Relationship Between Postural Stability and Paraspinal Muscle Adaptation in Lame Horses Undergoing Rehabilitation

Postural stability maintains balance, protects the spinal column, and allows accurate responses to destabilizing forces. The musculus multifidus (m. multifidus) is the major postural muscle located adjacent to the vertebrae along the length of the spinal column. Increased cross-sectional area (CSA) of the m. multifidus has been demonstrated in horses after a rehabilitation strengthening exercise program; however, correlation with functional postural stability has not been shown. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the relationship of the thoracolumbar m. multifidus CSA and measures of postural sway performance in lame horses undergoing rehabilitation exercises in clinical cases. Seven client-owned horses admitted to the equine rehabilitation service were included in the study. M. multifidus CSA was measured via ultrasonography at the start of a rehabilitation program (initial evaluation) and after 12 weeks of rehabilitation exercises (final evaluation). Postural sway data were also measured at initial and final evaluation. A significant increase in m. multifidus CSA was seen from initial to final evaluation. A moderate to strong correlation was present between m. multifidus CSA and postural sway variables. These results suggest that there is an association between postural stability and m. multifidus hypertrophy in lame horses undergoing individualized rehabilitation programs. However, more research is needed to provide a definitive answer on the nature of this relationship. Ideally, specific performance tests would better define and examine the relationship in which to guide clinicians in rehabilitation protocol development.     

不同生态环境下甘蔗组合的生长表现和适应性

以2017—2018年组配的119个甘蔗组合为材料,分别在广西的南宁、崇左、来宾同时开展组合评价试验,基于锤重性状进行联合方差分析和遗传参数估计,并采用回归分析和AMMI模型对组合进行稳定性分析。结果表明:不同的组合、环境及组合与环境互作在锤重间的差异均达到了极显著水平(P0.01);3个试验点锤重的广义遗传率均属于中等偏低水平;崇左、来宾试验点的锤重变异系数较大,南宁试验点的锤重变异系数较小;643、404、575、972、636、144、YC95、1470、755、409、701、832、YC37、579等组合表现出高产、稳产和适应性广的特性;结合锤重和组合入选率综合分析,组合449、YC127、796、YC44、533、570、YC123、391、546、403、YC90、252在南宁试验点的表现为锤重和组合入选率较高;组合643、212、YC61、432、903、YC95、YC44、368、YC83、YC127、YC112、701、411、YC90、YC123在崇左试验点的表现为锤重和组合入选率较高;组合643、404、449、144、403、YC48在来宾试验点的表现为锤重和组合入选率较高。     

履带拖拉机旋耕机组稳定性仿真分析与试验

针对履带拖拉机旋耕机组在坡道上行驶稳定性问题,利用SolidWorks三维软件建立某型履带拖拉机车体和旋耕机组的三维模型,在多体动力学软件Recurdyn/Track(LM)中建立履带行走装置模型,并建立整机静态稳定性数学模型。针对多体动力学软件Recurdyn/ground模块提供的3种土质路面进行整机稳定性的仿真分析。仿真结果表明,整机在黏土、砂壤土及干沙土最大爬坡角度分别为31°、23°和18°,在黏土、砂壤土的爬坡稳定性高于干沙土;整机在黏土的侧向坡道沿等高线行驶时,土壤附着能力大于砂壤土和干砂土,速度波动最小。最后进行了爬坡稳定性的试验验证。该研究为履带拖拉机旋耕机组行驶稳定性提供重要参考。     

木薯有性四倍体遗传稳定性分析

木薯作为中国重要的经济作物,其优良品种的选育一直是木薯科研工作的重点,而多倍体的巨型性特点为其育种提供了新的思路,目前多倍体研究大多是体细胞加倍,有性多倍化研究起步较晚,而本课题组通过2n配子有性活体杂交,成功获得了首例木薯有性四倍体植株。为了研究木薯有性四倍体的遗传稳定性,本研究分别采用:田间的农艺性状观测(生长稳定期)、流式细胞术、叶片染色体计数、蛋白质含量测定/蛋白质聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳以及淀粉含量测定等方法进行鉴定。结果显示:木薯有性四倍体各株系农艺性状均保持了母株器官巨型性的多倍体特征;流式细胞仪分析显示,木薯有性四倍体各株系叶片DNA含量均为二倍体亲本(SC5)的两倍,相对应的叶片染色体数目也为二倍体亲本(SC5)的两倍,且视野中四倍体细胞所占比例均在90%以上;各株系蛋白质含量均小于二倍体对照组,且有性多倍体株系电泳谱带基本相似;在淀粉含量测定中,其各株系淀粉含量均小于对照组,且各株系之间含量波动较小。本研究结果表明木薯有性四倍体植株具有较好的遗传稳定性,对木薯多倍体品种的选育具有重要意义。     

