CNS mastitis: nothing to worry about?

In this paper, we analyzed a very large field data set on intramammary infections (IMI) and the associated somatic cell count (SCC) in dairy cows. The objective of the study was to analyze the impact of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) IMI on cow SCC, both mean and variability, and on the potential of these infections to have a major impact on the bulk milk SCC (BMSCC). Data and milk samples for bacterial culture were collected by Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS) between 1992 and March of 2007. The QMPS program services dairy farms in New York State and other states in the Northeastern USA and operates in conjunction with Cornell University. Only records from cows where SCC and milk production data were available, and where only one organism was isolated from bacterial cultures of milk samples (or where culture was negative) were used for this analysis. A total of 352,614 records from 4200 whole herd mastitis screening sampling qualified for this study. Within herds an average of 15% (S.D. 12%) of cows sampled were infected with CNS, ranging between 0 and 100%. Average within herd prevalence of cows with a CNS IMI and an SCC over 200,000 cells/ml was 2% (S.D. 4%) with a minimum of 0% and a maximum of 50%. Results of linear mixed models showed three distinct populations of IMI statuses: negative cultures with the lowest SCC; CNS and Corynebacterium bovis with a moderate increase in SCC, and Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus aureus showing an important increase in SCC. Surprisingly, milk production was slightly but significantly higher in CNS infected cows compared to culture-negative cows, whereas it was strongly reduced in cows with a major pathogen IMI. The percentage contribution of CNS infections to the BMSCC was 17.9% in herds with a BMSCC less than 200,000 cells/ml. This value decreased to 11.9 and 7.9% in herds with bulk milk SCC between 200,000 and 400,000 and over 400,000 cells/ml, respectively. We concluded that very few herds with milk quality problems would have an important increase in BMSCC that could be mostly attributed to CNS infections. On the other hand, in herds with low BMSCC, CNS infections may be an important contributor to the total number of somatic cells in the bulk milk.     

Parenteral nutrition in neonatal foals: clinical description, complications and outcome in 53 foals (1995-2005)

This retrospective study describes the use of and complications associated with parenteral nutrition (PN) administration to 53 equine neonates at the University of California Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Medical records were examined and information obtained on signalment, physical examination, clinical diagnosis, outcome, total hospitalization time, insulin administration, microbiology culture results, other complications (i.e. thrombophlebitis) and necropsy findings. Complete blood count and serum biochemistry analytes, venous blood gas, serum electrolyte and glucose concentrations, and blood lactate concentration results were compared before and during PN administration in all foals. Seventeen foals (32%) developed hypertriglyceridemia (>200mg/dL). Triglyceride concentrations >200mg/dL were significantly (P=0.049) associated with non-survival. Forty-seven foals (89%) developed hyperglycemia (blood glucose >120mg/dL) and eight (15%) developed catheter-related complications (thrombosis or local sepsis). Packed cell volume, total protein, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and sorbitol dehydrogenase concentrations decreased while foals were on PN, while serum chloride concentration increased. This study highlighted that hypertriglyceridemia during the acute phase of neonatal illness may be detrimental to outcome, and that the safety of lipid-containing solutions in foals warrants further study.     

Model-based evaluation of irrigation needs in Mediterranean vineyards

The irregular rainfall distribution causes interannual variation of water status in Mediterranean vineyards. A frequential analysis of irrigation needs was carried out from continuous simulation of the soil water balance during 39?years in south France. The off-season soil water refilling was often incomplete, with a higher frequency in soils with a high total transpirable soil water (TTSW) and/or susceptible to runoff and high evaporation. On soils with high TTSW (over 250?mm), the irrigation need was nil or small (except in situations of high runoff) and focused on the beginning of the crop cycle. On soils with lower TTSW, the irrigation need increased on average and was spread all along the grapevine cycle due to the limited buffering effect of the soil water reservoir. For 100?mm TTSW, the irrigation need was 40–60?mm for half of the years. The calculated irrigation needs were sensitive to the soil (TTSW, susceptibility to runoff and evaporation) and canopy (crop coefficient) properties. Therefore, soil and canopy management should be considered together with irrigation for an integrated approach of water management.     

Relationships between common irrigation application uniformity indicators

The coefficient of uniformity, CU, and the distribution uniformity, DU, are perhaps the two most common indicators of irrigation application uniformity, especially for pressurized irrigation methods. The magnitude of CU is usually greater than that of DU, but this is not the case for all data sets, as has been observed in practice by irrigation engineers and researchers. This paper describes the conditions under which CU > DU, and vice versa, proving that either situation can occur in practice. A comparison of some alternative measures of irrigation application uniformity is also compared using two data sets from agricultural sprinklers operating at different pressures.     

