Cat and dog ownership and management patterns in central Italy

Three hundred and ninety-seven randomly selected households were interviewed by telephone to determine the numbers and management of owned cats and dogs in the Teramo Province of Italy. The households were selected using stratified random sampling for each municipality; municipalities were combined into coastal, central hills and mountain regions for analysis. The interviews were completed during May and June of 2004 with a response rate of 74% (397/536). Forty-six percent of households (n=181) owned pets; 15% of all households (n=60) owned cats and 33% (n=130) owned dogs. Twenty-seven of these households (7%) owned both cats and dogs. Data were provided on 91 cats evenly divided between males and females. The median age was 3 years (range 0.2-10 years). Forty-one percent of cats (36/87) entered the household as strays. Nearly half lived entirely outside. Seventy percent (62/88) had visited a veterinarian at least once; 43% (39/91) were sterilized. About 1/3 had had a litter and all litters were considered accidental rather than planned. Age, indoor/outdoor status, veterinarian visit and region were all associated with sterilization. Age, confined to a yard, veterinary visit and region were associated with allowing the cat to roam freely. Data were provided on 182 dogs. Sixty-two percent (113/181) were male, with a median age of 4 years (range newborn to 17 years) and 40% (72/181) were purebred. Almost half were acquired as a gift. Sixty-two percent (112/180) were kept entirely outside despite the fact that 82% (147/180) were considered companions rather than working dogs. Almost all of the dogs had been to a veterinarian at least once; only 20% (n=29) were sterilized. Male dogs were significantly less likely to be sterilized than females. Almost half the dogs had had at least one litter. Seventy-six percent (137/180) of dogs knew some basic commands. Sex, source and training to sit/stay/come were significantly associated with whether the dog was sterilized. Dog size, confinement to a yard, trained to leash walk, veterinary visit and region were predictors of roaming freely. Source and trained to leash walk were associated with dog registration. For cats and dogs, education about sterilization seemed to be critically important. For dogs, factors relating to training, which may reflect the strength of the human-animal bond, were also important.     

Report of a serological study of Coxiella burnetii in domestic animals in Albania

The prevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in domestic ruminants in Albania has been investigated. A total of 1656 serum samples taken from sheep, goats, and cattle housed on farms located in 20 different districts were tested by ELISA for the presence of specific antibodies to C. burnetii phase I and II antigens. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in 9.1% of the animals from both lowland and mountainous areas. In total, a slightly higher percentage of antibodies was detected in sheep and goats (9.8%) than in cattle (7.9%).     

Litter-fall and litter decomposition in a low Mediterranean shrubland

Annual production of litter by Cistus incanus (L.) and Myrtus communis (L.) and decomposition dynamics of leaf litter of these species was studied in a Mediterranean shrubland. Myrtus and Cistus produced 472 and 429 g dry weight litter m^-2 year^-1, respectively. Leaves were the predominant litter component for both species. The average decay constant of Myrtus and Cistus litters enclosed in litter bags, calculated over the whole study period (38 months), was 0.71 year^-1 and 0.31 year^-1 respectively. In green leaves the N content differed during growth seasons for both species, whereas the content of Ca, Mg, P, K, and Na did not show significant changes. Abscised leaves had lower N, P and K contents than green leaves, evidencing that a nutrient translocation before abscission occurred from senescent leaves. The nutrient contents of the leaves at abscission time, generally higher in Cistus than in Myrtus, allowed us to estimate the annual nutrient input to the soil. Phosphorus and K more than N were rapidly released by the decomposing litters after exposure. Nutrient limitation, in particular P, might be considered the main growth limiting factor for Myrtus and Cistus. Both species were adapted to recovery and rapidly recycle P more than N and K in the living biomass through retranslocation from green leaves before abscission and/or a high release rate from the decomposing litter. The former strategy was better used by Cistus, the latter by Myrtus.     

Yellow Pigment Determination for Single Kernels of Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

The carotenoid concentration of durum wheat is a criterion for the assessment of semolina quality, and it is of particular importance in determining the color of pasta. Thus, the development of a rapid screening method for kernel and semolina color has facilitated increasing the yellow color in durum wheat cultivars. However, the distribution of the pigment might vary within the ear of the wheat. The micromethod for the determination of yellow pigment concentration (YPC) of single wheat kernels now allows the discovery of whether this variation is the same for cultivars with different carotenoid concentrations. All of the cultivars investigated showed similar trends in the arrangements of the kernels within the ears, with the central positions of the ears being the most stable for YPC. Indeed, the best combination of higher YPC and larger kernel size is seen for the basal‐central region of the ear, which can be used for the selection during wheat‐breeding programs of cultivars with a more intense yellow color.     

