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Symptoms of non-specific bark necroses in beech trees of all ages have lately been described. We investigated the occurrence of bark necrotic disease in beech thicket and health status of the trees. Our objective was to examine how bark necrotic wounds persist and the regenerative potential of young beech thicket. The research experiment was carried out at two isolated localities in the Western Carpathians in the period 2015-2017. A terminal shoot (stem) and a lateral shoot (branch) of each of the 30 sampled beech trees were examined. Young beech stands were affected by the necrotic disease in 87-94% cases (stems 69-83%, branches 33-56%). Shoot diameter and age had a significantly negative linear correlation (P < 0.05) with the development of all analysed disease characteristics on the beech bark. The encouraging finding is a positive regenerative capacity of young beech trees. Over the same period more annual shoots were healed in comparison with those that were newly infected (10.8% on stems and 0.6% on branches).

A 6-month-old crossbred of a Holstein and Japanese Black heifer calf weighing 95 kg presented with a history of intermittent abdominal distension and failure to thrive. The physical examination identified a pinging sound over the dorsal left flank. The abdominal radiography showed a huge gas-filled mass. The intravenous urography revealed no communication between the mass and the urinary bladder. Although the visual examination and palpation of the umbilicus did not reveal visible abnormalities, an umbilical disease was suspected because the animal exhibited poor growth, depression, and a hunched back posture. When the eschar adhering to the centre of the umbilicus was removed, the presence of a fistulous tract was revealed. The umbilical ultrasound examination revealed an intra-abdominal abscess and the fistulography demonstrated that the abscess communicated with the umbilicus. The abscess, compressing into the rumen, was observed by computed tomography. From these images, it was diagnosed as an umbilical cord remnant abscess and a definitive diagnosis of a urachal abscess was obtained by open abdominal surgery and the subsequent removal of the mass. The calf was discharged from the university hospital on day 14 after the operation. This case shows that a urachal abscess should be considered when a pinging sound is present, even if the animal exhibits no swelling or pain of the umbilicus.

Based on a long-term fertilization experiment on sandy soil, research concerning the effect of variable fertilization on the soil content of silicon extracted by CaCl₂ solution was performed. The content of plant available silicon was evidenced to depend on the applied fertilization and soil properties. Plant silicon supply coefficient varied depending on the fertiliser combination. In the case of potatoes this coefficient was smaller then 1 but for oat was usually higher then one. It suggesting that the amount of available silicon in soil is sufficient to cover the nutritional needs of potatoes but not sufficient for oat.

A study of work accidents in forests has shown that dangerous trees play an important role in forest accidents. Despite the importance of safe working environments for forestry operations, the definition of these areas in natural forests is still unclear. Dangerous trees are considered those snagged with broken branches and a canopy or ones with dead trunks and stumps that have a hazard potential to the forest workers. This study investigates the frequency of these trees in the managed and unmanaged forests in the Caspian forests of Iran. In order to do the study, 15 circular plots with a total area of 1,000 square metres in two studied parcels were selected and the trees, according to their dangerous characteristics, were evaluated. The final results indicated that 66 and 50 trees per hectare had signs of being dangerous trees in the managed and unmanaged stand, respectively. A comparison of the average number of dangerous trees in the two studied parcels using the Mann-Whitney test indicated a significant difference so that the average number of dangerous trees in the managed parcel was more than the ummanaged parcel. Trees with broken branches had the highest frequency in the managed stand, while trees with a dead trunk or stump, a broken branch and canopy in the unmanaged forest were more than the other classes. Considering the relative frequency of the dangerous trees in the two study areas, identifying them could be one of the main attempts in logging safety. The existence of hazardous trees with different risk classes in each of the forest stands requires the development of specific safety instructions to deal with the risks of each tree.

The paper addresses social inclusion. It aims to investigate how social inclusion was conceptualized in the main Czech policy documents related to the EU. The text argues that one of the tools of social inclusion - social economy represented by social entrepreneurship and social farming - is a sort of innovative practice. The findings suggest that the understanding of social inclusion evolves within policy documents towards highlighting social economy through matching its theoretical concept with political measures. However, social economy is still not considered by the documents as an innovative approach. If analysing projects funded under Czech Rural Development Programs, social inclusion in rural areas is not the main theme, especially in regions exposed to the risk of social exclusion. In addition, the main actors (NGOs or social entrepreneurs) who are said to support social economy or social farming are not active in submitting projects in rural areas under the Rural Development Program 2007-2013. These actors have not yet used their potential towards developing social economy.

The pathogenicity of bacterial strains isolated from pathological processes and lesions of horses, strategies for their treatment and the choice of appropriate antimicrobials are frequently a challenging problem for private veterinarians who seek help in our laboratory. Therefore, the aim of this study was to map genera and species of Gram-negative aerobic and microaerophilic microorganisms isolated from pathological processes in horses and to identify the most effective antimicrobial agents for therapy based on antibiotic susceptibility. Between 2009 and 2014 a total of 449 clinical samples (n = 449) were examined; 229 (51%) of them were obtained from the respiratory tract, 121 (27%) from the skin, 40 (8.9%) from the digestive tract, 40 (8.9%) from the eyes, eight (1.8%) from the urinary system, six (1.3%) from the musculoskeletal system, four (0.9%) from the lymphatic system and one (0.2%) from milk. The examination was performed using conventional microbiological culture methods. The identification of isolates was confirmed using MALDI-TOF molecular phenotyping (Bruker Daltonics GmbH, Bremen, Germany). From the 276 Gram-negative isolates (prevalence of 61.5%), the most frequently detected strains were Enterobacter spp., Escherichia spp., Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Actinobacillus spp. with prevalence rates of 7.6%, 6.7%, 6.7%, 6.0% and 5.8%. In addition, another 20 genera of microorganisms were detected. Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents was determined using the disc diffusion method. The most effective agents were gentamicin (94.1%), enrofloxacin (91.7%), colistin (87.0%), florfenicol (86.2%), neomycin (85.5%), streptomycin (82.4%) and tetracycline (78.5%). A good knowledge of the spectrum of bacterial species participating in pathological processes and lesions in horses and their antimicrobial susceptibility may be of great importance not only in treatment but also in deciding which prophylactic antibiotics to administer after surgical interventions.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of four different drugs used for anaesthesia premedication on intraocular pressure and pupil size in dogs. A prospective, randomised, double-blind clinical study was carried out. The subjects were forty client-owned healthy dogs (20 males and 20 females), aged 8.0 ± 2.9 years, with body weights of 11.8 ± 8.5 kg (mean ± SD) and without ocular abnormalities that were scheduled for periodontal treatment. Animals were randomly allocated into four groups and received intravenously either medetomidine 0.01 mg/kg, acepromazine 0.02 mg/kg, fentanyl 0.01 mg/kg or butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg. Intraocular pressure, pupil size, heart rate, respiratory frequency and systolic and diastolic arterial pressures were measured prior to (baseline) and at five and 10 minutes after premedication (T5, T10). Data were analysed by Anderson-Darling, Bartlett's, ANOVA and Dunnett's tests (P < 0.05). Significant increases of intraocular pressure were observed at T5 and T10 in the fentanyl group. Significant decreases of pupil size at T5 and T10 were detected in the fentanyl, butorphanol and medetomidine groups. In the fentanyl group, heart rate dropped significantly at T10, while respiratory frequency was elevated at T5 and T10. In the medetomidine group, heart rate and respiratory frequency were decreased at T5 and T10. In the butorphanol group, systolic arterial pressure was decreased at T5 and diastolic arterial pressure was decreased at T5 and T10. In the acepromazine group, systolic arterial pressure was decreased at T10. Within ten minutes after intravenous administration in healthy dogs, fentanyl significantly increased intraocular pressure and fentanyl, butorphanol and medetomidine decreased pupil size.

The effects of wheat flour replacement at different levels (5, 7.5, 10, and 20%) by celery root and sugar beet pulp powder on rheological parameters and quality properties of enriched pasta were studied. Sensory evaluation was also investigated. Incorporation of fibre powders increased water absorption and prolonged dough stability and dough development time. Enriched pasta had higher moisture content than control pasta. Addition of fibre powders also modified the cooking quality of pasta (cooking loss and water absorption were increased and optimal cooking time was reduced). Moreover cooked pasta with the higher addition level of celery root powder was characterised by higher intensity of vegetable taste and had pleasant flavour and colour. Sensory evaluation showed that pasta with the addition of 7.5% celery root powder was the most acceptable for assessors.

The decline of soil organic carbon (SOC) has aggravated salinity-related problems in semi-arid irrigation areas of the Awash river basin, Ethiopia. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of potential remediation crops on saline soil and their effectiveness for remediating soil salinity and improving pH, SOC, bulk density (BD) and hydraulic conductivity (HyCo). Rhodes grass (RHG), alfalfa (ALF), sudangrass (SUG) and blue panicgrass (Retz) (BPG) were grown in saline (3-13.9 dS/m) field plots. The crop biomass was incorporated into the soil immediately before flowering. The results show that at high soil salinity levels, BPG and SUG grew well, with the harvesting frequency of BPG being much higher than for SUG. Conversely, the growth of ALF and RHG was strongly inhibited by high soil salinity. Significant (P < 0.05) reduction of soil salinity levels (-3.2 dS/m) and related ionic concentrations, an increase of SOC (0.8% to 1.6%) and improvement of BD and HyCo were observed in BPG plots. The fast-growing nature of BPG in the hot climate of the experimental area resulted in harvests every three weeks and promoted the incorporation of high amounts of biomass to the soil and efficient soil salinity remediation. At moderately saline conditions, ALF also showed a great potential for salinity reclamation (-1.8 dS/m) and SOC accumulation. The cultivation of fast-growing annual crops proved an efficient and low-cost strategy for soil salinity mitigation and the reclamation of salinity-associated soil degradation in irrigation agriculture in Ethiopia.

European fruit lecanium, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouché, 1844) is among the leading worldwide pests of fruits such as plums, currants, jostaberry, grapevine and many others. This study is focused on testing the effectiveness of natural insecticide treatments compared with conventional insecticides on overwintering nymphs of the European fruit lecanium. In February of 2017, two experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions. The tested products were Boundary SW^® (plant extract), Konflic^® (plant extract), Ekol^® (canola oil) and a tank-mix of Ekol^® + Reldan 22^® (canola oil and chlorpyrifos-methyl) as a chemical standard. The most effective product tested was the chemical standard tank-mix of Ekol^® and Reldan 22^®, which was 100% effective in all experiments. High efficiency was also achieved with Ekol^® (canola oil) in high concentrations. We can summarize, that using canola oil in high concentration has almost the same effect as the chemical standard. Using canola oil against European fruit lecanium meets the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and also the need to design cropping systems that are less dependent on synthetic pesticides.

In the paper, the price volatility was examined. The authors used 650 weekly observations from 2003 to 2015. Such a long period of analysis helped to reveal periods with high volatility. The objective of the paper was to recognize price volatility of agricultural commodities in Poland. The authors chose beef, pork and wheat markets to show the differentiation of price volatility. It revealed periods of large and small volatility. The global market situation impacted Polish agricultural markets with the opening markets and a greater access to the new markets. The periods having the strongest impact on Polish agricultural markets were the integration with the EU, the global crisis in 2008, and problems in the EU zone. The prices of analysed agricultural commodities differed in various EU countries. The prices of wheat increased most in France, Hungary and Lithuania. The prices of store cattle increased most in the years 2004-2015 in Estonia, Sweden and Luxemburg. The prices of pigs increased most in Malta, Sweden and Cyprus.

The paper deals with Czech households' subjective views on food waste. It examines households' attitudes to food waste, including the causes of food waste. The primary data were obtained via a questionnaire survey with 1 582 respondents. The analyses allowed the identification of three categories of Czech households with different attitudes to food waste and its causes. These findings provide a basis for a proper selection of corrective measures aimed at amending or even completely transforming the current behaviour.

Two Hanwoo steers were emergency-slaughtered due to symptoms of urethral obstruction. The steers were of the same age and were raised using the same feed management. The remaining 22 cattle in the finishing period showed no symptoms of urinary calculi until 30 months of age and were examined for the presence of bladder calculi when slaughtered. Bladder calculi were observed in 11 of 22 steers at slaughter (50%) and cystitis occurred in 13 of 22 steers (59.1%). There was a significant relationship between the presence of bladder calculi and the incidence of cystitis (P < 0.05).

To describe transscleral ultrasonography as a novel alternative approach for visualising the optic nerve sheath and measuring its diameter and to analyse the linear regressions of the optic nerve sheath diameter value with the weights and morphometric measurements of the globe in dogs. Forty healthy dogs admitted for routine sterilisation were examined. Under general anaesthesia, a B-mode ultrasonography with a linear probe (9-18 MHz) was applied transscleral in the dorso-temporal quadrant. The optic nerve sheath diameter was measured 3 mm behind the caudal aspect of the globe. The morphometric measurements, including the axial globe, lens thickness and vitreous chamber, were estimated by two observers using the direct corneal approach. Univariate and multivariate multiple linear regression analyses were performed to explore the associations of the independent predictors with dependent variables. The optic nerve sheath diameter intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analyses revealed interobserver 0.91 (ICC = 0.83-0.95) and intraobserver 0.93 (ICC = 0.87-0.96) reliability. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the optic nerve sheath diameter was associated with the weight (R² = 0.60, P < 0.0001) but not with the axial globe (P = 0.48), the lens thickness (P = 0.73) or the vitreous chamber (P = 0.99). The findings of this study suggest that transscleral ultrasonography may be a valid alternative approach for the optic nerve visualisation and optic nerve sheath diameter measurements with excellent intra- and interobserver repeatability. The optic nerve sheath diameter was associated with the body weight, but not with the morphometric measurements of the globe.

Eight less-known juices are characterised and contents are monitored of selected substances and nutritional parameters. 100% juices were produced of Aloe Vera, Aronia, Blackcurrant, Black elder, Cranberry, Malpighia, Pomegranate and Seaberry by pressing, including the flesh. Total phenolic compounds (TPC) and ascorbic acid (AA) content were analysed as other parameters. The juices were measured on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as the content of trolox, where the highest levels were found for Malpighia 63.2 mM, when the value was significantly different (P < 0.05) compared with all the other juices, while Aloe Vera had lowest levels with 0.4 mM. The Aronia juice possessed the highest level of TPC (8297 mg of GAE/l). TAC levels very well corresponded with TPC levels while AA content actually did not correlate with TAC values. In addition to the objective analysis, the juices were subjected to a sensory evaluation. Blackcurrant presents an attractive product from the sensorial aspect as well as in terms of the nutritional value.

Hydrocarbon contaminants have become a global concern due to their long-term adverse effects on soil ecosystems and human health. Successful implementation of phytoremediation to clean up hydrocarbon contaminants requires the identification of the most effective remediation plant species. Twelve native plant species of the Sudd Wetland in South Sudan were evaluated for their potential application as phytoremediators. The treatments included six total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 g/kg soil. The twelve native plant species tested were: Sorghum arundinaceum Desv., Oryza longistaminata A. Chev. & Roehrich, Hyparrhenia rufa Nees, Abelmoschus ficulneus L., Gossypium barbadense L., Nicotiana tabacum L., Sorghum bicolour L. Moench, Eleusine coracana Gaertn., Capsicum frutescens L., Zea mays L., Tithonia diversifolia Hemsl. and Medicago sativa L. Significant differences in phytoremediation rates were observed amongst the treatments with exception of the 125 g/kg soil concentration of hydrocarbon that was lethal to all the plant species. Over 50% TPH reduction in the 75 g/kg soil concentration was observed in contaminated soil phytoremediation in H. rufa, G. barbadense, O. longistaminata, T. diversifolia and S. arundinaceum, making them potential phytoremediators of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil in the Sudd-Wetland of South-Sudan.

The purpose of this research was to find a suitable protocol to enhance frozen rabbit sperm preservation analysing the role that seminal plasma (SP) plays and the effect of different cryoprotectant agents on sperm quality 0 and 2 h after thawing. Sperm samples were pooled and divided in eight fractions. Four of them were diluted with BotuCrio^® (extender A), INRA 96^® plus 6% glycerol (extender B), 6% N, N-dimethylformamide (extender C) and 6% N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (extender D), respectively. The other four fractions were centrifuged and the supernatant was discarded in order to eliminate SP. Each sample was then resuspended with extender A, B, C and D. Samples were cooled progressively, loaded into 0.5 ml freezing straws and frozen with liquid nitrogen vapour. Thawing was performed by placing the straws into a bain-marie at 37°C for 21 s. Straws were dried and sperm samples placed into Eppendorf tubes to be analyzed by ISAS software, vitality test, HOS test and acrosome integrity test. The best motility and velocity parameters were obtained by extender A (P < 0.050) even when the motility parameter was compared with previous studies using other diluents. Additionally, sperm quality decreased over incubation time (P < 0.050) and no differences were found in samples processed with or without SP. This research revealed that BotuCrio^® could be used for rabbit sperm cryopreservation and moreover the improvement of the cryopreservation process of rabbit sperm due to the demonstration that SP removing is not required.

The aim of the research was the determination of the tolerance of different pear grafting combinations to various levels o lime concentration in calcareous soils. The experiment was carried out under pot conditions for a two-year period (2015-2016). Two factors including combination of rootstocks/scions (3 × 3) and levels of lime concentration were employed to evaluate leaf responses including total iron (Fe), available Fe, chlorophyll (Chl) (a, b, total), and chlorophyll fluorescence attributes (F0, Fm, Fv/Fm) as well as annual growth and internode length of current shoots. Results showed that soil lime significantly reduced tree growth but conversely intensified iron chlorosis. Also, contrary to our expectations, the Pyrodwarf/Pyrus communis L. (Dargazi) combination displayed more tolerance to high lime concentrations, whereas the OH × F/Williams Duchesse combination did not exhibit suitable tolerance. As a pear rootstock native to Iran, Dargazi seedling rootstock in combination with different scions was found to have relatively better growth under low lime concentrations, but its response under high lime was not as favourable as expected. Cultivar Dargazi combined with different rootstocks showed a better response to high lime stress compared to other scions, while cultivar Williams Duchesse exhibited lower tolerance to high lime concentration when combined with different pear rootstocks.

The study analyses the correlations among different economies of selected EU-12 member states based on comparison of agricultural economics variances, namely the output value of the agricultural industry, productivity of input, agricultural gross value added, subsidies on production, agricultural labour input and agricultural income per annual working unit in the period of 2010-2016, based on the Special Program for Social Sciences, as statistical methods. The EU-12 achieved a higher increase in productivity of input, output value of agricultural industry, agricultural gross valued added, as well as agricultural income per agricultural annual working unit compared to the average results of EU-28 for 2010-2016. The output value of agricultural industry and agricultural gross value added per intermediate consumption decreased by 1.35% and by 3.3%, but the factor income - net value added at factor cost - per annual working unit increased by 21%, because of the subsidies on production increased by 3.4% for 2010-2016. In EU-28, the factor income per annual working unit increased, but most of this income was for developing agricultural production technology.

Damage by the blueberry gall midge Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) was found on different cultivars of highbush Vaccinium corymbosum L. at different localities of Lithuania. D. oxycoccana is a serious insect pest of blueberries in North America. In 1996, unusual damage on blueberries was observed in Europe. This is the first report of the blueberry gall midge occurrence in blueberry plantations in Lithuania.

The poor state of health and increased mortality rate of young roe deer, as reported by South Moravian hunters, caused by the increasing numbers of adult nematodes in the lungs of roe deer prompted us to identify the parasites using a combination of morphological measurements and a phylogenetic SSU rRNA analysis. The study was conducted in a 294 ha game reserve in South Moravia, Czech Republic. Molecular and morphometric techniques were used to identify adult nematodes collected from the respiratory tracts of nine 4-5 months old roe deer in poor health (low body weight of 3-4 kg, poor haircoat quality, and, in some cases, symptoms of diarrhoea). The morphological identification was based on a combination of adult worm characteristics corresponding to Dictyocaulus capreolus. A small subunit rRNA (SSU) partial sequence analysis showed the highest identity scores (99%) corresponding to the sequences of D. capreolus from a roe deer (GenBank: AY168859) from Sweden and the outcomes of the phylogenetic analyses resulted in a tree with a high branch support for two groups, with our sequences forming a well-supported clade with D. capreolus and Dictyocaulus sp. ex Capreolus capreolus (FJ589016) and Dictyocaulus sp. ex Rupicapra rupicapra (FJ589019) sequences from Spain. The examined roe deer have shown symptoms of diarrhoea, anorexia, and respiratory tract inflammation indicating that there might be a connection to the clinical importance of the Dictyocaulus infection.

Honey composition is mainly affected by botanical origin, however geographical factors as well as beekeeping practice and storage conditions can also influence its quality. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of geographical origin on physicochemical quality and biological activity of honey. For this reason Polish and Slovak varietal honeys, including per each country: 10 multifloral, 5 tilia, 5 rape, 5 acacia and 5 forest were compared according to their physicochemical parameters (free acidity, pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, and colour intensity), sugar profile, diastase activity, as well as antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP tests, as well as photochemiluminescence method). Moreover, total phenolics compounds and flavonoids content were determined. The most significant differences (P < 0.05) between Polish and Slovak counterparts were found for tilia while the lowest for rape honeys. The impact of geographical origin on overall quality of honey was proved by PCA statistical tool.

Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is one of the major forest pests and causes serious damage especially to pine trees. Mechanical and chemical methods are used in the control of this pest in Turkey's forests. In recent years, a chemical control has been the most preferred method against this pest. Due to the chemical control's harmful effects on the environment and the human health, alternative methods of control are being emphasised today. There are many studies on the use of plant oils against pests in agricultural areas. However, studies on the effect of plant oils against the pine processionary larvae are very limited. In this study, commercial oils containing 8 different essential oil types (thyme oil, peppermint oil, poppy oil, garlic oil, rosemary oil, pine oil, sage oil, lavender oil) were applied in 3 different doses (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%) and 4 repetitions against the pine processionary larvae. The experiments were conducted at 65% humidity and 25°C in laboratory conditions. The study was monitored for five days and the results were evaluated through the mortality rates. On the 5th day of the study, 1% dose of thyme oil was found to be most effective with 100% mortality followed by the poppy oil (95%), the sage oil (95%), the garlic oil (90%), the rosemary oil (70%), and the pine oil (45%). The peppermint (40%) and lavender oil used in the study were found to be ineffective. As a result of the study, it was determined that thyme oil, poppy oil, sage oil, and garlic oil were effective against the pine processionary larvae and that they had the potential to be used in the control of this pest.

Proper vascularisation is necessary for the correct functioning of all organs. The kidneys of various mammalian species have been examined in order to understand the functioning of this organ. This article presents the first classification of the renal artery division in the kidneys of adult cattle. We collected and analysed specimens of arteries from bovine kidneys with the aim of improving our understanding of their morphology and functioning. The study was conducted on 50 kidneys, 25 right ones and 25 left ones, taken from cattle of both sexes. The examined kidneys were dissected and corrosion casts were made. Division of the renal artery into between two and four primary segmental arteries takes place just before entering the renal hilum. Cranial primary segmental arteries number from one to two (most frequently one), whereas the hilar and caudal ones always occur singly. The mentioned vessels are then divided into between one and four secondary segmental arteries running within the renal sinus. The hilar region (mid-zone) of the kidney exhibits the most variation in terms of vascularisation. The vascularisation of the caudal pole exhibits the lowest degree of variation. Taking into consideration the range of vascularisation of the organ by the particular divisions of the renal artery, three renal branching pattern types were distinguished: type I (84.1% of cases; this type consists of Ia, Ib, Ic and Ic subtypes) - two branches - the renal artery is divided into cranial and caudal primary segmental arteries; type II (11.36% of cases; with IIa and IIb subtypes) - three branches - the renal artery is divided into the cranial, hilar and caudal primary segmental arteries; type III (4.54% of cases) - four branches - the renal artery is divided into two cranial, one hilar and one caudal primary segmental artery. The division of the renal artery takes place along the long axis of the organ. Bovine kidneys are characterised by asymmetry, which may influence the length and diameter of the main arteries. The caudal primary segmental artery has the biggest mean length and mean diameter. The division of the renal artery occurs just before it enters the renal hilum or in the renal sinus.

To analyse the genetic diversity of the Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) population in Poland and to establish the phylogenetic relationships between the Polish and other isolates described to date, 91 isolates were collected from cucumber plants. The analysis, based on coat protein (CP) gene, revealed the presence of two phylogenetic groups: one consisting of the Polish isolates collected in 2017 and those originated mainly from Asia region and the second including the Polish isolates collected in 2016 and the others from European countries. The sensitive, specific, and rapid one-step loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was developed for the early detection of genetically diverse CGMMV isolates in seeds and plant material.

