Effect of relaxin on in vitro fertilization of porcine oocytes

Porcine relaxin is a peptide hormone belonging to the insulin super family that has a variety of biological functions. The present experiment was designed to investigate the effects of relaxin on sperm function and on in vitro fertilization (IVF) of porcine oocytes. Porcine spermatozoa were washed, swum-up, and incubated for 1-4 h in mTALP medium supplemented with 0, 20 or 50 ng/ml porcine relaxin. Motility was determined by observing the type of forward movement of the spermatozoa, and acrosome status was evaluated by applying the triple staining technique. Immature oocytes were aspirated from antral follicles and matured in IVM medium (modified NCSU-37). Matured oocytes were co-cultured with spermatozoa in IVF medium (mTALP) supplemented with 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 ng/ml relaxin. After 6 h of sperm-oocyte co-incubation, putative zygotes were cultured for 18 h in oocyte culture medium NCSU-37 and then assessed for the rates of monospermy, polyspermy, and male pronucleus formation after acetic orcein staining. Relaxin improved (P<0.05) sperm motility and increased the percentage of acrosome-reacted live spermatozoa during 1-4 h of incubation, although viability was not significantly improved. Significantly (P<0.05) the highest percentage of monospermic (31.7%) and lowest percentage of polyspermic (16.5%) fertilization was achieved from the sperm-oocyte co-culture group treated with 20 ng/ml relaxin as compared to other groups. The percentage of male pronucleus formation was significantly (P<0.05) greater in the 20 ng/ml relaxin-treated sperm-oocyte co-culture group than in the other groups. These results indicate that supplementation with relaxin is capable of improving sperm function and fertilization of porcine oocytes in vitro.     

Plant material as an alternative tool for management of aphid in country bean field

The aphids Aphis craccivora Koch attack country bean Lablab purpureus L. both in its vegetative and reproductive stages and cause severe damage. To develop an integrated management of aphid powders of black pepper, chili, turmeric, and coriander; oils of mahogany, neem, and eucalyptus; aqueous extracts of neem, basil, and garlic leaves; and water were evaluated in field conditions. The treatments were applied at 7?day intervals and aphid abundance per inflorescence was counted at 24, 48, and 72?h after treatment. All the plant materials reduced aphid abundance and flower infestation, ensuring a higher yield with larger and heavier pods. The neem oil treatment had the lowest abundance of aphid and consequently produced the highest marketable and gross yields. Predatory insects were abundant in the field, but their populations were lower in the treatments than the control. An economic analysis indicated that the highest gross return, net return, adjusted net return, and benefit-cost ratio were obtained from the mahogany oil treatment. The plant materials have insecticidal potential against aphids, and the oils of mahogany and neem showed better performances.     

Housing pattern and food habit of the Mro-tribe community in Bangladesh： A forest dependence perspective

An exploratory study was conducted on the housing pattern and food habit of the Mro tribe in Bandarban region,Bangladesh, highlighting their indigenous knowledge. The study was carried out with respect to three income groups. A total of 36 households (12 from each income groups) were assessed using different participatory appraisals through semi-structured questionnaires. A special type of indigenous knowledge on housing pattern and food habit was explored in the Mro community, which correspond to the severe dependence on forest resources.     

孟加拉国么偌(Mro)部落的房屋格局和饮食习性:一种依靠森林的观点(英文)

通过半探问的方式,采用不同的参与评估法对36户么偌人分3组进行了评估。么偌部落严重依赖森林资源,在房屋格局和饮食习性方面形成了特殊的本土文化。图2表2参31。     

Capripox in Bangladesh

In 1984 capripox entered Bangladesh developing into a severe epidemic causing high mortality in the indigenous goat population. Although at present mainly confined to the western districts the disease has spread to some central and northern districts and unless controlled could spread further. Clinically and biochemically the strain is closely related to a strain previously isolated in central India. It has been shown that restriction endonuclease analysis of the genome of field isolates of capripoxvirus can provide a useful epidemiological technique in investigating outbreaks of capripox.     

