An evaluation of the Olsen test as a measure of plant-available phosphorus in grassland soils derived from basalt parent material

Abstract. Anecdotal and circumstantial evidence have suggested that the Olsen test underestimates plant-available phosphorus (P) in basaltic soils in Northern Ireland. Therefore, the ability of this test to predict plant-available P in basaltic (and non-basaltic) soils was investigated by regressing Olsen-P data against herbage P indices calculated from plant tissue test data using the diagnosis and recommendation integrated system. The average Olsen-P concentration for a range of fields situated on basaltic soils was considerably lower than the average Olsen-P concentration for a range of fields situated on non-basaltic soils, and yet mean sward P status, as given by the herbage P indices, was similar for both groups of fields. Herbage P indices were also much better correlated with Olsen-P measurements in non-basaltic soils than in basaltic soils. Furthermore, at low Olsen-P values (≶9mgPL⁻¹) some swards on basaltic soils were genuinely deficient in P, while others were sufficient or even in surplus for this nutrient. The results confirm that Olsen-P is inadequate as a predictor of plant-available P in basaltic soils. It is concluded that an alternative soil test is needed to provide a reliable assessment of plant-available P in basaltic soils, to prevent overuse of fertilizer and manure P and to minimize the amounts of P entering local watercourses.     

Genetic Engineering Approaches to Pig Production*

Modern biotechnology promises a number of new applications in animal breeding and production. Although conventional pig breeding has achieved a high level of efficiency and productivity numerous problems have been encountered with animal health and the loss of meat quality. Selection based on phenotypic performance data of individual animals does not take into account the importance of specific genes and their relevance within a complex regulatory system. In most cases it is therefore difficult to trace back the genetic origins of clinically important disorders. The application of genetic engineering techniques in pig production will facilitate diagnosis, improvement of productivity, and animal health by allowing direct genetic manipulation. Attention must be focussed on the physical and genetic analysis of the procine genome. The isolation and characterisation of genes, DNA-markers, polymorphic DNA-fragments, and their chromosomal assignment will be important prerequisites and tools for the elucidation of genetic disorders. Especially the detection of heterozygous carriers of recessive disorders and their elimination from the breeding stock will increase selection accuracy and decrease the generation intervals. But also the rapid and simple detection of infectious diseases, which is sometimes difficult if not impossible at present, will improve animal health and welfare. Although the production of transgenic animals either by DNA-microinjection into zygotes or the use of embryonal stem cells manipulated in vitro is less straightforward than DNA-based diagnosis it will play an important role in the direct manipulation of the porcine genome and genes. Breeding programmes including the use of transgenic livestock have already been developed. There is no doubt that genetic engineering has reached a degree of practical feasibility, allowing it to play an important role in pig breeding in particular and animal production in general.     

红掌缺素症状研究

对红掌亚利桑那品种进行了缺素症的研究，分别观察并分析了植株和叶片在缺乏某一种大量元素的情况下，表现出来的典型症状。     

D-Dimer Improves the Prognostic Value of Combined Clinical and Laboratory Data in Equine Gastrointestinal Colic

The discriminating ability of 15 parameters alone or in combinations, including results from analysis of plasma endotoxin, the Nycomed plasma D-Dimer test and phospholipase A₂, were analyzed to predict morbidity and mortality in equine gastrointestinal colic. Endotoxaemia was a characteristic feature of the colic horses. The problem of adequately predicting non-survivors among colic horses required several parameters to be included in the logistic model: if the “classical parameters”, (heart rate, respiratory rate, PCV, anion gap) were included in the model, addition of plasma D-dimer, phospholipase A₂, and Cl^- significantly improved the predictive value of the logistic model. Increasing heart rate and D-dimer together with decreasing chloride was a risk factor for nonsurvival. The sensitivity of this three-parameter logistic model to predict nonsurvival was 78% and specificity 77%. The Nycomed D-Dimer test is recommended as a horse-site test to predict disseminated intravascular coagulation and nonsurvival in equine colic.     

重迎茬亚麻生长发育障碍机制的研究

重迎茬亚麻减产是由多种因素综合作用的结果,亚麻重迎茬可使病害加重是最主要因素,重茬年限越久发病越严重;重迎茬造成了土壤营养元素的单一消耗,随着重迎茬年限的增加,土壤中速效氮、速效磷、速效钾等含量降低。     

乳酸菌与中药合生元对肉鸡生长性能及饲料利用率的影响

本试验分别向肉仔鸡日粮中添加等量的抗生素和乳酸菌与中药合生元制剂,通过测定肉仔鸡的各项生长指标和饲料利用率指标,探讨乳酸菌与中药合生元在肉鸡生长和饲料利用率方面替代抗生素的优势.结果表明,试验组与对照组在生长性能和饲料利用率上各指标均差异不显著（P〉0.05）,说明乳酸菌与中药合生元可以替代抗生素饲喂给肉仔鸡.     

Chylous effusions revisited

Varying terms and criteria have been used in the veterinary literature to characterize milky opaque pleural effusions through the years. This article addresses ideas widely repeated in the veterinary and human literature upon which time, experience, diagnostic techniques, experimental data, and improved understanding of pathogenesis have cast doubt. Topics discussed include terminology, pathogenesis of chylous and pseudochylous effusions, criteria for differentiation of chylous from pseudochylous effusions, and clinicopathologic changes associated with drainage of chylous effusions.     

The application of atomic force microscope in clinic diagnosis of erythrocytes

AIM: To investigate the application of atomic force microscope (AFM) in clinic diagnosis. METHODS: Topographic images and some parameters of large range field and microstructures of erythrocytes in the blood of normal subjects, lung cancer and myelodisplastic syndrome (MDS) patients were examined by atomic force microscope. RESULTS: Many clear topographic images of many erythrocytes, single erythrocyte, and microstructure of erythrocyte membrane surface were obtained. Many erythrocytes in lung cancer patients were found to change into echinocytes. One erythrocyte had 10-20 protuberances, most of which, with a mean width of 589. 0 nm and a length of 646. 7 nm, were on the edge of cells. The protuberances on the center of echinocytes are lodged and embedded. The erythrocytes of MDS patients were biconcave in shape. Many apertures with different diameters of tens to hundreds nanometer appeared on the surface of cell membrane. CONCLUSIONS: AFM can be widely applied in clinic pathological inspection, including quantification of cells, obtainment and comparison of many parameters (such as diameter, thickness, volume, surface, surface area/volume ratio), observation of topograph of single cell, and observation and comparison of membrane surface microstructure of cells, and so on.     

土壤养分数据几种特异值处理方法的比较

利用贵州省平坝县马场镇栗木村的13项土壤养分测试数据,对比分析了3σ准则、估计邻域法、影响系数法、邻近点数据比较法4种识别与处理特异值方法的优劣。结果表明:将3σ准则与邻近点数据比较法相结合,对土壤养分测试数据进行特异值处理获得了较好的效果,对提高地质统计学研究结果的精度有积极的作用。     

食品添加剂磷酸氢二铵中砷含量的测定

运用原子荧光光谱法对进出口食品添加剂磷酸氢二铵中砷含量进行了测定,通过线性范围、检出限、精密度、回收率和实验室间比对测试,证明了原子荧光光谱法能快速、准确地检测出进出口食品添加剂中砷的含量。该方法线性关系良好,检出限低,准确度高,重复性和再现性好,可广泛用于进出口食品添加剂中砷含量的检测。