木材及木基材料吸湿尺寸稳定性检测方法研究

为实现木材及木基材料吸湿尺寸稳定性横向比较,规范其检测方法,依据现有相关检测标准,借鉴日本工业木材吸湿尺寸稳定性检测方法,结合木质材料特性以及我国的具体情况,提出一种木材及木基材料吸湿尺寸稳定性的检测方法,即以温度20℃、相对湿度65%条件下的材料尺寸为基准,测定在温度40℃、相对湿度为75%和90%的两种吸湿环境条件下的材料尺寸变化。通过该方法对柚木、印茄木、朴木3种不同尺寸的木材和对多层材料、高密度纤维板、普通刨花板3种木基材料的吸湿尺寸稳定性进行测定,以评价该方法的适用性和可行性。结果表明:木材与木基材料试样不超过12 d即可达到吸湿平衡,不同材料尺寸变化率、湿胀系数的大小关系也与实际情况一致。因此木材与木基材料试样均适于用该方法。     

Agronomic performance of winter wheat grown under highly divergent soil moisture conditions in rainfed and water‐managed environments

Even in the temperate climates of Europe, increasing early season drought and rising air temperature are presenting new challenges to farmers and wheat breeders. Sixteen winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes consisting of three hybrids, six line cultivars and two breeding lines from Germany as well as five line cultivars from France, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and the Ukraine (referred to as “exotic” lines) have been included in this study. The genetic materials were evaluated over three growing seasons under a range of soil moisture regimes at the three North German sites Braunschweig (irrigated and drought‐stressed), Warmse (rainfed) and Söllingen (rainfed). The average grain yields in the twelve growth environments (water regime × season combinations) ranged from 6.1 to 13.5 t ha^?1. The exotic lines showed little evidence of specific phenological adaptation to drought although they are frequently faced with water scarcity in their countries of origin. The hybrids and German lines exhibited higher regression coefficients (b_i) to environmental means than the exotic lines, indicating particular adaptation to favourable growing conditions. The phenotypical correlations of grain yield between the various environments were high, ranging for instance from 0.6 to 0.8 for the irrigated and drought‐stressed environments at Braunschweig. It is thus expected that in the foreseeable future continued selection aiming at high yield potential will suffice as a means to counter the expected increase in droughts.     

长期继代培养的转基因苹果外源基因遗传及表达稳定性分析

为研究长期继代培养的转基因苹果组培苗中外源基因的遗传及表达稳定性，以继代培养9年的7个转GFP(绿色荧光蛋白)基因苹果株系组培苗为试材，分析转基因株系对Kan(卡那霉素)的抗性、DNA水平、转录水平和转录后水平GFP基因的遗传及表达稳定性。结果表明，在7个苹果转基因株系组培苗中均可检测出GFP特异基因片段，并且均可在含有50 mg/L卡那霉素的培养基上正常生长；绝对定量qRT-PCR检测发现，各转化株系GFP基因拷贝数并不相同；利用相对定量qRT-PCR法检测发现7个株系中GFP基因 mRNA表达量有明显差异，同时荧光显微镜下观察各转化株系叶片，绿色荧光强度有明显差异，利用SPSS软件对7个转基因株系中GFP基因拷贝数与GFP mRNA表达量相关性分析结果呈无显著相关性。以上结果表明，外源基因可以在长期继代培养的转基因苹果组培苗中保持其遗传稳定性，但不同转化株系中外源基因的表达量有显著差异，其表达量与拷贝数无显著相关，可能与外源基因在植物基因组中的插入位点有关。     

Oxidative Stability of Common Kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris caspia) Oil Supplemented with Microwave Extracted Ghure (Unripe Grape) Marc Extract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of microwave extracted Ghure (unripe grape) marc extract on common kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris caspia) oil oxidation during accelerated storage. The antioxidant activity of Ghure marc extract was compared with those of α-tocopherol and BHT. The Ghure marc extract significantly reduced the peroxide and p-anisidine value of kilka oil. Even though the effect of Ghure marc extract on reducing the oxidation of kilka oil was similar to the effect of BHT, it was functionally more effective than α-tocopherol. Generally, Ghure marc extract could be considered as a potential source of natural antioxidants, with inexpensive costs, for improving the oxidative stability of kilka oil.

