Ileal amino-acid digestibility of wheat, autoclaved wheat and spaghetti by-products for broiler chicks

An experiment was conducted to determine true and apparent ileal amino‐acid digestibility of a native cultivar of wheat (Mahdavi), autoclaved wheat (120°C for 30 min) and spaghetti by‐products available in Iran. One hundred 21‐day‐old broiler chickens were fed a standard corn–soybean meal starter diet from day 0 to 28 post hatch. At 28 days 80 chicks were distributed according to possessing very nearly the same average bodyweight to 20 wire cages. The experimental units were allocated at random to five dietary treatments with four replicates per treatment. The basal diet contained corn and soybean meal as the major ingredients. Three test diets were formulated containing wheat, autoclaved wheat and spaghetti by‐products as the sole source of dietary protein and each test diet was combined with a basal diet 50:50 on a weight basis to form three assay diets. The apparent and true digestibility of amino acid in the test ingredients were estimated from those in the assay diets basal/test diet mixtures, using the difference method. The apparent and true amino‐acid digestibility of the test ingredients were significantly different (P < 0.01). Autoclaving of wheat increase its amino‐acid digestibility (P < 0.01). Among the test ingredients, the average ileal amino‐acid digestibility of spaghetti by‐products was higher than wheat and autoclaved wheat but it was lower than values for the basal diet (P < 0.01).     

Amanita muscaria toxicosis in two dogs

Objective: To report the manifestations, history, and pathophysiologic basis of disease in 2 dogs with Amanita muscaria toxicosis. Case summaries: Two dogs were evaluated for an acute onset of gastroenteritis and seizures. A. muscaria toxicosis was suspected in each dog after confirmation of environmental exposure and visualization of ingested mushrooms in vomitus. The diagnosis was confirmed following identification of toxic Amanita metabolites in the urine and serum of each dog. Administration of supportive and symptomatic therapies resulted in the complete recovery of each animal. Unique information provided: Ingestion of the mushroom, A. muscaria, by dogs can result in acute gastrointestinal distress that precedes a potentially life‐threatening central neurologic syndrome characterized by seizures, tremors, and somnolence. Central nervous system dysfunction results primarily from the actions of ibotenic acid and its decarboxylation product, muscimol, which are analogues of the neurotransmitters glutamate and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA), respectively. Identification of these toxins in the urine and serum of affected dogs using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) provides a definitive diagnosis.     

Phenotypic characterisation of Phaeoacremonium and Phaeomoniella strains isolated from grapevines: enzyme production and virulence of extra-cellular filtrate on grapevine calluses

Extra-cellular enzyme production of different Phaeoacremonium spp. and Phaemoniella chlamydospora isolates were used to assay the possibility of inter-specific characterisation. Isolates of Phaeoacremonium aleophilum, Phaeoacremonium angustius, P. viticola and Ph. chlamydospora were grown on solid media and the activities of extra-cellular amylases, lipases, proteases, cellulases, xylanases, laccase, polygalacturonase, pectate lyase, lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, urease and chitinase were assayed. Phaeoacremonium species showed activities of a larger number of enzymes and also enzyme activity was frequently higher suggesting that Phaeoacremonium can be more virulent. To assay if the produced extra-cellular enzymes could reflect the virulence capacity of the two genera, calluses of Vitis vinifera L. (cvs. Baga and Maria Gomes) and of a rootstock (R3309) were inoculated with filtrated culture liquid medium of three isolates of Ph. chlamydospora and one of P. angustius. Filtrates from all strains decreased callus growth and membrane integrity, while soluble protein content of calluses decreased with the strains CAP 054 and 1AS. P. angustius (CAP 054) induced the more severe symptoms in all genotypes. Water content decreased together with an increase of osmolality in both cultivars but not in rootstock suggesting that osmorregulatory capacity is more affected in cultivars. Data show that: (1) Phaeoacremonium and Phaeomoniella genera have different patterns of extra- cellular enzymatic production; (2) these fungi produce extra-cellular compound(s) that induce(s) senescence symptoms in plant cells inhibiting callus proliferation; (3) among the strains tested in plant calluses the most virulent isolate (CAP 054) also produced higher amounts of some extra-cellular enzymes; (5) rootstock calluses were less sensitive to inoculation than grapevine calluses.     

Hybridization and in vitro culture of an orchid hybrid Ascocenda ‘Kangla’

The present study focuses on hybridization program involving two species belonging to two different vandaceous genera, viz., Ascocentrum ampullaceum (Roxb.) Schltr. var. auranticum, a narrow endemic orchid of Manipur and Vanda coerulea Griff., an endangered orchid of Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), to synthesize the primary hybrid genus with intermediate and improved characters in the F₁ generation. Observations on the crossability in the present bigeneric cross between V. coerulea and A. auranticum had been achieved with 60% success when V. coerulea was taken as female parent. Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium at half-strength was effective for the development of the hybrid seedlings of V. coerulea × A. auranticum followed by Vacin and Went (VW) and Knudson C (KC) media. The best response of seedling growth was observed on MS medium at half-strength supplemented with 2.3 μM kinetin + 0.5 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid with maximum shoot height (2.7 cm), leaf number (4.6) and root number (4.1) after 150 days of inoculation. The survival percentage and growth performance of the seedlings were found to be higher (80% survival) in potting substrate consisting of brick:charcoal in the ratio 2:1 mulched with moss (Sphagnum sp.) than in potting substrate consisting of brick:charcoal:tree fern in the ratio 2:1:1. The first flowering was observed in the hybrid seedlings of V. coerulea × A. auranticum after 2 years of transfer to the ex vitro environment. Morphologically, the flowers differed from that of the parents clearly showing the success of the hybridization experiment. Registration of the hybrid has been made with the Royal Horticultural Society with the nomenclature Ascocenda ‘Kangla’ (No. T128725).     

