The optimal immunization procedure of DNA vaccine pcDNA–TA4–IL-2 of Eimeria tenella and its cross-immunity to Eimeria necatrix and Eimeria acervulina

The immunization procedure of DNA vaccine pcDNA–TA4–IL-2 of Eimeria tenella, including route, dose, time of immunization and age of primary immunization of chicken, was optimized. The stability and the cross-species protection of the vaccine were also analyzed. Efficacy of immunization was evaluated on the basis of oocyst decrease ratio, lesion score, body-weight gain and the anti-coccidial index (ACI). Chinese Yellow chickens were randomly distributed into corresponding groups (30/group). The challenged, unchallenged and vector control groups were designed. The results illustrated that 25 μg was the optimal dose and intramuscular injection was the most effective route to induce protective immunity. There were no significant differences of ACIs between boosting and non-boosting groups. Storage time and temperature had little effect on the immunizing efficacy of the vaccine. The vaccine could provide partial cross-protection against the challenge with E. necatrix and E. acervulina, but not with E. maxima.     

Shrimp lectin–conjugated copper sulfide nanoparticles enhance immune response and gene expression in Etroplus suratensis infected with Aeromonas hydrophila

Aquaculture International - Lectins are hemagglutinating glycoproteins which act as pathogen recognition receptors that can bind to the pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Shrimp lectin...     

Novel technique for definite blastomere inhibition and distribution of maternal RNA in sterlet Acipenser ruthenus embryo

Fisheries Science - The cleavage pattern of a vertebrate’s embryo is either holoblastic (complete) or meroblastic (partial). Sturgeon and other basal bony fishes represent a transition of the...     

A comparison of the effect of organic acids and dicalcium phosphate supplementation on phosphorus bioavailability,growth performance and digestive enzyme activities of Labeo rohita fingerlings

The effect of organic acids (OA) and dicalcium phosphate (P_i) supplementation in the feed of Labeo rohita fingerlings was studied by formulating seven practical diets, designed as D1 with no feed additives {dicalcium phosphorus (P_i) and organic acid (OA) blend} while, D2, D3, D4 and D5 were supplemented with P_i at the graded levels of 5, 10, 15 and 20 g/kg, respectively, whereas D6 and D7 contained blend of OA at 15 and 30 g/kg, respectively. The diet supplemented with OA blend exhibited increase (p < .05) in growth of L. rohita fingerlings compared with the diet supplemented with P_i. The OA supplementation at both levels showed significant improvement in nutrients digestibility and minerals absorption in fingerlings. Moreover, in case of muscle proximate composition, crude fat (CF) and crude protein (CP) were increased (p < .05) with the inclusion of OA blend in the diet while crude ash (CA) was improved by P_i supplementation. Additionally, digestive enzyme activities were not affected (p ? .05) by OA blend supplementation while increased activities were observed in the fingerlings fed with P_i diet. Consequently, supplementation of OA blend in the diet improved the growth performance and nutrient status while P_i enhanced digestive enzyme activities of L. rohita fingerlings.     

A molecular modeling approach applied to a study of the photochromic behaviour of screen printed protein and polyamide substrates

A specifically-synthesized water-soluble photochromic acid dye has been applied by screen printing on to silk, wool and nylon. The influence of processing parameters and the nature of the substrate on the photochromic response of the printed materials has been evaluated using specifically-developed colour measurement methodology. The printed substrates show photochromic colour change from weakly coloured to an intense blue colour under sunlight or UV irradiation. In most cases, the photochromic colour build up is higher on wet substrates than after drying. Computer aided molecular modelling techniques have been used to explain aspects of the photochromic behaviour.     

Enhancement of Folate Content and Its Stability Using Food Grade Elicitors in Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Folate (vitamin B?) content was evaluated in 10 varieties of coriander with the aim of enhancing its concentration and stability, because of three reasons: 1) coriander is among a few widely used greens in the world and suits many cuisines, 2) folate deficiency is prevalent in developing countries causing anaemia, infant mortality and neural tube closure defects, and 3) natural folate is preferred due to doubts about health risks associated with the synthetic form. In C. sativum, the highest folate content of 1,577 μg/100 g DW was found in var. GS4 Multicut foliage of mature plants (marketable stage) with an insignificantly higher content (1,599.74 μg/100 g DW) at flowering, which is a stage not preferred in markets. In callus cultures treated with plant growth regulators (GRs) (6-benzylaminopurine, kinetin and abscisic acid) substantial increase in folate occurred after 6 h, whereas elicitors (methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid) caused rapid 2-fold increase of folate, particularly in response to salicylic acid. Based on these observations, foliar applications were done for in vivo plants, where salicylic acid (250 μM, 24 h) also enhanced folate level by 2-folds (3,112.33 μg/100 g DW), although the content varied with diurnal rhythms. Stability of folates in treated coriander foliage was 10 % higher than in untreated foliage when stored at 25 °C and 4 °C. This study has established for the first time that coriander foliage is rich in folates, which can be doubled by elicitation and impart 10 % more stability than control during processing and storage.     

