scholarly journals Grazing Sheep in Organic Vineyards: An On-Farm Study about Risk of Chronic Copper Poisoning

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12860
Author(s):  
Martin Trouillard ◽  
Amélie Lèbre ◽  
Felix Heckendorn
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Period ◽  
Copper Accumulation ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Protective Mechanisms ◽  
Adaptation Mechanism ◽  
Chronic Poisoning ◽  
Winter Grazing ◽  
Grazing Period ◽  
On Farm

Many winegrowers and sheep breeders are interested in wintertime grazing in vineyards, as an agroecological alternative to mowing or herbicide spraying, and additional supply of forage. Still, strong concern is raised by the use of copper-based fungicides, particularly in organic vineyards, since copper is known to induce chronic toxicosis in sheep. We conducted an on-farm study with n = 12 1-year-old Merinos × Mourerous ewes grazing the cover vegetation of vineyard plots during wintertime, in order to check whether this agricultural practice might be harmful to sheep. Our results indicate that most copper found in the cover vegetation originates from fungicide spraying versus plant uptake from the soil, and that rain-induced washing-off and plant growth-triggered dilution of copper are crucial to reach close-to-safe grazing conditions. Furthermore, we found that while sheep remained globally healthy during the 2 months of the experimental period, the plasma activity of Glutamate Dehydrogenase increased by 17.3 ± 3.0 U/L upon vineyard grazing (p < 0.001), reflecting liver storage of copper. We also discovered that the dynamics of molybdenum in sheep plasma are strongly affected by exposure to copper, suggesting a possible adaptation mechanism. Overall, our results suggest that winter grazing of sheep in organic vineyards is reasonably safe, but that care should be taken about grazing period duration. More research should be conducted with respect to long-term copper accumulation, spring and summer grazing, and possible protective mechanisms against copper chronic poisoning.

ON-FARM FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS FOR NORTHLAND

1986 ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
J.S. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Joint Ventures ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Financial Returns ◽  
Farm Forestry ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Financial Position ◽  
On Farm

Agroforests and woodlots offer Northland hill country farmers investment and diversification opportunities. Agroforests have less effect on the "whole farm" financial position than woodlots, especially where a progressive planting regime is adopted and where no further borrowing is required. Establishment and tending costs for agro-forests are lower, and returns come much sooner. The proven opportunity for continued grazing under trees established in this manner, apart from a short post-planting period, further enhances the agroforesty option. Even where there is reluctance on a farmer's part to plant trees on high fertility land, the expected financial returns from agroforests on low and medium fertility land will increase the overall long-term profitability and flexibility of the whole farming operation. Woodlots may be more appropriate on low fertility areas where weed reversion is likely. Joint ventures may be worth considering where farm finances are a limited factor. Keywords: On-farm forestry development, Northland hill country, agroforestry, woodlots, diversification, joint ventures, progressive planting regimes, grazing availability.

Immunological mechanisms of chronic liver lesions under the influence of chemicals

2020 ◽  
pp. 536-537
Author(s):  
G. S. Agzamova ◽  
M. M. Abdullaeva
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Chronic Liver ◽  
Toxic Substances ◽  
Liver Lesions ◽  
Industrial Chemicals ◽  
Toxic Agent ◽  
Chronic Poisoning ◽  
Immunological Mechanisms ◽  
T System

The immunological profile of chronic liver lesions depending on the toxic agent was studied. It was revealed that chronic poisoning by industrial toxic substances causes changes in the functional state of the T-system of immunity, long-term contact with industrial chemicals leads to increased sensitization to autoantigens of the body.

