Effects of Addition of Tissue‐Type Plasminogen Activator in In Vitro Fertilization Medium on Bovine Embryo Development and Quality

Plasminogen activators/Plasmin system plays pivotal role in regulating reproductive functions of mammals. Here, we examined the effects of modification of in vitro fertilization medium (IVF medium) with the addition of tissue‐type plasminogen activator (t‐PA), on bovine embryo development and quality, assessed by quantification of expression of various genes related to metabolism, oxidation, implantation and apoptosis. In addition, plasminogen activator activity (PAA) and plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) were measured in the spent media. After conventional IVM, 2016 cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were divided into four groups with modified composition of the IVF medium containing t‐PA and/or its inhibitor epsilon‐aminocaproic acid (control, t‐PA, t‐PA+ε‐ACA, ε‐ACA). Presumptive zygotes were cultured for 8 days in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) medium; gene expression studies were carried out on morulae and blastocysts. t‐PA alone significantly suppressed cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, but this effect was neutralized by the addition of ε‐ACA. PAA in the treated group was significantly reduced by ε‐ACA, but without total elimination. Significant differences were detected in the expression of genes related to apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest (BAX, BCL2L1, KAT2B) between embryos produced in t‐PA‐modified media and controls, giving an overall notion that the inferior developmental competence of treated embryos may be attributed to apoptotic phenomena induced by t‐PA. In conclusion, it appears that excessive t‐PA content in the IVF media, suppresses blastocyst formation rate, possibly due to induction of apoptotic phenomena.     

The effects of dietary advice and vouchers on the intake of fruit and fruit juice by pregnant women in a deprived area: a controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of two methods of increasing fruit and fruit juice intake in pregnancy: midwives' advice and vouchers exchangeable for juice. DESIGN: Pregnant women were randomly allocated to three groups: a control group, who received usual care; an advice group, given advice and leaflets promoting fruit and fruit juice consumption; and a voucher group, given vouchers exchangeable for fruit juice from a milk delivery firm. Dietary questionnaires were administered at ~16, 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Serum beta-carotene was measured at 16 and 32 weeks. SETTING: An antenatal clinic in a deprived area. SUBJECTS: Pregnant women aged 17 years and over. RESULTS: The study comprised 190 women. Frequency of fruit consumption declined during pregnancy in all groups, but that of fruit juice increased substantially in the voucher group. Serum beta-carotene concentration increased in the voucher group, from 106.2 to 141.8 micromol l(-1) in women with measurements on both occasions (P = 0.003), decreased from 120.0 to 99.8 micromol l(-1) in the control group (P = 0.005), and was unchanged in the advice group. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women drink more fruit juice if they receive vouchers exchangeable for juice supplied by the milk delivery service. Midwives' advice to eat more fruit has no great effect. Providing vouchers for fruit juice is a simple method of increasing its intake in a deprived population and may be useful for other sections of the community.     

Identification and characterization of a novel whitefly-transmitted member of the family potyviridae isolated from cucurbits in Florida

ABSTRACT A novel whitefly-transmitted member of the family Potyviridae was isolated from a squash plant (Cucurbita pepo) with vein yellowing symptoms in Florida. The virus, for which the name Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV) is proposed, has flexuous rod-shaped particles of approximately 840 nm in length. The experimental host range was limited to species in the family Cucurbitaceae, with the most dramatic symptoms observed in squash and watermelon, but excluded all tested species in the families Amaranthaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, and Solanaceae. The virus was transmitted by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) but was not transmitted by aphids (Myzus persicae). Infection by SqVYV induced inclusion bodies visible by electron and light microscopy that were characteristic of members of the family Potyviridae. Comparison of the SqVYV coat protein gene and protein sequences with those of recognized members of the family Potyviridae indicate that it is a novel member of the genus Ipomovirus. A limited survey revealed that SqVYV also was present in watermelon plants suffering from a vine decline and fruit rot recently observed in Florida and was sufficient to induce these symptoms in greenhouse-grown watermelon, suggesting that SqVYV is the likely cause of this disease.     

Variable-density thinning promotes differential recruitment and development of shade tolerant conifer species after 17 years

Promoting patchy recruitment of shade tolerant tree species into the midstory is an important step in developing structural diversity in second-growth stands. Variable-density thinning (VDT) has been proposed as a strategy for accelerating structural diversity, as its combination of within-stand treatments (harvest gaps, thinning, and non-harvested skips) should create variable overstory and understory conditions. Here we report on western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) seedling and sapling densities in five mixed-conifer stands and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) seedling and sapling densities in two stands in western Washington at 3,7, 10, and 16–17 years after VDT. Additionally, we report on western hemlock advance regeneration growth and survival in two stands over 14 years. Western hemlock seedling density was highest in the thinned treatment but only significantly so in Year 10. In contrast, the gaps contained significantly more western hemlock saplings in Years 7 and 10 and significantly greater growth of western hemlock advance regeneration through Year 10. Skips embedded within the VDT did not differ significantly from unharvested reserves in terms of seedling or sapling densities of either species. Sitka spruce seedling density was highest in the gap and thinned treatments, but saplings were uncommon in all treatments. Collectively, these results indicate that our variant of VDT promoted patchy, midstory recruitment of western hemlock but failed to recruit Sitka spruce saplings in either stand where it established. Consequently, more intensive variants of VDT may be required to promote midstory recruitment of species less tolerant of shade than western hemlock.

     

Furunculosis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) is not readily controllable by bacteriophage therapy

The potential of bacteriophage therapy to control bacterial disease in farmed fish was tested using, as an example, furunculosis of Atlantic salmon, caused by Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida.

