Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Elisa) for Detection of Antibodies to Mycobacterium Para-Tuberculosis in Cattle

Paratuberculosis may be diagnosed by clinical, bacteriological and immunological methods, but so far only the demonstration of M. paratuberculosis is considered a definite proof of the infection. World-wide use is being made of the complement fixation (CF) test as a valuable immunological test for diagnosis of clinical cases, but its low specificity and sensitivity makes its value problematic in non-clinical cases.     

Quantitative structure-activity relationships of the inhibition of photosynthetic electron flow by substituted diphenyl ethers

The effect of 41 substituted diphenyl ethers (derivatives of nitrofen and chloroxuron) on photosynthesis in isolated spinach chloroplasts has been studied. All the chemicals were found to be inhibitors of non-cyclic electron transport; the pI₅₀ values varied from 3.17 to 7.16 (I₅₀ is the molar concentration causing 50% inhibition; pI₅₀= -log I₅₀). Based on their structures, the compounds were divided into four groups; for most groups, a correlation between the inhibition of photosynthesis and physicochemical parameters was found. Lipophilicity proved to be the most important parameter; electronic effects did not play a role. Introduction of substituents into the nitrophenyl ring of nitrofen lowered activity considerably. Nitrofen and and chloroxuron analogues seemed to inhibit at different sites in the electron transport chain. A relationship between inhibition of photosynthesis and herbicidal activity was not clear.     

Growth performance, carcass composition, quality, and enhancement treatment of fresh pork identified through deoxyribonucleic acid marker-assisted selection for the Rendement Napole gene

Progeny (n = 70) from unrelated, DNA tested, Rendement Napole carrier (RN-/rn+) Hampshire sires, and DNA tested, Rendement Napole normal (rn+/rn+) Yorkshire dams were genotyped for the segregating RN- allele via DNA marker-assisted methodology. Six slaughter groups ensued, with littermates all being represented within the same slaughter group. Boneless pork loins were removed from right carcass sides after a 48-h chill at 2 degrees C. The anterior portions of the loins were not enhanced, whereas the posterior sections were enhanced with a solution containing 0.5% sodium chloride and 0.5% sodium tripolyphosphate to 110% of their initial weight. Carcasses of carrier pigs had less (P < 0.05) 10th rib fat depth and a greater (P < 0.01) percentage carcass lean than carcasses of normal pigs. Postmortem LM pH of carrier pigs was lower (P < 0.002) at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, and tended to be lower (P = 0.062) at 48 h compared with that of normal animals. Samples of LM from carrier pigs had greater (P < 0.01) glycolytic potential values, drip loss percentages, and a* values, and lower pH values at fabrication than LM from normal pigs. No genotype differences (P > 0.05) were found for LM lactate, L*, or b* values. Nonenhanced semimembranosus samples from carrier pigs exhibited greater (P < 0.05) purge loss percentages and L* values, and lower (P < 0.01) pH values than samples from normal pigs. Enhanced LM samples exhibited greater (P < 0.05) drip and purge loss percentages, greater pH, and lower L* values at fabrication, regardless of Napole status. These findings suggest that the Napole gene has a positive influence on carcass leanness but detrimental effects for lean quality, which were often further compounded when meat was subjected to enhancement treatment.     

Effect of dietary lipoic acid on metabolic hormones and acute-phase proteins during challenge with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus in cattle

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of dietary supplemental lipoic acid (LA) on serum concentrations of metabolic hormones and acute-phase proteins of steers challenged with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV). ANIMALS: 32 steers. PROCEDURES: Steers were randomly assigned to 4 treatments: negative control (NC; no LA, no IBRV challenge), control (CON; no LA, IBRV challenge), 16 mg of LA/kg of body weight (BW)/d plus IBRV challenge (LA16), and 32 mg of LA/kg of BW/d plus IBRV challenge (LA32). Following a 21-day adaptation period, CON, LA16, and LA32 steers received IBRV (2 mL/nostril [day 0]); NC steers received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Blood samples, nasal swab specimens, BW, and rectal temperatures were obtained 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 days after challenge. Serum was analyzed for concentrations of haptoglobin, amyloid-A, leptin, and anti-IBRV antibodies. RESULTS: Steers fed LA32 began gaining BW by day 7, whereas BW of CON and LA16 steers declined. Serum haptoglobin concentration of LA32 steers was lower than that of CON and LA16 steers on day 7. Serum neutralization titers for 30 of 32 steers were negative for anti-IBRV antibodies before challenge; however, all steers (including NCs) had antibodies on day 21. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that LA supplementation augmented certain aspects of the immune response; LA32 steers had a more rapid recovery from IBRV viral challenge than did others.     

Towards assessing the sustainability of European logging operations

The forest-based sector has been at the forefront in operationally implementing the sustainability concept, its associated principles and indicators for sustainable forest management. Several methods have been developed to study environmental impacts of forestry activities, but none of the existing tools address all the dimensions of sustainability along the whole forest wood chain (FWC) in a balanced way. Consequently, the decision was made to develop a tool for sustainability impact assessment (ToSIA), the modelling framework for sustainability impact assessment of FWCs. The objective of the EU Project Eforwood was to develop ToSIA, a decision support tool. Within ToSIA, a FWC is modelled as a number of interconnected processes. For each process, a range of economic, environmental and social indicators and their respective values are calculated, thus representing the three pillars of sustainability. By this method, the multifunctionality of forests can be assessed and supply chains can be compared with respect to sustainability. Sensitivity analysis and scenario techniques can be applied to learn about the effect of expected changes to the structure of the chain, the material flows and the indicator values. In order to provide the tool with information about forest and logging operations, data were collected at two fundamental levels: (1) a regional level with case studies in Scandinavia, Iberia and Baden-Württemberg and (2) a European level with a case study that reflects conditions in the 27 countries of the European Union. This paper describes and details the harvesting and logging processes for the European countries. The results are displayed for each of the three regional case studies as well as aggregated to five principal areas in Europe: Eastern, Northern, Western, Central and Southwest Europe.