Protective Effect of a Non-Bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus piscium CNCM I-4031 Strain Against Listeria monocytogenes in Sterilized Tropical Cooked Peeled Shrimp

The protective activity of a non-bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus piscium CNCM I-4031 strain against Listeria monocytogenes was investigated in tropical cooked peeled shrimp stored at 8°C in modified atmosphere packaging (50% N₂–50% CO₂). When inoculated alone (L. piscium 10⁷ CFU g^?1 and L. monocytogenes 10⁴ CFU g^?1), protective culture and target strain grew very well on shrimp reaching a maximum cell number of 10⁹ CFU g^?1 after 7 and 14 days, respectively. In the presence of L. piscium, growth of L. monocytogenes was totally prevented after 3 days of storage. The count was 3.4 log CFU g^?1 lower than in the control after 10 days and until the end of storage (31 days). Using the Seafood Spoilage and Safety Predictor Software (http://sssp.dtuaqua.dk), it was shown that pH decrease from 6.58 to 5.94 and lactic acid concentration of 89.65 mM measured in the co-inoculated batch did not fully explain the inhibition observed.     

How to Perform and Interpret Testicular Fine Needle Aspiration in Stallions

Although several methods of testicular biopsy have been proposed previously, testicular fine needle aspiration (FNA) has proved to be the simplest, the most rapid, inexpensive, and overall the least invasive technique for obtaining testicular biopsies. Testicular FNA is indicated for fertility investigations in stallions with oligozoospermia or azoospermia. It is also used for differential diagnosis of testicular enlargement. After sedation, the stallion’s testis is punctured to obtain testicular parenchyma samples containing cells mainly from the seminiferous epithelium. The material obtained is used to perform smears which are analyzed for identification and quantification of germ cells and Sertoli cells. The results are based on the presence of the cell types found in the smears and the proportions of Sertoli cells per germ cells. In addition to being a very useful diagnostic tool, testicular FNA is also used for follow-up examinations, as it is minimally invasive.     

Genetic diversity in landrace populations of Hordeum vulgare L. from Sardinia, Italy, as revealed by RAPDs, isozymes and morphophenological traits

Barley is the second most widely cultivated cereal on the island of Sardinia. It is grown for green fodder, grain and straw, all of which are used for animal feet. The cultivation of modem varieties is limited and many farmers grow local populations of the six-row landrace ‘S'orgiu sardu’. Twelve local populations (20 strains per population) were evaluated for 13 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, sisisozyme loci and five morphophenological traits. Results showed that Sardinian barley is characterized by a lax six-row spike and is. in general, a spring type. Isozyme polymorphism was delected for only two esterase loci (Est and Est 4). The genetic variation for all types of murkers, was found located mostly within population (about 84%, for isozymes aud morphaphenological traits and 89%, for RAPDs). This finding appears to confirm the hypothesis that the populations studied belong to the same land race called ‘S'orgiu sardu’ by farmers. A geographical differential ion between southern and northern populations was foand in relation to distinct environmental characteristics. Taking into account all types of marker 209 (90.5%) different genotypes were identified out of 231 individuals. The overall results confirm the high variability that can be found within landrace populations, underlining the value of landraccs as a source of genetic variation.     

Access to technical information and gendered NRM practices: Men and women in rural Senegal

Gender differences in knowledge of NRM practices have long been noted in Senegal and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. An exploration of these differences among a sample of rural Senegalese men and women shows that these differences are, in part, a function of extension agent interventions. The level of knowledge of a set of NRM technologies is associated with contact with three key types of extension agent in rural Senegal: extension team leaders, forestry agents, and women's agents. Analysis of intra-household variation in levels of knowledge shows a degree of interdependence between the knowledge levels of husbands and wives for some practices. However, multi-variate analysis, controlling for personal and contextual factors, clearly demonstrates the independent impact of extension agents on gender differences in rural Senegalese NRM knowledge. It can be concluded that contact with extension agents increases knowledge of NRM practices. In particular, contact with the women's agent is a strong predictor of the level of women's NRM knowledge and, surprisingly, also contributes to the level of men's knowledge. Despite the small number of women's agents in the field, they appear to have significant positive impact on the dissemination of NRM knowledge among rural Senegalese women and men. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) of Sardinia, Italy

Since ancient times, barley has been an important food resource for the people of Sardinia. The oldest traces of its cultivation are from the mid-Neolithic (fourth millennium B.C.). Archaeological, historical and anthropological aspects of barley cultivated in Sardinia are discussed in this paper. We describe the traditional process for making barley bread (orgiathu) in Sardinia, where a special starter called ghimisone was prepared. Today, barley is cultivated only as animal feed, with two uses, grain yield and grazing. Many farmers prefer to grow local populations belonging to landrace locally known as S' orgiu sardu. Local Sardinian populations of barley evolved in diverse environments, being cultivated from sea-level up to 1000 m elevation, on various soil types at different intensities of abiotic stresses, and with climates and environments associated with various agricultural practices, depending both on production strategies and climatic conditions. These barley materials are thought to be valuable genetic and cultural inheritance which must be preserved and used for both productive and research purposes.