Growth and nutrient concentrations of alfalfa and common bean as influenced by soil acidity

Growth and nutrient utilization of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Arc) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Carioca) were studied in an acid soil adjusted to eight levels of soil acidity by lime addition. Application of lime significantly (P<0.05) increased shoot and root growth for both species. However, common bean was far less sensitive to soil acidity than alfalfa. Maximum alfalfa growth was obtained at a soil pH of 5.8 and maximum bean growth was achieved at pH 5.0. Root and shoot growth of both legumes was positively correlated (P<0.01) with soil pH, exchangeable Ca and exchangeable Mg and negatively correlated (P<0.01) with soil exchangeable Al. Common bean had a lower internal P requirement for maximum growth and was more efficient than alfalfa in taking up Ca and Mg. These characteristics would contribute to the favorable growth of common bean in acid-infertile soils.     

Risk of sperm competition does not influence copulatory behavior in the promiscuous meadow vole (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Microtus pennsylvanicus</Emphasis>)

It is not clear whether males in all mammalian species adjust their copulatory behavior when faced with risk of sperm competition (RSC). Previous work on meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, indicated that males increase their sperm expenditure but not the number of ejaculations in the presence of odors of a conspecific male. The present study follows up on this work and asks whether male meadow voles modify any aspect of their copulatory behavior when they face a RSC. We examined 46 variables of copulatory behavior and found that the presence of odors from a conspecific male did not affect any of these variables. Thus, male meadow voles, unlike some other species of mammals, do not adjust their copulatory behavior when exposed to cues associated with an elevated RSC.     

Studies on the structure of yeast phosphofructokinase

In this paper, we describe an efficient procedure for the purification of yeast phosphofructokinase. This procedure eliminates any time delay and enables to obtain an enzyme with minimum proteolytic alterations. The molecular weights of the oligomeric enzyme and of its constitutive subunits were both evaluated by means of several independent methods. However, the accuracy of each measurement was not sufficient to discriminate between an hexameric and an octameric structure of the enzyme oligomer. On the other hand, crosslinking experiments demonstrated the octameric structure of yeast phosphofructokinase. Obviously, some methods of molecular weight determination have led to erroneous results. In particular, our experiments show that the reliability of molecular weight determinations performed by gel filtration of native proteins must be considered with caution.     

Obesity in Older Adults: Technical Review and Position Statement of the American Society for Nutrition and NAASO,The Obesity Society

Obesity causes serious medical complications and impairs quality of life. Moreover, in older persons, obesity can exacerbate the age‐related decline in physical function and lead to frailty. However, appropriate treatment for obesity in older persons is controversial because of the reduction in relative health risks associated with increasing body mass index and the concern that weight loss could have potential harmful effects in the older population. This joint position statement from the American Society for Nutrition and NAASO, The Obesity Society reviews the clinical issues related to obesity in older persons and provides health professionals with appropriate weight‐management guidelines for obese older patients. The current data show that weight‐loss therapy improves physical function, quality of life, and the medical complications associated with obesity in older persons. Therefore, weight‐loss therapy that minimizes muscle and bone losses is recommended for older persons who are obese and who have functional impairments or medical complications that can benefit from weight loss.     

Seasonal changes in the reproductive and life-history traits of Chrysomela populi L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Seasonal changes in the reproductive and life‐history traits of Chrysomela populi L. were investigated in Shobara (34°52′N, 133°01′E), Japan, in 2004 and 2005. Larvae were hatched and reared under natural photoperiod and temperature in 8 different periods between late April and early September in 2004. The incidence of adult diapause increased with progression of the season in 2004. The critical timing of diapause induction, as defined by 50% of females entering diapause, was estimated to occur between late July and early August. No effects of season on the survival rate from hatching to adult emergence, percentage ovipositing females and percentage females that deposited viable eggs were clearly detected. Adult weight at emergence fluctuated seasonally, which was probably caused by air temperature. No effect of season on the oviposition period was observed among females that averted diapause. Females that entered diapause in 2004 started oviposition from the first day of May in 2005. Reproductive output was significantly greater in diapause females than in non‐diapause females. This increase in the reproductive output of diapause females was caused by elongation of the oviposition period and consequently by enlargement of the number of egg clutches deposited. These results suggest that the seasonal timing of diapause induction in females of C. populi would be affected by various risks and benefits to reproduction and survival.     

