Vitrification of mouse two-cell and blastocyst stage embryos in simplified closed system using either a hemi-straw or a hollow fiber device

Two-cell stage and blastocyst stage mouse embryos were equilibrated in a medium containing 7.5% ethylene glycol (EG) and 7.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 8–15 min. Vitrification was performed in a medium containing 0.5 M sucrose and either 15% EG + 15% DMSO, 17.5% EG + 17.5% DMSO, or 20% EG + 20% DMSO for 30 s. They were then placed either on a hemi-straw (HS) or a hollow fiber vitrification (HFV) device and vitrified by cooled air inside a 0.5-ml straw. In two-cell embryos, a 100% survival rate was obtained from all groups except the 20% HS group (P > .05). All vitrified two-cell groups showed similar rates of blastocyst development to that of fresh control group (P > .05), except 17.5% and 20% HFV groups, which were significantly lower than the other groups (P < .05). In the blastocyst embryos, the HFV groups were divided into two subgroups (non-collapsed; HFV-NC and collapsed; HFV-C blastocyst). Re-expansion rate in 15% HFV-NC, 17.5% HFV-NC, and 15% HFV-C groups was reduced (P < .05), whereas the rest were similar to control. In conclusion, we established a simplified, reliable, and closed system for HFV vitrification applying hemi-straw, which does not require skilled practitioners.     

Leaf carbohydrates assimilation and metabolism affect seed yield of rapeseed with different waterlogging tolerance under the interactive effects of nitrogen and waterlogging

Waterlogging is a main factor causing rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) yield loss, and reasonable nitrogen (N) applications can compensate for this loss. To investigate the effects of N rates on seed yield of waterlogged rapeseed, the waterlogging-tolerant rapeseed variety ZS 9 and sensitive variety GH01 were waterlogged for 0 and 10 days with five leaves at the seedling stage under four N rates (0, 90, 180 and 270 kg/ha). Waterlogging significantly decreased seed yield, while N application can alleviate the yield loss. The yield decrease rate of waterlogged GH01 was greater than that of ZS 9 under the same N rate. During the seedling and bolting stage, the leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity increased, while activities of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), sucrose synthase (SuSy) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) decreased with more N under the same watering conditions. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the leaf Pn and Rubisco activity, starch and sucrose contents of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the two stages; activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the seedling while increased at the bolting stage for both the two varieties. At the flowering stage, the Pn, the activities of Rubisco, AGPase, SuSy, SPS and contents of sucrose, starch increased with more N application for both ZS 9 and GH01. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the Pn and Rubisco activity for waterlogged plants of the two varieties increased; the waterlogged plants of tolerant variety had higher activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS, while those of sensitive variety was significantly lower. However, the decreased starch and sucrose content were found in both tolerant and sensitive varieties. The activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS at flowering were highly positively correlated with yield under the interactive effects of N and waterlogging. These results suggested that the flowering stage is the most important stage that N had the positive regulation on waterlogged rapeseed growth. The carbohydrates translocation from leaves to seeds of the tolerant variety were enhanced after waterlogging, while that of the sensitive variety was still inhibited. This was the main reason for the difference in yield between the two waterlogged varieties.     

Engineered-airlift pumps for aquaculture applications using multiphase flow analysis

Currently, very few aquaculture operations are employing airlift pump technology for water recirculation, aeration, and waste removal. This is likely due to the poor design and lower efficiency of traditional airlift design, the limited amount of research effort that has been invested in improving performance capabilities of air lift pumps and the general lack of awareness of the industry about the inherent advantages of airlift systems. A new efficient airlift pump is hydrodynamically designed by incorporating the Volume of Fluid (VOF) multi-phase model along with the K-ε turbulence model utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools. The pump is designed to offer a substantial reduction in total energy usage as well as an improved quality of the culture products in order to make it attractive to aquaculture industry. In this study, both numerical and experimental investigations were carried out for airlift systems operating under two different submergence ratios of 50% and 90% in a lab setting using 2.54 cm diameter pumps. Also, the performance of a large-scale pumps of 10.16 cm diameters were also tested in an aquaculture raceway to determine its effect on the operation. The numerical results were found to be in agreement with the experiments within ±20% which is considered very reasonable for multiphase flow analysis. The present study was found to present a great tool for modelling the airlift pump performance, and potentially proposing new designs.     

荷斯坦牛初乳白利糖度值和初乳产量特征及影响因素分析

为探究荷斯坦牛初乳白利糖度值和初乳产量特征及其影响因素,本研究收集了北京地区某牛场2016年6月—2018年6月共1 257头荷斯坦牛初乳白利糖度值和初乳产量数据及对应的奶牛生产性能测定数据,利用SAS 9.2软件的GLM过程分析胎次、产犊季节和产犊年份对初乳白利糖度值和初乳产量的影响。结果表明:北京地区荷斯坦牛初乳白利糖度值为24.25%,初乳产量为6.52 kg,该试验场初乳品质较好;不同胎次、产犊季节和产犊年份对初乳白利糖度值和初乳产量均有显著影响;初乳白利糖度值随胎次增加总体呈逐渐增加的趋势,5胎及以上的初乳白利糖度值最高;初乳产量随胎次增加呈先增加后减少的趋势,4胎时初乳产量最高。综上,荷斯坦牛初乳白利糖度值对分娩母牛的胎次和产犊年份、季节等生理和环境因素的变化较为敏感。     

