Effect of steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in combination with long-acting oxytetracycline on non-specific immunity of calves suffering from enzootic bronchopneumonia

The aim of this paper was to compare the effect of flumethasone and meloxicam in combination with oxytetracycline on clinical and immunological parameters of calves suffering from enzootic bronchopneumonia. The study was performed on 30 Black-and-White Lowland Breed calves with clinical signs of enzootic bronchopneumonia divided randomly into three equal groups and, respectively, treated with-Group I: oxytetracycline and meloxicam; Group II: oxytetracycline and flumethasone; Group III (control): oxytetracycline only. Treatment of calves with the combination of oxytetracycline and meloxicam (Group I) caused a significantly faster, in comparison to other groups, improvement in the clinical illness index score (CIIS: cough, nasal discharge, dyspnea, depression and anorexia) and a faster normalization of body temperature. A slow decrease in white blood cell (WBC) count, the number of neutrophils, MID (mixed number of monocytes, eosinophils and basophils) and in the individual number of monocytes (CD14/CD45 positive cells) was observed in Groups I and III. In the blood of the calves which received oxytetracycline and flumethasone (Group II), leukocytosis, neutrophilia and monocytosis with concomitant lymphopenia and a low number of T cells (CD2+) was observed. Moreover, the calves treated with flumethasone exhibited a decrease in gamma-globulin concentration, and phagocytic parameters. Both drugs, flumethasone and meloxicam slightly decreased tumor necrosis factor (TNF) but meloxicam slightly increased the levels of interferon (IFN) in sera and in bronchoalveolar lavages (BALs). These results suggest that the combination of meloxicam with an antibiotic in calves suffering from enzootic bronchopneumonia is superior to the antibiotic alone and also to the combination of the antibiotic with flumethasone.     

Cloning of a unique sequence specific to isolates of type B:2 Pasteurella multocida

Two Carter type B Pasteurella multocida isolates, Izatnagar 52 and 25, isolated from cases of haemorrhagic septicaemia ( ), were used in a modified subtractive hybridisation technique with the specific aim of cloning unique DNA sequences related to the pathogenesis of HS. Biochemical and protein analyses have shown these isolates to be similar, but reports indicate that they have differences in pathogenicity. The subtracted inserts were screened against genomic DNA from a wide range of P multocida isolates, with two distinct fragments demonstrating specific hybridisation with Carter type B isolates that cause . No identity was observed with either Carter type E isolates or non-HS type B strains. The clones were sequenced and a search of the GenBank database revealed significant identity of the clone A3b (296 nt) to P haemolytica lipoprotein, whereas there was no significant identity with 6b (956 nt). Both these fragments had a high level of identity (72·8 to 76·9 per cent) to the H infuenzae Rd genome.     

Integrating community gardens into public parks: An innovative approach for providing ecosystem services in urban areas

When planned coherently, urban green spaces have the potential to provide cities with a range of unique ecosystem services that support ecosystem and human health. This paper draws on existing green space planning literature to argue that the integration of community gardens into standardised and previously under-utilised public park landscapes represents an innovative approach to providing ecosystem services. Particular focus is given to the challenges facing green space planning in Perth, Western Australia. At an individual level, community gardens provide a venue for an alternative and more accessible form of physical activity – gardening – and a restorative park environment that is a more attractive destination for neighbourhood walking. At the community level, gardens can facilitate bridging interactions between different social groups, whilst providing opportunities for local residents to participate actively in green space planning processes. Perhaps most importantly, community gardens can provide unique opportunities for environmental education that lead to enhanced local ecological outcomes. The paper concludes with a brief overview of the main challenges likely to be faced with this integration, and some strategies that may allow them to be overcome. It is hoped this paper will provide a background for future case studies, and a catalyst for increasing integration between formal green space planning and community garden development.     

