Improvement of biomolecular methods for the identification and typing of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from raw meat

The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity of two m-PCR methods for the quantitative determination of E. coli O157:H7 in foodstuffs. Genomic serotyping was carried out on bacterial cultures, and the necessary time was optimized to increase the resolution of the method. Subsequently, artificial contamination trials using meat were conducted to assess method accuracy in foodstuffs and pursue the genetic typing of pathogens. Measurement thresholds were shown to range between 10⁵ and 10⁶ CFU/mL, but were reduced by four logarithmic cycles in 80% of samples. Relative to the meat contamination trials, serotypes were identified after 24 hours, corresponding to 10 CFU/mL inoculum, with higher rates seen when m-TSB was used for enrichment. Inoculated samples were found to contain three virulence factors (hlyA, eaeA, and stx1).

     

Attitudes and opinions of commercial fishermen on whitefish management in the Gulf of Bothnia, Finland

Abstract Catches of anadromous whitefish in the Gulf of Bothnia have declined since theearly 1990s. It is generally assumed that the cause is overfishing. The professional fishermeninterviewed in the present study were united in the opinion that it is necessary to set limits onthe fishing of whitefish, but had differing views about the means of achieving this. Thesedifferent arguments involved separate whitefish stocks, various types of gear and differentmotives for fishing. Most of the professional fishermen accepted a minimum mesh size for gillnets. Other means proposed included setting limits on non-professional fishing and sales ofcatches. There were conflicting attitudes about seasonal restrictions because their experienceswith fishing restrictions for salmon had been negative. On the whole, decision-making requiresmore regional information on whitefish stocks and fishing, but also on the social and economicflexibility of fishermen.     

Simultaneous X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence microanalysis on secondary xylem of Norway spruce

Secondary xylem of Norway spruce was studied by X-ray microanalysis. Average dimensions of cellulose crystallites, fraction of oriented cellulose, mean microfibril angle, and nutrient element concentrations of K, Ca, Mn, and Zn were simultaneously determined using microfocused synchrotron radiation and a combination of X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. The variation of these quantities in the microscopic size scale was noticeable, and similar between samples taken from the same annual ring. The mean microfibril angle and the nutrient concentrations of Ca, Mn, and Zn showed a correlation. The mean values of the structural parameters and their variation as a function of the annual ring were similar as reported in previous studies on Norway spruce.     

The interaction of cadmium and selenium in horse kidney cortex in relation to histopathological changes

The kidney cortex of 32 Finnish horses was analysed chemically for cadmium (Cd) and selenium (Se) content and by light microscopy for histopathological changes of the tissues. Cd concentrations in kidney cortex ranged from 6.9 to 91.6 mg/kg wet weight with an average of 31.9 mg/kg. Se concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 mg/kg with an average of 1.0 mg/kg. The age of the horses varied from 1.5 to 32 years; mean age was 16 years.Cd levels in kidney cortex seemed to increase linearly up to an age of about 16 years. In old (over 16 years) horses no such correlation could be found. Se concentrations were found to decrease in relation to age. The horses with higher than 1 mg/kg Se in kidney cortex had less PAS-positive casts than horses with low Se content. Among the total population of the horses no correlation could be demonstrated between Cd and Se concentrations in kidney cortex. However, the horses with more than 40 mg/kg Cd in their kidney cortex had a slightly positive correlation between Cd and Se concentrations.     

Towards interactive fish farming governance? a comparison of Finland and Sweden

The neighbouring countries, Finland and Sweden, compete in the same market with their aquaculture. Both countries have had, until recently, stringent environmental policies limiting production volumes. During recent years, however, Swedish fish farmers have been able to increase their production volume, and Finnish fish farmers have also redirected their investments to Sweden. Thus, the strict Finnish environmental permit policy has not benefited the Baltic Sea environment, but has moved the production volumes and employment opportunities to other locations in the Baltic Sea and its drainage basin. By comparing the Finnish and Swedish fish farming governance systems, we found that in Sweden, various types of formal and informal interaction and practice have enhanced the achievement of balanced decisions. This has only rarely been the case in Finland, which features a more authoritative decision-making culture. On the other hand, increased communication across the Finnish administrative sectors raises future prospects for more holistic fish farming governance, which balances economic, social and environmental goals.     

Episodicity of Sulphate Deposition in Finland

A characteristic of daily acid deposition data, in particular at remote sites, is the occurrence of some extreme peaks above the base level of moderate values. A large proportion of the annual acid deposition is accumulated in a few days: 5 worst days at the Finnish background stations can bring 20–30 % of the annual bulk sulphate load. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a difference between stations in the number of extreme daily bulk acid depositions. The bulk deposition of sulphate in the 1990's at five Finnish monitoring stations was used as a reference. Days on which the deposition value exceeded the annual median value of the station by a factor of 10 were counted as episode days. The number of episode days in central and northern Finland differed significantly (p<0.05) from the number in the south, when tested with the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test. The episodes cannot be completely explained by high precipitation amounts: the mean sulphate concentration in episodic rain was higher than the annual mean concentration. The episodes were mostly imported: the air mass arriving at the station had passed over areas with high emissions outside Finland. A more exact knowledge of the episodicity benefits an examination of the ecological stress caused by acid deposition as well as a study of the critical load and the crossing of this threshold.     

Finnish lake fisheries and conservation of biodiversity: coexistence or conflict?

The conservation of biodiversity in aquatic habitats has become an increasingly important challenge in the management of water resources. In addition to the complexity of the lake fishery and the management structure, the popularity of gill net fishing, in particular, has brought problems when re-establishing populations of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), collecting genetically sustainable numbers of spawners of the land-locked salmon, Salmo salar m. sebago (Girard), and increasing the population of the Saimaa ringed seal, Phoca hispida saimensis (Nordq.) to a sustainable level in the Vuoksi watercourse, south-east Finland. The attitudes towards protection among the users and other interested parties vary. In order to enhance the coexistence of the lake fishery and endangered species over large water areas, improved institutional linkages are needed among the local, regional and governmental levels of the fragmented decision-making regime. Environmental interests should also be integrated into the communication structure.