This study was designed to establish the factors, if any, which could affect plasma pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (PAG-1) expression in a study population of 87 pregnant, high-producing dairy cows. The factors examined were: semen providing breed (Holstein-Friesian vs Limousin), outcome of gestation (male vs female newborn, and singleton vs twin pregnancies), lactation number, milk production at pregnancy diagnosis, plasma progesterone concentration, season of gestation (warm period, March–November vs cool period, December–February), and day of gestation (40, 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210). Pregnancy was diagnosed by transrectal ultrasound on day 40 post-insemination and by palpation per rectum on days 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210. Blood samples were collected from each animal immediately before each pregnancy diagnosis. The relative contributions of the different factors on PAG-1 concentrations were evaluated by GLM repeated measures analysis of variance. No significant effects of the herd, foetal sex, milk production, lactation number and plasma progesterone concentrations were observed. In contrast, twin pregnancy, the use of Limousin semen and conception during the cool period were correlated with significantly increased plasma PAG-1 concentrations throughout gestation. Our data indicate that both cow well-being during early placental development, determined in our conditions by reduced heat stress when conception occurred in the cool season, and crossbreed pregnancies lead to improved PAG-1 production throughout the gestation period. 相似文献
High in vitro oxygen (O2) tensions are associated with enhanced levels of reactive oxygen species and cumulus oocyte complex (COC) apoptosis. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of O2 tension on cumulus cell (CC) viability from canine oocytes. Cumulus oocyte complexes were distributed into three groups (CG, T20 and T5) and two O2 tension levels (20% and 5%). The control group (CG) was matured in vitro in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2 in air in TCM199 with 26.19 m m sodium bicarbonate, 10% (v/v) foetal calf serum (FCS), 0.10 m m gentamicin, 0.20 m m pyruvic acid, 20 μg/ml oestradiol, 0.5 μg/ml follicle-stimulating hormone, 0.03 IU/ml human chorionic gonadotropin, and 1.0 μg/ml human somatotropin. Groups T20 and T5 were matured under 20% or 5% O2 tensions respectively in a high-glucose medium, without FCS. T20 and T5 were as CG, and supplemented with 0.1% Polyvinyl Alcohol, and 5.5 m m glucose. After 48 h of IVM, CCs from COCs were stained with propidium iodide (1.50 m m ). The results showed that viability of CCs (cytoplasmic features and nuclear morphological integrity) was different for the three groups. Rates of apoptosis were at 57.9% (521/900) for CG, 54.4% (490/900) for T20 and 38.9% (350/900) for T5 (p < 0.001). Predominant features in apoptotic cells (n = 1361) were DNA nuclear fragments (94.0%). It was concluded that CCs of canine COCs cultured in high-glucose medium showed significantly less apoptosis than those cultured in medium with FCS. Low O2 tension was efficient in reducing apoptosis in canine CCs. 相似文献
The global dairy industry, the predominant pathogens causing mastitis, our understanding of mastitis pathogens and the host response to intramammary infection are changing rapidly. This paper aims to discuss changes in each of these aspects. Globalisation, energy demands, human population growth and climate change all affect the dairy industry. In many western countries, control programs for contagious mastitis have been in place for decades, resulting in a decrease in occurrence of Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus mastitis and an increase in the relative impact of Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli mastitis. In some countries, Klebsiella spp. or Streptococcus dysgalactiae are appearing as important causes of mastitis. Differences between countries in legislation, veterinary and laboratory services and farmers' management practices affect the distribution and impact of mastitis pathogens. For pathogens that have traditionally been categorised as contagious, strain adaptation to human and bovine hosts has been recognised. For pathogens that are often categorised as environmental, strains causing transient and chronic infections are distinguished. The genetic basis underlying host adaptation and mechanisms of infection is being unravelled. Genomic information on pathogens and their hosts and improved knowledge of the host's innate and acquired immune responses to intramammary infections provide opportunities to expand our understanding of bovine mastitis. These developments will undoubtedly contribute to novel approaches to mastitis diagnostics and control. 相似文献
The subcutaneous (SC) route is often chosen for drug administration in cats because it is easier to perform than intravenous (IV) injection and is perceived as less painful than intramuscular (IM) injection. However, little is known of how the route of administration influences the pharmacodynamics of drugs. This study measured the changes in skin temperature and thermal threshold (TT) and recorded the side-effects after SC injection of 0.1mg/kg of hydromorphone in six cats. Time to peak TT was 105min. Skin temperature was elevated at 15min and between 45 and 360min. Five cats vomited and two exhibited marked dysphoria. Compared to previously published studies of IV and IM administration of hydromorphone, the SC route results in a slower onset of peak effect, a shorter duration of antinociception and is associated with more undesirable side-effects. As with IV and IM injections, SC administration of hydromorphone at 0.1mg/kg is associated with a significant elevation in skin temperature. Overall, the SC route appears to have the least utility. 相似文献
