Dietary overlap and selectivity among silver carp and two native filter feeders in the Wabash River

Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) are a potential threat to native filter feeders and larval fish due to dietary overlap. To test for dietary overlap and selectivity, we collected diet samples from invasive silver carp and two native filter feeders (gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum and bigmouth buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus), and river plankton samples at three sites on the Wabash River during the spring and summer of 2015. Contents of diet items were identified to major group and quantified. Diet proportions were compared among seasons, sites and species. Diet selectivity was calculated using the Manly–Chesson diet selectivity index. The results of our diet analysis showed that silver carp had significantly dissimilar diets among seasons and displayed dietary overlap with native fishes. We did not find a significant difference among sample sites. While silver carp diets overlapped with native fishes, the impact of this possible source of competition requires further study to confirm impacts on native fish abundances and body conditions.     

Pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin in Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) following intravenous and intramuscular administration at two dosage rates

Limited pharmacokinetic information to establish suitable therapeutic plans is available for green sea turtles. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of marbofloxacin (MBF) in the green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas, following single intravenous (i.v.) or intramuscular (i.m.) administration at two dosages of 2 and 4 mg/kg body weight (b.w.). Blood samples were collected at assigned times up to 168 hr. MBF in plasma was extracted using liquid–liquid extraction and analyzed by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). MBF was quantifiable from 15 min to 96 hr after i.v. and i.m. administrations at two dose rates. A noncompartmental model was used to fit the plasma concentration of MBF versus time curve for each green sea turtle. The t_1/2λz value, similar for both the dosages (22–28 hr), indicated that the overall rate of elimination of MBF in green sea turtles is relatively slow. The average i.m. F% ranged 88%–103%. MBF is a concentration-dependent drug and the AUC/MIC ratio is the best PK/PD predictor for its efficacy. The MBF dosage of 4 mg/kg appeared to produce an appropriate value of the PK-PD surrogate that predicts antibacterial success for disease caused by susceptible bacteria. In contrast, i.m. administration of MBF at a dosage of 2 mg/kg b.w. was not found to produce a suitable PK-PD surrogate index. However, further studies of multiple doses and plasma binding proteins are warranted to confirm an appropriate dosage regimen.     

A global rheological model of wood cantilever as applied to wood drying

In the process of wood drying inevitable stresses are induced. This often leads to checking and undesired deformations that may greatly affect the quality of the dried product. The purpose of this study was to propose a new rheological model representation capable to predict the evolution of stresses and deformations in wood cantilever as applied to wood drying. The rheological model considers wood shrinkage, instantaneous stress–strain relationships, time induced creep, and mechano-sorptive creep. The constitutive law is based on an elasto–viscoplastic model that takes into account the moisture content gradient in wood, the effect of external load, and a threshold viscoplastic (permanent) strain which is dependent on stress level and time. The model was implemented into a numerical program that computes stresses and strains of wood cantilever under constant load for various moisture content conditions. The results indicate that linear and nonlinear creep behavior of wood cantilever under various load levels can be simulated using only one Kelvin element model in combination with a threshold-type viscoplastic element. The proposed rheological model was first developed for the identification of model parameters from cantilever creep tests, but it can be easily used to simulate drying stresses of a piece of wood subjected to no external load. It can therefore predict the stress reversal phenomenon, residual stresses and maximum stress through thickness during a typical drying process.     

Vibrational properties of wetwood of todomatsu (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies sachalinensis</Emphasis>) at high temperature

The object of this study was to understand precisely the drying characteristics of wetwood of todomatsu (Abies sachalinensis Mast.). For this purpose, the vibrational properties of wetwood of todomatsu at high temperature were compared with those of normal parts that had lower green moisture content than the wetwood. Specimens were cut respectively from the wetwood and normal parts, and matched in the radial direction. The specimens and the measuring systems were placed in an electric drying oven and free-free vibration tests were conducted in the oven under absolutely dry conditions. The wetwood and the normal parts were tested separately. The temperature was raised from room temperature to 200°C and then lowered to 50°C in steps of 25°C. The specific Young’s modulus decreased with an increase in temperature during the heating process while it increased with the decreasing temperature during the cooling process. There was no significant difference in the specific Young’s modulus between the wetwood and the normal part at all tested temperatures. The loss tangent took a minimum value at about 100°C in both the heating and cooling processes. There was no significant difference in the loss tangent between the wetwood and the normal part. Thus, the elastic and viscoelastic behaviors of the wetwood appear to be similar to those of the normal part in the temperature range of an actual kiln-drying process.     

Reinvigoration of Pinus radiata is associated with partial recovery of juvenile-like polyamine concentrations

Polyamine concentrations in consecutive radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) grafts of 30-year-old trees on 1-year-old seedling rootstocks were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection to determine whether reinvigoration is associated with the recovery of polyamine concentrations typical of those in juvenile tissues. Reinvigoration of radiata pine was correlated with the attainment of some, but not all, polyamines characteristic of juvenile trees. In response to reinvigoration, free putrescine, the ratio of free polyamines to low molecular weight polyamine conjugates, and the relative content of putrescine versus spermidine plus spermine increased to values approaching those characteristic of juvenile tissue. In contrast, there was no noticeable change in the concentrations of low molecular weight polyamine conjugates during reinvigoration even though these conjugates increased greatly during tree maturation. We conclude that certain polyamines defined as reinvigoration markers can be used in forestry upgrading programs to assess the morphogenic ability of reinvigorated trees.     

Shear behaviour of bond lines in glued laminated timber beams at high temperatures

A comprehensive research project has been carried out at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) on the fire behaviour of timber-concrete composite slabs (Frangi and Fontana 2000). The glued laminated timber beams used for the fire tests were bonded with a one-component polyurethane (1-K-PUR) adhesive. As one fire test on a slab showed an unexpected shear failure of a glued laminated timber beam, a series of tests was carried out to study the shear behaviour of different types of adhesives at high temperatures. The first part of the paper describes the results of the shear tests at elevated temperatures, in the second part the shear test results are compared to the fire test on a slab.     

Young’s modulus obtained by flexural vibration test of a wooden beam with inhomogeneity of density

The object of this study was to investigate the inhomogeneity of density within a beam from a relationship between the dynamic Young’s moduli from the Euler-Bernoulli elementary theory of bending (E _n) and resonance mode numbers (n), which is plotted as the “E-n” diagram in this article. Rectangular beams with dimensions of 300 (L) × 25 (R) × 5mm (T) of Sakhalin spruce (Picea glehnii Mast.), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carr.), Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora Zieb. et Zucc.) and white oak (Cyclobalanopsis myrsinaefolia Oerst.) were used for specimens. Small parts of beams were replaced with a small portion of another species to examine the influence of the inhomogeneity of density on E _n. A free-free flexural vibration test was undertaken and E _n was calculated by the Euler-Bernoulli theory. The resonance frequency of a specimen with inhomogeneity of density was simulated by modal analysis. The density distribution in the longitudinal direction of the specimen for which E _n did not decrease monotonically with n was obtained. From the modal analysis, the inhomogeneity of density was equivalent to a concentrated mass attached to a uniform beam. The pattern of the E-n diagram was changed by replacing a part of the specimen with another species. Specimens for which E _n did not decrease monotonically with n had a high density part because of indented rings, knots, or resin.