Pleistocene extinction of genyornis newtoni: human impact on australian megafauna

More than 85 percent of Australian terrestrial genera with a body mass exceeding 44 kilograms became extinct in the Late Pleistocene. Although most were marsupials, the list includes the large, flightless mihirung Genyornis newtoni. More than 700 dates onGenyornis eggshells from three different climate regions document the continuous presence of Genyornis from more than 100,000 years ago until their sudden disappearance 50,000 years ago, about the same time that humans arrived in Australia. Simultaneous extinction of Genyornis at all sites during an interval of modest climate change implies that human impact, not climate, was responsible.     

Serum and skin IgA concentrations in normal and atopic dogs

Objective To compare serum and skin surface IgA concentrations from atopic and normal dogs.
Procedure IgA concentrations in sera and skin washings of 20 clinically normal dogs that had no history of pruritus or skin disease were compared to those obtained in 20 dogs with a diagnosis of atopy determined by history, clinical examination and positive intradermal skin test.
Results There was no significant difference in the mean serum IgA concentration in normal dogs (252 ± 187 mg/L) versus atopic animals (314 ± 327). When skin washings from all sites in both groups were compared, atopic dogs had significantly greater concentrations of IgA in their skin washings than normal dogs as evaluated by an enzyme-linked immunoassay (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the individual sites of the skin washings of atopic and normal dogs.
Conclusion IgA concentrations of skin washings in atopic dogs were greater than in normal dogs. Further investigations need to determine if the greater concentrations were caused by nonspecific inflammation or by secretion of allergen-specific IgA onto the skin surface.     

正确理解和掌握兽药使用说明书

兽药的标签和说明书是帮助认识和了解药品性质的主要途径.要合理、正确地使用兽药,必须充分理解和掌握药品说明书的内容,注意辨明成份和文号,避免重复用药和防止用假药,注意药品的适应症,遵循用法与用量,注意不良反应和禁忌症,注意合理保存药品,防止失效.     

A short circuit in thermohaline circulation: A cause for northern hemisphere glaciation?

The cause of Northern Hemisphere glaciation about 3 million years ago remains uncertain. Closing the Panamanian Isthmus increased thermohaline circulation and enhanced moisture supply to high latitudes, but the accompanying heat would have inhibited ice growth. One possible solution is that enhanced moisture transported to Eurasia also enhanced freshwater delivery to the Arctic via Siberian rivers. Freshwater input to the Arctic would facilitate sea ice formation, increase the albedo, and isolate the high heat capacity of the ocean from the atmosphere. It would also act as a negative feedback on the efficiency of the "conveyor belt" heat pump.