Measurement of endogenous amino acid losses in poultry

1. Ileal endogenous amino acid losses were determined in broiler chickens and in cannulated cross‐bred layer strain cockerels using either a nitrogen‐free diet, regression analysis or a 48 h fast.

2. Endogenous amino acid flows to the ileum in fasted cockerels were significantly lower than those obtained both by feeding the nitrogen‐free diet, and from regression analysis in either broilers or cockerels. Regression analysis gave the highest flows.

3. The apparent digestibility coefficients of amino acids in a diet containing 200 g/kg crude protein were lower in broilers (0.84) than in cockerels (0.88). When corrected, by regression analysis, for the contribution of endogenous amino acids, the true digestibility coefficients became 0.90 and 0.92 respectively.     

Dietary lysine concentrations from deficient to excessive and the effects on broiler chicks

1. An experiment was designed to test the response of broiler chicks (0–21 d) to dietary lysine concentration. Concentrations ranged from 9.9 to 14.4 g of lysine per kg diet when energy was 13.4 MJ ME/kg.

2. Estimates of the concentration of lysine needed for maximum body weights gain, food consumption and gain:food ratio were calculated using two statistical methods. An average of these estimates was 12.0 g lysine/kg diet to 21 d of age.

3. Chicks given 13.9 or 14.4 g lysine/kg diet were negatively affected by these concentrations. The decreases in average weight gain, food consumption and food efficiency were caused mainly by several chicks that developed severe leg problems and were much smaller than their pen mates. Chicks with no leg problems gained weight as rapidly as chicks receiving optimal amounts of lysine.     

Protein synthesis measured in the whole body of chick embryos cultured in vitro

1. Whole body protein synthesis was measured in chick embryos cultured in vitro. On day 7 of incubation chick embryos were cultured for 60 min in synthetic serum‐free medium containing 4‐[³H]phenylalanine. Specific radioactivities in free and protein‐bound phenylaline in the whole embryo were measured, starting 2 min after commencement of the culture process.

2. The values for fractional synthesis rate (FSR) estimated in vitro at 20, 30, 45 and 60 min during the embryo culture agreed well, ranging from 35 to 40%/d, suggesting that the method would serve as a useful model for studying the effect of growth promoters in chick embryos.

3. Bovine insulin in the synthetic medium did not affect FSR of protein in chick embryos cultured in vitro.     

Food intake adjustments of chicks: Short term reactions of genetic stocks to deficiencies in lysine,methionine or tryptophan

1. Growth, food intake, and food preference were measured in two experimental lines (White Rocks and White Leghorns) of chickens fed diets varying in content of lysine, methionine, or tryptophan. Diet A was balanced in all amino acids, while the remaining 6 diets were moderately ( ～ 30%) or slightly ( ～ 15%) deficient in either lysine, methionine, or tryptophan relative to NRC recommendations for broiler diets.

2. Body weight and food utilisation efficiency of White Leghorns at 10 d of age were not affected by diet, whereas the lower concentrations of lysine and methionine depressed these traits in White Rocks.

3. Tryptophan deficiency reduced food intake of White Leghorns, but not White Rocks.

4. With choice feeding of balanced and deficient diets from day 10 to 16, preferences between the diets were minimal for White Leghorns, whereas for White Rocks there was an almost immediate preference for the balanced diet, followed by lack of preference or preference for the deficient diet.

5. Apparently for some genetic stocks there is rapid adjustment to deficiencies in these amino acids with overconsumption, followed by compensation for preference of the balanced diet. The response, however, will vary depending on the deficient amino acid.     

温度和砷对不同品种水稻幼苗生长和砷吸收的影响

为明确温度和外源砷对水稻生长发育的影响,选取江苏地区常见的8个水稻品种为试验材料,通过添加不同浓度外源砷[0(As0)、0.5(As0.5) 和1 mg?L-1(As1)]和模拟不同温度[白天/夜晚分别为30 ℃/25 ℃（T0）和35 ℃/30 ℃（T1）],在人工气候箱内进行了发芽和苗期培养试验,并分析了8个品种水稻种子萌发、幼苗生长及砷含量状况。结果表明,外源砷对水稻的芽长和活力指数具有抑制作用,与对照（T0As0）相比,T0As1处理使不同品种水稻的芽长和活力指数分别降低13.69%~43.34%和28.14%~52.88%。 而温度对水稻种子萌发的影响与水稻品种有关。在T1处理下,盐两优1618的发芽率、芽长和活力指数均优于其他品种。温度和外源砷的共同作用显著降低了不同品种水稻的芽长（P<0.05）。与T0As0相比,T1As1使水稻芽长显著降低5.66%~43.34%。水稻根长和根系活力显著受到温度和外源砷的单一因素的影响。与T0As0相比,T0As1处理使水稻根系活力降低3.01%~58.21%。温度和外源砷的共同作用抑制了水稻根长和根系活力,其中T1As1使水稻根系活力显著降低53.80%~89.01%。不同品种水稻的苗高和根系活力在相同温度或外源砷处理下具有显著差异（P<0.05）,其中盐两优888的苗高和根系活力均处于较高水平。水稻茎叶砷含量在外源砷处理下显著增加,在增温处理下却降低。与单一的砷处理相比,温度和外源砷的共同作用降低了水稻茎叶的砷含量。综上可知,温度和外源砷影响水稻的生长及砷吸收,但水稻生长状况具有明显的品种间差异,其中盐两优888和盐两优1618在增温和外源砷共存条件下的种子萌发和生长状况优于其他水稻品种。     

