Evaluation of Brix Refractometry for the Estimation of Colostrum Quality in Jennies

Donkey placenta does not allow the passage of immunoglobulins; thus, foals are born hypogammaglobulinemic and an adequate intake of high-quality colostrum in the first 24 hours of life is crucial for the surviving. The study aims to assess the relation between colostrum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration evaluated by the single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) test and the Brix refractometer in donkeys to establish a cutoff value for high quality of colostrum based on Brix refractometry. Colostrum was collected at foaling, and at 6, 12, and 24 hours after foaling from the left and the right half of nine Amiata jennies. A total of 72 colostrum samples were analyzed. A Friedman test with a Dunn’s test for multiple comparisons was used for assessing the differences between the left and right half at each sampling time. No differences were found between the left and right halves; the average value was used to analyze the effect of sampling time on the IgG concentrations and Brix values. The relationship between colostrum IgG concentrations (SRID test) versus Brix value and Brix value versus time was analyzed using two different mixed linear models. A strong statistically significant relation has been found between IgG concentrations and Brix values (R² = 0.84). The relation between IgG concentrations and Brix refractometer showed a cutoff point of 17% Brix score for the identification of high-quality colostrum. The Brix value (%) decreased continuously from 16.29 by 0.29 × hour. Jennies’ and donkey foals’ management may be greatly improved using this simple and cheap device.     

呼和浩特市土地利用变化分析

利用栅格数据以及Arcgis10.3软件,对呼和浩特市2000—2015年间的土地利用状况通过转移矩阵进行分析。结果表明2000—2015年间各个地类面积由大到小分别是草地、未利用土地、林地、农地、湿地、灌木林地、城乡居民地和水域。草地、城乡居民地、林地为面积增加地类,增加的面积为1000 km^2、2900 km^2、2000 km^2;减少的地类为灌木林地、农地、未利用土地、湿地、水域,减少的面积为200 km^2、1400 km^2、2600 km^2、1400 km^2、300 km^2。     

基于层次分析法的食用菌电商平台营销系统的改进模型

针对食用菌电商平台营销策略的改进问题,基于层次分析法,设计了食用菌电商平台营销策略评价指标体系,并结合模糊综合评价模型对该评价体系进行了定量和定性分析,构建了评价模型。该评价模型能够科学、全面地反映食用菌电商平台的营销能力和发展情况,对提高食用菌企业和电商平台的营销能力具有重要意义。     

Temperature modeling of a land-based aquaculture system for the production of Gracilaria pacifica: Possible system modifications to conserve heat and extend the growing season

Temperature control is a major cost for numerous aquaculture systems. Solar thermal engineering techniques can be used to identify inexpensive methods for conserving and capturing heat. Gracilaria pacifica, also known as the culinary ingredient ogo, is currently grown in land-based tanks at a site in Goleta, CA where influent sea water temperatures infrequently reach the 21–28 °C range that provides for optimal growth. The major objective of this study was to explore various designs of a G. pacifica tank culture system that maintain optimal water temperature year round to maximize growth. A model was constructed and calibrated by comparing results to a one-third scale pilot system operated in Davis, CA. For model calibration the most sensitive parameter such as cover optical properties were adjusted first and less sensitive parameters were adjusted later. The pilot system consisted of six tanks, three insulated with foam and a clear polyethylene cover (experimental), and three uninsulated and uncovered (controls). The model had weather data inputs including air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. The model was then compared to a full-scale system operated in Santa Barbara during the winter. The experimental pilot system was 4.93 °C warmer than the control pilot system under optimal weather conditions. The full-scale experimental system was 2.80 °C warmer than the control system under non-ideal conditions. The model demonstrated predictive accuracy under most weather conditions. Furthermore the model is robust enough to accept estimated values for many inputs and still produce accurate results, this suggests a simpler model may be feasible. A polyethylene cover and insulation are not sufficient in general for raising the water temperature to the optimum range during the winter; they may be during other times of the year when more solar energy is available, thereby extending the growing season.     

Hyper-spectral estimation of wheat biomass after alleviating of soil effects on spectra by non-negative matrix factorization

Hyper-spectral technology has been proven to be an effective method for the fast and non-destructive monitoring of crop biomass. However, the biomass estimation accuracy of this method is limited due to the effects of background factors, such as soils and water. In this study, a spectral separation method, non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), was proposed to alleviate the effects of soil on spectra. With the application of the NMF method, pure vegetation spectra were extracted from the field-observed spectra of wheat canopy, which were collected in four growing seasons from the tillering to the booting stages of wheat. Then, prediction models of wheat biomass (WB) were established and validated using the extracted spectra with the partial least squares regression (PLSR) method. The results showed that the NMF method could effectively separate the vegetation spectra from the mixed canopy spectra. Based on the extracted vegetation spectra, the WB prediction accuracy could be greatly improved with an increase of 31.7% for the R²_p and an increase of 46.6% for the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) as compared to the original spectra, indicating that the NMF method could significantly improve the performance of the WB prediction model. This method has potential application in the estimation of biomass using remote sensing technology.     

