Familial associations with paratuberculosis ELISA results in Texas Longhorn cattle

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate familial associations with paratuberculosis ELISA status in beef cattle. Texas Longhorn cattle (n=715) greater than 2years of age were sampled for paratuberculosis testing using ELISA and fecal culture. Diagnostic test results were indicative of substantial numbers of false-positive serological reactions consistent with environmental exposure to non-MAP Mycobacterium spp. Associations between ancestors and paratuberculosis ELISA status of offspring were assessed using conditional logistic regression. The association between ELISA status of the dam and her offspring was assessed using linear mixed-effect models. Significant associations were identified between some ancestors and offspring ELISA status. The odds of being classified as "suspect" or greater based on ELISA results were 4.6 times greater for offspring of dams with similarly increased S:P ratios. A significant positive linear association was also observed between dam and offspring log-transformed S:P ratios. Results indicate that there is familial aggregation of paratuberculosis ELISA results in beef cattle and suggest that genetic selection based on paratuberculosis ELISA status may decrease seroprevalence. However, genetic selection may have minimal effect on paratuberculosis control in herds with exposure to non-MAP Mycobacterium spp.     

Radiation-use efficiency and gas exchange responses to water and nutrient availability in irrigated and fertilized stands of sweetgum and sycamore

We investigated how water and nutrient availability affect radiation-use efficiency (epsilon) and assessed leaf gas exchange as a possible mechanism for shifts in epsilon. We measured aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and annual photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) capture to calculate epsilon as well as leaf-level physiological variables (light-saturated net photosynthesis, Asat; stomatal conductance, gs; leaf internal CO2 concentration, Ci; foliar nitrogen concentration, foliar [N]; and midday leaf water potential, Psileaf) during the second (2001) and third (2002) growing seasons in sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) and sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) stands receiving a factorial combination of irrigation and fertilization at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina. Irrigation and fertilization increased PAR capture (maximum increase 60%) in 2001 and 2002 for both species and annual PAR capture was well correlated with ANPP (mean r2 = 0.77). A decreasing trend in epsilon was observed in non-irrigated stands for sweetgum in 2001 and for sycamore in both years, although this was only significant for sycamore in 2002. Irrigated stands maintained higher gas exchange rates than non-irrigated stands for sweetgum in 2001 and for sycamore in both years, although foliar [N] and Psileaf were generally unaffected. Because Ci decreased in proportion to gs in non-irrigated stands, it appeared that greater stomatal limitation of photosynthesis was associated with decreased Asat. On several measurement dates for sweetgum in 2001 and for sycamore in both years, epsilon was positively correlated with gas exchange variables (Asat, gs, Ci) (r ranged from 0.600 to 0.857). These results indicate that PAR capture is well correlated with ANPP and that gas exchange rates modified by irrigation can influence the conversion of captured light energy to biomass.     

Long-Term Effects of Aeration and Fire on Invasion of Exotic Grasses in Mixed-Brush Plant Communities

Invasion of exotic grasses into grasslands dominated by native plants changes fire cycles and reduces biodiversity. Brush management practices that create soil disturbance, such as aeration, may potentially result in invasion of exotic grasses and replacement of native vegetation. We tested the hypothesis that a long-term effect of aeration and prescribed burning is an increase in exotic grasses. The study was conducted at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area in the western south Texas plains where four treatments were evaluated: aeration, warm-season burn, aeration followed by a warm-season burn, and no treatment (control). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replicates. We estimated percentage canopy cover of exotic grasses, native grasses, forbs, litter, bare ground, and woody and succulent plants in 2007. There was a multivariate main effect among treatments for the dependent variables absolute canopy cover of exotic grasses, native grasses, forbs, litter, and bare ground (Wilks's Lambda F_15,179.84 = 2.78, P = 0.001). Variables that contributed to the significant overall effect included litter (F_3,69 = 4.32, P = 0.008) and native grasses (F_3,69 = 6.11, P = 0.001). The multivariate main effect of treatment was significant (Wilks's Lambda F_9,180.25 = 2.04, P = 0.038) for the relative canopy cover of herbaceous species. Relative cover of exotic grasses was 31% higher (P = 0.024) in control than in the prescribed burn treatment. Native grasses relative cover was 30% higher (P = 0.003) in prescribed burn than in the control treatment. We did not detect differences among treatments in the percentage of total woody and succulent plants canopy cover (P = 0.083). Under the environmental conditions at the time of the study, aeration and/or prescribed burning do not increase exotic grasses.     

