The role of Br2 and BrCl in surface ozone destruction at polar sunrise

Bromine atoms are believed to play a central role in the depletion of surface-level ozone in the Arctic at polar sunrise. Br2, BrCl, and HOBr have been hypothesized as bromine atom precursors, and there is evidence for chlorine atom precursors as well, but these species have not been measured directly. We report here measurements of Br2, BrCl, and Cl2 made using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry at Alert, Nunavut, Canada. In addition to Br2 at mixing ratios up to approximately 25 parts per trillion, BrCl was found at levels as high as approximately 35 parts per trillion. Molecular chlorine was not observed, implying that BrCl is the dominant source of chlorine atoms during polar sunrise, consistent with recent modeling studies. Similar formation of bromine compounds and tropospheric ozone destruction may also occur at mid-latitudes but may not be as apparent owing to more efficient mixing in the boundary layer.     

Photoemission studies of high-tc superconductors: the superconducting gap

Over the last several years there have been great improvements in the energy resolution and detection efficiency of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. These improvements have made it possible to discover a number of fascinating features in the electronic structure of the high transition temperature (T(c)) superconductors: apparently bandlike Fermi surfaces, flat-band saddle points, and nested Fermi surface sections. Recent work suggests that these features, previously thought explainable only by one-electron band theory, may be better understood with a many-body approach. Furthermore, other properties of the high-T(c) superconductors, which are difficult to understand with band theory, are well described using a many-body picture. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has also been used to investigate the nature of the superconducting pairing state, revealing an anisotropic gap consistent with a d-wave order parameter and fueling the current debate over s-wave versus d-wave superconductivity.     

A cross-sectional pilot study to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for leptospirosis in South-Western Victorian dairy herds, 2017

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis, found worldwide, affecting many species of animals. We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the prevalence of Leptospira borgpetersenii sv Hardjo and Leptospira interrogans sv Pomona in cattle in dairy herds in South-Western Victoria, Australia. Fifty-three herds were enrolled in the study. Urine samples were collected from 15 late-lactation cows in each herd. A questionnaire was provided to herd managers at the time of each herd visit, asking them to describe the methods they used for controlling leptospirosis, including vaccination. Urine samples were pooled at the herd level and tested for leptospira spp. using real time PCR. Urine samples from individual cows within the positive pooled samples were then tested for Leptospira Hardjo and Leptospira Pomona using qPCR. Four of the 53 herds showed positive leptospirosis results giving an apparent prevalence of 8 (95% CI 2–18) leptospira-positive herds per 100 herds at risk. Based on the 53 completed questionnaires, leptospirosis vaccination programs were not compliant with label directions in 36 of the 52 vaccinated herds: 69 (95% CI 55–81) of 100 herd managers that routinely vaccinated for leptospirosis did not comply with label directions. One herd was completely unvaccinated. Based on our findings, we estimate that approximately 10% of dairy farms in South-Western Victoria are likely to be infected with leptospirosis. While most herds are vaccinating for leptospirosis, most are not doing so according to label directions. We conclude that herd managers need to be better educated regarding leptospirosis vaccination programs.     

Absorption by sheep of dieldrin from contaminated soil

Objective To study the accumulation of dieldrin residues in sheep from ingestion of contaminated soils was studied in two experiments.
Design A controlled feeding study of sheep fed contaminated soils of different type at varying intervals.
Animals and procedure Thirty-four 2-years-old wethers were divided into four groups (one control sheep only) and fed water-soluble dieldrin or soil contaminated with aldrin and dieldrin at varying intervals in the first study. In a second study 34 similar sheep were divided into four treatments with one being a control. Sheep were fed sandy, high clay or high organic matter soils with similar dieldrin and aldrin concentrations.
Results In the first study the concentration of dieldrin in the body fat of sheep dosed with dieldrin-contaminated soil was about half that in the body fat of sheep dosed with an equivalent amount of water-soluble dieldrin. The concentration of dieldrin was almost the same in sheep fed 500 μg of total dieldrin per day as it was in sheep fed 5000 μg every tenth day, over a 50-day period. In the second experiment sheep accumu-lated nearly three times as much pesticide from a soil with a high organic matter content, and about four times as much from a soil with a high clay content, as from a sandy soil with the same dieldrin content, over a 100-day period. The half-life of dieldrin in the fat of all sheep varied between 96 and 116 days after sheep ceased ingesting contaminated soil.
Conclusions Dieldrin concentrations in the fat of sheep that consume dieldrin contaminated soil fall within 10 days of removal from the source of contamination. However, dieidrin accumulates in the wool of sheep that consume dieldrin-contaminated soil.     

