The use of an oil absorber as a strategy to overcome starvation periods in degrading 1,2-dichloroethane in waste gas

This work investigates the use of an oil absorber as an operational strategy in vapor phase bioreactors exposed to starvation periods, during the treatment of inhibitory pollutants. After being exposed to 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) starvation periods, the response and stability of a combined oil-absorber-bioscrubber (OAB) system was compared to that of a bioscrubber only (BO) system. In the BO system, after a 5.2 days starvation period, the DCE removal efficiency was reduced to 12%, and 6 days were needed to recover the initial removal efficiency when the DCE feed resumed. The total organic discharged (TOD(DCE)) was 16,500 g(DCE) m(bioscrubber) (-3) after the DCE starvation. Biomass analysis performed using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) showed that the microbial activity was significantly reduced during the starvation period and that 5 days were needed to recover the initial activity, after the re-introduction of DCE. In contrast, the performance of the OAB system was stable during 5.2 days of DCE starvation. The DCE removal efficiency was not affected when the DCE feed resumed and the TOD(DCE) was significantly reduced to 2,850 g(DCE) m(bioscrubber) (-3). During starvation, the activity of the microbial culture in the OAB system showed a substantially lower decrease than in the BO system and recovered almost immediately the initial activity after the re-introduction of DCE. Additionally, a mathematical model describing the performance of the OAB system was developed. The results of this study show that the OAB system can effectively sustain the biological treatment of waste gas during starvation periods of inhibitory pollutants.     

Stimulus interval, rate and direction differentially regulate phosphorylation for mechanotransduction in neonatal cardiac myocytes

The effect of interval, direction and rate of strain on mechanotransduction in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes is determined for focal adhesion kinase (Y397pFAK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase ERK1/2 (Thr(183)/Tyr(185)) and paxillin (pY31) and phosphorylation time courses to 10% strain assessed. Cells are non-responsive at 5 min but recover at 15 min (P<0.03) with FAK nuclear translocation by 30 min. Cyclic biaxial strain increased phosphorylation from slower to faster rates (P<0.05). Uniaxial strain to groove-aligned myocytes increased FAK and ERK1/2 phosphorylation transversely more than longitudinally (P<0.05). Mechanotransduction may have a refractory period of 5 min and differentiate directions and rates of strain.     

Trophic ecology and food consumption of fishes in a hypersaline tropical lagoon

This study evaluated the trophic ecology (diet composition, trophic strategy, similarities and overlap between species, feeding period and food consumption) of six benthivorous fish species in Araruama Lagoon, the largest hypersaline tropical lagoon on the east coast of South America, with an area of 210 km² and an average salinity of 52. The burrfish Chilomycterus spinosus fed on Anomalocardia flexuosa shell deposits, ingesting associated fauna. The caitipa mojarra Diapterus rhombeus differed from all other species, having not only the highest proportions of algae and Nematoda, but also feeding on polychaete tentacles. The two mojarras Eucinostomus spp. showed similar trophic strategies, feeding mostly on Polychaeta. The corocoro grunt Orthopristis ruber also fed mainly on Polychaeta, but differed from Eucinostomus spp. in secondary items. The whitemouth croacker Micropogonias furnieri fed mainly on small Crustacea at night, showing a high number of secondary prey items with low frequencies and high prey‐specific abundance. The daily food consumption (g food g^?1 fish mass) for Eucinostomus argenteus was 0·012 and was 0·031 and 0·027 for M. furnieri in two different sampling events. The diet similarities between Araruama Lagoon and other brackish and marine environments indicate that hypersalinity is not a predominant factor shaping the trophic ecology of fishes in this lagoon. The stability of hypersaline conditions, without a pronounced gradient, may explain the presence of several euryhaline fishes and invertebrates well adapted to this condition, resulting in a complex food web.     