Strategies in Mediterranean grassland annuals in relation to stress and disturbance

Abstract. Morphological (size and shape) and functional (growth, reproduction and phenology) attributes are used to characterize 42 annual species of Mediterranean grasslands according to their strategy. Principal component analysis of the matrix of 42 species x 9 attributes shows that the main trend of variation is related to plant size. Larger species have larger seeds, lower relative growth rates and lower reproductive output. The second and third trends of variation are related to plant shape. Ordination of species shows differences in shape between taxa and growth forms (grasses, legumes, forbs). The relative abundance of species with different attributes vary with the level of stress (water and nutrient availability) and disturbance (grazing and ploughing). Size is related to stress, with larger plants dominating in productive habitats and smaller ones in the most unproductive. Disturbance is related to shape and phenology, since grazing favours species with low canopies and ploughing favours species with shorter life cycles, that are usually small in size. Relations between plant attributes and habitat characteristics are examined within the more general framework of plant strategy theory.     

On the value of seasonal mammals for identifying mechanisms underlying the control of food intake and body weight

This article is part of a Special Issue “Energy Balance”.     

Determinants of resistant starch accumulation in wheat endosperm

A part of the big three cereal crops in the world, wheat has become a major constituent of the everyday food chain and is grown at a massive scale to meet global demands. This makes it an important crop from an economic as well as food security perspective. Selection of high-quality cultivars and consistent trait enhancement for such cultivars is crucial, and in light of new challenges from climate change, this has become an absolute necessity of time. In this regard, we conducted a detailed qualitative and quantitative trait analysis for multiple commercially viable varieties of wheat, and corresponding results were subjected to a series of critical statistical analyses. Final results have shown that five cultivars including Uqaab-2000, Faisalabad- 85, Anmol-19, NARC-2009, and Pirsabak-2004 depicts higher levels of various essential qualitative and quantitative traits (including Starch content, grain weight, RS content, Protein content, etc.) and are most viable varieties for further growth and trait enhancements to meet regional and global food challenges.     

非药物治疗极低出生体重儿喂养不耐受的临床观察

目的:将非药物性干预措施与传统药物方法治疗极低出生体重儿喂养不耐受的临床疗效进行观察比较。方法:选取哈尔滨医科大学附属第二医院2011年1月至2013年4月出生的喂养不耐受极低出生体重儿110例。按入院顺序随机分为药物治疗组(MED)55例、非药物治疗组(NON-MED)55例。药物治疗组采用红霉素;非药物治疗组采用腹部按摩法与非营养性吸吮。结果:两组患儿经治疗后,MED组腹胀消失天数(4.4±0.5)、呕吐天数(2.2±0.5)、每日呕吐次数(3.5±0.8)、胃潴留量占每日喂养量(18.3±0.8)、达全肠道喂养天数(8.2±0.7);NON-MED组腹胀消失天数(3.7±0.1)、呕吐天数(1.9±0.6)、每日呕吐次数(2.8±0.1)、胃潴留量占每日喂养量(12.6±0.4)、达全肠道喂养天数(6.1±0.3)。各项治疗指标的对比中,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。MED组治疗有效率76.4%;NON-MED组治疗有效率83.6%。结论:非药物性干预措施可有效改善极低出生体重儿喂养不耐受。     

Enteric and serological distribution of serotonin and its precursor tryptophan in perinatal low and normal weight piglets

Perinatal mortality is high among small-for-gestational age (SGA) piglets and continues to be an economic burden and threat to animal welfare. As the physiological role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in perinatal development and gastrointestinal function in the pig remains unknown, the aim of this study was to assess the enteric distribution of 5-HT cells and to determine 5-HT together with its precursor tryptophan in the serum of perinatal normal and SGA piglets. For this purpose, proximal and distal parts of the small intestine (SI) were processed for immunohistochemical analysis to assess the presence of 5-HT endocrine cells. Serum 5-HT was measured with ELISA, whereas its precursor, that is, the free fraction of tryptophan (FFT) together with albumin-bound tryptophan and total tryptophan, were analysed with HPLC in postnatal piglets. In addition, the morphological growth patterns of the different intestinal tissue layers of both normal and SGA piglets were stereologically analysed. The stereological volume density of 5-HT enteroendocrine cells showed a significant interaction effect between age and region. Indeed, the amount of 5-HT cells in both the proximal and distal part of the SI tended to decrease according to age, with the lowest values detected at day 3 postpartum. No differences could be observed related to BW. Interestingly, the serum concentration of 5-HT was higher in normal piglets compared with SGA piglets. Moreover, the ratio of FFT to total tryptophan was significantly affected by age and BW. Normal piglets had, on average, a lower FFT/total tryptophan ratio compared with SGA piglets. An approximate linear decrease was observed with increasing age. Finally, the immaturity of the intestinal system of the SGA piglets was not reflected in altered volume densities of the different intestinal layers. To conclude, although no BW effect could be detected in the distribution of enteric 5-HT cells, serum 5-HT and the ratio of FFT to total tryptophan ratio showed significant differences between normal piglets and their SGA littermates.