非生产天数——提高母猪繁殖群效率的关键

正母猪的非生产天数(NPD)是指每个繁殖周期,或每年母猪或青年母猪既非妊娠又非泌乳的天数,它是影响猪群繁殖生产效率最关键的指标。某些记录系统还包括青年母猪从进场到配种的时间,但这段时间的长短与青年母猪的引进程序有关,不同猪场之间存在很大差异,现在只探讨第一胎之后的非生产天数。     

Cross-protective immunity and the serological classification system for Bacteroides nodosus

The relationship between the serological classification system for serogroup B and for serogroup H of Bacteroides nodosus and cross-protection between subgroups within these serogroups was examined. Protection against ovine footrot following vaccination was achieved against other subgroup strains provided sufficient cross-reactive antibody was induced by shared pilus antigens. Within serogroup B, better cross-protection against one subgroup was obtained with a pili vaccine than a whole cell vaccine which correlated with higher pilus antibody titres induced by the former. For serogroup H, a lack of cross-protection and serological reactivity between subgroups was demonstrated, which indicates that the prototype strain of subgroup H2 should be designated a new serogroup.     

Pollen grains of heat tolerant tomato cultivars retain higher carbohydrate concentration under heat stress conditions

Exposure to high temperatures (heat stress) causes reduced yield in tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), mainly by affecting male gametophyte development. Two experiments were conducted where several tomato cultivars were grown under heat stress, in growth chambers (day/night temperatures of 31/25 °C) or in greenhouses (day/night temperatures of 32/26 °C), or under control (day/night temperatures of 28/22 °C) conditions. In heat-sensitive cultivars, heat stress caused a reduction in the number of pollen grains, impaired their viability and germinability, caused reduced fruit set and markedly reduced the numbers of seeds per fruit. In the heat-tolerant cultivars, however, the number and quality of pollen grains, the number of fruits and the number of seeds per fruit were less affected by high temperatures. In all the heat-sensitive cultivars, the heat-stress conditions caused a marked reduction in starch concentration in the developing pollen grains at 3 days before anthesis, and a parallel decrease in the total soluble sugar concentration in the mature pollen, whereas in the four heat-tolerant cultivars tested, starch accumulation at 3 days before anthesis and soluble sugar concentration at anthesis were not affected by heat stress. These results indicate that the carbohydrate content of developing and mature tomato pollen grains may be an important factor in determining pollen quality, and suggest that heat-tolerant cultivars have a mechanism for maintaining the appropriate carbohydrate content under heat stress.     

Gossypol toxicity in preruminant calves

SUMMARY Twenty-four of 57 calves fed a diet containing 33% cotton seed meal (CSM) died between 7 and 15 weeks of age. Initial deaths were not accompanied by premonitory signs, but after CSM withdrawal most calves developed rough coats, anorexia, weakness, ascites and subcutaneous oedema. Those that died had large volumes of serous fluid in the body cavities, hard livers of ‘nutmeg’ appearance, and pulmonary congestion. Histopathologically the livers showed periacinar necrosis in acute cases and periacinar fibrosis in chronic cases. Lungs from several calves had oedema, haemosiderosis and fibrosis in some pulmonary vessels. Atrophy of myocardial fibres was present in most cases. The concentration of free gossypol in the diet was 100 to 220 mg/kg. Ante-mortem and post-mortem findings supported a diagnosis of gossypol poisoning. The deaths continued for 4 weeks after withdrawal of CSM from the diet.     

Predatory Dinosaurs from the Sahara and Late Cretaceous Faunal Differentiation

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) fossils discovered in the Kem Kem region of Morocco include large predatory dinosaurs that inhabited Africa as it drifted into geographic isolation. One, represented by a skull approximately 1.6 meters in length, is an advanced allosauroid referable to the African genus Carcharodontosaurus. Another, represented by a partial skeleton with slender proportions, is a new basal coelurosaur closely resembling the Egyptian genus Bahariasaurus. Comparisons with Cretaceous theropods from other continents reveal a previously unrecognized global radiation of carcharodontosaurid predators. Substantial geographic differentiation of dinosaurian faunas in response to continental drift appears to have arisen abruptly at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous.     

Micromechanical "Trampoline" magnetometers for use in large pulsed magnetic fields

A silicon micromechanical magnetometer was constructed and successfully used in 60-tesla pulsed magnetic fields of less than 100-millisecond duration. The device is small, inexpensive to fabricate, and easy to use. It features a fast mechanical response (up to 50,000 hertz) and extremely high sensitivity yet is relatively robust against electrical and mechanical noise. Quantum oscillations in the magnetization of a 1-microgram sample of an organic superconductor, kappa-[bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene]2Cu(NCS)2, have been observed with this device.     

Major compositional units of the moon: lunar prospector thermal and fast neutrons

Global maps of thermal and fast neutron fluxes from the moon suggest three end-member compositional units. A high thermal and low fast neutron flux unit correlates with the lunar highlands and is consistent with feldspathic rocks. The South Pole-Aitken basin and a strip that surrounds the nearside maria have intermediate thermal and fast neutron flux levels, consistent with more mafic rocks. There appears to be a smooth transition between the most mafic and feldspathic compositions, which correspond to low and high surface altitudes, respectively. The maria show low thermal and high fast neutron fluxes, consistent with basaltic rocks.     

Platinum catalysts for the high-yield oxidation of methane to a methanol derivative

Platinum catalysts are reported for the direct, low-temperature, oxidative conversion of methane to a methanol derivative at greater than 70 percent one-pass yield based on methane. The catalysts are platinum complexes derived from the bidiazine ligand family that are stable, active, and selective for the oxidation of a carbon-hydrogen bond of methane to produce methyl esters. Mechanistic studies show that platinum(II) is the most active oxidation state of platinum for reaction with methane, and are consistent with reaction proceeding through carbon-hydrogen bond activation of methane to generate a platinum-methyl intermediate that is oxidized to generate the methyl ester product.