Farmers' Attitudes to the Benefits and Barriers of Adopting Automation for Surface Irrigation on Dairy Farms in Australia

The study reports farmers' attitudes andperceptions towards the ``barriers' and ``benefits' of automaticirrigation systems. Factor analysis was used to identify perceived ``barriers' and ``benefits' andthe impact of these on farmers' priority to adopt automation wasexamined. Results suggest that farmers'attitudes, particularly with respect to ``cost' and``lifestyle' influenced the priority given to adopting automaticirrigation systems. The area under pasturecultivation was also an importantdeterminant in the farmers' priority foradopting automatic irrigation systems.     

Methyl donors dietary supplementation to gestating sows diet improves the growth rate of offspring and is associating with changes in expression and DNA methylation of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 gene

The study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal dietary methyl donors on the performance of sows and their offspring, and the associated hepatic insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) expression of the offspring. A total of 24 multiparous sows were randomly fed the control (CON) or the CON diet supplemented with methyl donors (MD) at 3 g/kg betaine, 15 mg/kg folic acid, 400 mg/kg choline and 150 μg/kg VB₁₂, from mating until delivery. After farrowing, sows were fed a common lactation diet through a 28‐days lactation period and six litters per treatment were selected to be fed until at approximately 110 kg BW. Maternal MD supplementation resulted in greater birthweight (p < 0.05) and increased the piglet weights (p < 0.01) and litter weights (p < 0.05) at the age of day 28, compared with that in CON group. The offspring pigs in the MD group had greater ADG (p < 0.05) and tended to lower F:G ratio (p = 0.07) compared with that of CON group from day 28 to 180 of age. The offspring pigs from MD group had greater serum IGF‐1 concentrations and expressions of hepatic IGF‐1 gene and muscular IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1r) protein at birth (p < 0.05), and greater hepatic IGF‐1 protein (p = 0.03) and muscular IGF‐1r gene expressions (p < 0.05) at slaughter, than that from the CON group. Moreover, the methylation at the promoter of IGF‐1 gene in the liver of newborn piglets and finishing pigs was greater in the MD group than that of the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, maternal MD supplementation throughout gestation could enhance the birthweight and postnatal growth rate of offspring, associated with an increased expression of the IGF‐1 gene and IGF‐1r, as well as the altered DNA methylation of IGF‐1 gene promotor.     

青藏高原东部雨季降水量分布模型的建立

采用高分辨率的3"数字高程模型资料和青藏高原东部102个常规气象观测站5～9月份的降水资料,根据降水随高度分布将站点分为3类,采用多元逐步回归的方法,建立了青藏高原40年(1961-2000年)雨季逐年降水量和经度、纬度、海拔高度、坡度、坡向、开放度等地理、地形因子之间的关系模型,估算了青藏高原地区降水量的空间分布.结果表明:建立的关于青藏高原降水量与诸因子之间方程的相关性显著,相对误差在20%,平均相对误差在4.4%之内,估算模型的相关系数均通过置信度为0.95 的检验;并且地理地形因子对40年平均和逐年降水量分布特征的影响较为稳定,其归一化的模拟系数基本控制在±1之间,这对定量分析和评价站点稀少、地形复杂的高原降水有重要意义.     

