Preliminary Study on Age- and Sex-Dependent Alterations in the Composition of Skeletal Muscle Fibers of Brasileiro de Hipismo Horses     

Flora H.F. D'Angelis PhD  Marco A.G. da Silva DVM  Raquel M. Albernaz DVM  Guilherme C. Ferraz DVM  Isabel C. Boleli PhD  Jos C. Lacerda-Neto PhD  Joo Ademir de Oliveira PhD  Jos V. Oliveira DVM  Antonio Queiroz-Neto PhD 《Journal of Equine Veterinary Science》2008,28(1):22-27

The aim of this work was to characterize the distribution of myofibers in the gluteus medius muscle of inactive horses of the Brasileiro de Hipismo (BH) breed at different ages by means of histochemical analyses, according to sex and depth of the biopsy. A total of 78 inactive horses (9 castrated males, 35 stallions, and 34 females) of the BH breed, aged 1 to 4 years, were used. A percutaneous muscle biopsy was obtained with a 6.0-mm Bergström-type needle, which allowed the removal of muscle fragments at depths of 20 and 60 mm. Myofiber types were determined based on myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (mATPase) and nicotinamide dinucleotide tetrazolium reductase (NADH-TR) techniques. Morphometry of the fibers was determined based on cross-sectional area (CSA), mean frequency (F), and relative cross-sectional area (RCSA). The current study demonstrated that BH horses 3 and 4 years of age show a greater percentage of, and area occupied by, type IIA fibers and lower percentage of type IIX fibers in the gluteus medius muscle compared with horses 1 and 2 years of age. No difference was found between sexes in the frequency of and area occupied by the different fiber types at any of the depths and ages studied. In this study, females showed a greater CSA for all fibers in comparison with males, at 1 year of age. The results of the current study indicate that the gluteus medius muscle of inactive BH horses shows modifications in its structural and biochemical composition during the growth of the animals, leading to a better oxidative capacity.  相似文献   

Copper,Chromium, Nickel,Lead and Zinc Levels and Pollution Degree in Firing Range Soils     

Andres Rodríguez‐Seijo  Maria C. Alfaya  María Luisa Andrade  Flora A. Vega 《Land Degradation \u0026amp; Development》2016,27(7):1721-1730

Small‐arms firing ranges are an important source of metal contaminants in the ecosystems located near these facilities, owing to the constant fall and alteration of the ammunition remnants on the soil, particularly in nearby berms. The objectives of this study were to analyse the pollution of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in rifle/pistol shooting range soils, to estimate their availability and to evaluate the influence of the ammunition used. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr and Ni range from 55 to 6·309, 34 to 264, 19 to 98, 40 to 79 and 11 to 33 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The moderate acidity and organic matter content favour the availability of Pb, followed by Cu > Zn > Ni > Cr. The values of different contamination indexes (I_geo, pollution index and integrated pollution index) suggest that Pb soil contamination is moderate to heavy, especially in the berm area and moderate for Cu and Zn. Lead ammunition is the main source of pollution, but another one was identified owing to the concentrations of Fe, Cr and Ni detected. Further studies are needed to verify their long‐term potential adverse effects. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

Supplementation with Calcium Salts of Linoleic and trans-Octadecenoic Acids Improves Fertility of Lactating Dairy Cows   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

SO Juchem  RLA Cerri  M Villaseñor  KN Galvão  RGS Bruno  HM Rutigliano  EJ DePeters  FT Silvestre  WW Thatcher  JEP Santos 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2010,45(1):55-62

Objectives were to evaluate effects of feeding a calcium salt rich in linoleic and trans -octadecenoic acids (LTFA) on synthesis of prostaglandin F_2α based on its metabolite (PGFM), uterine involution and pregnancy rates in lactating dairy cows. Five hundred and eleven Holstein cows were blocked according to parity, body condition score and milk yield in the previous lactation. Primiparous and multiparous cows were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments consisting of calcium salt (2% diet dry matter) of either palm oil (PO) or LTFA from 25 days prepartum to 80 days of lactation. Cows were time-inseminated at 70 ± 3 days postpartum. Feeding LTFA tended (p = 0.08) to decrease the incidence of puerperal metritis (15.1% vs 8.8%). Primiparous cows supplemented with LTFA showed larger increase in plasma PGFM concentration at day 1 postpartum (17018 vs 6897 p m ). Pregnancy rate after first insemination tended (p = 0.07) to be greater at 27 days after insemination (37.9% vs 28.6%), and was greater (p = 0.05) at 41 days after insemination (35.5% vs 25.8%) for cows fed LTFA compared with PO. These results indicate that unsaturated fatty acids fed in a rumen inert form have the potential to modulate reproductive events and improve pregnancy rates in lactating dairy cows.  相似文献   

Alternative pathways in the life history of Gracilaria gracilis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) from north-eastern Sicily (Italy)     

Milena Polifrone  Flora De Masi  Gaetano M. Gargiulo 《Aquaculture (Amsterdam, Netherlands)》2006,261(3):1003-1013