Chemometric Methods to Predict of Pb in Urban Soil from Port Pirie,South Australia,using Spectrally Active of Soil Carbon

A total of 73 soil samples were initially analyzed for lead (Pb) concentration as an indicator of the environment impact of smelter activity in the Port Pirie, South Australia. Chemometric techniques were used to assess the ability of near-infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy to predict soil Pb using spectrally active soil characteristics such as soil carbon (C). The result indicated a strong linear relationship between log-transformed data of soil Pb and spectral reflectance in the range between 500 and 612 nm with R² = 0.54 and a low root-mean-square error (RMSE_v = 0.38) for the validation mode with an acceptable ratio of performance to deviation and ratio of error range (1.6 and 7.7, respectively). This study suggested that NIR spectroscopy based on auxiliary spectrally active components is a rapid and noninvasive assessment technique and has the ability to determine Pb contamination in urban soil to be useful in environmental health risk assessment.     

Flavonoid content and radical scavenging activity in fruits of Chinese dwarf cherry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cerasus humilis</Emphasis>) genotypes

The Chinese dwarf cherry (Cerasus humilis (Bge.) Sok.) is a small shrub with edible fruits. It is native to northern and western China. This species was included as a medicinal plant in the “Chinese Pharmacopeia” and has emerged as an economically important crop for fresh fruit consumption, processing into juice and wine and nutraceutical products as well. To gain a better understanding of flavonoid biosynthesis and help develop value added products and better cultivars with greater health benefits, we analyzed total flavonoid content (TFC), composition, and radical scavenging activities in fruit extracts of 16 Chinese dwarf cherry genotypes. Fruit peel TFC ranged from 33.5 to 72.8 mg/g RE·FW (RE: rutin equivalent, FW: fresh weight) while fruit flesh TFC ranged from 4.3 to 16.9 mg/g RE·FW. An HPLC analysis revealed that fruit extracts contained 14 flavonoids with considerable variation in their profiles across genotypes. The most abundant flavonoids in most genotypes were proanthocyanidin B1 (PA-B1), proanthocyanidin B2 (PA-B2), phloretin 2′-O-glucoside (PG), and phloretin 2′,4′-O-diglucoside (PDG). Principal component analysis showed that PG, PA-B1, and PA-B2 had large, positive factor loading values in the first principal component for each genotype. Increased scavenging activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals was apparent in genotypes ‘Nongda 4’, ‘Nongda 3’, ‘Nongda 6’, ‘Wenfenli’, and ’10-32’, suggesting promising applications in the production of nutraceutical products. In summary, our results will aid in breeding, fruit processing, and developing medicinal uses of the Chinese dwarf cherry.     

Effects of fruit thinning on ascorbate–glutathione cycle metabolism in black currants (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ribes nigrum</Emphasis> L.)

To elucidate mechanisms regulating ascorbic acid (AsA) biosynthesis and accumulation in the fruit and leaves of black currants, AsA and the activities of key enzymes in the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA–GSH) cycle were measured from fruit set to fruit ripening during fruit thinning treatments of three common commercial black currant cultivars that differed in their AsA levels: ‘Risager’ (low), ‘Brodtrop’ (medium) and ‘Adelinia’ (high). Treatments were 50% fruit reduction (50% of total fruit set) by hand, control was no thinning. Fruit thinning treatment significantly increased AsA content in fruit of all three cultivars from weeks 2 to 8, significantly decreased AsA content in leaves from weeks 3 to 8. Dehydroascorbate reductase and monodehydroascorbate reductase activities in fruit and leaves had a similar pattern, increasing during week 2, rose until they peaked in week 4. Ascorbate peroxidase activity in fruit in the thinning treatment was slightly lower than in the control. Fruit thinning was shown to be a good model to test AsA biosynthesis regulation and accumulation in black currants. The results from our study provided strong evidence that AsA–GSH cycle involved in AsA synthesis and accumulation in fruit.     

Lack of acute toxicity of an anthraquinone bird repellent to non-target crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) associated with rice-crayfish crop rotations

Aeroz™ (9,10-anthraquinone (AQ)), a chemical rice seed treatment that effectively deters birds from depredating newly planted fields, could be an important management tool that enables rice producers to plant earlier in the season and increase yields. This bird repellent, while non-lethal to birds, has unknown toxicity to crayfish that often are closely integrated with rice production in southern regions of the USA. This study was conducted to assess if AQ, the active ingredient in Aeroz™, could be acutely toxic to the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard), the crayfish species most often associated with rice cultivation, via seed ingestion and/or through their contact with chemical in pond water. Mortality data from a 96 h feeding study indicate that AQ-treated (1.76% by wt) rice seed was not acutely toxic to juvenile (∼3 mo.) crayfish through the ingestion exposure route. In addition, a 96 h aquatic acute toxicity test showed that the LC₅₀ of AQ in juvenile crayfish is >85 μg L⁻¹ and above the water solubility limit of AQ. These results indicate that very minimal, if any, acute toxicity would be observed in juvenile crayfish if exposed to AQ via ingestion or dissolved or suspended in the water column.