Profiles of Cortisol, Triiodothyronine, Thyroxine and Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio as Stress Indicators in Swamp Buffaloes 15 Days Post-Transportation

Transportation may cause stress that affects livestock\u27s health. This research was conducted to observe the effect of transportation on the profiles of blood cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio as stress indicators during 15 days post-transportation. Four females swamp buffaloes, 2-yr-old were used in this research. The animals were transported using an open truck, along 15 kilometers distance for 2 h. During acclimatization, the animals were fed grass twice a day and access to water ad libitum. Blood was collected at the time of arrival and everyday for 15 d post-transportation. Cortisol, T3 and T4were analyzed using Radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. Blood smears were also prepared and stained with Giemsa for leukocyte differential counts. Results showed a significant relation (P<0.05) between transport and an increase in cortisol and T4 level on day-1 post-transportation compared to the normal levels. The level of T3 was also increased on day-3 post-transportation. Total leukocyte counts were 8.91-18.83×10³/μL. Neutrophil, eosinophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte counts were 4.87-10.41×10³/μL, 0.66-1.75×10³/μL, 0.11-0.58×10³/μL, and 2.98-6.21×10³/μL, respectively. N/L ratio was 1.23-3.49 with >1.5 in average throughout the period of the research. It is concluded that transportation causes stress and therefore changes metabolic process

Nondestructive Evaluation of Weld seam Failures in Tubes and Other Structures for Thermal, Wind and Nuclear Power Applications

The paper gives inspection and maintenance practices being followed in an important Tube manufacturing plant (Bundy India Limited, Baroda) where the first author (R.M Joshi) worked. Advances in the eddy current technique of on line surface and subsurface inspection along with some unconventional modern methods and their scope of appli-cation have been highlighted. The inspection techniques contribute to improved customer confidence

Profiles of Cortisol, Triiodothyronine, Thyroxine and Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio as Stress Indicators in Swamp Buffaloes 15 Days Post-Transportation

Transportation may cause stress that affects livestock’s health. This research was conducted to observe the effect of transportation on the profiles of blood cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio as stress indicators during 15 days post-transportation. Four females swamp buffaloes, 2-yr-old were used in this research. The animals were transported using an open truck, along 15 kilometers distance for 2 h. During acclimatization, the animals were fed grass twice a day and access to water ad libitum. Blood was collected at the time of arrival and everyday for 15 d post-transportation. Cortisol, T3 and T4were analyzed using Radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. Blood smears were also prepared and stained with Giemsa for leukocyte differential counts. Results showed a significant relation (P<0.05) between transport and an increase in cortisol and T4 level on day-1 post-transportation compared to the normal levels. The level of T3 was also increased on day-3 post-transportation. Total leukocyte counts were 8.91-18.83×10³/μL. Neutrophil, eosinophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte counts were 4.87-10.41×10³/μL, 0.66-1.75×10³/μL, 0.11-0.58×10³/μL, and 2.98-6.21×10³/μL, respectively. N/L ratio was 1.23-3.49 with >1.5 in average throughout the period of the research. It is concluded that transportation causes stress and therefore changes metabolic process.

Scaling law in target-hunting processes

We study the hunting process for a target, in which the hunter tracks the goal by smelling odors it emits. The odor intensity is supposed to decrease with the distance it diffuses. The Monte Carlo experiment is carried out on a 2-dimensional square lattice. Having no idea of the location of the target, the hunter determines its moves only by random attempts in each direction. By sorting the searching time in each simulation and introducing a variable $x$ to reflect the sequence of searching time, we obtain a curve with a wide plateau, indicating a most probable time of successfully finding out the target. The simulations reveal a scaling law for the searching time versus the distance to the position of the target. The scaling exponent depends on the sensitivity of the hunter. Our model may be a prototype in studying such the searching processes as various foods-foraging behavior of the wild animals.Comment: 7 figure

Stress-free Spatial Anisotropy in Phase-Ordering

We find spatial anisotropy in the asymptotic correlations of two-dimensional Ising models under non-equilibrium phase-ordering. Anisotropy is seen for critical and off-critical quenches and both conserved and non-conserved dynamics. We argue that spatial anisotropy is generic for scalar systems (including Potts models) with an anisotropic surface tension. Correlation functions will not be universal in these systems since anisotropy will depend on, e.g., temperature, microscopic interactions and dynamics, disorder, and frustration.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures include

Effect of high temperature heat treatments on the quality factor of a large-grain superconducting radio-frequency niobium cavity

