Effect of Prepartum Intramammary Treatment with Pirlimycin Hydrochloride on Prevalence of Early First-Lactation Mastitis

Holstein-Friesian heifers (n = 178) from a central Iowa dairy farm were enrolled in a study to determine whether prepartum intramammary treatment of dairy heifers with pirlimycin hydrochloride would reduce the prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) and lower the somatic cell count (SCC) during early lactation or improve 305-day mature equivalent milk production. Heifers were assigned to treatment and control groups, and treated heifers received a single 50-mg dose of pirlimycin in each mammary quarter approximately 10 days prior to parturition. Treated heifers had a higher overall cure rate and cure rate for IMI caused by coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), but postpartum California mastitis test scores and prevalence of chronic IMI did not differ between groups. Mature equivalent 305-day milk production did not differ between treatment groups (trend for higher production when treated, p = 0.085). No pirlimycin residues were detected in postpartum milk samples

Split Udder Comparison of Teat Disinfectants on Skin Toleration During Winter and Spring

The purpose this trial was to evaluate the skin toleration of a new experimental acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) barrier teat disinfectant compared to a standard nonbarrier chlorhexidine product with emollients (winter) and a high emollient, iodine barrier (spring) using a split-udder study to focus on the disinfectant effects as well as barrier teat dip issues in winter. Teat skin and end scores were similar between dips as long as the experimental dip was removed with good udder preparation prior to milking. Failure to remove the barrier dip resulted in poorer teat skin and end scores. This points out the necessity for good proper udder preparation premilking when barrier dips are used post milking

Evaluation of a Novel Winter Teat Dip Compared to Commercially Available Winter Dips to Enhance Teat Integrity during Winter

Winter conditions can lead to rapid dehydration and cracking of teat tissue, thus increasing mastitis risks. The objectives of these three winter trials were to compare application of a new novel commercial winter teat dip (1% iodine, 50% glycerine) to three existing commercially available winter teat dips and best management winter milking practices. Overall results for the 3 trials showed similar teat skin and end conditions (except teat skin in trial 5) for the 1% iodine, 50% glycerine dip as compared to 3 commercial winter teat dips. There were significant improvements in teat skin and end conditions over time for all dips, primarily related to weather and increasing temperatures. There were also significant differences in teat skin and end across days within barn with the same dip. Although dips can affect teat health, these figures substantiate that animal stage of lactation, barn or facilities, and environmental exposure (temperature / time exposure) have tremendous bearing on dip effects. None of the treatments were effective in completely alleviating teat end changes due to weather

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound and Respiratory CO2 Emissions after 13C-Labeling: Online Tracing of C Translocation Dynamics in Poplar Plants

Globally plants are the primary sink of atmospheric CO(2), but are also the major contributor of a large spectrum of atmospheric reactive hydrocarbons such as terpenes (e.g. isoprene) and other biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC). The prediction of plant carbon (C) uptake and atmospheric oxidation capacity are crucial to define the trajectory and consequences of global environmental changes. To achieve this, the biosynthesis of BVOC and the dynamics of C allocation and translocation in both plants and ecosystems are important.We combined tunable diode laser absorption spectrometry (TDLAS) and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) for studying isoprene biosynthesis and following C fluxes within grey poplar (Populus x canescens) saplings. This was achieved by feeding either (13)CO(2) to leaves or (13)C-glucose to shoots via xylem uptake. The translocation of (13)CO(2) from the source to other plant parts could be traced by (13)C-labeled isoprene and respiratory (13)CO(2) emission.In intact plants, assimilated (13)CO(2) was rapidly translocated via the phloem to the roots within 1 hour, with an average phloem transport velocity of 20.3±2.5 cm h(-1). (13)C label was stored in the roots and partially reallocated to the plants' apical part one day after labeling, particularly in the absence of photosynthesis. The daily C loss as BVOC ranged between 1.6% in mature leaves and 7.0% in young leaves. Non-isoprene BVOC accounted under light conditions for half of the BVOC C loss in young leaves and one-third in mature leaves. The C loss as isoprene originated mainly (76-78%) from recently fixed CO(2), to a minor extent from xylem-transported sugars (7-11%) and from photosynthetic intermediates with slower turnover rates (8-11%).We quantified the plants' C loss as respiratory CO(2) and BVOC emissions, allowing in tandem with metabolic analysis to deepen our understanding of ecosystem C flux

