Evaluating a novel analgesic strategy for ring castration of ram lambs

Objective To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of the NSAIDs flunixin and meloxicam administered locally to the scrotum before ring castration. Study design Randomised, controlled, prospective study. Animals Forty eight single born male Merino lambs. Methods Lambs, aged approximately 4 weeks, were allocated to four groups for castration. Groups were: sham control; castration + saline; castration + flunixin; castration + meloxicam. Drugs (5 mL) were administered subcutaneously around the circumference of the scrotum immediately before castration. Cortisol, rectal temperature, haematology and plasma haptoglobin were measured before and up to 48 hours after treatment. Behaviour recorded by video for 12 hours after treatment was classified as pain avoidance behaviours in the first hour and postural behaviours in three 4 hour intervals. Results Ring castration (saline group) induced a bi‐phasic increase in cortisol with peaks at 90 minutes and 24 hours but no significant changes in haematology, haptoglobin or rectal temperature. Pain avoidance behaviours were increased and teat seeking decreased. Normal lying and normal standing postures were decreased and abnormal ventral lying, statue standing, abnormal standing and total abnormal postures increased. Flunixin decreased cortisol at 90 minutes (60.3 versus 117.3 nmol L^?1) and cortisol AUC (0–6 hours), decreased elevated leg movement (2.5 versus 5.4 events) and sum of pain avoidance behaviours (8.5 versus 16.7 events), improved time spent in normal ventral lying and decreased abnormal ventral lying and total abnormal postures compared to saline treated lambs. In a similar contrast, meloxicam caused non‐significant decreases in cortisol at 90 minutes, cortisol AUC (0–6 hours) and pain avoidance behaviours, and significantly improved the postural behaviours normal ventral lying (26.7 versus 15.4%) and normal standing (13.9 versus 7.5%), and reduced abnormal standing and total abnormal postures. Physiological and behavioural responses associated with ring castration for both NSAID treatment groups were generally greater than sham controls. Conclusions and clinical relevance Locally administered NSAIDs provided partial analgesia for ring castration.     

Effects of land application of municipal biosolids on nitrogen-fixing bacteria in agricultural soil

Effects of municipal biosolids on microbial N₂-fixation in agricultural soil were assessed in a 3-month laboratory study which included analysis of metals, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. Reference agricultural soil was amended with organic manure or municipal biosolids from a southern Ontario wastewater plant, with a biosolids-only treatment included to evaluate metabolic activity in this inoculum. Microbial N₂-fixation in reference and manure-amended soils were similar (p = 0.144) over 3 months and lower than in biosolids-amended soil (p = 0.001); however, differences among soil treatments decreased over time, with no significant difference at test termination. In general, one-time application of biosolids caused short-term stimulation of N₂-fixing activity with a return to reference conditions within 3 months. Although no residual effects were detected, biosolids introduced elevated levels of metals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products (particularly analgesics), and viable bacteria; long-term effects caused by repeat applications (as commonly practiced) requires further investigation.     

作物定位轮作体系长期试验研究(Ⅲ)--轮作与连作对土壤微生物数量的影响

1997～2002年在东北农业大学校内农学试验田进行了作物定位轮作的长期试验研究,1997年对土壤微生物数量进行了测定,以探讨轮作与连作对土壤微生物数量的影响。研究表明,土壤细菌和放线菌在前期数量较低,在生育盛期和成熟期较高,土壤真菌数量在前期呈现较高的水平,后期数量反而较低;大豆对各类土壤微生物的繁衍均有一定的促进作用,这种促进作用在作物生育中后期才有表现;玉米连作使土壤微生物数量略有减少;小麦连作更有利于土壤微生物的繁衍。大豆田土壤微生物的数量变化与大豆生长发育状况相关性不明显。     

