From on-farm solid-set sprinkler irrigation design to collective irrigation network design in windy areas

In this paper, a contribution to the design of collective pressurised irrigation networks in solid-set sprinkler-irrigated windy areas is presented. The methodology is based on guaranteeing minimum on-farm performance, using a historical hourly wind speed database and a ballistic solid-set irrigation simulation model. The proposed method was applied to the Montesnegros Irrigation District (central Ebro basin, Spain). The district irrigates an area of 3493 ha using an on-demand schedule. The average wind speed in the area is 2.8 m s⁻¹. An analysis of district water records showed that farmers often reduce water demand when the wind speed is high, but their irrigation decision making is limited by the capacity of the irrigation network and by the unpredictable character of local winds. Simulations were performed for 11 irrigation seasons, 2 triangular sprinkler spacings (18 m × 18 m and 18 m × 15 m), and 2 sprinkler models. The percentage of monthly suitable time for irrigation was determined for four management strategies. The first one was based on a wind speed threshold (3 m s⁻¹), while the other three were based on three levels (standard, relaxed and restrictive) of two irrigation performance parameters: the Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CU) and the Wind Drift and Evaporation Losses (WDEL). The standard strategy classified the time as suitable for irrigation when CU ≥ 84% and WDEL ≤ 20%. The thresholds limits of the irrigation parameters for the relaxed strategy were CU ≥ 80% and WDEL ≤ 25%. Finally, the restrictive strategy used thresholds of CU ≥ 90% and WDEL ≤ 15%. The suitable time for the first strategy (56%) was always lower than for the standard and the relaxed strategies (with respective average values of 75 and 86%), and higher than for the restrictive strategy (30%). In order to design the collective network, the hydrant operating time was equalled to the suitable time for irrigation. The differences in the cost of the collective network plus the on-farm equipment were particularly relevant between the restrictive strategy and the other three. Differences in suitable operating time were clear between sprinkler spacings, and less evident between sprinkler models. The application of the proposed methodology may be limited by the availability of historical wind speed records and CU estimates for different combinations of sprinkler models, sprinkler spacings and wind speed.     

博落回生物碱对烟草蚜和豆蚜杀虫活性的研究

博落回总生物碱、总生物碱盐酸盐对烟草蚜虫、豆蚜虫都有比较强的毒杀作用,处理60 h,博落回总生物碱、总生物碱盐对烟草蚜虫半致死浓度LC50分别为274.5μg/mL和501.19μg/mL。博落回总生物碱(处理48 h)、博落回总生物碱盐(处理30 h)对豆蚜虫半致死浓度LC50分别为562.3μg/mL和380.2μg/mL。     

250g/L嘧菌酯悬浮剂防治菊花白粉病田间药效试验

田间试验结果表明,在菊花白粉病发病初期开始施药,有效成分用量为175-250mg／kg的250g/L嘧菌酯悬浮剂对菊花白粉病平均防效可达75％～79％,且对菊花和非靶标生物安全。     

Investigations on potential dietetic effects of lactulose in pigs

Effects of lactulose (lac) as feed additive on chyme and feces quality in pigs (reared piglets: n = 10; fattening pigs: n = 20) were tested. Furthermore, fattening pigs were experimentally infected with Salmonella Derby (orally 2.6 × 10⁸ cfu/pig, single dose infection on 1 day) to examine potential prophylactical effects. Pigs were fed a conventional diet ad libitum (in the control group without lac, in the experimental group including lac: 28.6/26.9 g lac/kg dry matter). In piglets and fattening pigs lac intake did not alter fecal dry matter (DM) content or feces pH. Contrary to findings in human beings only small amounts of lac reached the hindgut, although higher lac concentrations were measured in ileal chyme (in piglets: 10–40 g, in fattening pigs 40–70 g lac/kg DM of chyme). Lac ingestion led neither to increased concentrations of lactic acid or volatile fatty acids (vfa) nor to reduced pH data in chyme of small intestine, but in cecum and colon contents higher vfa concentrations (significant effects in piglets) were measured. Furthermore, lac ingestion resulted in reduced ammonia levels in small and large intestine contents. But no protective effects of lac ingestion were recognized when fattening pigs were infected orally with Salmonella Derby. Due to the fact that only parts of lac reach the hindgut there are doubts, whether lac can lead to comparable dietetic effects in pigs as known from human beings (laxation, forced elimination of bacteria a.s.o.). The obtained results in pigs underline the necessity of experimental studies in the target species before substances are used and recommended for dietetic purposes in feeding of pigs.     

葛根黄酮的闪式提取工艺及其保肝作用研究

以葛根为原料,以葛根黄酮的得率为指标,以料液比、提取电压、提取时间和提取次数为影响因素,采用正交试验优化其提取工艺,并对其保肝作用进行研究。结果表明,闪式提取法的最佳工艺条件为：提取次数2次,料液比1∶30（g/mL）,提取电压160 V,提取时间80 s。该工艺条件下,葛根黄酮的得率为6.71%。动物实验表明,葛根黄酮能够明显降低小鼠血清中谷丙转氨酶（ALT）、谷草转氨酶（AST）活性和丙二醛（MDA）含量,提高小鼠肝组织中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性,具有明显的保肝作用。本结果可为葛根黄酮的提取和应用研究提供参考。     

Impact of Bacillus thuringiensis strains on survival,reproduction and foraging behaviour in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)

