Naturally confused: consumers’ perceptions of all-natural and organic pork products

Consumers are bombarded with labels and claims that are intended to address their concerns about how food products are produced, processed, and regulated. Among those are the natural or all-natural claims and the certified organic label. In this study, two focus groups were conducted to explore consumers’ attitudes toward all-natural and organic pork and to gather their reactions to the USDA organic standards for meat, and the policy for natural claims. Results indicated that participants had positive associations with the terms “organic” and “all-natural” with exceptions regarding the trustworthiness of all-natural claims. Participants perceived the “no” labeling theme (no antibiotics, no hormones, no chemicals, etc.) often coupled with the all-natural label on pork products as identifying potential health and animal welfare risks. In response to the USDA standards and policies for labeling pork products as organic or all-natural, participants expressed confusion and had many unanswered questions.     

Properties of boundary-line release criteria in North American tree species

? Boundary line release criteria are increasingly applied to evaluate forest disturbance histories from tree-ring data. However, a number of important properties central to the technique have not been evaluated, including: (i) the ability of boundary line release criteria to standardize releases across various sites, species, and tree life stages (ii) the minimum sample sizes necessary for developing boundary lines, and (iii) the degree to which the criteria can resolve the degree of crown exposure following a disturbance event.

? In an analysis of eleven North American tree species, boundary line release criteria do not fully compensate for declines in release response a tree experiences with increasing age and size, with the exception Tsuga canadensis.

? A bootstrapping analysis indicates that approximately 50 000 ring width measurements are necessary to develop boundary line release criteria for a given species.

? In a Quercus prinus stand, boundary line release criteria better predict the degree of crown exposure following a disturbance than an earlier running mean technique.

? Despite certain limitations, boundary line release criteria have the potential to standardize release calculation across most life stages of a tree, and possibly among sites and species.

     

Comparison of Multiplate,Platelet Function Analyzer‐200, and Plateletworks in Healthy Dogs Treated with Aspirin and Clopidogrel

Background

Platelet function testing may be warranted to assess response to aspirin and clopidogrel.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To evaluate the effects of aspirin, clopidogrel, or combination therapy using 3 platelet function tests: Multiplate Analyzer (MP), Platelet Function Analyzer‐200 (PFA), and Plateletworks (PW).

Animals

Six healthy laboratory Beagles.

Methods

Randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled study (crossover design). Dogs were given aspirin 1 mg/kg, clopidogrel 2 mg/kg, or combination therapy for 1 week each, with a washout period of 2 weeks. Platelet function was assessed on days 0 and 7 of each phase using MP (adenosine diphosphate [ADP], arachidonic acid [AA], collagen [COL] agonists), PFA (P2Y, COL‐ADP [CADP], COL‐Epinephrine [CEPI] cartridges), and PW (ADP, AA, COL agonists). Platelet counts were obtained with impedance and optical counters.

Results

For MP, mean aggregation was decreased for COL and AA with combination therapy and for ADP with all treatments. For PFA, mean CT was increased for the CEPI cartridge with aspirin; and for the P2Y and CADP cartridges with clopidogrel or combination therapy. More dogs receiving clopidogrel showed an increase in PFA CT using the P2Y than the CADP cartridge. For PW, mean aggregation was decreased for AA with all treatments; for ADP with clopidogrel or combination therapy; and for COL with clopidogrel. The PW results with the 2 hematology counters showed almost perfect agreement.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

All platelet function tests detected treatment effects in some dogs and may have utility for monitoring therapy.     

Bilateral ocular abnormalities in a wild stranded harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) suggestive of anterior segment dysgenesis and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous

A male yearling harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) stranded and was brought to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration's Seal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. The seal presented with a bilateral pendular vertical nystagmus, negative menace response, and a positive palpebral response. Ophthalmological examination by slit lamp biomicroscopy revealed perilimbal corneal edema, excessive iridal surface structures, pupils that appeared to be shaped improperly (dyscoria), and suspected cataracts. Attempts to dilate the pupils with both dark-lighted conditions and repeated dosages of 10% phenylephrine and 1% atropine ophthalmic solution in each eye (OU) were unsuccessful. Ocular ultrasonography findings suggested bilateral cataracts with flattened anterior-posterior (A-P) diameter and possible persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. It is possible that these structural congenital abnormalities could produce further ocular complications for this seal including uveitis, secondary glaucoma, retinal detachment, and/or vitreal hemorrhage in the future. This case demonstrates the importance of a thorough ophthalmological examination in stranded wild animals, especially if their symptoms appear neurological.     

