Tracking the evolution of a hydrothermal event plume with a RAFOS neutrally buoyant drifter

The migration and evolution of a deep ocean hydrothermal event plume were tracked with a neutrally buoyant RAFOS float. The float remained entrained in the plume for 60 days, and the plume vorticity was calculated directly from the anticyclonic motion of the float. Concentrations of suspended particles, particulate iron, and dissolved manganese in the plume did not decay significantly during the 60 days, which indicates that event plumes would be easily detectable a year after formation.     

Paleolithic population growth pulses evidenced by small animal exploitation

Variations in small game hunting along the northern and eastern rims of the Mediterranean Sea and results from predator-prey simulation modeling indicate that human population densities increased abruptly during the late Middle Paleolithic and again during the Upper and Epi-Paleolithic periods. The demographic pulses are evidenced by increasing reliance on agile, fast-reproducing partridges, hares, and rabbits at the expense of slow-reproducing but easily caught tortoises and marine shellfish and, concurrently, climate-independent size diminution in tortoises and shellfish. The results indicate that human populations of the early Middle Paleolithic were exceptionally small and highly dispersed.     

壳聚糖对动物脂肪代谢及生长性能的影响

壳聚糖(chifosan),是甲壳素的衍生物．又名可溶性甲壳素、脱乙酰甲壳素、甲壳胺、几丁聚糖．是通过甲壳素一定程度的脱乙酰而得到．通常将脱乙酰度55％以上的甲壳素称作壳聚糖,化学名称是(1．4)-2-氨基-2-脱氧-β-D-葡聚糖。在众多的天然多糖中,甲壳素及其主要衍生物壳聚糖是唯一的碱性多糖．具有生物相容性、可食用性、可抗菌性、     

Physiological and morphological changes in bovine mammary glands following intramammary infusion of recombinant interferon-gamma.

Eleven lactating dairy cows were used to evaluate the response of bovine mammary glands to increasing doses of recombinant bovine interferon (rBoIFN)-gamma. Right front and rear quarters were intramammarily infused with eight different doses (10(2) U to 2 x 10(8) U/quarter) of rBoIFN-gamma; each dose was tested in at least two quarters. Left udder halves served as within animal controls in which quarters were injected with a saline placebo or were not infused at all. Milk secretion samples for compositional analysis were collected from each quarter prior to infusion and at 6, 24, 36 and 48 h following infusion. Animals were slaughtered immediately following the 48 h sampling period and mammary tissue was obtained for morphometric analyses. Milk composition was similar between control quarters and those quarters infused with up to 10(5) U of rBo-IFN-gamma during the entire sampling period. Quarters infused with 10(6) U and 10(7) U of rBoIFN-gamma had higher milk somatic cell counts (SCC) following treatment compared with preinfusion values. Changes in the composition of mammary secretion were most dramatic in quarters infused with greater than or equal to 10(8) U of rBoIFN-gamma as indicated by the significant increase in SCC and milk pH with a concomitant decrease in lactose concentration when compared with pre-infusion values or with control quarters. Morphometric analysis of tissue demonstrated an increase in stroma, a decrease in luminal area, and a marked increase in the number of infiltrating leukocytes in those quarters infused with the higher doses of rBoIFN-gamma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

内蒙古苏尼特右旗草原土壤营养元素有效态含量分析

本研究选择内蒙古苏尼特右旗天然草场主要6个草场类,8个草场型,分析了0~30 cm土壤营养元素(全N、P、K、Ca、Mg、S、Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn、B和Mo)有效态含量及与土壤有机质、pH值之间的相互关系。结果表明,1)研究区土壤pH(8.84±0.23),均为碱性土壤;土壤有机质含量与全N含量均较低,平均分别为(9.92±4.65) g/kg和(0.46±0.25) g/kg;营养元素有效态含量积累顺序为:河泛地、湖盆低地盐生草甸草场类>荒漠草原草场区“小针茅+无芒隐子草+葱属”植被型>沙丘植被草场类,河泛地、湖盆低地盐生草甸草场类土壤矿质元素有效态含量显著高于其他草场类。2)土壤富含K元素,B和Mo处于严重缺乏状态;除了河泛地、湖盆低地盐生草甸草场类以外草场类微量元素含量均处于轻度缺乏或缺乏状态。3)土壤pH与土壤N、P、Ca、Mn和Cu元素有效量存在显著负相关性关系;土壤有机质则与土壤N、P、Ca、S、Fe、Mn和Cu元素有效量存在极显著正相关性关系。     

工厂化水产养殖水质监测系统

工厂化水产养殖的密度高、风险大,养殖对象对pH、溶解氧、温度、氨氮、亚硝酸盐等水质参数的变化敏感,受影响严重,监测水质参数极为重要。本文针对工厂化水产养殖水质监测特点和需求,研发了工厂化水产养殖水质监测系统。分析研究pH、溶解氧、温度、亚硝酸盐等水质参数的阈值,设计水质监测数据无线采集节点和基于Zigbee的无线监测网络,建立水质监测系统软件平台。结果表明,该系统能够实现工厂化水产养殖水质实时监测,保证生产安全,提高水产养殖生产效率。     

Fatal systemic phaeohyphomycosis caused by Ochroconis gallopavum in a dog (Canis familaris)

A 5-year-old Shetland Sheepdog was presented with a history of weakness, ataxia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and occasional seizures. The dog had been treated for 6 months with prednisone for inflammatory bowel disease. A positive titer for Ehrlichia canis was detected 6 months before referral. The initial physical examination revealed a weak, laterally recumbent dog with pale mucous membranes. Neurologic examination revealed multiple neurologic deficits. A complete blood cell count (CBC) revealed normochromic, normocytic, nonregenerative anemia; lymphopenia; thrombocytopenia; and neutrophilic and monocytic leukocytosis. Urinalysis revealed proteinuria, with a specific gravity of 1.045. The dog was unresponsive to treatment and died. At necropsy, there was severe serofibrinous peritonitis and pleuritis, with randomly scattered dark brown necrotic foci present in multiple organs, including liver, spleen, kidney, and pancreatic lymph node. Histologically, there were extensive regions of parenchymal necrosis surrounded by neutrophils admixed with epithelioid macrophages, lymphocytes, and pigmented fungal organisms. Numerous brown, 2 to 6 microm in diameter, septate, branching hyphae, subsequently identified as Ochroconis gallopavum (formerly Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava), were observed.     

Actinobacillus equuli as a primary pathogen in breeding sows and piglets

The death of over 300 sows in 2 months on a 3000 sow farrow-to-isowean operation in Manitoba was attributed to infection with Actinobacillus equuli. This pathogen commonly infects foals, and is rarely reported in swine. Our report is the second recently published case of this pathogen in North American swine.