seasonal effect

Seasonal variation in nutritional status among young children has been described in rural populations, but in few urban settings. We examined seasonality in 7 years of nutritional surveillance data from an urban shanty town near Lima, Peru, where childen O-35 months old were measured at intervals of 45 months. We compared nutritional status by month, using generalized estimating equations to account for the intercorrelations among measurements of the same person at different times. The periodicity of the seasonal variation was found to fit a model in which the month of the year was sine-transformed, and this sinetransformed model was used to examine possible interactions with age? sex and year of examination. A total of 38 626 measurements was available from 11 333 children. In late winter, mean weight-for-height was an estimated 0.38 Z score higher than in late summer. The seasonal effect occurred at all ages, in both sexes, and in each year of surveillance. The amplitude was greatest for children 6-23 months old. The summer trough in weight-for-height was lower in 1989 than in other years; children who experienced this summer low had lower mean height-forage in subsequent years. The seasonal variation in nutritional status may be related to differences in dietary intake! or to the higher prevalence of bacterial diarrhoea in summer than in winter. The more marked drop in weight-for-height in 1989 and subsequent trough in height-forage may be related to political and economic changes than adversely affected food access in Peru.

Introduction: Change point analysis is a technique for detecting change in trend over time. Segmented regression analysis and joinpoint analysis are used to try to determine the most important interventions which impact rates of healthcare associated infections (HAIs). AiMs: Use change point analysis to determine which interventions reduce rates of HAIs. Data and Methods: The data on HAIs was monitored by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and includes staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) and clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Since 2004, several interventions were implemented by NHS to reduce the rates and these were reported by Health Protection Scotland (HPS). Segmented regression and joinpoint models are investigated and developed to detect times when the indection rates changed significantly. Profile likelihood and bootstrapping are used to construct confidence intervals for the joinpoints. Results: Interventions which took place from was a significant change in the trend of MRSA bacteraemia. The trend of MSSA bacteraemia did change significantly from January-March 2011, however, joinpoint analysis did not indicate any change in MSSA bacteraemia. A segmented model suggested interventions around October-December 2009 had an impact on the rates of CDI in patients over 65 years and joinpoint analysis showed from April-June 2008 and January-March 2011 the rates changed. Conclusion: Segmented regression analysis detects changes in rates associated with specific interventions. It appears from this that training of hospital staff in dealing with infection outbreaks and the implementation of an antibiotic policy are associated with an observed reduction in the rates of SAB and CDI in healthcare settings. Joinpoint analysis gives the most robust modelling to estimate significant change. Keywords: Segmented regression; joinpoint analysis; seasonal effect; bootstrap confidence interval; profile likelihood confidence interval; healthcare associated infections; MRSA; MSSA; CDI. I. INTRODUCTION Everything in the world tends to change over time such as the economy, education and epidemiology. It is of interest to know when changes happened to determine the cause. Change point analysis aims to detect a time point when a trend in data changes. A trend in data may have multiple change points. The change point analysis addresses two aspects in the analysis of a trend-a hypothesis testing approach to decide if there are any change points and an estimation approach to locate the change. Detecting change points was investigated using different methods. Segmented regression analysis was used to discover change points where the rates change significantly after a specific intervention and thereby help improve the quality of the interventions [Wagner et al. (2002)]. Joinpoint analysis was used to identify change points at unknown times and to estimate the location of them. Using a joinpoint statistical software package [NCISR (2020)] the simplest joinpoint model (which in includes only a time variable) is fitted to the data. The minimum and maximum number of joinpoints is determined. The program starts with the minimum number of joinpoints and tests whether additional joinpoints are statistically significant using a permutation method. These are added to the model up to the maximum number. A grid search method has a discrete number of locations that are tested to find the best fitted model and joinpoints occur exactly at one or more of these locations (observed rate) [Kim (2001)].

Water pollution by agriculture can include inappropriately managed dairy farmyard dirty water. In Ireland, dairy farmyard dirty water includes farmyard runoff, parlour washings, and silage/farmyard manure effluents. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) the quality and quantity of dirty water generated at a farm-scale and (ii) the seasonal effectiveness of a constructed wetland to treat farmyard dirty water. The wetland system was 4800 m 2 in area and treated dirty water from a 42-cow organic dairy unit with an open yard area of 2031 m 2. Monthly dirty water inflow rate to the wetland ranged between 3.6 and 18.5 m 3 d −1. Farmyard dirty water accounted for 27% of hydrological inputs to the wetland, whereas rainfall on wetland, along with wetland bank inflows accounted for 45 and 28%, respectively. Farmyard dirty water quality and quantity did not vary with season. Yearly mass loads discharged to the wetland were 47 ± 10 kg yr −1 of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), 128 ± 35 kg yr −1 of NH 4 + , 5484 ± 1433 kg yr −1 of organic material as measured by five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD 5), and 1570 ± 465 kg yr −1 of total suspended solids (TSS). Phosphorus retention by the wetland varied with season (5-84%) with least amounts being retained during winter.

