The relationship of the bacterial flora of the bovine udder to the California mastitis test with emphasis on the staphylococci

Since the advent of organized dairying mastitis has been a constant problem to the dairy industry. Modern developments in pro duction such as confinement of cattle, increased production, and management practices, have aggravated this problem, especially since farm labor has been hard to obtain and train. In the United States mastitis reduces the milk yield and shortens the productive life of affected cows, causing an estimated loss of 225,504,000 dollars annually (1,15). This amounts to an average annual loss of 10 dollars per cow for each dairy cow in the United States, with the loss for some indi-vidual cows as high as 100 dollars, and total loss in case of death. Mastitis is, without question, one of the dairyman\u27s largest economic losses. Research conducted on many phases of mastitis has produced volumes of literature on the predisposing factors, etiology, diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment. Study of these research data have resulted in the initiation of many educational programs, only to have more complexing problems evolve. This has been the case with the causative organisms of mastitis. In former years streptococci were almost the sole species responsible for mastitis. However, in recent years staphylococci have emerged as a more dangerous threat to the dairy man since they are one of the most difficult organisms to control. McCoy (54), presenting figures to the Mastitis Conference at Chicago in 1960, indicated that; one cow in four was shedding staphylococci from at least one quarter; this was a twenty times higher incidence of mastitis than the herd owner was aware of or than the veterinarian could detect on routine examination, and there was no correlation between the shedding of staphylococci and total plate count or methylene blue reduction time. Therefore, there was no way for the owner to detect the presence of staphylococci at an early stage. The rise in staphylococci and fall in streptococci as the etiological agent of mastitis has been explained on the basis that antibiotics are highly effective against streptococci and the way has been opened for the staphylococci to invade the udder without considerable competition. Jezeski (36) observed that an increased number of isolated organisms showed characteristics similar to those associated with human disease. The possibility exists that cows have become infected with the so-called human strains of staphylococci. The udder thus may become a reservoir for staphylococci capable of causing disease in humans. Many times the bovine udder harbors various species of bacteria without noticeable symptoms of infection. These mild or chronic cases may be quite dangerous as they may be carriers and spreaders of the organisms to other cows in the herd. Likewise, these same organisms may be responsible for acute infections when favorable conditions develop in the udder. Therefore, a good management program should include some method for diagnosis at regular intervals. Some barn tests that have been used to determine the presence and extent of mastitis in a herd are: physical examinations of milk and the milked out udder for abnormalities, strip-cup teat for clots, bromthymol blue test for altered pH, Whiteside Mastitis Test, Negretti Mastitis Test, and the California Mastitis Test, referred to hereafter as GMT. Of these tests the GMT has been found to be the most effective diagnostic test at the time of milking. The GMT, developed by Schalm (77), estimates the degree of udder irritation. This test has been broadly related to the number of leucocytes present in the milk. However, the GMT does not necessarily detect infection, nor can it distinguish between infectious and noninfectious mastitis; it is merely an estimate of udder irritation. The GMT has been found to be a good screening test for dairymen to use. However, the GMT should not be the sole criteria for establishing a mastitis treatment program. Because of the increased use of the GMT as a field test for detecting udder irritation, and the observed increase in the incidence of staphylococcal mastitis, and because few studies have been made correlating the incidence of staphylococci with the GMT in raw milk, the present investigation was undertaken

Rainwater Harvesting System: Proposal for a Pilot Rainwater Harvesting System Installment at Booker Hall

Fresh water is expected to become increasingly scarce as temperature and sea levels rise due to Global Climate Change. We believe now is the time to start rethinking our behaviors in terms of water use and start conserving water even if it is on a small scale. One of the best ways to conserve water at a university level is to install small scale rainwater harvesting system for irrigation. We propose for the University of Richmond to utilize Booker Hall to collect rainwater using ten 200 gallon rain barrels. The water will be used to irrigate flowerbeds around campus. The project will be relatively low cost, costing the University $2,859.50. Although today the project only saves the University a little under$200 per year, in the future the project will become more economically sustainable since water will become more expensive and possibly less subsidized. Paper prepared for the Environmental Studies Senior Seminar/Geography Capstone

