Seasonal changes in serum vitamin A, vitamin E and beta-carotene concentrations in Japanese Black breeding cattle in Hyogo prefecture

The influence of the season on serum vitamin A, E and beta-carotene concentrations was studied in Japanese Black breeding cattle. Blood samples were collected from 13 cows once a month for a year to determine the serum vitamin concentrations. Mean serum concentrations (+/- SE) of retinol, alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene were 21.3 +/- 0.5 microg/dl (range 9.9 to 44.9), 215.9 +/- 8.0 microg/dl (range 59.7 to 551.6) and 67.3 +/- 5.1 microg/dl (range 10.6 to 425.2), respectively. All these concentrations were lower than the recommended levels. Serum retinol and alpha-tocopherol concentrations in summer were lower than those in winter. These results suggest that the vitamin A, E and beta-carotene status of Japanese Black breeding cows is inadequate, and feeding high quality forages or dietary vitamin supplementation during summer should be recommended.     

Characterization of the products resulting from ethylene glycol liquefaction of cellulose

The composition of liquefied cellulose in the presence of ethylene glycol (EG) was studied. The liquefied products were fractionated and analyzed with highperformance liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance. EG-glucosides were detected as the only saccharides and 2-hydroxyethyl levulinate as the highly decomposed compound derived from cellulose. Quantitative analysis of the EG-glucosides and levulinic acid that comes from the levulinate shows the presence of the following mechanism in the EG-liquefaction of cellulose. First, cellulose is degraded and produces considerable amounts of EG-glucosides during the early stage of liquefaction. Then, when liquefaction is prolonged, the glucosides are decomposed, leading to a large quantity of levulinates.     

Foliar absorption — penetration of the cuticular membrane and nutrient uptake by isolated leaf cells

Summary Foliar absorption consists of penetration of a cuticular membrane and uptake by living cells within the leaf. A detailed analysis of nutrient absorption by these two systems has revealed that ionic penetration of the cuticular membrane is by diffusion, and that the coupling between active transport and metabolism is at the cellular level. Urea penetrates the cuticular membrane and is absorbed by leaf cells much more rapidly than are nutrient ions. Furthermore, urea facilitates penetration and absorption of other materials simultaneously applied. Penetration of nutrient ions through cuticular membranes has been localized by microautoradiography as occurring around stomatal pores and along periclinal cell walls. Chelation of metals such as iron, manganese and zinc reduces the rate of foliar absorption, but increases the translocation of the absorbed nutrient. At the cellular level the nutrient ion is absorbed and the ligand is excluded.

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Zusammenfassung Blattabsorption erfolgt durch Eindringen in Kutikularschichten der Membran und durch Aufnahme durch die lebenden Zellen innerhalb des Blattes. Eine detaillierte Analyse der N?hrstoffabsorption nach diesen beiden Systemen zeigte, da? die Ionen-Aufnahme über die Kutikularmembran durch Diffusion und da? die Koppelung des aktiven Transports mit dem Stoffwechsel im Zellbereich erfolgt. Harnstoff dringt durch die Kutikularmembran ein und wird viel schneller als N?hrstoff-Ionen durch die Blattzellen absorbiert. Weiterhin erleichtert Harnstoff das Eindringen und die Absorption anderer, gleichzeitig applizierter Substanzen. Die Fixierung der Eindringungsstelle von N?hrstoff-Ionen in Kutikularmembrane wurde durch Mikroautoradiographie ermittelt. Das Eindringen erfolgt um die Stomata-?ffnungen und entlang der periklinalen Zellw?nde. Metallgelate von Eisen, Mangan und Zink mindern die Zellabsorption, vermehren aber die Translokation der absorbierten N?hrstoffe. Im Bereich der Zellen werden N?hrstoff-Ionen absorbiert, aber Verbindungen ausgeschlossen.

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Résumé L'absorption foliaire consiste en une pénétration à travers la membrane cuticulaire, et l'assimilation par les cellules vivantes à l'intérieur de la feuille. Une analyse détaillée de l'absorption des éléments nutritifs par ces deux systèmes a révélé que la pénétration des ions à travers la membrane cuticulaire se fait par diffusion, et que le couplage entre le transport actif et le métabolisme se fait au niveau cellulaire. L'urée pénètre à travers la membrane cuticulaire et est absorbée par les cellules de la feuille beaucoup plus rapidement que ne le sont les ions nutritifs. D'autre part l'urée facilite la pénétration et l'absorption d'autres substances appliquées simultanément. La pénétration des ions nutritifs à travers la membrane cuticulaire a été localisée par microautoradiographie comme se faisant autour des pores stomatiques, et le long des parois des cellules périclinales. La chélation de métaux tels que fer, manganèse, zinc, réduit la vitesse d'absorption foliaire mais augmente la vitesse de transport de l'ion nutritif absorbé. Au niveau de la cellule, l'ion nutritif est absorbé, et le complexant est exclu.

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Report No. COO-888-51 in cooperation with the Division of Biology and Medicine of the United States Atomic Energy Commission, Contract AT (11-1)-888. Journal Article No. 3692 of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.