A study was conducted in 2001 and 2002 to identify genotypic attributes relevant to performance and adaptation of ten maize cultivars grown on the field in the rainy and in the late seasons (terminal drought situation) in a humid zone of Nigeria. Data were collected on shoot biomass and seed yield and on leaf tissue concentrations of chlorophyll a and

Lactoferrin (Lf) and IgG were estimated in camel's milk from Kazakhstan, where 2 species of camels (Camelus bactrianus, Camelus dromedarius) and their hybrids cohabit. The concentrations of Lf and IgG were determined according to 3 variation factors: region (n = 4), season (n = 4), and species (n = 5; sample 4 was mixed milk and sample 5 was of unknown origin). The mean values in raw camel's milk were 0.229 +/- 0.135 mg/mL for Lf concentration and 0.718 +/- 0.330 mg/mL for IgG concentration. The seasonal effect was the only significant variation factor observed, with the highest values in the spring for Lf and in the winter for IgG. The Lf concentration varied in 1-wk postpartum milk from 1.422 to 0.586 mg/mL. The range in IgG concentration was wide and decreased from 132 to 4.75 mg/mL throughout the 7 d postpartum, with an important drop after parturition. In fermented milk, the lactoproteins are generally hydrolyzed. For milk samples from undefined species, discriminant an...

The courtship of 5 jacks was evaluated weekly for 12 mo. The characteristics of sexual behavior were recorded before the collection of 2 ejaculates, at 4-h intervals, into an artificial vagina in the presence of a female in either natural or induced estrus. The maximum time given to the jack to perform the ejaculatory mount was 1 h. If the jacks did not ejaculate, another attempt was made the following week. At the time of collection, the male and female remained free in a paddock (20 m2). The data presented i n tliis study is based on results in which the first and second ejaculates occurred successively. Statistical analysis was done by a 2 x 2 factorial design in randomized blocks. The mean + SEM of sexual behavior characteristics for the first and second ejaculate were, respectively: time until fist mount=0.7 f 0.2 and 0.9 f 0.2 min; time until first erection=l1.9 f 1.1 and 11.6 + 1.1 min; time until ejaculation=15.0 + 1.2 and 13.6 + 1.2 min: frequency of partial exposure of penis=3.4 + 0.4 and 3.2 f. 0.4; frequency of total exposure of penis=l.O + 0.2 and 1.1 & 0.2; frequency of flehmen responses=6.6 f 0.5 and 4.6 f 0.5; frequency of erections=1.3 f 0.1 and 1.2 + 0.1; frequency of retreats away from the femaIe=l.8 + 0.2 and 1.0 f 0.2; frequency of mounts with erection but without ejaculation=O.3 + 0.1 and 0.1 f 0.1; frequency of mounts without erection=2.0 + 0.1 and 1.2 * 0.1: and frequency of pelvic copulatory movements=4.8 + 0.4 and 4.4 f 0.4. Individual differences were observed (PcO.05) for partial and total exposure, flehmen responses, mounts without erection and pelvic copulatory movements. The variables flehmen responses, retreats away from the female and morilts without erection showed significant differences (PcO.05) between ejaculates. Seasonal effecp: on sexual behavior characteristics were not found. However, a monthly effect was noted tar liehmen responses, partial exposure of the penis, mounts without erection, retreats away from thr female and pelvic copulatory movements when the 2 ejaculates were combined.

Background: We aimed at studying the seasonal changes in mood and behaviour, the distribution of hospital admissions by season, and the persistence of the circadian type in twins with bipolar disorder and their healthy co-twins. Methods: All Finnish like-sex twins born from 1940 to 1969 were screened for a diagnosis of bipolar type I disorder. The diagnosis was assessed with a structured research interview, and the study subjects (n = 67) filled in the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). For studying the persistence of the habitual sleep length and circadian type, we used data derived from the Finnish Twin Cohort Questionnaire (FTCQ). Bipolar twins were compared with their healthy co-twins. Results: Bipolar twins had greater seasonal changes in sleep length (p = 0.01) and mood (p = 0.01), and higher global seasonality scores (p = 0.03) as compared with their co-twins with no mental disorder. Sunny days (p = 0.03) had a greater positive effect on wellbeing in the bipolar than healthy co-twins. Conclusions: Our results support the view that bipolar disorder is sensitive to the environmental influence in general and to the seasonal effect in specific. Exposure to natural light appears to have a substantial effect on wellbeing in twins with bipolar disorder.

, l'a S. Lavee 2 and L. Tsror (Lahkim) *,a Epidemiology of Verticillium dahliae on olive trees (cvs. 'Barnea' and 'Souri') irrigated with saline water was studied over a period of 3 years. Disease incidence in cv. Barnea increased from 18.9% to 40.5% in the first year, while disease severity decreased from 4.2 to 2.4 (on a scale of 2-10). In the first month after pruning of diseased branches (June 1999), disease incidence was 26.9% and it increased to 60.6% by May 2000. No changes in disease severity were observed from this time until the end of the study. In cv. Souri, disease incidence doubled during the 3 years of the study (from 22.1% to 44.8%), and disease severity increased from 2.4 to 2.9. The disease caused significant reduction of yield in cv. Barnea in 1999 and 2000 (48.3% and 12.0%, respectively). In cv. Souri yield was measured only in 2001, where a reduction of 66.8% was observed. V. dahliae was isolated from both diseased and symptomless trees. A significant decrease in the isolation rate of V. dahliae from diseased cv. Barnea trees occurred between the first year (47.9%) and the third year (5.3%); positive isolations were obtained in all seasons, without differences between seasons. In cv. Souri, the fungus was isolated in significantly higher rates during the winter and spring (55% and 50%, respectively). Our findings strongly support the assumption that natural recovery occurs in cv. Barnea 4-5 years after planting, but not in cv. Souri.

