The Influence of Organic and Integrated Production on Nutritional,Sensory and Agricultural Aspects of Vegetable Raw Materials for Food Production

In a six-year crop rotation trial organically and integrated grown vegetables were produced according to current good agricultural practices, taking quality and quantity aspects into consideration. The raw materials assessed focussed on materials used for industrial food production. Nutritional, sensory and agricultural aspects were evaluated. Carrot, cabbage, onion, pea and potato are possible to grow organically for industrial purposes. Depending on crop, the yield was lower (65-90%) for organically grown compared to integrated grown. Cultivation of organic spinach and dill turned out to be difficult due to problems with weed and discoloration. The chemical analyses included pesticide residues, nitrate, glycoalkaloid, dry matter, vitamin C and 25 different minerals and trace elements. Overall, the organically grown crops had higher dry matter content than the integrated grown. However, when examining the data for the different crops contradictory results were noted. No significant differences due to growing system were noticed for vitamin C and the other nutrients except for 4 of the trace elements. The growing system did not influence the sensory properties.     

Influence of Boar Seminal Plasma on the Distribution of Spermatozoa in the Genital Tract of Gilts

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether boar seminal plasma affects the transport of spermatozoa in the genital tract of oestrous pigs or not, with special reference to the sperm transport into the oviducts. Altogether 17 gilts were used in three experiments.Experiment I. In nine gilts one uterine horn was injected surgically with 10¹⁰ spermatozoa suspended in seminal plasma and the other uterine horn with 10¹⁰ spermatozoa suspended in TESNaK-glucose buffer solution. The sperm deposition was performed under general anaesthesia. The gilts were slaughtered 1–2 or 4–6 h after insemination. The genital tract was removed and the numbers of spermatozoa determined in oviducts and in uterine horns.Experiment II. The insemination doses were prepared exactly as in Experiment I. Approx. 24 h before insemination Polyvinylchloride cannulas were inserted into the uterine lumen of the horns, drawn via the midventral incision at linea alba subcutaneously to cutaneous incisions ventral to the vulva opening. One cannula was placed in each uterine horn. At standing heat the insemination doses were slowly injected through the cannulas. The gilts were slaughtered 1 h after insemination and the numbers of spermatozoa within the genital tract were counted.Experiment III. In three gilts under general anaesthesia the uterine horns were ligated 10 cm from the uterotubal junction. The semen doses (containing 2 × 10⁹ spermatozoa), prepared as in Experiment I, were deposited into the uterine horns anterior to the ligatures through a cannula. The gilts were slaughtered 1 h after insemination, and the numbers of spermatozoa within the oviducts and ligated part of the uterine horns were counted.In all three experiments more spermatozoa were, on average, recovered in the oviducts connected to uterine horns inseminated with spermatozoa suspended in seminal plasma. In Experiments I andII this was the case for 10 of 14 gilts and in Experiment III for all the three gilts. It is therefore suggested that boar seminal plasma pro¬motes sperm transport into the oviduct of oestrous pigs. The back¬ground mechanism for this is discussed.     

Three-dimensional imaging of a sawn surface: a comparison of confocal microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and light microscopy combined with serial sectioning

The three-dimensional structure of a transverse sawn wood surface was investigated using several methods, to compare techniques, and to study the types of deformation in tracheids at the saw cut. A sample of spruce sapwood was cut with a fret saw across the grain. The transverse sawn surface was imaged by confocal microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and by light microscopy combined with serial sectioning and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. Both confocal microscopy and FESEM were restricted to visualising the cut surface of the wood. However, serial sectioning was able to reveal the internal structure below the cut surface providing more information on the types of cell deformation present. The wood structure was deformed to depths of more than 600 μm below the surface with twisting, crushing and tearing deformations. Near the outer surface, gaps were formed between groups of tracheids where the cell walls had been torn away to form saw dust. The deformation tended to form groups of tracheids that were twisted relative to each other. Latewood was less distorted, forming a dense solid surface compared to the highly fibrous earlywood.     

