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O'Hagan MJH, McCormick CM, Collins SF, McBride KR, Menzies FD. Are major roads effective barriers for badger (Meles meles) movements? Res Vet Sci 2021; 138:49-52. [PMID: 34098415 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
As part of a bovine tuberculosis (bTB) control related Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) badger research study in Northern Ireland, a project was launched evaluating whether badgers cross major roads (in this case the A1 dual carriageway linking Belfast/Newry/Dublin). This road formed the western boundary of the TVR study area and it was chosen to discourage badger movements in and out of the area. This was important in order to ensure that the badger study population was as stable as possible and also to get a better understanding of the risk of any spill over of bTB infection from the study area to the buffer area. Five badgers trapped close to the A1 were fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) collar in October 2017, which were set to record the badger location every 20 min between 19.20 and 03.00 h during a maximum of 84 days. Based on 4313 location points recorded, only 2 (0.05%) location points were located on the western side of the A1. Although this was a small sample, it can be concluded that generally badgers avoid crossing dual carriageways which is supported by evidence from other studies. This finding is important for informing on development of future badger intervention areas where major roads could be considered as strong borders. Furthermore, it adds to the body of knowledge in trying to understand drivers and barriers for badger dispersal behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J H O'Hagan
- Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK. Maria.O'
| | - C M McCormick
- Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - S F Collins
- Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, TVR Field Implementation Unit, Glenree House, Springhill Road, Newry BT35 6EF, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - K R McBride
- Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - F D Menzies
- Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK
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Courcier EA, Pascual-Linaza AV, Arnold ME, McCormick CM, Corbett DM, O'Hagan MJH, Collins SF, Trimble NA, McGeown CF, McHugh GE, McBride KR, McNair J, Thompson S, Patterson IAP, Menzies FD. Evaluating the application of the dual path platform VetTB test for badgers (Meles meles) in the test and vaccinate or remove (TVR) wildlife research intervention project in Northern Ireland. Res Vet Sci 2020; 130:170-178. [PMID: 32197169 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
European badgers (Meles meles) are accepted as a wildlife reservoir host for Mycobacterium bovis, which causes bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in the British Isles. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of Dual Path Platform (DPP) VetTB test (Chembio Diagnostic Systems Inc., Medford, NY, USA) within a Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) wildlife research intervention project. Blood samples were collected from 456 individual badgers, trapped in 2015 and 2016, and tested in the field with DPP VetTB test using whole blood. Additionally, whole blood and serum samples were taken to the laboratory for further DPP VetTB testing and for gamma interferon (IFN-γ) testing. Swabs were taken from the oropharynx and trachea and submitted for bacteriological culture as were swabs from wounds, if present. Field DPP VetTB test positive badgers were euthanised and underwent post-mortem examination and bTB confirmatory testing. The results demonstrated that the test performed as well in the field using whole blood as DPP Vet TB tests in the laboratory using sera or whole blood, and as well as other established tests for M. bovis. Visual assessment of the DPP VetTB test using serum under laboratory conditions showed a high degree of consistency between raters. Using a relative gold standard (parallel interpretation of IFN-γ assay and oropharyngeal/tracheal sample/culture), sensitivity estimates for the DPP VetTB test using sera and whole blood were 0.5 (95%CI 0.34-0.66) and 0.42 (95%CI 0.24-0.66), respectively. Specificity estimates were 0.95 (95%CI 0.93-0.97) for sera and 0.89 (95%CI 0.86-0.92) for whole blood. Parallel interpretation of Band 1 (MPB83) and Band 2 (CFP-10/ESAT-6) of the DPP VetTB test was not superior to interpretation of Band 1 only. The results give confidence in the reliability and reproducibility of the DPP VetTB test for badgers under field conditions and therefore it is considered appropriate for use in a badger bTB control campaign.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Courcier
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - A V Pascual-Linaza
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - M E Arnold
- Animal and Plant Health Agency Sutton Bonington, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough LE12 5RB, England, UK
| | - C M McCormick
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK; Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - D M Corbett
- Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - M J H O'Hagan
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - S F Collins
