Characterization of fungal isolates from pycnidia and pseudothecia from lesions of phaeosphaeria leaf spot in maize.

A doença foliar descrita no Brasil como sendo mancha por phaeosphaeria em milho pode reduzir a produção de grãos em até 60%, quando se utilizam cultivares suscetíveis. O agente causal da doença foi descrito a partir de observações visuais de estruturas reprodutivas sexuadas e assexuadas (pseudotécios e picnídios) encontradas no interior das lesões, e identificado como sendo o fungo Phaeosphaeria maydis, forma imperfeita Phyllosticta sp. No entanto, esse fungo é de difícil isolamento e sua inoculação em plantas de milho, sob condições controladas, não tem apresentado sucesso na reprodução dos sintomas. Isolados obtidos a partir de picnídios e pseudotécios presentes nas lesões foram comparados através do padrão isoenzimático (a e b esterases) e RAPD, visando determinar se esses dois estados são realmente pertencentes ao mesmo agente etiológico. Os resultados obtidos permitiram a separação dos isolados oriundos de picnídios daqueles oriundos de pseudotécios em grupos bem distintos, indicando que essas estruturas pertencem a espécies fúngicas distintas, e não ao estado anamórfico e teleomórfico do mesmo agente, como vem sendo atribuído. A partir da classificação baseada em caracteres morfológicos, o fungo isolado de picnídios foi identificado como Phoma tropica, um fungo oportunista colonizador de lesões preestabelecidas, e não Phyllosticta sp como descrito inicialmente

HYPROP measurements of the unsaturated hydraulic properties of a carbonate rock sample.

The unsaturated hydraulic properties provide important theoretical and practical information about fluid flow in soils and rocks for a range of soil, environmental and engineering applications. In this study we used the evaporation (HYPROP) and chilled-mirror dew point (WP4C) methods to estimate the water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity curves of an Indiana Limestone carbonate rock sample. The obtained data were analyzed in terms of unimodal and bimodal VG (van Genuchten, 1980) and PDI (Peters et al., 2015) type functions. Bimodal functions were found to produce excellent descriptions for the unsaturated hydraulic data we measured, slightly better than the standard unimodal formulations. For our particular test using an Indiana Limestone rock sample, we did not find much improvement when accounting for film and corner flow using the PDI formulation, relative to the VG model. As far as we know, this is the first time the HYPROP methodology was applied to a rock sample

Treatment of a forelimb fracture and rehabilitation of a free-ranging Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus)

Abstract: The surgical treatment of an exposed compounded comminuted fracture of the right radius and ulna in a free-ranging adult female Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) with an osteosynthesis plate and screws and subsequent post-operative care are described. The evolution of the fracture healing was very similar to those expected in a dog of the same size. The prompt surgical intervention and a proper housing, feeding and wound management adapted to a free-ranging wolf, in view to reduce manipulation and post-operative complications, allowed the subsequent rehabilitation and release of the animal. After 10th post-operative weeks the wolf was fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) for wildlife tracking collar and released in the same area where it has been caught. GPS telemetry data showed that the animal covered increasingly large distances confirming a complete functionality of the right thoracic limb and its successfully return to the wild. This report could constitute the first detailed report of a long bone fracture treatment in a free-ranging wolf and its successfully rehabilitation, release and adaptation to the wild

Epidemiological, clinical and immunohistochemical aspects of canine lymphoma in the region of Porto Alegre, Brazil

This paper describes the epidemiological, clinical and immunohistochemical characteristics of canine lymphomas diagnosed in the region of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Thirty dogs were enrolled in the study; most of them were male (60%), mixed-breed (23%) and middle-aged or older. The majority (87%) of affected dogs showed the multicentric form. The B-cell phenotype was most frequently detected (62%); 37% of the animals were in clinical stage IV, and 83% were classified as sub-stage "b". Lymphadenopathy was observed in 67% of the cases, and dyspnea, prostration, decreased appetite and vomiting were the most common clinical signs encountered. Anemia was a frequently encountered laboratory alteration (57%), as were leukocytosis (40%), thrombocytopenia (33%), lymphopenia (30%), hyperglobulinemia (20%) and hypercalcemia (13%). The results of this study indicate that the clinical features of dogs with lymphoma in the region of Porto Alegre are similar to those observed worldwide