Study on single calibration of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy for lignin

The study of single calibration of near infrared reflectance srectroscory for lignin was done using 50 feed samples and its paired 50 fecal samrles from dairy cows. These samrles were collected from digestion trials. in which the in vivo digestibility values were deternlined, The dlgC-ostibillty of these feed samples were separated into two grours, namely Italian ryegruss only (n= 19) and combinution of Italian ryegrass and concentmte (n=31), The NIRS srectm or these samrles were recorded using I'aciflc Scientific (Neotec) model 6500 (Perstorp Analytical, Silver Srring, MD) instrument equirrl'Cl with lSI software (InfraSoft International, Port Matilda, PAl for analysIs, Three arproach methods for devcloring the single calibmtion were, (I) Lignin in feed and feces was detcn;1ined usmg lignin calibratIOn developed from Italian ryegrass (L1RG): (2) Lignin of ft.'Cd and feces was detennined lIsing lignin calibmtion developed ITom feces (LFEC): and (3) Lignin oC feed and feces were detemlined using the caiibmtion equation for lignin develorcd from Si.U11rles of fecdstufl's wld feces (LMIX). The resulb showed that lignin of feed and feces in il~ function for digestibility marker could be detennincd by single calibration developed from samrles consisting of Italian ryegm~s, concentrates and feces

FECES STANDARD MONEY: BEYOND TRANSACTIONS

Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering (Convergence of Science and Arts)Feces Standard Money (fSM), is a complementary currency that is different from other currencies in a number of ways. It is the first currency to adopt feces as its standard. In a world where objects and people are thought of as "goods and services," reality is compressed into conceptions of "use value" or "utility???. However, in the fSM system, feces and food waste that have traditionally and culturally been classified as ???human waste??? are used to produce biogas, creating value. Feces then becomes a representation of a new conception of value - one based on abundance instead of scarcity. This study aims to explore how the use of fSM can facilitate a redefinition of sustainable wealth. It begins by exploring neoclassical and modern theories of money and their relationship to the current state of money. It argues that economics??? failure to adequately account for the role of money as a basis of social relations contributes to the current unsustainable economic system. Building on the background and philosophical underpinnings of fSM, it postulates that money based on a feces standard might be a possible solution to developing a monetary system that can serve as the basis of social relations and facilitation of exchange as a means of instigating social change in attitudes towards global challenges like inequality and climate change. Social network analysis is used to investigate the social footprint of fSM in a game simulation of the fSM system. It is found that the mechanisms of fSM has the potential to imbue the network with tight knit connections -knots- that can contribute to a more inclusive monetary system.clos

Identification of Host-Specific Bacteroidales 16S rDNA Sequences from Human Sewage and Ruminant Feces

The need to identify the source of fecal contamination of water has led to the development of various fecal source identification methods, a field known as microbial source tracking (MST). One promising method of MST focuses on fecal members of the order Bacteroidales, some of which exhibit a high degree of host-specificity. In order to identify host-specific Bacteroidales genetic markers, a ∼1060 bp section of Bacteroidales 16S rDNA was amplified from human sewage (n = 6), and bovine (n = 6) and ovine fecal (n = 5) samples and used for the generation of three clone libraries. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences from the three clone libraries revealed that the Bacteroidales species found in both human sewage and bovine and ovine feces were a highly diverse group of organisms, many of which were not represented by previously characterised 16S rDNA. Ovine and bovine feces appear to host similar populations of Bacteroidales species and these species were more diverse and less closely related to cultivated species than the Bacteroidales population found in human sewage. Species of Bacteroidales from the ruminant and human feces formed isolated clusters containing putatively host-specific sequences. These sequences were subsequently exploited for the design of host-specific primers which were used in MST studies

Experimental In-Field Transfer and Survival of Escherichia coli from Animal Feces to Romaine Lettuce in Salinas Valley, California.

