Body condition scoring (BCS) in corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and comparison to pre-existing body condition index (BCI) for snakes

In the veterinary profession, the body condition score (BCS) plays an important role in the assessment of patients. It is a subjective, tactile method of evaluating body fat and muscle mass and is used in numerous species. Recognizing obesity (or the contrary, emaciation) is important for veterinarians treating reptiles and could be facilitated by a BCS. An existing form of body condition assessment already used is the body condition index (BCI), where the residuals from a regression of body mass on body length are calculated. Therefore, the goal of this study was to provide practitioners with a BCS system for corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and to test it against the BCI. A total of 22 corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), stationed at the “Auffangstation für Reptilien” in Munich (reptile rescue centre, RRC), were subject of this study. Each had the following measurements taken: body weight (BW), snout–tail tip length (STL), snout–vent length (SVL) and circumference in the middle (C). Manual palpation of spine, area between vertebral spinous and transverse process, ribs and neck of each snake was performed by three veterinarians and assigned to specific scores by each examiner. A BCS (mean of examiners’ scores) was given to each snake according to manual palpation. The BCS system was chosen to be out of 5 in 0.5-point steps with 2.5 considered as ideal BCS. In the studied snakes, the BCS ranged from 1.5 to 3.5, with a median of 2.5. The median BW was 309 g (75–967 g), the median STL was 123 cm (79–153 cm), the median SVL was 104 cm (73–133 cm) and the median C was 7.5 cm (4.3–11 cm). BCS and BCI were positively correlated. A BCS includes a manual palpation of the animal and thus gives the examiner additional information to the objectively measured/calculated index.     

城市池塘水质时间变化特性--以扬州大学江阳路南校区池塘为例

城市中的池塘是城市水体的重要组成部分,为揭示城市化背景下池塘水体水质的时间变化特性,选取扬州大学江阳路南校区池塘为研究区,对该池塘2018年7月至2019年6月的水质参数蓝绿藻浓度(Phyco)、水温(WT)、溶解氧(DO)、pH与电导率(EC)进行观测,采用变异系数法、单因子水质标识指数法以及多元线性回归法对各参数的变化特性进行评价。结果显示:池塘WT呈季节性变化;观测期间pH变化范围为7.74~9.98,水体呈碱性;DO变化的随机性较强,未表现出明显变化规律;各水质参数变异性及权重从大到小依次为WT>DO>EC>pH;以DO为指标的单因子水质标识指数结果表明:池塘DO达到Ⅲ类水要求的时段占总观测时段的84%;多元线性回归分析结果表明:DO与WT、pH呈正相关,与Phyco呈负相关,Phyco及pH的变化对DO浓度的影响相对于WT大。     

基于条件植被温度指数的夏玉米生长季干旱预测研究

为验证条件植被温度指数(VTCI)在夏玉米生长季干旱预测中的适用性,以河北中部平原为研究区,应用求和自回归移动平均(ARIMA)模型及季节性求和自回归移动平均(SARIMA)模型,对该地区VTCI时间序列数据进行分析建模预测。首先基于49个气象站点所在像素的VTCI时间序列数据,选取不同长度时间序列建立ARIMA模型,并分析时间序列长度与预测精度间关系,以期为时间序列长度选择提供依据;然后选择理想长度的VTCI时间序列数据,分别建立ARIMA模型和SARIMA模型,用于研究区域2017年夏玉米生长季VTCI预测,并分析评价两模型预测精度;最后采用性能较好的ARIMA模型逐像素建模预测,得到2016-2018年9月上旬至下旬VTCI预测结果。结果表明:基于ARIMA模型的VTCI预测精度与时间序列长度未呈现明显的相关关系,但随时间序列长度增加,模型预测精度逐渐趋于稳定;ARIMA模型对干旱的预测精度高于基于SARIMA模型,其1步、2步、3步VTCI预测结果均方根误差较SARIMA模型分别降低0. 06、0. 07、0. 09;ARIMA模型在不同年份夏玉米生长季VTCI1~3步的预测精度稳定性较好,2016-2018年1步、2步和3步VTCI预测结果绝对误差绝对值大于0. 20的像素平均百分比分别为5. 84%、6. 38%、8. 72%。     

运用植被指数时序特征对落叶松人工林分类

为探究植被指数时序特征是否有利于落叶松人工林提取,以孟家岗林场为研究试验区域,根据落叶松人工林季相和物候特征,利用Landsat8OLI影像数据提取研究区内5种植被的归一化植被指数(I NDV)、差值植被指数(I DV)、比值植被指数(I RV)、增强型植被指数(I EV),构建相应的植被指数时序特征。采用最大似然和随机森林两种方法对单一时相影像和加入植被指数时序特征的影像进行对比试验。结果表明:影像中加入植被指数时序特征后,最大似然算法的分类总体精度为89.53%,Kappa系数为0.87,比单一时序特征的影像分类精度提高了13.35%;随机森林算法的森林类型分类总体精度为93.22%,Kappa系数为0.92,比单一时序特征的影像分类精度提高了19.8%。因此,加入植被指数时序特征后能得到更高的落叶松人工林提取精度。     

