Rotation of male genitalia in various species of phlebotomine sandfly.

Phlebotomine sandflies, vectors of Leishmania (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) parasites that affect millions of people worldwide, breed in terrestrial biotopes. As immature stages are rarely accessible, the detection of their natural breeding sites is primarily based on findings of juvenile males with unrotated external genitalia. In males, permanent 180° rotation on the longitudinal body axis occurs soon after eclosion; however, no study has as yet addressed this aspect in detail. The present study describes the timing and duration of the rotation of male external genitalia in eight highly medically important sandfly species belonging to the genera Sergentomyia, Lutzomyia and Phlebotomus (all: Diptera: Psychodidae), kept under controlled laboratory conditions. The average duration of rotation was species-specific and varied from 12 h in Sergentomyia schwetzi to 33 h in Phlebotomus sergenti. Significant differences in rotation times were found among species, even between two closely related species of the subgenus Larroussius, Phlebotomus orientalis and Phlebotomus tobbi. The rotation of genitalia in all three studied genera was randomly oriented and similar numbers of clockwise and counter-clockwise events were observed. The study also addresses the effects of some external factors. In all species studied, rotation was not affected by the time of day of eclosion. Similarly, no differences in total rotation time were found between Phlebotomus papatasi males maintained at 25 and 20 °C, respectively. The present findings will assist in the search for natural breeding sites and in studies aimed at elucidating strategies for integrated sandfly and leishmaniasis control.

[Foreign substances in the meat and organs of bulls and pigs fed with pastes made from household and food industry waste in addition to pastes made from poultry droppings]. / Cizorodé látky v mase a orgánech býku a prasat po zkrmování pasty z kuchynských a potravinárských odpadu vcetne pasty s drubezím trusem.

The residues of antimicrobial substances, some chlorinated and organophosphate pesticides and chemical elements were studied in the meat and organs of a group of bulls fed food-waste paste for 240 days and a group of bulls fed the same paste with an addition of poultry waste. These residues were also studied in the tissues of pigs fed the food-waste paste for 135 and 151 days until slaughter. The feed ingredients were also examined during the feeding trials. Although some of the residues under study were found in the tissues of the test animals at increased amounts, their concentrations were diluted in the tissues in the majority of cases when the feed pastes were administered. All residue contents recorded in the tissues remained below the permissible limits as given in valid instructions and directives so that the products, i. e. meat and organs, could be deemed digestible on the basis of hygienic evaluation. Hence, from the point of view of the occurrence of residues of foreign substances in edible tissues, the administration of food-waste pastes to farm animals can be considered as admissible.

[Effect of the diet containing rendering fats on the milk yield and vitamin E content in the milk of dairy cows]. / Vliv diet s prídavky kafilerních tuku na mlécnou uzitkovost a na obsah vitamínu E v mléce dojnic.

In three groups of first-calvers with 15 animals each, with an identical basal diet, we followed for six months the effect of the DOB mixture additive without fat, the DOB mixture with 5% of rendering-plant fat obtained mechanically and DOB with 5% of rendering-plant fat after perchlorethylene extraction (0.90% perchlorethylene residuum). This additive of rendering-plant fats in concentrate mixtures as a substitute for grain in our experiment increased milk efficiency and the production of milk fat parallelled by a saving of concentrated feeds. An addition of rendering-plant fats which were often of low quality resulted in a decrease in vitamin E content in the blood serum and milk.

[The quality of meat and lard of pigs fed waste fat derived from perchlorethylene extraction]. / Kvalita masa a sádla prasat pri zkrmování kafilerního tuku z perchloretylénové extrakce

Throughout the fattening period, six pigs of the Landrace breed were fed waste fat from perchlorethylene extraction added to the feed ration at a 5-per-cent rate. The waste fat from the rendering plant contained 0.45% residual perchlorethylene. Two groups, each containing six animals of the same breed, one group being fed a ration without any fat supplement and the other being fed a ration containing 5% of its volume as rendering-plant fat obtained by pressing, were examined at the same time during the trial. The basic composition of meat was not affected by the feeding of waste fat from rendering plants. The lard of pigs fed a supplement of rendering-plant fat with perchlorethylene oxidated somewhat more quickly during storage than the lard of control pigs. The sensory quality of meat stock, boiled and roast meat, lard, and scraps was not affected by the feeding of rendering-plant fat; the taste and flavour of the products were normal. No residues of perchlorethylene were detected either organoleptically or instrumentally in the meat and lard of pigs.