Recovery of Moraxella ovis from the bovine respiratory tract and differentiation of Moraxella species by tDNA-intergenic spacer PCR

The purpose of the present study was to identify Moraxella (M.)—like organisms recovered from calves suffering from respiratory disease down to species level by means of tDNA-intergenic spacer length polymorphism analysis (tDNA-PCR), and to perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing of these isolates using an agar dilution technique. A total of 16 isolates originating from 12 unrelated occasions were identified as Moraxella ovis, and tDNA fingerprinting showed clear delineation from other Moraxella species. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (in μg/mL) for 90% of the investigated isolates were ≤0.03 for ampicillin; 0.25 for ceftiofur; 0.5 for oxytetracycline; 8 for gentamicin; 64 for spectinomycin; 0.5/9.5 for the combination trimethoprim-sulfonamides; 4 for erythromycin; 8 for tilmicosin; 1 for florfenicol and 0.125 for enrofloxacin.     

Comparisons of IR-spectra from melanins of microscopic soil fungi,humic acids and model phenol polymers

Microscopic soil fungi, such as Epicoccum nigrum, Stachybotrys chartarum, Hendersonula toruloidea and others when cultivated on glucose form high molecular weight melanins in the culture media and in the cells. The melanins resemble humic acids with respect to certain chemical properties and the IR-spectra also indicate similarities in functional groups. However, bands at 2900, 1460 and 1380 cm^?1 suggest a higher content of aliphatic CH-components, and a pronounced shoulder at 1540 cm^?1 suggests peptide-like material. A shoulder at 1720 cm^?1 and a broad band at 1630–1650 cm^?1 form evidence of fewer free carboxyl groups than in most soil humic-acid preparations. Upon hydrolysis with 6N HCl methylation or a short heat treatment, distinct adsorptions at 1720 and in the 1600 cm^?1 region appeared in the residues, indicating C=O vibrations of free carboxyl groups and aromatic C=C vibration. Comparisons with the variability of the carboxyl band in model polymers from phenols of various structures and prepared either by phenolase or autoxidative polymerization in the presence or absence of amino-acid compounds, suggested that the carboxyl group in fungal melanins may be bonded by H-bridges which shift the C=O absorption into lower frequences.Addition of clay minerals to the culture media of fungi accelerated or increased biomass and melanin formation. Comparison of band locations and shape of the spectra from the melanins with or without clays indicated that no basic alteration occurred in the composition of the melanins from clay culture. However, a higher ash content and the presence of specific bands from the added clays, together with sharpening and a shifting of the broad 1650 cm^?1 band from the controls into higher frequencies, suggest chemical bonding of the melanins with clays through participation of the carboxyl groups. The model polymers from specific mixtures of phenols together with peptones and prepared either by oxidation with phenolase or by autoxidation, closely resembled the fungal melanins. This represents strong evidence for a similarity in the structural units and their linkages in both the melanins and the model polymers. The similarity of fungal melanins to some humic acids from recent lake and marine sediments and soil humic-acid fractions is discussed.     

Effects of Vegetation, Season and Temperature on the Removal of Pollutants in Experimental Floating Treatment Wetlands

The research and interest towards the use of constructed floating wetlands for (waste)water treatment is emerging as more treatment opportunities are marked out, and the technique is applied more often. To evaluate the effect of a floating macrophyte mat and the influence of temperature and season on physico-chemical changes and removal, two constructed floating wetlands (CFWs), including a floating macrophyte mat, and a control, without emergent vegetation, were built. Raw domestic wastewater from a wastewater treatment plant was added on day 0. Removal of total nitrogen, NH₄–N, NO₃–N, P, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon and heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) was studied during 17 batch-fed testing periods with a retention time of 11 days (February–March 2007 and August 2007–September 2008). In general, the CFWs performed better than the control. Average removal efficiencies for NH₄–N, total nitrogen, P and COD were respectively 35%, 42%, 22% and 53% for the CFWs, and 3%, 15%, 6% and 33% for the control. The pH was significantly lower in the CFWs (7.08?±?0.21) than in the control (7.48?±?0.26) after 11 days. The removal efficiencies of NH₄–N, total nitrogen and COD were significantly higher in the CFWs as the presence of the floating macrophyte mat influenced positively their removal. Total nitrogen, NH₄–N and P removal was significantly influenced by temperature with the highest removal between 5°C and 15°C. At lower and higher temperatures, removal relapsed. In general, temperature seemed to be the steering factor rather than season. The presence of the floating macrophyte mat restrained the increase of the water temperature when air temperature was >15°C. Although the mat hampered oxygen diffusion from the air towards the water column, the redox potential measured in the rootmat was higher than the value obtained in the control at the same depth, indicating that the release of oxygen from the roots could stimulate oxygen consuming reactions within the root mat, and root oxygen release was higher than oxygen diffusion from the air.     

