Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.     

Comparing the behavioural thermoregulation response to heat stress by Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar) in two rivers

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme thermal events in rivers. The Little Southwest Miramichi River (LSWM) and the Ouelle River (OR) are two Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) rivers located in eastern Canada, where in recent years, water temperatures have exceeded known thermal limits (~23°C). Once temperature surpasses this threshold, juvenile salmon exploit thermal heterogeneity to behaviourally thermoregulate, forming aggregations in coolwater refuges. This study aimed to determine whether the behavioural thermoregulation response is universal across rivers, arising from common thermal cues. We detailed the temperature and discharge patterns of two geographically distinct rivers from 2010 to 2012 and compared these with aggregation onset temperature. PIT telemetry and snorkelling were used to confirm the presence of aggregations. Mean daily maximum temperature in 2010 was significantly greater in the OR versus the LSWM (p = 0.005), but not in other years (p = 0.090–0.353). Aggregations occurred on 14 and 9 occasions in the OR and LSWM respectively. Temperature at onset of aggregation was significantly greater in the OR (T_onset = 28.3°C) than in the LSWM (T_onset = 27.3°C; p = 0.049). Logistic regression models varied by river and were able to predict the probability of aggregation based on the preceding number of hours >23°C (R² = 0.61 & 0.65; P₅₀ = 27.4°C & 28.9°C; in the OR and LSWM respectively). These results imply the preceding local thermal regime may influence behaviour and indicate a degree of phenotypic plasticity, illustrating a need for localised management strategies.     

4种植物油热氧化同步荧光光谱分析

以亚麻籽油、大豆油、菜籽油与葵花籽油为原料,在不同温度条件下氧化并测定其不同时间的同步荧光光谱,分析同步荧光光谱及荧光物质变化情况。结果表明,4种植物油不同温度下的同步荧光光谱峰变化主要集中在300~415 nm内,且随着加热时间的延长存在波动现象;在50℃和150℃加热氧化条件下,300,330,375,415 nm这4个峰都存在明显的波动现象;二维相关分析表明,这4个峰的荧光强度变化速率不同,不同油变化差异较大;同种油在不同温度下,4个峰的波动情况、相互关系、变化速率均有明显差异。这些峰的变化与油脂氧化过程中荧光物质和油脂氧化程度的变化有关,可以利用同步荧光光谱的变化特性作为监控油脂氧化的依据。     

电驱离心式压缩机组冷态对中的影响因素

电驱离心式压缩机组联轴器处的对中会影响机组的运行稳定性,因此需要在现场进行校验,并修正压缩机生产厂家的冷态对中数据,以确保冷态对中的准确性,提升对中质量。根据离心式压缩机组的结构及运行特点,分析机组冷态与正常运行状态时的差异,得出冷态对中的影响因素,并提出了计算和修正冷态对中数据的公式。从热膨胀、轴上升高度、顶升高度、工具挠度4个方面分析其对离心式压缩机组冷态对中的影响。在计算材料热膨胀数值的过程中,发现其具有明显的线性关系,据此简化了热膨胀数值的计算方式。通过状态监测工具得出转子轴中心的上升高度,并对冷态对中过程中的转子顶升高度进行修正,最终得出修正的冷态对中数据,对指导压缩机组开展冷态对中具有一定借鉴意义。     

A releaser pheromone that attracts methyltestosterone- treated immature fish in the urine of ovulated female rainbow trout

SUMMARY: Behavioral experiments concerning a releaser pheromone in the urine of female rainbow trout were performed using immature fish administered orally with 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) during the non-spawning season. The urine was collected by catheter. The frequency of entries of test fish was recorded in each channel scented by test and control solutions in a Y-maze trough. The behavior of both MT-treated and control fish demonstrated that they could not discriminate the differences between distilled and environmental water as control solutions. There was also no difference between MT-treated and control fish when distilled and environmental water were introduced. The MT-treated immature fish were attracted to the channel scented by ovulated female urine. Neither coelomic fluid nor the immature female urine had any effect on the behavioral responses of MT-treated fish, while immature control fish had no preference for the urine of ovulated females. These results suggest in rainbow trout that ovulated female urine contains a releaser pheromone to attract mature males, and that androgens are involved in the sensory mechanisms detecting the releaser pheromone in fish.     

金属热防护系统多层隔热材料的传热分析及参数优化

采用能量平衡方程和离散坐标法近似地建立了金属热防护系统多层隔热材料的一维稳态传热的数学模型，并利用遗传算法和纤维隔热材料的有效导热系数试验数据求解传热反问题，从而得到了模型中的纤维隔热材料的辐射衰减系数、反照率和隔热屏表面辐射发射系数。最后，由实验测得了多层隔热材料的有效导热系数，验证了采用优化参数后，多层隔热材料的传热模型的正确性。     

Adverse impact of industrial animal agriculture on the health and welfare of farmed animals

Industrial animal agriculture is grounded in the concept of maximizing productivity and profit. Selective breeding for maximum productivity in one characteristic of the animal (e.g. milk yield in cows, or breast meat in broiler chickens) has resulted in genotypes and phenotypes that may predispose the animals to poor health and welfare. The conditions in which these individuals are kept may also frustrate many inherited behaviors that they are strongly motivated to perform. In order to curb the resulting harmful aberrant behaviors, such as feather‐pecking in chickens, we sometimes resort to mutilating the animals. In many places chickens are routinely de‐beaked by means of a hot metal guillotine. Compassion in World Farming (an international organization that promotes the humane treatment of farm animals) believes that it is unethical to treat sentient beings in such ways. We have a duty to respect farm animals' sentience by providing them with housing conditions that take their needs and wants into account, and by reverting to the use of dual‐purpose, slower‐growing breeds that have the potential for good welfare. Alternatives to current farming practices are available, and we owe it to the animals, and to our consciences, to pursue them.     

三阶时滞泛函微分方程解的渐近性

本文讨论一类三阶时滞泛函微分方程解的渐近性质,给出了若干解的有界性及解趋于零的判定准则.     

输气管道水化物堵塞的预防和处理

阐述了输气管道内水化物的成因，特性及游离水的来源，并对其进行了分析，根据分析结果，给出了预测管道内水化物形成区域的方法，提出了三项预防水化物的措施，（1）施工阶段避免过多使用弯管，（2）投产前增加吹扫次数，彻底清除水，（3）运行初期定期注入抑制剂，指出对已形成水化物的管道段，可采取尽快降低运行压力，加热，注醇和放空等措施进行处理。