Modelling the influence of site and weed competition on juvenile modulus of elasticity in Pinus radiata across broad environmental gradients

Data from a nationwide set of Pinus radiata D. Don plots established at a range of conventional stand densities were analysed at age 6 to (i) determine how environment and competition from weeds influence dynamic modulus of elasticity (E) of the lower stem base, (ii) develop a predictive multiple regression model of E for basal stemwood and (iii) identify significant direct and indirect environmental influences (through stem slenderness) on E using path analysis.Site had a highly significant (P < 0.001) influence on E, which exhibited a 3-fold range from 1.6 to 5.3 GPa, across 30 sites. When compared to the weed-free controls, weed competition had a significant (P < 0.0001) and substantial effect on E, increasing values by on average 16% (2.76 GPa vs. 2.38 GPa).The positive linear relationship between stem slenderness (determined as tree height/ground-line tree diameter) and E was by far the strongest relationship (R² = 0.71; P < 0.001) among the 20 variables that were significantly related to E. A multiple regression model that included stem slenderness, mean minimum air temperature in mid-autumn, T_min, as positive linear relationships and net nitrogen (N) mineralisation in a negative linear form accounted for 86% of the variance in E. A cross-validation indicated that this model was stable and unbiased, with the validation accounting for 82% of the variance in E. The final path analysis model included T_min, net N mineralisation, below canopy solar radiation and stem slenderness as significant (P < 0.05) direct influences on E. Below canopy radiation, maximum air temperature during mid-summer, soil total phosphorus and carbon:nitrogen ratio were indirectly associated with E through their significant (P < 0.05) direct relationship with stem slenderness.These results provide considerable insight into how environment regulates E of juvenile P. radiata. Low fertility sites that have warm air temperatures and either a high canopy leaf area index, or high levels of woody weed competition, are most likely to produce trees with high stem slenderness and high E. Conversely, sites that are cool over summer and autumn and high in fertility, with low levels of intra- or inter-specific competition for light are likely to produce trees with low stem slenderness and low E.     

安普霉素对仔猪内分泌的调控作用及血液生化指示的影响

采用单因子试验设计 ,28日龄大长北三元杂交断奶仔猪72头随机分为3组 ,研究饲料中添加不同剂量的安普霉素 (0、20、90mg/kg)对仔猪内分泌的调控作用及血液生化指标的影响。试验期为4周。结果表明 :仔猪日粮中添加90mg/kg的安普霉素可促进机体与生长有关的内分泌活动 ,提高内源激素 (生长激素、胰岛素、甲状腺激素T3)水平 (P<0.05),从而促进肌肉蛋白沉积 ;并具有显著降低血液中氨、尿素氮含量和提高血糖水平的作用 (P<0.05) ,表明安普霉素对仔猪具有增加氮沉积 ,促进蛋白质合成、抑制蛋白质分解的作用     

Infection with Menangle virus in flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) in Australia

Objective To examine flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) for evidence of infection with Menangle virus. Design Clustered non‐random sampling for serology, virus isolation and electron microscopy (EM). Procedure Serum samples were collected from 306 Pteropus spp. in northern and eastern Australia and tested for antibodies against Menangle virus (MenV) using a virus neutralisation test (VNT). Virus isolation was attempted from tissues and faeces collected from 215 Pteropus spp. in New South Wales. Faecal samples from 68 individual Pteropus spp. and four pools of faeces were examined by transmission EM following routine negative staining and immunogold labelling. Results Neutralising antibodies (VNT titres ≥ 8) against MenV were detected in 46% of black flying foxes (P. alecto), 41% of grey‐headed flying foxes (P. poliocephalus), 25% of spectacled flying foxes (P. conspicillatus) and 1% of little red flying foxes (P. scapulatus) in Australia. Positive sera included samples collected from P. poliocephalus in a colony adjacent to a piggery that had experienced reproductive disease caused by MenV. Virus‐like particles were observed by EM in faeces from Pteropus spp. and reactivity was detected in pooled faeces and urine by immunogold EM using sera from sows that had been exposed to MenV. Attempts to isolate the virus from the faeces and tissues from Pteropus spp. were unsuccessful. Conclusion Serological evidence of infection with MenV was detected in Pteropus spp. in Australia. Although virus‐like particles were detected in faeces, no viruses were isolated from faeces, urine or tissues of Pteropus spp.     

