Improvement of small dairy producers in the central coast of Peru

The objective of this study was to characterize a group of small dairy producers in the central coast of Peru and determine the most important limiting factors that affect animal productivity, using Participatory Rural Appraisal methodologies. The information collected during a year included biological and socio-economic characteristics. Inappropriate nutrition, management, health and reproduction were observed in most farms. The average number of animals per family was 17.3, of which 40% were bulls and growing calves. Milk production and net cash income were reduced in the summer. The feeding programme for lactating and growing females of forage exchanged for labour and purchased concentrates did not theoretically or practically meet the cows’ needs. All water was carried to the site on donkeys from one kilometre distance. All cows were negative for a number of potential infectious diseases. By California Mastitis Test of routine samples 7.1% of cows had clinical mastitis and 66.1% subclinical. Taking notional labour and forage costs into account, milk production was at a loss but the farmers considered neither and were satisfied with a net cash income from milk sales three times the average agricultural wage.     

Orbital (retrobulbar) meningioma in a Simmental cow

A 12-year-old Simmental cow was presented with a moderately firm irregular whitish mass of approximately 5 cm in diameter, occupying the right orbit. Microscopically, a poorly differentiated neoplasm was observed. The immunohistochemical panel included cytokeratins, vimentin, epithelial membrane antigen, Factor VIII, CD34, Mart-1, Melan A, smooth muscle actin, desmin, chromogranin, neuron-specific enolase, S-100 protein, and MIB-1. The neoplasm was negative for all of them, with the exception of vimentin and S-100 protein. Transmission electron microscopy revealed abundant desmosomes. These findings support the diagnosis of orbital (retrobulbar) meningioma.     

Salmonella enterica infections in Spanish swine fattening units

The present study is the first conducted in Spain to estimate the bacteriological herd prevalence of Salmonella enterica in fattening units and to describe the Salmonella serovar diversity on these farms using a sample representative of the entire swine population. For this purpose, 10 faecal samples were collected from 10 different pens containing pigs close to market weight in a total of 232 fattening units. Total sample size was proportionally distributed according to the fattener census in each of the regions of the country and all the samples were examined by culture of 25 g of faecal material. One hundred (43.1%) farms had at least one Salmonella-positive sample (95% CI: 37-49.1%). Salmonella enterica was detected in 290 (12.5%) pooled faecal floor samples (95% CI: 11.2-13.8%). The apparent herd prevalence of salmonellosis was similar among multi-site, finishing and farrow to finish farms. Overall, 24 different serovars were identified, with S. Typhimurium, S. Rissen and S. Derby being the most common both at herd and sample level. Results of phage typing were available for the 91 isolates of S. Typhimurium. A total number of 10 different phage types were identified, with DT 193 being the most frequent. Phage types DT 104, DT 104b and DT U302, which have been associated with several multi-resistant patterns, accounted for 23% and 29% of the Typhimurium total isolates or Typhimurium infected farms respectively.     

日本蜜橘老树更新矮化短截技术

随着农业劳动力老龄化程度的加重,在山区种植蜜橘的日本农户普遍面临劳动强度过大、人手不足等问题.例如,对生长多年、树冠高大的橘树的管理就是其中亟待解决的难题之一.为此,日本熊本市农业试验场的专家对树龄超过30a以上的橘树采取老树更新矮化短截措施.这种更新矮化的橘树,树高仅为2m,适合中老年人进行管理,且便于机械操作.同时,还有利于品质的提高,具有推广意义和应用价值.     

Multi-temporal NDVI analysis using UAV images of tree crowns in a northern Mexican pine-oak forestOA

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV) for forest monitoring has grown significantly in recent years,providing information with high spatial resolution and temporal versatility.UAV with multispectral sensors allow the use of indexes such as the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),which determines the vigor,physiological stress and photo synthetic activity of vegetation.This study aimed to analyze the spectral responses and variations of NDVI in tree crowns,as well as their correlation...     

