Notomelia in a piglet (Sus scrofa): Case report and review of the literature

This report describes a case of notomelia in a female piglet. The extra limb was attached at the interscapular region and was significantly undergrown. Its appendage was bifurcated with a unilateral keratinized tip. This is probably the first report of notomelia in a pig. The observations were compared with the bovine and ovine cases of notomelia reported so far.     

Formulation of Indices to Describe Intrinsic Nitrogen Transformation Rates for the Implementation of Best Management Practices in Agricultural Lands

Water, Air, &; Soil Pollution - Mining creates large amounts of processed waste in the form of mine tailings. Sulfide mine tailings are of particular concern due to the biotic and abiotic...     

A behavioural approach of dominance establishment in tank‐held sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) under different feeding conditions

Dominance is a strong behaviour exhibited by farmed species that very often impinges on fish growth and welfare. This study presents a behavioural approach of dominance, where colour pattern differentiation was tested as a signal of dominance presence in small sea bream population. The phenotype of dominance was first described in detail, referring to vertical dark stripes and splayed fins. Fish were kept in triplicate tanks for 21 days, during which they were exposed to three feeding conditions (well fed, limited fed and no‐fed) and continuous video recordings. Each tank was stocked with 15 individuals (~30.34 ± 1.70 g), and they were confined to the half volume of the tank via a removable net pen. Percentage of dominants per population was found up to 40%, while duration was calculated to 53.52 ± 7.44 s. Dominance behaviour was further quantified via colour pattern differentiation on sea bream body (CDA, contrast of dominance appearance). The results demonstrated that the body colour of sea bream is directly linked to species social hierarchies and such variations are visual signal of dominance rank inside the population. The fish feeding conditions had an influence on the dominance presence, but not on the dominance rank (as measured by the CDA) between fish groups. The described study provides state‐of‐the‐art knowledge on sea bream dominance. In relevance to aquaculture, dominance quantification would be a reliable tool to evaluate non‐equal food distribution in tank‐held populations, thus, avoid non‐regulate growth performance of fish before transfer to sea‐cage installations.     

First record of the citrus red mite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Panonychus citri</Emphasis> in Cyprus

A new phytophagous mite species, Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) (the citrus red mite), was found in Cyprus during spring 2008, infesting citrus plantations. Mites occurred in large numbers, mainly in the canopy of orange, lemon and mandarin trees. The adults and larvae preferred the upper surfaces of mature leaves of the above citrus species, although they occurred on both leaf surfaces. Orange, lemon and mandarin trees were greatly affected by this mite, as its high population densities under hot and dry conditions in the spring caused heavy leaf drop (firing) and twig dieback.     

Storage of olives (Olea europaea L.) under CO2 atmosphere: liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry characterization of indices related to changes in polyphenolic metabolism

Olives (Olea europaea cv. Chondrolia) were stored under a CO2 atmosphere immediately after harvesting for a period of 12 days. Samples obtained at 24-h intervals were analyzed by HPLC to identify components that may reflect changes in the biochemical behavior of the tissue. Four substances were shown to undergo significant fluctuations during storage, while their evolution was found to be different in olives stored under CO2 from those stored under regular atmospheric conditions (control). On the basis of data provided by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, these substances were tentatively identified as hydroxytyrosol glucoside, demethylated ligstroside aglycone, ibotalactone A methyl ester, and verbascoside. The data are discussed in relation to the effect of postharvest treatments of olives for purposes of manipulating their polyphenolic content and plausible development of novel debittering processes.     

Tail reconnection triggering substorm onset

Magnetospheric substorms explosively release solar wind energy previously stored in Earth's magnetotail, encompassing the entire magnetosphere and producing spectacular auroral displays. It has been unclear whether a substorm is triggered by a disruption of the electrical current flowing across the near-Earth magnetotail, at approximately 10 R(E) (R(E): Earth radius, or 6374 kilometers), or by the process of magnetic reconnection typically seen farther out in the magnetotail, at approximately 20 to 30 R(E). We report on simultaneous measurements in the magnetotail at multiple distances, at the time of substorm onset. Reconnection was observed at 20 R(E), at least 1.5 minutes before auroral intensification, at least 2 minutes before substorm expansion, and about 3 minutes before near-Earth current disruption. These results demonstrate that substorms are likely initiated by tail reconnection.     

Assessment of the Intrinsic Vulnerability of Agricultural Land to Water and Nitrogen Losses via Deterministic Approach and Regression Analysis

A set of indices was developed in order to classify the vulnerability of agricultural land to water and nitrogen losses (LOS), setting a basis for the integrated water resources management in agricultural systems. To calibrate the indices using multiple regression analysis, the simulation results of Groundwater Loading Effects of Agricultural Management Systems (GLEAMS) model for combinations of different soil properties, topography, and climatic conditions of a reference field crop were used as “observed values.” GLEAMS quantified (1) the annual losses of the percolated water beneath the root zone, (2) the annual losses of the surface runoff, (3) the annual losses of the nitrogen leaching beneath the root zone, and (4) the annual losses of nitrogen through the surface runoff, which were used to calibrate the following indices LOSW-P, LOSW-R, LOSN-PN, and LOSN-RN, respectively. All the simulations to gain the LOS indices were carried out for the same reference field crop, the same nitrogen fertilization, and the same irrigation practice, in order to obtain the intrinsic vulnerability of agricultural land to water and nitrogen losses. The LOS indices were also combined to derive nitrogen concentrations in the percolated and in the runoff water. Finally, the connection of LOS indices with the groundwater was performed using an additional equation, which determines the minimum transit time of the percolated water to reach the groundwater table.     

Changes in nutrient allocation between roots and shoots of young maize plants during sulfate deprivation

Hydroponically grown maize (Zea mays L.) plants were deprived of the external source of sulfate following an initial period of 13 d during which the sulfur (S) supply was sufficient. The amounts of dry mass (DM), water, sulfate, sulfur, nitrate, ammonium, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, boron, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese were monitored in the shoots and the roots for 10 d. The deprivation altered the nutritional balance between them, causing a 70% decrease of sulfate in shoots and roots after 2 d. At 10 d, 95% of sulfate had vanished in both shoots and roots. Total S remained rather constant in shoots or was slightly decreased in roots after 4 d. This coincided with a decrease of Fe in shoots after 4 d. The calculated decreases of S and Fe in –S shoots, up to 6 d were linearly correlated. Kinetic analysis of the changes revealed a sequence in their onset, and we distinguished early and late changes. Among the early changes, we highlight the following ones: (1) an increased amount of Cu in both shoots and roots at 2 d; Fe was 40% decreased in both shoots and roots at 2 d; (2) a decrease in transpiration rate by 35% after 2 d; (3) alterations in boron allocation; in –S shoots the % changes in S were linearly correlated with the corresponding % changes in B; (4) calcium content was not affected by the S deprivation in –S shoots, whilst it increased in –S root after d 2; (5) Mn and Mg decreased from the beginning and in a uniform fashion in both –S shoots and roots. Day 6 may be considered as the boundary between the early and late changes. The root fraction of DM increased progressively after 4 d. Changes in DM seemed to be similar to those of P. Changes of Zn also took place rather late. In –S shoots and for the time interval between 6 d and 10 d, linear correlations were found between the corresponding % changes of the pairs DM–S, DM–P, DM–N, DM–water, S–N, S–P, and N–P.