The reproductive phenology of Gracilaria gracilis has been followed closely in a brackish water lake in Sicily. The life history of this red alga deviated from the typical Polysiphonia-type cycle and was characterized by the predominance of the tetrasporophytic phase over gametophytes, in situ development of germinated gametophytes and the presence of sterile pleustophytic thalli. Release of spherical agglomerates of cells produced by young tetrasporophytes was observed as well. Their ability to germinate forming new thalli appears to represent an alternative reproductive strategy of this organism. The population structure appears to reflect a predominance of the diploid phase except during the warmer summer season when only vegetative juveniles were found in the lake. Release and early stages of development of carpospores and tetraspores were critically observed in culture. A Dumontia type pattern of germination was observed for both types of spores, showing an erect thallus arising from a multicellular basal disk. Compared to tetraspores, carpospores are less readily released resulting in a subsequent delay in the development of new gametophytes.  相似文献   

Ureide essay to assess N<Subscript>2</Subscript>-fixation abilities of soybean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glycine max</Emphasis>) genotypes under different <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bradyrhizobium</Emphasis> strains     

Eric E. Agoyi  Emmanuel Afutu  Flora J. Chadare  John B. Tumuhairwe  Godfree Chigeza  Phinehas Tukamuhabwa 《Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology》2017,20(2):65-72

The high protein content of soybean (Glycine max) seeds results in high nitrogen demand, causing a huge nitrogen uptake during plant growth. As a legume crop, soybean can fix atmospheric N through symbiotic associations with Bradyrhizobia and perform well in African nitrogen poor soils. This study aimed at establishing the ability of promiscuous soybean genotypes to fix nitrogen and devise the relationship between nodule scores and amount of nitrogen fixed. Twelve soybean genotypes were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum Strain USDA 110 (specific) and Bradyrhizobium sp. Strain USDA 3456 (native) and raised in pots in a greenhouse. At the R3.5 growth stage, nodules were scored and xylem sap was extracted, which xylem sap was used to carry out ureide, amino-N, and nitrates assays. The relative abundance of ureide was used to devise the proportion of nitrogen fixed by each genotype. The proportion of nitrogen derived from atmospheric N2 (Ndfa) ranged from 47.9 to 78.8% under USDA 3456 and from 36.7 to 78.7% under USDA 110. A strong correlation was found between nodule scores, especially nodules’ effectiveness, and Ndfa. The genotypes Wondersoya (78.8%), Maksoy 2N (78.4%), Namsoy 3 (78.3%), and Maksoy 3N (75.7%) had high nitrogen-fixing ability in response to USDA 3456. Promiscuous soybean genotypes can fix nitrogen equally under both native and specific Bradyrhizobium types. Nodules’ effectiveness can be a good predictor of biological nitrogen fixation. This study highlighted that crop improvement to boost soybean production in Africa should target promiscuous varieties for better yield with less inputs.  相似文献   

Nutrient dynamics in decaying leaves of Fagus sylvatica L. and needles of Abies alba Mill.     

F. A. Rutigliano  A. Alfani  L. Bellini  A. Virzo De Santo 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》1998,27(2):119-126

 The dynamics of nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) in decomposing beech and fir litters was studied. N, P, Mg and Ca content increased in all litters, whereas K content decreased. Nutrient content correlated to mass loss with a few exceptions for K and P. Final N, K, Mg and Ca content was higher the lower the initial content and the higher the initial C/nutrient ratio was. Final P content correlated neither with initial P content nor with initial C/P ratio. All litters lost K very quickly, mainly by leaching. P was lost initially by leaching, although at a lower rate than K, and later by mineralization. Mg, Ca and N showed alternate phases of accumulation and release. Mg losses by leaching occurred only in litters with high initial Mg content; in litters with low initial Mg content, Mg losses occurred by mineralization. Ca and N were lost only by mineralization. A mobility series K>P>Mg>Ca=N is suggested. Received: 8 May 1997  相似文献   

Vaccination of Full‐sib Channel Catfish Families Against Enteric Septicemia of Catfish with an Oral Live Attenuated Edwardsiella ictaluri Vaccine          下载免费PDF全文

Brian C. Peterson  Corrin Flora  Monica Wood  Brian G. Bosworth  Sylvie M. Quiniou  Terrence E. Greenway  Todd S. Byars  David J. Wise 《Journal of the World Aquaculture Society》2016,47(2):207-211

This study evaluated the efficacy of an oral live attenuated Edwardsiella ictaluri vaccine against enteric septicemia of catfish in 20 full‐sib fingerling channel catfish families. The vaccine was delivered orally by feeding fish a diet coated with an attenuated E. ictaluri isolate. Sixty‐nine days postvaccination, control and vaccinated fish were challenged with virulent E. ictaluri and mortality was examined for 21 d postchallenge. Vaccinated fish had significantly lower mortality than nonvaccinated fish following challenge (P < 0.001). Mortality of vaccinated fish was 1.7 ± 1.4% as opposed to 47.8 ± 28.7% in nonvaccinated fish. Relative percent survival ranged from 87.7 to 100% with an average of 95.2 ± 4.0% (±SE) among the 20 families of fish. There were significant differences in mortality among families in nonvaccinated fish (P < 0.01) while there were no differences among vaccinated families of fish. Results indicate that the live attenuated E. ictaluri vaccine is effective at reducing mortality in channel catfish exposed to virulent E. ictaluri. These data demonstrate that genetic differences among healthy families of channel catfish are not major considerations in developing an effective vaccination program utilizing the oral vaccination platform described in this study.  相似文献   

