Plasma lipopolysaccharide elevations in cattle associated with early-stage infection by Fasciola hepatica

Fasciolosis is an endemic zoonotic parasitic disease with significant impacts on human health and both animal health and production. Early post-infection impacts on the host remain unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the changes, if any, to levels of endotoxin in cattle plasma in response to early-stage infection with Fasciola hepatica. Thirty-six (36) commercial bred cattle were experimentally infected with approximately 400 viable metacercariae. Plasma lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) levels were examined on 24 occasions from 0 h before infection to 336 h after infection using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate chromogenic end point assay and compared with that of six (6) uninfected control animals. Peak lipopolysaccharide levels in infected animals were reached at 52 h after infection and returned to pre-infection levels at time 144 h after infection. Infected animals had significantly elevated lipopolysaccharide levels between 24 and 120 h after infection when compared to uninfected animals. The mean change in endotoxin units (EU)/mL over time after infection was statistically significant in infected animals. Elevations of lipopolysaccharide occurred in all infected animals suggesting a possible repeatable and titratable endotoxemia conducive to therapeutic agent model development.     

Validation of diagnostic assays to screen broodstock for Flavobacterium psychrophilum infections

It is hypothesized that the frequency of bacterial coldwater disease outbreaks can be reduced through the detection of the aetiologic agent, Flavobacterium psychrophilum, in broodstock followed by culling of eggs from heavily infected broodstock. Before a culling programme can be instituted, however, it is necessary to determine the sensitivity and specificity of existing assays for the detection of F. psychrophilum. In this study, tissue and ovarian fluid samples were collected from 224 fish at five hatcheries and screened using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a membrane‐filtration fluorescent antibody test (MF‐FAT), bacteriological culture and nested PCR. Latent class analysis was used to estimate sensitivity and specificity of kidney culture, kidney ELISA, nested PCR and MF‐FAT. Analytical sensitivity of the ELISA varied but was greatest when bacteria were cultured under iron‐limiting conditions. Diagnostic sensitivity estimates ranged from 0.02 (kidney culture) to 0.97 (kidney ELISA). Specificity estimates ranged from 0.02 (MF‐FAT) to 0.98 (kidney ELISA). In a separate challenge experiment, the ELISA confirmed the presence of F. psychrophilum in sub‐clinically infected fish. Results from this study demonstrate that the ELISA is an appropriate tool to screen broodstock and provides an indication of infection severity, which is crucial for implementation of a screening/culling programme.     

Bluetongue virus serotypes 1 and 3 infection in Poll Dorset sheep

Objective To study the clinical signs following bluetongue virus serotypes 1 and 3 infection in Poll Dorset sheep.
Design A clinical and pathological study.
Procedure Twenty Poll Dorset sheep were inoculated with bluetongue virus serotypes 1 or 3, each inoculum having a different passage history. The sheep were examined daily and their clinical appearance and rectal temperatures recorded. Heparinised and non-heparinised blood samples were taken at intervals for virological and serological study. Gross pathological findings were recorded for several sheep at necropsy and tissue samples were collected from three sheep for virological studies.
Results All inoculated sheep developed clinical disease. The clinical signs and gross pathological changes varied considerably but were consistent with damage to the vascular endothelial system. There was a decline in the titres of infectious bluetongue virus and of antigen in tissues collected between 7 and 12 days after infection.
Conclusions The severity of disease was related to the speed of onset and duration of pyrexia and not the development or titre of viraemia. Generally, those animals with sensitive mouths, depression, coronitis, recumbency and reluctance to move were the most debilitated. Whole blood was the most reliable source of infectious virus from acutely and chronically infected and convalescent animals. However, tissue samples particularly spleen, collected from dead or killed animals suffering from either peracute or acute forms of disease were most appropriate for the rapid confirmation of a clinical diagnosis.     

Woody and herbaceous competition effects on the growth of naturally regenerated loblolly and shortleaf pines through 11 years

Four levels of vegetative competition were used to quantify the growth of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.) in naturally regenerated, even-aged stands on the Upper Coastal Plain of southeastern Arkansas, USA. Treatments included: (1) no competition control, (2) woody competition control, (3) herbaceous competition control, and (4) total control of nonpine vegetation. After pines became established from natural seeding, herbicides were used to control herbaceous plants for 4 consecutive years and woody plants for 5 consecutive years. Even though 89% of crop pines on untreated check plots were free-to-grow 11 years after establishment, crop pines on vegetation control plots were larger (P<0.001) in mean dbh, total height, and volume per tree. From age 5 through 11 years, crop pine diameter growth increased on woody control plots and decreased on herbaceous control plots because of hardwood competition in the latter treatment. At age 11, crop pine volume production averaged 207 m³/ha on total control plots, 158 m³/ha on herbaceous control plots, 130 m³/ha on woody control plots, and 102 m³/ha on untreated check plots.     

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.     

Crystallization behavior and texture of trans-containing and trans-free palm oil based confectionery fats

The objective of this study was to gain insight into the role of trans fatty acids in determining the crystallization behavior and texture of palm-based confectionery fats. Therefore, the isothermal crystallization behavior of two series, each of three fats, one trans-containing and one trans-free, was examined by pNMR, DSC, and rheology. Furthermore, the hardness of these samples was examined at three different storage times at 10 degrees C. All of the trans free samples showed a two-step crystallization at 10 degrees C which is hypothesized to be an alpha-mediated beta' crystallization for two of the samples and a fractionated crystallization in the beta' polymorph for the third, while the trans-containing fats crystallized in a single step, probably a direct beta' crystallization. The trans-containing fat series clearly crystallized faster than the trans-free fat series and also yielded higher hardness values at all storage times investigated. The presence of trans fatty acids seems to reduce the effect of compositional variations on the crystallization process. For the trans free fats, chemical composition was much more critical in determining the crystallization rate, the SFC, and the final hardness value.     

Evaluation of a boat-mounted electro-trawl as a commercial harvesting system for crawfish

Field experiments were conducted to ascertain if trawling utilizing electrical currents was an effective method of harvesting crawfish.Results suggest that catch efficiency relative to vegetation density is more dependent upon trawl mechanical ability than on relative crawfish abundance. Catch is also dependent upon trawling speed, water depth and time of trawling. Trawling consistently yielded higher catches per area than did conventional traps. Unmarketable individuals and mortality were no different for the two gear types.Trawling could be an effective supplemental harvesting method, but additional work needs to be performed to alleviate electrical and mechanical problems before economic efficiency can be realistic.