ?cido importante da s?rie ?mega 3, fundamental para a forma??o do tecido nervoso e visual em humanos, e confere tamb?m uma boa forma??o da massa encef?lica. O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar dietas contendo a inclus?o da alga Schizochytrium sp. no desempenho produtivo de juvenis de piau.O experimento foi conduzido no Laborat?rio de Aquicultura e Ecologia Aqu?tica do Departamento de Zootecnia da Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, em Diamantina MG. Foram utilizados 300 juvenis de Piau (Leporinus friderici) com peso e comprimento total m?dio de 11,8 e 9,68 g respectivamente . Os peixes passaram por sete dias de adapta??o e foram alimentados com a ra??o do tratamento controle. . O experimento foi realizado em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos (0, 10, 20, 30, e 40 g de Schizochytrium sp/kg-1)e quatro repeti??es. Sete juvenis foram estocados por aqu?rio, totalizando 20 parcelas experimentais. Avaliou-se aos 60 dias de experimento par?metros de desempenho produtivo. Foram mensurados: comprimento padr?o (cm), comprimento total (cm), ganho de peso (g), consumo de ra??o (g), convers?o alimentar (g/g)?, biomassa final (g), e sobreviv?ncia (%). As vari?veis de desempenho apresentaram melhores resultados de acordo com o aumento do n?vel de inclus?o da alga Schizochytrium sp em juvenis de piau. Conlcui-se com este estudo que juvenis de piau alimentados com 40g de Schizochytrium sp.kg-1 apresentam melhor desempenho produtivo e sobreviv?ncia.DHA is an important acid of the omega-3 series, essential for the formation of the nervous and visual tissue in humans, and also gives a good formation of brain matter. This study aimed to evaluate diets with the inclusion of algae Schizochytrium sp. In productive performance of piau juveniles.. Experiment was conducted at the Aquaculture Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology of the Department of Animal Science, of the Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys, in Diamantina MG. . Three hundred Piau (Leporinus friderici) juvenile, with body weight and length means of 11.8, and 9.68 g respectively. Fish have undergone seven days of adaptation and were fed with the control ration treatment. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with five treatments (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 g of Schizochytrium sp. Kg-1) and four replications. Seven juveniles were stocked per aquarium, totaling 20 experimental plots. It was evaluated at 60 days of the experiment For the productive performance were measured: standard length (cm), total length (cm), weight gain (g), feed intake (g), feed conversion (g / g) ? , final biomass (g) EC (%) and survival (%). The performance variables showed greater results in accordance with the increase in the level of inclusionof Schizochytrium sp in piau juveniles diets. It follows that piau juveniles fed with 40g Schizochytrium sp.kg-1 have greater growth performance and survival

Cloning and endogenous expression of a Eucalyptus grandis UDP-glucose dehydrogenase cDNA

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) catalyzes the oxidation of UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc) to UDP-glucuronate (UDP-GlcA), a key sugar nucleotide involved in the biosynthesis of plant cell wall polysaccharides. A full-length cDNA fragment coding for UGDH was cloned from the cambial region of 6-month-old E. grandis saplings by RT-PCR. The 1443-bp-ORF encodes a protein of 480 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 53 kDa. The recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed the conversion of UDP-Glc to UDP-GlcA, confirming that the cloned cDNA encodes UGDH. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA showed a high degree of identity with UGDH from several plant species. The Southern blot assay indicated that more than one copy of UGDH is present in Eucalyptus. These results were also confirmed by the proteomic analysis of the cambial region of 3- and 22-year-old E. grandis trees by 2-DE and LC-MS/MS, showing that at least two isoforms are present. The cloned gene is mainly expressed in roots, stem and bark of 6-month-old saplings, with a lower expression in leaves. High expression levels were also observed in the cambial region of 3- and 22-year-old trees. The results described in this paper provide a further view of the hemicellulose biosynthesis during wood formation in E. grandis