The response of cylindrocladium conidia to soil fungistasis

Direct observation of washed conidia of Cylindrocladium scoparium on non-sterile soils, air dried and rewetted immediately before deposition of conidia, indicated that peak germination (33–58%) occurred after 24 h incubation at 26°C. Peak germination on continually moist soils was lower (18–26%) than on rewetted soils. Lysis of germ tubes and germinating conidia on continually moist soils at 26°C was evident with 48 h. Conidia did not germinate on continually moist soils at 6°C and lysis did not become apparent until 168 h. Conidia germinated at a high level (93–99%) in axenic culture in the absence of exogenous C and N sources. The inhibition of conidial germination on soils may be attributed, in part, to the presence of soil volatiles. Germination of conidia placed on washed agar disks and exposed to volatiles from four soils ranged from 51 to 86% of the no-soil controls. Addition of carbon (13 ng C per conidium as glucose) and nitrogen (65 pg N ng^?1 C as NH₄C1) nullified the inhibitory effect of the soil volatiles. Germinability assayed on a selective medium at 26°C of conidia in artificially infested soils (approximately 10⁴ conidia g^?1 soil) decreased progressively during incubation at 26°C from 1 week to 4 months. No germinable conidia were recovered from artificially infested soils after 2 months incubation at 6°C. Conidia of C. floridanum and C. crotalariae responded similarly to C. scoparium in many assays.     

Irrigation facility relocations along the Arizona state route 85 corridor

In 1999 the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) began improvements along the State Route 85 (SR85) corridor between Gila Bend and Interstate 10 (I-10). At the time SR85 was a two-lane highway that carried a large volume of truck traffic between Interstate 8 near Gila Bend and Phoenix. The SR85 roadway improvements project is broken into phases. The first phase includes the construction of frontage roads and using these roads as a divided highway. Once the divided highway is completed, the final freeway cross section will be constructed between the frontage roads. The project impacted existing irrigation facilities for three irrigation districts located between the Gila River and I-10; the Arlington Canal Company, Buckeye Water Conservation and Drainage District (BWCDD) and Roosevelt Irrigation District (RID). The roadway improvements impact three main canals, turnouts from the main canal, main canal check structures, delivery structures, laterals, groundwater wells and tailwater collection systems. Three miles of irrigation facilities relocations were completed in various phases between 1999 and 2009. Total construction cost as of May 2009 is about $9.4 million. ADOT is currently working on 30% design plans for the main line between the Gila River and Broadway Road. The irrigation districts are coordinating with ADOT regarding the impacts to the irrigation facilities. In this paper we present the institutional and functional constraints to infrastructure modernization in an urbanizing area with historic irrigated agriculture. This process was complicated by the need to continue to operate the irrigation delivery facilities on an almost year-round basis.     

Chaos theory and assessment of forest stakeholder attitudes towards Australian forest policy

The Regional Forest Agreement process has dominated Australian forest policy for the past decade. The RFA process set in place a mechanism by which benchmark conservation values were established for forest ecosystems, whilst addressing the needs of the timber industry. The outcomes of a number of RFA's have been fraught with controversy. Key stakeholder groups have shown disagreement with processes and outcomes of methods employed by government both in establishing conservation reserves and areas allocated to timber harvesting. This research uses non-linear techniques to examine the dynamical behavior in stakeholder responses and to identify patterns of behavior that may lead to prediction of stakeholder responses. The method developed in this research provides a bridge between social sciences and Chaos theory.¹     

A KCNJ10 mutation previously identified in the Russell group of terriers also occurs in Smooth-Haired Fox Terriers with hereditary ataxia and in related breeds

Background

Hereditary ataxias with similar phenotypes were reported in the Smooth-Haired Fox Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier and the Parson Russell Terrier. However, segregation analyses showed differing inheritance modes in these breeds. Recently, molecular genetic studies on the Russell group of terriers found independent mutations in KCNJ10 and CAPN1, each associated with a specific clinical subtype of inherited ataxia. The aim of this study was to clarify whether or not Smooth-Haired Fox Terriers with hereditary ataxia and dogs of other related breeds harbor either of the same mutations. A sub goal was to update the results of KCNJ10 genotyping in Russell group terriers.

Findings

Three Smooth-Haired Fox Terriers with hereditary ataxia and two Toy Fox Terriers with a similar phenotype were all homozygous for the KCNJ10 mutation. The same mutation was also found in a heterozygous state in clinically unaffected Tenterfield Terriers (n = 5) and, in agreement with previous studies, in Jack Russell Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, and Russell Terriers.

