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After administration of the serotonergic antidepressant citalopram (CIT) to beagle dogs, they may experience severe convulsive attacks in relation with considerably higher plasma concentrations of the metabolite didesmethyl-CIT (DDCIT), when compared to those in humans medicated with CIT. This pilot study aimed at determining the role of cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) isozymes in the in vitro metabolism of CIT to desmethyl-CIT (DCIT), and of DCIT to DDCIT in the liver microsomes of a single beagle dog. The incubations with racemic CIT or DCIT reveal a high affinity enzyme with Km between 0.3 µM and 1.4 µM for S- and R-DCIT and S- and R-DDCIT productions, respectively. In comparison to human enzymes, the intrinsic clearance values of this high affinity enzyme are between 15 µL/(min x mg of protein) and 52 µL/(min x mg of protein), i.e. very high. In vitro experiments with inhibitors suggest that CYP2D15, which shows analogy with human CYP2D6, is by far the main CYP450 isozyme involved in the production of DCIT and DDCIT whereas CYP3A12 and CYP2C21/41 showed a weak implication. These observations partly explain why in humans, plasma concentrations of the toxic DDCIT are considerably lower than those observed in dogs, after administration of CIT.

Plant-based indicators of water status, such as midday stem water potential (Ψ_stem) and leaf stomatal conductance (g_s), are used to optimise irrigation scheduling in horticultural crops because they integrate the effect of soil and climatic conditions and the internal physiological constraints. The use of these indicators relies on experimentally acquired thresholds that relate the value of the indicator to negative effects on yield. In five irrigation treatments, we monitored yield, fruit size and the courses of Ψ_stem and g_s throughout four consecutive growing seasons. We found that Ψ_stem was more sensitive to irrigation treatment than g_s. Both indicators increased with available soil water content (ASWC) and decreased with evaporative demands of the atmosphere (ET_C). On a seasonal basis, crop load had a stronger impact on g_s than Ψ_stem. In summary, our study explored the effect of environmental conditions and crop load on plant-based indicators of tree water status and can be useful for establishing thresholds for irrigation scheduling in apple tree orchards.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is normally used independently of the physical and temporal location of the product, process or service under analysis. This makes LCA results more easily comparable and globally accepted. At the same time, it has drawbacks though, e.g. land use will have the same impact regardless of location. However, the use of certain terrains in high erosion risk areas as compared to others in low erosion risk areas will have a different impact on the ecosystem. The availability of airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data (ALS) allows a quick and accurate morphogeometric analysis of any terrain. For this reason, this article offers a methodology, based on Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) method and airborne LiDAR data, for the straightforward detection of zones with high vulnerability to erosion problems. Based on these local erosion risk data, a method is developed to assess the environmental impact of land use, based on its location. In this way, the LCA methodology is incorporated to gather local data, dependent on the specific location of the activity under analysis. The methodology developed has been applied, as a case study, to a specific municipality in the high mountains of the Autonomous Community of La Rioja (Spain).

The purpose of the study was to examine the prevalence of Escherichia coli in shrimps and mussels, and to determine the distribution of β-lactam, aminoglycoside, quinolone, and multi-drug resistance phenotypically and genotypically in E. coli isolates obtained from mussels and shrimps in Istanbul. Faecal samples were collected from mussels (n = 96) and shrimps (n = 96) from the Marmara Sea coastline and fish markets in Istanbul. For the detection of antibiotic susceptibilities, seven antibiotic groups were used. β-lactamase, aminoglycoside, and quinolone genes were also determined. A total of 34 (17.7%, 15 shrimps, and 19 mussels) E. coli were isolated, and 17 (50%) were found to be resistant to one or more antimicrobials. The highest resistance was seen against aminoglycosides with 11 isolates (32.35%), followed by quinolones with 10 isolates (29.41%) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) with 4 isolates (11.76%). Multi-drug resistance was detected in 5 isolates (14.7%) from 3 shrimp and 2 mussel samples. The prevalence of ESBL genes was demonstrated at 3.84% in mussels and shrimp samples. There were no AmpC and carbapenemase-producing genes. These samples harbored bla_CTX-M-1 (n = 3) and bla_TEM (n = 4). Ten isolates were resistant to aminoglycosides genotypically. Resistance genes detected were strB in 2 isolates, aadA in 5, strB and aadA together in 3, ANT('')-Ia, aphA1 and aphA2 simultaneously in 3, aphA1 in 1, aac(3)-IIa in 1 isolate. aac(6')-Ib-cr gene was detected in only one of 10 phenotypically resistant isolates to quinolones.

