Melting of (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 at the Core-Mantle Boundary of the Earth

The lower mantle of the Earth is believed to be largely composed of (Mg,Fe)O (magnesiowustite) and (Mg,Fe)SiO3 (perovskite). Radiative temperatures of single-crystal olivine [(Mg0.9,Fe0.1)2SiO4] decreased abruptly from 7040 +/- 315 to 4300 +/- 270 kelvin upon shock compression above 80 gigapascals. The data indicate that an upper bound to the solidus of the magnesiowustite and perovskite assemblage at 4300 +/- 270 kelvin is 130 +/- 3 gigapascals. These conditions correspond to those for partial melting at the base of the mantle, as has been suggested occurs within the ultralow-velocity zone beneath the central Pacific.     

Transfer factor: delayed hypersensitivity to Schistosoma mansoni and tuberculin in Macaca mulatta

Delayed hypersensitivity in Macaca mulatta infected with either Schistosoma mansoni or mycobacteria was demonstrated by biopsies of skin test sites. Both dialyzable and nondialyzable leukocyte extracts from infected donors transferred delayed hypersensitivity to recipient monkeys. In two recipients, skin test conversion was associated with in vitro transformation of the recipients' lymphocytes.     

Colonization in the fish intestinal tract and production of inhibitory substances in intestinal mucus and faecal extracts by Carnobacterium sp. strain K1

A non-virulent Carnobacterium sp., designated strain K1, isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., which produced inhibitory substances against bacterial fish pathogens, was examined in vitro for characteristics important for the colonization of the fish gastrointestinal tract and in vivo for persistence in the tract after oral dosing. In vitro growth experiments showed that the cells of this strain were metabolically active in both the intestinal mucus and faeces from salmonids. The production of growth inhibitors against the two common fish pathogens Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas salmonicida by Carnobacterium sp. strain K1 was demonstrated in vitro in mucus and faecal extracts. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the Carnobacterium cells remained viable in the gastrointestinal tract for several days and that no detrimental effect to the fish was observed as a result of the presence of the bacterium.     

An econometric demand model of the U.S. potato market

Summary An annual Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) reduced form econometric model capable of forecasting key price and quantity values was estimated for the U.S. potato market. Conditional forecasts, based on the assumption of certain exogenous variable values, to 1990, suggest that potato net exports and processed consumption will decline, fresh consumption will rise, both processed and fresh stocks will increase, and non-food demand will decrease. Also, both nominal and real prices for processed and fresh potatoes are expected to increase.

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Zusammenfassung Die Kartoffel ist die am h?chsten bewertete Gemüsepflanze in den Vereinigten Staaten, wo ihr Markt durch enorme Ver?nderungen in den letzten drei Dekaden beeinflusst wurde. Das auffallendste Charakteristikum war der gegenl?ufige Trend im pro Kopf-Konsum von frischen und vorverarbeiteten Kartoffeln. Der Frischverbrauch sank von 37,7 kg in 1960 auf 21,7 kg in 1982, w?hrend der Verbrauch vorverarbeiteter Kartoffeln entsprechend von 11,5 auf 29,8 kg anstieg. Eine Erkl?rung hierfür ist die ansteigende Nachfrage nach ‘bequemen’ Lebensmitteln. Der Anstieg des Verbrauchs gefrorener oder anderweitig vorverarbeiteter Kartoffeln ist direkt verbunden mit der Expansion von ‘fast-food’ Ausgabestellen. Diese Abhandlung zeigt ein reduziertes Modellsystem von Gleichungen anhand normaler Mindestquadrate (OLS) zur Vorhersage einiger Schlüsselvariablen für Preise und Mengen für die US-Kartoffelindustrie (Tabelle 1). Unser Modell hat sechs verhaltensbezogene Gleichungen wie auch zwei Gleichungen für Versorgung und Verbrauch. Die erste Gruppe enth?lt Kleinverbrauchs-Preis-Gleichungen und Vorrats-Gleichungen für frische und vorverarbeitete Kartoffeln, eine Gleichung für ‘non-food use’ und eine Netto-Export-Gleichung. Die Vorhersage-Bewertungsstatistiken des Modells (Tabelle 2) zeigen, dass es eng den Preisen innerhalb der Ermittlungsperiode folgt. Der Robustheitstest (ausserhalb der Ermittlung (Tabelle 3)) erwies sich als ausreichend bei gegebenen Begrenzungen der verfügbaren Daten und der tempor?ren Anh?ufung. Die Vorhersageergebnisse für 1983 bis 1990 basieren auf Voraussetzungen von Werten von bestimmten ?usseren Variablen (Tabelle 4). Die Ergebnisse (Tabelle 5) deuten darauf hin, dass Nettoexport und Konsum für vorverarbeitete Ware zurückgehen werden, Frischkonsum ansteigen wird, Vorr?te für vorverarbeitete und frische Ware ansteigen und die ‘non-food’ Nachfrage zurückgehen wird. Es wird ein Anstieg der nominalen und realen Preise für vorverarbeitete und frische Kartoffeln erwartet. Die Datenbasis wird im Anhang gezeigt.

