Direct demonstration of milk as an element of archaeological economies

The stable carbon isotope (delta13C) compositions of individual fatty acid components of remnant fats preserved in archaeological pottery vessels show that dairying was a component of archaeological economies. Characteristic delta13C values arise from biases in the biosynthetic origins of the C18:0 fatty acids in milk and adipose fat. Milk and adipose fat from animals raised on similar pastures and fodders have distinct isotopic signatures.     

Mechanisms of fixation and release of ammonium in paddy soils after flooding III. Effect of the oxidation state of octahedral Fe on ammonium fixation

An experiment with two typical paddy soils from China and two clay minerals was conducted to study the effect of reduction of octahedral Fe^III on fixation of NH₄⁺ ions. Reduction of octahedral Fe^III was achieved by treating soils and clay minerals with dithionite‐citrate‐bicarbonate (DCB) followed by dialyzing the samples under oxygen free conditions. Reduction of Fe^III increased the negative charge of interlayers and resulted in a significantly higher ammonium fixation. Close positive correlations were found between the Fe²⁺ concentration or the ratio of Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ and non‐exchangeable NH₄⁺‐N. Therefore, it is concluded that the reduction of octahedral Fe induced by flooding is one of the important prerequisites for the pronounced ammonium fixation in flooded soils. However, the relation between ΔFe²⁺ and Δfix‐N was not stoichiometric.     

A comparison of soil properties after contemporary wildfire and fire suppression

Forests that were subject to frequent wildfires, such as ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forests, had fire-return intervals of approximately 6–24 years. However, fire suppression over the last century has increased the fire-return interval by a factor of 5 in these forests, possibly resulting in changes to the soil. The objective of this study was to determine if soils of recently burned areas (representative of the natural fire-return interval) have different properties relative to soils in areas without recent fire. To assess this, recent low-intensity, lightning-caused, spot wildfire areas were located within fire-suppressed stands of ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir of the central, eastern Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Soil horizon depths were measured, and samples collected by major genetic horizons. Samples were analyzed for pH, C, N, C/N ratio, cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation (%BS), hydrophobicity and extractable P. Results show very little difference in soil properties between sites burned by low-severity fires and those areas left unburned. Such minimal changes, from these low-severity fires, in soil properties from fire suppression suggest there has also been little change in soil processes.     

Fixation and defixation of ammonium in soils: a review

Fixed NH₄⁺ (NH₄⁺ _f) and fixation and defixation of NH₄⁺ in soils have been the subject of a number of investigations with conflicting results. The results vary because of differences in methodology, soil type, mineralogical composition, and agro-climatic conditions. Most investigators have determined NH₄⁺ _f using strong oxidizing agents (KOBr or KOH) to remove organic N and the remaining NH₄⁺ _f does not necessarily reflect the fraction that is truly available to plants. The content of native NH₄⁺ _f in different soils is related to parent material, texture, clay content, clay mineral composition, potassium status of the soil and K saturation of the interlayers of 2:1 clay minerals, and moisture conditions. Evaluation of the literature shows that the NH₄⁺ _f-N content amounts to 10–90 mg kg⁻¹ in coarse-textured soils (e.g., diluvial sand, red sandstone, granite), 60–270 mg kg⁻¹ in medium-textured soils (loess, marsh, alluvial sediment, basalt) and 90–460 mg kg⁻¹ in fine-textured soils (limestone, clay stone). Variable results on plant availability of NH₄⁺ _f are mainly due to the fact that some investigators distinguished between native and recently fixed NH₄⁺ while others did not. Recently fixed NH₄⁺ is available to plants to a greater degree than the native NH₄⁺ _f, and soil microflora play an important role in the defixation process. The temporal changes in the content of recently fixed NH₄⁺ suggest that it is actively involved in N dynamics during a crop growth season. The amounts of NH₄⁺ defixed during a growing season varied greatly within the groups of silty (20–200 kg NH₄⁺-N ha⁻¹ 30 cm⁻¹) as well as clayey (40–188 kg NH₄⁺-N ha⁻¹ 30 cm⁻¹) soils. The pool of recently fixed NH₄⁺ may therefore be considered in fertilizer management programs for increasing N use efficiency and reducing N losses from soils.     

Induction and scale-up of Billbergia zebrina nodule cluster cultures: Implications for mass propagation,improvement and conservation

The Tropical Atlantic Rain Forest is a biome of high diversity and endemism of plant genetic resources. High diversity of bromeliad species occurs in this biome, but part of them is now endangered. Tissue culture based techniques comprise valuable tools for the mass propagation and conservation of endangered bromeliads. In the present work the in vitro regenerative system based on the induction and development of NC from nodal segments of Billbergia zebrina showed different morphogenetic features from those observed in organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. Different levels of TDZ, NAA, and 2i-P promoted the induction of NC with different morphologies and regenerative potential. NC induced in response to 0.01 μM of TDZ and subcultured on BM free of PGR resulted in high regenerative frequency. NC originated from BM supplemented with TDZ (0.1 μM) when subcultured on BM with NAA (2 μM) and 2-iP (4 μM) resulted in higher mean number of shoots. Elongated shoots were successfully acclimatized in ex vitro conditions and derived plantlets had normal phenotype. Histological analyses revealed the morphogenesis of the NC related to organization of the meristematic zone in the subepidermic region composed by organized layers with small and isodyametric cells followed by the induction of shoot buds. SEM analysis showed that the induction of NC occurred from the basal region of the explants.     

