Inhibition of oxytocin release during repeated milking in unfamiliar surroundings: the importance of opioids and adrenal cortex sensitivity

The aim of this study was to test if the opioid antagonist naloxone has a beneficial effect on normalization of oxytocin (OT) release during repeated milking of cows in unfamiliar surroundings. One control milking without naloxone treatment in all cows was performed in the familiar parlour. For four successive evening milkings, cows were transported to, and milked in, the operating theatre of the research station without (control group) or with naloxone administration (1 mg/kg BW) (naloxone group) before milking. After cessation of spontaneous milk flow, but not before 3 min of milking, vaginal stimulation was applied for 2 min. After milk flow ceased again, 10 IU of OT was injected intravenously to remove the remaining milk including residual milk. Milk flow was recorded continuously and blood samples were collected via a jugular vein cannula at 1-min intervals from 1 min before the start of milking until i.v. injection of OT. The inhibition of milk ejection and its normalization during repeated milking in unfamiliar surroundings was not influenced by naloxone treatment. Concentrations of cortisol and beta-endorphin during control milking and all relocations were similar in the naloxone and control groups, although their concentrations were higher after relocations than in the control. Therefore, a role of endogenous opioids in the inhibition of milk ejection in unfamiliar surroundings could not be demonstrated. In addition, the effect of exogenous ACTH1-24 (8 IU, i.v.) on the release of cortisol related to the response of cows milked in unfamiliar surroundings was studied. Cows with totally inhibited milk ejection in response to vaginal stimulation during milking after first relocation had numerically, but not significantly lower cortisol levels (8.8+/-3.4 ng/ml; AUC/min) in response to ACTH than did cows with at least partial milk ejection (38.7+/-12.9 ng/ml). Thus animals with a higher adrenal response to ACTH seemed to have less severe inhibition of milk ejection.     

In-line laser holography and video analysis of eroded floc from engineered and estuarine sediments

Microphytobenthic polymers mediate intertidal sediment erosion processes, through biostabilization and modifying the nature of eroded floc material. The latter is of key importance with respect to sediment transport dynamics, including floc aggregation and particle deposition. In this study, eroded floc material was analyzed by video imaging, alongside novel application of in-line laser holography (ILH). The erosion of engineered sediment was compared to that of natural estuarine sediments. Both video and holography showed an increase in floc size eroded from engineered cohesive clay sediment as a function of sediment dewatering and sediment polymer content. Estuarine sediment showed a curvilinear increase in floc size as a function of both microphytobenthic biomass and sediment colloidal polymer content when measured by video analysis. Holography did not show these functions for floc size due to temporal limitations of the current ILH methodology. An interaction of sediment polymer binding and sediment desiccation was observed for engineered sediments and, most notably, for estuarine cohesive sediments. In conclusion, engineered sediments were not accurate analogues for natural intertidal sediments, failing to reproduce eroded floc material similar to that from estuarine cohesive sediment. The size of eroded floc from estuarine sediments is a function of the complex interaction between biological and physicochemical processes, primarily algal colloidal polymer and desiccation. Holography demonstrated an excellent potential for the high-resolution imaging of eroded material but is limited by temporal constraints; the solution to this would be the development of real-time holographic video.     

Work-family conflict and burnout among practicing psychologists.

Research has found that men and women psychologists experience burnout differentially depending on the work setting. A total of 497 psychologists responded to a survey designed to replicate this finding and to investigate the role of work-family conflict in contributing to this difference. Results failed to replicate gender differences in levels of burnout according to work setting. In general, the overall pattern of results was the same for men and women. Findings indicated that family support was important for well-being at work and that conflict between work and family domains was associated with burnout. Mediational models indicated that work-family conflict and family-work conflict can help researchers understand the process by which resources or demands in work and family domains influence burnout at work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Penetration and impact resistance of PDC cutters inclined at different attack angles

1　ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＳｉｎｃｅｔｈｅｉｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎｏｆｐｏｌｙｃｒｙｓｔａｌｌｉｎｅｄｉａｍｏｎｄｃｏｍｐａｃｔ (ＰＤＣ)ｂｉｔｓｉｎｔｈｅｍｉｄ 1970’ｓ ,ｔｈｅｓｅｔｏｏｌｓｈａｖｅｇａｉｎｅｄｉｎｃｒｅａｓｉｎｇｌｙｗｉｄｅａｃｃｅｐｔａｎｃｅ .Ｔｈｉｓｉｓｎｏｔｂｅｃａｕｓｅｏｆｔｈｅｔｏｏｌｉｔｓｅｌｆ ,ｂｕｔａｌｓｏｂｅｃａｕｓｅｏｆｔｈｅａｄ ｖａｎｃｅｓｔｈａｔｍａｄｅｉｎｔｈｅｍａｔｅｒｉａｌｓｕｓｅｄｔｏｆｏｒｍｔｈｅｂｉｔｓａｎｄｉｎｔｈｅｂｉｔｄｅｓｉｇｎｓ…     

Synergic grain boundary segregation and precipitation in W- and W-Mo-containing high-entropy borides

The structures of W- and W-Mo-containing high-entropy borides (HEBs) are systematically studied by combining atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging, electron diffraction, and chemical analysis. We reveal that W or W-Mo addition in HEBs leads to segregation of these elements to the grain boundaries (GBs). In the meantime, W- or W-Mo-rich precipitates also form along the GBs. Crystallographic analysis and atomic-scale imaging show that the GB precipitates in both W- and W-Mo-containing HEBs have a cube-on-cube orientation relationship with the matrix. With further strain analysis, the coherency of the precipitate/matrix interface is validated. Nanoindentation tests show that the simultaneous GB segregation and coherent precipitation, as a supplement to the grain hardening, provide additional hardening of the HEBs. Our work provides an in-depth understanding of the GB segregation and precipitation behaviors of HEBs. It suggests that GB engineering could be potentially used for optimizing the performance of high-entropy ceramics.     

希林格利奥酒庄 奥地利布尔根兰

正总体上,希林格利奥酒庄设计将风景、葡萄种植和建筑三种元素融为一体。希林格利奥酒庄位于乔伊斯葡萄园中央,地下空间十分深邃,四周植被茂盛,其特殊的位置显得敏感又有些困难,建筑师需要考虑如何让希林格利奥酒庄风光迷人。在旧有地窖里的走道的基础上,我们特别地利用了地下环境,将展示区的悬挑梁设计成可见的小标记,夜晚月光透过大窗户便会照亮这些小印记。生产大厅上端有8个椎体,这些椎体面朝北,呈对角线排     

用标准相模式进行地震相分析

用与标准相模式对比的方法确定地震剖面中每一个层序所属的地震相,是一种快速、有效的地震相分析方法。此法以Brown(1980)等人总结的地震相分类表为基础,从中提取相应的地震特征参数,并赋予一定的数值,建立标准相模式;然后把一条待分析的地震剖面中的一个地震层序作为一个实际样品,按标准相模式要求的特征参数取值;最后将标准相模式与实际样品的各指标值进行比较,计算相似系数,以确定该样品的地震相。在此地震相分析中,也必须结合区域内的野外露头、钻井岩芯、岩屑及测井资料提供的多种信息进行综合分析,才能对该区的地震相类型及展布得出比较可靠的结论。