Texture and acceptability of goat meat frankfurters processed with 3 different sources of fat

The objective of this research was to evaluate the texture and consumer acceptability of goat meat frankfurter formulations with no added fat (NAF), beef fat (BF), or canola oil (CO). Consumer sensory evaluation, fat, and moisture and texture profile analyses were performed on goat meat frankfurters produced with the fat sources BF, CO, and NAF. For sensory evaluations, NAF was less tender (P = 0.007; 4.90 vs. 4.11 and 4.35 for BF and CO, respectively) and the flavor was liked less (P = 0.004; 4.59 vs. 3.83 and 4.30 for BF and CO, respectively); BF was scored as the juiciest (P = 0.003; 3.86 vs. 4.49 and 4.58 for CO and NAF, respectively); and CO had the least amount of flavor (P = 0.029; 3.65 vs. 3.12 and 3.10 for BF and NAF, respectively). Moisture was least (P < 0.001) in CO (46.59%), followed by BF (48.57%) and NAF (55.80%). The amount of fat was not different (P = 0.761) in BF (24.36%) or CO (24.43%) but was less (P < 0.001) in NAF (9.06%), as expected. The NAF had the most protein (P < 0.001; 34.14%), followed by CO (27.98%) and BF (26.07%). For texture profile analyses, NAF had the least hardness value (P = 0.008; 3.92 vs. 4.48 and 4.40 for BF and CO, respectively) and least chewiness value (P = 0.026; 2.89 vs. 3.39 and 3.29 for BF and CO, respectively). Beef fat and CO were not different for hardness (P = 0.596) or chewiness (P = 0.530). No differences were observed in springiness (P = 0.954) or resilience (P = 0.561). The sensory panelists tended to prefer BF for overall acceptability. Results from these data revealed that value-added goat meat products received acceptable sensory scores; therefore, continued research and development will greatly expand the knowledge of goat meat and increase the acceptance of value-added products.     

Pyrolysis of [14C]-chlorantraniliprole in tobacco

The pyrolysis of [(14)C]-chlorantraniliprole {3-bromo-1-(3-chloro-2-pyridinal)-N-[4-chloro-2-methyl-6-[(methylamino)carbonyl]phenyl]-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide} in tobacco was examined. Typically five commercially available cigarettes were treated separately with either [pyrazole carbonyl-(14)C] or [benzamide carbonyl-(14)C]-chlorantraniliprole at a concentration of 20 ppm (μg chlorantraniliprole equivalent/g cigarette weight; main study) to 40 ppm (for degradate identification only). All treated cigarettes were smoked using an apparatus designed to collect mainstream (MS) and sidestream (SS) smoke through a glass fiber filter and a series of liquid traps. The material balance for recovery of applied radiolabel ranged from 92.4 to 94.9%. Unchanged chlorantraniliprole was the major component found in butt and filter extracts, averaging a total of 17.4-17.9% of the applied radioactivity. A nonpolar degradation product, 2-[3-bromo-1-(3-chloro-2-pyridinyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]-6-chloro-3,8-dimethyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone, designated 1, represented an average of 10.1-15.9% of the applied radioactivity in the [pyrazole carbonyl-(14)C] or [benzamide carbonyl-(14)C]-chlorantraniliprole cigarettes, respectively. (14)CO(2) was the major degradate, representing an average of 32.9 and 25.1% of the applied radioactivity in pyrazole and benzamide experiments, respectively. In the pyrazole carbonyl label a polar degradate, 5-bromo-N-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (2) was present in the filter extracts at an average of 9.5% of the applied radioactivity. The most nonpolar degradate, 2,6-dichloro-4-methyl-11H-pyrido[2,1b]quinazolin-11-one (3), was present in [benzamide carbonyl-(14)C]-treated cigarettes only and represented an average of 14.7% of the applied radioactivity.     

