Cent Of Weight Research Articles

Optimal dietary methionine + cystine requirement for finishing lambari, Astyanax altiparanae (Garutti and Britski, 2000)

A 95-day feeding trial was conducted to quantify the methionine + cystine requirement for finishing lambari, Astyanax altiparanae (6.10 ± 0.11 g). Six extruded isoproteic (310.14 g/kg crude protein) and isoenergetic (19.76 MJ/kg gross energy) diets were prepared to contain 6.71, 8.31, 11.31, 13.12, 15.59 and 19.74 g/kg dry diet of methionine + cystine. Quadruplicate groups of female lambari were randomly assigned to 24 aquaria (70 L each) and fed to apparent satiety six times daily. The methionine + cystine requirement was determined by quadratic regression analysis of growth performance, whole body composition, muscle development, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity against dietary methionine + cystine concentrations, at 5% significance. Fish fed 6.71–11.31 g/kg dry diet of methionine + cystine showed increased weight gain, per cent weight gain, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio. There were no significant differences in whole body composition, muscle growth and activity of AST and ALT in fish fed the dietary treatments. In conclusion, according to the second-order polynomial analysis of weight gain, the optimum dietary methionine + cystine requirements for finishing lambari were estimated to be 13.66 g/kg dry diet (4.40% dietary protein).

SUN-226 Improvements In Quality Of Life In Men With Hypogonadism Under Long-term Testosterone Therapy (TTh) With Testosterone Undecanoate Injections (TU): Experience From 6,500 Patient-years Ina Registry Study Ina Urological Setting

Background: Quality of life in men is influenced by general health, sexual function and urinary function. These components are associated with both weight and inflammatory status. Material and Methods: 805 men with hypogonadism are enrolled in a registry study in a urological office. 412 received TTh with TU 1000 mg/12 weeks (T-group) while 393 opted against TTh and served as controls (CTRL). 43 men (10.4%) in the T-group had Klinefelter’s syndrome and contributed to lowering the mean age of the treated group. Measurements were performed 1-4 times a year. 10-year data are reported. Changes over time between groups were compared by mixed effects model for repeated measures with random effect for intercept and fixed effects for time, group and their interaction, and adjusted for age, weight, waist circumference, fasting glucose, blood pressure and lipids to account for baseline differences between groups. Results: Baseline age: 57.7±7.4 (T-group), 63.7±4.8 years (CTRL). Mean (median) follow-up: 8 (8) years (T-group) and 8 (9) years (CTRL). Total observation time: 6471 patient-years. The Aging Males’ Symptoms scale (AMS) decreased by 29.2±0.3 (p<0.0001) (T-group) and increased by 15.1±0.4 (p<0.0001) in CTRL, estimated adjusted difference between groups: 44.3 (p<0.0001). The International Index of Erectile Function - Erectile Function Domain (IIEF-EF) increased by 27.5±0.2 (p<0.0001) (T-group) and decreased by 8.0±0.2 (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 19.5 (p<0.0001). The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) decreased by 4.6±0.1 (p<0.0001) (T-group) and increased by 2.6±0.1 (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 7.2 (p<0.0001). C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased by 3.9±0.1 (p<0.0001) (T-group) and by 0.8±0.2 (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 3.1 (p<0.0001). Per cent weight loss was 16.6±0.3% (p<0.0001) in the T-group, per cent weight gain 4.6±0.3% (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 21.2% (p<0.0001). Waist circumference declined by 9.9±0.2 cm (p<0.0001) (T-group) and increased by 4.4±0.2 cm (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 14.3 cm (p<0.0001). Adverse events: During the entire observation time, there were 16 deaths (3.9%) in the T-group. In CTRL, there were 74 deaths (18.8%), 70 MIs (17.8%) and 59 strokes (15%). Incident prostate cancer was diagnosed in 13 men (3.2%) in the T-group and in 27 (6.9%) in CTRL. Medication adherence in the T-group was 100 per cent as all TU-injections were performed in the office and documented. Conclusion: Long-term TTh in men with hypogonadism resulted in improvements of different aspects of quality of life. These improvements may have been mediated by weight loss and improved inflammatory status. Mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events were reduced in the T-group compared to untreated men with hypogonadism.

