Relationship of Progesterone,Bovine Pregnancy-Associated Glycoprotein-1 and Nitric Oxide with Late Embryonic and Early Fetal Mortalities in Dairy Cows

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship of progesterone (P4), bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (bPAG-1) and nitric oxide (NO) levels with late embryonic (LEM; day 28 to day 42) and early fetal mortalities (EFM; > day 42 to day 56) in dairy cows. Transrectal ultrasonography (6–8 MHz) was performed in 100 Holstein-Friesian cows at days 28, 42 and 56 after artificial insemination (AI; day 0) to diagnose pregnancy and to monitor the fate of the embryo. After ultrasound scanning of each cow, a milk sample was collected for assessment of P4 by an ELISA test and a blood sample was collected for assessment of bPAG-1, by using a double-antibody radioimmunoassay, and serum NO metabolites (nitrate + nitrite). Based on ultrasonographic examinations and bPAG-1-RIA, 41 of 100 inseminated cows were confirmed pregnant at day 28 after AI. Nine cows suffered of LEM, and 6 cows suffered of EFM and the overall pregnancy loss rate was 36.6% (15/41) between days 28 and 56 of pregnancy. By logistic regression analysis, there were no significant relationships between the level of P4 and bPAG-1 at day 28 after AI and the occurrence of LEM and EFM. Also, there were no significant relationships between the levels of P4 and bPAG-1 at day 42 and the occurrence of EFM. On the other hand, a significant relationship (P<0.05) was found between NO level at day 28 and the occurrence of LEM. In conclusion, measurement of the serum NO concentration at day 28 of pregnancy might help to predict the outcome of pregnancy by day 42 in dairy cows but further studies are needed to confirm this.     

The relative plasma availabilities of ivermectin in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) following subcutaneous and two different oral formulation applications

Background

Overwintering (breeding) reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are commonly treated with ivermectin against parasitic infestations once yearly in autumn-winter roundups. The only preparations registered to reindeer are those for subcutaneous injection. However, also oral extra-label ivermectin administration is used. Twenty-six, 8-month-old reindeer calves were randomly allocated into three groups. Group 1 (n = 9) received oral ivermectin mixture (Ivomec® vet mixt. 0.8 mg/ml, oral ovine liquid drench formulation), Group 2 (n = 9) oral ivermectin paste (Ivomec® vet 18.7 mg/g equine paste), and Group 3 (n = 8) subcutaneous injection of ivermectin (Ivomec® 10 mg/ml vet inj.), each group at a dose of 200 μg/kg body weight. Blood samples were collected at treatment and at days 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 16 post treatment. Plasma concentrations of ivermectin were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection.

Results

The peak plasma concentration (C_max) was reached by 2 days after each treatment. The C_max and Area Under Curve (AUC) differed significantly between the groups: C_max was 30.2 ± 3.9, 14.9 ± 5.7 and 63.1 ± 13.1 ng/ml, and AUC_∞ was 2881 ± 462, 1299 ± 342 and 6718 ± 1620 ng*h/ml for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively (mean ± standard deviation).

Conclusions

The differences in plasma concentrations of ivermectin are concomitant with earlier observed differences in antiparasitic efficacy, which discounts the use of the equine paste in reindeer in favour of the oral ovine liquid drench formulation, or preferably, the reindeer-registered subcutaneous injection formulation.     

Pathogenesis of reproductive failure induced by Trypanosoma vivax in experimentally infected pregnant ewes

The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of experimental infection by Trypanosoma vivax in different stages of pregnancy, determining the pathogenesis of reproductive failure, and confirming transplacental transmission. We used 12 pregnant ewes distributed into four experimental groups: G1, was formed by three ewes infected with T. vivax in the first third of pregnancy (30 days); G2 comprised three infected ewes in the final third of pregnancy (100 days); G3 and G4 were composed of three non-infected ewes with the same gestational period, respectively. Each ewe of G1 and G2 was inoculated with 1.25 × 10⁵ tripomastigotes. Clinical examination, determination of parasitemia, serum biochemistry (albumin, total protein, glucose, cholesterol, and urea), packed cell volume (PCV), serum progesterone, and pathological examination were performed. Placenta, amniotic fluid, blood and tissues from the fetuses and stillbirths were submitted to PCR. Two ewes of G1 (Ewe 1 and 3) presented severe infection and died in the 34^th and 35^th days post-infection (dpi), respectively; but both fetuses were recovered during necropsy. In G2, Ewe 5 aborted two fetuses on the 130^th day (30 dpi) of pregnancy; and Ewe 6 aborted one fetus in the 140^th day (40 dpi) of gestation. Ewes 2 and 4 delivered two weak lambs that died five days after birth. Factors possibly involved with the reproductive failure included high parasitemia, fever, low PCV, body score, serum glucose, total protein, cholesterol, and progesterone. Hepatitis, pericarditis, and encephalitis were observed in the aborted fetuses. The presence of T. vivax DNA in the placenta, amniotic fluid, blood, and tissues from the fetuses confirms the transplacental transmission of the parasite. Histological lesion in the fetuses and placenta also suggest the involvement of the parasite in the etiopathogenesis of reproductive failure in ewes.     

Investigation on the transfer of fleas among small mammals using radioactive phosphorus.

