Fecundity changes in Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) during egg incubation

Abstract. For a study of the fecundity of Macrobrachium rosenbergii , a total of 117 berried females were sampled from ponds. Fecundity was found to vary from 1216 to 89747 eggs for prawns measuring 9.0cm to 15.8cm total length and weighing 6.22 to 45.80g. The relationship between fecundity (EN) and total length (TL) was found to be EN = 0.001876 TL^6.3617.
The average egg number/g total body weight for prawns having orange, yellow and grey eggs was 1132.7 ± 484.1,766.4 ± 524.3 and 745.5 ± 487.2, respectively, a decrease of 32.3% when orange eggs became yellow and 34.3% when they turned grey. This decrease was probably due to unfertilized eggs dropping off and some eggs being eaten by the brooders during the incubation period.
Egg numbers/g egg weight were found to be 11360.1 ± 1642.1,10715.7 ± 2725.3 and 8634.0 ± 1892.3 for orange, yellow and grey eggs, respectively. When compared to orange eggs, yellow eggs were slightly heavier (6%), but grey eggs were significantly heavier by 31.6%. The increase in the weight of the grey eggs can be explained by the elongation of fully formed organs and appendages by about 17 days post fertilization.     

Effects of feeding fermented fish on egg cholesterol content in hens

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding fermented fish (FF) to layers on laying performance, and polyunsaturated fatty acid and cholesterol levels in eggs and plasma. A total of 96, 13-week-old Babcock B380 pullets were used in this study. They were randomly assigned to four numerically equal groups with eight replicates per treatment, three birds per replicate. All the birds were housed in individual cages. The dietary treatments were: Control diet, without FF; FF3 diet containing 3% (w/w) FF, FF6 diet containing 6% (w/w) FF and FF9 diet containing 9% (w/w) FF. The study was carried out for 16 weeks inclusive of two weeks of adjustment. Weekly feed intake and egg production were recorded. Blood plasma cholesterol and fatty acid profiles were assayed at the end of the experiment. FF did not enhance ( P  > 0.05) egg mass but ( P  < 0.05) decreased egg weight slightly. However, egg yolk cholesterol and plasma cholesterol concentrations were reduced ( P  < 0.05) by FF. The n-6:n-3 fatty acids ratio in the egg yolk (Control = 7.9, FF9 = 6.2) and plasma (Control = 10.6, FF9 = 6.2) were decreased by feeding FF. Moreover, FF was able to increase ( P  < 0.05) the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations in egg yolk and plasma. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that FF increased DHA and reduced egg yolk cholesterol in poultry eggs.     

Impacts of wetting-drying cycles on short-term carbon and nitrogen dynamics in Amynthas earthworm casts

Effects of earthworm casts on soil nutrient dynamics and their responses to changing moisture availability in subtropical ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine short-term carbon(C) and nitrogen(N) dynamics and their interactions with wetting-drying cycles in three different structural forms(i.e., granular, globular, and heap-like) of Amynthas earthworm casts. The rates of C and N mineralization in the earthworm casts were examined under two different wetting-drying cycles(i.e., 2-d and 4-d wetting intervals) using a rainfall simulation experiment. After three simulated rainfall events, subsamples of the earthworm casts were further incubated for 4 d for the determination of CO_2 and N_2O fluxes. The results of this study indicated that the impacts of wetting-drying cycles on the short-term C and N dynamics were highly variable among the three cast forms, but wetting-drying cycles significantly reduced the cumulative CO_2 and N_2O fluxes by 62%–83% and 57%–85%, respectively, when compared to the control without being subjected to any rainfall events. The C mineralization rates in different cast forms were affected by the amount of organic substrates and N content in casts, which were associated with the food preference and selection of earthworms. Meanwhile, the cumulative N_2O fluxes did not differ among the three cast forms. Repeated wetting and drying of casts not only enhanced aggregate stability by promoting bonds between the cast particles, but also inhibited microbial survival and growth during the prolonged drying period, which together hindered decomposition and denitrification. Our findings demonstrated that the interactions between the structural forms, aggregate dynamics, and C and N cycling in the earthworm casts were highly complex.     

