Comparison of the structure of chinchilla sperm isolated from semen and from the tail of the epididymis

Sperm cells isolated from the tail of the epididymis and from the semen of the same individuals were analysed. The use of silver nitrate to stain sperm cells isolated from the tail of the epididymis made it possible to identify structures that were not visible in the sperm from semen. Silver nitrate very clearly distinguished the acrosomal and distal parts of the sperm head. Following silver nitrate staining, the sperm isolated from the tail of the epididymis were characterized by dark ‘collars’ in the distal part of the head. These ‘collars’ are not visible in the sperm cells isolated from semen. The results of the study indicate differences in the dimensions of sperm isolated from the tail of the epididymis and sperm in semen. Sperm isolated from the tail of the epididymis had smaller heads, despite their longer length, and had longer midpieces and tails than ejaculate sperm. Silver nitrate staining is a simple and fast technique. Silver nitrate makes it possible to identify the acrosome and post-acrosomal region of the sperm head and to clearly identify the midpiece. Therefore, it can be successfully used to supplement routine techniques for evaluating sperm morphology or as an independent technique.     

肠道健康是影响垫料的一个重要因素

雏鸡、饲料和饮水的质量都是肉鸡生产者高度关注的事项。然而,肉鸡舍内垫料的质量却很少受到足够的重视。这是很不幸的,因为鸡无时无刻不与垫料接触。最近,对营养学家和兽医专业人员的调查显示,90%的受访者每天都处理与湿垫料相关的疾病。     

A new classification of pre‐ovulatory oocyte maturation stages in pikeperch,Sander lucioperca (L.), and its application during artificial reproduction

This study aimed at improving the reproduction effectiveness and synchronization of ovulation in the pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (L.), during induced spawning, which is one of the main bottlenecks in the aquaculture of this species. For this purpose, a new categorization of maturation stages in pre‐ovulatory oocytes was applied. It is generally based on two morphological indicators: germinal vesicle migration or its breakdown (GVBD) and different oil droplet coalescence rates. This categorization covered seven stages (from I to VII) – from the end of vitellogenesis to ovulation. The categorization was verified by controlled reproduction with the use of hormonal stimulation (500 IU of hCG per kg of female body weight) and low spawning temperature (12 °C), which extended the latency time. In addition, some morphological indicators (pseudo‐gonadosomatic index, Fulton's condition coefficient) of females were calculated in order to determine their usability in determining the maturation stage. However, these indicators proved to be ineffective for this purpose, further highlighting the need to determine the maturational stages in pre‐ovulatory oocytes to synchronize ovulation in pikeperch. During the experiment, ovulation seemed to be synchronized among the experimental treatments. Statistical differences were found in terms of latency time between experimental groups at different maturity stages (II – 78–98 h; III – 57–78 h; IV – 48–58 h; V – 32–49 h; VI – 5–30 h) according to the proposed classification. This classification and the results presented in the study significantly improved the synchronization of ovulation, which may positively affect the effectiveness of pikeperch production under controlled conditions.     

Quantitative PCR shows propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plasmodiophora brassicae</Emphasis> in Swedish long term field trials

Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is a serious soil-borne disease in brassica crops world-wide. We report on a time series of soil samples from Swedish long-term fertility trials started in 1957, 1963 and 1966, which were analyzed for the amount of P. brassicae DNA. The crop rotations included a brassica crop every 4 or 6 years. All experimental sites with a 4-year rotation of oilseed rape, except one with calcium carbonate in the soil profile, showed high (>1000 fg DNA g^?1 soil) levels of P. brassicae DNA after 9, 11 and 12 rotations. In contrast, detectable levels (>5 fg DNA g^?1 soil) of P. brassicae were found only at one of five sites with a 6-year rotation of spring oilseed rape. In years with high levels of P. brassicae DNA, low yield was reported and a subsequent decline in P. brassicae DNA in soil was observed. Different NPK (nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium) fertiliser regimes resulted in similar P. brassicae DNA levels. The robustness and reliability of the method applied was verified by analyses of soil from individual plots compared with a mixture of plots and by repeated analyses of selected samples, which showed that P. brassicae DNA remained stable during dry storage.     

Acute ammonia toxicity during early ontogeny of ide Leuciscus idus (Cyprinidae)

Acute ammonia toxicity was investigated in four developmental stages of the juvenile ide, Leuciscus idus: 1, 10, 20 and 30 days after the first feeding. Mean (±SD) total length of the larvae was 8.5 ± 0.3, 15.7 ± 0.7, 23.0 ± 2.0 and 29.7 ± 2.0 mm, and standard weight was 1.6 ± 0.3, 9.2 ± 5.5, 94.9 ± 31.0 and 196.0 ± 31.7 mg, respectively. The larvae used for toxicity tests were reared in the experimental, closed recirculating system. Groups of fishes (n from 7 to 10; in respect of fish size) were exposed to the ammonium chloride solutions in 1-L glass units. Water temperature was 25 ± 0.1 °C for both the rearing and the toxicity tests. pH was not adjusted and ranged between 8.4 and 8.7. The ammonium chloride solutions were renewed every 12 h. At the same time, dead larvae were counted and removed, and the pH and temperature measurements were taken. Each acute toxicity test duration was 96 h, and lethal concentration LC₁, LC₅₀ and LC₉₉ values were calculated for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. The susceptibility of the ide larvae to ammonia decreased linearly with age up to 20th day and surprisingly increased during the next 10 days. The LC₅₀ (48 h) values ranged from 0.27 mg L^?1 of unionized ammonia nitrogen for 1 day after the first feeding (AFF) larvae to 1.42 mg L^?1 at day 20 after first feeding. The LC₅₀ (48 h) for 30 days AFF was as high as 0.67 mg L^?1. The critical level of the unionized ammonia nitrogen for ide larvae was suggested as 0.21 mg L^?1.     