MON-091 Profound and Sustained Weight Loss in Men With Hypogonadism and Obesity Receiving Long-Term Testosterone Therapy (TTh) with Testosterone Undecanoate Injections (TU): 10-Year Data from a Registry Study in a Urological Setting

Background: Weight loss in obese subjects is notoriously difficult to achieve through lifestyle interventions, and even harder to maintain long-term. Testosterone therapy has shown promising results in long-term but not short-term studies. Material and Methods: In an observational registry study of 805 men with hypogonadism in a urological office, 462 (57.4%) were obese. 273 received TTh with TU 1000 mg/12 weeks (T-group) while 189 opted against TTh and served as controls (CTRL). Measurements were performed 1-4 times a year. 10-year data are reported. Changes over time between groups were compared by mixed effects model for repeated measures with random effect for intercept and fixed effects for time, group and their interaction, and adjusted for age, weight, waist circumference, fasting glucose, blood pressure and lipids to account for baseline differences between groups. Results: Baseline age: 59.8±6.1 (T-group), 63.5±5 years (CTRL). Mean (median) follow-up: 8 (9) years (T-group) and 7.5 (8) years (CTRL). Total observation time: 3588 patient-years. Weight progressively decreased by 22.9±0.3 kg (p<0.0001) (T-group) and increased by 3.2±0.5 kg (p<0.0001) in CTRL, estimated adjusted difference between groups: 26.1 kg (p<0.0001). Waist circumference declined by 12.5±0.2 cm (p<0.0001) (T-group) and increased by 4.6±0.4 cm (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 17.1 cm (p<0.0001). BMI decreased by 7.3±0.1 kg/m2 (p<0.0001) (T-group) and increased by 0.9±0.2 kg/m2 (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 8.2 kg/m2 (p<0.0001). Per cent weight loss was 20.3±0.3% (p<0.0001) in the T-group, per cent weight gain 3.9±0.4% (p<0.0001) in CTRL, difference between groups: 24.3% (p<0.0001). Waist-to-height ratio decreased by 0.07±0.001 (p<0.0001) (T-group) and increased by 0.03±0.002 (p<0.05) in CTRL, difference between groups: 0.1 (p<0.0001). Adverse events: During the entire observation time, there were 12 deaths (4.4%) in the T-group. In CTRL, there were 57 deaths (30.2%), 47 MIs (24.9%) and 44 strokes (23.3%). Medication adherence in the T-group was 100 per cent as all TU-injections were performed in the office and documented. Conclusion: Long-term TTh in men with hypogonadism and obesity resulted in profound and sustained improvements in anthropometric parameters, as well as reduction of mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events. As recommended by the AACE/ACE 2016 obesity guidelines, testosterone should be measured in obese men and testosterone treatment offered if indicated.

Early weight loss in a standalone mHealth intervention predicting treatment success.

SummaryObjectiveEarly weight loss is a strong predictor of longer‐term and clinically meaningful weight loss but has not been studied in the context of mobile health (‘mHealth’) interventions.MethodsGoalTracker was a randomized trial among adults (21–65 years) with overweight or obesity comparing three 12‐week standalone mHealth interventions for weight loss. All arms received a free commercial mobile app (MyFitnessPal) for daily self‐monitoring of diet and/or weight and a goal to lose 5% of weight by 3 months. Collapsing across arms, this analysis examined participants with a 1‐month weight (n = 84), categorizing them as either early responders (≥2% weight loss at 1 month) or early non‐responders (<2% weight loss at 1 month).ResultsEarly responders – 36% of participants – had greater per cent weight change at 3 months (−5.93% [95% confidence interval: −6.82%, −5.03%]) than early non‐responders (−1.45% [−2.15%, −0.75%]), which was sustained at 6 months (−5.91% [−7.33%, −4.48%] vs. −1.28% [−2.37%, −0.19%]; ps < 0.0001). Over half (57%) of early responders achieved ≥5% weight loss at 3 months vs. 11% of early non‐responders. At 4 weeks, self‐monitoring frequency (weight/diet) was significantly greater among early responders, which continued across 12 weeks.ConclusionResponding early to an mHealth treatment is associated with higher engagement and greater likelihood of achieving clinically meaningful weight loss.

