The immunopathology of sepsis: pathogen recognition, systemic inflammation, the compensatory anti-inflammatory response, and regulatory T cells

Sepsis, the systemic inflammatory response to infection, represents the major cause of death in critically ill veterinary patients. Whereas important advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of this syndrome have been made, much remains to be elucidated. There is general agreement on the key interaction between pathogen-associated molecular patterns and cells of the innate immune system, and the amplification of the host response generated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. More recently, the concept of immunoparalysis in sepsis has also been advanced, together with an increasing recognition of the interplay between regulatory T cells and the innate immune response. However, the heterogeneous nature of this syndrome and the difficulty of modeling it in vitro or in vivo has both frustrated the advancement of new therapies and emphasized the continuing importance of patient-based clinical research in this area of human and veterinary medicine.     

Effect on hepatonephric organs, serum metabolites and oxidative stress in post-weaning piglets fed purified zearalenone-contaminated diets with or without Calibrin-Z

The objectives of this study were to investigate the toxicity of zearalenone (ZEA) on hepatonephric organs, serum metabolites and oxidative stress of piglets and to evaluate the efficacy of Calibrin‐Z (CAZ) in preventing ZEA‐induced adverse effects. The experiment was conducted for 22 days using 36 piglets weaned at 21 days of age (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc, 18 females and 18 males; 8.84 ± 0.21 kg average body weight). Piglets of each gender were randomly allocated to the following six dietary treatments: (i) Control (basal diet only); (ii) Control + 1 g/kg CAZ; (iii) Control + 1 mg/kg ZEA; (iv) Control + 1 mg/kg ZEA + 1 g/kg CAZ; (v) Control + 1 mg/kg ZEA + 2 g/kg CAZ; (vi) Control + 1 mg/kg ZEA + 4 g/kg CAZ. Piglets were housed and fed individually for the entire experimental period. Blood samples were taken, and piglets were killed at the end of the experiment to obtain organs for physiological assessment. Results showed that piglets fed the ZEA‐contaminated diet had increased (p < 0.05) activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma‐glutamyltransferase (GGT), creatine kinase and cholinesterase, concentrations of urea, and creatinine in serum, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and liver. Pigs fed the ZEA‐only diet also showed reductions in serum (p < 0.05) globulin, triglycerides and high‐density lipoproteins (HDL), and reductions in total superoxide dismutase (TSOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity in both serum and liver. Supplementation of CAZ at the dosages of 1–4 g/kg to the diet containing 1.05 mg/kg ZEA linearly increased (p < 0.05) concentrations of triglycerides and HDL in serum, activity of TSOD and GSHPx in serum and liver, but linearly reduced (p < 0.05) all tested serum enzymes and lowered (p < 0.05) the elevated concentrations of urea, and creatinine in serum, and MDA in serum and liver caused by dietary ZEA. Piglets fed the ZEA‐contaminated diet showed increased (p < 0.05) relative weight of liver and kidney compared with the control, whereas only numerical improvement on relative weight of liver and kidney was observed with simultaneous addition of CAZ at 4 g/kg diet and ZEA. However, feeding the diet with CAZ alone at 1 g/kg had no impact on any of the measured parameters when compared to the control. It is suggested that feeding ZEA at 1.05 mg/kg exerted a deleterious effect on piglets, which was totally or partly ameliorated by dietary supplementation of CAZ at concentrations between 1 and 4 g/kg diet.     

不同饲喂水平对肉用绵羊生长性能、屠宰性能及器官指数的影响

本文旨在研究不同饲喂水平对20～35 kg杜寒杂交公羔的生长性能、屠宰性能和器官指数的影响.采用单因素完全随机区组试验设计,将21只平均体重为(19.14±2.37)kg公羔随机分为3组,按照自由采食(AL组)、自由采食量的70％(IR70组)和自由采食量的40％(IR40组)3个水平饲喂,每组7只羊,每只羊为1个重复.当AL组的试验羊体重达到35 kg时进行屠宰试验,测定生长性能、屠宰性能及重要内脏器官的重量和发育情况.试验期66 d.结果表明:不同的饲喂水平对净增重、平均日增重和干物质采食量有显著的影响(P＜0.05),生长性能和部分屠宰指标表现为相同的变化规律,即AL组＞IR70组＞IR40组,3组之间差异显著(P＜0.05);屠宰率、净肉率和胴体净肉率组间无显著性差异(P＞0.05);AL组瘤胃重占复胃总重比例最高,为67.08％,与IR70组差异不显著(P＞0.05);肝脏重占宰前活重比例以AL组最高,显著高于IR70和IR40组(P＜0.05).结果提示,饲喂水平对肉用绵羊生长性能、复胃的重量与发育、主要生理器官的发育具有不同程度的影响;本试验结果与NRC( 2007)肉羊的饲养标准有一定的差距.     