砂姜黑土玉米秸秆有机碳的矿化特征

 【目的】探讨不同温度（10℃、20℃、30℃）、不同秸秆加入量（秸秆全量和过量）条件下,玉米秸秆还田对土壤有机碳矿化特征及其环境因子的响应机制。【方法】采用室内恒温控湿好气培养试验,对安徽淮北砂姜黑土在不同温度（10℃、20℃、30℃）条件下,设置50 g土样中加秸秆0.3 g（处理Ⅰ）、1.5 g（处理Ⅱ）、3.0 g（处理Ⅲ）及不加秸秆（CK）的处理,进行240 d的矿化培养。【结果】温度对有机碳矿化影响显著,在对照（CK）和秸秆加入量相同的处理中,有机碳的矿化累积量均随温度（10—30℃）升高而增加;温度较低（＜20℃）时,CK、Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ各处理的有机碳矿化温度系数（Q10）平均值约为1.229、1.251、1.572、1.399,温度较高（＞20℃）时,CK、Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ的Q10平均值约1.006、1.249、1.401、1.374,Q10值在温度较低时大于温度较高时,说明低温条件下,有机碳矿化速率对升温更敏感。同一温度条件下,不同处理秸秆加入量越大,有机碳矿化累积量越高,有机碳矿化的日变化量也越大。本试验中,一级动力学方程能较好地描述了不同处理土壤有机碳的矿化累积动态。土壤有机碳的潜在矿化量（C0）随温度变化不明显,在同一温度条件下,秸秆加入量越大,C0值越大。【结论】一级动力学方程能较好地描述不同处理土壤有机碳的矿化累积动态。不同温度、不同秸秆还田量及温度和秸秆还田量的交互作用,对玉米秸秆矿化过程中土壤有机碳含量的影响均达到显著水平。     

Quantitative analysis of minerals and electric conductivity of red grape homogenates by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy

The use of near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy to measure the concentration of minerals and electric conductivity (EC) in red grape homogenates was investigated. Wine grape samples (n = 209) from two vintages, representing a wide range of varieties and regions were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICPOES) for the concentrations of calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), sulphur (S), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) and scanned in reflectance in a NIR instrument (400-2500 nm). The spectra were pre-processed using multiple scatter correction (MSC) before developing the calibration models using partial least squares (PLS) regression and cross validation. Coefficients of determination in cross validation (R²) and the standard errors of cross validation (SECV) obtained were for Fe (0.60 and 1.49 mg kg⁻¹), Mn (0.71 and 0.41 mg kg⁻¹), Ca (0.75 and 60.89 mg kg⁻¹), Mg (0.84 and 12.93 mg kg⁻¹), K (0.78 and 285.34 mg kg⁻¹), P (0.70 and 40.19 mg kg⁻¹), S (0.88 and 14.45 mg kg⁻¹) and EC (0.87 and 7.66 mS). The results showed that Mg, S and EC in grape berries might be measured by NIR reflectance spectroscopy.     

Genetic model analysis on seedling and maturity traits in wheat under rainfed conditions

An experiment was conducted to access the genetic variability among early vigour and quantitative traits under limited moisture in F₂ generation of a 5 × 5 diallel cross of bread wheat. The results indicated that there was significant genotypic variation among the genotypes. Additive dominance model revealed full fitness of the data for RL, DSW, FRW, DRW, spike length, and 1000-grain weight but was partially fit for SL, FSW, R/S, tillers per seedling, plant height, tillers per plant, spikelets per spike, and grain yield per plant. The partially adequate models for these plant characters might be due to the presence of non-allelic interaction, linkage, and non-independent distribution of the genes in the parents. Additive genes coupled with moderate to high narrow sense heritability were involved in the heritage of all the traits, which indicated a higher scope of selection in early generations.     

Assessing the ‘true impact’ of development assistance in the Gaza Strip and Tokelau: ‘Most Significant Change’ as an evaluation technique

The democratic evaluative tradition has sought to change evaluation practice towards approaches and techniques that generate diverse forms of knowledge and foster public deliberation over a programme's merit and worth. This paper locates one evaluation method, ‘Most Significant Change’ (MSC), within this tradition. Drawing on two different evaluations – one, of a comprehensive economic sector assistance package to the Government of Tokelau, and the other of a psychosocial and academic support intervention for pre‐adolescent children in conflict‐affected regions of the Gaza Strip – the paper provides evidence of how MSC can capture unexpected outcomes, act as a tool for real‐time formative learning, and expose the competing theories, logics and values behind programme activity. The examples within the paper also provide evidence of how MSC begins to redistribute traditional power relationships in assessing the merit and worth of observed impacts by increasing the legitimacy of local programme knowledge, and engaging all parties in evaluative decisions. By doing so, MSC, the paper argues, better serves the purposes of learning, improvement and mutual accountability which should sit at the core of good development practice.