Fermented earthworms as a feed additive enhances non-specific immune response in catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Catfish which is an important component of global freshwater aquaculture production is also prone to a wide range of diseases resulting in economic losses. Improvement of the immune status of catfish is a promising preventive approach to control disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of fermented earthworms as a feed additive on the non-specific immune response of walking catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Earthworms were fermented by inoculation with a bacterial mixture of Bacillus spp. and Lactococcus raffinolactis. The study featured a completely randomized design, with five treatments in quadruplicate. The various treatments consisted of fermented earthworms supplemented (FE) at at 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% (w/w). Catfish with an average weight of 15 g were stocked at a density of 50 fish per 50 L/tank, reared for 2 months, and fed thrice a day at a feeding rate of 3% of total boby weight. The parameters observed included phagocytic activity (PA), phagocytic index (PI), extracellular respiratory burst, leucocyte differentiation, super oxide dismutase (SOD), natural agglutination, leucocrit, and hematocrit. Results showed that that FE supplemented at 2.5% significantly increased the respiratory burst activity, hematocrit, PA, PI, SOD, and leucocyte differentiation (P?<?0.05) but did not affect natural agglutination. The results collectively suggest that FE as a feed additive is an effective and applicable strategy to improve the non-specific immunity of catfish.

     

Estimation of LAI in the forested watershed using ASTER data based on Price’s model in summer and winter

Leaf area index (LAI) is an important parameter to identify the water balance in forested watershed as a biological factor influencing directly on the evapotranspiration in the forest area. The purpose of this study was to estimate the LAI in a small forested watershed in summer and winter by applying the Terra/Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data to the LAI estimation method. In this study, the estimation was based on the absorption and scattering processes of the solar radiation in the vegetation canopy and the spectral reflectance characteristics of soil vegetation. First, we estimated LAI based on Price’s model by application of ASTER data on the forested watershed located in the Tenzan Mountains of Saga, Japan. To validate the results of LAI estimation, secondly, we compared them to the measured LAI obtained by a plant canopy analyzer (LAI-2000) on the observation area inside the target region. This study showed that the LAI estimation method was a feasible and accurate method as indicated by the high relationship (r = 0.97) between LAI derived from ASTER data and LAI measured by LAI-2000. This paper is the first report on LAI estimation using Terra/ASTER data based on Price’s model and field investigation. This LAI estimation method is a reliable and applicable method.     

新疆野果林苹果小吉丁幼虫空间分布型研究

应用多个聚集度指标和Iwao、Talor回归分析法对野果林苹果小吉丁幼虫空间分布型进行研究.结果表明:苹果小吉丁幼虫空间分布型为聚集分布,同时对最适抽样数及序贯抽样进行了研究.     

Analysis of Variations in White-Belly and White-Core Rice Kernels Within a Panicle and the Effect of Panicle Type

This study aims to investigate the variation in occurrence of white-belly rice kernel（WBRK） and white-core rice kernel（WCRK） among different positions within a panicle. Twenty-four M4 mutants involved in four panicle types, namely the compact, intermediate, loose, and chicken foot panicle were used. They derived from a japonica rice cultivar Wuyujing 3. Considerable differences in morphological characters existed among the four types of panicle, especially in panicle length, the secondary branch number and ratio of grain number to total branch length. Marked differences were found in WBRK and WCRK among different positions within a panicle for all types of panicle. In general, grains located on the primary rachis and top rachis branches had higher WBRK and WCRK percentage than those on the secondary rachis and bottom rachis branches. WCRK exhibited larger variation among grain positions than WBRK did. Moreover, there was a significant difference in WCRK/WBRK among grain positions within a panicle, with primary rachis and top rachis branches having higher values than the secondary and bottom rachis. In addition, panicle type showed no significant effect on the pattern of WBRK and WCRK occurrence within a panicle. The results indicated the difference in mechanism of WBRK and WCRK formation in grain position within a panicle, and are valuable for breeding and agronomic practices aimed at lowering chalky grain rate.     

