Variation in seed protein digestion of different pea (Pisum sativum L.) genotypes by cecectomized broiler chickens: 2. Relation between in vivo protein digestibility and pea seed characteristics, and identification of resistant pea polypeptides

Eight pea genotypes characterized for their major protein fractions were used to investigate the effect of seed protein composition variability on protein digestibility in poultry. These genotypes of various pea types, were also variable in other seed components. They showed variations in their carbohydrate (insoluble fibre compounds, soluble fibre, soluble carbohydrates) and trypsin inhibitor (TI) contents. To exclude the effect of tannins and of particle size, the seeds were dehulled and micro-ground. They were incorporated as the only protein source in isoproteinaceous diets with similar metabolisable energy content and fed to cecectomized chickens. The average amino acid digestibility (apparent and true) and endogenous amino acid excretion were related with pea diet characteristics (protein composition, carbohydrate composition and TI activity). This allowed to precise which of the diet characteristics affect protein digestibility and endogenous excretion. Average apparent digestibility of amino acids was negatively correlated with insoluble fibre components (R = − 0.71 to − 0.72; p < 0.05) and TI activity (R = − 0.93; p < 0.001). Average endogenous losses of amino acids were positively correlated with soluble carbohydrate content (R = 0.77; p < 0.05) and TI activity (R = 0.84; p < 0.01). Average true digestibility of amino acids was positively correlated with the PA2 albumin level (R = 0.71; p < 0.05), and negatively with the legumin level (R = − 0.72; p < 0.05). Resistant peptides extracted from chicken excreta were analysed through electrophoresis and identified by immunodetection. Intensity of detected resistant peptides showed variation among genotypes. However, for the 8 pea genotypes, the pea proteins, which persisted at the end of the digestive tract, were mainly albumin PA1b and lectin. Other minor peptides were also detected: vicilin, albumin PA2 and legumin peptides which migrated at the same level as β-subunits.     

The effect of landscape-scale environmental drivers on the vegetation composition of British woodlands

Assessment of factors influencing woodland vegetation composition across Britain was made using multivariate techniques to analyse data gathered during the 1971 National Woodland Survey. Indirect gradient analysis (unconstrained ordination using detrended correspondence analysis) suggested a gradient strongly associated with nutrient availability and pH. Direct gradient analysis (constrained ordination using canonical correspondence analysis) and variation partitioning were used with over 250 ecophysiologically relevant variables, including climatic, geographical, soil and herbivore data, to model the response of woodland vegetation. Although there was a high degree of multicollinearity between environmental variables, analysis revealed the vegetation composition of surveyed woodlands to be primarily structured by geographical, climatic and soil gradients, in particular rainfall, soil pH and accumulated temperature. The woods have recently been resurveyed. The results of this analysis therefore provide a baseline against which species dynamics can be assessed under a series of conservation threats, such as land use and climate change.     

Relevance and limitations of biogenic and physicogenic classification: a comparison of approaches for differentiating the origin of soil aggregates

Although freshly formed or unaltered biogenic aggregates are easily recognized, identifying the origin of aggregates altered by physical and biological processes remains empirical and prone to error. The aim of this study was to distinguish between biogenic (BIO) and physicogenic (PHYS) aggregates in various states of fragmentation or size classes using visual, physical and chemical characteristics. Casts produced by Amynthas khami (BIO) and surrounding soil aggregates without visible biological activity (PHYS) were left to disaggregate by natural rainfall events and then separated into five size classes of >10, 10–5, 5–2, 2–0.5 and <0.5 mm. We then analysed aggregate morphology, elemental and stable isotope composition and soil stability, and used near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine their chemical characteristics. Although visual assessment is the method most commonly used in the field to distinguish between BIO and PHYS, our study found that the results obtained were always prone to error and that the classification was arbitrary for BIO and PHYS aggregates smaller than 5 and 2 mm in size, respectively. Soil structural stability was only useful for identifying BIO aggregates larger than 2 mm. While C content and δ¹³C in BIO were always different from PHYS, regardless of soil aggregate size, N content and δ¹⁵N were similar. NIRS was the most effective method because it clearly discriminated soil aggregates on the basis of size and origin. The NIRS characteristics of BIO were also more uniform than those of PHYS, suggesting that BIO aggregates have a simpler organization and as a consequence more homogeneous ecological functions. Thus, our findings suggest that information may be lost when only the physical aspect of aggregates is used to quantify the activity of ecosystem engineers in soil. After fragmentation, BIO aggregates become hidden and although it may be impossible to distinguish them visually from PHYS aggregates they retain some of their specific chemical characteristics.     

