Assessment of the effect of silver nanoparticles on the relevant soil protozoan genus Acanthamoeba

Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are used in a broad range of consumer products and industrial applications. During the regular product life cycle and disposal, AgNP are continuously released into the environment. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential ecotoxicological effects of AgNP exposure on amoebae. The Acanthamoeba castellanii ATCC 30234 strain and environmental isolate Acanthamoeba strain C5/2, which are both affiliated with genotype T4, were chosen as representatives of ecologically important soil protozoan organisms. The amoebae were exposed to citrate‐stabilized AgNP (30 and 70 nm in size) for 24 h and 96 h at concentrations ranging from 600 µg L⁻¹ to 20 mg L⁻¹. A newly adopted cell culture based microscopic assay was applied to assess the adherence ability of the amoeba trophozoites. The general metabolic activity of Acanthamoeba was determined to be a second independent endpoint by means of intracellular reduction of the redox dye AlamarBlue®. The fate of AgNP within the amoebae and test solutions was visualized by light‐ and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both Acanthamoeba strains showed a significant dose‐dependent decrease of adherence ability (p  < 0.04) and metabolic activity (p < 0.01) after 96 h of AgNP exposure. The environmental Acanthamoeba strain C5/2 lost both its adherence ability and metabolic activity at lower AgNP concentrations than the type strain, indicating a higher sensitivity to ionic silver. This was confirmed by the application of AgNO₃, provoking a higher effect level in strain C5/2. AgNP was visualized intracellularly by transmission electron microscopy within the cytoplasm of Acanthamoeba . This is the first report to show the ecotoxicological effects of short‐term AgNP exposure on the soil protist Acanthamoeba , causing both changes in the adherence ability and metabolic activity of this amoeba. This combined approach may be a powerful tool in the future for predicting potential harmful ecotoxicological effects of AgNP exposure using soil protozoans.     

Improvement of Time-Driven Models of Lamina Cocksfoot Digestibility by a Process-Based Model to Take Account of Plant N Nutrition and Defoliation

For management purposes, models of lamina digestibility (D_W) that are thermal time driven (T_sum) fail to account for plant nitrogen status (0 < Ni < 1) and defoliation intensity (residual sheath height: S_r). The objective of this paper was to enrich them using a functional processed-based model, which assumes that the decline in D_W over time depends on the metabolic : structural tissue ratio and plant ageing. An experiment combining two N fertilizer rates and two defoliation regimes (differences in S_r) for two spring and two summer regrowth was done to analyse D_W of laminae (youngest fully expanded) and tiller (whole green lamina) levels. For laminae, we show that both processes contribute to explain the decline in D_W at a rate that depends on Ni but not on S_r. For tillers, consistent results were found justifying the use of a simple model: D_W = f(+Ni; −Ni × T_sum; −S_r). Two different databases (from experiment and commercial farms) were used for validation: RMSD varied from 35 to 49 g kg⁻¹. The process-based model strengthened the empirical model and improved the comprehensiveness of how management practices change D_W. We used both models to create applications for reasoning yield in function of herbage mass in complement than in function of time.     

米糠日粮添加酶制剂对雏鹅代谢激素和生化指标的影响

7日龄雏鹅32只，随机分成对照组和试验组，饲以米糠（占30％）基因日粮，试验组添加0.2%的酶制剂。试验期为7－21日龄。21日龄时采取血样，测定其激素含量和生化指标。结果显示，（1）与对照相比较，酶制剂使雏鹅血液胰岛素水平升高40．82％（P＜0．01），血糖水平升高4．76％（P＞0．05），胰高血糖素水平降低31．18％（P＜0．01），胰岛素与胰高血糖素的比值升高104．18％（P＜0．01）；（2）血浆谷丙转氨酶活性较对照升高38．39％（P＜0．05），尿酸浓度下降10．60％（P＜0．05）；（3）血浆T3水平较对照升高24．42％（P＜0．05），促甲状腺激素水平下降8．85％（P＞0．05）。以上结果表明，酶制剂通过解除饲料中阿拉伯木聚糖等的抗营养作用，能影响机体代谢激素水平，改变糖和蛋白质的代谢，从而促进雏鹅的生长。     