种衣剂对防治雪梨瓜根腐病的药效研究

本文通过室内试验评估种衣剂对雪梨瓜种子发芽及苗期生长发育的安全性,并通过田间试验,比较种衣剂在不同时期对病情指数、防治效果及产量的影响,以筛选出对雪梨瓜根腐病防治效果理想的种衣剂。结果表明,4种种衣剂对雪梨瓜生长发育均安全。25%噻虫·咯·霜灵、12%甲·嘧·甲霜灵药后20 d防治效果达60%以上,62.5 g/L精甲·咯菌腈药后20 d的防效在50%以上;25%噻虫·咯·霜灵的稳定性好于12%甲·嘧·甲霜灵;35%多·福·克前期防治效果好,但持效性差。4种种衣剂对雪梨瓜都有一定的增产效果,25%噻虫·咯·霜灵增产23.30%,35%多·福·克增产17.96%。种衣剂处理能够有效防治雪梨瓜根腐病,在生产上建议首选25%噻虫·咯·霜灵作为雪梨瓜种衣剂,12%甲·嘧·甲霜灵和62.5 g/L精甲·咯菌腈可作为备选药剂交替使用。     

脂肪含量对再制片状干酪品质的影响

研究不同脂肪含量和脂肪替代物对再制片状干酪品质的影响。对5 种不同脂肪含量再制片状干酪的基本理化指标、色泽、质构和感官品质进行测定和评估。结果表明：5 种不同脂肪含量的再制片状干酪pH值、蛋白质和脂肪含量存在显著性差异，酶解浓缩黄油的添加对再制片状干酪亮度值、红度值和黄度值均有明显影响；用酶解浓缩黄油替代全部黄油的减脂50%干酪全质构特性与其他组样品有差异，酶解浓缩黄油部分替代黄油制备的4号减脂干酪全质构特性除凝聚性、回复性外，与1～3号干酪无显著差异；通过感官评定发现，酶解浓缩黄油替代全部黄油的减脂50%干酪（5号）感官评分最低，酶解浓缩黄油部分替代黄油的减脂50%干酪（4号）风味和滋味有所增强，总体得分与全脂干酪产品无显著差异。因此通过降低黄油含量，并添加酶解浓缩黄油可提升减脂再制片状干酪的品质。     

Influence of low soil nitrogen and phosphorus on gluten polymeric and monomeric protein distribution in two high quality spring wheat cultivars

The effect of low levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and a combination of the two on the distribution of polymeric and monomeric proteins in two high quality spring bread wheat cultivars was investigated for two consecutive seasons. Size exclusion-high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) was used to determine the quantity and relationships of monomeric and polymeric proteins, and their relationship with flour protein content (FPC) and SDS sedimentation volume (SDSS). The low nitrogen and combined low nitrogen and low phosphorus treatments had a much larger effect on the protein fractions than the low phosphorus treatment alone. The SDS-soluble large monomeric protein fraction and the percentage SDS-insoluble monomeric proteins, were significantly increased under low nitrogen and a combination of low nitrogen and low phosphorus treatments. The percentage SDS-insoluble large and total polymeric proteins was significantly reduced under low nitrogen and a combination of low nitrogen and phosphorus treatments. The SDS-soluble and -insoluble small polymeric proteins were significantly increased under both low nitrogen and a combination of low nitrogen and low phosphorus treatments. The low nitrogen treatment consistently caused the lowest FPC and SDSS values. Under low nitrogen conditions, there was a significant positive correlation between the SDS-soluble gliadins and SDSS, and FPC.     

Effect of immature wheat flour on nutritional and technological quality of sourdough bread

In this study, the effect of immature wheat flour (IWF) on the fermentation activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and on the nutritional quality properties of bread were evaluated. IWF was added in the as the ratio of 10g/100g in sourdough fermentation medium, and the fermentation activity (total LAB, pH, titration acidity (TA), and total reducing sugar (TRS)) of LAB cultures was monitored. Additionally, some physical quality characteristics (specific volume, texture profile and colour value), estimated glycaemic index (eGI), rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS), and the total dietary fibre content of sourdough bread were determined. According to the statistical test, it was revealed that the IWF addition stimulated LAB growth and increased their fermentation activity. The pH of the fermentation medium decreased from 6.57 to 3.50, and TA raised from 0.13% to 1.2% in 48 h. The highest TRS content was determined in IWF enriched sourdough samples, and as a result of this, the eGI of sourdough bread increased. Compared to the control sample, the SDS and total dietary fibre content were higher in IWF added sourdough bread, and a positive correlation was noted between these two components. IWF utilisation of sourdough bread formulation increased the hardness value by nearly 50%.     

Thermal,structural and functional properties of rice bran defatted with alcoholic solvents

Samples from combinations of different alcoholic extraction process parameters of rice bran oil, solvents (ethanol or isopropanol) and temperatures (60 or 80 °C) were evaluated and compared with samples from industrial processing regarding the physicochemical, structural and functional characteristics of the defatted meal since these properties are directly associated with the quality of the products. The results obtained for solids from alcoholic extraction did not differ significantly from those obtained from industrial processing using hexane. Although the use of alcohols and high temperatures led to reductions in the nitrogen solubility (21% to 13.5–16.7%), emulsifying activity (31% to 14–25%) and thermal stability, possibly as a function of protein structural modifications due to denaturation, stable foams were produced (26–50%), and adequate values for the water and oil absorption capacities were determined (4 and 3 g/g sample), allowing the application of this material in baking and meat products.