Copper artifacts: correlation with source types of copper ores

Six out of eight minor chemical elements, determined by spectroscopic and neutron-activation techniques, were found to be critical in computing a probability that a given copper artifact was derived from one of three types of copper ore: native metal, oxidized ore, reduced ore. Two elements, gold and tin, were apparently alloyed deliberately in many artifacts from both the Old World and the New World.     

Transfer factor: delayed hypersensitivity to Schistosoma mansoni and tuberculin in Macaca mulatta

Delayed hypersensitivity in Macaca mulatta infected with either Schistosoma mansoni or mycobacteria was demonstrated by biopsies of skin test sites. Both dialyzable and nondialyzable leukocyte extracts from infected donors transferred delayed hypersensitivity to recipient monkeys. In two recipients, skin test conversion was associated with in vitro transformation of the recipients' lymphocytes.     

Colonization in the fish intestinal tract and production of inhibitory substances in intestinal mucus and faecal extracts by Carnobacterium sp. strain K1

A non-virulent Carnobacterium sp., designated strain K1, isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., which produced inhibitory substances against bacterial fish pathogens, was examined in vitro for characteristics important for the colonization of the fish gastrointestinal tract and in vivo for persistence in the tract after oral dosing. In vitro growth experiments showed that the cells of this strain were metabolically active in both the intestinal mucus and faeces from salmonids. The production of growth inhibitors against the two common fish pathogens Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas salmonicida by Carnobacterium sp. strain K1 was demonstrated in vitro in mucus and faecal extracts. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the Carnobacterium cells remained viable in the gastrointestinal tract for several days and that no detrimental effect to the fish was observed as a result of the presence of the bacterium.     

An econometric demand model of the U.S. potato market

Summary An annual Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) reduced form econometric model capable of forecasting key price and quantity values was estimated for the U.S. potato market. Conditional forecasts, based on the assumption of certain exogenous variable values, to 1990, suggest that potato net exports and processed consumption will decline, fresh consumption will rise, both processed and fresh stocks will increase, and non-food demand will decrease. Also, both nominal and real prices for processed and fresh potatoes are expected to increase.

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Zusammenfassung Die Kartoffel ist die am h?chsten bewertete Gemüsepflanze in den Vereinigten Staaten, wo ihr Markt durch enorme Ver?nderungen in den letzten drei Dekaden beeinflusst wurde. Das auffallendste Charakteristikum war der gegenl?ufige Trend im pro Kopf-Konsum von frischen und vorverarbeiteten Kartoffeln. Der Frischverbrauch sank von 37,7 kg in 1960 auf 21,7 kg in 1982, w?hrend der Verbrauch vorverarbeiteter Kartoffeln entsprechend von 11,5 auf 29,8 kg anstieg. Eine Erkl?rung hierfür ist die ansteigende Nachfrage nach ‘bequemen’ Lebensmitteln. Der Anstieg des Verbrauchs gefrorener oder anderweitig vorverarbeiteter Kartoffeln ist direkt verbunden mit der Expansion von ‘fast-food’ Ausgabestellen. Diese Abhandlung zeigt ein reduziertes Modellsystem von Gleichungen anhand normaler Mindestquadrate (OLS) zur Vorhersage einiger Schlüsselvariablen für Preise und Mengen für die US-Kartoffelindustrie (Tabelle 1). Unser Modell hat sechs verhaltensbezogene Gleichungen wie auch zwei Gleichungen für Versorgung und Verbrauch. Die erste Gruppe enth?lt Kleinverbrauchs-Preis-Gleichungen und Vorrats-Gleichungen für frische und vorverarbeitete Kartoffeln, eine Gleichung für ‘non-food use’ und eine Netto-Export-Gleichung. Die Vorhersage-Bewertungsstatistiken des Modells (Tabelle 2) zeigen, dass es eng den Preisen innerhalb der Ermittlungsperiode folgt. Der Robustheitstest (ausserhalb der Ermittlung (Tabelle 3)) erwies sich als ausreichend bei gegebenen Begrenzungen der verfügbaren Daten und der tempor?ren Anh?ufung. Die Vorhersageergebnisse für 1983 bis 1990 basieren auf Voraussetzungen von Werten von bestimmten ?usseren Variablen (Tabelle 4). Die Ergebnisse (Tabelle 5) deuten darauf hin, dass Nettoexport und Konsum für vorverarbeitete Ware zurückgehen werden, Frischkonsum ansteigen wird, Vorr?te für vorverarbeitete und frische Ware ansteigen und die ‘non-food’ Nachfrage zurückgehen wird. Es wird ein Anstieg der nominalen und realen Preise für vorverarbeitete und frische Kartoffeln erwartet. Die Datenbasis wird im Anhang gezeigt.

