新疆真藓属(Bryum Hedw.)新资料

通过经典分类学方法,对采自新疆各地的185号真藓属植物标本进行了整理、鉴定,报道新疆新记录2种:毛状真藓(Bryum apiculatum Schwaegr.)与近高山真藓(Bryum paradoxum Schwaegr.)。重新确定了曾有文献记载,但未见现存标本因而未加入新疆苔藓植物名录的:狭网真藓(Bryum algovicum Sendt.ex C.Müll.)与红蒴真藓(Bryum atrovirens Brid.)。并对新记录种的识别特征、生境及其地理分布作了阐述。根据识别特征绘制了狭网真藓、红蒴真藓与近高山真藓的墨线图。     

新疆喀纳斯国家级自然保护区土壤螨类群落特征

为研究喀纳斯自然保护区土壤螨类群落特征,2011年7月和9月对该保护区针叶林、混交林、阔叶林、灌木林、草甸草原、林间草地、沼泽地7种生境进行了取样调查。结果表明:1)共获得土壤螨类7268只,隶属于3亚目51科58属。其中甲螨亚目3819只,38科44属,占总数的93.34%;中气门亚目264只,9科11属,占总数的6.45%;前气门亚目7只3科3属,占总数的0.21%。整个研究区域中奥甲螨属Oppia、盖头甲螨属Tectocepheus、钉棱甲螨属Passalozetes、菌甲螨属Scheloribates为优势类群,占总数的60.05%;阿斯甲螨属、短甲螨属、大翼甲螨属等13属为常见类群,占总数的29.43%;其余的41属为稀有类群,占总数的10.52%。2)在不同生境条件下土壤螨类个体数和类群数均有显著差异(P<0.05),其中个体数依次为阔叶林>针叶林>林间草地>混交林>沼泽地>草甸草原>灌木林;而类群数依次为阔叶林>草甸草原>沼泽地>针叶林>灌木林>混交林>林间草地。3)垂直分布具有明显的表聚性特征,其中0~5cm土层最多,其次为5~10cm,而10~15cm最少。4)在该保护区不同生境土壤螨类的群落组成和结构差异与植被类型、土壤环境因素及人为干扰程度有关。     

The use of infrared spectroscopy and machine learning tools for detection of Meloidogyne infestations

Plant parasitic nematodes are generally soilborne pathogens that attack plants and cause economic losses in many crops. The infested plants show nonspecific symptoms or, often, are symptomless; therefore, diagnosis is performed by taking soil and root tissue samples. Here, we show that a combination of different infrared spectra analysis and machine learning algorithms can be used to detect plant parasitic nematode infestations before symptoms become visible, using leaves instead of roots and soil as samples. We found that tomato and guava plants infested with Meloidogyne enterorlobii produced different spectral patterns compared to uninfested plants. Using partial spectra from 1,450 to 900/cm as the "fingerprint region", principal component analyses indicated that after 5 (tomatoes) or 8 weeks (guava), plants with no visible symptoms of infestations were positively diagnosed. To improve the early detection response, we used machine learning modelling. A support vector machine (SVM) was used to obtain more robust, accurate models. The SVM model contained 34 support vectors, 17 for each level. The overall performance of the model was >97% and the total accuracy was significantly higher, demonstrating the absence of chance prediction. The best prediction of infestation was obtained at the second and fourth weeks for tomatoes and guavas, respectively, reducing the diagnostic time by half. The combined application of these techniques reduces the processing time from field to laboratory and shows enormous advantages by avoiding root and soil sampling.     

Characterization of the village goat production systems in the rural communities of the Eastern Cape,KwaZulu-Natal,Limpopo and North West Provinces of South Africa

Expansion of goat improvement programs requires exploration of the factors that influence the production system and breeding initiatives. Characterization of goat breeds or populations is crucial in providing information on prevalent goat types and their attributes and may suffice as a guideline on conservation, development, and selection for improved productivity. This study investigated the existing village goat production system and phenotypic diversity of the different village populations from four South African provinces. The study further investigated the use of phenotypic attributes to classify goats to breeds or populations. Data was collected from 142 households in 26 villages of the Eastern Cape (n?=?2 villages), KwaZulu-Natal (n?=?6 villages), Limpopo (n?=?13 villages), and North West (n?=?5 villages) provinces through a survey. Individual interviews and focus group discussions revealed that the mean goat herd size per household was least in Limpopo at 13.2?±?12.40 and highest in Eastern Cape (34.18?±?28.36). Flocks had more (p?<?0.05) adults than kids, and the distribution of breeding animals was biased towards does and less bucks. Goats were kept mainly for meat, for selling, and for ritual ceremonies. The goat production system was mainly scavenging. Goat health was a major challenge across households and villages. Qualitative traits such coat, horn, ears, and wattle characteristics were recorded for populations of village goats (n?=?319) and a feral Tankwa breed (n?=?50). The dominant coat pattern was plain (74.53%) with black as the most common coat color (31.98%). Across breeds, a majority (88.08%) of the goats had horns, and 7.59% had wattles while 56.64% had beard. Adult goats (<3 years; n?=?398) were further analyzed for five quantitative traits of chest girth, height, length, and pin bone and there were significant (p?<?0.05) breed differences in all. A stepwise discriminatory procedure was used to rank the quantitative traits according to their discriminatory power to separate breeds or populations. Significant traits were then subjected to canonical discriminant analysis for principle component analysis. Based on the quantitative traits, the Tankwa, Xhosa, and Tswana goats formed their own cluster separated from commercial meat type breeds and the Venda and Zulu ecotypes. The discriminant function analysis correctly classified 90.41% of the Zulu goats and 82.93% of the Xhosa village populations. None of the Savanna goats were correctly classified. The study demonstrated diversity in village goat populations and production systems, which would allow for within population selection in genetic improvement programs. The heterogeneity in the phenotypic traits in the village goats is reflective of the role of village production systems in the maintenance of animal diversity in local populations.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus</Emphasis> in Egypt

