Early Pregnancy Detection of Iraqi Riverine Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Using the BioPRYN Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay for PSPB and the Progesterone Assay

This study was undertaken to detect pregnancy in Iraqi riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) using three different methods (rectal palpation, plasma progesterone concentration and detection of the presence of pregnancy‐specific protein B (PSPB) with the BioPRYN^® enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The aim of the study was to identify the most sensitive, early and accurate method for detecting pregnancy. Twenty‐two female riverine buffalo that were 6.0 ± 0.93 years old were used. Four blood samples per buffalo were taken via jugular venipuncture at days 22–24, 32–34, 42–44 and 58–61 post‐mating (PM) to measure the progesterone concentration (ng/ml) and to detect the presence of plasma PSPB. The rectal palpation method was employed to evaluate all buffalo on days 42–44 and 58–61 PM. The BioPRYN^® test differed (p < 0.01) from the other tests with earlier accuracy for detecting pregnant and non‐pregnant buffalo. Eighty‐eight percent of pregnant and 76.9% of non‐pregnant buffalo were distinguished early (days 22–24 PM) using BioPRYN^® and plasma PSPB‐ELISA level (2.09 ± 0.12 ng/ml) in relation to 66.7% and 53.9% detected using the progesterone assay at similar days (4.30 ± 0.40 ng/ml). In conclusion, these results described, for the first time, the early and accurate pregnancy detection of water riverine buffalo using BioPRYN^® technology and provided the plasma levels of PSPB using an ELISA test. These findings will improve the reproductive and productive efficiency of Iraqi riverine buffalo by adapting the recent management and reproductive strategies in Iraq and in the world.     

The impact of traditional management on seasonal internal parasite burdens and productivity of indigenous Tswana goats in southern Botswana

Data collected monthly over a period of two years were live weight, packed cell volume (PCV), nematode faecal egg counts (FECs) and coccidial oocyst counts from faecal analyses for 100 mixed age (3-7 years) indigenous Tswana does. The aims of this experiment were to determine seasonal FECs and coccidial oocysts in these goats and quantify the relationships of these burdens to liveweight and PCV. FECs significantly (P < 0.05) varied with season, with the warmer seasons viz spring, summer and autumn having higher log (x + 1) parasite burdens than the cooler winter, while seasonal trends for coccidial oocysts were not obvious. PCV was also significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the warmer seasons than winter. FECs and coccidial oocysts in all seasons were less than the mean log (x + 1) of 3.3 inferred to reduce production in small stock. Correlation coefficients were strongly negative: -0.95 for FECs and liveweight and -0.84 for FECS and PCV, indicating that these worms had a negative impact on productivity. A further study should be conducted to quantify the effects of controlling these parasites during the warm seasons on productivity.     

Role of Fatty Acids in Energy Provision During Oocyte Maturation and Early Embryo Development

While much is known about the metabolism of exogenous nutrients such as glucose, lactate, pyruvate, amino acids by oocytes and pre-implantation mammalian embryos, the role of endogenous stores, particularly lipid, has been largely overlooked. The presence of lipid within oocytes and early embryos has been long known, and comparisons between species indicate that the amounts and types of lipid present vary considerably. Large amounts of intracellular lipid can compromise the success of cryopreservation and the removal of such lipid has been the subject of considerable effort. In this review, we present evidence that strongly suggests a metabolic role for lipid, specifically with regard to energy provision, in the late-stage oocyte and the pre-implantation embryo. We focus initially on oxygen consumption as a global indicator of metabolic activity, before reviewing different approaches that either have been designed to investigate directly, or have revealed indirectly the role of endogenous lipid in energy generation. These fall under five headings: (i) fatty acid oxidation; (ii) inhibition of triglyceride oxidation; (iii) culture in the absence of exogenous substrates; (iv) cytoplasmic organization; and (v) delipidation. On the basis of the data derived from these studies, we conclude that there is strong evidence for the utilization of endogenous lipid as an energy substrate by oocytes and early embryos.     

Ordering of ruthenium cluster carbonyls in mesoporous silica

The anionic ruthenium cluster carbonylates [Ru6C(CO)16]2- or [H2Ru10(CO)25]2- interspersed with bis(triphenylphosphino)iminium counterions (PPN+) are incorporated from solution into the pores of MCM-41 mesoporous silica (3 nanometers in diameter), where they form tightly packed arrays. These arrays were shown by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform optical diffraction, and computer simulations to be well ordered both along and perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical pores. In their denuded state produced by gentle thermolysis, the cluster carbonylates yield nanoparticles of ruthenium that are less well ordered than their assimilated precursors but show good activity as hydrogenation catalysts for hexene and cyclooctene. In both their as-prepared and denuded states, these encapsulated clusters are likely to exhibit interesting electronic and other properties.     

Seasonal fluctuation of parasitic infestation in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Oodi village,Kgatleng District,Botswana

During the period March to September 2000, a study was conducted in Oodi village, Kgatleng District, Botswana, to investigate the seasonal fluctuation of internal, external and blood parasites of donkeys. Twelve adult donkeys were randomly selected from a farmer with a herd of 15 donkeys. Monthly visits were made to the farmer when the donkeys were examined for parasites. The only ectoparasites recovered from the donkeys were instars of various tick species. The most prevalent tick was Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (98.4%), followed by Amblyomma hebraeum and Hyalomma species. The only haemoparasite seen on microscopy was Babesia equi at low parasitaemia in 26.8% of the donkeys. However, no clinical babesiosis was evident. Coprological examination showed the presence of strongyle eggs in moderate numbers. Very low numbers of coccidia oocysts were found in the faecal samples. High tick numbers and worm egg counts coincided with the warm, wet months in contrast to the low numbers recovered during the cold, dry months. An interview conducted by the authors indicated that donkeys were nutritionally marginalised by owners. Supplementary feeding was therefore recommended, especially during the winter months when grazing is poor.     

"Coulomb Staircase" at Room Temperature in a Self-Assembled Molecular Nanostructure

Double-ended aryl dithiols [alpha,alpha'-xylyldithiol (XYL) and 4,4'-biphenyldithiol] formed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold(111) substrates and were used to tether nanometer-sized gold clusters deposited from a cluster beam. An ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscope was used to image these nanostructures and to measure their current-voltage characteristics as a function of the separation between the probe tip and the metal cluster. At room temperature, when the tip was positioned over a cluster bonded to the XYL SAM, the current-voltage data showed "Coulomb staircase" behavior. These data are in good agreement with semiclassical predictions for correlated single-electron tunneling and permit estimation of the electrical resistance of a single XYL molecule (approximately18 ± 12 megohms).     

Eye diseases in Siberian husky dogs

A full ophthalmic examination was performed on 40 Siberian husky dogs using direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy, gonloscopy and nasolacrimal cannulation. Eight (20%) of the dogs were found to have distichia, 10 (25%) had excessive medial caruncular hairs, 8 (20%) had absence, displacement, or narrowing of the nasolacrimal puncta, 2 (5%) had bilateral corneal crystalline opacities, and 2 (5%) had unilateral areas of lateral corneal lipidosis. Fifty percent of the dogs had some abnormality of the iridocorneal (drainage) angle. However, in only one of these was the deformity severe enough to require glaucoma prophylaxis. An association between blue iris colour and malformation of the iridocorneal angle was noted.