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Simple Summary: Forages are an essential portion of ruminant rations to maintain rumen function. Exploring how orchardgrass and alfalfa interact in the rumen is necessary to better understand their feed use potential as both hay and silage. This study evaluated in vitro rumen degradation, fermentation characteristics, and methane production responses to different forage ratios of alfalfa and orchardgrass. The results indicate that dry matter and organic matter degradability and methane production were greater for mixed silages compared to mixed hays. A forage ratio of 50:50 for orchardgrass and alfalfa favor the growth of rumen microorganisms without compromising nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different forage ratios of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) on in vitro rumen degradation and fermentation characteristics. Orchardgrass and alfalfa were harvested separately and prepared as hay and silage mixtures at ratios of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 (w/w on a dry matter basis) and anaerobically incubated for 48 h with rumen fluid obtained from lactating dairy cows. Fermented residues and cultured fluids were used to determine nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and associative effect indices. Increasing the proportion of alfalfa in hay and silage mixtures quadratically increased in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD, up +5.14%) and marginally decreased in vitro neutral detergent fiber disappearance (NDFD, down −1.79%). Meanwhile, increasing the proportion of alfalfa accelerated the rumen fermentation process (e.g., gas production) and remarkably enhanced the growth of rumen microbes as indicated by microbial protein production (MCP, 13.4% increase). Increments of rumen degradability and methane production were more pronounced in silage mixtures than hay mixtures. In combination, a forage ratio of 50:50 for orchardgrass and alfalfa is recommended for both hay and silage in order to improve the feed use potential in ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature sensitivity (Q 10 values) of soil respiration (Rs) has been a source of much debate given the potential feedbacks between soil carbon pools and global warming. Many studies have been conducted to investigate monthly variations in Q 10 values. However, few studies have focused on the underlying causes of the variations, and it no clear how seasonal variation in soil physicochemical properties could affect Q 10 . The fairy rings (FRs) caused by basidiomycete fungi can change soil physiochemical properties. Therefore, we collected a series of soils over five months (June–October) from three zones impacted by FRs: outside (OUT), on (ON) and inside (IN) the rings to explore the relationship between soil physicochemical properties and Q 10 values. We observed significantly higher plant biomass, plant nitrogen content and soil available phosphorus (P) in the ON zone than the OUT and IN zones ( p  < 0.05). Soil total carbon, nitrogen and water content decreased significantly from the OUT zone to the IN zone. In contrast, soil pH increased significantly from the OUT zone to the IN zone. The Q 10 values increased significantly as months passed, different zones followed the order IN > OUT > ON ( p  < 0.05), and the response of Rs to the zones and progression through the months was the opposite to that of Q 10 values. Our study suggest that soil available P and water content were two dominant factors influencing temporal patterns in Q 10 , and that soil pH was closely related to Rs, which can also affect Q 10 indirectly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental erosion is characterized by progressively destroyed teeth, which has no relation to bacteria but to chemicals. Some internal factors, such as gastroesophageal reflux induced by bulimia, anorexia, gastrointestinal diseases, or drugs, and external factors, such as diet, drugs, and occupational acid exposure, are considered promotive factors for this disease. This article presents a patient suffering from severe dental erosion in the whole dentition, especially in the maxillary teeth, due to gastroesophageal reflux induced by glucocorticoid therapy for optic neuritis. This article discusses the mechanism between optic neuritis glucocorticoid therapy and dental erosion.