Gaseous losses of nitrogen by ammonia volatilization and nitrous oxide emissions from rice paddies with different irrigation management

To reveal the influence of non-flooding controlled irrigation (NFI) on gaseous nitrogen (N) losses in forms of ammonia volatilization (AV) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from high N inputs rice paddies, lysimeter experiments were conducted with flooding irrigation (FI) as check. Compared with FI paddies, AV losses in NFI paddies decreased by 18.5–20.5 % and N₂O emissions increased by 1.43–1.9 kg N ha^?1. Weekly AV losses immediately after fertilization accounted for over 83 % of seasonal losses in both treatments. High N₂O emissions from NFI paddies always occurred in drying process after N application, with peaks observed when water-filled pore space (WFPS) fell in 75–85 %. Water management immediately after N fertilization is crucial for mitigating gaseous N losses from rice paddies. Bringing N into shallow rhizosphere by irrigation and covering it with deep water will be helpful in preventing AV. Maintaining a flooding period and keeping WFPS higher than 85 % in the first drying process after fertilization might be effective to reduce N₂O emissions peaks for NFI paddies.     

开发甘蔗燃料乙醇,大有可为

文章从国家的能源政策和生产技术等方面，讨论了广西发展燃料乙醇的可行性，为缓解原油短缺矛盾，提高甘蔗综合利用水平，提供了有益的意见。     

Economic injury levels for Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in cotton: impact of crop price, control costs, and efficacy of control

Field studies were conducted during 1993 and 1994 in the Imperial Valley, California and Maricopa, Arizona to examine relationships between densities of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) populations and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yields, and to estimate economic injury levels (EILs) for pest management application. Populations of B. tabaci were manipulated by applying different numbers of insecticide applications in replicated plots. Resulting insect populations and cotton lint yields were used to develop damage functions and to estimate EILs for all life stages in relation to variable cotton prices, insecticide costs, and pest control efficacy. Economic injury levels declined with increasing cotton prices and increased as the cost of control increased, however, these changes were relatively small, based on typical ranges in price and control costs. In contrast, the efficacy of control provided by insecticide applications had a large influence on EILs, with lower efficacies being associated with higher injury levels. We developed a multiple regression model that accounted for the dynamic changes in the EIL in relation to crop price, control costs, control efficacy, and potential yield. Based on average prices and reasonable control costs and efficacy, EILs ranged from 5.9–15.2 adults/leaf, 6.1–19.8 eggs cm⁻², and 1.7–4.7 nymphs cm⁻² of leaf area. Additional research is needed to more closely relate the costs of control to the suppression of insect populations, and to define economic thresholds that will enable pest managers to maintain pest populations below EILs.     

玉米宽窄行深旋免耕精量播种机田间试验及效果

为了解决目前玉米播种机械播种质量不高,良好农艺措施与农机不配套等问题,研发了一种基于宽窄行条带深旋免耕技术的玉米精量播种机。该文对该机作业后的土壤质量、土壤含水率、玉米出苗、群体光照、根系生长和产量等性状进行了分析。结果表明:采用该机播种后,土壤耕层容重显著降低(P0.05),土壤蓄水保水能力提高,玉米的播种质量明显提高,群体整齐度增加,群体透光性明显改善,具有显著的增产作用。与普通播种机械相比,该机播种后的玉米出苗率平均提高6.2个百分点,玉米株高变异系数降低8.33%,玉米根系生长量增加15.79%,玉米生育后期的群体光能截获量明显增加,产量增加11.15%。实现了优良农艺措施与农机的有效结合。     

Degradation of pentachlorophenol by potato polyphenol oxidase

In this study, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was extracted from commercial potatoes. Degradation of pentachlorophenol by potato PPO was investigated. The experimental results show that potato PPO is more active in weak acid than in basic condition and that the optimum pH for the reaction is 5.0. The degradation of pentachlorophenol by potato PPO reaches a maximum at 298 K. After reaction for 1 h, the removal of both pentachlorophenol and total organic carbon is >70% with 6.0 units/mL potato PPO at pH 5.0 and 298 K. Pentachlorophenol can be degraded through dechlorination and ring-opening by potato PPO. The work demonstrates that pentachlorophenol can be effectively eliminated by crude potato PPO.     

