Query: Elimination of sows

title: Livestock Associated MRSA CC1 in Norway; Introduction to Pig Farms, Zoonotic Transmission, and Eradication
abstract: Farm animals have been identified as an emerging reservoir for transmission of livestock associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA MRSA) to humans. The low incidence of MRSA in humans and farm animals in Norway has led to the implementation of a national strategy of surveillance and control of LA MRSA aiming to prevent livestock becoming a domestic source of MRSA to humans. In 2015, MRSA clonal complex 1 spa type t177 was identified in nine Norwegian pig herds in two neighboring counties. An outbreak investigation was undertaken, and measures of control through eradication were imposed. We performed a register based cohort study including pig herds and MRSA positive persons in Norway between 2008 and 2016 to investigate the livestock association of MRSA CC1, the transmission of the outbreak strain to humans before and after control measures, and the effect of control measures imposed. Data from the Norwegian Surveillance System of Communicable Diseases were merged with data collected through outbreak investigations for LA MRSA, the National Registry and the Norwegian Register for Health Personnel. Whole genome sequencing was performed on isolates from livestock and humans identified through contact tracing, in addition to t177 and t127 isolates diagnosed in persons in the same counties. It is likely that a farm worker introduced MRSA CC1 to a sow farm, and further transmission to eight fattening pig farms through trade of live pigs confirmed the potential for livestock association of this MRSA type. The outbreak strain formed a distinct phylogenetic cluster which in addition to the pig farms included one sheep herd and five exposed persons. None of the investigated isolates from possible cases without direct contact to the MRSA positive farms were phylogenetically related to the outbreak strain. Moreover, isolates of t177 or t127 from healthcare and community acquired cases were not closely related to the outbreak cluster. Eradication measures imposed were effective in eliminating MRSA t177 from the positive pig holdings, and the outbreak strain was not detected in the national pig population or in persons from these counties after control measures.

title: Mortality Surveillance Methods to Identify and Characterize Deaths in Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance Network Sites
abstract: Despite reductions over the past 2 decades, childhood mortality remains high in low and middle income countries in sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. In these settings, children often die at home, without contact with the health system, and are neither accounted for, nor attributed with a cause of death. In addition, when cause of death determinations occur, they often use nonspecific methods. Consequently, findings from models currently utilized to build national and global estimates of causes of death are associated with substantial uncertainty. Higher quality data would enable stakeholders to effectively target interventions for the leading causes of childhood mortality, a critical component to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by eliminating preventable perinatal and childhood deaths. The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network tracks the causes of under 5 mortality and stillbirths at sites in sub Saharan Africa and South Asia through comprehensive mortality surveillance, utilizing minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) postmortem laboratory and pathology testing, verbal autopsy, and clinical and demographic data. CHAMPS sites have established facility and community based mortality notification systems, which aim to report potentially eligible deaths, defined as under 5 deaths and stillbirths within a defined catchment area, within 24 36 hours so that MITS can be conducted quickly after death. Where MITS has been conducted, a final cause of death is determined by an expert review panel. Data on cause of death will be provided to local, national, and global stakeholders to inform strategies to reduce perinatal and childhood mortality in sub Saharan Africa and South Asia.

title: Genetic resources in Finnish landrace rye (Secale cereale) and experimental evolving of its spring habit from winter rye
abstract: Rye was the most important grain crop in Finland towards the end of the 19th century. Rye was largely grown in burned lands, kaski (slash and burn) and kyto, in the past. In the primary form of kyto, shoveled topsoil was heated on fires slowly combusting extraneous wood, brushwood or reed, or in the secondary form, a dry upper layer of organic topsoil of field was burned in a prescribed frontal mode in situ. The kyto selected against the brittle spike type, largely eliminating the weedy seed banks in the soil. Likewise, seed handling, especially the common cleaning with a pohdin device further eliminated partially brittle spike types and selected against weedy rye. Rye was a cash crop for the peasants in the past and was mainly attempted to be exported as seed. The commonly used smoky riihi drying sanitized and conserved grains, which retained germinabilty, and in part increased demand for seed abroad. The grains produced on burned lands were fortified with minerals, including the minor elements, and good winter hardiness occurred in the Finnish rye. The immigrant Finns were probably the first since 1638 to grow rye from seeds brought along with them to New Sweden in North America, where de domesticated or feral rye became a weed problem in the 1950s. Some genetically variable landraces could be sown during different times of the year, thanks to segregate plants adapted to different sowing times. Sowing of a winter rye landrace in May, the season of spring grain sowing, enabled selection of spring habit mutants or segregants, which could be used to establish a truebreeding spring stock of rye shown experimentally. In the past, mid summer sowing could occur with co cultivation, e.g. with the traditional slash and burn turnip as the first season crop, or the autumn seedling of rye could be used as pasture. The Finnish rye populations frequently had cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and nuclear restorer genes of anther fertility effective in the CMS. A non leaky CMS and a leaky CMS (with male fertility in the late stems) are shown. Homozygosity obtained through forced self pollination in a Finnish rye revealed unnoticed genes, such as dwarfs. A local rye population originating from Putkosjarvi area (64deg 27' N) in Ristijarvi Municipality, evidently devoid of the frequently contaminating weed, rye brome (Bromus secalinus) is thought to present an uncontaminated, ancient Finnish rye. The rye brome has contaminated growth in Finland at least since the Iron Age. Morphological variants, like brown spike or glume color and awnlessness were detected in the landrace. Two of 18 Finnish landraces were found to carry accessory or B chromosomes in a study in 1964. B chromosomes are known to interfere with the expression of some genes, perhaps also ensuring variation in the vernalisation needs of the plants.

