Dairy cows seek isolation at calving and when ill

Dairy cows are typically gregarious, but isolate themselves in the hours before calving when kept on pasture. Self-isolation is also a common behavior of ill animals. The objectives of this study were to determine if dairy cows would (1) isolate to calve when housed indoors in an individual maternity pen and (2) continue to isolate when ill after calving. We selected individuals from a pool of 79 multiparous Holstein dairy cows based on inclusion criteria created to address each objective. Cows were moved from a group pen to 1 of 10 adjacent maternity pens. Half of these individual pens were partially covered with plywood, creating a secluded corner as well as a window that provided visual access to the group pen. The other individual pens were uncovered on all sides. For our first objective, we selected 39 cows that were moved into the maternity pens >8 h before calving (partially covered: n = 19; uncovered: n = 20). For our second objective, we selected 18 cows housed in the partially covered pens: 9 cows with high rectal temperature after calving and signs of an infectious disease (mastitis, metritis, pneumonia, or some combination), and 9 healthy cows paired with ill cows based on the amount of time they spent in the maternity pen before calving. Ten-minute scan sampling was used to record the location and lying time from 6 h before to 72 h after calving. Individual feed intake was measured after calving. Binomial tests were used to determine if cows in both pen types were more likely to calve in the corner or window side of the pen. Repeated-measures ANOVA were used to determine if cows used the corner more as calving approached and if ill cows spent more time lying or more time in the corner compared with healthy cows in the 72 h after calving. Cows in the uncovered pens were equally likely to calve on both sides of the pen (10 vs. 10), but 79% of cows in the partially covered pens calved on the corner side of the pen (15 vs. 4). Cows in the partially covered pens used the corner side of the pen more in the 1 h before and after calving compared with those housed in the uncovered pens. Ill cows housed in the partially covered pens ate less, tended to spend more time lying down, and spent more time in the corner of the pen compared with healthy cows. These results indicate that periparturient dairy cows seek seclusion to calve and when ill, which suggests that adding a secluded area to maternity and hospital pens may be beneficial.     

Invited review: Effects of heat stress on dairy cattle welfare

The effects of high ambient temperatures on production animals, once thought to be limited to tropical areas, has extended into northern latitudes in response to the increasing global temperature. The number of days where the temperature-humidity index (THI) exceeds the comfort threshold (>72) is increasing in the northern United States, Canada, and Europe. Compounded by the increasing number of dairy animals and the intensification of production, heat stress has become one of the most important challenges facing the dairy industry today. The objectives of this review were to present an overview of the effects of heat stress on dairy cattle welfare and highlight important research gaps in the literature. We will also briefly discuss current heat abatement strategies, as well as the sustainability of future heat stress management. Heat stress has negative effects on the health and biological functioning of dairy cows through depressed milk production and reduced reproductive performance. Heat stress can also compromise the affective state of dairy cows by inducing feelings of hunger and thirst, and we have highlighted the need for research efforts to examine the potential relationship between heat stress, frustration, aggression, and pain. Little work has examined how heat stress affects an animal's natural coping behaviors, as well as how the animal's evolutionary adaptations for thermoregulation are managed in modern dairy systems. More research is needed to identify improved comprehensive cow-side measurements that can indicate real-time responses to elevated ambient temperatures and that could be incorporated into heat abatement management decisions.     

Kinetic and mechanistic investigations of the oxidation of tramadol by ferrate and ozone

The kinetics and oxidation products (OPs) of tramadol (TRA), an opioid, were investigated for its oxidation with ferrate (Fe(VI)) and ozone (O(3)). The kinetics could be explained by the speciation of the tertiary amine moiety of TRA, with apparent second-order rate constants of 7.4 (±0.4) M(-1) s(-1) (Fe(VI)) and 4.2 (±0.3) × 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) (O(3)) at pH 8.0, respectively. In total, six OPs of TRA were identified for both oxidants using Qq-LIT-MS, LTQ-FT-MS, GC-MS, and moiety-specific chemical reactions. In excess of oxidants, these OPs can be further transformed to unidentified OPs. Kinetics and OP identification confirmed that the lone electron pair of the amine-N is the predominant site of oxidant attack. An oxygen transfer mechanism can explain the formation of N-oxide-TRA, while a one-electron transfer may result in the formation of N-centered radical cation intermediates, which could lead to the observed N-dealkylation, and to the identified formamide and aldehyde derivatives via several intermediate steps. The proposed radical intermediate mechanism is favored for Fe(VI) leading predominantly to N-desmethyl-TRA (ca. 40%), whereas the proposed oxygen transfer prevails for O(3) attack resulting in N-oxide-TRA as the main OP (ca. 90%).     

