Gossypol toxicity in preruminant calves

SUMMARY Twenty-four of 57 calves fed a diet containing 33% cotton seed meal (CSM) died between 7 and 15 weeks of age. Initial deaths were not accompanied by premonitory signs, but after CSM withdrawal most calves developed rough coats, anorexia, weakness, ascites and subcutaneous oedema. Those that died had large volumes of serous fluid in the body cavities, hard livers of ‘nutmeg’ appearance, and pulmonary congestion. Histopathologically the livers showed periacinar necrosis in acute cases and periacinar fibrosis in chronic cases. Lungs from several calves had oedema, haemosiderosis and fibrosis in some pulmonary vessels. Atrophy of myocardial fibres was present in most cases. The concentration of free gossypol in the diet was 100 to 220 mg/kg. Ante-mortem and post-mortem findings supported a diagnosis of gossypol poisoning. The deaths continued for 4 weeks after withdrawal of CSM from the diet.     

The diagnosis of Neospora abortions in cattle

An indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for specific anti-Neospora antibodies in bovine sera and foetal fluids were compared with histological examination results on aborted foetal material. The agreement between serological and histological examination results was poor, while the two serological tests showed a high degree of agreement. Serological testing of diagnostic serum samples and foetal fluids suggests that the prevalence of anti-Neospora antibodies in cattle which recently aborted is around 40%, in line with previous estimates of the number of abortions in dairy cattle caused by Neospora sp. A sero-epidemiological approach to the diagnosis of Neospora abortions in cattle may be suggested from these data.     

The use of ultrasonography in the reproductive evaluation of boars

The objective was to study the use of ultrasound as a complementary test in the breeding soundness evaluation in male pigs and study the pattern of echogenicity of the testicular parenchyma in boars of different racial groups. Twenty‐six adult boars from four different racial groups were used, 10 from the Piau breed (group 1), four from the commercial and finishing group (group 2), six Pietrain breed (group 3) and six from the Duroc breed (group 4). All animals were evaluated for breeding soundness evaluation and the ultrasound examination of the testicles. The groups of animals that were evaluated showed no difference in the main semen parameters that were evaluated, except for the sperm volume, concentration of the ejaculated sperm and the supravital staining; the lowest figures were for the animals from the Piau breed (group 1). In relation to the testicular biometrics, Duroc animals (group 4) had a greater scrotal width compared to the other groups. But when we assessed the intensity of pixels of the testicles, there was a difference between groups. The groups 2 (finishing animals), 3 (Pietrain) and 4 had no difference between themselves. Group 3 had greater pixel intensity in relation to group 1. Of the 26 animals studied, five showed an abnormality during ultrasound evaluation, like hydrocele, hyperechoic mass in the testicular parenchyma, cyst in the head of the epididymis and the presence of fluid in the head and tail of the epididymis. The various animal groups studied did not differ in the principal reproductive parameters evaluated, showing that despite the great variability of reproductive traits between breeds and within the same breed, the breeding soundness evaluation, the more complete it is, is essential for the selection of breeders and the ultrasonography of the reproductive system becomes an important addition in this examination.     

Wind erosion and sand accumulation effects on soil properties in Horqin Sandy Farmland,Inner Mongolia

Rain-fed agriculture is widespread in Inner Mongolia, northern China, where wind erosion of farmland is very common because of sandy soil and dry, windy weather. However, very little is known about the effects of wind erosion on soil physical and chemical properties in this region. A field experiment was conducted in sandy farmland, where erosional and depositional gradients were established to evaluate the effects of wind erosion and leeward sand accumulation on soil texture, nutrient content, soil water, and soil temperature. The research showed that long term wind erosion could result in significant soil coarseness, infertility and dryness. Severe erosion reduced clay by 59.6%, organic C by 71.2%, total N by 67.4%, total P by 31.4%, available N by 64.5%, available P by 38.8%, and average soil water content by 51.8%, compared with non-eroded farmland in the study region. The sand fraction (particles > 0.05 mm), pH and ground-surface temperature increased by 6.2%, 3.7%, and 2.2 °C, respectively. Accumulated sand also caused a decrease in nutrients and soil water content. Under severe sand accumulation, clay was reduced by 2.0%, organic C by 19.3%, total N by 21.7%, total P by 13.7%, available N by 52.5%, and average soil water content by 26.6%. The sand fraction, pH, available P, and ground-surface temperature increased by 0.2%, 0.9%, 5.8% and 2.8 °C, respectively.     

Volatile flavor components of stored nonfat dry milk.

Nonfat dry milk (NDM) is widely used both as an ingredient in other preparations and for direct consumption. Flavor quality of NDM is a critical parameter because it can directly impact final product quality. Flavors can be formed in NDM during subsequent storage. Identification of compounds responsible for storage-induced flavors is necessary to correlate sensory quality with potential sources of the flavors. Six NDM samples were selected for volatile flavor analysis based on sensory analysis and storage time. Volatile components were extracted by direct solvent extraction/high vacuum distillation. Volatile extracts were separated into neutral/basic and acidic fractions and analyzed by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GCO) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). A variety of aldehydes, ketones, and free fatty acids were responsible for generation of flavors in stored NDM. The following compounds exhibited high aroma impact by AEDA: 3-(methylthio)propanal (boiled potato); o-aminoacetophenone (corn tortilla); 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone and 2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one (burnt sugar); butanoic acid (cheesy); pentanoic acid (sweaty); acetic and hexanoic acids (sour/vinegar); octanoic, decanoic, and dodecanoic acids (waxy); p-cresol (cowy/barny); 3-methylindole (fecal); dimethyl trisulfide (cabbage); (E,E)-2,4-decadienal (fried/fatty); furfuryl alcohol (rubber/vitamin); phenylacetic acid (rose-like); and 1-octen-3-one (mushroom).     

