Effect of temperature and compression on the mechanical behavior of steam-treated wood

The mechanical behavior of steamed spruce wood changes dramatically with compression along the grain, the change being much more moderate perpendicular to the grain. The stiffness decrement due to increased temperature is greatest in the tangential material direction. The stiffness decrement due to compression is greatest along the grain. Compression to 80% compressive strain at 131°C inverts the order of the material directions regarding stiffness, the stiffness being the least along the grain. Plastic strain due to compression is greater at higher temperatures. The compression-induced decrement of stiffness along the grain is greater at higher temperatures, but the off-axis decrement of stiffness is less at higher temperatures.     

Tree-ring: a suitable implement for spatial and temporal fire distribution analysis in savanna woodland and dry forest

Based on 120 stem discs collected during3 months of fieldwork along a 12 km route,the history of fires in the Wari Maro Forest(09 1000 N–02 1000E) over the past century in savanna woodland and dry forest was reconstituted.Three major ecological areas are characterized:one highly burnt zone located between two relative less burnt areas.By analyzing tree rings,246 fire scars were identified.The scars were caused by 51 fire years,occurring at a mean interval of 2.23 years.From 1890 to1965,only 6 years with fires were recorded from sampled trees.Since 1966,no year has passed without fire.The fire frequency point scale reached 14 years.This was the case of Burkea africana,which has been identified as a species tolerant to fire and could be planted to create a natural firewall.In contrast,Anogeissus leiocarpa is highly sensitive to fire,and in a dry forest ecosystem that burns seasonally,it requires a special conservation plan.Two new concepts are described:the rebarking of trees after fire and Mean Kilometer Fire Interval.The first concept was tested with Daniellia oliveri(Rolfe) Hutch & Dalz trees,and the second concept was used to evaluate spatial fire distribution.We demonstrate that savanna woodland and dry forest were subject to a degradation process caused by destructive fires related to vegetation cover clearance and illegal logging.     

Applying a kinetic method to an indirect ELISA measuring Ostertagia ostertagi antibodies in milk

Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are frequently run as endpoint ELISAs (e-ELISAs). However, kinetic ELISAs (k-ELISAs) have certain advantages over e-ELISAs. The objective of this study was to understand the relationship between e-ELISA and k-ELISA results. Specifically, to determine whether it was possible to run both k-ELISA and e-ELISA on the same plate and establish an appropriate time interval for k-ELISA measurements. A normalization method for k-ELISA slopes (slope ratio) is proposed. Using an indirect e-ELISA test measuring antibodies against Ostertagia ostertagi in milk from dairy cattle, we found that running a k-ELISA had no effect on optical density ratio results of an e-ELISA on the same plate, and that agreement was very strong at 10, 15, and 28 min, allowing for a reduction in the total processing time for ELISA tests.     

Behavioral Abnormalities in Lagotto Romagnolo Dogs with a History of Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy: A Long‐Term Follow‐Up Study

Background

Lagotto Romagnolo (LR) dogs with benign juvenile epilepsy syndrome often experience spontaneous remission of seizures. The long‐term outcome in these dogs currently is unknown. In humans, behavioral and psychiatric comorbidities have been reported in pediatric and adult‐onset epilepsies.

Hypothesis/Objectives

The objectives of this study were to investigate possible neurobehavioral comorbidities in LR with a history of benign familial juvenile epilepsy (BFJE) and to assess the occurrence of seizures after the remission of seizures in puppyhood.

Animals

A total of 25 LR with a history of BFJE and 91 control dogs of the same breed.

Methods

Owners of the LR dogs in the BFJE and control groups completed an online questionnaire about each dog''s activity, impulsivity, and inattention. Principal component analysis (PCA) served to extract behavioral factors from the data. We then compared the scores of these factors between the 2 groups in a retrospective case–control study. We also interviewed all dog owners in the BFJE group by telephone to inquire specifically about possible seizures or other neurological problems after remission of seizures as a puppy.