Merging paleobiology with conservation biology to guide the future of terrestrial ecosystems

Conservation of species and ecosystems is increasingly difficult because anthropogenic impacts are pervasive and accelerating. Under this rapid global change, maximizing conservation success requires a paradigm shift from maintaining ecosystems in idealized past states toward facilitating their adaptive and functional capacities, even as species ebb and flow individually. Developing effective strategies under this new paradigm will require deeper understanding of the long-term dynamics that govern ecosystem persistence and reconciliation of conflicts among approaches to conserving historical versus novel ecosystems. Integrating emerging information from conservation biology, paleobiology, and the Earth sciences is an important step forward on the path to success. Maintaining nature in all its aspects will also entail immediately addressing the overarching threats of growing human population, overconsumption, pollution, and climate change.Peer reviewe

Expanding the diversity of mycobacteriophages: insights into genome architecture and evolution.

Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect mycobacterial hosts such as Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All mycobacteriophages characterized to date are dsDNA tailed phages, and have either siphoviral or myoviral morphotypes. However, their genetic diversity is considerable, and although sixty-two genomes have been sequenced and comparatively analyzed, these likely represent only a small portion of the diversity of the mycobacteriophage population at large. Here we report the isolation, sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of 18 new mycobacteriophages isolated from geographically distinct locations within the United States. Although no clear correlation between location and genome type can be discerned, these genomes expand our knowledge of mycobacteriophage diversity and enhance our understanding of the roles of mobile elements in viral evolution. Expansion of the number of mycobacteriophages grouped within Cluster A provides insights into the basis of immune specificity in these temperate phages, and we also describe a novel example of apparent immunity theft. The isolation and genomic analysis of bacteriophages by freshman college students provides an example of an authentic research experience for novice scientists

Effect of Prepartum Intramammary Treatment with Pirlimycin Hydrochloride on Prevalence of Early First-Lactation Mastitis

Holstein-Friesian heifers (n = 178) from a central Iowa dairy farm were enrolled in a study to determine whether prepartum intramammary treatment of dairy heifers with pirlimycin hydrochloride would reduce the prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) and lower the somatic cell count (SCC) during early lactation or improve 305-day mature equivalent milk production. Heifers were assigned to treatment and control groups, and treated heifers received a single 50-mg dose of pirlimycin in each mammary quarter approximately 10 days prior to parturition. Treated heifers had a higher overall cure rate and cure rate for IMI caused by coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), but postpartum California mastitis test scores and prevalence of chronic IMI did not differ between groups. Mature equivalent 305-day milk production did not differ between treatment groups (trend for higher production when treated, p = 0.085). No pirlimycin residues were detected in postpartum milk samples.</p

Evaluation of a Novel Winter Teat Dip Compared to Commercially Available Winter Dips to Enhance Teat Integrity during Winter

Winter conditions can lead to rapid dehydration and cracking of teat tissue, thus increasing mastitis risks. The objectives of these three winter trials were to compare application of a new novel commercial winter teat dip (1% iodine, 50% glycerine) to three existing commercially available winter teat dips and best management winter milking practices. Overall results for the 3 trials showed similar teat skin and end conditions (except teat skin in trial 5) for the 1% iodine, 50% glycerine dip as compared to 3 commercial winter teat dips. There were significant improvements in teat skin and end conditions over time for all dips, primarily related to weather and increasing temperatures. There were also significant differences in teat skin and end across days within barn with the same dip. Although dips can affect teat health, these figures substantiate that animal stage of lactation, barn or facilities, and environmental exposure (temperature / time exposure) have tremendous bearing on dip effects. None of the treatments were effective in completely alleviating teat end changes due to weather.</p

Split Udder Comparison of Teat Disinfectants on Skin Toleration During Winter and Spring

The purpose this trial was to evaluate the skin toleration of a new experimental acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) barrier teat disinfectant compared to a standard nonbarrier chlorhexidine product with emollients (winter) and a high emollient, iodine barrier (spring) using a split-udder study to focus on the disinfectant effects as well as barrier teat dip issues in winter. Teat skin and end scores were similar between dips as long as the experimental dip was removed with good udder preparation prior to milking. Failure to remove the barrier dip resulted in poorer teat skin and end scores. This points out the necessity for good proper udder preparation premilking when barrier dips are used post milking.</p