Sprinkling coarse marble powder during the afternoon, toward the end of the laying period, may increase eggshell quality

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of time, particle size (PS) and level of calcium supplementation above the requirements toward the end of the laying period on egg production and eggshell quality. A total of 675 Isa-Brown layer hens were distributed in a completely randomized factorial arrangement of 3×3×3, using three sprinkling times (08.00, 12.00, 16.00 hours), PC (mash, granular and large size) and amounts (0 g control, 0.75 g/day/h, 1.50 g/day/h) of marble sprinkling as a calcium source. All hens were fed a commercial layer diet from 55 to 67 weeks of age. Sprinkling of 1.50 g marble reduced ( P  < 0.05) egg production compared to 0.75 g marble, and feed efficiency (FE) compared to that of 0 and 0.75 g marble. Sprinkling of 0.75 and 1.50 g marble increased ( P  < 0.01) eggshell weight, shell strength and shell thickness compared to that of 0 g marble. The interaction of sprinkling time-by-PS-by–quantity of marble was significant for egg production ( P  < 0.05), FE and shell strength ( P  < 0.01). Results showed that sprinkling of coarse marble powder to complete diet increased shell strength without reduction in egg production and FE.     

库尔勒香梨历年冬季低温评价及严重冻害成因分析

通过评价1958-2008年库尔勒香梨越冬期间及早春低温资料,分析了历年冻害发生情况及冻害成因.结果表明:1958-2008年,气温异常偏低年份有9年,香梨发生了6次严重冻害,其中5次严重冻害发生在越冬期间,早春冻害1次(2005),剩余3年气温在临界线附近,没有造成严重冻害;1958-1986年极端最低气温变化趋势基本正常,之后有升高趋势;2007-2008年冬季气温异常偏低,导致了大面积冻害;香梨冻害发生临界温度大致为-20 ℃;香梨冻害与极端低温、低温持续日数、降温幅度、降雪厚度及持续时间、立地条件及管理水平等因素有关.     

The frequency of eight common point mutations in CYP21 gene in Iranian patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

BACKGROUND: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH, the inherited inability to synthesize cortisol) is one of the most common (1 in 10000 to 1 in 15000) autosomal recessive disorders. More than 95% of cases of CAH are caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD). Females with severe, classic 21-OHD are exposed to excess androgens prenatally and are born with virilized external genitalia. Most patients cannot synthesize sufficient aldosterone to maintain sodium balance and may develop potentially fatal salt wasting crisis if not treated. METHODS: We applied allele specific PCR to detect the eight common mutations in the CYP21 gene in patients. Fifty unrelated patients with symptoms of classical CAH were studied. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Seventy percent of our subjects had these mutations. The most frequent mutations were found to be I2G and del-8 bp (28% and 13%, respectively). The frequencies of other alleles were as following: I172N, 9%; V281L, 3%; exon 6 cluster (I236N, V237E and M239K), 4%; Q318X, 9%; R356W, 5%; and P30L, 0%. The frequency of mutations did not differ substantially from other ethnics, however, a higher rate of del-8 bp (13%) was found in our population. The aim of this study was to detect common mutations for setting up a molecular method for prenatal diagnosis.     

Physico-chemical characteristics and total quality of date palm varieties grown in the southern of Tunisia

The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is a palm extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. The chemical composition and the water content of ten Tunisian date varieties were determined. For all analysis, the Deglet Nour variety was taken as reference. Compositional analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in reducing sugars (26 to 51%) than Deglet Nour which was rich in sucrose (54%). The relative results of the moisture content showed that the littoral varieties were classified as soft dates. The vitamin C analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in this compound (24 to 46 mg/100 g) than Deglet Nour (1.12 mg/100 g). The mineral analysis showed that the littoral dates were relatively rich in potassium (283 to 733 mg/100 g) and presented a weak content in sodium (0.06 to 0.09 mg/100 g).     

Study of water stress effects in different growth stages on yield and yield components of different rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars

A field experiment was conducted during 2001-2003 to evaluate the effect of water stress on the yield and yield components of four rice cultivars commonly grown in Mazandaran province, Iran. In northern Iran irrigated lowland rice usually experiences water deficit during the growing season include of land preparation time, planting, tillering stage, flowering and grain filing period. Recently drought affected 20 of 28 provinces in Iran; with the southeastern, central and eastern parts of the country being most severely affected. The local and improved cultivars used were Tarom, Khazar, Fajr and Nemat. The different water stress conditions were water stress during vegetative, flowering and grain filling stages and well watered was the control. Water stress at vegetative stage significantly reduced plant height of all cultivars. Water stress at flowering stage had a greater grain yield reduction than water stress at other times. The reduction of grain yield largely resulted from the reduction in fertile panicle and filled grain percentage. Water deficit during vegetative, flowering and grain filling stages reduced mean grain yield by 21, 50 and 21% on average in comparison to control respectively. The yield advantage of two semidwarf varieties, Fajr and Nemat, were not maintained under drought stress. Total biomass, harvest index, plant height, filled grain, unfilled grain and 1000 grain weight were reduced under water stress in all cultivars. Water stress at vegetative stage effectively reduced total biomass due to decrease of photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulation.     

