Production of Lambs After the Transfer of Fresh and Cryopreserved in vitro Produced Embryos from Prepubertal Lamb Oocytes and Unsorted and Sex-sorted Frozen-thawed Spermatozoa

Cumulus-oocyte complexes from hormone-stimulated 3-4-week-old (n=43) and 6-7-week-old (n=12) prepubertal lambs were matured in vitro and incubated with unsorted, or X- or Y-spermatozoa separated with a high-speed cell sorter (SX MoFlo)frozen-thawed. Presumptive zygotes were then cultured to the blastocyst stage, and transferred to recipients fresh or after cryopreservation (frozen). Oocyte cleavage was higher (p <0.05) with unsorted (515/926, 55.6%) than X- or Y-spermatozoa (261/672, 38.8% and 229/651, 35.2%, respectively) and blastocyst formation (% zygotes) by Day 9 of in vitro culture was lower (p <0.05) for X- (102/261, 39.1%) than unsorted spermatozoa (249/515, 48.3%), but did not differ between Y-spermatozoa (103/229, 45.0%) and unsorted spermatozoa, or between X- and Y-spermatozoa (p >0.05). For fresh embryos, survival to term was 50.0% (3/6) for unsorted, 0.0% (0/6) for X- and 16.7% (1/6) for Y-spermatozoa-derived embryos (p >0.05), and for frozen embryos was 4.0% (2/50) for unsorted, 9.1% (2/22) for X- and 2.9% (1/34) Y-spermatozoa-derived embryos (p >0.05). Of the two lambs born from X-spermatozoa-derived embryos, one was female (50%), and from the two Y-spermatozoa-derived lambs, both were male (100%), demonstrating that lambs can be produced after the transfer of fresh and cryopreserved IVP embryos derived from prepubertal lamb oocytes and frozen-thawed sex-sorted sperm.     

Effect of Nitrogen Rate and the Environment on Physicochemical Properties of Selected High‐Amylose Rice Cultivars

Genetic marker haplotypes for the Waxy and alk genes are associated with amylose content and gelatinization temperature, respectively, and are used by breeders to develop rice cultivars that have physicochemical properties desired by the parboiling and canning industries. Cultivars that provide consistent processing quality across diverse production environments are important to the industry. This study determined if measures of processing quality differed among cultivars, fertility treatments, and production environments. Nine cultivars having high amylose content (>23.0%) but with different Waxy and alk haplotypes were evaluated in three environments and using three nitrogen fertility levels. Although environment and fertility levels significantly (P < 0.05) impacted protein content, gelatinization temperatures, and peak, trough, and final paste viscosities, cultivars performed consistently across production environments and fertility applications. Differences were observed among cultivars in paste viscosity measures and gelatinization temperatures that corresponded with their Waxy and alk haplotypes. However, discriminant analysis revealed subgroupings within the same Waxy and alk haplotypes that were primarily differentiated by trough paste viscosity. The results of this study demonstrated that although these high‐amylose cultivars had consistent ranking across environments and nitrogen fertility regimes, there were differences in rice processing quality traits that were not apparent from their Waxy and alk haplotypes.     

Device Applications of Side-Chain Ferroelectric Liquid Crystalline Polymer Films

Side-chain ferroelectric liquid crystalline polymers are currently used in a number of applications, including displays and electrical sensors. Comparisons with existing technologies and materials indicate that relative to ceramics, such polymers have lower figures of merit but offer greater durability in sensor applications.     

水分胁迫对番茄叶片气孔传导及光合色素的影响

以栽培番茄品种AilsaCraig的6叶期幼苗为试验材料,在水培条件下研究了50,75和100g/LPEG水分胁迫对叶片气孔传导、光合色素含量及发叶速度的影响。结果表明,水分胁迫使气孔传导度和发叶速度降低,光合色素增加。气孔传导度和发叶速度的降低均与水分胁迫强度和持续时间有关,而光合色素的增加主要与胁迫持续时间有关。     

Herbal Teas and their Health Benefits: A Scoping Review

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Herbal teas are used as therapeutic vehicles in many forms of traditional medicine and are a popular global beverage. The purpose of this scoping review was to...     

Impact of Distillery Effluent on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in a Vertisol of Central India

Distilleries produce a huge quantity of effluents, popularly known as spent wash (SW), which when bio-methanated produce post-methanation effluents (PME). A field experiment on soybean–wheat system was conducted for five consecutive years in a Vertisol of central India to evaluate the effect of distillery effluent (DE) on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics. Ten treatment combinations consisting of control, 100% NPK + Farmyard Manure (FYM), and graded level of SW and PME were applied. Total carbon content of soil increased significantly with applications of FYM and DE. SW was found superior in enhancing carbon content of soil in comparison to PME. Farmyard Manure contributed more carbon toward the recalcitrant pool, whereas DE contributed more carbon toward the active and slow pool. Nitrogen (N) availability was significantly improved with the application of DE. Balanced application of DE may act as amendment for increasing C and N stocks in Vertisol.