Discovery of a new gene causing dark green cotyledons and pathway of pigment synthesis in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik)

A new gene is reported which functions as a master gene for synthesis of the pigments determining cotyledon colour in lentil. This gene is different from the two earlier reported genes which are responsible for synthesis of yellow (gene Y) and brown (gene B) pigments. Double recessive homozygous condition of these two genes results into loss of both pigments and, consequently, produces light green cotyledons. The new gene, in contrast, produces dark green cotyledons in recessive condition irrespective of the dominance or recessive state of the Y and B genes. It is hypothesized that the new gene for dark green cotyledon colour (Dg) acts at an earlier stage in the biosynthesis of the two cotyledon-specific pigments, which are derived from a common precursor, whose synthesis is blocked when Dg mutates to its recessive condition. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

辐照西洋参培养物皂苷次生代谢调控的研究

研究了不同前体、前体浓度、前体加入时期、前体作用时间、ATP浓度、烟酸浓度对西洋参芽胞愈伤组织生长及皂苷合成的影响。结果表明 :0 1 %甲羟戊酸对生长有抑制作用 ,对皂苷合成有明显的促进作用 ;1 0 0mg L亮氨酸对生长无明显影响 ,对皂苷合成有促进作用 ;444mg L的醋酸镁对培养物生长和皂苷合成都有促进作用 ;在继代开始时加入前体皂苷含量最高 ;甲羟戊酸作用 6h皂苷产量最高 ;1 60mg LATP对生长和皂苷合成均有促进作用 ;1 0mg L烟酸利于培养物生长和皂苷合成 ;用6 0 Coγ射线辐照培养物 ,剂量为 40 0 0Gy时得到皂苷含量高于原愈伤组织 1倍的细胞系。     

氰戊菊酯、辛硫磷及其混剂对棉铃虫解毒代谢酶的影响

采用点滴法，筛选出对抗性棉铃虫具有明显增效作用的氰戊菊酯、辛硫磷杀虫剂混剂。用氰戊菊酯、辛硫磷及其混剂的亚致死剂量分别对棉铃虫幼虫进行处理，以丙酮处理为对照，24h后测定其代谢酶活性。结果表明：①多功能氧化酶催化的环氧化酶活性和O-脱甲基酶活性在棉铃虫敏感(S)品系中易被诱导，尤以前者最明显，而在抗性(R)品系中在一定程度上被抑制。②药剂对非特异性酯酶产生不同程度的抑制现象，尤以辛硫磷抑制最明显，对羧酸酯酶的抑制作用强于对非特异性酯酶的抑制作用，对R品系的抑制作用强于对S品系的抑制作用。③药剂对谷胱甘肽S-转移酶活性的影响与对谷胱甘肽含量的影响趋势相一致，在S品系中均产生抑制作用，以混剂最明显，而在R品系中只有氰戊菊酯产生抑制作用，辛硫磷和混剂却表现出诱导作用。     

在循环养殖系统中不同溶氧量对虹鳟幼鱼代谢水平的影响

在循环养殖系统中设置四种溶氧水平,分别为7.05、8.82、11.84和15.80 mg/L,其中8.82 mg/L为对照组,对虹鳟幼鱼（体长13.0-18.5 cm）的代谢水平及生长率进行了研究。结果表明,饲养30 d后7.05mg/L的低溶氧使虹鳟幼鱼耗氧率和排氨率下降,11.84和15.80 mg/L溶氧下饲养的鱼耗氧率明显增加,15.80 mg/L使鱼的排氨率显著高于对照组。并且11.84和15.80 mg/L组虹鳟幼鱼在24 h内都具有高的代谢水平。随着溶氧量提高,虹鳟幼鱼的增重率、特定生长率和饲料转化率均随之升高,表现出生长指标的明显变化。     

