Epidemiological studies of pig diseases: 1. Use of French protocols for risk factor assessment to predict the health status of Australian herds

Objective To determine in Australian pig herds the accuracy of French protocols for risk factor assessment.
Procedure Data on health indicators and risk factors were collected for three syndromes, 'pre-weaning diarrhoea', 'post-weaning diarrhoea' and 'respiratory problems', using the French protocols. The protocols were used on 118 occasions in 32 Western Australian pig herds during 3 years (1988 to 1991).
Results There was a wide variation in pre-weaning performance, for example growth rate was 107 to 273 g/day (< 200 g/day in 33% of herds). Respiratory lesions at weaning were associated with poor pre-weaning performance. Post-weaning (21 days after weaning) growth rate was 114 to 408 g/day (< 250 g/day in 54% of herds). In the grower herds, 91% of herds had pneumonia, and growth rate was 439 to 625 g/day (< 550 g/day in 54% of herds). Pleurisy as well as pneumonia was associated with reduced growth rate. The risk factor most closely associated with respiratory health status was air volume per pig.
Conclusion Risk factors were most accurate at predicting the health status in post-weaning problems. A weaning weight of at least 7.9 kg and weaning age of 30 days optimised weaner performance. Stocking densities and shed designs providing at least 3 m³ air volume and 0.6 m² floor space per pig throughout the growing phase should be considered for an improved respiratory health status. Australian pig sheds often do not provide a satisfactory environment for optimum health. The technique of risk factor assessment as an aid to the maintenance of health in pig herds is applicable in Australia, but further research is necessary to determine the most important Australian risk factors.     

Ovine ceroid-lipofuscinosis is a proteolipid proteinosis

The pathogenesis of the ceroid-lipofuscinoses, inherited storage diseases of children, was studied in an ovine model. This was shown to have clinical and pathological features most in common with the late infantile and juvenile human forms of the disease. The ability to study sequential changes allowed the retinal lesions to be described as a dystrophy of photoreceptor outer segments which preceded loss of the photoreceptor cells. An early decrease in amplitude of the c-wave electroretinograph was attributed to a decrease in the transpigment epithelial component. The decreased a- and b-wave amplitudes were attributed to the changes in and loss of, photoreceptor cells. The chemical components of isolated storage cytosomes were analyzed and shown to consist mostly of protein. Sequence analysis of the dominantly stored protein showed that it was identical to the DCCD reactive proteolipid or subunit c of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate synthase and that it comprised approximately 50% of storage material. Based on the adage that the dominantly stored species should reflect the underlying biochemical anomaly, it was concluded that it was of pathogenic significance. This highly hydrophobic protein tends to extract with lipids in chloroform/methanol and is thus known as a proteolipid. Some of the remainder of the stored proteins also had this characteristic. It was concluded that ovine ceroid-lipofuscinosis was a proteinosis, more specifically a proteolipid proteinosis and as such it forms the prototype of a new class of storage diseases. Recognition of the nature of the dominantly stored chemical species has helped understanding of a variety of chemical and physical characteristics attributed to the whole pigment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia in three dogs: a morphological and immunopathological investigation

Morphological and immunological findings of three dogs with primary lymphangiectasia are described and compared with three normal dogs. Scanning electron microscopy showed distended and fused intestinal villi in dogs with intestinal lymphangiectasia, and morphometric evaluation revealed deeper crypts in the small intestine of dogs with intestinal lymphangiectasia. Although plasma cells of all classes were diminished in the cranial parts of the small intestine, there was an absolute and relative increase of immunoglobulin G-containing plasma cells in the caudal small intestine in dogs with intestinal lymphangiectasia.     

