Serological survey of Australian native reptiles for exposure to ranavirus

Ranaviruses have been isolated from many ectothermic vertebrates, and serological surveys of both amphibians and reptiles have shown the presence of ranaviral antibodies in a proportion of these populations. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure serum antibodies against ranavirus in Australian reptiles. The ELISA was validated with serum from challenge trials with Bohle iridovirus (BIV) in 6 reptilian species. A preliminary serosurvey of northern Queensland riparian reptile fauna (saw-shelled turtles Myuchelys latisternum, Krefft's river turtles Emydura macquarii krefftii, freshwater crocodiles Crocodylus johnstoni, as well as the snakes Boiga irregularis, Dendrelaphis punctulatus, Tropidonophis mairii, Morelia spilota, Liasis childreni and L. fuscus) revealed evidence of past exposure to Bohle iridoviral antigens in part of the population at several locations sampled. Furthermore, in Krefft's river turtles and freshwater crocodiles, a statistically significant trend was apparent for larger reptiles to be more likely to have BIV-reactive sera than smaller individuals. The use of adult tortoise populations as sentinels can assist in monitoring the presence of BIV in northern Australian freshwater streams, and thereby the potential dangers to native fauna from this agent

The Persistence of Common-Ratio Effects in Multiple-Play Decisions

People often make more rational choices between monetary prospects when their choices will be played out many times rather than just once. For example, previous research has shown that the certainty effect and the possibility effect (two common-ratio effects that violate expected utility theory) are eliminated in multiple-play decisions. This finding is challenged by seven new studies (N = 2391) and two small meta-analyses. Results indicate that, on average, certainty and possibility effects are reduced but not eliminated in multiple-play decisions. Moreover, in our within-participants studies, the certainty and possibility choice patterns almost always remained the modal or majority patterns. Our primary results were not reliably affected by prompts that encouraged a long-run perspective, by participants’ insight into long-run payoffs, or by participants’ numeracy. The persistence of common-ratio effects suggests that the oft-cited benefits of multiple plays for the rationality of decision makers’ choices may be smaller than previously realized

Occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in surface waters near industrial hog operation spray fields

Industrial hog operations (IHOs) have been identified as a source of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). However, few studies have investigated the presence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus in the environment near IHOs, specifically surface waters proximal to spray fields where IHO liquid lagoon waste is sprayed. Surface water samples (n = 179) were collected over the course of approximately one year from nine locations in southeastern North Carolina and analyzed for the presence of presumptive MRSA using CHROMagar MRSA media. Culture-based, biochemical, and molecular tests, as well as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry were used to confirm that isolates that grew on CHROMagar MRSA media were S. aureus. Confirmed S. aureus isolates were then tested for susceptibility to 16 antibiotics and screened for molecular markers of MRSA (mecA, mecC) and livestock adaptation (absence of scn). A total of 12 confirmed MRSA were detected in 9 distinct water samples. Nine of 12 MRSA isolates were also multidrug-resistant (MDRSA [i.e., resistant to ≥ 3 antibiotic classes]). All MRSA were scn-positive and most (11/12) belonged to a staphylococcal protein A (spa) type t008, which is commonly associated with humans. Additionally, 12 confirmed S. aureus that were methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) were recovered, 7 of which belonged to spa type t021 and were scn-negative (a marker of livestock-adaptation). This study demonstrated the presence of MSSA, MRSA, and MDRSA in surface waters adjacent to IHO lagoon waste spray fields in southeastern North Carolina. To our knowledge, this is the first report of waterborne S. aureus from surface waters proximal to IHOs

The Persistence of Common-Ratio Effects in Multiple-Play Decisions

People often make more rational choices between monetary prospects when their choices will be played out many times rather than just once. For example, previous research has shown that the certainty effect and the possibility effect (two common-ratio effects that violate expected utility theory) are eliminated in multiple-play decisions. This finding is challenged by seven new studies (N = 2391) and two small meta-analyses. Results indicate that, on average, certainty and possibility effects are reduced but not eliminated in multiple-play decisions. Moreover, in our within-participants studies, the certainty and possibility choice patterns almost always remained the modal or majority patterns. Our primary results were not reliably affected by prompts that encouraged a long-run perspective, by participants’ insight into long-run payoffs, or by participants’ numeracy. The persistence of common-ratio effects suggests that the oft-cited benefits of multiple plays for the rationality of decision makers’ choices may be smaller than previously realized

