Comparison of two assays, a faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and a coproantigen reduction test (CRT), for the diagnosis of resistance to triclabendazole in Fasciola hepatica in sheep

A sheep trial was performed to evaluate two diagnostic assays, a faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and a coproantigen reduction test (CRT), for the diagnosis of resistance of Fasciola hepatica to triclabendazole (TCBZ). The FECRT defines successful TCBZ treatment as a 95% or greater reduction in fluke faecal egg counts (FECs) at 14 days post-treatment (dpt). The CRT defines effective TCBZ treatment as faeces negative for Fasciola coproantigens at 14 dpt, as measured by the commercial BIO K201 coproantigen ELISA (Bio-X Diagnostics, Jemelle, Belgium).

Development of an egg hatch assay for the diagnosis of triclabendazole resistance in Fasciola hepatica: proof of concept.

The aim of this study was to develop an Egg Hatch Assay (EHA) test for the detection of triclabendazole (TCBZ) resistance in Fasciola hepatica. A number of fluke isolates were used, of differing sensitivity to TCBZ. Eggs were exposed to solutions of triclabendazole sulphoxide (TCBZ.SO) for 14 days, then triggered to hatch. Egg development was divided into 6 distinct and easily identifiable stages: dead, empty, unembryonated, cell division, eye spot and hatched. The number of eggs reaching those stages was recorded. Initially, the discriminating dose (1% hatch) was determined for the Cullompton isolate, used as TCBZ-susceptible (TCBZ-S) standard. Once this concentration had been resolved, the response of different isolates to this concentration was examined. The hatch rate of the Fairhurst isolate was not significantly different from that of the Cullompton isolate, confirming its TCBZ-S status. The Patagonia isolate has not been exposed to TCBZ in the field and should be TCBZ-S: the results of the EHA supported this. The egg hatch response of the Oberon and Dutch isolates differed significantly from that of the Cullompton isolate; the former isolates are regarded as TCBZ-resistant (TCBZ-R) and the results confirmed this. Another isolate, the Leon isolate, was originally described as being TCBZ-R, but has since been shown to be TCBZ-S. There was no difference in its response to TCBZ.SO in the EHA from the Cullompton (and Fairhurst and Patagonia) isolate(s), further indicating its TCBZ-S status. The impact of TCBZ.SO treatment on the component stages of egg development was determined and revealed differences between the isolates. In conclusion, the results of the study have shown that it is possible to discriminate between TCBZ-S and TCBZ-R isolates of F. hepatica on the basis of the response of their eggs to an EHA and the test could be used to evaluate the TCBZ sensitivity of unknown field isolates

THE ULTRASTRUCTURE AND IMMUNOGOLD LABELING OF PANCREATIC POLYPEPTIDE-IMMUNOREACTIVE CELLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EGG-FORMING APPARATUS OF A MONOGENEAN PARASITE, DICLIDOPHORA-MERLANGI

An electron microscopical examination has been made of the fine structure and disposition of pancreatic polypeptide immunoreactive cells associated with the egg-forming apparatus in Diclidophora merlangi. The cell bodies are positioned in the parenchyma surrounding the ootype and taper to axon-like processes that extend to the ootype wall. The terminal regions of these processes branch and anastomose and, in places, the swollen endings or varicosities form synaptic appositions with the muscle fibres in the ootype wall. The cells are characterized by an extensive GER-Golgi system that is involved in the assembly and packaging of dense-cored vesicles. The vesicles accumulate in the axons and terminal varicosities, and their contents were found to be immunoreactive with antisera raised to the C-terminal hexapeptide amide of pancreatic polypeptide. It is concluded that the cells are neurosecretory in appearance and that, functionally, their secretions may serve to regulate ootype motility and thereby help co-ordinate egg production in the worm.

Kinetics of semicarbazide and nitrofurazone in chicken eggs and egg powders

The accumulation, depletion and partitioning of semicarbazide (SEM) and its parent compound nitrofurazone (NFZ) in eggs were studied using hens fed NFZ at therapeutic and sub-therapeutic levels. Dietary NFZ correlated strongly with NFZ and total SEM in eggs, while 28% of observed SEM was present in the form of parent NFZ. Depletion half-life in eggs was 2.4 days for SEM and 1.1 days for NFZ. NFZ accumulated preferentially in yolk (57-63%) as opposed to albumen, while 71-80% of SEM was found in yolk. In whole egg, 29% of SEM was present as tissue-bound residues compared with 80% in breast muscle. Whilst NFZ and SEM were partly degraded by pasteurization and spray drying, sufficient NFZ remained to suggest it might be detectable in egg powders when SEM is observed at low µg kg -1 concentrations. NFZ was detectable in whole eggs during ingestion of only 0.1% of the therapeutic NFZ dose, making detection of intact NFZ in eggs a feasible means to prove conclusively the administration of this banned compound.

The effect of stress on egg quality in farmed Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Dissertação de mestrado, Aquacultura, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2011

Business model analysis of Mobitto: How to solve the chicken and egg problem of a multi-sided platform?

