Warm Environmental Conditions Research Articles

Commercial resources of saffron cod <i>Eleginus gracilis</i> in the Russian waters of the Far-Eastern Seas

Saffron cod Eleginus gracilis, being a typical representative of the elittoral ichthyocene, is an important commercial species in the coastal areas of the Far-Eastern Seas. Small- and medium-sized vessels equipped with both active fishing gears as Danish seine or trawl and fixed nets are used for fishery of this species, it is also popular for amateur and sport fishing from the sea ice. The portion of saffron cod in the total landing is the largest in the Karaginsky fishing subzone (8.1 %) and West-Kamchatka fishing subzone (3.6 %). Annual catch of the species in the Far-Eastern Seas fluctuated in 2003–2022 from 16.7 . 103 to 50.6 . 103 t, on average 33.9 . 103 t. The bulk of this value was caught in the waters at Kamchatka, mostly at its western coast where the average catch was 10.5 . 103 t annually in the last decade. The main fishing grounds of saffron cod are located within the Kamchatka-Kuril, West-Kamchatka, East-Sakhalin and Karaginsky fishing subzones, whereas the stocks at Primorye and sparsely populated coasts of the western Okhotsk Sea and northwestern Bering Sea are underexploited. The saffron cod CPUE reaches 4.5 t per hour of trawling on the shelf of West Kamchatka. The biomass of saffron cod is estimated recently as 197.4 . 103 t in the West-Kamchatka subzone, 100.4 . 103 t in the Karaginsky subzone, 32.8 . 103 t in the West Bering Sea fishing zone, 17.2 . 103 t in the Petropavlovsk-Commander subzone, 17.1 . 103 t in the East-Sakhalin sunzone, and 8.7 . 103 t in the North Okhotsk Sea subzone. The species is distinguished by significant fluctuations of commercial stocks caused by both environmental impacts on its recruitment and fishing pressure. The strong year-classes appear usually in relatively warm or moderate environmental conditions. In modern times, abundance and biomass of almost all exploited stocks of saffron cod in the Far-Eastern Seas excess their average long-term level or fluctuate around, so the state of their populations is considered as quite satisfactory.

Paleo-sedimentary environment and lithofacies of Jurassic Da’anzhai Member in the Central Sichuan Basin-A case study of Well Ren’an 1

The Jurassic Da’anzhai Member in Sichuan Basin is an important target for shale oil exploration. Whole rock X-ray diffraction analysis, thin section, SEM and TOC testing, as well as major and trace element analysis are used to analyze the relationship of lithofacies and pore types with the sedimentary environment of the Da’anzhai Member in the Central Sichuan Basin. The results show the Da’anzhai Member in the Well Ren’an 1 (RA1) is divided into six types of lithofacies, based on a three-level division method of mineral composition-TOC-mineral structure— namely, massive mud-bearing shell limestone lithofacies (F), thick argillaceous shell limestone lithofacies (E), laminated clay silt shale lithofacies (D), thin shell calcareous shale lithofacies (C), laminated shell-bearing shale lithofacies (B), and thick clay shale lithofacies (A). The pore spaces include intergranular pores, intergranular dissolution pores, authigenic calcite intergranular pores, authigenic quartz intercrystalline pores, intergranular pores of clay minerals or pyrite nodules, as well as organic pores. The Da’anzhai Member was deposited in a semi-deep to shallow lake sedimentary environment, with relatively low salinity. This strata experienced moderate-to-strong chemical weathering as a result of the semi-arid, warm and humid paleoclimate environmental conditions that persisted during its deposition; low weathering and dry paleoclimate conditions occurred periodically. Paleoenvironment is an important influence on the lithofacies and pore types of the Da’anzhai Member. The persistence of arid climate conditions contributed to a decline in water depth, relatively high salinity, low organic productivity, and the deposition of carbonate rocks that characterize lithofacies E and F; mostly intercrystalline pores formed in these lithofacies in response to the prevailing arid climate conditions. Conversely, warm, and humid climate conditions increased the inflow of fresh water, terrigenous debris, and nutrients into the lacustrine basin that led to the deposition of fine-grained sedimentary rocks of lithofacies A, B, and C. These lithofacies are characterized by abundant nano pores, such as clay intercrystalline pores and organic pores.