The systemic effects of juvenoids on the red firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus and on the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum with data on life table response

BACKGROUND: A series of juvenoid alcohols and their glycosidic derivatives (juvenogens), synthesized at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague, commercially used juvenoids and the natural derivatives of juvabione were evaluated for their systemic juvenilizing effect on the red firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus L., and on the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris. A life table response experiment was designed, and demographic characteristics were computed for a cohort of A. pisum following chronic exposure to a range of concentrations of the selected trans-isomer of carbamate juvenoid 8 applied via the broad bean (Vicia faba L.) root system. RESULTS: Using the ratio of topical and per os activities, promising effects were found in two alkyl beta-D-glucopyranosides (3 and 9) and the trans-isomer of carbamate juvenoid 8 in tests on P. apterus. In A. pisum, the highest systemic activity was found in tests with the trans-isomer of carbamate juvenoid 8. The longevity, the number of offspring per female and the number of offspring per reproducing female significantly decreased with concentrations of 0.05 mg mL(-1) and higher. While the net reproductive rate R(0) and the intrinsic rate of natural increase r(m) displayed similar trends, the generation time G varied slightly between 11.6 and 12.8 days. CONCLUSION: Expected systemic activity of glycosidic juvenogens in P. apterus was not confirmed by exposure of the pea aphid on broad bean treated with aqueous solutions of the compounds. Nevertheless, the carbamate juvenoid alcohol 8 displayed a considerable juvenilizing effect on A. pisum in screening tests. Furthermore, this compound indicated a sublethal effect as the realized fecundity U(x) decreased disproportionately to the age-specific survival L(x) with increased concentration. The population parameters are compared with the data in similar demographic studies and are discussed together with the possibilities of using the compounds of this structural type in practice.     

The incidence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum in Emmental

A cross-sectional field study on the prevalence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum was performed in the Emmental. The study included 211 bovines, 170 equines, 20 ovines, 46 caprines and 23 rabbits (from 119 farms). In addition, laboratory routine diagnostic data obtained from 2.840 animals--all originating from the same area of investigation--were assessed in the same way. The infection extent concerning the different animal species were the following: bovines 46%, equines 12%, ovines 30%, caprines 48% and rabbits 9%. Univariate analyses of baseline epidemiological data identified no significant risk factors, with the exception of the type of stable used. Bovines kept in a modern free ranging stable had a significantly lower chance of infection with D. dendriticum than cattle in conventional tie stalls. The epidemiological data characterizing the area of investigation suggest the following procedure to reduce the problem of dicrocoeliosis: Pasturing animals of all ages should be regularly dewormed (e.g. every six week during pasture) using a compound effective against D. dendriticum. A treatment is especially indicated at the time after pasture in autumn or before housing the animals in winter. In spring, only animals having pastured the year before need to be treated prior to pasture in the new year. However, it is recommended to perform an economic analysis comparing costs of treatment versus putative costs of damage prior to the initiation of a strategic campaign: animal welfare aspects have to be considered. The laboratory routine diagnostic data showed infection extent similar to those of the cross-sectional study: bovines 60%, equines 24%, ovines 26%, caprines 31%, rabbits 32%. Atypical hosts such as dogs and cats exhibited low infection extent (3% and 1%, respectively), rather reflecting a gastro-intestinal passage of parasite eggs ingested by consumption of infected livers or by coprophagy of ruminant faeces.     

Effect of vitamin E level and dietary zinc source on performance and intestinal health parameters in male broilers exposed to a temperature challenge in the finisher period

The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction of zinc source (ZnSO₄ vs. zinc amino acid complex) and vitamin E level (50 IU vs. 100 IU) on performance and intestinal health of broilers exposed to a temperature challenge in the finisher period. A total of 1224 day old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly distributed among 4 dietary treatments (9 replicates per treatment). Dietary treatments were organized in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: two sources of zinc, 60 mg/kg of Zn as ZnSO₄.7H₂O or 60 mg/kg of Zn as zinc amino acid complexes (ZnAA) combined with two levels of vitamin E (50 or 100 IU/kg). Zinc and vitamin E were added to a wheat/rye-based diet that was designed to create a mild nutritional challenge. From day 28 until day 36 (finisher period), all birds were subjected to chronic cyclic high temperatures (32°C ± 2°C and RH 55–65% for 6 h daily). The combination of ZnAA and 50 IU/kg of vitamin E improved weight gain in the starter (day 0–10), finisher (day 28–36) and overall period (day 0–36) and feed conversion ratio in the starter (day 0–10) and finisher phase (day 28–36). Providing Zn as ZnAA significantly improved villus length and villus/crypt ratio in the starter, grower and finisher period and decreased infiltration of T-lymphocytes and ovotransferrin leakage in the finisher period. In conclusion, providing broilers with a diet supplemented with ZnAA and a vitamin E level of 50 IU/kg, resulted in better growth performance as compared to all other dietary treatments. Interestingly, under the conditions of this study, positive effects of ZnAA on performance did not occur when vitamin E was supplemented at 100 IU/kg in feed. Moreover, providing zinc as zinc amino acid complex improved intestinal health.     

