Improvement of porcine oocytes with low developmental ability after fusion of cytoplasmic fragments prepared by serial centrifugation

We have shown in pigs that oocytes denuded of cumulus cells at 24 h of in vitro maturation culture and subsequently matured for a total of 46 h (DO24 oocytes) have lower cytoplasmic maturity than those matured with cumulus cells for 46 h and then denuded (DO46 oocytes). In the present study, DO24 zona-free oocytes were fused with one (1C) or two (2C) cytoplasmic fragments produced by serial centrifugation ("centri-fusion") of DO46 oocytes (DO24+1C and DO24+2C oocytes, respectively). Groups of (1) DO46 (a control), (2) DO24, (3) DO24+1C and (4) DO24+2C oocytes were partheno-activated by an electrical pulse or fertilized in vitro and subsequently cultured for 6 days. In the fused groups, female pronucleus (FPN) formation rates were higher than that in the DO24 group after parthenogenetic activation (PA); however, the blastocyst rates were intermediate between those of the control and DO24 groups. After in vitro fertilization, the male pronucleus (MPN) formation rates in the fused groups were similar to that in the control group and higher than that in the DO24 group; the normal fertilization rate in the DO24+2C group was higher than that in the DO24 group and similar to that in the control group, resulting in significantly higher blastocyst rates in the DO24+2C and control groups than that in the DO24 group. These results suggest that centri-fusion using ooplasm from fully matured DO46 oocytes can offer a potentially novel approach for restoration of cytoplasmic maturity to oocytes with low developmental ability and subsequent improvement of fertilization and developmental competence.     

Comparison of efficiency between differential evolution and evolution strategy: application of the LST model to the Be River catchment in Vietnam

Parameter calibration is an important step in the development of rainfall–runoff models. Recently, there has been a significant focus on automatic calibration. In this paper, two evolutionary optimization algorithms were applied to calibration of the long- and short-term runoff model (LST model) to simulate the daily rainfall–runoff process in the Be River catchment located in southern Vietnam. The differential evolution (DE) and evolution strategy (ES) algorithms were employed to optimize three objective functions: the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient, root mean square error, and mean absolute error, which are indices for evaluating the simulation accuracy of the LST model. Hydrometeorological data for the periods 1985–1989 and 1990–1991 were used for calibration and validation, respectively. The LST model was calibrated for each objective function using five different parent and offspring population conditions. The results show that both the DE and ES algorithms are efficient methods for automatic calibration of the LST model. After 1000 generations, the best values of the fitness indices found by the DE technique were slightly better and more stable than those found by the ES technique in both calibration and validation. The average computation time for each generation using the DE algorithm was approximately two-thirds as long as that using the ES algorithm.     

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.     

Phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance patterns of Escherichia coli isolated from dairy cows with mastitis

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, susceptibility to 26 antimicrobial agents used in veterinary and human medicine, and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes of Escherichia coli isolated from cows with mastitis were evaluated. Among 135 E. coli isolates, PFGE analysis revealed 85 different genetic patterns. All E. coli were resistant to two or more antimicrobials in different combinations. Most E. coli were resistant to antimicrobials used in veterinary medicine including ampicillin (98.4%, >or=32 microg/ml) and many E. coli were resistant to streptomycin (40.3%, >or=64 microg/ml), sulfisoxazole (34.1%, >or=512 microg/ml), and tetracycline (24.8%, >or=16 microg/ml). Most E. coli were resistant to antimicrobials used in human medicine including aztreonam (97.7%, >or=32 microg/ml) and cefaclor (89.9%, >or=32 microg/ml). Some E. coli were resistant to nitrofurantoin (38%, >or=128 microg/ml), cefuroxime (22.5%, >or=32 microg/ml), fosfomycin (17.8%, >or=256 microg/ml). All E. coli were susceptible to ciprofloxacin and cinoxacin. Almost 97% (123 of 127) of ampicillin-resistant isolates carried ampC. Eleven of 52 (21.2%) streptomycin-resistant isolates carried strA, strB and aadA together and 29 streptomycin-resistant isolates (55.8%) carried aadA alone. Among 44 sulfisoxazole-resistant E. coli, 1 isolate (2.3%) carried both sulI and sulII, 12 (27.3%) carried sulI and 10 (22.7%) isolates carried sulII. Among 32 tetracycline-resistant isolates, 14 (43.8%) carried both tetA and tetC and 14 (43.8%) carried tetC. Results of this study demonstrated that E. coli from cows with mastitis were genotypically different, multidrug resistant and carried multiple resistance genes. These bacteria can be a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes and can play a role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes to other pathogenic and commensal bacteria in the dairy farm environment.     

