Change in spatial characteristics of forest openings in the Klamath Mountains of northwestern California,USA

Change in the spatial characteristics of forest openings was investigated in three forested watersheds in north-western Siskiyou County, California totalling approximately 24,600 hectares. Watersheds with minimal human disturbance were chosen for study. However, fire suppression has been pervasive throughout. Characteristics of forest openings (area, perimeter, distance between neighboring openings) were measured on aerial photographs taken 41 years apart. An index of regional form was determined for the landscape. Shape complexity for each opening was calculated using two indices based upon fractals. Significant differences were found using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov two-sample test between the perimeters, areas, distance from sample point to nearest opening, and distance between neighboring openings. The perimeters and areas became smaller, and the distances from the sample point to the nearest opening and between neighboring openings became greater over the 41 years between aerial photo sets. The estimated area occupied by openings decreased from 25.8 % to 15.6 % of the study area. No significant difference was found in the shape of the openings except as the shape indices were influenced by changes in size of the openings.This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and it is therefore in the public domain and not subject to copyright.     

A seroepidemiological study on bluetongue virus in dairy cattle in the central valley of California

A seroepidemiological study on bluetongue virus (BTV) infection in California dairy cattle was conducted to estimate the prevalence and distribution by age and season of BTV group-reactive antibodies and to look for possible associations between the presence of antibodies and cattle age or breed and farm. Between December 1985 and March 1987, a sample of cattle was tested at approximately two-month intervals for BTV group-reactive antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data taken during the month of December 1986 were used to evaluate possible associations between a positive antibody test and certain intrinsic (age, breed) and extrinsic (farm) factors.Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses using the -square test for associations and multiple logistic regression, respectively, were carried out for possible associations between positive antibody tests to BTV and each factor of interest. The strengths of the associations were determined using estimates of the odds ratio.Of the 3774 serum samples tested, 238 (6.3%) were from calves, 1045 (27.6%) were from heifers and 2492 (66.0%) were from cows. Seroprevalence varied from nil in calves on two occasions to over 90% on several occasions in cows. Cows consistently had higher prevalence rates than heifers or calves across all test dates (p<0.05). The seroprevalence of BTV group-reactive antibodies also showed a seasonal fluctuation, with the highest rates occurring during the warmer months of the year. These highest prevalence rates coincided with heavy activity of the known vector of BTV, Culicoides spp. Breed and farm effects were not statistically significant (p>0.05). With the exception of one farm, all cattle were of the Holstein breed, which reduced confidence in assessing any breed effect in this study. Relative estimates of the sensitivity and specificity of BTV ELISA were 87% and 100% respectively, compared to the standard agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test.The observations support previous findings of seasonal distribution of BTV antibodies and suggest an age relationship, whereby older cattle are more likely to be positive to BTV group-reactive antibodies than younger cattle.     

A review of irrigation performance assessment in California

A survey of irrigation performance assessment as conducted in California was performed. Emphasis was placed on the actual procedures employed by the State's major water providers and irrigation districts. Survey results covered the development of innovative irrigation performance assessment parameters as well as the methodologies used to evaluate these parameters. All aspects of California's irrigation infrastructure were considered, from the management of major hydraulic structures, through water delivery, and on-farm consideration. Environmental performance assessment methodologies were also examined.     

家兔UCP1 第3外显子基因多态性研究

为了解兔肉质性状特征,给兔的品种选种选育提供理论依据,选择UCP1基因设计1对引物扩增其第3外显子及第2内含子部分序列,采用DNA池PCR反应,直接测序法快速检测比利时兔、新西兰兔和加利福尼亚兔3个兔品种UCP基因多态性.结果在新西兰兔中发现1个多态性位点(T387C),多态位点对UCP1基因的RNA结构产生影响,其最小自由能由-917.51 kJ/mol变为-927.12 kJ/mol,而其他2个品种没有检测到该突变.     

Climate variability and marine survival of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Oregon production area

Time series of adult recruitment for natural runs of coho salmon from the Oregon coastal region (1970–94) and marine survival of hatchery-reared coho salmon from California to Washington (1960–94) are significantly correlated with a suite of meteorological and oceanographic variables related to the biological productivity of the local coastal region. These variables include strong upwelling, cool sea surface temperature (SST), strong wind mixing, a deep and weakly stratified mixed layer, and low coastal sea level, indicating strong transport of the California Current. Principal component analysis indicates that these variables work in concert to define the dominant modes of physical variability, which appear to regulate nutrient availability and biological productivity. Multiple regression analysis suggests that coho marine survival is significantly and independently related to the dominant modes acting over this region in the periods when the coho first enter the ocean and during the overwintering/spring period prior to their spawning migration. Linear relationships provided good fits to the data and were robust, capable of predicting randomly removed portions of the data set.     

