BACKGROUND Exposure to animal barn air is an occupational hazard that causes lung dysfunction in barn workers. Respiratory symptoms experienced by workers are typically associated with endotoxin and TLR4 signalling, but within these environments gram negative bacteria constitute only a portion of the total microbial population. In contrast, unmethylated DNA can be found in all bacteria, some vi...

and Implications This on-going study is continuously monitoring emissions of gases including ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane and (intermittently) selected odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as particulate matter (PM) from a 2500-head sow farm consisting of two gestation barns and one farrowing barn in central Iowa. An on-farm instrumentation shelter houses the ...

A produção de milho (Zea mays L.) tem crescido consideravelmente nos últimos anos, devido a sua ampla utilização para alimentação humana e animal, como também no desenvolvimento novos produtos tecnologias. Este fato motivou estudos que investiguem as práticas agrícolas respectiva substâncias interesse biológico, os metabólitos secundários. No presente estudo, investigou-se concentração destes c...

OBJECTIVE The objectives of the study were to assess the effect of cacao bean husk as bedding material in free-stall barn on the behavior, productivity, and udder health of dairy cattle, and on the ammonia concentrations in the barn. METHODS Four different stall surfaces (no bedding, cacao bean husk, sawdust, and chopped wheat straw) were each continuously tested for a period of 1 week to det...

Inhalation exposure to particulate matter containing endotoxin (or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) occurs in a variety of occupations. Nasal lavage and induced sputum have been used to evaluate lung inflammation resulting from such exposures. Whole blood assay (WBA) measures cytokine production of leukocytes after ex vivo stimulation with LPS. The present study examined the effectiveness of WBA for e...

—Birds are generally unable to predict future changes in habitat condition when selecting nesting locations, and few studies have investigated the effect on birds of shifting habitat quality within nesting seasons. Anthropogenically influenced habitats such as agricultural landscapes are often associated with large shifts in quality that turn initially good habitat into poor habitat. We examine...