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Résumé La pomme de terre est le légume dont la récolte est économiquement la plus importante aux Etats Unis, où son marché a subit de nombreux changements ces 30 dernières années. Notons notamment les évolutions opposées de la consommation de produits frais et industriels. La consommation de produits frais est passée de 37,7 kg par habitant en 1960 à 21,7 kg en 1982 alors que celle de produits industriels est passée dans la même période de 11,5 kg par habitant à 29,8 kg. Cette évolution peut être expliquée par la demande toujours plus forte pour des produits pratiques; et l'augmentation de la consommation de pomme de terre surgelées ou autres pommes de terre industrielles est liée directement à l'expansion des fast food. Cet article présente les équations de prévisions des principaux prix et quantités de l'industrie de la pomme de terre aux Etats Unis, obtenues par la méthode des moindres carrés. Notre modèle comporte 6 équations de prévision du comportement et 2 équations qui relient demande et utilisation. Les premières sont des équations concernant les prix de détail des pommes de terre fraiches ou industrielles, les stocks de ces mêmes pommes de terre, l'utilisation non alimentaire et l'exportation. Les tests statistiques de la prévision du modèle montrent une corrélation étroite entre prix et quantité durant la période étudiée. Les tests de robustesse en dehors de cette période donnent satisfaction, vues les limites dues aux données disponibles. Les prévisions de 1983 à 1990 sont basées sur des hypothèses faites sur les variables exogènes. Elle suggèrent que les exportations et la consommation de produits industriels vont diminuer, la consommation de produits frais va augmenter, les stocks de produits frais et industriels vont grossir et la demande non alimentaire va diminuer. Les prix des produits frais et industriels vont augmenter. (Les données de base sont visibles en annexe).

     

Kinetics of Viral Load and Erythrocytic Inclusion Body Formation in Pacific Herring Artificially Infected with Erythrocytic Necrosis Virus

Abstract

Viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN) is a condition that affects marine and anadromous fish species, including herrings and salmonids, in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Infection is frequently associated with severe anemia and causes episodic mortality among wild and hatchery fish when accompanied by additional stressors; VEN can be presumptively diagnosed by (1) light microscopic identification of a single characteristic—a round, magenta-colored, 0.8-μm-diameter inclusion body (IB) within the cytoplasm of erythrocytes and their precursors on Giemsa-stained blood films; or (2) observation (via transmission electron microscopy [TEM]) of the causative iridovirus, erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV), within erythrocytes or their precursors. To better understand the kinetics of VEN, specific-pathogen-free Pacific herring Clupea pallasii were infected with ENV by intraperitoneal injection. At 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 d postexposure, samples of blood, spleen, and kidney were collected and assessed (1) via light microscopy for the number of intracytoplasmic IBs in blood smears and (2) via TEM for the number of virions within erythrocytes. The mean prevalence of intracytoplasmic IBs in the blood cells increased from 0% at 0–4 d postexposure to 94% at 28 d postexposure. Viral load within circulating red blood cells peaked at 7 d postexposure, fell slightly, and then reached a plateau. However, blood cells observed within the kidney and spleen tissues demonstrated high levels of ENV between 14 and 28 d postexposure. The results indicate that the viral load within erythrocytes does not correlate well with IB prevalence and that the virus can persist in infected fish for more than 28 d.

