The unusual nature of recent snowpack declines in the North American cordillera

In western North America, snowpack has declined in recent decades, and further losses are projected through the 21st century. Here, we evaluate the uniqueness of recent declines using snowpack reconstructions from 66 tree-ring chronologies in key runoff-generating areas of the Colorado, Columbia, and Missouri River drainages. Over the past millennium, late 20th century snowpack reductions are almost unprecedented in magnitude across the northern Rocky Mountains and in their north-south synchrony across the cordillera. Both the snowpack declines and their synchrony result from unparalleled springtime warming that is due to positive reinforcement of the anthropogenic warming by decadal variability. The increasing role of warming on large-scale snowpack variability and trends foreshadows fundamental impacts on streamflow and water supplies across the western United States.     

Evaluation of a regimen using a progesterone releasing intravaginal device (CIDR) and PMSG as a treatment for post partum anoestrus in dairy cattle

Anoestrous dairy cows in seasonally calving herds in the Macalister Irrigation District of Gippsland, Victoria were treated at the start of the mating period with a progesterone releasing intravaginal device (CIDR). The CIDR was inserted for 7 days and 400 IU of PMSG was injected intramuscularly at removal. There was no clinically useful difference among cows receiving the CIDR, a placebo and untreated cows in the interval from treatment to either first oestrus or conception, the conception rate to first service or percent pregnant by the end of mating. Analyses of data from 2-year-old cows, older cattle, cows calved at least 45 days or cows calved at least 55 days and cows treated 3 weeks after the start of mating did not show improved reproductive performance following treatment with the CIDR.     

Effect of Anticoagulants and Sampling Time on Results of Progesterone Determination in Canine Blood Samples

The concentration of plasma progesterone was measured by ELISA, in serum and samples prepared with three different anticoagulant agents – namely ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), heparine and sodium fluoride oxalate potassium(NaFK). Forty clinically healthy bitches were selected based on the signs of pro‐oestrus or oestrus. Values of progesterone concentration were significantly higher in serum than in EDTA‐plasma (p < 0.0005); heparin‐plasma (p < 0.05) and NaFK‐plasma (p < 0.005). During pro‐oestrus and oestrus until the time of ovulation, progesterone exhibited a conspicuous and statistically verified diurnal pattern (p < 0.05), its serum concentration being higher during 6.00–7.00 p.m. than 8.00–9.00 a.m. By the time of ovulation tendency of higher p.m. progesterone level reverses and from this point on the a.m. progesterone concentration is higher. The results of these experiments indicate that the concentration of canine progesterone assayed with ELISA may be affected by the time of collection and the method of preservation used.     

The survival of platypus in captivity: a reappraisal with recommendations for veterinary management and future research

SUMMARY: Data are presented on the duration of survival of platypus held in the collections of the 5 Australian zoos displaying the species over the period 1987–1991. Of 10 living platypus, five had survived for 7 or more years. Similarly, of 10 captive animals that died during the period, six had survived for 6 or more years. Five purpose-caught animals were integrated into captive collections over the period; all of these were alive at the end of 1991. The high survival of captive platypus documented in this study contrasts with the conclusion of Whittington (1991) that the duration of survival of platypus in captivity is generally short. This primarily reflects differences in the nature of the two sets of data: Whittington's analysis was based on incomplete records dating back to 1934, and also categorised as managed in captivity those wild platypus that died at zoos while under veterinary care. A series of recommendations on current captive management issues includes the need for improved veterinary knowledge of platypus.     

Diarrhoea in Merino ewes during winter: association with trichostrongylid larvae

SUMMARY A study on 3 farms, each having a preventive strategy for the control of nematode infections, determined the risk factors associated with diarrhoea among Merino ewes in winter. Comparisons were made among groups of mated and unmated ewes with and without treatment with controlled-release capsules containing albendazole. Diarrhoea was assessed from the accumulations of faeces around the breech (dag score) and related to worm egg counts, total worm counts and histopathological findings. The overall prevalence of severe dag in ewes not treated with a capsule was 26% (221/844). In comparison, only 2.7% of treated ewes had severe dag. The adjusted odds ratio on each farm indicated that untreated ewes were between 12 and 16 times more likely to be affected with severe dag than ewes treated with a capsule. The effect of lactation was significant on only one farm whereas initial body weight had no significant effect. There was no significant association between worm egg counts and the occurrence of severe dag. There were significantly more eosinophils in the small intestine of ewes affected with severe dag compared with unaffected ewes. There were no significant differences in mast cell and globule leucocyte numbers between affected and unaffected ewes. This study provides strong evidence that the main cause of diarrhoea among Merino ewes grazing winter and early spring pastures is the ingestion of trichostrongylid larvae even by sheep that have a well-developed protective immune response to these parasites. New strategies for the control of nematode infections are needed to prevent diarrhoea and dag formation in adult sheep.     

Evaluation of routine depopulation, cleaning, and disinfection procedures in the live bird markets, New York

During the past years surveillance for avian influenza has been conducted in the live bird markets (LBMs) in New York as well as other states along the east coast. Repeated attempts to eradicate H5 and H7 influenza from the New York markets have focused efforts on the LBMs themselves. Despite repeated mandatory market closures accompanied by cleaning and disinfecting (C/D) procedures, avian influenza virus continued to be isolated. In an effort to assess the adequacy of the C/D procedure, samples were collected in temporal proximity to the depopulation and C/D. Comparison of the pre-C/D (83% virus positive), at C/D approval (1.6% positive) and post-C/D testing (33% positive) indicate that the current procedures of C/D can be effective at eliminating these influenza viruses. However, reinfection via introduction of influenza-virus-positive birds can occur shortly after the market reopens.     

Magnetoelectronics

An approach to electronics is emerging that is based on the up or down spin of the carriers rather than on electrons or holes as in traditional semiconductor electronics. The physical basis for the observed effects is presented, and the initial successful applications of this technology for information storage are reviewed. Additional opportunities for the exploitation of this technology, which are currently under study, are described.     

Characterization of Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) Germplasm by Transferred SSRs from Wheat, Maize and Sorghum

One hundred and thirty SSR markers from wheat, maize and sorghum were screened for the transferability to Paspalum. The transfer rate was 67.5, 49.0 and 66.8% respectively. This would be a very efficient approach for DNA marker development for species which are not well studied molecularly. The polymorphism level for transferred SSR markers was 51.5% within species (Paspalum vaginatum) and 87.1% among Paspalum species. The high level of polymorphism is directly related to the high degree of heterozygosity maintained by its way of reproduction, i.e. self-incompatibility. Forty transferred polymorphic SSR markers were selected and used for characterization and evaluation of seventy-three Paspalum accessions. In total, 209 polymorphic bands were detected from these 40 SSR markers, with an average of five polymorphic bands per marker. The Paspalum accessions clustered into three major groups. Two very similar dendrograms can be generated from either 109 or 209 polymorphic bands. This led us to determine that 18 of the transferred SSR markers were sufficient for genetically differentiating the investigated germplasm accessions. The number of SSR markers required for germplasm characterization and evaluation is discussed. This is the first report of the transfer of SSR markers from major field crops to newly emerged environmental turfgrasses.