Protein binding phenolics and the inhibition of nitrification in subalpine balsam fir soils

Nitrification in a highly active Al horizon of a balsam fir forest floor soil can be greatly inhibited by an aqueous methanol extract of the forest floor. This extract was fractionated in an attempt to identify the compounds responsible for the inhibition. Condensed tannins, smaller molecular weight phenolics, and their distribution on particulate matter in the extract were the most important inhibiting components of the extract. When all phenolic material was removed from the extract, the remaining solution stimulated nitrification.     

Chronological Appearance of Apoptosis in Bovine Embryos Reconstructed by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer from Quiescent Granulosa Cells

Efficiency of cloning has remained low and in spite of attempts to improve this technology, many reconstructed embryos do not implant or are lost during early pregnancy. Chromosomal aberrations, deviant gene expression patterns and abnormal regulation of cell death may be involved in this increased early embryonic loss. Here, we investigate the chronological onset of both apoptotic changes in nuclear morphology and DNA degradation [detected by transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) reaction] in bovine two-cell- to blastocyst-stage embryos. Such embryos were generated either by reconstruction with nuclear transfer from quiescent granulosa cells or by regular in vitro embryo production. Nuclear condensation was observed from the two-cell stage and TUNEL labelling was observed from the six-cell stage in reconstructed embryos, whereas nuclear condensation was evident from the eight-cell stage and TUNEL labelling from the 13-cell stage in embryos derived in vitro. Furthermore, reconstructed embryos displayed elevated ratios of embryos containing apoptotic nuclei at pre-compaction stages and higher indices of apoptotic nuclei in morula and blastocyst stages when compared with in vitro-produced embryos.     

补饲马铃薯藤对山羊生长性能、消化率和胴体特征的影响

本研究旨在探讨马铃薯藤饲喂水平对山羊生长性能、养分消化率和胴体特征的影响。试验将平均初始体重为（14.42±0.24）kg的40头山羊随机分为4组,每组5个重复,每个重复2头。T1组仅饲喂干草,T2组饲喂干草+100%马铃薯藤,T3组饲喂干草+50%马铃薯藤+50%浓缩料,T4组饲喂100%浓缩料。在为期10周的饲养试验后屠宰,分析胴体特征。结果：T2～T4组山羊的末重、增重、日增重和饲料效率显著高于T1组（P＜0.05）,其中T1组山羊的日增重和增重均表现出负增长。T2～T4组山羊的干物质、有机物、粗蛋白质和代谢能摄入量均显著高于T1组（P＜0.05）,但T2和T3组山羊中性洗涤纤维摄入量显著高于T1和T4组（P＜0.05）。T2、T3和T4组山羊干物质和有机物表观消化率显著高于T1组（P＜0.05）,T4组山羊粗蛋白表观消化率显著高于T1和T2组（P＜0.05）。T2、T3和T4组山羊屠体重、热胴体重、眼肌面积、可食用内脏和不可食用内脏重量均显著高于T1组（P＜0.05）。T3组山羊的屠宰率显著高于其他组（P＜0.05）。结论：在干草为基础的日粮中添加马铃薯藤可以提高山羊采食量、饲料转换率、养分消化率、屠宰率和胴体特征。 [关键词]马铃薯藤|山羊|生长性能|消化率|胴体特征     

Enrichment of Y‐Chromosome‐Bearing Bull Spermatozoa by Swim‐up Through a Column

With the advancement of assisted reproductive biotechnologies, preselecting the sex of offspring has become an important goal for cattle and other livestock breeding as well as for research. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of producing enriched pools of X‐ or Y‐chromosome‐bearing sperm by vertical swim‐up through a long, narrow column. Sperm recovered from the top portion of the column was predominantly Y‐bearing (60%, p < 0.05), which were capable of fertilizing matured oocytes and produce significantly more male embryos compared with standard swim‐up protocol.     

抗逆高羊茅新品种黔草1号的特征特性

介绍了抗逆高羊茅新品种黔草1号(Festuca arundinacea Schreb.cv.Qiancao No.1)的育种过程及其优良特性。在贵州省及四川、广西、新疆等地种植的种子平均产量比对照品种凌志和原始群体高出20%以上。返青期比引进品种凌志提前7天,枯黄期晚3天;是目前我国育成的自主知识产权优良抗逆草坪型新品种,是运动场草坪、环境绿化、生态治理和改良天然草场的理想草种之一。适宜我国长江中下游低山、丘陵等地区种植。     

Cloud droplet deposition in subalpine balsam fir forests: hydrological and chemical inputs

Subalpine forests of the northern Appalachians are subject to significant deposition of water and chemicals via cloud droplet impaction. This deposition has been estimated by a method linking micrometeorological measures of turbulent transfer, a detailed representation of canopy structure, and experimentally derived capture efficiencies. Water inputs from clouds are about 46 percent, and chemical inputs range from 150 to 430 percent of the bulk precipitation.     

Forest floor leaching: contributions from mineral, organic, and carbonic acids in new hampshire subalpine forests

Analyses of soil water and groundwater samples from a high-elevation coniferous ecosystem in New England indicate that sulfate anions supply 76 percent of the electrical charge balance in the leaching solution. This result implies that atmospheric inputs of sulfuric acid provide the dominant source of both H(+) for cation replacement and mobile anions for cation transport in subalpine soils of the northeastern region affected by acid precipitation. In soils of relatively unpolluted regions, carbonic and organic acids dominate the leaching processes.     

Systemic Concentrations of Endogenous and Exogenous FSH in Anoestrous Ewes Superstimulated with Folltropin®-V

The synchronization of follicular waves with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) and oestradiol‐17β (E₂‐17β) prior to ovarian superstimilation in anoestrous ewes reduces the variability in superovulatory responses by an unknown mechanism. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a primary promoter of antral follicular development, but the relevance of circulating FSH concentrations to the superovulation performance in ewes has not been examined. Eighteen anoestrous Rideau Arcott ewes (May–June) were superovulated with Folltropin^®‐V (porcine FSH), with (n = 8; treated ewes) or without (n = 10; control ewes) a single i.m. dose of 350 μg of E₂‐17β, given on the sixth day of a 14‐day treatment with MAP‐releasing intravaginal sponges (60 mg). The superovulatory treatment, begun 6 days after E₂‐17β injection, consisted of six i.m. applications of Folltropin^®‐V given twice daily (at 08:00 and 16:00 h), followed by an i.m. injection of GnRH (50 μg). Blood samples collected every 8 h throughout the 3‐day treatment, were analysed by radioimmunoassays for concentrations of ovine and porcine FSH, using species‐specific standards and primary antibodies. Serum concentrations of oFSH were greater (p < 0.05) in the controls compared to treated ewes at 40, 64 and 72 h and the variability in mean oFSH concentrations was greater (p < 0.05) in control ewes at 40, 48, 64 and 72 h after the 1^st Folltropin^®‐V injection. There were no differences (p > 0.05) between the two groups in serum concentrations of pFSH. Significant correlations were recorded between the number of corpora lutea (CL) and oFSH concentrations at 8 h (r = 0.72, p < 0.05), 16 h (r=0.63, p < 0.05) and 64 h (r = 0.84, p < 0.01) after the 1^st Folltropin^®‐V injection. The total number of recovered embryos was positively correlated to oFSH concentrations at 56 h (r = 0.69, p < 0.05). We concluded that changes in endogenous FSH concentrations during ovarian superstimulation with pFSH might contribute to the variability in superovulatory responses in ewes.