The effect of drought stress on carbon metabolism in the leaves and roots of bermudagrass was investigated. Plants established in PVC tubes suffered from three water treatments for 10 days. C138 and Tifway (drought-tolerant) were found to have lower relative electrical conductivity and higher water use efficiency than C32 (drought-sensitive) under moderate drought by increasing carotenoid and soluble sugar content and rapidly decreasing leaf starch content. The sucrose synthase activity of leaves and roots, acid invertase and neutral invertase activity of C32 roots substantially decreased under severe drought, resulting in a slow sucrose decomposition rate and significantly lower fructose and glucose contents than C138 and Tifway. The activities of four carbon metabolism enzymes and sucrose content in the leaves were greater than those in the roots, while the fructose and glucose contents were on the contrary, indicating that bermudagrass transported fructose and glucose obtained from sucrose decomposition from leaves to roots under drought to reduce roots damage. The path analysis indicated that leaves neutral invertase activity, and roots soluble sugar content might be the key parameter of carbon metabolism in bermudagrass under drought.

This study is to explore the effects of natural tannin (NBT) on intestinal injury in piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Thirty-two 7-day-old piglets were divided into four groups: I) control group, piglets were fed a basic diet without challenge; II) ETEC group, piglets were fed a basic diet and challenged with enterotoxigenic E. coli; III) NBT + ETEC group, piglets were fed a basic diet with supplementation of 2 g/kg NBT and challenged with enterotoxigenic E. coli; and IV) ZnO + ETEC group, piglets were fed a basic diet with supplementation of 3 g/kg ZnO and challenged with enterotoxigenic E. coli. Results showed that diarrhoea rate was significantly increased in ETEC group, whereas it was decreased after NBT supplementation (P < 0.05); NBT supplementation significantly increased the average daily gain of ETEC-infected piglets. ETEC group showed damaged intestinal morphology (as indicated by decreased villus height, surface area and increased crypt depth) and barrier function (as indicated by decreased d-xylose content and increased diamine oxidase activity), induced oxidative stress (as indicated by increased myeloperoxidase activity) while supplementation of NBT had an obvious impact on the recovery of intestinal function and alleviated the oxidative damage. Further analysis showed that NBT could decrease the expression of genes related to intestinal injury (matrix metalloproteinase-3), and specifically upregulate the expression of oxidative stress-related genes (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and hypoxia inducible factor-1). Overall, dietary supplementation of NBT relieved intestinal injury and oxidative stress in piglets challenged with ETEC. NBT could be an alternative to ZnO as a feed additive in piglet diet.

Triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) is a hybrid cereal prepared by crossing wheat and rye. Triticale grain contains substances that have a positive effect on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and type 2 diabetes, as well as increasing body's immune response and intestinal function, which warrants a need for greater attention to research on triticale crop's nutritional composition. This review covers the most recent research on the nutritional composition of triticale grain in comparison to other cereals, its role in the food industry, and its usage as a food, providing a scientific foundation for triticale's further development as a sustainable crop. Due to the wide variety of chemical compounds revealed in triticale grain, it has the potential to be utilised as a substitute cereal for various food and beverages.

