Improvement of degraded physical attributes of a saline-sodic soil as influenced by phytoremediation and soil conditioners

This study aimed to evaluate the use of phytoremediation and soil conditioners in the recovery of physical attributes of a saline-sodic Fluvic Neossol in Brazil Northeast. The applied treatments were: Atriplex nummularia L., as phytoremediation plant, due to its ability to extract salts from the soil; organic conditioners, such as bovine and sheep manure; gypsum and polymer, as chemical conditioners. Samples with preserved structure were collected at the time of the experiment installation and 18 months after in the layers 0–10 cm and 10–30 cm. The analyzed attributes were: water dispersed clay, dispersion index, bulk density, penetration resistance, soil porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity. The use of sheep manure, gypsum and polymer promoted an increase in saturated hydraulic conductivity in the 0–10 cm layer from 4.51 to 16.37 cm day^?1, 11.26 to 23.95 cm day^?1 and 7.24 to 22.77 cm day^?1, respectively. Gypsum increased the macroporosity in the superficial layer by 42.6%. Atriplex and polymer were more efficient at reducing soil penetration resistance. The polymer was more efficient at improving the physical properties. However, it is necessary to consider phytoremediation with Atriplex as a more sustainable alternative that can still be used as complementary fodder in animal feed.     

Occurrence of postharvest gray mold rot of sweet cherry due to Botrytis cinerea in Korea

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - In May 2016, we observed gray mold rot symptoms on harvested and refrigerated cherry fruit in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Korea. The symptoms included...     

Species Composition,Diversity and Productivity of Homesteads in Southeastern Bangladesh

A homestead is an integrated production system where trees, crops, livestock and poultry are found in and around the household residence in Bangladesh. It is a potential production unit that provides various product, service and ecological functions. Almost all people in Bangladesh including landless households have homesteads in which they grow trees and crops even in a small piece of land. This study characterizes the species composition, diversity and productivity of the homestead production system in the Teknaf peninsula, southeastern Bangladesh. Survey data collection was from a total of 180 homesteads covering five household categories: large, medium, small, marginal and landless. Vegetable, fruit, timber, and livestock and poultry were common components in the homestead production system. Various types of plants were mainly concentrated in back yards, front yards, boundaries and corners of homesteads. The mean number of tree species per homestead was about 15. In total, 189 tree and shrub species were recorded, and were distinctly high and low in the large (363.7) and landless (55.7) household categories. Species composition, diversity and productivity of homesteads were found to be related to household categories. Richness and diversity of tree and shrub species increased with household size. Betel nut was the dominant tree species followed by mango, jackfruit and coconut. Annual income from homesteads also varied among the household categories, with a mean contribution of the homestead to annual income of about 25 %. A large portion of homestead income came from betel nut trees. There is scope to increase species diversity and income by designing homesteads with the engagement of women and other family members.     

Bupivacaine 0.25% and methylene blue spread with epidural anesthesia in dog

ObjectiveTo evaluate the extent sensory and motor blocks produced by the epidural injection of different volumes of 0.25% bupivacaine (Bu) with methylene blue (MB), in dogs.Study designProspective experimental trial.AnimalsTwenty healthy adult mongrel dogs, weighing 9.9 ± 1.9 kg.MethodsDogs were randomly allocated into one of four groups that received 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 or 0.8 mL kg^?1 of an epidural solution containing 0.25% Bu and MB. Sensory block was evaluated against time by pinching the tail, hind limb interdigital web, toenail bases and the skin over the vertebral dermatomes. Motor block was assessed by ataxia, hind limb weight-bearing ability and by loss of muscle tone of the tail and pelvic limbs. Data were collected at 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30 minutes after the end of epidural injection. After the final time point, dogs were euthanatized and laminectomies were conducted to expose the extent of the dural dye staining.ResultsThe volumes 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mL kg^?1 of 0.25% Bu and MB blocked a mean of 5, 14.2, 20.2 and 21 dermatomes, respectively. The extent of the senory block increased up to a volume of 0.6 mL kg^?1. Motor block was longer-lasting and more intense than sensory block. Complete dyeing of the spinal cord with MB was achieved in some dogs at 0.4 mL kg^?1 and all dogs at 0.6 mL kg^?1.ConclusionsThe volume of anesthetic injected into the epidural space plays an important role in the quality of the epidural anesthesia. At 0.25%, bupivacaine provided an efficient sensory block at 0.6 mL kg^?1.Clinical relevanceRelatively high volumes (0.6 mL kg^?1) of 0.25%, BU and MB were needed to produce an effective sensory and motor block caudal to the umbilicus, but all spinal cord segments were reached by MB at this dose.     

