Virucidal effects of various agents—including protease—against koi herpesvirus and viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus

In a search for alternative, environmentally friendly and effective disinfecting agents, a commercially available protease—Neutrase^®—was tested in this work for inactivation of koi herpesvirus (KHV) and of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV). For comparison, the stability of these viral pathogens in similar configurations at various pH values and concentrations of peracetic acid or quicklime, typically used for disinfection, was tested. Therefore, virus suspensions were incubated with various concentrations of different agents for 24 hr and the titre of the remaining infectious particles was determined by virus titration. Furthermore, the treatment of both viruses, with the agents at concentrations that were previously appointed as effective, was also examined in the presence of solid material (quartz sand). All procedures investigated in this study, including the protease treatment, were able to reduce the titre of KHV and VHSV below the detection limit of the titration. Although further studies are necessary, this is the first report of the application of a protease for the inactivation of the selected fish pathogens, demonstrating the great potential of the latter for disinfection.     

Vigour/tolerance trade‐off in cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus) response to salinity stress is linked to leaf elemental composition

Developing more stress‐tolerant crops will require greater knowledge of the physiological basis of stress tolerance. Here, we explore how biomass declines in response to salinity relate to leaf traits across 20 genotypes of cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Plant growth, leaf physiological traits and leaf elemental composition were assessed after 21 days of salinity treatments (0, 50, 100, 150 or 200 mM NaCl) in a greenhouse study. There was a trade‐off in performance such that vigorous genotypes, those with higher biomass at 0 mM NaCl, had both a larger absolute decrease and proportional decrease in biomass due to increased salinity. More vigorous genotypes at control were less tolerant to salinity. Contrary to expectation, genotypes with a low increase in leaf Na and decrease in K:Na were not better at maintaining biomass with increasing salinity. Rather, genotypes with a greater reduction in leaf S and K content were better at maintaining biomass at increased salinity. While we found an overall trade‐off between sunflower vigour and salt tolerance, some genotypes were more tolerant than expected. Further analysis of the traits and mechanisms underlying this trade‐off may allow us to breed these into high‐vigour genotypes in order to increase their salt tolerance.     

Soil carbon increases with long-term cattle stocking in northern temperate grasslands

Grassland management aimed at enhancing carbon (C) in soil is an important tool in mitigation of rising atmospheric CO₂, yet little is known of how grassland soil C changes with livestock stocking rate (SR). We relate soil organic and inorganic C mass (t ha⁻¹ to 60 cm depth) with cattle stocking over periods of 7–27 year for 32 paddocks distributed across nine community pastures in the mixed-grass prairie of Saskatchewan, Canada. Initial analysis comparing Akaike information criterion models showed that cattle SR explained a greater proportion of variance in soil C, particularly soil organic C, than rainfall. Soil organic C mass increased with cattle SR (R² = .293; p = .001), even when the latter was normalized to account for differences in vegetation composition and growing conditions among pastures. Normalized SR varied from 0.49 to 2.30 times recommended levels, over which SOC increased from 24.7 to 57.4 t ha⁻¹. Increases in soil organic C under greater stocking coincided with increased abundance of introduced vegetation, particularly the rhizomatous grass Poa pratensis. Inorganic soil C accounted for 34.6% of total soil C, being particularly large below 30 cm soil depth, but did not vary with stocking rate. These findings indicate that both organic and inorganic C are important pools of C in northern temperate grassland soils, with soil organic C positively associated with long-term cattle SR. Further studies are recommended to understand more fully the mechanisms regulating grazing impacts on soil C mass in northern temperate grasslands.     