Short-term anaesthesia in piglets using a liquid injection, rebreathing, inhaler device

An economical anaesthetic technique of short duration that can be administered to piglets in the field is desirable for humanitarian reasons, for castration, tail docking or other brief procedures. Using the principles of anaesthetic uptake and distribution, an inhaler was developed to vaporize and administer isoflurane to piglets. The inhaler design consisted of a mask, vaporization chamber and a rebreathing bag. A stopcock provided access for injection of liquid isoflurane onto a wick contained in the vaporization chamber. Inspiratory and expiratory flow of air over the wick enhanced anaesthetic vaporization. The amount of liquid isoflurane required for induction and 2–3 minutes of surgical anaesthesia was calculated using the square root of time model proposed by Lowe & Ernst (1981) for liquid injection, closed circuit anaesthesia in people. Calculations were based on an assumed MAC of 1.4% and the achievement of a target alveolar concentration of 1.3 MAC to provide a surgical plane of anaesthesia. The appropriate isoflurane concentrations in the mask, inhaler, rebreathing bag and the piglet's FRC and tissues were calculated. Original calculations were based on metabolic size (BW^0.75) and then converted to weight (kg). Based on the piglet's scale weight, the total microliters of liquid isoflurane required were formulated into a table for field use. Isoflurane was injected into the inhaler stopcock followed by oxygen to fill the rebreathing bag and initiate vaporization. After the mask was placed over the piglet's nose a slide switch was activated to allow gases to move in and out of the inhaler and rebreathing bag. Fifty‐seven male piglets weighing (mean ± SD 3.0 ± 0.7 kg) and aged 7.7 ± 1.0 days were randomly selected to receive anaesthesia prior to castration. Remaining littermates served as controls for assessing morbidity or mortality. The time to induction, recovery and total anaesthetic time were measured. The Pe ′CO₂ was measured at the piglet's nostril immediately after the mask was removed at the end of the surgical procedure. Data were analysed in SAS using the Proc Mixed procedure. Inductions were rapid, 47 ± 9 seconds, generally with minimal or no resistance. The duration of surgery was 1–2 minutes. Anaesthesia was adequate and recovery was rapid, 122 ± 44 seconds. Total time from start to standing was 260 ± 51 seconds. The Pe ′CO₂ was 5.2 ± 1.1 kPa (39.4 ± 8.4 mm Hg). There was no morbidity or mortality associated with either group of piglets. After piglets were standing and mobile, they were returned to the sow and other littermates, where they immediately started nursing and were indistinguishable from littermates except by determination of ear notch number. This technique provides safe, rapid anaesthesia and recovery that is appropriate for use by veterinarians for brief field procedures.     

Effect of dietary intake on concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I in plasma and follicular fluid, and ovarian function in heifers.

