Effect of embryonic and neonatal administration of tamoxifen on adiposity in the broiler chicken

1. The effect of early exposure of heavy breed (HB) chicks to an anti‐oestrogen (tamoxifen—TAM) on later adiposity was studied.

2. TAM administration at the embryonic stage, but not at the day of hatching, reduced adiposity in females but not in males, at 8 to 9 weeks of age. This reduction in adiposity in females minimised or even alleviated the excess of fat in females compared to males.     

Trichoderma Biocontrol of Colletotrichum acutatum and Botrytis cinerea and Survival in Strawberry

Trichoderma isolates are known for their ability to control plant pathogens. It has been shown that various isolates of Trichoderma, including T. harzianum isolate T-39 from the commercial biological control product TRICHODEX, were effective in controlling anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum) and grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) in strawberry, under controlled and greenhouse conditions. Three selected Trichoderma strains, namely T-39, T-161 and T-166, were evaluated in large-scale experiments using different timing application and dosage rates for reduction of strawberry anthracnose and grey mould. All possible combinations of single, double or triple mixtures of Trichoderma strains, applied at 0.4% and 0.8% concentrations, and at 7 or 10 day intervals, resulted in reduction of anthracnose severity; the higher concentration (0.8%) was superior in control whether used with single isolates or as a result of combined application of two isolates, each at 0.4%. Only a few treatments resulted in significant control of grey mould. Isolates T-39 applied at 0.4% at 2 day intervals, T-166 at 0.4%, or T-161 combined with T-39 at 0.4% were as effective as the chemical fungicide fenhexamide. The survival dynamics of populations of the Trichoderma isolates (T-39, T-105, T-161 and T-166) applied separately was determined by dilution plating and isolates in the mixtures calculated according to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using repeat motif primers. The biocontrol isolates were identified to the respective species T. harzianum (T-39), T. hamatum (T-105), T. atroviride (T-161) and T. longibrachiatum (T-166), according to internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis.     

Quantification of reservoir bags as airway pressure-limiting devices in a nonrebreathing system

ObjectiveTo evaluate the influence of reservoir bag types, volumes and previous use on the peak pressures (Pmax) and the times to develop 30 cmH₂O pressure (P30) within a nonrebreathing system with a closed adjustable pressure-limiting (APL) valve.Study designIn vitro study using three-way factorial design with repeated measure on one factor.SubjectsA total of 75 new anesthesia reservoir bags (five types, three volumes, five bags from each type × volume). The bag types were reusable latex (RL), disposable latex (DL) and three disposable neoprene (DN-1, DN-2 and DN-3).MethodsEach bag was tested three times (treatments): new, after prestretching and 1 week later. The bags were attached to a Bain system and anesthesia machine with closed APL valve and patient port with O₂ flow 2 L minute^–1 until Pmax was reached. The Pmax and time to reach P30 values were determined from recorded pressure traces. General linear mixed model analysis was used to examine the effects of bag type, volume and treatment. One-sided 95% upper prediction limits of Pmax were calculated to test the null hypothesis that predicted Pmax of new bags would be ≥ 50 cmH₂O for each factor combination.ResultsRL bags were the least and DN-3 bags were the most compliant. Prestretching increased compliance in all bag types. Smaller bags of RL, DL and DN-1 were less compliant than larger ones. The predicted Pmax values were < 50 cmH₂O only for DN-3 bags after prestretching. The time to reach P30 was critically low when using 0.5 L bags (median 17 seconds).Conclusions and clinical relevanceTo minimize the risk of barotrauma, highly compliant reservoir bags (e.g. DN-3) are recommended and reusable bags should be avoided. Bags should be prestretched before first use, 0.5 L bags should be avoided and fresh gas flow minimized.     

Influence of time of harvest and maturity index on olive oil yield and quality

Harvesting plays a major role in the virgin olive oil production line, being the most expensive single component, but also due to its significant effect on the whole year's produce. Previous studies have focused on the effects of harvest timing on either oil yield or quality. Here we determined the separate and combined effects of harvesting date, fruit maturation, cultivar and fruit load on olive oil quality and quantity. Cultivars typical to the Middle East region were selected: the traditional cv. Souri and the newer cv. Barnea, grown under intensive conditions. The results demonstrate fundamental differences between the two cultivars with respect to harvest strategy. In high-yielding ‘Barnea’, oil accumulation continued throughout the ripening season resulting in increasing yield of oil with time while maintaining high quality. Hence, exploiting the production potential in ‘Barnea’ requires late harvest and advanced fruit maturity. However, in heavily loaded ‘Souri’, oil accumulation was accompanied by early massive shedding of fruits. Furthermore, late harvest and advanced maturation in ‘Souri’ were associated with a sharp increase in free fatty acids combined with a rapid decline in polyphenol content, and in MUFA to PUFA and saturated to unsaturated fatty acid ratios, all resulting in loss of oil quality. Rapid decline in oil yield coupled with deterioration of oil quality call for early harvesting at low maturity index in ‘Souri’. In medium-yielding trees of both cultivars, maturation progressed more rapidly, resulting in earlier harvest to utilize optimal oil potential.     

