Characterisation of plasma acute phase protein concentrations in a high health boar herd

Acute phase proteins (APP) are used as markers of inflammation and sub-clinical disease and are considered potential biomarkers for pig health and welfare. However, reference ranges for their baseline concentrations are necessary before their use can be considered in routine herd health. In this study, C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), pig-major acute-phase protein (Pig-MAP) and transthyretin (TTR) baseline concentrations were determined in boars from a high health commercial herd and differences between seven commercial breeding lines within the herd were investigated. Reference ranges of 3.6-183 mg/L for CRP, 0.01-1.31 g/L for Hp, 0.32-2.9 g/L for Pig-MAP and 174-610 mg/L for TTR were found. Correlations were determined between Hp and CRP, Hp and Pig-MAP and CRP and Pig-MAP. Additionally, significant differences were found among the concentrations of CRP, Pig-MAP and TTR in seven commercial breeding lines.     

Atmospheric concentrations and sources of trace metals at the South pole

The chemical composition of atmospheric particulate material collected at the geographic South Pole indicates that Al, Sc, Th, Sm, V, Mn, Eu, Fe, La, Ce, Co, Cr, Na, K, Mg, and Ca are derived from either crustal weathering or the ocean. The relatively volatile elements Zn, Cu, Sb, Se, Pb, and Br are apparently derived from other sources. Because of their volatility, vapor-phase condensation or a high-temperature dispersion source is suspected for these elements or their compounds.     

Differential expression of insulin‐like growth factor family members in immature cumulus–oocyte complexes from dairy cows with different genotypes

It has been evident the improvement of in vitro embryo production (IVEP) in dairy cows. Nevertheless, it is known that differences in the number and quality of oocytes between taurine and zebu females impact the efficiency and economic viability of IVEP. As the insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) system is related to follicular and oocyte development, we aimed to quantify mRNA abundance of IGF system members and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPPA) in the cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) of Gir, 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir and Holstein cows. Four pools of 30 immature COCs from Gir, 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir and Holstein cows were obtained by ovum pickup (OPU), and the oocytes and cumulus cells (CC) were mechanically separated and stored at ?80°C. Total RNA was extracted from pools of 30 oocytes and their respective CC. Expression of target genes was assessed by real‐time RT‐PCR. In oocytes, the abundance of IGFR1 mRNA was higher (p < .05) in Gir cows compared with the other breeds. In contrast, in CC, mRNA encoding IGF2 (p < .05), IGFR2 (p < .05) and IGFBP4 (p < .01) was higher in Holstein donors compared with Gir and 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir cows. Additionally, the abundance of PAPPA mRNA was higher in oocytes (p < .001) and CC (p < .01) in Gir and 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 Gir cows compared with the Holstein donors. In conclusion, the higher abundance of PAPPA mRNA in the oocytes and CC from Gir and cross‐breed donors combined with the low expression of IGFBP4 in the CC suggests an enhancement of the bioavailability of IGF‐free when compared with Holstein COCs.     

Restoring soil health to reduce irrigation demand and buffer the impacts of drought

Irrigation consumes three quarters of global water withdrawals each year. Strategies are needed to reduce irrigation water use, including increasing the efficiency of transfer methods and field application. Comprehensive restoration of soil health, specifically through organic matter amendments, can substantially reduce irrigation demand and increase crop yield. A program to restore severely degraded and desertified soils by incorporating coarse woodchips into the soil successfully increased rainfall capture and elevated soil moisture for several weeks between rainfall events at both Ningxia, north-west China and North Dakota, USA. With addition of fertilizer, woodchip incorporation further increased growth of wheat and alfalfa. Comprehensive soil health assessment of remnant grasslands was used to develop target reference soil profiles by which to guide restoration efforts. Given that most agricultural soils are degraded to some degree, soil health restoration can provide a powerful strategy toward achieving global food and water security.     

Homogeneous Linewidths in the Optical Spectrum of a Single Gallium Arsenide Quantum Dot

The homogeneous linewidths in the photoluminescence excitation spectrum of a single, naturally formed gallium arsenide (GaAs) quantum dot have been measured with high spatial and spectral resolution. The energies and linewidths of the homogeneous spectrum provide a new perspective on the dephasing dynamics of the exciton in a quantum-confined, solid-state system. The origins of the linewidths are discussed in terms of the dynamics of the exciton in zero dimensions, in particular, in terms of lifetime broadening through the emission or absorption of phonons and photons.     

Assessing biotic integrity in a Mediterranean watershed: development and evaluation of a fish-based index

Abstract  Biological indicators for Mediterranean rivers are poorly developed. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Index of Biotic Integrity approach (IBI) with fish assemblages in the Guadiana catchment, a typical Mediterranean watershed in Southern Portugal. Reference sites were selected from a set of 95 sites, using a multivariate approach. Fifty-five candidate metrics were screened for range, responsiveness, precision and redundancy. Final metrics included: proportion of native fish, number of intolerant and intermediate species, number of invertivore native fish, number of phyto-lithophilic and polyphilic species, and catches of exotics. The IBI scores correlated with composite gradients of human impact and differed significantly between reference and non-reference sites. Application of the IBI to an independent validation set with 123 sites produced results congruent with the development set and repeatable assessments at 22 sites showed concordance in IBI scoring. This application highlights the effectiveness of the IBI approach even with fish assemblages of limited diversity and ecological specialisation as in Mediterranean streams.