Experimental transmission of abnormal prion protein (PrPsc) in the small intestinal epithelial cells of neonatal mice

Using an immunohistochemical method, we attempted to detect the transmission of abnormal prion protein (PrPsc) to the enterocytes of the small intestine of neonatal mice by oral exposure with sheep brain affected by scrapie. Five 1-day-old neonatal mice were exposed by oral inoculation to the homogenized brain of a scrapie-affected sheep. In the small intestine of all mice 1 hour after inoculation, immunoreactivity with antinormal prion protein (PrPc) antibody was seen in the cytoplasm of villus enterocytes. This finding suggests transmission of abnormal PrPsc into the cytoplasm of enterocytes. In control mice treated with normal sheep brain, no PrPc signal was seen in enterocytes of the small intestine. Immunopositivity for neurofilament protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein was seen in the cytoplasm of enterocytes of mice inoculated with scrapie and normal sheep brain. This suggests that the enterocytes of neonatal mice can absorb PrPsc and other macromolecular proteins of the sheep brain affected by scrapie and may be more important than previously thought as a pathway for PrPsc transmission in neonatal animals.     

Plasma disposition and renal clearance of sulphadimidine and its metabolites in laying hens

Plasma disposition of sulphadimidine (SDM) and its metabolites was studied in laying hens after 100 mg SDM kg-1 doses were administered as a single intravenous dose, a single oral dose and multiple oral doses once daily for five consecutive days. SDM was extensively metabolised by acetylation and hydroxylation. In plasma, the metabolite observed with the highest concentration was N4-acetylsulphadimidine (N4-SDM) followed by hydroxymethylsulphadimidine (CH2OH) and 5-hydroxysulphadimidine. Following intravenous administration a biphasic elimination (as seen for a capacity limited reaction) pattern for SDM and its metabolites was observed. Multiple (5x) SDM dosing revealed plasma SDM concentrations ranging between 7 and 108 micrograms ml-1; within 96 hours of termination of the multiple SDM dosing, the plasma SDM concentration was below 0.01 micrograms ml-1. The renal clearances of N4-SDM and the hydroxy metabolites were approximately 10 times greater than that of SDM. The SDM mass balance (faecal/urinary recovery) showed a loss of 56 per cent after intravenous dosage and of 67 per cent after a single oral dosage; the hydroxy metabolites accounted for the highest percentage in faeces/urine. Thus additional metabolic pathways must exist in laying hens.     

北京市设施蔬菜施肥状况及减施潜力分析

通过对北京市352 个设施蔬菜地块的施肥状况进行实地调研，查明设施蔬菜施肥现状及存在问题，估算肥料减施潜力。结果表明，北京市设施蔬菜养分投入量普遍超过推荐施肥量（养分超标率＞72%）。不同设施类型施肥量差异较大，其中日光温室每季蔬菜平均氮磷钾（N、P₂O₅ 和K₂O）投入总量分别为858 、409、572 kg · hm^-2，明显高于塑料大棚每季蔬菜平均氮磷钾投入总量593、317、438 kg · hm^-2。设施蔬菜养分主要来源于有机肥基施，对日光温室和塑料大棚养分投入总量的贡献分别为66% 和52%。不同蔬菜种类肥料减施潜力巨大，其中甘蓝、黄瓜和茄子总养分相对减施潜力分别为61%～62%、43%～48% 和18%～47%。日光温室和塑料大棚氮磷钾养分投入比例（N∶P₂O₅∶K₂O）分别为1∶0.47∶0.66和1∶0.53∶0.73，表明钾肥比例相对不足。建议加快设施蔬菜水肥一体化技术的推广应用，加强设施蔬菜施肥技术指导，尤其要降低日光温室的氮、磷肥投入量，避免过量施肥带来的资源浪费和环境污染。     

Evaluation in vitro of the antagonistic substances produced by Lactobacillus spp. isolated from chickens

To determine the inhibitory capacity of lactic acid bacteria due to the action of antagonistic substances, we tested 474 isolates of Lactobacillus from the crop and cecum of chickens against gram-positive and gram-negative indicator microorganisms by the spot-on-the-lawn and well-diffusion antagonism methods. Of the 474 isolates, 265 demonstrated antimicrobial activity against the indicator microorganisms. Isolates identified as L. reuteri, L. salivarius, or Lactobacillus spp. inhibited Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. but not L. casei, L. delbrueckii, L. fermentum, or L. helveticus by the well-diffusion simultaneous antagonism method under anaerobic incubation conditions. The antagonistic substances produced by some of the Lactobacillus isolates were inactivated after treatment by proteolytic enzymes, which suggested that the substances could be antimicrobial peptides or bacteriocins.     

中西结合治疗犬细小病毒肠炎1例

犬细小病毒肠炎是犬的一种严重的传染病,主要临床特征是出血性肠炎和心肌炎,世界上所有养犬国家都有此病发生,发病率和死亡率高达40%～100%。一、病犬基本情况德国牧羊犬,2003年9月11日出生,体质中等。2006年2月15日,在散放时发现该犬精神萎靡,喜卧,剧烈呕吐白色粘稠状液体并拉     

Characterization of Waxy Rice Cakes (Mochi) with Rapid Hardening Quality by Instrumental and Sensory Methods

The textural properties of cooked waxy rice cakes made from four waxy rice varieties including the unique varieties Kantomochi 172 (K172) and BC3 with the property of rapid hardening were analyzed by instrumental and sensory methods. For the instrumental analysis, a compression test, adhesiveness test, and tensile test were conducted. The waxy rice cakes made from K172 and BC3 showed significantly higher compressive force and resistance to break under tensile load. Significant difference in amylopectin chain‐length distribution was observed between each variety, and this difference strongly reflected the hardness of waxy rice cakes. The peak area ratio of amylopectin branch chains with 6–12 degrees of polymerization negatively correlated with the compressive force required for 50 and 80% strain. Sensory evaluation showed that the waxy rice cakes made from these varieties had a significantly harder, less stretchable, less smooth surface, whereas the scores for adhesiveness and ease to cut off (hagire) were preferable to those for other rice varieties.