ImproWin? in the treatment of gastric ulceration of the squamous mucosa in trotting racehorses

Background

Gastric ulceration is highly prevalent in horses, and there is a large commercial market for feed-additives and non-licenced products that claim effect for prevention and treatment of gastric ulceration. ImproWin® has been used as a feed additive in horses with anecdotal evidence that it may have some positive effects on gastric ulceration.The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ImproWin® treatment on spontaneously occurring gastric ulcers of the squamous mucosa in Standardbred and Coldblooded trotting racehorses.The study was performed as a randomised, double-blinded, single centre study with stratified semi cross-over design with breed as stratification factors. The horses were clinically and endoscopically examined prior to start and after three weeks of treatment. The ulcerations were scored in accordance with Equine Gastric Ulcer Council (EGUC) recommendations on a 5 point scale and on a 10 cm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The patients were responder-classified after 3 weeks. Responders in need of ulcer treatment were randomly allocated to 2 or 4 weeks of additional treatment. Non-responders to placebo were crossed to ImproWin®.

Results

The 5-point EGUC score and VAS recorded score was significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.01) in both groups after 3 weeks of treatment. From 3 weeks to the end of treatment the score was further significantly reduced in the ImproWin® group (P ≤ 0.05).At the end of treatment, 78% in the ImproWin® group and 54.8% in the placebo group were classified as responders. The difference was significant (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

ImproWin® may aid the healing process of ulcers of the gastric squamous mucosa of trotters.     

Assessment of the combination of spinosad and milbemycin oxime in preventing the development of canine Angiostrongylus vasorum infections

Angiostrongylus vasorum is an increasingly reported parasite in Europe that develops in dogs after ingestion of infective third stage larvae (L3) that reside in gastropod molluscs which are needed to complete the parasite's life-cycle. Infection can produce a diversity of clinical signs, determined by involvement of the respiratory, neurological, and/or coagulation system, with a likely fatal outcome in the absence of treatment. Few drugs have been shown to reliably prevent infection, and data on treatment of infections is limited. A controlled, randomized, partially blinded laboratory study was therefore executed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination tablet of spinosad/milbemycin oxime in dogs inoculated with approximately 250 A. vasorum L3. Sixteen healthy nematode free adult dogs were randomly allocated to two study groups of 8 dogs each. Thirty days post inoculation (dpi) all dogs in the fed state were treated: dogs in group B were treated with spinosad and milbemycin oxime at the dose rates of 45–60 mg/kg and 0.75–1.0 mg/kg bodyweight, respectively, approximately the lower half portion of the expected full unit dose range; dogs in group A were treated with placebo tablets. All dogs were euthanized and necropsied 56–58 dpi. The heart and lungs were examined to determine the presence of A. vasorum. All placebo group dogs were infected at necropsy with counts ranging from 22 to 98 adult worms and a geometric mean worm count of 55.2. In contrast, the geometric mean worm count in the spinosad/milbemycin oxime group was 0.7 with worm numbers ranging from 0 to 8. The results of this study demonstrate that a single treatment with the tablet combination of spinosad and milbemycin oxime administered 30 dpi provided 98.8% preventive efficacy against development of adult A. vasorum infections. Monthly treatments with spinosad and milbemycin oxime have the potential to prevent the establishment of infections with A. vasorum in dogs.     

PREVALENCE OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC SUBCHONDRAL BONE LESIONS IN THE SCAPULOHUMERAL JOINT OF 32 IMMATURE DOGS WITH THORACIC LIMB LAMENESS

Osteochondrosis is a common developmental abnormality affecting the subchondral bone of immature, large breed dogs. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe CT lesions detected in scapulohumeral joints of 32 immature dogs undergoing CT for thoracic limb lameness. Eight dogs (14 scapulohumeral joints) had arthroscopy following imaging. Thirteen dogs (19 scapulohumeral joints) were found to have CT lesions, including 10 dogs (16 scapulohumeral joints) with subchondral bone lesions and 3 dogs with enthesopathy of the supraspinatus tendon. In one dog, subchondral bone lesions appeared as large oval defects within the mid‐aspect of the glenoid cavities, bilaterally. These lesions resembled osseous cyst‐like lesions commonly identified in the horse. This is the first report of such a presentation of a subchondral bone lesion in the glenoid cavity of a dog. In all dogs, small, focal, round or linear lucent defects were visible within the cortical bone at the junction of the greater tubercle and intertubercular groove. These structures were thought to represent vascular channels. Findings from this study support the use of CT as an adjunct modality for the identification and characterization of scapulohumeral subchondral bone lesions in immature dogs with thoracic limb lameness.     

