Nitrogen and carbon availability of liquid and solid fractions of pig slurry obtained using different separation technologies

Solid–liquid separation is now a common slurry management on European farms and many separation techniques are now available. The choice of technique used is based mostly on financial reasons even if the dry matter separation efficiency is also considered. Nevertheless, previous studies showed that the separation technique used influenced the composition of the resulting liquid (LF) and solid (SF) fractions. Hence, our hypothesis is that separation technique influences the C and N dynamics in soils amended with the resulting SF and LF. A laboratory incubation was performed with a sandy soil to assess the influence of five different separation techniques on the N and C dynamics in soil amended with the resulting LF and SF, namely the potential of each fraction for N and organic matter supply to plant and soil systems. Our results showed that the separation technique affects significantly the soil C pools in soils amended with the resulting LF and SF. Nevertheless, the differences between SFs were very low, whereas higher C losses were observed from LFs obtained with active separation techniques such as sieving relative to passive techniques such as sediment settling. The N dynamics in soils amended with the different SF obtained were similar but the extent of NH₄ ⁺ immobilization differs with the LF considered. Furthermore, higher and faster nitrification was observed with LFs obtained by sediment settling and centrifugation relative to sieving. A higher N mineralization relative to untreated slurry was observed in most fractions and the N mineralization rates were significantly influenced by the separation technique.     

Organic and Conventional <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coffea arabica</Emphasis> L.: A Comparative Study of the Chemical Composition and Physiological,Biochemical and Toxicological Effects in Wistar Rats

Differentiation between organic and conventional coffee has increased due to the growing demand and high consumption of healthy foods that contain compounds with antioxidant potential, which have been associated with the reduction of chronic diseases. We used organic and conventional coffee in powder 4% (w/w) and infusions 5%, 10% and 20% (w/v) incorporated in a commercial diet to test in vivo. The levels of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and trigonelline were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The body weight, weight gain, food consumption, aberrant foci crypt, mucin depleted foci, stress biomarkers protein carbonyl and malondialdehyde, biochemical parameters and behavior of the rats were compared between the experimental and control groups within a framework of colon carcinogenesis. The organic coffee showed higher levels of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and trigonelline than conventional, however, this difference did not significantly affect behavior. The infusions had an antioxidant effect, reducing the levels of malondialdehyde; however, the biochemical parameters of the serum were not altered, and there was neither induction nor prevention of preneoplasic lesions.     

Effect of pre-medication on gastroduodenoscopy in isoflurane-anesthetized cats

The pre‐medicant chosen may influence the ease with which gastroduodenoscopy (GD) is performed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative ease of GD in cats under ketamine and isoflurane anesthesia after IM injection of hydromorphone (H, 0.1 mg kg^?1), hydromorphone plus glycopyrrolate (HG, 0.1 mg kg^?1 (H), 0.01 mg kg^?1 (G)), medetomidine (M, 0.03 mg kg^?1), or butorphanol (B, 0.4 mg kg^?1). Eight cats were assigned randomly to receive each treatment in a cross‐over design with at least 7 days between treatments. Twenty minutes after pre‐medication, medetomidine produced greater (p = 0.001) sedation than the other treatments when assessed, using a subjective ordinal scale. The cats were injected with ketamine (10 mg kg^?1 IM), orotracheally intubated, connected to a pediatric circle breathing system, and allowed to spontaneously breathe isoflurane in oxygen. Once end‐tidal isoflurane concentration was stable at 1.4% for 15 minutes, endoscopy was started. A single endoscopist (REG), who was unaware of the treatment used, performed all endoscopies. The endoscopist scored the difficulty of endoscopy subjectively (0–3). The significance of differences between treatments was evaluated using Friedman's test. Time for entering the stomach was 9.4 (4.7–15.9) (median (minimum–maximum)), 6.6 (5.2–11.7), 8.4 (6.3–16.5), and 7.7 (5.1–14.7) seconds and for entering the duodenum from the stomach was 20.5 (13.8–40.9), 18.2 (10.3–39.8), 20.2 (16.2–119.5), and 22.2 (11.8–83.8) seconds for H, HG, M, and B treatments, respectively. There were no significant differences in the time for, or difficulty of, endoscopy. We conclude that any of these drugs can be used satisfactorily at the doses and combinations tested to pre‐medicate cats prior to general anesthesia for GD.     

