Comparison of bacterial culture, polymerase chain reaction, and a mix-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of Salmonella status in grow-to-finish pigs in western Canada with a Bayesian approach

Among grow-to-finish pigs from 10 herds in Alberta and Saskatchewan, 23 (16%) of 144 fecal samples were culture-positive and 40 (28%) of 144 pigs were seropositive for Salmonella. With a Bayesian model specifying dependence between the 2 tests, the sensitivity (Se) of culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was 79% to 86%, depending on the cut-off value for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Culture specificity (Sp) was assumed to be 100%; RT-PCR Sp was found to be 94%. The ELISA Se was 76% and 51% at optical density cut-off values ≥ 20% and ≥ 40%, respectively; the Sp was 94% at each cut-off value. The model showed some sensitivity to ELISA prior information, the ELISA Se being approximately 8% lower when informative prior information was specified in the model. When there was no adjustment for dependence between culture and RT-PCR, the posterior estimates for both culture and RT-PCR Se were 11% higher than with the conditional-dependence model and had considerably narrower probability intervals, which suggests that correlation between culture and PCR is important and should be adjusted for in future studies.     

Effect of the Medium Replacement Interval on the Viability,Growth and In Vitro Maturation of Isolated Caprine and Ovine Pre‐Antral Follicles

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different medium replacement intervals on the viability, antral cavity formation, growth and in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes from caprine and ovine pre‐antral follicles. Pre‐antral ovarian follicles (≥150 μm) were isolated from the ovarian cortex of goats and sheep and were individually cultured for 24 days using two different medium replacement intervals [2 days (T₁) or 6 days (T₂)]. Follicle development was evaluated on the basis of antral cavity formation, increases in follicular diameter and the presence of healthy cumulus oocyte complexes and fully grown oocytes. For caprine species, results showed a higher percentage (p < 0.05) of viable follicles in T₁ than T₂ from day 6 until the end of the culture. In addition, when comparing both treatments after the same culture duration, the rate of antrum formation was significantly higher in T₁ than in T₂ from day 12 onwards. Yet, in ovines, when both treatments were compared on day 24 of the culture, there were more viable follicles in T₂ than in T₁ (p < 0.05). In the caprine species, percentages of fully grown oocytes (≥110 μm) acceptable for IVM after 24 days of culture were significantly higher in normal follicles cultured in T₁ (30.0%) than in T₂ (6.7%; p < 0.05). On the other hand, in ovines, at the end of the culture, the percentage of oocytes destined for IVM was higher in T₂ than in T₁ (23.5% vs 2.9%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, under the same conditions, the frequency of medium replacement significantly affected the in vitro development of caprine and ovine pre‐antral follicles. To improve the efficiency of the culture system, the medium must be replaced every 2 and 6 days for goat and sheep pre‐antral follicles, respectively.     

Unilateral ventral strabismus in an aquarium Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)

An adult silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) presented with a 2‐month history of acute onset ventral strabismus of the right eye associated with a cystic structure overlying the dorsal aspect of the globe. Aspiration of the cyst, removal of redundant conjunctival tissue, and apposition of the surgical edges of the conjunctiva did not correct the strabismus. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head and histopathology of the eye did not reveal significant differences between affected and unaffected eyes except for a more posterior dorsal rectus muscle insertion site in the affected eye. This case report documents and describes a syndrome well known among arowana hobbyists as ‘drop eye’.     

Effect of oestrous synchrony between embryo donors and recipients,embryo quality and state on the pregnancy rate in beef cattle

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oestrous synchrony between donors and recipients and the embryo quality on the pregnancy rate in beef cow recipients. The experiment was performed over two years at an embryo transfer (ET ) centre in Southern Brazil. Ninety Aberdeen Angus cows were subjected to superovulation (SOV ) protocols, resulting in the recovery of 1,048 transferable embryos. Eleven groups were formed with intervals of 6 hr, from ?30 to +30 hr, with respect to recipient versus donor oestrous detection. Evaluation of embryo quality was according to the IETS guidelines. The overall pregnancy rate was 52%. Effects related to donor and recipient oestrous synchronization on pregnancy rate were observed (p  =  .01), ranging from 36% to 50%. The embryo quality rate affected the pregnancy rate, where Grade I resulted in 57% and Grade III in 43% of pregnancy (p  <  .001). The embryonic state (frozen or fresh) showed no (p  >  .05) effect on pregnancy rate: 53% for fresh embryos and 44% for frozen embryos. The odds ratio for explanatory variables causing pregnancy indicated that Grade III embryos had 31% less chance of conception compared to Grade I. Thus, oestrous synchrony between donor and recipient, considering ±30 hr apart, can affect the pregnancy rate along with embryo quality.     