Soil and foliar phosphorus as indicators of sustainability for Pinus radiata plantation forestry in New Zealand

We investigated how multiple-crop forestry has influenced the magnitude and variability of soil and plant phosphorus (P) fertility and site disturbance. Kinleith Forest, on Mamaku Plateau, covers >100,000 ha and comprises mainly plantation Pinus radiata. Three study areas in the forest were chosen to represent natural state (native forest), first crop of P. radiata (24 years growth), and second crop of P. radiata (4 years growth of second crop). The adjacent areas have similar relief and climate, and the soils are all the same age, being predominantly Andic Haplohumods developed in 1770 calendar-year-old non-welded tephra (Taupo Ignimbrite, ca. 0.5–0.8 m in thickness) and overlying a buried paleosol on earlier tephric material.

Soil properties were compared using a random geometric sampling scheme stratified in a 40-m grid. Soil samples (0–20 cm) were taken at 1.5, 4.5 and 13 m spatial intervals in random directions away from each primary node, providing 192 sample sites for each study area. Additionally at selected sites, samples of the current year's foliage from the upper crowns were collected, the thickness of Taupo Ignimbrite (i.e. depth to buried paleosol) was recorded by augering, and site disturbance was assessed using a new six-point scale based on change relative to a modal soil profile. Geostatistics and geographical information systems (GIS) were used to assess variability and effects of forest management on the measured properties. Soil Bray-2 P concentrations were below guidelines for satisfactory growth (12 mg kg⁻¹) at all sites, and no differences were recorded between the different management areas. However, the amount of within-site variability in Bray-2 P increased with the number of crops. Foliar P concentrations were only marginally deficient in both the first and second crops, indicating that P is currently not significantly limiting growth. The lack of difference in foliar P between first and second crops indicates no crop-to-crop decline in foliar P status and suggests that no site P fertility decline has occurred. The soils have an unusual ability to continue releasing P through successive sequential extractions in the Bray-2 P test, indicating a strong buffering capacity, and this may explain the apparent lack of deficiency even with Bray-2 P values of <12 mg kg⁻¹. The site disturbance index increased and the spatial distribution of P data became increasingly variable with crop rotation.

GIS, inverse-distance weighting and kriging proved useful in illustrating the trends between crops. The spatial variability of results indicated that there was no obvious pattern to the variability and that more site-specific forest management in the region would be difficult. However, there was some evidence that less disturbance during harvesting may minimise variability of soil P supply.     

Effect of crop load on fruiting and leaf photosynthesis of 'Braeburn'/M.26 apple trees

Four-year-old apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) trees cv. 'Braeburn' on M.26 rootstock were thinned at full bloom to establish six crop loads ranging from a heavy crop to a deflowered treatment. At harvest, mean yield per tree varied from 0 to 38 kg and mean fruit weight ranged from 225 g in the heaviest cropping treatment to 385 g in the lightest cropping treatment. Light cropping resulted in a significant advance in fruit maturity as indicated by background color, starch/iodine score and soluble solids. There were small differences in leaf photosynthetic rate among the treatments when shoot growth was active. However, in early January, coincident with cessation of shoot growth and maximum rate of accumulation of fruit weight, leaf assimilation rate was reduced by as much as 65% on the deflowered trees compared to the trees carrying the heaviest crop. Leaf assimilation rate showed a curvilinear response to crop load at this time, with little increase in leaf assimilation when crop load exceeded 12 fruit m(-2) leaf area.     

The action of isolated brown-rot cell-free culture filtrate,H2O2−Fe++, and the combination of both on wood

Summary Transmission electron microscopy observations of hemlock sawdust that had been incubated with concentrated filtrate from Postia placenta showed that wood was degraded despite the absence of weight loss and release of reducing groups. These results are contrary to the prevailing views that enzyme preparation from brown-rot fungi are unable to degrade wood.Maintained at Madison, WI, in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin     

