CoRoT measures solar-like oscillations and granulation in stars hotter than the Sun

Oscillations of the Sun have been used to understand its interior structure. The extension of similar studies to more distant stars has raised many difficulties despite the strong efforts of the international community over the past decades. The CoRoT (Convection Rotation and Planetary Transits) satellite, launched in December 2006, has now measured oscillations and the stellar granulation signature in three main sequence stars that are noticeably hotter than the sun. The oscillation amplitudes are about 1.5 times as large as those in the Sun; the stellar granulation is up to three times as high. The stellar amplitudes are about 25% below the theoretic values, providing a measurement of the nonadiabaticity of the process ruling the oscillations in the outer layers of the stars.     

Spatially discriminating Russian wheat aphid induced plant stress from other wheat stressing factors

The Russian wheat aphid (RWA) Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) is a major pest of winter wheat and barley in the United States. RWA induces stress to the wheat crop by damaging plant foliage, lowering the greenness of plants, and affecting productivity. The utilization of multispectral remote sensing is effective at detecting plant stress in agricultural crops. Stress to wheat plants detected in fields can be caused by several factors that can vary spatially in their presence and intensity across a field. Stress can result from factors such as nutrient deficiency, drought, diseases, and pests that can occur individually or collectively. The present study investigated the potential of using spatial pattern metrics derived from multispectral images in combination with topographic and edaphic variables to identify a set of variables to differentiate the stress induced by RWA from other stress causing factors. A discriminant function analysis was applied to 15 discriminating variables. A set of 13 variables were retained to develop a model to differentiate the three types of stress. Overall, 97 percent of patches of stress used to validate the model were correctly categorized. Stressed patches caused by RWA were 98 percent correctly classified, patches caused by drought were 94 percent correctly classified, and patches caused by agronomic conditions were 99 correctly classified. It is possible to discriminate stress induced by RWA from other stress causing factors in multispectral data when spatial attributes of the stress causing factors are incorporated in the analysis.     

Effect of suckling period on calf growth and milk yield of Zebu cows

Eighteen multiparous Zebu cows in their third lactation and their calves were randomly allocated to three suckling periods, up to 3, 4 or 5 months of age of the calf. The cows were individually fed natural hay, cottonseed cake and molasses. At 2 months of age, all calves were separated from their mothers, and were offered cottonseed cake mixed with molasses and Mucuna hay individually. The calves stimulated milk ejection by suckling 30 seconds and suckled the residual milk for 45 minutes after milking. The dry matter intake of cows (3.68, 3.29 and 3.31% of body weight) and calves (2.88, 2.80 and 2.55% of body weight) for suckling up 3, 4 and 5 months of age, respectively, was not significantly affected by treatment and neither was the growth rate of the calves (178, 157 and 149 g/d for 3, 4 or 5 months suckling period, respectively). Cows suckling their calves up to 5 months had significantly higher milk yield and higher amount of saleable milk (1.97, 2.93 and 3.69 kg/cow/d for 3, 4 and 5 months suckling period, respectively). The fat content of the milk decreased with increasing length of the suckling period while the protein content was not affected. In conclusion, a suckling period of 5 months resulted in higher total milk production and higher amount of saleable milk but did not seem to have any effect on calf growth when the calves were supplemented.     

Ventilation of the glacial deep Pacific Ocean

Measurements of the age difference between coexisting benthic and planktic foraminifera from western equatorial Pacific deep-sea cores suggest that during peak glacial time the radiocarbon age of water at 2-kilometers depth was no greater than that of today. These results make unlikely suggestions that a slowdown in deep-ocean ventilation was responsible for a sizable fraction of the increase of the ratio of carbon-14 (14C) to carbon in the atmosphere and surface ocean during glacial time. Comparison of 14C ages for coexisting wood and planktic foraminifera from the same site suggests that the atmosphere to surface ocean 14C to C ratio difference was not substantially different from today's.     

