Rapid, sensitive procedure to determine buspirone levels in rat brains using gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection

Reported here is a rapid, sensitive and relatively inexpensive procedure using gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection (GC-NPD) to quantify buspirone levels in brains of rats. The analyte was directly extracted from brain homogenate with toluene after basification and then subjected to GC-NPD analysis using a capillary column. The calibration curves were linear over the range of 10 to 320 ng per 2 ml of brain homogenate, with typical r2 values >0.99. The assay was highly reproducible and gave peaks with excellent chromatographic properties.     

Effects of polymer solvents on the performance of cellulose acetate membranes in methanol/methyl tertiary butyl ether separation

The performances of cellulose acetate membranes prepared with casting solutions, with acetone, dimethylformamide (DMF), and N‐methylpyrrolidone (NMP) as solvents, were studied in a series of methanol/methyl tertiary butyl ether separation experiments. The flux and selectivity of the membrane samples were affected by the type of solvent used to prepare the casting solution. The sample with DMF consistently gave the highest selectivity and lowest flux, followed by the samples with NMP and acetone. The differences in the performances were attributed to the effects of the volatility and evaporation rates of the solvents. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy techniques were used for comparing the morphologies of the membranes. In addition, we used Raman spectroscopy as a novel technique to study the sorption selectivities of the membrane samples prepared with the three different solvents. In a parallel study, the relation between the polymer concentration in the casting solution and the morphology and performance of the membrane samples was studied. Under similar preparation conditions, the morphology of the membrane changed from being porous to being dense when the membrane was prepared with casting solutions with increasing polymer concentration. Also, the selectivity increased and the permeability decreased with increasing polymer concentration in the casting solution. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 2882–2895, 2001     

Very high applications of nitrogen fertilizer on grassland and residual effects in the following season

At very high nitrogen applications (480 and more kg N ha^–1 yr^–1) in field trials on all-grass swards the amount of N applied exceeded the amount of N harvested. In the humid temperate climate of the Netherlands in the subsequent spring approximately 25, 40, and 50% of this excess nitrogen was recovered as accumulated mineral nitrogen in the 0–100 cm layer of sandy, clay and heavy clay soil, respectively. The effect of this excess nitrogen on growth during the subsequent season was measured through the increase in DM and N yield over a reference treatment. In this season all treatments received a uniform application (40 kg N ha^–1 cut^–1). Residual effects were absent on sandy soil but distinct on the clay soils. On the clay soils each accumulated kg soil mineral nitrogen produced 15 kg DM. Assuming a relatively small contribution of residual nitrogen carried over in stubble, roots and organic matter, the accumulated soil mineral nitrogen would seem to be as effective as applied fertilizer nitrogen.     

Prospects for sustainability of pig production in relation to climate change and novel feed resources

Pig production systems provide multiple benefits to humans. However, the global increase in meat consumption has profound consequences for our earth. This perspective describes two alternative scenarios for improving the sustainability of future pig production systems. The first scenario is a high input–high output system based on sustainable intensification, maximizing animal protein production efficiency on a limited land surface at the same time as minimizing environmental impacts. The second scenario is a reduced input–reduced output system based on selecting animals that are more robust to climate change and are better adapted to transform low quality feed (local feeds, feedstuff co-products, food waste) into meat. However, in contrast to the first scenario, the latter scenario results in reduced predicted yields, reduced production efficiency and possibly increased costs to the consumer. National evaluation of the availability of local feed and feedstuff co-product alternatives, determination of limits to feed sourced from international markets, available land for crop and livestock production, desired production levels, and a willingness to politically enforce policies through subsidies and/or penalties are some of the considerations to combine these two scenarios. Given future novel sustainable alternatives to livestock animal protein, it may become reasonable to move towards an added general premium price on ‘protein from livestock animals’ to the benefit of promoting higher incomes to farmers at the same time as covering the extra costs of, politically enforced, welfare of livestock animals in sustainable production systems. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Meat production using four terminal pig lines

The influence of terminal sire (Duroc (D1 and D2), Large White/Pietrain (LW/P) and Large White (LW)) on several meat production and meat quality traits was investigated in 452 male and female offspring of Landrace/Large White dams. Age at slaughter, carcass length, carcass weight and dressing yield were similar for all lines, as was the production of shoulders, chops, and ribs with bacon. D2‐sired pigs produced more noble pieces as a percentage of their carcass weight than the other three lines. LW/P‐ and LW‐sired pigs were generally leaner than Duroc‐sired pigs. LW/P and LW pigs had the highest percentage of cuts (longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscle) classified as pale, soft and exudative (PSE) meat. There were no large differences between the lines in the occurrence of dark, firm and dry (DFD) cuts. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Use of large granular urea (LGU) to improve efficiency of broadcast urea in wetland rice cultivation

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine whether the efficiency of broadcast urea in wetland rice cultivation can be improved by using large granules which penetrate the puddled soil. In laboratory experiments the penetration increased with increasing granule size. Penetration was improved by having only a waterfilm on the soil and by the granules entering the soil with speed.In pot experiments with rice, N concentrations in the floodwater were lower with large granular urea (LGU, 6 to 8 mm diameter) dropped from a height of 2 m or shot with force into the puddled soil than with either prilled urea (PU) or LGU placed on top of the soil (+0cm). N concentrations in the floodwater were reduced even further by placement of LGU at 1 and 4 cm depths (–1 and –4cm, respectively). At all rates of N, the N uptake by grain plus straw increased with decreasing N concentrations in the floodwater. The apparent recovery of N in grain plus straw increased in an experiment on sandy soil from 61 to 85% in the order PU +0cm, LGU +0cm, LGU dropped, LGU –1cm, LGU shot and LGU –4cm. In an experiment on clay soil apparent recovery increased from 47 to 90% in the order PU +0cm, LGU +0cm, LGU dropped, LGU –0cm, LGU shot, LGU –1cm and LGU –4cm. LGU placed at –1 and –4cm resulted in significantly greater N uptake by grain plus straw than the other treatments.The experiments showed that the efficiency of broadcast urea is improved by using large urea granules, at least when conditions are favourable for penetration into the puddled soil.