MEASUREMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION IN CATS USING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND DUAL ENERGY X‐RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY

Dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is a reference method for assessing body composition but is seldom `accessible in veterinary settings. Computed tomography (CT) can provide similar body composition estimates and we propose that it can be used in body composition studies in animals. We compared CT and DEXA data from 73 healthy adult neutered domestic cats. Three approaches for measuring adipose tissue percentage from full‐body CT scans were explored. By examining the frequency distribution of voxels by Hounsfield unit (HU) value, it is possible to calculate a fat index (Fat%) that is in close agreement with the fat percentages obtained from DEXA scans. Fat% values obtained by the best of the methods had a mean difference of 0.96% (95% confidence interval 0.33–1.59%) from the DEXA results. Fat% obtained by the other two methods were characterized by good correlation but poor agreement and in one of the methods, the difference between the values from the two modalities was proportional to their mean. By using CT, it is possible to obtain body composition estimates that are in close agreement with those available using DEXA. While the significance of individual Fat% measurements obtained from CT can be difficult to interpret and to compare between centers, CT can contribute to research studies concerned either with nutrition or with obesity‐related disorders.     

真空包装冷却猪肉低剂量辐照后的理化和感官特性变化

研究真空包装冷却猪肉经保鲜液处理或未经保鲜液处理，再分别经0 kGy、0.5 kGy、1 kGy和2 kGy低剂量辐照后的理化和感官特性变化，进而确定最佳的辐照处理方式以延长冷却猪肉的货架期。结果表明：经2 kGy辐照的真空包装冷却猪肉在(3±1)℃下贮存21 d时，TVB-N值、TBARS值和汁液流失率分别为20.17 mg/(100 g)、0.347 mg/kg、9.69%；而同样条件下，冷却猪肉首先用保鲜液处理，再经2 kGy辐照，其TVB-N值、TBARS值和汁液流失率分别为17.43 mg/(100 g)、0.237 mg/kg和9.18%。试验说明保鲜液处理可以在一定程度上提高辐照效果。在本试验设定的辐照剂量范围内，随着辐照剂量的增加，冷却猪肉的色泽逐渐变红，当辐照剂量达到2 kGy时，冷却猪肉的色泽达到最佳的鲜红状态，而且在贮存过程中鲜红色泽始终保持稳定，但其TBA值比对照组高(α<0.05)，不过大大小于1.0 mg/kg的脂肪氧化酸败临界范围值。冷却猪肉经过保鲜液处理+真空包装+2 kGy剂量辐照+冷藏，可以最大程度地延长冷却猪肉的货架期。     

~（60）Co γ射线不同剂量辐射甘蔗种芽试验初报

采用２０００γ、３５００γ、５０００γ、６５００γ、８０００γ５个等级的６０Ｃｏγ射线对甘蔗种芽进行电离辐射处理，观察对甘蔗生长发育的影响及苗期辐射形态变化，发现随着辐射剂量的增加出苗率明显下降，生长亦严重受阻，并发生矮化苗，茎色改变，心叶不抽出，株型变化等多种辐射形态变化。３５００γ以上的处理总变化数均在５０％以上，尤以５０００γ以上处理总变化率高，但差异不显著。初步认为蔗芽辐射育种的剂量范围为３５００－８０００γ，尤以３５００－６５００γ１为宜。     

Experiment Study on Soil Properties of Shennv Stream Landslide in Wu Gorge

Accurate obtainting soil parameters of landslide is the key links for landslide stability evaluation and project management . This article takes Shennv Stream landslide in Chongqing Wushan County as an example, implementing unconsolidated and undrained shear test and mineral composition analysis by X ray diffraction for soil in different elevations of landslide ,conducting sensitivity test for various soil parameters of reservoir landslide change with different water level.Study shows that : Mineral composition of soil mainly contains Calcite, Quartz and clay mineral. Hydrophilic minerals in clay mineral have great effect on stability of landslide. Shear strength decreases by influence of water content on cohesion. Cohesion decreases sharply in a quadratic function relation with water content increasing .When water content comes to 18.21% ,change of cohesion tends to be stable.But the internal friction angle of landslide soil decreases linearly in small amplitude with an increase of water content. Research results may provide some important references for rationally choosing strength parameters of soil in similar landslide.     

Obesity increases initial rate of fibrin formation during blood coagulation in domestic shorthaired cats

Obesity predisposes to a prothrombotic state in humans, but whether a similar state occurs in obese animals is unknown. The objective of the current study was to examine the effect of body fat percentage (BF) on haemostatic parameters including thromboelastography with tissue factor as activator (TF-TEG) in client owned indoor-confined physically inactive cats. Seventy-two cats were included following an initial thorough health examination, and a complete blood count, biochemistry panel, conventional coagulation panel and a TF-TEG analysis were performed with tissue factor (1:50,000) as activator. The cats were anaesthetized, and BF was measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Significant difference between lean (BF < 35%, n = 26), overweight (35% < BF < 45%, n = 28) and obese (BF > 45%, n = 18) cats was identified using ANOVA. The correlation between BF, serum leptin and total adiponectin, respectively, with individual TEG and conventional coagulation parameters was evaluated. Obese cats showed a faster rate of fibrin formation (TF-TEG(R), p < 0.05), and TF-TEG(R) was positively correlated with plasma leptin levels. Increasing BF did not affect other conventional coagulation or TF-TEG parameters. In conclusion, this study indicates a connection between body fat content and altered haemostasis, also in cats. Whether feline obesity causes a hypercoagulable state of clinical relevance should be further investigated.     

