Impact of reader antenna polarisation, distance, inlay design, conveyor speed, tag location and orientation on the coupling of UHF RFID as applied to modified atmosphere packaged meat

Undetected RFID tags make the potential benefits of RFID unattainable. This study aimed to determine the most significant factors that affect RFID and particularly its application to the traceability of meat. Experimental parameters included five RFID tag inlays, two levels of conveyor speeds, five variations of beef sample and an empty container, 12 tags per test sample, three distances and two types of reader antenna polarisations. Tag detection rates were determined in three replicates per combination of test parameters. A GLM ANOVA was carried out on tag detection rate. In decreasing order of significance in terms of the effect on mean tag detection rate were distance, sample, inlay design, conveyor speed and reader antenna polarisation. Interaction of these factors also proved significant, in decreasing order of importance were reader antenna * inlay, sample type * distance, inlay * distance, sample type * inlay, sample type * reader antenna, distance * speed, sample type * speed and finally sample type * distance * speed. Linearly polarised antenna preformed better overall at detecting tags, with 63% mean detection rate compared with circularly polarised antenna with 57% mean detection rate. Varying the tag inlay resulted in mean detection rates of between 62% and 88%. Ideal transponder location on package was reader antenna polarisation dependent, but generally tags facing reader antennas exhibited better detection rate. Results revealed that the under side of the package was the most un-detectable transponder location, considering the placement of reader antennas on top, left and right sides of the sample. Conveyor speed also proved significant with a variation from 0.5 to 1.0 m/s resulting in an average detection rate ranging from 62% to 57%, respectively. Circularly polarised antennas are believed to perform better in cases of random tag orientation on products. It can be concluded that RFID systems implementation in the meat supply chain requires a holistic approach where distances, polarisations, inlay type, meat composition and conveyor speed need to be considered.     

历史时期新疆地区农业灾害发展述略

新疆作为我国多种自然灾害群生的典型地区,拥有独一无二的自然和社会环境,在漫长的历史时期中造就了绿洲灌溉农业与畜牧业并存的生产方式,通过与当地严酷的自然灾害斗争不断改进农业技术,发展出适合自身特点的农业生产体系。通过分析历史时期发生的自然灾害与农业的关系,简要探索新疆农业的发展过程。     

沙力河大桥静动载试验

沙力河大桥为先张法预应力混凝土空心板,通过现场静动力荷载试验,测得桥梁结构的力学指标和性能指标.对试验值与理论计算值进行比较分析,以评定该桥的实际承载能力及现有技术状况,进而验证该桥的设计质量,评定该桥的施工质量,并为该桥的竣工验收及后期的安全运营提供科学依据.     

自然景观模式的城市开放空间改造分析——以常熟市“亮山工程”为例

着眼于中国城市的建设发展,指出协调好传统景观与现代城市生活需求之间的平衡关系,已经成为城市改造的一项重要内容。以常熟市城市空间改造设计为例进行分析,提出一种基于自然景观模式的城市空间研究思路。     

The potential of combining <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pasteuria penetrans</Emphasis> and neem (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Azadirachta indica</Emphasis>) formulations as a management system for root-knot nematodes on tomato

Initial applications of 10⁴ spores g⁻¹ of Pasteuria penetrans, and dried neem cake and leaves at 3 and 2% w:w, respectively, were applied to soil in pots. Juveniles of Meloidogyne javanica were added immediately to the pots (500, 5,000 or 10,000) before planting 6-week-old tomato seedlings. The tomatoes were sampled after 64 days; subsequently a second crop was grown for 59 days and a third crop for 67 days without further applications of P. penetrans and neem. There was significantly less root-galling in the P. penetrans combined with neem cake treatment at the end of the third crop and this treatment also had the greatest effect on the growth of the tomato plants. At the end of the third crop, 30% of the females were infected with P. penetrans in those treatments where spores had been applied at the start of the experiment. The effects of neem leaves and neem cake on the nematode population did not persist through the crop sequences but the potential for combining the amendments with a biological control agent such as P. penetrans is worthy of further evaluation.     

