Characterizing long-term forest disturbance history and its drivers in the Ning-Zhen Mountains,Jiangsu Province of eastern China using yearly Landsat observations (1987–2011)

Forest losses or gains have long been recognized as critical processes modulating the carbon flux between the biosphere and the atmosphere. Timely, accurate and spatially explicit information on forest disturbance and recovery history is required for assessing the effectiveness of existing forest management. The major objectives of our research focused on testing the mapping efficacy of the vegetation change tracker (VCT) model over a forested area in China. We used a new version of VCT algorithm built upon the Landsat time series stacks (LTSS). The LTSS consisted of yearly image acquisitions to map forest disturbance history from 1987 to 2011 over the Ning-Zhen Mountains, Jiangsu Province of east China. The LTSS consisted of TM and ETM+ scenes with different projections due to distinct data sources (Beijing remote sensing ground station and the USGS EROS Center). The validation results of the disturbance year maps showed that most spatial agreement measures ranged from 70 to 86 %, comparable with the VCT accuracies reported for many places in USA. Very low accuracies were identified in 1995 (38.3 %) and 1992 (56.2 %) in the current analysis. These resulted from the insensitivity of the VCT algorithm to detect low intensity disturbances and also from the mis-registration errors of the image pairs. Major forest disturbance types existing in our study area were identified as agricultural expansion (39.8 %), urbanization (24.9 %), forest management practice (19.3 %), and mining (12.8 %). In general, there was a gradual decreasing trend in forest cover throughout this region, caused principally by China’s economic, demographic, environmental and political policies and decisions, as well as some weather events. While VCT has largely been used to assess long term changes and trends in the USA, it has great potential for assessing landscape level change elsewhere throughout the world.     

Effect of ammonia and nitrite on vigour,survival rate,moulting rate of the blue swimming crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Portunus pelagicus</Emphasis> zoea

The effects of ammonia and nitrite on vigour, survival rate, moulting rate of zoea of blue swimming crab, Portunus pelagicus, were studied. A total of five nitrite-N treatments (26.67, 53.34, 106.68, 213.36, 426.72 mg/l) and a control (no nitrite-N added) were set up for the acute nitrite-N toxicity experiment; a total of five ammonia-N treatments (8.43, 16.86, 33.72, 67.44, 134.88 mg/l) and a control (no ammonia-N added) were set up for the acute ammonia-N toxicity experiment. The results showed that the vigour, survival rate and moulting rate of zoea of the blue swimming crabs exposed to over 53.34 mg/l were significantly different (P < 0.05) from the control group. The zoea LC₅₀ values (mg/l) of nitrite-N were 179.47, 76.56, 66.70, 37.49, 25.01, 25.35, 25.34 mg/l for 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 h, respectively. The vigour, survival rate and moulting rate of zoea of the blue swimming crabs exposed to over 16.86 mg/l were significantly different (P < 0.05) from the control group. The zoea LC₅₀ values (mg/l) of ammonia-N were 51.04, 39.62, 38.72, 24.43, 16.90, 13.42, 11.16 mg/l for 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 h, respectively. The zoeae are highly sensitive to ammonia and nitrite, and the toxicity of ammonia and nitrite on Portunus pelagicus decrease with development of this crab.     

Green tea polyphenols supplementation alters immunometabolism and oxidative stress in dairy cows with hyperketonemia

Peripartal cows often experience negative energy balance, and are therefore prone to suffering from metabolic diseases such as hyperketonemia, which causes financial losses in dairy farms. This study aimed to investigate the effect of green tea polyphenol (GTP) supplementation during the periparturient period on production performance, oxidative stress and immunometabolism in dairy cows with hyperketonemia. One hundred Holstein cows were assigned to GTP (0.2 g/kg DM; n = 50) or control (without GTP; n = 50) group based on body weight, previous milk yield, and parity on d 15 before expected parturition. Subsequently, 10 cows with hyperketonemia were selected from each group, according to blood β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) concentration between 1.2 and 2.9 mmol/L from 2 to 3 d postpartum. All cows were fed a close-up diet and a lactation diet with or without GTP supply from 15 d prepartum until 30 d postpartum. Milk and blood samples were obtained from 20 cows selected with hyperketonemia on 10, 20, and 30 d postpartum. Compared with control cows, greater milk yield and lower somatic cell count were observed in GTP cows. The GTP group had lower concentrations of BHBA, free fatty acids, cholesterol, triglyceride, reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide, greater concentrations of glucose, lower activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and glutamyl transpeptidase, alongside greater activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity. Additionally, GTP supplementation up-regulated concentrations of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10, but down-regulated concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-2, interleukin-8, and interferon-γ in plasma. Greater concentrations of plasma immunoglobulin G were also detected in the GTP group. Overall, the data suggested that GTP supplementation from 15 d prepartum to 30 d postpartum improved the milk yield and health status in cows with hyperketonemia during early lactation.     

