Phonon dispersions of fcc delta-plutonium-gallium by inelastic x-ray scattering

We report an experimental determination of the phonon dispersion curves in a face-centered cubic (fcc) delta-plutonium-0.6 weight % gallium alloy. Several unusual features, including a large elastic anisotropy, a small-shear elastic modulus C', a Kohn-like anomaly in the T1[011] branch, and a pronounced softening of the [111] transverse modes, are found. These features can be related to the phase transitions of plutonium and to strong coupling between the lattice structure and the 5f valence instabilities. Our results also provide a critical test for theoretical treatments of highly correlated 5f electron systems as exemplified by recent dynamical mean field theory calculations for delta-plutonium.     

Female specific protein: biosynthesis controlled by corpus allatum in Leucophaea maderae

A specific protein is Present in serums of all of Leucophaea maderae that mature eggs but not in serums of males, nymphs of either sex, or females that are reproductively inactive. Ablations, microsurgery and remplantation showed that this protein is produced de novo under the influence of the corpus allatum hormone. This protein, essential for egg maturation, is synthesized in isolated abdimens of allatectomized females treated with 0.08 to 0.12 microgram of the t,t,t-isomer of the authentic juvenile hormone. The crops allatum hormone also stimulates toa similar degree the synthesis of other proteins which appear to be essential for egg maturation as well; these are not specific to females.     

牛呼吸道病毒性感染的IgM ELISA试验

研究了一种检测牛传染性鼻气管炎（IBR）和牛呼吸道合胞体（BRS）病毒IgM抗体的捕获ELISA。以针对牛IgM的第一单克隆抗体用作捕获抗体，而第二单克隆抗体用来测定特异性抗病毒抗体，用实验感染和自然感染动物的血清样品来评价这一方法。结果，用临床病症出现后5－10天的血清样品可论断出IBR和BRS病毒感染。     

Long-term forest dynamic after land abandonment in a fire prone Mediterranean landscape (central Corsica,France)

Two hundred years of landscape changes were studied on a 3,760 ha area of central Corsica (France) representing a typical Mediterranean environment. Different historical sources, including an accurate land-cover map from 1774 and statistics on land cover from 1848 and 1913, were used. Three additional maps (1960, 1975 and 1990) were drawn, and a complete fire history from 1957 to 1997 was created. Forests expanded slowly by a border effect. Forest expansion was more rapid in unburnt sites (0.59% per year) than in burnt sites (0.23% per year), mostly because the initial amount of forests was greater. Because of the border effect, the combination of past landscape pattern and short distance colonization abilities of forest species may have allowed the shrublands to persist in some places after land abandonment. This persistence may explain the pattern of fire in the landscape, since shrubland burn more readily than forests.     

Dynamics of influenza A virus infections in permanently infected pig farms: evidence of recurrent infections,circulation of several swine influenza viruses and reassortment events

Concomitant infections by different influenza A virus subtypes within pig farms increase the risk of new reassortant virus emergence. The aims of this study were to characterize the epidemiology of recurrent swine influenza virus infections and identify their main determinants. A follow-up study was carried out in 3 selected farms known to be affected by repeated influenza infections. Three batches of pigs were followed within each farm from birth to slaughter through a representative sample of 40 piglets per batch. Piglets were monitored individually on a monthly basis for serology and clinical parameters. When a flu outbreak occurred, daily virological and clinical investigations were carried out for two weeks. Influenza outbreaks, confirmed by influenza A virus detection, were reported at least once in each batch. These outbreaks occurred at a constant age within farms and were correlated with an increased frequency of sneezing and coughing fits. H1N1 and H1N2 viruses from European enzootic subtypes and reassortants between viruses from these lineages were consecutively and sometimes simultaneously identified depending on the batch, suggesting virus co-circulations at the farm, batch and sometimes individual levels. The estimated reproduction ratio R of influenza outbreaks ranged between 2.5 [1.9-2.9] and 6.9 [4.1-10.5] according to the age at infection-time and serological status of infected piglets. Duration of shedding was influenced by the age at infection time, the serological status of the dam and mingling practices. An impaired humoral response was identified in piglets infected at a time when they still presented maternally-derived antibodies.     

Optimization of lycopene extraction from tomato cell suspension culture by response surface methodology

Radioisotope-labeled lycopene is an important tool for biomedical research but currently is not commercially available. A tomato cell suspension culture system for the production of radioisotope-labeled lycopene was previously developed in our laboratory. In the current study, the goal was to optimize the lycopene extraction efficiency from tomato cell cultures for preparatory high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation. We employed response surface methodology (RSM), which combines fractional factorial design and a second-degree polynomial model. Tomato cells were homogenized with ethanol, saponified by KOH, and extracted with hexane, and the lycopene content was analyzed by HPLC-PDA. We varied five factors at five levels: ethanol volume (1.33-4 mL/g); homogenization period (0-40 s/g); saturated KOH solution volume (0-0.67 mL/g); hexane volume (1.67-3 mL/g); and vortex period (5-25 s/g). Ridge analysis by SAS suggested that the optimal extraction procedure to extract 1 g of tomato cells was at 1.56 mL of ethanol, 28 s homogenization, 0.29 mL of KOH, 2.49 mL of hexane, and 17.5 s vortex. These optimal conditions predicted by RSM were confirmed to enhance lycopene yield from standardized tomato cell cultures by more than 3-fold.     