This randomized controlled trial characterized the transfer of E. coli from animal feces and/or furrow water onto adjacent heads of lettuce during foliar irrigation, and the subsequent survival of bacteria on the adaxial surface of lettuce leaves. Two experiments were conducted in Salinas Valley, California: (1) to quantify the transfer of indicator E. coli from chicken and rabbit fecal deposits placed in furrows to surrounding lettuce heads on raised beds, and (2) to quantify the survival of inoculated E. coli on Romaine lettuce over 10 days. E. coli was recovered from 97% (174/180) of lettuce heads to a maximal distance of 162.56 cm (5.33 ft) from feces. Distance from sprinklers to feces, cumulative foliar irrigation, and lettuce being located downwind of the fecal deposit were positively associated, while distance from fecal deposit to lettuce was negatively associated with E. coli transference. E. coli exhibited decimal reduction times of 2.2 and 2.5 days when applied on the adaxial surface of leaves within a chicken or rabbit fecal slurry, respectively. Foliar irrigation can transfer E. coli from feces located in a furrow onto adjacent heads of lettuce, likely due to the kinetic energy of irrigation droplets impacting the fecal surface and/or impacting furrow water contaminated with feces, with the magnitude of E. coli enumerated per head of lettuce influenced by the distance between lettuce and the fecal deposit, cumulative application of foliar irrigation, wind aspect of lettuce relative to feces, and time since final irrigation. Extending the time period between foliar irrigation and harvest, along with a 152.4 cm (5 ft) no-harvest buffer zone when animal fecal material is present, may substantially reduce the level of bacterial contamination on harvested lettuce

Nutrient Digestibility and Productivity of Bali Cattle Fed Fermented Hymenachne Amplexia­calis Based Rations Supplemented with Leucaena Leucocephala

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of lamtoro (Leucaena leucocephala) leaf supplementation in fermented kumpai grass (Hymenachne amplexia­calis) based rations on the productivity of Bali cattle. Variables measured were dry matter and organic matter intakes, nutrient digestibility (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and crude fiber), body weight gain, and feed efficiency. The types of rations were: Ration A= 45% fermented kumpai grass + 40% benggala grass + 15% concentrate + 0% lamtoro leaf, Ration B= 45% fermented kumpai grass + 30% benggala grass + 15% concentrate + 10% lamtoro leaf, Ration C= 45% fermented kumpai grass + 20% benggala grass + 15% concentrate + 20% lamtoro leaf, and Ration D= 45% fermented kumpai grass + 10% benggala grass + 15% concentrate + 30% lamtoro leaf. The supplementation of lamtoro leaf up to 30% into the ration could increase (P<0.05) dry matter and organic matter intakes, and crude protein digestibility. The highest body weight gain and feed efficiency were found in Bali cattle fed ration with 20% lamtoro leaf supplementation. The level of lamtoro leaf supplementation in the ration did not affect the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude fiber. It was concluded that the supplementation of lamtoro leaf in the ration could increase dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein intakes. Addition of 20% lamtoro leaf gave the best effect on the increased body weight gain and feed efficiency in Bali cattle

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Occurrence of ESKAPE Bacteria Group in Dogs, and the Related Zoonotic Risk in Animal-Assisted Therapy, and in Animal-Assisted Activity in the Health Context

Animal-assisted interventions are widely implemented in different contexts worldwide. Particularly, animal-assisted therapies and animal-assisted activities are often implemented in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other health facilities. These interventions bring several benefits to patients but can also expose them to the risk of infection with potentially zoonotic agents. The dog is the main animal species involved used in these interventions. Therefore, we aimed at collecting data regarding the occurrence of the pathogens ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp.) in dogs, in order to draft guidelines concerning the possible monitoring of dogs involved in animal-assisted therapies and animal-assisted activities in healthcare facilities. We performed a literature search using the PRISMA guidelines to examine three databases: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Out of 2604 records found, 52 papers were identified as eligible for inclusion in the review/meta-analysis. Sixteen papers reported data on E. faecium; 16 on S. aureus; nine on K. pneumoniae; four on A. baumannii; eight on P. aeruginosa; and six on Enterobacter spp. This work will contribute to increased awareness to the potential zoonotic risks posed by the involvement of dogs in animal-assisted therapies, and animal-assisted activities in healthcare facilities

