ABSTRACTCase history and clinical findings: A flock of 20 sheep was kept within three paddocks on a single property. None of the animals in the flock had been vaccinated against any disease for at least three years. Abdominal bloating and haemorrhagic diarrhoea were observed in Lamb 1 at 24 hours-of-age. The lamb subsequently died within an hour of the onset of clinical signs. Lamb 2 was 3-days-old when observed to be recumbent with opisthotonus. The lamb was treated with dextrose, vitamins B1 and B12, and penicillin G, but died 4 hours later.Pathological findings: Examination of Lamb 1 revealed markedly increased gas within the peritoneum and within dilated loops of intestine. The intestines were dark red and contained large quantities of haemorrhagic fluid. Histology of the intestines revealed peracute mucosal necrosis with minimal accompanying inflammation. The intestinal lumen contained cell debris, haemorrhage, and myriad large Gram-positive bacilli. The intestines of Lamb 2 did not appear bloated or reddened. However, multiple fibrin clots were visible within the pericardial sac. Histopathological examination revealed small foci of necrosis within the mucosa of the distal intestine. The necrotic foci were often associated with large numbers of large Gram-positive bacilli.Immunohistochemsitry and molecular biology: Intestinal samples from Lamb 1 were processed for Clostridium perfringens immunohistochemistry, which revealed large numbers of intralesional, positively immunostained rods. Fragments corresponding to the expected sizes for genes encoding alpha, beta, and epsilon C. perfringens typing toxins were amplified by PCR from DNA extracted from formalin-fixed sections of intestine.Diagnosis: Lamb dysentery due to C. perfringens type B.Clinical relevance:C. perfringens bacteria have a worldwide distribution, but disease due to C. perfringens type B has only been diagnosed in a small number of countries and has never been reported in New Zealand or Australia. C. perfringens type B produce both beta toxin and epsilon toxins, therefore both haemorrhagic enteritis and systemic vascular damage can develop. As many animals are exposed to C. perfringens without developing disease, there must be additional unknown factors that resulted in disease in these particular sheep. Vaccines that specifically protect against C. perfringens type B are available and may be recommended for use in smaller non-commercial flocks, as in the present case. 相似文献
Investigation of PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs, Al, As, Pb, Ba, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ag, Sn, Zn, and Hg contents in 60 samples of cold-pressed essential oils produced in Calabria and Sicily in 2003-2005 was carried out. PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs were analyzed by HRGC-HRMS techniques using U.S. EPA 1613/94 and U.S. EPA 1668/A (1999) analytical methods. Mineral components were determined through GFAAS techniques; Hg content was determined by FI-M/H-AAS. The results of this study showed that essential oil contamination was due to a widespread pollution, typical background of rural areas, with relatively higher concentrations of PCDDs compared to PCDFs and little presence of PeCDF. Congeners OCDD, HpCDF, and OCDF were found at high concentrations. Regarding mineral components, mean values of Cr, Fe, and Ni were in agreement with data reported in the literature. Concentrations of As and Pb were below the maximum limits accepted by the current legislation. Finally, none of the samples analyzed were contaminated with Hg. 相似文献
Pinus plantations have increased in Brazil, and native forest areas have been converted for timber production. The clearing and the long-term loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) land-use effects on soil carbon and nitrogen stocks were evaluated in a natural broadleaved forest and in loblolly pine sites cultivated for 29, 35, 38 and 49 years, as well the soil contribution as ecosystem carbon pool. According to the exponential-decay model fitted to changes in carbon stock, the initial soil carbon stock of 200 Mg ha?1 to a depth of 100 cm in the natural forest decreased by 36% over 49 years of pine cultivation (around 72.4 Mg ha?1 of C). Around two-thirds of this decrease occurred in the top 30 cm of the soil and intensively in the first 12 years of cultivation, but slowly faded as carbon stock tended to reach a new steady state after approximately 49 years of cultivation. The soil nitrogen stock in the natural forest was 14.2 Mg ha?1 to a depth of 100 cm and decreased by 36% over the 49 years. This decrease was linear according to the fitted model, especially in the top 30 cm where nitrogen decline was 83% and was proportionally more intense than the carbon decline. Despite the soil carbon decrease, soil remained the largest carbon reservoir in the ecosystem for the growing rotation time of loblolly pine in this region.
Ultrastructural morphological injuries and maturation rates were investigated in equine oocytes exposed to vitrification solutions (VS) containing synthetic ice blockers (SIBs) during different exposure times. In experiment 1, compact cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs; n = 30) were randomly allocated to treatments: (1) fresh fixed (control); (2) VS-1 (1.4 M dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] + 1.8 M ethylene glycol [EG] + 1% SIB) for 3 minutes of equilibrium time and VS-2 (2.8 M DMSO + 3.6 M EG + 0.6 M sucrose + 1% SIB) for 1 minute (Eq-long); and (3) VS-1 for 1.5 minutes and VS-2 for 30 seconds (Eq-short). In experiment 2, compact (n = 248) and expanded (n = 264) COCs were evenly distributed to the following treatments: (1) immediate maturation in vitro (control); (2) vitrification using the Eq-short protocol as in experiment 1; and (3) vitrification using a stock solution containing 2.8 M formamide, 2.8 M DMSO, 2.7 M EG, 7% polyvinylpyrrolidone, and 1% SIB (Eq-short-mod). More (P < .02) oocytes with normal ultrastructural morphology were seen in fresh control and Eq-short groups than in Eq-long group. Metaphase-II (MII) rates were higher (P < .05) for oocytes with expanded cumulus than compact cumulus in the control group, and higher (P < .05) for oocytes with expanded cumulus than compact cumulus in Eq-short and Eq-short-mod groups. No difference in MII rates was detected among groups within each type of COC. In conclusion, reduction of exposure time to VS better preserved oocyte ultrastructural features, and MII rates were higher for vitrified oocytes with expanded cumulus. This study advances our knowledge on potential alternatives for vitrification of immature equine oocytes. 相似文献
In view of the necessity of gas detection in environment, an embedded gas detection system is designed based on the basic principles of chromatography change of chemical reaction between nano-porphyrin arrays and micro-gas, which takes ARM9 S3C2440A as the core and nano-porphyrin array as the sensors. The overall program, the circuit organization and control software of the main function module such as spectrum signal acquisition, processing and monitoring are presented. With energy conservation differential equation, the control model of temperature and flow rate in the sample chamber is established, which can precisely control the detection conditions of chemical sensors. Some typical trace gases such as ammonia, enanthaldehyde, cyclohexane and hexanal are tested by the system, and the results show that the system can achieve rapid and accurate detection of trace volatile gas. 相似文献