1-Tetradecanol, Diethyl Phthalate and Tween 80 Assist in the Formation of Thermo-Responsive Azoxystrobin Nanoparticles.

The occurrence of crop fungal diseases is closely related to warm environmental conditions. In order to control the release of fungicides in response to warm conditions, and enhance the efficacy, a series of thermo-responsive fungicide-loaded nanoparticles were developed. The fungicide azoxystrobin, solvent DEP, emulsifier Tween 80 and thermo-responsive component TDA were combined to create thermal-response oil phases, conditions for emulsification were then optimized. LDLS, zeta potential, FTIR, DSC, TGA, XRD, SEM and antifungal efficacy assays were carried out to investigate the characteristics and forming mechanism. The results indicated that the formula with 5 g azoxystrobin, 10 mL DEP, 6 mL Tween 80 and 2.5 g TDA constructed the proposed oil phase with the ability to transform from solid at 20 °C to softerned at 31.5 °C. Both DEP and TDA played key roles in interfering with the crystallization of azoxystrobin. The optimal T3t-c12 nanoparticles had a mean particle size of 162.1 nm, thermo-responsive morphological transformation between 20 °C and 30 °C, AZO crystal reforming after drying, the ability to attach to fungal spores and satisfied antifungal efficacy against P. nicotiana PNgz07 and A. niger A1513 at 30 °C. This report provides referable technical support for the construction of smart-release nanoparticles of other agrochemicals.

Analysis of Different Shape Ventilation Elements for Protective Clothing

People's thermoregulation may be hampered by exposure to extreme temperatures. Because of this, it is crucial to consider how fabric cooling and ventilation may affect human comfort while designing clothing. There is a demand on the market for more effective technical solutions and materials to be used in the external part of protective gear, while also ensuring the necessary ventilation even in warm environmental conditions and during heavy physical load. This is due to the growing interest in the market for efficient protection of the human body against exposure to extreme weather conditions. In this article a simple elliptical model of the body and the jacket is used to reduce the complexity of the problem. Five different shapes of ventilation elements named as E1 to E5 are designed for the study and the numerical results for the pressure, temperature and heat flux are calculated using SolidWorks Flow Simulation at three different inlet air velocity of 2, 5 and 8 m/s. The acquired results display interesting flow patterns and how the ventilation elements' shapes might influence the flow at various wind velocities. The results are compared and analyzed in terms of heat flux, pressure difference and temperature difference. The main objective is to determine which element's geometrical shape gives the smallest flow energy losses in the cell flow channel. If the pressure difference is higher, flow energy losses will also be high, and if the flow energy losses are higher, the body cooling decreases. The obtained results show that pressure difference increases gradually with the increasing inlet velocity. Moreover, results also indicates how different shapes of ventilation elements can affect the flow, pressure difference and flow energy losses. Based on analysis of obtained simulation results the most perspective ventilation element is proposed.

Holocene vegetation history and responses to climate and sea-level change in the Liaohe Delta, northeast China

To reconstruct the Holocene vegetation history from Liaohe Delta in northeast (NE) China, a high-resolution palynological study on a well-dated sediment core ZK2 was conducted. The pollen record of ZK2 suggests that during the early Holocene, the regional vegetation in the plain was meadow-dominated by Artemisia. And forest with cool-temperate conifers and temperate broad-leaved trees were present in the nearby hills, which is coincident with the gradual climate warming and delta transgression. From mid-Holocene to early late Holocene, meadow vegetation with Artemisia was relatively stable, while the forest vegetation with broadleaved trees reached the maximum expansion in the nearby hills. The large expansion of broadleaved trees indicates warm and humid regional environmental conditions and this is coincidental with the relatively high regional sea-level stand during this period. Since ca. 1470 cal yr BP, with the continuous delta progradation, a large coastal region was colonized by Suaeda spp., which suggests that the formation of unique red beach wetlands along the coastal region of the Liaohe Delta. By analysis of pollen dispersal and transportation mechanism in surface sediments of Liaodong Bay, it is indicated that the percentage changes of arboreal pollen dominated by Pinus and Quercus and the non-arboreal pollen dominated by Amaranthaceae and Artemisia in core ZK2 may as an index refers to the local sea level oscillation and paleoclimate change. Then by comparison with previous multi-proxy records together with the surface sediment record from Liaodong Bay, it is suggested that the Holocene vegetation changes of the Liaohe Delta are mainly driven by the intensity changes of East Asia monsoon and regional sea-level oscillation.

