Self-oriented regular arrays of carbon nanotubes and their field emission properties

The synthesis of massive arrays of monodispersed carbon nanotubes that are self-oriented on patterned porous silicon and plain silicon substrates is reported. The approach involves chemical vapor deposition, catalytic particle size control by substrate design, nanotube positioning by patterning, and nanotube self-assembly for orientation. The mechanisms of nanotube growth and self-orientation are elucidated. The well-ordered nanotubes can be used as electron field emission arrays. Scaling up of the synthesis process should be entirely compatible with the existing semiconductor processes, and should allow the development of nanotube devices integrated into silicon technology.     

Heat Shock Protein 70 and Sex Steroid Receptors in the Follicular Structures of Induced Ovarian Cysts

The purpose of this study was to estimate the expression and relative amounts of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) and their isoforms as well as heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in ovaries of rats with induced cystic ovarian disease (COD). Primary, secondary, tertiary, atretic and cystic follicles were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and total ovarian proteins were analyzed by Western blot. In the granulosa layer, growing and cystic follicles in the treated group have a higher expression of ERα than growing follicles of control individuals. In the theca interna layer, tertiary follicles presented a significantly higher expression of ERα in the treated group. An increase in total ERα protein was detected in the treated group. Granulosa cells of all growing, atretic and cystic follicles show a lower expression of ERβ in animals with COD, and the total protein expression of ERβ was lower in this group. The expression of PR was lower in the granulosa cell layer of tertiary and cystic follicles in treated animals, and theca interna layer had less intense immunostaining in this group. Although there were no differences in the expression of PR-B by Western blotting, the expression of PR-A was higher and the expression of PR-C was smaller in the treated group. An intense HSP70 immunostaining was observed in the cells of cystic follicles. By Western blotting, higher protein expression of HSP70 was detected in the ovarian samples of the control group than those of the treated ones. Ovaries of animals with COD exhibited an altered steroid receptor expression and subtype balance as compared with control animals, and an increase in HSP70 immunoexpression.     

Equine amnionitis and fetal loss: The case definition for an unrecognised cause of abortion in mares

A series of abortions occurred in mares in New South Wales during 2004 that involved similar and unusual findings on post mortem examination of aborted fetuses and fetal membranes. The term Equine Amnionitis and Fetal Loss (EAFL) was developed to describe the condition. This form of abortion had not been previously recognised in Australia. The pathology alone is not specific for EAFL and diagnosis requires demonstration of a combination of certain pathological and bacteriological features. The purpose of this paper is to describe patterns considered consistent with EAFL cases as a working case definition for use by veterinarians and veterinary pathologists in identifying future cases of EAFL. More detailed papers are in preparation to fully describe the epidemiological, histopathological, and microbiological aspects of EAFL.     

Start-Timing for Calcium Chloride Spray Programs Influences Fruit Calcium and Bitter Pit in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Honeycrisp’ Apples

Early-season sprays of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) have been reported to sometimes be more effective than later-season sprays for controlling bitter pit in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). We conducted a two-year study examining the influence of start-timing of CaCl₂ spray programs on fruit Ca concentrations and at-harvest bitter pit incidence in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Honeycrisp’ apples in Washington State, USA. Six biweekly sprays of CaCl₂ were applied starting in mid-May (early-start), mid-June (mid-start, the normal commercial start timing), or mid-July (late-start) 2002 and 2003. Although leaf marginal necrosis occurred in all of the CaCl₂-treated plots, no spray damage on fruit was observed. All of the CaCl₂ spray treatments consistently reduced bitter pit incidence relative to the unsprayed control treatment and usually but not always increased the Ca concentration of subdermal cortical tissue at harvest. The early and mid-start spray programs produced lower bitter pit incidence than the late-start program in only one of four situations. Fruit Ca concentrations in the control and early-start spray program did not differ. Fruit Ca concentrations in the mid- and late-start spray programs were not different, and often were higher than that of the early-start spray program. Bitter pit incidence for each cultivar was inversely related to fruit Ca concentration. Substituting cortical Ca/potassium (K) or Ca/magnesium (Mg) concentration ratios for Ca concentration failed to substantially improve and usually degraded the correlations with bitter pit incidence. The results confirm that starting CaCl₂ spray programs in June sometimes is more effective at controlling bitter pit that delaying the start of the spray program until July. The later season sprays tend to be more effective at increasing fruit Ca concentration. There appears to be no detectable advantage for starting spray programs earlier than June. Applying CaCl₂ sprays throughout the growing season, starting sometime in June, appears to be the most economical and effective spray management practice for maximizing fruit Ca and minimizing risk of bitter pit development.     

