Concentrations of trace elements in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meretrix</Emphasis> spp. (Mollusca: Bivalva) along the coasts of Vietnam

The dominant coastal bivalve in Vietnam, hard clams Meretrix spp., collected from the South Key Economic Zone (SKEZ), the Mekong River Delta, and the Central Coastal Zone (CCZ) were analyzed for 21 trace elements. Comparison of the results from the three regions indicated that levels of most of the trace elements, especially As, Mo, Sn, and Pb, were highest in the samples collected from the CCZ, whereas most of the trace elements were found to be present at relatively low levels in samples from the SKEZ. The high concentrations of these trace elements in the CCZ, a sparsely populated region with less human activity than the other two regions, were believed to have originated from industrial waste produced in a shipyard. Although the trace element concentrations in the bivalves were within safe levels for human-consumption criteria reported by the United State Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission, estimation of cancer risk based on As concentration indicates that the hard clams from the CCZ pose a high risk to consumers. Thus, the industrial waste produced in the less densely populated region might increase the health risk to consumers via the contamination of bivalves commonly used as food.     

Effects of artificial amendments in potting media on Orthosiphon aristatus growth and development

Artificial polyacrylamide gel (PAG) and urea-formaldehyde resin foam (UFRF) amendments are used for putative enhancement of soil physical properties, including increasing their water holding capacity (WHC). Effects were investigated of these two amendments alone and combined on growth and development of Orthosiphon aristatus (Cats’ Whiskers) grown in either composted pine bark or washed river sand, including under transient water deficit stress. UFRF and PAG were incorporated into these potting media substrates at recommended rates of 30% (v/v) and 0.1% (w/w), respectively. UFRF incorporation reduced bulk density and increased air-filled porosity of composted pine bark from 0.24 g cm⁻³ and 43.3% to 0.18 g cm⁻³ and 50.2%, respectively. UFRF also reduced bulk density of sand from 1.43 g cm⁻³ to 1.17 g cm⁻³ and increased its air-filled porosity from 18.5% to 25.3%. PAG slightly decreased bulk density of composted pine bark to 0.23 g cm⁻³ and also reduced sand bulk density to 1.32 g cm⁻³. Water content of composted pine bark and sand was increased by PAG addition from 47.6% and 27.7% to 51.0% and 34.2%, respectively. However, UFRF and/or PAG did not increase plant available water (PAW) in either composted pine bark or sand. PAW was 23.8% and 14.4%, 23.6% and 15.8%, 22.8% and 14.8%, and 25.2% and 17.8% for composted pine bark and sand controls, these two substrates amended with UFRF, these substrates amended with PAG, and these substrates with UFRF plus PAG, respectively. Neither shoot length nor number was increased by adding UFRF and/or PAG. Similarly, neither shoot fresh nor dry weight was increased by UFRF and/or PAG amendments. UFRF and, moreso, UFRF plus PAG slightly delayed the onset of wilting by 4–15 h in water deficit stressed O. aristatus compared to control and PAG alone in composted pine bark (experiment 1), but PAG did not. However, in experiment 2, UFRF and/or PAG did not delay wilting in either composted pine bark or sand. Thus, when incorporated at suppliers recommended rates, neither UFRF nor PAG conferred appreciable benefits for O. aristatus plant growth in either composted pine bark or sand potting media.     

Evaluation of the Pathogenicity and Immune Response of Nervous Necrosis Virus Isolated in Vietnam

Eight strains of nervous necrosis virus （NNV） isolated in Vietnam were used to detect the pathogenicity and immune response in sea bass （SB）. All strains induced cytopathic effect in SB cell line, complete destruction of monolayer of cells appeared after seven days post infection （dpi）. Virus titer was different for each strain, TCIDso ranged from 102.7 to 1069, and LDs0 from 1015 to 1075. Five NNV strains named QN 02, QN 05, QN 07, ND 11 and KH 05 had higher virulence than the other three, the first causing 100% mortality in experimental fish 3-5 dpi. NNV KH 05 had the highest antigenic similarity, and it was inactivated completely by 0.2% formalin, 0.002 mol/L binary ethylenimine （BEI） and 0.1% beta-propiolactone. The neutralization antibody titer obtained in fish of groups immunized by BEI 0.002 M and beta-propiolactone 0.1% inactivated virus was four to eight times higher than that of the group treated with the formalin inactivated virus. The antibody titer in fish immunized with beta-propiolactone inactivated virus was more persistent. The efficacy of vaccines developed from beta-propiolactone inactivated virus and aluminium hydroxide （AH） or aluminum phosphate （AP） was observed by intramuscularly immunizing Epinephelusfuscoguttatus size 1.5 cm. Neutralizing antibodies appeared in vaccinated fish on 10th day post-immunization （dpi） at a dilution of 1：16; 1：32 and highest levels were reached on 30-45 dpi, at dilutions of 1：256 and 1：512, after treatment with AH and AP vaccine, respectively. The relative percent of survival （RPS） of vaccine at 30 dpi was highest with challenge doses 0.2-1 × 10^6.8 TCIDs0, the RPS varied from 80%-83.3% in both groups of AH and AP immunization. This result provides the basis for developing a vaccine against NNA disease.     

