Prevalence and genotypes of Giardia duodenalis in dairy and beef cattle in farms around Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Prevalence of Giardia duodenalis in dairy and beef cattle on farms around Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (Canada) was determined by analyzing feces using direct immunofluorescence antibody microscopy. Genotypes were determined by 16S-rRNA sequencing. Fecal samples (n = 892) were collected from adult cattle in dairy tie-stall, dairy free-stall, and beef herds (10 herds each), and from calves (n = 183) from 11 dairy farms. Prevalence rates were 38% and 51% in cows and calves, respectively. Giardia duodenalis was present in all dairy herds, in 9/10 beef herds and in calves from 10/11 herds examined. Prevalence rates were 40% and 41% for cows in tie- and free-stall herds, respectively, and 27% for beef cows. Zoonotic Assemblage A was found in 12.2% of calves concomitantly infected with Assemblage E. All successfully sequenced samples (114/128) from cows corresponded to Assemblage E. Giardia duodenalis is highly prevalent in cattle herds in Prince Edward Island and Assemblage A in calves is a potential public health concern.     

Anaplasmosis in dogs: the relation of haematological, biochemical and clinical alterations to antibody titre and PCR confirmed infection

Laboratory and clinical parameters of 149 dogs, exposed to Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum), and 19 control dogs were evaluated and compared retrospectively. The aim of our study was to determine statistically significant differences of selected parameters between groups of patients, divided according to the immunofluorescence (IFA) titres, in attempt to improve current diagnostic and treatment criteria. Exposure to A. phagocytophilum was confirmed by IFA and infection by PCR. Based on the results, the dogs were divided into 8 groups (6 groups of seropositive dogs according to the antibody titre, 1 group of PCR positive dogs, and a control group). Selected parameters were compared between groups. Thrombocytopenia was confirmed to be the most prominent haematological change in IFA and/or PCR positive dogs. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical and haematological observations between groups of different IFA titre but clear overall differences between each IFA and PCR positive groups compared to the control group. Our results showed the necessity of introducing additional diagnostic procedures in clinical practice, since antibody titre and haematological parameters are not sufficient to confirm the clinical relevance of exposure to A. phagocytophilum in a particular patient.     

Single-atom single-photon quantum interface

A major challenge for a scalable quantum computing architecture is the faithful transfer of information from one node to another. We report on the realization of an atom-photon quantum interface based on an optical cavity, using it to entangle a single atom with a single photon and then to map the quantum state of the atom onto a second single photon. The latter step disentangles the atom from the light and produces an entangled photon pair. Our scheme is intrinsically deterministic and establishes the basic element required to realize a distributed quantum network with individual atoms at rest as quantum memories and single flying photons as quantum messengers.     

Aboveground biomass and nutrient accumulation dynamics in young black alder, silver birch and Scots pine plantations on reclaimed oil shale mining areas in Estonia

The growth, aboveground biomass production and nutrient accumulation in black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plantations during 7 years after planting were investigated on reclaimed oil shale mining areas in Northeast Estonia with the aim to assess the suitability of the studied species for the reclamation of post-mining areas. The present study revealed changes in soil properties with increasing stand age. Soil pH and P concentration decreased and soil N concentration increased with stand age. The largest height and diameter of trees, aboveground biomass and current annual production occurred in the black alder stands. In the 7-year-old stands the aboveground biomass of black alder (2100 trees ha⁻¹) was 2563 kg ha⁻¹, in silver birch (1017 trees ha⁻¹) and Scots pine (3042 trees ha⁻¹) stands respective figures were 161 and 1899 kg ha⁻¹. The largest amounts of N, P, K accumulated in the aboveground part were in black alder stands. In the 7th year, the amount of N accumulated in the aboveground biomass of black alder stand was 36.1 kg ha⁻¹, the amounts of P and K were 3.0 and 8.8 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. The larger amounts of nutrients in black alder plantations are related to the larger biomass of stands. The studied species used N and P with different efficiency for the production of a unit of biomass. Black alder and silver birch needed more N and P for biomass production, and Scots pine used nutrients most efficiently. The present study showed that during 7 years after planting, the survival and productivity of black alder were high. Therefore black alder is a promising tree species for the reclamation of oil shale post-mining areas.     

Self-cleaning and handle properties of TiO2-modified textiles

Self-cleaning surfaces based on photocatalysis are an extremely promising nano-technological field of extensive research and development. Recently comprehensive research work has been performed to evaluate the optical, photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of TiO₂ nano-particles and composites thereof. The aim of this study was to obtain self-cleaning properties for regenerate cellulose surfaces by nano-modification, using TiO₂ nano-coating and to define the impact of the modification on fabrics end-use properties. Two different modified fabrics with self-cleaning effect were prepared and analysed, i.e. the modification efficiency was determined. In addition, the influence of fibre modification on several textile properties was determined. However, a soft handle, good appearance and some other surface properties accompanied by appropriate mechanical properties represent the basis for a high quality fabric therefore the influence of the modification procedure on textiles handle was studied.     

Trichinellosis in wolves from Croatia

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Trichinella infection in wolves (Canis lupus) in a 17,468 km² area in Croatia. Muscle samples were collected from 67 wolves between 1996 and 2007 and analyzed by artificial digestion. Muscle larvae were detected in 21 wolves (31%) and genotyped by multiplex PCR. Trichinella britovi was the predominant species confirmed in 90% (19 wolves) while Trichinella spiralis was detected in 9% (2 wolves). The presence of the so called “domestic” Trichinella species was a surprise since, to date, only T. britovi had been reported in wild animals in this region. The larval burdens in infected animals ranged from 0.3 to 45.9 larvae per gram. The prevalence of infected animals varied by geographic region; infected animals were found in the region of Gorski Kotar (20%) which has very similar environment to the region of Lika, where almost all wolves were found infected. Interestingly, this is the first report of infected wolves in Dalmatia.     

