Alfalfa Phytoestrogen Content: Impact of Plant Maturity and Herbage Components

Legumes contain a range of non‐nutritional phytochemicals that may have health‐promoting effects in humans. In this study, we determined the concentrations of four phytoestrogens (coumestrol, apigenin, luteolin and quercetin) in field‐grown alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Differences between plants of different stages of maturity, between plant parts, and different canopy segments were assessed. The concentration of individual phytoestrogen in whole herbage varied between 15 and 225 μg g^?1 dry matter (DM) and was strongly affected by stage of maturity. Coumestrol and apigenin concentrations were highest at early vegetative stages, luteolin and quercetin at early vegetative and late flowering stages. All phytoestrogens were found in lowest concentrations at the early flowering stage (average 68 μg g^?1 DM); stage at which alfalfa is usually harvested when used as a forage source for animals. At vegetative stages, apigenin was the predominant phytoestrogen in herbage followed by coumestrol, the reverse being observed upon initiation of flowering; luteolin and quercetin were found at all stages in similarly lower concentrations. Concentrations of luteolin, quercetin and apigenin were 225, 410 and 690 % greater, respectively, in flowers than in leaves or stems; coumestrol concentration was similar between plant parts. In flowers and stems the predominant phytoestrogens were apigenin and quercetin, followed by coumestrol and luteolin. Similar concentrations (average 26 μg g^?1 DM) of each of the four phytoestrogens were found in leaves. Concentrations through the herbage canopy varied and were greatest at >60 cm from the soil surface for apigenin and coumestrol, but greatest at >60 and 0–20 cm for quercetin and at 0–20 cm for luteolin. The results suggest that if alfalfa is to be used as a source of phytoestrogens and is harvested for the production of herbal supplements or nutraceuticals, management will need to be adapted.     

Viral and bacterial agents associated with experimental transmission of infectious proventriculitis of broiler chickens.

Proventriculitis of broilers can be reproduced by oral inoculation of day-old chicks with a proventricular homogenate from affected 3-wk-old broilers. The objective of the following studies was to isolate from this homogenate viral and bacterial isolates that could produce proventriculitis. A monoclonal antibody to infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was used to precipitate virus from the homogenate. A primary chicken digestive tract cell culture system was also used to isolate virus from a 0.2-microm filtrate of the homogenate, and a bacterium was also isolated from the homogenate. In trial 1, day-old birds were orally inoculated with either proventriculus homogenate or monoclonal antibody immunoprecipitated IBDV (MAB-IBDV). At 4, 7, 14, and 21 days postinfection (PI), 12 birds from each treatment group were subjected to necropsy. In trial 2, day-old birds were orally inoculated with either infectious proventriculus homogenate, suspect virus isolated in cell culture and propagated in embryo livers and spleens, or a bacterial isolate. Twelve birds from each treatment were subjected to necropsy at days 7, 14, 21, and 28 PI. In trial 3, treatments were maintained in negative pressure isolation chambers, and an additional treatment included virus plus bacterial isolate. Twenty-four birds from each treatment were subjected to necropsy at day 21 PI. In trial 1, infectious homogenate decreased body weight and relative gizzard weights at 4, 7, 14, and 21 days PI. Proventriculus relative weight was increased at days 7, 14, and 21 PI, and proventriculus lesion scores were increased at days 14 and 21 PI. Bursa/spleen weight ratios were decreased at day 14, and feed conversion was increased at days 4 and 21. The MAB-IBDV treatment decreased proventriculus and gizzard relative weights at day 4 PI, increased proventriculus lesion scores and bursa/spleen weight ratios at day 14, and decreased heterophil/lymphocyte ratios at day 21. In trial 2, all infected birds had significantly higher mean relative proventriculus weights at 21 days PI and had higher 4-wk mean proventriculus scores as compared with both control groups. In trial 3, birds treated with homogenate and birds treated with both suspect virus and the bacterial isolate had significantly higher proventriculus lesion scores; higher relative weights of proventriculus, gizzard, liver, and heart; lower body weights; and lower relative bursa weights compared with the saline control group. These studies suggest that infectious proventriculitis has a complex etiology involving both viral and bacterial infection.     

