The Effect of Post-Ovulatory Artificial Insemination on Sow Reproductive Performance

In order to increase reproductive performance, sows are usually inseminated several times during oestrus. In practice, this results in a significant number of sows receiving one or more post‐ovulatory inseminations. This study was carried out to determine the percentage of sows that receive one or more post‐ovulatory inseminations and the effect of such treatment on reproductive performance. The results were analysed from a total of 1298 sows on two farms. It was observed that more than 70% of the sows received at least one post‐ovulatory insemination and approximately 20% received two or more. There was no observed effect on the rate of return to oestrus, farrowing rate or litter size (p > 0.05).     

The Nature of the 660-Kilometer Upper-Mantle Seismic Discontinuity from Precursors to the PP Phase

Global Seismic Network data were used to image upper-mantle seismic discontinuities. Stacks of phases that precede the PP phase, thought to be underside reflections from the upper-mantle discontinuities at depths of 410 and 660 kilometers, show that the reflection from 410 kilometers is present, but the reflection from 660 kilometers is not observed. A continuous Lame's constant lambda and seismic parameter at the 660-kilometer discontinuity explain the missing underside P reflections and lead to a P-wave velocity jump of only 2 percent, whereas the S-wave velocity and density remain unchanged with respect to previous global models. The model deemphasizes the role of Lame's constant lambda with regard to the shear modulus and constrains the mineralogical composition across the discontinuity.     

Influence of soil pH and fertilization on the dry matter production,chemical composition and digestibility of perennial grasses: I. Anthephora pubescens nees 1

Abstract

The influence of soil pH and fertilization (N, P and Zn) on the dry matter (DM) production, chemical composition (crude protein, P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn content) and organic matter (OM) digestibility of Anthephora pubescens Nees was evaluated in pots. The highest Dm production was obtained in the neutral soil medium (pH 6,5 in H₂O). Both the acid (pH 4,5 in H₂O) and alkaline (pH 7,5 in H₂O) soil mediums adversely affected DM yield, crude protein (CP), Zn content and OM digestibility of A. pubescens. Fertilization invariably increased DM production.     

‘N vergelyking tussen digitaria eriantha steud. subsp. eriantha (smutsvingergras) en eragrostis curvula (schrad.) nees (oulandsgras) as hooigewasse vir skape 1

Uittreksel

Smutsvingergras‐ en oulandsgrashooi is by drie bemestingspeile, naamlik 30 kg N + 2,8 kg P ha^‐1; 90 kg N + 8,3 kg P ha^‐1 en 150 kg N + 13,8 kg P ha^‐1 geproduseer. Die hooi is in alle voorgenoemde gevalle op twee verskillende stadia gesny, naamlik gedurende die pypstadium en gedurende die vroeë volwasse stadium (sodra bloeiwyses oopgegaan het).

Die hooi wat in alle voorgenoemde behandelings gesny is, is aan groepe skape op ‘n kafeteriastelsel gevoer om voorkeurinname te bepaal. Soortgelyke hooi is ook aan individuele skape gevoer om inname te bepaal.

Die resultate het aangedui dat skape deurgaans ‘n voorkeur aan Smutsvingergrashooi, bo oulandsgrashooi gegee het. Die verband tussen bemesting, snystadium en inname kon nie duidelik uit die resultate bepaal word nie. ‘n Verband tussen hoër in‐vitro verteerbaarheid en hoër fosforinhoud met inname kon uit die resultate afgelei word.

Die gebruik van oulandsgras as hooigewas is ‘n algemene praktyk, maar Smutsvingergras kan ook op grond van bevindinge in hierdie ondersoek as hooigewas vir skape aanbeveel word.     

伪狂犬病病毒吉林分离株感染BHK-21细胞的超微结构变化

以猪伪狂犬病病毒(PRV)吉林分离株PRV-JL感染体外培养的BHK-21细胞为模型,通过透射电镜对PRV的形态发生学和宿主细胞超微结构的动态变化规律进行研究。结果显示,PRV能导致BHK-21细胞圆缩,并发生细胞融合,形成合胞体;电镜观察到的病毒粒子呈球形或椭圆形,成熟的病毒粒子直径大小为140~210 nm,未成熟病毒粒子直径为90~150 nm,多呈中空状,部分呈致密核芯。病毒吸附于细胞后以膜融合的方式进入细胞,在胞核内复制,装配好的病毒粒子以出芽的方式离开细胞核,获得最初的囊膜,进入胞浆;在胞浆内的病毒粒子又利用高尔基体的膜结构合成第2层囊膜,形成完整的病毒粒子;最后包裹有完整病毒粒子的高尔基囊泡与细胞膜发生融合,将病毒粒子释放到细胞外。感染细胞超微结构变化主要表现为:细胞胞浆空泡增多,内质网扩张,线粒体增生、嵴肿胀、脱落,最后空泡化,整个细胞裂解、破碎。     

