Soil degradation in Kabd area,southwestern Kuwait City

Adverse environmental impacts of human activities are the main causes of soil degradation in the desert of Kuwait in general, and in Kabd area in particular. In this study, assessment of soil degradation in open and protected sites has been carried out using field measurements and laboratory investigations. The overall status of vegetation is nearly twice as low in vegetation cover in the open sites than in the protected ones due to overgrazing and off‐road transport. Compaction of soil due to pressure exerted on the soil by vehicles led to a significant reduction in its porosity, permeability and infiltration capacity. The average infiltration rate of the compacted soils is 51 per cent lower than that of the non‐compacted soils. The bulk density of the non‐compacted soils is 3.4 per cent lower than that of compacted soil. The average topsoil resistance of compacted soils has increased by 83 per cent in comparison with non‐compacted soil. Using the least squares method a relation between infiltration rate (IR) and penetration resistance (PR) of the topsoil for the study areas is found (i.e. IR = −0.148 PR + 1.85 with R² = 25 per cent). Soil strength within the soil profile shows maximum penetration resistance readings at 11.5 cm depth in average in compacted soils, while it shows maximum readings at 34.6 cm depth in average in non‐compacted soils. The adverse changes in the chemical properties due to soil compaction is also investigated. A restoration plan is needed in order to reduce land degradation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterisation of genotype VII Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from NDV vaccinated chickens,and the efficacy of LaSota and recombinant genotype VII vaccines against challenge with velogenic NDV

A Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolate designated IBS002 was isolated from a commercial broiler farm in Malaysia. The virus was characterised as a virulent strain based on the multiple basic amino acid motif of the fusion (F) cleavage site ¹¹²RRRKGF¹¹⁷ and length of the C-terminus extension of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene. Furthermore, IBS002 was classified as a velogenic NDV with mean death time (MDT) of 51.2 h and intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) of 1.76. A genetic distance analysis based on the full-length F and HN genes showed that both velogenic viruses used in this study, genotype VII NDV isolate IBS002 and genotype VIII NDV isolate AF2240-I, had high genetic variations with genotype II LaSota vaccine. In this study, the protection efficacy of the recombinant genotype VII NDV inactivated vaccine was also evaluated when added to an existing commercial vaccination program against challenge with velogenic NDV IBS002 and NDV AF2240-I in commercial broilers. The results indicated that both LaSota and recombinant genotype VII vaccines offered full protection against challenge with AF2240-I. However, the LaSota vaccine only conferred partial protection against IBS002. In addition, significantly reduced viral shedding was observed in the recombinant genotype VII-vaccinated chickens compared to LaSota-vaccinated chickens.     

The Clinical and Morphological Characteristics of the Uterus of the Goat during the Period of Involution

Two goats were slaughtered at zero, 24, 62 hours and five, seven, nine, 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 28, 32 and 36 days after kidding in order to study the involutionary changes of the uterus.     

In vitro development of mouse pronuclear embryos to blastocysts in sequential media with and without co-culture of autologous cumulus cells

The objective of this study was to use mouse embryos as a model system to investigate the effect of co-culture of cumulus cells in Sydney IVF sequential media (Cook) on embryo development, based on the hypothesis that feeder cells in co-culture with a sequential medium could work synergistically to further improve in vitro culture conditions for mammalian preimplantation embryos. The culture systems described here were evaluated by the ability to consistently produce high blastocyst formation rates and high cell number per blastocyst. The role of embryo-to-cell contact was assessed by using Transwell inserts with transparent microporous membranes. Pronuclear embryos of ICR mice were cultured to blastocysts in Cook sequential media, with and without mouse primary cultures of cumulus cells, and with or without inserts. Blastocyst formation rates and cell numbers of in vitro developing embryos in the different culture systems were compared to each other, and to in vivo derived blastocysts. Blastocyst formation rates for Cook medium only was 27.8% (without inserts) and 32.9% (with inserts), whereas Cook-Cumulus cells in identical culture systems was significantly higher at 45.8% (without inserts, P<0.05) and 55.6% (with inserts, P<0.05). When the embryos are suspended above the bottom of the well, for Cook medium significantly lower blastocyst formation rates were observed at 4.2% compared to Cook-Cumulus cells at 17.5% (P<0.05). Mean cell numbers of blastocysts obtained in all co-culture systems were significantly higher (P<0.05) compared to those developing in culture medium only. Although the putative mechanism is as yet unexplained, the improved blastocyst formation rates and cell numbers in co-culture when there is direct contact between the embryo and the cell monolayer suggest that the close proximity between the feeder cells and embryos is in part responsible for these effects.     

