Accelerated extractions of North Atlantic cod and herring, 1520–1790

We propose the concept of Accelerated Marine Extraction to signify two periods when rapidly increasing cod (Gadus morhua, Gadidae) and herring (Clupea harengus, Clupeidae) fisheries, c.1540–1600 and c. 1730–1790, exceeded human demographic growth. Total landings vastly exceeded previous assessments and more than doubled between 1520 and 1620 from about 220,000 metric tonnes (t) to 460,000 t. Supplies of cod and herring to the European market peaked in 1788 at more than 1 million t before the unrest connected with the French Revolution brought many fisheries to a temporary halt. Accelerated Marine Extractions increased European food security at times of human demographic growth by almost doubling the supplies of fish protein per capita. While herring was the most important species by 1520, cod dominated through the period 1540–1790, and the trajectories of cod and herring extractions differed significantly. Cod landings increased almost ten-fold between 1520 and 1790, driven by strong and sustained landings in the Northwest Atlantic. Herring landings remained stable through the 16th century but declined severely through the next 150 years. However, from 1750, herring landings quadrupled, largely because of Swedish west coast fisheries. The results fundamentally shift our understanding of the scale of Atlantic fisheries in the past and underline the role of marine resources for European societies.     

Russet Nugget: A fresh market and processing potato cultivar with resistance to common scab

Russet Nugget is an oblong, smooth, high yielding potato with fresh market and processing qualities. It emerges quickly, produces an erect, large, vigorous vine with a profusion of white flowers, and is late maturing. Russet Nugget is very resistant to common scab, and moderately resistant to leafroll net necrosis,Vertcillium wilt, and early blight (tuber and foliage). In the San Luis Valley of Colorado, yield of Russet Nugget is comparable to Russet Burbank, with a significantly greater percentage of U.S. No. 1 tubers. In Texas, total yield is comparable to Norgold 40, with a slightly lower percentage of U.S. No. 1 tubers. Tubers of Russet Nugget have high specific gravity and vitamin C content.     

Goldrush: A new high quality russet-skinned potato cultivar

On March 1, 1992, the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station announced the release of a new russet potato cultivar named Goldrush. Goldrush is an oblong, smooth, russet-skinned potato cultivar that has very white flesh, good culinary quality, resistance to hollow heart and is adapted for both the fresh and processing market.     

高寒地区农牧交错带土壤侵蚀研究

利用土壤中铯的放射强度之变化,对甘肃省高寒地区农牧交错带不同退化草原和不同开垦年限的耕种土壤的侵蚀程度进行了研究。土壤样品取自海拔2600－3000m的7个县镇18个地点,土壤为黑钙土。研究发现,中度退是原（MDP）和重度退化草原（HDP）中的^137Cs放射强度分别比轻度退化草原（LDP）下降12％和46％。草原土壤开垦后,^137Cs放射强度明显下降,开垦8年、16年、41年后,^137Cs的放射强度分别只有LDP的41％,35％和33％。研究还发现,如果底土砂粒含量高于表层,用耕层砂粒含量的变化而估算土壤侵蚀程度成为可能。草原开垦后,随土壤侵蚀的增加,土壤有机质明显下降,开垦8年、16年、41年后土壤有机碳分别下降25%,39%,55%,土壤侵蚀和有机质矿化是有机碳下降的主要原因。     

High-fibre sunflower cake affects small intestinal digestion and health in broiler chickens

1. An experiment was conducted to evaluate high-fibre sunflower cake (HF-SFC); a feed ingredient distinguished by large amounts of crude fibre and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides (i-NSP). 2. Broiler chickens (n = 160) were fed on pelleted maize-based diets free from coccidiostats and antibiotic growth promoters between 15 and 31 d of age. Diets included 0, 10, 20 or 30% HF-SFC. Performance and small intestinal health were assessed. 3. In general, HF-SFC inclusion mediated significant linear increases in ileal digestibility of fat and protein and significant linear decreases in ileal digestibility of dry matter, ash and energy. 4. Weight gain increased linearly with HF-SFC inclusion. Feed conversion was negatively affected by 30% HF-SFC but not by 20% HF-SFC. 5. In the jejunal lumen, inclusion of HF-SFC was associated with significant decreases in colony counts of Clostridium spp. 6. HF-SFC inclusion resulted in significant linear reductions of villus height, thickness of muscularis mucosa, and the circular and longitudinal layers of muscularis in the jejunum. Crypt depth and submucosal thickness were not affected. 7. The data indicate that broiler chickens may thrive on feeds with insoluble fibre contents far exceeding those used in practice, and that HF-SFC exerts some positive effects on digestion and small intestinal health.     