Jejunal haemorrhage syndrome (JHS) is a sporadic and fatal enterotoxaemic disease in dairy cows associated with acute development and poor prognosis despite treatment. A 5-year-old Holstein cow with no reported pregnancy, three calving numbers, and 303 days in milk presented with hypothermia, discomfort, and inappetence. Anaemia, dehydration, faeces with blood clots, and absence of rumen and bowel movements were observed. We identified the presence of neutrophilia, hyperglycaemia, hypoproteinaemia, azotaemia, hyperlactatemia, hypocalcaemia, hypermagnesemia, hypokalaemia, and hypochloraemia through blood analyses. Necropsy and histopathologic examination revealed a dilated bluish-purple jejunum, blood clots within the jejunum, neutrophil infiltration into the submucosa of the jejunum, and vascular necrosis. Retrospective examination revealed extraordinary patterns of rumination time, activity, rumen mobility, and rumen temperature using biosensors and decreased milk yield. The abnormalities in the affected cow were detected before recognition by farm workers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to examine data from biosensors in a cow with JHS. Our findings suggest that using biometric data may help understand the development of JHS.

This study investigates the effects of repeated applications of the non-ionic soil surfactant H2Flo (ICL-SF Inc., Israel) on the soil water content, hydraulic conductivity, nutrient distribution, and organic carbon fractions (OCFs) in non-hydrophobic loamy sand soils under subsurface drip irrigation. Our results indicate that H2Flo treatment reduces both saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity while promoting the uniform irrigation distribution, consistent with previous findings on surfactants’ effects on sandy soils. An increase in soil pH levels, organic carbon content, and extractable magnesium, calcium, and potassium was observed in treated soils, with elevated levels of potassium permanganate oxidizable organic carbon (POXC) implying accelerated decomposition rates. Notably, a positive linear relationship was found between POXC and the increased NO₃^–-N content of treated soils, suggesting induced conditions of nitrification. However, the carbon fractions water-soluble organic carbon (C_ws) and hot water-soluble organic carbon (C_hws) remained quantitatively unchanged, even though they exhibited a positive linear relationship with the soil’s hydraulic conductivity. The study highlights the crucial role of monitoring changes in OCFs and nutrient dynamics after surfactant application to optimize soil organic matter utilization and chemical fertilizer management.

Rongchang piglets were easily induced to cold stress and diarrhoea in the winter when raised in an open hog house. However, they also gradually recovered under mid-cold stress. Other studies have suggested gut microbiome might be involved in the host energy metabolism to relieve stress. To study how to adapt Rongchang piglets to cold stress by gut microbiome, thirty Rongchang piglets were randomly divided into a mild cold stress group and a control group for 30 consecutive days. The findings revealed that the piglets had low growth performance and a high diarrhoea rate and mortality rate during the first half of the cold treatment, but subsequently stabilised. The level of cortisol (COR) also displayed a similar trend. In the mild cold stress group, the relative abundance of Muribaculaceae significantly increased on day 15, and the predominant bacterial on day 30 was Lactobacillus sp. Our results indicated that the Rongchang piglet’s production performance and health were impaired at the start of the mild cold stress. However, as time passed, the body could progressively adapt to the low temperature, and Lactobacillus sp. participated in this process. This study provides new insight into how to alleviate health damage caused by cold stress.

Changing political demands requires the search for alternatives to glyphosate, which has often been used in the stale seedbed method. In three field trials between 2020 and 2023, three electrophysical treatments (XPower System, Zasso®) differing in speed, three mechanical treatments (disc harrow, rotary harrow, cultivator) and three chemical treatments (glyphosate, maleic hydrazide, pelargonic acid + maleic hydrazide) were evaluated concerning the efficacy and economic performance in stale seedbed method in Alopecurus myosuroides control. Process costs for each treatment were calculated. Furthermore, the maximum investment costs for the XPower system were calculated to be on the same level as the other treatments. In all treatments, the density of A. myosuroides in autumn was significantly lower than in the control. In general, the fewest plants and heads were found in the chemical treatments. Despite the lower plant density, the electrophysical method did not show a significant difference in the number of heads compared to the untreated control, especially at higher speeds. Calculated process costs ranged between
40 €/ha (glyphosate) and 430 €/ha (pelargonic acid + maleic hydrazide). To be economically comparable with the other treatments, the investment of the XPower should be at maximum between – 219 000 € (glyphosate) and 300 000 € (pelargonic acid + maleic acid), depending on the driving speed. In a holistic view, electrophysical control, as well as pelargonic acid and maleic hydrazide as glyphosate alternatives in the stale seedbed method, are not suitable. A stale seedbed with mechanical control of A. myosuroides is recommended.

