Developing sustainable agriculture education in Canada

In a number of surveys, Canadian farmers have found the absence of information to be a major obstacle to the development of sustainable agriculture. The traditional sources of information for farmers have been unable to provide them with suitable information. One reason for this deficiency is the absence of suitable training for agriculture professionals. The details of a newly created course designed to address these problems at the Faculty of Agriculture of McGill University are provided, and some suggestions made about the pedagogy and course content of an entire program.     

Colloid osmotic pressure after hemorrhage and replenishment with Oxyglobin Solution, hetastarch, or whole blood in pregnant sheep

Objective To compare plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP) of both maternal and fetal blood, before and after hemorrhage, and replenishment with Oxyglobin Solution (Biopure Corporation, Cambridge, MA, USA), hetastarch or whole blood in pregnant ewes. Study design Prospective, randomized study. Animals A total of 17 adult Rambouillet ewes at 131 (128–133) [median (minimum, maximum)] days gestation, weighing 56 (46, 63) kg. Methods Ewes and fetuses were chronically instrumented with catheters in a maternal jugular vein, maternal carotid artery and fetal femoral artery. Twenty milliliters per kilograms of blood were removed from each ewe over 1 hour. The ewes were then given 20 mL kg^?1 of either Oxyglobin Solution (n = 5), hetastarch (n = 6), or autologous whole blood (n = 6) IV. Maternal plasma COP was measured before hemorrhage, after hemorrhage, after replenishment, and 1 and 2 hours later. Fetal plasma COP was measured after maternal hemorrhage and 2 hours after maternal volume replenishment. Results Median COP of all ewes before hemorrhage was 20 (16, 24) mm Hg and after hemorrhage (p < 0.05), decreased to 16 (11, 19) mm Hg. After volume replenishment, the COP of the Oxyglobin Solution group was 22 (21, 25) mm Hg, the autologous whole blood group was 17 (16, 22) mm Hg and the hetastarch group was 20 (17, 21) mm Hg. The COP of the Oxyglobin Solution group was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the COP of the hetastarch group immediately and 60 minutes after volume replenishment, and greater (p < 0.05) than that of the autologous whole blood group at 60 minutes after volume replenishment. The COP of all the fetuses after maternal hemorrhage was 16 (12, 19) mm Hg and at 120 minutes after maternal volume replenishment was 15 (11, 18) mm Hg. There were no differences in COP between or within any of the fetal groups. Conclusions When used to treat blood loss, Oxyglobin Solution increases plasma COP more than an equal volume of hetastarch in the first hour following administration. Maternal administration of Oxyglobin Solution did not alter fetal COP. Clinical relevance Oxyglobin Solution is a more potent colloid than hetastarch. Oxyglobin Solution did not appear to translocate fluid from the fetal to maternal circulation.     

Impact of nutrients on insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 and their ratio in African American and white males

OBJECTIVE: Higher levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and lower levels of IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Nutrition is known to partially regulate IGF levels and it is possible that nutritional factors mediate the impact of IGF levels on prostate cancer risk. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of the impact of nutritional factors measured by a dietary questionnaire on plasma levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and their molar ratio. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test for effects of nutrients on IGF levels. SETTING: Prostate cancer screening at the Hollings Cancer Center in Charleston, South Carolina. SUBJECTS: Ninety-five African American and 138 white males aged 33-83 years attending the screening. RESULTS: In whites, intakes of total, saturated and monounsaturated fats were positively associated with an increase in the molar ratio, while there was no association in African Americans. In African Americans, we found that increasing intake of calcium and dairy servings was positively associated with IGF-I levels. Increased vegetable intake was positively associated with IGFBP-3 in African Americans, while there was no effect in whites. A higher percentage of alcohol in the total diet was significantly associated with a decrease in the molar ratio and an increase in IGFBP-3 in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm previous findings of nutritional determinants of IGF levels. Additionally, we found the impact of several nutrients on IGF levels to be different in whites and African Americans, which warrants further investigation.     

Effect of SO2 concentration on polyphenol development during red wine micro-oxygenation

A Merlot wine in 15 L research tanks was subjected to micro-oxygenation at 10 mL O2 per liter of wine per month over a 16 week period with additions of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L SO2. A large decrease in monomeric anthocyanins and flavan-3-ols was seen in wines with a lower concentration of SO2, coupled with an increase in nonbleachable pigments; an increase in tannin, measured using precipitation with methyl cellulose; and a greater size and red coloration of a proanthocyanidin extract obtained using Sephadex LH-20. These changes were largely suppressed in wines initially treated with 200 mg/L SO2 and occurred more slowly in wines stored in bottles in the absence of O2. The concentration of SO2 is shown to regulate the polyphenol chemistry involved in the formation of polymeric pigments and changes in tannin structure affecting wine astringency.     