Climate, vegetation and fire history during the past 18,000\xa0years, recorded in high altitude lacustrine sediments on the Sanetti Plateau, Bale Mountains (Ethiopia)

Low-altitude lakes in eastern Africa have long been investigated and have provided valuable information about the Late Quaternary paleohydrological evolution, such as the African Humid Period. However, records often suffer from poor age control, resolution, and/or ambiguous proxy interpretation, and only little focus has been put on high-altitude regions despite their sensitivity to global, regional, and local climate change phenomena. Here we report on Last Glacial environmental fluctuations at about 4000 m asl on the Sanetti Plateau in the Bale Mountains (SE Ethiopia), based on biogeochemical and palynological analyses of laminated lacustrine sediments. After deglaciation at about 18 cal kyr BP, a steppe-like herb-rich grassland with maximum Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae and Plantago existed. Between 16.6 and 15.7 cal kyr BP, conditions were dry with a desiccation layer at ~ 16.3 cal kyr BP, documenting a temporary phase of maximum aridity on the plateau. While that local event lasted for only a few decades, concentrations of various elements (e.g. Zr, HF, Nb, Nd, and Na) started to increase and reached a maximum at ~ 15.8–15.7 cal kyr BP. We interpret those elements to reflect allochthonous, aeolian dust input via dry northerly winds and increasingly arid conditions in the lowlands. We suggest an abrupt versus delayed response at high and low altitudes, respectively, in response to Northern Hemispheric cooling events (the Heinrich Event 1). The delayed response at low altitudes might be caused by slow negative vegetation and monsoon feedbacks that make the ecosystem somewhat resilient. At ~ 15.7 cal kyr BP, our record shows an abrupt onset of the African Humid Period, almost 1000 years before the onset of the Bølling–Allerød warming in the North-Atlantic region, and about 300 years earlier than in the Lake Tana region. Erica pollen increased significantly between 14.4 and 13.6 cal kyr BP in agreement with periodically wet and regionally warm conditions. Similarly, intense fire events, documented by increased black carbon, correlate with wet and warm environmental conditions that promote the growth of Erica shrubs. This allows to conclude that biomass and thus fuel availability is one important factor controlling fire events in the Bale Mountains.

Microfacies analysis and depositional environments of the Middle Eocene (Bartonian) Qurn Formation along Qattamiya\u2014Ain Sokhna district, Egypt

The exposed Middle Eocene (Bartonian) Qurn Formation along Qattamiya—Ain Sokhna district is measured, sampled and microscopically investigated. Besides, the vertical distribution of the chemical oxides and strontium (Sr) has been determined to identify their petrographic, geochemical characteristics and interpret their depositional environments. The facies analysis (lithofacies, microfacies, and biofacies) of the studied rocks revealed the recognition of three microfacies associations: (1) restricted lagoon facies association (FT1–FT3), (2) open lagoon facies association (FT4–FT7), and (3) shoal facies association (FT8–FT9). Lithofacies and microfacies analysis of Middle Eocene rocks along Qattamiya—Ain Sokhna district reflect carbonate inner ramp regime ranging from restricted lagoon to shoal buildup depositional conditions. These identified inner ramp microfacies are changed eastward to mid-ramp, while they are represented westward by tidal flat and shallow lagoonal facies. The vertical distribution of both CaO and MgO revealed that MgO is related mainly to the dolomitization process rather than primary deposition. The vertical distribution of Sr in the studied carbonate samples matches with that of SiO2, thus may be related to the warm environmental conditions.

