Effect of general anesthesia and minor surgical trauma on urine and serum measurements in horses

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the effect of general anesthesia and minor surgery on renal function in horses. ANIMALS: 9 mares with a mean (+/- SE) age and body weight of 9+/-2 years and 492+/-17 kg, respectively. PROCEDURE: The day before anesthesia, urine was collected (catheterization) for 3 hours to quantitate baseline values, and serum biochemical analysis was performed. The following day, xylazine (1.1 mg/kg, IV) was administered, and general anesthesia was induced 5 minutes later with diazepam (0.04 mg/kg, IV) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg, IV). During 2 hours of anesthesia with isoflurane, Paco2 was maintained between 48 and 52 mm Hg, and mean arterial blood pressure was between 70 and 80 mm Hg. Blood and urine were collected at 30, 60, and 120 minutes during and at 1 hour after anesthesia. RESULTS: Baseline urine flow was 0.92+/-0.17 ml/kg/h and significantly increased at 30 and 60 minutes after xylazine administration (2.14+/-0.59 and 2.86+/-0.97 ml/kg/h respectively) but returned to baseline values by the end of anesthesia. Serum glucose concentration increased from 12+/-4 to 167+/-8 mg/dl at 30 minutes. Glucosuria was not observed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Transient hyperglycemia and an increase in rine production accompanies a commonly used anesthetic technique for horses. The increase in urine flow is not trivial and should be considered in anesthetic management decisions. With the exception of serum glucose concentration and urine production, the effect of general anesthesia on indices of renal function in clinically normal horses is likely of little consequence in most horses admitted for elective surgical procedures.     

Direct measurement of intracranial pressure in adult horses

OBJECTIVE: To develop a method for surgical placement of a commercial microsensor intracranial pressure (ICP) transducer and to characterize normal ICP and cerebral perfusion pressures (CPP) in conscious adult horses. ANIMALS: 6 healthy castrated male adult horses (1 Holsteiner, 1 Quarter Horse, and 4 Thoroughbreds). PROCEDURE: Anesthesia was induced and maintained by use of isoflurane as the sole agent. Catheters were inserted percutaneously into the jugular vein and carotid artery. A microsensor ICP transducer was inserted in the subarachnoid space by means of right parietal craniotomy. The burr hole was then sealed with bone wax, the surgical incision was sutured, and the transducer was secured in place. Measurements were collected 1 hour after horses were able to stand during recovery from anesthesia. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD values for ICP and CPP were 2 +/- 4 and 102 +/- 26 mm Hg, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This report describes a relatively facile technique for obtaining direct and accurate ICP measurements for adult horses. The ICP values obtained in this study are within reference ranges established for other species and provide a point of reference for the diagnosis of abnormal ICP in adult horses.     

Activity Patterns Shown by Mountain Zebra Equus Zebra Hartmannae in South West Africa With Reference to Climatic Factors

Free-living mountain zebra at the Daan Viljoen Game Reserve, Khomas Hochland, were studied over a two-year period. Attention was given to nutritional, social, comfort and excretory activities and the various activity patterns were determined. Different macro-climatic factors that mav influence this behaviour were considered. Although daily activity patterns were variable, a basic pattern was perceivable. Temperature and rainfall were the two climatic factors which had the most marked influence on daily activity. Disturbance caused by insects also followed the seasonal variations of climate regarding temperature and rainfall. The mountain zebra has adapted itself to the climate in its habitat by evolving certain behavioural characteristics.     

Association of brook trout and Oncorhynchus spp. with large wood jams in a Lake Superior tributary in a northern old‐growth watershed

Wood in streams functions as fish habitat, but relationships between fish abundance (or size) and large wood in streams are not consistent. One possible reason for variable relationships between fish and wood in streams is that the association of fish with wood habitat may depend on ecological context such as large‐scale geomorphology. We studied the relationship between salmonid assemblages and large wood jams (LWJ) in four settings that differed geomorphically at the scale of the stream corridor along a tributary to Lake Superior in old‐growth conifer–hardwood forest in northern Michigan. The focal fish species of this study were brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), which were wild in the stream. Relocation efforts for coaster brook trout (an adfluvial life history variant of brook trout) were ongoing in the study stream. We measured fish abundance and length in pairs of pools of similar size and substrate, but varying in the presence of LWJ; this allowed us to evaluate associations of fish simply with the presence of LWJ rather than with other channel or flow‐shaping functions of LWJ. The length of Oncorhynchus spp. and young introduced brook trout was not strongly correlated with LWJ presence; however, the presence of LWJ in pools was positively correlated with larger wild brook trout. We also found that the correspondence of LWJ with the abundance of salmonids appears to be moderated by the presence of alternative habitat in this relatively natural, old‐growth forest stream.     

