Benthic macroalgae of Shark Bay, Western Australia

One hundred and sixty one taxa of benthic macro-algae are reported from Shark Bay, Western Australia, growing either on subtidal rock platforms, on the extensive sandflats that dominate the bay, or as epiphytes on seagrasses and other algae. In addition many species survive as drift algae amongst the seagrass beds. Tropical taxa predominate. The Rhodophyta are represented by the greatest number of taxa, but these tend to be inconspicuous epiphytes. Members of the Chlorophyta are the most conspicuous in most areas, with Penicillus nodulosus and Polyphysa peniculus the most common species. Polyphysa peniculus dominates the high salinity areas south of the Faure Sill. The brown algae Hormophysa cuneiformis and Dictyota furcellata were also common in high salinity areas. Benthic algal species richness was lower in areas of high salinity

Influence of Propionate Salt Levels on Young Cow Reproductive Performance

A supplementation study was conducted to evaluate level of propionate salt (Ca-propionate) on young cow performance over two years. One hundred-twenty cows were allocated to one of three treatments at calving. Propionate salt was incorporated in a protein supplement at a rate of 0, 80 or 160 g/d. Cows were individually supplemented twice weekly at 2 lbs/d. In year 1, cows had access to pasture and hay. In year 2, cows had access to a native range pasture. Blood was collected weekly and analyzed for progesterone (P4) to determine postpartum interval (≥1 ng P4/ml). Weights and body condition scores (BCS) were assigned at calving, end of supplementation, start of breeding season, and weaning. Cow weight and BCS changed over time through the study (P \u3c 0.01 but was not affected (P \u3e 0.10) by treatment. Calf weight was not different (P \u3e 0.10) between treatments. Calf weight increased through the study (P \u3c 0.01). Pregnancy rates did not differ between treatments (P \u3e 0.10 but were affected by cow age (P\u3c0.01, 77% and 100% for 2- and 3-year-olds, respectively). In year 1, the percentage of cows initiating estrous cycles before the breeding season was greater (P\u3c0.05) for cows receiving 160 g (47.6%) compared to 0 g (15.6%) of propionate salt and tended to be greater than cows receiving 80 g (P\u3c0.10, 20.0%). Based on ultrasonography, 3-year-old cows conceived earlier (P\u3c0.01, 184 d) than 2-year cows (207 d). In year 2, postpartum anestrous interval (P = 0.70), percentage of cows initiating estrous cycles before the breeding season (P = 0.54), conception rate to AI (P = 0.68), and season-long pregnancy rates (P = 0.87) were not different among treatments. In summary, propionate salt can influence reproductive performance, however, response is not consistent

Walking Distance and Performance of Drylot Developed Beef Heifers Following Being Moved to a Grazing Situation

Research has shown that heifers moved from a drylot to grass after AI have decreased weight gains and pregnancy success compared to heifers developed on range. This effect could potentially be due to inexperience in a specific grazing environment, which could result in greater time spent exploring a new environment. In this study beef heifers were moved from a drylot to spring grass at two different times and their activity compared. Heifers in a drylot walked less than heifers grazing spring forage. However, following being moved to spring forage heifers that had been adjusted to grass for about a month took fewer steps during their first four days of grazing then did the heifers that did not have previous grazing experience. Heifers without prior grazing experience also lost weight during this period. In summary, moving drylot developed heifers to spring forage affected performance and activity

Added noise in homodyne measurement of field-observables

Homodyne tomography provides a way for measuring generic field-operators. Here we analyze the determination of the most relevant quantities: intensity, field, amplitude and phase. We show that tomographic measurements are affected by additional noise in comparison with the direct detection of each observable by itself. The case of of coherent states has been analyzed in details and earlier estimations of tomographic precision are critically discussed.Comment: Two figures. Submitted to Phys. Lett.