Structural design of a 3-D printed stab resistant body armor

Purpose Stab-resistant body armor (SRBA) can protect the human body from injury as a result of stabbing by sharp projectiles. However, in its current design SRBA, it has not been widely adopted for use, because of its weight and poor flexibility. Herein, this paper aims to detail a new type of SRBA that is inspired by the armor plating of mammals and is fabricated using laser sintering (LS) technology. Design/methodology/approach This new type of SRBA was fabricated using LS technology. The laser sintered SRBA was subjected to a stab resistance performance test that conformed to the GA 68-2008 Chinese National Standard. The stab resistance response of the novel structured, stab resistance test plates in this study was analyzed using the using the AUTODYN explicit module in ANSYS-Workbench. Findings The structure of the novel stab resistance plate was designed and the optimum structural parameters were tested, discussed and achieved. The mechanism of dissipation of the impact energy by the pyramidal structures of the novel SRBA was studied, and it was found that this structure dispersed the kinetic energy of the knife and minimized the structural damage to the plate. Interlinks inspired by the pangolin hierarchy structure were designed and used to fabricate a large piece of laser sintered body armor. Originality/value High-performance laser sintered stab resistance plate was produced via the material and structure studies, which could reduce 40 per cent weight on the stab resistance body armor and increase the wearability.

Weight Bias Internalization and Long-Term Weight Loss in Patients With Obesity.

The relationship between weight bias internalization (WBI) and long-term weight loss is largely unknown. To determine the effects of weight loss on WBI and assess whether WBI impairs long-term weight loss. One hundred thirty-three adults with obesity completed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) at baseline, after a 14-week lifestyle intervention in which they lost ≥5 per cent of initial weight, and at weeks 24 and 52 of a subsequent randomized controlled trial (RCT) for weight-loss maintenance (66 weeks total). Linear mixed models were used to examine the effects of weight loss on WBIS scores and the effects of baseline WBIS scores on weight change over time. Logistic regression was used to determine the effects of baseline WBIS scores on achieving ≥5 and ≥10 per cent weight loss. Changes in weight did not predict changes in WBIS scores. Baseline WBIS scores predicted reduced odds of achieving ≥5 and ≥10 per cent weight loss at week 24 of the RCT (p values < .05). At week 52, the interaction between participant race and WBIS scores predicted weight loss (p = .046) such that nonblack (but not black) participants with higher baseline WBIS scores had lower odds of achieving ≥10 per cent weight loss (OR = 0.38, p = .01). Baseline WBIS scores did not significantly predict rate of weight change over time. Among participants in a weight loss maintenance trial, WBI did not change in relation to changes in weight. More research is needed to clarify the effects of WBI on long-term weight loss and maintenance across race/ethnicity. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02388568.

Size Matters: The Role of Nodule Size in Assessing Lithic Transportation—The Case of the Mount Reihan Flint Extraction and Axe/Adze Workshop, Dishon Basin, Eastern Galilee, Israel

ABSTRACTThere has been much progress recently in reconstructing the transportation of lithic materials from quarry/extraction sites and workshops to occupation sites. The suggested “theoretical nodule,” “cortex ratio,” and “volume ratio” measures have proven useful, mainly when applied to cases in which relatively small initial nodules/cobbles were selected for knapping. However, these methods lose much of their relevance when dealing with the production of bifacials from large nodules. In this article, we present evidence from a newly discovered axe/adze workshop at Mount Reihan in the eastern Galilee, Israel, which boasts an almost complete chaîne opératoire of the production of Neolithic/Chalcolithic axes and adzes from large (mean weight 17.7 kg) flint nodules as a starting point. Measuring nodules, bifacial roughouts, and debitage enables us to propose a two-step method that is valid for the production of bifacials from large nodules: (1) weight of knapped waste is calculated as 80 per cent of the initial flint weight; (2) the 20 per cent weight that remains is divided between the rejected roughouts and the exported/transported items, following a ratio of 1 roughout: 2–3 exported tools.