... DOI: 10.1080/00103620600585914 Zafar Iqbal Khan a , Muhammad Ashraf a , Altaf Hussain a & LR McDowell b * pages 1471-1483. ... (1979)4. Fick, KR, McDowell, LR, Miles, PH, Wilkinson, NS, Funk, JD and Conrad, JH 1979. ...

The effects of seasonal temperature change on the quality of easily degradable organic matter in municipal solid waste was monitored and the related influence on the anaerobic digester performance examined. It was verified that increased external temperature caused the transformation of the ethanol contained in the source-sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste fed to the digester, into acetate. This transformation has been associated with a remarkable effect on the process kinetics of substrate utilization. Thus, the kinetic constant for the first order substrate utilization model in the summer (external temperature greater than 18-20°C) doubled with respect to the winter, although the digester was held at 35±2°C throughout.

The United States is the largest single exporter of seafood, beef, and beef products to Japan, and was the third largest source for pork in 1992. A better understanding of Japanese demand for meat and seafood is important in two regards. First, Japan is generally viewed as a tough market to enter, having many nuances and subtleties not well understood by Westerners accustomed to Western habits and preferences. Second, the United States faces strong competition from Canada and Australia in the beef market and from Taiwan and Denmark in the pork market. This study is designed to help US exporters to better understand Japanese preferences for meat and seafood through an understanding of seasonal effects on demand for these goods.

Estimates are made of changes in effective runoff at a high spatial resolution for the island of Ireland under different climate change scenarios. The first part of the investigation examines changes in annual and seasonal effective runoff for the whole land area of Ireland. The rainfall-runoff model HYSIM is used to carry out the hydrological simulations. The output from the

Duration Dependence in the Exit Rate out of Unemployment in Belgium: Is It True or Spurious? On the basis of aggregate data for the early nineties, we analyse the determinants of unemployment duration for laid-off male workers in Wallonia (Belgium). Our results demonstrate that if ranking in recruitment occurs, the standard Mixed Proportional Hazard specification can be too restrictive, leading to an overstatement of the extent of true negative duration dependence. We conclude that negative duration dependence is largely spurious. We also decompose the time variation of the hazard in (unobserved) compositional and direct cyclical and seasonal effects. We find counter-cyclical variation in the quality of young workers, but none for the prime aged.

We estimate the productivity effects of labor specialization using a judicial environment that offers a quasi-experimental setting well suited to this purpose. Judges in this environment are randomly assigned many different types of cases. This assignment generates random streaks of same-type cases which create mini-specialization events unrelated to the characteristics of judges or cases. We estimate that when judges receive more cases of a certain type they become faster, i.e., more likely to close cases of that type in any one of the corresponding hearings. Quality, as measured by probability of an appeal, is not negatively affected.

Propagules of Dendrocalamus giganteus were produced by a process of in vitro axillary shoot proliferation followed by rooting. Axillary bud break and the presence of culture contaminants in single-node segments of secondary branches were strongly influenced by the seasonal rainfall pattern. Cultures of axillary shoots were initiated during peak bud-break periods in a semi-solid MS medium with 2 mg l_ ' benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.1 mg 1.. ' kinetin and 1 g I-' Benlate (benomyl). Continuous shoot proliferation for a period of 1 year was achieved in a liquid MS medium with 6 mg 1 _ ' BAP. 0.1 mg l_ ' kinetin and 8% (v/v) coconut water. Shoot proliferation at a 1 .&fold increase in shoot number every 13 days took place after a lag phase of 65 days. Shoots (77.5%) rooted when transferred from the shoot proliferation medium containing 3 mg 1~ ' indole butyric acid in the last two passages, to a rooting medium with MS modified to half strength major salts, 3 rng 1~ ' IBA and 10 rng 1.. ' coumarin. After a period of in vitro hardening the propagules were tiansferied to soil. O-1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.

... a Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Received 21 September 2007; revised 27 November 2007; accepted 28 November 2007. ... Variables: A, Ann Arbor; Y, Ypsilanti; D, Dearborn; c, cold season; w, warm season. ...