Congenital branchial apparatus malformation in a Haflinger colt

Objective— To report the diagnosis and treatment of a branchial apparatus anomaly (BAA) associated with a mandibular malformation in a foal.
Design— Clinical report.
Animal— Haflinger foal.
Methods— A 6-day-old foal had a fluctuating cystic mass in the pharyngeal (throatlatch) region, which changed in appearance after ingestion of milk. Upper airway endoscopy and diagnostic imaging (ultrasonography, radiography, computed tomography) permitted identification of the anatomic location of a communicating tract between the lumen of the cystic mass and the pharynx. The mass was surgically removed and communication with the pharynx ligated. Histologic appearance of this mass was consistent with a branchial cyst or sinus. The mandibular malformation was managed conservatively.
Results— Surgical resection of a third branchial sinus resulted in an excellent functional and cosmetic outcome. There was no evidence of any mandibular deformity 2 years later.
Conclusion— BAA may induce secondary mandibular deformation in utero and may cause respiratory compromise postpartum. Careful surgical dissection and removal of BAA resulted in an excellent outcome.
Clinical Relevance— BAAs should be included in the differential diagnosis of a throatlatch region mass in equine neonates. Complete surgical excision is recommended and full recovery of any associated mandibular deformity may be anticipated without additional treatment in very young patients.     

Sapling biomass allometry and carbon content in five afforestation species on marginal farmland in semi-arid Benin

Allometric equations are routinely used in the estimation of biomass stocks for carbon accounting within forest ecosystems. However, generic equations may not reflect the growth trajectories of afforestation species that are introduced to degraded farmland characterized by water and nutrient limitations. Using sequential measurements of the height, basal diameter, and above- and belowground biomass of juvenile trees, we developed allometric equations for five woody species (Moringa oleifera Lam., Leucaena leucocephala Lam., Jatropha curcas L., Anacardium occidentale L. and Parkia biglobosa Jacq.) subjected to a gradient of water and nutrient availability in an afforestation trial on degraded cropland in the semi-arid zone of Benin, West Africa. For three of the species studied, the allometric relationships between basal diameter and biomass components (i.e. leaves, stems and roots) were described best by a simple power-law model (R² > 0.93). The incorporation of species-specific height–diameter relationships and total height as additional predictors in the power-law function also produced reasonable estimates of biomass. Fifteen months after planting, roots accounted for 10–58% of the total biomass while the root-to-shoot ratio ranged between 0.16 and 0.73. The total biomass of the saplings ranged between 1.4 and 10.3 Mg ha^?1, yielding 0.6–4.3 Mg C ha^?1, far exceeding the biomass in the traditional fallow system. The rate of stem carbon sequestration measured ca. 0.62 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1. Overall, the allometric equations developed in this study are generally useful for assessing the standing shoot and root biomass of the five afforestation species during the juvenile growth stage and can help in reporting and verifying carbon stocks in young forests.     

COMPARISON OF THORACIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND RADIOGRAPHY FOR THE DETECTION OF INDUCED SMALL VOLUME PNEUMOTHORAX IN THE HORSE

Small volume pneumothorax can be challenging to diagnose in horses. The current standard method for diagnosis is standing thoracic radiography. We hypothesized that thoracic ultrasonography would be more sensitive. Objectives of this prospective, experimental study were to describe a thoracic ultrasound method for detection of small volume pneumothorax in horses and to compare results of radiography and ultrasound in a sample of horses with induced small volume pneumothorax. Six mature healthy horses were recruited for this study. For each horse, five 50 ml air boluses were sequentially introduced via a teat cannula into the pleural space. Lateral thoracic radiographs and standardized ultrasound (2D and M‐mode) examinations of both hemithoraces were performed following administration of each 50 ml air bolus. Radiographs and ultrasound images/videos were analyzed for detection of pneumothorax by four independent investigators who were unaware of treatment status. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, negative predictive values, and agreement among investigators (Kappa test, κ) were calculated for radiography, 2D and M‐mode ultrasound. Comparisons were made using a chi‐squared exact test with significance set at P < 0.05. Two‐dimensional (84%) and M‐mode (80%) ultrasound were more sensitive than radiography (48%) for pneumothorax detection (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively). Specificity and positive predictive values were similar for all three imaging modalities (P = 1). Agreement between investigators for pneumothorax detection was excellent for 2D ultrasound (κ = 1), very good for M‐mode ultrasound (κ = 0.87), and good for radiography (κ = 0.79). Findings from this experimental study supported the use of thoracic ultrasonography as a diagnostic method for detecting pneumothorax in horses.