Stimulation of the titre of a sheep serum factor that is related to the sheep complement system

Serum from most sheep subjected to a single jugular bleeding, repeated bleeding or an intraperitoneal injection of yeast and repeated bleeding, showed an increase in the titre of a serum component called serum factor. Serum factor reached a peak titre 2 to 5 days after treatment started. For some sheep, the titre was elevated for a 9- to 12-day period whereas for others the titre dropped markedly on day 7 followed by a rise on day 9. Serum factor reacts with sheep erythrocytes sensitised with rabbit antibody (sheep E-rabbit A). Serum factor can be detected on sheep E-rabbit A using guinea-pig antiserum that reacts with sheep complement (C). Serum factor is inactivated by heating at 56 degrees C for 30 minutes, but is only partially inactivated at 50 degrees C for 30 minutes. The reaction of serum factor with sheep E-rabbit A is inhibited by chelators of Ca++ and/or Mg++. Serum factor appears to be related to the sheep C system. Preliminary results suggest it may he a component of the classical pathway of sheep C, possibly the second component, C2.     

Cardiac output measured by lithium dilution, thermodilution, and transesophageal Doppler echocardiography in anesthetized horses

OBJECTIVE: To assess the suitability of lithium dilution as a method for measuring cardiac output in anesthetized horses, compared with thermodilution and transesophageal Doppler echocardiography. ANIMALS: 6 horses (3 Thoroughbreds, 3 crossbreeds). PROCEDURE: Cardiac output was measured in 6 anesthetized horses as lithium dilution cardiac output (LiDCO), thermodilution cardiac output (TDCO), and transesophageal Doppler echocardiographic cardiac output (DopplerCO). For the LiDCO measurements, lithium chloride was administered i.v., and cardiac output was derived from the arterial lithium dilution curve. Sodium nitroprusside, phenylephrine hydrochloride, and dobutamine hydrochloride were used to alter cardiac output. Experiments were divided into 4 periods. During each period, 3 LiDCO measurements, 3 DopplerCO measurements, and 3 sets of 3 TDCO measurements were obtained. RESULTS: 70 comparisons were made between LiDCO, DopplerCO, and triplicate TDCO measurements over a range of 10 to 43 L/min. The mean (+/- SD) of the differences of LiDCO - TDCO was -0.86 +/- 2.80 L/min; LiDCO = -1.90 + 1.05 TDCO (r = 0.94). The mean of the differences of DopplerCO - TDCO was 1.82 +/- 2.67 L/min; DopplerCO = 2.36 + 0.98 TDCO (r = 0.94). The mean of the differences of LiDCO - DopplerCO was -2.68 +/- 3.01 L/min; LiDCO = -2.53 + 0.99 DopplerCO (r = 0.93). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These results indicate that lithium dilution is a suitable method for measuring cardiac output in horses. As well as being accurate, it avoids the need for pulmonary artery catheterization and is quick and safe to use. Monitoring cardiac output during anesthesia in horses may help reduce the high anesthetic mortality in this species.     

Proteins in Norway spruce thermomechanical pulp

Two methods of cytochemical staining using Coomassie dye and Cu⁺-bicinchoninic acid, respectively, showed that there are proteins in thermomechanical pulp (TMP) of Norway spruce. Protein isolated from TMP was analyzed for amino acid composition. There was about twice the amount of acidic amino acid material compared with basic amino acids, and the presence of glucosamine indicated that the isolated polypeptides also contained glycoproteins. The presence of proteins in ray cells and fiber tracheids in TMP adds to the chemical heterogeneity of the structurally complex high-yield pulp.     

Fibril angle variability in earlywood of Norway spruce using soft rot cavities and polarization confocal microscopy

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the variability of the fibril angle of tracheids in earlywood of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.). Polarization confocal microscopy was chosen and compared with the method utilizing the orientation of soft rot cavities. There was a significant correlation between the soft rot and polarization confocal microscopy methods, which showed the same trend of high fibril angles in the first part of the earlywood followed by a decrease toward the end of earlywood. This declining trend was less pronounced in annual rings containing compression wood. Moreover, large variations in fibril angle occurred between neighboring tracheids. The investigation also emphasized the differences between X-ray diffraction and microscopic methods, as the large variation seen by the latter methods is not seen by the X-ray diffraction approach because of its large area of measurement. No correlation was found between fiber morphology (i.e., average length, width, density) and the average fibril angle in the investigated annual rings.     

Surveys on Coxiella burnetii infections in Swedish cattle,sheep, goats and moose

Background

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Prevalence data in ruminant species are important to support risk assessments regarding public and animal health. The aim was to investigate the presence of or exposure to C. burnetii in cattle, sheep, goats and moose, and to compare two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). National surveys of antibodies against C. burnetii were performed for dairy cattle (n=1537), dairy goats (n=58) and sheep (n=518). Bovine samples consisted of bulk milk, caprine of pooled milk, and ovine of pooled serum. Antibodies were investigated in moose samples (n=99) from three regions. A one-year regional cattle bulk milk survey was performed on the Isle of Gotland (n=119, four occasions). Cattle, sheep and goat samples were analysed with indirect ELISA and moose samples with complement fixation test. For the sheep, goat, and parts of the cattle survey, samples were run in parallel by ELISAs based on antigens from infected ruminants and ticks. Bulk milk samples from the regional cattle survey and vaginal swabs from a subset of the sheep herds (n=80) were analysed for the agent by polymerase chain reaction. Spatial clustering was investigated in the national cattle survey.

Results

The prevalence of antibodies in dairy herds was 8.2% with large regional differences. High risk clusters were identified in the southern regions. The prevalence among dairy herds on the Isle of Gotland varied from 55.9% to 64.6% and 46.4% to 58.9.0% for antibodies and agent, respectively, overall agreement between agent and antibodies was 85.2%. The prevalence of antibodies in sheep was 0.6%, the agent was not detected the vaginal swabs. Antibodies were not detected in goats or moose, although parts of the moose samples were collected in an area with high prevalence in cattle. The overall agreement between the two ELISAs was 90.4%.

Conclusions

The prevalence of antibodies against C. burnetii in dairy cattle in Sweden shows large regional differences. The results suggest that C. burnetii is a rare pathogen among Swedish moose, dairy goat and sheep. ELISAs based on ruminant and tick antigen performed in a similar manner under Swedish conditions.     

Reproductive characteristics in female Swedish moose (Alces alces), with emphasis on puberty,timing of oestrus,and mating

Background

The moose (Alces alces) is an intensively managed keystone species in Fennoscandia. Several aspects of reproduction in moose have not been fully elucidated, including puberty, timing of mating and oestrus, and the length of the oestrus period. These aspects are relevant for an adaptive management of moose with respect to harvest, population size, demography and environmental conditions. Therefore, an investigation of female moose reproduction was conducted during the moose-hunting period in southern Sweden from 2008 to 2011.

Results

A total of 250 reproductive organs and information on carcass weight and age was collected from four different hunting areas (provinces of Öland, Småland, Södermanland, and Västergötland) in southern Sweden. The results showed that puberty in female moose varied with carcass weight, age, and time of season. The period for oestrous/mating lasted from about mid September to the beginning of November.

Conclusions

The oestrus period (predominantly for heifers) is longer than previously reported and was not finished when the hunting period started. Sampling the uterine cervix to detect spermatozoa was a useful method to determine if mating had occurred. To avoid hunting of moose during oestrus, we suggest that the hunting period should be postponed by at least 14 days in southern Sweden.