用随机扩增多态DNA (RAPD)技术分析野生与笼养绿孔雀种群的遗传多样性     

柯亚永  常弘  张国萍 《林业研究》2004,15(3)

利用随机扩增多态DNA(RAPD)技术对野生14个和笼养18个绿孔雀(Pavomuticus)个体进行了种群遗传多样性分析。用23个随机引物对野生与笼养绿孔雀基因组DNA扩增,分别获得161和166个扩增片段。计算发现野生与笼养绿孔雀的种群内平均相对遗传距离分别是0.0555和0.1355,两种群间的平均相对遗传距离为0.1635;野生绿孔雀和笼养绿孔雀种群的Shannon多样性指数平均分别是0.4348和1.0163,表明有显著性差异。以上分析都显示野生绿孔雀的遗传多样性很低。利用UPGMA法聚类显示两个种群都是分别来源于两个家系,可据此进行绿孔雀的繁育管理。图1表3参5。  相似文献   

Removal of Bisphenol A and 17β-Estradiol by Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Aqueous Solution: Adsorption and Molecular Modeling     

Qammer Zaib  Iftheker A. Khan  Navid B. Saleh  Joseph R. V. Flora  Yong-Gyun Park  Yeomin Yoon 《Water, air, and soil pollution》2012,223(6):3281-3293

Single-walled carbon nanotubes, both before (SWNTs) and after treatment (t-SWNTs) with acidified ammonium persulfate, were successfully used to adsorb bisphenol A (BPA) and 17??-estradiol (E2) from aqueous systems. The surface characteristics of the SWNTs and t-SWNTs were analyzed by measuring their surface charge and by imaging their morphological properties through transmission electron microscopy. The extent of defects on the SWNT scaffold generated through acid etching was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. A total of 19.4, 15.4, and 14.3?mg/g of BPA was adsorbed on SWNTs, while a total of 8.0, 6.4, and 5.1?mg/g was adsorbed on t-SWNTs with a 72-h contact time at 280, 295, and 315?K, respectively. A significantly high fraction of E2 (27.2?mg/g) was absorbed by both SWNTs and t-SWNTs, as compared to BPA. The adsorption kinetics was analyzed using a pseudo-second-order model. Sorption experiments showed that t-SWNTs adsorbed less than half as much BPA as SWNTs, but their E2 adsorption was similar. The sorption mechanism was investigated by performing molecular-level calculations. Adsorption energies calculated using density functional theory show preferential sorption of E2 to SWNTs and graphene (?26.2?kcal/mol on SWNT and ?34.1?kcal/mol on graphene) compared to BPA (?17.1?kcal/mol on SWNT and ?22.5?kcal/mol on graphene), which were consistent with the experimental findings. Thus, ab initio calculations can mechanistically explain the adsorption differences of BPA and E2 on SWNTs.  相似文献   

Soil microbial metabolism and nutrient status in a Mediterranean area as affected by plant cover   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

F.A. Rutigliano  R. D'Ascoli 《Soil biology & biochemistry》2004,36(11):1719-1729

The Mediterranean area of Southern Italy is characterized by different natural plant covers that mainly reflect different successional stages (i.e. low maquis, high maquis, Quercus ilex wood) and managed areas with introduced plant species (such as Pinus species). Soil properties could be affected by plant cover types as well as by plant species. Our objective was to determine the relationships of plant cover types and plant species with the chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. In four neighbouring areas with different plant cover types (low maquis, pure high maquis, high maquis with pines and pinewood, with pines planted by foresters in both cases), soil samples were collected under different plant species in order to evaluate the effect of plant cover types and plant species on soil properties. Soil samples were analyzed for nutrient content, microbial biomass, soil potential respiration and enzymatic activity (phosphatase, arylsulphatase, β-glucosidase and hydrolase activities) as well as for pH, water holding capacity (WHC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Application of cluster analysis and principal component analysis to the data revealed that the plant cover type was the key factor influencing soil properties more than plant species. In fact, the largest differences were observed between pure high maquis soils and all other soils, with pure high maquis soils generally showing the highest values of WHC, CEC, nutrient content, organic and microbial C, soil respiration, phosphatase, arylsulphatase and β-glucosidase activities. The significantly lower values of these variables in the low maquis relative to the pure high maquis probably reflect the effect of ecological succession on soil. The high maquis with pine, differing from the pure high maquis only for the presence or absence of pine, showed values of soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics similar to those found in the low maquis, thus suggesting that the presence of pine retards soil development.  相似文献