竹纤维/聚丙烯复合材料的耐老化性能

采用挤出成型制备了竹粉增强聚丙烯复合材料,研究竹粉/聚丙烯复合材料在紫外加速老化与湿热老化后的力学性能变化与尺寸稳定性.结果表明:在紫外线加速老化200 h后,复合材料的弯曲强度与弯曲模量无显著变化,试件宽度与厚度在紫外加速老化前后也无显著改变;但湿热老化对复合材料的弯曲强度与弯曲模量有显著影响,在沸水中浸泡2h后,复...     

双胚苗水稻种子的扫描电镜观察

以同源四倍体双胚苗水稻品系(D07-04-01)及其衍生后代(01-04-01,D07-02-01,DP07-04-01)为研究材料,利用扫描电镜技术和X射线衍射技术对稻米的垩白性状、淀粉粒的形态特征和淀粉的晶体特性进行了初步研究。研究结果表明,与其他材料相比,双胚苗二倍体品系D07-02-01的垩白粒率、垩白度和垩白大小均最小,稻米的自然横断面中部无明显辐射状,裂痕少且浅,"粗短形"的不规则多边形胚乳细胞与淀粉粒分布均匀,多面体状淀粉粒呈现典型的晶体结构,数目多且排列致密,球形单粒淀粉粒和块状不规则的复粒淀粉体数目比较少,相对结晶度高,直链淀粉含量低,即外观品质和食味品质均比其他四倍体品系好。     

terraGIS – a web GIS for delivery of digital soil maps in cotton‐growing areas of Australia

Effective management of soil requires the spatial distribution of its various physical, chemical and hydrological properties. This is because properties, for example clay content, determine the ability of soil to hold cations and retain water. However, data acquisition is labour intensive and time‐consuming. To add value to the limited soil data, remote sensing (e.g. airborne gamma‐ray spectrometry) and proximal sensing, such as electromagnetic (EM) induction, are being used as ancillary data. Here, we provide examples of developing Digital Soil Maps (DSM) of soil physical, chemical and hydrological properties, for seven cotton‐growing areas of southeastern Australia, by coupling soil data with remote and proximal sensed ancillary data. A greater challenge is how to get these DSM to a stakeholder in a way that is useful for practical soil use and management. This study describes how we facilitate access to the DSMs, using a simple‐to‐use web GIS platform, called terraGIS. The platform is underpinned by Google Maps API, which is an open‐source development environment for building spatially enabled Internet applications. In conclusion, we consider that terraGIS and the supporting information, available on the sister web page ( http://www.terragis.bees.unsw.edu.au/ ), allow easy access to explanation of DSM of soil properties, which are relevant to cotton growers, farm managers, consultants, extension staff, researchers, state and federal government agency personnel and policy analysts. Future work should be aimed at developing error budget maps to identify where additional soil and/or ancillary data is required to improve the accuracy of the DSMs.     

Changes in soil macropores: Superposition of the roles of organic nutrient amendments and the greenhouse pattern in vegetable plantations

Organic farming can potentially mitigate soil compaction, which commonly occurs in vegetable plantations, particularly in greenhouses when compared with open‐air systems. Although several studies have addressed the effect of planting patterns on soil pore characteristics, few studies have focused on changes in pore attributes under organic fertilization. We used adjacent fields during green manure planting as a control to compare the differences in soil physicochemical and macropore parameters between 14‐year‐old greenhouse plots and open‐air plots under organic fertilization. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to analyse the drivers of soil macropore characteristics in vegetable plantations in Jiangsu Province, China. A significant increase in connectivity, fractal dimensions and total macroporosity and a decrease in bulk density after 14 years of organic farming, particularly in the surface layer in the greenhouse, were observed. However, the difference in pores in the plough pan layer was not significant between the treatments. The volume of small pores (50–500 μm) and medium pores (500–1,000 μm) increased significantly (p < 0.05) in both the greenhouse and open‐air systems, showing significantly positive relationships with soil organic matter (SOM) and total nitrogen (TN) content. Large pores (>1,000 μm) showed a clear decrease, especially in open‐air fields, possibly due to the disappearance of the original straw residues in the surface layer. Small and medium pores in the plough layer increased in greenhouse fields, whereas the opposite occurred in open‐air fields. Overall, compared with open‐air systems, long‐term organic greenhouse patterns had a significantly positive effect on soil pore attributes.     

Utility of two‐view vs. three‐view abdominal radiography in canines presenting with acute abdominal signs

There are clear differences in the normal radiographic appearance of the abdominal organs between a left lateral vs. a right lateral view. While a few veterinary academic institutions have transitioned to a three‐view abdominal radiographic study protocol, obtaining only two views of the canine abdomen remains the current standard in veterinary medicine. In this combined retrospective and prospective, case‐controlled study, 48 canine patients presenting with signs of acute abdomen were recruited. Four board‐certified veterinary radiologists and four general practice veterinarians with greater than 3 years of experience in small animal practice were asked to determine if 10 predetermined findings were present within the set of images and if surgery was recommended based on those findings. Image readers were unaware of the clinical history. Three‐view studies did not yield statistically significantly greater accuracy than two‐view studies when evaluating all readers together. No statistically significant associations between the availability of the third view and increased accuracy or confidence were found in evaluations of general practitioners specifically. Evaluation of three‐view radiographic examination, as compared to two‐view examination, did not have perceived or statistically significantly increased diagnostic utility. Based on our findings, there is no statistically increased utility to justify a standard three‐view abdominal radiographic examination over a two‐view study for canines presenting with signs of acute abdomen.