Effect of Oil Overlay on Inhibition Potential of Roscovitine in Sheep Cumulus‐Oocyte Complexes

Inhibitors of cyclin‐dependent kinases, as roscovitine, have been used to prevent the spontaneous resumption of meiosis in vitro and to improve the oocyte developmental competence. In this study, the interference of oil overlay on the reversible arrest capacity of roscovitine in sheep oocytes as well as its effects on cumulus expansion was evaluated. For this, cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured for 20 h in TCM 199 with 10% foetal bovine serum (Control) containing 75 μm roscovitine (Rosco). Subsequently, they were in vitro matured (IVM) for further 18 h in inhibitor‐free medium with LH and FSH. The culture was performed in Petri dishes under mineral oil (+) or in 96 well plates without oil overlay (?) at 38.5°C and 5% CO₂. At 20 and 38 h, the cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation were evaluated under stereomicroscope and by Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. No group presented cumulus expansion at 20 h. After additional culture with gonadotrophins, a significant rate of COCs from both Control groups (+/?) exhibited total expansion while in both Rosco groups (+/?) the partial expansion prevailed. Among the oocytes treated with roscovitine, 65.2% were kept at GV in the absence of oil overlay while 40.6% of them reached MII under oil cover (p < 0.05). This meiotic arrest was reversible, and proper meiosis progression also occurred in the Control groups (+/?). So, the culture system without oil overlay improved the meiotic inhibition promoted by roscovitine without affecting the cumulus expansion rate or the subsequent meiosis progression.     

Generation of spatially coherent light at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths

We present spatial coherence measurements of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light generated through the process of high-harmonic up-conversion of a femtosecond laser. With a phase-matched hollow-fiber geometry, the generated beam was found to exhibit essentially full spatial coherence. The coherence of this laser-like EUV source was shown by recording Gabor holograms of small objects. This work demonstrates the capability to perform EUV holography with a tabletop experimental setup. Such an EUV source, with low divergence and high spatial coherence, can be used for experiments involving high-precision metrology, inspection of optical components for EUV lithography, and microscopy and holography with nanometer resolution. Furthermore, the short time duration of the EUV radiation (a few femtoseconds) will enable EUV microscopy and holography to be performed with ultrahigh time resolution.     

Single-cycle nonlinear optics

Nonlinear optics plays a central role in the advancement of optical science and laser-based technologies. We report on the confinement of the nonlinear interaction of light with matter to a single wave cycle and demonstrate its utility for time-resolved and strong-field science. The electric field of 3.3-femtosecond, 0.72-micron laser pulses with a controlled and measured waveform ionizes atoms near the crests of the central wave cycle, with ionization being virtually switched off outside this interval. Isolated sub-100-attosecond pulses of extreme ultraviolet light (photon energy approximately 80 electron volts), containing approximately 0.5 nanojoule of energy, emerge from the interaction with a conversion efficiency of approximately 10(-6). These tools enable the study of the precision control of electron motion with light fields and electron-electron interactions with a resolution approaching the atomic unit of time ( approximately 24 attoseconds).     

Serotypes and analysis of distribution of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli from cattle and sheep in the lower North Island, New Zealand

AIMS: To serotype a subset of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates from cattle and sheep to determine whether any corresponding serotypes have been implicated in human diarrhoeal disease, both in New Zealand and worldwide, and to examine the distribution of STEC and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) amongst cattle (calves, heifers and dairy) and sheep (lambs, rams and ewes), to assess whether carriage of identified bacterial genotypes may be associated with a particular age of animal. METHODS: Recto-anal mucosal swabs (RAMS) were taken from 91 calves, 24 heifers and 72 dairy cattle, and 46 lambs, 50 ewes and 36 rams, from four sites in the Manawatu and Rangitikei regions of New Zealand. Strains of E. coli selected from primary isolation plates were subjected to a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to determine the presence of Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2) and the E. coli attaching and effacing gene (eae). RESULTS: Overall, 186/319 (58.3%) animals sampled were positive for stx1, stx2, or eae isolates. More sheep (43.9%) were stx1-positive than cattle (2.7%; p = 0.036), and amongst sheep more lambs and ewes were stx1-positive than rams (p = 0.036). Amongst cattle, more calves and heifers were eae-positive than dairy cows (p = 0.030). Two or more different STEC were isolated from at least 28 (9%) animals (three cattle and 25 sheep), based on their stx/eae genotype. Enterohaemolysin genes were found in 39/51 (76%) isolates serotyped. Twenty-one different serotypes were detected, including O5:H-, O9:H51, O26:H11, O84:H-/H2 and O149:H8 from cattle, and O26:H11, O65:H-, O75:H8, O84:H-, O91:H-, O128:H2 and O174:H8 from sheep; O84:H-, O26:H11, O5:H-, O91:H- and O128:H2 serotypes have been associated with human disease. CONCLUSIONS: If nationally representative, this study confirms that cattle and sheep in New Zealand may be a major reservoir of STEC serotypes that have been recognised as causative agents of diarrhoeal disease in humans. Distribution of STEC and EPEC in cattle and sheep indicates that direct contact with, in particular, calves or their faeces, or exposure to environments cross contaminated with ruminant faeces, may represent an increased risk factor for human disease in New Zealand.     