Received September 7, 2011; accepted March 8, 2012     

Components of electroencephalographic responses to slaughter in halothane-anaesthetised calves: Effects of cutting neck tissues compared with major blood vessels

AIM: To identify whether cutting neck tissues or cutting major blood vessels initiates the mechanisms responsible for electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to slaughter by ventral-neck incision without prior stunning in halothane-anaesthetised calves.

METHODS: Calves were assigned to two groups, viz transection of neck tissues with intact blood circulation through the brain (n=10), or transection of the major blood vessels of the neck but not most other neck tissues (n=7). They were minimally anaesthetised with halothane, using an established anaesthesia protocol. The animals in the neck-tissue transection group had their carotid arteries and jugular veins exposed and cannulated proximal and distal to the proposed site of subsequent ventral-neck incision; this diverted blood fl ow through these vessels so that cerebral perfusion and drainage were preserved. In animals in the blood-vessel transection group, the carotid arteries and jugular veins were exposed bilaterally by surgical dissection. They were then transected without further damage to the remaining structures of the neck. Changes in the median frequency (F50), 95% spectral edge frequency (F95), total power of the EEG (Ptot), and arterial blood pressure were compared within each group before and after neck-tissue or blood-vessel transection, and between groups following treatments.

RESULTS: Neck-tissue transection resulted in little overall change in the F50, an increase in the F95, and an initial increase in Ptot followed by a transient decrease and eventual return to pre-treatment values. There was between-animal variation in these EEG parameters. Transection of the major blood vessels of the neck resulted in a decrease in F50 in most animals; changes in F95 were highly variable, and there was a decrease in Ptot.

CONCLUSIONS: The EEG responses seen following necktissue and blood-vessel transection were qualitatively distinct, and suggested that cutting neck tissues caused greater noxious sensory input than transection of only the major blood vessels of the neck. These observations support the conclusion that the EEG responses seen after ventral-neck incision in intact animals are primarily due to noxious stimulation as a result of incision of ventral-neck tissues and not mainly as a result of loss of blood flow through the brain.     

Blood metabolites and body temperature of single calves between 1 and 4 days of age in a dairy herd in New Zealand

AIM: Using specified indices, to determine the nutritional and thermal status of calves between 1 and 4 days of age.

METHODS: After birth, calves (n=106) were collected daily, according to farm practice. Over the following 4 days a jugular blood sample and rectal temperature were taken twice daily before feeding. Plasma concentrations of glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate and urea, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities were determined. The significance of differences in plasma composition and rectal temperature between calves whose birth had been assisted or unassisted, and between calves with low and high plasma GGT activities 24 h after birth, was determined using repeated measures analysis of varianc

RESULTS: There were no marked differences in plasma metabolite levels or body temperature of assisted and unassisted calves. Calves that had high plasma GGT activities 24 h after birth had higher plasma glucose concentrations over the 4 days than calves that had low plasma GGT activities (p<0.001). Overall, compared to published data on poorly-fed and hypothermic calves, calves in this study were normoglycaemic, their plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate and urea concentrations were low and their rectal temperatures were normal, indicating that they were well fed and did not become hypothermic.

CONCLUSIONS: The nutritional and thermal status of at least 90% of the calves was compatible with good health and survival during the first 4 days after birth.     

Seminoma in a southern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor): diagnosis, surgical management and effect on fertility

A testicular mass was identified by ultrasonography performed during a routine reproductive evaluation of an adult male southern black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis minor ). Histological examination of a testicular biopsy supported a presumptive diagnosis of testicular neoplasia. Hemi-castration was performed to excise the affected testis and a pathological diagnosis of a seminoma was made. Assessment of semen suggested reduced fertility as a consequence of the neoplastic process, but hemi-castration prevented further growth and metastasis of the tumour and ensured the animal's breeding potential. This is the second documented case of a seminoma in a rhinoceros species and the first case in a black rhinoceros.