Deformation and slip along the Sunda megathrust in the great 2005 Nias-Simeulue earthquake

Seismic rupture produced spectacular tectonic deformation above a 400-kilometer strip of the Sunda megathrust, offshore northern Sumatra, in March 2005. Measurements from coral microatolls and Global Positioning System stations reveal trench-parallel belts of uplift up to 3 meters high on the outer-arc islands above the rupture and a 1-meter-deep subsidence trough farther from the trench. Surface deformation reflects more than 11 meters of fault slip under the islands and a pronounced lessening of slip trenchward. A saddle in megathrust slip separates the northwestern edge of the 2005 rupture from the great 2004 Sumatra-Andaman rupture. The southeastern edge abuts a predominantly aseismic section of the megathrust near the equator.     

Retrospective analysis of survey data relating to the employment conditions of Canadian veterinary graduates for the years 2008 to 2013

Six years of survey data generated from the “Annual New Graduate Survey” were collated and analyzed for trends. Canadian veterinary colleges graduated 14.9% more veterinarians in 2013 than 2008; 79.3% of graduates were female and this percentage was similar across all colleges (P = 0.51). The average base salary for new graduates remained constant at ~$69 000/annum for the years 2011 to 2013. However, the mean base salary of those employed in western Canada and Ontario was higher than that of employees in Quebec and the Maritimes (P < 0.001). There were no differences in the base salaries paid to males and females (P = 0.18) nor in what small animal, food animal, and equine practices were paying new graduates (P = 0.94). The 3 most common employee benefits were: a continuing education allowance, paid licensing fees, and paid malpractice insurance premiums.     

Rates of formation of cis- and trans-oak lactone from 3-methyl-4-hydroxyoctanoic acid

The rates of formation of both cis- and trans-oak lactone from the corresponding isomers of 3-methyl-4-hydroxyoctanoic acid have been measured in model wine at room temperature for a range of pH values. The half-life for formation of the trans-isomer at pH 2.9 was calculated to be 3.1 h, whereas that for the cis-isomer, at the same pH, was calculated to be 40.5 h. The k(trans)/k(cis) ratio in model wine was found to 12.86 +/- 1.34 over the range of pH values employed. A reason for the more facile formation of the trans-isomer, based on conformational reasons, has been proposed. In acidic aqueous media the equilibrium between the oak lactones and their corresponding ring-opened analogues was found to favor the former entirely, with no evidence for the latter being found. Implications of the present study for the future analysis of oak samples, as well as for the interpretation of existing data, are discussed.     

Influence of emulsifying component composition on creams formulated with fractionated milkfat

Dairy systems formulated with fractionated milkfat and milk-derived components have compositional differences that may affect functionality and nutritional aspects as compared to natural dairy products. The composition of 20% milkfat creams formulated with emulsifying components (skim milk, sweet buttermilk, and butter-derived aqueous phase) and low- or medium-melt fractionated butteroil was compared with natural cream. Cream separation temperatures (49 and 55 degrees C) and processing conditions (commercial and pilot plant) in obtaining emulsifying components were examined for effect on content of surface active agents. Individual fatty acids, lipids, cholesterol, phospholipids, protein levels, and types varied with components. Separation temperature influenced the cholesterol level in the aqueous phase. A commercially produced aqueous phase contained less total lipid, protein, cholesterol, and phospholipid than aqueous phase obtained in the pilot plant. Milkfat globule membrane concentration of emulsifying components affected phospholipid and cholesterol content of formulated creams. Butteroil type affected cholesterol levels and cream formulations.     

Economic reasons for conserving wild nature

On the eve of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, it is timely to assess progress over the 10 years since its predecessor in Rio de Janeiro. Loss and degradation of remaining natural habitats has continued largely unabated. However, evidence has been accumulating that such systems generate marked economic benefits, which the available data suggest exceed those obtained from continued habitat conversion. We estimate that the overall benefit:cost ratio of an effective global program for the conservation of remaining wild nature is at least 100:1.     

Effects of alternative lamb production systems, terminal sire breed, and maternal line on ewe productivity and its components.

The 4 yr productivity of 25% (QF; n = 533) and 50% (HF; n = 531) Finnsheep ewes exposed to either Suffolk or Columbia rams in one of three production systems was monitored to test the effects of system, terminal sire breed, maternal line, and their interactions on annual market lamb production. Ewe lambs and yearlings were randomly assigned to either a high-input accelerated lambing system (HIGH), a high-input annual system (MED), or a low-input annual system (LOW). Nursery facilities were available for weak lambs or those born in triplet or more births for the HIGH and MED but not for the LOW systems. Accelerated lambing protocol required early weaning. Sex-adjusted lamb weaning weights were corrected to within-system mean ages of 42 d for HIGH and 70 d for MED and LOW. The HIGH ewes weaned 1.55 lambs per year compared with 1.46 for MED and 1.18 for LOW (P less than .01). However, because of early weaning, HIGH yielded the lowest weight of weaned lamb per year. The MED ewes weaned 5.9 and 11.1 more kilograms of lamb per year than the LOW and HIGH ewes, respectively (P less than .01). The HIGH system may be economically feasible if young lambs could be inexpensively grown to feeder or market lamb weight. The HIGH ewes did not, however, increase lamb numbers in proportion to increased exposures compared with the annual systems. Breed-group effects for ewe productivity (kilogram of lamb weaned per ewe per year) were consistent across management systems, although some interactions among breed group and system were present for components of productivity. Suffolk rams yielded an advantage of 1.6 kg of weaned lamb per exposure over Columbia rams (P less than .05) due to a 3% better lamb survival (P less than .01) and heavier weaning weight, especially in the LOW system. The HF ewes weaned .1 more lambs per exposure than QF ewes (P less than .01); .06 of the lambs were nursery-reared. However, lambs from HF ewes had a 2% lower survival rate (P less than .05) and were 1.4 kg lighter at weaning (P less than .01), so overall productivity among HF and QF ewes was similar.