The influence of fish meal and yellow maize on the nutritive value of Themeda triandra for Merino sheep

No Abstrac

Moments of inertia, nucleon axial-vector coupling, the {\bf 8}, {\bf 10}, 10ˉ\bar{\bf 10} and 273/2{\bf 27}_{3/2} mass spectrums and the higher SU(3)_f representation mass splittings in the Skyrme model

The broad importance of a recent experimental discovery of pentaquarks requires more theoretical insight into the structure of higher representation multiplets. The nucleon axial-vector coupling, moments of inertia, the {\bf 8}, {\bf 10}, $\bar{\bf 10}$, and ${\bf 27}_{3/2}$ absolute mass spectra and the higher SU(3)$_f$ representation mass splittings for the multiplets ${\bf 8}$, ${\bf 10}$, $\bar{\bf 10}$, ${\bf 27}$, ${\bf 35}$, $\bar{\bf 35}$, and $\bf 64$ are computed in the framework of the minimal ${\rm SU(3)_f}$ extended Skyrme model by using only one free parameter, i.e., the Skyrme charge $e$. The analysis presented in this paper represents simple and clear theoretical estimates, obtained without using any experimental results for higher ($\bar{\bf 10}$,...) multiplets. The obtained results are in good agreement with other chiral soliton model approaches that more extensively use experimental results as inputs.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, 9 tables, version accepted in JHE

Perforation of a nasotracheal tube with a Kirschner wire during maxillofacial surgery: Report of case

[No abstract available]Articl

Rapid communication: The 1998 production and status of aquaculture in South Africa

The total South African aquacultural production for 1998 was 5301 t with a total value of ZAR 228.986 m. (US$ 38.167 m.). The major attributer to this income was the koi carp industry (ZAR 135 m.) and the rainbow trout industry (ZAR 24.75 m.). The abalone industry has now moved into a commercial production phase with the production of 22 t at a value of ZAR 5.94 m. This should increase exponentially within the next number of years as more and more farms become fully operational.Articl

An evaluation of the effect of oral ketamine and standard oral premedication in the sedation of paediatric dental patients.

We compared the effectiveness of ketamine with standard oral premedication (SOP) in 60 children, 2-7 years of age, sedated orally for dental treatment under local anaesthesia. Children were assigned randomly to receive either 12.5 mg/kg ketamine or 0.5 ml/kg of SOP orally 60 min before the dental procedure. Pulse rate, systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures, respiratory rates and blood oxygen saturation were recorded prior to drug administration, 60 min thereafter and immediately before the dental procedure. Anxiety levels were measured at the same time intervals. The level of sedation was measured 60 min after drug administration. No significant differences were found in the anxiety levels between the groups 60 min after oral administration. The level of sedation in both groups before surgery was excellent. Operator evaluation for overall effectiveness of treatment showed that sedation was very good in 60 per cent of children in the ketamine group compared with 20 per cent in the SOP group. More children in the ketamine group were better sedated (p < 0.05). Both premedicants produce good sedation and anxiolysis 60 min after premedication and immediately before the surgical procedure.Articl

Comparing the effect of age and dietary energy content on feedlot performance of Boer goats

The effects of three dietary energy treatments on the feedlot production characteristics of Boer goats were investigated, along with the time spent under feedlot conditions. A total of 66 goat kids with an average weight of 22.2 ± 3.51 kg were housed in individual pens at Elsenburg research farm. At the start of the trial, the goats were randomly allocated to one of three finisher diets that vary in energy content; low, medium and high energy (11.3, 12.0, and 12.7 MJ ME/kg feed, respectively). The goats were divided further into groups of about 15 goats that were slaughtered at a registered abattoir after 40, 76, 112 and 146 days in the feedlot. During the trial period, goats were supplied their respective trial diets ad libitum. Orts were weighed back once a week in order to determine feed intake. Growth was monitored by weighing the goats weekly. The live weights of the goats increased linearly (20.939 + 0.191x, where x represents days in feedlot) throughout the trial period. Overall, goats on the high energy diet had the lowest growth rate (202.0 g/day versus 221.9 and 234.9 g/day for goats on the low and medium diets, respectively; P < 0.05). This may be as a result of the high starch content affecting the rumen environment and thus the utilization of nutrients for growth. Goats fed the low and medium energy diets presented the higher feed intakes (1236.4 and 1168.6 versus 1002.4 g/day for low, medium and high energy diets, respectively; P < 0.01). A tendency was observed for the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of goats on the high energy diet to be lower than that of the low and medium energy diets (P = 0.06), while the FCR of the goats did not vary with time spent in the feedlot (P = 0.40). Goats on the low energy diet had a lower dressing out percentage (45.8%, compared to 46.1 and 47.1%, for the low medium and high energy diets, respectively). This may be attributed to the higher proportion of fibre in the feed, which increases the gut fill and affects the digestibility of the feed. It was also observed that goats were able to adjust their level of feed intake in response to the amount of energy supplied in the diet. It is suggested that the diet with a medium energy content (12.0 MJ ME/kg feed) closely resembles the requirements of Boer goats for growth and exhibits the best production characteristics

Quantitative microbial risk assessment for airborne transmission of sars-cov-2 via breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing

Background: Evidence for indoor airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is accumulating. Objectives: We assessed of the risk of illness due to airborne SARS-CoV-2 particles from breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing in indoor environments. Methods: A risk assessment model, AirCoV2, for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 particles in aerosol droplets was developed. Previously published data on droplets expelled by breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing by an infected person were used as inputs. Scenarios encompassed virus concentration, exposure time, and ventilation. Newly collected data of virus RNA copies in mucus from patients are presented. Results: The expelled volume of aerosols was highest for a sneeze, followed by a cough, singing, speaking, and breathing. After 20 min of exposure, at 107 RNA copies/mL in mucus, all mean illness risks were largely estimated to be below 0.001, except for the “high” sneeze scenario. At virus concentrations above 108 RNA copies/mL, and after 2 h of exposure, in the high and “low” sneeze scenarios, the high cough scenario and the singing scenario, risks exceeded 0.01 and may become very high, whereas the low coughing scenario, the high and low speaking scenarios and the breathing scenario remained below 0.1. After 2 h of exposure, singing became the second highest risk scenario. One air exchange per hour reduced risk of illness by about a factor of 2. Six air exchanges per hour reduced risks of illness by a factor of 8–13 for the sneeze and cough scenarios and by a factor of 4–9 for the other scenarios. Discussion: The large variation in the volume of expelled aerosols is discussed. The model calculations indicated that SARS-CoV-2 transmission via aerosols outside of the 1.5-m social distancing norm can occur. Virus concentrations in aerosols and/or the amount of expelled aerosol droplets need to be high for substantial transmission via this route. AirCoV2 is made available as interactive computational tool. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP788

Enhancement of induced disease resistance by simultaneous activation of salicylate- and jasmonate-dependent defense pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana

The plant-signaling molecules salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) play an important role in induced disease resistance pathways. Cross-talk between SA- and JA-dependent pathways can result in inhibition of JA-mediated defense responses. We investigated possible antagonistic interactions between the SA-dependent systemic acquired resistance (SAR) pathway, which is induced upon pathogen infection, and the JA-dependent induced systemic resistance (ISR) pathway, which is triggered by nonpathogenic Pseudomonas rhizobacteria. In Arabidopsis thaliana, SAR and ISR are effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including the foliar pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). Simultaneous activation of SAR and ISR resulted in an additive effect on the level of induced protection against Pst. In Arabidopsis genotypes that are blocked in either SAR or ISR, this additive effect was not evident. Moreover, induction of ISR did not affect the expression of the SAR marker gene PR-1 in plants expressing SAR. Together, these observations demonstrate that the SAR and the ISR pathway are compatible and that there is no significant cross-talk between these pathways. SAR and ISR both require the key regulatory protein NPR1. Plants expressing both types of induced resistance did not show elevated Npr1 transcript levels, indicating that the constitutive level of NPR1 is sufficient to facilitate simultaneous expression of SAR and ISR. These results suggest that the enhanced level of protection is established through parallel activation of complementary, NPR1-dependent defense responses that are both active against Pst. Therefore, combining SAR and ISR provides an attractive tool for the improvement of disease control

Quantitative microbial risk assessment for airborne transmission of sars-cov-2 via breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing

Background: Evidence for indoor airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is accumulating. Objectives: We assessed of the risk of illness due to airborne SARS-CoV-2 particles from breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing in indoor environments. Methods: A risk assessment model, AirCoV2, for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 particles in aerosol droplets was developed. Previously published data on droplets expelled by breathing, speaking, singing, coughing, and sneezing by an infected person were used as inputs. Scenarios encompassed virus concentration, exposure time, and ventilation. Newly collected data of virus RNA copies in mucus from patients are presented. Results: The expelled volume of aerosols was highest for a sneeze, followed by a cough, singing, speaking, and breathing. After 20 min of exposure, at 107 RNA copies/mL in mucus, all mean illness risks were largely estimated to be below 0.001, except for the “high” sneeze scenario. At virus concentrations above 108 RNA copies/mL, and after 2 h of exposure, in the high and “low” sneeze scenarios, the high cough scenario and the singing scenario, risks exceeded 0.01 and may become very high, whereas the low coughing scenario, the high and low speaking scenarios and the breathing scenario remained below 0.1. After 2 h of exposure, singing became the second highest risk scenario. One air exchange per hour reduced risk of illness by about a factor of 2. Six air exchanges per hour reduced risks of illness by a factor of 8–13 for the sneeze and cough scenarios and by a factor of 4–9 for the other scenarios. Discussion: The large variation in the volume of expelled aerosols is discussed. The model calculations indicated that SARS-CoV-2 transmission via aerosols outside of the 1.5-m social distancing norm can occur. Virus concentrations in aerosols and/or the amount of expelled aerosol droplets need to be high for substantial transmission via this route. AirCoV2 is made available as interactive computational tool. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP788