Vitamin and mineral supplementation and rate of gain during the first trimester of gestation affect concentrations of amino acids in maternal serum and allantoic fluid of beef heifers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding vitamin and mineral (VTM) supplement and (or) rate of gain (GAIN) during early gestation on amino acid (AA) concentrations in allantoic fluid (ALF) and amniotic fluid (AMF) and maternal serum. Seventy-two crossbred Angus heifers (initial BW = 359.5 ± 7.1 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with main effects of VTM supplement (VTM or NoVTM) and rate of gain (GAIN; low gain [LG], 0.28 kg/d, vs. moderate gain [MG], 0.79 kg/d). The VTM treatment (113 g•heifer⁻¹•d⁻¹, provided macro and trace minerals and vitamins A, D, and E to meet 110% of the requirements specified by the NASEM in Nutrient requirements of beef cattle. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/19014, 2016) was initiated 71 to 148 d before artificial insemination (AI). To complete the factorial arrangement of treatments, at breeding heifers were either maintained on the basal diet (LG), or received MG diet which was implemented by adding a protein/energy supplement to the LG diet. Thirty-five gestating heifers with female fetuses were ovariohysterectomized on d 83 of gestation and maternal serum, ALF, and AMF were collected. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of neutral AA: Ala, Asn, Cys, Gln, Gly, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Pro, Ser, Thr, Trp, Tyr, and Val; cationic AA: Arg, His, and Lys; and anionic AA: Asp and Glu. In serum, a VTM × GAIN interaction (P = 0.02) was observed for Glu, with greater concentrations for VTM-LG than VTM-MG. Concentrations of serum Cys, Met, and Trp were greater (P ≤ 0.03) for MG than LG. In ALF, concentrations of Glu were affected by a VTM × GAIN interaction, where VTM-MG was greater (P < 0.01) than all other treatments. Further, ALF from VTM had increased (P ≤ 0.05) concentrations of His, Asp, and 12 of the 14 neutral AA; whereas GAIN affected concentrations of Arg, Cys, and Asp, with greater concentrations (P ≤ 0.05) in MG heifers. In AMF, AA concentrations were not affected (P ≥ 0.10) by VTM, GAIN, or their interaction. In conclusion, increased concentrations of AA in maternal serum and ALF of beef heifers were observed at d 83 of gestation in response to VTM supplementation and rate of gain of 0.79 kg/d, which raises important questions regarding the mechanisms responsible for AA uptake and balance between the maternal circulation and fetal fluid compartments.     

紫色土丘陵坡地恢复过程中土壤微生物生物量碳与水溶性有机碳变化特征

为了研究湖南省衡阳市紫色土丘陵坡地恢复过程中土壤微生物生物量碳（SMBC）与水溶性有机碳（SWSOC）的变化特征。采用空间序列代替时间序列的方法,选用立地条件基本相似的草坡阶段（GT）、草灌阶段（MT）、灌丛阶段（FX）、灌乔阶段（FA）、乔木阶段（AR）和顶极阶段（TV）,通过调查取样和试验分析,对不同恢复阶段的0~10,10~20和20~40 cm土层土壤的SMBC、土壤微生物熵（SMQ）、SWSOC、水溶性有机碳与土壤有机碳的比值（SWSOC/SOC）、土壤基础呼吸（SBR）的变化规律以及他们与土壤理化性质的关系进行了研究。结果表明：SMBC和SBR随着土层深度的增加而减小,随着恢复的进行而增加;SMQ随着土层深度的增加和恢复进行而增加;在不同的恢复阶段,SWSOC均随着土层深度的增加而减小,在0~10 cm土层,SWSOC随着恢复的进行而增加,在10~20和20~40 cm土层,SWSOC随着恢复的进行先增后减;SWSOC/SOC随着土层深度的增加而增加,随着恢复的进行而减小;SMBC,SMQ,SWSOC,SBR均与土壤理化性质存在密切的相关性。研究表明,植被恢复有利于土壤质量的提高和土壤有机碳库的累积。     

Changes in the predicted function of the rumen bacterial community of Japanese Black beef cattle during the fattening stages according to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses

We investigated changes in the predicted functions of the rumen bacterial community in Japanese Black beef cattle during fattening. Nine cattle were fed a high-concentrate diet during the early, middle, and late fattening stages consecutively (10–14, 15–22, and 23–30 months of age, respectively). The rumen fluid and solid samples collected at each stage were subjected to sequencing analyses. The sequencing results were clustered and classified into operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Representative sequences and a raw counting table for each OTU were submitted to the Piphillin website. The predicted functions were revealed by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database as the ratio of the total sequence. In the early stage, “Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites” was significantly higher in the fluid fraction than in the solid fraction. “Two-component system” in the middle stage was significantly lower and “Purine metabolism” in the late stage was significantly higher in the fluid fraction than those in the solid fraction. The fluid fraction was significantly correlated with acetic acid, propionic acid, and bacterial metabolism, such as “Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites” and “Sugar metabolism.” Moreover, the solid fraction was correlated with “Purine metabolism” and “Biosynthesis of secondary metabolism”. These results suggest that the rumen bacterial community in Japanese Black beef cattle adapts to changes in rumen conditions by altering their functions in response to a long-term high-grain diet.     

