Comparison of Cryoprotective Effects of Lycopene and Cysteamine in Different Cryoprotectants on Bull Semen and Fertility Results

The objectives of this study were to compare glycerol and ethylene glycol at different concentrations as cryoprotectants and lycopene or cysteamine (with/without) as antioxidants in Tris extender for bull semen. Twenty‐four ejaculates were obtained from three bulls. Each ejaculate was split into four equal aliquots and diluted using both of the Tris extenders with glycerol (5% or 7%) or ethylene glycol (3% or 5%). After that, each extenders were split into three equal aliquots and added using both of the cysteamine 5 mm or lycopene 500 μg/ml, and control (without additives). The addition of 7% glycerol with cysteamine, 5% ethylene glycol with cysteamine and 3% ethylene glycol with cysteamine groups gave the lowest CASA motility than the other groups. However, 7% glycerol and 7% glycerol with lycopene resulted in a better rate of CASA progressive motility compared with that of other groups. Generally, all the lycopene groups signed better protective effects on acrosome and total morphology than the other groups. Glycerol 7% and 3% ethylene glycol with lycopene groups yielded to slight higher percentages of membrane integrity assessed by HOST than that of the other groups, but 7% glycerol with cysteamine and 3% ethylene glycol with cysteamine showed the worst percentages of membrane integrity. Glycerol 7% and 5% glycerol with lycopene gave rise to a higher value of VAP, VSL and VCL compared with that of the other groups. On the contrary, adding to 5% glycerol with cysteamine showed negative effect for VAP, VSL, VCL and ALH values. All cryoprotectant groups with lycopene decreased chromatin damage than the other groups. Ethylene glycol 3% led to lower non‐return rates of inseminated cows. However, this result was not considered to be statistically important.     

Participation of women in oyster and mussel farming in Western Visayas, Philippines

This paper provides baseline information on the involvement of women in small-scale coastal aquaculture such as the farming of slipper oyster, Crassostrea iredalei (Faustino 1933), and green mussel, Perna viridis (Linnaeus 1758). Data were gathered during a socio-economic survey of oyster and mussel farming in Western Visayas, Philippines conducted from July to December 1991.There were 175 respondents interviewed; 18.5% and 2.4% of oyster and mussel farmers were females. Fishing and related activities were the major source of livelihood for the majority of oyster and mussel farmers. In 1990, 79.4% and 69.8% of oyster and mussel farmers earned an annual income of less than P30 000 (1 USS P23). Based on the 1988 (latest data available) poverty threshold of P2654 (monthly) for Western Visayas, 80.4% and 71.7% of oyster and mussel farmers lived below poverty level in 1990. of 175 respondents. 79.3% and 48.2% of oyster and mussel farmers indicated that their household members participated in farming activities. More female household members were involved in oyster farming compared with mussel farming. Harvesting in mussel farming and both harvesting and marketing in oyster farming generated the widest participation among female household members.     

Immune responses of barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch), after administration of an experimental Vibrio harveyi bacterin by intraperitoneal injection, anal intubation and immersion

Barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch), were immunized with an experimental Vibrio harveyi bacterin via intraperitoneal injection, immersion and anal intubation. Both specific and non-specific immune parameters were measured to compare responses to bacterin after delivery by various methods. Elevated antibody activities in sera were found in all treatment groups with barramundi injected intraperitoneally displaying significantly higher antibody activity than the other groups. In addition, there was evidence of memory induction with a heightened antibody response in the intraperitoneally injected group only. Bacteriostatic assays indicated activity against V. harveyi in the sera of all bacterin-treated groups; again this activity was significantly higher in the intraperitoneally injected groups. There was no enhancement noted in head kidney macrophage phagocytic activity or in serum lysozyme levels.     

Libyostrongylus infections in ostriches — a brief review with particular reference to their detection in New Zealand

Following the recent discovery of Libyostrongylus douglassii in ostriches in New Zealand, information relating to this nematode is reviewed. Amongst some of the topics considered are the parasite's distribution and prevalence, its life cycle and survival, and its diagnosis and control. Of particular interest from a New Zealand perspective is the potential for the parasite to infect other ratites, especially the kiwi. While the current evidence suggests that this may be unlikely to occur, the possibility that it might be able to do so cannot be ruled out entirely.     

Genetic‐Quantitative Study of the First‐Service Pregnancy Probability of Murrah Heifers

Because of the importance of reproduction in stock breeding systems, it is necessary to find selection criteria that increase reproductive efficiency. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the probability of conception on first service (PROB) in Murrah heifers, and its association with other traits of economic interest [age at first calving (AFC), service period, calving interval and milk yield at 270 days], with the purpose of evaluating their use as selection criteria. Reproductive information and first lactation records of 1200 Murrah heifers were used to perform two‐trait analyses between PROB and the other characteristics. Bayesian inference was used to estimate the variance components, considering PROB as threshold and the other as linear factors. The results demonstrate that this trait has heritability of 0.15, indicating the possibility of a genetic gain by using it for selection. With respect to the genetic correlation estimates, the only high‐magnitude association was with AFC (?0.899), which is the current criterion indicating sexual precocity of females. In the light of the parameters estimated, the first‐service pregnancy rate is an alternative for indication of sexual precocity, although presenting a smaller genetic gain than the current standard AFC. Nevertheless, additional research should be conducted regarding this trait to assess the economic importance of its use in dairy buffalo production systems.     

Suppression of volcanism during rapid extension in the basin and range province, united states

Continental extension and volcanism are generally thought to be complementary. Stratigraphic and structural data from some highly extended parts of the Basin and Range province reveal instead that rapid extension appears to have suppressed volcanism. This relation may reflect enhanced crystallization of midcrustal magmas during extension resulting from exsolution of magmatic volatiles, increased interaction of magmas with meteoric water, and dispersal of magma into smaller bodies. Some rift environments may thus be characterized by voluminous synextensional plutonism with little or no concomitant volcanism.     

A highly sensitive,non‐invasive qPCR‐based strategy for direct quantification of Yersinia ruckeri in fish faeces

Finfish with asymptomatic Yersinia ruckeri infections pose a major risk as they can transmit the pathogen and cause clinical outbreaks in stock populations. Current tools have insufficient quantitative ability for accurately detecting the trace levels of Y. ruckeri typically associated with asymptomatic infection, necessitate invasive or lethal sampling, or require long processing times. This study presents a highly sensitive qPCR‐based method, targeting part of the Y. ruckeri 16S rRNA sequence, that is capable of detecting extremely low levels of Y. ruckeri in noninvasively collected faecal samples. Quantitative precision and accuracy of faecal sample analysis was consistent, despite the complexity of the faecal matrix. The assay demonstrated linearity over a six log‐wide dynamic range. Its limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 4 and 10 copies of the target sequence, respectively. Sensitivity of the assay was comparable to other qPCR‐based methods without requiring invasive or lethal sampling. Applicability as a screening strategy was tested using passively collected faecal samples. Asymptomatic Y. ruckeri infection was detected in all samples, although none of the fish exhibited overt infection. This method will be beneficial for finfish disease management if developed further as a noninvasive, screening tool against asymptomatic Y. ruckeri infection.