Rotational position of curved saw logs and warp of the sawn timber

With the development of scanning technology in sawmills, it is possible to optimise log rotational position when sawing. However, choosing a different rotational position than horns down might be detrimental for the board shape after drying, especially for curved logs. Thus, there is a need to investigate at what level of log curve it is possible to freely rotate logs without causing board warp. This study was carried out through a test sawing that was conducted at a sawmill situated in the middle of Sweden. The tests were made on 177 Norway spruce logs, with varying amount of curve. Half of the logs were sawn in the horns-down position, half were sawn rotated perpendicular to horns down. Log shape and warp of the dried boards were measured. The results indicated a relationship between board spring, log curve and choice of rotational position. Furthermore, board bow was related to log curve but not rotational position. It can be concluded that for straight logs, with a bow height of less than 15 mm, an unconventional rotational position does not cause excess spring in the boards. Bow and twist are not affected by the rotational position at all.     

Mineralogy and petrography of lunar samples

The lunar samples consist largely of augite, calcic plagioclase, and ilmenite. Olivine is a minor constituent of some rocks, as is cristobalite. Other minerals present in small amounts include tridymite, chromite, kamacite, taenite, and troilite. The principal rock types can be broadly grouped into ilmenite basalts and breccias. Except for their high ilmenite content, the lunar rocks resemble the calcium-rich achondritic meteorites (eucrites and howardites) in composition and structure. Evidence of a meteoritic increment in the lunar soil is provided by the presence of nickel-iron particles in glass and breccia, and the occurrence of metal-troilite spheroids; the breccias contain occasional silicate aggregates that resemble meteoritic chondrules. The lunar fines contain 325 parts of watersoluble calcium per million.     

Potential for increasing volume yield by reducing planing allowance

About half the volume of sawlogs ends up as sawn and planed timber. The rest is lost due to drying shrinkage or is turned into by products. As the raw material is a major expense for a sawmill, it is important to reduce waste. To investigate how much the volume yield in the production of sawn and planed timber could be increased by reducing the target dimensions in the sawing stage in a sawmill, two groups of sawn timber were planed under similar conditions. One group consisted of sawn Scots pine timber with a large variation in twist. The other group consisted of sawn Norway spruce timber planed under different pressure settings. Using X-ray images, the minimum dimension for avoiding planer misses was calculated for each board, to find the smallest green target dimension. This was compared to actual measured dimensions. It was found that most sawn timber had unnecessarily large dimensions, and it was also found that a reduction in the target dimensions could increase the volume yield for sawn and planed timber by more than 3 percentage points. Boards with large twist would however need a higher planing allowance. The effect of the planer pressure setting was negligible.     

Effects of Oestrogenic Silage on Some Clinical and Endocrinological Parameters in Ovariectomized Heifers

Nwannenna A.I., A. Madej, T.J-O. Lundh and G. Fredriksson: Effects of oestrogenic silage on some clinical and endocrinological parameters in ovariectomized heifers. Acta vet scand. 1994, 35, 173-183.–The influence of phytoestrogens was studied in 3 ovariectomized Swedish Friesian heifers fed 20 kg of 100% red clover silage per heifer/day for 14 days. Behaviour, reproductive organs and pituitary response to exogenous gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injections were monitored. Clinical effects like oedema and mucous discharge in the vulva, presence of milky fluid in the mammae and increases in teat size and the cross-sectional distance of the uterus were observed in heifers fed red clover silage. Fluid accumulation in the uterus, visualized by means of ultrasonography, had still not disappeared 30 days after the red clover silage had been completely withdrawn. Red clover silage appeared to reduce the magnitude and duration of the pituitary response to GnRH injections.     

Engineering investigation of design procedures for closed containment marine aquaculture systems

The objective of this paper is to investigate potential design procedures for rigid, closed containment aquaculture systems deployed in the marine environment. In this context, closed containment is a term used to describe a range of aquaculture technologies that attempt to restrict and control interactions between farmed fish and the external aquatic environment, with the goal of minimizing impacts. The containment units are often closely spaced and moored to the seafloor bottom. The geographical area of interest is the Straits of Georgia, British Columbia in Canada.In this study, the design configurations of multiple closed containment systems are investigated. The design procedures include examining: (1) local environmental conditions, (2) drag forces on multiple containment units, (3) wave loading, (4) undamped heave motions, (5) mooring gear components and (6) material stresses on a rigid containment structure. Operational and other design considerations are also discussed. Preliminary findings indicate that wave forces could be substantial. In addition, little is known about how containment units, which are closely spaced, will respond individually or as a farm when subjected to surface waves.     

