Sorghum extrusion process combined with biofortified sweet potato contributed for high iron bioavailability in Wistar rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sorghum and sweet potato on the bioavailability of iron, gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism and the plasma antioxidant capacity in animals fed with whole sorghum grains processed by dry heat or extrusion, combined or not with sweet potato flour with high content of carotenoids. Five experimental groups were tested (n = 7): dry heat sorghum flour (DS); extruded sorghum flour (ES); whole sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (DS + SP); extruded sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (ES + SP) and positive control (FS). The evaluations included: hemoglobin gain, hemoglobin regeneration efficiency, gene expression of divalente metal transporter 1 (DMT-1), duodenal citochroma B (DcytB), ferroportin, hephaestin, transferrin and ferritin and total plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC). The ES + SP group showed higher (p < 0.05) expression of DcytB, ferroportin and hephaestin when compared to the control group. The DS group showed high (p < 0.05) expression of DMT-1 and the ES showed high mRNA expression of transferrin and ferritin. The changes in the sorghum physicochemical properties from extrusion process reduced the iron and phytate content, and increased the gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism, improving iron bioavailability. The combination of sweet potato and sorghum flour (dry or extruded) improved the iron capture and total antioxidant capacity, probably due to the presence of β-carotene and antioxidant compounds.     

Measuring trail users’ perception of crowding in a peri-urban nature park: A best-worst scaling experiment

This paper evaluates the perception of crowding, its determinants and relationship with trail users’ experience in a peri-urban nature park. Existing crowding surveys rely heavily on a single-item 9-point crowding scale which was originally developed for backcountry areas. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to test the validity and reliability of this measure in detecting crowding issues and formulating visitor capacity limits. Low validity and reliability raised concerns about the applicability of this scale in similar frontcountry areas. Inability of this simple crowding measure to detect a visitor threshold brings to the fore its another important limitation – ignorance of the complexity of crowding phenomenon. The perception of crowding varies with various social, psychological and situational factors, and a best-worst scaling (BWS) experiment was designed to simultaneously evaluate different aspects of crowding in the Medvednica Nature Park, a peri-urban nature park near Zagreb, Croatia. The findings of BWS experiment revealed that occupancy of mountain huts, number of other hikers on the trail and amount of litter along the trail on average contributed most to the trail users’ sense of crowding. A latent class analysis identified a large heterogeneity in the perception of crowding; while one group of trail users (63%) was more disturbed by the direct social impacts, the others (37%) were more disturbed by the secondary impacts of other visitors, especially by the negative externalities from road traffic in the park. Older visitors had a greater tendency to primarily associate crowding with the environmental conditions. A higher impact of trail use level in the perception of crowding, younger age and more frequent use were associated with a more negative evaluation of crowding. The park management should closely monitor road traffic in the park and visitor activity on highly used trails, especially on those popular among younger trail users.     

水稻均衡营养肥对杂交稻生长发育的影响及养分吸收特性

研究了水稻均衡营养肥对杂交稻生长发育的影响及养分吸收特性,以为精准施肥及秸秆还田养分循环利用提供必要的科学参数。结果表明,水稻均衡营养肥处理的株高、总粒数、实粒数、结实率、穗质量和产量均高于常规施肥处理,稻谷中的总钾、S~(6+)和Fe~(2+)含量均高于常规施肥处理,但总磷、Ca~(2+)和Mg~(2+)的含量低于常规施肥处理,总氮含量则基本相同;常规施肥处理的秸秆中总氮、总钾、Mg~(2+)和S~(6+)含量均高于水稻均衡营养肥处理,总磷、Ca~(2+)和Fe~(2+)含量基本相同。均衡营养肥处理氮、磷、钾利用率分别为67.8%、60.0%和95.5%,农民常规施肥处理分别为32.3%、86.0%和100%。可见,水稻均衡营养肥能均衡的为杂交稻生长提供必需的养分,大幅度提高肥料利用率。     