The use of a nerve stimulation test to confirm sacrococcygeal epidural needle placement in cats

ObjectiveTo determine if a nerve stimulation test (NST) could act as a monitoring technique to confirm sacrococcygeal epidural needle placement in cats.Study designProspective experimental trial in a clinical setting.AnimalsTwenty-four adult cats, scheduled for a therapeutic procedure where epidural anesthesia was indicated.MethodsUnder general anesthesia, an insulated needle was inserted through the S₃-Cd₁ intervertebral space guided by the application of a fixed electrical current (0.7 mA) until a motor response was obtained. The NST was considered positive when the epidural nerve stimulation produced a motor response of the muscles of the tail, whereas it was considered negative when no motor response was evoked. In the NST positive cases, 0.3 mL kg⁻¹ of 0.5% bupivacaine was administrated before needle withdrawal. Ten minutes after injection, epidural blockade was confirmed by the loss of perineal (anal), and pelvic limbs reflexes (patellar and withdrawal).ResultsThe use of a fixed electrical stimulation current of 0.7 mA resulted in correct prediction of sacrococcygeal epidural injection, corroborated by post bupivacaine loss of perineal and pelvic limb reflexes, in 95.8% of the cases.Conclusion and clinical relevanceThis study demonstrates the feasibility of using, in a clinical setting, an electrical stimulation test as an objective and in real-time method to confirm sacrococcygeal epidural needle placement in cats.     

饲粮不同水平蚕沙对绵羊生长性能、屠宰性能、器官发育和血清生化指标的影响

本试验旨在研究饲粮中添加不同水平蚕沙对绵羊生长性能、屠宰性能、器官发育和血清生化指标的影响。试验选用32只90日龄绵羊,随机分成4组,每组8只。各组饲粮中蚕沙水平分别为0(对照)、20%(T20)、30%(T30)、40%(T40)。预试期15 d,正试期60 d。试验结束后每组随机选取3只羊屠宰。结果表明:1)T20和T30组的平均日增重(ADG)高于对照组(P0.05),显著高于T40组(P0.05),日均采食量(ADFI)显著低于对照组(P0.05),料重比(F/G)低于对照组(P0.05),ADFI和F/G显著低于T40组(P0.05)。2)T20和T30组屠宰率与对照组无显著差异(P0.05),而显著大于T40组(P0.05);对照组与T20、T30组胴体重差异不显著(P0.05);T20、T30、T40组的眼肌面积和胴体脂肪含量值均显著大于对照组(P0.05)。3)T20组的心脏重量显著大于对照组(P0.05),T30和T40组的脾脏重量显著大于对照组(P0.05)。4)对照组血清球蛋白(GLO)含量显著小于T40组(P0.05)。试验组血清碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性显著低于对照组(P0.05)。综合以上,饲粮中添加蚕沙能够增大绵羊ADG,提高屠宰率,降低料重比,蚕沙在饲粮中的适宜比例为20%~30%,最佳比例为20%。     

蚕沙和稻秸不同比例组合对瘤胃微生物体外发酵的组合效应

本文采用瘤胃微生物体外发酵法研究了不同比例蚕沙(SE)和稻秸(RS)的组合效应。试验将SE:RS设计为100∶0(SE100组)、80∶20(SE80组)、60∶40(SE60组)、40∶60(SE40组)、20∶80(SE20组)、0∶100(SE0组)的比例,分别进行体外发酵批次培养24 h和体外发酵产气培养72 h,测定产气参数和发酵特性指标。结果表明:1)SE100组理论最大产气量显著高于其他各组(P<0.05),SE80组的24和72 h累积产气量显著高于其他组(P<0.05)。2)24 h时培养液总挥发性脂肪酸浓度为SE80组>SE100组>SE60组>SE40组>SE0组>SE20组,乙酸/丙酸为SE80组SE100组>SE60组>SE80组>SE40组>SE0组。4)随着蚕沙比例的升高,底物体外有机物消化率越高。5)SE80组多项指标组合效应指数为0.76,SE80组>SE40组>SE60组>SE20组。蚕沙和稻秸组合改善了体外瘤胃微生物发酵特性和产气参数,且蚕沙和稻秸的最佳比例为80∶20。