Influence of different pulsing treatments and durations on postharvest life of China aster (Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees) cv. ‘Kamini’

Improvement of keeping quality and enhancement of the vase life of cut flowers are important areas of research in the post harvest sector of floriculture industry. The vase life of China aster is generally more than that of other annuals grown as cut flowers. Meagre and scattered information is available with respect to postharvest handling of China aster. Hence, the investigation was carried out to study the influence of different pulsing treatments and durations on postharvest life cut China aster cv. ‘Kamini ’. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Completely Randomized Design with 11 treatments and 2 durations replicated thrice. It was observed that pulsing of cut flowers with solution comprising of Sucrose (10%) + 8-HQC (400 ppm) for 12 hours improved flower size (7.21 cm), amount of pulsing solution consumed (2.54 ml), vase life (12.83 days), amount of distilled water consumed (35.09 ml), minimum per cent weight loss (21.73%) and appearance of cut bloom (4.73).

Controlled Hydrolytic Degradation of Polyglycolide–Caprolactone-Based Bioabsorbable Copolymer

Polyglycolide–caprolactone (PGCL)-based copolymer was synthesized from glycolide and caprolactone by ring opening polymerization in the presence of stannous octoate catalyst and diethylene glycol initiator. The effects of prepolymerization time, monomer ratio, monomer-to-catalyst and monomer-to-initiator ratios on per cent weight conversion were optimized. The end-capped copolymer was synthesized to make absorbable sutures having controlled bioabsorbability at different pH levels. It was observed that endcapped absorbable copolymer was more stable at pH 10.0 compared to uncapped absorbable material. End-capped copolymer also retained higher tensile strength compared to uncapped copolymer after 21 days. This phenomenon of controlled hydrolytic degradation of PGCL-based bioabsorbable polymer having terminal group end-capping can be attributed to less availability of hydrophilic end groups facilitating hydrolytic degradation of polymers.

Nutrition and Exercise Rehabilitation in Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (NERO): a pilot randomised controlled trial

BackgroundRespiratory management of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) focusses on the control of sleep-disordered breathing rather than the treatment of obesity. Currently, there are no data from randomised trials of weight...

Effect of legume supplementation on physical and textural characteristics of ready to eat cereal bars

The present study was carried out to find the effect of legume supplementation on Physical and textural characteristics of ready to eat cereal bars. Therefore, physical and textural parameter of ready to eat cereal bars was analyzed. Results showed that the length, width and thickness of the bars ranged between 9.69±0.29 to 10.02±0.01 cm, 4.52±0.02 to 4.90±0.05 cm and 0.85±0.04 to 0.99±0.01cm. Whereas spread ratio, per cent spread, volume, weight and density was found to range between 4.90±0.11 to 5.30±0.30, 92.43±1.03 to 100.00per cent, 38.63±2.23 to 47.85± 1.18 cm3, 24.76 to 25.14g and 0.52±0.00 to 0.67±0.00 (g/cm3) respectively. Hardness of selected RTE cereal bar varied from 4901.13±2.08 to 13800.79 (g force). Significant difference was observed between control (CCB) and among all the other treatments (RCCB, PCCB, RSCB, PSCB and DSCB) due to increase in the incorporation level of legume flour.

Impact of harvesting time on field carry over infestation of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in different maize genotypes