Leaf and seed micronutrient accumulation in soybean cultivars in response to integrated organic and chemical fertilizers application

Plant nutrients can be influenced by organic materials of soils. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic amendments on elements uptake by soybean cultivars in a silty loam soil in Mazandaran province, Iran. The experiment was carried out in split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications in 2006. Main plots were included 8 fertilizer treatments consisted of 20 and 40 Mg ha(-1) Municipal Solid Waste Compost (MSW), Vermicompost (VC) and Sewage Sludge (SS) which enriched with 50% chemical fertilizers needed by soil, only chemical fertilizer treatment and control. Sub plots consisted of three genotypes of soybean (032, 033 and JK). Grain yield was determined and soybean leaves and seeds were digested and analyzed for Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe. Results showed that yield and elements content in soybean leaves and seeds (Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe) were influenced by all treatments. The 40 Mg ha(-1) of sewage sludge enriched with chemical fertilizers produced maximum grain yield. Different soybean cultivars had also significant differences in terms of leaf and seed micronutrients accumulation. Maximum grain yield was observed in JK and 033. Mean comparisons showed that interaction effects of fertilizer and cultivar had significant differences on Mn, Cu and Fe content in soybean leaves, so that the maximum Cu content was observed in 032 cultivars with 40 Mg ha(-1) enriched sewage sludge and municipal waste compost. Also the highest amount of Fe was obtained for JK cultivar when the 40 Mg ha(-1) of municipal compost was used. Among different mentioned traits, Fe and Cu content in leaf and seed and Zn content in leaf had a positive and significant correlation with grain yield.     

Heritability estimates for winter hardiness in lentil under natural and controlled conditions

Heritability analysis for cold tolerance in lentil was conducted using parental, F₂ and F₃ populations at two locations in Balochistan, Pakistan and one controlled environment in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Populations of parental and F₂ families were grown over 2 years (1991‐92 and 1992‐93) at Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. In 1992‐93, parental and F₃ families were studied at Quetta, and Kalat, Balochistan, Pakistan. Evaluation for normality using non‐transformed and log‐transformed data failed. Attempts to use analysis of variance were then abandoned in favour of parent‐offspring regression for narrow‐sense heritability. Estimates of narrow‐sense heritability ranged from 0.31±0.06 to 0.71 ± 0.06 under field conditions. Under controlled conditions, the estimated heritability was maximized at 1.00 ± 0.17 using 6‐ to 8‐week‐old lentils. Significant transgressive segregants were found in five of the six populations in the F₃ generation. Transgressive segregants appeared in the controlled F₃ generation but were not observed in field environments. This indicates that cold tolerance is under additive gene control and is environmentally sensitive in gene expression.     

Preliminary observations on effects of tillage systems on soil physical properties, cotton root growth and yield in Gezira Scheme, Sudan

The decline in cotton yields in the Gezira Scheme, Sudan, has been partially attributed to deterioration in soil physical properties and the formation of a plough pan 20 cm deep as a result of the repeated use of the disc plough for land preparation. This field study was conducted during the 1990/91 season at the Gezira Research Station Farm to evaluate the effect of tillage on some soil physical properties of Vertisols, root growth and yield of cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.). Three tillage systems were used: disc harrowing (DH), three bottom disc plough (DP) and subsoiling (SS). Infiltration rates, bulk densities, soil penetration resistance, moisture depletion and root and shoot growth were measured. The results indicated that infiltration rate was not increased significantly by SS. Plant height and shoot dry matter were significantly higher with SS at later growth stages. Bulk density of the plough pan at 135 days after sowing accounted for 90% of the observed variation in subsoil root dry weight while soil penetration resistance accounted for 59% of the variation. Subsoiling increased water use efficiency 25 and 13% over DH and DP respectively. Subsoiling increased cotton yields over DH but the increase over DP was not significant.     

温度、pH和培养基对长毛拟青霉菌株SP053生长和繁殖的影响

[目的]分析不同温度、pH及培养基对长毛拟青霉[Paecilomyces penicillatus(H?hn)]菌株SP053生长特性的影响,为SP053菌株的大规模发酵及微生物农药的研制与开发提供理论依据.[方法]以SP053菌株为试验材料,采用常规的固体培养方法,分别测试该菌株在6个温度梯度(17、20、23、26、29和32℃)、5个pH(5、6、7、8和9)和3种不同培养基[马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂培养基(PDA)、萨氏培养基(SDAY)和察氏琼脂培养基(Czapek)]等培养条件下的孢子萌发率、菌落生长速率和产孢量.[结果]温度、pH和培养基类型对SP053菌株的生长特性具有明显影响.高温(32℃)和低温(17℃)均不利于SP053菌株生长,23~29℃为该菌株的最适生长温区,在26℃下的孢子萌发率(94.50%)、菌落直径(47.5 mm)和产孢量(4.450×109个孢子/皿)均最高.在26℃下,SP053菌株在PDA和Czapek培养基上生长较快、产孢量较多,培养15 d的菌落直径分别为47.7和46.3 mm,产孢量分别为5.357×109和2.570×109个孢子/皿.pH在7~8时SP053菌株的生长、萌发和产孢效果最佳.[结论]SP053菌株在26℃下、pH为7~8的PDA培养基上的生长和产孢效果最佳.     

Characterization of anti‐Müllerian hormone in a case of bovine male pseudohermaphroditism

The current report aimed to characterize plasma anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) in bovine male pseudohermaphroditism. The blood AMH concentration in a Japanese Black male pseudohermaphrodite calf was compared with pre‐ and post‐pubertal male and female calves and castrated calves. The concentration in the case was higher than in post‐pubertal males, castrated males, and pre‐ and post‐pubertal female calves (p < .05), but similar to that in pre‐pubertal male calves. After extraction of the testes, the concentration in the case dropped to a certain extent. The extracted testes expressed AMH, as detected by immunohistochemistry. This study is the first to show the characterization of AMH in a male pseudohermaphrodite calf. AMH levels in peripheral blood might be useful to diagnose male pseudohermaphroditism in cattle.