Seasonal Changes in the Milt Quality of Waigieu Seaperch,Psammoperca waigiensis: Implications for Artificial Propagation

Milt quality of Waigieu seaperch was sampled at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the spawning season to assess if the sampling season has an effect on milt quality parameters. The milt volume and total sperm production were higher at the middle of the spawning season while the sperm concentration in milt was significantly higher at the beginning and the end of the spawning season. Sperm morphology and the major parameters of seminal plasma (pH, total protein, Mg²⁺, or Ca²⁺ concentrations) did not differ throughout the spawning season. The concentrations of Na⁺ and the osmolality increased throughout the spawning season. The percentage of motile cells did not differ during the spawning season while the duration of sperm motility (swimming duration) and velocity (swimming speed) were significantly different during the spawning season. The fertilization rate (75.7 ± 6.8%) and hatching rate (56.5 ± 3.1%) at the middle of the spawning season were higher than at the beginning and end periods. Results indicated that milt quality parameters and fertility success in the middle of the spawning season were higher compared to earlier and later sampling dates. Thus, we recommend collecting milt during this time for maximal fertilization and hatching success.     

海南油棕果腐病的病原鉴定及发病条件的研究

三年来作者对于幼龄結果油棕的果穗和果实腐烂的症状、分布、蔓延为害,其发生条件和栽培管理的关系进行了詳細的調查和观察,并进行了病原分离、培养、田间人工接种和試探性化学保护等試驗。同时对果实离层組織的形成进行了切片检查。 結果指出海南十二个地区的幼龄结实棕园普遍出現的花、果、穗腐与环境条件和栽培管理有密切关系。果腐是果实离体后从蒂部組織开始的。从腐果組織中經常可以分离到細菌、炭疽菌和鐮刀菌。多次田間接种証明这些菌对健康果实和果穗均无致病能力。大田喷药无效。看来,油棕果腐病是由于环境坏、管理差的条件下,未成熟或接近成熟的果实产生离层而与果柄分离,再由外界杂菌腐食脫果而致腐烂。可見,本病是屬于非侵染性的生理病害。     

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes and Lipid Metabolism Signaling Pathways between Muscle and Fat Tissues in Broiler Chickens

In this study, signaling pathways and key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in lipid metabolism in muscle and fat tissues were investigated. Muscle and abdominal fat tissues were obtained from 35-day-old female broilers for RNA sequencing. DEGs between muscle and fat tissues were identified. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed. A total of 6130 DEGs were identified to be significantly enriched in 365 GO terms, most of which were involved in biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions in muscle and fat tissues. Three important lipid signaling pathways (pyruvate metabolism, the insulin signaling pathway, and the adipocytokine signaling pathway) were identified among the fat and muscle tissues of broilers. The key common DEGs in these pathways included phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2 (PCK2), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 alpha and beta (ACACA and ACACB), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (AMPK) gene family. Hence, our findings revealed the pathways and key genes and gene families involved in the regulation of fat deposition in the muscle and fat tissues of broilers.     

Differences in Ion Accumulation and Salt Tolerance among Glycine Accessions

Salinity reduces crop yield by limiting water uptake and causing ion‐specific stress. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is sensitive to soil salinity. However, there is variability among soybean genotypes and wild relatives for salt tolerance, suggesting that genetic improvement may be possible. The objective of this study was to identify differences in salt tolerance based on ion accumulation in leaves, stems and roots among accessions of four Glycine species. Four NaCl treatments, 0, 50, 75 and 100 mm , were imposed on G. max, G. soja, G. tomentella and G. argyrea accessions with different levels of salinity tolerance. Tolerant genotypes had less leaf scorch and a greater capacity to prevent Na⁺ and Cl^? transport from soil solution to stems and leaves than sensitive genotypes. Magnitude of leaf injury per unit increase in leaf Na⁺ or Cl^? concentrations was lower in tolerant than in susceptible accessions. Also, plant injury was associated more with Na⁺ rather than with Cl^? concentration in leaves. Salt‐tolerant accessions had greater leaf chlorophyll‐meter readings than sensitive genotypes at all NaCl concentrations. Glycine argyrea and G. tomentella accessions possessed higher salt tolerance than G. soja and G. max genotypes.     

Towards sustainable farming systems: Effectiveness and deficiency of the French procedure of sustainable agriculture

There is a widespread consensus about the importance of sustainable agriculture. In France, the Farming Orientation Law of July 1999 has set down a precise procedure for the implementation of sustainable agriculture: the contrat territorial d’exploitation – or territorial farm contract (TFC). This paper aims to analyse the TFC effectiveness. An analysis has been made of the TFCs signed in the Midi-Pyrenees Region in south-western France, using statistical analysis and qualitative surveys of a sample of farms. The results show that the most valuable effects have been mainly economic. Effects regarding social and environmental aspects were very limited. But from the point of view of an integrated approach, indirect effects of TFCs can be observed on social and environmental aspects. These results are explained, on the one hand, by farmers’ motivations guided by economic objectives, and on the other hand, by the dominance of professional farming organisations in the implementation of TFC’s procedure. Given these results, two ways of improving the elaboration procedure for TFCs are proposed. Firstly, technical improvements can be made to the diagnostic assessment of farms, and to the choice of actions addressed by the contract. Secondly, organisational improvements can be applied to TFCs elaboration and implementation process, in order to adopt a participatory approach which would involve all rural stakeholders.     

Histological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor in six captive four-toed hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris)

This report described the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor (MCT) in six hedgehogs. The hedgehogs presented single cutaneous mass with ulcer and crusting. Histologically, the neoplastic lesions were characterized by the proliferation of well-differentiated mast cells (3 cases), and atypical mast cells (3 cases) with one atypical histiocytic morphology. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for KIT and mast cell tryptase, and were negative for Iba-1. In well-differentiated MCT, all patients were clinically improved and survived more than 365 days after surgical excision, whereas an atypical histiocytic MCT showed aggressive behavior with re-recurrence, and the animal died 115 days after surgery. These findings suggest that, compatible with other animals, well-differentiated MCT has a better prognosis in hedgehogs.     

基于SRTM_DEM的泾河流域特征信息提取研究

流域特征信息的提取对于水文地理信息分析、模拟技术和水文模型建立具有重要意义。基于STRM_DEM数据,在ArcGIS9．3环境下,提取泾河流域坡度、坡向等地形特征,以及河网、流域边界和面积等水文要素,并划分子流域。分析表明,当闽值取5000（40．5km^2）时,生成的流域河网能够较好地反映该地区水系。根据河网分级、低级集水区域生成结果和流域地形特征,可划分为32个子流域,为流域分布式水文模型的构建提供了基础地理信息。SRTM_DEM提取泾河和部分支流流域面积误差均较小,说明提取结果与实际非常接近。结果表明,SRTM_DEM数据和ArcGIS9．3提取流域特征信息方便快捷,具有较高的精度和准确性,应用前景广阔。