Genotypic Characterization of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli in Beef Abattoirs of Argentina

The non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) contamination in carcasses and feces of 811 bovines in nine beef abattoirs from Argentina was analyzed during a period of 17 months. The feces of 181 (22.3%) bovines were positive for non-O157 STEC, while 73 (9.0%) of the carcasses showed non-O157 STEC contamination. Non-O157 STEC strains isolated from feces (227) and carcasses (80) were characterized. The main serotypes identified were O178:H19, O8:H19, O130:H11, and O113:H21, all of which have produced sporadic cases of hemolytic-uremic syndrome in Argentina and worldwide. Twenty-two (7.2%) strains carried a fully virulent stx/eae/ehxA genotype. Among them, strains of serotypes O103:[H2], O145:NM, and O111:NM represented 4.8% of the isolates. XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern analysis showed 234 different patterns, with 76 strains grouped in 30 clusters. Nine of the clusters grouped strains isolated from feces and from carcasses of the same or different bovines in a lot, while three clusters were comprised of strains distributed in more than one abattoir. Patterns AREXSX01.0157, AREXBX01.0015, and AREXPX01.0013 were identified as 100% compatible with the patterns of one strain isolated from a hemolytic-uremic syndrome case and two strains previously isolated from beef medallions, included in the Argentine PulseNet Database. In this survey, 4.8% (39 of 811) of the bovine carcasses appeared to be contaminated with non- O157 STEC strains potentially capable of producing sporadic human disease, and a lower proportion (0.25%) with strains able to produce outbreaks of severe disease.Fil: Masana, Marcelo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: D´Astek, B. A.. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud “Dr. C. G. Malbrán”; ArgentinaFil: Palladino, Pablo Martín. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Galli, Lucía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET- La Plata. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria "Ing. Fernando Noel Dulout". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria; Argentina. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: del Castillo, Lourdes Leonor. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria. Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Carbonari, Claudia Carolina. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Leotta, Gerardo Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET- La Plata. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria "Ing. Fernando Noel Dulout". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria; Argentina. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Vilacoba, Elisabet. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Irino, K.. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. Seção de Bacteriologia; BrasilFil: Rivas, M.. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentin

Feline infectious peritonitis: role of the feline coronavirus 3c gene in intestinal tropism and pathogenicity based upon isolates from resident and adopted shelter cats.

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) was presumed to arise from mutations in the 3c of a ubiquitous and largely nonpathogenic feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). However, a recent study found that one-third of FIPV isolates have an intact 3c and suggested that it is not solely involved in FIP but is essential for intestinal replication. In order to confirm these assumptions, 27 fecal and 32 FIP coronavirus isolates were obtained from resident or adopted cats from a large metropolitan shelter during 2008-2009 and their 3a-c, E, and M genes sequenced. Forty percent of coronavirus isolates from FIP tissues had an intact 3c gene, while 60% had mutations that truncated the gene product. The 3c genes of fecal isolates from healthy cats were always intact. Coronavirus from FIP diseased tissues consistently induced FIP when given either oronasally or intraperitoneally (i.p.), regardless of the functional status of their 3c genes, thus confirming them to be FIPVs. In contrast, fecal isolates from healthy cats were infectious following oronasal infection and shed at high levels in feces without causing disease, as expected for FECVs. Only one in three cats shed FECV in the feces following i.p. infection, indicating that FECVs can replicate systemically, but with difficulty. FIPVs having a mutated 3c were not shed in the feces following either oronasal or i.p. inoculation, while FIPVs with intact 3c genes were shed in the feces following oronasal but not i.p. inoculation. Therefore, an intact 3c appears to be essential for intestinal replication. Although FIPVs with an intact 3c were shed in the feces following oronasal inoculation, fecal virus from these cats was not infectious for other cats. Attempts to identify potential FIP mutations in the 3a, 3b, E, and M were negative. However, the 3c gene of FIPVs, even though appearing intact, contained many more non-synonymous amino acid changes in the 3' one-third of the 3c protein than FECVs. An attempt to trace FIPV isolates back to enteric strains existing in the shelter was only partially successful due to the large region over which shelter cats and kittens originated, housing conditions prior to acquisition, and rapid movement through the shelter. No evidence could be found to support a recent theory that FIPVs and FECVs are genetically distinct