Improved feed intake and body weight change in sheep treated with dexamethasone at entry into pens or feedlots

Treatment with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone sodium phosphate increased the feed intake of sheep within 24 h. A single treatment with the longer-acting compound dexamethasone trimethylacetate had a slower effect, but resulted in improved feed intake and enhanced body weight gain over a period of 7 to 14 days. Treatment was effective in sheep housed individually and in sheep penned in groups. The improvement in body weight gain disappeared 15 to 20 days after a single treatment, but in most studies treated sheep had less variability in weight change than untreated sheep at this time. A statistically significant increase in body weight gain was observed in 8 of 11 trials; in the other 3 trials, it appeared that the feed intake of the untreated sheep was already maximal. Wethers treated with dexamethasone trimethylacetate on arrival at an assembly point for live export arrived in the Middle East 23 days later with a lower mean weight loss, partly because fewer sheep lost a significant amount of weight.     

Effect of bandaging on second intention healing of wounds of the distal limb in horses

Objective   To evaluate the effect of a non-occlusive dressing incorporated in a 3-layer bandage on second intention healing of wounds of the distal portion of the limb.
Study Design   Untreated wounds in 33 adult horses used in four studies using the same wound-healing model conducted over 5 years.
Methods   Standardised, full-thickness wounds were made in the skin overlying the dorsomedial aspect of the mid-metacarpus; 17 horses were bandaged with a non-occlusive dressing covered by gauze-coated cotton wool that was compressed with adhesive tape; 16 horses were left unbandaged. Wounds were photographed weekly for 9 weeks and the images were analysed electronically.
Results   There were significant effects associated with bandage (P < 0.0001), week (P < 0.001), and bandage by week interaction (P < 0.0001). There was no difference in wound area at the first time-point after wound creation (P = 0.38). After week 1, there was a difference between bandaged and unbandaged wounds in wound area at each measurement until the end of the study. Bandaged wounds showed greater and more prolonged retraction. Unbandaged wounds retracted for 2 weeks before beginning to contract, whereas bandaged wounds continued to retract for 3 weeks. In bandaged wounds excess granulation tissue required regular trimming, but not in unbandaged wounds. There was no difference between groups in the total days to healing or the overall rate of healing.
Conclusions   These results should be treated with caution until validated with contemporaneous, controlled studies. Covering a wound with a non-occlusive dressing in a 3-layer bandage led to greater wound retraction, modulated the rate of wound contraction and promoted excessive granulation tissue. If excessive granulation tissue is excised regularly, bandaging has no effect on total time to healing.     

Sources of N for leaf growth in a high-density apple (Malus domestica) orchard irrigated with ammonium nitrate solution

Elstar apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh.) on M.9 rootstock received either 5 or 35 g N tree(-1) year(-1) during the first two growing seasons after planting, applied as Ca(NO(3))(2) on a daily basis for nine weeks through a drip irrigation system. During the third growing season (1994), all trees were treated with 20 g N tree(-1) year(-1) as (15)NH(4) (15)NO(3) with applications starting on April 22 and continuing for 10 weeks. Soil solution nitrate-N and ammonium-N were monitored weekly with suction lysimeters located 30 cm beneath the drip emitters. Spur and shoot leaves were sampled intensively from full bloom to the end of rapid shoot growth. During the period of nitrogen application, soil solution nitrate-N and ammonium-N were relatively constant, at about 24 and 1.0 mg l(-1) respectively. Growth of the spur leaves was completed by one week after full bloom (May 12), whereas biomass of the shoot leaves increased until mid-June. Nitrogen for growth of the spur leaves was supplied mainly from remobilization, which was dependent on previous N supply. Accumulation of fertilizer N in spur leaves was independent of previous N treatments and continued until the end of the monitoring period (June 24), but contributed only 13% to total spur leaf N. Nitrogen for shoot leaf growth was independent of previous N treatments and was initially supplied primarily by remobilization, but by the end of extension growth, fertilizer N contributed 48% to total shoot leaf N. Linear increases in leaf N uptake throughout the period of rapid shoot growth and the large contribution of fertilizer N to total shoot leaf N were attributed to the constant supply of N available in the root zone through daily N fertilization.