6种钝化剂对糙米镉含量及镉在水稻中的转移和富集的影响

旨在为合理使用钝化剂及水稻糙米镉(Cd)含量与Cd在水稻体内富集和转移的关系提供一定的理论依据。从6种钝化剂中筛选出能够抑制糙米Cd积累的材料,通过对不同超标程度水稻组的产量、糙米Cd含量、各个器官对Cd的富集系数和转移系数进行统计分析,探讨不同钝化剂对Cd在水稻体内转移和富集的影响。结果表明:与对照相比,低、中浓度C材料和FA材料能够降低糙米中Cd浓度;FB材料和中、高浓度FD材料会促使糙米中Cd的积累。水稻各器官对Cd富集能力,无超标水稻为根茎米叶糠,超标水稻为根茎米糠叶;Cd向糙米的转移途径中,在不超标水稻组中糠—米的转移能力最强,在超标水稻组中叶—米的转移能力最强。     

智能温室中不同基质配方对草莓产量和品质的影响

为提高草莓单产低问题,以具有代表性的草莓品种‘丰香’作为研究对象,在相同营养液中,研究草莓在7种不同基质配方处理下的生长和结果情况,旨在为草莓栽培寻找出一种最佳的基质配方。用SPSS数据处理软件对草莓营养生长时期的各项指标进行方差分析,对差异显著的作进一步多重比较。结果表明:(1)菇渣+珍珠岩+蛭石(C_3)产量最高(781.56 g/株),其次为菇渣+蛭石C_2(745.61 g/株),二者之间差异不显著;C_3平均单果最大19.21 g优于对照处理(草炭+蛭石),二者之间差异显著。(2)C_3风味最好,糖酸比为13.69,其次是C_2,优于对照。综上,C_3优于其他基质,且可以利用工业上的废料,在生产上具有长远的应用价值。     

Nitrous oxide emission from a transplanted rice field in alluvial soil as influenced by management of nitrogen fertiliser

We investigated nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission from an irrigated rice field over two years to evaluate the management of nitrogenous fertiliser and its effect on reducing emissions. Four forms of nitrogenous fertilisers: NPK at the recommended application rate, starch–urea matrix (SUM) + PK, neem‐coated urea + PK and urea alone (urea without coating) were used. Gas samples were collected from the field at weekly intervals with the static chamber technique. N₂O emissions from different treatments ranged from 11.58 to 215.81 N₂O‐N μg/m²/h, and seasonal N₂O emissions from 2.83 to 3.89 kg N₂O‐N/ha. Compared with other fertilisers, N₂O emissions were greatest after the application of the conventional NPK fertiliser. Moreover, SUM + PK reduced total N₂O emissions by 22.33% (P < 0.05) compared with NPK during the rice‐growing period (P < 0.05). The results indicate a strong correlation between N₂O emissions and soil organic carbon, nitrate, ammonium, above‐ and below‐ground plant biomass and photosynthesis (P < 0.05). The application of SUM + PK in rice fields is suitable as a means of reducing N₂O emissions without affecting grain production.     

Networking of integrated pest management: A powerful approach to address common challenges in agriculture

Integrated pest management (IPM) is facing both external and internal challenges. External challenges include increasing needs to manage pests (pathogens, animal pests and weeds) due to climate change, evolution of pesticide resistance as well as virulence matching host resistance. The complexity of designing effective pest management strategies, which rely less heavily on the use of conventional pesticides, is another external challenge. Internal challenges include organizational aspects such as decreasing trend in budget allocated to IPM research, increasing scarcity of human expertise, lack of knowledge transfer into practice and the communication gap both at country level and between countries, and lack of multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary IPM research. There is an increasing awareness that trans-national networking is one means to overcome such challenges and to address common priorities in agriculture. A large number of stakeholders (researchers, policy makers, growers and industries) are involved in the sector of crop protection, which needs to be coordinated through effective communications and dynamic collaboration to make any IPM strategy successful. Here we discuss a decade-long IPM networking experiences in Europe emphasizing how IPM research, implementation and adoption in Europe may benefit from a broader level networking.     

持续被动运动通过抑制软骨细胞NO合成下调MMP-1和MMP-13表达

目的：观察持续被动运动（CPM）和补充一氧化氮（NO）供体——硝酸甘油（NG）对兔骨关节炎（OA）模型中软骨基质金属蛋白酶-1（MMP-1）和MMP-13表达以及NO含量的影响，探讨CPM下调MMPs的可能机制。方法：30只3~4月龄雄性新西兰大白兔，其中6只进行假手术作为正常对照组（NC组），另外24只建立膝关节OA模型，术后随机分为4组，即OA对照组（OA组）、OA硝酸甘油给药组（NG组）、OA持续被动运动组（CPM组）、OA持续被动运动+硝酸甘油给药组（CPM+NG组），每组各6只。NC组和OA组不作处理，NG组给予NG软膏膝关节局部涂抹，CMP组在CPM训练仪上进行膝关节持续被动运动，CMP+NG组即在运动干预的同时给予NG局部涂抹。4周后取各组软骨组织，硝酸还原酶法测定NO含量，HE染色观察软骨形态学变化并进行Mankin''s评分，实时荧光定量PCR（RQ-PCR）检测MMP-1和MMP-13 mRNA水平，免疫组织化学法测定MMP-1和MMP-13蛋白表达量。结果：NO含量、Mankin''s评分以及MMP-1和MMP-13 mRNA和蛋白水平在OA组明显高于NC组（P<0.01），NG组高于OA组（P<0.01），CPM组低于OA组和NG组（P<0.01），CPM+NG组低于NG组（P<0.01），但高于CPM组（P<0.01）。结论：CPM通过抑制软骨细胞NO合成下调MMP-1和MMP-13表达，进而对软骨细胞起保护作用。