A COMPARISON OF DIATRIZOATE* AND IOXAGLATE† FOR POSITIVE CONTRAST SHOULDER ARTHROGRAPHY IN DOGS

In six experimental dogs, arthrographic quality and synovial inflammatory response with shoulder arthrography comparing meglumine-sodium diatrizoate (Urovison) and the monoacidic dimer, meglumine-sodium ioxaglate (Hexabrix) was evaluated. In our study initial films were of equally high diagnostic quality for both contrast media, but delayed films significantly favored ioxaglate for diagnostic quality. The rise in white blood cells in synovial fluid samples collected 24 hours after the arthrographic procedure was significantly lower after the use of ioxaglate. Histologic examination performed 14 days after the intra-articular injection revealed no drug related lesions.     

Evaluation of non-chemical seed treatment methods for the control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina on carrot seeds

The current study was initiated to evaluate the efficacy of physical methods (hot water, aerated steam, electron treatment) and agents of natural origin (resistance inducers, plant derived products, micro-organisms) as seed treatments of carrots for control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina. Control of both Alternaria species by seed treatment with the resistance inducers was generally poor. Results were also not satisfactory with most of the formulated commercial micro-organism preparations. Based on the average of five field trials, one of these, BA 2552 (Pseudomonas chlororaphis), provided a low but significant increase in plant stand. Among the experimental micro-organisms, the best results were obtained with Pseudomonas sp. strain MF 416 and Clonostachys rosea strain IK726. A similar level of efficacy was provided by seed treatment with an emulsion (1%) of thyme oil in water. Good and consistent control was generally achieved with the physical methods aerated steam, hot water and electron treatment. Aerated steam treatment was, apart from the thiram-containing chemical standard, the best single treatment, and its performance may at least partially be due to extensive pre-testing, resulting in dosages optimally adapted to the respective seed lot. In some of the experiments the effect of the hot water treatment, which was tested at a fixed, not specifically adapted dosage, was significantly improved when combined with a Pseudomonas sp. MF 416 or C. rosea IK726 treatment. The results are discussed in relation to the outcome of experiments in which the same seed treatment methods and agents were tested in other seed-borne vegetable pathosystems.     

Associations of fish with various types of littoral habitats in reservoirs

Fish associations with different types of littoral habitats were studied in four canyon‐shaped reservoirs in the Czech Republic in years 2010 and 2011 by gillnets. Two to three habitats per reservoir–beaches (former meadows), stump fields (former forest) and rubble slopes–were defined and sampled along the longitudinal axis of reservoirs. Effects of reservoir, habitat and locality (position along longitudinal axis) on fish biomass, abundance and species structure were tested for juvenile and adult fish separately. Hierarchical analysis of variance revealed that habitats differed significantly in fish biomass and abundance. Redundancy analysis showed that analysed environmental variables had significant influence on fish community structure. Most variability in community structure was explained by reservoir and then by combination of habitat and slope steepness. Locality position had the smallest influence on community structure. For both adult and juvenile fish total abundance and biomass, the most inhabited habitat was beaches; rubble slopes were the least inhabited. Habitat associations differed among species. Among adults, bream Abramis brama, white bream Blicca bjoerkna and roach Rutilus rutilus were associated with beaches and stump fields, whereas perch Perca fluviatilis, ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus, asp Aspius aspius and pike Esox lucius were associated with rubble slopes. Bream, white bream, bleak Alburnus alburnus, roach, ruffe and pikeperch Sander lucioperca were associated with beaches among juveniles, whereas the only juvenile associated with rubble slopes was perch. We showed that most common species are associated with distinct habitats and also that utilisation of various littoral habitats differs in general.     

Tenogenic induction of equine mesenchymal stem cells by means of growth factors and low-level laser technology

Tendons regenerate poorly due to a dense extracellular matrix and low cellularity. Cellular therapies aim to improve tendon repair using mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes; however, a current limitation is the low proliferative potential of tenocytes in cases of severe trauma. The purpose of this study was to develop a method useful in veterinary medicine to improve the differentiation of Peripheral Blood equine mesenchymal stem cells (PB-MSCs) into tenocytes. PB-MSCs were used to study the effects of the addition of some growth factors (GFs) as TGFβ3 (transforming growth factor), EGF2 (Epidermal growth factor), bFGF2 (Fibroblast growth factor) and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) in presence or without Low Level Laser Technology (LLLT) on the mRNA expression levels of genes important in the tenogenic induction as Early Growth Response Protein-1 (EGR1), Tenascin (TNC) and Decorin (DCN). The singular addition of GFs did not show any influence on the mRNA expression of tenogenic genes whereas the specific combinations that arrested cell proliferation in favour of differentiation were the following: bFGF2 + TGFβ3 and bFGF2 + TGFβ3 + LLLT. Indeed, the supplement of bFGF2 and TGFβ3 significantly upregulated the expression of Early Growth Response Protein-1 and Decorin, while the use of LLLT induced a significant increase of Tenascin C levels. In conclusion, the present study might furnish significant suggestions for developing an efficient approach for tenocyte induction since the external administration of bFGF2 and TGFβ3, along with LLLT, influences the differentiation of PB-MSCs towards the tenogenic fate.     

