Inefficacy of albendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin for the treatment of bovine parasitic otitis caused by rhabditiform nematodes

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a eficácia do sulfóxido de albendazol administrado oralmente e da ivermectina "pour-on" no tratamento da otite parasitária bovina causada por nematóides rhabditiformes. Dezoito vacas Gir apresentando otite clínica foram divididas em três grupos de seis animais cada. O primeiro não recebeu tratamento (grupo controle). O segundo foi tratado com ivermectina "pour-on" a 0,05% na dose de 500µg/kg de peso vivo. O terceiro grupo foi tratado com sulfóxido de albendazol oral a 6% na dose 6,0mg/kg. Os condutos auditivos de todos os animais foram reexaminados nos dias 7 e 21 pós-tratamento. Os animais do grupo controle permaneceram infectados nos dias de observação. O tratamento com ivermectina não demonstrou eficácia alguma para os dias 7 e 21 pós-tratamento. O tratamento com sulfóxido de albendazol obteve 16,7 e 25% de eficácia nos dias 7 e 21, respectivamente. Mais estudos são necessários para determinação de tratamentos eficazes para tal doença parasitária, especialmente através de vias alternativas de administração, por causa de seu significante impacto na criação de Bos taurus indicus nas Regiões Tropical e Subtropical.

The interstitial subsoil fauna on the beach of Sarso Island, Red Sea

The scope of this research was to find out, how important is the presence of brackish water for the formation of the characteristical littoral subsoil fauna in the interstitial spaces of beaches. There is little precipitation in the Red Sea area and therefore little influence of freshwater on the beach. Moreover, the sandy beach of Sarso Island (Farasan Archipelago) is bordered landwards and underneath by solid limestone, preventing subsoil fresh water, if there is any, from penetrating into the beach region. The salinity of the interstitial water from Sarso beach lies a little above the salinity of the adjacent sea. The microfauna of Sarso beach is composed to a rather big proportion of such species that are known to be characteristical littoral subsoil water species, partially of world wide distribution. The ecological analysis of this fauna, i.e. the freeliving Nematodes, reveals the presence of two distinct associations: 1. the association of the low level subsoil region, close to the sea, with clear interstitial water, subject to regular exchange with the water of the adjcent sea. 2. the association of the high level subsoil region, 4-10 meter distant from the sea, with brownish water. Contrary to earlier results there is no distinction in salinity between the two associations, so it is not longer justified to apply the term brackish water fauna on the animals living in the association of the high level subsoil region.

Electronic states of trans-polyacetylene, poly(p-phenylene vinylene) and sp-hybridised carbon species in amorphous hydrogenated carbon probed by resonant Raman scattering

Inclusions of sp-hybridised, trans-polyacetylene [trans-(CH)x] and poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) chains are revealed using resonant Raman scattering (RRS) investigation of amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films in the near IR – UV range. The RRS spectra of trans-(CH)x core Ag modes and the PPV CC-H phenylene mode are found to transform and disperse as the laser excitation energy ћωL is increased from near IR through visible to UV, whereas sp-bonded inclusions only become evident in UV. This is attributed to ћωL probing of trans-(CH)x chain inhomogeneity and the distribution of chains with varying conjugation length; for PPV to the resonant probing of phelynene ring disorder; and for sp segments, to ћωL probing of a local band gap of end-terminated polyynes. The IR spectra analysis confirmed the presence of sp, trans-(CH)x and PPV inclusions. The obtained RRS results for a-C:H denote differentiation between the core Ag trans-(CH)x modes and the PPV phenylene mode. Furthermore, it was found that at various laser excitation energies the changes in Raman spectra features for trans-(CH)x segments included in an amorphous carbon matrix are the same as in bulk trans-polyacetylene. The latter finding can be used to facilitate identification of trans-(CH)x in the spectra of complex carbonaceous materials.

Direct and indirect effects of egg parasitism by Neopolyscystus Girault sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on Paropsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract Neopolycystus sp. is the only primary egg parasitoid associated with the pest beetle Paropsis atomaria in subtropical eucalypt plantations, but its impact on its host populations is unknown. The simplified ecosystem represented by the plantation habitat, lack of interspecific competition for host and parasitoid, and the multivoltinism of the host population makes this an ideal system for quantifying the direct and indirect effects of egg parasitism, and hence, effects on host population dynamics. Within-, between- and overall-egg-batch parasitism rates were determined at three field sites over two field seasons, and up to seven host generations. The effect of exposure time (egg batch age), host density proximity to native forest and water sources on egg parasitism rates was also tested. Neopolycystus sp. exerts a significant influence on P. atomaria populations in Eucalyptus cloeziana. plantations in south-eastern Queensland, causing the direct (13%) and indirect (15%) mortality of almost one-third of all eggs in the field. Across seasons and generations, 45% of egg batches were parasitised, with a within-batch parasitism rate of around 30%. Between-batch parasitism increased up to 5–6 days after oviposition in the field, although within-batch parasitism rates generally did not. However, there were few apparent patterns to egg parasitism, with rates often varying significantly between sites and seasons.

A new dasyurid marsupial from eastern Queensland, Australia : the buff-footed Antechinus, Antechinus mysticus sp. nov. (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae)

Antechinus mysticus sp. nov. occurs in coastal Australia, ranging from just north of the Queensland (Qld)/New South Wales (NSW) border to Mackay (mid-east Qld), and is sympatric with A. flavipes (Waterhouse) and A. subtropicus Van Dyck & Crowther in south-east Qld. The new species can be distinguished in the field, having paler feet and tail base than A. flavipes and a greyish head that merges to buff-yellow on the rump and flanks, compared with the more uniform brown head and body of A. subtropicus and A. stuartii Macleay. Features of the dentary can also be used for identification: A. mysticus differs from A. flavipes in having smaller molar teeth, from A. subtropicus in having a larger gap between front and rear palatal vacuities, and from A. stuartii in having a generally broader snout. Here, we present a morphological analysis of the new species in comparison with every member of the genus, including a discussion of genetic structure and broader evolutionary trends, as well as an identification key to species based on dental characters. It seems likely that the known geographic range of A. mysticus will expand as taxonomic focus on the genus is concentrated in south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales.