Application of acoustic Doppler current profiler combined with a scientific echo sounder for krill Euphausia pacifica density estimation

ABSTRACT:   An application of the acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP, 153.6 kHz) in combination with a scientific echo sounder (EK60, 38 and 200 kHz) was investigated to estimate the density of krill Euphausia pacifica . The acoustic backscattering strength from sound scattering layers was compared with biomass estimates from midwater trawls. Euphausia pacifica was targeted among mixed species populations in the sound scattering layer in the offshore Funka Bay area of Hokkaido, Japan. The frequency characteristics of acoustic backscattering by krill were calculated using a distorted wave Born approximation scattering model at three frequencies. Krill aggregations identified from the EK60 data were extracted as the mean volume backscattering strength difference between two frequencies. They were then used to identify similar aggregations in the ADCP data by matching observation times and depths for the two methods, which were applied simultaneously. Results from the comparison of the mean volume backscattering strength and the density calculated from the ADCP and EK60 showed that ADCP can be used to measure density and spatial–temporal distribution of krill aggregations. Current speed and direction at the study site were found to be 16.1 cm/s and 187.0°, respectively, and krill speed and direction (including the current component) were found to be 19.8 cm/s and 172.2°, respectively. Based on the ADCP data, the net speed and direction of the krill aggregations were found to be 5.9 cm/s and 128.0°, respectively.     

黄麻（新、引进）品种在闽南地区的产量（鉴定）试验

通过对中国农科院麻类所新选育的3个黄麻圆果种和12个国外引进的黄麻优异品种进行2002-2005年品种比较试验，结果表明：C90-2、C90-6、C89-6比对照种粤圆五号增产14．97％-19．34％，均达极显著水平。O-3、O-1、O-3（红茎）比对照种宽叶长果增产32．02％-34．21％，均达极显著水平。O-4（Ⅱ）比对照种增产12．28％达显著水平。C-1、C-5比对照种粤圆五号增产11．90％和7．82％。且主要经济性状优良，抗病力强。黄麻品种C90-2、C90-6、C89-6、O-3、O-1、O-3（红茎）、0-4（Ⅱ）、C-1和C-5适合于福建闽南麻区推广种植。     

植物育种的物理学方法

介绍了草原生态恢复中选育优良牧草种子的一些物理学方法,包括电场、磁场、物理辐射、激光、离子束和交变应力等在植物的生物学效应、诱变育种和转基因技术中的应用.     

137Cs示踪法在东北松嫩平原土壤侵蚀定量评价中的应用

根据不同退化程度草原和不同开垦年限农田土壤137Cs放射强度分析结果表明:与轻度退化草原相比,中度退化和重度退化中的137Cs放射强度分别下降了21%和52%。草原土壤开垦后,137Cs放射强度明显下降,开垦7年、15年、33年后,137Cs的放射强度分别只有轻度退化草原的37%、31%和26%。相关分析表明,伴随着土壤侵蚀的发生,土壤有机质含量、全N含量以及阳离子交换量下降。137Cs放射强度与土壤有机碳、土壤全N、交换性K和阳离子交换量呈极显著的正相关。     

菊花ClERF1基因的克隆与表达分析

以甘菊叶片为试验材料,采用RT-PCR和Tail-PCR以及生物信息学的方法,研究了甘菊ClERF1及其启动子序列特征、表达模式,以及甘菊ClERF1在低温胁迫下的响应。以期为进一步研究甘菊ClERF1功能提供参考依据。结果表明:ClERF1基因序列全长1 242 bp,最大开放阅读框(ORF)618 bp,可编码206个氨基酸。经理化性质分析,ClERF1分子量23 631.35 Da,理论等电点5.19,不稳定系数53.84,脂肪指数62.04,平均亲水性-0.786,亚细胞定位在细胞核内。系统进化树表明,ClERF1与拟南芥At3g23240亲缘关系最近,属于ERF亚家族。qRT-PCR分析表明ClERF1在叶片中表达最高,其次在茎段中。该研究克隆了ClERF1启动子序列1 534 bp,主要包括低温反应和乙烯响应元件、生长素和茉莉酸甲酯反应元件等。甘菊低温处理幼苗ClERF1表达量显著高于未低温处理的幼苗,其中5℃时ClERF1相对表达量最高。     

Contrast enhanced ultrasonography of kidney in conscious and anesthetized beagle dogs

Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is useful to evaluate tissue perfusion in the kidney. In veterinary medicine, sedation or anesthesia may be required in uncooperative or panting patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the normal kidney perfusion patterns in conscious and anesthetized dogs using CEUS. Eight healthy beagles were used in this study. Scanning was performed in conscious dogs using manual restraint (conscious group), or under general anesthesia using tiletamine-zolazepam and medetomidine (TZM group) or medetomidine (M group). The contrast agent (Sonovue^®) was administered as an IV bolus. The peak intensity (PI), time to peak enhancement from injection (TTP₀) and the time to peak enhancement from the initial rise (TTP_up), upslope, downslope and area under the curve (AUC) were analyzed. Compared to the cortical values in the conscious group, TTP₀ was significantly delayed in the TZM group, and upslope, TTP₀ and TTP_up were significantly different in the M group. The AUCs in the TZM and M groups were not different from those in the conscious group. The upslope of renal medullary perfusion was significantly decreased in the TZM and M groups. TTP₀ and TTP_up were also significantly delayed in these groups. The AUC of the medulla was significantly decreased in the M group. Therefore, TZM is useful as an anesthetic protocol when performing CEUS, and the obtained data may serve as reference values in the evaluation of renal perfusion using CEUS in dogs under anesthesia.     

Setaria digitata was the main cause of equine neurological ataxia in Korea: 50 cases (2015–2016)

This study was performed to examine and clarify the cause of hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy seen in the South Korean horse population. Fifty horses diagnosed with hindlimb ataxia and neuropathy were referred for this study. Neurological examination was performed on 47 horses while necropsy was performed in all 50 animals. The occurrence of neurological diseases increased rapidly in the summer and 47 out of 50 horses were referred after the end of July. The incidence of neurological diseases started from the southern part of Korea in July and proceeded northward in August and September. Although there was no correlation with age, Thoroughbred and Warmblood horses showed a higher incidence rate than Halla and Jeju horses. The incidence rate was 5 times higher in geldings than in mares and stallions. Of the 20 cases, 16 were diagnosed with eosinophilic meningoencephalomyelitis in 2015. The most common lesions observed in 2016 were parasitic meningoencephalomyelitis (10 cases, 33%) and eosinophilic meningomyelitis (7 cases, 23%). Histopathological analysis of the brain and spinal cord revealed nematodes of approximately 100–200 µm in diameter, microcavitation and infiltrates of eosinophils, and brown pigmented macrophage infiltrates. The nematodes were identified as Setaria digitata via DNA sequencing, performed subsequent to polymerase chain reaction using DNA isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the spinal cord. These results show that aberrant migration of Setaria digitata larva in the brain and spinal cord was a major cause for neurological signs in horses.     

Comparison of intraoperative cardiorespiratory and behavioral responses to medetomidine combined with tramadol or butorphanol during standing laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses

The purpose of this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory and behavioral responses to the combination of medetomidine and tramadol (M-T) or butorphanol (M-B) in standing laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses. One ovary was removed under M-T and the contralateral ovary was removed under M-B with at least 4 weeks between operations at random. Horses were sedated using intravenous medetomidine (5 µg/kg) followed by tramadol (1 mg/kg) or butorphanol (10 µg/kg) after 5 min. Sedation was maintained through the repeated injection of medetomidine (1 µg/kg) and tramadol (0.4 mg/kg) or medetomidine (1 µg/kg) and butorphanol (4 µg/kg) every 15 min. Cardiorespiratory function and behavioral responses, including, sedation, ataxia, and analgesia, were assessed during the surgery. There were no significant differences in cardiorespiratory values and sedation and analgesia scores between M-T and M-B. Ataxia scores were significantly lower in M-T than in M-B. This result suggests that M-T could maintain smooth and stable standing surgery with minimal cardiorespiratory changes in horses.     

Evaluation of left ventricular function with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography after administration of dobutamine and esmolol in healthy beagle dogs

Unlike echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI) results in a near-exact assessment of cardiac structures and function. However, most veterinary studies have focused on dogs with normal cardiac function. We hypothesized that there would be significant differences in cardiac measurements between cardiac MRI and echocardiography when left ventricular (LV) function was abnormal. This study was undertaken to compare measurements of LV function produced by cardiac MRI and echocardiography in dogs whose LV function was altered by pharmacological agents. This study was conducted with six healthy beagle dogs. We increased left ventricular contractility by administration of dobutamine; we decreased cardiac contractility with esmolol. Stroke volume measurements were made by using both cardiac MRI and echocardiography under seven different conditions with general anesthesia: control, three doses of esmolol (100, 200, and 500 µg/kg/min), and three doses of dobutamine (10, 20, and 50 µg/kg/min). Experiments involving each condition were conducted at least 1 week apart. When LV contractility was normal, ejection fraction (EF) and stroke volume (SV), as measured by echocardiography and cardiac MRI, were not significantly different. However, when contractility was changed by pharmacological agents, EF and SV were overestimated by echocardiography, compared to MRI. Evaluation of cardiac function in patients treated with pharmacological agents should be conducted carefully because EF and SV measured by echocardiography can be overestimated, compared with EF and SV obtained by cardiac MRI.