87Sr/86Sr from rock and soil into vine and wine

For provenance assignments of wines strontium isotope ratios can be used because soils from different wine-growing regions, and hence the wines grown there, each show specific ratios. Some successful applications are demonstrated.

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⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr aus Gestein und Boden in Rebe und Wein

Zusammenfassung Zur Herkunftsbestimmung von Weinen können Strontium-Isotopenverhältnisse herangezogen werden, da die Böden verschiedener Weinbaugebiete, und damit die dort gezogenen Weine, jeweils spezifische Verhältnisse aufweisen. Einige erfolgreiche Anwendungen werden demonstriert.

     

Concentration and distribution of heavy metals in urban airborne particulate matter in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Heavy metal concentrations were measured in airborne dust collected at three sites with different traffic densities from August 2001 to July 2002 in the Frankfurt am Main area. Bulk samples of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of <22 microm were collected on cellulose nitrate filters using air filtration devices. Fractionated samples of PM with an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of <10 microm were collected using an eight-stage Andersen impactor. Pb, Cd, Mn, Ni, Zn, V, As, Sb, Cu, Cr, Co, and Ce were determined by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry, Pt and Rh were determined by adsorptive voltammetry, and Pd was determined by total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis. The results show that the highest airborne heavy metal concentrations occurred at the main street with a large volume of traffic. With the exception of Co, V, Ce, and Mn, the heavy metals had an elevated enrichment factor compared to their concentrations in the continental crust. The main street site was especially contaminated with Sb, Zn, Cu, V, and Ni. Motor vehicles are the likely source of emissions. With the exception of Cr, Cu, and Zn, most of the airborne heavy metal concentrations determined for impactor samples deviate slightly from the results for total airborne dust. Heavy metal particle size distributions can be divided into three groups. For metals such as As, Cd, Pb, and V, the main fraction can be found in fine particles with a diameter of <2.1 microm, whereas Ce, Cr, Co, and Ni occur mainly in coarse particles with a diameter of >2.1 microm. Cu, Mn, Sb, Zn, Pt, Pd, and Rh occur in high concentrations in the medium range of the impactor stages (particle diameters of 1.1-4.7 microm). Metal concentrations in fine dust particles are needed to assess the human health risks of their inhalation.     

Interactions of fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents with aqueous chlorine: reaction kinetics, mechanisms, and transformation pathways

Kinetics, products, and mechanistic aspects of reactions between free available chlorine (HOCl/OCl-), ciprofloxacin (CF), and enrofloxacin (EF) were extensively investigated to elucidate the behavior of fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents during water chlorination processes. Although the molecular structures of these two substrates differ only with respect to degree of N(4) amine alkylation, CF and EF exhibit markedly different HOCl reaction kinetics and transformation pathways. HOCI reacts very rapidly at CF's secondary N(4) amine, forming a chloramine intermediate that spontaneously decays in aqueous solution by concerted piperazine fragmentation. In contrast, HOCl reacts relatively slowly at EF's tertiary N(4) amine, apparently forming a highly reactive chlorammonium intermediate (R3N-(4)Cl+) that can catalytically halogenate EF or other substrates present in solution. Flumequine, a fluoroquinolone that lacks the characteristic piperazine ring, exhibits no apparent reactivity toward HOCI but appears to undergo facile halodecarboxylation in the presence of R3N(4)-Cl+ species derived from EF. Measured reaction kinetics were validated in real water matrixes by modeling CF and EF losses in the presence of free chlorine residuals. Combined chlorine (CC) kinetics were determined under selected conditions to evaluate the potential significance of reactions with chloramines. CF's rapid kinetics in direct reactions with HOCl, and relatively high reactivity toward CC, indicate that secondary amine-containing fluoroquinolones should be readily transformed during chlorination of real waters, whether applied chlorine doses are present as free or combined residuals. However, EF's slower HOCl reaction kinetics, recalcitrance toward CC, and participation in the catalytic halogenation cycle described herein suggest that tertiary amine-containing fluoroquinolones will be comparatively stable during most full-scale water chlorination processes.     