This research investigated the effect of different storage temperatures on the compositional changes, physicochemical characteristics, and functional properties of hawthorn berries. Storage at 25 °C resulted in the gradual decrease of the moisture, hardness, sugar, titratable acid, and colour of hawthorn berries. These changes decreased with decreasing storage temperature, and the minimal changes happened at frozen storage (–18 °C). Similarly, the decreasing rate of ascorbic acid, extractable polyphenol (EPP), and flavonoids during storage also decreased with reducing storage temperature (25 °C > 4 °C > –18 °C). Hydrolysable polyphenol (HPP) was relatively stable during the hawthorn storage, and non-extractable proanthocyanidins (NEPA) increased with decreasing temperature. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of EPP and HPP decreased at 25 °C, while polyphenolic oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities decreased. Decreasing the storage temperature can improve the stability of the nutritional properties, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme activity of hawthorn. The specific storage temperature depends on the final processing conditions and the purposes of the hawthorn berries.

The war in Ukraine has shown that the worldwide food security can be easily shaken. This article focuses on an evaluation of European Union (EU) wheat producers on the world market. Would EU producers maintain their competitive position without direct payments? What changes need to be introduced to improve the position of EU producers on the world market? To answer these questions, a data envelopment analysis has been applied. It is indicated that the competitive position of EU wheat producers is still strongly dependent on direct payments and that mechanisation costs are a key area for improved efficiency in wheat production in Europe.

A study was conducted at the University of Venda Experimental Farm, Limpopo province, South Africa to determine the effects of tillage and mulching on selected soil properties, and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 cropping seasons. Treatments consisted of conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT) and three levels of avocado leaf mulch (0, 6 and 12 t/ha). Bulk density (BD), aggregate stability (AS), infiltration rate (IR), soil water content (SWC) and grain yield were determined. Tillage had no significant effect on BD in either season but influenced SWC and sunflower grain yield. CT recorded a significantly higher AS than MT during 2018/19 cropping season. Tillage × mulch interaction was significant during 2018/19 season with CT at 12 t/ha mulch recording higher AS than the MT. IR was significantly influenced by tillage × mulch interaction in both seasons with MT recording higher IR than the CT during 2018/19. Avocado mulch had no significant effect on sunflower grain yield in either season but influenced SWC in 2019/20 season. It was concluded that avocado mulch could be a relevant component of conservation agriculture but long-term studies are needed to validate the benefits observed in this study.

Herbivorous ungulate diets affect population performance and overall forest health through balanced interactions on plant-herbivore relations; therefore, understanding them is critical. Faeces are frequently used in ungulate nutritional ecology because they can provide information about animals’ digestive efficiency. Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) have different morpho-physiological and ecological constraints, and these differences should be reflected in their faeces. On the other hand, the lack of information about the animal (sex, age, reproductive status, diet selection, etc.) may be challenging for such studies. This study aimed to detect species’ different susceptibility to these factors reflected in animals’ faeces. Thus, we hypothesised that near-infrared reflectance spectrometry (NIRS) could distinguish between the faecal nutrients of two cervids. We collected 94 usable faeces from both species along the forest transect in Bohemian forests in the Czech Republic, covering 2 500 ha. Roe and red deer overlap was determined using the four faecal nutritional components on two axes. No discrimination occurred, refuting our hypothesis and highlighting that out-of-control variables are critical for faecal studies in uncontrolled settings. Fibrous parts explained the most variance (48%), indicating animals’ strong reliance on nutrition quality. Apparently, uncontrolled supplementary feeding produced similar faecal nutrient outcomes during the nutrition-limiting winter, which was theoretically supported by the animal’s response to predation and hunting pressure. The inability of NIRS to identify the source of N in faeces may also explain the lack of discrimination.