Slow release of pheromones to the atmosphere from gelatin-alginate beads

Alginate-gelatin beads with dispersed droplets of a model pheromone, dodecyl acetate, were prepared as a vehicle for slow release of pheromones into the atmosphere over a prolonged period of time. The beads are prepared in two steps, the first being preparation of an oil-in-water emulsion composed of dodecyl acetate as the oil phase and gelatin as the emulsifier, which provides steric stabilization. After mixing with alginate solution, this emulsion is embedded within beads by simple electrostatic cross-linking. It was found that bead porosity at micrometric and nanometric scales plays an important role in controlling the release of dodecyl acetate.     

基于灰度关联-岭回归的荒漠土壤有机质含量高光谱估算

为改善高光谱技术对荒漠土壤有机质的估测效果,该文采集了以色列Seder Boker地区的荒漠土壤,经预处理、理化分析后将土样分为砂质土和黏壤土2类,再通过光谱采集、处理得到6种光谱指标:反射率(reflectivity,REF)、倒数之对数变换(inverse-log reflectance,LR)、去包络线处理(continuum removal,CR)、标准正态变量变换(standard normal variable reflectance,SNV)、一阶微分变换(first order differential reflectance,FDR)和二阶微分变换(second order differential reflectance,SDR)。通过灰度关联(gray correlation,GC)法确定SNV、FDR、SDR为敏感光谱指标,采用偏最小二乘回归(partial least squares regression,PLSR)法和岭回归(ridge regression,RR)法,构建基于敏感光谱指标的土壤有机质高光谱反演模型,并对模型精度进行比较。结果表明:砂质土有机质含量的反演效果要优于黏壤土;基于SNV指标建立的模型决定系数R~2和相对分析误差RPD均为最高、均方根误差RMSE最低,所以SNV是土壤有机质的最佳光谱反演指标;对SNV-PLSR模型和SNV-RR模型综合比较得出,SNV-RR模型仅用全谱4%左右的波段建模,实现了更为理想的反演效果:其中,对砂质土有机质的预测能力极强(R_p~2为0.866,RMSE为0.610 g/kg、RPD为2.72),对黏壤土有机质的预测能力很好(Rp2为0.863,RMSE为0.898 g/kg、RPD为2.37)。荒漠土壤有机质GC-SNV-RR反演模型的建立为高光谱模型的优化、土壤有机质的快速测定提供了一种新的途径。     

Alteration of the haemocyte parameters,expression of immune‐related and neurohormone bursicon genes of giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) in the response to salinity stress and ammonia stress

We examined the effects of salinity stress and ammonia stress on alteration of the haemocyte count, phenoloxidase activity, expressions of immune‐related genes including prophenoloxidase (proPO), crustin, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and expressions of stress‐responsive neurohormone (Bur‐α and Bur‐β) in the thoracic and abdominal ganglia of giant river prawn Macrobrachium. These parameters of prawn that subjected to salinity stress (transferred from 0‰ to 5‰ and 10‰), and subjected to ammonia‐nitrogen (ammonia‐N) stress (transferred from 0 to 0.262 mg/L and 0.786 mg/L) were examined after 0, 3, 6, 24, 72 and 168 hr respectively. During the initial period of 3, 6 and 24 hr, granulocyte haemocyte (granular and semi‐granular hemocyte) count and PO activity significantly decreased, while expressions of Bur‐α and Bur‐β significantly increased. After 24 hr, granulocyte haemocyte count and PO activity significantly increased, whereas expressions of Bur‐α and Bur‐β significantly decreased. The expressions of proPO, crustin and HSP70 were significantly downregulated in the prawn that subjected to salinity stress and ammonia‐N stress at all time periods of 3–168 hr. In conclusion, changes in the granulocyte haemocyte count of M. rosenbergii following salinity stress and ammonia‐N stress are closely associated with the changes of Bur‐α and Bur‐β expressions.