Rhizogenesis of GF677, Early Crest,May Crest and Arm King stem cuttings during the year in relation to carbohydrate and natural hormone content

The rhizogenesis of GF677, Early Crest, May Crest and Arm King stem cuttings during the year was investigated. The results showed significant differences in the rooting percentage between different dates of cutting collection and also between the four cultivars. Among these, GF677 generally had the highest rooting percentage. Rooting of cuttings was high in October, November and February and relatively low in the periods March–September and December–January. Interactions among cultivars were also found.     

四种杀菌剂对金银花白粉病的防治效果及对金银花品质的影响

采用随机区组试验比较四种杀菌剂对金银花白粉病的防治效果，用高效液相色谱法测定各处理样品的绿原酸含量，以筛选出符合金银花规范化种植需要的药剂。结果表明，施药后14天以15％三唑酮600倍液防治效果最好，达77．8％，其次是15％三唑酮1200倍、50％多菌灵500倍液处理，防治效果分别为75．7％和70．8％，极显著地高于3％中生菌素500和1000倍及2％农抗1201000倍液处理的防效。2％农抗120500倍液的防治效果达60．3％，与前三种处理差异不显著，显著好于后三种处理，但未达极显著水平。15％三唑酮1200倍防治处理的绿原酸含量最高，达1．683％，其次是50％多菌灵500倍处理，绿原酸含量达1．539％，符合《中华人民共和国药典》要求，可作为金银花规范化管理中白粉病防治优先采用的药剂。     

大枣加工中氧化型维生素C和还原型维生素C的变化

以大枣为原料,在浸提、澄清工序中,通过抗氧化剂和果胶酶处理试验,旨在探索大枣在加工过程中氧化型维生素C和还原型维生素C的变化规律,达到最大限度保存大枣中总维生素C的目的。结果表明,(1)采用植酸处理对还原型维生素C的保存效果最好;(2)0.04%的六偏磷酸钠和0.06%的EDTA-2Na对氧化型维生素C和还原型维生素C都具有较好地保存作用;(3)茶多酚和EDTA-2Na对氧化型维生素C的降解起抑制作用;(4)六偏磷酸钠可使氧化型维生素C和总维生素C的含量增高;⑤采用果胶酶处理对氧化型维生素C具有较好地保存作用。     

苹果砧木SH40 和八棱海棠缺铁胁迫下根系有机酸分泌的差异

 以苹果砧木SH₄₀和八棱海棠(Malus micromalus) 的生根试管苗为试材, 采用水培方法, 研究了缺铁胁迫对根系分泌有机酸的种类和数量的影响。结果表明: SH40和八棱海棠根系分泌有机酸种类相同,主要是草酸、丙二酸、酒石酸、苹果酸和柠檬酸, 但在分泌总量上差异明显, 八棱海棠分泌有机酸总量大于SH₄₀。缺铁胁迫时SH₄₀草酸分泌量和八棱海棠柠檬酸分泌量大量增加, 且八棱海棠干物质和铁含量明显高于SH₄₀。草酸和柠檬酸分泌量增加可能是SH₄₀和八棱海棠耐受缺铁胁迫的原因之一。     

Uncoupling and inhibition properties of 3,4-seco-friedelan-3-oic acid isolated from Maytenus imbricata

3,4-Seco-friedelan-3-oic acid was isolated from Maytenus imbricata (Celastraceae). At low concentrations it inhibited non-cyclic electron transport and ATP synthesis in spinach chloroplasts, i.e., it behaved as a Hill reaction inhibitor, and at high concentrations it acts as an uncoupler by enhancing uncoupled electron transport and Mg²⁺-ATPase activity. 3,4-Seco-friedelan-3-oic acid did not inhibit PSII electron transport from DPC to DCPIP_ox and photosystem I activity, but it enhanced from TMQH₂ to MV, corroborating its action as uncoupler. It inhibits electron flow through PSII from water to sodium silicomolybdate. The whole results indicate that the 3,4-seco-friedelan-3-oic acid target is at the OEC complex enzyme, the donor side of PSII. The fluorescence decay data shows the formation of the K-band, which match this result, acting as inhibitor at the donor side of PSII and it as an uncoupler.     

牦牛肉中游离氨基酸含量的分析

采用反相高效液相色谱法测定了7头麦洼牦牛后腿肌肉中游离氨基酸的舍量。在牦牛肉中检测到16种游离的标准氨基酸，总含量为532．34±86．74mg／100g，其中含量最高的游离氨基酸为精氨酸，其次为组氨酸，这两种氨基酸约占游离氨基酸总量的75％。