Monensin has been shown to decrease mortality and morbidity in feedlot cattle by reducing the incidence of acute and subacute rumen acidosis (SARA). Lately, the technique of real-time observance of reticuloruminal temperature and pH, which involves placement of indwelling pH probes in the reticulum or in the rumen has gained in popularity. In this study, we aimed to determine, using real-time monitoring in fresh dairy cows, how monensin controlled release capsules affect the reticulorumen temperature and pH. We used a slow-release rumen preparation, which emitted daily monensin doses of 335 mg. Following the manufacturer's instructions, the preparation was administered through an oral balling gun. The following points indicate the method for determining the two experimental groups: (1) monensin-supplemented test group (TG) (a 32.4 g monensin controlled release capsule, MCRC, n = 20) and (2) a control group (CG) (capsule containing no monensin, n = 20). Both began a day after calving, and one month after calving the experiment was finished. A set of smaXtec boluses fabricated for animal care was used to measure the temperature and pH of the reticulorumen. After the first day of the study, a statistically significant difference between reticulorumen temperature in CG (38.67 ± 0.10 °C) and TG (39.08 ± 0.09 °C; P < 0.01) was found. The use of the monensin controlled release capsule, which emitted daily monensin doses of 335 mg, in the first 30 days after calving increased the reticulorumen pH by 1.89% (P < 0.001), and the temperature of the reticulorumen by 0.82 % (P < 0.001). We conclude that using monensin in the form of monensin controlled release capsules reduces the risk of SARA. Real time observation of temperature and pH levels in the reticulorumen in fresh dairy cows allows for evaluation of the risk of SARA and provides the opportunity to determine the prophylactic effect of those capsules.

Soil erosion is one of the major environmental problems in open-cut mines in tropical regions. It causes negative impacts including the removal of nutrient-rich topsoil, destroys aquatic habitat, dam and pond siltation, clogs river by deposition of sediment, and causes water pollution in the rehabilitation process. Soil texture is an important factor to affect soil erosion. In this study, artificial rainfall experiment in the laboratory scale was conducted to clarify the mechanism of soil erosion under the different soil composition and to discuss the methods for minimizing soil erosion. The obtained results showed that the soil seal generated due to the presence of fine particle under high rainfall intensity is the main contributor to accelerate the soil erosion. Additionally, the surface coverage by the cover crops is the most effective measure to reduce soil erosion because both the coarse and fine contents runoff can be minimized while arranging of the slope angle is effective for reducing the runoff of coarse contents and the soil compaction is effective to reduce that of fine contents. Soil erosion can be minimized by selecting prevention method considering the type of soil because the prevention effect on soil erosion is different depending on the type of soil.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of milking fraction and mammary gland health status on the electrical conductivity (EC) of milk from Manchega ewes, considering also the lactation number. To this end, we also studied the relationship of EC with milk macrocomposition, and the relation existing between EC and somatic cell count (SCC). Finally, the use of EC thresholds as a mastitis detection method (sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV)) was assessed in each of the three fractions: first streams (F1), machine milk (F2) and stripping milk (F3). Milking fraction, mammary gland health status and lactation number had a significant effect on EC and SCC. In the case of EC, the milking fraction caused a more pronounced effect than health status of the glands or number of lactation (F = 19.95, 15.88 and 6.55, respectively; P < 0.5). In SCC, the gland health status caused the most pronounced effect followed by milking fraction and lactation number (F = 112.02, 6.89, and 5.28, respectively; P < 0.05). Changes in the milk composition, especially fat and lactose contents, explained the EC variation to a great extent. For the same EC threshold, specificity and sensitivity varied slightly depending on the milking fraction. NPV above 80% was obtained in the three milking fractions and at all EC thresholds tested, but PPV was only higher than 20% as of the threshold of 4.5, 4.4, and 4.2 mS/cm in F1, F2 and F3, respectively. From the results obtained, we concluded that the algorithm design for mastitis detection in sheep should include those factors affecting the composition and which therefore cause variations in EC, such as milking fraction, individual differences, lactation stage or lactation number.

A number of variables influences potatoes growing, including natural conditions, used growing technologies and market conditions. The most important parameters for the production of potatoes crops are yield, farmer's price, subsidies and costs. All these parameters can change over time. This means that managers of farms must constantly assess the key parameters affecting the economic outturn and analyse the degree of risk of their achievement. This article analyses the economic risks of potatoes cultivation based on statistical data obtained over the last 10 years. The Monte Carlo stochastic simulation method was used to analyse the risk of gross profits. The results of the calculations confirmed the considerable variability and risk of growing potatoes in the climate conditions of the Czech Republic in general, and especially regarding the first early potatoes and potatoes for starch production.