In vivo testing with Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) showed no adverse effects, with bacteriophage generally cleared within 96 h of administration by either intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection or oral in-feed.

Juvenile Atlantic salmon were administered a combination of bacteriophage O, R and B (1.9 × 10⁸ pfu fish^− 1) by i.p. injection, after they had been challenged with A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida 78027, also by i.p. injection. The fish that were injected with bacteriophage immediately after challenge died at a significantly slower rate then those that were either not treated with bacteriophage, or treated 24 h post-challenge. However, the end result (100% mortality) was not affected.

In further experiments the effects of oral (1.88 × 10⁵ pfu g^− 1 fish^− 1 daily for 30 days), bath (1.04 × 10⁵ ml^− 1 daily for 30 days) and i.p. (6.25 × 10⁷ pfu fish^− 1) phage treatment to control furunculosis in experimentally infected Atlantic salmon were compared with antibiotherapy (treatment with 10 mg kg^− 1 bw^− 1 day^− 1 oxolinic acid for 10 days), using an indirect cohabitation challenge. No protection was offered by any of the bacteriophage treatments, compared to the positive challenge group, although significant protection was offered by the oxolinic acid treatment. Analysis of samples taken from the trials demonstrated that bacteriophage were correctly administered to the fish and, on occasion, were isolated from fish that had succumbed to furunculosis. It was also shown that bacteriophage resistant A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida isolates could be recovered from mortalities in all the treatment groups.

The results suggest that, although there were no safety problems associated with the approach, furunculosis in Atlantic salmon is not readily controllable by application of bacteriophage.     

Backyard poultry: legislation,zoonoses and disease prevention

In law, backyard poultry are “food‐producing animals” and “farmed animals” and are subject to regulations regarding welfare, prescribing, banned procedures, disposal of carcases, feeding bans, notifiable diseases and disease surveillance in addition to those applying to most other pets. Many owners and some veterinary surgeons are unclear about the requirements of these regulations. Backyard poultry are also associated with some different zoonotic disease risks to mammalian pets. Because a high proportion of poultry morbidity and mortality relates to infectious diseases, the health of backyard poultry is amenable to improvement through basic husbandry, biosecurity, hygiene and preventive medicine measures that can be incorporated into a simple “flock‐health plan”. This article reviews these topics.     

The Schmallenberg virus epidemic in Europe—2011–2013

During the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) epidemic, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) collected data on SBV occurrence across Europe in order to provide an assessment of spread and impact. By May 2013, twenty-nine countries were reporting to EFSA and twenty-two countries had reported cases of SBV. The total number of SBV herds reported was 13,846 and the number of SBV laboratory confirmed herds was 8730. The surveillance activities were based on the detection of SBV clinical cases (either adults or newborns). Malformation in newborns was the most commonly reported clinical sign of SBV-infection. All countries were able to provide the date when the first suspicion of SBV in the herd was reported and nineteen could report the location of the herd at a regional level. This allowed the spread of SBV in Europe to be measured both temporally and spatially. The number of SBV confirmed herds started to increase in December 2011 and two peaks were observed in 2012 (February and May). Confirmed herds continued to be reported in 2012 and into 2013. An increase during winter 2012 and spring 2013 was again observed, but the number of confirmed herds was lower than in the previous year. SBV spread rapidly throughout Europe from the initial area of detection. SBV was detected above the latitude of 60° North, which exceeds the northern expansion observed during the bluetongue virus serotype 8 epidemic in 2006–2009. The impact of SBV was calculated as ratio of the number of herds with at least one malformed SBV positive foetus and the total number of herds in this region. The 75th percentile of the malformations ratio in the various affected countries for the whole reporting period was below 1% and 3% for cattle and sheep herds, respectively. International data collection on emerging diseases represents a challenge as the nature of available data, data quality and the proportion of reported cases may vary widely between affected countries. Surveillance activities on emerging animal diseases are often structured only for case detection making the estimation of infection/diseases prevalence and the investigation of risk factors difficult. The impact of the disease must be determined to allow risk managers to take appropriate decisions. Simple within-herd impact indicators suitable for emerging disease outbreaks should be defined that could be measured as part of routine animal health surveillance programmes and allow for rapid and reliable impact assessment of emerging animal health diseases.     

Reduced total hardness of fresh water enhances the efficacy of bathing as a treatment for amoebic gill disease in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L

The current treatment for amoebic gill disease (AGD)-affected Atlantic salmon involves bathing sea-caged fish in fresh water, often sourced from local dams, for 3-4 h. In both a small-scale laboratory and an on-farm field experiment, the effects of water hardness on the efficacy of freshwater bathing were assessed. Results showed that soft fresh water (19.3-37.4 mg L(-1) CaCO3), whether it be naturally soft city mains water or artificially softened dam water, was more efficacious at alleviating AGD in affected fish than hard fresh water (173-236.3 mg L(-1) CaCO3). Soft freshwater bathing significantly reduced viable gill amoebae numbers (from 73.9 to 40.9% of total count) and significantly alleviated gill pathology, both gross and histological. Following bathing, gross gill pathological scores of soft freshwater bathed fish lagged 2 weeks behind hard freshwater bathed fish. Significant gill lesion fragmentation, and shedding of lesion-associated hyperplastic tissue, was accompanied by a significant reduction in AGD-affected gill filaments in soft freshwater bathed fish. Furthermore, soft freshwater bathing alleviated the blood plasma electrolyte imbalance seen in control (sea water) and hard freshwater bathed fish. This study showed that the use of soft fresh water for bathing AGD-affected Atlantic salmon could be an improvement to the current method of treatment. Not only does it reduce gill amoeba numbers, but also, it is of a therapeutic advantage with the potential to reduce bathing frequency.