Effects of alcohol extract of defatted soybean meal on growth performance and digestive physiology of yellowtail <Emphasis Type="Italic">Seriola quinqueradiata</Emphasis>

The effects of alcohol extract of soybean meal on growth performance, digestibility, and pancreatic enzyme and bile acid status of yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata were studied. Fish were fed one of the following for 8 weeks: a fish meal (FM) control diet (FMD), a defatted soybean meal diet (SBMD), an alcohol-extracted SBM diet (ExSBMD), an ExSBMD with alcohol-extract diet (ExSBM + ExtD), and an FMD with alcohol-extract diet (FM + ExtD). Growth performance was significantly inferior in fish fed with SBM, ExSBM + ExtD, and FM + ExtD compared to FMD- or ExSBMD-fed fish. Total bile acid levels, and trypsin and lipase activities in the anterior intestine were significantly lower in fish fed with SBM, ExSBM + ExtD, and FM + ExtD than in fish fed with ExSBMD and FMD, despite similar values in gallbladder or pyloric caeca. Cholecystokinin mRNA levels of the former diet-fed fish were significantly lower than those of FMD- or ExSBMD-fed fish. Lipid and protein digestibility of fish fed with SBMD, ExSBM + ExtD, and FM + ExtD was significantly reduced in comparison with that of fish fed with FMD or ExSBMD. These findings indicate that the alcohol extract of soybean meal inhibited the secretion of bile acids and pancreatic enzymes by a decrease of cholecystokinin stimulation. This inhibition seemed to be responsible for a low growth performance through impairment of the assimilation of lipid and protein.     

Effect of fishmeal replacement with Artemia biomass as a protein source in practical diets for the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

A 30-day feeding experiment was conducted in 160-L plastic tanks to evaluate the potential use of Artemia biomass as a protein source in practical diets for postlarval Macrobrachium rosenbergii (initial mean weight of 12.12–12.29 mg). Nine isoenergetic and isonitrogenous experimental diets (approximately 40% crude protein) were formulated by replacing levels of the fishmeal (FM) protein difference either with dried or frozen Artemia (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%). The 0% Artemia treatment, in which Peruvian FM was the only main protein source, was considered to be the control diet. The results showed that prawn postlarvae (PLs) fed the FM control diet had a lower survival (46%) compared with all Artemia diets. Significant differences ( P <0.05) were, however, only found at 75% and 100% Artemia protein inclusion levels (survival of 68–77%). A gradual increase in growth performance (live weight gain, specific growth rate and total length) of the prawns was achieved on increasing dietary inclusion of Artemia protein. Additionally, the size distribution exhibited the same response as growth performance. However, prawns fed the frozen Artemia diets showed a better performance than the ones fed the dried Artemia diets. It can be suggested that Artemia biomass may totally replace FM in practical diets for PLs of the freshwater prawn M. rosenbergii .     

Utilization of fermented soybean meal for fishmeal substitution in diets of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Two feeding experiments were carried out to evaluate the utilization of fermented soybean meal (FSBM) in diets for Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). The digestibility experiment was assessed with four diets: a reference diet and three ingredient test diets containing FSBM, local and Chilean fishmeal. The growth experiment was conducted including four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets formulated to contain the graded levels of dietary fishmeal (0 g/kg, 150 g/kg, 300 g/kg and 450 g/kg) substituted by FSBM. The results indicated that ADCs of crude protein in FSBM were high (888.4 g/kg) and equal in local fishmeal but little lower than Chilean fishmeal while without any significant differences observed in ADCs of crude lipid among the different test ingredients. After 75 days of growth trial, survival rates and feed conversion ratio were not significantly different among the experimental treatments. However, shrimp fed the diets with increasing inclusions of FSBM had a tendency to reduce weight gain and specific growth rate. Based on the correlation between weight gain and substituted fishmeal level analysed by broken‐line regression, the optimum level of fishmeal replaced by FSBM in diet was 253.6 g/kg without adverse effects on growth and feed utilization of Pacific white shrimp.     

Effects of adding low levels of a disulfide reducing agent on the disulfide interactions of β-lactoglobulin and κ-casein in skim milk

Low concentrations of a disulfide reducing agent were added to unheated and heated (80 °C for 30 min) skim milk, with and without added whey protein. The reduction of the β-lactoglobulin and κ-casein disulfide bonds was monitored over time using electrophoresis. The distribution of the proteins between the colloidal and serum phases was also investigated. κ-Casein disulfide bonds were reduced in preference to those of β-lactoglobulin in both unheated and heated skim milk (with or without added whey protein). In addition, in heated skim milk, while the serum κ-casein was reduced more readily than the colloidal κ-casein, the distribution of κ-casein between the two phases was not affected.     

