Synchronizing rock clocks of Earth history

Calibration of the geological time scale is achieved by independent radioisotopic and astronomical dating, but these techniques yield discrepancies of approximately 1.0% or more, limiting our ability to reconstruct Earth history. To overcome this fundamental setback, we compared astronomical and 40Ar/39Ar ages of tephras in marine deposits in Morocco to calibrate the age of Fish Canyon sanidine, the most widely used standard in 40Ar/39Ar geochronology. This calibration results in a more precise older age of 28.201 +/- 0.046 million years ago (Ma) and reduces the 40Ar/39Ar method's absolute uncertainty from approximately 2.5 to 0.25%. In addition, this calibration provides tight constraints for the astronomical tuning of pre-Neogene successions, resulting in a mutually consistent age of approximately 65.95 Ma for the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary.     

Artificial neural network models of the rumen fermentation pattern in dairy cattle

The objectives of this study were: (1) to predict the rumen fermentation pattern from milk fatty acids using a machine learning technique, i.e. artificial neural networks (ANN) combined with feature selection and (2) to compare the prediction accuracy of the resulting model to that of a statistical multi-linear regression model, based on odd and branched chain milk fatty acids. Data were collected from 10 experiments with rumen fistulated dairy cows, resulting in a dataset of 138 observations. Feature selection was based on correlation and principal component analysis, and background physiological knowledge. Different ANN architectures and training algorithms were assessed. The evaluation of the model performance, based on the test dataset, showed a root mean square prediction error, expressed relative to the observed mean, of 2.65%, 7.67% and 7.61% of the observed mean for acetate, propionate and butyrate, respectively. Compared to a multi-linear regression model, the ANN revealed not to perform significantly better. However, the results confirm that milk fatty acids have great potential to predict molar proportions of individual volatile fatty acids in the rumen.     

Multi-phase cross-correlation method for motion estimation of fertiliser granules during centrifugal spreading

Excessive fertiliser use has been a main contributor to the increasing environmental imbalance observed in the past 20 years. Better accuracy in spreading would limit excess fertiliser loss into the environment. Increased accuracy begins by understanding the fertiliser spreading process from the vane to the soil. Our work concentrates on the use of centrifugal spreaders, as these are most commonly used in Europe. Progress in imaging devices and image processing has resulted in the availability of new technologies to use when describing the behaviour of fertiliser granules during ejection from centrifugal spreaders. Fertiliser deposition on the soil can be predicted using a ballistic flight model, but this requires determination of the velocities and the directions of the granules when they leave the spinning disc. This paper presents improvements to the high speed imaging system that we had previously developed, i.e. enhancements to the illumination and the image processing. The illumination of the previous system, which used many separate flashes, did not give consistent illumination. We have improved it by using a stroboscope with power-LEDs, located at 1 m height around the digital camera and controlled by a Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) card. The image processing has been improved by development of a multi-phase method based on a cross-correlation algorithm. We have compared the cross-correlation method to the Markov Random Fields (MRF) method previously implemented. These tests, based on multi-exposure images, revealed that cross-correlation method gives more accurate results than the MRF technique, with guaranteed sub-pixel accuracy. Knowing that an error of one pixel can lead to a prediction error between 200 and 500 mm on the ground, the latter method gives an accuracy range between 0.1 and 0.4 pixels, whereas the MRFs technique is limited to 3 and 9 pixels for the vertical and horizontal components of the velocities, respectively. The sub-pixel accuracy of the new method was proven by applying it on simulated images with known displacements between the grains. By using a realistic spreading model, the simulated images are similar to those obtained with a high speed imaging system. This sub-pixel accuracy now makes it possible to decrease the resolution of the camera to that of a classical high-speed camera. These improvements have created an affordable and durable system appropriate for installation on a spreader. Farmers could use this system to both calibrate the spreader and verify the fertiliser distribution on the ground.     

虾青素纳米粒的制备及性能研究

为提高虾青素的稳定性,采用超声的方法将卵磷脂和壳聚糖在水相溶液中自聚集形成散性的纳米粒。对影响纳米粒的制备与性质的因素进行分析,发现在卵磷脂/壳聚糖比例为5∶1到20∶1(w/w)条件下,超声15 min可形成稳定的纳米包载体系。粒径范围在137.51~139.46 nm之间且带有正电荷,粒径分布均匀。在电镜下观察为不规则的球状。制备得到虾青素纳米粒的包封率和包载量为51.02%和10.34%。虾青素纳米载体在pH 1.2、pH 6.8和pH 7.4的条件下,72h内释放约66.97%、30.34%和28.19%,具有较好的控制缓慢释放的作用。可见,壳聚糖/卵磷脂纳米载体是理想的虾青素功能食品载体。     

Creatine phosphokinase in thyroid: isoenzyme composition compared with other tissues

Considerable creatine phosphokinase activity was demonstrated in thyroid glands of several species. After starch gel electrophoresis, thyroid exhibited a creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme pattern different from that of muscle, heart, and brain. The isoenzyme repertory of various tissues and a hybrid enzyme produced from muscle and brain enzyme are consistent with the postulated dimeric structure of creatine phosphokinase.     