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Résumé La pomme de terre est le légume dont la récolte est économiquement la plus importante aux Etats Unis, où son marché a subit de nombreux changements ces 30 dernières années. Notons notamment les évolutions opposées de la consommation de produits frais et industriels. La consommation de produits frais est passée de 37,7 kg par habitant en 1960 à 21,7 kg en 1982 alors que celle de produits industriels est passée dans la même période de 11,5 kg par habitant à 29,8 kg. Cette évolution peut être expliquée par la demande toujours plus forte pour des produits pratiques; et l'augmentation de la consommation de pomme de terre surgelées ou autres pommes de terre industrielles est liée directement à l'expansion des fast food. Cet article présente les équations de prévisions des principaux prix et quantités de l'industrie de la pomme de terre aux Etats Unis, obtenues par la méthode des moindres carrés. Notre modèle comporte 6 équations de prévision du comportement et 2 équations qui relient demande et utilisation. Les premières sont des équations concernant les prix de détail des pommes de terre fraiches ou industrielles, les stocks de ces mêmes pommes de terre, l'utilisation non alimentaire et l'exportation. Les tests statistiques de la prévision du modèle montrent une corrélation étroite entre prix et quantité durant la période étudiée. Les tests de robustesse en dehors de cette période donnent satisfaction, vues les limites dues aux données disponibles. Les prévisions de 1983 à 1990 sont basées sur des hypothèses faites sur les variables exogènes. Elle suggèrent que les exportations et la consommation de produits industriels vont diminuer, la consommation de produits frais va augmenter, les stocks de produits frais et industriels vont grossir et la demande non alimentaire va diminuer. Les prix des produits frais et industriels vont augmenter. (Les données de base sont visibles en annexe).

     

Kinetics of Viral Load and Erythrocytic Inclusion Body Formation in Pacific Herring Artificially Infected with Erythrocytic Necrosis Virus

Abstract

Viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN) is a condition that affects marine and anadromous fish species, including herrings and salmonids, in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Infection is frequently associated with severe anemia and causes episodic mortality among wild and hatchery fish when accompanied by additional stressors; VEN can be presumptively diagnosed by (1) light microscopic identification of a single characteristic—a round, magenta-colored, 0.8-μm-diameter inclusion body (IB) within the cytoplasm of erythrocytes and their precursors on Giemsa-stained blood films; or (2) observation (via transmission electron microscopy [TEM]) of the causative iridovirus, erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV), within erythrocytes or their precursors. To better understand the kinetics of VEN, specific-pathogen-free Pacific herring Clupea pallasii were infected with ENV by intraperitoneal injection. At 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 d postexposure, samples of blood, spleen, and kidney were collected and assessed (1) via light microscopy for the number of intracytoplasmic IBs in blood smears and (2) via TEM for the number of virions within erythrocytes. The mean prevalence of intracytoplasmic IBs in the blood cells increased from 0% at 0–4 d postexposure to 94% at 28 d postexposure. Viral load within circulating red blood cells peaked at 7 d postexposure, fell slightly, and then reached a plateau. However, blood cells observed within the kidney and spleen tissues demonstrated high levels of ENV between 14 and 28 d postexposure. The results indicate that the viral load within erythrocytes does not correlate well with IB prevalence and that the virus can persist in infected fish for more than 28 d.