Genetic analysis of broad spectrum resistance to potyviruses using doubled haploid lines of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Summary Genetic analysis of resistance to PVY in androgenetic doubled haploid lines, F1, F2 and backcross progenies of the Mexican pepper line, CM 334 (Capsicum annuum L.), was performed. Three reaction types were observed when seedlings were inoculated with several PVY strains of different pathotypes and with an American PeMV strain. Resistant genotypes never showed systemic symptoms although some individuals sporadically developed necrotic local lesions on inoculated cotyledons. Susceptible genotypes exhibited either a typical systemic mosaic or a systemic necrosis that caused the death of the inoculated seedlings. Segregation analyses indicated that resistance to pepper potyviruses in CM 334 is conferred by two genes. The first one, tentatively named Pr4, is dominant and confers the resistance to all now known pathotypes of PVY and to PeMV. The second one, tentatively named pr5, is recessive; it confers only the resistance to common strains of PVY. The systemic necrotic response is conferred by an independent dominant gene, tentatively named Pn1.     

Enrichment of anhydrous milk fat in polyunsaturated fatty acid residues from linseed and rapeseed oils through enzymatic interesterification

Lipozyme TL IM was used in a solvent-free batch and microaqueous system for enzymatic interesterification of anhydrous milkfat (AMF) with linseed oil (LO) in binary blends and with rapeseed oil (RO) in one ternary blend. The aim was to obtain and characterize physicochemically fats enriched with unsaturated C 18 fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, and, especially, linolenic acids) from natural vegetable oils. Binary blends of AMF/LO 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, and 60/40 (w/w) were interesterified. The change in triacylglycerol (TAG) profiles showed that quasi-equilibrium conditions were reached after 4-6 h of reaction. Free fatty acid contents <1%. The decrease in solid fat content and in dropping point temperature obtained with increasing content of LO and interesterification resulted in good plastic properties for the products originating from the blends 70/30 and 60/40. This was confirmed by textural measurements. Melting profiles determined by differential scanning calorimetry showed complete disappearance of low-melting TAGs from LO and the formation of intermediary species with a lower melting temperature. Oxidative stability of the interesterified products was diminished with increasing LO content, resulting in low oxidation induction times. A ternary blend composed of AMF/RO/LO 70/20/10 gave satisfactory rheological and oxidative properties, fulfilling the requirements for a marketable spread and, moreover, offering increased potential health benefits due to the enriched content in polyunsaturated fatty acid residues.     

Effect of dietary bile extracts on serum response of astaxanthin in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): a preliminary study

Effects of porcine bile extracts added at three different dietary concentrations 0, 10 and 20 g kg^?1 were studied on astaxanthin serum concentration in rainbow trout (mean weight 200 ± 7 g). Astaxanthin from micro‐algae Haematococcus pluvialis and synthetic astaxanthin (CAROPHYLL® pink) were incorporated in diets of rainbow trout at a rate of 100 mg astaxanthin kg^?1 of feed. Fish were hand fed twice a day. After 5 days of feeding there was a significant effect of the pigment source on the ratio (total blood astaxanthin per unit body weight to cumulative astaxanthin intake per unit body weight). Trout receiving synthetic astaxanthin showed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher ratio than trout fed algal astaxanthin. Increasing dietary bile extract did not lead to produce any effect on this ratio. The power of the statistical analysis is discussed. Therefore, the interaction (pigment source × dietary bile concentration) showed no more effect.     

Application of aquariological techniques to an intensive fish-rearing process using recycled, warmed water for the production of rainbow trout fry, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Since 1991, the Laboratoire de Biologie Appliquée has been developing a new, intensive fish-rearing process. Based on simple aquariological techniques used at the Nancy Aquarium Tropical, the process involves recycled, warmed (18–20°C) water, and autonomous modular units both technically simple and small in size. Among its applications is the production of rainbow trout fry, Oncorhynchus mykiss. At present, from an initial batch of 100 000 eye-stage embryonated eggs, it allows 85 000 fry of 0·8-1 g to be produced in 60 days for a water consumption of less than 10 m³.     

