Mental health in the veterinary profession: an individual or organisational focus?

The veterinary profession is experiencing a shortage of veterinarians, with attrition recognised as a substantial contributor. Research has also indicated increased levels of mental ill health and alarming suicide rates in practitioners. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of eleven modifiable workplace factors on mental health outcomes, job appreciation and intention to leave the veterinary profession. The second aim was to ascertain whether workplace factors influence mental health outcomes after controlling for individual resilience. An online survey was completed by 73 practising Australian veterinarians. Unfavourable workplace factors correlated with adverse outcomes including depression, stress, reduced job appreciation and increased likelihood of leaving both the role and the profession. Workplace factors remained linked with the outcomes of job appreciation, depression and stress whilst controlling for practitioner resilience. Job appreciation was a significant predictor of intention to leave both the current role and the profession. Via multiple linear regression, two categories were identified as associated with improved psychological outcomes and job appreciation. These were workplace factors that represent breaks from workload and control or decision latitude in the workplace. Whilst resilience represents a key area for intervention, workplace factors potentially represent an easier-to-modify area for intervention.     

The role of shelter in Australia for protecting soils,plants and livestock

The purpose of this review is to examine the current knowledge of the role of trees in providing shelter for pastures, crops, and livestock, for controlling erosion of soils and improving productivity and sustainability of agricultural production in Australia — and the extent to which this knowledge has been applied.Land degradation — tree loss and associated soil salinity, water and wind erosion, soil acidification, soil structural decline and nutrient degradation — is evidence that our primary production systems are not sustainable. We have sought increased production without proper consideration of the ecological context of that system. About half of Victoria's crop and pasture lands are affected or at risk, and in Western Australia about 25% of the cleared agricultural land is wind-eroded and 60% is potentially susceptible, salinity affects 0.43 m ha and half of the divertible surface water is affected by salinity. Similar problems occur in other States. At least 43 m ha or 13% of our rangelands are seriously degraded by wind erosion caused by overgrazing, often coinciding with drought or a run of drier years.Minimum tillage and stubble management for erosion control in cropping has been a major extension and research activity in Australian agriculture. Severe weather, combined with imperfect adoption of appropriate grazing and crop management systems, shows the weakness of complete reliance on these methods of erosion control. An effective system must accommodate the impact of extreme events, which are the most damaging. However, the complementary use of windbreaks to reduce soil erosion is rare, and their establishment has not been promoted, despite the wide-spread adoption of this technology by other countries.In the cropping and higher rainfall grazing areas, the systematic planting of 10% of the land in a net of shelterbelts/timberbelts/clusters could achieve a 50% windspeed reduction; this would substantially improve livestock and pasture production in the short and long-term. Wind erosion could be dramatically reduced and crop production probably increased by the use of windbreaks. Wheat and oat yield at Rutherglen (Victoria), and lupin yield at Esperance (Western Australia), were increased in the sheltered zone by 22% and 47%, and 30%, respectively.In semi-arid and dry temperate areas, planting of 5% of the land to shelter could reduce windspeed by 30–50% and soil loss by up to 80%. This planting would also contribute substantially to achieving other objectives of sustainable agriculture. Agroforestry — particularly timberbelts applications — will be important in the long-term strategy for achieving revegetation. If some of the trees yield a marketable product then the adoption of the system will be more readily achieved.In the arid (pastoral) areas there is an urgent need to promote the ethic that preservation and improvement of the perennial grass and shrub vegetation is critical for the protection of the soil and maintenance of land capability. Control of animal grazing remains the sole means of preventing erosion in much of this zone. While satellite imagery allows us to assess the condition of leasehold lands, we have failed to achieve stocking policies that will halt the degradation of our rangelands.     

Foliar nematode,Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii,population dynamics in leaves and buds of beech leaf disease‐affected trees in Canada and the US

A foliar nematode, Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii, is associated with beech leaf disease (BLD) symptoms. Information about the types of tissues parasitized and how nematode populations fluctuate in these tissues over time is needed to improve surveys as well as understand the nematodes role in BLD. During this study, the nematode was detected throughout the known range of BLD by researchers at both Canadian and US institutions using a modified pan method to extract nematodes. Monthly collections of symptomatic and asymptomatic leaves during the growing season (May–October), and leaves and buds between growing seasons (November–March), revealed that nematodes were present in all tissue types. Progressively larger numbers of nematodes were detected in symptomatic leaves from Ohio and Ontario, with the greatest detections at the end of the growing season. Smaller numbers of nematodes were detected in asymptomatic leaves from BLD‐infected trees, typically at the end of the growing season. The nematode was detected overwintering in buds and detached leaves. The discovery of small numbers of nematodes in detached leaves at one location before BLD was detected indicates that nematodes may have been present before disease symptoms were expressed. Other nematodes, Plectus and Aphelenchoides spp., were infrequently detected in small numbers. Our findings support the involvement of the nematode in BLD and indicate that symptoms develop only when certain requirements, such as infection of buds, are met. We also found that the nematode can be reliably detected in buds and leaves using the modified pan extraction method.     