Warm temperature compromises JA-regulated basal resistance to enhance Magnaporthe oryzae infection in rice

Changes in global temperatures profoundly affect the occurrence of plant diseases. It is well known that rice blast can easily become epidemic in relatively warm weather. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we show that enhanced blast development at a warm temperature (22°C) compared with the normal growth temperature (28°C) is rice plant-determined. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and signaling genes in rice could be effectively induced by Magnaporthe oryzae at 28°C but not at 22°C. Phenotypic analyses of the osaoc1 and osmyc2 mutants, OsCOI1 RNAi lines, and OsMYC2-OE plants further demonstrated that compromised M. oryzae-induced JA biosynthesis and signaling lead to enhanced blast susceptibility at the warm temperature. Consistent with these results, we found that exogenous application of methyl jasmonate served as an effective strategy for improving blast resistance under the warm environmental conditions. Furthermore, decreased activation of JA signaling resulted in the downregulated expression of some key basal resistance genes at 22°C when compared with 28°C. Among these affected genes, OsCEBiP (chitin elicitor-binding protein precursor) was found to be directly regulated by OsMYB22 and its interacting protein OsMYC2, a key component of JA signaling, and this contributed to temperature-modulated blast resistance. Taken together, these results suggest that warm temperature compromises basal resistance in rice and enhances M. oryzae infection by reducing JA biosynthesis and signaling, providing potential new strategies for managing rice blast disease under warm climate conditions.

Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Fluxes Under Different Cover Crop Systems

Cultivated lands that support high productivity have the potential to produce a large amount of GHG emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4). Intensive land management practices can stimulate CO2, N2O, and CH4 emissions from the soil. Cover crop establishment is considered as one of the sustainable land management strategies under warm and humid environmental conditions. To better understand how the incorporation of cover crops affect three major GHGs, we compared trace gas fluxes in a no-till maize field over the whole growing season in 2018 in a no cover crop (Tr) system and three cover crop systems: crimson clover (CC), cereal rye (CR), and living mulch (LM) using white clover. In 2019, we further explored potential differences in the three GHGs between in-row (IR) and between-row (BWR) of maize for LM and Tr systems during the early growing season. Measurements were taken using a cavity ring-down spectroscopy gas analyzer in Watkinsville, GA. In 2018, the highest CO2 flux (7.00 μmol m−2 s−1) was observed from BWR of maize for LM. The maximum N2O flux observed in LM on June 20th in 2018 was when soil N increase rate was the largest. Soils served as sinks for CH4 and Tr system served as the smallest CH4 sink compared to the other three cover crop systems. For N2O, the highest fluxes were observed from the TrIR plot (4.13 μmol m−2 hr−1) in 2019 with the greatest N inputs. In 2019, we observed a smaller CH4 sink in TrIR (−0.13 μmol m−2 hr−1) compared to TrBWR (−0.67 μmol m−2 hr−1) due potentially to greater NH4+ inhibition effects on CH4 consumption from greater N fertilizer inputs. The net carbon equivalent (CE) from May 23rd to Aug 16th in 2018, taking into account the three GHG fluxes, soil carbon content, and fertilizer, irrigation, and herbicide application, were 32–97, 35–101, 63–139, and 40–106 kg ha−1 yr−1 for CC, CR, LM, and Tr, respectively. LM had the lowest net CE after removing white clover respiration (−16–60 kg ha−1 yr−1). Our results show that implementing different types of cover crop systems and especially the LM system have some potential to mitigate climate change.

