A microplate assay to measure soil microbial biomass phosphorus

Quantification of phosphorus (P) concentrations in microbial biomass is required to better understand how P immobilization and turnover in soils are controlled by environmental and anthropogenic factors. Soil microbial biomass P (MBP) is generally extracted using the chloroform fumigation-direct extraction procedure and then analysed for P using the ammonium molybdate-ascorbic acid method on a flow injection analysis (FIA) system. Our objective was to determine whether a microscale malachite green method on a microplate system would provide as accurate MBP analysis as the ascorbic acid method on an FIA system. Twelve soils were collected from agricultural fields in southwestern Quebec, fumigated with chloroform and extracted with 0.5 M NaHCO₃ (pH 8.5). The dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) concentration in fumigated soils was not affected by the method of analysis, and results from the two systems of analysis were significantly correlated (r =0.998, P <0.05). The MBP concentrations in these agricultural soils were between 0.36 and 60.05 g P g^–1, consistent with other published values. Our results indicate that MBP can be assessed equally well with the malachite green method using a microplate system as with the ascorbic acid method on an FIA system. The microplate system is rapid and requires smaller volumes of samples and reagents than the FIA system, thus reducing the quantity of waste produced. We conclude that the microscale malachite green method could be applied to measure the MBP concentration in a wide range of soils with good sensitivity, reproducibility and accuracy.     

海水鱼配合饲料中无机砷测定方法研究

摘要:　本文研究了海水鱼配合饲料中无机砷的测定方法。采用6mol/L盐酸溶液为介质,在70℃水浴中浸提1h,再用活性炭吸附分离浸提液中有机砷等有机物质后,以HG-AFS法测定海水鱼配合饲料及其原料样品中无机砷含量。方法前处理简单、快速,方法检出限0.08mg/kg;加标回收率85.5%～109.7%;精密度（RSD）2.6%～9.8%;线性范围0～400μg/L。用相同样品在4个实验室间对本法进行复核验证结果表明,精密度和准确度均符合检测要求,用于实际样品的检测,结果令人满意。     

The effect of energy reserves and cryoprotectants on overwintering mortality in Mercenaria mercenaria notata (Say 1822) at two tidal levels

The objective of this study is to identify possible causes of the high winter mortality noted in juvenile Mercenaria mercenaria notata in eastern Canada. The percentage mortality, shell growth, concentration of energy reserves, and production of cryoprotectant molecules were compared between notata and native quahogs kept at intertidal and subtidal levels. Overwintering mortality of the notata strain reached 47.2% and was 3–9 times higher than that of the native strain. Shell increment was higher in the native than in the notata strain and also at the intertidal than at the subtidal level. The quahogs from the subtidal zone had a higher concentration of protein than those from the intertidal zone in August and April but a lower concentration in February. The notata strain had a lower concentration of lipids and glucose (34.9 and 0.21 mg g⁻¹ dry weight) than the native strain (42.2 and 0.28 mg g⁻¹ dry weight). Thermal hysteresis was detected in none of the quahog groups. High winter mortality in the notata strain seems to be caused, in part, by a lower capacity to stock lipid compared with the native strain. The higher concentration of glucose in the native strain may favour survival in cold water by helping to reduce the freezing point of the animals’ fluids.     

不同浓度大豆卵磷脂替代蛋黄对东佛里生奶绵羊精液冷冻保存效果的影响

本试验皆在研究添加不同浓度大豆卵磷脂（SL）冷冻保存东佛里生奶绵羊精液的效果。我们在Tris基础稀释液中,添加18%蛋黄为对照组,添加0.5%、1%、1.5%、2%、2.5%SL设为试验组,检测冷冻精液解冻后的精子活率和顶体完整率。结果显示,添加0.5%、2.5% SL冷冻稀释液稀释的精液,解冻后精子活率和顶体完整率与其他组之间存在显著差异（P<0.05）;添加18%蛋黄和1%～2% SL冷冻稀释液稀释的精液,冷冻解冻后精子活率和顶体完整率之间无显著差异（P>0.05）;添加18%蛋黄和1.0%～1.5% SL冷冻稀释液稀释后的精液,进行人工授精后母羊的妊娠率与对照组无显著差异（P>0.05）。因此,大豆卵磷脂可以作为冷冻保护剂用于东佛里生奶绵羊精液的冷冻保存,其最佳添加浓度为1～2%（g／L）。     

