The effects of flood defences on riparian vegetation species richness and abundance

It is widely recognised that flood disturbance has important consequences for the biodiversity of riparian zones and that inundation allows nutrients and organic matter to be exchanged and recycled between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Previous research has focused on the impacts of dams on riparian biodiversity, with little consideration given to the impacts of flood defences. The current study investigated the extent to which the presence and age of flood defences controls riparian plant richness and abundance. Sites without flood defences were found to have significantly higher species richness and abundance. In contrast, flood defence age was found to have little impact although turnover was high between sites with old and new defences. Flood management should therefore focus on more sustainable options that work with natural processes where possible, such as washlands.     

Comparison of the effects of transfusions of cryopreserved and liquid-preserved platelets on hemostasis and blood loss after cardiopulmonary bypass

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the clinical effects and hemostatic efficiency of transfusions of platelets preserved in the frozen state for as long as 2 years with transfusions of platelets preserved in the conventional manner for as long as 5 days in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Seventy-three patients were prospectively randomly assigned to receive transfusions of cryopreserved or liquid-preserved platelets. Nonsurgical blood loss was measured during and after the operation. Bleeding time, hematologic variables, and the bleeding time site shed blood were assayed before cardiopulmonary bypass and at 30 minutes and 2, 4, and 24 hours after transfusion. In vitro platelet function tests were conducted on platelets obtained from healthy volunteers. RESULTS: No adverse sequelae of the transfusions were observed. Blood loss and the need for postoperative blood product transfusions were lower in the group receiving cryopreserved platelets. Lower posttransfusion platelet increments and a tendency toward decreased platelet survival were observed in patients receiving cryopreserved platelets. Hematocrit and plasma fibrinogen were significantly higher in this group, and the duration of intubation was shorter. In vitro, cryopreserved platelets demonstrated less aggregation, lower pH, and decreased response to hypotonic stress but generated more procoagulant activity and thromboxane. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Cryopreserved platelet transfusions are superior to liquid-preserved platelets in reducing blood loss and the need for blood product transfusions after cardiopulmonary bypass. (2) The reduction in blood loss in the patients receiving cryopreserved platelet transfusions after cardiopulmonary bypass probably reflects improved in vivo hemostatic function of cryopreserved platelets. (3) Some in vitro measures of platelet quality (aggregation, pH, hypotonic stress) may not reflect in vivo quality of platelet transfusions after cardiopulmonary bypass, whereas other in vitro measures (platelet procoagulant activity and thromboxane) do.     

Characterization of Elastic Properties in Porous Silicon Carbide Preforms Fabricated Using Polymer Waxes as Pore Formers

Thorough elastic analysis of porous silicon carbide preforms fabricated using two different polymer waxes as pore formers is carried out. Both the amount and the mixture ratio of the waxes were varied to fabricate preforms with different pore morphologies and porosities in the range of 27–67 vol%. Results show that both the longitudinal and the shear elastic constants decrease with increasing porosity. The rate of decrease in the elastic constants follows a model based on minimum solid area up to an intermediate porosity level. Uniaxial pressure applied prior to cold isostatic pressing and sintering significantly reduces the stiffness along the press direction. For the same initial powder mixture type, the elastic anisotropy of the preforms increases with an increase in the applied uniaxial pressure. The extent of anisotropy is strongly dependent on both the SiC/wax ratio as well as the mixture ratio between the two wax types. At low pore volume fractions a higher volume content of the smaller diameter wax and at high pore volume fractions a higher volume content of larger diameter wax lead to preforms with lowest anisotropy. A map is finally proposed to describe the dependence of the preform elastic properties on the type of initial powder mixture used.     

The design of business processes within manufacturing systems management

Manufacturing organizations are currently being subjected to increased business, regulatory and legislative pressures that require them to regularly re-engineer themselves. To be able to effectively manage such activities, a manufacturing systems management (MSM) framework is required, which helps to define the necessary activities needed to regulate and optimize a manufacturing system as it progresses through its life cycle. The current merging of automotive manufacturers highlights the need for such a framework. Maximizing the benefits of such mergers requires the effective convergence of the organizations' processes, which is a complex undertaking that requires a structured approach. Through an approach known as Business Process Development (BPD), as used in the case of the design of BMW's new UK engine factory, this paper describes how a MSM framework can be applied in practice to deal with a range of issues related to the analysis, design and implementation of a new manufacturing system.     

Assessment of Barley Quality by Light Transmission - the Rapid LTm meter

An estimate of the quality of barley endosperm can be obtained from the proportion of light that is transmitted through the grain. Barleys with steely endosperm structure transmit more light than those with mealy endosperm structure. The LTm meter can be used to assess these grains quickly, simply and effectively. By analysing single grains of each sample it is possible to obtain an estimate of endosperm homogeneity. LTm assessments of endosperm quality and homogeneity are related to the quality of malt made from that barley as indicated by either the Calcofluor test or by the LTm meter itself. Thus the LTm meter can be used to predict malting performance from barley quality.     

Short communication: Effects of dietary nonstructural carbohydrates pre- and postpartum on reproduction of grazing dairy cows

The working hypothesis was that postpartum anovulatory intervals (PPAI) of grazing dairy cows are shortened by inclusion of concentrates that increase the nonstructural carbohydrate content of the transition diet. Dietary treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial, with 68 multiparous cows assigned to isoenergetic diets (114 MJ of metabolizable energy/cow per day) of pasture and pasture silage (PreP) or pasture and pasture silage supplemented with 3 kg of dry matter/cow per day a corn- and barley-based concentrate for 36 d prepartum (PreC). After calving, cows within each prepartum diet group were managed on isoenergetic diets (179 MJ of metabolizable energy/cow per day) of either pasture and pasture silage (PostP) or pasture and pasture silage supplemented with 5 kg of dry matter/cow per day a corn- and barley-based concentrate (PostC) for at least 35 d and until reestablishment of ovulatory cycles. Relative to day of calving (d 0), blood samples were collected at least weekly from d −28 to 35 and milk samples were collected twice weekly for progesterone determination to diagnose ovulatory status. The main variable of interest was PPAI, defined as the interval between calving and the first detected increase in milk progesterone (>3 ng/mL), followed by a pattern of progesterone concentrations consistent with onset of an ovulatory cycle. Subsequent mating records, pregnancy testing, and recalving data were also examined. Prepartum diet did not affect reproduction. The PPAI was 8 d shorter and the 6-wk pregnancy rate was 17% greater in PostC cows compared with PostP cows. Measured indicators of metabolic state and energy balance were poorly related to PPAI. The results support the existence of nutritional signals associated with nonstructural carbohydrates in the postpartum diet, independent of energy balance; these signals benefit the physiological mechanisms underlying the timing of first ovulation and possibly subsequent breeding performance.