Antifungal activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Biscogniauxia</Emphasis> sp. culture filtrates against the rice pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Magnaporthe oryzae</Emphasis>

An ethyl acetate extract of a culture filtrate (ECF) from an unidentified fungal isolate O821 was evaluated for antifungal activity against the rice pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The O821-ECF significantly inhibited spore germination, appressorium formation, and mycelial growth of M. oryzae, and its antifungal activity was heat-stable. It also significantly suppressed the number and size of blast lesions. In an analysis of the ITS sequence of this isolate, it shared similarities with species of the fungus Biscogniauxia. These results suggest that isolate O821 of the genus Biscogniauxia produces a heat-stable antifungal compound(s) in its culture filtrate.     

Methodologic studies on the metabolically-oriented determination of lysine requirements in broiler chickens. 2. Effect of the lysine content of the diet on the lysine oxidation rate in a 15-hour feed withdrawal before 14C-lysine injection

This experiment was designed to narrow the estimated range for lysine requirement of broiler chickens determined by isotopic techniques. In addition the influence of a long-term feed withdrawal previous 14C-lysine-injection on the lysine catabolism was investigated. 120 male broiler chickens 7 to 21 days posthatching received a diet based on wheat and wheat gluten. Lysine content was varied from 8.3 to 16.0 g/kg DM (3.2 to 6.3 g/16 g N) at 8 levels by supplementing the basal diet with L-lysine-HCl. After the feeding period animals of each group were labelled with 14C-L-lysine by intravenous injection 5.5 and 15.5 hours after feed withdrawal, respectively. During the following 4 hours the excretion of 14CO2 and CO2 was measured. Highest body weight gain was observed in the group with 13.8 g lysine/kg DM. In case of 14CO2 excretion measurements starting 5.5 hours after feed withdrawal an increase of 14CO2 excretion was observed if the lysine content of the diet exceeded 11.6 g/kg DM. This estimated range for lysine requirement (11.6 to 12.7 g/kg DM with 26% CP in the DM) was lower compared with the lysine requirement estimated by the growth curve (12.7 to 13.8 g/kg DM). This discrepancy could be explained by the fact that the results of the metabolism oriented determination of lysine requirement represent the requirement at the actual age, while the feeding experiment reflects a mean lysine requirement of the previous period of 14 days. If the animals were labelled with 14C-lysine 15.5 hours after feed withdrawal no clear response in 14CO2 excretion and specific radioactivity of CO2 on the dietary lysine content was observed.     

Weed flora of water rice in the Red River Delta,Vietnam

The occurrence of weeds in water rice was surveyed in the Red River Delta, Vietnam during spring and summer rice-growing seasons in 1995 and 1996. Sixty different weeds from 19 plant families were recorded. The most important plant families as weeds of rice were Poaceae and Cyperaceae. The most important weed however was Rotala indica (Willd.) Koehne (Lythraceae) followed by Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. and Cyperus difformis L. A brief comparison of this rice weed flora and those of Australia and California was made.     

Evaluation of chemical treatments on dimensional stabilization of archeological waterlogged hardwoods obtained from the Thang Long Imperial Citadel site,Vietnam

In this article, the conservation of seven archeological waterlogged woods (WW) with polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000, trehalose, and feather keratin was investigated. The results showed that the dimensional stability of WWs significantly improved after the different treatments. The anti-shrink efficiency values of the WWs treated with keratin ranged between 72.5 and 96.2% depending on the species and degree of wood degradation. These values varied from 82.4 to 96.9% for the WWs treated with PEG or trehalose. Microscopic observations showed that the chemically-treated woods maintained their original cell structures, forms, and shapes. It was also revealed that the reinforcement of cell walls by the feather keratin treatment was different from those observed for the PEG or trehalose treatments. It was observed that PEG and trehalose primarily filled the wood voids, while keratin predominantly absorbed on the cell walls and middle lamellae. Based on the improved dimensional stability of wood, shortened impregnation time, removability of chemical, and esthetic results obtained from the treatment, keratin showed a good performance in average as a preservation agent.     

沉香10种化学成分的变异及其与生长性状的相关性

文章采用气相色谱-质谱联用技术测定了人工通体结香处理的35个中国沉香样品和51个越南沉香样品的化学成分,并选取了相对含量较高的10种化学成分进行分析.结果表明,10种化学成分的个体间变异都很大,且各种成分相对含量均与沉香树的生长性状呈正相关.此外,越南沉香和中国沉香绝大部分的化学成分相对含量存在显著或极显著差异,中国样品有2种成分含量显著高于越南沉香(P＜0.05),越南样品有6种成分含量极显著高于中国样品(P＜0.01),显著性的差异可能是由于林木的遗传特性和环境差异造成的.