Initial results from the Mini-TES experiment in Gusev Crater from the Spirit Rover

The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Spirit has studied the mineralogy and thermophysical properties at Gusev crater. Undisturbed soil spectra show evidence for minor carbonates and bound water. Rocks are olivinerich basalts with varying degrees of dust and other coatings. Dark-toned soils observed on disturbed surfaces may be derived from rocks and have derived mineralogy (+/-5 to 10%) of 45% pyroxene (20% Ca-rich pyroxene and 25% pigeonite), 40% sodic to intermediate plagioclase, and 15% olivine (forsterite 45% +/-5 to 10). Two spectrally distinct coatings are observed on rocks, a possible indicator of the interaction of water, rock, and airfall dust. Diurnal temperature data indicate particle sizes from 40 to 80 microm in hollows to approximately 0.5 to 3 mm in soils.     

Complex diel cycles of gene expression in coral-algal symbiosis

Circadian regulation of plant-animal endosymbioses is complicated by a diversity of internal and external cues. Here, we show that stress-related genes in corals are coupled to the circadian clock, anticipating major changes in the intracellular milieu. In this regard, numerous chaperones are "hard-wired" to the clock, effectively preparing the coral for the consequences of oxidative protein damage imposed by symbiont photosynthesis (when O(2) > 250% saturation), including synexpression of antioxidant genes being light-gated. Conversely, central metabolism appears to be regulated by the hypoxia-inducible factor system in coral. These results reveal the complexity of endosymbiosis as well as the plasticity regulation downstream of the circadian clock.     

The 1987 whittier narrows earthquake in the los angeles metropolitan area, california

The Whittier Narrows earthquake sequence (local magnitude, M(L) = 5.9), which caused over $358-million damage, indicates that assessments of earthquake hazards in the Los Angeles metropolitan area may be underestimated. The sequence ruptured a previously unidentified thrust fault that may be part of a large system of thrust faults that extends across the entire east-west length of the northern margin of the Los Angeles basin. Peak horizontal accelerations from the main shock, which were measured at ground level and in structures, were as high as 0.6g (where g is the acceleration of gravity at sea level) within 50 kilometers of the epicenter. The distribution of the modified Mercalli intensity VII reflects a broad north-south elongated zone of damage that is approximately centered on the main shock epicenter.     

Stem breakage of trees and energy dissipation during rockfall impacts

The capacity of individual trees to dissipate the energy released by rockfalls has previously only been quantified based on data obtained from static tree-pulling tests or from dynamic impact tests on wood samples. We predicted that these data are not representative of the maximum amount of energy that can be dissipated by living trees during rockfall impacts. To test this prediction, we carried out rockfall experiments on a forested slope in the French Alps. To calculate the rock's energy before and after impact, rockfalls were filmed digitally. The recordings of nine impacts causing instantaneous breakage of Abies alba Mill. trees were analyzed in detail. An exponential relationship between stem diameter at breast height (DBH) and the maximum amount of energy a tree can dissipate was highly correlated for all of our experimental data. We applied this relationship to other tree species based on published fracture energies. The relationships obtained for Cedrus spp., Fagus sylvatica L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. were significantly correlated with data from other dynamic impact tests in the field and with maximum bending moments obtained from tree-pulling experiments. Multiple linear regressions showed that impact height influences the energy that will be dissipated by an A. alba tree, particularly for trees with a DBH less than 15 cm. For trees with a DBH greater than 15 cm, the effect of impact height was minimal up to a height of 1 m. There was a strong relationship between the amount of energy dissipated by a tree and the horizontal distance between the impact center and the vertical central axis of the tree.     

Study on the antiinflammatory activity of methanol extract from seagrass Zostera japonica

Methanolic extracts from the seagrass Zostera japonica were extracted successively using n-hexane (n-C(6)H(14)), dichloromethane (CH(2)Cl(2)), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and water to give the n-C(6)H(14) (16.8%), CH(2)Cl(2) (40.6%), EtOAc (34.1%), and H(2)O (8.5%) soluble fractions, respectively. We have demonstrated that the hexane fraction has the highest capacity to inhibit proIL-1beta expression as compared to other fractions in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated J774A.1 murine macrophages. Further analysis of the composition and antiinflammatory activity of the subfraction H5 from hexane fraction showed that it had the best antiinflammatory capacity and that it's major constituents were fatty acids, including palmitic acid methyl ester (21.5%), palmitic acid (24.02%), linoleic acid methyl ester (13.09%), oleic acid methyl ester (8.41%), and linoleic acid (7.93%), respectively. H5 inhibited LPS-induced TNFalpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that H5 is bioactive in antiinflammation in vitro. This study is the first to report the antiinflammatory activity of extracts obtained from the seagrass Z. japonica.     

Chemical composition and nutritional quality of soybean meals prepared by extruder/expeller processing for use in poultry diets

This research examined variation in chemical composition and nutrient quality of soybeans (SBs) and soybean meals (SBMs) produced at seven commercial extruder/expeller plants in the United States (experiment 1), as well as differences in amino acid digestibilities when roosters were fed SBMs extruded at 121, 135, 150, or 160 degrees C at a U.S. pilot processing plant (experiment 2). In experiment 1, limited variation existed in the composition of SBs arriving at the plants, whereas substantial differences were noted in amino acid composition and protein quality of the resultant SBMs. In experiment 2, the SBMs extruded at 121 and 135 degrees C were underprocessed as noted by high urease activities and lower amino acid digestibilities. Soybean meals extruded at 150 and 160 degrees C resulted in higher amino acid digestibilities and lower urease activities, indicating adequate processing. Large variation exists in the nutritional quality of extruder/expeller SBMs currently in the marketplace. Optimal processing temperatures should be >135 degrees C, and temperatures as high as 165 degrees C do not result in overprocessing.     

Prevalence of Bartonella henselae antibodies in serum of cats with and without clinical signs of central nervous system disease

Bartonella henselae is occasionally associated with neurological dysfunction in people and some experimentally infected cats. The purpose of this study was to determine whether B henselae seroprevalence or titer magnitude varies among cats with neurological disease, cats with non-neurological diseases, and healthy cats while controlling for age and flea exposure. There was no difference in B henselae seroprevalence rates between cats with seizures and cats with other neurological diseases. Cats with non-neurological disease and healthy cats were more likely than cats with neurological disease to be seropositive. While the median B henselae antibody titer was greater in cats with seizures than in cats with other neurological disease, the median B henselae antibody titer was also greater in healthy cats than cats with seizures. The results suggest that titer magnitude cannot be used alone to document clinical disease associated with B henselae infection and that presence of B henselae antibodies in serum of cats with neurological disease does not prove the clinical signs are related to B henselae.     

国外对抗菌药物耐药性的研究和相关规定

食品动物使用抗菌药物后物菌耐药性增加已引起国际重视，文章就国外对抗菌药物耐药性的调查研究、国际会议情况，以及某些国家和组织的相关规定进行了综述，希望对国内抗菌药物的使用和管理有些启示。     

2019年我国兽用抗菌药物使用情况分析研究

对2019年国内兽用抗菌药物销量数据进行了统计分析,按照兽用抗菌药销售量等同于使用量的评价指标,结果发现,国内兽药使用总量为37159.12吨;其中,使用量最大的是四环素类,占比36.56%;促生长用抗菌药的用量为14871.05吨,占比48.12%;每吨动物产品兽用抗菌药使用量为160 g。与2018年相比,兽用抗菌药物使用量略有上升,每吨动物产品使用的抗菌药物量也同比增加,这提示我国兽用抗菌药物使用管理不能放松,减抗政策需继续实施,久久为功。