Arachidonic acid, arachidonic/eicosapentaenoic acid ratio, stearidonic acid and eicosanoids are involved in dietary-induced albinism in Senegal sole (Solea senegalensis)

Senegal sole larvae were fed live prey enriched with different amounts of arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) to re-evaluate the effect of these two fatty acids on flatfish pigmentation. Echium oil, a plant derived oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3n-6) and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3) was also used as a component of one of the enrichment emulsions. Although ARA content did not have any effect on growth there was a clear influence on pigmentation that correlated clearly with prostaglandin production. Inclusion of Echium oil, on the contrary, exerted a positive effect on pigmentation rate even though dietary ARA levels were as high as in the other emulsions. The relationships between dietary ARA levels and dietary ARA/EPA ratio, prostaglandin production and pigmentation are discussed

Two-temperature relaxation and melting after absorption of femtosecond laser pulse

The theory and experiments concerned with the electron-ion thermal relaxation and melting of overheated crystal lattice constitute the subject of this paper. The physical model includes two-temperature equation of state, many-body interatomic potential, the electron-ion energy exchange, electron thermal conductivity, and optical properties of solid, liquid, and two phase solid-liquid mixture. Two-temperature hydrodynamics and molecular dynamics codes are used. An experimental setup with pump-probe technique is used to follow evolution of an irradiated target with a short time step 100 fs between the probe femtosecond laser pulses. Accuracy of measurements of reflection coefficient and phase of reflected probe light are ~1% and \sim 1\un{nm}, respectively. It is found that, {\it firstly}, the electron-electron collisions make a minor contribution to a light absorbtion in solid Al at moderate intensities; {\it secondly}, the phase shift of a reflected probe results from heating of ion subsystem and kinetics of melting of Al crystal during 0 where $t$ is time delay between the pump and probe pulses measured from the maximum of the pump; {\it thirdly} the optical response of Au to a pump shows a marked contrast to that of Al on account of excitation of \textit{d}-electronsComment: 6th International Conference on Photo-Excited Processes and Applications 9-12 Sep 2008, Sapporo, Japan, http://www.icpepa6.com, the contributed paper will be published in Applied Surface Science(2009

Non Fermi Liquid Behaviour near a T=0T=0 spin-glass transition

In this paper we study the competition between the Kondo effect and RKKY interactions near the zero-temperature quantum critical point of an Ising-like metallic spin-glass. We consider the mean-field behaviour of various physical quantities. In the `quantum- critical regime' non-analytic corrections to the Fermi liquid behaviour are found for the specific heat and uniform static susceptibility, while the resistivity and NMR relaxation rate have a non-Fermi liquid dependence on temperature.Comment: 15 pages, RevTex 3.0, 1 uuencoded ps. figure at the en

dd→3Hendd\to {^3}He n reaction at intermediate energies

The $dd\to ^3He n$ reaction is considered at the energies between 200 MeV and 520 MeV. The Alt-Grassberger-Sandhas equations are iterated up to the lowest order terms over the nucleon-nucleon t-matrix. The parameterized ${^3He}$ wave function including five components is used. The angular dependence of the differential cross section and energy dependence of tensor analyzing power $T_{20}$ at the zero scattering angle are presented in comparison with the experimental data

Nucleation versus Spinodal decomposition in a first order quark hadron phase transition

We investigate the scenario of homogeneous nucleation for a first order quark-hadron phase transition in a rapidly expanding background of quark gluon plasma. Using an improved preexponential factor for homogeneous nucleation rate, we solve a set of coupled equations to study the hadronization and the hydrodynamical evolution of the matter. It is found that significant supercooling is possible before hadronization begins. This study also suggests that spinodal decomposition competes with nucleation and may provide an alternative mechanism for phase conversion particularly if the transition is strong enough and the medium is nonviscous. For weak enough transition, the phase conversion may still proceed via homogeneous nucleation.Comment: LaTeX, 10 pages with 7 Postscript figures, more discussions and referencese added, typos correcte

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