Recruitment of catarina scallop (Argopecten ventricosus) larvae on artificial collectors off the NE coast of the Gulf of California

We evaluated recruitment of larvae of catarina scallop, Argopecten ventricosus, in the area of Puerto Peñasco, NE Gulf of California. We moored artificial collectors in six sites from June 2007 to August 2008 and replaced them every 2 months. We used monthly (July 2002–September 2011) sea surface temperature (SST, °C) and surface chlorophyll‐a concentration (SSChl, mg m^?3) Aqua/MODIS satellite data to describe seasonal environmental behaviour study area. Also, we recorded bottom temperature at each site every 4 h, and every 2 months measured sea surface salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen. We used a repeated measures anova to evaluate differences in the number of recruited spat between main factors, and analysed the presence of multimodal spat shell size frequency distributions. Overall, spat recruitment was negatively correlated with seawater temperature and showed higher spat recruitment abundances throughout winter, which is the season with the highest surface chlorophyll a concentration. We estimated multimodal shell size frequency distributions characterized by more than one modal size. The natural collection of A. ventricosus spat on artificial collectors in the area can be successfully performed over a protracted period (November–December to May–June). Our results extend the area where collection of A. ventricosus spat can be successful.     

Fish assemblages in the Southern California Current: relationships with climate, 1951–2008

We examined the dominant patterns of variability in the fish fauna of the southern California Current based on a principal component (PC) analysis of the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations ichthyoplankton data set, 1951–2008. Eighty‐six taxa were analyzed, including all ecologically dominant fish species, both exploited and unexploited. The first three PCs accounted for 20.5, 12.4 and 6.8% of the variance of the data, respectively (total: 39.7%). Each was dominated by taxa from particular adult or larval habitats. PC 1 predominantly represented the coherent response of 24 mesopelagic taxa from 10 families and was most highly correlated with long‐term trends in midwater oxygen levels. PC 2 was dominated by six of the seven most abundant ichthyoplankton taxa in the region, predominantly California Current endemics including key pelagic species (northern anchovy, Pacific sardine and Pacific hake), rockfishes (genus Sebastes) and two midwater taxa. It was correlated primarily with sea surface temperature and exhibited a significant declining trend. PC 3 was dominated by coastal and reef‐associated fishes with predominantly southerly affinities. It was positively correlated with sea surface temperature and sea level height, a proxy for diminished flow of the California Current. The taxa dominating PCs 2 and 3 mostly spatially co‐occur as ichthyoplankton. These results suggest that fish assemblages in the California Current are predominantly influenced by environmental forcing of their ocean habitats as adults or larvae, or both.     

公英翘芦散治疗亚临床型奶牛乳房炎的效果研究

本研究旨在初步考察公英翘芦散对亚临床奶牛乳房炎的临床治疗效果。试验选取78头发病牛，其中38头牛为散发，用公英翘芦散治疗；40头牛集中对比治疗，随机分成2组，每组20头，分别用公英翘芦散和公英散进行治疗。用加州乳房炎检验（California mastitis trial，CMT）法检测公英翘芦散治疗后乳区患病状态并判定其治疗效果；用体细胞计数（somatic cell count，SCC）法检测公英翘芦散和公英散治疗后牛奶体细胞数并判定其治疗效果。结果显示，公英翘芦散给药7 d后，患病乳区由75个减少到28个，治疗效果非常显著，治愈率达到62.67%，有效率达到90.67%。与治疗前相比，公英翘芦散和公英散用药1 d后体细胞数均极显著降低（P<0.01），且公英翘芦散组SCC下降幅度明显超过公英散组。公英翘芦散组在给药2 d后体细胞数显著低于公英散组（P<0.05），给药3 d之后均极显著低于公英散组（P<0.01）。用药7 d后，公英翘芦散组治愈率可达68.29%，而公英散组治愈率只达到20.00%，差异极显著（P<0.01）；公英翘芦散组有效率可达97.56%，而公英散组有效率为67.50%，差异极显著（P<0.01），说明公英翘芦散的治疗效果极显著优于公英散（P<0.01）。以上结果说明，公英翘芦散可以作为治疗亚临床奶牛乳房炎的有效药物，为奶牛乳房炎药物的开发提供参考。     

Prevalence and Aetiology of Mastitis in Cows from Two Major Ethiopian Dairies

The study was undertaken to determine the aetiology and prevalence of mastitis in hand-milked cows (n = 186) in two major Ethiopian dairies. The California Mastitis Test and culturing for bacteria revealed that 21.5% of the cows were clinically infected and 38.2% had subclinical mastitis. Most mastitis pathogens isolated from milk samples testing positive by the California Mastitis Test were Gram-positive cocci. Staphylococci constituted 57% of the isolates, of which the predominant cause of bovine mastitis was Staphylococcus aureus (40.5%). Other mastitis pathogens isolated include streptococci (16.5%), coliforms (9%) and corynebacteria (5%). Retrospective analysis of farm records indicated that mastitis was the second most important cause of culling and accounted for 27% of the cows removed from these two dairies.     

Effect of diphacinone on blood coagulation in Spermophilus beecheyi as a basis for determining optimal timing of field bait applications

The effect was determined of a single dose of 2 mg kg-1 diphacinone on three blood-clotting parameters [Prothrombin Time (PT), Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT), and Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence or Antagonists (PIVKA)] over a 120-h period in California ground squirrels, Spermophilus beecheyi. Diphacinone resulted in elevated PT, PTT and PIVKA within 24 h of squirrels receiving the dose. The most significant change was observed 72 h after dosing. As time following diphacinone dosing increased, there was higher individual variation in blood-clotting time. We suggest that increasing the interval between field bait applications should still result in squirrel mortality but reduce the potential for secondary hazards that may occur when squirrels have the opportunity to consume more than one lethal dose of diphacinone.