Identification of the artifact contribution to two urban Technosols by coupling a sorting test,chemical analyses,and a least absolute residual procedure

Journal of Soils and Sediments - In the context of urban extension, the depletion of natural resources for construction constitutes a crucial issue. Specifically, in the field of earthworks, the...     

不同基因型和营养对山羊生长性能、胴体品质及肉质的影响

【目的】探讨不同基因型和营养物质在改善老挝山羊的生长性能、胴体特征和肉质中的效果。【方法】采用2×2双因素试验,以本地山羊品种Lat为对照,对Lat与越南Bach Thao公山羊的杂交F1（BT×L）进行比较。从每个基因型中选择30头7月龄的成长公山羊并分成两组,其中一组采用传统饲喂方法即自由放牧,另一组采用改良饲喂方法,即放牧并任意采食木薯渣和矿物砖。试验期间测量山羊平均日增重（ADG）,在后期每组选择3只山羊宰杀并测定胴体特性（胴体组成和初分切肉）、肉质（剪切力、肉色、pH、滴水损失率和蒸煮损失率）。【结果】杂交山羊F1的平均日增重（60．02g／头）明显高于本地山羊（38．45g／头）,增幅为56．09％;饲喂补充木薯渣和矿物砖的山羊平均日增重（55．45g／头）则显著高于未添加对照组（43．02g,头）,增幅为28．89％。杂交繁育和饲喂补充物对山羊胴体品质如屠宰率、前肢百分率、后肢百分率及胸肌率没有显著影响,但杂交F1山羊的脖子极显著大于本地山羊,而其腰腹部切口极显著小于本地山羊。在两种不同饲喂管理条件下,Lat和杂交F1山羊的肉质特性没有显著差异。【结论】老挝本地山羊Lat与Bach Thao公山羊杂交及在饲料中补充木薯渣和矿物砖,可提高山羊肉产量且对其肉质无任何负作用。     

Population dynamics of shrimps in littoral marine waters of the Mekong Delta, south of Viet Nam

The population dynamics of eight commercial species of shrimp (Haliporoides sibogae, Harpiosquilla harpax, Metapenaeus affinis, Metapenaeus brevicornis, Metapenaeus tenuipes, Parapenaeopsis cultrirostris, Parapenaeopsis gracillima and Parapenaeus maxilipedo) distributed in littoral marine zone of the Mekong Delta were investigated. Length-based stock assessment using FiSAT II software package was used to assess the growth and mortality parameters: Asymptotic size (L8), growth coefficient (K), total (Z) and natural (M) mortality, exploitation rate (E), recruitment pattern, current probability of capture and selectivity of fishing gears. Yield-per-recruit analyses were carried out showing different levels of the exploitation. Results showed that the maximum sustainable yield would be reached for an exploitation rate higher than the current one for each population. However, the size of first capture should be increased for every population. The findings indicated that the current exploitations of shrimp populations distributed in littoral marine zone of the Mekong Delta are under exploitation level for maximum sustainable yield; however, all the shrimp populations are subject to growth over-exploitation.     

Radiofrequency‐Induced Thermal Inactivation of Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts in Water

Toxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan, is emerging as an aquatic biological pollutant. Infections can result from drinking water contaminated with environmentally resistant oocysts. However, recommendations regarding water treatment for oocyst inactivation have not been established. In this study, the physical method of radiofrequency (RF) power was evaluated for its ability to inactivate T. gondii oocysts in water. Oocysts were exposed to various RF energy levels to induce 50, 55, 60, 70 and 80°C temperatures maintained for 1 min. Post‐treatment oocyst viability was determined by mouse bioassay with serology, immunohistochemistry and in vitro parasite isolation to confirm T. gondii infections in mice. None of the mice inoculated with oocysts treated with RF‐induced temperatures of ≥60°C in an initial experiment became infected; however, there was incomplete oocyst activation in subsequent experiments conducted under similar conditions. These results indicate that T. gondii oocysts may not always be inactivated when exposed to a minimum of 60°C for 1 min. The impact of factors such as water heating time, cooling time and the volume of water treated must be considered when evaluating the efficacy of RF power for oocyst inactivation.