An investigation of artificial pasture establishment under dryland conditions

This study was conducted to determine the suitable mixtures of perennial forage species for the stablishment of artificial pasture under dry conditions in Karapinar-Konya between 2004 and 2006. In this study, complex mixtures of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertner), tall wheatgrass (Agropyron elongatum (Host) Beauv.), intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv.), smooth brome (Bromus inermis Layss), sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.), tall oatgrass (Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) Presl.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa Lam.) and garden burnet (Poterium sanguisorba L.) were used. The experiment design was conducted in a randomized block design with three replications. The highest fresh forage yields were obtained from crested wheatgrass, garden burnet and alfalfa mixtures in 2005 and 2006 (1708.1 and 1763.6 kg ha-1, respectively) and the highest dry matter yield was obtained in 2006 (933.9 kg ha-1). The results showedthat mixtures of crested wheatgrass, garden burnet and alfalfa may be used to establish artificial pasture under dryland conditions in similar ecology of Karapýnar-Konya.Key words: Artificial pasture, dryland conditions, crested wheatgrass, garden burnet, alfalfa

Effect of short-term pre-hatch heat shock of incubating eggs on subsequent

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of thermal conditioning of broiler chickens during embryonic development on subsequent performance under standard rearing conditions. During incubation eggs from 32-, 45- and 56-week old Ross 308 broiler parent stock were subjected to a 2 h heat shock of 39 °C on days 14 and 15 of incubation. Eggs in the control were incubated throughout incubation at 37 °C. Chicks were feather sexed and equal numbers of each sex were placed in each pen per treatment, and reared for 42 days. Live weight, mortality and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were used as measures of performance. The final (six-week) live weights of broilers from young, mid and older parents for the treatment and control groups were 2113 ± 13.8 vs. 2159 ± 20.0, 2084 ± 29.2 vs. 2139 ± 20.0 and 2096 ± 17.6 vs. 2131 ± 24.3 g, respectively. The six-week live weight of the heat-treated group (2098 ± 12.0 g) was significantly lower than that of the control (2143 ± 12.2 g). The 1-6 week mortality figure was significantly lower in the heat-treated group of chickens from the young (83) and mid parent (77) groups compared to their controls (130 and 119), respectively. However, in the treatment group the incidence of mortality in broilers from the older parent group was significantly higher (105) than that of the control (79). The overall mortality without considering the parent age group was significantly lower in the treatment group (265) than in the control group (328). Mean FCR (g feed/g gain) of the chickens of the three parent groups was 1.79 ± 0.02 vs. 1.75 ± 0.03, 1.85 ± 0.03 vs. 1.77 ± 0.02 and 1.80 ± 0.03 vs. 1.77 ± 0.03 for the treatment vs. control groups, respectively, but the difference was significant only in the mid age parent group. These results suggest that prenatal thermal conditioning is not detrimental to broiler growth under standard rearing conditions in the absence of thermal stress. However, survival rate was improved but live weight and FCR were in some cases significantly poorer. Keywords: Heat stress, incubation, parent age, live weight, mortalitySouth African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 38 (1) 2008: pp. 58-6

Microstructural and electrical characterization of Ti and Mg doped Cu-clad MgB2 superconducting wires

The recent studies on Ti doping effect on the critical current density (Jc) of MgB2 composite superconductors prepared under ambient pressure has shown an important enhancement at 20 K. In the present work, we have fabricated Ti and Mg doped superconducting MgB2 wires by packing reacted MgB2 and Ti or Mg powders together inside Cu tubes with a diameter of 6 mm. The tubes were then cold worked by rolling or drawing to smaller diameters. The prepared Cu-clad Ti and Mg added MgB 2 superconducting wires were annealed at various temperatures to enhance the grain connectivity of the MgB2 bulk materials. The effect of the sintering time has been investigated for high performance characteristics of superconducting Cu-clad Ti and Mg added MgB2 wires. The microstructural evaluation of the superconducting wires has been carried out using XRD and SEM equipped with EDX analysis system. The interfacial properties between Cu sheath and superconducting core was characterized using SEM-EDX. Furthermore, the influence of the presence of Ti and Mg on Tc has been investigated to understand the structural and electronic properties of superconducting Ti and Mg doped MgB2 wires

Nondestructive atomic compositional analysis of BeMgZnO quaternary alloys using ion beam analytical techniques