The transfer of fleas Megabothris turbidus, Ctenophthalmus agyrtes, Nosopsyllus fasciatus etc. was investigated by labelling the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreb.) with radioactive phosphorus. On the one hand, the process of flea transfer was traced among different individuals of the same host species, and on the other, among different host species (C. glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis Melch.). The investigations revealed that the flea transfer in a rodent nest visited by another host depended partly on the number of fleas present in the nest, partly on the period spent by the new-comer in it. Conversely, the number of fleas transferred in the nest by the newly arrived host depended on the temperature of nest bedding and on the initial nest occupation by other host.     

Anthracnose of three-leaf akebia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Akebia trifoliata</Emphasis> Koidzumi) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum acutatum</Emphasis>

In October 2001, anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum Simmonds ex Simmonds was found on three-leaf akebia (Akebia trifoliata) in Saitama, Japan. This is the first report of anthracnose on three-leaf akebia caused by C. acutatum.     

Phytopathogenic fungi new for southern Anatolia,Turkey

Twenty-nine new records are reported from Turkey. The fungi species, including their macro-and microscopic features and distributions, are described. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 14, 2004.     

Conduciveness of different soilless growing media to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pythium</Emphasis> root and crown rot of cucumber under near-commercial conditions

Substrates made from rockwool, coir dust, pumice and perlite were compared for conduciveness to Pythium root and crown rot in cucumber under near-commercial conditions. Rockwool slabs of 7 cm height were more conducive to the Pythium disease than coir dust slabs, pumice or perlite under these conditions. Temperature, oxygen concentration and water content were determined in the substrates to explain differences in conduciveness between the inorganic substrates rockwool, pumice and perlite by differences in the physical conditions. Temperature and oxygen concentration could not explain the differences but the higher disease level on rockwool was associated with a much higher water content of this substrate as compared to coir dust, pumice and perlite. Increasing the height of the substrate from 7 to 14 cm greatly decreased the percentage of diseased plants due to the Pythium disease on rockwool but had no effect on the level of disease on perlite when the substrate had been infested 4 cm below the planting hole. This difference in response in substrate height between rockwool and perlite could be explained by a much larger decrease in water content with substrate height in the rockwool than in the perlite substrate. Temperature in the substrates were above 30 °C for more than 6 h on sunny days in June and reached maximum values of 35 °C or more. These temperatures are highly favourable for the pathogen P. aphanidermatum but will have adverse effects on most biocontrol strains.     

Fusarium oxysporum- und F. proliferatum-Isolate aus Spargel und deren Pathogenit?ts��berpr��fung in einer modifizierten in vitro-Schnelltestmethode

Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium proliferatum are important causal agents of crown and root rot of asparagus. In order to detect differences in pathogenicity and aggressiveness, two F. proliferatum and five F. oxysporum single spore isolates from asparagus spears from plantings in Austria and Germany, 55 pure cultures of F. oxysporum from asparagus roots from a planting in Hesse, Germany, and a single F. oxysporum isolate from an asparagus shoot collected in Austria were evaluated in a 28-day quick test on Hoagland??s agar in glass culture tubes. Plantlets were inoculated with spore suspensions from each respective isolate after 14 days of growth under sterile, controlled conditions in a growth chamber. A severity scale was used to assess symptoms on roots two weeks after inoculation. The effects of the single-spore isolates on root and shoot fresh weights of the plantlets were also determined. The pathogenicity of the majority of the F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum isolates included in this study was confirmed. Inoculation with pure and single-spore cultures resulted in elevated disease severity in comparison to non-inoculated controls. In particular, the two F. proliferatum isolates were found to be more aggressive than the F. oxysporum isolates. Moreover, all single spore isolates caused a reduction in fresh weight of roots and shoots in comparison to the controls. With respect to differences among asparagus cultivars, ??Ramos??, was found to be more susceptible than ??Ravel??. Overall, the quick test method was found to be capable of evaluating the pathogenicity and aggressiveness of the tested F. oxysporum and F. proliferatum isolates towards asparagus within 28 days.     

Molecular characterization of Pseudomonas syringae isolates from fruit trees and raspberry in Serbia

Infection of fruit trees by Pseudomonas syringae is a potentially serious problem that may limit the establishment and sustained productivity of pome and stone fruit orchards in Serbia. To estimate possible diversity of Pseudomonas syringae fruit trees strains, we collected a set of strains in several areas of Serbia. The samples were taken from infected orchards with raspberry, plum, cherry, sour cherry, peach, pear and apple trees. Genetic diversity of P. syringae strains isolated from fruit trees was determined by using SpeI macrorestriction analysis of genomic DNAs by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and REP-PCR. Molecular analysis showed that most of isolates had unique profiles, with the exception of isolates from plum and cherry that displayed profiles identical to each other and similar to P. syringae pv. morsprunorum. The study presented here clearly demonstrates the discriminative power of molecular techniques in enabling a detailed analysis of the genetic variations between strains of P. syringae from different pome and stone fruit hosts in Serbia.     

黄瓜绿斑驳花叶病毒磁免疫层析试纸条的研制

用磁性纳米颗粒标记黄瓜绿斑驳花叶病毒的兔多克隆抗体建立了简便快速的磁免疫层析试纸条检测方法。该方法检测提纯病毒的灵敏度为0.1 μg/mL,检测葫芦病汁液可稀释10 000倍(重量／体积)。试纸条和黄瓜绿斑驳花叶病毒具有特异性反应,和同属的烟草花叶病毒、番茄花叶病毒、辣椒轻斑驳病毒和齿兰环斑病毒,未出现交叉反应。该试纸条可用于田间病害检测和诊断。