Measuring consumer response to ‘Gala’ apples treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP)

Post-harvest apple treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was previously found to inhibit fruit ripening but also to inhibit the production of volatile compounds that contribute to apple flavor. The first objective of this study was to determine if consumers could distinguish 1-MCP treated and untreated Gala apples [Malus sylvestris L. (Mill.) var. domestica Borkh. Mansf.] following long-term storage. Chemical analysis showed 1-MCP treated fruit had reduced flavor volatiles compared to untreated fruit. Consumer difference tests showed they could distinguish between 1-MCP treated and untreated fruit. A second objective was to compare consumers’ acceptance for 1-MCP treated to untreated apples. Both 1-MCP treated and untreated apples received high overall liking scores that were not significantly different. Equal numbers of consumers indicated preference for 1-MCP treated and untreated fruit and there was no difference in purchase intent. However, subsets of consumers who eat Gala, Fuji or Red Delicious apples showed preference for untreated over 1-MCP treated fruit compared to consumers who do not eat these varieties.     

心材提取物和专用木材防腐剂作为木材保护剂的相对功效

本文调查了三种耐用木材(Afzelia africana J.E. Smith; Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill & Perr.) Brenam. Syn. E guinensis G.Don. or Milicia excelsa (Welw) C.C. Berg. Syn. Chlorophora excelsa (Welw) Benth.)的心材提取物（在60%的甲醇中风干提取）和两种专用木材防腐剂（CCA和Penta）在暴露的土壤区组设计条件下，抑制三种木材腐朽菌(Coridopsis Polyzona Klotzch; Lenzites trabea; or Trametes cingulata Fr.)对见血封喉边材的侵袭的相对潜能，并测定其阈值。提取物和防腐剂的剂量分别是8.009、24.778、48.056、96.111、144.167 kg·m-3 ，样品的暴露处理时间与ASTM D1413-72规定的一致分别是14周和18周。结果显示：在阈值范围内，任何一种心材提取物或木材防腐剂在研究中对木材腐朽菌的抑制能力在0.01的显著水平下，差异显著。这些生物杀灭剂的相对功效是取决于真菌的种类。没有任何一种心材提取物或木材防腐剂（除在用最高的存留水平处理被侵袭的非洲毒箭木的条件下）对于被处理的木材能够授予"非常持久"等级。本土树种的心材提取物相对持久力的减少的可能原因是复杂的。在最高的存留量（144.167 kg·m-3）水平下，在0.05显著水平下每种心材提取物和任一种专用木材防腐剂（CCA和Penta）之间的功效差异不显著.     

An AHP Assessment Of Barriers in Adopting Sustainable Forest Management Practices in The Context Of Carbon Emission Reductions in Cameroon

ABSTRACT

As the role of forests in climate change mitigation is explicitly recognized in the Paris Agreement, the need to enhance the adoption of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) practices is crucial. Therefore, this paper aims at identifying and evaluating barriers in adopting SFM practices in the context of forest carbon emission reductions. A total of 15 barriers in adopting SFM practices are listed through literature and expert inputs. Using Cameroon as a case study, the listed barriers are then evaluated by experts to determine their relative importance using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. According to our findings, the ‘Regulatory and Legislative frameworks’ barrier category was attributed to the highest importance among other categories, in adopting SFM practices in the forestry sector. ‘Inadequate political will and incentive to enforce regulations’ appears to be the major obstacle in adopting SFM practices in Cameroon. As carbon emission reduction initiatives are being developed, there is need to move from broad to concrete suggestions that will overcome these barriers. However, proper diagnosis is necessary in order to target barriers with the right incentives and enabling conditions that will support carbon programs and projects to deliver effective emission reductions.     

