Comparison of the microbial communities of alpacas and sheep fed diets with three different ratios of corn stalk to concentrate

The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ruminal microbial communities of alpacas (Lama pacos) and sheep (Ovis aries) fed three diets with varying ratios of roughage (corn stalk) to concentrate, 3:7 (LS), 5:5 (MS) and 7:3 (HS). Six alpacas (one-year-old and weighing 29.5 ± 7.1 kg) and six sheep (one-year-old and weighing 27.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used in this study, in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square experiment. Total protozoa concentration was determined under the microscope; total fungi and methanogens were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and expressed as a percentage of total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies; bacterial communities were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) sequencing. The percentage of fungi was significantly higher in alpacas than in sheep under the LS diet, while the concentration of protozoa was significantly lower in alpacas under HS, MS and LS diets. The alpha diversity including Shannon, Chao l and ACE indices of bacterial communities was higher in alpacas than in sheep, under the LS diet. A total of 299 genera belonging to 22 phyla were observed in the forestomach of alpaca and sheep, with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes dominating both animal species. Phyla Armatimonadetes and Fusobacteria, as well as 64 genera, were detected only in alpacas, whereas phyla Acidobacteria and Nitrospira, as well as 44 genera, were found only in sheep. The abundance of cellulolytic bacteria, including Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio, was higher in alpacas than in sheep under all three diets. These differences in the forestomach microbial communities partly explained why alpacas displayed a higher poor-quality roughage digestibility, and a lower methane production. Results also revealed that the adverse effects of high-concentrate diets (70%) were lesser in alpacas than in sheep.     

大豆室内耐冷筛选及其在田间的应用研究

本试验把生长箱大豆耐低温萌发筛选与田间早春播研究相结合,验证耐低温发芽的可靠性。在实验室,萌发期表现抗冷的大豆,田间出昔期仍表现抗冷或较抗冷。实验表明,大豆出苗的生物学最低温度平均为7.1℃,所需有效积温136℃。地温的高低直接影响大豆早春出苗的多寡,两者呈密切的正相关。黄、青、黑豆中,以黑豆抵抗早春不良气候条件的能力最强。     

Quasi-non-linear fracture mechanics analysis of splitting failure in simply supported beams loaded perpendicular to grain by dowel joints

A quasi-non-linear fracture mechanics model based on beam on elastic foundation theory is applied for analysis of the splitting failure of dowel joints loaded perpendicular to grain. Simply supported beams symmetrically loaded by two dowels are considered, and the effects of edge distance, dowel spacing, and distance between dowels and supports are accounted for. The foundation modulus used in the beam on elastic foundation model is chosen so that the perpendicular-to-grain tensile strength and fracture energy properties of the wood are correctly represented. This ensures that a conventional stress analysis and failure criterion lead to the same solution as the compliance method of fracture mechanics. A semiempirical efficiency factor is proposed to account for the influence of the total beam depth, which does not enter the beam on elastic foundation model, but the effect of which is evident from tests. It is shown that the so-called Van der Put/Leijten model, which recently has been adopted in Eurocode 5, appears as a special case of the model presented. Tests on simply supported beams with a single dowel joint at midspan are compared with the theoretical predictions. Various edge distances, beam depths, and spans were tested.     

贵州省退耕还林与农村经济发展研究

通过对贵州省贞丰、桐梓、锦屏等若干县市林业生态建设监理、检查、造林实绩核查等工作的实践和研究，认为退耕还林工程与农村经济发展相结合，目前应加强以下工作：选择林业主导产业；林产业时间、空间的合理布局；树种、林种的结构优化；林业体制创新；实施相关配套工程。     

浙江淳安新安江开发公司封山育林效益研究

浙江省淳安县新安江开发公司所属16个国营林场22475.53hm~3荒山迹地,封山育林30年,现有天然次生林总蓄积量135万m~3,年总生长率8.07％,活立木直接经济价值2.25亿元。到1987年止公司已获中间利用净收入2135万元。近20年累计天然次生林比无林地多涵蓄水10亿m~3,每年进入水库的泥沙量减少80％,对调节水库水源、延长发电年限、纯洁水质都起到良好作用。公司长期实施的5项管护技术,把封山育林提高到科学经营水平,在千岛湖区成功地建立了森林生态屏障。     

The effect of some Frescon analogs on the aquatic snail,Lymnaea stagnalis: II. Correlation of neurotoxicity to Molluscicidal effectiveness

Although the molluscicide Frescon is a strong neurotoxin to the Lymnaea stagnalis central nervous system in vitro, it is probable that the exposure of the whole animal to this molluscicide fails to result in central nervous system abnormalities: Frescon does not appear to reach the brain in sufficient quantity to disrupt its normal activity. However, only those Frescon analogs found to be neurotoxic were molluscicidal, suggesting some related mode, if not site, of action. Frescon and its analogs may act by affecting excitable tissues other than the nervous system (e.g., the snail musculature) by altering certain functional and/or structural membrane properties.     

Effects of chlordimeform on mitochondria from eggs of Spodoptera littoralis

Mitochondria were isolated from eggs of Spodoptera littoralis. With succinate (+pyruvate) as substrate, respiratory control ratios between 1.70 and 2.54 were obtained. Uncouplers and the energy transfer inhibitor oligomycin influenced these mitochondria in the well-known manner. The uncoupling activity of chlordimeform in vitro was very weak and decreased with increasing age of the eggs. Electron transport in mitochondria from chlordimeform-treated eggs was not uncoupled. Therefore, it is concluded that the ovicidal effect of this pesticide is not due to its uncoupling effect.     

The effect of phosphine on the absorption and circular dichroic spectra of cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase

The interaction of phosphine with purified cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase was studied by absorption and circular dichroic spectrometry. Treatment of cytochrome oxidase with phosphine yielded absorption spectra in both the visible and Soret region that were similar to that produced by dithionite. Striking changes in the circular dichroic spectra were also recorded, sugesting that a valence change of the heme iron was accompanied by a conformation change of the prosthetic group.Phosphine treatment of cytochrome c also yielded spectra similar to those produced by reduction with dithionite suggesting a valence change of the heme iron. However, both the time necessary for complete reduction and the concentration of phosphine necessary for this effect suggest that, in comparison with cytochrome oxidase, cytochrome c was relatively insensitive. Reduction of cytochrome oxidase by phosphine had only a very minor effect on the intrinsic dichroic spectrum suggesting little effect on the polypeptide chains.The persistence of a component after reduction by phosphine and the subsequent reduction of this component by dithionite suggests that phosphine primarily reduced only one comonent of the cytochrome aa₃ complex. The failure of EDTA and fluoride, which are known ligands of cytochrome a₃ to affect the reduction of cytochrome aa₃ by phosphine, as well as the occurrence of a 436-nm isosbestic point of the ferric-ferrous absorption spectra suggests that phosphine reduced primarily cytochrome a. However, it is argued that a slow reduction of cytochrome a₃ cannot be ruled out.