Loser cows in Danish dairy herds: definition, prevalence and consequences

During the last few years, many Danish dairy farmers have expressed increasing concerns regarding a group of cows, which we have chosen to term ‘loser cows’. Until now, a loser cow has not been described scientifically. We defined a loser cow on the basis of a clinical examination of the cow. A total of 15,151 clinical examinations were made on 6,451 individual cows from 39 randomly selected, large Danish dairy herds with loose-housing systems using a clinical protocol. Scores for the clinical signs lameness, body condition, hock lesions, other cutaneous lesions, vaginal discharge, condition of hair coat and general condition were converted into a loser cow score. Cows with a loser cow score of 8 or more were classified as loser cows. The overall prevalence of loser cows was 2.15%, 4.50% and 2.98% during the first, second and third round of herd visits, respectively.

The associations between the loser cow state and milk production, mortality, morbidity, culling and workload for the farmer were evaluated using data from herd visits and from the Danish Cattle Database and a number of different statistical techniques. It was concluded that the loser cow state has significant negative consequences for both the farmer and the cow. On average, loser cows yielded 0.61 to 2.24 kg energy corrected milk less per day than non-loser cows depending on parity. Hazard ratio for death or euthanasia was 5.69 for loser cows compared to non-loser cows. Incidence rate ratio for disease treatments was 0.69 for non-loser cows compared to loser cows. Loser cows were often culled in an ‘unfavourable’ way and generally caused extra workload for the farmer.

A simplified version of the loser cow score was evaluated and is recommended for future research and use in practice.     

Introduction of Irrigation Service Fee (ISF) in Indonesia: Institutional development in action for resources management

The inability to properly maintain irrigation systems over time forced the Government of Indonesia (GOI) to seek cost recovery from water users through introduction of an irrigation service fee. The plan is to introduce this fee in all of the technical irrigation systems of Indonesia, covering about 4 million hectares, over a 12 year period. Design and Introduction of this service fee in 4 pilot areas of the 4 major rice producing provinces (West, Central and East Java, and South Sulawesi) during 1989–1991 has shown that users are willing to pay. Results of first ISF collection from over 11,000 farmers in Central and East Java in pilot systems was an encouraging 95%. However that acceptance to pay by users depends on their structured and systematic involvement in defining systems needs. They need to understand a differentiation in payment if service levels are different. They appreciate use of collected funds in the system where collected. They understand the organization of water users associations but this requires their active role in fee determination and collection. They understand the establishment of federations of these associations. ISF requires also active involvement of Local Government officials as facilitators and intermediaries between service receivers (the water users) and service providers (personnel of the Public Works irrigation department) in the introduction period. This article describes the experience of the first 21 months of the ISF project, the concept developed, the principles used as basis for ISF, the introduction at the field level, issues related to acceptance by users and by the institutions involved, and the first results.Abbreviations/Acronyms DGWRD Directorate General of Water Resources Development (Ministry of Public Works) - EOM Efficient Operation and Maintenance - Gabungan group of WUAs - IPAIR Indonesian abbreviation for ISF - ISF Irrigation Service Fee - Juru gate keeper - PBB land tax on irrigated lands - PPL agricultural field extension agent - P3A Indonesian abbreviation for Water Users Associations - PU Indonesian abbreviation for Public Works - SM Special Maintenance - WUA Water Users Associations     

Micro-scaled high-throughput digestion of plant tissue samples for multi-elemental analysis

Background  

Quantitative multi-elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometry depends on a complete digestion of solid samples. However, fast and thorough sample digestion is a challenging analytical task which constitutes a bottleneck in modern multi-elemental analysis. Additional obstacles may be that sample quantities are limited and elemental concentrations low. In such cases, digestion in small volumes with minimum dilution and contamination is required in order to obtain high accuracy data.     

Orosensory-directed identification of astringent mouthfeel and bitter-tasting compounds in red wine

Application of sequential solvent extraction, followed by HPLC combined with the taste dilution analysis, enabled the localization of the most intense velvety astringent, drying, and puckering astringent, as well as bitter-tasting, compounds in red wine, respectively. Isolation of the taste components involving gel adsorption chromatography, ultrafiltration, and synthesis revealed the identification of 26 sensory-active nonvolatiles, among which several hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavon-3-ol glycosides, and dihydroflavon-3-ol rhamnosides as well as a structurally undefined polymeric fraction (>5 kDa) were identified as the key astringent components. In contradiction to literature suggestions, flavan-3-ols were found to be not of major importance for astringency and bitter taste, respectively. Surprisingly, a series of hydroxybenzoic acid ethyl esters and hydroxycinnamic acid ethyl esters were identified as bitter compounds in wine. Taste qualities and taste threshold concentrations of the individual wine components were determined by means of a three-alternative forced-choice test and the half-mouth test, respectively.