Seasonal potassium dynamics in fruiting and non-fruiting branches of pistachio trees in relation to crop load

Under dry and warm environmental conditions, the main Tunisian pistachio cultivar Mateur does not show a normal ‘On/Off’ cycle with highly variable nut yield, which could be affected by the tree nutritional status. In this context, Potassium (K) is considered a key nutritional element for nut development and for yield. The current study investigated the effects of alternate bearing and flower bud removal on seasonal dynamics of potassium in fruiting and non-fruiting branches of mature pistachio trees (cv. Mateur) in arid land. Three disbudding treatments were considered in reference to untreated trees taken as a control (T0): removal of all flower buds for one year (T1), or two successive years (T2) and removal of 50% of flower buds each year (T3). Similar K concentrations were detected early in the season in leaves, current shoot and one-year-old wood for all treatments. Current shoot begin the cycle with higher K concentrations, which declined during the lignification of endocarp and seed growth stages to finally accumulate K during postharvest. Inversely, one-year-old wood stored a large amount of K during the stage I and II of nut development, and became the main sink for K of the bearing shoot. Leaf K concentration explained 75% of yield variation. Yearly removal of 50% of flower buds induced less variation of leaf K concentrations (ranged between 0.5-0.8% DM) with regular nut yield compared to bi-annual On-Off cycle. Thus, under severe climatic conditions, the annual pruning could be applied to improve the nutritional status of pistachio trees.

Molecular marker prediction for days open and pregnancy rate in Holstein cows managed in a warm climate

Reproductive management in lactating Holstein cattle is a challenge for dairy producers in Northwestern Mexico where a semi-desert, yet humid, environment is predominant. Under such conditions, a superior cow's ability to get pregnant early during postpartum is desirable to reduce the number of days open and improve fertility parameters. The objective of this study was to predict days open (DO) and pregnancy rate (PR) using molecular markers associated with fertility in lactating Holstein cows managed in a warm climate. This study included 510 cows from three dairy herds located in the Yaqui Valley of Sonora. A blood sample was collected from every cow and spotted onto FTA cards. Each cow was genotyped for 179 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 43 genes in the prolactin and GH-IGF1 pathways. An association mixed-effects model identified three SNPs within the genes AVPR1A, PRLR and SSTR2 associated with DO (P < 0.05), and five SNPs within the genes IGFBP2, IGFBP5, PRLR, PIAS1 and SSTR2 associated with PR (P < 0.05). The SNP effects were estimated and used to calculate the individual molecular breeding values (MBV) for DO and PR. Average MBV were 20.91 ± 0.21 d and 0.29 ± 0.003% for DO and PR, respectively. The correlation between the MBV and DO was 0.0008 (P = 0.968), whereas correlation between MBV and the estimated breeding value (EBV) for DO was −0.16 (P < 0.001) with an adjusted coefficient of determination (R2) of 2.5%. For PR, its correlation with the MBV was 0.15 (P < 0.001) with a R2 of 2.2%, whereas the correlation between MBV and the EBV for PR was 0.31 (P < 0.001) with a R2 of 9.6%. Heritability estimates were 0.06 ± 0.11 and 0.04 ± 0.06 for DO and PR, respectively. In conclusion, candidate gene SNPs from the prolactin and GH-IGF1 pathways were effectively used to construct an MBV for fertility traits in heat-stressed Holstein cattle. These SNPs explained only a small amount of variation for PR, but not for DO; therefore, additional research using denser SNP panels and a larger population is suggested to improve the power of the MBV as genetic predictor for fertility traits in lactating dairy cows managed under warm environmental conditions.

Hydration and Physical Activity

The importance of water homeostasis is extremely important. Maintaining hydration, the state of preserving body water within its optimal homeostatic range, is essential to sustain life. Water is an essential nutrient and contributes 50-70% of total body mass. An assessment of hydration during physical activity can prevent dehydration, which impairs physical and cognitive performance. A 2% body mass loss is a recognized threshold beyond which exercise dehydration impairs exercise performance. Liquid needs for recreational sports and physical activity are individual and are rarely higher than 500ml of hypotonic fluid per hour. If fluid requirements are low, concentrated sports drinks (providing energy intake) can help sustain exercise performance. Overhydration could be dangerous and can result in hyponatremia. Individual evaluation of water needs is important. In warm environmental conditions, an individual nutrition and hydration plan is crucial for the health and optimal performance and using existing recommendations in clinical sports nutrition to prevent over - and dehydration.