Results

Lagotto Romagnolo dogs with BFJE showed significantly higher scores on the factors Inattention and Excitability/Impulsivity than did the control group (P = .003; P = .021, respectively). Only 1 of the 25 BFJE LR exhibited seizures after remission of epilepsy in puppyhood.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Although the long‐term seizure outcome in BFJE LR seems to be good, the dogs exhibit behavioral abnormalities resembling attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in humans, thus suggesting neurobehavioral comorbidities with epilepsy.     

Investigation of the leptin levels in the blood serum of Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758) and Capoeta trutta (Heckel, 1843)

Leptin is a peptide hormone secreted by adipose tissues in the various teleost fish and vertebrates. Leptin has been suggested to have an important role in a range physiological function, including regulation of food intake, reproduction, immune function, energy expenditure, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. In this study, leptin levels in the blood serum of Cyprinus carpio and Capoeta trutta were determined. Then the results were compared between two species and between sexes of each species. In addition, leptin levels were also compared with the body weight and length of both C. carpio and C. trutta. Leptin level was analysed using available enzyme‐linked immunoassay (ELISA) kit (Rat leptin ELISA kit, catalog no: SK00050‐08). Leptin levels showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) that in relation to between two species and between sexes of each species. It has been shown that not significantly correlated when examined correlations between the leptin level in blood serum and body weight (r = 0.192, p = 0.380) or length (r = 0.102, p = 0.644) of C. carpio. Similarly, the correlations between leptin level in blood serum and body weight (r = 0.021, p = 0.959) or length (r = 0.123, p = 0.595) of C. trutta were also not significant.     

Genotype,production system and sex effects on fatty acid composition of meat from goat kids

Two trials were performed to assess the meat fatty acid profile of goat kids from different genotypes, production systems and sex. In the first trial, genotype effect was determined in 24 suckling male kids from Turkish Saanen, Maltese and Gokceada breeds. In the second trial, male and female Gokceada Goat kids were used to compare the effect of extensive and semi‐intensive production systems on fatty acid composition of meat. Significant genotype effect was observed in the percentages of myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1 n‐9), linolenic acid (C18:3 n‐3), arachidonic acid (C20:4 n‐6) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n‐3), despite no differences on the ratios of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) and n‐6/n‐3 (P > 0.05). The effect of production system had also significant effects on fatty acids, but sex only influenced significantly stearic acid (C18:0), C18:1 n‐9 and C18:3 n‐3 fatty acids and total PUFA level and PUFA/SFA ratio. This study confirms that dairy breeds are prone to produce higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids in their muscle. Meanwhile, meat from Gokceada goat kids, which is one of the indigenous breeds in Turkey, had similar PUFA/SFA and n‐6/n‐3 ratios to Turkish Saanen and Maltase.     

Effect of gamma and e-beam radiation on the essential oils of Thymus vulgaris thymoliferum, Eucalyptus radiata, and Lavandula angustifolia

The microbiological contamination of raw plant materials is common and may be adequately reduced by radiation processing. This study evaluated the effects of gamma- and e-beam ionizing radiations (25 kGy) on three plants used as food or as medicinal products (Thymus vulgaris L., Eucalyptus radiata D.C., and Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) as well as their effects on extracted or commercial essential oils and pure standard samples. Comparison between irradiated and nonirradiated samples was performed by GC/FID and GC/MS. At the studied doses, gamma and e-beam ionizing radiation did not induce any detectable qualitative or quantitative significant changes in the contents and yields of essential oils immediately after ionizing radiation of plants or commercial essential oils and standards. As the maximum dose tested (25 kGy) is a sterilizing dose (much higher than doses used for decontamination of vegetable drugs), it is likely that even decontamination with lower doses will not modify yields or composition of essential oils of these three plants.     