十里香茶离体培养及再生体系研究

为了保护珍贵的十里香茶树资源,掌握利于十里香茶的最优组培条件,本研究对十里香茶组培过程中外植体类型、消毒时间、培养基添加物及培养条件进行了筛选。结果表明,采用轻微木质化的带腋芽茎段经升汞消毒15 min,接种后暗培养5 d,MS+0.2 mg·L^-1 NAA培养基中添加3 mg·L^-1 PVP+2000 mg·L^-1 Vc或者6 mg·L^-1 PVP+3000 mg·L^-1 AC,可在低污染率的前提下将褐化率降为10%左右,一定程度上解决了茶树组培中褐化率高的难题;采用1/8 MS+1 mg·L^-1 IBA培养基有利于外植体生根且增殖迅速。本研究建立了十里香茶的无菌苗离体培养及再生体系,可通过组培手段对其进行大量繁殖。     

Differential regulation on C5 expression in goose versus mammals by glucose/palmitate provides a potential protection for goose fatty liver

Goose fatty liver is a specific type of nonalcoholic fatty liver that is protected from harmful effects associated with severe steatosis. Our previous findings suggest that suppression of the complement C5 may be relevant, but the mechanism is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we first verified the expression pattern of complement genes (including C5) during goose fatty liver formation and then determined the liver fat content and fatty acid composition by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), followed by selecting the differential metabolites to treat HepG2, goose and mouse primary hepatocytes, aiming to explore the mechanism of C5 and inflammation suppression in goose fatty liver. The data confirmed the suppression of complement genes (including C5) in goose fatty livers. Moreover, fat content was significantly higher in fatty liver versus normal ones, with oleic acid and palmitic acid dominantly accounting for the difference. In line with this, high concentration of palmitate led to down regulation of C5 expression in goose primary hepatocytes whereas upregulation in mouse primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. In conclusion, regulation on C5 expression by fatty liver related factors including high level of palmitic acid may contribute to the protection of goose liver from severe hepatic steatosis.     

Establishing an eyeball-weight relationship for Litopenaeus vannamei using machine vision technology

This study aimed to establish a shrimp eyeball-weight relationship model for Litopenaeus vannamei using machine vision technology. A total of 295 shrimp were sampled from a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). The long-axis length (d), body length (L), and body weight (W) of each individual was measured. The long axis length of the shrimp eyeball was identified and measured using machine vision technology. Continuous fitting and piecewise fitting models were used to construct the eyeball-weight relationship model for L. vannamei. The continuous fitting relationship model was described as: W = 38.865d^2.7914, while the piecewise model was described as: d < 2 mm, W = 0.0326d^3.7363, R² = 0.9288; 2 mm ≤ d < 3.9 mm, W = 0.0401d^3.104, R² = 0.9629; 3.9 mm ≤ d < 5.8 mm, W = 0.0421d^3.0311, R² = 0.9216; 5.8 mm < d, W = 0.103d^2.6226, R² = 0.9457. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the piecewise fitting model (0.0244, 0.1575, 0.5034, 0.7072) was smaller than the continuous fitting model (0.8229). The correlation coefficient (R²) of the piecewise model (0.9288, 0.9629, 0.9216, and 0.9457) was similar to that of the continuous fitting model (R² = 0.9621). The results indicated that the piecewise fitting model is suitable for calculating the biomass of L. vannamei in RAS and provides a novel way of estimating the biomass of L. vannamei cultured in RAS. The piecewise fitting model can also provide the foundation of evaluating the production of shrimp using underwater image recognition in intelligent aquaculture systems.     

亏缺灌溉对南疆棉花生长和水分利用的影响

针对南疆地区水资源短缺、作物水分利用效率低等问题,以棉花为试验材料进行田间小区试验,在棉花现蕾期、开花期以及结铃期分别设置3个亏缺灌溉水平(W₁:50%ET_c,W₂:65%ET_c,W₃:80%ET_c,ET_c为作物蒸发蒸腾量),以全生育期100%ET_c灌溉处理为对照(CK),研究膜下滴灌条件下,不同生育期亏缺灌溉对棉花生长、产量、氮素吸收和水分利用效率的影响.结果表明:现蕾期亏水对棉花株高、叶面积指数、地上干物质生长、氮素吸收和产量有不同程度的抑制效应,但复水后补偿效应显著,其中轻度亏水(W₃)在籽棉产量减少3.48%的条件下,WUE高达1.57 kg/m³,显著高于CK的1.48 kg/m³;开花期亏水,棉花的各项生长指标均有显著降低,复水后补偿效应不显著,不利于棉花生长发育;结铃期亏水对棉花地上干物质累积、氮素吸收和产量均有显著的抑制效应,但在W₂和W₃水平下,WUE均达1.51 kg/m³.综合考虑在保证棉花产量的同时达到节水增产的目的,可在棉花蕾期进行80%ET_c灌水,其他生育阶段实施充分灌溉,来控制营养生长,促进生殖生长,获得更高的水分利用效率.