4个白三叶品系对不同灌水频率的生理响应

试验以新疆白三叶(Trifolium repens)为材料,以海法作对照,通过设置不同的微喷灌水频率(1、3、5、7 d/次),研究白三叶各品系生理指标的变化规律,以期为在白三叶建植过程中制定合理的灌溉制度提供基础数据。试验结果表明:随着灌水频率的减小,海法,S82,S92,S96品系的叶面积逐渐减小;叶绿素含量先下降,再小幅度增加后趋于稳定;叶片相对含水量无明显差异;游离脯氨酸含量先增加后减少;S82和S96品系的可溶性糖含量呈现升-降-升的变化趋势,S92却出现相反趋势;丙二醛含量呈现是先增加后减少,再增加的变化趋势。根据白三叶各项生理指标的数据综合分析认为,白三叶适宜的灌水时间为年5 d/次,4个品系的抗旱性由强到弱的顺序是S82S92海法S96。     

Two Phytophthora species causing decline of wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris)

Since 2009, a severe decline leading to mortality has been observed affecting nearly 5 ha of a wild olive woodland of high ecological value in Seville, southern Spain. Phytophthora cryptogea and P. megasperma were consistently isolated from roots and rhizosphere of trees with symptoms sampled in 2009, 2011 and 2013. The isolates were identified on the basis of colony and reproductive structure morphology as well as temperature–growth relationships, and identification was further corroborated by their ITS and β‐tubulin sequences. Koch's postulates were demonstrated for both species on 1‐year‐old wild olives. Pathogenicity tests showed that both Phytophthora spp. are highly aggressive pathogens, although temperature–growth requirements for each species were distinct. As a consequence, the two species may be active in different seasons and their epidemiology may be differently influenced by global climate change, and they may show their active periods in different climatic scenarios. The climate change models for the Mediterranean Basin forecast a global temperature increase that favours the more thermophilic P. cryptogea. The high susceptibility to phytophthora root rot should not be disregarded in olive breeding programmes where wild olive is used as a source of resistance to verticillium wilt.     

Natural resistance of Sri Lankan village chicken to Salmonella gallinarum infection

1. An experiment was conducted to compare the natural resistance of an indigenous breed of local village chickens to Salmonella gallinarum with two commercial breeds: ISA Brown and ISA White layers under experimental conditions.

2. A total of 72 chickens from each of these breeds were randomly distributed to 4 pens to provide equal numbers of two replicate pens maintained as infected and control (uninfected). All chickens in infected groups were inoculated orally with 1 × 10⁸ CFU (1 ml dose) of a field isolate of S. gallinarum, at the age of 8 and 16 weeks given over 5 consecutive days. Growth performance, clinical signs, gross pathological lesions and antibody responses were measured.

3. A significantly higher mortality was observed in the brown layers compared with the white layers, and clinical signs and mortality were absent in village chickens. However, a large number of birds with gross lesions and high antibody titres were detected in village chickens, indicating that birds had the disease subclinically. Commercial breeds had a significantly higher body weight, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency.

4. There was a significantly lower proportion of positive reactors in village chickens in the whole-blood agglutination test (35%) compared to brown (100%) and white (90%) layers even after the second inoculation. Uninfected birds were negative in all groups. The indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay confirmed these observations.

5. These results suggest that the indigenous breed had superior natural resistance to S. gallinarum than the commercial breeds.     

青岛市城市特色构成

在面临新的城市开发和建设的机遇面前,为了避免青岛城市特色的消失,从自然特征和城市历史文脉两方面寻根,讨论它们对城市特色的影响,以期对青岛城市发展有借鉴意义。     

Fungal disease suppression by inorganic salts: A review

This paper reviews the scientific literature on the topic of fungal disease suppression by applications of inorganic salts as alternatives to synthetic fungicides on a global scale for both protected and field crops. Where data were available, the comparative efficacy of inorganic salts with conventional fungicide products is discussed. In total, published evidence was found for 34 inorganic salts (mainly bicarbonates, phosphates, silicates, chlorides and phosphites) that were able to reduce the severity of 49 fungal diseases (of the foliage, stem, fruit, tuber, root and post-harvest) in 35 plant species (vegetables, cereals, fruit crops, root/tuber crops, ornamentals and native plants). The most studied and best controlled disease with inorganic salts was powdery mildew of cucurbits [Sphaerotheca fuliginea (Schltdl.) Pollacci 1913 or Erysiphe cichoracearum DC. 1805; up to 99% efficacy], wheat [Blumeria graminis (DC.) Speer 1975 (f. sp. tritici)] and grapes [Uncinula necator (Schwein.) Burrill 1892]. The next best evidence for disease control was for wheat septoria blotch (Septoria tritici Berk. & M.A. Curtis 1874), rice blast [Magnaporthe grisea (T.T. Hebert) M.E. Barr 1977], potato late blight [Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary 1876] and several other Phytophthora spp. The published evidence suggests that these 34 inorganic salts are generally less effective than conventional fungicides and could not fully replace them. However, their integration in a disease management strategy may enable a reduction in the number of conventional fungicide applications required. The potential for the inclusion of inorganic salts in fungal disease management programmes merits further investigation and greater regulatory innovation in the near future.