Potential for organic Chilean wine

Abstract

The potential for extending organic wine production in Chile is discussed in relation to its history and present situation. The main objective is to present an overview of the production of organic wine in Chile, its certification, and national and international markets. During the wine harvesting season in March and April 2006, the authors visited and interviewed staff at four Chilean organic wineries. The wineries were all situated in the wine-producing centre of the country and were of variable sizes. One of the certification bodies in Chile was also interviewed. In addition to the field studies and interviews in Chile, various written information has been used. Second to Argentina, Chile is the country that produces most wine in Latin America. Vineyards cover a total of 110 000 hectares of the country's two million hectares of arable land. A study carried out in 2005 showed that 2000 hectares (almost 2%) of vineyards are organically cultivated. The organic production is operated by 32 different companies, which produce organic wine mainly for exportation to the international market. In Chile, the number of certified organic wine producers has increased in recent years in a trend directed by international demand and possible competitive advantages for Chilean wines. In order for a wine to be called ‘organic’ or ‘wine made from organically grown grapes’, the cultivation and final product must be approved by a certification company. In Chile there are three main active certification bodies; one national (Certificadora Chile Orgánico, CCO) and two international (the Swiss company IMO and the German company BCS). The study reveals a country with innovation and energy but facing strong pressures from the international market and its jungle of laws and directives, and the differing prestige of different certifications and labels. Chile as a wine-producing country has many competitors, and the production of organic wine could be a way to find diversity and exploit new market ground where environmental consideration concerns and sustainability are important targets.     

Effects of oxypolygelatin and dextran 70 on hemostatic variables in dogs

Objective To evaluate and compare coagulation variables following the administration of oxypolygelatin and dextran 70 to clinically healthy dogs. Study design Randomized cross‐over experimental study. Animals A total of eight healthy adult female Beagles aged 2–4 years old and weighing 11.8 ± 2.7 kg. Methods The dogs received a 15‐minute intravenous (IV) infusion of 5 mL kg^?1 oxypolygelatin or 10 mL kg^?1 6% dextran 70. Before (PRE) and at 2, 5, and 24 hours after administration, packed cell volume (PCV), total solids concentration (TS), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen concentration (FIB), platelet numbers (Plat), factor VIII coagulant activity (VIII:C), von Willebrand factor antigen concentration (vWf:Ag) and platelet function and buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT) were measured. Platelet function was assessed using aggregation and by measuring ATP release from aggregating platelets over 6 minutes, with 20, 10, and 5 µm ADP and 5 and 10 µg of collagen mL^?1 as platelet activation agonists. Results All baseline values were within our normal ranges, except for one dog that had low vWf:Ag PRE values prior to both dextran and oxypolygelatin administration. Following dextran and oxypolygelatin administration, the PCV and TP were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased. Plat, FIB, and vWf:Ag decreased, while BMBT and VIII:C increased following dextran administration. Dextran also caused a significant decrease in platelet aggregation in response to ADP. Oxypolygelatin caused a significant decrease in vWf:Ag, Plat, and FIB compared to PRE values. The total amount of ATP released, standardized to platelet number, did not vary significantly for either group at any sampling time from PRE values. No significant changes from PRE values were noted at any time in either group for PT or APTT. Conclusion At the doses administered, both dextran and oxypolygelatin can interfere with hemostatic variables in healthy dogs, but dextran's effect is more profound and prolonged when compared to oxypolygelatin. Clinical relevance Oxypolygelatin causes fewer hemostatic abnormalities when compared to dextran, making it a superior colloid for administration at the doses tested.     

Salmonella enterica serotype enteritidis in table egg layer house environments and in mice in U.S. layer houses and associated risk factors

Prevalence was estimated for Salmonella enterica serotype eneritidis (SE) in layer house environments (n = 200 layer houses) and house mice (n = 129 layer houses) in 15 states throughout the United States. Environmental swabs were collected from manure, egg belts, elevators, and walkways. Live-catch rodent traps were placed for 4-7 days. Swabs and house mice were submitted to the laboratory for bacterial culture. Overall, 7.1% of layer houses and 3.7% of mice were culture positive for SE. The highest prevalence was in the Great Lakes region of the United States, and no SE was recovered from houses or mice in the southeast region. Presence of SE in layer houses was associated with age/molting, floor reared pullets, and number of rodents trapped. Cleaning and disinfecting houses between flocks was associated with a reduced risk. The prevalence of SE in mice from environmentally positive houses was nearly four times that of mice from environmentally negative houses.     