An approximately 15,000-year record of El Nino-driven alluviation in southwestern ecuador

Debris flows have deposited inorganic laminae in an alpine lake that is 75 kilometers east of the Pacific Ocean, in Ecuador. These storm-induced events were dated by radiocarbon, and the age of laminae that are less than 200 years old matches the historic record of El Nino events. From about 15,000 to about 7000 calendar years before the present, the periodicity of clastic deposition is greater than or equal to 15 years; thereafter, there is a progressive increase in frequency to periodicities of 2 to 8.5 years. This is the modern El Nino periodicity, which was established about 5000 calendar years before the present. This may reflect the onset of a steeper zonal sea surface temperature gradient, which was driven by enhanced trade winds.     

Potential application of baited remote underwater video to survey abundance of west coast rock lobster Jasus lalandii

The first assessment of the baited remote underwater video system (BRUVs) for monitoring rock lobster Jasus lalandii (Milne‐Edwards) in South Africa was compared to annual ring net and trap survey data. Count data from 58 BRUVs, 36 ring net and 95 trap samples were fitted with generalised additive models using depth, habitat, time and spatial gradient as independent variables. A power analysis was used to determine the number of samples needed per annum to detect a 5 and 10% increase and decrease in population size. The BRUVs outperformed the nets and traps in terms of sampling effort and were better at detecting changes in abundance of lobster than abundance of three fish species. Considering factors such as cost, analysis time, additional data and environmental impact, traps are the most feasible method in deeper waters but BRUVs could replace nets and traps in depths less than 60 m, low‐density areas and marine reserves.     

AN EXPERIMENTAL SILO UNIT FOR THE CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT OF LOSSES OCCURRING DURING ENSILAGE

An experimental silo unit consisting of four silos, each capable of holding 1000 kg. fresh grass, is described. The silos are suspended from a weighing apparatus enabling weight recordings to be taken at all stages during ensilage. The weighing apparatus is sufficiently sensitive to record a change in weight in the silo and contents of 100 grams.     

The prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in cattle and sheep in the lower North Island, New Zealand

AIM: To genotype Escherichia coli cultured from the faeces of healthy cattle and sheep in the lower North Island, in order to investigate the possible role of ruminants as a reservoir for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in New Zealand. METHODS: A total of 952 strains of E. coli were isolated on selective media, from faecal swabs from 319 animals (187 cattle and 132 sheep) from four sites in the Manawatu and Rangitikei regions of New Zealand. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to genotype the E. coli isolates, using amplification of Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2) and the E. coli attaching and effacing gene (eae). RESULTS: Isolates of E. coli were cultured from swabs from 178/187 (95.2%) cattle and all 132 (100%) sheep. Ninety-nine (10.4%) of the isolates were stx1 only, 83 (8.7%) stx2 only, 33 (3.5%) stx1 and stx2, 23 (2.4%) stx1 and eae, one (0.1%) stx2 and eae, and 115 (12.1%) were eae only. Overall, 51 (27.3%) cattle and 87 (65.9%) sheep were stx-positive, whereas 69 (36.9%) cattle and 36 (27.3%) sheep were eae-positive. CONCLUSIONS: Both healthy cattle and sheep are asymptomatic reservoirs of STEC in New Zealand. Direct contact with cattle and sheep or consumption of water or foodstuffs contaminated with cattle of sheep faeces may represent a significant source of infection for humans.     

A review of parasitic zoonoses in a changing Southeast Asia

Parasitic zoonoses are common and widely distributed in the Southeast Asian region. However, the interactions between parasites, hosts and vectors are influenced by environmental, socio-cultural and livestock production changes that impact on the distribution, prevalence and severity of disease. In this review we provide an update on new knowledge in the context of ongoing changes for the food-borne pig associated zoonoses Taenia solium and Trichinella spp., the food-borne trematodes Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis, the water-borne trematodes Schistosoma spp., the vector-borne zoonotic protozoa Plasmodium knowlesi and Leishmania spp. and the soil-borne zoonotic hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum. These various changes need to be considered when assessing or developing regional control programs or devising new research initiatives in a changing SE Asia.     

Declining birds in Australian agricultural landscapes may benefit from aspects of the European agri-environment model

Temperate Australia’s wheat/sheep zone and much of Western Europe have both experienced dramatic declines in native bird populations associated with agricultural landscapes. We compare recent conservation strategies on private land in the context of each region’s historical agricultural development and the ecology of its bird fauna. Specifically, we consider which aspects of the conservation instruments and practices employed in European agricultural landscapes might be used to augment and inform approaches to private-land biodiversity conservation in Australia. Australian biodiversity conservation activities have focussed predominantly on remnant native vegetation and rarely target the agricultural matrix (i.e. land that is primarily used for agricultural production). However, declining species include those that not only primarily inhabit woodland, but also species for which components of the agricultural matrix are important, or even their main, habitat. In contrast, in Europe a range of conservation activities undertaken through agri-environment schemes focus explicitly on the management of the agricultural matrix. Whilst the different approaches to conservation on private land in Australia and Europe reflect the two continents’ different ecologies, land-use histories and political economies of agriculture, there are a number of parallels between bird population declines in the two regions, and an opportunity may exist to incorporate some of the successful aspects of the European agri-environment approach into emerging stewardship schemes in Australia. We suggest that the long-term nature of European agri-environment agreements, the principle of landholder payments more commensurate with reduced production opportunity and management actions specifically targeted at the agricultural matrix, are features of the European scheme that could benefit both woodland- and matrix-inhabiting bird species in Australian agricultural landscapes.