Expression Profile of Luteinizing Hormone Receptor Gene in Hierarchal Follicles and Regressing Oviduct Tissues of White Leghorn Hens During Moulting

In the present study, the expression profile of luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) was investigated in the ovary, magnum and uterus and in hierarchcal follicles (F‐1, F‐2, F‐3 and F‐4) of hens subjected to moulting to establish their involvement in moulting and presence in non‐gonadal tissues. Fifty‐two layers (72 weeks) were subjected to moult for a period of 14 days. Four birds were sacrificed each time on 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 days of moulting, and samples (ovary, magnum, uterus and hierarchal follicles) were collected aseptically for the quantitative study by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The ovary, isthmus, uterus and magnum weight reduced significantly during induced moulting. From the 4 DOM, this reduction was drastic and reached approximately 80% of original weight in the case of ovary, isthmus and magnum and approximately 65% of original weight in the case of uterus on 14 DOM. Ovarian yellow follicles decreased gradually from 1 DOM to 4 DOM, after that no normal yellow follicle was observed in moulted bird. The number of atretic follicles increased gradually during the course of induced moulting, reaching the peak at 5 DOM. The LHR mRNA was detected in non‐gonadal tissues like magnum and uterus. The LHR expression was significantly (p < 0.05) down regulated in ovary, magnum and uterus throughout the treatment. These results indicated that LHR may have a role in reproductive tissue regression during moulting.     

Peripheral Blood Neutrophil Function and Lymphocyte Subpopulations in Cycling Mares

The purpose of this study was to evaluate different parameters of the immune status in the mare, during the follicular and the luteal phases of the oestrous cycle, in two consecutive years. Functional competence of peripheral blood neutrophils, such as chemotaxis, phagocytosis and oxidative burst was assessed under physiological cyclic conditions (Exp. I). In the second year of this study (Exp. II), besides peripheral blood neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst analysis, circulating lymphocyte subsets were also characterized. The reproductive status in a total of 17 adult cycling mares was evaluated by ultrasonography and further confirmed by plasma progesterone levels. Chemotaxis tests were performed using porous membranes inserted in transwell chambers. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli and N‐formyl‐Met‐Leu‐Phe (fMLP) were used as chemoattractants. Measurement of phagocytosis and oxidative burst in blood neutrophils were assessed by flow cytometry using commercially available kits. Quantification of T‐lymphocyte subsets was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence staining after incubation with monoclonal antibodies specific for CD2, CD3, CD4 and CD8 cell markers by flow cytometry. Natural killer cells and B cells were estimated mathematically. No significant difference was found in migration, phagocytosis and oxidative burst at either phase of the oestrous cycle. Statistical analysis of total white blood cell counts also showed no significant difference between either phase of the oestrous cycle, although there was a tendency for blood neutrophils to increase in number under the progesterone influence (p = 0.09). Lymphocytic subpopulations did not differ throughout the oestrous cycle. Overall, our results suggest that luteal and follicular phases in cycling mares may not influence the immune status of the mare.     

有机肥活化土壤中磷的微生物学机理

在好气条件下，猪粪和纤维素对两种水稻土中的磷均能起活化作用，嫌气条件下，尽管猪粪和纤维素均能克服因嫌气而使土壤微生物数量的减少，但促进土壤固磷成为主要矛盾，因而显著降低土壤有效磷。通过微生物对难溶性Ｃａ＿３（ＰＯ４）＿２的溶磷量及培养基总酸度的测定，发现这些微生物具有转化难溶性磷为可溶性磷的能力，属溶磷微生物并有致酸作用。经相关分析，土壤中活化的磷量、微生物数量、培养基中的溶磷量和总酸度之间均存在看显著或极显著的相关关系，其中以总酸度与其它变量间的关系最好。因此，在好气条件下有机肥活化土壤中磷的机理可描述为：有机肥促进土壤微生物增长→微生物对其生长的局部位置的土壤起酸化作用→酸溶解难溶性磷为可溶性磷。     

Utilization of deoiled castor cake for crop production

A screen house experiment was undertaken to study effect of time of application of deoiled castor cake on the yield, N and P uptake by wheat crop. The results indicate that the wheat growth decreased significantly with increasing dose of castor cake, when castor cake was applied just before sowing of wheat. When castor cake was applied 10 days before wheat sowing, the dry matter yield (DMY) of wheat increased up to 0.125% dose of castor cake and reduced thereafter. But when the castor cake was applied 20 days before wheat sowing, the DMY was at par under all the doses of castor cake and better than control indicating the degradation of the toxicants produced by the castor cake. Application of castor cake can also be helpful in reducing the cost of phosphatic fertilizer. Thus it can be concluded that castor cake should be applied at least 3 weeks before sowing of the crop and keeping the field moist for degradation of the toxicants.