Abbreviations: AA, Antioxidant activity; AOP, Antioxidant power; AV, p-Anisidine value; CUPRAC, Cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity; DHA, Docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, Eicosapentaenoic acid; FIC, Ferrous ion chelating; GME, Ghure marc extract; FRAP, Ferrous ion reducing antioxidant power; KO, Kilka oil; IP, Induction period; MAE, Microwave-assisted extraction; MUFA, Monounsaturated fatty acid; PUFA, Polyunsaturated fatty acid; PV, peroxide value; PF, Protection factor; RSA, Radical scavenging activity; SFA, Saturated fatty acids; TFC, Total flavonoid content; TPC, total phenolic content TV, totox value.     

Soil aggregation and the stabilization of organic carbon as affected by erosion and deposition

The importance of soil aggregation in determining the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) during erosion, transportation and deposition is poorly understood. Particularly, we do not know how aggregation contributes to the often-observed accumulation of SOC at depositional sites. Our objective was to assess how aggregation affects SOC stabilization in comparison to interactions of SOC with minerals. We determined and compared aggregate size distributions, SOC distribution in density fractions, and lignin-derived phenols from aggregated soil samples at both eroding and depositional sites. The stabilization effect of aggregation was quantified by comparing mineralization from intact and crushed macro-aggregates. Deposition of eroded soil material resulted in carbon (C) enrichment throughout the soil profile. Both macro-aggregate associated SOC and C associated with minerals (heavy fraction) increased in their importance from the eroding to the depositional site. In the uppermost topsoil (0–5 cm), SOC mineralization from intact aggregates was larger at the depositional site than at the eroding site, reflecting the large input of labile organic matter (plant residues) promoting aggregation. Contrastingly, in the subsoil, mineralization rates were lower at the depositional site because of effective stabilization by interactions with soil minerals. Aggregate crushing increased SOC mineralization by 10–80% at the eroding site, but not at the depositional site. The content of lignin-derived phenols did not differ between eroding and depositional sites in the topsoil (24.6–30.9 mg per g C) but was larger in the subsoil of the eroding site, which was accompanied by higher lignin oxidation. Lignin data indicated minor effects of soil erosion and deposition on the composition of SOC. We conclude that SOC is better protected in aggregates at the eroding than at the depositional site. During transport disaggregation and consequently SOC mineralization took place, while at the depositional site re-aggregation occurred mainly in the form of macro-aggregates. However, this macro-aggregation did not result in a direct stabilization of SOC. We propose that the occlusion of C inside aggregates serves as a pathway for the eroded C to be later stabilized by organo-mineral interaction.     

Influence of basin‐based conservation agriculture on selected soil quality parameters under smallholder farming in Zimbabwe

The research was carried out to determine the effect of basin‐based conservation agriculture (CA) on selected soil quality parameters. Paired plots (0.01 ha) of CA and conventional tillage based on the animal‐drawn mouldboard plough (CONV) were established between 2004 and 2007 on farm fields on soils with either low (12–18% – sandy loams and sandy clay loams) or high clay levels (>18–46% – sandy clays and clays) as part of an ongoing project promoting CA in six districts in the smallholder farming areas of Zimbabwe. We hypothesized that CA would improve soil organic carbon (SOC), bulk density, aggregate stability, soil moisture retention and infiltration rate. Soil samples for SOC and aggregate stability were taken from 0 to 15 cm depth and for bulk density and soil moisture retention from 0 to 5, 5 to 10 and 10 to 15 cm depths in 2011 from maize plots. Larger SOC contents, SOC stocks and improved aggregate stability, decreased bulk density, increased pore volume and moisture retention were observed in CA treatments. Results were consistent with the hypothesis, and we conclude that CA improves soil quality under smallholder farming. Benefits were, however, greater in high clay soils, which is relevant to the targeting of practices on smallholder farming areas of sub‐Saharan Africa.