Tertiary treatment of the liquid fraction of pig manure with Phragmites australis

Since 2003, the pig industry in Flanders (Belgium) is obliged to process a portion of the nutrient overproduction. In general, pig manure processing occurs as follows: i) separation into liquid and solid fractions, ii) conversion of the solid fraction to an exportable product (e.g. composting) and iii) reduction of nutrient contents in the liquid fraction before discharge into surface water or spreading on arable land. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of constructed wetlands (CWs) planted with Phragmites australis to reduce nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the liquid fraction to levels below discharge criteria. In addition, the removal efficiency of heavy metals (Cu, Zn) present at elevated levels in the liquid fraction was evaluated. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with subsurface flow (SSF) reed beds (2 × 0.125 × 0.11 m) filled with sand, loam, clayey sand or expanded clay (argex). The liquid manure load was set at 1 mm per day. Removal efficiencies varied between 64–75% for COD, 73–83% for N and 71–92% for P, depending on the matrix material used. However, effluent levels still remained significantly above the Flemish legal discharge criteria of 2 mgl^?1, 15 mgl^?1 and 125 mgl^?1 for P, N and COD respectively.     

Decomposition of mulched versus incorporated crop residues: Modelling with PASTIS clarifies interactions between residue quality and location

Crop residue management has been shown to significantly affect the decomposition process of plant debris in soil. In previous studies examining this influence, the extrapolation of laboratory data of carbon and/or nitrogen mineralization to field conditions was often limited by a number of interactions that could not be taken into account by a mere experimental approach. Therefore, we demonstrated the interactive effect between crop residue location in soil (mulch vs. incorporation) and its biochemical and physical quality, in repacked soil columns under artificial rain. Decomposition of ¹³C and ¹⁵N labelled rape and rye residues, with associated C and N fluxes, was analysed using the mechanistic model PASTIS, which turned out to be necessary to understand the interacting factors on the C and N fluxes. The influence of soil and residue water content on decomposition and nitrification was evaluated by the moisture limitation factor of PASTIS. This factor strongly depended on residue location and to a smaller extent on physical residue properties, resulting in a lower decomposition rate of about 35% for surface placed compared to incorporated residues. Irrespective of its placement, the biochemical residue quality (e.g. N availability for decomposition, amount of soluble compounds and lignin) was responsible for a faster and more advanced decomposition of about 15% in favour of rye compared to rape, suggesting only a limited interaction between residue quality and its location. Net N mineralization after nine weeks was larger for rye than for rape, equivalent to 59 and 10 kg NO₃⁻-N ha⁻¹ with incorporation, and 71 and 34 kg NO₃⁻-N ha⁻¹ with mulch, respectively. This net N mineralization in soil resulted from the interaction between soil water content, depending on residue placement, and N availability, which was determined by the biochemical residue quality. Moisture limitation appeared more important than N limitation in the decomposition of mulched residues. Modelling of gross N mineralization and immobilization also revealed that leaving crop residues at the soil surface may increase the risk of nitrate leaching compared to residue incorporation, if (i) soil water content under mulch is larger than with residue incorporation (more gross N mineralization), and (ii) availability to the applied C-source is limited (less gross N immobilization). Scenario analyses with PASTIS confirmed the importance of moisture conditions on the decomposition of mulched residues and the small interaction between biochemical crop residue quality and its location in soil.     

Temperature Resistance of Xylanase Inhibitors and the Presence of Grain‐Associated Xylanases Affect the Activity of Exogenous Xylanases Added to Pelleted Wheat‐Based Feeds

The addition of exogenous xylanases (EX‐XYL) to wheat‐based poultry feeds is a common practice today. Wheat contains xylanase inhibitors (XI) and grain‐associated xylanases (GA‐XYL), which could affect the action of the EX‐XYL. In this study, both GA‐XYL and XI activity in feeding‐quality wheat were assessed. In addition, the effect of the conditions during digestion in monogastrics and the effects of pelleting at different conditioning temperatures on GA‐XYL and XI were investigated. The GA‐XYL activity varied between no activity and 0.821 XU/g. In contrast, the XI activity was consistently high in all wheat samples and ranged between 259 and 331 IU/g. Simulating the digestive process did not affect the activities of GA‐XYL or XI. Pelleting at 85°C or higher reduced the XI activity up to 46%. GA‐XYL, however, were more heat‐sensitive, and their activity was reduced to 67% at 60°C. The extract viscosity increased and the release of reducing sugars decreased at higher conditioning temperatures. In addition, the net effect of EX‐XYL on extract viscosity increased at higher temperatures, whereas the release of reducing sugars was not affected. In conclusion, XI affected the action of EX‐XYL during the digestive process, and pelleting did not eliminate their negative effects.