The area of Neyshabour, a small historical city located in Northeast Iran, is subject to land subsidence. To monitor the temporal evolution of the subsidence, the small baseline subset (SBAS) algorithm is used for interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) time-series analysis. To limit the spatial and temporal decorrelation phenomena, the interferograms produced from the raw ENVISAT ASAR data are characterized by small spatial and temporal baselines. Accordingly, four independent SAR acquisition data sets separated by large spatial and temporal baselines are used in the time-series analysis. To link the separate data sets, a smoothing constraint that minimizes the curvature of the subsidence temporal evolution is added to the least-squares method. The optimum smoothing factor estimated in the smoothed time-series analysis reduces the atmospheric noise, unwrapping and orbital errors whereas it preserves the non-linear seasonal deformation features. The time-series results show an incremental lowering of the ground surface, accompanied by small seasonal effects. The mean LOS deformation velocity map computed from the time-series analysis demonstrates a considerable subsidence rate of up to 19 cm yr-1. Comparison between the InSAR time-series and continuous GPS measurements verifies the accuracy of the obtained results. Moreover, the quantitative integration of the InSAR-derived displacement measurements with observations of the hydraulic head fluctuations causing these displacements yields information about the compressibility and storage properties of the aquifer system.

The precise calibration of relative gravity meters is essential for the accuracy of gravimetric surveys. We show that in the new Zugspitze cali- bration system established in 2004 - 2005 excellent accuracies of the linear calibration factor of relative gravity meters in the range of 1-2 * 10 -5 can be obtained. The calibration system is particularly useful for the precise calibration of Scintrex linear quartz gravity meters. The key advantages of the new calibration system are (a) the large gravity range of up to 528 mGal and (b) the short transport time of instruments by cable cars between the ab- solute gravity reference stations. This allows im- proving the accuracy of the Scintrex relative gra- vimetric observations by carrying out numerous ties over large gravity differences in a day or less. We study the accuracy and repeatability of Scintrex CG3 and CG5 calibration observations and the influence of seasonal effects due to environmental mass changes based on a time series of 5...

The objective of this study was to extract and evaluate key catchment characteristics explaining the main variation in properties of dissolved natural organic matter (DNOM) in surface waters draining each catchment. A number of classical and sophisticated DNOM characterisation methodologies were used for this purpose. The explanatory capability of site characteristics on the variation in descriptors of DNOM, including elemental analysis (EA), DOC fractionation, SEC, CZE, CGE, UV/Vis-and FTIR spectra, FES, TLS, ESR, ESI/MS, 13 C-CPMAS-NMR, potentiometric pH titration as well as functional characteristics such as biodegradability, and the response of macrophyte and PAH partitioning coefficients were evaluated. The sampling sites were all natural, coniferous, heathery-forested catchments with bogs, forming a climatic, anthropogenic deposition and proportional biotope cover gradient. Correlations to the main principal components, as well as a correlation matrix, singled out total S-deposi

Previously described weed competition models that use competition indices based on weed size relative to tree size (e.g., tree height divided by weed height) require models of weed growth and models of weed-free tree growth. A method is presented to model these using standard sigmoidal growth functions and to incorporate regular seasonal patterns of tree growth using Fourier series approximations. The method is tested against data from a field trial at Rotorua, New Zealand, in which Pinus radiata D. Don was grown both on its own and in competition with several common weed species. Weed and tree height were best modelled by a Weibull function, and tree ground line diameter by a Schumacher function. Seasonal fluctuations in both tree and weed growth were adequately modelled by a single-term Fourier series. All weed species showed very similar, strong seasonal fluctuations in height growth, peaking in February. Seasonal fluctuations in tree height growth, and especially diameter growth...

Several studies have considered the direct and indirect effects of demersal trawling on discarded species in terms of sublethal damages, survival, and stress due to the fishing processes. Nevertheless the effects of air temperature on the physiological stress and the survival of species during sorting operations were only marginally explored. This factor could be particularly important in the context of sustainable fisheries at temperate latitudes where the seasonal variation of air temperature can be particularly pronounced. In this study the seasonal effects of rapido trawling on the non-target species Liocarcinus depurator (Portunidae) in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) have been compared by applying survival tests and considering the unbalance in metabolites' concentration as indicators of physiological stress. Results showed consistently higher mortalities during exposure to air in summer (temperature: 28°C), which reached about 96% in 20 min, compared to winter (temperature: 9°C) when only 2% of individuals died. Furthermore trawled and emersed crabs showed significant increase of hemolymph ammonia, lactate, and glucose concentrations as effects of extreme exercise and suffocation, which was more prominent during summer, suggesting that air temperature can play an important role in determining non-target species survival.

Plant growth, reproduction, and biomass allocation may be affected differently by nitrogen availability depending on tree size and age. In this context, competition for limited N may be avoided by different strategies of N acquisition between different vegetation components (i.e., seedlings, mature trees, other woody and herbaceous understorey). This study investigated in a field experiment whether the competition for N between different vegetation components in beech forests was prevented via seasonal timing of N uptake and affected by microbial N use. For this purpose, a removal approach was used to study the seasonal effects on N uptake and N metabolites in adult beech trees and beech natural regeneration, as well as soil microbial processes of inorganic N production and utilisation. We found that the competition for N between beech natural regeneration and mature beech trees was reduced by seasonal avoidance strategies ("good parenting") of N uptake regardless of the N sources used. In spring, organic and inorganic N uptake capacity was significantly higher in beech seedlings compared to adult beech trees, whereas in autumn mature beech trees showed the highest N uptake rates. Removal of vegetation components did not result in changes in soil microbial N processes in the course of the growing season. Thus, N resources released by the removal of vegetation components were marginal. This consistency in soil microbial N processes indicates that competition between plants and soil microorganisms for N was not avoided by timing of acquisition during the vegetation period, but existed during the entire growing season. In conclusion, N nutrition in the studied forest ecosystem seems to be optimally attuned to European beech.

