Long-term satellite record reveals likely recent aerosol trend

Analysis of the long-term Global Aerosol Climatology Project data set reveals a likely decrease of the global optical thickness of tropospheric aerosols by as much as 0.03 during the period from 1991 to 2005. This recent trend mirrors the concurrent global increase in solar radiation fluxes at Earth's surface and may have contributed to recent changes in surface climate.     

Effects of addition of a bird repellent to fish diets on their growth and bioaccumulation

The effects of adding the nonlethal bird repellent methyl anthranilate (MA), at levels of 100 and 1000 mg kg^?1, to fish feed on the bioaccumulation and growth of juvenile (10 g) hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis) and juvenile (1 g) African cichlid fish Aulonocara jacobfreibergi were investigated under laboratory conditions. The bird repellent did not have any effect on the fish growth or survival over a period of 6 weeks. MA residues at low levels of 11.2±2.6 μg g^?1 were found in lipophilic tissues (liver) of MA‐fed fish. Control fish, which had no MA added to their diet, had a much lower level of 0.6±0.3 μg g^?1 MA in their liver. Fish muscle was found to contain negligible MA residues, while the outer body surface mucus did not contain any MA. Following a 6‐week depuration period, during which the previously MA‐fed hybrid striped bass were fed a feed to which no MA was added, the levels of MA residues detected were reduced by one order of magnitude.     

The Effects of Growth Factor on Testicular Germ Cell Apoptosis in the Stallion

Apoptosis is necessary for both initiation and control of spermatogenesis; however, an increase in apoptosis can lead to subfertility/infertility in stallions, causing substantial financial loss in the equine industry. The ability of stem cell factor (SCF), leukemia-inhibiting factor (LIF), granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and estradiol (E₂), alone or in combination, to prevent apoptosis of germ cells in short-term equine testicular cultures was examined. Testicular tissue was sectioned into approximately 2-mm cubes and placed in media-filled culture chambers. Concentrations of SCF (100 ng/mL), LIF (10 ng/mL), GM-CSF (5 ng/mL), and E₂ (10⁻⁹ mol/l) were added alone or in combination to each well. After 6 hours in culture, the tissue was fixed and immunohistochemically (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling; TUNEL) stained for apoptosis detection. Apoptotic cells per 100 Sertoli cell nuclei within seminiferous tubules were counted until the 500^th Sertoli cell nuclei was reached. This counting procedure was used for each slide. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a Tukey's test was used to compare apoptotic rates. In comparison with the control, GM-CSF alone lowered apoptosis by 34.77%. GM-CSF–treated tissue combined with SCF and LIF as well as GM-CSF combined with SCF, LIF, and E₂ reduced apoptosis when compared with the control (37.45% and 44.40%, respectively) or other treatment combinations. GM-CSF alone reduced apoptosis; results suggest possible synergy for the combinations of SCF and LIF with GM-CSF and for E₂ with SCF, LIF, and GM-CSF.     

Laboratory Measurement of Yield and Composition of Dry‐Milled Corn Fractions Using a Shortened,Single‐Stage Tempering Procedure

The objective was to describe a laboratory‐scale dry‐milling procedure that used single‐stage tempering and determine the effect of hybrid on yields and fraction compositions in milled corn. Samples of 11 commercially available hybrids were processed through a laboratory dry‐milling procedure that used 1 kg samples of corn to produce milling fractions of large grits, small grits, fines, germ, and pericarp. Compositions of milling fractions (protein, neutral detergent fiber, ash, and crude fat) were determined. The procedure used a single‐stage tempering step that increased corn moisture from 15 to 23.5% wb during an 18‐min tempering period. Germ were separated from endosperm particles using a roller mill followed by screening over a sieve with 1.68‐mm openings. Coefficients of variability were small, indicating acceptable repeatability. Overall yield means were 39.2, 25.3, 13.8, 78.2, 14.3, and 6.8 g/100 g (db) for large grits, small grits, fines, total endosperm, germ, and pericarp, respectively. There were effects due to hybrid (P < 0.05) on fraction yields and compositions of milling fractions. Correlations (r) among endosperm fractions (large grits, small grits, and fines) ranged from 0.54 to |–0.92|. Correlations among endosperm fractions and germ and pericarp were <0.68. The developed dry‐milling method estimated milling yields among hybrids with low standard deviations relative to the means and should be a useful tool for research and industry in measuring dry‐milling characteristics.     