Whole-genome analysis with SNPs from BOPA1 shows clearly defined groupings of Western Mediterranean, Ethiopian, and Fertile Crescent barleys

The discovery of Hordeum spontaneum C. Koch, a wild ancestor of cultivated barley, in Morocco in 1978 led to the proposal of a multicentric origin for this crop, as an alternative to the widely accepted theory of a single centre of domestication in the Fertile Crescent. Since this discovery, we have tested this hypothesis using the most advanced genetic techniques available at the time, from CM-proteins to RFLP and DNA-chloroplast markers. Nowadays, the availability of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that are spread densely over the barley genome provides us with another powerful tool to give further support for the above. We have used 1,536 SNPs from the Barley Oligo Pool Assay 1 (BOPA1) of Illumina to characterize 107 wild and cultivated barley accessions from the Western Mediterranean, Fertile Crescent, Ethiopia, and Tibet. The results have confirmed that each location of the above-mentioned germplasm groups clusters separately. Analysis of molecular variance enabled us to focus on the chromosomal regions and loci that differentiated these groups of barley germplasm. Some of these regions contain vernalization and photoperiod response genes, some of the so-called domestication genes, as well as the most important quantitative trait locus for flowering time in the Mediterranean region. We have combined these results with other genetic evidence, and interpreted them in the framework of current theories on the onset of the Neolithic revolution in the Mediterranean region, to conclude that neither Ethiopia nor the Western Mediterranean can be ruled out as centres of barley domestication, together with the Fertile Crescent.     

More sex at higher altitudes: Changes in the frequency of parthenogenesis in oribatid mites in tropical montane rain forests

We investigated changes in density, proportion of parthenogenetic species and individuals, and community structure of oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari) along an altitudinal gradient in tropical montane rain forests in southern Ecuador. We hypothesized that the proportion of parthenogenetic species and individuals increases whereas density decreases with increasing altitude due to increased harshness of abiotic conditions known to favor parthenogenetic reproduction. In contrast to our hypothesis, the number of parthenogenetic species and individuals decreased toward higher altitudes indicating that changes in environmental conditions with altitude favor sexual rather than parthenogenetic reproduction. Low density of oribatid mites at high altitudes suggest that high frequency and density of sexual species is favored by the availability of resources and not by factors related to harsh abiotic conditions, finding mating partners or tight coupling with parasites or pathogens. Cosmopolitan decomposer taxa tended to be more frequent at higher altitudes indicating that these species are euryoecious. Overall, our data support the view that the reproductive mode of soil animals is predominantly controlled by the availability and accessibility of resources.     

The effect of etching on low-stress mechanical properties of polypropylene fabrics under helium/oxygen atmospheric pressure plasma

Polypropylene nonwoven fabrics were exposed to He/O₂ atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma. Surface chemical analysis and contact angle measurement revealed the surface oxidation by formation of new functional groups after plasma treatment. Weight loss (%) measurement and scanning electron microscopy analysis showed a significant plasma etching effect. It was investigated in low-stress mechanical properties of the fabrics using Kawabata Evaluation System (KES-FB). The surface morphology change by plasma treatment increased surface friction due to an enhancement of fiber-to-fiber friction, resulting in change of other low-stress mechanical properties of fabric.     

Evidence for the existence of functional roots on potato tubers and stolons: Significance in water transport to the tuber

American Journal of Potato Research - Field observations of potato plants showed various types of roots. There were roots originating at the base of the main stem (basal roots); roots arising from...     

An unusual case of a mature teratoma on the left perineal region of a young cat: surgical treatment and pathological description

A 10-month-old intact male cat with a clinical history of a large mass in the left perineal region was submitted to the surgery department. The mass had reportedly been present as a small swelling after birth. Cytological evaluation using a fine-needle aspirate showed eosinophilic keratinaceous debris, and was not convincing for the definitive diagnosis. Complete surgical excision was performed. Postoperative function and aesthetics were excellent. Based on gross and histological features the definitive diagnosis of the tumor was mature teratoma with ectodermal and endodermal components. After a follow-up period of 4 months, no signs of recurrence were evident. Surgical excision of the teratoma in our case was considered curative. A perineal location has not been previously reported in the cat and should be considered a rare condition in this species.