The present paper is an updated and revised version of an internal unpublished technical paper developed as part of the research activity at the organization. The authors would like to thank the anonymous referees for helpful comments on an earlier draft.

SUMMARY - Seasonal effects of three stocking rates on resource availability and intake of goats were evaluated in a kermes oak (Quercus coccifera L.) shrubland in Greece from 1991 to 1994. Stocking rates were: moderate (MSR: 1 goat/ha/y), heavy (HSR: 2 goatslha/y) and very heavy (VHSR: 4 goatdhdy). In an adjacent kermes oak shrubland the effects of a continuous and a rotational grazing system on forage conditions and animal performance were studied from 1992 to 1994. The stocking rate was set at 1.3 goats/ha/y. Vegetation cover (62%), forage production (1413 kg/ha) and goat liveweight gain (-2.3 kg/goat) were significantly lower and bare soil + litter higher (38%) in the VHSR compared to MSR (85%, 2905 kg/ha, 1 .O kg/goat and 15%) and HSR (80%, 2067 kg/ha, 0.5 kg/goat and 20%) while there were no significant differences (P 5 0.05) between MSR and HSR in all parameters but the total forage production. The goats' forage intake was lower in HSR and VHSR (32.9 g/kg BW0.75 and 33.3 g...

The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.

Radon-prone areas in Israel were mapped on the basis of direct measurements of radon (222 Rn) in the soil/rock gas of all exposed geological units, supported by the accumulated knowledge of local stratigraphy and sub-surface geology. Measurements were carried out by a modified alphatrack detection system, resulting in high radon levels mainly in rocks of the Senonian-Paleocene-aged Mount Scopus Group, comprised of chert-bearing marly chalks, rich in phosphorite which acts as the major uranium source. Issues of source depth, seasonal variations and comparison with indoor radon levels are addressed as well. This approach could be applied to other similar terrains, especially the Mediterranean Phosphate Belt.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rainwater infiltration on volumetric water content (VWC), groundwater level, and ground and surface water quality in mine waste rock and tailings. The VWC and electrical conductivity was recorded with sensors installed at five depths. Three boreholes 7-13 m in depth were drilled to monitor groundwater level and EC, and to collect water quality samples. During the rainy season, as the water front moved deeper into the tailings, EC values increased. These results and the presence of oxidized and bleached zones in the tailings indicated that soluble salts formed in the vadose zone were migrating downward. Water analyses indicated that the groundwater was contaminated by Zn (282 mg L − 1), Cu (59.3 mg L − 1), Cd (10.1 mg L − 1), and Pb (0.51 mg L − 1). All elements were significantly correlated with total dissolved solids (TDS), and correlation coefficients greater than 0.90 were found for Zn-Pb, Zn-Mn, Zn-SO 4 , Pb-Mn, Cu-Al, Mn-SO 4 , Al-Si, Na-Mg, and Mg-Ca. It was concluded that 20 cm depth of the soil cover on the tailings was not enough to prevent water infiltration and ground or surface water contamination.

Sexual activity in mature male African elephants is predominantly associated with the occurrence of musth, a state or condition which refers to a set of physical, physiological and behavioral characteristics, including an elevation in androgen levels. Although musth appears to be energetically costly, the degree to which it is associated with changes in adrenal endocrine function (e.g., glucocorticoid output) is still unclear. To investigate the possible effect of musth on adrenocortical function, and the impact of socioecological changes on androgen and glucocorticoid levels, six adult African elephant bulls were followed for 13 months in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, and observations and fecal sample collection for endocrine monitoring was carried out about twice weekly. Our data showed that the occurrence of musth was associated with reduced glucocorticoid output, suggesting that musth does not represent a physiological stress mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This confirms previous findings in captive-housed animals, providing evidence for a suppressive effect of the musth condition on adrenocortical activity. Furthermore, a seasonal effect on androgen and glucocorticoid levels was found, which appears to vary depending on the reproductive status of the animal. The results also indicate a relationship between the presence or absence of social partners and changes in testicular and adrenal endocrine activity. Finally, the data confirm previous findings in captive-housed elephants, that an elevation in androgen concentrations usually occurs before the onset of physical musth signs, and therefore support the idea that the change in androgen levels represents the initial stimulus for the musth condition.