title: Adaptive Technologies for Medicinal Herbs Cultivation and Evaluation of the Obtained Raw Material Quality
abstract: The article presents the results of the influence of various methods of cultivation of medicinal herbs in the forest steppe zone of the Kemerovo region on their productivity and quality of raw materials. For research, spotted milk thistle, calendula officinalis, and chamomile were selected. Baskets (calendula officinalis, chamomile) and fruits (milk thistle) were collected from plants as medicinal raw materials. The effect of biofertilizer application and seed treatment with a humic preparation was investigated. It has been established that the use of biofertilizer in conjunction with pre sowing treatment of seeds with humates leads to an increase in yield elements in all studied medicinal crops. Compared to the control, the productivity of the variant with this treatment was 1.27 times higher for spotted milk thistle (11 g/m) 14.4 g/m for chamomile and 24.7 g/m for calendula officinalis. Thus, the use of organic fertilizers together with the pre sowing treatment of seed with a humic preparation completely eliminates the use of mineral fertilizers of industrial production at cultivating spotted thistle, calendula officinalis and chamomile in the forest steppe zone of the Kemerovo region.

title: A Decision Support System to Guide Grower Selection of Optimal Seeding Rates of Wheat Cultivars in Diverse Environments
abstract: Seeding rate in hard red spring wheat (HRSW; Triticum aestivum L. production impacts input cost and grain yield. Predicting the optimal seeding rate (OSR) for HRSW cultivars can eliminate the need for costly seeding rate research and growers using OSRs can maximize yield and seeding efficiency. Data were compiled from seeding rate studies conducted in 32 environments in the Northern Plains United States to determine the OSR of HRSW cultivars grown in diverse environments. Twelve cultivars with diverse genetic and phenotypic characteristics were evaluated at five seeding rates in 2013 2015, and nine cultivars were evaluated in 2017 2018. OSR varied among cultivar within environments. Cultivar x environment interactions were explored with the objective of developing a decision support system (DSS) to aid growers in determining the OSR for the cultivar they select, and for the environment in which it is sown. A 10 fold repeated cross validation of the seeding rate data was used to fit 10 decision tree models and the most robust model was selected based on minimizing the value for model variance. The final decision tree model for predicting OSR of HRSW cultivars in diverse environments was considered the most reliable as bias was minimized by pruning methods, and model variance was acceptable for OSR predictions (RMSE 1.24) Findings from this model were used to develop the grower DSS for determining OSR dependent on cultivar straw strength (as a measure of lodging resistance) tillering capacity, and yield of the environment. Recommendations for OSR ranged from 3.1 to 4.5 million seeds ha 1. Growers can benefit from using this DSS by sowing at OSR relative to their average yields; especially when seeding new HRSW cultivars.

title: Economic analysis of new workplace technology including productivity and injury: The case of needle less injection in swine
abstract: Increasing intensification in swine production has led to new and specialized technologies, but the occupational health and safety impacts are rarely quantified in the business plans for adoption. Needle less injection has potential to increase productivity and eliminate needle stick injury in workers, but it is not clear whether these benefits offset high capital investment and potential increases in musculoskeletal loads. This economic evaluation employed probabilistic scenario analysis using injury, cost, and production data gathered from interviews with swine producers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. After adoption of needle less injection, rates of needle stick injury went down with no measureable effect on upper limb musculoskeletal disorders, resulting in lower health and safety costs for needle less injectors. Needle less injection duration was 40% faster once workers acclimatized, but large start up costs mean economic benefits are realized only after the first year. The incremental benefit cost ratio promoted adoption of needle less injectors over conventional needles for the base case of a 1200 sow barn; the conventional method is beneficial for barns with 600 sows or less. Findings indicate that well designed technologies have the potential to achieve the dual ergonomics goals of enhancing human wellbeing and system performance. We anticipate that the economic and decision models developed in this study can be applied to other new technologies in agriculture and animal production.

title: Diagnosis of Yersinia enterocolitica serovar O:9 in a commercial 2400 sow farm with false positive Brucella suis serology using western blot, competitive ELISA, bacterial isolation, and whole genome sequencing
abstract: Despite eradication of swine brucellosis from US commercial swine, Brucella suis still exists in feral swine. Therefore, brucellosis surveillance occurs to detect and eliminate any disease introduction from feral swine to domestic swine. As serology for swine brucellosis has imperfect specificity, false positive serological reactions (FPSRs) occur and true brucellosis infection must be ruled out. In this case report, we detail a process to rule out B suis infection in a commer cial sow herd using additional diagnostics including bacterial culture, whole genome sequencing, western blot, and competitive enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. It was determined Yersinia enterocolitica serovar O:9 caused the FPSRs.