Subspecies Studies: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of a Single Intravenous Dose of Xylazine in Adult Mules and Adult Haflinger Horses

This study reveals the different effectiveness of xylazine in mules compared with horses. Fourteen adult mules (mean body weight ± standard deviation, 466 ± 89 kg) and six adult Haflinger horses (483 ± 39 kg) chosen from a single livestock operation in Germany received 0.6 mg of the α₂-agonist xylazine administered intravenously per kilogram of body weight. Principal pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters were determined while the animals received a routine dental treatment. To objectively assess the depth of sedation, a variety of behavioral and clinical parameters were assessed and transferred to a scaled score system. Compared with the Haflinger horses, the depth of sedation in mules differed significantly between 10 and 45 minutes after xylazine administration. In the mule, sedation was good during the first 10 minutes, moderate at 15 minutes, and insufficient at 30 minutes. In the horse, sedation was excellent during the first 15 minutes, moderate at 30 minutes, and insufficient at 45 minutes. Moreover, significant (P < .05) subspecies differences in the pharmacokinetics of xylazine were detected between the mules and the horses. Data analysis followed the two-compartment model, which had a correlation with the measured data of R² = .99. Values for t_1/2β (half-life during elimination), mean residence time, mean residence time_(0-tz) (residence time on last measuring time point above limit of quantification), k₂₁ (velocity constant for distribution from peripheral to central compartment), β (velocity constant during elimination), and B (relative y-intercept) varied significantly between the two subspecies.     

Prevalence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy cattle in Ontario, Canada

Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. are intestinal protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of host species, including humans. Molecular characterization of these parasites has demonstrated that a number of genotypes and species are common to both humans and animals, and that zoonotic transmission may occur. Numerous studies have reported a high prevalence of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle, particularly calves, and these animals are frequently associated with zoonotic transmission. In the present study, a total of 143 faecal samples from adults, heifers and calves were collected from two dairy cattle farms in eastern Ontario, Canada. The prevalence and molecular characteristics of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in these animals were determined in order to investigate the potential for transmission between cattle and humans in this region. Following DNA extractions from faecal samples, nested-PCR protocols were used to amplify fragments of the 16S rRNA gene and the heat-shock protein 70 (HSP-70) gene for determining the prevalence of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. infections, respectively. Genotypes of G. duodenalis, and species of Cryptosporidium, were determined by means of DNA sequencing of amplicons, and subsequent sequence alignment. Cattle on both farms showed a high prevalence of G. duodenalis (42.0%) and Cryptosporidium spp. (27.3%). G. duodenalis infections were more prevalent in calves and heifers than in adults, and Cryptosporidium spp. infections were only observed in calves and heifers. The zoonotic genotype, G. duodenalis Assemblage B was isolated from 24.5% of the cattle tested, while G. duodenalis Assemblage E was found in 17.5% of the cattle tested. The overall prevalence of the zoonotic species Cryptosporidium parvum in the animals tested was found to be 21.7%, while only 1.4% were infected with C. bovis. These findings suggest that there is a potential risk of zoonotic and/or zooanthroponotic transmission of G. duodenalis and C. parvum infections between cattle and humans in eastern Ontario, likely by means of contaminated water or food, or through direct faecal-oral transmission in the case of farmers and veterinary staff.     

Effect of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on cytoplasmic maturation of bovine oocytes and their developmental competence in vitro

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on the nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of bovine oocytes and their further developmental competence to blastocysts in vitro. We analyzed the mitochondrial activity and concentration of intracellular stored calcium ([Ca(2+)](is)) in matured oocytes and the morphology and chromatin status of produced embryos after in vitro fertilization. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were incubated in TCM 199 containing 10% fetal calf serum (control medium 1: CM 1) or 10% estrus cow serum (control medium 2: CM 2). The culture medium of the treatment groups was modified by supplementation of the control medium with 10 ng/ml rbST (CM 1A and CM 2A), 10(6)/ml granulosa cells (CM 1B and CM 2B), or 10 ng/ml rbST plus 10(6)/ml granulosa cells (CM 1C and CM 2C). No differences were observed in the percentages of oocytes reaching metaphase II between the groups. However, the proportion of blastocysts was highest in treatment groups CM 1C and CM 2C (P<0.05). The type of serum did not alter the positive effect of rbST on the developmental competence of embryos. The fluorescence intensity of metabolically active mitochondria measured by intensity per oocyte (Em 570) after MitoTracker CMTM Ros Orange labeling was significantly increased in oocytes matured in the presence of 10 ng/ml rbST and granulosa cells (309.21 vs. 119.97 microA; P<0.01). In parallel, the concentration of [Ca(2+)](is) in oocytes, determined using fluorophore chlortetracycline, was significantly decreased (0.85 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.97 +/- 0.03 AU; P<0.05). Based on these results, we concluded that rbST, in interaction with granulosa cells stimulates the oxidative activity of ooplasmic mitochondria and decreases the content of [Ca(2+)](is) in oocytes. These facts support the hypothesis that somatotropin influences the developmental competence of bovine oocytes during maturation in vitro, and this effect can be modulated by granulosa cells.