Relation between serology of meat juice and bacteriology of tonsils and feces for the detection of enteropathogenic Yersinia spp. in pigs at slaughter

The association between positive serology and culture detection of Yersinia spp. in individual pigs was determined. Pieces of diaphragm from 370 pig carcasses were collected for serological analysis, and tonsils and feces of the same carcass were collected for bacteriological analysis. Detection of anti-Yersinia antibodies in meat juice samples was done using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on Yops (Yersinia outer proteins). Tonsils and feces were tested for the presence of enteropathogenic Yersinia spp. by direct plating on cefsulodin–irgasan–novobiocin agar plates. Of the 370 meat juice samples, 241 (65.1%) gave a positive serological reaction using a cutoff value of 20%. Enteropathogenic Yersinia spp. (Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3 and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis) were found in tonsils of 161 pigs and feces of 30 pigs. Recovery of enteropathogenic Yersinia from the tonsils was highly correlated with positive serotiters, whereas no correlation was found between serology and fecal excretion. Results demonstrated that serology has an acceptable sensitivity, but a relatively low specificity for the rapid detection of enteropathogenic Yersinia spp. in tonsils of pigs at slaughter

Vertebrate DNA in Fecal Samples from Bonobos and Gorillas: Evidence for Meat Consumption or Artefact?

Background: Deciphering the behavioral repertoire of great apes is a challenge for several reasons. First, due to their elusive behavior in dense forest environments, great ape populations are often difficult to observe. Second, members of the genus Pan are known to display a great variety in their behavioral repertoire; thus, observations from one population are not necessarily representative for other populations. For example, bonobos (Pan paniscus) are generally believed to consume almost no vertebrate prey. However, recent observations show that at least some bonobo populations may consume vertebrate prey more commonly than previously believed. We investigated the extent of their meat consumption using PCR amplification of vertebrate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) segments from DNA extracted from bonobo feces. As a control we also attempted PCR amplifications from gorilla feces, a species assumed to be strictly herbivorous. Principal Findings: We found evidence for consumption of a variety of mammalian species in about 16% of the samples investigated. Moreover, 40% of the positive DNA amplifications originated from arboreal monkeys. However, we also found duiker and monkey mtDNA in the gorilla feces, albeit in somewhat lower percentages. Notably, the DNA sequences isolated from the two ape species fit best to the species living in the respective regions. This result suggests that the sequences are of regional origin and do not represent laboratory contaminants. Conclusions: Our results allow at least three possible and mutually not exclusive conclusions. First, all results may represent contamination of the feces by vertebrate DNA from the local environment. Thus, studies investigating a species' diet from feces DNA may be unreliable due to the low copy number of DNA originating from diet items. Second, there is some inherent difference between the bonobo and gorilla feces, with only the later ones being contaminated. Third, similar to bonobos, for which the consumption of monkeys has only recently been documented, the gorilla population investigated (for which very little observational data are as yet available) may occasionally consume small vertebrates. Although the last explanation is speculative, it should not be discarded a-priori given that observational studies continue to unravel new behaviors in great ape species