Infrared spectral characteristics and surface inactivation of wood at high temperatures

Summary Spectra resulting from chemical changes in white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss] microsections heated in air or nitrogen at high temperatures (100 to 240°C) were continuously recorded on an infrared spectrophotometer.A significant change occurred in the intensity of the 1730 cm^-1 band which indicates a carbonyl absorption of carboxyl and ester groups of wood. This intensity initially decreased and the increased at a greater rate. The time periods to reach the minimum inflection point, termed the times to initiate a significant oxidative carboxylation or oxidation, showed a good curvilinear relationship with heating temperatures.Quantification of this time-temperature relationship required to reach a significant level of oxidation was achieved, using wood microsections that had extractives removed to varying degrees. It was concluded that the extractives served only as catalysts for oxidation. When drying wood at temperatures over 180°C, in addition to oxidation, pyrolytic degradation occurred.Chemical evidence was further confirmed by tests of plywood panels bonded with phenolformaldehyde glue. Three separate types of veneers were investigated—non-extracted, acetone extracted, and veneer with the surface chemically stabilized by treatment with sodium borohydride. The results suggest that the time period to reach a significant level of oxidative carboxylation is also the time period to initiate a wood surface inactivated to polymer adhesion.The author wishes to thank Miss D. Bouchard and Mr. H. N. Mukai for their assistance in the experiments. Appreciation also is due to Mr. H. MacLean for a critical review of this paper.     

A method for routine measurements of total sugar and starch content in woody plant tissues

Several extraction and measurement methods currently employed in the determination of total sugar and starch contents in plant tissues were investigated with the view to streamline the process of total sugar and starch determination. Depending on the type and source of tissue, total sugar and starch contents estimated from samples extracted with 80% hot ethanol were significantly greater than from samples extracted with a methanol:chloroform:water solution. The residual ethanol did not interfere with the sugar and starch determination, rendering the removal of ethanol from samples unnecessary. The use of phenol-sulfuric acid with a phenol concentration of 2% provided a relatively simple and reliable colorimetric method to quantify the total soluble-sugar concentration. Performing parallel sugar assays with and without phenol was more useful for accounting for the interfering effects of other substances present in plant tissue than using chloroform. For starch determination, an enzyme mixture of 1000 U alpha-amylase and 5 U amyloglucosidase digested starch in plant tissue samples more rapidly and completely than previously recommended enzyme doses. Dilute sulfuric acid (0.005 N) was less suitable for starch digestion than enzymatic hydrolysis because the acid also broke down structural carbohydrates, resulting in overestimates of starch content. After the enzymatic digestion of starch, the glucose hydrolyzate obtained was measured with a peroxidase-glucose oxidase/o-dianisidine reagent; absorbance being read at 525 nm after the addition of sulfuric acid. With the help of this series of studies, we developed a refined and shortened method suitable for the rapid measurement of total sugar and starch contents in woody plant tissues.     

Thermo-directional movement of wood and wood composites

Summary Thermal movement of wood and wood composites was studied and compared with that of random and oriented phenolic foams. Cell orientation was a dominate factor determining the thermal response of these structures. In dried wood, thermal movement in the direction parallel to the cells (longitudinal) decreased in dimension during heating while the radial and tangential directions expanded under similar heating condition. Oriented foams showed more restraint in thermal movement in the parallel to orientation direction. These findings indicate constraining forces act on the direction parallel to the cells while more flexibility exists in perpendicular directions. Wood element size and orientation and the manufacturing process also influence the thermal response in wood composites. The experimental results also revealed the potential fire hazard of waferboard type of composites.     

Wettability of four Asian meranti species

Summary The wettability of four Asian meranti species (dark red, light red, white, and yellow) in various liquids was studied by a cone-immersion technique. Wettability was expressed in terms of the area under the force-immersion curve and referred to as the wettability index. Wettability was strongly influenced by the pH of the solution, generally increasing with increasing pH. Surfactant type affected wettability, with the cationic type yielding the greatest wettability followed by anionic and nonionic types. Among the liquids used, distilled water gave the lowest, and acetone-isopropyl alcohol solution gave the greatest wettability. Of the meranti species, yellow meranti showed the greatest wettability, followed by white, light red, and dark red meranti.A plot of the relative amount of liquid absorbed into the wood sample versus wettability index yielded two regions, one attributed mainly to liquid trapped in crevices on the wood surface, and another which may be more indicative of wood-liquid interactions. A highly significant linear correlation between wettability index and liquid surface tension was found for those species with low and medium wettability, while that with high wettability showed no correlation. A new empirical approach of determining the critical surface tension of wood is discussed. Limited data for the present method indicated close agreement with result from the literature obtained by the use of the well-known Zisman's contact angle approach.