BACKGROUND: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and its protein crystals are used worldwide, either as a spray or when expressed in transgenic crops, for the control of pest insects. However, owing to their intensive use, there exists a debate regarding the involvement of this microbial insecticide in bee colony losses. In this study, in a tiered approach using laboratory microcolonies, an evaluation was made of the potential lethal and sublethal hazards on colony reproduction and foraging behaviour of workers of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L.) of two commercial Bt strains: kurstaki (Dipel^®) and aizawai (Xentari^®). Bumblebees, like honey bees, are intensively used in modern agriculture for pollination and fulfil a crucial role in the natural ecosystem. RESULTS: Exposure of bumblebees dermally or via treated pollen to either of the two Bt formulations at their field recommended rates (0.1%) caused no reduction in survival. However, when applied in the feeding sugar water, aizawai killed all workers at a concentration of 0.1%, but this lethal effect was lost at 0.01%. With respect to reproductive effects, kurstaki was harmless, while aizawai at 0.1% delivered in the feeding sugar water and pollen reduced reproduction by 100 and 31% respectively. Lower doses of 0.01% aizawai in the sugar water showed no more effect. In addition, kurstaki at 0.1% and aizawai at 0.01% in the feeding sugar water did not impair the foraging behaviour, resulting in normal nest colony performance. CONCLUSION: The results with kurstaki and aizawai demonstrated that, in general, the Bt strains are safe to B. terrestris bumblebees, although in some cases there were detrimental effects that depended on strain and route of exposure. In addition, the authors believe that to draw firm conclusions regarding the hazards of Bt to bumblebees would require more information on relevant concentrations of Bt products in the environment. Hence, routine testing for lethal and sublethal effects is recommended to ascertain combined use of Bt products and bumblebees in modern agriculture. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of a constant rate infusion of dexmedetomidine on cardiopulmonary function and recovery quality in isoflurane anaesthetized horses

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of a dexmedetomidine constant rate infusion (CRI) in horses anaesthetized with isoflurane.Study designProspective, randomized, blinded, clinical study.AnimalsForty adult healthy horses (weight mean 491 ± SD 102 kg) undergoing elective surgery.MethodsAfter sedation [dexmedetomidine, 3.5 μg kg^?1 intravenously (IV)] and induction IV (midazolam 0.06 mg kg^?1, ketamine 2.2 mg kg^?1), anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in oxygen/air (FiO₂ 55–60%). Horses were ventilated and dobutamine was administered when hypoventilation [arterial partial pressure of CO₂ > 8.00 kPa (60 mmHg)] and hypotension [arterial pressure 70 mmHg] occurred respectively. During anaesthesia, horses were randomly allocated to receive a CRI of dexmedetomidine (1.75 μg kg^?1 hour^?1) (D) or saline (S). Monitoring included end-tidal isoflurane concentration, cardiopulmonary parameters, and need for dobutamine and additional ketamine. All horses received 0.875 μg kg^?1 dexmedetomidine IV for the recovery period. Age and weight of the horses, duration of anaesthesia, additional ketamine and dobutamine, cardiopulmonary data (anova), recovery scores (Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test), duration of recovery (t-test) and attempts to stand (Mann–Whitney test) were compared between groups. Significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsHeart rate and arterial partial pressure of oxygen were significantly lower in group D compared to group S. An interaction between treatment and time was present for cardiac index, oxygen delivery index and systemic vascular resistance. End-tidal isoflurane concentration and heart rate significantly increased over time. Packed cell volume, systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure, arterial oxygen content, stroke volume index and systemic vascular resistance significantly decreased over time. Recovery scores were significantly better in group D, with fewer attempts to stand and significantly longer times to sternal position and first attempt to stand.Conclusions and clinical relevance A dexmedetomidine CRI produced limited cardiopulmonary effects, but significantly improved recovery quality.     

不同磷浓度条件下三氯生对斜生栅藻的毒性影响研究

[目的]研究不同磷浓度条件下,三氯生对斜生栅藻的毒性影响。[方法]测定不同磷浓度条件(0、2.5、50.0 mg/L)不同浓度三氯生(50、200μg/L)对斜生栅藻生长、叶绿素荧光特性、生理生化指标的影响,从3个方面研究不同磷浓度条件下三氯生对斜生栅藻的毒性影响。[结果]在3种磷浓度条件(0、2.5、50.0 mg/L)下,三氯生对斜生栅藻的生长抑制表现出剂量-效应关系,斜生栅藻叶绿素荧光特性指标Yield、Fv/F0、NPQ受到不同程度的影响。斜生栅藻抗氧化系统酶(SOD、CAT)及磷代谢相关酶(ACP、AKP)活性亦发生相应变化。[结论]三氯生对斜生栅藻的毒性影响与环境中磷浓度变化有一定相关性。     

纳米微粒材料生物学活性研究进展

综述了纳米微粒的生物学效应及其免疫调节、抗菌、抗肿瘤等多种生物学活性.     

中国农村生物质能利用技术和经济评价

农村生物质能利用技术种类较多,确定各类技术的适用范围及经济性,有利于在农村地区选择合适的技术,促进生物质能利用技术在农村的开发利用。该文提出了户均用能成本的概念和计算方法,对农村户用沼气、养殖场沼气工程、固体成型燃料、秸秆沼气、秸秆气化集中供气等技术进行了技术经济评价。研究结果表明:农村户用沼气技术的经济性最好,其次为固体成型燃料技术,而秸秆气化集中供气技术的经济性最差。随着农村社会经济的发展,认为固体成型燃料技术将逐渐占主导地位,而秸秆沼气技术可以填补由于畜禽粪便短缺而带来的空白。