Knowledge and Practices of Pig Farmers Regarding Japanese Encephalitis in Kathmandu,Nepal

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is the single largest cause of viral encephalitis in the world and has been endemic in Nepal since the early 1980s. Since then, it has spread from its origins in lowland plains to the Kathmandu Valley as well as in hill and mountain districts. Pigs are amplifying hosts for the virus. The Nepal government has been encouraging the development of pig farming as a means of poverty alleviation. Whereas other countries have reduced JE through vaccination programmes and improvements in pig husbandry, these options are not economically possible in Nepal. The objective of this study was to examine the occupational risk of pig farmers in Nepal and to determine their level of knowledge and practice of JE prevention techniques. We surveyed 100 randomly selected pig farmers in the Kathmandu District and found that pig farmers were exposed to many JE risk factors including poverty and close proximity to pigs, rice paddy fields and water birds, which are the definitive hosts for the virus. Forty‐two percent of the farmers had heard of JE, 20% associated it with mosquito bites and 7% named pigs as risk factors. Few protective measures were taken. None of the farmers were vaccinated against JE nor were any pigs, despite an ongoing human vaccination campaign. This farming community had little ownership of land and limited education. JE education programmes must consider gender differences in access to public health information as there were an equal number of male and female farmers. We provide findings that can inform future JE education programmes for this vulnerable population.     

Strategies for collaboration in the interdisciplinary field of emerging zoonotic diseases

The integration of the veterinary, medical and environmental sciences necessary to predict, prevent or respond to emerging zoonotic diseases requires effective collaboration and exchange of knowledge across these disciplines. There has been no research into how to connect and integrate these professions in the pursuit of a common task. We conducted a literature search looking at the experiences and wisdom resulting from collaborations built in health partnerships, health research knowledge transfer and exchange, business knowledge management and systems design engineering to identify key attributes of successful interdisciplinary (ID) collaboration. This was followed by a workshop with 16 experts experienced in ID collaboration including physicians, veterinarians and biologists from private practice, academia and government agencies. The workshop participants shared their perspectives on the facilitators and barriers to ID collaboration. Our results found that the elements that can support or impede ID collaboration can be categorized as follows: the characteristics of the people, the degree to which the task is a shared goal, the policies, practices and resources of the workplace, how information technology is used and the evaluation of the results. Above all, personal relationships built on trust and respect are needed to best assemble the disciplinary strength of the professions. The challenge of meeting collaborators outside the boundaries of one's discipline or jurisdiction may be met by an independent third party, an ID knowledge broker. The broker would know where the knowledge could be found, would facilitate introductions and would help to build effective ID teams.     

Data-loggers carried on a harness do not adversely affect sheep locomotion

The use of externally fitted motion sensors to animal subjects has the potential for allowing researchers to investigate subtle changes in animal movement that may occur with the onset of specific diseases. However, it is crucial to consider whether or not the use of such technology has an effect on the variables measured. Here, we examine the effect of a body harness data logging device on the locomotive patterns of female Merino sheep, Ovis aries. We extracted locomotion variables typical of motion sensor data (stride frequency, stride length, gait type, speed, and limb velocity) from high-definition video collected under controlled conditions. We found no significant difference between the variables measured in the harnessed and unharnessed conditions. Overall, our experiment demonstrates that data-loggers carried on a harness do not adversely affect sheep locomotion, and extended periods of habituation post-instalment of devices should ensure consistency and accuracy of data in future experiments.     

Influence of processing cassava peels on the hydrogen cyanide concentration, nutritive value and performance of growing rabbits

Forty-eight rabbits used to investigate the response of growing rabbits to diets containing differently processed cassava peel meals were divided into four groups balanced for sex and weight. These groups were then assigned at random to the experimental treatments. Four diets were formulated such that the diets contained 200 g/kg of the experimental feedstuffs, sun-dried cassava peel meal (S), ensiled cassava peel meal (E) and retted cassava peel meal (R), and the control did not contain any cassava peels. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) concentration in the processed cassava peel meal was lower relative to the unprocessed meal. It was, however, lowest in R and highest in E. With the exception of S, fibre fractions were lower in the processed meal compared to the unprocessed meal. The E depressed (p < 0.05) feed and digestible nutrient intakes, weight gain, nutrient digestibility, digestible protein (DP), digestible energy (DE) and DP/DE ratio but increased protein intake to gain and feed to gain ratios compared to other diets. Intake of HCN decreased (p < 0.05) successively in this order: R, S and E. The results indicate that retting and sun-drying are more effective in cassava peel detoxification than ensiling, and dietary HCN concentration and intake of 56 and 4 mg/kg BW, respectively, were not toxic under the conditions of the experiment.     

Agreement between the caudal fold test and serological tests for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in bison