Determining reference intervals (RI) is a valuable asset for assessing the health of wildlife species. This is the first study to establish serum biochemical RIs in Siberian weasels. Forty-two healthy free-ranging Siberian weasels were captured live and brought to Seoul Wildlife Center between June 2021 and August 2022. Blood samples from 42 healthy Siberian weasels of both sexes were used to calculate RIs. An automated analyser was used to perform serum biochemistry profiles. The American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology recommendations were used to calculate a nonparametric RI with 90% confidence intervals. The RIs of albumin, total protein, globulin, calcium, glucose, blood urea nitrogen, phosphorus, amylase, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and creatine kinase were determined. The RIs established in this study will serve as a good starting point for analysing serum biochemical data in Siberian weasels.

The authors present two cases of borderline ovarian tumours with microinvasion in bitches with variable clinical significance. The first case documents a four-year-old female Weimaraner diagnosed with a tumour on the right ovary during a veterinary check-up, using USG examination, which was then surgically removed. Histological examination revealed a clear cell borderline tumour of the ovary with microinvasion. The second case is represented by a necropsy sample from a 52-month-old female German shepherd which died a day before the planned hysterectomy due to undertreated pyometra. During necropsy, a developed form of bilateral ovarian tumour was found. An additional histological examination diagnosed a serous borderline tumour with microinvasion of both ovaries. This paper discusses the histopathological and clinical aspects involved in the prognosis of borderline ovarian tumours in bitches, This concerns the possibility of a change for a more aggressive form of the behaviour of these tumours and their immunohistochemical profile, then the risk of implant metastases and, finally, the time point of diagnosis, intervention and therapy. Even histologically verified well-differentiated forms of borderline ovarian tumours with microinvasion in bitches can show variable clinical significance and, therefore, in similar cases, only a good or only a bad prognosis of the disease should not be expected.

This study examined the effects of beneficial rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain AFS009 and entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana strain GHA against plumeria rust Coleosporium plumeriae. Two preemptive or three curative laboratory experiments and a curative field experiment were conducted to examine the effects of these commercially available biocontrol products. Treatments included the application of B. bassiana at 1.23 g/L and P. chlororaphis at 3 or 9 g/L. Systemic fungicide azoxystrobin applied at 0.12 g/L and water were included as positive and negative controls, respectively. While its effect was insignificant in the field trial, B. bassiana reduced the rust pustule development in one of two preemptive and two of three curative laboratory trials. In contrast, P. chlororaphis applied at 9 g/L suppressed the number of rust pustules in both laboratory and field experiments, demonstrating its potential biological activity against plumeria rust. In the field trial, the effect of P. chlororaphis was observed at 14 days post-treatment, suggesting that an application interval of 14 days on infected plants can take the rust under control.

Salinity is one of the critical environmental factors that decreases the water availability and induces nutritional imbalance in crops. In order to study the effect of calcium nitrate [(Ca(NO₃)₂] in the nutrient solution under salinity conditions, an experiment was designed with different salinity (0, 50, and 100 mM) and Ca(NO₃)₂ (2, 3, and 4 mM) levels on Cucurbita pepo (zucchini). Based on the results, an increase in the salinity from 0 to 100 mM caused a decrease in the leaf potassium and calcium concentration, whereas the iron, magnesium and zinc concentrations increased. The most effective Ca(NO₃)₂ level in increasing the nutritional quality and yield of zucchini was 3 and 4 mM. Salinity at 50 and 100 mM significantly increased the leaf sodium concentration and leaf area as well as the leaf number per plant, while the application of both Ca(NO3)2 levels modulated the harmful effects of salinity. The amount of malondialdehyde (MDA), proline and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as well as the catalase (CAT) activity increased under the severe salinity conditions, whereas the application of 4 mM Ca(NO₃)₂ had the potential of removing the negative effects of severe salinity. The catalase activity increased along with the increase in the Ca(NO3)2 concentration, which was independent from the salinity level. However, the amount of proline, MDA and H2O2 decreased in plants fed with 3 and 4 mM Ca(NO₃)₂ compared to the control in the presence of salinity. These findings suggest that both the 3 and 4 mM concentrations of Ca(NO₃)₂ under 50 mM salinity could be used to improve the zucchini performance by maintaining the ion homeostasis and inducing the antioxidant defence system.

