Sequence differences in the diagnostic region of the cysteine protease 8 gene of Tritrichomonas foetus parasites of cats and cattle     

Sun Z  Stack C  Šlapeta J 《Veterinary parasitology》2012,186(3-4):445-449

In order to investigate the genetic variation between Tritrichomonas foetus from bovine and feline origins, cysteine protease 8 (CP8) coding sequence was selected as the polymorphic DNA marker. Direct sequencing of CP8 coding sequence of T. foetus from four feline isolates and two bovine isolates with polymerase chain reaction successfully revealed conserved nucleotide polymorphisms between feline and bovine isolates. These results provide useful information for CP8-based molecular differentiation of T. foetus genotypes.  相似文献   

Improving the specificity of immunodiagnosis for porcine brucellosis     

Thirlwall RE  Commander NJ  Brew SD  Cutler SJ  McGiven JA  Stack JA 《Veterinary research communications》2008,32(3):209-213

This report describes the use of cell mediated immunity to improve specificity of current diagnosis for Brucella suis. Diagnosis is problematic due to cross reactions that lead to false positive serological reactions (FPSR) in the standard diagnostic tests. A common cause of this cross reactivity is infection with the organism Yersinia enterocolitica O:9. Gottingen™ mini-pigs were experimentally infected with B. suis biovar I field strain or Y. enterocolitica serotype O:9 biotype 3. Infection was followed for 70 days. During this time whole blood stimulation assays were set up using Brucella specific antigen. IFNγ was measured in the supernatants (SN) from these assays by ELISA. Concurrent standard serological tests were carried out. The results indicate that the IFNγ assay is specifically able to distinguish Y. enterocolitica O:9 infection from a B. suis infection in experimentally infected mini-pigs. These results represent an improvement in diagnostic specificity compared to currently used serological tests. Thus suggesting that in a surveillance setting this test could be applied as a confirmatory test in the face of FPSR. The authors are British Civil Servants and as such their work is subject to British Crown Copyright. This means the exclusive copyright for the article cannot be transferred.  相似文献   

The improved specificity of bovine brucellosis testing in Great Britain     

McGiven J  Hendry L  Brown D  Stack J  Perrett L  Mawhinney I 《Research in veterinary science》2008,84(1):38-40

The brucellosis surveillance scheme in Great Britain includes the serological testing of approximately 1 million bovine samples per year. These are screened by iELISA, positives going forward for confirmatory testing by CFT and SAT. Samples positive by confirmatory testing prompt substantial field investigations and interventions, but the animals involved are usually uninfected. Described below are a series of modifications to the screening method, which have resulted in a 10-fold reduction in false positive results whilst maintaining sensitivity. The key modifications include the introduction of blocking agents, a change in serum test dilution and the introduction of a control that directly defines the positive/negative cut-off. These simple modifications have had a large impact in reducing the cost of the surveillance programme due to reductions in confirmatory test requirements and a knock on effect of reducing costly field intervention.  相似文献   

A long-snouted predatory dinosaur from africa and the evolution of spinosaurids     

PC Sereno  AL Beck  DB Dutheil  B Gado  HCE Larsson  GH Lyon  JD Marcot  OWM Rauhut  RW Sadleir  CA Sidor  DD Varricchio  GP Wilson  JA Wilson 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1998,282(5392):1298-1302

Fossils discovered in Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) rocks in the Tenere Desert of central Niger provide new information about spinosaurids, a peculiar group of piscivorous theropod dinosaurs. The remains, which represent a new genus and species, reveal the extreme elongation and transverse compression of the spinosaurid snout. The postcranial bones include blade-shaped vertebral spines that form a low sail over the hips. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the enlarged thumb claw and robust forelimb evolved during the Jurassic, before the elongated snout and other fish-eating adaptations in the skull. The close phylogenetic relationship between the new African spinosaurid and Baryonyx from Europe provides evidence of dispersal across the Tethys seaway during the Early Cretaceous.  相似文献   

Tracking the long-term decline and recovery of an isolated population     

RL Westemeier  JD Brawn  SA Simpson  TL Esker  RW Jansen  JW Walk  EL Kershner  JL Bouzat  KN Paige 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1998,282(5394):1695-1698

Effects of small population size and reduced genetic variation on the viability of wild animal populations remain controversial. During a 35-year study of a remnant population of greater prairie chickens, population size decreased from 2000 individuals in 1962 to fewer than 50 by 1994. Concurrently, both fitness, as measured by fertility and hatching rates of eggs, and genetic diversity declined significantly. Conservation measures initiated in 1992 with translocations of birds from large, genetically diverse populations restored egg viability. Thus, sufficient genetic resources appear to be critical for maintaining populations of greater prairie chickens.  相似文献   