Identification of Helicobacter DNA in feline pancreas, liver, stomach, and duodenum: comparison between findings in fresh and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples

The clinical significance of Helicobacter spp. in feline digestive organs needs to be evaluated and formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples provide an invaluable source for molecular studies. In this study, we performed a PCR assay to investigate the presence of Helicobacter DNA in digestive organs from seven cats and compared this occurrence in fresh and formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from the same organs. The present study identified Helicobacter DNA in the pancreas, liver, stomach, and duodenum in fresh tissue samples but only in the stomach in FFPE samples. To our knowledge this is the first time that Helicobacter DNA have been identified in the feline pancreas. This study indicates that it is important to be aware of differences between results when analyzing FFPE samples compared to fresh tissue samples, especially regarding longer DNA fragments (>200 bp (base pairs)).     

Hunting of Sumatran orang-utans and its importance in determining distribution and density

To conserve species it is essential to understand which factors determine their distribution and density. Here we focus on the critically endangered Sumatran orang-utan and examine factors that influence the distribution and density in the Batang Toru area, the southernmost area where wild orang-utans occur on Sumatra. We contrast a scenario in which orang-utan distribution is mainly determined by ecological, and topographic variables with a model that includes hunting and human impact. We show that orang-utan distribution and density are best explained by hunting pressure and elevation. These results indicate that an assessment of anthropogenic factors that might influence density such as hunting needs to be included in surveys that aim to predict orang-utan distribution and density. As anthropogenic impact becomes higher with increasing human population density and increased forest access in most areas where orang-utans occur the consequence is that orang-utan conservation will have to be achieved in an environment modified by humans. In such areas the potential for a range of conflicts such as hunting that lead to human-caused mortality for orang-utans will remain a constant threat and need to be mitigated.     

Methods for determination of duration of surface moisture and presence of water in gaps in wood joints

If water stays on wood surfaces or is trapped in gaps, the wood is supplied with water for a long period of time and high local moisture contents are reached. This can lead to decay by rot fungi, and it is therefore important to avoid such water traps in order to limit the decay rate. This paper presents two methods: one for determination of duration of surface moisture on wood surfaces and one for determination of duration of water trapped in gaps in wood joints. Both these methods are based on electrical conductance measurements that are commonly used to measure moisture content of wood. Both sensor types consist of insulating tubing, electrically conductive adhesive and copper wire. The sensors monitor the presence of moisture on the actual material surface, and because of their small size, they do not influence the amount and duration of moisture that stays on the surface or in the gap.     

Effects on testosterone, LH and cortisol concentrations, and on testicular ultrasonographic appearance of induced testicular degeneration in bulls.

It is well known that heat stress has a detrimental effect on testicular functions. In addition to the alteration of semen quality and testicular damage, reproductive hormone secretion can be altered. The objective of this study was to describe changes in plasma concentrations of testosterone, LH and cortisol, as well as in testicular ultrasonographic appearance after induced testicular degeneration. Four Swedish Red and White bulls, aged 3 years, were used. They were fed according to Swedish standards. The scrotum was covered with an insulation device during 96 h. Semen was collected weekly 3 times before and up to 4 months after insulation. Testicular ultrasonography and clinical genital examination were performed with the same intervals. Heparinized blood samples were taken from the jugular vein at 2 h interval during 24 h every 2 weeks during the study. Blood samples were tested for the content of testosterone, LH and cortisol. Data were analysed, using one way analysis of variance of seminal data, clinical examination data as well as 24 h hormonal output data as percentage of mean individual pretreatment values. The use of a 5 MHz B-mode ultrasound unit did not contribute with an objective estimation of the degree of testicular degeneration. In 3 of the bulls testosterone levels had a tendency to decrease and LH to increase during the time of severe degeneration, whereas an opposite trend was seen during the regenerative phase, changes becoming significant 15 weeks after scrotal insulation. Variation between animals was big. Cortisol levels had a decreasing trend, changes being significant only in individual bulls at 10 and 15 weeks after scrotal insulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)