Ecosystem controls of juvenile pink salmon (Onchorynchus gorbuscha) and Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) populations in Prince William Sound,Alaska

Five years of field, laboratory, and numerical modelling studies demonstrated ecosystem‐level mechanisms influencing the mortality of juvenile pink salmon and Pacific herring. Both species are prey for other fishes, seabirds, and marine mammals in Prince William Sound. We identified critical time‐space linkages between the juvenile stages of pink salmon and herring rearing in shallow‐water nursery areas and seasonally varying ocean state, the availability of appropriate zooplankton forage, and the kinds and numbers of predators. These relationships defined unique habitat dependencies for juveniles whose survivals were strongly linked to growth rates, energy reserves, and seasonal trophic sheltering from predators. We found that juvenile herring were subject to substantial starvation losses during a winter period of plankton diminishment, and that predation on juvenile pink salmon was closely linked to the availability of alternative prey for fish and bird predators. Our collaborative study further revealed that juvenile pink salmon and age‐0 herring exploit very different portions of the annual production cycle. Juvenile pink salmon targeted the cool‐water, early spring plankton bloom dominated by diatoms and large calanoid copepods, whereas young‐of‐the‐year juvenile herring were dependent on warmer conditions occurring later in the postbloom summer and fall when zooplankton was composed of smaller calanoids and a diversity of other taxa. The synopsis of our studies presented in this volume speaks to contemporary issues facing investigators of fish ecosystems, including juvenile fishes, and offers new insight into problems of bottom‐up and top‐down control. In aggregate, our results point to the importance of seeking mechanistic rather than correlative understandings of complex natural systems.     

Evolution and immunology. The economics of immunity

Our vigilant immune systems are ready to mount an attack as soon as an invading pathogen is spotted. But what is the cost of keeping this sophisticated defense system on red alert? In a provocative Perspective, Read and Allen discuss new findings showing that the cost of immune defense in animals is very high (Moret and Schmid-Hempel), and the claim that, in some circumstances, the cost may be worth the benefit gained (Nunn et al.).     

External control of 20th century temperature by natural and anthropogenic forcings

A comparison of observations with simulations of a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model shows that both natural and anthropogenic factors have contributed significantly to 20th century temperature changes. The model successfully simulates global mean and large-scale land temperature variations, indicating that the climate response on these scales is strongly influenced by external factors. More than 80% of observed multidecadal-scale global mean temperature variations and more than 60% of 10- to 50-year land temperature variations are due to changes in external forcings. Anthropogenic global warming under a standard emissions scenario is predicted to continue at a rate similar to that observed in recent decades.     

Reportable animal diseases in the United States

Timely reporting of animal diseases is fundamental to the detection of emerging threats, rapid and effective outbreak response, and ultimately the health of both animals and humans. In the United States, each state has the authority to regulate reporting of diseases. While past research has reviewed reportable human diseases, the research on reportable animal diseases has assessed only veterinarian knowledge and understanding of law rather than identifying the actual statutes and regulation that exists. Therefore, this article reviewed the statutes, regulations, and online reportable animal disease lists from the 50 states and District of Columbia to describe the legal landscape of animal disease reporting. The findings suggest wide variation in state animal disease reporting requirements. Three hundred and forty distinct diseases, agents, and categories were identified, with only 15 diseases being listed by 40 or more states. States typically require reporting of animal diseases within 48 h. Substantial consideration needs to be given to the implications of these variations for rapid and effective animal and zoonotic disease detection and reporting in the United States, particularly in light of One Health initiatives and international obligations.     

Muscle responses of thoroughbreds to conventional race training and detraining

Ten healthy sedentary Thoroughbreds with previous race training experience were trained conventionally for 9 weeks. Muscle biopsy samples were obtained before and after training and after 6 weeks of detraining pasture rest. Biopsy samples were obtained from the right deltoid, triceps, vastus lateralis, middle gluteal, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus muscles. The deep-frozen biopsy samples were analyzed for activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), 3-hydroxy-acylcoenzyme A dehydrogenase (HAD), and phosphorylase (PHOS) and for glycogen concentration. The triceps and gluteal muscle samples were also serially sectioned and stained for myofibrillar actomyosin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity after alkaline (pH 10.3) and sequential acidic (pH 4.34) ATPase inactivation. Fiber types I (alkaline preincubation), IIA1, IIA2, and IIA3 (sequential acidic preincubation over 5 minutes) were identified and were evaluated for fiber-type distribution and fiber areas. Increases in response to training were observed in deltoid and vastus muscle SDH and gluteal muscle HAD activities, and deltoid muscle glycogen concentration (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.01). Changes in PHOS activity were not observed. Type-IIA1, -IIA2, and -IIA3 fiber areas in triceps muscle were increased in response to training (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.01). Changes in fiber-type distribution did not occur in response to training. Changes in muscle enzyme activities, glycogen concentration, fiber types, and fiber areas were not seen from posttraining to detraining. Further increases were observed when detraining values were compared with pretraining values in deltoid, triceps, vastus, gluteal, and biceps femoris muscle SDH activities and in gluteal muscle glycogen concentration (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)