Absorption of Food in African Pike Hepsetus odoe （Bloch, 1974） in Ado Ekiti Reservoir,Ekiti State,Southwestern Nigeria

The protein, carbohydrate and lipid contents of the food ingested and their absorption in the intestine ofHepsetus odoe in Ado-Ekiti Reservoir, Ekiti State, Nigeria were investigated. Samples were analysed chemically for protein, fat and carbohydrate using the official methods of analysis described by the Association of Official Analytical Chemist. The ingested food had mean total protein, mean total carbohydrate and mean total lipid of 60.2% - 8.55%, 15.4% ± 1.9% and 15.6% ±1.1% of the organic content respectively. Calculated mean total percentages absorbed were 72.4% protein, 52% carbohydrate and 51.5% lipid. The foregut had the highest percentage absorption while the hindgut had the lowest for all the nutrients. Different sizes of fish showed different dietary protein, carbohydrate and lipid contents. Absorptive capacity for these components of the food also varied with fish size.     

Genetics, Development, and Application of Cytoplasmic Herbicide Resistance in Foxtail Millet

The effect of cytoplasmic herbicide resistant gene in millet plants was studied. The heterozygous populations and isogenic lines with homocaryotic alloplasmic genes were obtained by crossing and reciprocal crossing of cytoplasmic herbicide resistant plants with susceptive plants of foxtail millet. The characters of F1, F2, backcross and composite cross groups, and the growth and development of isogenic lines were compared. The cytoplasmic herbicide resistant gene slowed the development of seedling, delayed heading, and shortened the milking stage in the foxtail millet plant. Yield capacity and main agronomic characters were all affected by the cytoplasmic herbicide resistant gene in most of the backcross, composite cross, and F2 populations. However, there was stronger hybrid vigor in F1. The backcrosses, composite crosses, and F2 populations were widely separated and some of them had good characters similar to those of susceptive groups. The plant characters and development of foxtail millet were negatively affected by the cytoplasmic herbicide resistant gene. The authors proposed a method of using hybrid vigor to obtain high yield and avoid the negative effects of herbicide resistance cytoplasm in plant growth. The expected results could be obtained by selecting individuals in separate populations of fast developed seedlings, well-developed roots, and with capacities of early heading and fast milking. Guided by the principal mentioned above, many high yield lines and hybrid crosses of foxtail millet with herbicide resistant cytoplasm were obtained.     

Interplay of rotational, relaxational, and shear dynamics in solid ⁴He

Using a high-sensitivity torsional oscillator (TO) technique, we mapped the rotational and relaxational dynamics of solid helium-4 ((4)He) throughout the parameter range of the proposed supersolidity. We found evidence that the same microscopic excitations controlling the torsional oscillator motions are generated independently by thermal and mechanical stimulation. Moreover, a measure for the relaxation times of these excitations diverges smoothly without any indication for a critical temperature or critical velocity of a supersolid transition. Finally, we demonstrated that the combined temperature-velocity dependence of the TO response is indistinguishable from the combined temperature-strain dependence of the solid's shear modulus. This implies that the rotational responses of solid (4)He attributed to supersolidity are associated with generation of the same microscopic excitations as those produced by direct shear strain.     

Place,Taste, or Face-to-Face? Understanding Producer–Consumer Networks in “Local” Food Systems in Washington State

In an increasingly globalized food economy, local agri-food initiatives are promoted as more sustainable alternatives, both for small-scale producers and ecologically conscious consumers. However, revitalizing local agri-food communities in rural agro-industrial regions is particularly challenging. This case study examines Grant and Chelan Counties, two industrial farming regions in rural Central Washington State, distant from the urban fringe. Farmers in these counties have tried diversifying large-scale processing into organics and marketing niche and organic produce at popular farmers markets in Seattle about 200 miles away. Such strategies invoke the question, “How are ‘local’ agri-food networks socially and geographically defined?” The meaning of what constitutes “local” and/or “sustainable” systems merits consideration in the linking of these rural counties with distant urban farmers markets. Employing historical, in-depth interview and survey research, we analyze production and consumption networks and the non-market systems that residents in these counties access for self-provisioning and food security.     