Study was carried out to evaluate the effect of time of harvest on field carry over infestation of rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae L. in maize. The maize ears were harvested at three different stages namely early harvest- i.e. just before physiological maturity (stage 1), timely harvest i.e. at physiological maturity (stage 2) and late harvest i.e. around ten days after physiological maturity (stage 3). The harvested maize ears were dried, shelled and stored separately over a period of 150 days. The emergence of F1 progeny of S. oryzae were significantly higher in late harvest maize (37.51) while relatively lower number in timely (27.09) harvest and lowest number in early harvest maize (14.47) were observed. The interaction effects between different stages of harvest × genotype, genotype × storage duration, different stages of harvest × storage duration, different stages of harvest × storage duration × genotype on F1 progeny emergence were found significant. Similarly, maize ears harvested at early and timely period, showed significantly lower weight losses as compared to late harvest maize. The mean per cent weight loss recorded at 90 and 150 days after storage were 0.66 and 2.24; 1.21 and 5.19; 2.24 and 6.33 in early, timely and delayed harvest maize kernels, respectively. The F1 progeny emergence was significantly and positively correlated with stage of harvest (r=0.4435). Also significant and positive correlations were found between weight loss and storage duration (r=0.3280). The kernel hardness was found significant negative correlation with progeny emergence and weight loss. The results indicated that physical and biochemical traits are also responsible for varying levels of resistance to S. oryzae. Use of cultural practices such as timely harvest of maize is one of the most promising approaches for efficient in minimization of field carry- over infestation of S. oryzae.

Eco-friendly management of Sitophilus oryzae and Rhyzoper thadominica in stored wheat at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand

he laboratory experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of some indigenous products such as plant products (chopped neem leaves ajwain seed powder, garlic capsules, saw dust), animal derivedproducts ( cow dung cake powder, cow urine) and inert materials ( ash powder, sand, talcum powder, salt) @ 2g/100g of wheat grains against rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (Linn.) and lesser grain borer, Rhyzoper thadominica (Fab.) on stored wheat by undertaking various parameters viz., percent adult emergence, percent seed damage, per cent weight loss and per cent germination after six months of storage during April to October 2015. After 180 days of treatments, the minimum number of adults weevils of S. oryzae( 4.00, 6.00,7.67, 9.00, 9.67 and 10.33) were emerged in wheat grains treated with ash powder, sand, cow dung powder, talcum powder, ajwain seed powder and neem leaf powder, respectively with minimum grain damage (7.33 %, 8.67 %,11.67 % and 12.00 %) was observed on ash powder, sand, ajwain seed powder and talcum powder, respectively, whereas minimum weight loss (2.67 %, 3.67 %, 5.67 % and 6.67 %) was recorded on ash powder, sand, cow dung powder, talcum powder and ajwain seed powder, respectively. Similarly, the minimum number of adult beetles of R. dominica were emerged (2.00,2.33, 6.67,7.00 and 8.33) in ash power, sand, talcum powder, cow dung cake powder and ajwain seed powder, respectively with minimum grain damage (4.00 %,8.00 %. 8.67 % and 12.67 % and weight loss (1.33 %, 4.00 %, 7.33 % and 11.67 %) in sand, ash powder, talcum powder and cow dung cake treated wheat grains, respectively. It has been clearly observed that seed germination was not affected adversely in any treatment during six months of storage. The present study clearly revealed that these naturally occurring indigenous products could be used to manage the storage insect pests in wheat.

Validity of Broselow tape for estimating weight of Indian children.

Background & objectives:The Broselow tape has been validated in both ambulatory and simulated emergency situations in the United States and is believed to reduce complications arising from inaccurate drug dosing and equipment sizing in paediatric population. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the actual weight and weight determined by Broselow tape in the Indian children and to derive an equation for determination of weight based on height in the Indian children.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India. The participants’ weights were divided into three groups <10 kg, 10-18 kg and >18 kg with a total sample size estimated to be 210 (70 in each group). Using the tape, the measured weight was compared to Broselow-predicted weight and percentage weight was calculated. Accuracy was defined as agreement on Broselow colour-coded zones, as well as agreement within 10 per cent between the measured and Broselow-predicted weights. The resulting data were compared with weights estimated by advanced paediatric life support (APLS) and updated APLS formulae using Pearson's correlation coefficient.Results:The mean percentage differences were −11.78, −17.09 and −14.27 per cent for <10, 10-18 and >18 kg weight-based groups, respectively. The Broselow colour-coded zone agreement was 33.3 per cent in children weighing <10 kg, but only 7.4 per cent in the 10-18 kg group and 33.9 per cent in the >18 kg group. Agreement within 10 per cent was 53.13 per cent for the <10 kg group, but only 21.08 per cent for the 10-18 kg group and 33.9 per cent for the >18 kg group. Application of 10 per cent weight correction factor improved the percentages to 79.2 per cent for the <10 kg category, to 55.70 per cent for the 10-18 kg group and to 61.0 per cent for the >18 kg group. The correlation coefficient between actual weight and weights estimated by Broselow tape (r=0.89) was higher than that between actual weight and weight estimated by APLS method or updated APLS formulae (r=0.68) in 12-60 months age group as well as in >60 months age group (r=0.76).Interpretation & conclusions:Broselow weight overestimated weight by >10 per cent in majority of Indian children. The weight overestimation was greater in children belonging to over 18 and 10-18 kg weight groups. Applying 10 per cent weight correction factor to the Broselow-predicted weight may provide a more accurate estimation of actual weight in children attending public hospital. Weights estimated using Broselow tape correlated better with actual weights than those calculated using APLS and updated APLS formulae.