Diisopropylphosphorofluoridate and Tabun: enzymatic hydrolysis and nerve function

Squid nerve contains an enzyme that hydrolyzes the nerve gas Tabun at about one-tenth the rate it hydrolyzes diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), and at about one-third to one-fourth the rate it hydrolyzes Sarin and Soman. Tabun is a more potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase than is DFP, is both lipid-and water-soluble, and penetrates readily into the squid giant axon in its inhibitory form. The failure of Tabun to block or markedly decrease the conducted action potential in the squid axon makes it likely that the blocking of conduction caused by DFP is probably not due to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. Sub-strate specificity with regard to organophosphate metabolism by squid enzyme has possible implications for the disposal and detoxication of nerve gases in the ocean.     

印楝素与三种杀虫剂对小菜蛾的联合毒力作用

采用浸叶浸虫法,测定了印楝素与三种杀虫剂对小菜蛾的室内联合毒力作用,并筛选出了药剂的最佳复配比例。结果表明,印楝素：阿维菌素为2．3：1,共毒系数(CTC)为141．14,增效作用最为显著;印楝素：Bt为1：1,共毒系数为136．74;而印楝素与高效氯氰菊酯混配对小菜蛾表现为相加作用。     

中草药验方对乏情母猪繁殖性能的影响

试验选择由卵巢机能失调、子宫炎、阴道炎为主要原因引起的乏情母猪,通过中草药制剂和西药促性腺激素进行催情治疗的效果比较。证实了中草药验方对乏情母猪具有较好的提高繁殖性能的作用。     

白藜芦醇对骨髓损伤的修复作用

目的探讨白藜芦醇对辐射导致小鼠骨髓损伤的修复作用。方法 80只小鼠随机分为正常组、模型组、实验组和对照组,每组20只。除正常组外,其余各组以辐射造成小鼠骨髓型急性损伤模型;实验组和对照组分别腹腔注射白藜芦醇100mg/kg和甲基强的松龙100mg/kg,正常组和模型组则腹腔注射等量生理盐水,连续治疗7d,检测小鼠外周血白细胞、骨髓单个核细胞以及骨髓CD34＋细胞数。结果给药后实验组的白细胞计数、骨髓单个核细胞数和CD34＋细胞百分率与给药前比较差异均有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,且均高于同一时间点的模型组（P〈0.05）。实验组各时间点的白细胞数、骨髓单个核细胞数和CD34＋细胞百分率与对照组比较差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论白藜芦醇可增加放射损伤小鼠白细胞、骨髓单个核细胞和CD34＋细胞的数目,加快骨髓造血功能的恢复。     

The effect of breed,sex, and oral meloxicam administration on pain biomarkers following hot-iron branding in Hereford and Angus calves

Hot-iron branding uses thermal injury to permanently identify cattle causing painful tissue damage. The primary objective was to examine the physiological and behavioral effects of oral meloxicam (MEL), compared to a control, administered at the time of hot-iron branding in Angus and Hereford steers and heifers. The secondary objectives were to investigate breed and sex effects on pain biomarkers. A total of 70 yearlings, consisting of 35 heifers and 35 steers (Angus, Hereford, or Angus × Hereford), were enrolled in the study. Animals were blocked by sex, randomized across weight, and assigned to receive MEL (1 mg/kg) or a placebo (CON). Biomarkers were assessed for 48 h after branding and included infrared thermography (IRT), mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT), accelerometry and a visual analog scale (VAS), and serum cortisol and prostaglandin E₂ metabolites (PGEM). Wound healing was assessed for 12 wk. Hair samples to quantify cortisol levels were taken prior to and 30 d post-branding. Responses were analyzed using repeated measures with calf nested in treatment as a random effect, and treatment, time, treatment by time interaction, breed, and sex as fixed effects. There was a treatment by time interaction for PGEM (P < 0.01) with MEL having lower values than CON at 6, 24, and 48 h (MEL: 18.34 ± 3.52, 19.61 ± 3.48, and 22.24 ± 3.48 pg/mL, respectively; CON: 32.57 ± 3.58, 37.00 ± 3.52, and 33.07 ± 3.48 pg/mL; P < 0.01). MEL showed less of a difference in maximum IRT values between the branded (2.27 ± 0.29 °C) and control site (3.15 ± 0.29 °C; P < 0.01). MEL took fewer lying bouts at 0–12 h (4.91 bouts ± 0.56) compared with CON (6.87 bouts ± 0.55; P < 0.01). Compared with Hereford calves, Angus calves exhibited greater serum but lower hair cortisol, greater PGEM, more lying bouts, and less healed wound scores at 3, 4, and 5 wk. Compared with heifers, steers exhibited lower PGEM, lower branding site and ocular IRT, higher MNT, and lower plasma meloxicam levels. Steers spent more time lying, took more lying bouts and had greater VAS pain, and more healed wound scores at 5 wk than heifers. Meloxicam administration at branding reduced branding and control site temperature differences and reduced lying bouts for the first 12 h. Breed and sex effects were observed across many biomarkers. Changes from baseline values for IRT, MNT, lying time, step count, VAS pain, and wound scoring all support that branding cattle is painful.