Inflammatory response in rat kidney with contrast-induced nephropathy

AIM：To observe the expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in the renal tissue of the rats with contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). METHODS：Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=96) were randomly divided into control group (n=48) and CIN group (n=48). The model rats in CIN group were intravenously injected with iodinated contrast media (76% compound diatrizoate injection,10 mL/kg), while the rats in control group were injected with the same volume of saline. Six rats in each group were sacrificed at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 5 d, 10 d and 15 d after intravenous injection, respectively, and the blood and kidney samples of the rats were obtained. The renal tubular injury was assessed by histological examination (HE staining). The expression of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), TNF-α and NF-κB at mRNA and protein levels in the renal tissues were semiquantitatively measured by the methods of RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The correlations between the expression of TNF-α, NF-κB and tubular injury score, KIM-1 expression in renal tissue of CIN group were analyzed. RESULTS：The levels of serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in control group were not changed between different time points (P>0.05). The levels of SCr and BUN in CIN group displayed significant increases at different time points (except 15 d) compared with control group (P<0.05). The renal tubular injury score in CIN group was significantly higher at all time points than that in control group (P<0.05). The expression of KIM-1, TNF-α and NF-κB at mRNA and protein levels up-regulated significantly at 6 h and the peaking of KIM-1 expression was at 24 h, while the peaking of TNF-α and NF-κB expression was at 48 h in CIN group. The expression of KIM-1,TNF-α and NF-κB was significantly increased in CIN group compared with control group except at 15 d (P<0.05). The expression of TNF-α and NF-κB at mRNA and protein levels showed close correlations with renal tubular injury score (r=0.843, 0.758, 0.743 and 0.707, P<0.05). The expression of TNF-α and NF-κB at mRNA and protein levels was also positively correlated with KIM-1 expression (r=0.863, 0.807, 0.839 and 0.855, P<0.05). CONCLUSION：The expression of TNF-α and NF-κB at mRNA and protein levels in the renal tissues of CIN group is up-regulated and is closely related with renal tubular injury, indicating that the inflammatory response is involved in the pathogenesis of CIN.     

叶尔羌河流域1990—2010年生态环境变化特征

利用叶尔羌河流域1990、2000年和2010年Landsat-TM影像数据和中巴资源卫星数据,结合GIS技术及生态环境状况指数计算方法,分析流域内1990-2010年流域生态环境变化特征.结果显示:1990-2010年,叶尔羌河流域生物丰度指数、植被覆盖指数和土地退化指数分别减少4.53％、4.00％和3.56％,水网密度指数整体增高了3.71％;1990、2000年和2010年,叶尔羌河流域生态环境状况指数分别为34.94、34.77和34.32,均属于较差级别,受自然和人为因素的双重影响流域生态环境趋于退化.     

废弃蘑菇基料用作蚕沙好氧堆肥调理剂的试验

为探讨以养蚕生产大宗副产物蚕沙制造养分丰富的有机肥料技术,直接采用含有约10%桑枝和5%桑叶的蚕沙为主要原料,以废弃蘑菇基料作为调理剂进行好氧堆肥,研究蘑菇基料的不同添加比例对蚕沙好氧堆肥腐熟条件中的温度、pH、含水率等因素以及堆肥中养分的影响。用90%蚕沙+10%蘑菇基料(处理1)、75%蚕沙+25%蘑菇基料(处理2)、100%蚕沙(对照)制造堆肥,均可在6 h达到最高温度(分别为64.4、66.0、68.3℃),但处理1组的高温持续时间较短,处理2组和对照组的高温持续时间在5 d以上,达到无害化卫生标准规定。处理1组和对照组堆肥中的含水率较高,处理2组可降低堆肥中的含水率及pH。从堆肥中的养分来看,各处理均可增加堆肥中的磷、钾含量,但处理1组和对照组均存在氮素损失(分别下降0.62%、5.84%)的问题,而处理2组由于降低了堆肥的pH,因此比初始状态增加4.19%的氮素含量。综合以上试验结果认为,在蚕沙堆肥过程中添加25%的废弃蘑菇基料有利于改善堆肥的反应条件,提高堆肥的氮素养分含量。     

基于条件植被温度指数的冬小麦主要生育时期干旱监测效果评价——I.因子权重排序法和熵值法组合赋权

选取关中平原冬小麦越冬后2002—2009年每年3—5月共9旬的条件植被温度指数（VTCI）遥感干旱监测结果,将冬小麦越冬后分为四个主要生育时期,分别运用因子权重排序法、熵值法及组合赋权法确定各生育时期干旱对产量的影 响权重,计算关中平原各市冬小麦每年的加权VTCI,并建立加权VTCI与冬小麦单产间的一元线性回归模型。结果表明,关中平原大部分地区的加权VTCI与小麦单产密切相关。其中,熵值法确定的加权VTCI与小麦单产的线性相关性不显著,渭南、咸阳及铜川的决定系数R²值均低于0.5;因子权重排序法和组合赋权法确定的加权VTCI与小麦单产的线性相关性显著,咸阳、宝鸡及西安的R²值接近或高于0.6,渭南接近 0.5,铜川较差。且组合赋权法的结果中宝鸡和西安的R²值接近0.7,优于因子权重排序法和熵值法的结果。     