During 2010, yellowing symptoms were frequently observed in cultivated squash fields in Egypt. A total of 717 symptomatic squash leaf samples were collected from four regions where squash cultivation is of economic importance for the country: Kafrelsheikh, El-Behira, El-Sharkia and El-Ismailia. Serological analysis showed that 95.6% of the symptomatic squash samples were infected by Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV), and visual estimation of the incidence of yellowing symptoms suggested a very high incidence of CABYV in the fields. Twelve CABYV isolates were characterized by sequencing two regions of the viral genome, open reading frame (ORF) 3 and ORFs 4/5. Overall, Egyptian isolates were very similar among them, and had higher similarity values with a French than with a Chinese isolate. The average nucleotide diversity for ORF 3 was significantly higher than for the other two regions, indicating that variability is not evenly distributed along the viral genome. The ratios between nucleotide diversity values in non-synonymous (d _N ) and synonymous (d _S) positions (d _N /d _S) for each ORF showed that the three ORFs are evolving under different pressures, although predominantly under purifying selection. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that these Egyptian isolates, with only one exception, shared the same clade with a French isolate. Moreover, these analyses suggested that Egyptian isolates belong to the Mediterranean group described previously.     

Measurements and estimates of potential evapotranspiration over Egypt

Mehanna (1976) estimated potential evapotranspiration (PE) for a number of stations in Egypt, using Penman's method with adjustment of the constants of the radiation term and the aerodynamic term, such that they would agree with measurements of radiation in Egypt and with estimations by Omar (1971a,b) of PE in a large field at Giza, to the southwest of Cairo. Measurements of PE were made at Bahtim, about 20 km to the north of Cairo, by evapotranspirometers.In the FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 24 on “Crop Water Requirements” (Doorenbos and Pruitt,1977) four methods were given for the calculation of PE; Blaney—Criddle, radiation, Penman (adjusted) and pan evaporation. It was considered that the Penman method was the most accurate of those given.The main features of comparison of the Mehanna and FAO's estimates of PE with measurements at Bahtim were that Mehanna, and three of the FAO's estimates (Blaney—Criddle, radiation and pan evaporation) are within ±10%0 of the measurements while the Penman estimate was 15% higher. An estimate of PE at Aswan was based on measurements of pan evaporation and estimates of evaporation from a large water surface at both Bahtim and Aswan, together with measurement of PE at Bahtim. The estimates by the methods of Mehanna, Blaney—Criddle, radiation and Penman lie in the limits 0—6% of the estimate based on measurements while the pan evaporation estimate is markedly lower. Comparison of the estimates at eight stations over Egypt shows that the Penman estimate is higher than the other estimates in Northern Egypt. The pan evaporation estimate is lower than the other estimates except at Bahtim where it is generally higher than Mehanna's and Blaney—Criddle's estimates. The low values of the pan evaporation estimates at Assuit and Aswan are remarkable.     

Comparison of the chemical composition of extracts from Scutellaria lateriflora using accelerated solvent extraction and supercritical fluid extraction versus standard hot water or 70% ethanol extraction

The aqueous extract of American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora L. (S. lateriflora), Lamiaceae) has been traditionally used by North American Indians as a nerve tonic and for its sedative and diuretic properties. Recent reports stated that flavonoids and possibly amino acids are responsible for the anxiolytic activity. As a part of our search for environmentally friendly solvents to extract the active components from medicinal plants, we used S. lateriflora in a comparison of accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) using water, and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using CO2 and 10% EtOH as modifier, at different temperatures. Flavonoids and amino acids were quantified by HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS, respectively. The flavonoid content was compared with conventional extraction methods (hot water extraction and 70% ethanol). The use of ASE at 85 degrees C with water as solvent gave the best results for flavonoid glycosides and amino acids, whereas SFE gave higher yields of flavonoid aglycones. However, the results obtained for total flavonoids were not significatively superior to hot water extraction or 70% aqueous EtOH extract.     

School food in Mexican children

OBJECTIVE: To establish the school eating habits of Mexican children, who are prone to obesity and later to high rates of adult chronic diseases. DESIGN: Questionnaires for students and parents with staff questionnaires and interviews. SETTING: Randomly sampled schools in a socio-economically representative district of Mexico City. SUBJECTS: Subjects were 1504 adolescents aged 10-19 years attending schools in Mexico City, 27 teachers and seven headmasters, sampled from both public and private schools and from the full range of socio-economic groups. RESULTS: Foods brought from home were of a higher nutritional quality than those purchased at school, where purchases were dominated by crisps, soft drinks and other items with high energy density. Girls were more inclined to purchase inappropriately; those from poorer homes purchased less. Private-school students irrespective of socio-economic grade brought more food from home and purchased more expensive food at school. School policies allowed food and drink vendors to market any products within the schools, which benefited financially from these activities. CONCLUSIONS: Current school food policies are conducive to amplifying the current epidemic of obesity and related adult chronic diseases, and need to change.