Search

The annual Site Environmental Report documents Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s performance in reducing its environmental impacts, progress toward cleaning up groundwater contamination, and compliance with applicable Department of Energy, federal, state, and local environmental regulations.

Abstract Background There is limited information on surgical site infections (SSI) and the related antibiotic resistance needed to guide their management and prevention in Sierra Leone. In this study, we aimed to establish the incidence and risk factors of SSI and the related antibiotic resistance among adults attending a tertiary hospital, and a secondary health facility in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Methods This is a prospective cohort study designed to collect data from adult (18 years or older) patients who attended elective and emergency surgeries at two hospitals in Freetown between February and July, 2021. Data analysis was done using STATA version 16. Results Of 338 patients, 245 (72.5%) and 93 (27.5%) had their surgeries at the tertiary and secondary hospitals, respectively. Many were males 192 (56.8%), less than 35 years 164 (48.5%), and 39 (11.5%) developed an SSI. Of the 39 patients who acquired an SSI, 7 (17.9%) and 32 (82.1%) had their surgeries at the secondary and tertiary hospitals, respectively. The incidence of SSI is higher in contaminated 17 (43.6%) than in clean-contaminated 12 (30.8%) and clean 10 (25.6%) wounds. Wound swabs were collected in 29 (74.4%) patients, of which 18 (62.1%) had bacterial growth. In total, 49 isolates of 14 different bacteria including gram-negative 41 (83.7%) and gram-positive 8 (16.3%) isolates were identified. Of these, 32 (65.3%) were Enterobacteriaceae, 9 (18.4%) were Non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli and 10 (12.2%) were Enterococci. The most common isolates were Escherichia coli (12, 24.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (10, 20.4%), Acinetobacter baumannii (5, 10.2%), Klebsiella oxytoca (4, 8.2%) and Enterococcus faecalis (4, 8.2%). The Enterobacteriaceae were either resistance to carbapenems (4, 8.2%) or were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing organisms (29, 59.2%). Male sex [p = 0.031], an ASA score ≥ 2 [p = 0.020), administration of general anaesthesia [p = 0.018] and elevated fasting glucose [p = 0.033] were predictive of SSI. Conclusion The incidence of SSI in this study is comparable to other low- and middle-income countries, but a substantial proportion of these postoperative wounds have an ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Therefore, routine surveillance of SSI and related antibiotic resistance is required in resource-limited settings.

Raven populations that depredate livestock, damage agricultural crops, and injure endangered and threatened species, can be managed with egg baits containing the avicide DRC-1339 (3-chloro-p-toluidine). Estimating baiting efficacy is difficult, as DRC-1339 is a slow-acting toxicant. Efficacy estimation is further complicated by the feeding behavior of ravens at bait sites. To evaluate the efficacy of an egg baiting operation, we developed a computer simulation to predict bait consumption by ravens, incorporating a DRC-1339 degradation module to predict DRC-1339 bait concentration at the time of consumption and an effects module to predict the mortality associated with the resulting DRC-1339 dose. Details of the simulation will be presented in the context of predicting baiting efficacy using egg baits in different climatic environments. These preliminary results provide the basis for designing field studies that can be used to improve and validate the model.

Lettuce is an important economic crop in California, with approximately 101,000 ha in production and a value of $1.3 billion in 2002. Bird damage to lettuce in the San Joaquin Valley, the central coast, and southern California is believed to amount to millions of dollars annually. We evaluated the effectiveness of Flight Control™ (50% anthraquinone applied at 10 L/ha) as a foliar spray for protecting emerging lettuce seedlings from depredation by horned larks. In field enclosure trials conducted near Huron, in the San Joaquin Valley of California, damage to treated lettuce seedlings was 8.5%, compared to 68% damage to untreated seedlings. In a field test, anthraquinone residues on the day of treatment averaged 570 ppm and at Day 50 after treatment were lower than the method of detection (0.063 ppm). However, horned lark numbers using test sites were too low to detect any differences in damage among treated and untreated sites. Anthraquinone offers promise for reducing bird depredations to sprouting lettuce, but additional testing should be conducted to evaluate this repellent in a large-scale field setting.