Direct and combined methods for the determination of chromium, copper, and nickel in honey by electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy

In the present work, direct methods for the determination of chromium, copper, and nickel in honey by electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy were developed using experimental design as an optimization tool. Once the optimum conditions for the individual methods were established, a direct method for the combined determination of the three elements was optimized using the response surface tool. Palladium was used as chemical modifier in all cases. Honey was diluted in water, hydrogen peroxide, and nitric acid. Triton X-100 was added to minimize the matrix effect and the viscosity of the sample. The RSD (better than 10%) and the analytical recovery (98-103%) were acceptable for all of the developed methods. Calibration graphs were used in the four methods to determine the concentration of the analytes in the sample. The detection limits of the combined method (0.21, 0.35, and 0.37 microg L(-)(1) for Cr, Cu, and Ni, respectively) were similar to those obtained for the individual methods (LOD = 0.17, 0.21, 0.33 microg L(-)(1) for Cr, Cu, and Ni, respectively). The direct-combined proposed method has been applied to the determination of chromium, copper, and nickel content in representative honey samples from Galicia (northwestern Spain). The concentrations found in the analyzed samples were in the range of (5.75 +/- 0.64)-(26.4 +/- 0.38) ng g(-)(1) of Cr, (79 +/- 7.8)-(2049 +/- 80) ng g(-)(1) of Cu, and (12.6 +/- 1.36)-(172 +/- 6.88) ng g(-)(1) of Ni.     

Comparative effects of food-derived polyphenols on the viability and apoptosis of a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2)

Consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in polyphenols, has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer. Dietary polyphenols have antioxidant and antiproliferative properties that might explain their beneficial effect on cancer prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different pure polyphenols [quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and (-)-epicatechin] and natural fruit extracts (strawberry and plum) on viability or apoptosis of human hepatoma HepG2 cells. The treatment of cells for 18 h with quercetin and fruit extracts reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner; however, chlorogenic acid and (-)-epicatechin had no prominent effects on the cell death rate. Similarly, quercetin and strawberry and plum extracts, rather than chlorogenic acid and (-)-epicatechin, induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Moreover, quercetin and fruit extracts arrested the G1 phase in the cell cycle progression prior to apoptosis. Quercetin and strawberry and plum extracts may induce apoptosis and contribute to a reduced cell viability in HepG2 cells.     

拟鲌和梭鲈血清蛋白的电泳研究

作者应用琼胶电泳法对拟鲌和梭鲈的血清旦白成分进行了研究。研究证明．这两种鱼的血清旦白可分离出6—7个主要区带。几种旦白成分在鱼类不同性周期的各个时期是不恒定的，在产卵时期变化明显。拟鲌和梭鲈血清中几种旦白成分含量的季节变化具有共同规律。     

Lactation curves in captive Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

This study examines milk production and the effect of milk production and sex of calf on body weights and gains of red deer calves and hinds of the Iberian subspecies (Cervus elaphus hispanicus). Milk production was assessed in 14 hinds by weighing calves before and after suckling and by adjusting these values to the Gamma function. Gamma estimates of total milk production up to d 105 were similar to the amounts computed directly from double weighing. Hinds showed two types of lactation curve: 1) the standard mammal lactation curve, with an asymmetrical peak at wk 2 to 4 (Type I) and 2) decreasing curves with no peak (Type II). Although there was great interindividual variability, hinds with Type I curves showed a trend to produce more milk than those with Type II. The type of curve did not seem to affect weight variables of the calf or those of the dam. Calves that gained more weight consumed greater amounts of milk (P<.05). Males were heavier than females at birth (P<.05), but males did not differ from females in their weight at 105 d, milk consumption, and gain. Gender did not affect hind weight, but dams of male calves showed a trend to be lighter (P = .063) at d 105 than dams of female calves. Our results suggest that suckling differences found in other studies between male and female calves may not involve differences in milk production, although other rearing costs seem to affect hind weight losses. They also suggest that the curve type may not depend only, as reported, on the nutrition plane.