Rapid methods allowing for non-destructive crop monitoring are imperative for accurate in-season nitrogen (N) status assessment and precision N management. The objectives of this paper were to (1) compare the performance of a leaf fluorescence sensor Dualex 4 and an active canopy reflectance sensor Crop Circle ACS-430 for estimating maize (Zea mays L.) N status indicators across growth stages; (2) evaluate the potential of N status prediction across growth stages using the reflectance parameters acquired from the canopy sensor at an early growth stage; and, (3) investigate the prospect of combining the active canopy sensor and leaf fluorescence sensor data to estimate N nutrition index (NNI) indirectly using a general model across growth stages. The results indicated that data from both sensors were closely related to NNI across stages. However, using the direct NNI estimation method, among the tested indices, only the N balance index (NBI) could diagnose N status satisfactorily, based on the Kappa statistics. The effect of growth stages on proximal sensing was reduced by incorporating the information of days after sowing. It was found that the leaf fluorescence sensor performed relatively better in estimating plant N concentration whereas the canopy reflectance sensor performed better in aboveground biomass estimation. Their combination significantly improved the reliability of N diagnosis, including NNI prediction. In addition, the study confirmed that N status can be assessed by predicting aboveground biomass at the later stages using the canopy reflectance measurements at an early stage. Furthermore, the integrated NBI was verified to be a more robust and sensitive N status indicator than the chlorophyll concentration index. It is concluded that combining active canopy sensor data, of an early growth stage (e.g. V8), with leaf fluorescence sensor data, modified using days after sowing, can improve the accuracy of corn N status diagnosis across growth stages.
This article highlights the practical impact of our 2018 Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems publication, ‘Importance of peripheral basins: Implications for the conservation of fish assemblages’, which described fish communities in a Polish river.
Data on the fish assemblages of the Dniester River (Black Sea basin) are scarce; however, evidence indicates that the assemblages have declined. In our 2018 study, we hypothesized that the peripheral basin (the small basin on the edge) of the larger Upper Dniester River basin (the Strwi?? River) could maintain good ecological status and contained unique fish assemblages.
To examine the influence of historical factors and assess the role of peripheral basins on fish conservation, data from the Strwi?? basin were compared with the adjacent but unconnected Wiar basin (the Vistula basin; Baltic Sea basin). The Strwi?? River fish assemblages featured higher species richness and a greater number of native Ponto–Caspian species that function near the edge of their ranges.
This article focuses on four impacts of the 2018 publication: increasing awareness by various groups and organizations of the unique character of the surveyed river basin; highlighting important issues in assessing the ecological status of European rivers; driving the red‐listing of species and the development of stream fish conservation strategies; and identifying possible future impacts.
Our 2018 publication demonstrated the value of studying peripheral basins, which may affect conservation strategy development and encourage study of the importance of other peripheral basins and their role in aquatic resources conservation. Our article influenced the interpretation of fish‐based biotic indices and the conduct of monitoring work and its evaluation. It also strongly emphasized the native origin of the racer goby (Babka gymnotrachelus) in the Strwi?? River, which was important for subsequent works seeking to change the legal status of the species in Poland.
Numerous subclinical diseases in sheep occur in the periparturient period and involve inflammatory processes; therefore, determining markers, such as acute-phase proteins (APPs), can allow an early diagnosis. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess changes in the plasma concentration of APPs and cortisol in clinically healthy ewes in the periparturient period for use in future studies. At the same time, haematological parameters were monitored. We showed that plasma APPs and cortisol concentrations were significantly higher in pregnant ewes than before insemination. A gradual increase in the SAA concentration was observed from the 14th day before to the day of parturition, while Hp was reduced from 2 weeks before up to 2 weeks after delivery. A significant increase in the Fb concentration was detected from the 14th day before to the 1st week after delivery. The cortisol concentration did not undergo significant changes in the periparturient period. We found an increase in the SAA and Fb concentrations and decrease in Hp in the periparturient period. The direction of the change in APPs of healthy ewes in the current study may be related to their distinct regulatory mechanisms during pregnancy. The APPs are usually altered during infection, inflammation, neoplasia, stress and trauma; therefore, knowing their reference values could help lead to an early diagnosis of subclinical forms of some diseases and pregnancy complications in ewes. The haematological analysis showed that ewes in late pregnancy and postpartum compared to dry period were under metabolic stress related to pregnancy and lactation. 相似文献
Unprocessed pomace containing 61% of dietary fiber (DF) and 0.23% of polyphenols (PP) and ethanol- or ethanol/acetone-extracted pomaces containing 66% DF and 0.10% PP and 67% DF and 0.01% PP, respectively, were subjected to a 4 week study in rats. The aim of the study was assessing the advantages of dietary supplementation with the above pomaces. To measure the animal response to dietary treatments, parameters describing cecal fermentation and lipoprotein profile were assessed. The dietary use of 5% unprocessed pomace caused an increase in cecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and a decrease in blood triacylglycerols, leading to a drop in serum atherogenic index. Ethanol-extracted pomace increased the glycolytic activity of cecal microbiota and decreased cecal branched-chain fatty acid production, whereas acetone extraction led to lower cecal ammonia concentration, decreased colonic pH value, and higher HDL/total cholesterol ratio. The variations in the atherogenic index indicate flavonoids as the key pomace component in relation to blood lipid profile benefits. 相似文献