Proteomic Characterization of Equine Cerebrospinal Fluid

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a biofluid that is reflective of overall health. Although proteomic profiling of human CSF has been performed in the context of a variety of disease states, this report represents the first comprehensive proteomic analysis of equine CSF. A total of 320 proteins were confidently identified across six healthy horses, and these proteins were further characterized by gene ontology terms mapped in UniProt, and normalized spectral abundance factors were calculated as a measure of relative abundance. Theses results provide an optimized protocol for analysis of equine CSF and lay the groundwork for future studies involving the study of equine CSF in the context of pathogenic disease states.     

不同脱钙液对兔膝关节组织切片染色的影响

探讨不同脱钙液对新西兰大白兔膝关节切片染色效果的影响,为膝关节关节软骨及基质多糖的观察奠定试验基础。取正常新西兰大白兔膝关节,10%中性福尔马林溶液充分固定,流水冲洗后,分别浸入10%硝酸脱钙液、3%硝酸脱钙液、改良AF硝酸脱钙液及改良30%盐酸脱钙液中进行充分脱钙后,流水冲洗,制作石蜡切片,苏木精—伊红(HE)、奥尔辛蓝及沙红O染色,显微镜检观察并评价其效果。结果表明:①HE染色效果,3%硝酸组＞30%盐酸组＞10%硝酸组及改良AF硝酸组;②奥尔辛蓝及沙红O染色效果,3%硝酸组及改良AF硝酸组优于其他各组。     

泵站正向进水前池底坎整流机理数值模拟

为研究正向进水前池存在的不良流态,基于N-S方程和Realizable k-ε紊流模型,采用SIMPLE算法,数值模拟了正向进水前池中无任何措施和增设底坎整流措施的流态.CFD计算结果表明：原方案的前池两侧出现了大面积的回流区,泵站两侧机组进水条件差,水流偏斜较为明显;加底坎,且当底坎离进水池较远时,整流效果并不明显,前池内仍有大面积的回流产生,偏流依然严重;当底坎离进水池较近时,坎后旋涡直接影响到进水池的流态;通过CFD优化,底坎设在离进水池入口（7~10）D处,能明显改善前池的流态,水流能较均匀地流入各台机组;随着底坎坎高的增大,底层回流区会逐渐变小,较大回流区发生的位置也由坎后变为坎前,坎高的取值约为0.3H＇时,前池内流态较好;底坎的顶宽尺寸对前池流态的影响较小.CFD计算结果与试验结果基本吻合,研究成果对正向扩散前池流态改善有借鉴价值和实际意义.     

兽用消毒剂二氧化氯检测方法的研究进展

二氧化氯由于对细菌、病毒有广谱、快速、高效和安全的杀灭特点和优势,在畜禽养殖业中得到越来越广泛的应用。本文主要对目前国内外已有的二氧化氯检测方法进行阐述,并对各方法的优缺点进行评述。     

Overstory vegetation influence nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon flux from the atmosphere to the forest floor: Boreal Plain,Canada

Nitrate, ammonium, total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and flux were measured for one year in bulk deposition and throughfall from three stand types (upland deciduous, upland conifer and wetland conifer) on the Boreal Plain, Canada. Annual (November 2006 to October 2007 water year) flux rates in bulk deposition were 80, 216, 114 and 410 mg N m⁻² for nitrate, ammonium, DON and TDN, respectively, and 3.5 g C m⁻² for DOC. The nitrate and ammonium flux in throughfall were approximately 50% of the flux in bulk deposition, while TDN flux in throughfall was 60–74% of the flux in bulk deposition. The DOC flux in throughfall was approximately 2 times greater than DOC flux in bulk deposition, while there was no detectable difference in DON flux. The forest canopy generally had the most impact on throughfall chemistry during the active growing season as compared with the dormant season, although DOC concentrations in throughfall of deciduous stands was highest during autumn. For the upland stands, TDN flow-weighted mean concentrations in the snowpack were not detectably different from the concentrations in throughfall and bulk deposition throughout the rest of the year. However, ammonium concentrations were lower and DON concentrations were higher in the snowpack than in either throughfall or bulk deposition for the other seasons, suggesting some transformation of ammonium to DON within the snowpack.     

Leaching of carbon and nitrogen from a sandy soil substrate: A comparison between suction plates and ion exchange resins

To determine boundary effects on leaching, we investigated (1) how filter materials affect the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate (NO₃‐N) in soil percolates and (2) whether ion exchange resins and suction plates are equally suited to capture NO₃‐N. DOC leaching was higher with PE suction plates and plate material did not affect NO₃‐N leachate concentrations. Cumulative NO₃‐N leaching was similar for glass suction plates and ion exchange resins.