抗菌肽对蛋用仔公鸡生长性能、免疫指标及空肠组织相关细胞因子基因mRNA表达的影响

本试验旨在研究饲粮中添加不同水平天蚕素抗菌肽对海兰褐蛋用仔公鸡生长性能、免疫器官指数及空肠组织相关前炎性细胞因子基因mRNA相对表达水平的影响.选用336只1日龄健康海兰褐蛋用仔公鸡,随机分为7组,每组4个重复,每个重复12只鸡.7组试鸡分别饲喂基础饲粮(对照组),基础饲粮+150mg/kg金霉素(抗生素组),基础饲粮+150、200、250、300、350mg/kg抗菌肽(抗菌肽Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、V组),试验期为42d.结果表明:1)抗菌肽Ⅲ、Ⅳ、V组平均日采食量显著低于对照组(P＜0.05),平均日增重各组之间差异不显著(P＞0.05),抗菌肽Ⅳ、V组料重比较对照组显著降低(P＜0.05).2)抗菌肽V组胸腺指数显著高于其他各组(P＜0.05),法氏囊指数较对照组、抗菌肽Ⅰ组显著提高(P＜0.05),抗菌肽Ⅳ、V组之间脾脏指数差异不显著(P＞0.05),与其他各试验组相比,抗菌肽V组脾脏指数显著升高(P＜0.05).3)抗菌肽V组白细胞介素-6基因mRNA相对表达水平较其他各组显著降低(P＜0.05),抗菌肽Ⅲ、Ⅳ、V组干扰素-Υ基因mRNA相对表达水平较对照组显著降低(P＜0.05),抗菌肽Ⅳ、V组肿瘤坏死因子-α基因mRNA相对表达水平较对照组显著降低(P＜0.05).综上所述,饲粮抗菌肽可不同程度提高蛋用仔公鸡生长性能、免疫器官指数,并能有效降低前炎性细胞因子基因的mRNA相对表达水平,以添加350mg/kg抗菌肽效果为最好.     

犁鼻器的结构和功能

大多数陆生脊椎动物的鼻腔都有两套化学感受器,即嗅器和犁鼻器。犁鼻器(vomeronasal organ)是临近犁鼻骨的一对盲囊,被覆发达的犁鼻上皮。嗅器主要接受挥发性的小分子物质;犁鼻器主要感受非挥发性的大分子化学物质,如信息素等。犁鼻器在脊椎动物的演化过程中差异明显。鱼类、鳄鱼、鸟类及大多数的蝙蝠和海洋哺乳动物均无犁鼻器;两栖类开始出现犁鼻器;有鳞类和啮齿类的犁鼻器非常发达,且成为一个独立器官。目前,犁鼻器的功能是对陆生环境的特异适应还是对水生环境的适应,仍存在争议。犁鼻器的发生及其功能的研究对于探讨脊椎动物由水生到陆生过程中嗅觉系统的适应进化意义重大。     

Circulating biomarkers associated with pelvic organ prolapse risk in late gestation sows

