Association between porpoise presence and fish choruses: implications for feeding strategies and ecosystem-based conservation of the East Asian finless porpoise

The associations between feeding activities and environmental variables inform animal feeding tactics that maximize energetic gains by minimizing energy costs while maximizing feeding success. Relevant studies in aquatic animals, particularly marine mammals, are scarce due to difficulties in the observation of feeding behaviors in aquatic environments. This data scarcity concurrently hinders ecosystem-based fishery management in the context of small toothed-cetacean conservation. In the present study, a passive acoustic monitoring station was deployed in an East Asian finless porpoise habitat in Laizhou Bay to investigate potential relationships between East Asian finless porpoises and their prey. The data revealed that porpoises were acoustically present nearly every day during the survey period. Porpoise detection rates differed between spring and autumn in concert with activities of fish choruses. During spring, fish choruses were present throughout the afternoon, and this was the time when porpoise vocalizations were the most frequently detected. During autumn, when fish choruses were absent, porpoise detection rates decreased, and diurnal patterns were not detected. The close association between fish choruses and finless porpoise activities implies an “eavesdropping” feeding strategy to maximize energetic gains, similar to other toothed cetaceans that are known to engage similar feeding strategies. Underwater noise pollution, particularly those masking fish choruses, could interrupt finless porpoises’ feeding success. Fisheries competing soniferous fishes with finless porpoise could impact finless porpoise viability through ecosystem disruption, in addition to fishing gear entanglement.     

无线电追踪技术在地下啮齿动物研究中的应用

营地下生活的啮齿动物被誉为陆地生态系统的工程师,但其长期栖居于地下的生活习性难以被人们直接观察,给动物行为学和生态生物学等研究带来了挑战。随着科学技术的发展,无线电技术的小型化和轻量化为地下啮齿动物研究提供了可行性。国外学者已成功将无线电追踪技术应用于对地下啮齿动物洞道系统、活动节律、巢域面积变化以及社群制度等的研究。但国内将其应用于地下啮齿动物研究的较少。本文根据目前国内外研究现状,对无线追踪技术的研究内容和研究方法进行综述,以期为我国地下啮齿类研究提供参考。     

Electrical velocimetry for noninvasive cardiac output and stroke volume variation measurements in dogs undergoing cardiovascular surgery

Objective

To compare electrical velocimetry (EV) noninvasive measures of cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume variation (SVV) in dogs undergoing cardiovascular surgery with those obtained with the conventional thermodilution technique using a pulmonary artery catheter.

Recovery from rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block was longer in the larynx than in the pelvic limb of anesthetized dogs

Objective

To determine if neuromuscular monitoring at the pelvic limb accurately reflects neuromuscular function in the larynx after administration of rocuronium in anesthetized dogs.

Paraoxonase activity as a tool for clinical monitoring of dogs treated for canine leishmaniasis

This study was designed to determine if the activity of paraoxonase (PON1), an antioxidant enzyme that works as a negative acute phase reactant, is a better predictor for the clinical recovery of leishmaniotic dogs receiving standard treatments compared with inflammatory markers such as C reactive protein (CRP) and electrophoretic fractions. For this purpose we tested 20 healthy dogs (controls) and 39 leishmaniotic dogs classified as sick (group A, n = 23) or severely sick (group B, n = 16) and tested at admission and after 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days.At admission, CRP and electrophoresis were altered in both groups, while PON1 activity was abnormal only in group B. There were no differences related to the outcome (mortality, complications or time of recovery). PON1 activity normalized in about 2 weeks in dogs that had abnormal values at admission and a final positive outcome; CRP normalized in 4–6 weeks and electrophoretic fractions were still altered after 6 weeks. The results show that, at admission, inflammatory markers did not predict the outcome of leishmaniasis. PON1 activity decreased only in some dogs with systemic inflammation but not in those with mild leishmaniasis: when decreased, PON1 normalized earlier than other markers in dogs that responded to treatment. This finding most likely depends on the rapid decrease in oxidative phenomena. PON1 activity should therefore be tested on admission: if low values are recorded, severe inflammation may be suspected and PON1 measurement may be repeated during treatment to early identify responsive dogs.     

Cardiac troponins

Objective: To review the use of cardiac troponins as biomarkers for myocardial injury in human and veterinary medicine. Data sources: Data sources included scientific reviews and original research publications. Human data synthesis: Cardiac troponins have been extensively studied in human medicine. Finding an elevated cardiac troponin level carries important diagnostic and prognostic information for humans with cardiovascular disease. Troponin assays are used primarily to diagnose acute myocardial infarction in patients with ischemic symptoms such as chest pain. However, elevated blood levels may be found with any cause of myocardial injury. Veterinary data synthesis: Several studies have shown that cardiac troponins are sensitive and specific for myocardial damage in veterinary patients and may have utility in diagnosis and prognosis for certain disease states. Human assays may be used in most animals due to significant homology in the troponin proteins between species. Conclusions: Cardiac troponins are sensitive and specific markers of myocardial injury although they do not give any information regarding the mechanism of injury. They have redefined how acute myocardial infarction is diagnosed in humans. Their use in the clinical management of veterinary patients is limited at this time. Further prospective studies are warranted.     

甘肃省草原产草量动态监测模型

利用MODIS数据和地面实测资料,研究了甘肃省不同草原区的最适草原生物量遥感估算模型,并反演了甘肃省2005-2009年的草原产草量,分析了其空间分布特征。结果表明,不同草原区适合的植被指数和反演模型类型存异,其中河西走廊高平原荒漠草原区适合的植被指数是RVI、模型类型为对数模型,甘南高原草甸草原区适合的植被指数是EVI、模型类型为指数模型,而黄土高原温性草原区适合的植被指数是NDVI、模型类型为二次多项式模型。甘肃省2009年草原总产鲜草3 718.30万t,整体呈现东北低、西南高的空间变化过程,形成3个高产中心,分别是甘南高原、祁连山北麓中东段和陇南南部。与1985年相比,2005年草原明显减产(相对变化率V=19.34%),但2005-2009年间甘肃省草原产草量有总体上升的趋势。     

射频加热技术在粮食储藏与加工中应用研究进展

粮食的储藏与加工是保障国家粮食安全的重要环节。射频技术凭借具有穿透深度大、加热迅速、整体加热、无化学残留等特点,已广泛应用于粮食产后研究,并在部分领域工业化应用前景广阔。为深入了解射频加热技术在粮食储藏与加工中应用研究进展,本文首先对射频技术展开概述,阐述了射频加热的基本原理,并对目前商业化应用的射频加热系统的类型与特点进行介绍;从粮食与储粮害虫的介电特性、储粮害虫的耐热性和粮食的加热均匀性改善三个方面概述了目前射频在粮食储藏与加工中的基础研究;在此基础上,结合生产中面临的实际问题对该技术在粮食产后杀虫、灭菌、钝酶和干燥等方面的应用进行了总结;最后,就该技术应用于粮食储藏与加工尚存的问题与未来研究方向提出了建议。本文可为射频技术在粮食储藏与加工中的应用研究提供指导作用。