Escherichia coli challenge and one type of smectite alter intestinal barrier of pigs

An experiment was conducted to determine how an E. coil challenge and dietary clays affect the intestinal barrier of pigs. Two groups of 32 pigs （initial BW： 6.9 ± 1.0 kg） were distributed in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement of a randomized complete block design （2 challenge treatments： sham or E. coil, and 4 dietary treatments： control, 0.3% smectite A, 0.3% smectite B and 0.3% zeolite）, with 8 replicates total. Diarrhea score, growth performance, goblet cell size and number, bacterial translocation from intestinal lumen to lymph nodes, intestinal morphology, and relative amounts of sulfo and sialo mucins were measured. The E. coli challenge reduced performance, increased goblet cell size and number in the ileum, increased bacterial translocation from the intestinal lumen to the lymph nodes, and increased ileal crypt depth. One of the clays （smectite A） tended to increase goblet cell size in ileum, which may indicate enhanced protection. In conclusion, E. coli infection degrades intestinal barrier integrity but smectite A may enhance it.     

Assessment of motivation and attitudes of forest industry companies toward forest certification in northwestern Russia

This study explores for the first time the attitudes and motivation associated with forest certification among forest industry companies in northwestern Russia. Interviews were carried out in the form of a structured questionnaire including 35 forest industry companies operating in northwestern Russia. Although development of certification in individual companies was initiated by general market demand, representatives of certified companies also emphasized the importance of internal corporate policy. Certified and noncertified groups of respondents identified market demand as a main driving force influencing development of forest certification. Ensuring the legality of wood origin, company's image and competitiveness of wood products were recognized as the most important benefits associated with forest certification. Absence of mandatory requirements from authorities and customers appeared to be the largest obstacle among both groups of respondents. Representatives of noncertified companies pointed out economic inaccessibility and low level of preparedness of management as of high importance, which is mainly associated with absence of quality management system. The results of the study indicated a general positive attitude on forest certification; it was noticed that respondents have gaps in understanding the principles and limited awareness with regards to forest certification, especially among noncertified forest industry companies.     

Effect of high-pressure hot-water washing treatment on fruit quality, insects, and disease in apples and pears: Part I. System description and the effect on fruit quality of ‘d’Anjou’ pears

A manually operated high-pressure hot-water washing system consisting of a boiler, hot-water mixing tank, contact loop, heat exchanger, spray mixing tank, high-pressure hot-water washing manifold, low-pressure fresh water rinse manifold, and pressure pump was constructed and installed in a packingline. The system developed 20–50 °C washing water at pressures up to 980 kPa. ‘d’Anjou’ pears (Pyrus communis L.), shortly after harvest, and after storage for 3 and 4 months in regular air (RA) or for 4, 7 and 8 months in controlled atmosphere (CA) at −1 °C were washed through the packingline with different wetting agents (0.1% Silwet, 0.01 and 0.1% Defoamer, and water), water pressures (regular and high-pressure (210–980 kPa)), water temperatures (control (tap water, 4–22 °C), 40 °C, and 50 °C), and brushes (soft and firm), respectively. The effect of the washing conditions on fruit quality was investigated after 1 month of storage at −1 °C to simulate shipping condition, and then again after 1 week at 20 °C to simulate marketing condition. Hot-water caused severe heat scald. When nozzle temperature was 50 °C, the incidence of heat scald increased to over 50% for the fruit stored in RA for 3 months. Combined with hot-water, 540 kPa high-pressure washing increased the incidence of friction discoloration. There were lower incidences of friction discoloration and heat scald for fruit stored in CA for 7 months, in comparison to that in RA for 3 months. However, those fruit did not ripen properly as indicated by a high extractable juice content. Fruit washed at harvest had minor incidences of friction discoloration regardless of different brushes, water pressures, and wetting agents. Fruit washed after storages in either 4 months RA or 4 or 8 months CA suffered a high incidence of friction discoloration including scuffing symptoms and pressure marking. The firm brushes caused a higher incidence of friction discoloration mainly because of scuffing symptoms. However, no differences were found between different water pressures and wetting agents with respect to friction discoloration. Fruit stored for 4 months RA suffered 26–28% friction discoloration in comparison to 16–18% in CA stored fruit with firm brush washing. Extended CA storage increased friction discoloration even with soft brush washing. The results suggest that a washing system with high-pressure spray, <30 °C warm water, wetting agent Defoamer and rotating soft brushes were significantly effective in removing surface pests and decay control without causing internal or external damage of fruit.