The objective of this study was to estimate agreement between the caudal fold test (CFT) and different serological tests for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in bison by using prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK). A total of 212 of wild wood bison from Wood Buffalo National Park were tested with the CFT as well as several serological tests: fluorescent polarization assay (FPA), multiantigen print immunoassay (MAPIA), rapid lateral-flow test (RT) and dual path platform test (DPP). For RT, 3 variations were conducted using 30μl of serum (RT 30), 20μl of serum (RT 20) and 20μl of serum considering only a strong reaction as positive (RT 20 ST). The McNemar's χ(2) test was conducted to assess whether the proportion of positive test results to 2 different tests differed. Two measures of agreement between pair of tests were estimated: the Cohen's kappa statistic and PABAK. The apparent prevalence of tuberculosis in the sampled animals varied depending on the diagnostic test from 6.1% (FPA and DPP) to 47.2% (CFT). The prevalence estimated by CFT differed from the prevalence estimated by the other tests, whereas the prevalence estimated by FPA, MAPIA, RT 20 ST and DPP were not significantly different. The kappa and PABAK estimates calculated between CFT and the rest of the tests suggested poor to slight agreement between tests (k and PABAK<0.25 in all cases). The PABAK estimates for the pairwise combinations among serological tests were numerically greater than the kappa estimates (and significantly greater when FPA was compared to the rest of serological tests), and suggested substantial to almost perfect agreement (PABAK>0.75 in all cases). The disagreement between the skin and serological tests for the detection of M. bovis infection could be partly because the tests measure different immunological responses (cell-mediated vs. humoral) that are predominant at different stages of the infection, and partly due to inaccuracy of the tests. Further research is needed to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests in order to establish a reliable case definition, combining different tests, to be used in the surveillance and control of tuberculosis in free-ranging bison populations.     

Bird communities and seedling recruitment in restoring seasonally dry forest using the framework species method in Northern Thailand

This study examined the effects of framework trees, planted in 1998, and bird community on the natural recruitment of tree seedling species in a forest restoration experiment designed to test the framework species method of forest restoration established by Chiang Mai University’s Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU-CMU). Tree seedlings establishing beneath five framework tree species: Erythrina subumbrans (Hassk.) Merr., Hovenia dulcis Thunb., Melia toosendan Sieb. & Zucc., Prunus cerasoides D.Don and Spondias axillaries Roxb., were surveyed. Five trees of each species were selected in the 8-year-old trial plots. Birds visiting each tree were observed to determine possible seed dispersal activities. Thirty-six tree seedling species were found beneath the selected trees, of which 11 were wind-dispersed and 25 were animal-dispersed. The population density of animal-dispersed tree seedlings was higher than the wind-dispersed seedlings beneath all selected framework trees. The sample plots beneath P. cerasoides supported the highest population density of tree seedlings. Forty-nine bird species were recorded visiting the framework trees between July 2006 and June 2007. Non-frugivorous birds were recorded more frequently than the frugivorous birds. The effects of birds on seedling recruitment were different among each of the selected framework tree. Bigger trees, which attracted high number of birds by providing food resources, roosting and nesting sites may increase the seed deposition more than smaller trees with fewer attractants.     

Biomass production physiology and soil carbon dynamics in short-rotation-grown Populus deltoides and P. deltoides × P. nigra hybrids

Fast-growing woody species grown in dense, short-rotation plantations on land previously in agriculture offer potential economic benefits in products such as engineered construction material, boiler fuel, non-food-based biofuel feed stocks and other carbon (C)-based products and credits. However, information on the effects on major C pools of short-rotation culture is relatively sparse. In this study, Populus deltoides and P. deltoides × P. nigra hybrid clones were grown for 5 years at 1 m × 1 m spacing in plantations on a former pasture of high native fertility in the Missouri River floodplain in the lower Midwest U.S.A. Above- and below-ground biomass production, leaf area-based production efficiency, photosynthetic attributes and soil C dynamics were studied.     

Modeling production and decay of coarse woody debris in loblolly pine plantations

Forest management can have large impacts on the production and yield of coarse woody debris (CWD) in terrestrial ecosystems, yet few modeling tools exist to inform such efforts. The goal here was to develop a set of prediction equations for use in conjunction with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) modeling and inventory systems to estimate CWD yields at scales ranging from individual trees to whole plantations. Permanent field plots from a 21-year study of thinning effects on plantation growth and yield across the commercial range of the species in the southern United States were surveyed to obtain sample data on CWD volume, density, and mass. Measured CWD properties were combined with inventory records of tree mortality over the study duration to characterize CWD production, decay and yield in a series of prediction equations. The resulting equations predict CWD attributes of dead trees including dry weight (kg) and fraction of standing versus downed woody material based on the time since death (years), tree diameter at breast height (cm) and height (m) at time of death and geographic coordinates of latitude and longitude. A stand-level equation predicts total CWD yield (Mg ha⁻¹) for thinned or unthinned stands based on plantation age, stem density (trees ha⁻¹), and the average height of dominant and codominant trees (m). Piece-level equations predict dry density (kg m⁻³) or nitrogen concentration (%) of CWD pieces based on their position (standing or down), ordinal decay classes, and latitude. The tree and stand-level prediction equations are designed for use in GIS or growth and yield modeling systems. The piece-level equations are designed to be used in inventory applications that survey CWD. The equations should facilitate the accurate and facile determination of mass, carbon, and nitrogen contents of CWD in planted loblolly pine forests of the southern United States.     

Estimating natural forest fire return interval in northeastern Ontario,Canada

Long-term forest fire regime was simulated for the Moose River Forest Management Unit (FMU) in northeastern Ontario. The simulated area has not been managed for timber production and fire suppression activity has been minimal. The available data included fire records for 1970–2006 and forest age structure from forest resource inventory completed in 1978. The fire regime was simulated using a simple percolation model driven by three parameters: probabilities of fire spread during low and high fire activity years and of a given year being a low fire activity year. The model successfully generated a long-term fire regime producing age structure and 37-year-long fire records similar to those observed for the Moose River FMU. The simulation results suggest that (a) fire return interval in northeastern Ontario is likely much shorter than indicated by estimates based exclusively on data from the last four decades of fire activity, and (b) it is possible that the fire regime in northeastern Ontario has not changed since mid-1800s but rather is characterized by relatively long periods of low incidence of fire interspersed with pulses of high fire activity.