Neuromyotonia in a horse

This article describes the clinical and electromyographic findings of neuromyotonia in a 19‐month‐old male crossbred Quarter Horse that presented with stiffness and muscle asymmetry in the hind limbs as well as sacrococcygeal, paravertebral, and gluteal myokymia. An electromyographic study showed spontaneous continuous muscle fiber activity with high‐frequency discharges, fibrillations, positive sharp waves, fasciculation potentials, and complex repetitive discharges. Histological examination of the gluteal muscle showed a mixed neurogenic and myopathic pattern. The findings are consistent with neuromyotonia.     

Potential for carbon sequestration after biochar-P fertilizer application: A biological and chemical assessment

Innovation is required on many fronts in agriculture, not only to improve nutrient use efficiency but also to mitigate the effects of climate change. Our previous studies presented the high agronomic efficiency of an experimental phosphate fertilizer using a biochar-matrix, called ‘BioFert’. However, the efficiency of BioFert for soil carbon sequestration goals has not yet been evaluated. We incubated BioFert and initial raw sugarcane-biochar over 56 days in two soils (i.e., Ferralsol and Alisol) and measured the total CO₂ and δ¹³C-CO₂ to quantify the contribution of native soil organic matter, sugarcane-biochar, or BioFert to carbon mineralization. There was no significant difference in cumulative CO₂ release between BioFert and the control (without carbon addition), and BioFert was less mineralized than carbon from sugarcane-biochar regardless of soil type. In addition, accelerated aging by thermal oxidation of these carbon sources revealed that more than 80% of BioFert-carbon was prevented from accelerated mineralization, while sugarcane-biochar achieved ~80% of carbon mineralization. The residual solids after oxidation were analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and indicated aliphatic/aromatic and carboxylic chemical bonds on the BioFert surface, which might offer new cation exchange sites over time. We conclude that BioFert is not only a phosphate fertilizer with high phosphorus use efficiency but also a stable source of carbon for soil carbon sequestration purposes.     

Effect of density on survival,physiological parameters and water quality during pirarucu transportation in open system

The loading density of pirarucu Arapaima gigas transported for 6 hr in open system was assessed on survival, physiological parameters (blood hematocrit, cortisol, lactate and glucose concentrations) and water quality (temperature, pH, ammonia, dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide). No mortality was observed after fish transportation at 80, 120 and 160 kg/m³, although ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations increased and dissolved oxygen decreased. Physiological parameters were not affected by loading density but significant differences were observed between sampling periods (immediately before transport, immediately after transport, 24 and 96 hr after transport), except glucose. Hematocrit values increased with time, whereas lactate concentration decreased. No significant differences were observed in blood cortisol levels before and after transport, but concentration increased gradually for 96 hr after transport. According to the results, 9 kg pirarucu may be transported for up to 6 hr at a loading density of 160 kg/m³.     

Antibiotic resistance in potentially bacteriocinogenic probiotic bacteria in aquaculture environments

Bacteriocin‐producing bacteria in aquaculture may prevent spreading of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, and could be used as an alternative to the empirical use of antimicrobial drugs, especially for prophylaxis. Bacteriocinogenic bacteria inoculated as probiotics should not carry undesirable traits, such as antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to find potentially bacteriocinogenic bacteria in an aquaculture system and evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Selective cultures for enterobacteria, non‐fermenting Gram‐negative rods and Gram‐positive cocci were obtained from water samples before bacterial isolation and biochemical identification. Overall, 160 representative strains were recovered and for 57 antagonism was observed against selected strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, with antagonism being expressed better on Brain Heart Infusion medium. After exclusion of interfering factors, bacteriocin or bacteriocin‐like substances were suggested to be related to the antagonism observed. Higher drug‐resistant rates were observed among potentially bacteriocinogenic bacteria for different antimicrobials of clinical relevance. Although antibiotic resistance is a global health problem and bacteriocins are attractive alternatives to classical antibiotic even to multiresistant bacteria, the data obtained suggest that bacteriocin‐producing bacteria may harbour resistance genes available for transference in different environments. From the ecological and biotechnological perspective, antimicrobial susceptibility tests must be always performed when prospecting potentially bacteriocinogenic bacteria as probiotic candidates in the environment.