The intensity of resistance by mature Merino ewes against Haemonchus contortus and Tichostrongylus colubriformis in single-species and combined-species infection

Three-year-old, non-lactating and non-pregnant Merino ewes, raised on pasture under a program of strategic treatment with anthelmintic and found to be extremely resistant to "trickle" infection with Haemonchus contortus, were given single-dose infections with either H. contortus or Trichostrongylus colubriformis or both species together. The purpose was to ascertain the intensity of protective immunity against the 2 parasites in sheep with immunity acquired from a presumably slight exposure to infection. To provide a criterion, some infected ewes were immunosuppressed with corticosteroid, dexamethasone. Untreated ewes were extremely resistant to challenge infection with either 15,000 or 150,000 H. contortus or 15,000 T. colubriformis. Surprisingly, when mixed infection was given, egg counts for H. contortus were significantly elevated compared with infection by that species alone. Antibody to antigens from infective larval and adult H. contortus was measured in serum by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) during the course of infection. Serum titres against larval antigens were significantly depressed when infections with either H. contortus or T. colubriformis were permitted by immunosuppression with dexamethasone, whereas those against adult antigen were depressed when infection with T. colubriformis was permitted.     

Ergovaline does not alter the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B

AIM: To investigate a possible interaction between lolitrem B and ergovaline by comparing the incidence and severity of ryegrass staggers in sheep grazing ryegrass (Lolium perenne) containing lolitrem B or ryegrass containing both lolitrem B and ergovaline.

METHODS: Ninety lambs, aged approximately 6 months, were grazed on plots of perennial ryegrass infected with either AR98 endophyte (containing lolitrem B), standard endophyte (containing lolitrem B and ergovaline) or no endophyte, for up to 42 days from 2 February 2010. Ten lambs were grazed on three replicate plots per cultivar. Herbage samples were collected for alkaloid analysis and lambs were scored for ryegrass staggers (scores from 0–5) weekly during the study. Any animal which was scored ≥4 was removed from the study.

RESULTS: Concentrations of lolitrem B did not differ between AR98 and standard endophyte-infected pastures during the study period (p=0.26), and ergovaline was present only in standard endophyte pastures. Ryegrass staggers was observed in sheep grazing both the AR98 and standard endophyte plots, with median scores increasing in the third week of the study. Prior to the end of the 42-day grazing period, 22 and 17 animals were removed from the standard endophyte and AR98 plots, respectively, because their staggers scores were ≥4. The cumulative probability of lambs having scores ≥4 did not differ between animals grazing the two pasture types (p=0.41).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence for ergovaline increasing the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B. In situations where the severity of ryegrass staggers appears to be greater than that predicted on the basis of concentrations of lolitrem B, the presence of other tremorgenic alkaloids should be investigated.     

人员在岗培训在实施兽药GMP现场管理中的作用

论述了对兽药生产企业进行人员在岗培训的必要性,对实施在岗培训的基本程序和应注意的事项进行了总结,旨在为兽药企业进行GMP现场管理提供参考。     

2 + 2] photocycloadditions in the synthesis of chiral molecules

A strategy for the synthesis of chiral molecules that receives growing popularity among organic chemists employs the photochemically mediated [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. These reactions can be performed on a multigram scale and often proceed with high yield and with stereocontrol. These features, in combination with the useful properties of the four-membered ring photoproducts in subsequent chemical transformations, make them attractive options in the early stage of a synthesis design. Various combinations of unsaturated functional groups can participate in this reaction process. Accordingly, these chemical reactions can be economical solutions to problems relating to the synthesis of a variety of target molecules.     

Über die Wirkung von Maisgärfutter auf Milchertrag und Milchqualität1

• 1 Es wurden Fütterungsversuche mit einer niedrigen (10 kg) und einer höheren (20 kg) Gabe von Maisgärfutter zu Milchkühen durchgeführt.
• 2 Die Fütterungsversuche wurden als Periodenversuche wie folgt durchgeführt: 1. Grundfutterversuch — Fütterungsversuch mit 10 kg Maisgärfutter —, 2. Grundfutterversuch. Es folgte 2. Grundfutterversuch — Fütterungsversuch mit 20 kg Maisgärfutter —, 3. Grundfutterversuch.
• 3 Jeder der 5 Versuche dauerte 28 Tage. Ein Versuch umfaßte die 14tägige Vorperiode und die 14tägige Hauptperiode. Die Milchmenge und der Fettgehalt wurden täglich während der ganzen Versuchsdauer ermittelt; zur Auswertung gelangte jedoch nur die Hauptperiode.
• 4 Die niedrige (10 kg) Gabe an Maisgärfutter wirkte erhohend auf die Milchmenge, beeinflußte jedoch den Fettgehalt der Milch nicht.
• 5 Die höhere (20 kg) Gabe von Maisgärfutter verdoppelte die Milchmenge der 10 kg Gabe, zeigte jedoch ebenfalls keinen Einfluß auf den Fettgehalt.
• 6 Das Maisgärfutter erhöht somit eindeutig die Milchmenge bei gleichbleibendem Fettgehalt der Milch.