香菇干制微机监控系统研究

本文研究香菇干制过程的计算机控制。在研制了系统硬件之后,根据实验结果,确定了控制对象的广义数学模型,用飞升曲线法求取模型中各参数。用计算机仿真技术对几种常用的算法进行比较,得出了采用大林算法的控制方案。     

Effect of plant roots on the germination of microsclerotia ofVerticillium dahliae

Induction of germination of microsclerotia by exudates from plant roots may be important for the control ofV. dahliae. Laboratory experiments with root observation boxes were carried out to assess the influence of root tips of seven crop species and cultivars on the germination of microsclerotia ofVerticillium dahliae in soil under controlled conditions. The root density of crops was measured in a field experiment. The results of the laboratory experiments and the field experiment were combined to estimate the total effect of crops on the population of microsclerotia in the field. Germination of microsclerotia was stimulated by all crops compared to a control without a crop. Among crops, roots of potato cvs Element and Astarte had a larger stimulation effect on microsclerotia than that of potato Ostara, pea, flax, sugar beet or onion. The number of hyphae per microsclerotium decreased with distance from the root surface regardless of the crop species or cultivar. Differences in root densities, in the affected root zones and in the stimulation effect on germination of microsclerotia caused large differences among crops in the effect on the population of microsclerotia in the soil. However, growing a rop with the special purpose to reduce the level ofV. dahliae inoculum in the soil is an inefficient control measure, because only a small part of the total soil volume is affected by roots and the number of hyphae per microscleroium affected is too low.Abbreviations MS microsclerotia, microsclerotium     

Effect of planting density of maize on the progress and spread of northern leaf blight fromExserohilum turcicum infested residue source

Effect of plant density (37,037, 44,444 and 55,555 plants/ha) on the increase of northern leaf blight in time and space on two maize cultivars planted at spacings of 90, 75 and 60 between rows and 30 cm within rows was investigated.Exserohilum turcicum infested maize residue was used as an inoculum source. Maize density did not significantly affect the disease indices, but significantly influenced the grain yield of the two cultivars. In contrast, the two cultivars differed significantly (P0.01) in disease severity, but not grain yield. Higher disease severities and grain yields were associated with higher plant densities, whereas the apparent infection rate was lower in higher plant density. Distance from the maize residue (inoculum source) significantly influenced disease severity. The percentage leaf area blighted, area under disease progress curve and disease progress curve intercept decreased with distance from the maize residue area, but the apparent infection rate on EV8429-SR appeared to increase with distance. Disease gradients (b) were higher in closely planted maize and flattened with time in one location only.     

A review of antimicrobial peptides: defensins and related cationic peptides

Cationic antimicrobial peptides are present throughout the plant and animal kingdoms and bear striking structural and functional similarities across species lines. They provide primitive, nonspecific means of combating a variety of bacteria, fungi, enveloped viruses, and protozoa. Some are also cytotoxic against host cells, including neoplastic cells. Cationic antimicrobial peptides may play various roles in inflammation and tissue repair. Antimicrobial peptides are found in epithelial tissues regularly exposed to microbial attack as well as in cells whose primary function is defense against potential pathogens. They constitute an important part of the nonoxidative antimicrobial arsenal of leukocytes. They are preformed and/or readily synthesized when the cells are stimulated by exposure to pathogens. They exert their effects directly by inserting into membranes of target cells and forming ion channels which increase membrane permeability; however, antimicrobial peptides can also act as opsonins to facilitate phagocytosis. Resistance to defensins is a virulence factor for organisms such as Salmonella sp. The study of cationic antimicrobial peptides is increasing our understanding of innate immunity, inflammation, and the pathogenesis of genetic diseases such as specific granule disease in humans. Therapeutic applications of antimicrobial peptides are currently under investigation.     

Effects of storage time and freezing temperature on clinical chemical parameters from canine serum and heparinized plasma

To assess changes in 24 blood constituents in frozen serum and heparinized plasma, blood samples were drawn from 10 clinically normal German Shepherd army dogs. The storage characteristics of nine enzymes (ALP, ALT, amylase, AST, CK, GGT, GLDH, LDH, lipase), and 15 metabolites and minerals (albumin, bile acids, bilirubin, calcium, cholesterol, creatinine, fructosamine, glucose, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, protein, sodium, triglycerides, urea) were studied. Parallel samples of serum and heparinized plasma were stored for 90 and 240 days at two different storage temperatures, -200 degrees C and -700 degrees C. Sixteen of the 24 analytes (ALP, ALT, amylase, AST, CK, GGT, GLDH, LDH, bile acids, calcium, cholesterol, creatinine, fructosamine, magnesium, phosphate, urea) showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) changes during the storage period related to storage time, storage temperature, and sample type. Seven of the analytes (amylase, GGT, GLDH, LDH, bile acids, fructosamine, magnesium) showed changes of possible clinical importance with mean differences from baseline larger than 20% for the enzymes and 10% for the metabolites and minerals during the storage periods.