Electron-dense particles in wood decayed by Ganoderma applanatum

Summary Hemlock sawdust samples degraded by Ganoderma applanatum showed no electron-dense particles either in hyphae or in wood cell walls after aldehyde/OsO₄ fixation. After KMnO₄ fixation at early stage of attack, particles were in hyphae, hyphal sheath and wood cell walls. In samples prepared by a cytochemical technique which localizes cellulase activity at the ultrastructural level, particles were in hyphae, hyphal sheath and wood cell walls. The smallest diameter range of the particles lay between 3 and 7 nm which corresponds to the size of cellulases. Larger diameter particles were peresent which are probably aggregates of the smaller units. We believe that particles present in hyphal cytoplasm and hyphal sheath are cellulolytic enzymes. Whether particles present in attacked wood cell walls are enzymes or degradation products cannot be determined by this study. Nevertheles, the particles reveal the decay pattern in wood by the white-rot fungus G. applanatum.     

Effect of Relaxin on Fertility Parameters of Frozen–Thawed Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Sperm

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of relaxin on fertility parameters of buffalo frozen/thawed sperm. Sperm were incubated in the absence of capacitating agents (negative control), with a known capacitating agent such as heparin (positive control) and with 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin for 2 and 4 h. Sperm viability, motility, capacitation and the effect of relaxin on the fertilizing ability after heterologous IVF were evaluated. Although viability was not affected, relaxin increased (p < 0.05) sperm motility compared to the negative and positive controls both after 2 h (60.0 ± 2.0, 60.0 ± 3.1, 68.3 ± 1.7 and 69.4 ± 2.7, respectively, in negative control, positive control, 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin) and 4 h (55.0 ± 2.5, 53.3 ± 3.0, 62.2 ± 3.0 and 65.0 ± 3.2, respectively, in negative control, positive control, 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin) incubation. When sperm were incubated with both 100 ng/ml relaxin and heparin, a decrease (p < 0.01) of pattern A, that is low capacitation level, was observed compared to the negative control both after 2 h (54.4, 34.3 and 36.4%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin) and 4 h (51.9, 35.0 and 34.3%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin). Moreover, an increase (p < 0.01) of pattern EA, that is high capacitation level, was recorded with 100 ng/ml relaxin and heparin compared to the negative control both after 2 h (44.1, 59.3 and 57.7%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin) and after 4 h (43.0, 54.4 and 56.0%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin). Finally, relaxin increased (p < 0.01) cleavage rate compared to the negative control (57.1 ± 4.4, 72.5 ± 6.0, 71.4 ± 5.5 and 73.6 ± 2.9, respectively, in negative control, positive control, 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin). In conclusion, relaxin has a beneficial effect on motility, capacitation and fertilizing ability of frozen–thawed buffalo sperm.     

Morphometry,Morphology and Ultrastructure of Ring‐tailed Coati Sperm (Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766)

The ring‐tailed coati (Nasua nasua) is a procyonid whose population is in sharp decline. Therefore, studies are needed to better understand the reproduction of this animal. For this reason, this study aimed to evaluate the morphology, morphometry and sperm ultrastructure of ring‐tailed coati sperm. Four captive adult males were used for this study. Slides stained with Bengal Rose were used for the morphometric and morphologic analyses. The length and width of the head were measured, as well as the length of the midpiece and tail and the total length of the sperm. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used for the ultrastructural analyses. The most obvious morphological abnormalities observed were coiled tails (6.1 ± 8.7%) and the lack of acrosomes (5.4 ± 4.4%). Regarding the morphometry, the measurements of the head (length × width), midpiece (length) and tail (length) were (mean ± SD) 6.2 ± 0.4 × 8.1 ± 0.6 μm, 14.1 ± 0.5 and 63.9 ± 4.1 μm, respectively, and the total length of the sperm was 86.1 ± 4.3 μm. Through electron microscopy, the presence of electron‐lucent points in the nucleus and the presence of approximately 55 mitochondrial spirals in the midpiece were identified. The data obtained in this study provide detailed information on the sperm characteristics of coatis and may inform future research on germplasm conservation, both for this species and other threatened procyonids.