Effect of surimi processing on dimethylamine formation in fish meat during frozen storage

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) degrades to dimethylamine (DMA) and formaldehyde, which cause a decline in fish quality. Suppression of DMA formation in frozen surimi was investigated using croaker, lizardfish, and walleye pollock. The leaching process in surimi processing was shown to reduce not only the TMAO, iron, and taurine content, but also to reduce unidentified factors that accelerate DMA formation in lizardfish muscle; in contrast, unidentified factors that suppress DMA formation were reduced in croaker and pollock muscle. Sucrose, used as a cryoprotectant, was shown to decrease DMA formation in vitro, likely due to the reduction in freezing-induced concentration of solutes. The effects of pH on DMA formation were different in minced frozen meat among the three species. DMA formation was not observed in croaker when the pH varied between 6 and 8. On the other hand, DMA was elevated in lizardfish under acidic conditions, and DMA formation in pollock was maximal when the pH of the meat was neutral. Thus, the suppression of TMAO degradation by surimi processing results from the removal of TMAO, iron, and reductants from fish meat; sucrose also reduces DMA formation. Furthermore, unidentified factors in croaker, lizardfish, and pollock meat substantially affect DMA formation.     

Use of salt to control ichthyophthiriosis and prevent saprolegniosis in silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus

The ciliate protozoan, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis , and the fungus, Saprolegnia parasitica , cause the diseases ichthyophthiriosis and saprolegniosis respectively. Both diseases are difficult to control and can cause high mortalities of freshwater fish, including the Australian silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell). The efficacy of salt (NaCl) in controlling and preventing these diseases in silver perch was evaluated in aquaria and tanks. Low pH levels were also evaluated as a control for ichthyophthiriosis. Concentrations of 2 or 3 g L⁻¹ salt controlled infestations of I. multifiliis , and fish were free of both theronts and trophonts by day 8 at temperatures of 17.3–21.3 °C and by day 6 at 19.2–23.5 °C. Fish treated with 1 g L⁻¹ salt remained infested and all fish in a control treatment (0 g L⁻¹ salt) died. Although the mean survival rates of infested fish at pH levels of 5 or 6 were only 13.9% and 7.6%, respectively, there were no theronts or trophonts on surviving fish after 12 days. Silver perch harvested from a pond and treated with 2 or 3 g L⁻¹ salt did not become infected with S. parasitica and survival was 100%, whereas 16.6% of untreated (0 g L⁻¹ salt) fish became infected and survival was only 66.7%. A concentration of 2 g L⁻¹ NaCl is recommended for the control of ichthyophthiriosis and the prevention of saprolegniosis in silver perch held in tanks, aquaria and re-circulating aquaculture systems.     

Movements and habitat use of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii) juveniles in a large lowland Australian river

Abstract – Native Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii) are listed as a nationally vulnerable species, whereas non‐native common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are widespread and abundant. Understanding key aspects of life history, such as movement patterns and habitat selection by juvenile Murray cod and common carp, might be useful for conserving Murray cod populations and controlling common carp numbers. We used radio‐telemetry to track eight juvenile Murray cod and seven juvenile common carp in the Murray River, Australia, between March and July 2001. Common carp occupied a significantly greater total linear range (mean ± SD: 1721 ± 1118 m) than Murray cod (mean ± SD: 318 ± 345 m) and the average daily movement was significantly greater for common carp (mean ± SD: 147 ± 238 m) than for Murray cod (mean ± SD: 15 ± 55 m). All Murray cod and five of the seven common carp displayed site fidelity or residency to one, two or three locations. Murray cod were found only in the mainstream Murray River among submerged woody habitats, whereas common carp occurred equally in mainstream and offstream areas, and among submerged wood and aquatic vegetation. Murray cod were found in deeper (mean ± SD: 2.3 ± 0.78 m) and faster waters (mean ± SD: 0.56 ± 0.25 m·s^?1) compared with common carp (mean ± SD: 1 ± 0.54 m; 0.08 ± 0.09 m·s^?1) respectively. The presence of juvenile Murray cod only amongst submerged wood is an indication that these habitats are important and should be preserved. Conversely, juvenile common carp were equally present among all habitats sampled, suggesting that habitat selection is less specific, possibly contributing to their widespread success.     

Experiential legacies of early-life dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid content on juvenile Walleye: Potential impacts from climate change

Climate-induced shifts in plankton blooms may alter fish recruitment by affecting the fatty acid composition of early-life diets and corresponding performance. Early-life nutrition may immediately affect survival but may also have a lingering influence on size and growth via experiential legacies. We explored the short- and longer-term performance consequences of different concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for juvenile Walleye (Sander vitreus, Mitchill 1818). For the first 10 days of feeding, juveniles were provided Artemia enriched with: oleic acid (low PUFA), high docosahexaenoic acid and high eicosapentaenoic acid (high PUFA), or high PUFA and a form of vitamin E (high PUFA + E). After 10 days, all fish were fed a high-quality diet and reared for an additional 27 days. Juveniles fed either high PUFA diet were 1.15-fold larger (PUFA mean ± SD = 20.0 ± 3.3 mg; PUFA + E = 19.8 ± 3.3 mg) than those fed the low PUFA (17.3 ± 2.8 mg) diet after 10 days of feeding. After 27 days, juveniles initially fed the high PUFA diet were still 1.10- to 1.20-fold larger (PUFA = 407.0 ± 61.6 mg; PUFA + E = 422.7 ± 58.7 mg) than those initially fed the low PUFA diet (356.5.0 ± 39.5 mg). Our findings demonstrate that fatty acid composition of juvenile Walleye diets has immediate and lingering size effects. As changes in climate continue to alter lower trophic levels, fish management and conservation may need to consider short- and long-term effects of temporal or spatial differences in early-life diet quality.