Localisation and expression of TRPV6 in all intestinal segments and kidney of laying hens

1. The aim of this study was to investigate the localisation and expression of the epithelial Ca2+ channel TRPV6 (transient receptor potential vanilloid channel type 6) in different intestinal segments and kidney of laying hens during peak lay. 2. Immunohistochemical analysis of the intestine indicated that TRPV6 was localised to the brush-border membranes of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, and rectum. Expression was weaker in the rectum, and little or no expression was found in crypt and goblet cells. In addition, TRPV6 mRNA was quantified amongst different intestinal segments, and expression was highest in the duodenum and jejunum. Furthermore, Western blotting indicated that the duodenum expressed the greatest amount of TRPV6 and the rectum the least with the other segments expressing intermediate levels. 3. In the kidney, distinct immunopositive staining for TRPV6 was detected at the apical domain of the distal convoluted tubules (DCT) and medullary connecting tubules (CNT). Interestingly, distribution of TRPV6 extended to the proximal convoluted tubules (PCT). Furthermore, the kidney expressed lower TRPV6 mRNA and protein levels compared with that in the duodenum. 4. In conclusion, the epithelial Ca2+ channel TRPV6 is strongly expressed in the apical cells of the entire intestine and the renal tubules, suggesting that active Ca2+ transcellular transport plays a crucial role in dietary calcium (re)absorption in laying hens.     

Immunopathogenic behaviors of canine transmissible venereal tumor in dogs following an immunotherapy using dendritic/tumor cell hybrid

Canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) is a naturally occurring tumor that can be transmitted between dogs via live tumor cell inoculation. It is also a spontaneous self-regression tumor and its behavior is closely related to host immune responses. Since CTVT had been widely used for tumor models in canine cancers, whether this self-regression may overtake the immunity elicited from an exogenous tumor vaccine remains unclear and certainly worthwhile to be investigated. In this study, we used DCs/tumor hybrids as a tumor vaccine to evaluate the CTVT model. We prepared mature allogeneic dendritic cells from bone marrow and then assessed their phenotype (CD80, CD83, CD86, CD1a, CD11c, CD40 and MHC II), antigen uptake and presenting abilities. Fused dendritic cell/CTVT hybrids were then used as a vaccine, administered three times at two-week intervals via subcutaneous injection near the bilateral auxiliary and inguinal lymph nodes. In comparison with unvaccinated dogs (spontaneous regressed group), within a period of 2.5 months, the vaccinations substantially inhibited tumor progression (p<0.05) and accelerated the rate of regression by a mechanism involving amplification of the host tumor-specific adaptive immune responses and NK cytotoxicity (p<0.001). Pathologic examination revealed early massive lymphocyte infiltration resulting in final tumor necrosis. In addition, there are not any detectable effects on routine physical, body temperature or blood chemistry examinations. In conclusion, our data furnishes a reference value showing that CTVT is a model of potential use for the study of immunity elicited by vaccines against tumors, and also enable early-phase evaluation of the dendritic cell/tumor vaccine in terms of raising host immunity.     

Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs from Dandong, China

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs from Dandong, China. A total of 886 dogs were examined for D. immitis infection by microscopic examination and PCR, indicating that the prevalence was 16.6% (213/886) and 24.0% (147/886), respectively. The odds of infection were significantly higher in older dogs and dogs sheltered in outdoor, compared to the younger ones and ones sheltered in indoor. No significant difference of infection was observed in different genders, and between pure breed and cross-breed dogs in the same rearing conditions. These results indicated that the risk of exposure to D. immitis in dogs is high in Dandong, China, and prophylaxis against the parasite is advisable to decrease the incidence of canine dirofilariosis.