Species Composition,Diversity and Productivity of Homesteads in Southeastern Bangladesh

A homestead is an integrated production system where trees, crops, livestock and poultry are found in and around the household residence in Bangladesh. It is a potential production unit that provides various product, service and ecological functions. Almost all people in Bangladesh including landless households have homesteads in which they grow trees and crops even in a small piece of land. This study characterizes the species composition, diversity and productivity of the homestead production system in the Teknaf peninsula, southeastern Bangladesh. Survey data collection was from a total of 180 homesteads covering five household categories: large, medium, small, marginal and landless. Vegetable, fruit, timber, and livestock and poultry were common components in the homestead production system. Various types of plants were mainly concentrated in back yards, front yards, boundaries and corners of homesteads. The mean number of tree species per homestead was about 15. In total, 189 tree and shrub species were recorded, and were distinctly high and low in the large (363.7) and landless (55.7) household categories. Species composition, diversity and productivity of homesteads were found to be related to household categories. Richness and diversity of tree and shrub species increased with household size. Betel nut was the dominant tree species followed by mango, jackfruit and coconut. Annual income from homesteads also varied among the household categories, with a mean contribution of the homestead to annual income of about 25 %. A large portion of homestead income came from betel nut trees. There is scope to increase species diversity and income by designing homesteads with the engagement of women and other family members.     

Analysis of the nitrogen pollution load potential from farmland in the Tedori River Alluvial Fan Areas in Japan

A nitrogen balance study was carried out by setting up a test paddy in order to estimate the nitrogen pollution load potential (NPLP) from farmland in the Tedori River Alluvial Fan Areas and the load from the entire area under consideration was estimated using the cropping record and fertilizer application rate (FAR). The total NPLP was estimated to be 261 tons/year and the load from the paddy 79 tons/year for 5,704 ha, which would translate to an intensity of 14 kg/ha, while the load from the vegetable field was estimated to be 118 tons/year for 215 ha, which would equate to an intensity of 549 kg/ha. The pollution loads for the vegetables were significantly greater than those for the rice. The load for the barley was 57 tons/year for 261 ha (216 kg/ha) and that for the orchards was 23 tons/year for 64 ha (359 kg/ha). The estimation of soybean load was a negative 15 tons/year for 717 ha (−21 kg/ha), which meant that the nitrogen in the yield was greater than the FAR. The results also confirmed the yield absorption ratio in relation to the FAR. The load from the paddy for the entire area was also estimated using the percolation rate and the water quality load underneath the farmland was estimated to be 89 tons/year.     

Metabolic discrimination of mango juice from various cultivars by band-selective NMR spectroscopy

NMR-based metabolic analysis of foods has been widely applied in food science. In this study, we performed discrimination of five different mango cultivars, Awin, Carabao, Keitt, Kent, and Nam Dok Mai, using metabolic analysis with band-selective excitation NMR spectra. A combination of unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) with low-field region (1)H NMR spectra obtained by band-selective excitation provided a good discriminant model of the five mango cultivars. Using F(2)-selective 2D NMR spectra, we also identified various minor components in the mango juice. Signal assignment of the minor components facilitated the interpretation of the loading plot, and it was found that arginine, histidine, phenylalanine, glutamine, shikimic acid, and trigonelline were important for classification of the five mango cultivars.     

Clinical and histopathological evaluation of Dermatophagoides farinae-induced dermatitis in NC/Nga mice orally administered Bacillus subtilis

Probiotic strains have been reported to have the ability to control allergic and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we studied the inhibitory effect of Bacillus subtilis (natto) (BS) on atopic dermatitis. The effects of continuous oral administration of BS for 4 weeks on the development of atopic dermatitis induced by Dermatophagoides farinae body antigen (DF) in NC/Nga (NC) mice were evaluated using 4 groups of mice: group (Gp) DF, DF(+) with no administration of bacteria (n=3); Gp DF/BS, DF(+) and BS(+) (n=5); and Gp PBS, DF(-) with no administration of bacteria (n=3). The mice were gavaged with 1.2 × 10(17) CFU/head of BS 6 times a week for 4 weeks, and DF was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. Histopathological examination revealed significant differences in auricular thickness between Gp DF (664.4 μm, SD=78.0) and Gp DF/BS (278.7 μm, SD = 88.8; p<0.01). The dorsal skin of Gp DF/BS (316.7 μm, SD=187.4) was significantly thinner than that of Gp DF (503 μm, SD=116.3). These results suggest that continuous oral administration of fermented food-derived bacteria (BS) can be effective in alleviating the development of skin lesions induced by DF in NC mice.     

Effect of fluorescent mercury light irradiation on in vitro and in vivo development of mouse oocytes after parthenogenetic activation or sperm microinjection

The detection of specific cellular components using fluorescent agents such as green fluorescent protein (GFP), red fluorescent protein or Hoechst dyes provides a powerful tool for studying cell biology. However, specimens must be exposed to high-intensity light, which might cause cellular damage. Here, we exposed mouse metaphase stage (M) II oocytes to fluorescent mercury vapor light at three wavelengths (539 nm, 488 nm and 341 nm) to determine the maximum exposure time that would avoid damage. When oocytes were activated parthenogenetically after exposure to these wavelengths for more than 20 min, 5 min or 4 sec, respectively, the percentages of dead oocytes after activation increased, and none of the surviving embryos developed to blastocysts. However, embryos fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were more tolerant to light damage, even though the quality of blastocysts, judged by cell number and cell allocation to the inner cell mass and trophectoderm measured by immunostaining for Oct4 and Cdx2, was reduced as exposure times increased. Live, healthy offspring were obtained when these exposed embryos were transferred into recipient pseudopregnant females at the 2-cell stage. In addition, MII oocytes collected from GFP-expressing transgenic mice after 5 min of irradiation with 488-nm light were also able to develop to full term following ICSI. Thus, we determined the safe period of exposure to several wavelengths for oocyte manipulation or observation that would permit subsequent development.     