Enhancement of Rural Income and Nutrition by Cultivating Pigeonpea Hybrids

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
K B SAXENA ◽  
A K CHOUDHARY ◽  
RAFAT K SULTANA
Keyword(s):  
Cajanus Cajan ◽  
Family Income ◽  
National Level ◽  
Hybrid Breeding ◽  
High Food ◽  
Rural Income ◽  
Breeding Technology ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Food Value

Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is a favourite crop of rain-fed farmers due to its high food value, drought tolerance and various soil improving properties. The productivity enhancement of this crop has been a long-term goal at the national level but with a little success. In this context, the advent of hybrid breeding technology with over 30% on-farm yield advantages has provided a much-needed breakthrough. The hybrids in pigeonpea were bred using a stable CMS system and natural out-crossing. It is believed that the adoption of locally adapted hybrids would contribute significantly towards both family income and nutrition.

scholarly journals Sustaining Rice Production through Biofertilization with N2-Fixing Cyanobacteria

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4628
Author(s):  
Macarena Iniesta-Pallarés ◽  
Consolación Álvarez ◽  
Francisco M. Gordillo-Cantón ◽  
Carmen Ramírez-Moncayo ◽  
Pilar Alves-Martínez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Rice Production ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Paddy Fields ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽  
Trophic Chain ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Biotechnological Potential

Current agricultural productivity depends on an exogenous nutrient supply to crops. This is of special relevance in cereal production, a fundamental part of the trophic chain that plays a vital role in the human diet. However, our agricultural practices entail highly detrimental side-effects from an environmental point of view. Long-term nitrogen fertilization in croplands results in degradation of soil, water, and air quality, producing eutrophication and subsequently contributing to global warming. In accordance with this, there is a biotechnological interest in using nitrogen-fixing microorganisms to enhance crop growth without adding chemically synthesized nitrogen fertilizers. This is particularly beneficial in paddy fields, where about 60% of the synthetic fertilizer that has been applied is dissolved in the water and washed away. In these agricultural systems, N2-fixing cyanobacteria show a promising biotechnological potential as biofertilizers, improving soil fertility while reducing the environmental impact of the agricultural practice. In the current study, Andalusian paddy fields have been explored to isolate N2-fixing cyanobacteria. These endogenous microorganisms have been subsequently re-introduced in a field trial in order to enhance rice production. Our results provide valuable insights regarding the use of an alternative natural source of nitrogen for rice production.

From Ossau and Iraty to PDO Ossau-Iraty

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (12) ◽  
pp. 3062-3075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgane Millet
Keyword(s):  
Local Development ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Protected Designation Of Origin ◽  
Summer Pasture ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Term Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how a geographical indication (GI) is built through time and how its (non)appropriation by local producers shapes it. The reciprocity of such process is also considered: how the creation of a GI changes local relationships between producers, within the GI and out of it? The case of Ossau-Iraty is relevant: in south-west of France, this protected designation of origin (PDO) has been based on two distinct regions: Bearn (Ossau) and Pays Basque (Iraty). Since then, most producers of Bearn have rejected this PDO. Design/methodology/approach The author adopts a diachronic perspective: the trajectory of the local dairy ewe sector is described, focusing on the trajectory of on-farm cheese makers from Bearn and Pays Basque and the trajectory of Ossau-Iraty. Based on different methods (qualitative interviews and archive research), this paper aims at analyzing the interactions within such heterogeneous networks. Findings When the PDO was created (1980), the opposition between producers of Bearn and Pays Basque was based on strong senses of place, which would be translated in a different perception of tradition: to Bearn producers, PDO Ossau-Iraty would be an industrial cheese, in which they did not recognize their product and themselves. With time, the producers who have been involved in the PDO worked on its specifications. The recognition of symbolic practices such as on-farm production or Summer pasture production, the recognition of differences between Basque cheese and Bearn cheese are changes that contribute to the evolution of perceptions within the local producers’ community. The author observes a recent convergence between Basque producers and Bearn producers, as their distinct products share common and strong qualifications within PDO Ossau-Iraty that contribute to their respective valorization. However, it seems to occur at an institutional level and the adhesion of the local producers might still be at stakes. Research limitations/implications A statistical study could reinforce the author’s exploratory and historical research. Furthermore, it would have been relevant to take local inhabitants and local consumers into account, as they have participated in the products’ qualifications as well. Originality/value A long-term analysis (40 years) contributes to better understand how cheeses are valorized and how such process is based on controversial processes. It contributes to root GIs into local histories, which are nor as consensual neither as uniform as we would primarily think, and to identity levers for sustainable local development.