title: Restoring human dignity
abstract: Freedom as a responsibility, indeed, a co responsibility. This is the first message that Pope Francis wished to bring to Thailand, starting with the very meaning of its name: "This land bears the name 'f re e d o m We know that freedom is possible only if we are capable of feeling co responsible for one another and of eliminating every form of inequality" the Holy Father said during his discourse to Authorities at Government House on Thursday morning. Immediately afterwards, in the warm encounter with the Supreme Buddhist Patriarch in the Royal Temple, the Pope expressed his gratitude that the word "f re e d o m " did not remain a dead word but rather became embedded in relations among religions ever since: "some four and a half centuries ago, Catholics have enjoyed freedom in religious practice, despite their being in a minority, and for many years have lived in harmony with their Buddhist brothers and sisters" He reiterated this in his homily for the Mass celebrated in the crowded National Stadium: "This year marks the 350th anniversary of the creation of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam (1669 2019) a sign of the fraternal embrace brought forth in these lands. Two missionaries alone were able to sow the seed" Recalling the dawning of the Catholic Church in these lands, the Pope implicitly turned to Gustav Mahler's image of tradition that is very dear to him (preservation of fire, not worship of the ashes) because freedom is not "nostalgia for the past, but a fire of hop e" It is this fire that makes the Christian a "missionary disciple" an expression which E D I T O R I A L

title: EFFECTIVENESS OF A MICROWAVE FLUIDISED BED DRYER IN ERADICATION OF SEED BORNE BOTRYTIS GREY MOLD OF LENTILS
abstract: Lentil is one of the important pulse crops in the world with a high proportion of easily digestible protein. However, there are several pests and pathogens which cause losses during crop growth, harvesting and post harvest storage. Microwave processing has shown great potential to eradicate pests and pathogens from grains; however, there is still concerns about its heat uniformity, which is of crucial importance in pest and pathogen control. Fluidization using forced hot air is one of the potential solutions for having uniform temperature during microwave processing. In this study, a single mode microwave cavity, with a 2.45 GHz microwave source, was modified to have a microwave fluidized bed and used to evaluate its potential to eliminate the Botrytis grey mold (BGM) pathogen, which is one of the important seed borne pathogens of lentil crops in Australia. Air speed was maintained to be constant during the experiment and was just enough to fluidize 100g of red lentils in the sample holder. Two wet based (w.b. seed moisture contents (m.c. of 10.5% and 18.5% were prepared and the process parameters were selected as: air temperature at 50 and 60degC; microwave power at 0, 300, 400 W for 18.5% m.c. and 0, 400, 500 W for 10.5% m.c. and exposure times of 5 and 10 min. These parameters were chosen to reach the final temperature of below 70degC. The effect of process parameters on seed moisture loss, seed germination, electrical conductivity of seed soaking water and percentage of infected seeds (IS% were analyzed using general factorial regression and analysis of variance. The results showed that the most effective factors on moisture loss, after seed moisture content, was exposure time, followed by microwave power and air temperature. While final bed temperature was affected mostly by air temperature, and then by microwave power. Furthermore, based on general full factorial regression and pareto chart of standardized effects, moisture content had by far the most influence on the reduction of IS% Seed pathogen inoculum reduction, without significant seed viability loss, was obtained by applying microwave power of 300W and set air temperature of 60degC (actual inlet air temperature of 57+ 1degC) on seeds with m.c. of 18.5% for 10 min. This gave a 27% reduction in IS% (from 82% to 55%

title: Effectiveness of pulsed radio frequency in seed quality improvement of vegetable plant species
abstract: The biggest problem, in ecological vegetable seed production, is low germination mostly caused by high seed infection with fungi and a shortage of effective biological agents eliminating pathogens. Therefore, pro ecological methods of seed quality enhancement are being searched, increasing the profitability of seed production by improving the seed sowing value. The aim of the work was to evaluate the effectiveness of pulsed radio frequency (PRF) on seed quality of selected vegetable cultivars. The obtained results from conducted research in laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions indicate a protective effect of PRF treatment by reduction of beetroot, lettuce and garden dill seed borne fungi, and the improvement of their health status and seed germination. Pre sowing application of PRF resulted in 60 80% reduction of seed infestation with fungi, depending on the plant species. This treatment improved the dynamics of seed germination, plant emergence, growth, and increased chlorophyll content and gas exchange in leaves. The most beneficial results were obtained in beetroot, in which the problem of seed production is associated with high seed infestation with mycoflora and the presence of germination inhibitors in the seed coat. The results indicate the high efficiency of the applied PRF and its usefulness in ecological and integrated seed production.