A time-series bacteriological analysis has been carried out on milk collected on farms from 1997 to 2001 by a plant producing raw milk soft cheese, with the purpose of assessing the time course of the presence/absence of Listeria monocytogenes. A standard data collection procedure was used, in which farms were tested on a monthly or biweekly basis and 2-3 days after the detection of milk tanker contamination. This procedure yielded low figures for contamination frequencies. The average value and the median of the monthly prevalence of farms detected positive for L. monocytogenes were 2.4 and 0%, respectively. A seasonal effect (with peaks in winter) was observed. Between 1997 and 2001, there was no significant decrease of contamination rates, in spite of the efforts on the contaminated farms. Over the last year of the study (from March 2000 to February 2001), a new data collection procedure was implemented that allowed much better detection of sporadic occurrences. Milk samples were collected from the bulk tank of each participating farm just before pickup , then stored and subsequently analysed whenever the milk tanker was found contaminated. The average value and the median of the monthly prevalence of positive farms were found equal to 7.7 and 0%, respectively (for a mean prevalence of L. monocytogenes in the milk tanker of 3.2%). These results confirm that farm milk contamination is, most often, a sporadic event. In addition to this prevalence study, contamination levels were quantified by enumerating L. monocytogenes using direct plating of small volumes of farm milk previously tested positive. Most often, these levels were extremely low. A simple simulation model shows that, when milk tankers were found positive, contamination levels in the corresponding bulk-tank milk are themselves very low (typically, below 3 L. monocytogenes per millilitre with most probable concentration 0.1 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/ml and median ranging from 5.10 À 2 to 0.1 CFU/ml). Such low levels are very likely to be due to environmental contamination.

The relationships between diatom species and cadmium (Cd) accumulated in biofilms of the Riou-Mort River (SW, France) were studied in July 2004 and March 2005. Biofilms were sampled from artificial substrates immersed along a metallic pollution gradient during 20 days. Dynamics of diatom communities and cadmium accumulation were followed by collecting samples after 4, 7, 14 and 20 days of biofilm colonization. Cd accumulation in biofilms during experiment was significantly higher in Cd polluted station (Joanis) than in reference station (Firmi) for both seasons. Periphytic diatom composition varied between sites and seasons. At Firmi station, seasonal dynamics of diatom communities were stable with the dominance of Cyclotella meneghiniana and Melosira varians in July and Surirellabrebissonnii and Navicula gregaria in March. At Joanis station, diatom communities mainly responded to high levels of metal by a high proportion of small, adnate species. Positive correlations between Eolimna minima, Nitzschia palea, Encyonema minutum, Surirella angusta, and Gomphonema parvulum and cadmium accumulation were observed, indicating that these species are tolerant to high levels of cadmium. On the other hand, negative correlations of C. meneghiniana, N. gregaria, Navicula lanceolata, M. varians and Nitzschia dissipata with cadmium qualify them as sensitive diatom species. Periphytic diatom composition through the presence of specific species highlight metal tolerant indicator diatom groups which will be meaningful for biomonitoring pollution in natural aquatic systems.

Oysters have been largely employed as bioindicators of environmental quality in biomonitoring studies. Crassostrea rhizophorae was selected to evaluate the health status of three estuarine areas impacted by anthropogenic activities along the Brazilian coast, in three estuarine complexes, ranging in latitude from 7 to 251S. In each estuary three sites were sampled in Winter and in Summer: a site considered as reference, and two sites next to contamination sources. Condition index was similar at all sites and estuaries, with the highest values found for Itamaraca´oysters in Summer. Necrosis, hyperplasia, mucocyte hypertrophy and fusion of ordinary filaments were the main histopathological lesions observed. Muscle cholinesterase activity was overall similar, but with a strong seasonal effect. Inhibition or activation of branchial total ATPase and Na,K-ATPase activities at the contaminated sites was observed. The health status of these estuarine areas is quite similar, and the combined use of biomarkers is recommended.

Objective To evaluate seasonal effects on the presence or absence of fungal and aerobic bacterial flora of the conjunctival fornix of normal Florida Thoroughbred horses. Sample population Both eyes of 100 horses. Procedure Horses with normal anterior segment ophthalmic examinations from three farms in north central Florida were included. Each animal had the ventral conjunctival fornix of each eye swabbed with sterile culturettes. Samples were taken in October, January, April, and July (1999-2000). Aerobic and fungal cultures were plated. Bacterial cultures were reviewed at 24 and 48 h. Fungal cultures were reviewed weekly for 4 weeks. Logistic regression analysis with season as a factor and age of the horse as a covariate was performed. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.01. Results Horses ranged from 3 to 24 years of age, with a median age of 9 years. Twentyfour genera of bacteria and 35 genera of fungi were recovered. Corynebacterium sp., Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp. and Moraxella sp. were the bacteria most frequently isolated. Mold species, dematiaceous mold species, Chrysosporium sp., Cladosporium sp., and Aspergillus sp. were the most frequently recovered fungi. Season did not have a significant effect on the presence of microorganisms isolated for individual horses adjusted for age. Younger horses had an increased incidence of gram-negative rods and fungal isolates. The number of bacteria and fungi isolated are not uniform across seasons. Conclusion There were no significant differences between the number or type of organisms cultured during the sampling seasons in normal Florida horses. A large range of normal bacterial and fungal flora were isolated from these horses. The number of bacteria and fungi isolated are not uniform across seasons. The likelihood of detecting an organism depends on the horses' age.

HYDRUS-1D was used to simulate water flow and leaching of fecal coliforms and bromide (Br) through six undisturbed soil lysimeters (70cm depth by 50cm diameter) under field conditions. Dairy shed effluent (DSE) spiked with Br was applied to the lysimeters, which ...

