The Morphology of 16 and 17 Day Old Bovine Blastocysts from Virgin and Repeat Breeder Heifers

The morphology of 16–17 days old embryos from virgin heifers (VH) and repeat breeder heifers (RBH) was compared using light and electron microscopy. In addition some embryos transferred from one heifer category to the other were studied. Embryos from VH were elongated blastocysts and the oval embryonic disc had three germ layers. The ectoderm was stratified and many mitoses were seen. The endoderm lining the blastocoelic cavity consisted of almost squamous cells conjoined by tight junctions. Between the ectoderm and the endoderm the mesoderm had developed and expanded laterally and the coelom had formed. The trophoblastic cells adjacent do the embryonic disc were cylindrical, whereas those more peripheral located were cuboidal. The trophoblastic cells were conjoined by tight junctions and they had numerous long microvilli on their peripheral surface. Except in the embryonic disc region, the endodermal cells had filopodial processes towards the trophoblast. The embryos from RBH varied in appearance. One was similar to those from VH whereas the others were, more or less retarded, without formation of mesoderm. The smaller one consisted ot trophoblastic cells only. The transferred embryos (representing surviving embryos: 2 out of 9 in VH-RBH and 5 of 6 in RBH-VH) had a morphology similar to that of VH blastocytes two though, appeared somewhat retarded. It is suggested that the retarded embryos lack the ability to complete embryonic development and that the uterine environment of RBH is not favourable to sustain normal embryonic development.     

动物养殖业所面临的挑战和机会(续)

内部的挑战和机遇 生产和均一性 挖掘遗传的潜力,也就是繁殖性能或生长的潜力,对于动物养殖业来说是一个连续的挑战。营养通常不是限制的因素。然而,营养学家和养殖者承担这一挑战。为了最大程度地发挥动物的生产性能的潜力,高精确度的分析技术,包括DNA排列顺序,使我们能够充分了解和分析胃肠     

动物养殖业所面临的挑战和机会（续）

(上接第17期) 霉菌毒素的污染 饲料原料和垫草受到霉菌毒素污染的现象在亚太地区是广泛存在的(Leeson等,1995).亚太的大部分地区属于高温湿热的气候,这给霉菌的生长与繁殖以及产生霉菌毒素提供了有利的条件.由于全球极端的气候条件以及饲料原料的进口,通常没有霉菌毒素问题的国家,如澳大利亚,现在也不得不考虑预防霉菌毒素的问题.人们常常误解:"霉菌毒素是一个季节性的问题".     

Year-to-Year and Maturity Variation in Rainfed Soybean Yield by Planting Dates

The interactions on rainfed soybean yield among planting date,maturity,and year-to-year climate change were studied using CROPGRO-soybeanmodel.Simulations were based on 19 planting dates,maturity groupsⅢ,Ⅳ and V,30 years recorded weather data from Corbin,Suffolk,West Point in Virginia,USA.Yield was similar on early plantings and went down with late plantings.Both grand and year-to-year variation of soybean yield declined linearly with planting date.Year-to-year climate variation was dominant yield variation source in rainfed soybean production.Interaction occurred between planting date and maturity.Optimal planting dates for different sites lied within 130th-170th day of a year.Irrigation is recommended for profitable crops,especially in Corbin and West Point.     

Activating mutations of NOTCH1 in human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Very rare cases of human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) harbor chromosomal translocations that involve NOTCH1, a gene encoding a transmembrane receptor that regulates normal T cell development. Here, we report that more than 50% of human T-ALLs, including tumors from all major molecular oncogenic subtypes, have activating mutations that involve the extracellular heterodimerization domain and/or the C-terminal PEST domain of NOTCH1. These findings greatly expand the role of activated NOTCH1 in the molecular pathogenesis of human T-ALL and provide a strong rationale for targeted therapies that interfere with NOTCH signaling.     

Hotspots in cold climate: Conservation value of woodland key habitats in boreal forests

The concept of Woodland Key Habitats (WKH, small-scaled presumed hotspots of biodiversity) has become an essential component of biodiversity conservation in Fennoscandian and Baltic forests. There have been debates over the importance of WKHs in relation to the conservation of biodiversity in production forests. We applied a systematic review protocol and meta-analysis to summarize knowledge on comparisons of biodiversity qualities, such as dead wood and species richness, between WKHs and production forests in relevant countries. We also summarized the knowledge on the impact of edge effects by comparing WKHs surrounded by production forests to WKHs surrounded by clear cuts. Studies had been conducted in Finland, Norway and Sweden. Based on our meta-analysis, WKHs seem to be relative hotspots for dead wood volume, diversity of dead wood, number of species and number of red-listed species. There were some differences also between countries in these biodiversity qualities. Only two studies compared WKHs surrounded by production forests and clear cuts, respectively. Hence, the capability of WKHs to maintain their original species composition and support species persistence over time remains to be addressed, as well as their role in relation to other conservation tools.     

Efficacy of topical eprinomectin in the treatment of Chorioptes sp. infestation in alpacas and llamas

Chorioptes sp. mite infestation is increasingly recognized as a cause of skin disease in New World camelids and there is a need for an effective treatment protocol to eliminate herd infestation. In this field trial, eprinomectin applied topically at the rate of 0.5 mg kg(-1) weekly for 10 weeks was found to be ineffective in a herd of 12 llamas and 16 alpacas.     

The homogenizing influence of agriculture on forest bird communities at landscape scales

Landscape Ecology - Agricultural expansion is a principal driver of biodiversity loss, but the impacts on community assembly in agro-ecosystems are less clear, especially across regional scales at...     

Aluminium solubility mechanisms in moderately acid Bs horizons of podzolized soils

The processes controlling the retention and release of aluminium in acid forest soils are still subject to controversy, and therefore a universal hypothesis as to what mechanisms are operating has not been firmly established. By studying the Bs horizons of Swedish and Swiss podzolized soils, and by analysing data in the literature, we have found that aluminium hydroxide, and in some cases also poorly ordered imogolite, may control Al solubility in moderately acid (pH > 4.2–4.3) Bs horizons. The strongest evidence in support of the presence of a quickly reacting Al(OH)₃ pool came from the temperature dependence of Al solubility in a Bs horizon, which was consistent with the reaction enthalpy of an Al(OH)₃ phase such as gibbsite, and from the observation that the ion activity product for Al(OH)₃ was the same regardless of whether equilibrium was reached from over‐ or undersaturation. The pool of Al(OH)₃ is commonly small and may be completely dissolved after large additions of acid. This may be explained by the continuing redissolution of reactive Al(OH)₃ to form less soluble imogolite‐type phases. By using the same methods it was found that soil suspensions did not reach equilibrium with poorly ordered imogolite even after 17 days. Thus, imogolite probably does not control Al solubility in the short term in many soils despite the common occurrence of this mineral. This is due to the relatively slow kinetics of imogolite formation and dissolution, especially at low temperatures and at small solution H₄SiO₄ concentrations.