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Salmonella isolates from cattle in feedlots

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Salmonella isolates from feedlot cattle. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE POPULATION: 263 Salmonella isolates. PROCEDURES: Fecal samples were collected from the floor of 2 pens in each of 100 feedlots. Two hundred eighty Salmonella isolates were recovered after bacteriologic culture from 38 pens. Of these, 263 isolates were available for antimicrobial susceptibility testing to 16 antimicrobials, using microbroth dilution breakpoint plates. RESULTS: Less than 5% of isolates were resistant to any of the antimicrobials tested, with the exception of sulfamethoxazole (15; 5.7%) and tetracycline (61; 23.2%). Most isolates (197; 74.9%) were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested, whereas 18 (6.8%) were resistant to 2 or more antimicrobials. The percentage of isolates with resistance to any antimicrobial varied by serotype. The percentage of isolates resistant to various antimicrobials was not related to concurrent use of antimicrobials in the feed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: With the exception of tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole, resistance of Salmonella isolates to any of the antimicrobials was uncommon. Most isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested. Antimicrobial resistance was not related to the presence of antimicrobials in the ration being fed at the time of sample collection.     

Occurrence of the temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin among avian Escherichia coli

In this study, we determined the occurrence of the tsh gene among 305 Escherichia coli isolates from chickens by means of the polymerase chain reaction and agglutination of chicken erythrocytes; 200 of those isolates were obtained from chickens with colisepticemia, 52 isolates were from lesions of cellulitis, and 53 were from feces of normal chickens. The tsh gene was found in 79 (39.5%) isolates from colisepticemia, in 10 (19%) cellulitis-derived E. coli isolates, and in two (3.8%) fecal isolates. Among the tsh+ strains, 68 (86%) isolates from colisepticemia and nine (90%) from cellulitis agglutinated chicken erythrocytes in the presence of mannose, after growing the strains on colonization factor antigen agar plates at 26 C, which confirms a correlation between mannose-resistant hemagglutination and expression of hemagglutinin Tsh. These results show, for the first time, the presence of the gene tsh in cellulitis-derived E. coli isolates; the high frequency of this gene among avian pathogenic E. coli isolates in Brazil indicates that its putative role as a virulence factor should be studied more thoroughly.     

Pheromone-Related Inhibitors of Ustilago hordei Mating and Tilletia tritici Teliospore Germination

ABSTRACT Ustilago hordei, the causal agent of barley covered smut, produces mating pheromones that break down to smaller peptide compounds that act as potent inhibitors of mating and germination in several fungi. The pheromones are members of the farnesylated family of proteins. Synthetic peptide analogs of the pheromone derivatives, ranging in size from 4 mers to full length pheromones, were farnesylated, methyl esterified, or both and tested for mating or teliospore germination inhibition with U. hordei or Tilletia tritici, respectively. N-Acetyl-S-farnesylcysteine, which inhibits processing of Ras, and other sulfur-containing compounds such as homocysteine or methionine, were likewise modified and tested. The most potent inhibitors were methionine methyl ester and modified 4-mer peptides from both pheromones. Alanine scanning of the inhibitory 4 mers determined that the native amino acid sequence was specific for a high level of activity. The sulfur amino acids appear to be required for inhibition. Glasshouse studies using selected antagonists of mating and teliospore germination as seed treatments inhibited covered smut of barley and common bunt of wheat, although the level of control was inconsistent. The use of pheromone-related antagonists to mating or teliospore germination is a promising, novel strategy for control of smut and bunt diseases.     

