Moderate lameness leads to marked behavioral changes in dairy cows

Lameness is one of the most prevalent diseases affecting the welfare of cows in modern dairy production. Lameness leads to behavioral changes in severely lame cows, which have been investigated in much detail. For early detection of lameness, knowledge of the effects of moderate lameness on cow behavior is crucial. Therefore, the behavior of nonlame and moderately lame cows was compared on 17 Swiss dairy farms. On each farm, 5 to 11 nonlame (locomotion score 1 of 5) and 2 to 7 moderately lame (locomotion score 3 of 5) cows were selected for data collection in two 48-h periods (A, B) separated by an interval of 6 to 10 wk. Based on visual locomotion scoring, 142 nonlame and 66 moderately lame cows were examined in period A and 128 nonlame and 53 moderately lame cows in period B. Between these 2 periods, the cows underwent corrective hoof trimming. Lying behavior, locomotor activity, and neck activity were recorded by accelerometers (MSR145 data logger, MSR Electronics GmbH, Seuzach, Switzerland), and feeding and rumination behaviors by noseband sensors (RumiWatch halter, ITIN + HOCH GmbH, Liestal, Switzerland). Furthermore, visits to the brush and the concentrate feeder, and the milking order position were recorded. In comparison with nonlame cows, moderately lame cows had a longer lying duration, a longer average lying bout duration, and a greater lateral asymmetry in lying duration. Average locomotor activity, locomotor activity during 1 h after feed delivery or push-ups, and average neck activity were lower in moderately lame cows. Eating time and the number of eating chews (jaw movements) were reduced in moderately lame compared with nonlame cows, whereas no effect of moderate lameness was evident for ruminating time, number of ruminating chews and boluses, and average number of ruminating chews per bolus. Moderately lame cows visited the concentrate feeder and the brush less frequently, and they were further back in the milking order compared with nonlame cows. In conclusion, nonlame and moderately lame cows differed in a biologically relevant way in many of the behavioral variables investigated in this study. Therefore, the use of these behavioral changes seems to be promising to develop a tool for early lameness detection.     

Deformation of a surface layer and coating application using a flexible tool

The microstructure and properties of the functional coatings formed by impact friction processing of product surfaces with a flexible tool are studied. It is established that the processing produces a hard nanostructured surface layer with fragments up to 0.13 µm in size, as it is achieved by severe plastic deformation.     

Piperacillin/tazobactam‐induced neurotoxicity in a hemodialysis patient: A case report

Antibiotics are potentially a cause of neurotoxicity in dialysis patients, the most common are the beta‐lactams as ceftazidime and cefepime, and few cases have been reported after piperacillin/tazobactam use. This report presents a case of a hypertensive and diabetic 67‐year‐old woman in regular hemodialysis, which previously had a stroke. She was hospitalized presenting pneumonia, which was initially treated with cefepime. Two days after treatment, she presented dysarthria, left hemiparesis, ataxia, and IX and X cranial nerves paresis. Computed tomography showed no acute lesions and cefepime neurotoxicity was hypothesized, and the antibiotic was replaced by piperacillin/tazobactam. The neurologic signs disappeared; however, 4 days after with piperacillin/tazobactam treatment, the neurological manifestations returned. A new computed tomography showed no new lesions, and the second antibiotic regimen withdrawn. After two hemodialysis sessions, the patient completely recovered from neurological manifestations. The patient presented sequentially neurotoxicity caused by two beta‐lactams antibiotics. This report meant to alert clinicians that these antibiotics have dangerous neurological effects in chronic kidney disease patients.     

Temperature cycling and its effect on mechanical behaviours of highporosity chalks

Temperature history can have a significant effect on the strength of water-saturated chalk.In this study,hydrostatic stress cycles are applied to understand the mechanical response of chalk samples exposed to temperature cycling between each stress cycle,compared to the samples tested at a constant temperature.The total accumulated strain during a stress cycle and the irreversible strain are reported.Chalk samples from Kansas(USA)and Mons(Belgium),with different degrees of induration(i.e.amount of contact cementation),were used.The samples were saturated with equilibrated water(polar)and nonpolar Isopar H oil to quantify water weakening.All samples tested during 10 stress cycles with varying temperature(i.e.temperature cycled in between each stress cycle)accumulated more strain than those tested at constant temperatures.All the stress cycles were performed at 30℃.The two chalk types behaved similarly when saturated with Isopar H oil,but differently when saturated with water.When saturated with water,the stronger Kansas chalk accumulated more total strain and more irreversible strain within each stress cycle than the weaker Mons chalk.     

Formalization of Ring Theory in PVS

This paper presents a PVS development of relevant results of the theory of rings. The PVS theory includes complete proofs of the three classical isomorphism theorems for rings, and characterizations of principal, prime and maximal ideals. Algebraic concepts and properties are specified and formalized as generally as possible allowing in this manner their application to other algebraic structures. The development provides the required elements to formalize important algebraic theorems. In particular, the paper presents the formalization of the general algebraic-theoretical version of the Chinese remainder theorem (CRT) for the theory of rings, as given in abstract algebra textbooks, proved as a consequence of the first isomorphism theorem. Also, the PVS theory includes a formalization of the number-theoretical version of CRT for the structure of integers, which is the version of CRT found in formalizations. CRT for integers is obtained as a consequence of the general version of CRT for the theory of rings.

     

A quarter century of wine pigment discovery

The red grape berry pigments, anthocyanins, were characterized in the early 20th century, but investigations of wine pigments were stymied during that era. The question of their identity was a major challenge for wine chemists. A number of techniques showed that the pigments were polymeric in nature. Some structures were postulated by mid-century based on reactions between anthocyanins and condensed tannin, and later postulated wine pigments were observed in model reactions. Some related compounds were then observed in wine. By the end of the 20th century, the ionization of non-volatiles for mass spectrometry opened the door to these compounds. In addition, a new class of compounds was observed, the pyranoanthocyanins, a product of fermentation and aging metabolites with anthocyanins. These compounds possess the pigment stability to SO₂ and pH change that is characteristic of aged red wine. Aging experiments show a dynamic situation with shifts in the population of pigment classes over time. The very large number of diverse pigments explains why it has been so difficult to answer the century-old question of the structure of wine pigments. Our current understanding is founded on the use of mass spectral analysis using electrospray and related ionization techniques over the last 25 years. Future progress will rely on more sophisticated analysis of this very complex mixture of substances. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

The influence of sonication time on the biogenic amines formation as a critical point in uncured dry-fermented beef manufacturing

In this study, the influence of sonication time on the biogenic amines formation as a critical point in uncured dry-fermented beef manufacturing was studied. Samples of musculus semimembranosus were sonicated at different times (5 and 10 min) using ultrasound cold bath (4 °C) in acid whey (US 40 kHz and acoustic power 480 W). The effect of sonication on biogenic amine (BA) formation was investigated during 93 days of ripening period. Other parameters (pH value, water activity, microbial counts) that might provide further information on the product under study were also determined. The use of ultrasound during beef marinating in acid whey has a positive effect on retarding histamine (HIS), cadaverine (CAD), tyramine (TYR) and putrescine (PUT) formation. Moreover, the sonication treatment did not inhibit the growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in dry-fermented beef during the whole ripening period. The pathogen bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium sp., Listeria monocytogenes) were not detected in all samples neither after 31 nor after 93 days of ripening period.