Hunting behavior of a marine mammal beneath the antarctic fast Ice   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

RW Davis  LA Fuiman  TM Williams  SO Collier  WP Hagey  SB Kanatous  S Kohin  M Horning 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1999,283(5404):993-996

The hunting behavior of a marine mammal was studied beneath the Antarctic fast ice with an animal-borne video system and data recorder. Weddell seals stalked large Antarctic cod and the smaller subice fish Pagothenia borchgrevinki, often with the under-ice surface for backlighting, which implies that vision is important for hunting. They approached to within centimeters of cod without startling the fish. Seals flushed P. borchgrevinki by blowing air into subice crevices or pursued them into the platelet ice. These observations highlight the broad range of insights that are possible with simultaneous recordings of video, audio, three-dimensional dive paths, and locomotor effort.  相似文献   

Roles of bootstrap resampling,measure of central tendency,and method for calculating thermal units when developing phenology models for pest management     

DE Legg  SM Van Vleet  DW Ragsdale  RW Hansen  LC Skinner  TR Collier 《国际虫害防治杂志》2013,59(4):319-325

The successful development of phenology models from field studies depends on many factors, some of which are entirely under the control of pest managers. For example, one such factor is the choice of method for calculating thermal units. In this study, we have demonstrated that four methods for calculating thermal units provided for acceptable predictions of one phenological event of one insect species, while another method for calculating thermal units did not. The measure of central tendency (mean or median) that is used to estimate lower developmental temperatures and required thermal summations is another factor that pest managers can control when developing phenology models from field studies. Here, we show that predictions that were made when using phenology models based on median lower developmental temperatures and median required thermal summations were superior to predictions that were made when using phenology models based on mean lower developmental temperatures and mean required thermal summations. The use of bootstrap vs. non-bootstrap estimates of lower developmental temperatures and required thermal summations is yet another factor that pest managers can control when developing phenology models from field studies. In this study, we found that calculating and using bootstrap estimates of lower developmental temperatures and required thermal summations in phenology models did not improve the predictions of one phenological event for one insect species. The implications of these and other findings are discussed.  相似文献   

Agricultural soils: A sink or source of methane across the British Isles?     

Nicholas Cowan  Juliette Maire  Dominika Krol  Joanna M. Cloy  Paul Hargreaves  Rachael Murphy  Alison Carswell  Stephanie K. Jones  Nicola Hinton  Margaret Anderson  Daniela Famulari  Madeleine J. Bell  Philip Stack  Peter Levy  Ute Skiba  Julia Drewer 《European Journal of Soil Science》2021,72(4):1842-1862

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A review of thermal stress in cattle     

RW Shephard  SK Maloney 《Australian veterinary journal》2023,101(11):417-429

Cattle control body temperature in a narrow range over varying climatic conditions. Endogenous body heat is generated by metabolism, digestion and activity. Radiation is the primary external source of heat transfer into the body of cattle. Cattle homeothermy uses behavioural and physiological controls to manage radiation, convection, conduction, and evaporative exchange of heat between the body and the environment, noting that evaporative mechanisms almost exclusively transfer body heat to the environment. Cattle control radiation by shade seeking (hot) and shelter (cold) and by huddling or standing further apart, noting there are intrinsic breed and age differences in radiative transfer potential. The temperature gradient between the skin and the external environment and wind speed (convection) determines heat transfer by these means. Cattle control these mechanisms by managing blood flow to the periphery (physiology), by shelter-seeking and standing/lying activity in the short term (behaviourally) and by modifying their coats and adjusting their metabolic rates in the longer term (acclimatisation). Evaporative heat loss in cattle is primarily from sweating, with some respiratory contribution, and is the primary mechanism for dissipating excess heat when environmental temperatures exceed skin temperature (~36°C). Cattle tend to be better adapted to cooler rather than hotter external conditions, with Bos indicus breeds more adapted to hotter conditions than Bos taurus. Management can minimise the risk of thermal stress by ensuring appropriate breeds of suitably acclimatised cattle, at appropriate stocking densities, fed appropriate diets (and water), and with access to suitable shelter and ventilation are better suited to their expected farm environment.  相似文献   

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Sweden: an H-type variant.     

Dolores Gavier-Widén  Maria N?remark  Jan P M Langeveld  Mick Stack  Anne-Ga?lle Biacabe  Johann Vulin  Melanie Chaplin  Jürgen A Richt  Jorg Jacobs  Cristina Acín  Eva Monleón  Lena Renstr?m  Berndt Klingeborn  Thierry G M Baron 《Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation》2008,20(1):2-10

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