Foliar Phosphorus Applications in the Forms of Phosphate and Phosphite Have Contrasting Effects on Wheat Performance Under Field Conditions

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Since phosphite (Phi) cannot replace phosphate (Pi) as source of phosphorus (P) for plants, and grain crops might experience P deficiency after anthesis,...     

"Agriculture at risk: A report to the nation"--a historical review,critical analysis,and implications for future planning

"Agricultural at Risk: A Report to the Nation" is a proceedings document of a three-year (1987-1990) policy development process entitled "Agricultural Occupational and Environmental Health: Policy Strategies for the Future." That process culminated in the emergence of occupational health and safety in agriculture as a public health policy issue in the U.S. Several agricultural health and safety programs evolved as direct or indirect consequences of this process, including, but not limited to, the NIOSH agricultural occupational health programs, The Kellogg Foundation agricultural health grants programs, and the prospective chronic health studies of pesticides (EPA-NlH funded). The Agriculture at Risk report resulted in 86 specific recommendations. The authors of this article reviewed each of these recommendations and rated them on a subjective scale as to their degree of attainment. They found that 44% of the recommendations had received moderate to substantial action. Most of the positive action was in the areas of research and coalition building. A noticeable lack of action was in the areas of standards and regulation, occupational health service delivery, and education categories. This article concludes with an analysis of the limitations of the AAR report, changes in exposed populations over the past decade, and specific recommendations on future actions to address the issues.     

Research with high-power short-wavelength lasers

Three high-temperature, high-density experments were conducted recently with the 10-terawatt, short-wavelength Novette laser system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The experiments demonstrated successful solutions to problems that arose during previous laser-plasma interaction experiments with long-wavelength (greater than 1 micrometer) lasers: (i) large-scale plasmas, with dimensions approaching those needed for high-gain inertial fusion targets, were produced in which potentially deleterious laser-plasma instabilities were collisionally damped; (ii) deuterium-tritium fuel was imploded to a density of 20 grams per cubic centimeter and a pressure of 10(10) atmospheres under the improved laser conditions, and compression conditions (preheating and pressure) were consistent with code calculations that predict efficient (high-gain) burn of a large thermonuclear fuel mass when driven with a large, short-wavelength laser; and (iii) soft x-rays were amplified by a factor of 700 by stimulated emission at 206 and 209 angstroms (62 electron volts) from selenium ions in a laser-generated plasma. These small, short-pulse x-ray sources are 10(10) to 10(11) times brighter than the most powerful x-ray generators and synchrotron sources available today. The plasma conditions for these experiments were made possible by advances in Nd:glass laser technology, in techniques to generate efficiently its short-wavelength harmonics at 0.53, 0.35, and 0.26 micrometers, and in diagnostic and computational modeling.     

A possible predisposition to dilated cardiomyopathy in Huntaway dogs

AIM: To compare the prevalence of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in New Zealand Huntaway dogs with the prevalence of DCM in other breeds of dog.

METHODS: The necropsy database at Massey University was used to identify cases of DCM diagnosed between January 1999 and March 2006. Dogs were considered to have DCM if echocardiographic, gross necropsy, or histological findings were consistent with this diagnosis. The prevalence in Huntaways was then compared with the prevalence observed in all breeds of dog, as well as the prevalence observed in large breeds of dog.

RESULTS: Twelve dogs were identified with DCM. One was diagnosed using echocardiography, while the other 11 were diagnosed by gross necropsy examination. The gross diagnosis of DCM was confirmed histologically in 6/11 dogs. The prevalence of DCM in Huntaways was significantly higher than the prevalence seen in all breeds of dog (p=0.008), and the prevalence in large breeds of dog (p=0.025). All four Huntaways diagnosed with DCM were male, and had an average age of 4 years. Three dogs presented with symptoms attributable to impaired heart function while one presented with symptoms of chronic renal failure. The duration of clinical symptoms prior to presentation ranged between 1 day and 3 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that Huntaways may be predisposed to the development of DCM. Although the increased prevalence in this breed was significant, only small numbers of affected Huntaways were identified, and additional cases are required to confirm these preliminary findings.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Huntaways are the most common working dog in New Zealand. The premature loss of a working dog is expected to have a significant economic impact on farmers. Further investigation of DCM in Huntaways may allow measures to reduce the prevalence in this breed.     

A pilot study to investigate the measurement of immunoglobulin A in Welsh Cob and Welsh Pony foals’ faeces and their dam’s milk

ABSTRACT

Aims: To determine if an ELISA for measurement of IgA in equine serum could be used to measure concentrations of IgA in foal faeces and to determine correlations with concentrations in the milk of the dam.

Methods: Faeces from 20 Welsh Cob and Welsh Pony foals and milk from their dams were collected within 12?hours (Day 0) and at 6 days after parturition (Day 6). On Day 6, faeces could not be collected from 2/20 foals, and milk samples could not be collected from 3/20 mares. An equine IgA ELISA validated for serum and plasma was used to measure concentrations of IgA in all samples in triplicate. The precision of the assay for each sample type was determined using modified CV.

Results: IgA was not detectable in 7/20 Day 0 faecal samples and in 2/18 Day 6 faecal samples. For samples with detectable IgA, the mean modified CV was 10.5 (95% CI?=?6.0–15.0)% for Day 0 faecal samples, and was 6.8 (95% CI?=?4.3–9.4)% for Day 6 faecal samples. Median concentrations of IgA in faeces on Day 0 were lower than concentrations on Day 6 (0.7?mg/g vs. 37?mg/g dry matter; p?=?0.003). Concentrations of IgA in milk and faeces on Day 6 were statistically correlated (r?=?0.59; p?=?0.006).

Conclusions and clinical relevance: The IgA ELISA showed acceptable precision when used to estimate concentrations of IgA in foal faeces during the first week of life, but IgA could not be detected in 37% of meconium samples collected on Day 0. This assay may be useful for investigation of the role of maternal milk IgA in the gastrointestinal tract of neonatal foals, but further assessment of both accuracy and precision of the ELISA is required.