Phenylbutazone prevents the endotoxin-induced delay in gastric emptying in horses.

The effect of phenylbutazone on gastric emptying in horses was determined by measuring serum concentrations of acetaminophen. Gastric emptying was determined in normal fasted horses (n = 6), horses given endotoxin intravenously (n = 6), horses given intravenous phenylbutazone (n = 6), and horses given intravenous phenylbutazone plus endotoxin (n = 6). The mean time to reach maximum serum acetaminophen concentration (Tmax), the maximum serum concentration (Cmax), and the area under the serum acetaminophen concentration versus time curve (AUC) were compared among treatment groups. Phenylbutazone did not alter gastric emptying in normal horses. Endotoxin caused a profound delay in gastric emptying, and pretreatment with phenylbutazone abolished this effect.     

Metoclopramide ameliorates the effects of endotoxin on gastric emptying of acetaminophen in horses.

The effect of metoclopramide on gastric emptying of a liquid marker in horses was evaluated by measuring serum concentrations of acetaminophen. Gastric emptying was determined in normal, fasted horses (n = 7), horses given endotoxin intravenously (n = 7), and horses given intravenous metoclopramide plus endotoxin (n = 6). The mean time to reach maximum serum acetaminophen concentration (Tmax), the maximum serum concentration (Cmax), and the area under the serum acetaminophen concentration vs time curve (AUC) were compared among treatment groups. Endotoxin caused a profound delay in gastric emptying, and pretreatment with metoclopramide significantly (P < 0.05) ameliorated this effect.     

Gene action controlling yield and yield‐related traits among tef (Eragrostis tef [Zucc.] Trotter) populations under drought‐stressed and nonstressed conditions

This study was aimed to determine gene action for grain yield and yield‐related traits of newly developed tef populations under drought‐stressed and nonstressed conditions to improve drought tolerance. Ten crosses, along with the parents, were evaluated in the F₂ generation under drought‐stressed conditions at Hastebo and Adigdad sites in 2015 and Dura site in 2016 and under nonstressed conditions at Dura site in 2016. Additive gene action predominantly controlled the inheritance of the grain yield and majority of the yield‐related traits under drought‐stressed and nonstressed conditions. Under both test conditions, the genotypes DZ‐Cr‐387 and 9415 were the best general combiners for increased grain yield and morphological traits. Conversely, genotype 222076 was the best general combiner for reduced maturity period only. The selected parents are novel genetic materials for tef breeding programmes to improve grain yield and morphological traits with reduced days to maturity for drought tolerance breeding. The family of the cross DZ‐Cr‐387 × 222076 was selected for high grain yield and early maturity in both the drought‐stressed and nonstressed environments.     

Production of Biscuit from Chinese Sturgeon Fish Fillet Powder (Acipeneser sinensis): A Snack Food for Children

ABSTRACT

Malnutrition in children is a current global burden. A common snack for children is biscuits prepared from cereals. However, these types of biscuits have low protein content. Therefore, producing healthier biscuits enriched with essential amino acids (EAAs) and other micronutrients is of great interest to researchers and manufacturers. In this study, biscuits produced from low gluten wheat flour fortified with sturgeon fillet powder (SFP) in various mixing ratios (100:0, 95:5, 93:7, and 90:10, respectively) were investigated. The results revealed that the nutritional and proximate composition of biscuits were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved: moisture (6.77 ± 0.06–7.65 ± 0.06), protein (13.23 ± 0.35–17.12 ± 0.02), fat (15.57 ± 0.18–15.85 ± 0.25), ash (0.84 ± 0.07–0.92 ± 0.06), spread ratio (14.0 ± 0.92–14.33 ± 0.21), and hardness (2,057.90 ± 28.33–3,089.02 ± 51.53). Total amino acids were 6.91, 9.34, 10.32, and 10.58; and EAAs were 2.43, 3.97, 4.48, and 4.22 g/100 g for 0%, 5%, 7%, and 10% SFP, respectively. Leucine was the major amino acid with 5% and 10% SFP, while methionine was the major amino acid with 7% SFP. Fungal counts were not observed, and quality indices were below the maximum acceptable limits in the products. Biscuits supplemented with 7% SFP showed the highest sensory evaluation score. Overall, the inclusion of 7% SFP could produce protein enriched cereal-based fortified biscuits with acceptable sensory and quality attributes and ultimately could insure effective fish utilization and solve malnutrition problems.     