The quantity of available wheat gluten exceeds the current food use markets. Thermoforming is an alternative technical means for transforming wheat gluten. Thermoforming was applied here to wheat gluten under chemically reductive conditions to form pliable, translucent sheets. A wide variety of conditions, i.e., temperature, reducing agents, plasticizers and additives were tested to obtain a range of elastic properties in the thermoformed sheets. These properties were compared to those of commercially available polymers, such as polypropylene. Elasticity of the gluten formulations were indexed by Young's modulus and were in the range measured for commercial products when tested in the 30-70% relative humidity range. Removal of the gliadin subfraction of gluten yielded polymers with higher Young's modulus since this component acts as a polymer-chain terminator. At relative humidity less than 30% all whole gluten-based sheets were brittle, while above 70% they were highly elastic. 相似文献
A study was undertaken to determine the prevalences of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in dairy calves less than 6 months of age in Norway. Faecal samples were collected from a total of 1386 calves, between 3 and 183 days of age, in 136 dairy farms from three different areas of Norway. Faecal samples were examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts after concentration and immunofluorescent staining.
Giardia was found in 93% (127 out of 136) of the farms and in 49% (679 out of 1386) of the calves. Cryptosporidium was found in 53% (72 out of 136) of the farms and in 12% (167 out of 1386) of the calves. The level of Giardia and/or Cryptosporidium was low in the majority of the infected calves.
Infection peaked in the age group 2–3 months for both Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The prevalences of both parasites were higher in samples taken during winter than in samples taken during summer, and statistically significant differences were found when prevalences in different age groups of calves were compared between the three areas. A significantly lower prevalence of Cryptosporidium was found in calves housed in shared pens that were thoroughly washed more than three times a year than in calves from pens washed less often. For Giardia there was a trend for decreasing intensity of infection with increasing age in the sampled calves. For Cryptosporidium there was a trend for increasing herd prevalence with increasing number of calves in the herd, but this trend was not statistically significant. Other parameters which were investigated such as housing, feeding or management routines were not associated with prevalence or intensity of infection with either parasite. 相似文献
Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most devastating diseases of citrus worldwide, and is caused by a phloem-limited fastidious prokaryotic alpha-proteobacterium that is yet to be cultured. In this study, a combination of traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR targeting the putative DNA polymerase and 16S rDNA sequence of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus,' respectively, were used to examine the distribution and movement of the HLB pathogen in the infected citrus tree. We found that 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' was distributed in bark tissue, leaf midrib, roots, and different floral and fruit parts, but not in endosperm and embryo, of infected citrus trees. Quantification analysis of the HLB bacterium indicated that it was distributed unevenly in planta and ranged from 14 to 137,031 cells/mug of total DNA in different tissues. A relatively high concentration of 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' was observed in fruit peduncles. Our data from greenhouse-infected plants also indicated that 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' was transmitted systemically from infection site to different parts of the plant. Understanding the distribution and movement of the HLB bacterium inside an individual citrus tree is critical for discerning its virulence mechanism and to develop management strategies for HLB. 相似文献
In the last 10 years precision agriculture has evolved and it is now possible to manage cropping inputs at the sub field scale. However, the expected return generated by these management practices varies with the amount and predictability of the spatial variation in crop yield across the field and may vary from field to field across the farm. We analysed the spatial variation of crop yield from 20 fields totalling 2832 ha from a 5200 ha farm in Western Australia at the field and the sub field scale to determine the economic value of introducing variable rate management (VRT) strategies to fields across the entire farm. In this case study, 6 out of 20 fields generated an additional economic payoff of AU$15/ha when managed with VRT over uniform management. Sensitivity analysis found that the starting levels of soil fertility were an important driver of the payoff for managing a field with VRT. If starting soil fertility was low and uniform across the field, then no fields generated an economic return of more than AU$7.00/ha when managed with VRT. Other factors, including commodity price, fertiliser price, amount of variation in crop yield within the field moderately increased the value of adopting VRT across fields within farm the value of VRT increased if fertiliser budgets were constrained, particularly if the yield distribution of the field was negatively skewed. While VRT does add value to many fields across the farm, the gains are small and the technology must be implemented cheaply for it to be viable. 相似文献