Dietary transition stages based on eating patterns and diet quality among Haitians of Montreal, Canada

OBJECTIVES: To identify dietary transition stages based on dietary patterns of adult Haitians having lived in Montreal for various lengths of time, and to assess associated dietary quality. SUBJECTS: One hundred and eighty-one Haitians aged 25-60 years were recruited by the modified random digit dialling method. DESIGN: Socio-economic, diet and lifestyle variables were documented by questionnaire. Three non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted over a 3-month period. Dietary patterns were studied using cluster analysis, and their association with proportion of lifetime in Canada and with socio-economic status (SES) was examined. Diet quality criteria were micronutrient adequacy and healthfulness based on dietary recommendations of the World Health Organization. RESULTS: Four dietary phenotypes were identified which could roughly represent stages of dietary transition or acculturation (Traditional, Pre-Western, Western and Modern). Subjects in the 'Traditional' cluster were older and had lived for a significantly lower proportion of their lifetime in Canada; they also tended to be of lower SES. Diet quality was significantly higher in the 'Traditional' than the 'Western' type, particularly with respect to healthfulness. A significantly lower proportion of subjects complying with limited intake of total fat ( < 30%) and cholesterol ( < 45%) was observed in the 'Western' compared with other diet phenotypes. Less than 15% of all subjects consumed enough dietary fibre, irrespective of diet type. CONCLUSION: Dietary transition stages could be identified on the basis of food patterns of Haitians according to the proportion of their lifetime in Canada. Encouraging the youth to retain the traditional food culture in its positive aspects would appear relevant     

The Bolivian “Altiplano” and “Valle” sheep are two different peripatric breeds

Forty-nine sheep belonged to the Andean Altiplano region (“Altiplano”) and 30 in the lowland regions of Bolivia (“Valle”), aged 1 to 4 years, were wool sampled to determine the extent of difference between these local breeds. Fibre length and the percentage of each type of fibre (long-thick, short-thin and kemp), yield and fibre diameter were measured. There was a highly significant difference between the two sheep populations that were not clearly separated in the first two principal component of a principal components analysis (PC); the first PC explained 67.1 % and the second PC explained 26.6 % of the total variation. The variables that contributed most to the separation of the sheep populations were the percentage of long-thick and short-thin fibres in the first PC and yield in the second PC. A discriminant analysis, which was used to classify individuals with respect to their breeding, achieved an accurate classification rate of 84.2 %. Thus, the Altiplano and Valle sheep must be viewed as two closely peripatric breeds rather than different “ecotypes”, as more than 80 % could be correctly assigned to one of the breeds; however, the differences are based on composition of long-thick and short-thin fibres and yield after alcohol scouring.     

High level of treatment failure with commonly used anthelmintics on Irish sheep farms

Background

In 2013 a Technology Adoption Program for sheep farmers was established to encourage the implementation of best management practices on sheep farms in Ireland. There were 4,500 participants in this programme in 2013. As part of this programme, farmers had the option to carry out a drench test to establish the efficacy of their anthelmintic treatment.

Results

Flock faecal samples were collected before and after treatment administration and gastrointestinal nematode eggs enumerated. In total there were 1,893 participants in the task, however only 1,585 included both a pre- and post-treatment faecal sample. Of those, 1,308 provided information on the anthelmintic product that they used with 46%, 23% and 28% using a benzimidazole (BZ), levamisole (LEV) and macrocyclic lactone (ML) product respectively. The remaining farmers used a product inapplicable for inclusion in the task such as a flukicide or BZ/LEV combination product. Samples were included for analysis of drench efficacy if the pre-treatment flock egg count was ≥200 eggs per gram and the interval post-sampling was 10–14 days for BZ products, 4–7 days for LEV products and 14–18 days for ML products. These criteria reduced the number of valid tests to 369, 19.5% of all tests conducted. If the reduction post-treatment was ≥95% the treatment was considered effective. Only 51% of treatments were considered effective using this criterion. There was a significant difference in efficacy between the anthelmintic drug classes with BZ effective in only 30% of treatments, LEV effective in 52% of cases and ML effective in 76% of cases.

Conclusions

Gastrointestinal nematode anthelmintic treatments, as practiced on Irish farms, have a high failure rate. There was a significant difference between the efficacies of the anthelmintic classes with BZ the least effective and ML the most effective.