青海省2017—2019年州县级兽医系统实验室检测能力比对

为全面了解和提升兽医系统实验室检测能力,2017—2019年青海省动物疫病预防控制中心连续3年组织州县级兽医实验室开展检测能力比对工作。根据每年疫病的流行态势,设置PCR、ELISA以及传统类检测等比对项目。结果显示:2017—2019年实验室总体准确率分别为50.00%、56.82%、74.47%,样品总正确率分别为90.75%、93.56%、93.48%,整体呈上升趋势;各实验室PCR、ELISA、传统类检测项目的正确率差异不显著(P>0.05);州级实验室的检测正确率明显好于县级(P<0.05)。结果表明,州县级实验室检测能力逐年提升,绝大多数实验室具备PCR、ELASA、传统类检测等检测能力,但部分县级实验室的个别项目检测能力有待提高。建议进一步加大经费投入,加强基层实验室管理、业务培训等,整体提升县级实验室的检测能力。     

Cacao-fruit tree intercropping effects on cocoa yield, plant vigour and light interception in Côte d’Ivoire

A major challenge for cocoa producers in Côte d’Ivoire is to seek alternative shade trees or crop associations to adapt their planting devices and techniques to the shortage of forests. The recent tendency developed by farmers is to plant simplified orchards combining cacao and fruit trees. An on-farm trial was set up in a 5-year-old cocoa farm to compare a cacao monocrop planted at densities of 1,115 trees ha^?1 with cacao intercropped with orange or avocado trees, both at 44 trees ha^?1. Observations were done on incident light received by the cacao, vigour, growth and cocoa yields. On average, the cacaos received 100 % light in the monocrop, 89.6 % under orange trees and 80.6 % of incident light under avocado trees. They yielded 64.0 pods tree^?1 year^?1 in the monocrop (equivalent to 2.54 kg dry cocoa beans tree^?1), 30.3 pods tree^?1 when combined with orange trees and 28.3 pods tree^?1 with avocado trees. The two combinations allowed cocoa yields equivalent to those observed in the region (0.58 kg dry cocoa beans tree^?1). Vigour and yield were very highly correlated with the incident light received. Both the yield and the incident light are a logistic function of the planting distance from the shade tree. The inflexion point of the logistic functions corresponds to the minimum planting distance between the cacao and the intercropped fruit trees. On this basis, we suggest that the cacaos should not be planted closer than 6.50 ± 0.2 m to the orange or avocado trees.     

Dyeing behavior of laser-treated polyester

Polyester fabric was pre-treated with laser, followed by dyeing. The experimental results revealed that the rate of dyeing was greatly increased but the final percentage of dye exhaustion at equilibrium did not show any significant change. Based on the thermodynamic parameter of dyeing, it was concluded that laser treatment could provide the possibility of developing a low temperature dyeing process. Morphological and thermal studies revealed that obvious surface structure changes occurred. In the morphological analysis, ripple-like structure was found after laser treatment. This ripple-like structure may have captured more dye particles which could improve the dyeing behavior of polyester fibre. On the other hand, thermal analysis result revealed that the surface of polyester becomes highly amorphous on laser treatment, due to ablation. Meanwhile, XPS analysis showed that hydrophilic functional groups were introduced on to the laser-treated polyester fibre surface. As a result, surface physical and chemical changes induced by laser affect the dyeing behavior of polyester fibre. However, the laser treatment could not impart any adverse effect on color fastness to crocking and washing.     

Nutritional Programming of Intrauterine Development: A Concept Applicable to the Horse?

Human epidemiological observations and studies of experimental animals have shown that low birth weight is associated with adult phenotypes characterized by abnormalities in cardiovascular, metabolic, and endocrine function. In human populations, these changes can lead to overt degenerative diseases such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Because fetal growth depends primarily on the nutrient supply, the associations between birth weight and adult phenotype have been linked to poor nutrition in utero. The fetal supply of nutrients and oxygen depends on both the availability of these substances in the mother and the functional capacity of the placenta to supply them to the fetus. This review takes a comparative approach to examining the nutritional programming of adult physiological phenotype in mammals with emphasis on the horse where possible. It considers the role of maternal nutritional state and placental function in these processes and discusses the cellular and molecular mechanisms operating in utero that are responsible for the epigenetic regulation of phenotypical diversity.     

基于水系生态保护的林业调查规划研究

以水系林业生态保护为目标,采用问题研究与目标导向相结合、规划研究与实施应用相结合的技术路线,全面调查分析了沂蒙山区水系分布状况及林业资源现状,进行了以水系林业生态保护为目的林业生态建设区域和类型划分,开展了重点区位水系林业生态保护专项研究与专项规划设计。