Particles floating on a moving fluid: a dynamically comprehensible physical fractal

Measurements of the local dynamics on the surface of a fluid undergoing complicated motion allow prediction of the measured fractal dimension of an aggregate of passive, floating tracers. This realization of a strange attractor in physical space is a rare instance where there is a firm quantitative connection between the dimension of an experimentally observed fractal spatial pattern and the process producing it.     

Can treatment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachiaria decumbens</Emphasis> (signal grass) improve its utilisation in the diet in small ruminants?—a review

Brachiaria decumbens is an extremely productive tropical grass due to its aggressive growth habit and its adaptation to a varied range of soil types and environments. As a result of the vast availability, treated B. decumbens demonstrates as a promising local material that could be utilised as an improved diet for sheep and goats. Despite the fact that the grass significantly increases weight gains in grazing farm animals, there were many reports of general ill-thrift and sporadic outbreaks of photosensitivity in livestock due to the toxic compound of steroidal saponin found in B. decumbens. Ensiling and haymaking were found to be effective in removing toxin and undesirable compounds in the grass. Biological treatments using urea, activated charcoal, polyethylene glycol, and effective microorganisms were found to be useful in anti-nutritional factor deactivation and improving the nutritive values of feedstuffs. Besides, oral administration of phenobarbitone showed some degree of protection in sheep that fed on B. decumbens pasture. In this review, we aim to determine the effect of B. decumbens toxicity and possible treatment methods on the grass to be used as an improved diet for small ruminant.     

Organic Carbon and Dissolved Oxygen Budgets for a Commercial‐Size,In‐pond Raceway System

Intensive production of ictalurid catfish in the USA has increased over the past several years, and a better understanding of the amount of organic carbon (OC) and dissolved oxygen (DO) in these culture environments is needed. Budgets for OC and DO were estimated over a production season (March to November) for an in‐pond raceway system for channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and hybrid catfish (channel catfish × blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus), with co‐culture of paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, and Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Feed input ranged from 45 to 263 kg/ha/d with an overall average of 80 kg/ha/d. Production of each kilogram of live catfish required 1.5 kg of feed and released into the water 0.70 kg of OC, and led to the synthesis of an additional 3.36 kg of OC by photosynthesis. Consequently, production of 1 kg of live catfish resulted in 4.06 kg OC, and harvest of catfish accounted for only 29.5% of OC applied from the feed. Removal of OC increased to 34.3% with the additional harvest of paddlefish and tilapia. OC was consumed in respiration, and some OC accumulated in sediment. Total respiration within the system exceeded the DO produced by photosynthesis, while diffusion and mechanical aeration aided in maintaining suitable DO levels for fish production.     

Analysis of gene expression of prostaglandin EP4 receptor in canine osteosarcoma

In many human cancers, the expression of the prostaglandin receptor EP4 (EP4R) is associated with the development of malignancy and a poor prognosis. The expression of EP4R has not yet been evaluated in canine tumors. The objective of this study was to characterize the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of EP4R in canine osteosarcoma (OSA). Gene expression of EP4R was evaluated using RNA in-situ hybridization (RNAscope). In all canine OSA samples evaluated, strong universal positive expression of EP4R was identified. Gene expression was significantly higher in OSA tissue samples than in normal nasal turbinate bone, possibly implicating EP4R in the pathogenesis of canine OSA.     

Capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography determination of polyglutamyl 5-methyltetrahydrofolate forms in citrus products

The 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5mTHF) polyglutamates in citrus products were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Folate species were purified from citrus products and concentrated from 2- to 100-fold using combined folate-affinity chromatography and C18 extraction. Seven polyglutamyl 5mTHFs were found in most not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juices (OJ) in total amounts of approximately 1 nmol/mL, with varying distributions of individual polyglutamates. Folate amounts and distributions were also measured in orange fractions, single-strength OJ from concentrate, NFC grapefruit juice, and citrus peel molasses. Models containing ascorbic acid had folate thermal degradation rates one-seventh that of models without ascorbic acid. Pasteurization studies demonstrated that folate loss was <2% for commercial OJ pasteurization conditions (i.e., 93 degrees C for 5 s, 88 degrees C for 15 s, and 82 degrees C for 30 s). Both methods were precise, reproducible, and potentially faster than traditional analytical procedures requiring enzymatic deconjugation and microbial assays.     

美国大豆工业海洋网箱水产养殖技术近海海水鱼类养殖网箱工程技术手册(三十二)

(上接2012年第3期) (3)减阻设计方案3评估 第三种设计方案将减阻物放在相邻的两个侧面上.它的响应和设计方案1相同并且当网箱一开始运行时就沉入水中.当水速达到32厘米/秒时停止测试,因为此时可以观察到网箱沉至离水面7.3米一下(满标度),而且速度再增大时将撞击测试槽底部了(图28).     

Association between bovine-leukosis virus seroprevalence and herd-level productivity on US dairy farms

Bovine-leukosis virus (BLV; also termed ‘bovine-leukemia virus’) is a retrovirus that primarily affects lymphoid tissue of dairy and beef cattle. Our objective was to investigate the association between BLV infection and annual value of production (AVP) on dairy herds within the United States, as part of the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System’s 1996 dairy study. 1006 herds (in 20 states) with at least 30 dairy cows were interviewed during 1996. The agar-gel immunodiffusion test was used to detect serum antibodies to BLV. 10–40 cows from each herd were tested and each tested cow was classified as negative or positive based on results of a single test.

A multivariable regression model was used with the 976 herds with complete data for analysis. When compared to herds with no test-positive cows, herds with test-positive cows produced 218 kg per cow (i.e. 3%) less milk. The average reduction in AVP was $ 59 per cow for test-positive herds relative to test-negative herds. For the dairy industry as a whole, BLV seropositivity was associated with loss to producers of $ 285 million and $ 240 million for consumers. Most of this $ 525 million industry loss was due to reduced milk production in test-positive herds.     

Diagnosis of feline viral infection

A diagnosis of a specific viral disease in the cat involves a combination of an accurate history, careful observation of disease signs, demonstration of characteristic clinical pathologic changes, and isolation or identification of the virus. Isolation or identification of a virus from the patient does not establish that the disease observed was caused by the virus so isolated or identified; correlation and proper interpretation of all findings are necessary to establish a diagnosis. Virus identification may involve office laboratory tests, such as cytology or ELISA, or more specialized procedures. Whether specimens are to be sent out for specialized tests or office laboratory procedures are to be used, the veterinary practitioner must not only know what specimens are required but must also understand the test and be able to properly interpret the results in light of the patient's observed condition.