Effect of Hypoglycemia on Performances, Metabolites, and Hormones in Periparturient Dairy Cows

In this research work, 24 multiparous holstein cows were used to evaluate the effect of hypoglycemia on periparturient metabolism and lactation performance. The cows were arranged into two groups of hypoglycemia （L） and normal plasma glucose （N） based on plasma glucose level. The same diets were fed ad libitum from 28 days before expected calving date to 28 days after calving. The parameters relative to energy balance, such as dry matter intake （DMI）, body weight （BW）, milk yield （MY）, and concentrations of plasma glucose, nonesterified fatty acids （NEFA）, β-hydroxybutyric acid （BHBA）, insulin （INS）, glucagons （GLN）, leptin （LP）, neuropeptide Y （NPY） in plasma were measured at regular intervals. Incidence of hypoglycemia was higher prepartum than that of postpartum （88% vs. 50%）, and the recurrence of hypoglycemia was reversed （31% vs. 100%）. Hypoglycemia did not affect feed intake before and after calving. With the increase of postpartum feed intake, incidence of hypoglycemia decreased rapidly, even disappeared at 28 days of postpartum. Hypoglycemia had no impact on prepartum BW, but BW in L group was lower than that of cows in N group at 1 day and 14 days of postpartum （P〈0.05）. Milk yield was not affected by hypoglycemia. Cows in L group had higher plasma NEFA concentration than cows in N group. It reached a peak （1442 μmol L^-1 vs. 1052 μmol L^-1） at day 1 of postpartum （P〈0.05）. Plasma BHBA concentration of cows in L group was higher than that in N group, which reached a peak （2.01 mmol L^-1 vs. 1.34 mmol L^-1） at 14 days of postpartum （P〈0.05）. Plasma concentration of INS and GLN was unaffected by treatment, but postpartum plasma GLN concentration obviously increased, especially in L group. Plasma concentration of LP and NPY before calving was unaffected by treatment, but postpartum LP level in L group was slightly lower than that in N group, and NPY level in L group was significantly higher than that in N group （P〈0.05）. Overall, periparturient dairy cows are easy to develop hypoglycemia, which stimulates lipid metabolism. Adaptive changes of some metabolites and hormones, such as NEFA, BHBA, INS, GLN, LP, NPY are of benefit to increase feed intake and recovery of NEB in periparturient period, but there still are some issues on interaction of those endocrine factors in the energy balance of periparturient cows to be understood further.     

Two farnesyl pyrophosphate synthases,GhFPS1–2, in Gossypium hirsutum are involved in the biosynthesis of farnesol to attract parasitoid wasps

Sesquiterpenoids play an import role in the direct or indirect defense of plants. Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthases(FPSs) catalyze the biosynthesis of farnesyl pyrophosphate, which is a key precursor of farnesol and(E)-β-farnesene. In the current study, two FPS genes in Gossypium hirsutum, GhFPS1 and GhFPS2, were heterologously cloned and functionally characterized in a greenhouse setting. The open reading frames for full-length GhFPS1 and GhFPS2 were each 1 029 nucleotides, and encoded two proteins of 342 amino acids with molecular weights of 39.4 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequences of GhFPS1–2 showed high identity to FPSs of other plants. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that GhFPS1 and GhFPS2 were highly expressed in G. hirsutum leaves, and were upregulated in methyl jasmonate(MeJA)-, methyl salicylate(MeSA)-and aphid infestation-treated cotton plants. The recombinant proteins of either GhFPS1 or GhFPS2 plus calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase could convert geranyl diphosphate(GPP) or isopentenyl diphosphate(IPP) to one major product, farnesol. Moreover, in electrophysiological response and Y-tube olfactometer assays, farnesol showed obvious attractiveness to female Aphidius gifuensis, which is an important parasitic wasp of aphids. Our findings suggest that two GhFPSs are involved in farnesol biosynthesis and they play a crucial role in indirect defense of cotton against aphid infestation.     

The Application of Somaclonal Variation in Early Maturity,High Yield and High Quality Improvement in Wheat

Yield characters,maturity and grain protein content of somaclones derived both form immature embryo of cultivar 77(2)-Spring and single-cell culture of cultivar NE7742 in vitro were studied and the wide variatioin was found.Soaclones with maturity 8 days earlier than or the same as CK NE 7742(high yield,early maturity and high quality),combining with high quality(grain protein content 15.5%-18%)and high yield(the same as 7724 or higher)have been found and selected and now multiplied for 8 generations.The results of cultivar comparison trial in 1995 showed that several somaclones(the yields were significantly higher than CK DN 120) could be used directly in wheat production.The studies confirmed that somaclonal variation is one of the effective ways for early maturity,high-yielding and high-quality improvement in wheat.     

