Effect of supplementation of organic manganese on reproductive performance of female Ussuri raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) during the breeding season.

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary manganese (Mn) on reproductive performance of female Ussuri raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) during the breeding season. Healthy female Ussuri raccoon dogs (n=72) were randomly divided into six groups of twelve each. The six experimental diets were formulated to contain graded amounts of Mn (0, 40, 80, 120, 200 and 400mg/kg of diet; Groups A through F, respectively). Litter size of Group D was greater than that of Groups A, B, C and E (P<0.05), with Group E having the smallest litter size. Values of number born alive were affected by different amounts of organic Mn. Number of pups born alive in Group D was greater than that of Groups B, C, E and F (P<0.05). Number of pups weaned alive for Group D was greater than that of Groups A, B, C and E (P<0.05). Mn supplementation of the control diet (containing 24.32 mg/kg from raw materials) with 120 mg/kg of Mn was adequate for female Ussuri raccoon dogs during the breeding season, based on positive effects of reproduction performance.

Effects of different dietary manganese levels on growth performance and N balance of growing mink (Neovision vision).

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of dietary manganese levels on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, and N balance of minks during growing period. In experiment 1, 75 healthy male minks (60 days old) were selected and randomly divided into five groups with different types of diet. The diet was supplemented with 0 (control), 50, 100, 300, and 600 ppm of manganese as MnSO4 of dry matter (DM) in basic diet, respectively. From early July to middle September, the results showed that the final body weights of minks were significantly affected by diets (P < 0.05). Average daily gains (ADG) were significantly higher in the 300-ppm manganese group than those in other groups. The ratio of feed to body weight gain (F/G) was significantly affected by manganese level (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, 45 male minks (75 days old) with the same body weight were selected from each group of experiment 1 to carry out the nutrient digestion and N-balance tests which lasted for 4 days for the collection of the feces and urine, and the diets and treatment codes were same as in experiment 1. The results showed that no significant differences were found in DM, crude protein (CP), and crude carbohydrate (CC) digestibility among all groups (P > 0.05), but ether extract (EE) and gross energy (GE) digestibility were all the highest in the 300-ppm group. N intake and fecal N were similar among all groups (P > 0.05). Urinary N was lower in the 300-ppm group; in contrast, N retention was higher in this group (P < 0.05). In conclusion of experiment 1 and experiment 2, the diet supplemented with 300 ppm of manganese (as manganese sulfate) could improve the growth performance and increase the EE and GE digestibility of mink during the growing period and moreover reduce the nitrogen emissions to the environment, and the optimal total manganese level in mink's diet was 409.16 in DM during the growing period.

Enhanced removal of chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen and phosphorus using the ameliorative anoxic/anaerobic/oxic process and micro-electrolysis.

Synthetic wastewater was treated using a novel system integrating the reversed anoxic/anaerobic/oxic (RAAO) process, a micro-electrolysis (ME) bed and complex biological media. The system showed superior chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal rates. Performance of the system was optimised by considering the influences of three major controlling factors, namely, hydraulic retention time (HRT), organic loading rate (OLR) and mixed liquor recirculation (MLR). TP removal efficiencies were 69, 87, 87 and 83% under the HRTs of 4, 8, 12 and 16 h. In contrast, HRT had negligible effects on the COD and TN removal efficiencies. COD, TN and TP removal efficiencies from synthetic wastewater were 95, 63 and 87%, respectively, at an OLR of 1.9 g/(L·d). The concentrations of COD, TN and TP in the effluent were less than 50, 15 and 1 mg/L, respectively, at the controlled MLR range of 75-100%. In this system, organics, TN and TP were primarily removed from anoxic tank regardless of the operational conditions.

[Effects of selenium and DTPA on cadmium excretion in rats].

Fifty-six male wistar rats were selected to study the effects of selenium and DTPA on cadmium excretion. Cadmium levels in urine, feces and tissues of the rats were determined with graphite stove method, and their kidneys were examined pathohistologically. Results showed selenium had stronger effects on cadmium excretion via feces in rats than DTPA did, and combination of both of them showed synergistic effects on it. Also, selenium could accelerate the recovery from kidney injury caused by cadmium, and combination of both of them showed synergism on it.

Comments on nomenclature in traditional Chinese medicine.

The present article suggests that the nomenclature used in traditional Chinese medicine is currently unclear resulting in improper usage of terms and subsequent confusion. This paper is an attempt to clarify this nomenclature confusion. Traditional medicine of China should be called "traditional Chinese medicine" (T.C.M.) rather than the frequently used "Chinese medicine". The latter term fails to express the "tradition" associated with T.C.M., and also it does not distinguish between T.C.M. and modern Chinese medicine. "Oriental medicine", another frequently used term for T.C.M., has the same kind of shortcomings. The true colors of T.C.M. should be restored. The author also notes that "herb", "herbology" or "herbal medicine" is not synonymous with traditional Chinese materia medica. Herbal medicine is a type of folk medicine whereas traditional Chinese materia medica is a formal branch of traditional Chinese medicine. Furthermore, the author suggests that "acupunctology" be used when referring to the science of acupuncture whereas "acupuncture" should be used with reference to a method or perhaps the therapy of needling.