Real-world emission factors of fine and ultrafine aerosol particles for different traffic situations in Switzerland

Extended field measurements of particle number (size distribution of particle diameters, D, in the range between 18 nm and 10 microm), surface area concentrations, and PM1 and PM10 mass concentrations were performed in Switzerland to determine traffic emissions using a comprehensive set of instruments. Measurements took place at roads with representative traffic regimes: at the kerbside of a motorway (120 km h(-1)), a highway (80-100 km h(-1)), and in an urban area with stop-and-go traffic (0-50 km h(-1)) regulated by light signals. Mean diurnal variations showed that the highest pollutant concentrations were during the morning rush hours, especially of the number density in the nanoparticle size range (D <50 nm). From the differences between up- and downwind concentrations (or differences between kerbside and background concentrations for the urban site), "real-life" emission factors were derived using NOx concentrations to calculate dilution factors. Particle number and volume emission factors of different size ranges (18-50 nm, 18-100 nm, and 18-300 nm) were derived for the total vehicle fleet and separated into a light-duty (LDV) and a heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) contribution. The total particle number emissions per vehicle were found to be about 11.7-13.5 x 10(14) particles km(-1) for constant speed (80-120 km h(-1) and 3.9 x 10(14) particles km(-1) for urban driving conditions. LDVs showed higher emission factors at constant high speed than under urban disturbed traffic flow. In contrast, HDVs emitted more air pollutants during deceleration and acceleration processes in stop-and-go traffic than with constant speed of about 80 km h(-1). On average, one HDV emits a 10-30 times higher amount of particulate air pollutants (in terms of both number and volume) than one LDV.     

Comparison of plastic films with different optical properties for soil covering in horticulture: test under simulated environmental conditions

Covering the soil with plastic film is an important method to modify soil temperature and improve the conditions for plant growth. For the optimal use of films in horticulture, it is necessary to quantify this effect, which depends particularly on the optical properties of the film. Five films, used mainly for soil covering in asparagus cultivation, were tested by measuring the soil temperature as well as the transmittance and reflectance in the short‐ and long‐wavelength bands: ‘Taschenfolie schwarz/weiß’, a film with black and white surfaces and pockets for fastening; ‘Antitaufolie’, a film with anti‐condensation coating, ‘Solartherm plus Folie’, a film with black top and transparent sides; ‘MaterBi Folie’, a biodegradable film; and ‘Thermoplus Folie’, a black polyethylene with transparent sides. All films were produced in Germany. The temperature measurements were carried out under controlled irradiation (short‐wavelength band) and ambient temperature conditions in the laboratory: first, 182 W m^?2 and 11 °C at a depth of 0.4 m, and second, 340 W m^?2 at 20 °C. A significant relationship between the temperature increase or decrease by covering the soil with the film and the calculated apparent quantities of the reflectance in the short and long‐wavelength band was derived (r² = 0.85, n = 12). Furthermore, first tests with a physical model were carried out to obtain basic information, which should be used in the development of strategies for film management in the field. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Climate Protection

The voice of the social sciences in climate research and in climate policy discussions, except for interventions from economists mainly about the costs associated with policy options driven by climate science research, has been muted if not altogether absent. The absence of the social sciences from climate research and policy not surprisingly has coloured climate discourse in peculiar ways. We are making the case for a greater involvement and importance of the social sciences in interdisciplinary climate research.

It is not space but the structuring that comes from the soul that has social significance. Georg Simmel ([1908] 1992)

Soil and climate together determine the natural fertility of a country and of its people who are led either to indolence or to activity. Werner Sombart (1938)