Iron oxides in two Oxisols from the Brazilian coastal plain

Two Oxisols from the B2 horizon at similar locations 2 km apart on the Brazilian coastal plain with a udic, isohyperthermic regime were practically identical in chemical composition but differed markedly in colour; one was a dark reddish brown, the other a pale ochre. Mossbauer spectra at 295 K, 80 K and 4.2 K indicated a clear difference in iron oxide mineralogy. Iron was present as aluminous hematite and goethite, with Al substitutions of approximately 20% in the two phases. However, the relative proportion of iron present in hematite and goethite was 45:55 in the first sample and 12:88 in the second. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed.     

新疆农业产业集群现状及发展对策研究

农业产业集群是推动农村经济发展的重要产业组织形式。现以新疆为研究对象,从新疆农业产业集群的发展优势和现状出发,结合区位商进行分析,发现当前新疆农业产业集群主要面临产业链条短、市场需求反应慢、支持服务体系不健全等问题,最后从产业链、科技投入、市场需求和网络体系等角度提出新疆农业产业集群发展的对策。     

Early luteal development in Santa Inês ewes superovulated with reduced doses of porcine follicle‐stimulating hormone

The aim was to compare the early luteal development in ewes superovulated with different doses of pFSH. Twenty‐nine Santa Inês ewes received a progesterone device (CIDR®) for 8 days. Gonadotrophic treatment started on Day 6: G200 (control, n = 9, 200 mg); G133 (n = 10, 133 mg); and G100 (n = 10, 100 mg of pFSH). On Day 6, all females received eCG (300 IU). B‐mode and spectral Doppler ultrasonography were performed daily during the early luteal phase (Days 11–15) to monitor the development of corpora lutea (CLs; dimensions) and ovarian arteries indices. CLs were also classified as normal or prematurely regressed (PRCL) on Day 15 by videolaparoscopy. Ewes from G100 and G133 showed gradual increase in luteal diameter during the early luteal phase (p < 0.001), whereas G200 animals presented increase from Day 11 to Day 13, and then decrease on Days 14 and 15 (p < 0.001). The G200 females showed greater percentage of PRCL (45.20%) than those of the other groups (p < 0.001). The normal CLs number was greater in G100 than in G133 (p = 0.04), while the PRCL number was greater in G200 than in the other groups (p = 0.03). Resistive index (RI) was greater in G200 than in G100 (p = 0.02). RI was lower in Day 12 than Day 15 (p = 0.02). Pulsatility index (PI) was greater on Days 14 and 15 (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the lowest dose of pFSH (100 mg) can be considered sufficient for an efficient superovulatory response in sheep, producing better CLs development dynamic in early luteal phase and ovarian blood perfusion and smaller number of PRCL than the traditional (200 mg) pFSH dose.     

Combined treatment with oestradiol benzoate,d‐cloprostenol and oxytocin permits cervical dilation and nonsurgical embryo recovery in ewes

This study examined the feasibility of transcervical embryo recovery after the hormonal treatment to induce cervical dilation, following the 7‐day oestrous synchronization protocol in multiparous Santa Inês ewes. A total of 23 cyclic ewes received two doses of 37.5 μg of d‐cloprostenol by latero‐vulvar route 7 days apart. After the second injection of d‐cloprostenol, the ewes were checked for oestrus (every 12 hr) and then mated by fertile rams throughout the oestrous period. All ewes received 37.5 μg of d‐cloprostenol (latero‐vulvar) and 1 mg of oestradiol benzoate by either intramuscular (EBim group; n = 12) or intravaginal (EBivg group; n = 11) route 16 hr before embryo flushing. Twenty minutes before the flushing, 50 IU of oxytocin were administered intravenously. The oestrous response (i.e., the percentage of ewes that showed signs of oestrous behaviour after the second d‐cloprostenol injection) was 91.3% (21/23). The proportion of successfully penetrated ewes (81.8% compared with 80.0%), the mean duration of embryo flushing (24.7 ± 2.0 min compared 26.2 ± 1.9 min), the flushing fluid recovery rate (94.8 ± 1.3% compared with 91.0 ± 2.9%) and the average number of structures recovered per ewe (0.5 ± 0.4 compared with 0.8 ± 0.4) did not vary (p > 0.05) between the EBim and EBivg groups. Viable embryos were recovered from 41.2% (7/17) of successfully penetrated ewes. It can be concluded that nonsurgical (i.e., transcervical) embryo collection can be performed in oestrous‐synchronized Santa Inês ewes pretreated with d‐cloprostenol, oxytocin and oestradiol benzoate, with the latter hormone administered by either the intramuscular or intravaginal route.     

