Moisture-dependent elastic characteristics of walnut and cherry wood by means of mechanical and ultrasonic test incorporating three different ultrasound data evaluation techniques

Ultrasonic testing is a non-destructive testing method of choice for estimating the anisotropic elastic properties of wood materials. This method is reliable for estimating the Young’s and shear moduli. However, its applicability to Poisson’s ratios remains uncertain. On the other hand, despite their destructive nature, mechanical tests allow a direct measurement of all elastic properties including the Poisson’s ratios. In some cases (e.g. when assessing cultural heritage objects), destructive testing may not be an option. In this work, two types of hardwood walnut (Juglans regia L.) and cherry (Prunus avium L.), which often appear on cultural heritage objects, were tested using both ultrasonic and mechanical testing methods under four different moisture conditions below fibre saturation point. The results show that a higher moisture condition leads to a decrease in material elasticity. For walnut wood, their longitudinal Young’s modulus (\(E_{\rm L}\)) was reduced by 679 MPa under the compression load for a one per cent increase in moisture content. Moreover, three ultrasound data evaluation techniques, which differ in the way they incorporate the Poisson’s ratios (full stiffness inversion, simplified uncorrected, and simplified corrected), were used to estimate the Young’s moduli (E). The main goal is to obtain reliable material parameters using the ultrasound test. As a result, it is concluded that the chosen data evaluation method influences the accuracy of the calculated E. In a certain case, the simplified-corrected method, which requires only one specimen type, gave a closer agreement to mechanical tests (e.g. \(\Delta E_{\rm T}=6\,\%\) deviation on mechanical results). In another case, the full-stiffness-inversion method, which requires four specimen types, gave the best estimation (e.g. \(\Delta E_{\rm L}=2\,\%\)). In this corresponding direction, the simplified-corrected method can only partially reduce the overestimation of the simplified uncorrected from \(\Delta E_{\rm L}=47\) to 32 %. The variation of E produced by different evaluation procedures is due to the different correction factor values, which is a consequence of the variation in \(\nu\).     

Induction of 2n pollen formation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Begonia</Emphasis> by trifluralin and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O treatments

In this study, treatments of both trifluralin (at 10, 100 and 1000 μM) and N₂O (in the form of gas under pressure) were applied to Begonia flower buds to induce the formation of 2n pollen. Three male fertile species (B. cucullata, B. subvillosa var. leptotricha and B. fischeri) and two male sterile hybrids (B. schmidtiana × B. cucullata and B. subvillosa var. leptotricha × B. cucullata) were treated. Pollen size, which is related to pollen DNA content, increased after both N₂O and trifluralin treatments, but the induction of large pollen was genotype dependent. Trifluralin induced large pollen only in the male fertile species, while N₂O treatments induced fertile 2n pollen in the male sterile B. schmidtiana × B. cucullata. Cytological studies showed that trifluralin induced multinuclear monads that resulted in 4n gametes in stead of 2n gametes. In general, large pollen obtained after trifluralin treatments showed low germination capability, while large pollen obtained after N₂O treatments retained high germination capability. Seedlings with raised ploidy level could only be obtained after crosses were performed with large pollen obtained from N₂O treatments. Hence, N₂O treatments are preferable to the use of trifluralin to induce 2n gametes in Begonia.     

A morphological and molecular study of Anaplasma phagocytophilum transmission events at the time of Ixodes ricinus tick bite

Background

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) in humans and tick-borne fever (TBF) in ruminants. The bacterium invades and replicates in phagocytes, especially in polymorphonuclear granulocytes.

Methods

In the present study, skin biopsies and ticks (Ixodes ricinus) were collected from tick feeding lesions on 38 grazing lambs between two and three weeks after access to pastures. The histopathological changes associated with tick bites and A. phagocytophilum infection, were described. In addition the skin biopsies were examined by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, samples from blood, skin biopsies and ticks were examined by serology, PCR amplification of msp2 (p44), genotyping of rrs (16S rRNA) variants, and compared with the results obtained from histological and immunohistochemical investigations.

Results

Tick bites were associated with chronic and hyperplastic inflammatory skin lesions in this study. A. phagocytophilum present in skin lesions were mainly associated with neutrophils and macrophages. Bacteria were occasionally observed in the Tunica media and Tunica adventitia of small vessels, but were rarely found in association with endothelial cells. PCR and genotyping of organisms present in blood, ticks and skin biopsies suggested a haematogenous and a local spread of organisms at the tick attachment sites.

Conclusions

The present study describes different aspects of A. phagocytophilum infection at the site of tick bite, and indicates that A. phagocytophilum rarely associates with endothelium during the early pathogenesis of infection.     