The essential oil of Eucalyptus tereticornis, and its constituents α- and β-pinene,potentiate acetylcholine-induced contractions in isolated rat trachea

The effects of the essential oil of Eucalyptus tereticornis (EOET), especially the effects of its constituents α- and β-pinene, were studied on rat trachea in vitro. In tracheal rings, EOET, α- or β-pinene potentiated the contractions induced by acetylcholine (ACh). Contractions induced by K⁺ (60 mM) were also potentiated by α- and β-pinene, but were reduced by EOET. Our findings show that EOET has myorelaxant effects on rat airways, but potentiates ACh-induced contractions. Monoterpenes α- and β-pinene are involved in its potentiating actions, but are not responsible for its myorelaxant effects. A putative inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme is involved.     

Evaluation of Physicochemical,Microbiological and Sensory Stability of Frozen Stored Vacuum-Packed Lamb Meat

Nowadays, lamb meat represents only 7% of all meat produced in the world. In recent years the demand for standardized lamb meat cuts has been considered of great importance and the marketing occurs predominantly in the form of frozen cuts. Herewith, the main of this work was to evaluate the stability and safety of lamb meat during frozen storage. Meats were vacuum packed in high barrier multilayer plastic iflms and stored during 12 mon at （-18±1）℃. The meat stability was assessed by physical and chemical （lipid oxidation, objective color, pH value, cooking losses and instrumental texture）, microbiological （total count of psychrotrophic, coliform count at 45℃, coagulase-positive staphylococci and the presence of Salmonella） and sensory analysis （acceptance test and visual evaluation）. The vacuum packed lamb meat remained stable as to most physical and chemical indexes. Microbiological indexes showed good stability throughout the storage period according to Brazilian legislation standards to pathogenic microorganisms. Although a signiifcant reduction in tenderness （shear force increase from 3 to 8 kg）, it showed a good sensorial acceptance for all attributes tested, including texture, with scores of around 7 （like moderately） during the 12 mon of storage. Therefore, it can be concluded that, under the conditions applied in this study, lamb meat presents a shelf life of at least 12 mon when stored at-18℃.     

Metabolic Profiling of Glucosinolates, Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, and Other Secondary Metabolites in Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes)

We profiled and quantified glucosinolates, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and other secondary metabolites in the skin and flesh of pale green and purple kohlrabis. Analysis of these distinct kohlrabis revealed the presence of 8 glucosinolates, 12 anthocyanins, 2 carotenoids, and 7 phenylpropanoids. Glucosinolate contents varied among the different parts and types of kohlrabi. Glucoerucin contents were 4-fold higher in the flesh of purple kohlrabi than those in the skin. Among the 12 anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-(feruloyl)(sinapoyl) diglucoside-5-glucoside levels were the highest. Carotenoid levels were much higher in the skins than the flesh of both types of kohlrabi. The levels of most phenylpropanoids were higher in purple kohlrabi than in pale green ones. trans-Cinnamic acid content was 12.7-fold higher in the flesh of purple kohlrabi than that in the pale green ones. Thus, the amounts of glucosinolates, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenylpropanoids varied widely, and the variations in these compounds between the two types of kohlrabi were significant.     

Minor beak trimming in chickens leads to loss of mechanoreception and magnetoreception

Routine removal of the tip of the beak of chickens within the poultry industry leads to changes in pecking behavior, which have previously been interpreted as being indicative of pain. By analyzing the force of pecks, with and without the topical application of an analgesic to the beak, we investigated if changes in pecking behavior were due to a loss of sensitivity in the beak or were pain related. Pecking behavior was compared between intact-beak and beak-trimmed chicks with or without topical application of lignocaine during a pain-free period (within 24 h of beak trimming) or after this period (d 2 to 9 of age). After pecking behavior tests, chicks were trained to use a magnetic stimulus to locate hidden food in 1 corner of a square arena. In unrewarded magnetic tests, the location of the chick relative to the magnetic stimulus was determined by automatic image recognition. Beak-trimmed chicks pecked harder than intact-beak chicks within 24 h of beak trimming (P = 0.04), possibly as a means of compensating for the loss of sensory feedback in beak-trimmed chicks. At 2 to 9 d of age, beak-trimmed chicks took longer to peck the pecking stimulus (P < 0.001) and showed fewer pecks in total (P < 0.001), suggesting a reduced pecking motivation. The force of pecks, however, did not differ among treatments at 2 to 9 d of age, suggesting that beak-trimmed chicks were not experiencing pain from the beak. In the magnetic tests, hungry intact-beak chicks stayed nearer to the magnetic stimulus (P = 0.005) and spent proportionally more time within 125 mm of the magnetic stimulus (P = 0.02) that had previously been associated with food than beak-trimmed chicks, which indicated that intact-beak birds were better able to detect the magnetic stimulus than beak-trimmed birds. We concluded that minor beak trimming at a young age did not result in pain in young domestic chicks, but instead led to impaired function of the magnetoreceptors and mechanoreceptors of the beak.