驼绒藜属植物种子萌发条件及其生理特性的研究

对驼绒藜属3个种的7份材料,研究种子萌发的温度、光照、水分和发芽床等条件。结果表明,驼绒藜属植物种子在25℃恒温及15～25℃变温的条件下萌发状况好,种子活力高;光照与否对种子萌发没有明显的影响。驼绒藜属种子萌发需水量范围为4～7倍于种子重,不同材料的种子萌发最低需间差异显著,其中华北驼绒藜萌发需水量最低(4倍于种子重量)。驼绒藜属植物种子的吸水速率较快,一般为0.6～0.7g/h·g种子,7～8h达到饱和吸胀;纸床为种子最佳发芽床。种子活力测定结果表明,在种间、生态型间和株龄间种子活力差异显著,其中华北驼绒藜种子活力显著高于其它种和生态型;较恶劣生境条件下产生的种子,其活力较低。     

不同因子对树葡萄扦插生根影响研究

利用树葡萄2a生茎作为插穗,开展不同基质、不同外源激素种类和浓度、不同季节扦插育苗技术研究。结果表明：以河沙土、椰糠、草木灰(5:5:1)混合基质A对树葡萄扦插的效果最好,成活率达64.7%;不同配比生长液均对树葡萄的生根数、根长和成活率均有提高,其中IAA1000mg.L_-1对于树葡萄生长效果最佳,成活率达70.3%;在海口地区树葡萄扦插时间以3月扦插效果最好,成活率达60.3%。     

白肉灵芝水提物对脑缺血大鼠海马神经元的保护作用

试验旨在探讨白肉灵芝水提物（Ganoderma leucocontextum aqueous extracts,GLAE）对脑缺血后海马神经元的保护作用及机制。将50只健康大鼠分为对照组、模型组、GLAE低（0.05 mg/（g·BW））、中（0.1 mg/（g·BW））、高（0.2 mg/（g·BW））剂量组。利用双侧颈总动脉夹闭法建立大鼠脑缺血模型,GLAE组灌胃不同剂量的GLAE干预,对照组和模型组灌胃同体积的生理盐水,连续2周。用跳台试验方法检测记忆获得、记忆巩固和记忆再现障碍大鼠的学习记忆能力,HE染色观察大鼠海马组织的病理形态的变化,比色法检测海马组织一氧化氮合酶（nitric oxide synthase,NOS）活性和一氧化氮（nitric oxide,NO）含量,Western blotting和实时荧光定量PCR法分别检测海马组织生长相关蛋白-43（growth associated protein-43,GAP-43）和脑源性神经生长因子（brain derived neurotrophic factor,BDNF）的水平。结果显示,与对照组相比,模型组大鼠跳台试验的逃避潜伏期显著缩短、电击次数显著增加（P<0.05）;海马神经元细胞出现明显核固缩、排列松散紊乱等退行性改变,细胞数量显著减少（P<0.05）;海马组织NOS活性和NO含量均显著降低（P<0.05）;大鼠海马组织GAP-43蛋白表达量显著升高（P<0.05）;海马组织BDNF mRNA表达量显著下调（P<0.05）。与模型组相比,GLAE干预后,大鼠逃避潜伏期均显著延长、电击次数均显著减少（P<0.05）;GLAE高剂量组大鼠CA1区和齿状回锥体神经元细胞形态明显改善,神经元数量显著增加（P<0.05）;GLAE低剂量组对NOS活性影响不明显（P>0.05）,显著增加NO含量（P<0.05）,GLAE中、高剂量组NOS活性和NO含量均显著升高（P<0.05）;GLAE低、中、高剂量组海马组织GAP-43蛋白表达量均显著增加（P<0.05）;GLAE低、中、高剂量组海马组织BDNF mRNA表达量均显著增加（P<0.05）。以上结果表明,GLAE可通过提高NOS活性和NO水平、促进海马神经发生和功能恢复对脑缺血后海马神经元损伤有一定的保护作用,从而改善大鼠认知功能,0.2 mg/g GLAE效果最好。