Effect of hot-fat trimming on factors associated with the subprimal yield of beef carcasses.

Thirty-two crossbred cattle (steers = 17; heifers = 15) exhibiting an ultrasound fat thickness at the 12 to 13th rib region of at least 10 mm were selected from a slaughter shift at a commercial packing plant. After splitting, alternating sides of each carcass were trimmed of 1) subcutaneous fat in excess of 6.4 mm; 2) all kidney, pelvic, and heart fat; and 3) all cod or udder fat and fat in the flank region. Both sides of each carcass were fabricated into subprimals (final trim level of 6.4 mm) according to normal industry procedures. Effect of hot-fat trimming, yield grade (3, 4, and 5), and gender on hot-fat trim, fabrication fat trim, major subprimal, and total subprimal yield of untrimmed and trimmed carcasses were determined. Higher numerical yield grade (YG) corresponded with higher (P less than .05) percentages of hot-fat trim. Hot-fat trimming increased (P less than .05) the difference in fabrication fat trim between steers and heifers and between YG 3 and YG 5. Steers and heifers differed (P less than .05) in percentage of major subprimals and total subprimals when processed conventionally, whereas hot-fat trimming eliminated this difference (P less than .05). Untrimmed YG 3 carcasses had 3.1 and 5.0% higher major subprimal yield (P less than .05) than untrimmed YG 4 and YG 5 carcasses, respectively, whereas hot-fat trimming reduced this difference to 2.5% for YG 4 and to 3.7% for YG 5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

中国果树类病毒的发生及其研究进展(英文)

概述了在中国发生且己鉴定明确的5种果树类病毒,即苹果绣果类病毒(Apple scar skin viroid,ASSVd)、梨泡状溃疡类病毒(Pear blister canker viroid,PBCVd)、葡萄黄斑类病毒-1(Grapevine yellow speckle viroid-1,GYSVd-1)、柑橘裂皮类病毒(Citrus exocortis viroid,CEVd)和桃潜隐花叶类病毒(Peachlatent mosaic viroid,PLMVd)的研究进展,包括病害的首次发现、症状特征、发病规律、检测方法与防治对策以及这些类病毒的生物学与分子生物学特性。     

Therapeutic Intervention with Dietary Chitosan Nanoparticles Alleviates Fish Pathological and Molecular Systemic Inflammatory Responses against Infections

Marine bio-sourced chitosan nanoparticles (CSNP) are antimicrobial and immunomodulatory agents beneficial for fish medicine. Herein, dietary CSNP was investigated for the amelioration of the systemic inflammatory responses of an induced fish model. One hundred and forty-four rainbow trout were assigned to one pathogen-free and non-supplemented group (negative control), and three challenged groups: non-supplemented (positive control), CSNP-preventive, and CSNP-therapeutic. After a feeding experiment extended for 21 days, the organosomatic indices (OSI) and molecular aspects were assessed. After a challenge experiment extended for further 28 days, CSNP-therapeutic intervention was assessed on fish survival and systemic inflammatory responses on pathology, histo-morphology, and molecular aspects. With CSNP administration, OSI nonsignificantly decreased and the relative expression of targeted inflammatory-mediator genes was significantly increased. The CSNP-therapeutic fish showed an RPS of 80% as compared to the positive control group, and CSNP-therapeutic administration retained the highest gene expression augmentation up to 28 days after the challenge. Notably, the splenic reticulin fibers framework of the CSNP-therapeutic group retained the highest integrity among the groups during the infection. After recovery, reticulin fibers density in the CSNP-therapeutic samples was significantly higher than in the negative control group, which indicates high innate immunity. Thus, CSNP showed promising biotherapeutic features enhancing fish resistance against infections.     