不同生育期菊芋叶片过氧化物酶同工酶表达特点的研究

用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(PAGE)法,分离了不同生育期菊芋叶片过氧化物酶(Helianthus tuberosus.1eves peroxidase,HLP)同工酶,并测定了HLP的酶活性;比较了菊芋叶及其他4种植物POD的特点。结果表明:(1)同一植株不同部位的HLP酶活性大小顺序为,中部成熟叶(6.89×103U/g)>底部衰老叶(5.38×103U/g)>上部嫩叶(2.82×103U/g);由嫩叶→成熟叶→衰老叶的发育过程中,HLP同工酶酶带共有9条,出现的方式有稳定型(Rf 0.81带)、酶活性先弱后强型(Rf0.52、0.67、0.74、0.85带)、酶带先有后无型(Rf 0.70、0.72带)、酶带先无后有型(Rf 0.77)4种。(2)几种植物POD的酶活性的大小顺序是:甘蔗叶>竹笋壳>菊芋叶>大豆壳;POD同工酶电泳最大迁移率(Rf)大小顺序是:菊芋叶(0.85)>甘蔗叶(0.70)>竹笋壳(0.61)>大豆壳(0.57)>辣根(0.55),HLP同工酶属阴离子型。探讨了菊芋POD的表达特点。     

Comparison of performance and metabolism from late pregnancy to early lactation in dairy cows with elevated v. normal body condition at dry-off

Excessive mobilization of body reserves during the transition from pregnancy to lactation imposes a risk for metabolic diseases on dairy cows. We aimed to establish an experimental model for high v. normal mobilization and herein characterized performance, metabolic and endocrine changes from 7 weeks antepartum (a.p.) to 12 weeks postpartum (p.p.). Fifteen weeks a.p., 38 pregnant multiparous Holstein cows were allocated to two groups that were fed differently to reach either high or normal body condition scores (HBCS: 7.2 NE_L MJ/kg dry matter (DM); NBCS: 6.8 NE_L MJ/kg DM) at dry-off. Allocation was also based on differences in body condition score (BCS) in the previous and the ongoing lactation that was further promoted by feeding to reach the targeted BCS and back fat thickness (BFT) at dry-off (HBCS: >3.75 and >1.4 cm; NBCS: <3.5 and <1.2 cm). Thereafter, both groups were fed identical diets. Blood samples were drawn weekly from 7 weeks a.p. to 12 weeks p.p. to assess the serum concentrations of metabolites and hormones. The HBCS cows had greater BCS, BFT and BW than the NBCS cows throughout the study and lost more than twice as much BFT during the first 7 weeks p.p. compared with NCBS. Milk yield and composition were not different between groups, except that lactose concentrations were greater in NBSC than in HBCS. Feed intake was also greater in NBCS, and NBCS also reached a positive energy balance earlier than HBCS. The greater reduction in body mass in HBCS was accompanied by greater concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, and β-hydroxybutyrate in serum after calving than in NBCS, indicating increased lipomobilization and ketogenesis. The mean concentrations of insulin across all time-points were greater in HBCS than in NBCS. In both groups, insulin and IGF-1 concentrations were lower p.p than in a.p. Greater free thyroxine (fT4) concentrations and a lower free 3-3′-5-triiodothyronine (fT3)/fT4 ratio were observed in HBCS than in NBCS a.p., whereas p.p. fT3/fT4 ratio followed a reverse pattern. The variables indicative for oxidative status had characteristic time courses; group differences were limited to greater plasma ferric reducing ability values in NBSC. The results demonstrate that the combination of pre-selection according to BCS and differential feeding before dry-off to promote the difference was successful in obtaining cows that differ in the intensity of mobilizing body reserves. The HBCS cows were metabolically challenged due to intense mobilization of body fat, associated with reduced early lactation dry matter intake and compromised antioxidative capacity.     

Carbohydrate source offered in the prepartum diet did not affect postpartum metabolic status or milk yield in dairy cows

Increasing the provision of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) during the prepartum period is a feeding strategy that has been recommended to facilitate the transition to the onset of lactation and improve dairy cow performance, but results are contradictory, probably because most studies have confounded the effects of level and source of energy. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of the source of carbohydrate offered in the prepartum diet on postpartum cow performance. Holstein dairy cows (n=24) were assigned to receive diets with either low (LNFC), or high (HNFC) levels of NFC during the last 3 weeks before expected calving date according to a randomized complete block design. Soybean hulls and corn grain were the main energy ingredients in the LNFC and HNFC total mixed rations (TMR), respectively, and diets were designed to be isocaloric and isoproteic. After calving, all cows were managed as a single group until day 56 postpartum and grazed on improved pastures and were supplemented with a TMR. Body condition score evaluation and blood sampling were performed weekly throughout the experimental period to monitor the metabolic status of the animals. Prepartum glucose concentrations tended to be greater in HNFC than LNFC, but there was no effect on prepartum or postpartum insulin concentrations. Although nutrient intake was greater in the immediate week after calving in HNFC than LNFC, treatment did not affect milk yield and composition. In conclusion, increasing the NFC intake during the prepartum period, at a similar level of energy and protein intake, had a marginal residual effect on postpartum intake, and did not affect metabolic status or milk production.     