The occurrence of dermatosparaxis in a commercial Drakensberger cattle herd in South Africa

Dermatosparaxis is a heritable collagen dysplasia causing skin extensibility and fragility. In Belgian Blue cattle this mutation has been described as a 3 base pair (bp) change followed by a 17bp deletion in the gene coding for procollagen 1 N-Proteinase (pNPI). An outbreak in a commercial Drakensberger herd in South Africa followed the introduction in late 2000 of a 3-year-old bull that developed skin lesions in 2001 and was culled in 2002. Some of his offspring were similarly affected, 1 of which was kept as a breeding bull after his sire's death. Two affected calves were referred to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital in October 2005. Detailed examination revealed only skin abnormalities limited to the lateral extremities of the thorax, abdomen and pelvis, viz. either acute lacerations of varying sizes, slow healing defects or thin scars in chronic cases. During a subsequent farm visit, 13 animals with similar wounds were seen in the herd of 146 animals. Electron microscopic examination of skin biopsies revealed haphazard arrangement and loose packing of dermal collagen fibrils within collagen fibres. The fibrils showed size variation and slightly irregular outlines on cross-section, consistent with mild dermatosparaxis. DNA samples of affected calves were analysed using primers designed to amplify the region of the pNPI gene that contained the mutation described in Belgian Blue cattle, but this mutation could not be demonstrated in any of the animals tested. It is concluded that a form of dermatosparaxis with a different gene mutation from that described in Belgian Blue cattle exists in Drakensberger cattle in South Africa. This possibly also explains the milder and more delayed clinical signs and the milder dermal collagen ultrastructural abnormalities.     

Successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of short-term mechanical ventilation following inadvertent ketamine overdose in a cat

Objective: To describe the clinical manifestations and successful outcome following an inadvertent overdose of ketamine to a cat. Case summary: A 4‐year‐old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for a urethral obstruction. Because of an inadvertent miscalculation of ketamine, 20 times the intended dose was administered intravenously, which resulted in cardiopulmonary arrest. Cardiopulmonary‐cerebral resuscitation was successful, and short‐term mechanical ventilation, fluids and intensive monitoring were utilized to achieve full recovery and subsequent discharge of the animal. New or unique information provided: Ketamine is a common anesthetic agent used in cats that is considered to have a wide therapeutic index and minimal cardiopulmonary depressant effects at recommended doses. Successful management of inadvertent ketamine overdose has been reported in children, but not in cats. Prompt CPCR and short‐term mechanical ventilation may be necessary to treat a significant ketamine overdose. In cats, yohimbine may act as a partial antagonist of ketamine.     

Herbicide resistant transgenic flax field test: Agronomic performance in normal and sulfonylurea-containing soils

Summary Two linseed flax (Linum usitatissimum) lines transformed with a mutant Arabidopsis ALS gene conferring resistance to sulfonylurea herbicides were tested in a replicated, randomized field test against its nontransformed commercial cultivar parent (cv. NorLin) in normal soil and in soil containing the commonly used sulfonylurea herbicides chlorsulfuron (Glean^®) or metsulfuron methyl (Ally^®). There were no significant differences between the transgenic lines and the parent for any agronomic trait measured in untreated soil, indicating that there is no detrimental effect of T-DNA or foreign gene expression. Similarly, there were no significant differences for performance of the transgenic lines between the untreated and the herbicide treated soils, indicating that the transferred gene does confer a field level of tolerance to the flax. The control NorLin was devastated by the presence of the herbicides in the soil.Abbreviation ALS acetolactate synthase     

Composting of Wood Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

The addition of various nitrogen sources, such as liquid hog manure and mineral medium, to pine wood accelerated the composting process in Dewar vessels, which was obvious from the increased decomposition temperature and the more intensive oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. During composting in Dewar vessels of artificially PAH-contaminated pine wood soaked with liquid manure, the PAH degradation was influenced by the inoculum used. The fastest PAH degradation was achieved by compost addition, but the most intensive carbon dioxide evolution was measured with hydrocarbon-polluted soil as an additive. After 61 days, the PAH content of the wood was reduced from each 1000 mg/kg to 26 mg/kg of phenanthrene and 83 mg/kg of pyrene. The relation between the microbial wood decay and PAH degradation shows that the detoxification at least of artificially PAH-polluted wood demands only a partial wood decay.

A pilot scale percolator was applied to composting of artificially contaminated pine wood and really polluted waste wood. After 27 days of remediation, the portion of residual PAHs was higher in the case of the really polluted material. The slower degradation in the real waste wood may be explained by the lower bioavailability of pollutants in comparison with the artificially contaminated wood. In really polluted wood, the degradation rate of PAHs depended on their degree of condensation (the higher the number of aromatic rings the smaller the degradation rate was).