Effect of presowing seed treatments on germination and early seedling growth of wheat varieties under saline conditions

The effect of presowing wheat seed treatments was investigated for the salt-sensitive variety Blue Silver and relatively salt-tolerant variety PARI-73 at the germination and early seedling stages. Seeds were treated with distilled water (DW) or 10/50 mm KCl, KNO₃ , CaCl₂, Ca(NO₃)₂ and then germinated in DW or 200 mm NaCl. Treatment with calcium (Ca) or potassium (K) did not lead to a significantly higher rate for final germination than the DW treatment. Ca salt treatments significantly improved shoot growth during the early seedling establishment stage in both varieties, especially in the salt-sensitive variety Blue Silver. There were significant differences in the Ca content of seeds after various presowing treatments. There were also significant differences between both varieties in the ion contents after seed treatment. However, these differences appeared to be related to the improvement of shoot growth during the early seedling establishment stage and not to the effectiveness of pres owing seed treatments in increasing germination.     

Effects of Zeolite on Soil Nutrients and Growth of Barley Following Irrigation with Saline Water

ABSTRACT

Soil salinity is a major abiotic factor limiting crop production but an amendment with synthetic zeolite may mitigate effects of salinity stress on plants. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of zeolite on soil properties and growth of barley irrigated with diluted seawater. Barley was raised on a sand dune soil treated with calcium type zeolite at the rate of 1 and 5% and irrigated every alternate day with seawater diluted to electrical conductivity (EC) levels of 3 and 16 dS m^?1. Irrigation with 16 dS m^?1 saline water significantly suppressed plant height by 25%, leaf area by 44% and dry weight by 60%. However, a substantial increase in plant biomass of salt stressed barley was observed in zeolite-amended treatments. The application of zeolite also enhanced water and salt holding capacity of soil. Post-harvest soil analysis showed high concentrations of calcium (Ca^{2 +}), magnesium (Mg^{2 +}), sodium (Na⁺), and potassium (K⁺) due to saline water especially in the upper soil layer but concentrations were lower in soils treated with zeolite. Zeolite application at 5% increased Ca^{2 +} concentration in salt stressed plants; concentrations of trace elements were also increased by 19% for iron (Fe^{2 +}) and 10% for manganese (Mn^{2 +}). The overall results indicated that soil amendment with zeolite could effectively ameliorate salinity stress and improve nutrient balance in a sandy soil.     

Effect of pre-harvest foliar application of amino acids and seaweed (Ascophylum nodosum) extract on growth,yield, and storage life of different bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars grown under hydroponic conditions

The study was set up to evaluate the efficiency of amino acids and seaweed on vegetative growth, reproductive phase, yield, and postharvest storage quality of hydroponically grown bell pepper cultivars “Sven Rz F-1” and “Red Knight.” Different concentrations of amino acid and seaweed were sprayed on bell pepper plants under hydroponic conditions. Pre-harvest foliar application of amino acids and seaweed significantly increased plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, yield per plant, number of marketable fruits per plant, average fruit diameter, fruit wall thickness, and average single fruit weight. Amino acid and seaweed significantly improved postharvest physicochemical quality of both bell pepper cultivars under extended cold storage conditions. Conclusively, amino acid as well as seaweed extract not only improved growth, development, yield, and overall quality of bell pepper cultivars but also increased storage life with reduced weight loss and decay along with better physicochemical quality.     

Downregulation of male-specific cytochrome P450 by profenofos

The health hazards of individual organophosphorus insecticides have been characterized by their acute toxicity, mainly by investigating their cholinesterase inhibition. However, the chronic effects of most of these toxicants on the drug-metabolizing enzymes have not been investigated. Profenofos (O-4-bromo-2-chlorophenyl O-ethyl S-propyl phosphorothioate) is an organophosphorus pesticide widely used in cotton cultivation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of profenofos on male-specific cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in adult Wistar rats. We orally administered 17.8 mg/kg body weight, twice weekly for 65 days. Profenofos downregulated levels of hepatic and testicular CYP2C11 and CYP3A2 mRNA and protein expression. Testicular aromatase (CYP19A) mRNA was decreased in the profenofos-treated rats compared to controls. Overall, the present study suggests that profenofos acts as an endocrine disruptor of male-specific CYP enzymes and affects testosterone concentration, which implicates its deleterious effects on animal or human males chronically exposed to organophosphorus pesticide.     

Milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a tool to investigate ovarian cyclicity of water buffaloes in relation to body condition score and milk production

Background

Application of assisted reproductive technologies in buffaloes is limited to some extent by farmers’ inability to detect oestrus because of its poor expression. The present study aimed at investigating reliability of a milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the ovarian cyclicity during post partum, oestrus and post-breeding periods in water buffaloes.

Methods

Progesterone concentrations were measured by an ELISA in milk of 23 postpartum buffaloes in relation to oestrus, pregnancy, body condition score (BCS) and milk production. Two milk samples were taken at 10 days intervals, every month starting from day 30 and continued to day 150 post partum. BCS and milk production were recorded during sample collection. Milk samples from bred buffaloes were collected at Day 0 (day of breeding), Days 10–12 and Days 22–24. Defatted milk was preserved at −80°C until analysis. Pregnancy was confirmed by palpation per rectum on Days 70–90.

Results

Seventeen buffaloes had 47 ovulatory cycles, one to four in each, 13 were detected in oestrus once (28 % oestrus detection rate). Progesterone concentration ≥1 ng/ml in one of the two 10-day-interval milk samples reflected ovulation and corpus luteum formation. The intervals between calving to first luteal activity and to first detected oestrus varied from 41 to 123 days (n = 17) and 83 to 135 (n = 13) days, respectively. Eight buffaloes were bred in the course of the study and seven were found pregnant. These buffaloes had a progesterone profile of low (<1 ng/ml), high (≥ 1 ng/ml) and high (≥ 1 ng/ml) on Day 0, Days 10–12 and Days 22–24, respectively. Buffaloes cycling later in the postpartum period had fewer missed oestruses (P < 0.05). Buffaloes with a superior BCS had a shorter calving to oestrus interval and produced more milk (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Milk progesterone ELISA is a reliable tool for monitoring ovarian cyclicity and good BCS may be an indicator of resuming cyclicity in water buffalo.     

Chemical Constituents of Lagenaria siceraria Mesocarp and Its Xanthine Oxidase and Alpha-Amylase Inhibitory Activities

The present study was conducted to identify natural products in the bioactive fractions of Lagenaria siceraria mesocarp. Column chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for separation and identification of phytochemicals. Methanolic extract and its fractions displayed alpha-amylase and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities comparable to standard drugs. GC-MS analysis of the fractions and column eluates revealed the presence of a variety of chemical compounds, including 4-(methoxymethyl)phenol, 2,2?-methylenebis{6(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-ethyl}phenol, methyl 2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropanoate, oxacyclododecane-2,8-dione, N-(2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl] acetamide, 2,3-Epoxycarane, 4-(propan-2-yl)benzaldehyde, octadec-1-ene, 4a-methyl-1-methylidene-1,2,3,4,4a,9,10,10a-octahydrophenanthrene, 2,6-di(propan-2-yl)naphthalene, methyl 3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)propanoate, 4,8a-dimethyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)-3,5,6,7,8,8a-hexahydronaphthalen-2(1H)-one 1,3-dihydro-2-benzofuran, methyl N-hydroxybenzenecarboximidoate, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid. Many of these compounds are being reported for the first time from this plant, the presence of which may explain, at least partly, its medicinal efficacy. The fruit possesses significant anti-enzymatic properties against alpha-amylase and xanthine oxidase, and the most active compounds of mesocarp of the fruit appear in ethyl acetate fraction of its methanolic extract.     

Five New Records of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) From Morocco

A recent catalogue of the rich ant fauna of Morocco included 214 species, with later studies adding an additional 12 species. Following recent fieldwork in the north of Morocco, we report five new records for the country (Plagiolepis pygmaea Latreille, 1798, Ponera testacea Emery, 1895, Strumigenys tenuipilis Emery, 1915, Temnothorax pardoi Tinaut, 1987, and Tetramorium parvioculum Guillem & Bensusan, 2009) and we present new data on the distribution and natural history of six additional species. This work brings the total number of ants known from Morocco to 233, taking into account two species which were omitted in the list of Cagniant.