Manipulated Mouse Embryos as Bioassay System for Water Quality Control

Mouse pronuclear stage embryos with intact slit zona pellucida (manipulated) were cultured in vitro until the hatched blastocyst stage in simplex optimized medium with higher K⁺ concentration (KSOM) prepared with three different water types: tap, deionized reverse osmosis (D‐O) water and Milli‐Q system (M‐Q) water. The culture media were supplemented with or without protein and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, disodium salt). The rates of hatched blastocysts were significantly affected (p < 0.01) by micromanipulation, protein supplement and water source. The water source has no influence (p > 0.05) on development in EDTA‐supplemented protein‐free culture media, whereas in EDTA‐ and protein‐free culture media, the water quality significantly (p < 0.001) affected the rates of development, with higher rates in media prepared with M‐Q water. The micromanipulated embryos showed higher sensitivity to the water quality (p < 0.01). It worth mentioning that the rates of hatched blastocysts in protein‐free culture media were very low (0–7.5%). Furthermore, the three different water types were analysed by measuring the electrical conductivity, inorganic ions, total organic carbon and endotoxins to evaluate the purity. M‐Q water showed the lowest levels of inorganic ion, total organic carbon and endotoxin concentrations. We concluded that manipulated mouse embryos are good system to evaluate the quality of water used in biological system.     

Evaluation of Corn Gluten Feed as a Dietary Ingredient for Pond-Raised Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Abstract.— This study was conducted to evaluate corn gluten feed as an alternative feedstuff in the diet of pond-raised channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus . Three 32%-protein diets containing 0%, 25%, or 50% corn gluten feed were tested. Channel catfish fingerlings (average weight: 57 g/fish) were stocked into 15 0.04-ha ponds at a rate of 18,530 fish/ha. Five ponds were used for each dietary treatment. Fish were fed to satiation once daily for a 147-d growing period. No differences were observed in feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, survival, or fillet protein concentration among fish fed the test diets. Fish fed diets containing 25% and 50% corn gluten feed exhibited a lower level of visceral fat and a higher carcass yield than fish fed the control diet without corn gluten feed. The diet containing 50% corn gluten feed resulted in a lower level of fillet fat and a higher level of moisture than the control diet. There were no visible differences in the coloration of skin or fillet of channel catfish fed diets with and without corn gluten feed. Results from this study indicated that channel catfish can efficiently utilize corn gluten feed at levels up to 50%n without adverse effect on feed palatability, weight gain, or feed efficiency. Corn gluten feed may be beneficial in reducing fattiness of channel catfish and improving carcass yield by reducing the digestible energy to protein ratio of the diet.     

Cubicle refusal in Norwegian dairy herds.

In order to survey the behaviour of choosing the alley area instead of a cubicle as a lying place (cubicle refusal), a questionnaire was sent to the 273 dairy farms in Norway known to keep cows in cubicle housing systems. Sixty-six percent of the farmers contacted were included in the study. The median herd size was 18 cows (range 7-118). More than 85% of the herds had sheds providing one or more cubicles per cow. The mean herd occurrence of cubicle refusal was 6%, but showed great variation (range 0-55%). Regression analysis showed a significant association between rearing heifers in slatted floor pens and an increased cubicle refusal occurrence (p = 0.02, R2 = 0.05), while herd size, use of litter, or cubicle-to-animal ratio were not found to be associated with cubicle refusal. The practice of rearing heifers in slatted floor pens accounted for about one half of the observed cubicle refusal (etiologic fraction = 0.51).     

家蚕豆腐渣人工饲料及五龄期饲育研究

以３个栽培品种的冬芽为试验材料，分析了茎尖培养生长差异的生理原因．结果表明：添加果糖的效果优于蔗糖，而提高蔗糖浓度可以促进茎叶生长；不同品种茎尖的蔗糖酶活性存在较大差异，生长良好的品种（剑持）其蔗糖酶活性及酶蛋白含量高于生长较差的湖桑３２号和一之濑；茎尖内源激素含量及其比例差异明显．其中ＧＡ、ＡＢＡ含量及其比值剑持较高，其次为一之濑，湖桑３２号最低     

赤霉酸及矮壮素对苦瓜性别表现的影响

以兰山大白、株洲长白和英引３个苦瓜品种为材料进行外源激素处理对苦瓜植株性别表现影响的试验．结果表明，苗期进行ＧＡ３２５～１００ｍｇ／Ｌ处理有明显的促雌效果；ＣＣＣ５０～２００ｍｇ／Ｌ处理则有促雄效果，但促雄程度因品种而异，ＣＣＣ５００ｍｇ／Ｌ处理对兰山大白有适度的促雌作用．外源激素处理对苦瓜植株性别分化的影响可持续８０ｄ以上．苦瓜第一雌花形成与茎尖ＧＡ３含量达到峰值有关，２５ｍｇ／Ｌ的ＧＡ３处理使茎尖ＧＡ３含量的峰值提前出现而使第一雌花形成提早，而１００ｍｇ／ＬＣＣＣ处理使茎尖ＧＡ３含量先下降再逐渐回升而使植株第一雌花形成滞后     

开发区区域大气和水环境容量的计算及管理

介绍了开发区大气、水环境容量计算及管理方法，并以湖南城陵矶经济技术开发区为例，初步了方法的具体应用和有关细节处理，所介绍的方法将对其他类似开发区大气、水环境容量的计算及管理起到一定的借鉴和指导作用。     

Growth and production of a Cortaderia ptlosa (Gramineae) community in the Falkland Islands

Above ground production of a typical Cortaderia pilosa dominant sward in the Falkland Islands was estimated over one growing season by summing significant positive increments in DM production of various sward components and by sequential cutting to ground level. The standing crop was characterized by a high proportion of standing dead matter at all times of the year. Net herbage production was estimated as 2200 kg ha^-1 and 1440 kg ha^-1 by the 'difference' and "sequential culling" techniques, respectively. The pattern of leaf growth was determined on another site by regular linear measurements of a population of physiologically similar C. pilosa leaves. There was very little early season growth and most of the DM was produced in a short period in the middle part of the growing season. The poor early season growth was attributed to adverse climatic conditions. A significant increase in green matter digestibility in October and November was masked by the low digestibility and high contribution to the overall DM by the standing dead component of the herbage.
The implications of these findings are briefly discussed in relation to the increased utilization of C. pilosa by improved pasture management, including burning and possibly reseeding areas with improved species. Tissue turnover studies combined with more knowledge of sheep nutrition cycles would enable grazing systems to be developed on a sounder basis than previously.