Three-dimensional orientation mapping in the transmission electron microscope

Over the past decade, efforts have been made to develop nondestructive techniques for three-dimensional (3D) grain-orientation mapping in crystalline materials. 3D x-ray diffraction microscopy and differential-aperture x-ray microscopy can now be used to generate 3D orientation maps with a spatial resolution of 200 nanometers (nm). We describe here a nondestructive technique that enables 3D orientation mapping in the transmission electron microscope of mono- and multiphase nanocrystalline materials with a spatial resolution reaching 1 nm. We demonstrate the technique by an experimental study of a nanocrystalline aluminum sample and use simulations to validate the principles involved.     

Ex vivo investigation of the use of hydrothermal energy to induce chondrocyte necrosis in articular cartilage of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of horses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of hydrothermal ablation of articular cartilage for arthrodesis in horses through investigation of the effects of joint lavage with physiologic saline (0.9% NaCI) solution (80 degrees C) for various treatment times on chondrocyte viability in the articular cartilage of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of cadaveric horse limbs. Sample Population-7 pairs of metacarpophalangeal and 8 pairs of metatarsophalangeal joints from 8 Thoroughbreds. PROCEDURE: The horses were euthanatized for reasons unrelated to musculoskeletal disease. On a random basis, 1 joint of each pair underwent intra-articular lavage for 5, 10, or 15 minutes with heated saline solution (80 degrees C); the other joint underwent sham treatment of similar duration with saline solution at 22 degrees C (control). Cartilage samples from the distal articular surface of metacarpus III (or metatarsus III), the proximal surface of the proximal phalanx, and the lateral and medial proximal sesamoid bones were assessed for chondrocyte viability via confocal microscopy and viability staining following enzymatic digestion. RESULTS: Compared with the control joints, findings of both viability assays indicated that the percentage of sites containing viable chondrocytes in heat-treated joints was decreased.Treatment hazard ratios of 0.048 (confocal microscopy) and 0.2 (digestion assay) were estimated. Histologically, periarticular soft tissues had minimal detrimental effects after heat treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ex vivo intra-articular lavage with saline solution at 80 degrees C resulted in the death of almost all articular chondrocytes in the joint. This technique may be a satisfactory method for extensive cartilage ablation when performing arthrodesis by minimally invasive techniques.     

An absence of ecotype evolution in three Eucalyptus species colonizing coal mine soils with low pH and high aluminium content

The genetic structure of stands of Eucalyptus calophylla, E. patens and two subspecies of E. rudis trees colonizing acidic, aluminium-containing coal mining soils was compared with stands in an adjacent, uncontaminated forest using allozyme studies. For all Eucalyptus species, there was no significant difference in allele frequencies at any locus, genetic diversity measure or mating system between mine- and forest-site trees. In addition, a field assessment of progeny indicated that there was no significant difference in the survival of mine- or forest-site plants for E. patens and subspecies of E. rudis. A significantly higher percentage of forest-site E. calophylla plants survived over mine-site progeny. These findings indicated that ecotypes in Eucalyptus species may have not yet occurred in response to coal mining soils.     

Prevention of traumatic indigestion in cattle.

The incidence of traumatic indigestion in an industrialised agricultural country, the economic losses due to the disease, and its prevention by use of a permanent reticular magnet are reviewed.     

Effects of quinoa hull meal on piglet performance and intestinal epithelial physiology

Saponin-containing feed additives have shown positive effects on pig performance. Quinoa hull has high saponin content and may be of interest as a feed additive. This study aimed to evaluate quinoa hull meal (QHM) as a feed additive in a pig diet. The effects of QHM were assessed for three dosages of South American (SA) origin (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) and one dosage of Danish (DK) quinoa (300 mg/kg). In addition, the effect of dietary SA-QHM and SA-QHM-extract on jejunal epithelial physiology was studied ex vivo in Ussing chambers. The experiment included 400 piglets weaned at 28 ± 2 days of age and the experimental period was 4 weeks. Piglets were weighed initially and finally and feed intake registered. The ex vivo studies were performed with epithelium from 40 pigs receiving control or SA-QHM. Epithelium from each pig was placed into eight Ussing chambers, where four concentrations of SA-QHM-extract were added. Epithelial permeability, Na(+)-dependent glucose transport and serotonin (5-HT) and theophylline-induced secretion were measured. The results showed that QHM had no influence on piglet's growth (p = 0.41) or feed intake (p = 0.17). In spite of a large difference in saponin content between SA-QHM and DK-QHM (28.7% and 2.0% w/w respectively) the source did not affect pig performance. The ex vivo studies revealed no effect (p > 0.05) of adding QHM-extract into the medium. The permeability and glucose induced absorption were highest (p = 0.003 and p = 0.04 respectively) in epithelium from pigs that consumed 100 or 300 mg/kg SA-QHM. The secretory response to 5-HT was not affected (p = 0.59) by dietary treatments, but the theophylline-induced secretion decreased (p = 0.02) with increasing dietary SA-QHM. The changes in epithelial physiology measured ex vivo did not affect animal performance in vivo in this study.     

