Synthetic Iron Oxides for Adsorptive Removal of Arsenic

Removal of arsenic from water reservoirs is the issue of great concern in many places around the globe. As adsorption is one of the most efficient techniques for treatment of As-containing media, thus the present study concerns application of iron oxides-hydroxides (akaganeite) as adsorbents for removal of this harmful metal from aqueous solution. Two types of akaganeite were tested: synthetic one (A) and the same modified using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (A_M). Removal of As was tested in batch studies in function of pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial arsenic concentration. The adsorption isotherms obey Langmuir mathematical model. Adsorption kinetics complies with pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the constant rates were defined as 2.07?×?10^?3and 0.92?×?10^?3 g mg^?1 min^?1 for the samples (A) and (A_M), respectively. The difference was caused by significant decrease in adsorption rate in initial state of the process carried out for the sample A_M. The maximum adsorption capacity achieved for (A) and (A_M) akaganeite taken from Langmuir isotherm was 148.7 and 170.9 mg g^?1, respectively. The results suggest that iron oxides-hydroxides can be used for As removal from aqueous solutions.     

Eimeria stiedae causes most of the white-spotted liver lesions in wild European rabbits in Cambridgeshire,United Kingdom

In rabbits, a white-spotted liver can be indicative of one of several disease processes, frequently caused by parasites. To date, the prevalence of white-spotted liver in wild rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, in the United Kingdom is undetermined. We evaluated the prevalence and main parasitic etiologies of this entity in a U.K. population of wild rabbits. Wild rabbits (n = 87) were shot in Cambridgeshire for population control, and cadavers were donated for research. Postmortem examination was undertaken, including gross and histologic hepatic examination. Macroscopic lesions consistent with white-spotted liver were found in 46 of 87 (53%) rabbits examined; most of these lesions were considered to be mild. For 28 of 46 (59%) rabbits with gross hepatic lesions, an etiologic agent was apparent histologically. Eimeria stiedae was detected in 21 of 87 (24%) rabbits, and Calodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica) was detected in 7 of 87 (8%). In the subset of rabbits killed in the summer, there was a significant association between white-spotted liver and juvenile age class. There was also an association between white-spotted liver caused by E. stiedae and juvenile age class. When restricting analysis to rabbits with white-spotted liver caused by E. stiedae and submitted in the summer, both juvenile age class and female had significant effects. E. stiedae and C. hepaticum can be transmitted to pet lagomorphs via contaminated vegetation, and to humans in the case of the latter, which demonstrates the importance of monitoring the prevalence of these parasitic diseases in wild rabbits.     

Reactivity of heat-stable Leptospira antigenic preparation used in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies in swine serum

Serology plays an important role in laboratory diagnosis of leptospirosis. Apart from the most often used microscopic agglutination test (MAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) seems to be useful especially in screenings of animal herds. The ELISA used for detection of antibodies against selected Leptospira serogroups in swine serum samples was investigated during the study. An essential element of this test is heat-stable antigenic preparation from cultures of Leptospira interrogans serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona and L. borgpetersenii serovar Sejroe. The aim of the present study was to identify and analyze ELISA heat-stable antigen fractions playing a role in the reaction with leptospiral antibodies indicated in swine serum. Reactivity of the three-component antigenic preparation was compared in immunoblotting with reactivity of six heat-stable antigenic preparations made from the following single serovars: L. interrogans serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona, Canicola, L. borgpetersenii serovars Sejroe, Tarassovi and L. kirshneri serovar Grippotyphosa. All antigenic preparations were submitted to SDS-PAGE and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane using a semidry system. After the transfer, the membrane was incubated with diluted swine serum containing antibodies specific for one of the six above mentioned Leptospira serovars. For the three-component antigenic preparation and antigens prepared from single serovars the immunoblot revealed reaction of sera with fractions of the 20-26 kDa region and around the 14.5 kDa region. The investigated heat-stable Leptospira antigenic preparation contains fractions demonstrating serogroup- and species-specificity. Fraction 20-26 kDa showed serogroup-specific activity, whereas the fraction around 14.5 kDa showed species-specific activity.     

The presence of Helicobacter-like microorganisms in the gastric mucosa in dogs

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the occurrence of Helicobacter-like organisms in the gastric mucosa of dogs. The study was performed on samples of gastric mucosa obtained during necropsies from 94 dogs euthanasized for various reasons. Histopathological examination and also urease test was performed. Helicobacter sp. was found in 85.10% of examined dogs. In 36% cases the presence of bacteria was accompanied by chronic inflammation of gastric mucosa localized mainly in pyloric region. In 97.59% samples positive results of urease test were associated with histopathological confirmation of gastric Helicobacter-like organisms.     

