Guanidinoacetic acid supplementation in broiler chickens fed on corn-soybean diets affects performance in the finisher period and energy metabolites in breast muscle independent of diet nutrient density

(1) Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is the single immediate endogenous precursor of creatine (Cr). It was hypothesised that dietary GAA would have different effects on performance and energy metabolites in breast muscle depending on the nutrient density (ND) of corn-soybean-based diets.

(2) A total of 540 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were allocated to 9 dietary treatments with 6 replicates (10 birds each) in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement with three levels of ND (low, 2800; medium, 2950 and high, 3100 kcal metabolizable energy (ME)/kg; and with the other nutrients being constant relative to ME) and supplemented with three levels of GAA (0, 0.6 and 1.2 g/kg) in a 42-d feeding trial.

(3) In the starter and grower periods, increasing levels of ND improved body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR), with the exception of ADFI in the starter period. GAA supplementation did not affect performance characteristics. All performance indicators responded markedly to increasing ND in the finisher period, whereas the highest GAA level reduced ADFI compared to the unsupplemented control (156 vs. 162 g/d) and concomitantly FCR (1.81 vs. 1.93). No interactive effects were noted for any performance trait. The high ND diet resulted in more breast meat yield on d42, associated with higher fat content and darker colour compared to the other ND levels. The GAA supplementation did not affect carcass and breast traits. At the end of the experiment, Cr was elevated when feeding GAA at 1.2 g/kg (5455 vs. 4338 mg/kg fresh muscle).

(4) To conclude, ND had a substantial effect on performance and carcass traits, whereas any effect of GAA was limited to FCR in the finisher period and independent of diet ND level.     

Altitude effects on technology and productivity of small bovine farms (milk meat) in Veracruz (Gulf of Mexico)

The dual-purpose bovine system represents 98.4% of the bovine livestock of Veracruz, the main cattle-producing state of Mexico. This system supplies calves to meat companies, a sector in which Veracruz has been the national leader in the last decade. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of the altitudinal zonation of farms on livestock technology and productivity in a microbasin of the Gulf of Mexico where small farms predominate. Structured interviews were applied to producers located in three altitudinal zones (at average altitudes of 50, 140, and 450 m, respectively, for lower, middle, and upper zones). Sample size was 135 farms having similar land surface (within a range of 15–22 ha). The results indicated multiple differences among farms located in the three zones. Farms in the middle and lower zones presented higher productive indicators than those in the upper zone. Differences in herd structure and management resulted in important differences in productivity, income, and profits in milk and calf production. We concluded from this study that altitudinal zonation in Veracruz had a clear effect on the differentiation of small farms, which are representative of dual-purpose cattle. The upper zone performs cattle activity under conditions with greater disadvantages in the analyzed region.     

Polyarthritis secondary to septic thrombophlebitis in an Arabian mare

A 3‐year‐old Arabian mare presented with diarrhoea and depression. During hospitalisation, the mare developed septic thrombophlebitis associated with a jugular catheter. One week later, she developed secondary bilateral tarsocrural joint septic arthritis. Following surgical intervention and intensive medical therapy, the mare recovered successfully. The case highlights an unusual and previously unreported complication of septic thrombophlebitis.     

空间诱变甜椒M3代果实营养品质的变异分析

试验结果表明:空间诱变甜椒的3个营养品质性状(果实维生素C含量、可溶性固形物含量和糖酸比)在M3代的变异趋于稳定,株系内的株间变异均小于株系间变异,果实维生素C含量和糖酸比在群间的差异不显著,可溶性固形物含量在群间的差异显著;维生素C含量与可溶性固形物含量呈极显著正相关,与糖酸比呈极显著负相关,可溶性固形物含量与糖酸比呈显著正相关。宜筛选单株果实维生素C含量高、可溶性固形物含量和糖酸比适中的株系。优选的株系为A6、A7、C7、B2、B6、B1、A5、C5、B7、C4、A3、B5、A4和C6。     

烟草丛顶病毒RNA依赖RNA聚合酶(RdRp)介导的体外复制体系

通过重叠PCR扩增得到烟草丛顶病毒(Tobacco bushy top virus,TBTV)中国分离物RdRp的编码序列,构建以pMALC2X为基础载体的原核表达载体pMAL-TB-RdRp。0.5 mM IPTG诱导可特异性表达分子量约为120 kDa的MBP-RdRp融合蛋白。温度梯度实验显示,18℃下诱导表达的MBP-RdRp融合蛋白的可溶性比例较高,约17%;经亲和层析纯化的MBPRdRp可特异性识别TBTV正链和负链的3'末端序列,催化体外复制;对正负链的3'末端的体外复制效率存在差别,识别负链3'末端的体外复制效率明显高于正链3'末端。本研究创建的TBTV RdRp介导的体外复制体系为进一步研究TBTV基因组复制调控奠定了基础。     

番茄品系红熟果实的耐贮性与品质的通径分析

对11个番茄品系红熟果实在2因子4处理条件下贮藏21 d的变质率与采收时的果实品质性状进行通径分析,结果表明:变质率与果实采收时的营养成分的干物质、水分、可溶性固形物含量、糖酸比有关,其中果实干物质含量是果实变质率最重要的影响因子,其效应是由直接作用引起的.     

浓缩风能装置内部流场仿真分析

浓缩风能装置是浓缩风能型风力发电机组的主要部件之一,其结构直接影响机组输出功率的大小。为了提高浓缩风能装置的浓缩效率,以浓缩风能装置为研究对象,应用三维建模软件与CFD(computational fluid dynamics)软件建立了几何模型与网格模型。基于上述模型,提出应用数值模拟方法对浓缩风能装置内部流场进行仿真分析,并通过比较分析不同湍流模型下的内部流场特性,得知标准κ-ω湍流模型更加适用于浓缩风能装置内部流场仿真。基于上述浓缩风能装置模型和湍流模型,分别对不同尺寸参数的浓缩风能装置内部流场特性进行仿真分析,得到了扩散角对浓缩风能装置内部流场特性的影响比收缩角、中央圆筒长度的影响大的规律,此规律为浓缩风能装置结构优化与设计提供了依据,优化后的结构能明显提高风能品质和风电机组输出功率。     

林地资产批量评估BP模型研究

在林地资产评估中,将BP神经网络与批量评估方法结合,通过对影响林地资产评估价值因子的数据处理,建立林地批量评估BP模型,运用贝叶斯方法估计正则化参数,提高BP网络模型泛化能力。结果表明,基于贝叶斯正则化的BP神经网络模型能够实现批量预估林地资产价值,其评估结果精度可靠,泛化能力很好,可为集体林区林地资产评估提供一种新的思路与方法。     

犬新孢子虫NcSRS2基因原核表达质粒的构建

根据已发表的犬新孢子虫NcSRS2基因序列,设计1对含有EcoRⅠ和NotⅠ酶切位点的引物。以提取犬新孢子虫虫体基因组DNA为模板,应用PCR扩增获得NcSRS2 ORF基因片段,将此基因片段克隆到pMD18-T Simple载体上,用EcoRⅠ和NotⅠ双酶切该片段,回收得到含有两个酶切位点黏端的Nc-SRS2 ORF基因,将此基因片段克隆至相同酶切回收后的PGEM-4T-2原核表达载体中,获得重组质粒pGEX-NcSRS2,经PCR鉴定,限制性内切酶分析和克隆片段序列测定比较,证实了重组质粒的正确性。