Use of probiotic bacteria to improve growth and survivability of farmed New Zealand abalone (Haliotis iris)

The effects of two probiotic feeds containing two and three bacterial isolates were evaluated on the growth performance of New Zealand abalone (Haliotis iris). Probiotic bacteria were isolated from the guts of healthy adult abalone. The isolates were screened qualitatively and quantitatively according to their ability to hydrolyse nutrients (i.e. proteins, starch and alginate), produce acid and resist bile salts. Based on the screening results, we developed a multi-strain conglomerate of 2- and 3- probiotic bacterial strains that were supplemented into a commercial abalone feed to use in our experiments. The 2-probiotic conglomerate consisted of Exiguobacterium JHEb1 and Vibrio JH1, and the 3-probiotic conglomerate consisted of Exiguobacterium JHEb1, Vibrio JH1 and Enterococcus JHLDc. The probiotic feeding trial involved abalone juveniles (20–30 mm in maximum shell length). Both probiotic feeds significantly improved abalone growth compared to that of the unsupplemented feed. The 3-probiotic supplemented feed produced a significant shell length increase of 20.9%, a wet weight gain of 19.8% and a five-fold reduction in mortality compared to the controls. The 2-probiotic supplemented feed resulted in significant increases in shell length (15.4%) and reduced mortality (five-fold), but not in weight gain, compared to controls.     

EPR of a hydrogen/double-lithium centre in α-quartz

 X-band electron paramagnetic resonance experiments on a gamma-irradiated α-quartz crystal have revealed a new hydrogarnet-like defect. Analysis of the spectral data suggests that the centre consists of an oxygenic electron hole adjacent to a silicon vacancy, charge-compensated by a proton and two lithium +1 ions. The principal directions of the spin-Hamiltonian g matrix indicate that the oxygenic hole occurs on the oxygen ion that would be long-bonded to the missing silicon atom. Modelling of the proton and lithium hyperfine matrices via three different methods has provided a detailed physical view for the structure of the defect centre, which is presented here. Received: 12 June 2002 / Accepted: 10 January 2003 RID="‡" ID="‡" Deceased August 2001     

块系岩体间黏弹性性质对摆型波传播的影响

基于深部非连续自应力等级块系岩体构造理论,研究冲击载荷在块系岩体中以摆型波形式传播时岩块间黏弹性性质对摆型波传播的影响。当岩块间具有五种不同黏弹性性质时,通过对块系岩体的始端和末端区域中间岩块加速度响应计算及各岩块加速度正负摆幅幅值分析可知：岩块间黏性变化时,对岩块加速度衰减周期没有影响,但黏性增大时各岩块正负摆幅下降幅度比黏性周期增大时大;岩块间弹性变化时岩块加速度衰减周期均发生变化,但弹性减小时正负摆幅值向平衡位置平移,弹性周期减小时块系岩体的前半部分岩块正负摆幅曲线均出现波动且负摆波动较大,岩块间弹性梯级增大时,岩块加速度迅速衰减,同时各岩块加速度的正负摆幅曲线在初始端区域出现波动。     

Investigating the Spatiotemporal Links Between Disorder,Crime, and the Fear of Crime

While links between social and physical disorder, crime, and the fear of crime have long been areas of research interest, few studies have looked at these links from a spatiotemporal viewpoint. This is somewhat surprising, as many of the factors associated with disorder, crime, and fear are known to vary over time and space. This paper uses GISystems to investigate potential spatiotemporal links between these areas in Wollongong, New South Wales, with specific focus on links between graffiti and the fear of crime. The results reveal that the distribution of fear of crime varies considerably over time and is often spatially coincident with concentrations of disorder. Graffiti was found to be one of the most prevalent types of physical disorder. The results are discussed in the context of the “broken windows” thesis and strategic intervention at the community level.     

Effect of size grading on the growth performance of shortfin eel (Anguilla australis) during its yellow stage

It is generally believed that size grading in a fish farm improves the total biomass output, because it will minimise the stress imposed by larger individuals over small individuals, resulting in higher feed intake and growth rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of size grading on individual growth performance of yellow New Zealand shortfin eel (Anguilla australis). A 109 day trial was conducted in a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS) with 103 eels of similar initial weight (101 ± 12 g). All eels were individually marked by PIT (passive integrated transponder) tags. On day 42, eels were graded to establish the following groups: only small eels (S-graded ≤ 135 g), only large eels (L-graded > 135 g), and small and large eels together (S-ungraded and L-ungraded). The large eels showed better specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the small eels. Nevertheless, no significant differences were found either between L-graded and L-ungraded or between S-graded and S-ungraded. The age of eels was not significantly different between groups. These findings suggest that the individual growth rate performance of the eels is not primarily a consequence of social interaction among tank-mates.     

Source constraints of Tungurahua volcano explosion events

The most recent eruptive cycle of Tungurahua volcano began in May 2004, and reached its highest level of activity in July 2004. This activity cycle is the last one of a series of four cycles that followed the reawakening and major eruption of Tungurahua in 1999. Between June 30 and August 12, 2004, three temporary seismic and infrasonic stations were installed on the flanks of the volcano and recorded over 2,000 degassing events. The events are classified by waveform character and include: explosion events (the vast majority, spanning three orders of pressure amplitudes at 3.5 km from the vent, 0.1–180 Pa), jetting events, and sequences of repetitive infrasonic pulses, called chugging events. Travel-time analysis of seismic first arrivals and infrasonic waves indicates that explosions start with a seismic event at a shallow depth (<200 m), followed ∼1 s later by an out-flux of gas, ash and solid material through the vent. Cluster analysis of infrasonic signals from explosion events was used to isolate four groups of similar waveforms without apparent correlation to event size, location, or time. The clustering is thus associated with source mechanism and probably spatial distribution. Explosion clusters do not exhibit temporal dependence.     

The initiation of Waulsortian buildups in Western Ireland

The contact zone at the base of the Waulsortian (Upper Tournaisian) carbonate mud‐bank complex in western Ireland has been investigated at four localities spaced over a distance of 120 km. At all localities, a transition facies up to 3 m thick, characterized by several types of grumous (clotted and/or peloidal) carbonate muds, immediately underlies the Waulsortian facies. These muds show a developmental sequence provisionally interpreted as a necessary precursor to the formation of Waulsortian polymuds. Such pre‐bank precursors produced thin (a few decimetres) units of transition facies. The same mud types also persisted as an aureole around growing banks (mud‐mounds). Migration of the aureole during bank progradation produced thicker units of transition facies. The distribution of skeletal grain types in the Waulsortian banks, the transition facies and the ‘background’ argillaceous bioclastic limestones show two trends: one regional and one local. The regional trend is expressed by progressive north–south attenuation and, in some cases (for example, plurilocular foraminifera), the disappearance of organism groups. It parallels changes in Waulsortian Phases (defined by skeletal grain‐type assemblages) and is thought to indicate a southerly increase in water depth. The local trend, which occurs only in the two southern localities (deeper water), expresses differences between the skeletal grain content of the various lithofacies. These differences result partly from increased sensitivity to substrate texture by organism groups suffering southward attenuation (notably gastropods, hyalosteliid sponges, aoujgaliids, Earlandia and kirkbyacean ostracods) and partly from selective colonization, particularly of the transition facies, by tabulate corals and stick/ramose bryozoans. However, the developmental sequence of precursor carbonate muds is the same at all localities, indicating that the mud‐making process (probably microbial) was independent of water depth.