Effect of Collection Rhythms and Season on Rabbit Semen Production

The effects of collection regimen and time of year on rabbit semen production were determined in this study. A total of 14 crossbreed Hyla bucks were used in winter and summer. In each season, rabbits were assigned to two groups. In group 1, (n = 7) rabbits were subjected to an extensive collection regimen (two ejaculates per male, once daily/week) and in group 2, (n = 7) a semi‐intensive semen collection regimen was performed (two ejaculates per male, twice weekly). The traits recorded for each sample were libido, volume, pH, motility, sperm concentration, percentage of alive spermatozoa and sperm abnormalities. The results obtained in this study indicate that when increasing collection frequency, the rate of useful collections decreased (from 0.81 ± 0.017 to 0.69 ± 0.016; p < 0.01). The rate of useful collection also decreased in the transition from winter to summer (from 0.79 ± 0.018 to 0.70 ± 0.017; p < 0.01). Among the ejaculate characteristics studied, only volume/ejaculate (from 0.64 ± 0.015 to 0.53 ± 0.017; p < 0.01) and spermatozoa/ml (from 406 ± 15 to 359 ± 13 million; p < 0.01) appeared negatively affected by collection. In winter fewer volume/ejaculates were produced (0.55 ± 0.015 vs 0.60 ± 0.016 ml; p < 0.01) and fewer spermatozoa/ml (360 ± 14 vs 394 ± 16 million; p < 0.01) than in summer. The doses produced per ejaculate decreased as collection frequency increased, but the number of doses produced per week was higher in the semi‐intensive than the extensive rhythm (26.5 ± 2.1 vs 20.9 ± 1.5; p < 0.01). The results suggest that a semi‐intensive rhythm may be viewed favourably.     

INTRAVENOUS ALFAXALONE ANAESTHESIA IN LEOPARD GECKOS (EUBLEPHARIS MACULARIUS)

Intravenous alfaxalone, administered at a dose of 5 mg/kg in the jugular vein, was evaluated in 20 leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) to ascertain its ability to provide anesthesia. The induction time, time to loss of mandibular tone, interval of deep anesthesia, and full recovery time were 27.5 ± 30.7 seconds (10 to 56 seconds), 1.3 ± 1.4 minutes (11 seconds to 4 minutes), 12.5 ± 2.2 minutes (11.11 to 15.39 minutes), and 18.8 ± 12.1 minutes (10.4 to 52.31 minutes), respectively. A significant reduction in heart rate (74 ± 12.9 beats/minute) was recorded between 2 and 24 minutes after alfaxalone administration. A significant decrease in respiratory rate (26.8 ± 10.1 breaths/minute) was recorded 2 minutes after alfaxalone administration, and respiratory rate remained lower than the basal rate (31.4 ± 3.1 breaths/minute) for 24 minutes but without statistical significance. The intravenous administration of alfaxalone in leopard geckos achieved a rapid onset of anesthesia and a suitable recovery time. Based on this investigation, an afaxalone dose of 5 mg/kg intravenously proved to be suitable for sedation before tracheal intubation. Moreover, the administration route via the jugular vein, was acceptable in leopard geckos; a species in which other venipuncture sites can be challenging or inaccessible.     

Fatty acids and alpha-tocopherol composition in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.): a chemometric approach to emphasize the quality of European germplasm

In the frame of SAFENUT AGRI GEN RES Action, which was a European strategy for the recovery, characterization and conservation of genetic resources, the fatty acids and the tocopherol profiles of a set of 75 hazelnut accessions were analyzed. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic differences among the European germplasm, contributing to the definition of nut quality in traditional European areas of cultivation. Significant differences were found between accessions for oil amount and contents of most fatty acids. As expected, monounsaturated fatty acids made up the largest portion (mean 80.85 %) followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (10.70 %). The saturated ones were the minor components and accounted for only 8.43 % of the total fatty acids. On the basis of Student’s test, significant differences between the 2 years of harvest were found for fatty acid content, except for linoleic acid, the ratio of polyunsaturated, α-tocopherol and the stability index. When the oil content was studied in cultivars from the same site of cultivation, the mean values of the genetic pools from central Italy (60.8 %), Slovenia (59.3 %) and Portugal (58.2 %) showed highest values than those of cultivars grown in Greece (56.8 %), Spain (55.9 %) and France (51.5 %). A chemometric approach based on principal component and clustering analyses was developed to identify the most interesting cultivars for breeding programs.     

村镇生态护岸绿色基础设施综合体的构建——以安徽宣城南漪湖环湖地区为例

南漪湖环湖地区受到周边农业生产、圩区水产养殖及上游流域水量变化的影响,出现了水质污染、洪涝灾害、水土流失、水域及陆地生态系统之间缺乏良性互动、绿色基础设施功能单一等生态问题。鉴于生态护岸自身特征及其综合效益,文中认为可以通过构建生态护岸绿色基础设施综合体来解决南漪湖环湖地区的多种生态问题,在南漪湖现状分析研究的基础上提出了具有针对性的生态护岸类型和生态技术选择,并选取了较为典型的4个生态空间进行了生态护岸绿色基础设施综合体模式的构建,为生态护岸绿色基础设施综合体在我国风景园林建设中的应用提供了一种思路。