CHANNELLING OF ALLUVIAL DEPRESSION SOILS IN IRAQ AND SUDAN

Distinctive channel patterns in the floors of alluvial clay depressions in Iraq and Sudan as well as in other parts of the arid zone have been described as gilgai in the past though their morphology differs from examples of gilgai as originally described in Australia. The soils on which the channels develop vary considerably and do not always contain large proportions of expanding lattice clay. The formation of the micro-relief may not necessarily involve heaving of the subsoil as in the Australian gilgai. It is formed rather by a process of uneven settling and compaction, the patterns of channelling being controlled by pre-existing surface irregularities. If the formation of the micro-relief does not involve heaving, it is probable that the channels will not reform after reclamation. The term‘tabra channels’ is suggested for the feature.     

沛县蔬菜生态系统能值分析

能值分析理论是基于“任何形式的能量都来源于太阳”这一前提, 因此可将不同种类、不可比较的能量转换为同一标准, 即太阳能焦耳来进行比较。本研究应用生态系统能值分析理论与方法, 以江苏省蔬菜主产区之一的沛县为例, 采用一系列能值指标, 定量分析了该县蔬菜生态系统的环境资源基础和经济特征, 为合理开发沛县蔬菜资源, 实现沛县蔬菜可持续发展提供科学依据。结果表明: 2007 年沛县蔬菜生态系统能值投入为1.22×10²¹ sej, 其中工业辅助能为7.18×10²⁰ sej, 占58.85%, 说明沛县蔬菜产业发展主要依靠工业辅助能,已走出传统农业靠自然条件发展的阶段。沛县蔬菜生态系统能值产出为3.20×1021 sej, 占农业总产出能值的39.65%, 说明蔬菜产业已成为沛县农业的重要支柱产业之一;其中, 茄果类和根茎类蔬菜能值产出较高, 分别占蔬菜能值产出的35.63%和23.63%, 而特种创汇蔬菜牛蒡和山药为蔬菜能值总产出的18.61%。沛县蔬菜生态系统能值自给率为2.67%, 低于江苏省耕地生态系统(10.12%), 说明环境资源已不是蔬菜发展的主要决定因素, 沛县蔬菜生态系统抵抗自然灾害的能力较强; 沛县蔬菜生态系统的工业辅助能值比率为58.85%, 低于江苏省耕地生态系统工业辅助能比率(73.16%); 沛县蔬菜生产的化肥使用量较高, 占工业辅助能的69.42%, 不利于蔬菜产业的可持续发展; 不过沛县生态系统的有机辅助能比率为38.61%, 高于江苏省耕地生态系统有机辅助能比率(16.72%); 沛县蔬菜生态系统的购买能值比率为97.54%, 高于江苏省耕地生态系统购买能值比率(89.88%), 表明沛县蔬菜产业发展几乎完全依赖于来自社会经济系统的购买能值, 而较高的购买能值促进了沛县蔬菜产业的迅速发展;沛县蔬菜生态系统的能值投入率为36.61, 高于江苏省耕地生态系统能值投入率(8.88), 说明沛县蔬菜产业发展迅速; 但净能值产出率仅略高于江苏省耕地生态系统净能值产出率, 可能由于能值产出较高的先进技术推广不够; 沛县蔬菜生态系统环境负荷率为1.43, 低于江苏省耕地生态系统环境负荷率(2.83), 且农药能值投入仅占0.21%, 说明沛县蔬菜产业有较强的可持续发展能力和较大的发展潜力。为促进沛县蔬菜产业综合效益的提高和可持续发展, 应进一步加强蔬菜产业基础设施及蔬菜产品加工业的建设,加大蔬菜产业的科学技术推广力度, 增强沛县蔬菜生态经济系统的产出能力。     

Weed control in conventional and herbicide tolerant winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) grown in rotations with winter cereals in the UK