Aroma-active components of nonfat dry milk.

Application of aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) on the volatile components of low-, medium-, and high-heat-treated nonfat dry milks (NDM) revealed aroma-active compounds in the log(3) flavor dilution (log(3) FD) factor range of 1 to 6. The following compounds contributed the highest log(3) FD factors to overall NDM flavor: 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone [(Furaneol), burnt sugar-like]; butanoic acid (rancid); 3-(methylthio)propanal [(methional), boiled potato-like]; o-aminoacetophenone (grape-like); delta-decalactone (sweet); (E)-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal (metallic); pentanoic acid (sweaty); 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone [(sotolon), curry]; 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde [(vanillin), vanilla]; 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline (popcorn-like); hexanoic acid (vinegar-like); phenylacetic acid (rose-like); octanoic acid (waxy); nonanal (fatty); and 1-octen-3-one (mushroom-like). The odor intensities of Furaneol, butanoic acid, methional, o-aminoacetophenone, sotolon, vanillin, (E)-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, and phenylacetic acid were higher in high-heat-treated samples than others. However, the odor intensities of lactones, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, and 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline were not affected by heat treatment. Sensory evaluation results also revealed that heat-generated flavors have a major impact on the flavor profile of NDM.     

Spatial pattern and heterogeneity of soil properties in sand dunes under grazing and restoration in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

Applying a combination of classical and geostatistical methods, we identified soil properties and their spatial variation in a 5-year grazed sand dune (GSD5) and a 20-year recovered sand dune (RSD20) in Horqin Sandy Land, northern China. The paper assesses the effect of grazing, topography and vegetation restoration on spatial heterogeneity of soil properties. The results showed that soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, very fine sand (0.1–0.05 mm) content and their coefficients of variation were lower in GSD5 than in RSD20, while soil water contents (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm depths) were higher in GSD5 than in RSD20. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the spatial structured variance accounted for the largest proportion of total sample variance in soil properties at the measured scale under grazing and restoration. The spatial autocorrelation ranges were 66.30 m for soil organic carbon and 50.80 m for total nitrogen in GSD5 less than those in RSD20 (70.00 m and 76.10 m, respectively), while the spatial autocorrelation ranges of soil particle size fractions and soil water contents in RSD20 were less than those in GSD5. Kriging-interpolated maps also showed that the heterogeneity of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen and their degree of patch fragmentation were higher in GSD5 than in RSD20. These results suggested that continuous grazing resulted in an increase in spatial variability of soil nutrient and a decrease in spatial variability of soil particle size fractions and soil water content. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen of sand dunes are associated closely with soil particle size fractions, relative height of sampling site and vegetation cover. Spatial patterns of soil properties are most strongly related to grazing, topography and plant-induced heterogeneity in sand dune ecosystems prone to wind erosion.     

Emergence of a New Cucurbit-Infecting Begomovirus Species Capable of Forming Viable Reassortants with Related Viruses in the Squash leaf curl virus Cluster

ABSTRACT Cucurbit leaf curl virus (CuLCV), a whitefly-transmitted geminivirus previously partially characterized from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, was identified as a distinct bipartite begomovirus species. This virus has near sequence identity with the previously partially characterized Cucurbit leaf crumple virus from California. Experimental and natural host range studies indicated that CuLCV has a relatively broad host range within the family Cucurbitaceae and also infects bean and tobacco. The genome of an Arizona isolate, designated CuLCV-AZ, was cloned and completely sequenced. Cloned CuLCV-AZ DNA A and B components were infectious by biolistic inoculation to pumpkin and progeny virus was transmissible by the whitefly vector, Bemisia tabaci, thereby completing Koch's postulates. CuLCV-AZ DNA A shared highest nucleotide sequence identity with Squash leaf curl virus-R (SLCV-R), SLCV-E, and Bean calico mosaic virus (BCaMV) at 84, 83, and 80%, respectively. The CuLCV DNA B component shared highest nucleotide sequence identity with BCaMV, SLCV-R, and SLCV-E at 71, 70, and 68%, respectively. The cis-acting begomovirus replication specificity element, GGTGTCCTGGTG, in the CuLCV-AZ origin of replication is identical to that of SLCV-R, SLCV-E, and BCaMV, suggesting that reassortants among components of CuLCV-AZ and these begomoviruses may be possible. Reassortment experiments in pumpkin demonstrated that both reassortants of CuLCV-AZ and SLCV-E A and B components were viable. However, for CuLCV-AZ and SLCV-R, only one reassortant (SLCV-R DNA A/CuLCV-AZ DNA B) was viable on pumpkin, even though the cognate component pairs of both viruses infect pumpkin. These results demonstrate that reassortment among sympatric begomovirus species infecting cucurbits are possible, and that, if generated in nature, could result in begomoviruses bearing distinct biological properties.