Human injury inflicted by grizzly bears

Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) attacks resulting in human injury and known to have occurred in the national parks of North America were examined. Fifty-seven attacks in which 61 persons were injured took place in three national parks in the United States and accounted for 79 percent of the known injuries. The remaining 16 injuries occurred in four Canadian national parks. The 77 injured persons gives an injury rate of 1 person per 2 million visitors.     

Ovine echinococcosis I. Immunological diagnosis by enzyme immunoassay

Immunodiagnosis in sheep presents problems of sensitivity and specificity, limiting its applicability in surveillance systems. The objective of this study was to develop a sensitive, specific and accessible technique for diagnosing cystic echinococcosis in naturally infected sheep and to evaluate the validity of necropsy as a reference test. A total of 247 sheep were studied at slaughterhouses, confirming the parasitological diagnosis with histology. Serum was processed with enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using three antigen preparations: total hydatid liquid (LHT), purified fraction of LHT (S2B) and purified lipoprotein (B). Western Blot (WB) was used as a control. EIA proved effective for differentiating Echinococcus granulosus from larval stage of Taenia hydatigena and intestinal cestodes in all three antigen preparations. Serums from macroscopically negative sheep were reactive to EIA and positive with WB. In the whole flock, sensitivity was 89.2% for LHT, 80.0% for S2B and 86.4% for B. Sensitivity in lambs was 78.6% for LHT, 75.0% for S2B and 64.3% for B. Macroscopic diagnosis at the time of slaughter was found to have limitations as a reference test for immunodiagnosis of cystic equinococcosis in sheep, so it was necessary to include histology and WB as reference tests. LHT was the antigen preparation of greatest value and EIA proved to be a sensitive and specific technique, adequate for surveillance systems and for evaluating control programmes.     

Spatial and Temporal Ozone Pattern Concentrations in a NW Region of Spain

Measurements of ozone were carried out at two different sites in the area surrounding a thermal power plant located in the Northwest of Spain during 1993–1995. The concentration of O₃ in the ambient air varied from 6 to 257 μg m^-3 exhibiting a wide temporal, seasonal and spatial variation. On a few occasions 1-hr ozone concentration was more than 180 μg m^-3, which represents the maximum 1-hr limit of ozone in ambient air as prescribed by the European Commission.     

木材微波加热厚度的确定

较之传统加热方法，微波加热是一种新型加热技术。在简述木材微波加热的机理上．阐述了影响术材介电特性的因素，指出其中木材古水率和温度是影响木材节电性质的两个最重要的因素．通过理论计算确定微波在木材中的穿透深度．计算表明：随着木材含水率和微波工作频率的增加，微波在木材中的穿透深度减少；当用频率为915MHz和2450MHz的微波加热或干燥具有高含水率的木材时，木材的最大厚度应分别控制在16cm和6cm左右．     

Ultrastructural changes and structure and mobility of myowater in frozen-stored hake (Merluccius merluccius L.) muscle: relationship with functionality and texture

The ultrastructural changes and the main Raman spectral features of water (3100-3500 and 50-600 cm(-)(1) ranges) in frozen-stored hake were studied with the aim of connecting these changes with loss of some functional properties such as water holding capacity, and with modifications of muscle texture. The following results were obtained: (a) The changes in the spaces between myofibrils can be related to modifications of shear resistance. (b) The behavior of the strong 160 cm(-)(1) band can be related to conformational transitions of muscle proteins, to changes in the structure of muscle water, and/or to alterations in protein-water interactions. (c) There were intensity changes in the nu(s)(OH) band that may be attributable to transfer of water to larger spatial domains during frozen storage.     

Maintenance of acquired immunity to Trichostrongylus colubriformis in Merino sheep that are losing weight

SUMMARY The effect of loss of weight on maintenance of acquired immunity to Trichostrongylus colubriformis in Merino sheep was assessed in 2 experiments. Adult Merino sheep with previously acquired immunity to T colubriformis were housed in individual pens. Sheep were infected 3 times weekly with 2000 T colubriformis larvae. A diet based on chopped oaten and lucerne hay (experiment 1) or a pelleted diet based on lucerne hay and grain products (experiment 2), was offered in amounts to sustain a moderate gain in body weight, or was reduced step-wise to cause a loss in body weight. Worm egg counts were determined weekly. The reduction in feed on offer resulted in a mean weight loss of 4.0 kg over 9 weeks (experiment 1) or 4.8 kg over 7 weeks (experiment 2). Based on worm egg counts, there was no indication of a change in immunity to T colubriformis in either of the experiments. These results suggest that acquired immunity to T colubriformis in adult sheep that are exposed to infection is maintained during periods of moderate loss of weight associated with inadequate nutrition.     

Maasai perception of the impact and incidence of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in southern Kenya

We investigated the perceived impact of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) to pastoralists in Isinya Division, a wildlife dispersal area of Nairobi National Park, and used a range of participatory epidemiology methodologies. We compared the relative importance, incidence and impact of MCF compared to other locally defined important diseases with a total of 158 respondents in 11 group meetings and 21 household meetings in July 2004. Direct losses due to disease were investigated through lowered prices as a result of the emergency sale of disease-infected animals.

Overall, Maasai in Isinya Division perceived east coast fever (ECF) to be the most important cattle disease and to have the highest incidence. Anthrax was considered to have the largest impact. In areas within or adjacent to the wildebeest calving zone, MCF was perceived to be the most important cattle disease and also to have the largest impact. Outside the calving zone, MCF was considered the fourth-most important disease with the fourth largest impact, and these were areas where wildebeest were less common. MCF was also the fourth-most common disease, and across the Division incidence was estimated at 5% in calves and 10% in adults. However, MCF incidence varied greatly throughout the study area, from 3% to 12%, and the highest incidence risks were found in areas where wildebeest came to calve. The percent drop in sale price per animal infected with MCF was estimated at 50% for MCF for the year 2003–2004.

Forced avoidance movements away from wildebeest calves were reported to decrease livestock production due to loss of access to prime grazing sites. As suggested by pastoralists in this study, the development of compensation schemes or incentives from wildlife would reduce the conflict between livestock keeping and wildlife conservation.     

Genetic identification of horse mackerel and related species in seafood products by means of forensically informative nucleotide sequencing methodology

In the present study, a methodology based on the amplification of a fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome b and subsequent phylogenetic analysis (FINS: forensically informative nucleotide sequencing) to genetically identify horse mackerels have been developed. This methodology makes possible the identification of more than 20 species belonging to the families Carangidae, Mullidae, and Scombridae. The main novelty of this work lies in the longest number of different horse mackerel species included and in the applicability of the developed methods to all kinds of processed products that can be found by consumers in markets around the world, including those that have undergone intensive processes of transformation, as for instance canned foods. Finally, the methods were applied to 15 commercial samples, all of them canned products. Therefore, these methods are useful for checking the fulfillment of labeling regulations for horse mackerels and horse mackerel products, verifying the correct traceability in commercial trade, and fisheries control.