The Effects of Reduced Salinity on the Shell Growth of Small Mytilus Edulis

1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia C. Almada-Villela
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Mytilus Edulis ◽  
High Salinity ◽  
Shell Growth ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Gradual Decline ◽  
Poor Growth ◽  
Term Response ◽  
Better Than

The shell growth of small coastal Mytilus edulis L. was measured at three different constant low salinities over short periods of time. Growth was significantly depressed in 6·4 and 16‰ S but not in 22·4‰ S. Fluctuating salinities between 0 and 32‰ S depressed growth whether the fluctuations were of sinusoidal or abrupt form. After 1 week of preconditioning to constant 32‰ S the growth of coastal (Bangor) mussels was better than estuarine (Conwy) mussels. However, after two weeks’ preconditioning to 32‰ S the estuarine mussels displayed the best growth. In the fluctuating regime, both coastal and estuarine mussels exhibited poor growth rates. The long-term response of the shell growth of coastal M. edulis was followed over a period of 44 days. Salinities in the range 1·8–9·6‰ S were lethal to the mussels within 10 days. In 12·8 and 16‰ S growth was initially delayed but recovered eventually. There was a gradual decline in the growth rate of the mussels exposed to the higher salinities (19·2–32‰) and an improvement in the growth of the mussels living in lower salinities (12·8 and 16‰) to levels nearly matching that of the high salinity animals by day 37. This suggests that acclimation of the shell growth of M. edulis to salinities in the 12·8–28·8‰ S range was achieved by the mussels during the experimental period.

α-Oxoaldehyde metabolism and diabetic complications

2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1358-1363 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.J. Beisswenger ◽  
S.K. Howell ◽  
R.G. Nelson ◽  
M. Mauer ◽  
B.S. Szwergold
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Complications ◽  
Complex Mixture ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Protective Mechanisms ◽  
Glycation End Products ◽  
End Products

The factors responsible for variable susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy are not clear. According to the non-enzymatic glycation hypothesis, diabetes-related tissue damage occurs due to a complex mixture of toxic products, including α-oxoaldehydes, which are inherently toxic as well as serving as presursors for advanced glycation end-products. Protective mechanisms exist to control this unavoidable glycation, and these are determined by genetic or environmental factors that can regulate the concentrations of the reactive sugars or end-products. In diabetes these protective mechanisms become more important, since glycation stress increases, and less efficient defence systems against this stress could lead to diabetic complications. Some of these enzymatic control mechanisms, including those that regulate α-oxoaldehydes, have been identified. We have observed significant increases in production of the α-oxoaldehydes methylglyoxal and 3-deoxyglucosone in three human populations with biopsy-proven progression of nephropathy. The increase in methylglyoxal could be secondary to defects in downstream glycolytic enzymes (such as glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) that regulate its production, or in detoxification mechanisms such as glyoxalase. Other mechanisms, however, appear to be responsible for the observed increase in 3-deoxyglucosone levels. We present results of our studies on the mechanisms responsible for variable production of α-oxoaldehydes by measuring the activity and characteristics of these enzymes in cells from complication-prone and -resistant diabetic patients. New therapeutic interventions designed to control these endogenous mechanisms could potentially enhance protection against excessive glycation and prevent or reverse complications of long-term diabetes.

scholarly journals Long-Term Cytotoxicity, pH and Dissolution Rate of AH Plus and MTA Fillapex

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel João Nogueira Leal da Silva ◽  
Thais Accorsi-Mendonça ◽  
Ana Carolina Pedrosa ◽  
José Mauro Granjeiro ◽  
Alexandre A. Zaia
Keyword(s):  
Dissolution Rate ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Cell Viability Assay ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Viability Assay ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
High Dissolution Rate ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Ah Plus

