The effects of repeated injections of adrenaline on the response of the fowl to further alarm stimulation

Chicks, aged two weeks, were injected with either adrenaline (300 microgram/kg) or saline daily for seven days. One day after the seventh injection it was found that the birds treated with adrenaline had become hypolipacidaemic and hypocholesteraemic and that there had been adrenal hypertrophy and an increase in the adrenal store of cholesterol. Plasma concentrations of glucose and corticosterone were within the normal range. The two groups (adrenaline- or saline-treated) were further subdivided each into two subgroups and were now injected with either adrenaline or saline, and their responses measured over a 120 min period. A significantly shorter period of hyperglycaemia was found in the birds pretreated with adrenaline and given a further injection of the hormone. These birds also showed an enhanced lipacidaemic response but the corticosterone response was not altered.     

Familial associations with paratuberculosis ELISA results in Texas Longhorn cattle

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate familial associations with paratuberculosis ELISA status in beef cattle. Texas Longhorn cattle (n=715) greater than 2years of age were sampled for paratuberculosis testing using ELISA and fecal culture. Diagnostic test results were indicative of substantial numbers of false-positive serological reactions consistent with environmental exposure to non-MAP Mycobacterium spp. Associations between ancestors and paratuberculosis ELISA status of offspring were assessed using conditional logistic regression. The association between ELISA status of the dam and her offspring was assessed using linear mixed-effect models. Significant associations were identified between some ancestors and offspring ELISA status. The odds of being classified as "suspect" or greater based on ELISA results were 4.6 times greater for offspring of dams with similarly increased S:P ratios. A significant positive linear association was also observed between dam and offspring log-transformed S:P ratios. Results indicate that there is familial aggregation of paratuberculosis ELISA results in beef cattle and suggest that genetic selection based on paratuberculosis ELISA status may decrease seroprevalence. However, genetic selection may have minimal effect on paratuberculosis control in herds with exposure to non-MAP Mycobacterium spp.     

肉仔鸡饮水量——鸡的一个福利指标

本研究目的是分析商业化生产条件下的肉仔鸡饮水量数据以调查:①所获得的结果与其他研究结果之间的相互关系;②饮水量是否可以被客观地用作肉鸡健康和福利的量度标准;③总饮水量与淘汰水平和接触性皮炎的发病率之间是否存在相互关系?饮水量按"L/羽/c"即每羽肉鸡每个饲养周期(cycle)的平均饮水量)和"L/羽/d"即每羽肉鸡每天的平均饮水量)((的方式表示。为了确定饮水量对垫料湿度的影响,用水量也以"L/m2/c"即每个饲养周期每平方米鸡舍地面的平均用(水量(升))和"L/m2/d"即每天每平方米鸡舍地面所消耗的用水量(升)的方式表示,这两个指标考虑了肉鸡的饲养密度。(结果表明,以"L/m2/c"表示的饮水量可能是一个有益的滞后指标(LagIndicator),而以"L/羽/d"或"L/m2/d"表示的饮水量可能是一种先行指标(LeadIndicator),与肉鸡的健康状况以及饮水量对垫料质量的影响有关;同时表明还应进行更多的研究以确定肉鸡实测的每日饮水量与预期的每日饮水量之间的差异是否与其健康状况(如肠炎、接触性皮炎等)有直接的关系。本试验应该规定以"L/m2/d"方式表示的用水量的阈值,即饮水量达到此水平时会对垫料质量产生一个综合影响。该阈值可能受饲养密度、通风条件和垫料原料吸湿程度的影响,但是该值将向管理员提供一个"触发点"当处于该点时他们需采取行动以便将对空气质量(以氨气浓度的方式表示)的综合影响以及接触性皮炎发病的可,能性降至最低程度。     

Dynamic interactions between cohesive sediment tracers and natural mud

Purpose  

Cohesive sediment tracers have been developed to improve our understanding of fine sediment transport in the aquatic environment. However, there is little understanding of their physical and dynamic characteristics compared to the natural sediments they are intended to mimic. This work focuses on a labelled clay mineral tracer examining its dynamic characteristics and determining whether it flocculates and interacts with natural estuarine mud.     

Development of single-dispenser pheromone suppression of Epiphyas postvittana, Planotortrix octo and Ctenopseustis obliquana in New Zealand stone fruit orchards

BACKGROUND: Pheromones of two native leafrollers of economic importance to the New Zealand horticulture industry, Planotortrix octo [(Z)‐8‐tetradecenyl acetate and tetradecyl acetate] and Ctenopseustis obliquana [(Z)‐5‐tetradecenyl acetate and (Z)‐8‐tetradecenyl acetate], were reinvestigated and combined with pheromone of Epiphyas postvittana [light‐brown apple moth, (E)‐11‐tetradecenyl actetate and (E, E)‐9,11‐tetradecen‐1‐yl acetate] to develop a single dispenser for mating disruption of three pest species for integrated pest management. RESULTS: Additional compounds identified from pheromone gland extracts were characterised as repellents for P. octo. However, for C. obliquana from Central Otago, a change in ratio of (Z)‐5‐tetradecenyl acetate and (Z)‐8‐tetradecenyl acetate and the addition of three compounds found in the gland (dodecyl acetate, tetradecyl acetate and hexadecanal) led to a significant improvement in catch over previous lures. Males from Central Otago showed antennal electrophysiological responses to hexadecanal, unlike C. obliquana from Auckland, which did not. Three multiple‐species disruption blends were devised in a single dispenser to target E. postvittana, P. octo and C. obliquana. Disruption of traps was recorded in single‐tree replicates with all three blends, but the five‐component blend was overall most effective at disruption and was deployed area wide in commercial orchard plots. CONCLUSIONS: Deployment of single dispensers into commercial stone fruit orchards led to disruption of trapping for the three species and measurable reductions in insecticide use in cherries, peaches and nectarines without increased fruit damage (assessed in apricots). Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis: a review of current knowledge.

Although Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection has had its greatest effect on domestic agricultural animal species, it can also have a significant impact on wildlife species. More cases of infection are being reported, and because of its ability to elude immunologic control and to persist in the environment, M. paratuberculosis may spread within and among captive and free-ranging wildlife populations in the absence of organized control programs. Studies to improve our ability to detect the organism in biologic samples such as milk, blood, and manure through immunomagnetic separation, automated culture methods, and improved polymerase chain reaction procedures are underway in several countries. Studies of the organism's genetic components, virulence factors, and antigens support the development of new diagnostic tools and vaccines.     

Evaluating inputs of heavy metal contaminants and phosphorus to lake ontario from Hamilton Harbour

The presence and the extent of the plume of Hamilton Harbour water extending into Lake Ontario was determined in order to assess the importance of metal contaminant transport from Hamilton Harbour into Lake Ontario. Industrially derived Fe compounds, wustite and hematite, were used as plume tracking parameters. Wustite, particularly, proved to be a good tracer of the plume. Annual loadings of particulate heavy metals to Lake Ontario were calculated using the concentrations of heavy metals in suspended solids from the connecting Burlington Canal, Hamilton Harbour and western Lake Ontario. Annual loadings of heavy metals to lake Ontario are ～266 × 10³ kg Fe, 9.33 × 10³ kg Zn, 1356 kg Pb, 273 kg Cu, 8.7 kg Cd. The relative contribution of the total metal load from Hamilton Harbour to Lake Ontario is negligible when compared to the load from the Niagara River. Lake-harbour water exchange and the high Fe concentrations in benthic sediments of Hamilton Harbour increase P retention in the harbour sediments, thus are beneficial to water quality in Hamilton Harbour.