短期玉米秸秆还田对冷凉地区土壤真菌多样性的影响

在玉米吐丝期,利用传统涂布平板法和高通量测序技术,设置常规秸秆不还田(CK)、秸秆深翻还田(SF)和秸秆旋耕还田(XG)3个处理,研究0~10 cm、10~20 cm和20~30 cm土层真菌群落丰富度、多样性和群落结构变化,揭示冷凉地区玉米秸秆还田真菌群落结构及其差异。结果表明:冷凉地区玉米秸秆还田对土壤真菌多样性的影响较大,秸秆还田土壤中可培养真菌数为SFXGCK;秸秆还田后土壤真菌优势菌群发生变化,CK优势菌为马拉色氏霉菌属、被孢霉属和葡萄孢属,XG优势菌为被孢霉属;XG和SF表层土壤中耐冷酵母菌属和被孢霉属是优势菌;SF处理20~30 cm土层优势菌为葡萄孢属。真菌菌群Alpha多样性、群落组成丰度、RDA(Redundancy analysis)和菌群相似性综合分析可知,SF和XG 0~20 cm土层菌群差异小;SF和XG均能增加10~30 cm土层真菌群落丰度。     

Formalin and footrot in sheep

Changes in formalin concentration were measured over time in uncontaminated solutions and solutions heavily contaminated by mud, faeces, wool or straw. Shallow plastic trays containing 1.11 of a 9% aqueous solution of formalin were exposed for 6 days (trial 1) or 8 days (trial 2) to windy autumn weather. Evaporation of solution volumes was high (47-73%). Concentration generally increased over time: by 13-31% in trial 1 and by 61-162% in trial 2. These figures represent actual increases in percentage formalin of up to 3.0% in trial 1 and up to 7.6% in trial 2. Exposure to mud, sheep faeces or wool did not affect the increase in concentration but there was no increase in the presence of straw. As exposure to excessively concentrated formalin solutions produces hyperaemia, cracking of interdigital skin and lameness in sheep it is recommended that footbath solutions should be diluted to 2-S%, prepared on the day of use and discarded daily whether contaminated or not. Addition of formalin or water to existing solutions of unknown strength should be avoided.     

动态调节人工乳粘稠度和营养成分饲喂无菌大鼠效果研究

根据无菌大鼠乳鼠吮吸乳汁的规律,建立一套新的人工哺乳(AR)无菌乳鼠的方法.设计并配制6种适合不同日龄乳鼠的人工乳(LWF),并测定人工乳主要的营养成分含量和粘稠度等.无菌剖腹产术得到30只无菌乳鼠,采用吮吸法饲喂乳鼠至21日龄断乳,以30只代乳母鼠哺乳(MR)的乳鼠为对照,每日称量乳鼠体重,观察生长发育情况,计算离乳时乳鼠的生存率,检查8对100日龄以上AR无菌大鼠的生育能力.6种人工乳除LWF-6外,其余人工乳的蛋白质、脂肪、糖类、灰分、钙、钾、钠、氯、磷的含量、总能量和pH与大鼠乳相似,但这些人工乳的粘稠度不同.从LWF-1至LWF-5,蛋白质、脂肪、糖类的含量、能量和粘稠度不断增加.虽然AR乳鼠的体重增长不如MR乳鼠(2日龄时,P＜0.05;3日龄时,P＜0.01),但其生长发育正常.AR乳鼠的离乳率为73.3%,MR鼠为100%.8对AR无菌大鼠都有生育力.说明采用动态调节人工乳粘稠度和营养成分含量的方法可以用于饲喂无菌乳鼠,并且存活率较高.     

Neodymium-142 evidence for Hadean mafic crust

Neodymium-142 data for rocks from the Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt in northern Quebec, Canada, show that some rock types have lower 142Nd/144Nd ratios than the terrestrial standard (epsilon142Nd = -0.07 to -0.15). Within a mafic amphibolite unit, 142Nd/144Nd ratios correlate positively with Sm/Nd ratios and produce a 146Sm-142Nd isochron with an age of 4280(-81)(+53) million years. These rocks thus sample incompatible-element-enriched material formed shortly after Earth formation and may represent the oldest preserved crustal section on Earth.     

Support services for students and faculty

Distance learning is hardly a recent phenomenon. The recent growth of distance-education courses and programs, particularly those offered online, has been dramatic. Students enrolled in distance-education courses deserve the same quality and type of services that students taking courses on campus receive. The same is true of faculty teaching distance courses. Developing strong support services for both groups is an evolutionary process. This article discusses support services for both students and faculty involved in the rapidly expanding online distance-education landscape. Models for providing support to students and faculty are described, the development of these services is explained, and examples of support services are provided.