Evaluation of retinal imaging technology for the biometric identification of bovine animals in Northern Ireland

Animal identification is a major requirement for government agricultural authorities, facilitating registration of animals, recording of authorised animal movements, national herd management, payment of appropriate grants and subsidies and as a vital tool in tracing diseases of public and animal health concern. Most schemes are based on a computer database of ear-tag numbers. A potential limitation of such systems has been their tracking of a device attached to the animal, rather than tracing the animal itself. This becomes problematic when accidental loss or fraudulent switching of tags occurs, as preserving correct identification is difficult. Biometric identification offers considerable advantages since the indices used to construct identifiers are unique, unalterable biological properties. We have evaluated a novel technology in bovine animals as a means of scientifically verifying tag-based identity. This system records the unique retinal vascular pattern at the back of an animal's eye as a means of corroborating ear-tag information. 869 animals were imaged to create a retinal identification. Each of these 1738 retinal patterns were compared computationally and visually against each of the remaining 1737, a total of 1,509,453 comparisons. None of these comparisons yielded an identical retinal pattern, indicative that each is unique within this dataset and that the chances of finding two different eyes with an identical pattern is at least 1 in 1.5 million. A further 2266 images taken from the registered animals at later dates were used for successful identification verification with 2227 (98.3%) being successfully computationally matched to the initial images. The remaining 39 (1.7%) were successfully matched by visual inspection. A simulated tag switch involving alteration of ear-tag number for 115 animals, after their initial imaging, was detected for all participants by subsequent imaging and computational comparison. These data indicate that this system could be deployed as a stand-alone technology for animal identity verification. It also has the potential to improve the performance of ear-tag-based identification systems in cattle and could be deployed in support of identification, registration and movement requirements and as a counter-fraud measure.     

DNA extraction and analysis from processed coffee beans

The authenticity of coffee is an important issue for both producers and consumers. Premium Arabica material is especially prone to being adulterated, and a number of different techniques have been employed to determine the quality of both roasted and instant coffee. Currently, assessment of coffee authenticity relies on chemical methods which can discriminate between coffee species, but not varieties. Several genetic markers are available for assessing coffee origin, but their suitability to testing commercial coffee is limited by the ability to extract DNA from highly processed beans. In this paper, we demonstrate that PCR-grade DNA may be obtained from roasted beans and even instant coffee. This would allow analysis of commercial samples, provided that suitable markers for species/variety identification are found.     

2. In vivo nonvolatile release during eating of a model cheese: relationships with oral parameters

This study deals with the release kinetics of nonvolatile compounds (NVC) (leucine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, propanoic acid, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphates) during the eating of a model cheese and the relationships to some oral (salivary and masticatory) parameters. The aroma release has previously been characterized in similar conditions [Pionnier, E.; Chabanet, C.; Mioche, L.; Le Quéré, J.-L.; Salles, C. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2004, 52, xxx-xxx (1)]. Saliva samples were collected from the tongues of eight assessors at different times during and after the chewing sequence. Atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry and/or high-performance liquid chromatography analyses have been performed on these samples in order to quantify the 12 NVC released in saliva. The maximum concentration (C(max)) in saliva varied significantly according to the compound. However, there was no significant effect of the compound on the time to reach maximum concentration (T(max)). Interindividual differences were observed for most of the parameters and for all of the NVC studied. The parameters extracted from the release profiles of the NVC were closely correlated. High T(max) and AUC (area under the curve) values could be related to high chewing time and low saliva flow rates, low chewing rates, low masticatory performances, and low swallowing rates.     

Amplification of surface temperature trends and variability in the tropical atmosphere

The month-to-month variability of tropical temperatures is larger in the troposphere than at Earth's surface. This amplification behavior is similar in a range of observations and climate model simulations and is consistent with basic theory. On multidecadal time scales, tropospheric amplification of surface warming is a robust feature of model simulations, but it occurs in only one observational data set. Other observations show weak, or even negative, amplification. These results suggest either that different physical mechanisms control amplification processes on monthly and decadal time scales, and models fail to capture such behavior; or (more plausibly) that residual errors in several observational data sets used here affect their representation of long-term trends.     

Evaluation of cGnRH IIa for induction spawning of two ornamental Epalzeorhynchos species

The administration of exogenous hormones for induction spawning of captive fish is a common practice throughout the finfish aquaculture industry. Induced spawning protocols for ornamental cyprinids commonly rely on sGnRH IIIa, commercially available as Ovaprim. In this study, the efficacy of an alternative spawning aid, cGnRH IIa, was evaluated relative to Ovaprim, in two commonly cultured ornamental Cyprinids: the Redtail Sharkminnow Epalzeorhynchos bicolor and the Rainbow Shark E. frenatum. Broodstock of each species were injected with either a positive control (0.5 µl/g Ovaprim), a negative control (propylene glycol) or one of three doses of cGnRH IIa (50, 100, or 200 µg/kg). Following spawning aid injection, ovulation success, fecundity, fertilization success, embryo diameter, hatch success and larval notochord length were evaluated. Ovulation success (82 ± 8%) was statistically similar to the positive control group for all experimental doses of cGnRH IIa in E. bicolor, while 50 and 100 µg/kg cGnRH IIa doses resulted in significantly higher ovulation success (100.0% and 83.0% respectively) than the positive control (17.0%) in E. frenatum. All other parameters did not vary significantly among treatments. These results indicate cGnRH IIa can be successfully used as a spawning aid in both species.     

栽培因素对北方粳稻产量及米质的影响——第10报不同叶龄秧苗对产量及米质的影响

通过不同秧龄秧苗对水稻生育和米质的影响试验,结果表明:插秧秧龄越大株高增高,叶龄和有效穗数增加,但千粒重有降低的趋势。3.5和4.5叶龄插秧时每穗粒数最多、产量最高。插秧秧龄大,加工品质差,外观品质变坏,但食味品质提高。