Prediction of the changes on the CIELab values of fabric after chemical finishing using artificial neural network and linear regression models

Changes on the CIELab values of the dyed materials after the different chemical finishing treatments using artificial neural network (ANN) and linear regression (LR) models have been predicted. The whole structural properties of fabrics and some process data which were from fiber to the finishing parameters were accepted as inputs in these models. The networks having different structures were established, and it was also focus on the parameters which could affect the performance of the established networks. It was determined that we could successfully predict the color differences values occurring on the material after the finishing applications. In addition, we realized that some ANN parameters affected the prediction performance while establishing the models. After training ANN models, the prediction of the color difference values was also tried by linear regression models. Then, extra ANN models were established for all outputs using the parameters as inputs in the LR equations, and the prediction performances of both established models were compared. According to the results, the neural network model gives a more accurate prediction performance than the LR models.     

Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Seven Chinese Indigenous Chicken Populations in Guizhou Province

To investigate the population structure and genetic diversity of indigenous chicken breeds in Guizhou, a total of 150 individual samples were collected from 12 breeds, including seven local chicken breeds in Guizhou Province, three Chinese native breeds found in other provinces, and two commercial breeds. The genotype datasets were obtained using a 50K single nucleotide polymorphism array method, and then a series of population analyses were performed. The obtained population parameters and linkage disequilibrium decay indicated a higher degree of genetic diversity in Guizhou chickens than in commercial breeds. Two Guizhou local breeds, Wumeng black-bone and Weining, were clustered with a breed from a neighboring province, Xinwen black-bone, which exhibited similar ancestral composition patterns. A newly found breed, Wumeng crested, had high genetic diversity and displayed genetic differences from other Guizhou breeds. These findings provide insight into the establishment of efficient conservation and utilization programs for Guizhou chicken breeds.     

Aflatoxin B<Subscript>1</Subscript> (AFB<Subscript>1</Subscript>) reduces growth performance,physiological response,and disease resistance in Tra catfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pangasius hypophthalmus</Emphasis>)

Triplicate groups of one hundred Tra catfish (8 g?±?0.2) were fed seven test diets containing increasing levels of AFB₁ (0, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 μg AFB₁ kg^?1). Additionally Mycofix® Secure was added at 1.5% to one diet containing 500 μg AFB₁ kg^?1. Results showed that Tra catfish are sensitive to AFB₁. Reduction in weight gain (P?<?0.05) was observed for fish fed 50 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 and declined further with increasing levels of AFB₁ in the diets. Fish fed diets contaminated with 500 and 1000 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 showed increased (P?>?0.05) hepatosomatic index (HIS), while an increase in adipose somatic index (ASI) was observed in fish fed 50 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 and above when compared to the control and Mycofix® diets. After 12 weeks, blood serum analysis revealed higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in fish fed the 50, 100, and 250 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 suggesting occurrence of liver damage. Disease resistance of fish exposed to Edwardsiella ictaluri was also compromised by the presence of AFB₁ in the feed and was directly related to the contamination level. Seven days after Edwardsiella ictaluri exposure, survival rates were 50, 41.7, 31.7, and 8.3% for fish fed control, 50, 100, and 250 μg AFB₁ kg^?1, respectively. This trial shows that AFB₁ at a level of 50 μg AFB₁ kg^?1 and above can affect fish performance and disease resistance. Application of an effective mycotoxin management in the feed seems to be useful to prevent the negative effects of AFB₁.     