Modeling Fiber Fineness, Maturity, and Micronaire in Cotton （Gossypium hirsutum L.）

Crop performance is determined by the combined effects of the genotype of the crop and the environmental conditions of the production system. This study was undertaken to develop a dynamic model for simulating environmental (temperature and solar radiation) and N supply effects on fiber fineness, maturity and micronaire. Three different experiments involving genotypes, sowing dates, and N fertilization rates were conducted to support model development and model evaluation. The growth and development duration of fiber fineness, maturity, and micronaire were scaled by using physiological development time of secondary wall synthesis (PDT SWSP ), which was determined based on the constant ratio of SWSP/ BMP. PTP (product of relative thermal effectiveness (RTE) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), MJ m-2) and subtending leaf N content per unit area (N A , g m-2) and critical subtending leaf N content per unit area (CN A , g m-2) of cotton boll were calculated or simulated to evaluate effects of temperature and radiation, and N supply. Besides, the interactions among temperature, radiation and N supply were also explained by piecewise function. The overall performance of the model was calibrated and validated with independent data sets from three field experiments with two sowing dates, three or five flowering dates and three or four N fertilization rates for three subsequent years (2005, 2007, and 2009) at three ecological locations. The average RMSE and RE for fiber fineness, maturity, and micronaire predictions were 372 m g-1 and 5.0%, 0.11 m g-1 and 11.4%, 0.3 m g-1 and 12.3%, respectively, indicating a good fit between the simulated and observed data. It appears that the model can give a reliable prediction for fiber fineness, maturity and micronaire formation under various growing conditions.     

Nanotechnologies,food, and agriculture: next big thing or flash in the pan?

The advent of the new nanotechnologies has been heralded by government, media, and many in the scientific community as the next big thing. Within the agricultural sector research is underway on a wide variety of products ranging from distributed intelligence in orchards, to radio frequency identification devices, to animal diagnostics, to nanofiltered food products. But the nano-revolution (if indeed there is a revolution at all) appears to be taking a turn quite different from the biotechnology revolution of two decades ago. Grappling with these issues will require abandoning both the exuberance of diffusion theory and ex post facto criticism of new technologies as well in favor of a more nuanced and proactive view that cross the fault line between the social and natural sciences.

Micromorphological Features of Old Cultivated and Modern Soils in Guanzhong Areas, Shaanxi Province, China

Using the data obtained from the LGT soil profile, this article attempts to illustrate the process of modem soil formation in the Guanzhong areas and its micromorphological features. The micromorphology is observed under a petrographic microscope, and its image is quantitatively measured by LEICAL Qwin 2.6 software. Micromorphological observations of the thin sections show that the assemblage of minerals in different horizons is very similar, which is mainly composed of Q and P1. However, there are obvious differences in C/F15μm ratio, mineral content, and coarse features. The pedofeatures is mainly composed of clay, calcite, and amorphous Fe. Ap horizon is characterized by abundant needleshaped secondary calcite, secondary clay, and earthworm fecal pellet. BC horizon is characterized by a large quantity of secondary calcite with various shapes. Bt1and Bt2 horizons are characterized by abundant clay hypocoatings and a small quantity of secondary calcite. All the results of this research suggest that Earth-cumulic Orthic Anthrosols consist of both the upper Ap horizon, which cause loessal dung and eolian dust deposition, and cultivation occurs simultaneously during the process of Ap horizon-formation, and the lower BC horizon, which is aeolian sedimentary at the time of relative aridity during late Holocene.     

Stakeholder interactions in Castile-La Mancha,Spain’s cereal-sheep system

Large tracts of European rural land, mostly in the less favored areas (LFA), are devoted to low-inputs and large scale grazing systems (LSGS) with potential environmental and social functions. Although these LSGS may provide harbor for a good part of European nature values, their continuity is facing contrasting threats of intensification and abandonment. These areas, however, may be characterized by particular grazing structures and social dynamics of change that should be unveiled prior to attempts to devise rural development strategies or to adapt policy frameworks in general. To wit, stakeholder interactions and legal and institutional processes are described and analyzed for the cereal-sheep system of Castile-La Mancha (CLM) in the central Iberian plain. Farmers and pastoralists still share the use of the land, but their roles and interests have changed over time, and particularly in the last 50 years. Arable farming, mainly cereal cropping, has followed an intensification path, partially tempered by the environmental constraints of the Castilian plain. Extensive pastoralism is still a secondary option of land use; in the main, sheep farmers depend on, and look to, the management practices of arable farmers. A mixed cereal and sheep operation may deliver environmental and economic benefits, but successful implementation of this strategy is only possible when the system serves the needs of both types of stakeholders. Paradoxically, the main drivers of change in the countryside overall are arrayed against this sensible and traditional agricultural system. We argue that the recent legal and institutional frameworks do not favor social cohesion and that policy-support schemes of the European Union (EU) have been, and continue to be, devised without taking into account the particular structures and social dynamic of the farming system.