Globally, people started gravitating toward organic food as health consciousness rose. From the farm to the consumer's fork, organic food is produced using a comprehensive method. Organic farming has provided farmers and producers with many opportunities, but there are still difficulties concerning the cost of production and distribution. Due to environmental sustainability challenges, climate change, soil fertility, biological assortment, and consumer well-being, organic farming is attracting more attention than conventional farming. Organic farming can be done using standardised methods and has many common issues with conventional farming. Organic farming has some unique problems as well. With the right strategies, careful planning, and government assistance, many difficulties faced by farmers can be addressed. The downstream material flow of the supply chain, and in particular demand estimation, market price, and identifying customer segments, has been identified as a significant problem in organic farming. Massive losses have been incurred along with the entire supply chain a due to the inadequate demand estimation that has caused surpluses and shortages in the produce. A few farmers have resolved the cash flows and material information controlling problem. This article proposes various related hypotheses associated with identifying customer segments, forecasting demand for the product, and profitability as market price changes in the crop.

Sorghum is an important crop, and starch and phenolic compounds are major and important components in the sorghum grain. However, the underlying critical genetic elements contributing to the rich portfolio of nutrients in sorghum grains are largely unknown. Transcriptomic methods were employed to characterize the expression patterns at five different grain developmental stages of Hongyingzi (an important brewing sorghum), and another two grain sorghums, Jinuoliang 1 and Hongliangfeng 1, for comparison. The uniquely expressed genes were identified at each developmental stage of Hongyingzi when compared with the other two sorghum cultivars. The co-regulated genes at different developmental stages and the regulatory network were determined; the determinant genes and single-nucleotide polymorphisms located at the promoters of these genes involved in starch and phenolic compounds biosynthetic pathways were also identified. These results will provide insights into the potential regulatory network and further contribute to the clarification of the key determinant genes involved in the biosyntheses of starch and phenolic compounds. Meanwhile, some new transcripts and genes were identified at five different developmental stages of grains of the three sorghum cultivars. Our work can provide impetus for further study of the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of starch and phenolic compounds in the sorghum grain, and pave a way for functional validation of a batch of potential genes and single-nucleotide polymorphisms proposed in current work.

Biochar is the carbon-rich product obtained when biomass is anaerobically heated. In this study, different materials (corn straw and peanut shell) and pyrolysis temperatures (350, 450 and 550 °C) affect the elemental composition, surface structure, and biochar properties. The results showed that the carbon (C) content in biochar increased as the temperature increased, but hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N) did not change. The alkane overpressure of corn straw and peanut shell increased first and then decreased with the increased temperature; the fatty alkyl chain disappeared, but the ash content increased at 550 °C. At high temperatures, the aromaticity (H/C ratio) and hydrophobicity (O/C ratio) of biochar become "carbon-rich particles", while the polarity (O + N)/C decreases significantly. The pore wall of biochar became thinner with the increase in pyrolysis temperature, the internal pore structure became larger, and a large number of micropores appeared in biochar. Biochar pyrolysed at 550 °C has much higher C, ash content, pore, and stronger buffering capacity, and thus is more promising to improve soil health.

In this study, the first observation of Thanasimus femoralis was conducted in Türkiye. Adults of T. femoralis and Thanasimus formicarius were collected from pheromone traps together with Ips sexdentatus, Ips acuminatus, Ips mannsfeldi and Scolytus intricatus in forest nurseries located in the Western Black Sea Region, between 2021 and 2022. The clerid and bark beetles were morphologically described. The aedeagus and antennae of T. femoralis were observed by scanning electron microscopy.