Summary Fazio, E., P. Medica & A. Ferlazzo, 2009. Seasonal patterns of circulating β-endorphin, adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels in pregnant and barren mares. Bulg. J. Vet. Med., 12, No 2, 125−135. The study was carried out to investigate the changes of circulating β-endorphin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol concentrations in 18 Thoroughbred mares (n=12 pregnant and n=6 barren), aged

Salivary testosterone levels were measured in 33 Lese horticulturalist men in June and August 1989 in order to examine the effects of improved nutritional status on testicular function. The Lese experience an annual hunger season from March through June that varies in impact from year to year, and was particularly severe in 1989. Even before annual weight losses: the Lese are at the low end of the desirable range and are below the desirable population mean for the body mass index. Despite significant weight gain in August, both morning and evening testosterone levels declined, perhaps reflecting a lagged recovery period undetected in the 3-month interval of the study. Lese mean salivary testosterone levels are lower, in general, than average levels in healthy Western controls. Lese males, however, exhibit similar, albeit suppressed, diurnal variation compared to healthy Western males and comparable age-related decline in free testosterone levels. Chronic undernourishment and poor dietary composition are probably responsible for lower testosterone levels among the Lese and a lack of recovery in testosterone production following nutritional improvement.

Field surveys of dust concentrations within and dust emissions from cattle, pig and poultry buildings were conducted in England, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Measurements of inhalable and respirable dust concentrations were made in 329 buildings. Concentrations of CO within and outside the buildings were also measured to estimate ventilation rates for dust emission calculations. Dust concentrations and emissions were affected significantly by housing type and animal species. Overall mean inhalable and respirable dust concentrations were 0)38 and 0)07 mg/m in cattle buildings, 2)19 and 0)23 mg/m in pig buildings, and 3)60 and 0)45 mg/m in poultry buildings, respectively. Overall mean inhalable and respirable dust emission rates from the buildings were 110 and 19 mg/h bovine, 111 and 14 mg/h pig, and 12 and 2 mg/h bird, respectively. Expressed per 500 kg liveweight, the values become, respectively, 145 and 24 mg/h for cattle; 762 and 85 for pigs; and 3165 and 504 for poultry. Seasonal effects on dust concentrations in and emissions from cattle buildings were weak. Dust concentrations in pig and poultry buildings were higher in winter than summer. Inhalable dust emission rates from pig and poultry buildings were higher in summer than winter. Effects of season on respirable dust emission rates from pig and poultry buildings were small. Inhalable dust concentrations in cattle buildings were higher in the day than at night, but effects differed between countries. Pig buildings showed higher dust (both inhalable and respirable) concentrations in the day than at night. Percheries and buildings for caged layers showed higher inhalable dust concentrations in the day than at night. However, dust concentrations in broiler houses were not affected by day and night. The high concentrations of inhalable dust in broiler houses, in percheries for hens and in slatted weaner and fattener houses for pigs give cause for concern for both stockman and animal health and performance.

Physical and geochemical data collected weekly during the year-long 2800 km drift of the CCGS des Groseilliers show that Canada Basin waters, and in particular the composition of the halocline, can no longer be viewed as laterally homogeneous and in steady state. The halocline was thinner over the Mendeleyev Abyssal Plain and northern Chukchi Plateau. Here, Pacific-origin upper and middle halocline waters occupied the upper 80 m of the water column and underlying Atlantic-origin lower halocline waters were fresher, colder and much more ventilated than observed in the past. These new observations of a sub-surface oxygen maximum suggest that outflow from the East Siberian Sea now supplies the Canada Basin lower halocline. East of the Northwind Ridge the halocline was thicker and appeared relatively unchanged. Here Pacific-origin upper and middle halocline waters occupied the top 225 m and Atlantic-origin lower halocline waters were identified by an oxygen minimum. The intensity of the Pacific-origin signal, characterized by a nutrient maximum, was strongest over the Chukchi Gap-the passage between the Chukchi Shelf and Plateauand the Northwind Abyssal Plain and identified two winter-water spreading pathways. Atlantic-origin waters as much as 0.5 C warmer than the historical record were observed over the Chukchi Gap and also over the northern flank of the Chukchi Plateau. These observations signaled that warm-anomaly Fram Strait Branch (FSB) waters, first observed upstream in the Nansen Basin in 1990, had arrived downstream in the Canada Basin eight years later and also indicate two routes whereby FSB waters enter the southern Canada Basin. Although samples were collected throughout one annual cycle, seasonal effects were small and confined to the upper 50 m of the water column. These data show Canada Basin waters are in transition, responding to the effects of upstream change in atmospheric and oceanic circulation.