Land degradation factors in arid irrigated areas: the case of Wafra in Kuwait

A large area in Wafra, south of Kuwait, was developed for crop production both in open fields and agriculture units. For more than a decade, farmers had been using groundwater and desalinated water for irrigating crops under both conditions. The study area occupied about 125 000 ha lying within the northwestern sandbelt. Land-use pattern, soil characteristics and vegetation attributes were studied to assess the extent of land degradation in the area. Land-use classes in the developed area showed a total area of about 9371 ha. About 35 per cent of this area was uncultivated due to sand encroachment and soil salinity build-up problems. Soil chemical and physical properties were described and determined at various depths in representative profiles. The soil belonged to the three categories: Typic Torripsamments, Typic Haplocalcids and Typic Aquisalids. The total vegetative cover was poor, covering about 18 per cent of the marginal areas and about 33 per cent of arable lands. Plant community type was altered from Rhanterium epapposum to Cyperus conglomeratus and Stipagrostis plumosa. Annual forbs dominated species composition. Results of the study indicated that land degradation occurred both in marginal and arable areas. To expand in the Wafra agricultural area and to increase productivity potential of the existing farms, implementation of irrigation and drainage systems as well as projects to combat sand encroachment are recommended. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Colostral Transfer of Rinderpest Neutralizing Antibody to Offspring of Våccinated Dams

The transfer of maternal antibodies to Friesian and buffalo calves born of dams vaccinated against rinderpest was through colostrum only. Colostral antibody titers at the time of parturition were higher than the serum titer. Two hours after suckling, a high level of rinderpest neutralizing antibodies was detected in the sera of newborn animals. The half-life of maternal antibodies in buffalo and Friesian calves was found to be approximately 33 and 29 days respectively. By the age of 7-8 months, 60 per cent of buffalo calves and 80 per cent of Friesian calves had no detectable levels of rinderpest neutralizing antibody.     

Gas adsorption sites in a large-pore metal-organic framework

The primary adsorption sites for Ar and N2 within metal-organic framework-5, a cubic structure composed of Zn4O(CO2)6 units and phenylene links defining large pores 12 and 15 angstroms in diameter, have been identified by single-crystal x-ray diffraction. Refinement of data collected between 293 and 30 kelvin revealed a total of eight symmetry-independent adsorption sites. Five of these are sites on the zinc oxide unit and the organic link; the remaining three sites form a second layer in the pores. The structural integrity and high symmetry of the framework are retained throughout, with negligible changes resulting from gas adsorption.     

Satisfaction and satisfaction affecting problem behavior in different types of adopted dogs

Many dogs are relinquished worldwide, so it is important to enhance adoptions’ success. We aimed at investigating factors associated with owners’ satisfaction with adopted dogs, both in general and focusing on galgos. Data on 392 dogs (191 galgos) were gathered using an online survey, investigating dogs’ and owners’ demographics, satisfaction with the adopted dog and post-adoption behavior. Satisfaction was affected by different variables in galgos’ owners as compared to non-sighthound non-podenco dogs’ ones, with only the presence of disobedience on walks negatively affecting satisfaction in both samples. Depending on dogs’ type, the presence of some behavioral problems was associated with decreased satisfaction with the dog (e.g., destructiveness for galgos, or separation problems for non-sighthound non-podenco dogs), whereas that of others increased it (e.g., not being interested in social interactions with dogs for galgos, and shadowing for non-sighthound non-podenco dogs). The variables most often being predictors of the behaviors influencing satisfaction were dog type, with being a galgo as a negative predictor, and dog’s age, with being older as a negative predictor. Further studies on dog adopters’ satisfaction are needed.     

Trace metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons in sewage sludges of Kuwait

Levels of trace metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons were determined in sludge produced at the three main wastewater treatment plants in Kuwait (Ardhiya, Jahra, and Reqqa). Over the 6 mo study period (October 1984 to March 1985) levels at the three plants showed the following ranges (μg g^?1 dry weight); Cd, 0.5 to 5.0; Cu, 90 to 270; Zn, 1100 to 3000; Pb, 80 to 300; Ni, 25 to 60; Hg, 1.8 to 3.6; Ag, 1 to 35; PCBs, 0.1 to 3.6; lindane, 0.4 to 7.4; EDDT (i.e., DDT + DDD + DDE), 0.07 to 0.20; aldrin, below detection to 0.07; endrin, below detection to 0.27; dieldrin, 0.005 to 0.04). Mean levels were generally close or lower than mean concentrations reported in the United Kingdom and the United States. They were also lower than suggested concentration limits for application of sludge on agricultural land, which is one of the most cost-effective and attractive techniques for sludge disposal. For Kuwait to adopt this application, however, the characteristics of the local soil and prevailing environmental conditions, notably the frequent occurrence of severe dust storms, should be considered.