Evaluation and histological examination of a Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis small animal infection model

Bovine genital campylobacteriosis (BGC), caused by Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis, is associated with production losses in cattle worldwide. This study aimed to develop a reliable BGC guinea pig model to facilitate future studies of pathogenicity, abortion mechanisms and vaccine efficacy. Seven groups of five pregnant guinea pigs (1 control per group) were inoculated with one of three strains via intra-peritoneal (IP) or intra-vaginal routes. Samples were examined using culture, PCR and histology. Abortions ranged from 0% to 100% and re-isolation of causative bacteria from sampled sites varied with strain, dose of bacteria and time to abortion. Histology indicated metritis and placentitis, suggesting that the bacteria induce inflammation, placental detachment and subsequent abortion. Variation of virulence between strains was observed and determined by culture and abortion rates. IP administration of C. fetus subsp. venerealis to pregnant guinea pigs is a promising small animal model for the investigation of BGC abortion

Seminal plasma proteins and their relationship with percentage of morphologically normal sperm in 2-year-old Brahman (Bos indicus) bulls

The objective was to determine the relationship between seminal plasma proteins and sperm morphology in Bos indicus bulls of the Brahman breed. Fifty-six 24-month-old Australian Brahman bulls were electroejaculated and samples were examined to determine the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (PNS24) and the seminal plasma protein composition was identified and quantified by 2-D gel electrophoresis. The total integrated optical density of 152 seminal plasma protein spots (SPPs) across all gels was determined using the PDQuest software version 8.0 (Bio Rad, USA). Using a single regression mixed model with the density of individual spots as a covariate for PNS24, 17 SPPs were significantly associated with PNS24 (

Differences in pronucleus formation rates between bulls in response to gamma irradiation of frozen-thawed semen

Gamma irradiation induces DNA damage to mature bovine spermatozoa but does not affect motility, membrane integrity, or function (Fatehi et al. 2006 J. Androl. 27, 176–188), making it a useful model to evaluate the effect of fertilization with DNA-damaged spermatozoa. The objective of the present study was to analyze the fertilizing capacity of frozen–thawed gamma-irradiated sperm from 2 bulls: a bull with a high sperm quality and fertilization rate (bull A), and a bull with a low sperm quality and fertilization rate (bull B). To ensure that DNA damage was induced, frozen–thawed semen was exposed to a high dose of irradiation (90 Gy). Cumulus–oocyte complexes were obtained from abattoir ovaries and were in vitro-matured (IVM) using standard procedures (23 h in DMEM with 5% serum and eCG/hCG). For each treatment group, 3 to 5 straws of semen from the same ejaculate were used. After thawing, semen from the 2 bulls was either irradiated or held at room temperature before 1:1 dilution in sperm-TALP. During irradiation, semen was kept in the straws. The irradiated and nonirradiated sperm were used for IVF (23 h in IVF-TALP) within 1 h of thawing. IVM and IVF were carried out at 38.5°C in 5% CO2 in air. After IVF, presumptive zygotes were whole mount-fixed and 24 h later were stained with 1% aceto-orcein followed by determination of fertilization status. Fertilization was considered normal if 2 pronuclei (PN) were present. A total of 4 replicates were performed and 286 zygotes analyzed. No difference was detected between replicates, and the results were pooled. Fisher's exact test was used to determine effect of treatment. More zygotes had 2 PN after fertilization with semen from bull A (47/67 = 70%), compared with that from bull B (16/71 = 23%; P < 0.0001) using nonirradiated sperm. Irradiation of sperm significantly increased the fraction of zygotes with 2 PN from bull A (61/70 = 87%; P = 0.03), but decreased the 2 PN fractions in zygotes fertilized with sperm from bull B (2/75 = 3%; P = 0.0002). Ideally, to avoid straw variation, semen should have been pooled and divided into groups before irradiation. The variation between straws might explain the higher fertilization rates in bull A using irradiated sperm compared with nonirradiated sperm. In conclusion, there appear to be differences in fertilizing ability between bulls after irradiation of frozen–thawed sperm. This could be due to suboptimal DNA packaging, which made sperm from bull B more susceptible to radiation-induced damage. The potential irradiation-induced increase in DNA fragmentation in sperm from bull B compared with that from bull A might delay or prevent the formation of the 2 PN. Further studies are needed to investigate differences in fertilization and early embryonic development using sperm with intact or damaged DNA

Relationship between semen quality parameters and field fertility of young dairy bulls using low dose inseminations

Optimal use of genetically superior bulls through artificial insemination (AI) is highly dependent on precise assessment of seminal quality which allows for reasonable estimations of field fertility with normal or low-dose inseminations. In the present study, seminal measures such as sperm motility and morphology, sperm viability, sperm DNA fragmentation, and the ability of the sperm to display an acrosome reaction were tested. The relationships between field fertility and the seminal measures were investigated using 3 ejaculates from each of 195 bulls (156 Holstein and 39 Jersey) participating in a progeny test program. A range of AI doses, varying from 2 × 106 to 15 × 106 sperm/ straw, was obtained by a controlled dilution process applied to each ejaculate. The different AI doses were distributed at random among 75,610 experimental first inseminations in 4,721 herds and 208 AI technicians. Most of the seminal measures appeared to contain a predictive value for the nonreturn to estrus at 56 d post-AI (NRR56) regardless of the number of sperm per AI dose and can be regarded as noncompensable sperm traits. But, due to correlations between the individual measures, the best model for describing (and predicting) NRR56 was based on sperm concentration and viability in the neat (raw) semen, and post-thaw sperm viability. The statistical models for describing NRR56 included the following explanatory variables: strength of the estrus, number of sperm per AI dose, breed, parity, and random components representing herds and AI technicians. The present results show that the most precise estimation of a bull’s NRR56 can be achieved through flow cytometric detection of sperm concentration and viability in neat semen as well as flow cytometric detection of post-thaw sperm viability

Application Of ISO 9001:2008 In the Hotel Industry

Το αντικείμενο της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η μελέτη της εφαρμογής ενός Συστήματος Διαχείρισης Ποιότητας σε ξενοδοχειακή μονάδα και η συγγραφή ενός Εγχειριδίου Διαχείρισης Ποιότητας κατά το πρότυπο ISO 9001:2008. Το ξενοδοχείο που έχει επιλεγεί ως παράδειγμα είναι το ELECTRA HOTEL, ξενοδοχείο 4ων αστέρων στο κέντρο της Αθήνας. Το περιεχόμενο της εργασίας αρχίζει από μια γενική αναφορά στην έννοια της ποιότητας και ειδικότερα στο τι ορίζεται ως ποιότητα στο ξενοδοχειακό – τουριστικό προϊόν (Κεφ. 1). Συνεχίζει με την περιγραφή των προτύπων ποιότητας και μια μικρή αναδρομή στα πρότυπα ISO που καταλήγει στην περιγραφή του προτύπου ISO 9001:2008 που είναι και το πρότυπο που εφαρμόζουμε (Κεφ. 2). Ακολουθεί μια επιγραμματική περιγραφή του συστήματος HACCP για την ασφάλεια και υγιεινή των τροφίμων (Κεφ. 3). Το πρώτο κομμάτι της διπλωματικής εργασίας καταλήγει στα συμπεράσματα για τη χρήση των προαναφερθέντων προτύπων (Κεφ. 4). Στο Παράρτημα Α παρουσιάζεται το Εγχειρίδιο Διαχείρισης Ποιότητας κατά ISO 9001:2008 για το ELECTRA HOTEL και τέλος, στο Παράρτημα Β, παρουσιάζονται οι διαδικασίες που αναφέρονται στο Εγχειρίδιο Ποιότητας.The subject of this thesis is the application of ISO9001:2008 on the Quality Management System within a hotel and the development of a Quality Management Manual for the hotel in accordance with the provisions of the standard. The Electra Hotel, the subject of this report, is a four star hotel located in the Athens City Centre. The Hotel has been established for some time and the report begins with a general description of quality management systems, specifically what is considered as quality assurance in the tourism – accommodation services (Chapter 1) ; The report follows with a description of the quality assurance standards, a small history of ISO standards and a description of ISO 9001:2008 which is the standard that is applied to the Manual (Chapter 2); An analysis and description of the HACCP system for the safety of food and food quality (Chapter 3); and in conclusion the report describes the effect of implementing and maintaining a Quality Management System at the Hotel. (Chapter 4) Annexure A - contains the Quality Management Manual developed in accordance with the provisions of ISO9001:2008 for the ELECTRA HOTEL. Annexure B - contains the procedures that are referenced in the Quality Management Manual.Χριστίνα Ι.Ρέτσο