Altogether 445 bats, representing nine species, caught during swarming in the Lodowa Cave in Mount Ciemniak, Western Tatra Mountains, southern Poland, were examined for ectoparasitic mites. In total, 259 spinturnicid (Spinturnix mystacina, S. andegavinus, S. kolenatii, S. plecotinus and S. myoti) and 95 argasid (Carios vespertilionis) mites were collected from seven bat species, Myotis myotis, M. mystacinus, M. brandtii, M. daubentonii, Eptesicus nilssonii, Plecotus auritus, and Vespertilio murinus. There were sex-based differences in the prevalence of mites in some hosts but no differences in their mean intensity and there was no observed relationship between the number of mites and the condition of the bats. The prevalence of mites differed significantly between years in E. nilssonii. The results suggested a very low mite load on swarming bats that had no impact on the body condition of bats. 相似文献
Ovarian fragments from both primed (gonadotrophin treated) and unprimed female carp were incubated either with or without carp hypophysial homogenate and steroid hormone production measured. In incubations without hypophysial homogenate, production of all the steroids measured was either very low or nondetectable and there was no significant difference between tissue from primed and unprimed fish. In the presence of carp hypophysial homogenate a very significant increase in production of testosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone glucuronide was observed, but there was no significant difference between primed and unprimed fish. 17,20-Dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20P) was not stimulated by carp hypophysial homogenatein vitro in ovaries from unprimed fish, but a very significant increase in production of this hormone was observed in tissue from fish which had received a priming dose of pituitary hormone. It is suggested that the priming dose of pituitary extract used in the normal hypophysation procedure to induce ovulation in teleosts initiates the potential for synthesis of 17,20P in response to later gonadotrophin challenge, and that this initiation may be related to the migration of the germinal vesicle.A preliminary account of these results was presented at the Fish Culture Conference, Barcelona, August 1985 (Kime and Bieniarz 1985). 相似文献
Testosterone, 3,17-dihydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one, 17,20-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20P) and 5-pregnane-3,17,20-triol were identified as the major metabolites of [3H] 17-hydroxyprogesterone in ovarian incubations of the European catfish Silurus glanis. 17,20P and the reduced triol were present only in ovaries from fish primed with carp hypophysial homogenate (chh) while testosterone yields were significantly higher in controls than in treated fish. 11-Ketotestosterone, 11-hydroxytestosterone and 17,20-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20P) were identified as the major metabolites of [3H]17-hydroxyprogesterone in in vitro incubations of testes of a spermiating catfish. There was no significant production of conjugates or other water soluble metabolites by either sex. The stimulation of plasma 17,20P, 17,20P and 11-hydroxytestosterone by chh in primed but not control males suggests that the role of these steroids in spermiation should be further examined. 相似文献
In recent years, there has been an ever-increasing interest in the research of polyphenols obtained from dietary sources, and their antioxidative properties. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of boiling buckwheat and barley groats on the antioxidant properties and dietary fiber composition. Antioxidative properties were investigated using methyl linoleate model system, by assessing the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and metal chelating activity. The results were compared with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Raw barley and buckwheat groats extracts showed higher DPPH scavenging ability compared to boiled barley and buckwheat groats extracts. Raw barley groats extract exhibited higher antioxidant activity than boiled groats extract in the methyl linoleate emulsion. Higher chelating ability in relation to Fe (II) ions was observed for boiled groats extracts as compared to raw groats extracts. BHT showed small antiradical activity and metal chelating activity, while showing higher antioxidative activity in emulsion system. The analysis of groats extracts using HPLC method showed the presence of rutin, catechin, quercetin, gallic, p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric, o-coumaric, vanillic, sinapic, and ferulic acids. Differences in the content of dietary fiber and its fractions were observed in the examined products. The highest total dietary fiber content was detected in boiled buckwheat groats, while the lowest - in boiled barley groats. The scientific achievements of this research could help consumers to choose those cereal products available on the market, such as barley and buckwheat groats, which are a rich source of antioxidative compounds and dietary fiber. 相似文献
The adsorption process is one of the most important techniques of water and wastewater treatment technology. Therefore, there are many methods allowing to improve the effectiveness of these processes based mainly on the chemical modification of adsorbents. However, they are always associated with the necessity of introducing an additional wastes or sewage to the environment. That is why a purpose of the presented was to investigate an innovative and noninvasive adsorption supporting method based on the using of a static magnetic field. The results showed that in the adsorption process of equimolar copper, nickel, and cadmium mixture, a presence of the magnetic field may increase the effectiveness of the process, with respect to copper by more than 40% and a summary molar removal was increased about 11%. However, the effectiveness of the analyzed modification depends largely on the heavy metal equilibrium concentration, and when it increases, a beneficial effect of magnetic field significantly decreases. Nevertheless, due to the fact that heavy metal adsorption processes are very important part of environmental engineering technologies, it can be assumed that further work on magnetic modification of these processes can allow for a significant improvement of many water and wastewater purification plants.