Analysis of Genotype,Environment, and Their Interaction Effects on the Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Capacities of Red Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Fourteen red rice varieties were planted in two locations during summer (Hangzhou) and winter (Hainan) to study the effect of genotype and environment on the phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities of rice grain. B‐type proanthocyanidins in red rice were detected by LC‐MS/MS and quantified by using the vanillin assay. Analysis of variance showed that total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and 2,2′‐azino‐bis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity were mainly affected by environmental factors, which accounted for more than 60% of the total variance. However, total proanthocyanidin content (TPAC) and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity were equally affected by both genotype and environment. The genotype × environment effects were significant for all traits. The pairwise correlations among TPC, TFC, TPAC, ABTS, and DPPH were also significant (r > 0.900, P < 0.001). Principal component analysis identified the genotypes that had higher contents of antioxidants and more stability across environments. This study showed that indirect selection of a simple trait (i.e., TPC) is an effective way to select rice high in antioxidant capacity in breeding programs. This study also suggests that rice should be produced specifically in a certain environment for the end user to minimize the variation in the functional properties and maximize their contents.     

小型多功能底盘稻麦割晒机研究

针对贵州山区田块小而分散,提出设计稻麦割晒机时应采用适应多种田间作业需要的通用底盘。小型多功能底盘主要由多功能底盘、发动机、动力传动系统、操作手柄及前后连接支架组成,多功能底盘上安装前后连接支架,根据田间农作物作业需要,与通用底盘快速挂接,可完成旋耕整地、开沟起垄、播种施肥、灌水施药及稻麦割晒等作业。该底盘可构建多功能作业机组,扩大机具使用范围和利用率,解决丘陵山地小田块机械化收割问题。     

基于MatLab和DSP的哈密瓜纹理分割与分类

以新疆特色水果哈密瓜为研究对象,提出一种利用Matlab辅助DSP提取哈密瓜纹理的方法。该方法首先利用Matlab把待处理的图像转换为数据文件(dat文件),然后利用DSP强大的运算能力分割哈密瓜表面纹理特征,并将分割结果同样以dat文件传递给Mat Lab,最后利用Mat Lab强大的数据分析与图像显示能力建立哈密瓜分类模型。实验结果表明,该方法能够有效地对哈密瓜表面纹理进行分割与分类,分类准确率为88.10%。该方法不但能够缩短DSP系统的开发周期,且能够为今后开发基于DSP的哈密瓜品质实时检测系统奠定基础。     

水果检测装置夹持臂的有限元分析

夹持翻转机构是大型水果无损检测装置的关键部件,主要功能是夹持哈密瓜后翻转,对其瓜体全表面进行图像采集,为无损检测分析提供数据。图像采集对机构的稳定性要求较高,其强度和稳定性直接影响检测效果。为此,运用Pro/E建立了检测装置的三维模型,并用有限元分析软件ANSYS对夹持翻转机构进行了不同工况下的静态分析及模态分析,得到夹持臂在工作时的应力应变云图及模态频率。分析表明,影响夹持机构振动特性的模态频率主要集中在8Hz左右,为其机构设计与优化提供了理论依据。     

Canine fetal echocardiography: correlations for the analysis of cardiac dimensions

The aim of this study was to develop regression models for correlation of canine fetal heart development with body size to characterize normal development or suggest cardiac anomalies. Twenty clinically healthy pregnant bitches, either brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic, were examined ultrasonographically. Transabdominal fetal echocardiography was conducted every 4 days from the beginning of cardiac chambers differentiation until parturition. Ten cardiac parameters were measured: length, width and diameter of the heart; heart area; left and right ventricular dimensions; left and right atrial dimensions; and aortic and pulmonary artery diameter. Femoral length, biparietal diameter and abdominal cross-sectional area were also recorded. Regression equations were developed for each parameter of fetal body size, and linear and logarithmic models were compared. The model with the highest correlation coefficient was chosen to produce equations to calculate relative dimensions based on the correlations. Only the left-ventricular chamber differed between the two racial groups. Biparietal diameter was the independent parameter that produced the highest correlation coefficient for the most fetal cardiac dimensions, although good correlations were also observed using femoral length and abdominal cross-sectional area. Heart width and heart diameter were used as surrogates of cardiac development, as these measurements showed the best statistical correlation. Quantitative evaluation of fetal cardiac structures can be used to monitor normal and abnormal cardiac development.     

Tenogenic induction of equine mesenchymal stem cells by means of growth factors and low-level laser technology

Tendons regenerate poorly due to a dense extracellular matrix and low cellularity. Cellular therapies aim to improve tendon repair using mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes; however, a current limitation is the low proliferative potential of tenocytes in cases of severe trauma. The purpose of this study was to develop a method useful in veterinary medicine to improve the differentiation of Peripheral Blood equine mesenchymal stem cells (PB-MSCs) into tenocytes. PB-MSCs were used to study the effects of the addition of some growth factors (GFs) as TGFβ3 (transforming growth factor), EGF2 (Epidermal growth factor), bFGF2 (Fibroblast growth factor) and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) in presence or without Low Level Laser Technology (LLLT) on the mRNA expression levels of genes important in the tenogenic induction as Early Growth Response Protein-1 (EGR1), Tenascin (TNC) and Decorin (DCN). The singular addition of GFs did not show any influence on the mRNA expression of tenogenic genes whereas the specific combinations that arrested cell proliferation in favour of differentiation were the following: bFGF2 + TGFβ3 and bFGF2 + TGFβ3 + LLLT. Indeed, the supplement of bFGF2 and TGFβ3 significantly upregulated the expression of Early Growth Response Protein-1 and Decorin, while the use of LLLT induced a significant increase of Tenascin C levels. In conclusion, the present study might furnish significant suggestions for developing an efficient approach for tenocyte induction since the external administration of bFGF2 and TGFβ3, along with LLLT, influences the differentiation of PB-MSCs towards the tenogenic fate.