Computed tomography of the lungs of Indian pythons (Python molurus)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of computed tomography (CT) for detection of pneumonia in snakes. ANIMALS: 8 clinically normal Indian pythons (Python molurus) and 5 pythons with evidence of respiratory tract disease. PROCEDURES: Preliminary examinations (clinical examination, conventional radiography, and microbiologic examination of a transtracheal wash sample) were performed. The lungs of each snake were then examined by use of CT performed in accordance with a standardized protocol. Structures of the lungs were assessed, and thickness and attenuation of the parenchyma were determined. RESULTS: It was possible to assess lung parenchyma in all pythons. Mean +/- SD attenuation in healthy pythons was -744.4 +/- 47.1 Hounsfield units. Significant differences were not evident between the right and left lungs or among measurement areas within a lung. In all Indian pythons with clinical signs of dyspnea and microbiologic detection of pathogens, hyperattenuation of the alveolar tissue was evident. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Analysis of the results revealed the benefit of CT for use in the diagnosis of pneumonia in snakes. A standardized protocol and reference values were established as a basis for CT assessment of the lungs of snakes.     

Some serum parameters of first lactation cows in relation to their supply of macro and trace elements as well as of vitamins

At the Institute of Animal Nutrition of the Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL) in Braunschweig a feeding trial with 30 first lactating cows (German Holstein) was realised in 2004 for a complete lactation. All animals received a diet based on maize- and grass-silage ad libitum at the rate of 60:40 (DM-base) and concentrate depending on their milk yield.The animals were fed with energy and protein as recommended (GfE 2001) and were kept in loose housing. After calving they were split randomly into two feeding groups with 15 animals each. Group 1 was fed a concentrate according to the recommendations of the GfE (2001), whereas group 2 was offered the same concentrate with roughly the double amount of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, beta-carotene and vitamins A and E. To study the influence of the different concentrates on the serum concentrations of minerals and vitamins, blood, feed and milk samples were regularly taken and analysed in the course of lactation. Significantly higher blood concentrations were detected for phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E in group 2, but therefore a direct influence of the feeding on the blood concentrations was detected only for zinc and vitamin E. Over the whole lactation the average milk yield of group 1 was 2.6 kg/day higher and the average milk fat content was reduced about 0.6 percent points compared to group 2.     

Formulation of Environmentally Sound Waste Mixtures for Land Application

Major impediments to the land application of coal combustion byproducts (fly ash) for crop fertilization have been the presence of heavy metals and their relatively low and imbalanced essential nutrient concentration. Although nutrient deficiencies, in particular N, P, and K, may be readily augmented by adding organic wastes such as sewage sludge and animal manure, the indiscriminate application of mixtures to crops can cause excessive soil alkalinity, imbalanced nutrition (P, Mg), phytotoxicities (B, Mn, ammonia, nitrite), and unspecified contamination of the food chain by elements such as As. In this study, nutrient availability data and linear programming (LP) were used to solve these problems by formulating fly ash-biosolid triple mixtures which complied with both plant and soil fertilization requirements, and met existing U.S.A. environmental regulations for total As application in sewage sludge (EPA-503). Thirteen different fly ash samples were LP-formulated with sewage sludge, poultry manure, CaCO₃, and KCl to yield 13 unique mixtures, which were then evaluated in greenhouse pot experiments. Results indicated that normal growth and balanced nutrition of sorghum (Sorghumbicolor L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) crops were achieved in all mixtures, comparable to a balanced fertilizer reference treatment, and significantly better than the untreated control. Phytotoxic levels of B, NH₃, NO₂ ^-, overliming problems, and excessive As levels which were previously encountered from indiscriminate use of these waste materials, were all well controlled by LP-formulated mixtures. Most fly ash quantities in mixtures were limited by either available B (< 4 kg ha^-1) or total As (< 2 kg ha^-1) restrictions during formulation, while the most alkaline fly ash was limited by its high calcium carbonate equivalence (CCE = 53.9%). These results confirmed that fly ash land application should not be at arbitrary fixed rates, but should be variable, depending on the soil, crop, and particularly the fly ash chemistry.     

Antioxidant effectiveness of phenolic apple juice extracts and their gut fermentation products in the human colon carcinoma cell line caco-2

Apples represent a major dietary source of antioxidative polyphenols. Their metabolic conversion by the gut microflora might generate products that protect the intestine against oxidative damage. We studied the antioxidant effectiveness of supernatants of fermented apple juice extracts (F-AEs, 6 and 24 h fermentation) and of selected phenolic degradation products, identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS. Cell free antioxidant capacity of unfermented apple juice extracts (AEs) was decreased after fermentation by 30-50%. In the human colon carcinoma cell line Caco-2, F-AEs (containing <0.5% of original AE-phenolics) decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level more efficiently than the F-blank (fermented without AE) but were less effective than the respective AEs. Similarly, antioxidant effectiveness of individual degradation products was lower compared to respective AE constituents. Glutathione level was slightly increased and oxidative DNA damage slightly decreased by fermented AE03, rich in quercetin glycosides. In conclusion, F-AEs/degradation products exhibit antioxidant activity in colon cells but to a lesser extent than the respective unfermented AEs/constituents.     

Untersuchungen zur ökologischen situation ostdeutscher landwirtschaftsbetriebe

Repräsentative ostdeutsche Landwirtschaftsbetriebe sind hinsichtlich ihrer Umweltverträglichkeit bewertet worden. Dazu diente eine Methode, die für ca. 30 relevante Umwelt‐Gefährdungspotentiale aus den Bereichen Düngung, Bodenschutz, Pflanzenschutzmitteleinsatz, Agrarraumgestaltung, Artendiversität, Energiebilanz und Tierbesatz kritische Umweltbelastungen formuliert und damit aktuelle Betriebsdaten wertend vergleicht.

Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine sehr differenzierte Situation. Während Stoffbelastungen mit Konsequenzen für die Nahrungsqualität weitgehend unkritisch sind, bestehen Defizite vor allem als “Altlasten”; in den Bereichen Bodenschutz und Agrarraumgestaltung.

Beziehungen zwischen Intensität und Umweltverträglichkeitsbewertung werden diskutiert.