日粮铁锌碘硒水平对蛋鸡代谢酶活力和蛋品质的影响

为评价高铁高锌高碘高硒日粮对产蛋母鸡代谢酶活力和蛋黄中铁锌碘硒水平，以每千克日粮中含Fe25mg,Zn60mg,I0.5mg,Se0.2mg(对照组），Fe360mg,Zn420mg,I35mg,Se0.85mg（试验I组），Fe720mg,Zn840mg,I70mg,Se1.5mg（试验Ⅱ组）饲喂196日龄60羽绿壳蛋鸡30d，观察蛋鸡生产性能、代谢酶活力和蛋黄中铁锌碘硒含量的变化。结果表明：与对照组比较，蛋黄铁含量试验I组和Ⅱ组分别增加60．26％和69．42％；蛋黄锌含量增加55．67％和70．21％；蛋黄碘含量增加862．50％和1200％；蛋黄硒含量增加352．54％和560．10％。试验组鸡血浆ALP活力上升，GPT、GOT及SOD活力各组间无明显差异。但高铁高锌高碘高硒日粮会引起蛋鸡生产性能下降。试验结果提示：高铁高锌高碘高硒日粮可大幅度提高蛋中铁锌碘硒含量，但并不影响鸡血浆中酶的活性，因此产蛋母鸡可作为日粮中铁锌碘硒向蛋中转运的良好载体。     

三颗针提取物对肉仔鸡生长、养分表观代谢率和消化酶活性的影响

研究了日粮中添加抗生素或不同剂量三颗针提取物对肉仔鸡生长、养分表观代谢率和部分消化酶活性的影响。选择240只1日龄艾维茵肉仔鸡,随机分为4个处理,每个处理6个重复,每重复10只鸡,公母各半。处理1饲喂基础日粮添加5mg·kg-1阿维拉霉素,处理2,3,4分别在基础日粮中添加三颗针提取物0.2%,0.35%,0.5%,进行7周的饲养试验和代谢试验。结果表明:与添加阿维拉霉素组相比,添加不同量三颗针提取物,肉仔鸡7周末体重、日增重、料重比均没有显著差异(P>0.05),添加0.35%,0.5%三颗针提取物显著降低了肉仔鸡采食量(P<0.05),极显著降低了粗蛋白质、钙和总磷表观代谢率(P<0.01),分别显著(P<0.05)、极显著(P<0.01)降低了粗脂肪表观代谢率;除添加0.2%三颗针提取物极显著提高了淀粉酶活性外(P<0.01),其他均极显著降低了淀粉酶和脂肪酶活性(P<0.01)。试验说明,与添加阿维拉霉素相比,肉仔鸡日粮中添加三颗针提取物可不降低肉仔鸡生长性能,但随添加量的增加,可降低肉仔鸡的采食量,不利于肉仔鸡养分表观消化率和消化酶活性的提高。     

制霉菌素对肉鸡的生长效果及抗饲料霉变性能的研究

１６００羽红宝肉鸡分分为４组，饲喂４种含不同制霉素预混剂饲料，活性分别为（０．７０×１０８，１．４×１０８，２．１×１０８μ·ｔ－１）．进行了为期５４ｄ（１～５４ｄ日龄）的饲养试验，对各组鸡群成活率，日增重、料重比进行测定，并观察鸡群发病情况，并对制菌素饲料防霉变效果进行试验。结果表明：与对照组相比２８日龄成活率（０．７×ｌ０８μ·ｔ－１）差异显著（Ｐ＜０．０５）；高剂量组（１．４×１０８，２．１×１０８μ·ｔ－１）差异极显著（Ｐ＜０．０１）．日增重随日粮中制每菌素的增加呈提高趋势（Ｐ＞０．０５）；料重比随制霉菌素的增加呈下降趋势（Ｐ＞０．０５）．５４日龄成活率对照组与添加制霉菌素组差异极显著（Ｐ＜０．０１）；日增重对照与添加组间差异极显著（Ｐ＜０．０１）；料重比随制霉菌素增加而下降（Ｐ＜０．０５）．制霉茵素能提高日粮中Ｇｌｕ，Ｌｙｓ和Ｖａｉ三种氢基酸的代谢率，饲料中添加１．４×１０８μ·ｔ－１以上剂量制霉菌素具有良好的抑制细菌和生长作用，并且具有良好的预防雏鸡曲霉病的效果。