Age at death from natural scrapie in a flock of Suffolk sheep

This study deals with natural scrapie in a flock of Suffolk sheep being bred to maximise the incidence of the disease and shows that with succeeding generations the incubation period of the disease became progressively shorter until the flock died out. The most likely explanation for this phenomenon is considered to be an increase in the load of infection.     

Detection of airborne inoculum of Leptosphaeria maculans and Pyrenopeziza brassicae in oilseed rape crops by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays

The potential use of DNA-based methods for detecting airborne inoculum of Leptosphaeria maculans and Pyrenopeziza brassicae , both damaging pathogens of oilseed rape, was investigated. A method for purifying DNA from spores collected using Hirst-type spore samplers and detecting it using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays is described. For both pathogens, the sensitivities of the DNA assays were similar for spore-trap samples and pure spore suspensions. As few as 10 spores of L. maculans or P. brassicae could be detected by PCR and spores of both species could be detected against a background of spores of six other species. The method successfully detected spores of P. brassicae collected using spore traps in oilseed rape crops that were infected with P. brassicae. Leptosphaeria maculans spores were detected using spore traps on open ground close to L. maculans -infected oilseed rape stems. The potential use of PCR detection of airborne inoculum in forecasting the diseases caused by these pathogens is discussed.     

Flow Cytometry Identification of X- and Y-Chromosome-Bearing Goat Spermatozoa

Flow cytometric sorting technology was used to measure the difference in DNA content between X- and Y-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa in bucks. Spermatozoa were analysed by flow cytometry to characterize X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm populations and to quantify the DNA difference between them. Two symmetrical, overlapping and clearly separated peaks, corresponding to X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa, were detected. The difference in fluorescence intensity between the peaks was 4.4 +/- 0.03% without any significant inter- or intra-animal variations. Therefore, the identification and selection of high-purity samples of sperm populations for sex sorting is easier in bucks compared with other domestic species.     

Review: The strobilurin fungicides

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Pest Management Science 58 (7): 649–662 (2002).Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: current understanding and recommendations from the Australian and New Zealand Equine Endocrine Group

The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the current knowledge and opinions about the epidemiology, clinical findings (including sequelae), diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, particularly in the Australian context. This information and the recommendations provided will assist practitioners in making informed decisions regarding the diagnosis and management of this disorder.     

Effect of bovine seminal plasma on bovine endometrial epithelial cells in culture

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of seminal plasma (SP) from bulls of known fertility on bovine endometrial epithelial cells (bEEC) in culture. The bEEC from passage 5, approximately 5.0–13 × 10⁵ cells per flask, were challenged with SP from bulls of high or low fertility (n = 3 and 2, respectively) or PBS (control), at 1% (75 μl) or 4% (300 μl) and were incubated for 72 hr (n = 13 per challenge). Total cell number and viability of bEEC after challenge with 1% SP from either high‐ or low‐fertility bulls (75H or 75L, respectively) did not differ from controls. In contrast, challenge with 4% of SP from high‐ or low‐fertility bulls (300H or 300L) negatively affected bEEC cell number and viability. Challenge with 300 L had a greater adverse effect than 300H. These results suggest that the negative effect of bovine SP on bEEC is both dose‐dependent and fertility‐dependent.