Accumulation of mycotoxins in forage of winter pasture during prolonged utilisation of sward

The concentration of mycotoxins in sward depending on time of pre-utilisation in summer and date of harvest in winter was analysed during the 2000-2002 vegetation seasons. Additionally, the yield of pasture sward was estimated. Higher concentrations of ochratoxin A--respectively: 0.55 and 050 ng/g DM--were found in the pasture sward harvested in December and January when compared to the sward collected in November (0.36 ng/g DM). The average concentration of zearalenone varied from 2.74 ng/g DM in December, to 6.00 ng/g DM in November and 9.77 ng/g DM in January. The highest concentration of ochratoxin A was 1.82 ng/g DM and zearalenone 47.89 ng/g DM. The highest number of samples in which ochratoxin A exceeded the level of 0.3 ng/g DM was noted in sward harvested in January (61.1%), while in the case of zearalenone, the number of samples containing this mycotoxin at a level exceeding 3.0 ng/g DM varied from 55.6% in December to 66.7% in November and January. It seems that the percentage of ochratoxin A positive samples and the toxin concentration level in the sward of winter pastures increased during the time of sward regrowth.     

Antagonistic effect of chosen lactic acid bacteria strains on Salmonella species in meat and fermented sausages

The aim of this study was to determine of influence of 15 strains of lactic acid bacteria on the growth of 7 Salmonella spp. strains in model set-ups, and in meat and ripened fermented sausages. The investigations were performed within the framework of three alternate stages which differed in respect to the products studied, the number of Lactobacillus spp. strains and, partly, methodological approach. The ratio between lactic acid bacteria and Salmonella strains studied was, depending on the alternate, 1:1, 1:2 and 2:1, respectively. The investigations also covered the water activity (a(w)) and pH of the tested products. The results obtained are shown in 12 figures and suggest that all the lactic acid bacteria strains used within the framework of the model set-ups showed antagonistic effect on all the Salmonella spp. strains. However, these abilities were not observed with respect to some lactic acid bacteria strains in meat and fermented sausage. The temperature and length of the incubation period of sausages, but not a(w) and pH, were found to have a distinct influence on the antagonistic interaction between the bacteria.     

Localization and macrostructure of subuterine lymphatic vessel networks in the bovine uterine broad ligament

Localization and morphological features of lymphatic vessels leaving tissues of uterine horns and running through the broad ligament area were studied in mature cows after filling the lumen of the each lymphangion with varicoloured masses, mainly Microfil. The study has revealed that each branch of the lymphatic vessels emerged from both sides of the uterus and then formed double-layered networks, dorsal and ventral in the area of the mesometrium. The lymphatic branches under the uterus are very numerous and consist of enlarged precollector lymphangions. At the level of the ovary, the branches of vessels in both layers interweave each other forming the common pathway suggesting that lymph leaving the bovine uterus can be mixed in branches which are formed by elongated lymphangions running to lymphatic nodes.     

Characterization of the glycoprotein D gene products of equine herpesvirus 1 using a prokaryotic cell expression vector

The gene encoding equine herpesvirus 1 (equine abortion virus; EHV-1) glycoprotein D was engineered into the prokaryotic vector pEX, and expressed as a β-galactosidase fusion product, which was recognized by pooled equine sera and anti-EHV-1 rabbit sera. Antibodies raised against the EHV-1 gD fusion product identified strong bands in infected cells at 66 and 68 K and at 138 K in purified virus, thus characterizing the several forms of this major envelope glycoprotein which is an important candidate for inclusion in subunit vaccines.     

Comparison of Hemisphere Size in Wild and Domestic Geese

The hemisphere size has been studied in wild and domestic geese (Anser fabalis, n = 77; A. albifrons, n = 48; A. anser, n = 8; A. anser f. domestica, n = 10), which were classified according to particular age category (adult or immature). Material used in studies was fixed in 4% solution of formaldehyde. The brain weight as well as hemispheres’ length, width and height was measured with standard method. Morphometric characteristic of geese's brains has been presented in absolute and relative way (by parallel use of index and allometric approach). The appropriate ontogenic, taxonomic and domestication comparisons were carried out. The greatest differences referred to absolute and relative width and height of hemispheres.     

Dexamethasone-induced changes in sympathetic innervation of porcine ovaries and in their steroidogenic activity

The aim of the present study was to determine changes in the density of sympathetic nerves in porcine ovaries with dexamethasone (DXM)-induced cysts and the alterations in steroidogenic activity and amounts of catecholamines in the affected gonads. Cystic ovaries were supplied by numerous sympathetic nerve fibers. The amount of noradrenaline in the cysts (fluid, wall) was significantly higher than in the large follicles of the control group. After DXM injections, the amounts of noradrenaline and adrenaline significantly increased in the walls of small and medium-sized follicles. In the cysts (fluid, wall) the levels of androgens and estrogens were significantly lower, whereas progesterone was higher in the cystic wall. DXM administration led to a significant increase in the estrone content in the fluid of small follicles. Moreover, a decrease in the amounts of progesterone and androgens was found in the follicular fluid and walls of medium-sized follicles. DXM injections resulted in a significant increase in the immunoexpression of P450(scc) and 3beta-HSD in the cysts, a significant increase of P450(scc) in the follicles, and a decrease of 3beta-HSD and P450(arom). The present study shows that the DXM treatment leads to an increase in the density of intraovarian sympathetic nerves, paralleled by the amount of catecholamines, and that it is capable of changing the steroidogenic activity of porcine ovary bearing cysts. Thus, it appears possible that these events may be, at least partly, involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder.