Gastrointestinal parasites of feral cats from Christmas Island

Objective To investigate the gastrointestinal parasites present in feral cats on Christmas Island, with particular interest in the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Procedure Faecal and serum samples were collected from 28 and 25 cats respectively that were trapped as part of an ongoing eradication program being run on Christmas Island by the Department of Environment and Conservation. Faecal samples were screened microscopically for helminth and protozoan parasites. Serum samples were screened for antibodies to T gondii using a commercial indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and a latex agglutination test (LAT). Results The most common helminth parasites detected were Toxocara cati (present in 15 of 28 faecal samples), Strongyloides sp (13/28), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, (7/28), an unidentified capillarid (6/28) and Ancylostoma sp (4/28). Based on serology, T gondii was the most common parasite detected (protozoan or otherwise) with antibodies detected in 24 serum samples by IFA and 23 serum samples by LAT. Conclusion Cats on Christmas Island harbour many of the helminth and protozoan parasites reported from feral cats elsewhere in Australia. The high seroprevalence of T gondii in these cats indicates a high level of exposure to the parasite in this environment

Genetic characterization of flea-derived Bartonella species from native animals in Australia suggests host-parasite co-evolution

Fleas are important arthropod vectors for a variety of diseases in veterinary and human medicine, and bacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella are among the organisms most commonly transmitted by these ectoparasites. Recently, a number of novel Bartonella species and novel species candidates have been reported in marsupial fleas in Australia. In the present study the genetic diversity of marsupial fleas was investigated; 10 species of fleas were collected from seven different marsupial and placental mammal hosts in Western Australia including woylies (Bettongia penicillata), western barred bandicoots (Perameles bougainville), mardos (Antechinus flavipes), bush rats (Rattus fuscipes), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), feral cats (Felis catus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). PCR and sequence analysis of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the 18S rRNA genes from these fleas was performed. Concatenated phylogenetic analysis of the COI and 18S rRNA genes revealed a close genetic relationship between marsupial fleas, with Pygiopsylla hilli from woylies, Pygiopsylla tunneyi from western barred bandicoots and Acanthopsylla jordani from mardos, forming a separate cluster from fleas collected from the placental mammals in the same geographical area. The clustering of Bartonella species with their marsupial flea hosts suggests co-evolution of marsupial hosts, marsupial fleas and Bartonella species in Australia

Molecular and morphological characterization of Echinococcus granulosus of human and animal origin in Iran

Iran is an important endemic focus of cystic hydatid disease (CHD) where several species of intermediate host are commonly infected with Echinococcus granulosus. Isolates of E. granulosus were collected from humans and other animals from different geographical areas of Iran and characterized using both DNA (PCR-RFLP of ITS1) and morphological criteria (metacestode rostellar hook dimensions). The sheep and camel strains/genotypes were shown to occur in Iran. The sheep strain was shown to be the most common genotype of E. granulosus affecting sheep, cattle, goats and occasionally camels. The majority of camels were infected with the camel genotype as were 3 of 33 human cases. This is the first time that cases of CHD in humans have been identified in an area where a transmission cycle for the camel genotype exists. In addition, the camel genotype was found to cause infection in both sheep and cattle. Results also demonstrated that both sheep and camel strains can be readily differentiated on the basis of hook morphology alone

Estimates of T-odd distribution and fragmentation functions

Estimates of the T-odd fragmentation and distribution functions, $H_1^\perp$ and $f_{1T}^{\perp}$, are presented. Our evaluations are based on a fit on experimental data of polarized proton-proton scattering. We use our estimates to make predictions for electron polarized-proton azimuthal asymmetries.Comment: Contribution to the Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Deep Inelastic Scattering and QCD, DIS99, DESY-Zeuthen, April 1999; Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.

