Evaluating environmental impacts of the Japanese beef cow–calf system by the life cycle assessment method

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental impacts of a beef cow–calf system using a life cycle assessment (LCA) method and to investigate the effects of scenarios to reduce environmental impacts on the LCA results. The functional unit was defined as one marketed beef calf, and the processes associated with the cow–calf life cycle, such as feed production, feed transport, animal management, the biological activity of the animal and the treatment of cattle waste were included in the system boundary. The present results showed that the total contributions of one beef calf throughout its life cycle to global warming, acidification, eutrophication and energy consumption were 4550 kg of CO₂ equivalents, 40.1 kg of SO₂ equivalents, 7.0 kg of phosphate (PO₄) equivalents and 16.1 GJ, respectively. The contribution of each process to the total environmental impact in each environmental impact category showed a similar tendency to the contribution of each process in each environmental category reported in the case of the beef fattening system as a whole. The results from this analysis showed that shortening calving intervals by 1 month reduced environmental impacts by 5.7–5.8% in all the environmental impact categories examined in the current study, and increasing the number of calves per cow also reduced environmental impacts in all the categories, although the effects were smaller.     

甘南夏河高寒草甸高原鼢鼠和高原鼠兔秋季栖息地特征

2010年至2014年连续5年对甘南夏河高寒草甸高原鼢鼠(Eospalax bailyei)和高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)的分布与其地形、植被因子等进行了调查,分析两小型哺乳动物秋季越冬前的栖息地利用特征。结果表明,其秋季栖息地利用与地形和植被特征显著相关。高原鼠兔易选择坡地、半阳坡和坡中位的地形,而高原鼢鼠易选择平地、阳坡和坡底位的地形;植被盖度是影响高原鼠兔分布的重要因子。地上生物量非中等的平地是两小哺乳动物共存的主要分布地,两小型哺乳动物的种群动态与植被盖度和生物量均显著相关(P0.05);鹅绒委陵菜(Potentilla anserina)、花苜蓿(Melissilus ruthenicus)、柴胡(Radix bupleuri)和美丽风毛菊(Saussurea pulchra)4种植物多度与两小型哺乳动物的分布显著相关。     

Delivery of growth factors using gene therapy to enhance bone healing

OBJECTIVE: To review the delivery of growth factors using gene therapy for enhancing long-bone fracture healing. STUDY DESIGN: Literature review. METHODS: MEDLINE and CAB Abstracts literature search (1980-2004). RESULTS: Non-union and infected non-union are relatively common complications of long-bone fractures in human and veterinary patients. Growth factors are cytokines that regulate many cell functions important in fracture healing. Exogenous growth factors can be delivered to the fracture site as recombinant proteins or using gene therapy. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 and -7 (rhBMP-2 and -7), in particular, enhance fracture healing in numerous experimental and clinical studies. Some limitations with use of recombinant proteins may be overcome by use of gene therapy. Gene therapy involves delivery of the growth factor gene to cells at the fracture site using a viral or non-viral vector. The gene is then expressed (protein synthesis) by cells at the fracture site. Delivery of the BMP gene to the fracture site using gene therapy has been evaluated in laboratory animal models of non-union, with favorable results and without complications. CONCLUSION: Delivery of growth factors, particularly members of BMP family, to the fracture site using gene therapy may be a method to enhance fracture healing. Use of this technology may improve the prognosis for patients with long-bone fractures. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinical application of gene therapy could improve the prognosis for human and veterinary patients with long-bone fractures, but has not been evaluated clinically.     

共和盆地温性草原物候期草地生产力与气候因素的灰色关联度分析

利用灰色关联分析方法,对共和盆地温性草原草地生产力与气候因素的关联程度作相关分析,以牧草各物候期产量为对照数列,以牧草生长期月均温、月降水量及月日照时间为对比数列,经分析结果表明:牧草抽穗期产量与5月的降水量、温度和3-5月的日照时间关联度最大,而牧草籽粒成熟期产量与6-8月的温度和日照时间关联度最大。因此,在牧草早期生长阶段牧草产量取决于5月的降水量、温度和3-5月的日照时间,而在牧草成熟阶段牧草产量取决于6-8月的温度、日照时间,尤其是6-8月的温度是决定当年牧草产量高低的关键因素。     

松嫩草原盐碱土过氧化物酶活性及其与肥力因素的关系

2007年5-9月,对松嫩草原盐碱土过氧化物酶活性及肥力因素进行测定,为改良利用盐碱草地提供理论依据。结果表明:研究样地内过氧化物酶活性变化范围较大,8月份变异系数最高;随着植被盖度的增加,酶活性呈现逐渐降低的趋势;在植被生长季内酶活性5月较高,而在8月较低;过氧化物酶活性和全氮呈显著负相关;和速效磷、全盐、pH值有显著的正相关关系;和其他肥力因素相关性因月份而异。主成份分析结果表明可以用过氧化物酶活性作为盐碱土肥力变化的指示指标。     

Virulence, cytotoxic and inflammatory activities of Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas salmonicida isolated from cultivated salmonid fish in Sweden

Extracellular products in culture filtrates of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. achromogenes and Vibrio anguillarum isolated from infected fish have been shown to possess skin inflammatory factor. The extracellular products from Vibrio anguillarum were cytotoxic in HeLa and CHO cells. In addition to the skin lesions, the culture filtrates of V. anguillarum caused necrotic reaction on the rabbit skin. Five of 6 strains of V. anguillarum were lethal to mice after intraperitoneal administration of 3×10⁷ CFU. Only 1 strain of 5 A. salmonicida subsp. achromogenes produced extracellular products which elicited cytotoxic effects in the CHO cells. None of the A. salmonicida subsp. achromogenes strains were lethal to mice. The cytotoxins were inactivated when heated at 65°C for 30 min. The results indicate that the thermolabile exotoxins are non-enterotoxic since they failed to stimulate fluid accumulation in the rabbit ileal loop and did not cause elongation of the CHO cells. The rounding off of CHO cells, as well as of HeLa cells indicate that the exotoxins may play an important role in fish diseases.     

中国大陆沿海地区互花米草生长特征及其对环境因子的响应

本研究实地调查了中国大陆沿海地区天津汉沽至广东雷州37个样地的互花米草生长特征,采用回归分析、地理探测器以及冗余分析,探究自然状态下中国大陆沿海地区互花米草生长特征及其对环境因子的响应。结果表明：互花米草生长特征存在显著的纬度梯度差异,株高随纬度的增加先升高后降低(P<0.001),21.44°N株高最低(54cm),36.12°N株高最高(250cm);种群密度和地上生物量随纬度的增加均呈先降低后升高趋势;互花米草具有较高的可塑性,年平均气温、一月最低气温、七月最高气温以及海水盐度是影响互花米草生长特征的主要环境因子;海水盐度在与纬度交互作用下对互花米草空间分异解释力最高(q>0.65)。自然状态下互花米草受多种环境因子调控,较强的可塑性是互花米草成功入侵的关键因素。