The objective of this study was to determine if alterations in dietary intake of heifers can influence IGF-I concentrations in plasma and(or) follicular fluid (FFL), size of follicles, and steroid concentrations in FFL (as an indicator of steroidogenic capacity). Cyclic heifers [n = 23; mean +/- SE body weight (BW) = 373 +/- 7 kg] were individually fed for 10 weeks either: a) 1.8% of BW in dry matter (DM) per d (GAIN; n = 7), b) 1.1% of BW in DM per d (MAINT; n = 8) or c) 0.7% of BW in DM per d (LOSE; n = 8). After 10 wk of treatment, heifers were ovariectomized 36-40 hr after the second injection of prostaglandin F2 alpha analog (2 injections 11 d apart), and plasma and ovaries were collected. Heifers weighed 444 +/- 13,387 +/- 8 and 349 +/- 9 kg in the GAIN, MAINT and LOSE groups, respectively, at time of ovariectomy. Mean diameter of follicles greater than or equal to 10 mm was greater (P less than .05) for GAIN (15.6 mm) than for MAINT (11.0 mm) or LOSE (12.5 mm) heifers. Numbers of follicles and concentrations of IGF-I in plasma and FFL did not differ (P greater than .20) between LOSE, MAINT and GAIN heifers. Progesterone concentrations were greater (P less than .05) in small and medium follicles of GAIN than MAINT or LOSE heifers, but were unaffected by diet in large follicles. Estradiol concentrations in FFL in small, medium and large follicles were unaffected (P greater than .20) by dietary treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of age-related increases in sapwood area,leaf area,and xylem conductivity on height-related hydraulic costs in two contrasting coniferous species

Introduction  

Knowledge of vertical variation in hydraulic parameters would improve our understanding of individual trunk functioning and likely have important implications for modeling water movement to the leaves. Specifically, understanding how foliage area (A _l), sapwood area (A _s), and hydraulic specific conductivity (k _s) vary with canopy position to affect leaf-specific conductivity (LSC) and whole-tree leaf-specific hydraulic conductance (K _l) may explain some of the contrasting patterns of A _l/A _s reported in the literature.     

Influence of body condition at calving and postpartum nutrition on endocrine function and reproductive performance of primiparous beef cows

The influences of body condition score (BCS) at calving and postpartum nutrition on endocrine and ovarian functions, and reproductive performance, were determined by randomly allocating thin (mean BCS = 4.4 +/- 0.1) or moderate condition (mean BCS = 5.1 +/- 0.1) Angus x Hereford primiparous cows to receive one of two nutritional treatments after calving. Cows were fed to gain either 0.45 kg/d (M, n = 17) or 0.90 kg/d (H, n = 17) for the first 71 +/- 3 d postpartum. All cows were then fed the M diet until 21 d after the first estrus. A replication (yr 2; M, n = 25; H, n = 23) was also used to evaluate reproductive characteristics. Concentrations of IGF-I, leptin, insulin, glucose, NEFA, and thyroxine were quantified in plasma samples collected weekly during treatment and during 7 wk before the first estrus. Estrous behavior was detected by radiotelemetry, and luteal activity was determined based on concentrations of progesterone in plasma. All cows were bred by AI between 14 and 20 h after onset of estrus, and pregnancy was assessed at 35 to 55 d after AI by ultrasonography. Cows that calved with a BCS of 4 or 5 had similar endocrine function and reproductive performance at the first estrus. During treatment, H cows gained BW and increased BCS (P < 0.01), and had greater (P < 0.05) concentrations of IGF-I, leptin, insulin, glucose, and thyroxine in plasma than M cows. However, during the 7 wk before the first estrus, plasma concentrations of IGF-I, leptin, insulin, glucose, NEFA, and thyroxine were not affected by time. Cows previously on the H treatment had a shorter (P < 0.01) interval to first postpartum estrus and ovulation, and a larger dominant follicle (P < 0.01) at first estrus, than M cows, but duration of estrus and the number of mounts received were not influenced by nutrient intake. Pregnancy rate at the first estrus was greater (P < 0.03) for H (76%, n = 38) than for M (58%, n = 33) cows. Increased nutrient intake after calving stimulated secretion of anabolic hormones, promoted fat deposition, shortened the postpartum interval to estrus, and increased pregnancy rate at the first estrus. Concentrations of IGF-I and leptin in plasma were constant during 7 wk before the first estrus, indicating that acute changes in these hormones are not associated with the resumption of ovarian function in primiparous beef cows.