     

Morphometry,Morphology and Ultrastructure of Ring‐tailed Coati Sperm (Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766)

The ring‐tailed coati (Nasua nasua) is a procyonid whose population is in sharp decline. Therefore, studies are needed to better understand the reproduction of this animal. For this reason, this study aimed to evaluate the morphology, morphometry and sperm ultrastructure of ring‐tailed coati sperm. Four captive adult males were used for this study. Slides stained with Bengal Rose were used for the morphometric and morphologic analyses. The length and width of the head were measured, as well as the length of the midpiece and tail and the total length of the sperm. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used for the ultrastructural analyses. The most obvious morphological abnormalities observed were coiled tails (6.1 ± 8.7%) and the lack of acrosomes (5.4 ± 4.4%). Regarding the morphometry, the measurements of the head (length × width), midpiece (length) and tail (length) were (mean ± SD) 6.2 ± 0.4 × 8.1 ± 0.6 μm, 14.1 ± 0.5 and 63.9 ± 4.1 μm, respectively, and the total length of the sperm was 86.1 ± 4.3 μm. Through electron microscopy, the presence of electron‐lucent points in the nucleus and the presence of approximately 55 mitochondrial spirals in the midpiece were identified. The data obtained in this study provide detailed information on the sperm characteristics of coatis and may inform future research on germplasm conservation, both for this species and other threatened procyonids.     

Status of the Pelecanidae

The recent history, current status and prospects in the immediate future of the seven species of the Pelecanidae are reviewed. As a consequence of pesticide poisoning, Pelecanus occidentalis suffered severe population declines in the 1950s and 1960s in portions of its range in the United States. However, since the ban on use of DDT in 1972 the species is again laying eggs of near normal thickness, reproductive success appears to be normal and populations are stable or increasing. Similarly, available data indicate that the world populations of P. rufescens, P. conspicillatus, and P. erythrorynchos remain stable, although local population fluctuations do occur. Data for P. onocrotalus show a stable population in Africa but a decline in Asia and Europe, both in numbers of birds and breeding colonies. More seriously, only very small populations of P. crispus and P. philippensis exist. Fewer than 1000 pairs of P. crispus next in 19 colonies in eastern Europe and Asia. Fewer than 1200 pairs of P. philippensis nest in four colonies in eastern/southern India and 23 colonies in Sri Lanka. The populations of both species have declined considerably in the past few decades. The causes for the declines are not documented but are thought to result from a combination of human disturbance in nesting colonies; destruction of nesting and roosting-loafing areas; declines in fish availability; and pesticide contamination. Only immediate action and concerted efforts at stabilizing the populations in the wild, in conjunction with the establishment of captive breeding populations, will preserve these two species from extinction.     

Pesticide toxicity using protozoans as test organisms

Summary A toxicity test using protozoa as test organisms was devised for pesticides. Two different methods were used, the most probable number method and the absorbance method (based on measurement of protozoa growth through absorbance). The ciliates Colpoda cucullus and Blepharisma undulans and the flagellate Oikomonas termo were isolated from different biological starter cultures and tested with the herbicides Chlorex, MCPA, dichlorprop and Matrigon, the fungicide Benlate, and the insecticide Sumicidin. The protozoans showed quite different sensitivities to the pesticides, using 9-h lethal concentrations (LC₅₀ and LC₁₀) as criteria. The 9-h LC₅₀ (concentration at which 50% of the protozeon population has died after 9 h of incubation) ranged from 0.7 ppm for Benlate to 40000 ppm for Chlorex. The usual soil application rates of Chlorex, MCPA, and Benlate were toxic to some of the organisms.     

Interferon-gamma: the major mediator of resistance against Toxoplasma gondii

Mice were injected with a monoclonal antibody to interferon-gamma to examine the importance of endogenous production of this lymphokine in resistance against infection with the sporozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Mice with intraperitoneal infections of T. gondii that received no antibody survived and developed chronic T. gondii infection, whereas the infected mice that received the monoclonal antibody died of toxoplasmosis. The activation of macrophages, which kill T. gondii in vivo, was inhibited by administration of the monoclonal antibody, but the production of antibodies to T. gondii was not suppressed. The fact that an antibody to interferon-gamma can eliminate resistance to acute Toxoplasma infection in mice suggests that this lymphokine is an important mediator of host resistance to this parasite.