A probabilistic model was validated for estimating avian mortality associated with the application of the avicide CPTH (3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride) to minimize sprouting rice damage in the southern United States. CPTH exposures for individual birds were predicted by random sampling from species-specific non-parametric distributions of bait seed consumption and CPTH residues detected on individual bait seeds. Mortality was predicted from the species-specific exposure versus mortality relationship. Individual variations in this response were captured in the model by Monte Carlo sampling from species-specific distributions of slopes and median toxicity values (LD50) for each bird. The model was used to evaluate the effects of formulation, bait preparation and application procedures on target and non-target mortalities. The results of these analyses indicate that: 1) decreasing the concentration of CPTH on the treated bait seeds from 400 to 300 μg CPTH/seed will improve bait performance by decreasing non-target mortalities, 2) the current dilution ratio of 1 treated seed to 25 diluent seeds is optimal and 3) preparing a bait seed product in which CPTH is homogeneously distributed throughout the bait seed mixture will significantly increase bait performance by increasing red-winged blackbird (target) mortality and decreasing mortality for savannah sparrows and meadowlarks (non-targets).

Blackbird damage to sprouting rice can be locally severe and costs Louisiana growers an estimated $4 million/year and Texas growers $4.4 million/year. DRC-1339 blackbird baiting programs probably will continue until available alternative control techniques (i.e., repellents) become available. We conducted 3 studies to evaluate different rice baits and chemicals to improve efficacy of DRC-1339 for use at staging areas. During the first study, individually caged red-winged blackbirds preferred untreated medium grain brown rice over long grain brown rice, rough rice, or rough rice soaked with sodium bisulfite. Of birds offered only medium (control), long, rough, and rough rice soaked with sodium bisulfite treated with 2% DRC-1339 diluted 1:25 with untreated carrier (medium, long, or rough rice), 90 to 100% died within 48 hrs. During the second study, individually caged red-winged blackbirds preferred untreated rice over rice treated with Harvest Guard or ethyl cellulose. Birds were offered only medium brown rice (control), Harvest Guard, or ethyl cellulose-treated medium brown rice treated with 2% DRC-1339 diluted 1:25 with untreated medium grain brown rice. With the medium grain brown rice (field bait), 100% mortality was observed within 48 hrs. With the Harvest Guard and ethyl cellulose treatments, ≤80% mortality was observed. The third study was an aviary test to determine if aging the chemical baits (sodium bisulfite, Harvest Guard, ethyl cellulose) for 3 days in Louisiana would affect mortality. Mortality with the fresh field and sodium bisulfite baits were 100%. We did not achieve ≥80% mortality with either the fresh Harvest Guard or ethyl cellulose bait. Mortality with the aged sodium bisulfite bait was 50%. None of the other aged baits produced >10% mortality. Degradation occurred with all the aged baits but occurred the least with the sodium bisulfite treatment. Future research will look at possibly combining sodium bisulfite with UV protectors to further reduce the degradation of DRC-1339 in the field.

The authors evaluated the effectiveness of ReJeX-iT® AG-145, Mesurol®, activated charcoal, lime, and fipronil to reduce homed lark damage to lettuce seeds and seedlings. In Experiment 1, homed larks consumed significantly more feed mixture (50:50 grains and lettuce seed) than untreated clay-coated lettuce seed in a three-day choice-test. In Experiment 2, where clay-coated lettuce seed was treated with ReJeX-iT® AG-145, Mesurol®, activated charcoal, or lime, there was no significant difference in consumption of untreated clay-coated lettuce seed and treated clay-coated lettuce seed. Homed larks consumed insignificant amounts of all seed treatments including untreated coated lettuce seed. In this experiment homed larks lost an average of 28% of their body weight over the three-day test period. It was concluded that the clay seed coating alone reduced damage significantly. In the aviary test, flats of sprouting lettuce seedlings were sprayed with Mesurol® (4 kg/ha), ReJeX-iT® AG-145 (64 kg/ha), lime (32 kg/ha), activated charcoal (32 kg/ha), and fipronil (4 kg/ha). Mesurol®, ReJeX-iT® AG-145, and lime significantly reduced consumption of lettuce seedlings over a four-day test period. Even though lime significantly reduced consumption, homed larks still consumed over 50% of the available lettuce seedlings. Field evaluations are warranted with Mesurol® and ReJeX-iT® AG-145.