It is difficult to estimate flood discharges and the flood zones as well as to design hydraulic structures in rivers without using hydrometric stations. Furthermore, using different models to determine the mentioned cases will be accompanied by errors. Therefore, flood marks on the trunks of trees located in the Babolrood riverbed were used to determine the peak discharge, flood flow depth, and flood zone in northern Iran. First, a hydraulic model for the study river was provided using topographic maps with a scale of 1: 1 000, HEC-GeoRAS extension (GIS), and HEC-RAS model. Then, the flood marks of past floods in the form of silt and clay sediments (deposits on the trees in the riverbed) were evaluated and the maximum flood flow depth was determined. Finally, the peak discharge of the past flood was estimated by the trial-and-error method to achieve the flood flow depth in the different river reaches. Then, the hydraulic model using the flow depth data was calibrated in the reaches, and, in the final step, based on the flood marks of other reaches, the model was validated. According to the results, the maximum instantaneous discharge rate of the study flood was 155 m³.s^-1 and the maximum flood flow depth was about 2 m. Furthermore, the results showed that the flood mark data in forest lands can be used as a tool for the calibration and validation of hydraulic models. The present methodology is an efficient method for determining the flood peak discharge, spatial variation of the flood depth, and flood zone in forest watersheds without hydrometric stations.

Precision agriculture is increasingly relying on tractor auto-steer systems to boost productivity and optimize crop inputs. Identifying field variations and performance, on the other hand, is necessary for giving site-specific recommendations. This study reports the field operating performance indicators of manual (MG), semi-automatic (SG), and automatic (AG) tractor guidance for weed control in wheat production in Southern Italy. Performance indicators include effective worked area, overall working time, effective field capacity, field efficiency, fuel consumption, and product usage. The SG tractor guidance working times were similar to the MG, but with significant savings in the herbicide spray solution and work quality. In terms of all parameters examined, the AG outperformed the SG and MG. The AG was 54% faster than the MG, resulting in an increased area worked and effective field capacity of 5 and 46%, respectively. The total time (effective time plus non-productive time) was reduced by 28%, while overlapped areas by 88.9%. Herbicide and fuel input was reduced by 30 and 11.5%, respectively. A streamlined environmental analysis indicated that AG could reduce the energy and carbon intensity of the one-time weed control process by 25 and 27% for each hectare. Our results confirm that auto guidance provides numerous benefits (e.g., machining uniformity, increased work quality, reduced resource use, and reduced environmental burdens), supporting the larger goal of agricultural production sustainability.

This study aimed at determining the in vitro antibacterial activity of a clinically achievable marbofloxacin (MAR) concentration against the clinical isolate S. pseudintermedius in an in vitro dynamic model simulating the in vivo pharmacokinetics of dogs. The in vitro PK/PD (pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic) model that mimics the single daily doses of MAR (half-life, 8 h) was simulated. An inoculum (10⁸ cfu/ml) of clinical isolate S. pseudintermedius (MIC = 0.0625 μg/ml) was exposed to monoexponentially decreasing concentrations of MAR with simulated AUC_{24 h}/MIC varied from 34.81 h to 696.15 h. Every two hours, the multiple sample colony forming units were determined. The result of this study demonstrated that the clinically achieved MAR concentrations at AUC_{24 h}/MIC ratios of 348.08 and 696.15 h produced a pronounced reduction in the bacterial counts and prevented the re-growth of the clinical isolate S. pseudintermedius. However, further study, considering the strains with different susceptibility levels, is recommended.