Selection for early response to photostimulation in broiler breeders

1. To determine if selection for early response to photostimulation could be successful, 150 male broiler breeders were photostimulated at 8 weeks of age. The first 20 to produce a semen sample and have a reddened comb with an area > 10 cm2 were selected as responders (R) and 20 birds that did not show these signs of sexual development were chosen as non-responders (NR). Once sexually mature, 8 birds from each group that consistently produced a semen sample were mated with both egg-type hybrids and broiler breeder females to observe the response to 8-week photostimulation in the as-hatched offspring. 2. The AFE of the F1 females with NR or R paternity and egg-type hybrid layer maternity (F1L) were similar, but AFE was advanced in birds from R relative to NR paternity when they had broiler breeder maternity (F1B). 3. Date following a normal distribution of AFE were extracted from the overall data set. This group included offspring from both NR and R paternity, but AFE in F1L and F1B females with R paternity was advanced compared to those with NR paternity. 4. Mean testis weights, or age at most rapid testis growth predicted using parameters from Tyler and Gous (2009), of F1 males were not significantly different in birds with NR or R paternity. A strong correlation was found between predicted age at most rapid growth and AFE of full sibs and so it is likely that an advance in AFE in female offspring would also result in an advance in age of testis development of males. 5. There was no significant difference in 21-d body weight of F1B females of NR or R paternity, but the 21-d body weights of F1L females were higher from R than from NR sires, suggesting that although fertility and meat-type traits are often negatively correlated, there was no adverse effect of selection for responsiveness to early photostimulation and broiler growth rates to 21 d. 6. These findings showed that the response to early stimulation is heritable, and should be useful to the broiler breeder industry, where a reduction in photorefractoriness would improve egg production and fertility.     

Forest biomass and bioenergy production and the role of CDM in Bangladesh

The use of forest biomass as a renewable energy source has received much attention as a response to climate change and the increasing global demands for energy. Local availability and conversion into secondary energy carriers with a lower capital investment shows more weights on its interests. The substitution of fossil fuel by biomass fuel can have a strong effect on the mitigation of climate change through reducing greenhouse gases, which can be an important consideration for CDM projects in Bangladesh. This study uses literature review to analyse the legal framework of carbon trading under CDM, CDM additionality, CDM and bioenergy promotion, land availability and technology for biomass production, and sustainability of CDM projects in Bangladesh. The barriers to CDM projects in Bangladesh are explained as well as measures for promoting biomass production. Biomass and bioenergy-based CDM projects can be attractive and support sustainable development in Bangladesh. The study suggests capacity building and policy changes needed in order to comply with CDM modalities. The study can be useful to the climate change mitigation and development policy makers in Bangladesh.     

Stem injection of a systemic insecticide to control Uraba lugens on urban Lophostemon confertus trees

BACKGROUND: Uraba lugens Walker (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) has the potential to become a serious pest of susceptible forestry and urban trees in New Zealand. Stem injection of insecticides provides a method for the control of U. lugens in public locations where foliar applications are not suitable. Field and laboratory studies were conducted in 2009 and 2010 to determine a dose response profile of U. lugens larvae to acephate injected at 0.0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 g cm^?1 tree diameter measured at breast height (dbh). The concentration of the injected solution varied across years. RESULTS: The highest mortality (85–100%) of U. lugens larvae occurred at 1.00 g acephate injected cm^?1 dbh. The lower rates (0.25 and 0.50 g acephate cm^?1) were more effective in 2010 than in 2009, a factor attributed to the change in volume of injected solution. CONCLUSION: Systemic injections of acephate at rates above 0.50 g cm^?1 dbh provide a tool for the management of U. lugens in public places. It is recommended that stem injection operations for control of U. lugens larvae be timed to coincide with the emergence of first instars so that larvae are exposed to lethal insecticide doses. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nutrient distribution across wheat rhizosphere with oxamide and ammonium sulfate as N source

Analysis of the behavior of slow releasing nitrogen fertilizers in the rhizosphere soil of agricultural crops is essential for their effective use. This work presents a comparative study of the effects of oxamide and ammonium sulfate as different N sources on the relative mobility of some nutritionally important anions and cations and their relevance to plant growth, root development, and pH distribution pattern in the rhizosphere of wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Nourin No. 61). Experiment was conducted on a Japanese upland alluvial soil through a rhizobox approach. In the central compartment (CC) of the oxamide and ammonium sulfate treated rhizoboxes, four uncontaminated and homogeneous wheat seedlings germinated on a sterile petridish were grown for nearly two months. During the growing period plant height was recorded weekly. After the growing period, rhizoboxes were dismantled for soil sampling and photography of roots. Soil samples from each compartment of the two rhizoboxes were used for the analysis of CI^-, N0₃ ^-, SO₄ ^2-, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, NH₄ ⁺-N, N0₃ ^--N and measurement of pH. Compared with ammonium sulfate, the distribution of anions and cations from the distant compartments to the central ones over a distance of 3–5 mm along with a better plant growth, high rooting density, and high pH confirmed that oxamide was an efficient nitrogen fertilizer.