Oiling eggs is a potential management method for controlling nuisance or depredating populations of ring-billed gulls, Canada geese, and other bird species. However, no registration for an oiling compound currently exists with the Environmental Protection Agency. Efficacy data were collected for white mineral oil and corn oil to reduce the hatchability of ring-billed gull eggs. Egg failure was 99% in corn oil, 96% in white mineral oil, and 35% in control eggs. Most treated eggs that hatched were treated early in the incubation period, 1 to 8 days after clutch completion. A Wildlife Service Technical Note on the use of com oil as an oiling agent is now available.

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine an effective DRC-1339 concentration and bait dilution ratio to control pigeons. Treated whole corn baits formulated with Alcolec-s®, corn starch, or corn oil as adhesive agents and 0.25% or 0.37% DRC-1339 diluted 1:5 with untreated corn produced < 10% mortality. DRC-1339 treated whole corn baits (0.25% and 0.37%) diluted 1:0 and formulated with Alcolec-s® produced 20% and 5% mortality, respectively. Whole corn treated with 0.37% DRC-1339, diluted 1:0, and formulated with corn starch produced 68% mortality in laboratory-held pigeons and was selected for further evaluations in field studies to provide efficacy data to the EPA. DRC-1339 residue levels observed in pigeons free-feeding on 0.37% undiluted DRC-1339 treated corn was not detected in breast tissue and only occurred in the gastrointestinal tract of two of five pigeons at 0.06 and 0.19 ppm. DRC-1339 residues observed in pigeons force-fed 21 whole corn kernels treated with 0.37% DRC-1339 (approximately 5 times the LD50 dose) were not detectable after 3 h in breast tissue and 24 h in the gastrointestinal tract. DRC-1339 residues in pigeons gavaged with 58 mg DRC-1339 (over 10 times the LD50 dose) were detectable in the breast muscle of four of nine pigeons at 0.061 to 0.10 ppm. DRC-1339 residues in the gastrointestinal tract ranged from 0.13 to > 17 ppm in eight of nine treated pigeons and was not detectable in the remaining pigeon.

From 30 August to 18 September 1985, sunflower and corn mixed baits (75% sunflower meats and 25% cracked corn) treated with 1.50% CAT, (N-(3-chloro-4-methylphenyl) acetamide) were evaluated for reducing blackbird populations near Churchs Ferry, North Dakota. Baits were applied on baiting lanes in sunflower fields with an electric seeder mounted on an all-terrain cycle. Three noncommercial (decoy) sunflower fields were baited with CAT-treated baits diluted 1:9 with similar mixture of untreated bait at a rate of 50 lbs/lane acre (9.3 total treated acres). Based on total bait consumption, the estimate of blackbirds killed by the CAT treatment ranged from 13,266 to 30,650. The total amount of CAT-treated mixed bait consumed was 62.1 pounds. The predominant species causing damage in the test fields was the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). Overall, redwings constituted an average of 73% of all birds observed in test fields, yellow-headed blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 23%, and common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) 4%. Peak number of blackbirds feeding in test fields during observation periods varied from 2,250 to 10,635. Peak roost counts for roosts near test fields ranged from 60,000 to 90,000 blackbirds. Baits treated with an acutely toxic pesticide were evaluated as part of the bait mix and singly on sunflower rows as a toxic-marker. Birds and small mammals did not become immobilized and die close to ingestion sites. These results precluded the use of this toxic marker baits for estimating the number of birds accepting CAT baits. This technique does not appear promising as a technique for reducing local populations and associated sunflower loss.

