Anthropogenic influences on potential fire spread in a pyrogenic ecosystem of Florida, USA

Fire has historically been an important ecological factor maintaining southeastern U.S. vegetation. Humans have altered natural fire regimes by fragmenting fuels, introducing exotic species, and suppressing fires. Little is known about how these alterations specifically affect spatial fire extent and pattern. We applied historic (1920 and 1943) and current (1990) GIS fuels maps and the FARSITE fire spread model to quantify the differences between historic and current fire spread distributions. We held all fire modeling variables (wind speed and direction, cloud cover, precipitation, humidity, air temperature, fuel moistures, ignition source and location) constant with exception of the fuel models representing different time periods. Model simulations suggest that fires during the early 1900's burned freely across the landscape, while current fires are much smaller, restricted by anthropogenic influences. Fire extent declined linearly with patch density, and there was a quadratic relationship between fire extent and percent landscape covered by anthropogenic features. We found that as little as 10 percent anthropogenic landcover caused a 50 percent decline in fire extent. Most landscapes (conservation or non-conservation areas) are now influenced by anthropogenic features which disrupt spatial fire behavior disproportionately to their actual size. These results suggest that land managers using fire to restore or maintain natural ecosystem function in pyrogenic systems will have to compensate for anthropogenic influences in their burn planning. This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Questionnaire-based study on consumer requirements for beef quality in Japan

A questionnaire study examining Japanese consumers’ requirements for beef quality was carried out in April 2002 in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Answers from 532 participants were used for the statistical analysis. Twenty questions about sensory properties, appearance, safety and freshness, production area, price, and other properties were prepared. The answers were applied to principal component analysis. Five principal components were obtained and defined, and the principle component scores were used to classify participants. The panels were classified into four groups profiled as ‘specific quality orientated’, ‘Wagyu (Japanese beef) orientated’, ‘safety and freshness orientated’ and ‘overall high quality orientated’. In addition, gender and age characteristics were different among the groups. Sensory properties did not affect the classification of respondents.     

施肥和刈割日期对杂交狼尾草钙、磷、镁含量的影响及其与家畜需要的关系

研究了不同施肥处理和刈割日期对杂交狼尾草Ca、P和Mg含量的影响及其与家畜营养的关系,结果表明,有机肥的施用显著降低了植株Ca含量,对植株P和Mg含量无显著影响;随无机氮施用水平的提高,杂交狼尾草植株Ca和Mg含量显著提高,P含量显著降低;植株Ca、Mg含量均随刈割日期的推迟而显著提高,植株磷含量随刈割日期的推迟呈先降后升的规律;根据NRC推荐的饲养标准(奶牛、肉牛和绵羊),所有处理杂交狼尾草植株Mg含量均能满足家畜的需要,Ca:P为(0.95～2.67):1;利用杂交狼尾草饲喂高产奶牛时,应注意日粮中Ca、P的添加.     

黄羽肉鸡育肥期维生素A、E适宜添加量研究

选体重和脚胫颜色度接近的56日龄黄羽肉鸡共960只,随机分为16个处理组,每处理60只鸡。采用双因子4×4水平的随机试验设计,4个维生素A添加水平(0、5000、10000、20000IU/kg)和4个维生素E添加水平(0、30、60、120IU/kg)。结果表明:在维生素A0～10000IU/kg、维生素E0～60IU/kg范围内,黄羽肉鸡的日增重和饲料报酬逐渐提高;日粮维生素A添加量超过10000IU/kg,血浆中维生素E含量有下降趋势。高水平维生素A(20000IU/kg),升高血浆TBARS值,大剂量维生素E(120IU/kg),提高机体脂质稳定性。日粮添加20000IU/kg维生素A对色素的沉积有抑制作用,随维生素E水平的上升,皮肤的颜色指数呈现上升趋势。维生素A和E含量及其互作对血清新城疫抗体效价有显著影响。综合考虑,黄羽肉鸡育肥期维生素A、E的适宜添加量分别为5000～10000IU/kg,30～60IU/kg。     

Integration of pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic for dose optimization of doxycycline against Haemophilus parasuis in pigs

The aims of this study were to establish optimal doses of doxycycline (dox) against Haemophilus parasuis on the basis of pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PK‐PD) integration modeling. The infected model was established by intranasal inoculation of organism in pigs and confirmed by clinical signs, blood biochemistry, and microscopic examinations. The recommended dose (20 mg/kg b.w.) was administered in pigs through intramuscular routes for PK studies. The area under the concentration 0‐ to 24‐hr curve (AUC_0–24), elimination half‐life (T_½ke), and mean residence time (MRT) of dox in healthy and H. parasuis‐infected pigs were 55.51 ± 5.72 versus 57.10 ± 4.89 μg·hr/ml, 8.28 ± 0.91 versus 9.80 ± 2.38 hr, and 8.43 ± 0.27 versus 8.79 ± 0.18 hr, respectively. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of dox against 40 H. parasuis isolates was conducted through broth microdilution method, the corresponding MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ were 0.25 and 1 μg/ml, respectively. The Ex vivo growth inhibition data suggested that dox exhibited a concentration‐dependent killing mechanism. Based on the observed AUC_24 hr/MIC values by modeling PK‐PD data in H. parasuis‐infected pigs, the doses predicted to obtain bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and elimination effects for H. parasuis over 24 hr were 5.25, 8.55, and 10.37 mg/kg for the 50% target attainment rate (TAR), and 7.26, 13.82, and 18.17 mg/kg for 90% TAR, respectively. This study provided a more optimized alternative for clinical use and demonstrated that the dosage 20 mg/kg of dox by intramuscular administration could have an effective bactericidal activity against H. parasuis.     