基于FRN技术的我国不同地区典型土壤保持措施的有效性评价

选择中国西南-东北样带4个典型土壤侵蚀区,包括位于长江上游的西昌,黄土高原延安,北方风蚀区的丰宁和东北黑土区的拜泉,应用环境放射性核素(FRN)技术研究了不同土壤保持措施在减少土壤侵蚀、改善土壤质量方面的作用。在西昌,137Cs和210Pbex的测定结果表明,不同植被覆盖结构减少土壤侵蚀的作用为:灌木>有地被物的乔木>草类>无地被物的乔木;在延安,利用137Cs示踪技术对坡地景观的产沙量估算结果表明,梯田和林草地相对于坡耕地产沙量分别减少了49%和80%,林草地的土壤有机质、碱解氮和速效磷含量相对于坡耕地分别增加了255%、198%和18%,梯田土壤有机质、碱解氮和速效磷含量分别增加了121%、103%和162%,而土壤容重分别降低了1.6%和6.4%;在丰宁,对7Be的测定结果表明,与传统耕作方式相比,4年免耕+作物高留茬(50～56cm)和免耕+作物低留茬(25cm)分别使土壤侵蚀速率下降44%和33%;在拜泉,通过137Cs测定结果发现,坡改梯使土壤流侵蚀降低14%,等高耕作使土壤侵蚀量减少了34%。研究结果说明,灌木林覆盖、林草复合结构是控制西南侵蚀山地土壤侵蚀的优选生物配置措施,梯田和林草复合结构在控制黄土高原土壤侵蚀和改善土壤质量方面有重要作用,免耕+高留茬措施是我国北方风蚀区防治土壤侵蚀退化的有效措施,等高耕作应当成为防治东北黑土区土壤侵蚀的关键措施。     

Reducing NH3, N2O and {\text{NO}}_3^ - –N losses from a pasture soil with urease or nitrification inhibitors and elemental S-amended nitrogenous fertilizers

A 3-month field experiment comparing nitrogen (N) losses from and the agronomic efficiency of various N fertilizers was conducted on a sandy loam (Typic Hapludand) soil at Ruakura AgResearch farm, Hamilton, New Zealand during October to December 2003. Three replicates of seven treatments: urea, urea + the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (trade name Agrotain), urea + Agrotain + elemental sulphur (S), urea + double inhibitor [DI; i.e., Agrotain + dicyandiamide (DCD)], diammonium phosphate (DAP), DAP + S, each applied at 150 kg N ha⁻¹, and control (no N). After fertilizer application, soil ammonium () and nitrate () concentrations (7.5-cm soil depth), ammonia (NH₃) volatilization, nitrate () leaching, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission, pasture dry matter, and N uptake were monitored at different timings. Urea applied with Agrotain or Agrotain + S delayed urea hydrolysis and released soil at a slower rate than urea alone or urea + DI. Urea applied with DI increased NH₃ volatilization by 29% over urea alone, while urea + Agrotain and urea + Agrotain + S reduced NH₃ volatilization by 45 and 48%, respectively. Ammonia volatilization losses from DAP were lower than those from urea with or without inhibitors. Total reduction in leaching losses for urea + DI and urea + Agrotain compared to urea alone were 89% and 47%, respectively. Application of S with urea + Agrotain reduced leaching losses by an additional 6%. Nitrous oxide emissions were higher from the DAP and urea alone treatments. Urea applied with DI and urea + Agrotain reduced N₂O emissions by 37 and 5%, respectively, over urea alone. Compared to urea alone, total pasture production increased by 20, 17, and 15% for urea + Agrotain + S, urea + Agrotain, and urea + DI treatments, respectively, representing 86, 71, and 64% increases in N response efficiency. Total N uptake in urea + Agrotain, urea + Agrotain + S, and urea + DI increased by 29, 22, and 20%, respectively, compared to urea alone. These results suggest that the combination of both urease and nitrification inhibitors may have the most potential to reduce N losses and improve pasture production in intensively grazed systems.     

拖拉机液压机械无级变速箱换段控制优化与试验

为了提高无级变速拖拉机的换段质量,该文对所开发的一种新型液压机械无级变速箱的换段过程进行了试验研究。离合器充油特性试验中,通过改变离合器控制油路参数,获得主油路压力与充油流量对换段时间的影响规律;单因素加载试验中,通过单独改变发动机转速、主油路压力、充油流量、负载转矩,获得各因素单独作用时对换段质量的影响规律;多因素组合加载试验中,设计了3水平4因素组合试验方案,对多个因素综合作用时的变速箱换段质量问题进行了研究;时序优化试验中,通过控制器改变离合器动作时机,获得最佳的换段时序。试验结果表明：离合器主油路压力、充油流量可通过影响换段时间而间接影响到换段质量;重叠时序换段会引起油压陷阱,证明了重叠换段的安全性和可行性;单因素作用时,换段质量与离合器压力、流量正相关,与负载转矩负相关,与发动机转速无关;多因素共同作用时,换段质量的主次影响因素依次为充油流量、负载转矩、主油路压力、发动机转速;此外,采用重叠时序换段可显著改善换段质量。根据试验结果得出,为使该变速箱获得最佳的换段质量,其离合器主油路压力应取值4MPa,充油流量取值5L/min,重叠时序取值120ms。该结论为换段控制策略的制定提供了重要参考。