Comparison of Three CIDR Based Fixed-time AI Protocols for Beef Heifers

Several effective fixed-time AI (FTAI) protocols have been developed to facilitate AI while eliminating the need for estrus detection. Among these are the 5-d CO-Synch+CIDR (5d), PG 6-d CIDR (PG-CIDR), and 14-d CIDR-PG (CIDR-PG) protocols. While each of these protocols varies in duration and approach to synchronizing estrus and ovulation, each has been reported as an effective method to facilitate FTAI in beef heifers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare FTAI pregnancy rates in beef heifers synchronized with these three CIDR based protocols. Virgin beef heifers (n = 801) at four locations were synchronized with one of three protocols: 1) (5-day CO-Synch + CIDR) an injection of GnRH (100 μg; i.m.) and insertion of a CIDR on d -5, PG (25 mg; i.m.) and CIDR removal on d 0 with a second injection of PG (\u3e4 h after CIDR removal) on d 0 and FTAI at 72 h after CIDR removal, 2) (PG 6-day CIDR) PG (25 mg; i.m.) on d -9, GnRH (100 μg; i.m.) and insertion of a CIDR on d -6, PG and CIDR removal on d 0, and FTAI at 66 h after CIDR removal, or 3) (14-day CIDR-PG) a 14-day CIDR insert from d -30 to -16, PG (25 mg; i.m.) on d 0, and FTAI at 66 h after PG. All heifers received an injection of GnRH (100 μg; i.m.) concurrent with FTAI. Timing of treatment initiation was offset to allow all heifers to receive FTAI concomitantly and at random. Pregnancy success was determined between 35 and 40 d after FTAI by transrectal ultrasonography. Blood samples were collected approximately 12 d before the beginning of each protocol and at the initiation of each protocol to determine estrous cycling status (77%). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedures of SAS. Fixed-time AI pregnancy success did not differ between treatments (P = 0.13; 62.5%, 56.9%, and 53.3%, for 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR, PG 6-day CIDR, and 14-day CIDR-PG; respectively) or location (P = 0.16; 51.5%, 62.7%, 56.1%, and 58.6% for location 1, 2, 3, and 4; respectively). However, heifers that had reached puberty by initiation of synchronization had greater (P \u3c 0.01) pregnancy success compared to heifers that were prepubertal (60.7% and 47.3%; respectively). In summary, all three protocols had similar FTAI pregnancy success, and puberty status had the greatest impact on pregnancy success

The Supernova Relic Neutrino Background

An upper bound to the supernova relic neutrino background from all past Type II supernovae is obtained using observations of the Universal metal enrichment history. We show that an unambiguous detection of these relic neutrinos by the Super-Kamiokande detector is unlikely. We also analyze the event rate in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (where coincident neutrons from anti-nu_e + D --> n + n + e+ might enhance background rejection), and arrive at the same conclusion. If the relic neutrino flux should be observed to exceed our upper bound and if the observations of the metal enrichment history (for z<1) are not in considerable error, then either the Type II supernova rate does not track the metal enrichment history or some mechanism may be responsible for transforming anti-nu_{mu,tau} --> anti-nu_e.Comment: Matches version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Height and risk of death among men and women: aetiological implications of associations with cardiorespiratory disease and cancer mortality

OBJECTIVES: Height is inversely associated with cardiovascular disease mortality risk and has shown variable associations with cancer incidence and mortality. The interpretation of findings from previous studies has been constrained by data limitations. Associations between height and specific causes of death were investigated in a large general population cohort of men and women from the West of Scotland. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Renfrew and Paisley, in the West of Scotland. SUBJECTS: 7052 men and 8354 women aged 45-64 were recruited into a study in Renfrew and Paisley, in the West of Scotland, between 1972 and 1976. Detailed assessments of cardiovascular disease risk factors, morbidity and socioeconomic circumstances were made at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Deaths during 20 years of follow up classified into specific causes. RESULTS: Over the follow up period 3347 men and 2638 women died. Height is inversely associated with all cause, coronary heart disease, stroke, and respiratory disease mortality among men and women. Adjustment for socioeconomic position and cardiovascular risk factors had little influence on these associations. Height is strongly associated with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and adjustment for FEV1 considerably attenuated the association between height and cardiorespiratory mortality. Smoking related cancer mortality is not associated with height. The risk of deaths from cancer unrelated to smoking tended to increase with height, particularly for haematopoietic, colorectal and prostate cancers. Stomach cancer mortality was inversely associated with height. Adjustment for socioeconomic position had little influence on these associations. CONCLUSION: Height serves partly as an indicator of socioeconomic circumstances and nutritional status in childhood and this may underlie the inverse associations between height and adulthood cardiorespiratory mortality. Much of the association between height and cardiorespiratory mortality was accounted for by lung function, which is also partly determined by exposures acting in childhood. The inverse association between height and stomach cancer mortality probably reflects Helicobacter pylori infection in childhood resulting inor being associated withshorter height. The positive associations between height and several cancers unrelated to smoking could reflect the influence of calorie intake during childhood on the risk of these cancers

