Seroprevalence and risk factors for Neospora caninum in sheep in the state Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with infection due to Neospora caninum in serum samples from 488 sheep originating from 63 farms in 63 municipalities distributed across eight of the twelve mesoregions of the state Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. For detection of N. caninum the sheep serum samples were subjected to the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT ≥ 50). To identify the risk factors associated with infection due to N. caninum a questionnaire was filled out for each herd by interviewing, the individual responsible for the herd, demanding information on the general characteristics of the property. Sixty-four sheep sera (13.1%; 95% CI=10.3-16.4) presented IgG-specific anti-N. caninum antibodies with the following titers: 50 (49; 76.6%), 100 (7; 10.9%), 200 (4; 6.2%), 400 (3; 4.7%) and 800 (1; 1.6%). The prevalence of infected sheep per mesoregion ranged from 0 to 28.1%. Out of the 63 farms sampled, 31 (49.2%; 95% CI=36.4-62.1) presented at least one seropositive sheep. No significant association was found between the presence of anti-N. caninum antibodies and the risk factors evaluated on the farms, except for the mesoregion variable (p=0.004; OR=0.429; CI95%=0.182-1.008). These results indicate that there is a need for additional research to define the epidemiological importance of this parasite as a cause of reproductive problems in sheep herds in Minas Gerais.     

用卡片PCR法检测卡耶他环孢子虫

使用FTA卡片法提取卡耶他环孢子虫DNA,利用特异性引物组F1E/R2B、CC719/CRP999进行巢式PCR,得到1条298bp的特异条带。并以柔嫩艾美尔球虫、贝氏隐孢子虫等作为对照,结果显示,除卡耶他环孢子虫外,均无特异性条带。用卡耶他环孢子虫卵囊进行巢式PCR敏感性试验,结果显示敏感度最高达1.0×100个/mL。     

Black carbon estimation in French calcareous soils using chemo‐thermal oxidation method

We studied the black carbon (BC) content of ca. 405 samples from French topsoil and artificial soil and carbonate mixtures. Our protocol involved three main steps: (i) decarbonation by HCl, (ii) elimination of non‐pyrogenic organic carbon in a furnace at 375 °C, and (iii) quantification of residual carbon by CHN analysis. BC content increased for calcareous soils according to their carbonates content. Subsequent analyses confirmed the existence of a methodological artefact for BC determination only in calcareous soils. Decarbonation changes the thermal properties of organic matter, creating more recalcitrant carbon than in the initial sample. Higher CaCO₃ and organic carbon content results in a more pronounced artefact. The reversal of the first two steps of the chemo‐thermal oxidation method (i.e. thermal oxidation before soil decarbonation) eliminates this artefact. Overall, our results suggest that BC content may have been overestimated in a large number of studies on calcareous soils.     

浅谈苄·二氯对抛栽水稻的药害及预防措施

针对当前兴业县高峰镇抛秧田应用面积最广的除草剂苄·二氯因使用不当造成水稻药害的现状,进行深入的调查研究,找出造成药害的原因,提出切实可行的预防措施。     

辐射诱变技术在农业育种中的应用与探析

辐射诱变育种是在人工控制的条件下,利用中子、质子或者射线等物理辐射诱变因素对种子进行辐照,诱发其染色体的数量、结构和行为变异,从而得到可供利用的突变体,并在此基础上进一步培育出新的种质资源的一种新兴的育种技术。本文以水稻、小麦、大豆、花卉和林木等材料所做的辐照试验为依托,综述了国内外在辐射诱变育种方面所取得的成就,分析了该技术的作用机理、特点、优势、适用范围及其发展历程,并对其发展方向和应用前景做出了展望。其主旨在于提高人们对辐射诱变育种技术在农业生产中应用的价值、意义及其前景的认识,并为该技术的进一步发展和应用提供参考与借鉴,以期促进现代化物理农业工程的发展和应用,提高人民的生活水平与质量。     

广东省常用香草植物的应用价值及栽培

香草又称芳香植物、芳香药草,是会散发出独特香味的植物。介绍适应广东地区生长及常用香草植物种类,分析其应用价植,阐述香草植物从繁殖到田管理等方面栽培要点。     

工程造价控制的几个阶段

随着社会的发展,基础设施投资力度不断加大,工程项目的建设在不断扩展,作为贯穿项目的始终的工程造价控制也势在必行,本文着重介绍了工程造价控制的几个阶段。     

中国土壤上的沉默权分析

沉默权起源于17世纪的英国，因为制度的先进性和理论的合理性后被广为推崇。我国学界对中国是否应该引入沉默权展开了激烈的讨论。从中国沉默权的立法现状着手，论证了在中国土壤下建立沉默权的可行性，并在建构这项制度方面提出了自己的建议。     

Swine viscera preservation in hypersaturated salt solution after alcohol fixation as a preparation method for educational purposes

The use of live animals for educational purposes is an old practice that is still employed in teaching and research institutions. However, there are several objections to this practice, whether for ethical or humanitarian reasons. Surgical techniques teaching using anatomical pieces and/or preserved cadavers promotes greater learning efficiency, provides exercise repetition and increases the confidence and satisfaction of the students when compared to the use of live animals. The current work aimed to analyse the feasibility of using fresh swine urinary bladder and small intestines (jejunum), obtained from slaughterhouses, fixed in 99.8% ethyl alcohol (EA) and preserved in sodium chloride hypersaturated solution (SCHS) at 30%, for 7, 14 and 21 days, as an alternative method for surgical skills training (SST). Swine viscera, fixed in EA and preserved in SCHS, presented a realistic appearance, absence of odour and maintained the viable morphological characteristics during the performance of the operative techniques. Preservation solutions had low cost, were easy to acquire and did not offers risks to human health. Therefore, urinary bladders and small intestines fixed in 99.8% EA for 30 days and maintained in 30% SCHS at different periods were demonstrated as a good viable option as a preservation method for surgical skills training.     

Differentially expressed genes identified through RNA‐seq with extreme values of principal components for beef fatty acid in Nelore cattle

The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes (DEG) in the Longissimus thoracis muscle of Nelore cattle related to fatty acid (FA) profile through RNA sequencing and principal component analysis (PCA). Two groups of 10 animals each were selected containing PC1 and PC2 extreme DEG values (HIGH × LOW) for each FA group. The intramuscular fat (IMF) was compared between cluster groups by ANOVA, and only the sum of monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and ω3 showed significant differences (p < .05). Interestingly, the highest percentage (95%) of phenotypic variation explained by the sum of the first two PC was observed for ω3, which also displayed the lowest number of DEG (n = 1). The lowest percentage (59%) was observed for MUFA, which also revealed the largest number of DEG (n = 66). Since only MUFA and ω3 exhibited significant differences between cluster groups, we can conclude that the differences observed for the remaining groups are not due to the percentage of IMF. Several genes that have been previously associated with meat quality and FA traits were identified as DEG in this study. The functional analysis revealed one KEGG pathway and eight GO terms as significant (p < .05), in which we highlighted the purine metabolism, glycolytic process, adenosine triphosphate binding and bone development. These results strongly contribute to the knowledge of the biological mechanisms involved in meat FA profile of Nelore cattle.