The effects of four seasons of semen collection and of artificial insemination on conception in dairy cows were studied. The solstices and equinoxes (December, March, June and September) defined the beginning and/or end of each season. Semen was collected from 973 progeny-test bulls over 8 years at the two Norwegian AI stations at 60.8 • N and 63.4 • N where artificial light was used to provide a minimum photoperiod of 10 h/day. The effect of using semen of elite bulls during progeny testing and after selection as elite sires also was investigated. Norwegian Red (NRF) cows were inseminated over a 7-year period using progeny test semen and over the last 4 years of the same period using the semen of the elite sires. The probability of conception to only first inseminations for cows up to, and including, the fifth lactation was assessed by 56-day non-return rate (56d NRR) and calving rate. Two data sets were analysed which excluded cows culled within 270 days of AI or included such cows as non-calving. The reasons for culling were categorised as those for fertility problems or all other reasons. Semen was used for AI irrespective of the season in which it had been collected. Season of semen collection did not affect 56d NRR but calving rate was significantly higher (by 0.5-0.8%, approximately; P < 0.01) for semen collected in the December-March period, when photoperiod was increasing, than at other times of the year. The season in which AI was performed showed a peak of

Extended cusp-like regions (ECRs) are surveyed, as observed by the Magnetospheric Ion Composition Sensor (MICS) of the Charge and Mass Magnetospheric Ion Composition Experiment (CAMMICE) instrument aboard Polar between 1996 and 1999. The first of these ECR events was observed on 29 May 1996, an event widely discussed in the literature and initially thought to be caused by tail lobe reconnection due to the coinciding prolonged interval of strong northward IMF. ECRs are characterized here by intense fluxes of magnetosheath-like ions in the energy-per-charge range of $1 to 10 keV e À1. We investigate the concurrence of ECRs with intervals of prolonged (lasting longer than 1 and 3 hours) orientations of the IMF vector and high solar wind dynamic pressure (P SW). Also investigated is the opposite concurrence, i.e., of the IMF and high P SW with ECRs. (Note that these surveys are asking distinctly different questions.) The former survey indicates that ECRs have no overall preference for any orientation of the IMF. However, the latter survey reveals that during northward IMF, particularly when accompanied by high P SW , ECRs are more likely. We also test for orbital and seasonal effects revealing that Polar has to be in a particular region to observe ECRs and that they occur more frequently around late spring. These results indicate that ECRs have three distinct causes and so can relate to extended intervals in (1) the cusp on open field lines, (2) the magnetosheath, and (3) the magnetopause indentation at the cusp, with the latter allowing magnetosheath plasma to approach close to the Earth without entering the magnetosphere.

Field colonies of the ant Pheidole ceres were presented with a choice between a protein source and a carbohydrate source, under wet and dry conditions, at three different times in the year. These time periods corresponded with different reproductive (the production of sexuals) and growth (the production of workers) stages of the colony. Moisture had no effect on the forging behavior of P. ceres but the colonies did change their foraging preferences during different times of the year. This behavior correlated with the amount of larvae in the colony. However, lab experiments demonstrated that larvae did not directly influence the foraging decisions of the workers but that adult reproductives did.

Time series data are compiled and analysed in accordance with Gregorian calendar, given its world-wise use. This paper presents a simple method of constructing time series in accordance with Hijri Calendar from an already compiled Gregorian time series. Preliminary seasonal analysis of Hijri time series for CPI in Pakistan provides new insights of price behavior that depends both on Gregorian and Hijri seasonality. A spliced series of monthly CPI from January 1976 to December 2008 spanning 33 Gregorian years (396 Gregorian months) is used to capture a full cycle of 34 Hijri years (408 Hijri months). Method presented is general and can be used to construct and analyse any variable of interest. Paper proposes that statistical agencies and central banks of Islamic countries should also compile data according to Hijri Calendar, in addition to existing compilation according to Gregorian calendar. This will add to a better understanding of socioeconomic behaviours in Islamic countries.

A streamflow recession formula for natural basins is derived by linear hydrologic routing of the sum of inflows from discrete, independent water storages through a channel storage. Water storages include depression, detention, snow and ice, channel bank, aquifer and cavern. Evapotranspiration is incorporated in the recession formula, but seasonal effects and basin wetness and storage conditions before storms are not considered. Data from seven basins involving 156 precipitation-free recessions are used to test the performance of two-and three-parameter approximations to the theoretical recession formula. Recessions are defined to last at least 2 weeks and to begin 2 days after the peak of a basin outflow hydrograph, or at a point on the falling limb 2 days after any precipitation occurs. Recessions end when precipitation recommences, or when daily flow data stop decreasing. An inverse square formula explains most variance in the two-parameter case, in contrast to the simple exponential formula usually recommended for recession modelling. With three parameters, equally good performance is shown by formulae involving a constant plus an inverse square, or inverse cubic, or simple exponential term. These theoretically based formulae should be useful at basin scale for interpolating or extrapolating recession data, particularly in basins where little is known about water storage behaviour.

Effects of freshwater forcing from river discharge into the Indian Ocean on oceanic vertical structure and the Indian monsoons are investigated using a fully coupled, high-resolution, regional climate model. The effect of river discharge is included in the model by restoring sea surface salinity (SSS) toward observations. The simulations with and without this effect in the coupled model reveal a highly seasonal influence of salinity and the barrier layer (BL) on oceanic vertical density stratification, which is in turn linked to changes in sea surface temperature (SST), surface winds, and precipitation. During both boreal summer and winter, SSS relaxation leads to a more realistic spatial distribution of salinity and the BL in the model. In summer, the BL in the Bay of Bengal enhances the upper-ocean stratification and increases the SST near the river mouths where the freshwater forcing is largest. However, the warming is limited to the coastal ocean and the amplitude is not large e...