The Impact of Isospin Breaking on the Distribution of Transition Probabilities

In the present paper we investigate the effect of symmetry breaking in the statistical distributions of reduced transition amplitudes and reduced transition probabilities. These quantities are easier to access experimentally than the components of the eigenvectors and were measured by Adams et al. for the electromagnetic transitions in ^{26}Al. We focus on isospin symmetry breaking described by a matrix model where both, the Hamiltonian and the electromagnetic operator, break the symmetry. The results show that for partial isospin conservation, the statistical distribution of the reduced transition probability can considerably deviate from the Porter-Thomas distribution.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, submitted to PR

Transverse momentum dependence in gluon distribution and fragmentation functions

We investigate the twist two gluon distribution functions for spin 1/2 hadrons, emphasizing intrinsic transverse momentum of the gluons. These functions are relevant in leading order in the inverse hard scale in scattering processes such as inclusive leptoproduction or Drell-Yan scattering, or more general in hard processes in which at least two hadrons are involved. They show up in azimuthal asymmetries. For future estimates of such observables, we discuss specific bounds on these functions.Comment: 14 pages, revtex, 7 Postscript figure

Animal welfare and the use of procedural documents: Limitations and refinement

Increased scrutiny of animal welfare in wildlife management has seen a recent proliferation in the use of procedural documents (standard operating procedures, codes of practice etc.). Some procedural documents are presumed to represent 'best practice' methods, whereby adherence to prescribed inputs is explicitly purported to generate humane outcomes. However, the relationship between what is done to animals (inputs) and what they experience (outputs), as assessed by animal-based measures, has received little attention. Procedural documents are commonly developed in the absence of empirical animal-based measures, creating uncertainty in animal welfare outcomes. Prescribed procedures are valuable as guidelines for standardising methodology, but the development of 'welfare standards' that focus on desired thresholds for animal-based measures offers many advantages for improving animal welfare. Refinement of the use of procedural documents in wildlife management is required to ensure they generate desirable outcomes for animals, and do not preclude the development of improved methods

Study of the Advantages of Internal Permanent Magnet Drive Motor with Selectable Windings for Hybrid-Electric Vehicles

This report describes research performed on the viability of changing the effectively active number of turns in the stator windings of an internal permanent magnet (IPM) electric motor to strengthen or weaken the magnetic fields in order to optimize the motor's performance at specific operating speeds and loads. Analytical and simulation studies have been complemented with research on switching mechanisms to accomplish the task. The simulation studies conducted examine the power and energy demands on a vehicle following a series of standard driving cycles and the impact on the efficiency and battery size of an electrically propelled vehicle when it uses an IPM motor with turn-switching capabilities. Both full driving cycle electric propulsion and propulsion limited starting from zero to a set speed have been investigated

Angular dependences in electroweak semi-inclusive leptoproduction

We present the leading order unpolarized and polarized cross sections in electroweak semi-inclusive deep inelastic leptoproduction. The azimuthal dependences in the cross section differential in the transverse momentum of the vector boson arise due to intrinsic transverse momenta of the quarks. However, the presented asymmetries are not suppressed by inverse powers of the hard scale. We discuss the different opportunities to measure specific asymmetries as offered by neutral compared to charged current processes and point out the optimal kinematical regions. The present and (proposed) future HERA collider experiments would be most suitable for measuring some of the asymmetries discussed here, especially in case of Lambda production.Comment: 10 pages, Revtex, 5 Postscript figures, uses aps.sty, epsfig.st

A case of mistaken identity – reappraisal of the species of canid and felid hookworms (Ancylostoma) present in Australia and India

This study serves to clarify the current status of canid and felid Ancylostoma species present in Australia. The morphological identification of A. ceylanicum from cats for the first time in Townsville, Australia, appears to be in error, together with the genetic markers provided for the species. Morphological and genetic data presented herein provide strong evidence that the hookworms from cats in Towsville are not A. ceylanicum as previously identified (i.e. the first report of this species in Australia), but are A. braziliense. Therefore the subsequent genetic markers established for A. ceylanicum in subsequent molecular studies based on these Townsville specimens should also be attributed to A. braziliense. Based on this information, a study of canine hookworm species present in northern India is also in error and it is apparent that the hookworms found in this region are those of A. ceylanicum. The distribution of A. braziliense and A. ceylanicum in the Americas and Asia Pacific region is discussed together with the importance of combining parasite morphology with genetic data for parasite diagnosis in epidemiological studies