Bovine congenital erythropoietic protoporphyria in a crossbred limousin heifer in Ireland

An unusual case of an 11-month-old, black Limousin-cross heifer, with an 8-month history of episodic seizures and photosensitisation, was referred by a veterinary practitioner to the Farm Animal Section of the UCD Veterinary Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland, in August 2014. Following an investigation, a diagnosis of Bovine Congenital Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (BCEPP) was made. To the authors’ knowledge this is the first report of such a case in Ireland. BCEPP should be considered as a differential diagnosis in young animals displaying periodic seizures and/or photosensitisation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13620-015-0044-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Differential Thermal Study of Pyrosynthesis

Equipment is described which provides a thermal record of the synthesis of sulfides and related minerals contained in easily constructed tubular glass vials. As an example, a temperature curve for the synthesis of galena (PbS) is given. Similarly derived temperatures of formation for eight other synthetic sulfides and selenides are reported.     

Effectiveness of above-ground pipeline mitigation for moose (Alces alces) and other large mammals

Above-ground pipelines for in situ oil sands development are potentially significant vectors of habitat fragmentation for large mammals. We evaluated the use of elevated pipeline clearances (distance between the ground and the bottom of the pipeline) and pipeline crossing structures, the two primary methods of mitigating the barrier effect of above-ground pipelines on large mammals, with a particular emphasis on moose (Alces alces), in northern Alberta, Canada. Winter snow tracking and remote cameras were employed for one year to monitor large mammal interactions with a 5.5 km stretch of pipeline mitigated with five pipeline crossing structures and a 1.6 km control area of unmitigated pipeline. A minimum threshold pipeline clearance of 140 cm was critical in allowing adult moose to cross underneath the pipeline. Pipeline crossing structures facilitated movement across the pipeline and were used more than sections of elevated pipelines by all species.     

Comparison of effects of high-pressure processing and heat treatment on immunoactivity of bovine milk immunoglobulin G in enriched soymilk under equivalent microbial inactivation levels

Immunoglobulin-rich foods may provide health benefits to consumers. To extend the refrigerated shelf life of functional foods enriched with bovine immunoglobulin G (IgG), nonthermal alternatives such as high-pressure processing (HPP) may offer advantages to thermal processing for microbial reduction. To evaluate the effects of HPP on the immunoactivity of bovine IgG, a soymilk product enriched with milk protein concentrates, derived from dairy cows that were hyperimmunized with 26 human pathogens, was subjected to HPP or heat treatment. To achieve a 5 log reduction in inoculated Escherichia coli 8739, the HPP or heat treatment requirements were 345 MPa for 4 min at 30 degrees C or for 20 s at 70 degrees C, respectively. To achieve a 5 log reduction in natural flora in the enriched soymilk, the HPP or heat treatments needed were 552 MPa for 4 min at 30 degrees C or for 120 s at 78.2 degrees C, respectively. At equivalent levels for a 5 log reduction in E. coli, HPP and heat treatment caused 25% and no detectable loss in bovine IgG activity, respectively. However, at equivalent levels for a 5 log reduction in natural flora, HPP and heat resulted in 65 and 85% loss of bovine IgG activity, respectively. Results of combined pressure-thermal kinetic studies of bovine milk IgG activity were provided to determine the optimal process conditions to preserve product function.     

Measurement of airborne foot-and-mouth disease virus: preliminary evaluation of two portable air sampling devices

Until now measurement of airborne foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in the field has not been attempted or been practical; measurements have been restricted to the laboratory and isolation units using instruments developed in the 1960s. However, with the development of air sampling devices for other biological purposes, there is now the possibility that this short-coming can be overcome and as a result earlier detection of virus may be possible in the future. Two recently-introduced commercially-available portable air sampling devices, the BioCapture 650 and the BioBadge 100, have successfully detected airborne virus in three proof-of-concept experiments involving pigs and cattle infected with FMDV. There is an early indication that these devices have potential for use in the field, but for maximum benefit they will need to be combined with a suitable portable analysis instrument. Further evaluation in the laboratory is required before any field measurements are considered.