Effects ofBacillus subtilisstrains and the prebiotic Previda®on growth, immune parameters and susceptibility toAeromonas hydrophilainfection in Nile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

This study was conducted to evaluate the individual and combined effects of long-term feeding of diets containing two probiotic Bacillus subtilis group strains (Aqua NZ and AP193) and the prebiotic Previda®, a commercial hemicellulose extract, on growth performance, immune parameters and Aeromonas hydrophila susceptibility of juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Nile tilapia of average weight 7.47 ± 0.11 g were fed diets formulated with the probiotics and/or the prebiotic, or a control diet for 8 weeks and, subsequently, challenged with A. hydrophila by intragastric gavage at a dosage of 3.9 × 107 CFU per fish. Fish attained a mean weight of 59.5 ± 0.99 g at the end of the growth period. Under the conditions of the present trial, none of the diets significantly improved mean per cent weight gain (P = 0.70), thermal growth coefficient (P = 0.88) or feed conversion ratio (P = 0.87) of Nile tilapia. Except for the diet containing the prebiotic Previda® only (P = 0.17), all other diets resulted in significantly higher fish survival compared to the control (P < 0.05). The combined effect of the prebiotic and probiotic strains emerged as the most important diet with respect to mortality reduction. The mean lysozyme and respiratory burst activities did not show any significant differences between treatments and control (P = 0.14 and 0.32, respectively). Thus, these probiotic strains used in this study have the potential to prevent disease due to A. hydrophila in O. niloticus.

Evaluation of flash dried yeast as a nutritional supplement in plant-based practical diets for Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Growth and digestibility trials were conducted to evaluate the use of flash dried yeast (FDY) as a supplement in practical shrimp feeds. The six-week growth trial evaluated the effects of FDY supplementation (0, 10, 20, 40 and 60 g kg–1) in the plant-based practical diet on the performances and proximate compositions of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Final biomass, final mean weight, per cent weight gain (WG), feed conversion (FCR) and protein retention efficiency (PRE) of Pacific white shrimp were not significantly influenced when FDY was added up to 40 g kg–1 of the diet. However, 60 g kg–1 FDY supplementation significantly reduced growth, feed utilization and protein retention. Supplementation of FDY in the practical diets of Pacific white shrimp did not affect protein, moisture, lipid, crude fibre, and ash content of whole shrimp body. Apparent digestibility coefficients of energy, protein, and amino acid (AA) for FDY were determined using chromic oxide as an inert marker and the 70:30 replacement technique. The energy and protein digestibility of FDY were 38.20% and 53.47%, respectively, which were significantly lower than fishmeal (FM) and soybean meal (SBM) that were run at the same time. Most amino acid digestibility of FDY was lowest among the three ingredients tested. Results of this work indicated that energy, protein and amino acid digestibility of FDY are lower compared to SBM and FM, and high levels supplementation (≥60 g kg–1) of FDY can cause negative effects to the growth response of Pacific white shrimp. Based on these results, further research regarding the effects of the low level inclusion of FDY in practical diets on immune responses of Pacific white shrimp is warranted.