Using the indicator amino acid oxidation technique to study threonine requirements in horses receiving a predominantly forage diet

Threonine has been reported to be the second limiting amino acid in typical equine diets, but its actual requirement has not been determined in horses. To evaluate amino acid metabolism and requirements, the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method has been successfully used in other species. The objective of this research was to estimate threonine requirements in mature horses fed timothy hay and concentrate in 4:1 ratio using the IAAO method. Six Thoroughbred mares (579.9 ± 46.7 kg) received each of 6 levels of threonine intake, 41, 51, 61, 70, 80 and 89 mg/kg BW/day, in a randomly determined order. Each study period was 7‐day long, and on day 6, blood samples were collected before and 90 min after feeding to measure amino acid concentrations using HPLC. On day 7, horses underwent IAAO procedures, which included a 2‐hr primed, constant intravenous infusion of [¹³C]sodium bicarbonate to measure total CO₂ production and a 4‐hr primed, constant oral administration of [1‐¹³C]phenylalanine to estimate phenylalanine oxidation to CO₂. Blood and breath samples were collected to measure blood [¹³C]phenylalanine, using GC‐MS analysis and breath ¹³CO₂ enrichment, using an infrared isotope analyser. Increasing threonine intake levels did not affect plasma phenylalanine oxidation by the ANOVA test (p > 0.05) but resulted in a linear decrease in phenylalanine oxidation (p = 0.04) without a breakpoint by the orthogonal linear contrast. This study is the first attempt to evaluate threonine requirements in horses by the IAAO method; however, threonine requirements are still unknown in mature horses at this time.     

Challenges in developing and implementing a decision support systems (ETÇAP) in forest management planning: a case study in Honaz and Ibradı, Turkey

Decision support systems (DSSs) are indispensable tools in preparing a forest management plan for a better combination of multiple forest values. This study attempted to develop and explain a stand-based forest management DSS (Ecosystem-based multiple-use forest planning [ETÇAP]) comprising a traditional simulation, linear programming (LP), metaheuristics and geographic information system. The model consists of five submodels; traditional management approach to handle inventory data, an empirical growth and yield model, a simulation to conceptualize management actions, a LP technique to optimize resource allocation and a simulated annealing approach to directly create a spatially feasible harvest schedule. The ETÇAP model has been implemented in a comparative two case study areas; Denizli–Honaz and Akseki–Ibrad?. Both simulation and optimization models outperformed to the traditional management plan. The periodical change of growing stock, allowable cuts, carbon sequestration and water production are used as performance indicators. The results showed that more amount of wood could be harvested over time compared to traditional level of harvesting. It could be concluded that various management strategies allowed managers to stimulate more decision options for better outputs through intertemporal trade-offs of management interventions as the model provided tools to quantify forest dynamics over time and space. Challenges exist to establish the functional relationships between forest structure and values for better quantification and integration into the management plans.     

Temperature modeling of a land-based aquaculture system for the production of Gracilaria pacifica: Possible system modifications to conserve heat and extend the growing season

Temperature control is a major cost for numerous aquaculture systems. Solar thermal engineering techniques can be used to identify inexpensive methods for conserving and capturing heat. Gracilaria pacifica, also known as the culinary ingredient ogo, is currently grown in land-based tanks at a site in Goleta, CA where influent sea water temperatures infrequently reach the 21–28 °C range that provides for optimal growth. The major objective of this study was to explore various designs of a G. pacifica tank culture system that maintain optimal water temperature year round to maximize growth. A model was constructed and calibrated by comparing results to a one-third scale pilot system operated in Davis, CA. For model calibration the most sensitive parameter such as cover optical properties were adjusted first and less sensitive parameters were adjusted later. The pilot system consisted of six tanks, three insulated with foam and a clear polyethylene cover (experimental), and three uninsulated and uncovered (controls). The model had weather data inputs including air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. The model was then compared to a full-scale system operated in Santa Barbara during the winter. The experimental pilot system was 4.93 °C warmer than the control pilot system under optimal weather conditions. The full-scale experimental system was 2.80 °C warmer than the control system under non-ideal conditions. The model demonstrated predictive accuracy under most weather conditions. Furthermore the model is robust enough to accept estimated values for many inputs and still produce accurate results, this suggests a simpler model may be feasible. A polyethylene cover and insulation are not sufficient in general for raising the water temperature to the optimum range during the winter; they may be during other times of the year when more solar energy is available, thereby extending the growing season.     

基于Simulink的液压系统建模与仿真

针对农业机械中液压系统结构复杂、研发周期长等问题,通过分析农业机械中液压回路各个组成元件特性,基于Simulink构建元件动态数学模型。对液压回路进行研究,分析了液压回路在不同元件参数下的动态性能,为优化液压回路系统提供参考。     

水生动物肌醇营养研究进展

肌醇是大多数水生动物保持健康、促进生长发育必需的营养素,它在细胞膜磷脂合成、神经递质传递和肝脏脂质转运等方面发挥重要作用。饲料中肌醇缺乏导致水生动物生长不良、体表充血、鳍条糜烂、体色发黑、脂肪肝等症状。本文综述了肌醇的理化性质,肌醇在水生动物营养中营养生理作用、需要量及影响因素等,同时还介绍了肌醇的来源和测定方法,并展望了肌醇在水生动物营养中进一步的研究和应用方向。