A genetic linkage map in southern‐by‐spring oat identifies multiple quantitative trait loci for adaptation and rust resistance

We developed 178 recombinant inbred lines from a southern‐by‐spring oat population designated as “TxH.” These lines were genotyped to generate a high‐quality linkage map that resolved 6,902 markers into 21 linkage groups that matched closely with the latest hexaploid oat consensus map. Three major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting heading date were found in locations that are consistent with known QTLs and candidate genes, and two other QTLs affecting heading date were found in novel locations. Five QTLs affecting plant height were found. Both sets of QTLs are responsible for transgressive segregation observed for these two traits. Four QTLs affecting resistance to crown rust, caused by the pathogen Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae, were identified. Two of these QTLs are consistent with known clusters of rust resistance genes, while two may represent new locations of novel rust resistance genes. A complete set of SNP sequences suitable for generating markers for molecular selection is provided.     

Influence of soil phosphorus status,texture, pH and metal content on the efficacy of amendments to pig slurry in reducing phosphorus losses

Cost‐effective strategies for using chemically amended organic fertilizers need to be developed to minimize nutrient losses in surface and groundwater. Coupling specific soil physical and chemical characteristics with amendment type could increase their effectiveness. This study investigated how water‐extractable phosphorus (P) was affected by chemical amendments added to pig slurry and how this effect varied with soil properties. A 3‐month incubation study was conducted on 18 different mineral soils, stored at 10 °C and 75% humidity and treated with unamended and amended slurry which was incorporated at a rate equivalent to 19 kg total P (TP )/ha. The amendments examined were commercial‐grade liquid alum, applied at a rate of 0.88:1 [Al:TP ], and commercial‐grade liquid poly‐aluminium chloride (PAC ), applied at a rate of 0.72:1 [Al:TP ]. These amendments were previously identified by the authors as being effective in reducing incidental losses of P. The efficacy of the amendments varied with the soil test P, the degree of P saturation (DPS ) and the Mehlich aluminium, iron and calcium, but not soil texture. Chemical amendments were most effective in soils with DPS over approximately 20%. Due to their high cost, the incorporation of amendments into existing management practices can only be justified as part of a holistic management plan where soils have high DPS .     

关中-天水经济区人类活动对植被覆盖变化的影响

为探究植被覆盖变化及人类活动对改善关中地区及西北地区的生态环境影响,利用植被覆盖和地表温度数据,结合Sen趋势与Mann-Kendall检验分析关中-天水经济区2001—2016年的植被覆盖变化趋势,并根据估算的土壤湿度因子,应用残差法评价人类活动对植被覆盖变化的影响程度及影响方向。结果表明:1)从时间变化维度来看,2001—2016年关中-天水经济区植被覆盖变化总体呈良好趋势,且整体表现为在不断波动中递增,表明关天经济区进行的生态环境建设工程正在慢慢凸显它的生态效应。2)从空间变化维度来看,关中-天水经济区植被覆盖显著增长的区域面积占35.87%,主要集中在研究区南北两侧。而显著下降的面积区域占3.21%,主要分布在城市中心,即经济发展活跃的地区,如西安市区,宝鸡市区,天水市区,铜川市区等。3)关中-天水经济区植被覆盖受自然因素影响较小,受其他因素影响大。其正相关区域占13.43%,不显著相关区域占85.26%。4)关中-天水经济区人类活动对植被覆盖变化的正作用大于负作用。其中,正作用区域主要分布在研究区北部和东南地区,其主要原因是人类活动不频繁,建设生态屏障、加强退耕还林、三北防护林保护以及水土保持等生态工程促进植被NDVI增长。负作用区域主要分布在渭河沿线、经济活动较高地区,其主要原因有:人类活动频繁、过度城市化、工业化等抑制植被生长。5)植被覆盖的增长和下降区域与人类活动对植被影响的正作用和负作用区域大致相同。这也从侧面反映了关天经济区植被覆盖情况受人类活动影响大。总之,在负作用区域,在经济建设发展的同时也要注重植被建设、以及对植被乃至生态环境的保护。     