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Developmental, morphological, and behavioural plasticity in the reproductive strategies of stink bugs and their egg parasitoids

L’environnement façonne la physiologie, la morphologie et le comportement des organismes par l’entremise de processus écologiques et évolutifs complexes et multidimensionnels. Le succès reproducteur des animaux est déterminé par la valeur adaptative d’un phénotype dans un environnement en modification constante selon une échelle temporelle d’une à plusieurs générations. De plus, les phénotypes sont façonnés par l’environnement, ce qui entraine des modifications adaptatives des stratégies de reproduction tout en imposant des contraintes. Dans cette thèse, considérant des punaises et leurs parasitoïdes comme organismes modèles, j’ai investigué comment plusieurs types de plasticité peuvent interagir pour influencer la valeur adaptative, et comment la plasticité des stratégies de reproduction répond à plusieurs composantes des changements environnementaux (qualité de l’hôte, radiation ultraviolette, température, invasion biologique). Premièrement, j’ai comparé la réponse comportementale et de traits d’histoire de vie à la variation de taille corporelle chez le parasitoïde Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera : Platygastridae), démontrant que les normes de réaction des comportements étaient plus souvent positives que celles des traits d’histoires de vie. Ensuite, j’ai démontré que la punaise prédatrice Podisus maculiventris Say (Hemiptera : Pentatomidae) peut contrôler la couleur de ses œufs, et que la pigmentation des œufs protège les embryons du rayonnement ultraviolet; une composante d’une stratégie complexe de ponte qui a évoluée en réponse à une multitude de facteurs environnementaux. Puis, j’ai testé comment le stress thermique affectait la dynamique de la mémoire du parasitoïde Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera : Platygastridae) lors de l’apprentissage de la fiabilité des traces chimiques laissées par son hôte. Ces expériences ont révélé que des températures hautes et basses prévenaient l’oubli, affectant ainsi l’allocation du temps passé par les parasitoïdes dans des agrégats d’hôtes contenant des traces chimiques. J’ai aussi développé un cadre théorique général pour classifier les effets de la température sur l’ensemble des aspects comportementaux des ectothermes, distinguant les contraintes des adaptations. Finalement, j’ai testé l’habileté d’un parasitoïde indigène (T. podisi) à exploiter les œufs d’un nouveau ravageur invasif en agriculture, Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera : Pentatomidae). Les résultats ont montré que T. podisi attaque les œufs de H. halys, mais qu’il ne peut s’y développer, indiquant que le ravageur invasif s’avère un « piège évolutif » pour ce parasitoïde. Cela pourrait indirectement bénéficier aux espèces indigènes de punaises en agissant comme un puits écologique de ressources (œufs) et de temps pour le parasitoïde. Ces résultats ont des implications importantes sur la réponse des insectes, incluant ceux impliqués dans les programmes de lutte biologique, face aux changements environnementaux.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella enteritidis and other salmonellas in the eggs and egg-storing trays from retails markets of Coimbatore, South India

A study was conducted to determine the incidence of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and other Salmonella serovars on eggshell, egg contents and on egg-storing trays. A total of 492 eggs and 82 egg-storing trays were examined over a period of 1 year from different retail outlets of a residential area of Coimbatore city, South India. Salmonella contamination was recorded in 38 of 492 (7.7%) eggs out of which 29 was in eggshell (5.9%) and 9 in egg contents (1.8%). Around 7.5% of the egg-storing trays were also found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Serotyping of the Salmonella strains showed that 89.7% of the strains from eggshell, 100% of the strains from egg contents and 71.4% of the strains from egg-storing trays were Salmonella Enteritidis. Other serovarvars encountered were S. Cerro, S. Molade and S. Mbandaka from eggshell and S. Cerro from egg-storing trays. Seasonal variations in the prevalence pattern were identified with, a higher prevalence during monsoon months followed by post-monsoon and premonsoon. Further examination of the Salmonella strains was carried out by testing their antimicrobial sensitivity against 10 commonly used antimicrobials. Results revealed high prevalence of multiple antimicrobial resistance among these strains suggesting possible prior selection by use of antimicrobials in egg production

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella enteritidis and other salmonellas in the eggs and egg-storing trays from retails markets of Coimbatore, South India

A study was conducted to determine the incidence of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and other Salmonella serovars on eggshell, egg contents and on egg-storing trays. A total of 492 eggs and 82 egg-storing trays were examined over a period of 1 year from different retail outlets of a residential area of Coimbatore city, South India. Salmonella contamination was recorded in 38 of 492 (7.7%) eggs out of which 29 was in eggshell (5.9%) and 9 in egg contents (1.8%). Around 7.5% of the egg-storing trays were also found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Serotyping of the Salmonella strains showed that 89.7% of the strains from eggshell, 100% of the strains from egg contents and 71.4% of the strains from egg-storing trays were Salmonella Enteritidis. Other serovarvars encountered were S. Cerro, S. Molade and S. Mbandaka from eggshell and S. Cerro from egg-storing trays. Seasonal variations in the prevalence pattern were identified with, a higher prevalence during monsoon months followed by post-monsoon and premonsoon. Further examination of the Salmonella strains was carried out by testing their antimicrobial sensitivity against 10 commonly used antimicrobials. Results revealed high prevalence of multiple antimicrobial resistance among these strains suggesting possible prior selection by use of antimicrobials in egg production

From egg to chicken.

Se describe la historia de un huevo a pollito de la manera más sencilla posible. Esta simplificación puede inducir algunas veces al error. Se analiza el embrión como un pequeño punto en la albúmina, pero sólo en el glosario se explica que la albúmina es la clara de huevo. El texto es de letra grande con dos o tres frases por cada doble página llena con grandes ilustraciones acompañadas de otro tamaño de letra cuando es necesario proporcionar una mayor información. Se emplean términos científicos, tales como huevos, esperma, y fertilizados. Hay un glosario.

Chicken and egg.

Para ver cómo se desarrolla un pollo dentro del huevo. Cada etapa se explica con grandes ilustraciones acompañadas por un texto con dos tamaños de letra, cuando es necesario proporcionar una información más detallada para los lectores con más experiencia.