纳络酮对离体心房肌收缩力及搏动频率的作用

目的和方法：采用离体心房灌流模型,观察非特异性阿片受体拮抗剂纳络酮对离体心房的变时变力作用,旨在探讨纳络酮对心肌的直接作用。结果：①在１５～１２０ μｍｏｌ／Ｌ的浓度范围内,纳络酮呈剂量依赖性地降低右房的自发搏动频率,增加心房肌的收缩张力;②当α,β受体阻断或μ受体激动后,纳络酮对离体心房的作用仍然存在;③纳络酮可延长心房肌的功能性不应期。结论：纳络酮对心肌具有不依赖于中枢及交感神经系统的直接作用,心脏可能是另一个不通过阿片受体即可对纳络酮发生反应的器官     

Mycorrhizal effects on the acclimatization, survival, growth and chlorophyll of micropropagated Syngonium and Draceana inoculated at weaning and hardening stages

 Micropropagated plantlets of Syngonium podophyllum and Draceana sp. were inoculated during an early weaning stage of acclimatization with a mixed indigenous consortium of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Both species were colonized but a significantly higher colonization was observed (38%) in Draceana than S. podophyllum when it was harvested after 20 weeks. Draceana plants showed little difference in the extent to which they were colonized, when examined either at the weaning stage or hardening stage; however, S. podophyllum plants at the weaning stage were better colonized than at 20 weeks. Survival was high in inoculated plants at lower fertility in both hosts. Moreover, S. podophyllum showed better stolon production than uninoculated controls at both fertility levels, though the increase was higher at lower fertility. Draceana showed no response in shoot height to any treatment. Chlorophyll accumulation in both hosts was significantly influenced by inoculation, fertility and stage (weaning and hardening). A significant increment in shoot P uptake was also observed in both hosts related to inoculation, stage and fertility. Inoculation with the AM consortium had a significant and favourable effect on acclimatization of micropropagated S. podophyllum and Draceana at the weaning stage, saving almost 15 days in the total hardening process. Received: 13 August 1998 / Accepted: 25 August 1999     

米蛾卵繁育的螟黄赤眼蜂的适宜冷贮温度和虫龄

为了全面评价冷贮对米蛾Corcyra cephalonica Stainton卵繁育螟黄赤眼蜂Trichogramma chilonis Ishii的影响, 本试验采用米蛾卵为寄主, 以冷贮温度（3和10℃）、 冷贮虫龄（以接蜂开始时间为起点, 接蜂后1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8和9日龄）和冷贮时间（1, 2, 3和4周）为试验因子, 研究了冷贮对螟黄赤眼蜂活蛹率、 羽化率和畸形率的影响。结果表明： 3个因素均能单独或互作显著影响活蛹率、 羽化率和畸形率（P＜0.05）。综合各冷贮虫龄对低温的反应, 螟黄赤眼蜂对3℃较敏感, 此温度下1-3日龄的活蛹率和各虫龄的羽化率均显著下降（P＜0.05）, 不适宜长期冷贮; 10℃下各虫龄的活蛹率受冷贮时间的影响不显著, 1-3日龄的羽化率受冷贮时间的影响也不显著, 冷贮4周后仍有74%以上的羽化率, 10℃适宜冷贮。不同冷贮温度下冷贮适宜虫龄不同。在10℃下, 最适冷贮虫龄是3日龄的赤眼蜂, 此虫龄不同冷贮时间的活蛹率（74.09%～77.59%）和羽化率（74.26%～90.37%）均与对照无显著差异（P>0.05）, 但显著高于其他虫龄（P＜0.05）。此虫龄在10℃下冷贮1~3周, 畸形率在27%以内。结果表明米蛾卵内螟黄赤眼蜂不同冷贮温度下适宜冷贮虫龄不同。