Growth,Feed Utilization,and Glycemic Response in European Sea Bass,Dicentrarchus labrax,Juveniles Fed Carbohydrate of Different Complexities

The effect of dietary carbohydrate complexity on growth, feed utilization, and glycemia was studied in European sea bass juveniles. Four isonitrogenous (50% crude protein) and isolipidic (15% crude lipids) diets were formulated to contain 20% pregelatinized maize starch (PGS diet), dextrin (DEX diet), maltose (MAL diet), or glucose (GLU diet). No effect of dietary carbohydrate complexity on growth was noticed. Feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio were lower in fish fed the GLU diet than in the other groups, whereas the opposite was observed for feed intake. Plasma glucose peaked 3–4 h after feeding in fish fed the MAL and GLU diets, whereas in fish fed the PGS and DEX diets the peak was reached 5–6 h after feeding. Peak plasma glucose concentration (13 mmol/L) was higher in fish fed the GLU diet than the other diets (9 mmol/L). Shorter hyperglycemia duration was observed in fish fed the MALT and GLU diets (6 h) than the PGS and DEX diets (10 h). Complex carbohydrates delayed plasma glucose concentration peak compared with simple sugars, whereas the opposite was observed for hyperglycemia duration. Overall, dietary maltose, dextrin, and starch were apparently better utilized as energy source than glucose by European sea bass juveniles.     

Tracking leaf area index and coefficient of light extinction over the harvesting cycle of black wattle

The amount of photosynthetic radiation intercepted by a crop is a function of the incident solar radiation on the plants, the leaf area index (L _AI), and the light extinction coefficient (k). We quantified L _AI and k in stands of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) over a 7-year growth cycle at two locations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Our study was conducted in commercial stands in agroecological regions with high densities of black wattle plantations. L _AI was calculated as the ratio between the leaf area of a tree and its planting space, and k was derived from Beer’s law. L _AI depends on the planting site and stand age. Between the two sites, the L _AI was similar over time, the amount of variation differed. Values of k depended only on stand age, with the highest average observed for stands up to 5 years old. The trend of k during the plantation cycle was inversely proportional to L _AI and was correlated with L _AI, leaf area, leaf dry mass, canopy volume, height, branches dry mass, total dry mass, and crown diameter.     

Risk factors to incidental leptospirosis and its role on the reproduction of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state,Brazil

Ovine and caprine stockbreeding have been gaining attention in developing countries as an attractive investment. On these animals, infectious diseases of the reproductive tract, such as leptospirosis, can compromise the production leading to economic losses. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with incidental leptospirosis and its influence on the reproductive parameters of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. A total of 737 animals distributed on 24 herds/flocks were studied, and an overall prevalence of 10.9 % seroreactive animals was observed. Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae was the most frequent in goats (97.0 %) as well as in ewes (78.3 %). Regarding risk factors related to leptospirosis, the presence of waterholes and the semi-intensive breeding system were the most important associated to seroreactivity. Besides, there was an observed association between seroreactivity and reproductive failures (P?<?0.05). Moreover, seroreactive ewes (relative risk (RR)?=?1.3) and goats (RR?=?1.9) presented more chances to have abortions than seronegative animals. Furthermore, seroreactive ewes presented 11.6 more chances of having premature births when compared to the seronegative ones. It can be concluded that Leptospira infection, mainly those caused incidental strains (such as Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup), is a significant factor to reduce the productivity of small ruminants’ herds/flocks in the studied region, and environmental measures must be considered on control programs.

     

Subcutaneous administration of paclitaxel in dogs with cancer: A preliminary study

Intravenous paclitaxel has been underused in dogs due to severe and acute hypersensitivity reactions. Subcutaneous (SC) administration of paclitaxel and its safety are unknown. In this preliminary study, SC administration of paclitaxel was evaluated for hypersensitivity reactions and toxicity in 21 dogs with advanced cancer. Dogs received 1 to 5 paclitaxel doses, ranging from 85 to 170 mg/m², SC every 14 or 21 days. A total of 40 paclitaxel doses were administered and none of the 21 dogs developed systemic or acute local hypersensitivity reactions. Severe skin lesions at the injection site developed in 2 dogs after the 4th injection at the same location. Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 50% of the dogs 5 days after the first treatment at 115 mg/m² (n = 14). Two animals developed Grade 5 diarrhea and died likely due to hemodynamic failure or sepsis. Paclitaxel can be administered SC in dogs with no hypersensitivity reaction.