Dietary supranutritional supplementation of selenium-enriched yeast improves feed efficiency and blood antioxidant status of growing lambs reared under warm environmental condition.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of dietary supranutritional supplementation of selenium-yeast (SY) on growth performance, blood cells, antioxidant status, and metabolic profile of lambs. Twenty-one Kermani male lambs (28.5 ± 2.6kg of body weight) were used in a completely randomized design for 8weeks under warm condition with temperature-humidity index (THI) of 81.3 ± 0.37 unit. The lambs were randomly divided into 3 groups given the basal diet either un-supplemented (control group) or supplemented with 0.6 or 1.2mg of Se/kg dry matter (DM) as SY. Average daily Se intake was 0.12, 0.83, and 1.54mg in lambs on control, 0.6mg and 1.2mg of supplemental Se treatments, respectively (P< 0.0001). The results showed that average daily gain tended to be higher in lambs received Se-supplemented diets than those fed the unsupplemented diet (P < 0.1). Feed efficiency improved by SY supplementation, thereby feed to gain ratio (FG) reduced 19 and 17% respectively in lambs fed 0.6 (FG = 6.58) and 1.2 (FG = 6.7) mg of Se/kg DM compared to those of the control (FG = 8.12) (P < 0.05). Feeding 1.2mg of Se to growing lambs not only improved blood total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) as 18.1% and glutathione peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) as 17.6%, but also made 13.1% reduction in serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration as a lipid peroxidation marker (P < 0.05). Despite its statistical insignificance (P > 0.05), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was also greater in Se-fed groups compared to that of the control. Based on the obtained data, lambs fed 1.2mg of Se/kg DM, had lower serum urea concentration and albumin to globulin ratio than those on unsupplemented diet (P < 0.05). Moreover, increased RBC count was observed in lambs received 0.6mg of supplemental Se (P < 0.05). Selenium-enriched yeast supplementation gave rise to increased blood lymphocyte percentage (P < 0.05). The results also indicated that dietary high Se feeding had no adverse effects on blood metabolites including glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, liver enzymes, and triglyceride content. In the overall, these findings suggest that Se-enriched yeast is a kind of safe Se source for sheep and its dietary supranutritional supplementation for 8weeks improves feed efficiency of growing lambs. Furthermore, increasing the supplemental Se to 1.2mg/kg of diet promotes lambs' blood antioxidant status without inducing any detrimental impacts on cell metabolism.

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome: A Potential Etiology of Multisystem Organ Failure in a Burn Patient

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is described in the medical literature but rarely seen among acutely ill trauma patients. A 44-year-old man with burns to the hands and back after a chemical explosion was transported to an outside facility where he received treatment for presumed acute coronary syndrome after developing ventricular tachycardia and elevated serum troponins after the exposure. His cardiac catheterization was unremarkable, but an echocardiogram revealed severe cardiomyopathy, and he was also in multisystem organ failure. He was transferred to our facility after hospital day 2 for treatment of his multisystem organ failure and 2% total body surface area burns. His laboratory results were remarkable for a creatine kinase of >100 000 units/L, and he required 14 g of intravenous calcium. Upon further investigation, the patient reported taking ziprasidone for his bipolar disorder, and he had a core temperature of 103.5 °F on his initial presentation to the outside facility. As he convalesced, the unifying diagnosis was NMS. NMS is a side effect of antipsychotic therapy and is manifested by hyperpyrexia, rigidity, autonomic instability, and altered consciousness. An elevated creatine kinase >100 000 units/L is almost pathognomonic for NMS. Patients can also present with leukocytosis, organ failure, and electrolyte disturbances including hypocalcemia. We hypothesized that dehydration, the warm environmental conditions at our patient's job, and immense stress resulting in a catecholamine surge following his trauma were inciting triggers to this event. This case highlights the importance of considering alternate diagnoses in patients whose clinical presentation does not fit the most "obvious cause."

Discovery and validation of candidate SNP markers associated to heat stress response in pregnant ewes managed inside a climate-controlled chamber.