- TVR Field Implementation Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Glenree House, Springhill Road, Newry BT35 6EF, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - N A Trimble
- TVR Field Implementation Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Glenree House, Springhill Road, Newry BT35 6EF, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - C F McGeown
- TVR Field Implementation Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Glenree House, Springhill Road, Newry BT35 6EF, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - G E McHugh
- TVR Field Implementation Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Glenree House, Springhill Road, Newry BT35 6EF, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - K R McBride
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - J McNair
- Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - S Thompson
- Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - I A P Patterson
- Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - F D Menzies
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Belfast BT4 3SB, Northern Ireland, UK
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Simpson DA, Gibbs WE, Collins SF, Blanc W, Dussardier B, Monnom G, Peterka P, Baxter GW. Visible and near infra-red up-conversion in Tm3+/Yb3+ co-doped silica fibers under 980 nm excitation. Opt Express 2008; 16:13781-13799. [PMID: 18772989 DOI: 10.1364/oe.16.013781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The spectroscopic properties of Tm(3+)/Yb(3+) co-doped silica fibers under excitation at 980 nm are reported. Three distinct up-conversion fluorescence bands were observed in the visible to near infra-red regions. The blue and red fluorescence bands at 475 and 650 nm, respectively, were found to originate from the (1)G(4) level of Tm(3+). A three step up-conversion process was established as the populating mechanism for these fluorescence bands. The fluorescence band at 800 nm was found to originate from two possible transitions in Tm(3+); one being the transition from the (3)H(4) to (3)H(6) manifold which was found to dominate at low pump powers; the other being the transition from the (1)G(4) to (3)H(6) level which dominates at higher pump powers. The fluorescence lifetime of the (3)H(4) and (3)F(4) levels of Tm(3+) and (2)F(5/2) level of Yb(3+) were studied as a function of Yb(3+) concentration, with no significant energy back transfer from Tm(3+) to Yb(3+) observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Simpson
- Centre for Telecommunications and Micro-Electronics, Optical Technology Research Laboratory, Victoria University, Victoria 8001, Australia
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Trpkovski S, Kitcher DJ, Baxter GW, Collins SF. High-temperature-resistant chemical composition Bragg gratings in Er3+-doped optical fiber. Opt Lett 2005; 30:607-609. [PMID: 15791991 DOI: 10.1364/ol.30.000607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Chemical composition gratings (CCGs), unlike standard fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), do not suffer a significant decrease in reflectance or an irreversible wavelength shift when they are exposed to elevated temperatures. To date, the growth of CCGs has been related to the fluorine content of the fibers in which they are written. It is shown that FBGs with high thermal stability, resembling CCGs, can be fabricated in Er3+-doped optical fibers that do not contain any fluorine.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Trpkovski
- Optical Technology Research Laboratory, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia
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Wade SA, Collins SF, Grattan KT, Baxter GW. Strain-independent temperature measurement by use of a fluorescence intensity ratio technique in optical fiber. Appl Opt 2000; 39:3050-3052. [PMID: 18345231 DOI: 10.1364/ao.39.003050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The strain sensitivity of the fluorescence intensity ratio temperature-sensing technique has been measured to be (2 +/- 3) x 10(-4)%/muepsilon in Yb3+-doped fiber, implying a temperature-to-strain cross sensitivity of (2 +/- 3) x 10(-4) degrees C/muepsilon. The near-zero strain sensitivity means that this optical-fiber sensor technique is well suited for temperature measurement in strain-affected environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Wade
- Optical Technology Research Laboratory (F119), Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne City MC, Victoria 8001, Australia
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Maurice E, Wade SA, Collins SF, Monnom G, Baxter GW. Self-referenced point temperature sensor based on a fluorescence intensity ratio in Yb(3+)-doped silica fiber. Appl Opt 1997; 36:8264-8269. [PMID: 18264366 DOI: 10.1364/ao.36.008264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
An optical fiber temperature sensor, based on the fluorescence intensity ratio from the (2)F (5/2)(a) and (2)F(5/2)(b) Stark sublevels in ytterbium-doped silica fiber, has been investigated. Results of a sensor prototype demonstrate an accuracy near 1 degrees C in a 600 degrees C temperature range. Changes in the fluorescence intensity ratio because of variation in pump power, pump wavelength, and induced fiber bending loss are demonstrated to be small, supporting development of a practical sensor based on the technique described.
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