The role of avian scavengers in the breakdown of carcasses in pastoral landscapes

ABSTRACTScavenging birds can provide ecosystem services to pastoralists by contributing to the breakdown of animal carcasses that can harbour and spread disease. However, these benefits have yet to be quantified in Australia. We monitored rabbit carcasses using motion-sensor cameras to identify beneficial avian scavengers across four landscape types (forest, riparian, fields with large isolated trees, and open fields) on a pastoral property in north-central Victoria. We quantified the ecosystem service of carcass breakdown by measuring the per cent weight loss of carcasses exposed to scavenging birds compared to carcasses excluded from birds. Seven of the twenty-four bird-accessible carcasses were attacked by raptors in 2014, and three in 2015. When a raptor attacked a carcass, there was a significantly higher median per cent weight loss of the carcass (16.67%, interquartile range (IQR) = 8.33–100.0) compared with sites where no bird attacks occurred (6.65%, IQR = 3.03–12.06). Our results indicate that raptors are major contributors to carcass breakdown in grazing landscapes and may potentially contribute to reducing the spread of diseases such as blowfly strike and leptospirosis. Maintaining key habitat features for these species (e.g. large isolated trees) is essential for raptor conservation and maximising the ecosystem services they provide.

Study on impact of selected sap-stain fungi on wood and their management

Sap-stain fungi attack the wood immediately after felling or sawing and cause reduction in the value of timber by discolouring sapwood. Wood blocks of three tree species (Populus deltoides, Syzygium cumini and Mangifera indica) were artificially inoculated with three sap-stain fungi (Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Trichoderma harzianum and Ceratocystis sp). After 5 weeks of incubation 1.97 to 9.68 per cent weight loss was recorded in wood blocks inoculated with sap-stain fungi. Maximum weight loss was recorded in the wood block of P deltoides followed by S cumini and M indica. The in vitro evaluation of selected fungicides on sap-stain fungi revealed that carbendazim and benomyl were quite effective while copper oxychloride was least effective.

Investigation of X-ray shielding properties of Au nano-composite-based polyaniline

Au nanocomposite-based polyaniline (PANI) was prepared successfully by in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid (DBSA) as stabilizer of gold nanoparticles (NPs) and ammonium persulphate (APS) as an initiator. Their structure and electrical conductivity properties were studied. In the next step, PANI/Au nanocomposites in different weight ratios (5, 10 and 20 wt%) and thicknesses (1, 1.5 and 2 mm) were fabricated by in situ chemical polymerization method. The nanocomposites were prepared in tablets form, with different per cent weights and thickness. Electrical conductivity of nanocomposites was measured by four probe method. Morphology and microstructure of prepared nanocomposites were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDX and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The diameter of gold nanoparticles was measured by (XRD) and it was resulted 28 nm. Finally, X-ray photon interaction parameters such as attenuation coefficient (μ) and X-ray attenuation percentage were investigated. The obtained results suggest that the prepared nanocomposites can be employed at various devices as an effective X-ray attenuator, especially in the energies of 14–60 keV. The maximum absorption is occurred when the composite material has the highest per cent of weight (w/w 20%) and maximum thickness (2 mm).

Isolation and functional characterization of cadmium resistant strainsRCP 1 using agronomical parameter of Chaulai (Amaranthus tricolor L.)

Resistance and tolerance are arbitrarily defined terms frequently interchangeable and after based on weather a given isolate can grow in the presence of selected heavy metal concentration in laboratory media. Total bacterial strains were isolated and screened on the basis of their heavy metal tolerance ability for cadmium and their PGPR activity. It was estimated that they have good tolerance power for cadmium the heavy metals and are plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. If we study morphological aspects we can say that Gram negative rods are more efficient in tolerating heavy metals. In case of treatment I, fresh weight was increased 27.5 per cent and dry weight was increased 25 per cent compared to positive control. In case of treatment II, fresh weight was increased 28 per cent and dry weight was increased 14.81 per cent compared to negative control. In case of negative control, fresh weight was decreased 50 per cent and dry weight was decreased 48.07 per cent compared to positive control. By performing experiment it was proved that the cadmium concentration reduced significant percentage of Chaulai fresh weight and dry weight but increased when treated with strain RAN 1.