Mineralization of hydroxylated isoproturon metabolites produced by fungi

When exposed to the herbicide isoproturon, some soil fungi in pure culture metabolize the substance to hydroxylated metabolites. Hydroxylated metabolites of isoproturon have also been detected in soil studies. In an agricultural soil not previously exposed to isoproturon we found that the hydroxylated isoproturon metabolite N-(4-(2-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl)-N′,N′-dimethylurea mineralized faster than both isoproturon and its N-demethylated metabolite N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N′-methylurea (MDIPU), thus indicating that mineralization of isoproturon is stimulated by fungal hydroxylation in this soil. In soils previously treated with isoproturon, in contrast, isoproturon and both its hydroxylated and demethylated metabolites mineralized at almost the same rate with up to 52% of the ¹⁴C-ring-carbon being degraded to ¹⁴CO₂ within 63 days. Thus hydroxylated metabolites of isoproturon do not seem to be more persistent than isoproturon, and hence may degrade before they can leach from topsoil and contaminate the aquatic environment. While an isoproturon-mineralizing bacterium Sphingomonas sp. SRS2 and a MDIPU-mineralizing mixed bacterial culture were able to deplete the medium of hydroxylated metabolites, little or no mineralization took place. This indicates that other bacteria must be present in the soil that are able to benefit from isoproturon being made available to mineralization by fungal hydroxylation.     

Breast-feeding at 12 months of age and dietary habits among breast-fed and non-breast-fed infants

OBJECTIVE: To analyse factors associated with breast-feeding and use of sweetened drinks at 12 months, and to compare dietary habits among breast-fed and non-breast-fed infants. DESIGN: Data were collected by a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire filled in by the parents. SETTING: National dietary survey in Norway. SUBJECTS: In total, 1932 12-month-old infants were included. RESULTS: At 12 months, 36% of the infants were breast-fed. The odds of breast-feeding at this age were more than doubled both for mothers > or =35 years compared with mothers <25 years and for mothers in the highest educational group compared with mothers in the lowest. A negative association was found for maternal smoking, and the odds of breast-feeding were 40% lower for mothers who smoked than for non-smokers. Some dietary differences were observed between breast-fed and non-breast-fed infants apart from intake of milk. In particular, breast-fed infants had a significantly lower daily intake of sweetened drinks than non-breast-fed infants and a 16% lower mean daily intake of added sugars (P<0.001). Furthermore, breast-fed infants had 30% higher odds of not receiving sweetened drinks daily, compared with non-breast-fed infants. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal age, education and smoking status were important factors for breast-feeding at 12 months. Breast-fed infants had lower intakes of sweetened drinks and added sugars than non-breast-fed infants. From a public health perspective, continued promotion of breast-feeding is needed to reduce inequalities in breast-feeding. Moreover, prevention of high intakes of sweetened drinks and added sugars should start in infancy.     

Leaching of Metals from Oxidising Sulphide Mine Tailings with and without Sewage Sludge Application

A 20-month column experiment investigated leaching of Al, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb during sulphide oxidation in mine tailings with and without sewage sludge (SS) amendment. Leachate pH decreased gradually in all columns during the experiment, irrespective of treatment, due to sulphide oxidation. As the degree of sulphide oxidation, and thus the pH trajectory, differed between replicates (n?=?3), running data for each column used are reported separately and the relationships between sulphide oxidation, metal leaching and treatment in each column compared. Mean pH in the columns correlated negatively with total amounts of leached SO₄ ^2-. In the beginning of the experiment the leachate concentrations of Al, Cu, Zn, Ni and Pb were higher in SS-treated columns due to high initial concentrations of dissolved organic carbon. As leaching proceeded, however, the amounts of Al, Cu, Mn and Ni leached from the columns were closely related to the degree of sulphide oxidation in each column, i.e. to its mean pH. There were no statistically significant differences between treatments regarding the total amounts of metals leached and thus addition of sewage sludge to the tailings appeared to play a minor role for metal leaching patterns. Peak concentrations of Al and Cu in the leachate from untreated tailings and of Zn in the leachate from both untreated and SS-treated tailings at pH 4 exceeded national background values for groundwater.