Sorption of emerging organic micropollutants onto fine sediments in a water supply dam reservoir,Poland

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Sorption studies of organic micropollutants to sediments are useful for predicting their fate and transport. They allow for a better understanding of the migration...     

Retained Fetal Membranes in Heavy Draft Mares Associated with Histological Abnormalities

Retention of fetal membranes is one of the most common life-threatening peripartum problems; however, its etiology is still unknown. Draft mares are more likely to retain fetal membranes than other breeds of mares. Because a strong connection between the fetal membranes and the endometrium has been observed in cases of retention, we studied the changes in the endometrium and the allantochorion of heavy draft mares with this condition. Tissue samples were taken from 90 mares that retained the fetal membranes and from 21 that did not. Retained fetal membranes were associated with adhesion of the allantochorion to the endometrium in 88% of the mares; this adhesion depended on the following factors: occurrence of fibrosis both in the lamina propria of the allantochorial villi and in the allantochorial stromal connective tissue, overdevelopment of the allantochorial stromal connective tissue, oversized allantochorial epithelial cells, and sparser and less-branched allantochorial villi.     

Optimization of in-house ELISA based on recombinant major sperm protein (rMSP) of Dictyocaulus viviparus for the detection of lungworm infection in cattle

The aim of this study was to optimize an in-house ELISA based on a recombinant version of the major sperm protein (MSP) of Dictyocaulus viviparus for routine diagnosis of lungworm infection in cattle. A recombinant MSP (rMSP) was cloned into pGEX-6P-1 vector and expressed as a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) chemically competent cells. The product was then employed as capture antigen in an ELISA, and validated against 304 samples of known status (216 negative and 88 positive) in which the antibody levels in sera had also been measured earlier with a commercial ELISA kit (Ceditest® lungworm ELISA). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the ELISA results estimated the optimized diagnostic sensitivity and specificity as 97.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 91.9–99.7%) and 98.1% (CI: 95.3–99.5%), respectively. The results from the in-house rMSP-based ELISA were compared with results obtained on both fecal examination and the Ceditest® lungworm ELISA. Rising antibody levels in sera of experimentally infected calves were observed between 21 and 28 days post infection, when patency was also confirmed by the presence of larvae in feces. Notably, using the in-house rMSP-based ELISA infection was confirmed in calves shedding larvae approximately 3–4 weeks post inoculation, while using the Ceditest® lungworm ELISA those animals remained negative. Additionally, 251 sera samples from calves naturally exposed to the parasites on pasture were used to evaluate the test. In in-house rMSP-based ELISA no cross-reactions were observed with sera from calves infected with the gastrointestinal nematodes (Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora), even though the presence of eggs in the feces was confirmed. Overall, the in-house rMSP-based ELISA optimized in this study showed excellent diagnostic performance for detection of lungworm infection in cattle.     

Effect of Replacing Cocoa Powder by Carob Powder in the Muffins on Sensory and Physicochemical Properties

The increasing demand for cocoa and search for ingredients rich in bioactive compounds encouraged us to investigate the possibility of replacing it by carob powder in the muffins containing soy beans, sesame oil and flaxseeds. There was 5% addition of carob or cocoa powder to the individual doughs. The muffins with the addition of carob were characterized by improved antiradical activity (by 36% - 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) method, by 83% - 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method), higher content of genistein (18%) and total phytosterols (17%) in the dry mass. The color differences in the carob muffins crusts were not perceptible by consumers (ΔE?=?0.70 for crust, ΔE?=?5.6 for crumb) and their taste was found to be less bitter and sweeter than the taste of cocoa muffins. Moreover, the addition of carob powder as well as cocoa powder resulted in good sensory quality. The high content of phytosterols, genistein and improved antiradical properties proved carob to be a source of bioactive compounds. The results show that carob powder may be used as valuable alternative muffin ingredient to cocoa.     

Rearing river lamprey <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lampetra fluviatilis</Emphasis> (L.) larvae under controlled conditions as a tool for restitution of endangered populations

A method for actively protecting river lamprey and increasing the number of river lamprey populations is presented as protocol of rearing stocking material. The objective of the study was to accommodate lamprey larvae during the most critical life period under controlled conditions until they reach a sufficient size, which will increase their chances to survive in the natural environment. The eggs obtained from wild breeders were incubated in Weiss’s jars at the water temperature of 12 °C. The larvae were reared in tanks set up in closed recirculating aquaculture systems. During the rearing period, the water temperature was 20 °C and the density of larvae was 150 individuals per 1 dm² of bottom. In the initial rearing phase, the main focus was on the type of feeds and the nourishment method. It was determined that the most suitable feed type was Artemia nauplii combined with Hikari dry food. Additionally, the type of substrate was tested under controlled conditions. In this case, the optimum one was composed of sand of the grain size between 0.3 and 0.5 mm. The experiment proved that it is possible to successfully conduct river lamprey larvae rearing under controlled conditions. The growth rates are comparable to or better than those achieved under natural conditions. After 30 days of the rearing period, the lamprey larvae were 25 mm long. The results create a possibility to develop a technology for the restitution of river lamprey and other lamprey species, which are endangered throughout the world.