基于土地保障功能的贵州省土地整治社会效益分析

从社会保障功能角度构建土地整治项目社会效益测算模型,采用典型土地整治案例相关资料和研究区经济社会统计数据进行实证,并对不同区域、不同土地整治类型的单位建设规模社会效益与投资社会效益系数差异2个社会效益指标变化趋势进行研究,结果表明:1)4种类型土地整治项目产生的效益差异较为显著,单位建设规模社会效益表现为农村建设用地整理宜耕后备土地资源开发农用地整理土地复垦;投资社会效益系数表现为宜耕后备土地资源开发农用地整理农村建设用地整理土地复垦。2)单位建设规模社会效益与投资社会效益系数差异较为显著,但总体变化趋势趋同。3)4种土地整治类型社会效益表现出区域差异,总体上呈西部和北部好于东部和南部。基于商业保险的标准表征土地保障能力的测算模型能较好实现各类土地整治项目的社会效益测算,克服传统以打分或定性分析为主的土地整治社会效益评价的不足,并可直观地反映土地整治社会效益实现程度。     

家畜环境卫生学课程线上教学模式的研究

随着互联网信息技术发展和智能手机的普及,顺应时代发展的需要,线上教学成为未来高校教学活动开展一种必然途径。本文基于学习通和QQ群课堂平台构建了家畜环境卫生学课程的教学设计方案,并详细介绍了教学活动的实施办法,分析了线上教学面临的困难,并提出了相应对策,以期为高等学校线上教学改革提供参考。     

长武塬区苹果园和农田相互转换的深层土壤水环境效应

研究长武塬区苹果园和农田相互转换后0~1 000 cm土壤含水量特征，分析了苹果园土壤干燥化和苹果园转换为农田后土壤水分的恢复效应。结果表明：2、7、17、23、29 a苹果园200~1 000 cm的平均土壤含水量分别为22.8%、21.4%、16.8%、15.4%、14.9%。500~1 000 cm土层中，29 a苹果园平均土壤含水量（14.5%）高于23 a的果园（13.3%）；17~29 a的苹果园均表现为轻度干燥化；基于苹果园和农田转换后土壤水分变化情况估算，苹果园最大种植年限为21 a。苹果园转换为农田1、5、10 a后，农田200~1 000 cm土层土壤含水量分别为：15.3%、15.7%和16.2%，恢复到土壤稳定湿度以上的土层厚度分别为140 cm（1 a）、220 cm（5 a）和400 cm（10 a）。     

Soil protection for a sustainable future: options for a soil monitoring network for Ireland

The increased recognition of the importance of soil is reflected in the UN Post‐2015 Development Agenda with sustainable development goals that directly and indirectly relate to soil quality and protection. Despite a lack of legally binding legislation for soil protection, the European Commission remains committed to the objective of soil protection. However, the achievement of a legally binding framework for soil protection relies on the implementation of a soil monitoring network (SMN) that can detect changes to soil quality over time. As beneficiaries do not pay for the provision of soil information, the options for soil monitoring are limited. The use of existing data sets should be considered first. Using Ireland as an example, this research explored the opportunities for a SMN for Ireland considering three existing national data sets. The options for a SMN are considered in terms of their spatial and stratified distribution, the parameters to be measured and an economic analysis of the options proposed. This research finds that for Ireland, either a 10 or a 16 km² grid interval stratified by land use and drainage class offers the best potential in relation to the spatial distribution of existing data sets to reflect local data at a national level. With existing data, the stratified SIS data using the 16 km² grid offers the best value for money, with baseline costs for analysis, excluding field costs, of between €706 481 and €2.8 million. Acknowledging the impossibility of measuring all parameters with ideal frequency, this study proposes a two‐tier system for optimized monitoring frequency. Parameters must anticipate future policy requirements. Finally, the implementation of a SMN must be accompanied by standardized methods, defined thresholds and action mandates to maintain soil quality within allowable limits.