Changes in the quality of meat (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum) from Kamieniec lambs during long‐term freezer storage

The aim of this study was to determine changes in the quality of lamb meat (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum), which was vacuum‐packaged and freezer‐stored (?26°C) for 6 and 12 months. The experiment was performed on 12 male lambs of the Kamieniec Longwool breed, raised to 106 days of age. In comparison with fresh meat, thawed meat was characterized by lower ash content, higher pH, greater natural drip loss and cooking loss, and lower scores for taste intensity. Vacuum packaging and low‐temperature storage protected lamb meat against oxidative changes, and alleviated the adverse effects of oxidation on the color, aroma and taste of meat. It can be concluded that freezer storage (?26°C) of vacuum‐packaged meat can help meet consumer demand for lamb meat products in periods when fresh meat is unavailable. However, it should be noted that long‐term frozen storage induces undesirable changes in meat quality, including a decrease in water‐holding capacity and taste intensity.     

传统梅园美感生成机制对当代梅花专类园设计的启示

梅花是中国传统园林喜用的主题植物之一。传统梅园所追求的赏梅意境是一种以传统文人的赏梅意趣为导向的、浪漫的梅园境界。传统文人所追求的"物我交融"的梅花审美取向在当代梅花专类园设计中仍然起到指导梅花种植和造景的作用。通过解析传统梅园美感生成机制,并以现代环境美学观点研究传统梅园的美感生成机制,指出梅园的环境美感是由感觉价值、形式价值和综合价值构成,并据此启发当代梅花专类园设计。     

不同苜蓿品种对豌豆蚜生长发育的影响

研究了甘农3号、甘农5号、陕北、游客、俄罗斯5个苜蓿品种在15、18、21、25和28℃及相对湿度为80%条件下,对豌豆蚜（Acyrthosiphon pisum）生长发育的影响。结果表明,不同温度条件下5个苜蓿品种对豌豆蚜成若蚜生长发育的影响不同,成若蚜发育历期均以陕北苜蓿上的最长,在各温度下甘农5号苜蓿上的最短,在各温度下,2个品种间均差异极显著（P〈0.01）;不同苜蓿品种上豌豆蚜成若蚜的历期大小均为陕北〉甘农3号〉游客〉俄罗斯〉甘农5号;5个供试苜蓿品种上豌豆蚜的存活率以俄罗斯和陕北苜蓿最小,甘农3号和甘农5号最高。     

Dithiocarbamate fungicide zineb induces oxidative stress and apoptosis in Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts

Dithiocarbamate fungicide zineb leads to disturbances in many cellular processes in Chinese hamster fibroblasts (V79 cells). We observed high apoptotic activity and oxidative stress induced in vitro by exposure of V79 cells to zineb demonstrated by statistically significant increase in lipid peroxidation (measured as TBARS - thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) as well as disturbances in glutathione homeostasis. Zineb also inhibited activity of topoisomerase I. Zineb did not show any effect on protein oxidation (measured by protein carbonyls content). N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) suppressed cellular changes induced by this fungicide in V79 cells. NAC pre-treatment prevented TBARS production and significantly decreased the number of apoptotic cells induced by zineb. These results show that zineb can disturb many cellular processes via oxidative damage.