The potential environmental impact of pesticides removed from sprayers during cleaning

BACKGROUND: There is concern that pesticide residues on the external surfaces of sprayers could have an adverse impact on the environment if they are washed off, yet there is a need to remove these residues for health reasons. The aim of this study was to quantify pesticide residues contained in washings from cleaning discrete parts of a sprayer and to assess their likely environmental impact. RESULTS: The boom/rear of the sprayer and the spray tank accounted for 80% of the total pesticide load in the washings. Predicted environmental pesticide concentrations from sprayer washings were lower than predictions from the FOCUS surface water model for pesticides used under normal agricultural conditions, although for tebuconazole this difference was smaller than for the other compounds investigated. The field area over which the residues may need to be uniformly deposited to avoid overdosing during infield cleaning was typically less than 0.5 m(2), with a maximum value of 4 m(2). CONCLUSIONS: It is unlikely that infield cleaning will lead to overdosing. External residues are not insignificant, so any adverse impact on the environment must be mitigated. Appropriate measures include cleaning in the field away from surface waters and other sensitive areas, and cleaning machines over bunded areas or similar.     

我国肉羊产业链间的价格传导

为厘清肉羊产业链间价格的传导,本研究根据肉羊产业链上中下游各个环节产品价格的月度数据,构建了向量自回归(VAR)模型,并通过脉冲响应函数与方差分解分析了外部冲击对肉羊产业链价格体系传递的影响。结果表明:只有饲料价格、活羊价格的波动是羊肉价格波动的格兰杰因果;从脉冲响应图来看,羊肉价格对羊肉价格、饲料价格、活羊价格扰动作用的响应分别在当期、第2期和第3期达到最大,随后逐渐减弱;从预测方差的分析结果来看,活羊价格和羊肉价格对羊肉价格变动的贡献率较大。最后从产业链视角完善现有的肉羊价格应急机制;完善肉羊市场流通机制,提高价格传递的效率;推进适度规模化肉羊养殖,促进肉羊产业链纵向联合3个方面提出了政策建议。     

Furunculosis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) is not readily controllable by bacteriophage therapy

The potential of bacteriophage therapy to control bacterial disease in farmed fish was tested using, as an example, furunculosis of Atlantic salmon, caused by Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida.

In vivo testing with Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) showed no adverse effects, with bacteriophage generally cleared within 96 h of administration by either intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection or oral in-feed.

Juvenile Atlantic salmon were administered a combination of bacteriophage O, R and B (1.9 × 10⁸ pfu fish^− 1) by i.p. injection, after they had been challenged with A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida 78027, also by i.p. injection. The fish that were injected with bacteriophage immediately after challenge died at a significantly slower rate then those that were either not treated with bacteriophage, or treated 24 h post-challenge. However, the end result (100% mortality) was not affected.

In further experiments the effects of oral (1.88 × 10⁵ pfu g^− 1 fish^− 1 daily for 30 days), bath (1.04 × 10⁵ ml^− 1 daily for 30 days) and i.p. (6.25 × 10⁷ pfu fish^− 1) phage treatment to control furunculosis in experimentally infected Atlantic salmon were compared with antibiotherapy (treatment with 10 mg kg^− 1 bw^− 1 day^− 1 oxolinic acid for 10 days), using an indirect cohabitation challenge. No protection was offered by any of the bacteriophage treatments, compared to the positive challenge group, although significant protection was offered by the oxolinic acid treatment. Analysis of samples taken from the trials demonstrated that bacteriophage were correctly administered to the fish and, on occasion, were isolated from fish that had succumbed to furunculosis. It was also shown that bacteriophage resistant A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida isolates could be recovered from mortalities in all the treatment groups.

The results suggest that, although there were no safety problems associated with the approach, furunculosis in Atlantic salmon is not readily controllable by application of bacteriophage.     

Oral Recombinant Feline Interferon-Omega as an alternative immune modulation therapy in FIV positive cats: Clinical and laboratory evaluation

Recombinant-Feline Interferon-Omega (rFeIFN-ω) is an immune-modulator licensed for use subcutaneously in Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV) therapy. Despite oral protocols have been suggested, little is known about such use in FIV-infected cats. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical improvement, laboratory findings, concurrent viral excretion and acute phase proteins (APPs) in naturally FIV-infected cats under oral rFeIFN-ω therapy (0.1 MU/cat rFeIFN-ω PO, SID, 90 days). 11 FIV-positive cats were treated with oral rFeIFN-ω (PO Group). Results were compared to previous data from 7 FIV-positive cats treated with the subcutaneous licensed protocol (SC Group). Initial clinical scores were similar in both groups. Independently of the protocol, rFeIFN-ω induced a significant clinical improvement of treated cats. Concurrent viral excretion and APP’s variation were not significant in the PO Group. Oral rFeIFN-ω can be an effective alternative therapy for FIV-infected cats, being also an option for treatment follow-up in cats submitted to the licensed protocol.     

Long-Term Follow-up of Superficial Digital Flexor Tendonitis Treated by a Single Intralesional Injection of a ReGeneraTing Agent in 51 Horses

ReGeneraTing Agents (RGTA) are nanopolysaccharides engineered to mimic heparan sulfates and have been shown to stimulate tissue repair and healing (skin, cornea, gingival, and muscle) in several animal models of injury and in human medicine. A preliminary study, monocentric and uncontrolled, was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a dedicated RGTA (named Equitend) in improving the healing quality of the injured tendon after a single and ultrasound-guided intralesional injection. Improvement of ultrasonographic appearance of tendinous or ligamentous lesion was documented at least over 4 months in Equitend-treated horses and was further supported by another study on superficial digital flexor tendonitis, in 51 horses (16 French Standardbred trotters (ST), 13 Thoroughbreds (TB), and 22 eventers). Long-term follow-up of these horses showed high rates of return to racing, with 95% of eventers, 87.5% of French ST, and 77% of TB. The mean duration before the first race or competition was 6.6 and 7.4 months for ST and eventers, respectively. The group of 16 treated ST was then compared with a matched control group, showing that the Equitend-treated group was able to return to a higher level of earning after lesion (74% vs. 15% in the control group). Furthermore, the Equitend-treated group was back in racing 2.4 months earlier than the control group.     

基于园艺疗法的屋顶花园设计

选择搭配具有疗养功效的园艺植物进行屋顶花园设计,能够充分发挥植物的景观效果和功能特性,从而达到家庭保健的功能。综述了园艺疗法的作用原理和优势,详细介绍了针对老年人、康复人群及亚健康人群的屋顶花园设计方法。     

园艺疗法对老年人健康的积极作用

介绍了园艺疗法,分析了老年人的身体和心理特征,阐述了园艺疗法对老年人健康的积极影响,并探讨了园艺疗法的活动内容、实施环境、材料与用具,以及需要注意的问题。     

奶牛子宫内膜炎治疗研究进展

子宫内膜炎是奶牛的常发病,对奶牛养殖业造成的危害巨大.目前,治疗奶牛子宫内膜炎的方法主要有抗生素疗法、中药疗法、中西医结合疗法、微生物疗法、免疫学疗法和激素疗法.主要根据国内最新的研究成果,对奶牛子宫内膜炎的治疗进行综述,并对不同治疗方法的优缺点进行比较,以期为积极探寻该病最为合适的治疗方法提供参考.