Abstract The aim of the present study was to verify the long-term cytotoxic effects of the MTA Fillapex and to compare them with AH Plus. Dissolution rate and pH were also evaluated. Human osteoblast cells were incubated with elutes of fresh specimens from AH Plus and MTA Fillapex, and with elutes of the same specimens for 4 successive weeks. Elute's pH was evaluated at each time point. A multiparametric cell viability assay was performed. For dissolution rate, ISO methodology was used. The results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, complemented with the Tukey post-test (p<0.05). No significant difference was found among the materials when fresh mixed (p>0.05). After 1 week, AH Plus became non-cytotoxic on all three evaluated parameters. Conversely, MTA Fillapex remained severely and mildly cytotoxic over the entire experimental period (p<0.05). The dissolution rate of AH Plus was significantly lower than MTA Fillapex at all time points (p>0.05). The pH of AH Plus was significantly lower than MTA Fillapex at the second and third week (p<0.05). In the other tested time points no statistical difference was observed. In conclusion, MTA Fillapex remained cytotoxic after 4 weeks and its cytotoxicity may be related to the high dissolution rate of this material.

scholarly journals Cirrhosis in rats does not resolve in the long-term after induction by thioacetamide model

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (01) ◽  
pp. 033-041
Author(s):  
L. Rui ◽  
E. Silva ◽  
T. Silva ◽  
T. Portela ◽  
A. Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biochemical Analysis ◽  
Hepatic Cirrhosis ◽  
Activity Index ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Female Wistar Rats ◽  
Serum Biochemical ◽  
Histological Activity ◽  
Therapy Studies ◽  
Future Therapy

Abstract Introductions: Hepatic cirrhosis is a final common pathway of all chronic liver diseases, characterized by deposit of fibrillar collagen and liver failure. Materials and Methods: In this experiment, hepatic cirrhosis was induced in 15 female Wistar rats by a 14-week period, with thioacetamide solution in a 200 mg/kg dosage, via intraperitoneal. Animals were submitted to liver biopsy, and euthanized after a 80-day post-induction period. Serum biochemical analysis was performed, in addition to histopathology by H.E., Picrosirius, Alcian Blue and P.A.S. stainings, following analysis of histological activity index and staging of fibrosis. Morphometric analysis of collagen on Picrosirius slides was also performed. Results: Mortality during experimental period was low (13.33%), and after 80-day period, liver function improved, cellular changes did not altered, and deposition of acidic mucopolysaccharides and glycogen were increased. Liver histological activity did not change significantly (7.25 ± 1.30 to 6.41 ± 1.32), but staging of fibrosis was altered (3.91 ± 0.76 to 4.70 ± 1.11). Interlobular collagen showed a significant decrease (5.14 ± 2.00 to 4.00 ± 1.20), while intralobular collagen was increased (0.23 ± 0.06 to 0.36 ± 0.08). Conclusions: These findings characterize thioacetamide as a safe experimental model for induction cirrhosis, which may be used for future therapy studies.

The effect of the length and severity of feed restriction on weight, carcass measurements and body composition of goats

1996 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Mora ◽  
A. Shimada ◽  
F. J. Ruiz
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Feed Restriction ◽  
Tissue Composition ◽  
Female Adult ◽  
Adaptation Capacity ◽  
Stabilization Period

SUMMARYTwo experiments were done in Mexico (1992–93) to determine the response of goats to different periods of feed restriction on liveweight, organ weights and tissue composition. In each, the weight, body condition and daily dry matter intake (DM1) of two groups of 12 female, adult, non-lactating, non-pregnant, Nubian crossbred goats were recorded for 7 weeks (stabilization period; SP), to allow the animals to reach and maintain their liveweight and body condition. At the end of the SP the animals in Expt 1 (RP1) were feed restricted for 18 weeks and for 36 weeks in Expt 2 (RP2). Animals were divided into three groups receiving either 100 (FL1), 80 (FL2) or 60% (FL3) of the levels of DM1 previously observed. At the end of each experimental period all animals were slaughtered, carcass weights were recorded and viscerae were weighed.A sample of the soft tissues was chemically analysed. There were no significant changes in body condition in either experiment (P > 0·05). None of the feeding levels had an effect on carcass weight or the chemical composition of soft tissues (P > 0·05). Liver weights (as a proportion of slaughter weight) were significantly different among goats fed at different feeding levels in both experiments. The results of this study show the adaptation capacity of adult goats to medium and long term malnutrition, and the importance of the liver as a source for the generation of energy and for sustaining protein turnover. This could be especially important for goats grazing in arid and semiarid zones where dry periods can last for months and feed availability is therefore sometimes limited.

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