New perspectives on aquarium fish trade

ABSTRACT:   Since the 1990s, the international market for importing aquarium fish is suspicious of stock coming from South-East Asia. Fish catches are still executed with cyanide-based toxic products. In the present paper, the potential of the French Polynesian Islands to develop a marine aquarium fish business with a new approach is explored. Coral reef fish are captured at the larval stage with crest nets, then larvae are reared in aquaria before being put on the world ornamental fish market. This approach offers several advantages: (i) larvae are captured with a passive system placed on the reef crest (crest net) that does not destroy the environment and limits the stress on collected larvae; (ii) larvae are then put into farmed basins that allow them to be controlled sanitarily; and (iii) larvae are weaned at the farm and fed rapidly with artificial food. This method increases survival rates as it eliminates the food acclimatization problem of fish captured at adult stage (main cause of fish mortality in aquaria). Overall, reared larvae will constitute a new product in terms of species, sizes and quality of ornamental fish on the aquarium market.     

Heavy metal accumulation by two earthworm species and its relationship to total and DTPA-extractable metals in soils

The concentrations of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu in earthworm tissues were compared with the total and DTPA-extractable contents of these heavy metals in contaminated soils. Samples were taken from a pasture polluted by waste from a metallurgic industry over 70 y ago. Three individuals of Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus rubellus and soil samples were collected at six points along a gradient of increasing pollution. Total metal contents of earthworms, soil, and metals extracted by DTPA from the soil were measured. Total heavy metal contents of the soils ranged from 165.7 to 1231.7 mg Zn kg⁻¹, 2.7 to 5.2 mg Cd kg⁻¹, 45.8 to 465.5 mg Pb kg⁻¹ and 30.0 to 107.5 mg Cu kg⁻¹. Their correlations with metals extracted by DTPA were highly significant. Contents of the metals in earthworm tissues were higher in A. caliginosa than in L. rubellus, with values ranging from 556 to 3381 mg Zn kg⁻¹, 11.6 to 102.9 mg Cd kg⁻¹, 1.9 to 182.8 mg Pb kg⁻¹ and 17.9 to 35.9 mg Cu kg⁻¹ in A. caliginosa, and from 667.9 to 2645 mg Zn kg⁻¹, 7.7 to 26.3 mg Cd kg⁻¹, 0.5 to 37.9 mg Pb kg⁻¹ and 16.0 to 37.6 mg Cu kg⁻¹ in L. rubellus, respectively. Correlations between body loads in earthworms with either total or DTPA-extractable contents of soil metals were significant, except for Cd in L. rubellus and Cu in A. caliginosa. Considering its simple analytical procedure, DTPA-extractable fraction may be preferable to total metal content as a predictor of bio-concentrations of heavy metals in earthworms. Biota-to-Soil Accumulation Factor (BSAF) of these four metals are Cd>Zn>Cu>Pb, with range of mean values between: Cd (6.18-17.02), Zn (1.95-7.91), Cu (0.27-0.89) and Pb (0.08-0.38) in A. caliginosa, and Cd (3.64-6.34), Zn (1.5-6.35), Cu (0.29-0.87) and Pb (0.04-0.13) in L. rubellus. The BSAF of Ca, Fe and Mn are Ca>Mn>Fe, with mean values of: Ca (0.46-1.31), Mn (0.041-0.111), Fe (0.017-0.07) in A. caliginosa and Ca (0.98-2.13), Mn (0.14-0.23), Fe (0.019-0.048) in L. rubellus, respectively. Results of principal component analysis showed that the two earthworm species differ in the pattern of metal bioaccumulation which is related to their ecological roles in contaminated soils.