The atomic composition with less than 1-2 atom % uncertainty was measured in ternary BeZnO and quaternary BeMgZnO alloys using a combination of nondestructive Rutherford backscattering spectrometry with 1 MeV He + analyzing ion beam and non- Rutherford elastic backscattering experiments with 2.53 MeV energy protons. An enhancement factor of 60 in the cross-section of Be for protons has been achieved to monitor Be atomic concentrations. Usually the quantitative analysis of BeZnO and BeMgZnO systems is challenging due to difficulties with appropriate experimental tools for the detection of the light Be element with satisfactory accuracy. As it is shown, our applied ion beam technique, Page 2 of 22 Accepted Manuscript supported with the detailed simulation of ion stopping, backscattering, and detection processes allows of quantitative depth profiling and compositional analysis of wurtzite BeZnO/ZnO/sapphire and BeMgZnO/ZnO/sapphire layer structures with low uncertainty for both Be and Mg. In addition, the excitonic bandgaps of the layers were deduced from optical transmittance measurements. To augment the measured compositions and bandgaps of BeO and MgO co-alloyed ZnO layers, hybrid density functional bandgap calculations were performed with varying the Be and Mg contents. The theoretical vs. experimental bandgaps show linear correlation in the entire bandgap range studied from 3.26 eV to 4.62 eV. The analytical method employed should help facilitate bandgap engineering for potential applications, such as solar blind UV photodetectors and heterostructures for UV emitters and intersubband devices

A novel index in healthy infants and children — subarachnoid space: ventricle ratio

Background: The subarachnoid space (SAS) and ventricular width (VW) in normalinfants and children were studied with ultrasonography to provide the objectivemeasurement and define a normal range for these measurements. The additional aim was to determine the stable ratio as a SAS/VW.Materials and methods: A total of 100 healthy subjects, including 48 males and52 females, were studied. The cases were divided into 3 age groups: 0–6 months(n = 65), 7–12 months (n = 24) and > 13 months (n = 11). Transfontanel ultrasonography was performed in all the cases. SAS, VW and the SAS/VW ratios were calculated. The study was approved by the ethical committee. All parents wereinformed about the sonographic examination and their approvals were taken.Results: SAS was calculated as 3.1 (0.5–6) mm and VW was calculated as 3.6(1.3–5) mm. SAS/VW ratio was 0.9 ± 0.3. There was no statistically significant difference among SAS, VW and SAS/VW ratios in 3–97 percentile group (p > 0.05).Conclusions: Ultrasonography can be used as a practicable and reproducible modalityin the measurement of SAS and VW in healthy children. It is a non-invasivemethod and allows for serial follow-up. SAS/VW ratio can be used as an index inhealthy children

Investigation of temporal bone asymmetry in cases with unilateral tinnitus: morphometric and multicentric clinical study

The aim of this multicentric study was to compare the anatomical structures of temporal bone in patients with unilateral tinnitus with their healthy ears. We also aimed at evaluating whether age and gender-related asymmetrical changes occur in temporal bones or not. Fifty two ears of 26 patients who had unilateral tinnitus were included into the retrospective study. The patients who had subjective nonpulsatile tinnitus and who previously had temporal computed tomography according to their file records were accepted to study. Temporal CT scans and audiometric results of patients were examined retrospectively. Middle ear volume, diameter of internal acoustic meats and diameter of jugular bulb were evaluated by both anatomist and radiologist, interobserverly. Internal acoustic meats and jugular bulb were found larger in the ears that had tinnitus than healthy ears; however, there was no statistically significance. The stereological morphometrical study of temporal bone asymmetry in humans correlate with sex is of importance for both otolarygologs and anatomists. These results will contribute to data on middle ear volume, internal acustic meats and jugular bulb sizes

Ultrasensitive Label-Free Detection of Protein-Membrane Interaction Exemplified by Toxin-Liposome Insertion.

Measuring the high-affinity binding of proteins to liposome membranes remains a challenge. Here, we show an ultrasensitive and direct detection of protein binding to liposome membranes using high throughput second harmonic scattering (SHS). Perfringolysin O (PFO), a pore-forming toxin, with a highly membrane selective insertion into cholesterol-rich membranes is used. PFO inserts only into liposomes with a cholesterol concentration >30%. Twenty mole-percent cholesterol results in neither SHS-signal deviation nor pore formation as seen by cryo-electron microscopy of PFO and liposomes. PFO inserts into cholesterol-rich membranes of large unilamellar vesicles in an aqueous solution with Kd = (1.5 ± 0.2) × 10-12 M. Our results demonstrate a promising approach to probe protein-membrane interactions below sub-picomolar concentrations in a label-free and noninvasive manner on 3D systems. More importantly, the volume of protein sample is ultrasmall (<10 μL). These findings enable the detection of low-abundance proteins and their interaction with membranes

Isolated recessive nail dysplasia caused by <i>FZD6 </i>mutations:report of three families and review of the literature

Congenital abnormalities of the nail are rare conditions that are most frequently associated with congenital ectodermal syndromes involving several of the epidermal appendages including the skin, teeth, hair and nails. Isolated recessive nail dysplasia (IRND) is much rarer but has recently been recognized as a condition resulting in 20‐nail dystrophy in the absence of other cutaneous or extracutaneous findings. A few case reports have identified mutations in the Frizzled 6 (FZD6) gene in families presenting with abnormal nails consistent with IRND. These reports have highlighted the role of Wnt–FZD signalling in the process of nail formation. We report three families presenting with features of IRND, in whom we identified mutations in FZD6, including one previously unreported mutation