Large-grain Nb has become a viable alternative to fine-grain Nb for the fabrication of superconducting radio-frequency cavities. In this contribution we report the results from a heat treatment study of a large-grain 1.5 GHz single-cell cavity made of "medium purity" Nb. The baseline surface preparation prior to heat treatment consisted of standard buffered chemical polishing. The heat treatment in the range 800 - 1400 C was done in a newly designed vacuum induction furnace. Q0 values of the order of 2x1010 at 2.0 K and peak surface magnetic field (Bp) of 90 mT were achieved reproducibly. A Q0-value of (5+-1)1010 at 2.0 K and Bp = 90 mT was obtained after heat treatment at 1400 C. This is the highest value ever reported at this temperature, frequency and field. Samples heat treated with the cavity at 1400 C were analyzed by secondary ion mass spectrometry, secondary electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, point contact tunneling and X-ray diffraction and revealed a complex surface composition which includes titanium oxide, increased carbon and nitrogen content but reduced hydrogen concentration compared to a non heat-treated sample

Women’s position in blue economy

The fisheries sector is a vital oceanic resource that build the core of the Blue Economy. However the realization of the full potential of the Blue Economy calls the requirement of effective inclusion of all societal groups, especially women whose contribution is not well acknowledged. The study focused to investigate the fisherwomen’s contribution on decision making, participation and governance in production, marketing and investment and to measure the fisherwomen’s share in consumer rupee and also to find out the opportunities for traditional fisherwomen into professional careers. Questionnaires, field observations, participatory mapping, telephone interviews were applied to collect the primary data. The sample composed of 5 case studies of selected fishing communities in Sri Lanka; Kudawella, Gandara, Ambalangoda, Beruwala and Jaffna. The results revealed that the decision making power was concentrated among males. Maldive fish value chain was female dominated but pricing and investment decisions were influenced by the males members of the family. The women’s contribution towards investment decisions was poor. Fisherwomen share in consumer rupee of Maldive fish and Dried Tuna Fish ranged from 3.7- 3.9% and 8.5-10% respectively. The results indicated that the superfluous involvement of intermediaries keeps female-fishers and markets separated and discouraging them to be market responsive. The results further revealed a paradigm shift of women in these fishing communities from traditional fishing activities into recreational activities, tourism and higher education. Gender empowerment interventions on both hard and soft skills development were considered as an essential requirement to exploit the unrivalled opportunities in the blue economy

Ecological and Energy Foot Print of Fish Processing in the Southern Coast of Sri Lanka

The fisheries sector faces the challenge of determining effective management, in an ecosystem perspective in order to mitigate the Global Warming Potential (GWP).The main focus of the study was to analyze the resource utilization in the value chain of Maldives fish processing and the environmental performances of the steps involved. The study has attempted to calculate the carbon foot print and the water foot print during the Maldive fish processing. Rapid market chain analysis employed to collect the data. The sample composed of a case study of Kudawella fishing community of the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The estimation methods were based on the guidelines published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the preparation of Greenhouse gas inventory. The study revealed that 5kg of raw fish were required to produce 1kg of Maldives Fish. The waste produced were dumped into the sea. Energy source used for processing was combustion of coconut husks.The requirement per one kg of Maldives fish was 4kg of coconut husks. Thus resulting 4.4MT CO2e per MT of Maldive Fish. The transportation of raw fish from offshores to the point of processing estimated a value of 70.484MT CO2 e/MT of Maldives Fish. The estimated water requirement of processing Maldive fish ranges from 2.5-3 litres/kg of Maldive fish. The study revealed that Diesel was one of the major contributor of Carbon-dioxide in the Maldive fish value chain. Proper Post Harvest Management practices will thereby help to mitigate the GWP. Keywords: Carbon Foot Print, Maldives Fish, GW

Quantum mechanics in multiply connected spaces

This paper analyses quantum mechanics in multiply connected spaces. It is shown that the multiple connectedness of the configuration space of a physical system can determine the quantum nature of physical observables, such as the angular momentum. In particular, quantum mechanics in compactified Kaluza-Klein spaces is examined. These compactified spaces give rise to an additional angular momentum which can adopt half-integer values and, therefore, may be identified with the intrinsic spin of a quantum particle.Comment: Latex 15 page

The kinks in charge radii across NN = 82 and 126 revisited

We revisit the studies of the isotopic shift in the charge radii of {\it even-even} isotopes of Sn and Pb nuclei at $N$ = 82, and 126, respectively, within the relativistic mean-field and Relativistic-Hartree-Bogoliubov approach. The shell model is also used to estimate isotopic shift in these nuclei, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The ground state single-particle energies ($spe$) are calculated for non-linear NL3 \& NL3$^*$ and density-dependent DD-ME2 parameter sets compared with the experimental data, wherever available. We establish a correlation between the filling of single-particle levels and the isotopic shift in occupation probabilities. The obtained $spe$ from the relativistic mean-field and Relativistic-Hartree-Bogoliubov approaches are in line with those used in the shell model and experimental data for both the Sn and Pb isotopic chains. The shell model calculated isotopic shift agrees with relativistic mean-field and Relativistic-Hartree-Bogoliubov approaches that explain the experimental data quite well.Comment: Published in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physic