A 2.2-ha cedar and mixed deciduous tree woodlot in Crawford, Mississippi, harboring 330,000 blackbirds (Icterinae) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) was aerially sprayed by helicopter the night of 1 March 1989 with 1050 I. of a CPT-avicide formulation at a rate of 49 kg CPT/ha. Most mortality occurred within 36 h of treatment. Mortality in the roost was 3% of the pretreatment population. No reliable technique to estimate out-of-roost mortality was identified. Pilot misapplication and probable CPT volatilization of the spray formulation contributed to the low mortality. Only 1 of 37 radiotagged blackbirds using the roost the night of the spray was verified as a CPT-related mortality. Pre- and post-treatment numbers of hawks and owls in and near the roost did not differ (P > 0.05). Dead nontarget animals found in and near the roost included 10 cardinals (Richmondena cardinalis), 1 robin (Turdus migratorius), and 1 least shrew (Cryptotis parva). Additional research is needed to develop methodologies for evaluating the efficacy of slow-acting toxicants.

Bait preference studies with red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) in North Dakota sunflower fields indicated that sunflower seeds and a combination of sunflower seeds and chopped corn (MIX) were more successful in producing affected blackbirds, primarily red-winged blackbirds, than pearl barley or chopped corn used separately. A subsequent study compared the effectiveness of commercial Avitrol FC corn Chops-99S to 4-aminopyridine-trealed MIX-99S baits for reducing blackbird damage to ripening sunflower. Both baits significantly reduced damage in fields nearest a blackbird roost (within two miles), but were largely ineffective in fields farther than two miles from a roost. The ramifications of these results are discussed.

A combination Purivox® Double-John carousel propane exploder and CO2 pop-up scarecrow operated in synchrony was evaluated in five ripening sunflower fields in 1981 and 1982, respectively, near Devils Lake and Westhope, North Dakota. In each field, this treatment was evaluated in an alternating off-on sequence of 5-day intervals for a period of 20 days. In 1981, devices were deployed at one unit per 8 to 10 acres and in 1982 at one unit per 4 to 6 acres. The degree of effectiveness for reducing bird damage in three of five fields that met selection criteria ranged from 71 to 87% with a mean of 78%. During the first 10-day cycle, damage on these three fields was reduced 70, 89, and 95% or a mean of 84%, while in the second cycle damage was reduced an average of 59%. In the remaining two fields in which blackbirds were well established, damage was only reduced 8 and 31% during the entire test period. This was attributed to well-established feeding patterns in the fields by large flocks of blackbirds from a nearby roost. The cost to operate one unit on 6 acres of sunflower was $14 per acre if prorated over a 10-year period (the expected unit life). Bird damage must be 18% or higher before a grower could expect a return on money invested with this device. The cost-benefit ratio in this study was 1:2.3 because damage exceeded the 18% level. Although the cost-benefits of the combination scare device indicated that for most growers in North Dakota the cost of control would exceed the dollars saved, it would be most useful in about 1.2% of the fields which annually get more than 18% damage.