Influences of Follicular Size on Parthenogenetic Activation and in Vitro Heat Shock on the Cytoskeleton in Cattle Oocytes

The availability of cow ovaries from the slaughterhouse has been very limited in Taiwan. To maximize the use of cow ovaries for research purposes, whole ovary dissection was performed and the developmental competence of the oocytes derived from different sizes of follicles was assessed by the rates of in vitro maturation (IVM) and parthenogenetic activation of the oocytes in Experiment 1 (Exp 1). Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) derived from small (1-2 mm) and large (3-8 mm) follicles were subjected to standard IVM culture for 24 h. Mature oocytes were selected and then parthenogenetically activated using A23187 (5 microm, 5 min) or thimerosal (200 microm, 10 min) alone or combined with 6-dimethylaminopurine (2.5 mm and 3.5 h, respectively). Activation rates of the oocytes, neither from the large nor small follicles, were affected by different activation treatments (single or combined stimuli). Whereas maturation rates for the oocytes from large follicles were superior to those from small follicles in both the single (59% vs 45%) and combined treatments (76% vs 40%; p < 0.05). To understand how prolonged heat shock (HS) influences cytoskeletal configurations of mature bovine oocytes, in Experiment 2 (Exp 2), matured oocytes derived from large follicles were randomly allocated to different durations of HS treatments at 41.5 degrees C for 0 (C0h, control, n = 12), 1 (HS1h, n = 28), 2 (HS2h, n = 31), and 4 h (HS4h, n = 30). An additional control group was cultured for 4 h without HS (38.5 degrees C, 4 h, n = 35). Alterations in nuclear structures, microtubules (MTs), and microfilaments (MFs) of the oocytes were examined. Abnormalities in the chromosomes, spindle MTs and the percentages of oocytes with cytoplasmic MTs increased with time of HS treatment. The intensity of the MF distribution in the HS oocytes was also altered. Significant changes in the cytoskeleton after HS may be associated with the reduced development under hyperthermia and, perhaps, with the low pregnancy rates of the animals during hot seasons.     

Elevation change of the southern greenland ice sheet

Seasat and Geosat satellite altimeter measurements for the Greenland ice sheet (south of 72 degreesN latitude) show that surface elevations above 2000 meters increased at an average rate of only 1. 5 +/- 0.5 centimeters per year from 1978 to 1988. In contrast, elevation changes varied regionally from -15 to +18 centimeters per year, seasonally by +/-15 centimeters, and interannually by +/-8 centimeters. The average growth rate is too small to determine if the Greenland ice sheet is undergoing a long-term change due to a warmer polar climate.     

Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus incidence in open‐field tomato in the Olympia area and trap captures of alate aphids*

Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV) has been the most serious pathogen of tomato in Greece for the last 15 years, causing tomato shrinkage, tomato necrosis and tomato fruit necrosis. In an epidemiological study in Eleia county, one of the main centres of production of processing tomato in Greece and one most affected by CMV, it was confirmed that the virus had an extremely high frequency. Disease frequency and severity was found to have a patchy spatial and temporal distribution at county, zone and locality level, during the years and within 1998, the main year of experimentation (and a disastrous year for CMV). Great variation was found in the trends of infection frequencies during the growing season of 1998 in the 15 experimental fields but all were finally 100% or almost 100% infected. The trends of infection frequency in these 15 fields paralleled total captures of alate aphids by a Rothamsted‐type trap, whereas in one of these fields, with a Moericke‐type trap, these parallel captures were composed almost exclusively of Aphis spiraecola.     

Afloopstudies vanaf natuurlike veld in verskillende suksessiestadia van die sentrale oranje‐vrystaat

Uittreksel

Afloopbane met ‘n helling van 4,13% is gebruik om die afloopverliese, fitomassaproduksie en waterverbruiksdoel‐treffendheid (WVD: Bogrondse fitomassa geproduseer in verhouding tot die evapotranspirasieverliese), van natuurlike veld in verskillende suksessiestadia vir die periode Julie 1977 tot Junie 1983 te monitor.

Hoogsbetekenisvolle verskille (P < 0,01) in afloopverliese tussen die klimaks‐, subklimaks‐ en pioniergrasbedekte afloopbane, het oor die proefperiode voorgekom. Onderskeidelik 1,01, 1,55 en 2,94% van die totale neerslag wat oordie ses jaar voorgekom het, het vanaf die klimaks‐, subklimaks‐en pioniergrasbedekkings afgeloop.

Die klimaksgrasbedekking wat die hoogste fitomassaproduksie oor die ses jaar gelewer het, het ‘n afname in produksie getoon soos wat die reenval tussen seisoene afgeneem het, terwyl die pioniergrasbedekking ‘n toename in fitomassaproduksie getoon het, met ‘n afname in reënval.

Die WVD van die klimaksgrasbedekking is onderskeidelik gemiddeld twee en vier keer (P < 0,01) meer doeltreffend as die subklimaks‐ en pioniergrasbedekking oor die ses jaar.