Conclusions

A KCNJ10 mutation, previously associated with an autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia in Jack Russell Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, and Russell Terriers segregates in at least three more breeds descended from British hunting terriers. Ataxic members of two of these breeds, the Smooth-Haired Fox Terrier and the Toy Fox Terrier, were homozygous for the mutation, strengthening the likelihood that this genetic defect is indeed the causative mutation for the disease known as “hereditary ataxia” in Fox Terriers and “spinocerebellar ataxia with myokymia, seizures or both” in the Russell group of terriers.     

Zinc supplementation strategies in feedlot heifers receiving an extended-release implant or an aggressive re-implant program

Two hundred eight Angus-crossbred heifers (291 ± 23 kg) from four sources were used in a randomized complete block design. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of implant strategy and Zn supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, muscle fiber diameter, and mineral status of heifers. Heifers were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial study for 168 d, and factors included Zn and implant (IMP). Heifers were supplemented Zn (mg/kg dry matter [DM]; ZnSO₄) at national (30; NRC) or industry (100; IND) recommendations. Implant strategies (Merck Animal Health, Madison, NJ) included extended-release Revalor-XH on day 0 (REV-XH; 20 mg estradiol + 200 mg trenbolone acetate) containing four uncoated pellets and six coated pellets or the uncoated implant Revalor-200 on day 0 and again on day 91 (REV-200; 20 mg estradiol + 200 mg trenbolone acetate). Heifers were blocked by weight within source to pens of five or six heifers per pen (nine pens per treatment). A corn silage-based diet was fed during the growing period (days 0–55) followed by transition to a corn-based finishing diet. Weights were taken consecutively on days −1/0, 55/56, and 167/168. Liver and muscle from the longissimus thoracis were collected from one heifer per pen on days −5, 14, 105, and 164. Data were analyzed via Mixed Procedure of SAS. Average daily gain (ADG) and liver mineral used Period as the repeated effect. Corresponding to periods of high hormone payout from each implant, days 0–28 and 91–120 ADG were greatest for REV-200, whereas REV-XH numerically peaked during days 56–91 (IMP × Period; P = 0.02). Day 91 IND body weight tended to be heavier (P = 0.06) and day 120 body weight was heavier (P = 0.05) than NRC heifers. No effect of Zn or IMP on final body weight was observed (P ≥ 0.21). Muscle fiber cross-sectional diameter on day 164 was greater (P = 0.05) in IND than NRC. Liver Mn concentrations decreased by day 14 regardless of implant, though days 105 and 164 concentrations were lesser for REV-200 than REV-XH (IMP × Period; P = 0.02). No effects of Zn, IMP, or the interaction were observed for carcass-adjusted gain to feed, days 0–168 DM intake, hot carcass weight, or ribeye area (P ≥ 0.11). The nominal differences in performance between implant strategies suggest that extended-release implants may be an effective implant strategy to replace re-implant programs in heifers, whereas the improved performance of heifers fed IND vs. NRC during times of peak hormone payout suggests a role for Zn in periods of rapid growth.     

An objective examination of consumer perception of nutrition information based on healthiness ratings and eye movements

OBJECTIVE: Previous research on nutrition labelling has mainly used subjective measures. This study examines the effectiveness of two types of nutrition label using two objective measures: eye movements and healthiness ratings. DESIGN: Eye movements were recorded while participants made healthiness ratings for two types of nutrition label: standard and standard plus the Food Standards Agency's 'traffic light' concept. SETTING: University of Derby, UK. SUBJECTS: A total of 92 participants (mean age 31.5 years) were paid for their participation. None of the participants worked in the areas of food or nutrition. RESULTS: For the standard nutrition label, participant eye movements lacked focus and their healthiness ratings lacked accuracy. The traffic light system helped to guide the attention of the consumer to the important nutrients and improved the accuracy of the healthiness ratings of nutrition labels. CONCLUSIONS: Consumers have a lack of knowledge regarding how to interpret nutrition information for standard labels. The traffic light concept helps to ameliorate this problem by indicating important nutrients to which to pay attention.     

Effect of type of oil and addition of delta-tocopherol on model flavor compound stability during storage

The objective of this study was to investigate approaches to protect selected flavor compounds from deterioration when stored in an oil matrix. An aroma compound model mixture was prepared in a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) or sunflower oil (SfO) matrix and stored under either an ambient air or argon atmosphere containing, respectively, ca. 20 and <0.5% residual oxygen as controls or containing a natural antioxidant, delta-tocopherol (0.01%). Samples were analyzed by static headspace GC/FID to determine the stability over time of the compounds in mixture. It was found that the type of oil had the greatest effect (P < 0.01) on overall compound stability. A low-oxygen atmosphere also had a significant (P < 0.05) protective effect on the aroma compounds in both oils. The addition of delta-tocopherol generally offered little additional protection. No significant relationship could be determined between the oxidation of the lipid matrix and the loss of oxidation-sensitive thiol compounds.