槟榔红色素的抗氧化活性

测定槟榔红色素(areca red pigment,AP)对 DPPH·和·OH的清除能力、对脂质体过氧化的抑制能力、对Fe2+的络合能力,并测定其还原能力.结果表明:槟榔色素对DPPH·、·OH的清除能力较强:对脂质体过氧化的抑制能力很强,抑制率高达79.84%;与VE、没食子酸(gallic acid,GA)、BHT相比,槟榔色素的还原力、对Fe2+的络合能力较弱.说明槟榔红色素是较好的抗氧化剂.     

一个主题,两个重点——新形势下我国饲料行业发展的基本思路

新中国60华诞前夕,中国饲料工业协会第五届大型企业联谊会暨2009饲料行业发展高层论坛在青岛举行.会议期间,与会的相关领导、专家和企业家各抒己见,从不同的角度探讨了新形势下我国饲料行业的发展思路.概括起来就是:一个主题,两个重点.     

活性炭吸附痕量银的研究

在静态、动态吸附条件下，分别选用果壳类净水用活性炭和煤质净水用活性炭对胶片工业废水中的痕量银的吸附行为进行了研究．结果表明，废水中的银浓度可降至＜５０ｐｐｂ，活性炭对银的吸附量达到３～５ｍｇ／ｇ．微孔发达的活性炭更适于吸附废水中的痕量银．随着银液浓度的升高，银液量增大，活性炭吸附能力增加．银液的最佳吸附ｐＨ值是５．     

阿尔泰山森林重点火险区综合治理工程效益分析

介绍了阿尔泰山实施森林重点火险区综合治理工程项目后所带来的社会、经济、生态效益,并评述了该项目对阿尔泰山的影响。     

3种农药的微核效应研究

运用蚕豆根尖微核技术研究3种农药(甲胺磷、甲基硫菌灵和盐酸吗啉胍)在不同浓度下的诱变效应。结果表明,3种农药诱发蚕豆根尖细胞微核率与对照组相比均有不同程度的上升(P<0.05或P<0.01),农药浓度与微核率呈剂量-效应关系,盐酸吗啉胍的诱变效应大于其他2种农药。     

几种楼梯面可视化快速参数建模方法

楼梯面的智能化建模问题是建筑、装饰等行业的热点问题．以AutoCAD VBA作为开发工具．给出几种楼梯面可视化参数快速建模方法，并对楼梯面的生成算法进行了探讨．使楼梯面模型的设计更具敏捷化、智能化和可交互性．开发的设计程序可作为AutoCAD命令嵌入到的AutoCAD绘图软件中．以提高用户的设计效率。     

β-葡聚糖对啤酒易滤性影响的研究

通过对啤酒中β-葡聚糖的定性定量分析和啤酒易滤性的测定,发现溶解状态的β-葡聚糖对啤酒的过滤没有明显的影响,而β-葡聚糖凝胶对啤酒过滤有严重影响.啤酒中β-葡聚糖凝胶的分子量在300 000以上,当含量达到20 mg/1时,就会使啤酒膜过滤困难.啤酒的易滤性与β-葡聚糖含量之间里r=-0.222的不显著负相关,而与β-葡聚糖凝胶的含量之间呈r=-0.841~(***)的极显著负相关.     

Landscape and habitat factors affecting cabot's tragopan Tragopan caboti occurrence in habitat fragments.

Cabot's tragopan Tragopan caboti is an endemic and endangered pheasant of the lower montane forests of southeastern China. The typical habitats of the tragopan have been seriously fragmented because of forest management for timber production and farmland reclamation in recent years. The effects of the fragment size and isolation on the distribution of the cabot's tragopan were studied in Wuyanling Natural Reserve. Thirty one habitat fragments (2.5-48.5 ha) surrounded by non-habitat sapling coniferous forests, in an intensively managed forested landscape, were surveyed over four seasons for the occurrence of cabot's tragopan. Five of the 31 fragments were occupied in all four seasons and nine were not occupied. Both landscape and habitat factors affected the occurrence of cabot's tragopan, with landscape factors having the greatest effect. Large and less isolated habitat fragments containing a larger amount of the tree Daphniphyllum macropodum were occupied significantly more often than small, isolated fragments. The appearance of cabot's tragopan in the habitat fragments was best explained by the size of the fragments, the distance to the nearest suitable habitat and the amount of macropdous daphniphyllum trees. Our results could be used to improve the management of the forests where Cabot's tragopan occurs in southeastern China.