Magnitude of late quaternary left-lateral displacements along the north edge of tibet

Images taken by the earth observation satellite SPOT of the Quaternary morphology at 18 sites on the 2000-kilometer-long Altyn Tagh fault at the north edge of Tibet demonstrate that it is outstandingly active. Long-term, left-lateral strike-slip offsets of stream channels, alluvial terrace edges, and glacial moraines along the fault cluster between 100 and 400 meters. The high elevation of the sites, mostly above 4000 meters in the periglacial zone, suggests that most offsets resulted from slip on the fault since the beginning of the Holocene. These data imply that slip rates are 2 to 3 centimeters per year along much of the fault length and support the hypothesis that the continuing penetration of India into Asia forces Tibet rapidly toward the east.     

Evidence for Widespread 26Al in the Solar Nebula and Constraints for Nebula Time Scales

A search was made for 26Mg (26Mg*) from the decay of 26Al (half-life = 0.73 million years) in Al-rich objects from unequilibrated ordinary chondrites. Two Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) and two Al-rich chondrules (not CAIs) were found that contained 26Al when they formed. Internal isochrons for the CAIs yielded an initial 26Al/27Al ratio [(26Al/27Al)0] of 5 x 10(-5), indistinguishable from most CAIs in carbonaceous chondrites. This result shows that CAIs with this level of 26Al are present throughout the classes of chondrites and strengthens the notion that 26Al was widespread in the early solar system. The two Al-rich chondrules have lower 26Mg*, corresponding to a (26Al/27Al)0 ratio of approximately 9 x 10(-6). Five other Al-rich chondrules contain no resolvable 26Mg*. If chondrules and CAIs formed from an isotopically homogeneous reservoir, then the chondrules with 26Al must have formed or been last altered approximately2 million years after CAIs formed; the 26Mg*-free chondrules formed >1 to 3 million years later still. Because 26Mg*-containing and 26Mg*-free chondrules are both found in Chainpur, which was not heated to more than approximately400°C, it follows that parent body metamorphism cannot explain the absence of 26Mg* in some of these chondrules. Rather, its absence indicates that the lifetime of the solar nebula over which CAIs and chondrules formed extended over approximately5 million years.     

Isolation of bovine herpesvirus type 5 from the semen of a healthy bull in Australia

Artificial insemination is widely used in the cattle industry and a major challenge is to ensure that semen is free of infectious agents. A healthy donor bull was tested for freedom from infectious agents. A bovine herpesvirus was isolated in testis cells and identified as bovine herpesvirus type 5 (BoHV-5) by polymerase chain reaction and by direct amplicon sequencing. The amplicon sequence shared 100% similarity with the published sequence of BoHV-5. This is the first report in Australia of BoHV-5 in semen. The implications of this finding are discussed.     

Polyarthritis in wild mice (Mus musculus) caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis

SUMMARY Mice trapped on farms in south-eastern Queensland had chronic abscessating osteoarthritides mainly involving the carpi and tarsi. Pleomorphic bacteria were shown by silver staining to be plentiful within lesions. Streptobacillus moniliformis was isolated from the joints, and streptobacillary polyarthritis was diagnosed. Other lesions observed included subcutaneous and hepatic abscesses.     

Seroprevalence to Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo in Merino stud rams in South Australia

Summary A serological survey of 2160 Merino stud rams on 36 farms detected positive reactions greater than or equal to 1/100 in 42% of animals using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) to Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo. Twenty flocks had seroprevalence values greater than 30% with 15 flocks having values 60%. The enzymelinked immunosorbent assays showed that 47% and 3% of rams on the 36 farms were positive for IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. Forty-five percent of hardjo reactions were in rams that had not been exposed to cattle. Significant correlations were found between IgM reactors and creek/dam water pumped into troughs, and between MAT/IgG reactors and total flock size. No statistical relationships were detected between positive reactors and two different annual average rainfall gradients, the time of the year in which samples were obtained, or agricultural regions of South Australia. Infections with an organism of the Sejroe serogroup is widespread in Merino stud rams.     

Temporal Relationships and Repeatability of Follicle Diameters and Hormone Concentrations within Individuals in Mares

Data were collected daily from 23 mares during two consecutive interovulatory intervals (IOIs). Several significant (p < 0.05) new observations on temporal relationships were made. The FSH increase that begins before ovulation temporarily plateaued on the day of discharge of follicular fluid into the peritoneal cavity in association with ovulation. During the declining portion of the pre-ovulatory oestradiol surge, an abrupt reduction in the rate of decrease occurred in synchrony with the peak of the LH surge and is consistent with a negative effect of LH on oestradiol. Repeatability within mares was based on the following positive and significant correlations between the two IOIs: (i) length of the interval between ovulations and between ovulation and the beginning of follicle deviation; (ii) diameter of the pre-ovulatory follicle on days -3 to -1; (iii) number of follicles in diameter classes of 2–5 mm (correlation for 22/23 days of the IOI), 5.1–10 mm (18/23 days), 10.1–15 mm (12/23 days) and 15.1–20 mm (12/23 days) and (iv) concentrations of FSH (18/23 days) and LH (22/23 days). The greatest repeatability for the follicle-diameter classes occurred in the 2–5 mm class, and thereafter the repeatability progressively decreased as the diameters for the classes increased. Results demonstrated measurable repeatability within mares for several end points between consecutive IOIs.     

Plasma B-esterase and Glutathione S-transferase Activities in the South American Reptiles Caiman latirostris (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) and Phrynops hilarii (Testudines, Chelidae)

We determined normal plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), carboxylesterase (CbE using ??-NA substrate), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities in Caiman latirostris and Phrynops hilarii to obtain reference values for organophosphorus (OP) pesticide monitoring. BChE and CbE sensitivity to malaoxon was also evaluated. C. latirostris (N?=?12; six males and six females) and P. hilarii (N?=?12; seven males and five females) were obtained from the programs Yacaré (Entre Ríos Province, Argentina) and Zoo of Córdoba (Córdoba Province, Argentina). Mean total (female and male) plasma BChE activity was significantly different between reptile species, ranging between 0.337?±?0.085???mol?min^?1?ml^?1 of plasma for C. latirostris and 0.251?±?0.070???mol?min^?1?ml^?1 of plasma for P. hilarii. However, plasma CbE (??-NA) and GST activities were significantly higher in P. hilarii (4.81?±?1.00 and 0.145?±?0.045???mol?min^?1?ml^?1 of plasma, respectively) than in C. latirostris (0.57?±?0.20 and 0.059?±?0.013???mol?min^?1?ml^?1 of plasma, respectively). No significant differences in B-esterase and GST activities were detected between sexes, except CbE (??-NA) for C. latirostris. IC₅₀ values for BChE and CbE (??-NA) suggested different sensitivity levels between species and between sexes. The results demonstrate that plasma esterase activity varied between species, but not between sexes (except CbE for C. latirostris). The in vitro inhibition tests indicated that CbE (??-NA) is more sensitive to inhibition than BChE. C. latirostris may be the reptile species most vulnerable to field pesticide exposure because this reptile presents the lowest CbE activity levels and its B-esterase levels seem more sensitive to OP.