Effects of dietary vitamin K levels on bone quality in broilers.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin K (menadione) on bone quality in cage-raised broilers. Three hundred and sixty male broilers were randomly allotted to one of six treatments, with six replicate pens per treatment and 10 chicks per pen. Broilers were fed one of six diets including a control diet or the control diet plus graded levels of vitamin K (0.5 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg, 8 mg/kg, 32 mg/kg and 128 mg/kg). Water and feed were provided ad libitum during the 7-week experimental period. Results indicated that vitamin K supplementation of broilers diets significantly effected bone quality and feed efficiency. The treatment containing vitamin K at 8 mg/kg improved growth performance (during weeks 6-7) and bone quality (during weeks 0-3). In our study, hydroxyapatite binding capacity of serum osteocalcin (during weeks 0-3), bone breaking strength, bone flexibility, bone ash weight increased linearly (P < 0.05) and bone mineral density, bone mineral content increased quadratically (P < 0.05) with increasing supplementation of vitamin K. In conclusion, to gain optimum bone quality and broiler performance, our studies suggest that the concentration of vitamin K in broilers diets should be 8 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg, and 2 mg/kg, for the starter, grower and finisher phases, respectively. Furthermore, it was shown that the starter period is an important phase for improving bone quality. In addition, this study validated the mechanism of vitamin K effects on bone quality. Vitamin K boosts the carboxylation of osteocalcin and decreases the concentration of serum under-carboxylated osteocalcin enhancing hydroxyapatite binding capacity of serum osteocalcin and improving bone quality.     

Observations on transplacental infection with bluetongue virus in sheep

Twenty-four ewes were inoculated with 1 of 2 strains of bluetongue virus type 4 at 40, 60, or 80 days of gestation. Two ewes aborted, 2 ewes died, and 1 was killed during the experiment, but their fetuses were recovered. At term, 2 mummified fetuses, 4 dead lambs, and 17 clinically healthy lambs were produced by 12 sheep, and the remaining 7 sheep were barren. Porencephaly and cerebellar dysgenesis were found in term lambs born to sheep inoculated at 40 and 60 days of gestation. Radiographic examination of 12 fetuses showed developmental ages far less than their chronologic age; 8 fetuses had skeletal growth-retardation lines, which were also observed in the dead lambs. A systemic lymphoreticular hyperplasia was observed in the dead lambs and in all lambs at 12 weeks of age; in 4 of the latter, granulomatous reactions were present in the liver and kidney. Lungs of the full-term lambs were reduced in weight and showed poor alveolar development and mononuclear cell infiltration, which persisted in the 12-week-old lambs. It was concluded that bluetongue virus is capable of causing not only gross abnormalities of the CNS, but also generalized growth retardation and fetal lymphoreticular hyperplasia.     

Preharvest applications of growth regulators and their effect on postharvest quality of table grapes during cold storage

Over 54,600 ha of table grapes (Vitis vinifera), mainly cvs. ‘Thompson Seedless’, ‘Flame Seedless’ and ‘Redglobe’, are planted in Chile. Almost the entire production is exported to the USA, Europe, Asia, or one of several Latin American countries, which typically requires 15–40 d of maritime transportation. During this period, several physical, physiological, and pathological factors cause table grape deterioration. Because berry size is the main quality factor in international markets, farmers often overuse the growth regulators, gibberellic acid (GA₃) and forchlorfenuron (CPPU), in an effort to increase berry size. We examined the effect of preharvest growth regulators on seedless (‘Thompson Seedless’, and ‘Ruby Seedless’) and seeded (‘Redglobe’) table grape cultivars during cold (0 °C) storage plus a shelf life period of 3 d at 20 °C. The overuse of GA₃, eight instead of two GA₃ applications on Thompson Seedless, and the use of one GA₃ application on Redglobe and ‘Ruby Seedless’, increased berry pedicel thickness and lowered cuticle content but induced shatter and predisposed grapes to gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. In contrast, CPPU increased berry pedicel thickness and cuticle content but did not increase shatter or gray mold incidence. Clusters that were subjected to overuse of combined GA₃ and CPPU were highly sensitive to shatter, had the thickest pedicel, and developed a high gray mold incidence during cold storage. Hairline, a fine cracking developed during cold storage, was induced on ‘Thompson Seedless’ and ‘Ruby Seedless’ by growth regulators, but no hairline occurred on ‘Redglobe’ table grapes. Therefore, berry quality during cold storage is greatly influenced by growth regulator management in the vineyard.     

播量对水稻生长发育及干物质积累的影响

用盆栽方法进行播量对寒地水稻生长发育及干物质积累影响试验,结果表明:稀播的秧苗发根力强、分蘖多、茎基宽、充实度高。播量200g/m2的产量最高。     

S1核酸酶突变检测法的优化

优化了S1核酸酶突变检测体系,结果表明(1)扩增法比杂交法产生异源双链DNA更节省时间;(2)PCR产物可以直接作为突变检测的底物;(3)适当降低反应温度、适当增加反应缓冲液中的NaCl浓度、适当缩短反应时间可提高突变检测效果。     

BA—Dot—ELISA检测牛结核血清抗体的研究

利用BA—Dot—ELISA检测72份结核变反阳性牛血清,阳性率为69.5％,比常规ELISA(44.4％)高。用该法检测布鲁氏菌病、粘膜病、传染性鼻气管炎、白血病病牛血清及堪萨斯分枝杆菌、偶发分枝杆菌高免牛血清均无交叉反应,但对50份副结核变反阳性牛血清出现了一定的交叉。该法重复性好,简便快速,结果判定不需特殊仪器。