Abstract Background The relapsing nature and varying geographical prevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC) implicates environmental factors such as diet in its aetiology. Methods In order to determine which foods might be related to disease activity in UC a new method of dietary analysis was developed and applied. Eighty-one UC patients were recruited at all stages of the disease process. Following completion of a 7 d diet diary, clinical assessment including a sigmoidoscopic examination (scale 0 (normal mucosa) to 6 (very active disease)) was conducted. Food weights for each person were adjusted (divided) by the person's calorific intake for the week. Each food consumed was given a food sigmoidoscopy score (FSS) calculated by summing the products of the (adjusted) weight of food consumed and sigmoidoscopy score for each patient and occurrence of food and dividing by the total (adjusted) weight of the food consumed by all 81 patients. Thus, foods eaten in large quantities by patients with very active disease have high FSSs and vice versa. Foods consumed by Results High FSS foods were characterized by high levels of the anti-thiamin additive sulfite (Mann-Whitney, p < 0.001), i.e. bitter, white wine, burgers, soft drinks from concentrates, sausages, lager and red wine. Caffeine also has anti-thiamin properties and decaffeinated coffee was associated with a better clinical state than the caffeine containing version. Beneficial foods (average intake per week) included pork (210 g), breakfast cereals (200 g), lettuce (110 g), apples and pears (390 g), milk (1250 ml), melon (350 g), bananas (350 g), bacon (120 g), beef and beef products (500 g), tomatoes (240 g), soup (700 g), citrus fruits (300 g), fish (290 g), yogurt (410 g), cheese (110 g), potatoes (710 g) and legumes (120 g). Conclusions The dietary analysis method described provides a new tool for establishing relationships between diet and disease and indicates a potentially therapeutic diet for UC.

Copyright of Journal of Raptor Research is the property of Raptor Research Foundation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The economic impact of blackbirds can be severe to rice producers in the United States. One approach to managing this damage is the application of bird-deterrent chemical to the crop. Previous pilot trials suggested that caffeine offered potential as a safe, economical bird repellent. In this study, cage feeding trials with female red-winged blackbirds and male brown-headed cowbirds confirmed that a treatment rate of 2500ppm caffeine on rice seed reduced consumption as much as 76%. Trials with mixed species blackbird flocks in a 0.2-ha flight pen resulted in just 4% loss of caffeine-treated rice compared to 43% loss of untreated rice. Field trials of a 10,000ppm caffeine treatment in Louisiana revealed >90% of caffeine-treated rice seed remained unconsumed on days 2 and 3 of the study whereas blackbirds consumed >80% of the untreated seed. As a rice seed treatment to deter blackbirds, caffeine appears to be effective, economical and environmentally safe, although additional aquatic toxicity testing is desirable. Improvements in formulation will be needed to make the compound practical for general agricultural spray applications and to extend the adherence of caffeine to rice seeds in field conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Dietary fibre, principally the non-starch polysaccharides of the plant cell wall, is an important component of our diet. After more than 30 years of research into the many and varied claims for its benefits, it is now clear that fibre has uniquely significant physical effects in the gut and in addition through fermentation is a major determinant of large bowel function and bowel habit. Its physical properties in the small bowel effect lipid absorption and the glycaemic response. Fibre has some modest effects on appetite. These benefits feed through into a protective role in large bowel cancer, diabetes and coronary heart disease. Equally important, fibre has led us in our thinking about other dietary carbohydrates. Work on fibre was instrumental in the discovery of both resistant starch and the prebiotic oligosaccharides. Resistant starch of itself is not so important as fibre although does provide a substrate for fermentation and may be a good source for butyrate production. However, the discovery of resistant starch led to a revision of our understanding of the digestion of starch in the gut and the important contribution this makes to glycaemic response. The prebiotic oligosaccharides have been the newest and most exciting development in this story. Whilst again they are substrates for fermentation, their effects on bowel habit are negligible but their capacity to alter selectively the composition of the large bowel flora is a novel and highly significant development in our understanding of the intestinal microflora. The clinical benefits of this have yet to be established but will almost inevitably stem from the improvements to colonisation resistance that these changes bring. The dietary carbohydrates, therefore, which include NSP, RS and the oligosaccharides, are a complex group of substances with diverse physiological and health benefits. Instead of considering them to be a single macro nutrient component of the diet, we should, as we do for dietary fat, start to look at their individual contributions to physiology, epidemiology and clinical benefit. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses the use of probiotics and prebiotics in regulating the activities of intestinal bacteria. Association of probiotics with gut infection; How prebiotics can be effective; Antimutagenic activities of probiotics and prebiotics.