Received September 7, 2011; accepted March 8, 2012     

In vitro Release of Ovarian Progesterone is Decreased During the Oestrous Cycle and Pregnancy of Swine with Obesity/Leptin Resistance

Previous studies indicate that reproductive prolificacy of obese swine breeds is markedly influenced by embryo losses in early pregnancy. In such period, adequate secretion of progesterone (P4) by the ovary is essential for pregnancy success. This study analyses the luteal functionality during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy of Iberian sows and Large White x Landrace females, in terms of P4 secretion after in vitro culture of luteal tissue stimulated or not with luteinizing hormone (LH). The secretion of progesterone (expressed in ng/mg of luteal tissue or ng/mgLT) of the corpora lutea of obese Iberian swine was always hampered when compared to lean genotypes, either during early oestrous cycle (110.7 ± 37.8 vs 259.7 ± 10.2 ng/mgLT; p < 0.0001), late oestrous cycle (49.0 ± 3.5 vs 75.92 ± 7.14 ng/mgLT; p < 0.0001) or early pregnancy (38.4 ± 2.1 vs 70.7 ± 5.3 ng/mgLT; p < 0.0001). The differences in basal P4 secretion remained after stimulation with LH. Finally, P4 secretion during early pregnancy of Iberian sows decreased with age and, hence, with obesity features (46.6 ± 4.2 vs 65.5 ± 4.8 ng/mgLT; p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results of the present study provide convincing evidence of a reduced luteal function during oestrous cycle and early pregnancy of sows with obesity/leptin resistance like Iberian sows, which may contribute to the low reproductive efficiency reported in this breed.     

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in wildlife on three deer farms with a history of Johne's disease

Abstract

AIM: To determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) infection in wildlife, in pastoral landscapes with a recent history of clinical Johne's disease in livestock.

METHODS: A total of 449 wild mammals and birds from three farms in the South Island of New Zealand with recent histories of clinical Johne's disease in their deer herds were trapped and examined for gross pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, individual mesenteric lymph nodes from 380 mammals, and segments of gastrointestinal tract from 32 birds were excised, homogenised and cultured for viable Map bacilli. The prevalence of Map infection was then calculated for the various species. Faecal samples from those mammals which had culture-positive tissues were further cultured for the presence of Map.

RESULTS: Gross pathological changes were identified in the gastrointestinal tract of four brushtail possums, one cat, six ferrets, 12 hares, six hedgehogs, three rabbits, one stoat, and one paradise shelduck. Infection with Map in the gastrointestinal tract was confirmed in only three of these cases, one each of brushtail possums, hares and hedgehogs. In contrast, Map infection in the absence of gross pathological changes was frequently recorded in enteric tract tissues of mammals and birds. Among mammals, Map infection was recorded in 18/73 (25%) brushtail possums, 4/23 (17%) cats, 15/42 (36%) hedgehogs and 29/113 (26%) rabbits. Among birds, intestinal tract tissue Map infection was recorded in 3/17 (18%) paradise shelducks. Among 64 of the 74 mammals which had Map culture-positive tissues, 38% (n=5) of hedgehogs and 11% (n=3) of rabbits also had culture-positive faecal samples.

CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to identify that Map infection can be prevalent in wildlife in New Zealand. There was a high prevalence of Map infection among both scavenging and grazing wild animals. Both mammals and birds are capable of harbouring viable Map organisms in their gastrointestinal tract; further, viable Map was excreted into the environment via faeces by hedgehogs and rabbits.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Previous studies overseas have postulated a role of wildlife as reservoirs of Map infection and possible vectors of Johne's disease to livestock. Here, brushtail possums, hedgehogs and rabbits and in particular were identified as potential wildlife hosts for Map infection in NewZealand. This suggests that several wildlife species could contribute to the persistence of Map infection within a wildlife/livestock complex, and potentially, perhaps more importantly, to the spread of infection between farms.