Sow mortality, as the result of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), has been increasing in the last decade in the U.S. swine industry. The objective of this study was to identify potential biological markers associated with risk of POP in sows. We hypothesized that sows differing in perineal score (PS) from PS1–PS3 (PS1—a presumed low POP risk; PS2—a presumed moderate POP risk; and PS3—a presumed high POP risk) would differ in circulatory biomarkers of inflammation and hormonal profiles. On gestation week 15, 2,864 individual sows were assigned a PS, and subsequently, 1.0%, 2.7%, and 23.4% of PS1, PS2, or PS3 sows, respectively, experienced POP. During PS assignment at days 107–116 of gestation, blood samples were collected from sows on two farms of similar genetics, feed sources, and health status. Whole blood was subjected to complete blood count (CBC) analysis (n = 212) and steroid hormones were measured in serum from a subset (n = 110) of animals assigned PS3 parity matched to PS1. Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), haptoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and creatine kinase (CK) levels were also evaluated. Complete blood count analysis revealed decreased (P ≤ 0.05) mean platelet volume (3.9%), lymphocytes (6.5%), and monocytes (7.5%) in PS3 compared to PS1 sows. Increased (P ≤ 0.02) abundance of androstenedione (13.4%), androsterone (18.2%), estrone (24.8%), and 17β-estradiol (26.2%) was observed in PS3 compared to PS1 sows. Additionally, a 25.8% increase (P = 0.04) in LBP in PS3 compared to PS1 sows was observed. Many dynamic physiological changes occur in sows during late gestation as they approach farrowing. The data presented herein demonstrate that distinct differences in concentrations of circulating biomarkers exist between late gestation sows at high or low risk for POP and may serve as a useful tool for understanding the etiology of POP and evaluation of mitigation strategies.     

石榴果皮煎剂对蛋仔公鸡免疫机能的影响

在蛋仔公鸡饮水中添加石榴皮煎提剂后,石榴果皮煎剂能够显著提高免疫器官指数和单核吞噬细胞吞噬指数,并且以1％的添加水平效果最好。     

合生素对肉仔鸡免疫器官指数的影响

为探讨合生素对肉仔鸡免疫器官指数的影响,选取1日龄肉仔鸡280只进行试验,按体重随机分成7个组(每组5个重复,每个重复8只鸡)。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组饲喂在基础日粮中分别添加合生素Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ及其添加水平0.2%和0.3%,试验期42 d。结果表明,合生素的添加显著降低了(P<0.05)肉仔鸡的脾脏和法氏囊免疫器官指数,也使胸腺免疫器官指数呈下降的趋势,但肉仔鸡的生长、健康状况均处于良好的发展状态。结果提示合生素能增强肉仔鸡免疫与抗应激能力。     

花椰菜主要生物活性物质及其抗氧化能力分析

分析了花椰菜不同器官(花球、茎、叶和根)中芥子油苷等主要生物活性物质及其抗氧化能力,发现烯丙基芥子油苷是花椰菜中主要的芥子油苷,不同器官中芥子油苷的组分与含量差异显著,根系中的总芥子油苷、总脂肪类、总芳香类以及烯丙基芥子油苷和4-甲氧基-吲哚-3-甲基芥子油苷的含量均显著高于其他器官,叶片中吲哚类芥子油苷的含量最高,花球中总芥子油苷、烯丙基芥子油苷和吲哚-3-甲基芥子油苷含量次之,茎中的总芥子油苷含量最低;叶片中的叶绿素、类胡萝卜素、维生素C和多酚含量及抗氧化能力显著高于其他器官。这些结果表明花椰菜的叶片和根系中生物活性物质含量丰富,具有进一步开发和综合利用潜力。     

Fine mapping of quantitative trait loci affecting organ weights by mouse intersubspecific subcongenic strain analysis

The genetic architecture of organ weights is not well understood. In this study, we fine‐mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting organ weights by characterizing six intersubspecific subcongenic mouse strains with overlapping and non‐overlapping genomic regions on chromosome 2 derived from wild Mus musculus castaneus. QTLs for heart, lung, spleen and kidney weights were revealed on a 6.38‐Mb genomic region between two microsatellite markers, D2Mit323 and D2Mit472. Effects of the castaneus alleles at the organ weight QTLs were all opposite in direction to a body weight QTL previously mapped to the same genomic region. In addition, new QTLs for lung and kidney weights were revealed on a different 3.57‐Mb region between D2Mit205 and D2Mit182. Their effects were dependent on that of another body weight QTL previously mapped to that genomic region. The organ weight QTLs revealed were all duplicated in independent analyses with F₂ intercross populations between subcongenic strains carrying these QTLs and their background strain. The findings suggested that organ weights are not exclusively regulated by genetic loci that commonly influence overall body weight and rather that there are loci contributing to the growth of specific organs only.