Survey of nucleon electromagnetic form factors

A dressed-quark core contribution to nucleon electromagnetic form factors is calculated. It is defined by the solution of a Poincare' covariant Faddeev equation in which dressed-quarks provide the elementary degree of freedom and correlations between them are expressed via diquarks. The nucleon-photon vertex involves a single parameter; i.e., a diquark charge radius. It is argued to be commensurate with the pion's charge radius. A comprehensive analysis and explanation of the form factors is built upon this foundation. A particular feature of the study is a separation of form factor contributions into those from different diagram types and correlation sectors, and subsequently a flavour separation for each of these. Amongst the extensive body of results that one could highlight are: r_1^{n,u}>r_1^{n,d}, owing to the presence of axial-vector quark-quark correlations; and for both the neutron and proton the ratio of Sachs electric and magnetic form factors possesses a zero.Comment: 43 pages, 17 figures, 12 tables, 5 appendice

Three-spined stickleback armour predicted by body size, minimum winter temperature and pH

Similar phenotypes evolve under equivalent environmental conditions through parallel evolution. Because they have repeatedly invaded and adapted to new freshwater environments, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) offers a powerful system for understanding the agents of selection in nature that drive parallel evolution. Here we examine the ecological and environmental variables responsible for morphological variation in three-spined stickleback populations across its European range. We collected fish from 85 populations, encompassing much of the European latitudinal range of the species and including lowland rivers and lakes, coastal lagoons, and moorland ponds. We measured biotic and environmental variables at all sites along with morphological traits for 2,358 individuals. Using an information theory approach, we identified body size, minimum average winter temperature and pH as primary predictors of stickleback armour evolution, challenging current hypotheses for stickleback morphological diversification and demonstrating the fundamental role played by body size and scaling in mediating responses to selection. Stickleback lateral plate phenotype represents a potentially powerful tool for monitoring change in climate variables across the northern temperate region

Cardiac xenotransplantation: Recent preclinical progress with 3-month median survival

ObjectivesTransplantation is limited by a lack of human organ donors. Organs derived from animals, most likely the pig, represent a potential solution to this problem. For the heart, 90-day median graft survival of life-supporting pig hearts transplanted to nonhuman primates has been considered a reasonable standard for entry into the clinical arena. Overcoming the immune barrier to successful cardiac xenotransplantation is most appropriately first explored with the non–life-supporting heterotopic model.MethodsWe performed a series of 7 heterotopic heart transplantations from CD46 transgenic pigs to baboons using a combination of therapeutic agents largely targeted at controlling the synthesis of anti-pig antibodies. Rituximab (anti-CD20) and Thymoglobulin (rabbit antithymocyte globulin [ATG]; SangStat Medical Corp, Fremont, Calif) were used as induction therapy. Baseline immunosuppression consisted of splenectomy, tacrolimus, sirolimus, steroids, and TPC (an anti-Gal antibody therapeutic). Rejection events were not treated.ResultsBy using Kaplan-Meier analysis, median graft survival was 96 days (range, 15–137 days; 95% confidence interval, 38–99 days). Only 2 grafts were lost as a result of rejection, as defined by cessation of graft palpation. There was no evidence of a consumptive coagulopathy, infectious complications were treatable, and no posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders occurred. No cellular infiltration was observed.ConclusionsThis study reports the longest median survival to date (96 days) of pig hearts transplanted heterotopically into baboons. Duplication of these results in the orthotopic life-supporting position could bring cardiac xenotransplantation to the threshold of clinical application