The aim of this paper is to present the intraspecific differentiation of the curly silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) by the wood structure growing in the Ukrainian Carpathians. To find the morphological distinctions by using the silvicultural and biometric methods, 50 silver fir trees with anomalous wavy-relief stemwood formations were investigated. The trees aged from 94 to 132 years were characterised by the diameter at breast height of 32-59 cm. The length of the wave-grained stemwood varied from 6 to 11.5 m. The amplitude of the wood fibre waves varied from 4.4 to 24.1 mm. The smallest values of the amplitude of the wave-grained wood corresponded to the smaller wavelengths. The significant differences in the wood density and annual growth between the silver fir trees with the straight-grained and wave-grained stem wood were determined. The number of annual rings in 1 cm of the curly silver fir was 27.1% lower and 22.7% higher than the same characteristics for the straight-grained stem wood. The obtained linear equation described the relationship between the number of annual rings in 1 cm and the basic wood density of the silver fir with the straight-grained wood. The aesthetic features of the curly silver fir stem wood were discussed in the subject area of a new niche of exclusive wood products.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the response pattern of diazotrophic microbes, denitrifiers and nitrifiers to different types of land use management, such as soybean monoculture (M) during 5 and 24 years (M5 and M24) and soybean-maize rotation (R) during 4 and 15 years (R4 and R15) in two subsequent years at the time point of flowering. Soil samples from a site recently introduced into agriculture (RUA) and a pristine soil under native vegetation (NV) were used as controls. Abundances of different functional groups of microbes were assessed using the direct quantification of marker genes by quantitative real-time PCR using extracted DNA from rhizosphere samples. In addition, soil chemical and physical properties were analysed and correlated with the abundance data from the functional microbial groups under investigation. Overall, the results indicate that the abundance of nifH genes was higher under R treatments compared to M treatments. The abundance of ammonium monooxygenase genes amoA (AOA) was generally higher under rotation systems and decreased under M24. RUA evidenced a negative effect on the establishment and development of AOA communities. The influence of land use on nirS abundance was inconsistent. However, R treatments showed a high abundance of nirK genes compared to M treatments. In both growing seasons, the abundance of nosZ genes was higher under NV compared with the other treatments. Furthermore, M24 treatment was related to strongly changed chemical and physical soil properties compared with the other sites. As expected, soil samples from RUA showed the strong dynamics of measured parameters indicating the high sensitivity of soils under transition to environmental parameters. Our results also indicated that the long-term crop rotation modified the abundance of the investigated microbial groups compared to the monoculture and increased soil chemical and physical quality. Therefore, our results provide evidence for a stimulatory effect of the long-term crop rotation on the abundance of microbes involved in N transformation.

This study aimed to determine the associative effects (AEs) of 28 feed combinations of concentrate/soybean pod/alfalfa at different concentrate-roughage ratios that were incubated for 72 h in single tubes (120 ml) which were added 30 ml rumen buffered fluid. The gas production (GP) at 0, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 h was recorded. A single exponential equation was applied to calculate the GP parameters a (rapid GP), b (slow GP), a + b (GP potential) and c (rate constant of slow GP that can reflect the specific process of GP, rapid and slow GP and GP rate). The AEs were calculated by 72 h GP and weighted estimation value of each combination. After 72 h incubation, pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD) were determined the incubation fluid and residues. The single-factor AE index (SFAEI) and multiple-factor AE index (MFAEI) were computed. The results showed that the groups 50 : 50 : 0, 40 : 60 : 0, 60 : 20 : 20, 60 : 10 : 30, 50 : 30 : 20, 50 : 20 : 30, 40 : 50 : 10, 30 : 55 : 15, 30 : 40 : 30, 20 : 65 : 15, 20 : 50 : 30 had higher GP_{72 h}, a, b, DMD, OMD, NH₃-N, in addition, higher AE of GP, DMD, OMD, total VFA and NH₃-N than those of the other groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), especially the group 30 : 55 : 15 was optimal. In conclusion, in vitro data reveal reliable fermentability and the highest SFAEI and MFAEI occurred when concentrate, soybean pod and alfalfa were combined at the ratios of 50 : 50 : 0, 40 : 60 : 0, 60 : 20 : 20, 60 : 10 : 30, 50 : 30 : 20, 50 : 20 : 30, 40 : 50 : 10, 30 : 55 : 15, 30 : 40 : 30, 20 : 65 : 15, 20 : 50 : 30.

Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis are parasites in the respiratory tract of domestic and wild carnivores. Recently, an increasing number of lungworm infections in dogs has been recognized in Europe. In this report, the results of the first copro-epidemiological study of A. vasorum and C. vulpis in dogs from Slovakia are presented. The Baermann technique and the modified flotation method with zinc sulphate solution (specific gravity 1.2) was used for lungworm detection. In addition, conventional PCR was performed for species confirmation. The majority of lungworm infections were found in the eastern part of the country. A relatively high prevalence (4.13%) of A. vasorum was detected in different parts of Slovakia. Infection was detected most frequently incidentally in asymptomatic dogs. Within this study, crenosomosis was detected for the first time in dogs from Slovakia. Since one infected dog had no travel history, the case is considered autochthonous. An autochthonous case report of angiostrongylosis in a Hanoverian hound puppy from central Slovakia is also described.