Rainwater Harvesting System

Water is a crucial resource for the survival of life on earth. Unfortunately, with the increasing threat of climate change fresh water is expected to become a pressing issue in the future for many countries, including the southeastern region of the United States (EPA 2013), refer to figure 1. According to the EPA, water management is likely to become a challenging issue, due to rising temperatures, and demand due to economic and population growth (EPA 2013). Increased temperatures are likely to lead to longer, more intense, and more frequent droughts in the Southeast, putting more stress on water resources (EPA 2013). There is also a concern that saltwater may mix with shallow aquifers of groundwater in coastal areas, due to expected rise in sea level, contaminating the groundwater (EPA 2013). One way to adapt to the changing climate and rain patterns, is to start harvesting rainwater

Prevalence and associated factors of protein- energy wasting among patients with chronic kidney disease at Mulago hospital, Kampala-Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is global health concern and priority. It is the 12th leading cause of death worldwide. Protein Energy Wasting occurs in 20-25% of patients with chronic kidney disease and can lead to a high morbidity and mortality rate. We determined the prevalence of protein energy wasting and factors associated among patients with chronic kidney disease at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study recruiting 182 (89 non-CKD patients and 93 CKD patients) consecutively from the outpatient clinic and wards on New Mulago Hospital complex. We took anthropometric measurements including heights, weights, Triceps skin fold (TSF), Mid- Upper Arm circumference (MUAC), Body Mass Index (BMI) and Mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC). Serum albumin levels and lipid profile levels were also obtained. Following consent of study participants, Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed using STATA 14.1. Percentages, frequencies, means, medians, standard deviation and interquartile range were used to summarise data. Crude and adjusted binary logistic regression was performed to assess unadjusted and adjusted effect measures of protein energy wasting due to several factors. Stratification by CKD status was performed during the analysis to minimize confounding. RESULTS: The median age for CKD patients was 39 years compared to 27 years for non-CKD participants (p  160 mg/dl. CONCLUSION: Protein energy Wasting is prevalent among patients with chronic kidney disease and clinicians should routinely screen for it during patient care

Portable Calorimeter for Fire Experiments

Executive Summary An oxygen consumption calorimeter works by measuring the heat release rate of a burning substance. This value is calculated by measuring the oxygen and byproducts in smoke from afire.In order to get these values two types of sensors were used. A non-dispersive infrared sensor (NDIR) that measured CO and CO2 and a zirconium O2 sensor were used to find their respective gas concentrations.The design to calculate the heat release rate is focused on maximizing sensor accuracy and portability while simplifying the manufacturing by using off-the-shelf components. The goal included making the system simple to recreate and package in a portable system.Multiple designs were considered to ensure that the system would be portable. The final design is focused on working around the Crestline 7911 NDIR sensor and AO2 Citacel sensor. The other key components include the microcontroller, pump, power supply, air filter, and mounting platform, which were designed around these two sensors. These components are packaged together in a briefcase that will house the components and protect them during transportation and usage. This flexibility for transportation allows the system to be used in different locations.The oxygen consumption calorimeter also has several specific design specifications that it will meet. These fall under three categories: safety, usability, and data acquisition. Safety considerations involve ensuring that the system is not exposed to excessive heat, well insulated, does not deflect or fracture, etc. To ensure the usability of the device, the engineering team will record issues and the appropriate solutions for hardware and software issues to establish a working guideline for future users.Another key specification category is data acquisition. It is important for the system accurately acquire data and that the system is calibrated properly. This document will serve as the scope of work and as a design report for the mechanical engineering team working on the Portable Calorimeter for Fire Experiments project. The objective of this document is to define the problem and detail the steps that were taken to design the portable oxygen consumption calorimeter

Case Report: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Sleuth

We report a case of a 18 year old male who presented via EMS who was called for an unconscious male in his car diagnosed initially with opioid overdose and later found to have carbon monoxide poisoning. The differential diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning is someone broad and non specific, but in general, carbon monoxide poisoning can be initially elusive in diagnosis and requires continued consideration. This remains true especially in this case of an unconscious male with initial responsiveness to naloxone. It is predictable that as with time the preponderance and relative commonality of this condition will decrease with the further developments in renewable energy especially in the realm of electric cars. However, we also must recognize the long term effects of carbon monoxide poisoning and the importance of early recognition by emergency physician, and the decision to treat or not to treat with hyperbaric medicine