Separation, Purification and Identification of Antioxidant Compositions in Black Rice

To separate, purify and identify the antioxidative compositions of black rice, using total antioxidation capacity （TAC） as an activity-monitoring parameter, different fractions of black rice antioxidative extracts were obtained using solvents of different polarities such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and normal butyl alcohol. The main anfioxidative components were separated from the strongest antioxidative fractions by using Sephadex LH-20 resin and the structures were analyzed by ultraviolet-vis, infra-red, ESI-MS, ^1H-NMR and ^13C-NMR spectrums. Results showed that the water fraction and normal butyl alcohol antioxidafive extract fraction of black rice had the strongest antioxidation capacities and their TACs reached 383 and 392 ku g^-1, respectively. Four main antioxidative components were separated from the water fraction and their TACs reached 976, 878, 1 134 and 1087 ku g^-, respectively. The spectroscopy analysis indicated that the four active components of the antioxidative extract of black rice were four anthocyanin compounds of malvidin, pelargonidin- 3, 5-diglucoside, cyaniding-3-glucoside and cyaniding-3, 5-diglucoside. It is concluded that the anthocyanin compounds are the most important substantial foundations for antioxidation.     

Drought-Induced Changes in Xylem Sap pH, ABA and Stomatal Conductance

Upstream signals potentially regulating evaporation and stomatal conductance were investigated using 6-8-1ear-old maize (Zea may L.) seedlings which were grown in a greenhouse. Pressure chamber was used to measure leaf water potential and to collect xylem sap. The pH of xylem sap in stems was higher than that in root, and the abscisic acid (ABA) concentration in stems was the highest in well-watered seedlings. The ABA concentration and pH of xylem sap in roots, stems and leaves increased, and the ABA concentration in leaves reached the maximum during drought stress. The treatment of roots with exogenous ABA solution (100 umol L^-1) increased xylem sap ABA concentration in all organs measured, and induced stomatal closure, but did not change ABA distribution among organs of maize seedlings. The combined effects of external pH buffer on pH, ABA of xylem sap and stomatal behavior indicated that pH, as a root-source signal to leaves under drought stress, regulated stomatal closure through accumulating ABA in leaves or guard cells.     

Soluble Proteins,Starch Phosphorylase and Amylases in Calonyctintreated Developing Potato

研究了月光花素处理对马铃薯发育过程中可溶性蛋白质和淀粉代谢有关酶类的影响．结果表明，用０．０５活性单位的月光花素处理后３０ｄ起可检测到马铃薯发生差异．在发育后期即处理后４０ｄ起对照组根系和叶片的蛋白质含量下降，而处理组则保持相对稳定，同时处理后叶片蛋白质成分发生改变．处理后４０ｄ和５０ｄ块茎中蛋白质比对照分别增加了２４％和１０％，块茎发育过程中的快速蛋白质含量提高比对照组早１０ｄ．处理组叶片中的磷酸化酶和α－淀粉酶活性在处理后３０ｄ起分别低于对照２７％～１００％和３４％～６１％，而块茎中的磷酸化酶活性在处理后４０～５０ｄ却高于对照５３％～９２％．这说明处理组糖分直接转移到块茎，并以更强的能力合成淀粉，形成了高产的生理机制     

“Si no comemos tortilla,no vivimos:” women,climate change,and food security in central Mexico

In recent years, it has become clear that food security is intimately related to complex environmental, social, political, and economic issues. Even though several studies document the impact of climate on food production and agriculture, a growing segment of research examines how climate change impacts food systems and associated livelihoods. Furthermore, while women play a crucial role in providing food security for their families, little research exists that examines the nexus among gender relations, climate change, and household food security. This study investigates these relationships by asking: (1) how is the production and reproduction of knowledge about food security and climate change shaped by gender and lived experience, and (2) how does this knowledge influence attitudes and strategies for maintaining food security in a changing climate? Drawing on the results of research in two communities in central Mexico, I argue that women’s perceptions of and strategies for maintaining food security are derived from their socio-political, environmental, and economic contexts. This study contributes to both the growing literature on the gender dynamics of climate change, as well as debates about the role of bioengineered seeds in helping farmers to adapt to a changing climate.