Sheep production in desert environments during summer is challenging due to heat stress which reduces feed intake, growth, and fertility. Despite warm conditions, some ewes are able to maintain a normal performance suggesting the existence of genetic bases underlying heat tolerance. Our objective was to discover and validate genetic markers associated with thermo-tolerance in pregnant ewes exposed to warm environmental conditions. Using a well-defined model laboratory of heat stress in sheep, pregnant Columbia-Rambouillet crossbred ewes (n = 100) were examined. Following acclimation to the laboratory at thermo-neutral conditions, heat stress was induced in ewes by increasing the temperature-humidity index in a control environmental chamber during mid-gestation. Feed intake, water consumption, and rectal temperature were recorded daily and used to establish the heat stress tolerance index (HSTI) for each ewe. Rectal temperature was a predictor (P < 0.05) of feed intake, and the regression coefficient was used to classify the HSTI. In a subset of 24 ewes, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip. Single-marker analysis detected 3 intragenic SNPs associated with HSTI (P value = 10-5). Bayesian multi-marker approach discovered 26 chromosomal regions across the genome which accounted for 9.8% of the variation associated with HSTI. In an independent sheep population (n = 42), the three discovered SNPs were validated as molecular markers associated with thermo-tolerance phenotypic traits. These SNPs were located within the genes F13A1, PAM, and PRELID2. In conclusion, three SNPs appear to be novel molecular markers associated with heat stress tolerance in pregnant ewes providing new knowledge about genetic foundations of thermo-tolerance.

The Role of Nest Depth and Site Choice in Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change on an Oviparous Reptile

Climate change is likely to have strong impacts on oviparous animals with minimal parental care, because nest temperature can impact egg development, sex, and survival, especially in the absence of mitigation via parental care. Nesting females may compensate for increasing temperatures by altering how, when, and where they nest. We examined the factors determining nest depth and site choice as well as the effects that nest depth and location have on nest temperature and hatching success in the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). We found that nest depth was not correlated with nesting female size, egg characteristics, or daily temperatures. Nest temperatures and hatching success were correlated with different environmental and nest characteristics between 2004, a cool and wet year, and 2005, a hot and dry year. Females selected nests with lower southern overstory vegetation in 2005. These results suggest that nest depth and location can play an important yet varying role in determining nest temperature and hatching success in more extreme warm and dry environmental conditions and, therefore, may mitigate the impacts of climate change on oviparous reptiles. However, we found minimal evidence that turtles choose nest locations and depths that maximize offspring survival based on short-term environmental cues.

Redefining physiological responses of moose (Alces alces) to warm environmental conditions.

We tested the concept that moose (Alces alces) begin to show signs of thermal stress at ambient air temperatures as low as 14°C. We determined the response of Alaskan female moose to environmental conditions from May through September by measuring core body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, rate of heat loss from exhaled air, skin temperature, and fecal and salivary glucocorticoids. Seasonal and daily patterns in moose body temperature did not passively follow the same patterns as environmental variables. We used large changes in body temperature (≥1.25°C in 24hr) to indicate days of physiological tolerance to thermal stressors. Thermal tolerance correlated with high ambient air temperatures from the prior day and with seasonal peaks in solar radiation (June), ambient air temperature and vapor pressure (July). At midday (12:00hr), moose exhibited daily minima of body temperature, heart rate and skin temperature (difference between the ear artery and pinna) that coincided with daily maxima in respiration rate and the rate of heat lost through respiration. Salivary cortisol measured in moose during the morning was positively related to the change in air temperature during the hour prior to sample collection, while fecal glucocorticoid levels increased with increasing solar radiation during the prior day. Our results suggest that free-ranging moose do not have a static threshold of ambient air temperature at which they become heat stressed during the warm season. In early summer, body temperature of moose is influenced by the interaction of ambient temperature during the prior day with the seasonal peak of solar radiation. In late summer, moose body temperature is influenced by the interaction between ambient temperature and vapor pressure. Thermal tolerance of moose depends on the intensity and duration of daily weather parameters and the ability of the animal to use physiological and behavioral responses to dissipate heat loads.

Amplification of acidic protease virulence gene (aprV2) in samples from footrot lesions did not help in diagnosis of clinical virulent footrot in affected sheep flocks in New South Wales.