Cardiopulmonary effects of butorphanol in sevoflurane‐anesthetized guineafowl (Numida meleagris)

ObjectiveTo evaluate the cardiopulmonary changes induced by intravenous butorphanol administration in guineafowl anesthetized with sevoflurane.Study designProspective experimental trial.AnimalsEight adult guineafowl (Numida meleagris) weighing 1.61 ± 0.49 kg were used for the study.MethodsBirds were anesthetized with sevoflurane and allowed to breathe spontaneously. After endotracheal intubation, end-tidal sevoflurane was adjusted to 1.0 individual sevoflurane MAC that was previously determined in triplicate using a standard bracketing technique. The brachial artery was catheterized for direct pressure measurement and blood sampling. Heart rate and rhythm were monitored by electrocardiography and respiratory rate was recorded. Baseline data were recorded 30 minutes after induction. Then, end-tidal sevoflurane was adjusted to 0.8 individual MAC and after 15 minutes physiologic variables were measured again. Subsequently, butorphanol (4 mg kg^?1) was administered intravenously over 10 seconds and physiologic responses were recorded at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 45 minutes after administration.ResultsButorphanol administration was associated with arrhythmias in all birds, including second-degree atrioventricular block, sinus arrest, ventricular and supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular premature complexes. Heart rate and arterial blood pressures decreased significantly 1 minute after butorphanol administration. Two birds developed severe hypotension, apnea and ventricular fibrillation 5 minutes after administration, and one died.Conclusions and clinical relevanceThe butorphanol dose (4 mg kg^?1) that produces clinically relevant sevoflurane MAC reduction in guineafowl caused severe adverse cardiopulmonary effects in two birds and was considered unsafe under the conditions used in this study.     

Factors Affecting the Reproductive Efficiency of Artificial Insemination Programmes in a Seasonal Breeding Pasture-based Dairy System with the Aid of Milk Progesterone

To determine the factors affecting reproductive efficiency in a seasonal breeding artificial insemination (AI) programme in dairy herds in Uruguay, a field trial was conducted on three dairy farms. Lactating cows (n=328) intended to be bred at the following breeding period were selected. The trial started 1 week before the beginning of the breeding period and lasted 80 days or until first service. Milk samples were obtained biweekly for 12 weeks, starting 1 week prior to the breeding season to determine progesterone concentrations. Data indicated that 12.5% of the cows were anoestrus at the beginning of the season remaining in this condition throughout the trial. Most of the anoestrous animals were first-calf heifers. A varying number of cycling cows (8.5%) at each farm were never reported in heat. Oestrous detection rate for cows cycling, as determined by progesterone patterns, was evaluated in three periods of 21 days and resulted in an overall efficiency of 46.9%. Main factors affecting oestrous detection were farm, with an effect of parity (67.8%, mature cows and 33.2%, first-calf heifers) and no effect of days postpartum. Mean interval from the beginning of the breeding season to first breeding was 27.4 days, which was also affected by farm. Neither parity nor days postpartum affected this parameter.     

Effects of Glucose Concentration on in vitro Fertilization in BALB/c Mice

BALB/c mice are widely used in genetic, tumour and immunological studies. However, the mice demonstrate a lower reproduction rate, low fertility and small litters, because of their highly genetic homozygoisty. Based on in vitro fertilization (IVF), a routine technique for biomedical studies, it is worth to evaluate the effects to BALB/c mice on IVF efficiency. In order to test the genetic factor affecting the IVF efficiency of BALB/c, four reciprocal IVF tests of BALB/cByJ and FVB/NCrl mice were performed. The results showed that the average fertility of IVF sponsored by FVB/NCrl spermatozoa was 69.6%, but only 12.1% was obtained from BALB/cByJ strain. Effect of glucose contained in the culture medium to the IVF efficiency of BALB/cByJ was also evaluated. The results showed that the fertility of BALB/cByJ spermatozoa incubated with 0, 2.7, 5.5, 11.1 and 22.2 mm of glucose in the TYH medium were 6.8, 9.9, 13.9, 32.7 and 22.2%, respectively. It is showed that IVF efficiency of BALB/cByJ spermatozoa could be improved depending on the concentration of glucose in the IVF medium. According to the results, it is beleived that lower IVF of BALB/cByJ mice might be due to the genetic defect in spermatozoa and increasing glucose in the IVF medium which significantly affect the IVF efficiency of BALB/cByl via activating the spermatozoa.