Effect of ingredient particle sizes and dietary viscosity on digestion and faecal waste of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

The ingredients’ particle size and dietary viscosity may alter digestion, performance and faecal waste management of fish. This study aimed to assess the effect of grinding screen sizes of feed ingredients and dietary viscosity on digestibility, faecal waste and performance of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Sauvage, 1878). The experiment had a 2 × 3 factorial‐design: two feed mesh particle sizes, by grinding ingredient mixtures at two screen sizes (0.8 versus 1.0 mm); and three dietary viscosity levels, created by exchanging carboxymethylcellulose by guar gum (GG) (0, 3 and 6 g of GG/kg of diet). Six diets were assigned to 18 tanks, each connected to three faecal settling tanks. All aquaria were stocked with 20 fish (82 g per fish). After 52 experimental days, dietary viscosity negatively affected both feed digestibility and performance of striped catfish; as a result, the amount of organic matter in the culture system through faeces had increased significantly. The coarse diets significantly increased the digestibility of dry matter and carbohydrate but worsened feed conversion ratio. Increasing dietary viscosity tended to increase the viscosity and moisture content of the faeces, but significantly accelerated the faecal disintegration through the reduction of both faecal recovery and the amount of recovered faeces.     

Medical Waste Treatment via Waste Electrospinning of PS

Body fluid medical wastes are infectious clinical wastes (blood, saliva, urine) due to their high pathogenic content. Incineration is the most commonly used method in waste management that possess high water content along with molecularly dissolved species such as proteins. The process is costly; so that the removal of solid content dissolved in aqueous part by preliminary filtration can reduce the volume of the waste material. In this study, fibrous mats were prepared by electrospinning of PS wastes from DMF and THF solutions. Then they are employed in the removal of protein-based solid contents of body fluid medical wastes before their disposal. Two sources of PS waste (CD cover and Styrofoam) were employed along with virgin PS for comparison. The adsorption capacity of as-prepared electrospun fibers was examined for three model proteins: Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), Myoglobin (MYO), and Trypsin (TRY). The fibers obtained from PS CD wastes have remarkably larger protein sorption capacities (particularly BSA) than the fibers obtained from virgin PS. XPS reveals the presence of CaCO₃ domains in CD covers added into PS during their production steps probably to increase mechanical properties. There may be an electrostatic interaction between Ca²⁺ and the negatively charged groups of the protein. In this way, PS wastes could be converted to a beneficial secondary product by electrospinning and also resulting materials promises for the disposal of body fluid medical wastes. This may be one of the frontiers study on the removal of medical wastes by adsorbents produced via electrospinning of waste polymers.     

含床料的回转式生物质气化反应器实验

为将传统回转炉窑机械扰动特性与流态化反应器内惰性床料的均温蓄热特性相结合,提出一种回转式气化反应器设计模式,以棉秆颗粒燃料为实验原料,首先考察了回转炉转速、过量空气系数、温度等参数对气化反应系统的影响。实验结果表明,回转炉转速控制在1~4 r/min之间,随转速增加回转炉混合扰动特性增强,炉内温度分布更加均匀,不同指标参量均有提高,在实验范围内回转炉转速在3 r/min时,取得较好的产气结果;实验控制温度在550~700℃范围,各指标均随温度升高有增大趋势,其中燃气热值、气化效率受温度影响较大,实验条件下,600~650℃温度范围内燃气热值和气化效率等指标有较大提升;过量空气系数对产气结果的各项指标均有较大影响,实验控制过量空气系数在0.2~0.4范围内变动,随过量空气系数增加,除产气率和床料区温度在一定程度增大外,其他指标均有先增大后减小的变化趋势,实验中过量空气系数为0.3时气化效果较好。典型热态实验结果表明,该回转式气化反应器产出的燃气组分与流化床接近,考虑显焓的气化效率约为79.3%、碳转化率约为81.3%;以气化炉为核心进行能量平衡计算,显示系统有效输出效率达到86.8%,散热损失为主要能量损失途径;对床料区底灰的分离研究发现,床料区滞留的底灰超过90%停留在床料区下部,且大部分底灰粒径较小。通过控制变量得到优化实验结果,可为该炉型的运行和设计改进提供参考。