Ovine footrot is a contagious bacterial disease that reduces meat and wool production and can trigger on-farm quarantine in New South Wales. Field diagnosis is based on the prevalence and severity of foot lesions, environmental conditions and flock history. The study evaluated whether a PCR assay or gelatin gel test for virulence in Dichelobacter nodosus isolated from hoof material could aid in the clinical diagnosis of virulent footrot. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) used for diagnosis of virulent footrot in some Australian states was evaluated on 218 hoof swabs taken from 44 sheep flocks from 36 NSW properties, quantifying both the aprV2 positive and aprB2 positive acidic protease genotypes of D. nodosus. The same flocks/swabs were used to evaluate test agreement between the aprV2/B2 qPCR and the gelatin gel test, and a multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors critical for field diagnosis of virulent footrot. Only fair to moderate agreement (kappa test) and significant disagreement (McNemar's) was shown between the gelatin gel test and the ratio of aprV2 positive to total D. nodosus. The proportion of aprV2 positive D. nodosus was not significantly different between foot lesions scores of increasing severity. Field diagnosis of virulent footrot was best explained by the prevalence of score 4 and 5 lesions, wet and warm environmental conditions, and recent footrot diagnosis. Although the apr2 gene could differentiate between benign and virulent strains of D. nodosus, the apr2 qPCR was of minimal use for field diagnosis of virulent footrot, where disease expression relies on host genetics, immunity and environmental conditions.

Do non-metallic material and radiation shields affect the operation of direct evaporative cooling systems?

The evaporation phenomenon is used as a passive cooling approach to absorb the sensible heat and convert it into the latent heat. The usage of evaporative cooling systems has boomed, recently, because of its low operational cost. The Direct Evaporative Cooling (DEC) systems can be used widely in warm dry environmental conditions, such as Middle East countries. Several factors can affect the DEC system such as water temperature, evaporative cooling pad thickness, air velocity, and solar radiation flux. In this study, the performance and water consumption of evaporative-based cooler manufactured by RFX Polycarbonate-Structured Sheet (PSS) are compared with the metal-casing one. The impacts of tilting the roof of the cooler and attaching a glass wool-aluminum foil on the cooler are evaluated. The assessments show about 20.6% reduction in the usage of water for the case of RFX Polycarbonate-Casing cooler compared to the metallic material. Results also revealed that tilting the roof saves 29% water compared with the metal-casing cooler while changing the inclined roof to the glass wool-aluminum foil radiation shield further saves the water by about 25%. The performance of the RFX-PSS cooler is enhanced by about 4.7% as compared to the metal-casing cooler. The improvement of 8.1% occurs by tilting the roof in RFX Polycarbonate-Casing cooler in comparison with the metallic DEC system and attaching the isolation foil of glass wool-aluminum instead of the inclined roof increases the saturation efficiency by 7%.

The growth rate of apple bitter rot lesion, caused by Colletotrichum spp., is affected by temperature, fungal species, and cultivar.

The growth and symptom development of two fungal species, Colletotrichum siamense, and C. fioriniae were examined using in vitro and in planta assays. In a plate assay, C. siamense grew fastest at 30 °C and at 25 °C, but C. fioriniae grew slower at 30 °C than at 25 °C. With apple inoculation assay, the mean lesion diameters at 30 °C were significantly larger (P ≤ 0.05) than that at 20 °C on a cultivar Ida Red for both fungal species. On the other hand, the mean lesion diameter on a cultivar Golden Delicious was significantly larger at 20 °C than at 30 °C for both fungal species. Therefore, the rate of lesion development was influenced not only by fungal species and incubation temperature but also by apple cultivar. In this study, cultivar ‘Ida red’ was found to be more susceptible to C. siamense under warm environmental condition. Although both species were able to grow at 10 °C in the plate assay, no disease symptoms were developed at 10 °C with the inoculation assay. Although the numbers of cultivar and fungal species are small, to our knowledge, this is the first report to describe potential interactive effect among Colletotrichum species, temperature, and apple cultivar on the rate of bitter rot symptom development.