Evaluation of Drought Tolerance in Tef [Eragrostis Tef (Zucc.) Trotter] Genotypes Using Drought Tolerance Indices

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - A field experiment was conducted to identify drought tolerant, high yielding and stable tef genotypes using drought tolerance indices. Sixty-four tef...     

Quality Evaluation of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Protein Concentrate Supplemented Noodles

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of wheat flour noodles supplemented with 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% grass carp protein concentrate (GCPC). Proximate composition, color analyses, cooking properties (cooking time, cooking loss, swelling index and water absorption index), texture profile analyses (TPA), and sensory evaluations were performed. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in the crude protein (18.94–35.19%), crude fat (0.88–1.06%), and ash (0.89–1.02%) were recorded for GCPC supplemented cooked noodles. Brightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) of GCPC 10–30% fortified cooked noodles was recorded as 77.00–69.97, 1.50–2.81 and 19.08–22.25, respectively. Cooking loss (CL) and optimal cooking time were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased with increased level of GCPC from 0%-30%, with readings of 6.13% ?8.90% and 7.53–11.77 min, respectively. Swelling and water absorption indices showed a decreasing trend at 2.33–1.77 and 102.6–78.49%, respectively. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) decreasing trend in hardness (24.50–19.03N) was observed for cooked noodles with increased level of GCPC, while the remaining TPA parameters were significantly different at p> .05. Sensory analyses showed higher preference for control noodles and noodles fortified with 10% GCPC.     

The soil water balance of rainfed and irrigated oats,Italian rye grass and rye using the CropSyst model

Crop growth models have been used in simulating the soil water balance for purposes of irrigation management and yield predictions. The application of CropSyst, a cropping systems simulation model, was evaluated for Cedara, South Africa. Simulations included soil water balance of fallow land and rainfed and irrigated winter crops [oats (Avena sativa), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and rye (Secale cereale)]; and irrigation scheduling of the winter crops. Soil, plant, weather and management inputs were used for the soil water balance simulations. Model crop parameters were used from past experiments or obtained from model documentation, with a slight modification to account for varietal differences. The fallow land soil water simulations were more accurate for dry than for wet soil. For all three winter crops, the model consistently over-estimated the soil water content in the upper layers, with a good agreement for the deeper layers until a large precipitation event occurred to which the model responded more slowly than that observed. Simulations using model-scheduled irrigation based on 0.4 and 0.6 maximum allowable depletion criteria indicated that the observed applied irrigation in the field was more than that required. Soil water depletion and accumulated transpiration simulations were similar in both the observed and model-scheduled irrigations, but total soil evaporation and percolation were greater in the case of the observed than the model-scheduled irrigations. Irrigation scheduling using crop growth models may assist in avoiding over- or under-application of irrigation applications by ensuring efficient utilization of rain and irrigation.     

Spatiotemporal variations of albedo in managed agricultural landscapes: inferences to global warming impacts (GWI)

Landscape Ecology - Albedo can be used to quantify ecosystem and landscape contributions to local and global climate. Such contributions are conventionally expressed as radiative forcing (RF) and...     

Early generation genetic variation and heritability of yield and related traits among tef populations

The extent of genetic variation and heritability of a trait are among the major determinants of selection gains in plant breeding programs. The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of genetic variation and inheritance of grain yield, and component traits of newly developed tef populations under moisture-stressed and non-stressed conditions for drought tolerance breeding. Seventeen crosses along with the parents were evaluated in the F2 generation under moisture-stressed and non-stressed conditions in northern Ethiopia during 2015 and 2016. There were marked genotypic and phenotypic variation among the crosses in the F2 generation for plant height, panicle length, peduncle length, number of productive tillers per plant, main shoot panicle seed weight, biomass yield, and grain yield under both test conditions, important for successful selection and genetic advancement. The families of DZ-Cr-387 x 207832 and DZ-Cr-387 x 222076 were high grain yielders with early maturity under both test conditions.