Comparative pathogenicity study on antigenically variant strains of Enterococcus seriolicida

Enterococcus seriolicida strains were divided into two groups, agglutinating and nonagglutinating, by a slide agglutination test using antiserum against the YT-3 strain. Intraperitoneal injection of agglutinating and nonagglutinating strains into yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata Temminck & Schlegel, revealed that nonagglutinating strains were more virulent than agglutinating strains. Two nonagglutinating and highly pathogenic strains SS91–014 and SS91–092 were subcultured 30 times in brain heart infusion broth, and the agglutination titres of 50 colonies from subcultures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 16, 21, 26 and 30 against anti-YT-3 serum were determined. Transformation from a nonagglutinating (1:<4) to an agglutinating (1: ≥4) pattern was first observed at the sixteenth subculture, and the ratio of agglutinating to nonagglutinating substrains rose until the thirtieth subculture. At this time, 70% of the SS91–014 population and 52% of the SS91–092 population were transformed to an agglutinating pattern. When the pathogenicity of four transformed substrains with different agglutination titres was tested in yellowtail, the nonagglutinating substrain showed higher pathogenicity than the agglutinating substrains, but no relationship between LD₅₀ values and the agglutination titres of transformed substrains was observed. The pathogenicity of E. seriolicida appears to be related to the agglutination pattern, although it was not demonstrated that this property is solely responsible for pathogenicity.     

渭干河-库车河三角洲绿洲人口动态变化及其带来的问题

西部大开发战略和西气东输政策给渭干河———库车河三角洲绿洲发展带来了难得的历史机遇,人口作为PRED的重要组成部分,对该绿洲的开发和实施可持续发展具有十分重要的作用。本文利用1916年~2000年的统计数据,对渭干河—库车河三角洲绿洲近85年来人口数量动态变化及区域差异进行分析,在此基础上进一步探讨了人口数量动态变化引起的资源环境压力,尤其是人口快速增长带来的水资源紧缺、生态环境恶化、经济发展的障碍等问题,并提出了相应的对策建议。     

An investigation into the distribution, host-preference and population density of Ixodid ticks affecting domestic animals in Bangladesh

To study the distribution, host-preference and population density of ixodid ticks in Bangladesh, an attempt was made to collect adult ticks from various host animals in three distinct topographic zones, viz. flood plains, hills and steppe ‘Barind’. Five species of ixodid ticks were recorded, namely, Boophilus microplus (56.3%), Haemaphysalis bispinosa (11.3%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (14.7%), Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (15.0%) and Amblyomma testudinarium (2.8%). The data showed that B. microplus occurred predominantly on cattle (42.4%). The other hosts involved were buffaloes (12.5%), goats (25.5%) and pigs (8.2%). H. bispinosa mostly parasitized goats (31.5%) rather than cattle (12.0%) and buffaloes (10.8%). R. sanguineus was principally a dog tick (27.4%) but also parasitized cattle (10.8%) and goats (6.8%). H. a. anatolicum was restricted to cattle (19.2%) and A. testudinarium was found on both cattle (4.4%) and pigs (2.3%). These results indicate that ixodid ticks are not strictly host-specific except for H. a. anatolicum. The population density of these ticks was significantly (p < 0.01) influenced by the changing of seasons. B. microplus, H. bispinosa and R. sanguineus were by far the most widely distributed species; the distribution of H. a. anatolicum was restricted to the steppe ‘Barind tract’ and A. testudinarium was found in the hilly regions only.     

天山云杉林下优势草本植物化学计量内稳性特征

为探讨新疆天山云杉林下优势草本植物的生态化学计量变化特征,以天山北坡海拔2 000~2 800 m范围内天然云杉林下优势草本植物天山羽衣草为研究对象,分别测定天山羽衣草地上部、根系和土壤的C、N、P、K含量,并分析其生态化学计量特征及内稳性。结果表明,1)天山羽衣草地上部养分含量低海拔区域高于高海拔区域,根系养分含量高海拔区域高于低海拔区域,其中,海拔Ⅱ和Ⅳ的土壤养分含量高于海拔Ⅰ和Ⅲ(P<0.05);2)天山羽衣草地上部C:P、C:K、N:P、K:P低海拔区域大于高海拔区域;根系C:P、N:P和K:P呈现随海拔升高先增大后减小的趋势(P<0.05),不同海拔土壤元素计量比差异不显著(P>0.05),但呈现出低海拔区域高于高海拔区域的趋势;3)天山羽衣草地上部和根系养分特征与对应土壤养分特征相关性不显著(P>0.05);4)天山羽衣草地上部和根系C、N、P、K元素计量比的内稳性高于元素本身,C、N(稳态型)内稳性高于P(弱稳态型)。     

新引1号东方山羊豆牧草品质的评价

对新引1号东方山羊豆((Galege orientalis cv.Xinyin NO.1)与被誉为"牧草之王"的新疆大叶苜蓿(Medicago sativa cv.Xinjiang Daye)中营养物质含量进行洲定和分析比较.结果表明,新引1号东方山羊豆营养价值较高,初花期粗蛋白含量23.88%,粗纤维含量25.48%...