Two winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) cultivars, tolerant to glyphosate and glufosinate, were compared with a conventional cultivar at three sites over 4 years, in 3‐year crop rotations in the UK. The winter oilseed rape was grown in Years 1 and 4, with winter cereals, which received uniform herbicide treatments, in the intervening years. The second winter oilseed rape treatments were applied to randomised sub‐plots of the original plots. Weed densities were recorded in autumn and spring and weed biomass was measured in summer. At most sites, there was only one application of glufosinate or glyphosate, whereas two products were often used on the conventional variety. The timing of glyphosate and glufosinate application was, on average, 34 days later than that of the conventional broad‐leaved weed control treatments. Overall weed control, across all sites and years, was not statistically different between the conventional, glyphosate and glufosinate treatments. However, glyphosate achieved higher control of individual weed species more frequently than the other treatments. Glufosinate and the conventional treatments were similar in performance. The treatments in Year 1 sometimes affected weed populations in the subsequent cereal crops and, in rare instances, those in the rape in Year 4. Carry‐over effects were small after most treatments. In general, weed survival was greater in the oilseed rape crops, irrespective of the treatment, than it was in the intervening cereal crops.     

1994～2002年杏专业研究文献计量分析

对1994～2002年专业期刊公开发表的杏专业文献做了计量分析。总文献量为1305篇,其中署名文献有1265篇。第一作者856人,主要作者群为业务行政单位的科技人员,发表论文321篇,占论文总数的40.79%。确定了38位核心作者、10种核心期刊。     

基质含水量和光照水平对网纹甜瓜幼苗生长和生理生化特性的影响

以网纹甜瓜"西域一号"为试材,研究了基质含水量[基质最大持水量的100%(W1)、80%(W2)、60%(W3)和40%(W4)]和光照水平[温室内全光照的100%(L1)、70%(L2)、40%(L3)]交互作用对网纹甜瓜幼苗生长和生理生化特性的影响。结果表明:不同基质含水量和光照强度对网纹甜瓜幼苗生长影响显著,以80%基质含水量结合温室内100%光照的幼苗生长最健壮。光照强度对植株可溶性糖含量影响显著,而基质含水量只有在全光照下才表现出显著影响。在3个光照强度下,可溶性蛋白及游离脯氨酸含量随基质含水量的减少显著增加;而在基质含水量相同的情况下,光照强度的影响较小。在所有处理中,W2L1处理的SOD和POD活性最低,CAT活性较低。MDA含量以W2L1处理最低,W4L3处理最高。     

FDG PET/CT IMAGING IN CANINE CANCER PATIENTS

2‐Deoxy‐2‐[¹⁸F]fluoro‐d ‐glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) is becoming increasingly available as an imaging modality in veterinary medicine. The purpose of this study was to report semiquantitative standard uptake values (SUV) of malignant and nonmalignant tissues and organs in canine cancer patients. FDG PET/CT was performed in 14 dogs including, nine mesenchymal tumors, four carcinomas, and one incompletely excised mast cell tumor. A generally higher FDG uptake was observed in carcinomas relative to sarcomas. Maximum SUV of carcinomas ranged from 7.6 to 27.0, and for sarcomas from 2.0 to 10.6. The FDG SUV of several organs and tissues, including regional brain uptake is reported, to serve as a reference for future FDG PET studies in canine cancer patients. Several potential pitfalls have been recognized in interpretation of FDG PET images of human patients, a number of these were also observed in this study.     

The effect of homoeologous group 7 chromosomes upon adult plant resistance of wheat to yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis)

Aneuploid and intervarietal chromosome substitution lines of wheat ev. Chinese Spring were used to study the effects of homoeologous chromosomes 7A, 7B and 7D upon adult plant resistance to yellow rust ( Puccinia striiformis). Chromosomes 7B and 7D carry factors upon their short arms which interact to influence resistance. The results can be explained if there is a single locus determining resistance upon the short arms of chromosomes 7B and 7D. These loci may be homoeo-allelic; however, no evidence was found for a corresponding locus upon the short arm of chromosome 7A. Three homologous variants of the factor on 7D^S were found but no variation was found for the factor on 7B^S.