A prospective study on canine hip dysplasia and growth in a cohort of four large breeds in Norway (1998-2001)

The study-objective was to measure the effect of weight and growth related parameters on the risk of development of Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD). The hypothesis was that heavy and fast growing dogs of large sized breeds were at increased risk of development of CHD compared to lighter and slower growing dogs. A prospective cohort study was conducted among dogs of four large breeds: Newfoundland (NF), Leonberger (LEO), Labrador retriever (LR), and Irish wolfhound (IW). The dogs were privately owned with individualized nutrition and environment, and they were followed from birth and throughout the growth period until the official screening for CHD was performed. The study sample consisted of 501 dogs from 103 litters, with the breed distribution 125 NF, 180 LEO, 133 LR, and 63 IW. Because the dogs were clustered in litters a multivariable random effects logistic regression model was used to assess statistically significant growth-related risk factors for CHD. The estimated incidence risk of CHD was 36% in NF, 25% in LEO, 20% in LR, and 10% in IW. Based upon the final multilevel model it appears that the odds of CHD among both LR and IW (odds ratio (OR) 0.22) are about one-fifth of the odds for NF. The odds for LEO (OR 0.60) are not significantly different from NF. There appeared to be an inverse relationship between body weight at 3 months of age and odds of CHD, with an OR of 0.89 (P=0.044). The degree of clustering at the litter-level was high (22.6%) and highly significant (P<0.001). Findings failed to support the hypothesis that heavy and fast growing dogs from four large sized breeds were at increased risk for development of CHD. There might be other unmeasured environmental risk factors for CHD in this cohort of dogs, although the contribution of the genetic variance to the litter-level clustering also needs further investigation.     

Detection of water in the LCROSS ejecta plume

Several remote observations have indicated that water ice may be presented in permanently shadowed craters of the Moon. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission was designed to provide direct evidence. On 9 October 2009, a spent Centaur rocket struck the persistently shadowed region within the lunar south pole crater Cabeus, ejecting debris, dust, and vapor. This material was observed by a second "shepherding" spacecraft, which carried nine instruments, including cameras, spectrometers, and a radiometer. Near-infrared absorbance attributed to water vapor and ice and ultraviolet emissions attributable to hydroxyl radicals support the presence of water in the debris. The maximum total water vapor and water ice within the instrument field of view was 155 ± 12 kilograms. Given the estimated total excavated mass of regolith that reached sunlight, and hence was observable, the concentration of water ice in the regolith at the LCROSS impact site is estimated to be 5.6 ± 2.9% by mass. In addition to water, spectral bands of a number of other volatile compounds were observed, including light hydrocarbons, sulfur-bearing species, and carbon dioxide.     

Feasibility of using rare earth elements (REEs) to mark and identify escaped farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L.

A series of rare earth elements (REEs) were evaluated as potential markers in scales of Atlantic salmon 1⁺ and 0⁺ smolt by addition of these elements to the feed. Chlorides of 5 REEs were tested, alone or in combination: lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd) and dysprosium (Dy). The labelled‐diets contained 125 or 250 mg REE kg^?1 feed and were administered for up to 10 weeks. Fish scales were collected and analysed by inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) before start, 5 and 10 weeks after labelling started and finally 2 or 4 months after marking. The results demonstrated that the five tested elements were clearly incorporated into the scales of the fish fed the supplemented diets. Uptake and concentrations increased gradually during the feeding period, and no principal differences were found between the two smolt types. Combining 2 REEs in the same feed did not affect the incorporation of either of them. After a ‘dilution’‐period of 2–4 months the concentrations of all markers (except La) in the scales of the treated‐fish were still significantly higher than those of the untreated‐fish. The background concentrations of the tested markers and some other elements were also measured and found to give interesting information.     

Benefits of a maize–bean–weeds mixed cropping system in Urubamba Valley,Peruvian Andes

Abstract

In the Urubamba Valley, Peruvian Andes, we evaluated the abundance of insect pests and natural enemies in experimental plots where maize was grown either as monoculture, intercropped with beans, or intercropped with beans plus associated weeds. We also assessed the consequences of the cropping system for maize yield. The main insect pests recorded were Diabrotica spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Carpophilus sp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) and Pagiocerus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), and their overall abundance did not differ among crop diversity treatments. However, there was a significant adverse effect of crop diversity on the maximum abundance of both Carpophilus and Pagiocerus. The main beneficial arthropods were Paratriphleps sp. (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), ladybirds and spiders, and their density did not differ among treatments. Maize yield did not decrease with increasing plant diversity. The reported benefits of intercropping, together with the associated efficiency in land use, make this traditional agricultural practice a valuable alternative to the use of pesticides, particularly for resource-poor Andean farmers.