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Seasonal rounds are deliberative articulations of a community’s sociocultural relations with their ecological system. The process of visualizing seasonal rounds informs transdisciplinary research. We present a methodological approach for communities of enquiry to engage communities of practice through context-specific sociocultural and ecological relations driven by seasonal change. We first discuss historical précis of the concept of seasonal rounds that we apply to assess the spatial and temporal communal migrations and then describe current international research among Indigenous and rural communities in North America and Central Asia by the creation of a common vocabulary through mutual respect for multiple ways of knowing, validation of co-generated knowledge, and insights into seasonal change. By investigating the relationship between specific biophysical indicators and livelihoods of local communities, we demonstrate that seasonal rounds are an inclusive and participatory methodology that brings together diverse Indigenous and rural voices to anticipate anthropogenic climate change.

Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonosis worldwide with economic and public health impacts. The aim of the present study was to identify Brucella (B.) spp. isolated from animal populations located in different districts of Egypt and to determine their antimicrobial resistance. In total, 34-suspected Brucella isolates were recovered from lymph nodes, milk, and fetal abomasal contents of infected cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats from nine districts in Egypt. The isolates were identified by microbiological methods and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Differentiation and genotyping were confirmed using multiplex PCR for B. abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis (AMOS) and Bruce-ladder PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing against clinically used antimicrobial agents (chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, imipenem, rifampicin, streptomycin, and tetracycline) was performed using E-Test. The antimicrobial resistance-associated genes and mutations in Brucella isolates were confirmed using molecular tools. In total, 29 Brucella isolates (eight B. abortus biovar 1 and 21 B. melitensis biovar 3) were identified and typed. The resistance of B. melitensis to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, imipenem, rifampicin, and streptomycin were 76.2%, 19.0%, 76.2%, 66.7%, and 4.8%, respectively. Whereas, 25.0%, 87.5%, 25.0%, and 37.5% of B. abortus were resistant to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, imipenem, and rifampicin, respectively. Mutations in the rpoB gene associated with rifampicin resistance were identified in all phenotypically resistant isolates. Mutations in gyrA and gyrB genes associated with ciprofloxacin resistance were identified in four phenotypically resistant isolates of B. melitensis. This is the first study highlighting the antimicrobial resistance in Brucella isolated from different animal species in Egypt. Mutations detected in genes associated with antimicrobial resistance unravel the molecular mechanisms of resistance in Brucella isolates from Egypt. The mutations in the rpoB gene in phenotypically resistant B. abortus isolates in this study were reported for the first time in Egypt.

Brucellosis is considered as endemic disease of animals and humans since thousands of years in Egypt. However, brucellosis in pigs has never been reported in Egypt. Thus, serological and molecular assays were applied to detect anti-Brucella antibodies and DNA in serum samples collected from pigs. In total 331 blood samples collected from male and female pigs at slaughterhouses of Cairo and Giza governorates were investigated using Brucella c- and i-ELISA and Brucella real-time PCR. Anti-Brucella antibodies were detected in 16 (4.83%) and 36 (10.8%) sera by i-ELISA and c-ELISA, respectively. Brucella DNA was detected in 10 (3.02%) seropositive samples and identified as Brucella melitensis (7/10) and Brucella suis (3/10). A higher prevelance was found in boars. This is the first study investigating pig brucellosis in Egypt. The results of this study will raise awareness for brucellosis in these farm animals and will help to develop effective control strategies.

IntroductionDespite the advancements in the field, there is a lack of data when it comes to co-infections in poultry. Therefore, this study was designed to address this issue.Material and MethodsBroiler birds were experimentally infected with E. coli (O78) and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) strain, alone or in combination. The experimental groups were negative control.ResultsThe infected birds showed most severe clinical signs in E. coli+LPAI group along with a significant decrease in weight and enhanced macroscopic and microscopic pathological lesions. The survival rate was 60%, 84%, and 100% in birds inoculated with E. coli+LPAI, E. coli, and LPAI virus alone, respectively. The results showed that experimental co-infection with E. coli and H9N2 strain of LPAI virus increased the severity of clinical signs, mortality rate, and gross lesions. The HI titre against LPAI virus infection in the co-infected group was significantly higher than the HI titre of LPAI group, which may indicate that E. coli may promote propagation of H9N2 LPAI virus by alteration of immune response.ConclusionThe present study revealed that co-infection with E. coli and H9N2 LPAI virus caused more serious synergistic pathogenic effects and indicates the role of both pathogens as complicating factors in poultry infections.

The use of osmotic treatment or osmoconditioning (OC) to improve the performance of soybeans (Glycine (L.) Merrill cv. ‘Traverse’) was explored. The aim of this investigation was to examine in detail the optimum conditions needed for OC of soybean seeds for germination and soil emergence at suboptimal temperatures. Such a study is necessary if soybeans are to be planted early in the season when the soil is moist and cold. Osmotic treatment consisted of treating seeds with various concentrations of polyethylene glycol‐6000 (PEG) solutions at 15 C. Following osmotic treatment, seeds were germinated either on filter paper soaked with water or in a soil medium. The treatment improved the performance of soybean seeds as shown by axvancement in the time of germination and an increase in the rate of germination and emergence at suboptimal temperatures (8 or 15 C). The optimum time period of 06 at 15 C was in the range of 4 to 8 days, and the most favorable range of PEG concentration for OC was 25 to 30 g/100 ml of water (−8.6 to −11.9 bars). Following OC, drying the seeds to the original air dry weight did not remove the germination advantage gained by OC. Although 0.20/, thiram added to PEG solution improved the appearance of the seedling, it did not affect OC. These studies suggest that it might be possible to plant osmoconditioned seeds in moist, cold soil to extend the planting Season and/or to improve the uniformity of seedling stand.

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