Genetic control of acquired high temperature tolerance in winter wheat

Summary The development of high temperature-tolerant wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germplasm is necessary to improve plant productivity under high-temperature stress environments. The quantification of high temperature tolerance and the characterization of its genetic control are necessary for germplasm enhancement efforts. This study was conducted to determine the genetic control of acquired high temperature tolerance in common bread wheat cultivars. Reduction of 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) by heat-stressed seedling leaves was used as a quantitative measure to characterize acquired high temperature tolerance. Eleven-day-old seedlings of 20 F₁ progeny produced through a complete 5×5 (Payne, Siouxland, Sturdy, TAM W-101, and TAM 108) diallel mating design were acclimated at 37° C for 24 hours, followed by a 2-hour incubation at 50° C. Under these test conditions, acquired high temperature tolerance ranged from a high of 75.7% for the genotype TAM W-101 × TAM 108, to a low of 37.3% for the genotype Payne × Siouxland. Partitioning of genotypic variance revealed that only the general combining ability component effect was statistically highly significant, accounting for 67% of the total genotypic variation. These results suggest that enhancing the level of high temperature tolerance in wheat germplasm is feasible utilizing existing levels of genetic variability and exploiting additive genetic effects associated with high temperature tolerance.Contribution of the Texas Tech College of Agric. Sci. Journal no T-4-386. This work was supported by USDA specific agreement No. 58-7MNI-6-114 from the Plant Stress and Water Conservation Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Lubbock, Texas, USA     

Effects on nutrients and on grain quality in spring wheat crops grown under elevated CO2 concentrations and stress conditions in the European, multiple-site experiment ‘ESPACE-wheat’

Nutrient element concentrations and grain quality were assessed in spring wheat grown under elevated CO₂ concentrations and contrasting levels of tropospheric ozone at different nitrogen supply rates at several European sites. Carbon dioxide enrichment proved to affect nutrient concentrations in a complex manner. In green leaves, all elements (with exception of phosphorus and iron) decreased. In contrast, effects on the element composition of grains were restricted to reductions in nitrogen, calcium, sulphur and iron. Ozone exposure resulted in no significant effects on nutrient element concentrations in different tissues in the overall analysis. The nitrogen demand of green tissues was reduced due to CO₂ enrichment as shown by reductions in the critical leaf nitrogen concentration and also enhanced nitrogen use efficiency. Reductions in the content of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and repression of the photorespiratory pathway and reduced nitrogen allocation to enzymes driving the photosynthetic carbon oxidation cycle were chiefly responsible for this effect. Thus, nitrogen acquisition by the crop did not match carbon acquisition under CO₂ enrichment. Since crop nitrogen uptake from the soil was already completed at anthesis, nitrogen allocated to the grain after anthesis originated from vegetative pools—causing grain nitrogen concentrations to decrease under CO₂ enrichment (on average by 15% when CO₂ concentrations increased from 360 to 680 μmol mol⁻¹). Correspondingly, grain quality was reduced by CO₂ enrichment. The Zeleny value, Hagberg value and dry/wet gluten content decreased significantly with increasing [CO₂]. Despite the beneficial impact of CO₂ enrichment on growth and yield of C₃ cereal crops, declines in flour quality due to reduced nitrogen content are likely in a future, [CO₂]-rich world.     

Ectomycorrhizal fungi identification in single and pooled root samples: terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) and morphotyping compared

