Phosphorus saturation in soils and groundwaters

On average, crops require about 30 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ of P in humid regions. in some regions fertilizer and manure are applied in amounts that exceed this. the surplus of P in agricultural areas is about 20-45 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. This implies an accumulation of P. the surplus of P estimated from the balance of agricultural soils of industrialized countries in Europe in the last four decades is between 800 and more than 1500 kg ha⁻¹ although this distribution is not even. Phosphorus accumulation is more than one order of magnitude higher than average in areas with intensive livestock farming. Consequently, The application of high levels of manure exceed the capacity of the soil to store P. This implies that P saturation May, pose a problem. Indeed, about half of the Dutch sandy soils (approximately 300 000 ha) are currently considered to be saturated with P, meaning that there is a hazard of P leaching to groundwaters in the future. Assuming current phosphate application rates, phosphate leaching is a distinct possibility over a period of decades to a century. Vulnerable areas are soils with high inputs, low sorption capacities for P, high water-tables and a low retention time for water. the possible consequence is a time-delayed increase of eutrophication of surface waters (lakes, rivers and the sea) caused by a diffuse load of P in the few next decades. Modelling the influence of different agricultural strategies shows that accumulation of P would not increase further only if the use of P increases by an amount that compensates for the increased inputs. It is proposed to change the current support system of agriculture by installing a system of financial incentives and taxes which seek to promote nutrient balances for each farm.     

Holding Power of Different Pin Designs and Pin Insertion Methods in Avian Cortical Bone

Objective —To measure pullout strength of four pin types in avian humeri and tibiotarsi bones and to compare slow-speed power and hand insertion methods.
Study Design —Axial pin extraction was measured in vitro in avian bones.
Animal Population —Four cadaver red-tailed hawks and 12 live red-tailed hawks.
Methods —The pullout strength of four fixator pin designs was measured: smooth, negative profile threaded pins engaging one or two cortices and positive profile threaded pins. Part 1: Pins were placed in humeri and tibiotarsi after soft tissue removal. Part 2: Pins were placed in tibiotarsi in anesthetized hawks using slow-speed power or hand insertion.
Results —All threaded pins, regardless of pin design, had greater pullout strength than smooth pins in all parts of the study ( P < .0001). The cortices of tibiotarsi were thicker than the cortices of humeri ( P < .0001). There were few differences in pin pullout strengths between threaded pin types within or between bone groups. There were no differences between the pullout strength of pins placed by slow-speed power or by hand.
Conclusions —There is little advantage of one threaded pin type over another in avian humeri and tibiotarsi using currently available pin designs. There were few differences in pin pullout strengths between humeri and tibiotarsi bones. It is possible that the ease of hand insertion in thin cortices minimizes the potential for wobbling and therefore minimizes the difference between slow-speed drill and hand insertion methods.
Clinical Relevance —Threaded pins have superior bone holding strength in avian cortices and may be beneficial for use with external fixation devices in birds.     

INTEROBSERVER AGREEMENT ON THE ASSESSABILITY OF STANDARD VENTRODORSAL HIP-EXTENDED RADIOGRAPHS AND ITS EFFECT ON AGREEMENT IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CANINE HIP DYSPLASIA AND ON ROUTINE FCI SCORING

Insufficient agreement on scoring hip quality might be caused by differences in the assessability of a radiograph (exposure, contrast, positioning, and diagnostic quality). We studied the agreement in assessability of standard ventrodorsal hip-extended radiographs by experienced (nine) and inexperienced (21) observers, using the standard subjective method of quality control, currently applied in screening programs. The effect of assessability on the agreement of scoring hip quality [dysplastic vs. nondysplastic and the final Federation Cinologique International (FCI) score] was also investigated. There was a significant difference ( P <0.0001) in agreement on assessability between the experienced and inexperienced observers. In 68% of evaluations, experienced observers stated that the radiograph was assessable. Inexperienced observers evaluated the radiographs as being assessable in only 46.5% of evaluations. Increased interobserver agreement on assessability of a radiograph did not increase the overall interobserver agreement in the diagnosis of hip dysplasia, nor did it result in consistent scoring of the hip status from that radiograph, despite a significant ( P <0.05) increase in agreement of FCI scoring with an increasing agreement on assessability at a one to five ratio in the experienced group. The inconsistent evaluation of radiographic quality, as well as the inconsistent evaluation of the hip quality, caused differences in diagnosing hip dysplasia and FCI scoring in the same dog ranging from excellent hips to moderate hip dysplasia. Therefore, the credibility of the FCI screening method for canine hip dysplasia, using the standard hip-extended radiographic view, as currently applied in most European countries, is questionable.     

Scapular Sequestrum in a Horse A Case Report

A 15-year-old Morgan mare presented with a draining tract associated with osteomyelitis and sequestration of the medullary cancellous bone of the right scapula. Moderate lameness and muscle atrophy were present. Partial resection of the lateral cortex allowed exploration and debridement of the medullary cavity of the scapula. The mare returned to soundness, the muscle mass returned, but a small discharging sinus persisted.     

Impacts of Air Pollution Control Strategies in Kentucky

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impacts of air pollution control strategies for one state, Kentucky, on its own economy. Effects of the Clean Air Act are estimated, but the emphasis is on scenarios for compliance with pending acid rain legislation. The most restrictive scenario involves a 478,000 ton per year reduction in SO₂. Based on elasticity and engineering estimates, we project shifts from high-sulfur Western Kentucky coal to low-sulfur Eastern Kentucky coal, higher electric utility rates and manufacturing costs, and lower manufacturing employment. Impacts are always less than 6 percent of 1985 levels.     

The 1882 tilefish kill — a cold event in shelf waters off the north-eastern United States?

A mass mortality of `warm-water' tilefish in the Middle Atlantic Bight between April and August of 1882 suggests an episode of extreme cold in the shelf waters off the north-eastern United States. This cooling is hypothesized to be a consequence of enhanced equatorwards transport of cold water in the Labrador Current, coincident with a minimum in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index during the early 1880s.
Although there is little direct evidence for this historical event, an analogue for the 1880s cooling is found in the 1960s, at the most recent NAO-index minimum. Post-1945 observations in the Middle Atlantic Bight / Gulf of Maine region reveal changes in winter baroclinic circulation between cool and warm decades, with greater equatorward penetration of south-westwards flow along the shelf-edge during the cool 1960s. Over the period 1934–77, the NAO is found to account for 17% of the interannual variance in Labrador Current transport around the Grand Banks.
Proxy evidence for the cold episode of the early 1880s is sought. Records of bottom temperature in the Middle Atlantic Bight region are reconstructed using stable oxygen isotopic analysis on the annual bands of shells of a bivalve mollusc ( Arctica islandica ) and an empirical model of covariability with local air temperature. The result is confirmation of the presence of anomalously cold water during the early 1880s.