An oral vaccine against NMDAR1 with efficacy in experimental stroke and epilepsy

The brain is generally considered immunoprivileged, although increasing examples of immunological responses to brain antigens, neuronal expression of major histocompatibility class I genes, and neurological autoimmunity have been recognized. An adeno-associated virus (AAV) vaccine generated autoantibodies that targeted a specific brain protein, the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. After peroral administration of the AAV vaccine, transgene expression persisted for at least 5 months and was associated with a robust humoral response in the absence of a significant cell-mediated response. This single-dose vaccine was associated with strong anti-epileptic and neuroprotective activity in rats for both a kainate-induced seizure model and also a middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model at 1 to 5 months following vaccination. Thus, a vaccination strategy targeting brain proteins is feasible and may have therapeutic potential for neurological disorders.     

Identifying and measuring agrarian sentiment in regional Australia

In common with much of the Western world, agrarianism—valuing farmers and agricultural activity as intrinsically worthwhile, noble, and contributing to the strength of the national character—runs through Australian culture and politics. Agrarian sentiments and attitudes have been identified through empirical research and by inference from analysis of political debate, policy content, and studies of media and popular culture. Empirical studies have, however, been largely confined to the US, with little in the way of recent re-evaluations of, or developments from, early work. This paper reports on research that seeks quantitative empirical evidence for the existence of agrarianism in the Australian community and seeks to identify its core characteristics. Using a purpose-designed sub-set of items within a large, omnibus-style survey of regional and rural Australia, we demonstrate that agrarianism exists as a scientifically quantifiable concept identifiable through responses to four key propositions: that Australians should support policies aimed at improving the position of the agricultural industries; that working in agriculture and associated industries brings out the best in people; that agricultural producers make a major contribution to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation; and that the development of agriculture in Australia contributed to the development of the national character. We found very little variation in the degree to which different demographic groupings agree with agrarianism. Older people, farmers, and non-Indigenous Australian-born respondents were among those who were statistically significantly more likely to agree with the defining propositions of agrarianism, but their scores were only very slightly higher than those of other sub-populations in the sample.     

Identification of a DNA nonhomologous end-joining complex in bacteria

In eukaryotic cells, double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA are generally repaired by the pathway of homologous recombination or by DNA nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Both pathways have been highly conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution, but no equivalent NHEJ system has been identified in prokaryotes. The NHEJ pathway requires a DNA end-binding component called Ku. We have identified bacterial Ku homologs and show that these proteins retain the biochemical characteristics of the eukaryotic Ku heterodimer. Furthermore, we show that bacterial Ku specifically recruits DNA ligase to DNA ends and stimulates DNA ligation. Loss of these proteins leads to hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation in Bacillus subtilis. These data provide evidence that many bacteria possess a DNA DSB repair apparatus that shares many features with the NHEJ system of eukarya and suggest that this DNA repair pathway arose before the prokaryotic and eukaryotic lineages diverged.     

In situ measurement of grain rotation during deformation of polycrystals

Texture evolution governs many of the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of polycrystalline materials, but texture models have only been tested on the macroscopic level, which makes it hard to distinguish between approaches that are conceptually very different. Here, we present a universal method for providing data on the underlying structural dynamics at the grain and subgrain level. The method is based on diffraction with focused hard x-rays. First results relate to the tensile deformation of pure aluminum. Experimental grain rotations are inconsistent with the classical Taylor and Sachs models.