Seasonal mixing and catastrophic degassing in tropical lakes, cameroon, west Africa

Lethal gas releases from Lakes Nyos and Monoun in Cameroon seem to be more lacustrine than volcanic in origin. Both of these events occurred in August and were only 2 years apart. Data show that the period of deepest mixing and lake turnover also occurs during late summer in this region of tropical Africa. In addition, recent trends of decreases in both air temperatures and effective insolation relative to long-term means suggest that weakening of stratification, coupled with a predictable seasonal interval of reduced stability in August, may be responsible for the timing of these events.     

Validation of the specificity and sensitivity of species-specific primers that provide a reliable molecular diagnostic for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xiphinema diversicaudatum</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. index</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. vuittenezi</Emphasis>

Xiphinema diversicaudatum and X. index are vector nematode species of economic importance in viticulture regions as they can transmit Arabis Mosaic, Grapevine Fanleaf and Strawberry Latent Ringspot viruses to grapevine. Wang et al. (2003) designed species-specific diagnostic primers from ribosomal genes for both these vector species as well as a vector and a non-vector species X. italiae and X. vuittenezi, respectively. Our study aimed to confirm the specificity and determine the sensitivity and reliability of the primers for the two vector species, X. diversicaudatumand X. indexwhen challenged with closely related longidorid species and general nematode communities typical of vineyard soil. With one exception, no PCR product was observed when the primers were tested against six Longidorus, one Paralongidorus and one Xiphinema non-target species. Occasionally (three out of eight replicate PCR reactions) a weak PCR product was noted when primers for X. index were tested with L. elongatus. Furthermore, when challenged with a range of non-target nematode species comprising the nematode community typical of viticulture soil, no PCR product was amplified. An experimental dilution series of extracted DNA rigorously demonstrated that DNA from an equivalent single specimen of the target virus-vector species, X. diversicaudatum and/or X. index, could be detected amongst 1000 equivalent non-targetX. vuittenezi. Also, extracted DNA from an equivalent single target specimen was detected when added to DNA extracted from the overall soil nematode community. The primers were assessed further by using serial mixtures of actual nematodes rather than extracted DNA to simulate field soil. Using this method, a single target nematode could be detected amongst 200 non-target specimens. Given their specificity, sensitivity and reliability, it appears that these diagnostic primers will be of great benefit to phytosanitary/quarantine services related to the viticulture industry.     

A survey of northern Victorian dairy farmers to investigate dairy calf management: colostrum feeding and management

Objectives

To describe colostrum management practices carried out in northern Victorian dairy herds and to identify weaknesses in these areas that may affect calf health and welfare by comparing the results with the current industry recommendations

Methods

A questionnaire to obtain information about colostrum management and calf‐rearing practices was sent to commercial dairy farming clients of Rochester Veterinary Practice between June and September 2013. The questionnaire consisted of a general herd overview and colostrum harvesting practices.

Results

The response rate was 39% (58/150). Many dairy producers were not meeting the current industry recommendations in the following areas: (1) time of removal calf from the dam, (2) relying on calf suckling colostrum from the dam to achieve adequate passive transfer, (3) failing to supplement calves with colostrum, (4) feeding inadequate volumes of colostrum, (5) delayed colostrum harvesting, (6) pooling of colostrum, (7) failing to objectively assess colostrum quality or relying on visual assessment and (8) storing colostrum for a prolonged periods of time at ambient temperatures.

Conclusion

The results from this survey highlight the need for greater awareness of industry standards for colostrum management and feeding hygiene.

     

Genetic divergence in two tropical maize composites after four cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection

Two tropical maize composites were subjected to four cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection to develop divergent inbred lines with good combining ability. This study was conducted to examine the extent of genetic diversity, changes in allele composition and genetic structure, of 100 randomly selected S₁ lines each from the original (C₀) and advanced (C₄) selection cycles of TZL COMP3 and TZL COMP4, genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Results revealed that the proportion of alleles at both low and high frequencies decreased from C₀ to C₄, whereas those at intermediate frequencies increased at C₄ in the two composites. More unique and other alleles were lost at C₄ in TZL COMP3 relative to those in TZL COMP4. The changes in different measures of genetic diversity were either small or negligible with selection in the two composites. The proportion of markers departing from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) decreased with selection, whereas the total number of pairs of markers in linkage disequilibrium increased with selection in the two composites. Examination of changes in population structures using a model‐based approach as well as cluster and multivariate analyses found a high degree of concordance in stratifying the 400 S₁ lines into four non‐overlapping groups corresponding to the two selection cycles each within the reciprocal composites. The observed molecular‐based divergence between cycles within the same composite and the clear differentiation between the complementary composites highlight the importance of reciprocal recurrent selection for preserving genetic diversity for long‐term selection. This increases the potential of the advanced selection cycles to sustain genetic gain in productivity of hybrids adapted to the savannas in West and Central Africa.     

Morphometry,Morphology and Ultrastructure of Ring‐tailed Coati Sperm (Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766)

The ring‐tailed coati (Nasua nasua) is a procyonid whose population is in sharp decline. Therefore, studies are needed to better understand the reproduction of this animal. For this reason, this study aimed to evaluate the morphology, morphometry and sperm ultrastructure of ring‐tailed coati sperm. Four captive adult males were used for this study. Slides stained with Bengal Rose were used for the morphometric and morphologic analyses. The length and width of the head were measured, as well as the length of the midpiece and tail and the total length of the sperm. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used for the ultrastructural analyses. The most obvious morphological abnormalities observed were coiled tails (6.1 ± 8.7%) and the lack of acrosomes (5.4 ± 4.4%). Regarding the morphometry, the measurements of the head (length × width), midpiece (length) and tail (length) were (mean ± SD) 6.2 ± 0.4 × 8.1 ± 0.6 μm, 14.1 ± 0.5 and 63.9 ± 4.1 μm, respectively, and the total length of the sperm was 86.1 ± 4.3 μm. Through electron microscopy, the presence of electron‐lucent points in the nucleus and the presence of approximately 55 mitochondrial spirals in the midpiece were identified. The data obtained in this study provide detailed information on the sperm characteristics of coatis and may inform future research on germplasm conservation, both for this species and other threatened procyonids.     

The effect of footrot on body weight and wool growth of sheep

Body weight and traits associated with production of wool were measured over a 2-year period between 1985 and 1987 in south-western New South Wales in a flock of Merino wethers experimentally infected with footrot. The disease was allowed to spread freely amongst 150 of the flock but kept at very low prevalence in the remaining 50 by preventive footbathing during transmission periods. Severe, underrunning footrot had a significant adverse effect on body weight, for each year of the trial. Body weight was most severely reduced at times of the year when footrot was spreading among animals and lesions were severe. The mean body weight of the infected group at the end of the 2 years of observation was 7.3 kg (11.6%) below that of the control group. Footrot also depressed wool growth, with the mean clean fleece weight of the infected group being 0.4 kg (8%) lighter than that of the controls at each of the 2 annual shearings. There were no consistent differences between the groups for the other wool characteristics measured.     

Probing the Local Effects of Magnetic Impurities on Superconductivity

The local effects of isolated magnetic adatoms on the electronic properties of the surface of a superconductor were studied with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. Tunneling spectra obtained near magnetic adsorbates reveal the presence of excitations within the superconductor's energy gap that can be detected over a few atomic diameters around the impurity at the surface. These excitations are locally asymmetric with respect to tunneling of electrons and holes. A model calculation based on the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations can be used to understand the details of the local tunneling spectra.     

Arctic lakes and streams as gas conduits to the atmosphere: implications for tundra carbon budgets

Arctic tundra has large amounts of stored carbon and is thought to be a sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) (0.1 to 0.3 petagram of carbon per year) (1 petagram = 10(15) grams). But this estimate of carbon balance is only for terrestrial ecosystems. Measurements of the partial pressure of CO(2) in 29 aquatic ecosystems across arctic Alaska showed that in most cases (27 of 29) CO(2) was released to the atmosphere. This CO(2) probably originates in terrestrial environments; erosion of particulate carbon plus ground-water transport of dissolved carbon from tundra contribute to the CO(2) flux from surface waters to the atmosphere. If this mechanism is typical of that of other tundra areas, then current estimates of the arctic terrestrial sink for atmospheric CO(2) may be 20 percent too high.