Nitrocapsanthin and nitrofucoxanthin, respective products of capsanthin and fucoxanthin reaction with peroxynitrite

The in vitro reactivity of capsanthin (1) and fucoxanthin (2) with peroxynitrite was investigated, and the reaction products produced by scavenging with peroxynitrite were analyzed. (14'Z)-Nitrocapsanthin (3) and 12-nitrocapsanthin (4) were isolated from the products of the reaction of capsanthin with peroxynitrite. Similarly, (14Z)-15-nitrofucoxanthin (5), (11Z)-11-nitrofucoxanthin (6), and (14Z,9'Z)-15-nitrofucoxanthin (7) were obtained from the reaction of peroxynitrite reaction with fucoxanthin. Capsanthin and fucoxanthin inhibited the nitration of tyrosine by peroxynitrite. Furthermore, nitrocapsanthins (3 and 4) and nitrofucoxanthins (5 and 6) exhibited an inhibitory effect on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation in Raji cells and an antiproliferative effect on human pancreatic carcinoma. Moreover, nitrocapsanthins (3 and 4) inhibited carcinogensis of mouse skin tumors initiated by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBN).     

区域地下水位插值的整体-局部组合方法

利用趋势面分析法进行空间插值时估值趋势面光滑,对局部数据起伏较大的区域插值精度不理想。针对这一问题,该文基于非平稳地下水位数据,在用趋势面分析法进行空间插值的基础上,运用Yamamoto提出的修正的普通克里金法对区域残差进行了空间插值。将趋势面分析法的估计值与残差估计值相加,得到区域地下水位的空间分布规律。结果表明,采用这种整体与局部结合的组合插值方法,地下水位插值的结果比趋势面分析结果更接近实际情况,在保证全局最优的同时较好地解决了估值趋势面光滑、局部插值精度低的问题,更能真实地反映区域地下水位空间分布特征。     

Inferring phenotypic causal structure among farrowing and weaning traits in pigs

Direct selection for litter size or weight at weaning in pigs is often hindered by external interventions such as cross‐fostering. The objective of this study was to infer the causal structure among phenotypes of reproductive traits in pigs to enable subsequent direct selection for these traits. Examined traits included: number born alive (NBA), litter size on day 21 (LS21), and litter weight on day 21 (LW21). The study included 6,240 litters from 1,673 Landrace dams and 5,393 litters from 1,484 Large White dams. The inductive causation (IC) algorithm was used to infer the causal structure, which was then fitted to a structural equation model (SEM) to estimate causal coefficients and genetic parameters. Based on the IC algorithm and temporal and biological information, the causal structure among traits was identified as: NBA → LS21 → LW21 and NBA → LW21. Owing to the causal effect of NBA on LS21 and LW21, the genetic, permanent environmental, and residual variances of LS21 and LW21were much lower in the SEM than in the multiple‐trait model for both breeds. Given the strong effect of NBA on LS21 and LW21, the SEM and causal information might assist with selective breeding for LS21 and LW21 when cross‐fostering occurs.     

Improvement of preservation method for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria by freeze-drying

Long-term preservation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria had been achieved until now by using the silica gel-freezing method. Recently, the freeze-drying method for the preservation of microorganisms has been widely used, and has been applied to the preservation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. The 10% skim milk-l% pyruvate or glutamate ratio was optimum as a dispersion-medium, and the preservation temperature of the freeze-dried cells was effective at -80°C. This method of preservation was found to be considerably more effective than the silica gel-freezing method.     

Nutrient leaching from the plow layer by water percolation and accumulation in the subsoil in an irrigated paddy field

To estimate the impact of water percolation on the nutrient status in paddy fields, the seasonal variations of the concentrations of cations, anions, inorganic carbon (IC), and of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in percolating water that was collected from just below the plow layer (PW-13) and from drainage pipes at the 40 em depth (PW-40), as well as in irrigation water were measured in an irrigated paddy field. Total amounts of Ca, Mg, K, Fe, and Mn leached from PW-13 during the period of rice cultivation were estimated to range from about 390 to 770, 65 to 130, 33 to 66, 340 to 680, and 44 to 87 kg ha^-1, respectively. Amounts of losses that were estimated from the differences between the input by irrigation water and the output by percolation water from the plow layer corresponded to 11 to 26, 22 to 47,5.9 to 12, and 13 to 26% of exchangeable Ca and Mg, amorphous Fe, and easily reducible Mn in the plow layer, respectively. The concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, Fe, and Mn in PW13 were higher than those in PW-40. The amounts of these nutrients that were retained in the subsoil between the 13 em and 40 em soil depth corresponded to 83, 86, 61, 99, and 89% of the amounts that percolated from the plow layer, respectively. Total amounts of IC and DOC that percolated from the plow layer ranged from 750 to 1,500 and 85 to 170 kg-C ha^-1, which corresponded to 5.0 to 10.0% and 0.6 to 1.1% of the total carbon content in the plow layer, respectively. Eighty eight % of IC in the percolating water from the plow layer was also retained in the subsoil.