Potential associations between fecal shedding of Salmonella in feedlot cattle treated for apparent respiratory disease and subsequent adverse health outcomes

A prospective cohort study was used to assess whether Salmonella fecal shedding in commercial feedlot cattle treated with antimicrobials for respiratory disease was associated with subsequent adverse health outcomes. Feces were collected per rectum from cattle that were examined for apparent respiratory disease, had a rectal temperature > or = 40 degrees C, and subsequently received antimicrobial treatment. Salmonella were recovered from 918 (73.7%) of 1 245 fecal samples and weekly prevalence estimates ranged from 49 to 100% over the 3-month study. Genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of Salmonella strains in the population were determined. Serogroup E Salmonella were most common (73.3%), followed by C1 (11.0%), C3 (8.6%), and B (1.1%). Predominant serotypes were Orion (46.5%), Anatum (19.8%), Kentucky (8.7%), Montevideo (7.5%), and Senftenberg (4.9%). Few isolates (36/918) were positive for antimicrobial resistance-associated integron gene intI1. Phenotypic susceptibility was associated with isolate intI1 status. Crude re-pull, re-treatment and case fatality risks were higher for cattle that were Salmonella-positive versus -negative at initial treatment, but not statistically different on multivariable analysis. However, case fatality risk was higher for cattle shedding Group B Salmonella than for cattle shedding other serogroups. Lots (groups) with a higher Salmonella prevalence at first treatment had a higher proportion of mortalities occur in a hospital pen, higher overall re-treatment risks, and were more likely to be sampled later in the study. Results indicate a high prevalence of Salmonella in this population of cattle treated for apparent respiratory disease, but that effects associated with clinical outcomes may depend on the Salmonella strain.     

Glycoalkaloid development during greening of fresh market potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Chlorophyll and glycoalkaloid synthesis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers occur in direct response to light. The two processes are concurrent, but independent. Color photographic indices to subjectively grade fresh market potatoes for the extent of greening were developed under lighting conditions consistent with those of retail markets. Total glycoalkaloid (TGA) and chlorophyll accumulation for four cultivars were determined over the respective greening scales, thus calibrating the scales for TGA content. On average, TGA concentrations in complete longitudinal sections of tubers (flesh samples) were highest in Dark Red Norland followed by Russet Norkotah, Yukon Gold, and White Rose. TGA concentrations of flesh samples of White Rose and Yukon Gold tubers were somewhat variable and did not increase in direct proportion to greening level and chlorophyll content, particularly at higher levels of greening. TGA concentrations in Dark Red Norland and Russet Norkotah tubers were highly correlated (P < or = 0.001) with greening level and chlorophyll concentrations. When averaged over greening levels, skin samples contained 3.4- to 6.8-fold higher concentrations of TGAs than flesh samples, depending on the cultivar. The TGA concentration in periderm samples ranged from 37 to 160 mg/100 g of dry wt. Regardless of greening level, concentrations of TGAs in the flesh samples (including attached periderm) remained within limits presumed safe for human consumption. Discrimination of greened tubers on the basis of perceived glycoalkaloid toxicity is likely unfounded for the cultivars and greening levels studied.     

Cytochrome oxidase gene sequencing reveals channel catfish ovary cell line is contaminated with brown bullhead cells

The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus, Rafinesque) ovary (CCO) cell line is the standard cell line used for channel catfish diagnostics. Next‐gen sequencing studies of a virus cultured in the CCO cells revealed mitochondrial sequences matching those of brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus, Lesueur). Therefore, we systematically performed partial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene sequencing of several sources of the CCO cell line and all matched the brown bullhead and not the channel catfish.