We describe here the results of a study conducted to evaluate a terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) approach targeting rRNA genes for determination of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) communities colonizing the roots of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Root tips separated from soil cores were classified according to morphological characteristics and DNA was then extracted from each group of morphotyped tips. Labeled primers were used to generate terminal restriction fragments (TRF) for molecular fingerprinting of root colonizing fungi and to determine how well TRFLP could be used to discriminate between ectomycorrhizal types. Morphotypes generally correlated well with specific TRFs and sequence analysis confirmed that TRFs could be used to discriminate among fungal types. Sequence analysis indicated that important ECM fungi including Russulaceae, Thelephorales, and Tricholomataceae could be fingerprinted with TRFLP. In addition, a fixed proportion of the DNA extracted from each morphotype from the same core was used in a pooling experiment used to assess whether previously identified fungal species types could be distinguished from one another within reconstructed communities. Since some morphotypes share TRFs, dual analysis of ITS1 and ITS2 was necessary for accurate fingerprinting of fungal types. Approximately, 5.0±0.3 phylotypes were detected per core with TRFLP-corrected morphotyping as compared to 4.0±0.4 phylotypes using TRFLP on pooled community samples. TRFLP made on experimental sporocarp communities suggested that reduced ECM richness with TRFLP may be partly caused by differences in the amount of DNA available for PCR and primer bias. Nonetheless, TRFLP on pooled morphotypes accounted for more than 93% of colonized root tips. The method can be used to facilitate analysis of mycorrhizal communities using root tips collected from soil cores.     

Inheritance and physiological basis for 2,4-D resistance in prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola L.)

Experiments were conducted to determine the inheritance and physiological basis for resistance to the synthetic auxinic herbicide (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D) in a prickly lettuce biotype. Inheritance of 2,4-D resistance in prickly lettuce is governed by a single codominant gene. Absorption and translocation were conducted using (14)C-2,4-D applied to 2,4-D-resistant and -susceptible biotypes. At 96 h after treatment (HAT), the resistant biotype absorbed less applied 2,4-D and retained more 2,4-D in the treated portion of the leaf compared to the susceptible biotype. The resistant biotype translocated less applied 2,4-D to leaves above the treated leaf and crown at 96 HAT compared to the susceptible biotype. No difference in the rate of metabolism of 2,4-D was observed between the two biotypes. Resistance to 2,4-D appears to originate from a reduced growth deregulatory and overstimulation response compared to the susceptible biotype, resulting in lower translocation of 2,4-D in the resistant prickly lettuce biotype.     

Uterine adenomyosis in an orang-utan (Pongo abelii/pygmaeus)

A 48-year-old, multiparous, female hybrid orang-utan ( Pongo abelii/pygmaeus ) was investigated after a 3-year history of irregular and excessively heavy menstrual bleeding. Opportunistic pelvic examinations over a 2.5-year period were non-diagnostic. Medical therapy was not effective. A subtotal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-ovariectomy was performed. A pedunculated mass spanning 90% of the uterine lumen was seen grossly, and histopathology confirmed uterine adenomyosis. Adenomyosis is defined as the ectopic occurrence or diffuse implantation of endometrial tissue, including glands and stroma, into the myometrium. It is common in older, usually premenopausal, multiparous women and is frequently associated with other uterine pathology, including endometrial hyperplasia and leiomyomas. The most common clinical signs are dysmenorrhoea and heavy menstrual bleeding; however, up to 35% of women are asymptomatic. Diagnosis is difficult and requires myometrial sampling and an experienced pathologist. A hysterectomy in this case was diagnostic and curative. There have been few reports of uterine adenomyosis in non-human primates and none reported in an orang-utan. Uterine adenomyosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis in any multiparous, aged, non-human female primate with irregular and excessively heavy menstrual bleeding, and hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-ovariectomy is recommended as a diagnostic and therapeutic solution.     

Weak effect of edges on avian nesting success in fragmented and forested landscapes in Ontario,Canada

We studied the effects of anthropogenic edges on predation and parasitism of forest bird nests in an agriculturally fragmented landscape and a continuously forested landscape in Ontario, Canada. Nesting data were collected at 1937 nests across 10 species in the fragmented landscape from 2002–2008, and 464 nests across 4 species in the continuously forested landscape from 2006–2008. Brood parasitism only occurred in the fragmented landscape, and was positively related to the proportion of rural grassland and row crop habitats within 500-m of nests. Daily nest survival was negatively related to the density of roads within 500-m of nests in the fragmented landscape, but was not influenced by distance to anthropogenic edge in either landscape. Predation rates were higher in the fragmented landscape for Ovenbird and Rose-breasted Grosbeak nests, but did not differ between landscapes for Veery and American Redstart nests. Uniformly high predation in the fragmented landscape may be a result of (1) matrix predators that penetrate deep (>300 m) into the forest interior, or (2) the additive effect of forest-dependent and matrix-associated predators that results in high predation pressure in both edge and interior habitats. Further research focused on the identification of nest predators, their population dynamics, and habitat use is required to understand the underlying mechanisms leading to uniformly high nest predation in fragmented landscapes.