Data envelopment analysis for production efficiency improvement: An empirical application on brine shrimp Artemia franciscana culture in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam

Artemia culture in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, is becoming more and more important to satisfy the global demands of cyst production. Nevertheless, Artemia cyst productivity in the Mekong Delta has been fluctuating largely due to not only technical inefficiencies and external factors but also farms’ characteristics. This study employed a data envelopment analysis to evaluate the production efficiencies in correlation with biological and cost inputs of Artemia culture in Vinh Chau and Bac Lieu located in the Mekong Delta. The key factors affecting technical efficiency (TE) were determined using ordinary least squares regression model. The empirical results indicated that production efficiencies of farms in Vinh Chau and Bac Lieu were similar with metatechnology ratios of 0.97 and 0.96 respectively. About 62.8% of surveyed farms were operating in technically inefficient circumstances. Farmers’ experience, educational level and culture technique training participation had positive effects on TE, while climate effects and water problems have been proved to have negative effects on TE. To improve production efficiency, inefficient farms are suggested to have moderately increasing combinations of organic fertilizer, chemical and feed. The use of probiotics should be reduced as it increases production cost and affects TE. Notably, a collaboration of scientists and feed processing companies is recommended to produce a specific formulated feed for Artemia in commercial scales. This study also proposes adaptive policies for local governments and cooperatives to assist coastal famers in the Mekong Delta overcome technical inefficiencies, improve cyst productivity and obtain economic sustainability in Artemia culture.     

EFFECT OF REDUCED SALINITY INPUT ON RIVER STRATIFICATION AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN

Changes in the occurrence, character, and longitudinal extent of salinity (S) stratification, and related impacts on dissolved oxygen (DO), in the Seneca and Oswego Rivers, NY, in response to the abatement of ionic pollution of inflowing Onondaga Lake, is documented. The analysis is based on vertical profiles of specific conductance and DO collected over a 20 km reach of the river system for several years before and after the closure of the source of the ionic pollution, a soda ash manufacturing facility. TheS difference between the lake and the Seneca River decreased from about 2.6 to 0.7 parts per thousand (%.) following the closure; more than 50% of the continuing difference is associated with lingering ionic waste loading from soda ash production. The occurrence and longitudinal range of theS stratification phenomenon was, and continues to be, highly dependent on river flow. It is most strongly manifested when river flow is low. The occurrence, magnitude, and longtitudinal extent ofS stratification have decreased, and vertical exchange between the stratified layers has increased, since the closure, thereby ameliorating the coupled negative impact on the river's oxygen resources. However, under low flow conditions (e.g., probability of occurrence equal to 15%)S stratification continues to extent > 2 km upstream and > 8 km downstream of the point of entry of Onondaga Lake into the Seneca River. Severe DO depletion in the lowel river layer, representing violations of New York water quality standards, continues to occur where S stratification prevails. Elimination of the continuing ionic waste inputs from soda ash production would further limit the stratification phenomenon and improve the river's DO problem.     

Evaluation of immobilizing agents as soil quality conditioners in addition to their metal(loid) immobilizing effect

In trace metal (TM)-contaminated agricultural soils,management of TM availability is important for safe crop production.In addition,maintenance or improvement of soil quality is vital for sustainable crop cultivation.Decreased TM phytoavailability and increased soil quality can be achieved by the application of various immobilizing agents to soil,which can supply both macronutrients and organic matter.This study investigated the long-term influences of four common immobilizing agents on soil biogeochemical properties and the phytoavailability of TMs in mixed metal-contaminated soil from a cultivated upland near an abandoned mining site.Lime (L),gypsum (G),fly ash (F),and animal manure-based compost (C) were applied to pots containing contaminated soil,either individually or in combination.After incubation for three years under sequential cultivation of two crops and fallow,soil biogeochemical properties were determined,and Brassica rapa plant bioassay was performed.The phytoavailability of all TMs (both cationic metals and anionic metalloids) remained significantly lower in soils treated with immobilizing agents even after three years,when compared with the no-agent control (CK) soil.In addition,the soil quality was significantly improved by treatment with immobilizing agents.For instance,the C and L+C treatments were the most effective in improving soil physical (bulk density,porosity,and water-resistant aggregate stability),chemical (pH,organic matter,total nitrogen,cation exchange capacity,and plant-available phosphorus,magnesium,and potassium),and biological (microbial biomass carbon and dehydrogenase activity) properties.The improvement of soil properties and lowering of TM bioavailability were also consistent with the most significant increase in B.rapa biomass production observed in the C treatment,followed by the L+C,G+F,L,G,F,and L+G treatments,as compared with that in CK.These results indicate that the function of the TM-immobilizing agent as a soil quality conditioner,in addition to its TM immobilizing effect,should be considered when selecting such agents for agricultural or ecological applications.     

Pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen in healthy horses and horses with acute synovitis

The pharmacokinetlc properties of a single intravenous dose of ketoprofen (2.2 mg/kg) in plasma and synovial fluid were compared in four healthy animals and four horses with experimentally induced acute synovitis. Synovitis was induced by the injection of a 1% solution of sterile carrageenan into the left intercarpal joint Ketoprofen was administered at the same time as carrageenan infection. The plasma disposition followed a biexponential equation or a two-compartment model in most horses. The plasma harmonic mean half-life in healthy horses (0.88 h) was longer than in horses with synovitis (0.5 5 h). Synovial fluid concentrations of ketoprofen in healthy horses approximated those in plasma by 3 h post-dose. In horses with synovitis, synovial fluid concentrations approximated plasma concentrations by 1 h. Synovial fluid concentrations of ketoprofen in horses with synovitis were 6.5 times higher than those in healthy horses at 1 h. The area under the synovial fluid concentration curve for horses with synovitis was greater than in healthy horses. These data suggest that the inflamed joint serves as a site of sequestration for ketoprofen. Furthermore, these results indicate that plasma pharmacokinetics may be altered by inflammation in a peripheral compartment such as the joint     

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies against avian reovirus S1133 protein sigmaA synthesized in Escherichia coli

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were prepared against avian reovirus S1133 protein sigmaA (esigmaA) synthesized in Escherichia coli. MAbs were characterized and used to develop a diagnostic test. Ten MAbs were selected for competitive binding assay following coupling with horseradish peroxidase. The results indicated that these MAbs delineated two epitopes I and II of esigmaA. An immuno-dot binding assay was used to detect the effect of denaturation on antibody recognition of the epitopes. All MAbs bound to esigmaA in its native form. After denaturation by boiling in SDS and 2-mercaptoethanol, the binding of MAbs recognizing epitope I was fully abolished. However, the reactivity of MAbs recognizing epitope II was not affected. MAbs 31 and 32, recognizing epitopes I and II, respectively, were selected for the cross-reactivity to heterologous reovirus strains. The results suggest that the two epitopes are highly conserved among these virus strains. A MAb capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure was developed using MAbs 32 and 31 to detect reovirus protein sigmaA in samples from tendon tissues of infected bird and chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell cultures. Avian reovirus sigmaA antigens in tendon specimens were detected from the inoculated birds as early as 2 days post-inoculation (PI), approximated a peak at 7 days PI, and maintained this until 16 days PI, then decreased gradually. A clear difference in absorbance values between the tendon samples of the avian reovirus- and mock-infected birds is obtained. Positive results were also obtained from avian reovirus-infected CEF and from the tendon tissues of naturally infected broilers. These results indicated that the MAb capture ELISA is a useful methods for the detection of avian reovirus from chickens suspected to have avian reovirus infections.     

Evaluation of a focused assessment with sonography for trauma protocol to detect free abdominal fluid in dogs involved in motor vehicle accidents

OBJECTIVE: To establish a focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) protocol in dogs, determine whether FAST can be performed by veterinary clinicians without extensive ultrasonographic experience, and assess the frequency of free fluid (as determined via FAST) in the abdominal cavity of dogs following motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 100 client-owned dogs evaluated within 24 hours of an MVA. PROCEDURE: Dogs were placed in lateral recumbency for the FAST examination. To detect fluid in the abdomen, 2 ultrasonographic views (transverse and longitudinal) were obtained at each of 4 sites (just caudal to the xiphoid process, on the midline over the urinary bladder, and at the left and right flank regions). RESULTS: In the 100 dogs evaluated via FAST, free abdominal fluid was detected in 45 dogs. In 40 of those 45 dogs, abdominocentesis was performed; hemoperitoneum and uroperitoneum were diagnosed in 38 and 2 dogs, respectively. Compared with dogs that had no free abdominal fluid detected via FAST, dogs that had free abdominal fluid detected via FAST had significantly higher heart rates and serum lactate concentrations and significantly lower PCVs and total solid concentrations. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicate that FAST is a simple and rapid technique that can be performed on dogs in an emergency setting to detect intra-abdominal free fluid and can be performed by veterinary clinicians with minimal previous ultrasonographic experience.