Effects of 2 training methods on stress-related behaviors of the dog (Canis familiaris) and on the dog–owner relationship

Instrumental learning plays an important role in dog–human interactions. The recent demand for pet dog training has resulted in the development of various training methods. The present exploratory study aims to compare the effects of 2 training methods on both the behavioral welfare of the dog and the dog–owner relationship: the first method is based on positive reinforcement (appearance of an appetitive stimulus), whereas the second method is based on negative reinforcement (disappearance of an aversive stimulus). The study compared behaviors linked to signs of stress and attentive behaviors toward the owner in 2 dog training schools, which used different methods. Walking on-leash activity and obeying the “sit” command were studied. The results show that dogs from the school using a negative reinforcement–based method demonstrated lowered body postures and signals of stress, whereas dogs from the school using a positive reinforcement–based method showed increased attentiveness toward their owner. However, neither method affected avoidance behaviors. This exploratory study reveals the differential effects of the 2 training methods on dogs' behaviors; it suggests that training methods based on positive reinforcement are less stressful and potentially better for their welfare.     

Prey selectivity and diel feeding chronology of juvenile chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho (O. kisutch) salmon in the Columbia River plume

We studied salmon feeding selectivity and diel feeding chronology in the Columbia River plume. Juvenile chinook and coho salmon were caught by trawling at 2–3 h intervals throughout a diel period on three consecutive days (21–23 June 2000) at stations located 14.8 and 37 km offshore from the mouth of the Columbia River. A total of 170 chinook salmon were caught at the inshore and 79 chinook and 98 coho salmon were caught at the offshore station. After each trawl, potential prey were sampled at different depths with 2–3 different types of nets (1‐m diameter ring net, bongo net, neuston net). Despite the variability in zooplankton abundance, feeding selectivity was surprisingly constant. Both salmon species fed selectively on larger and pigmented prey such as hyperiid amphipods, larval and juvenile fish, various crab megalopae, and euphausiids. Hyperiid amphipods were abundant in the salmon diets and we hypothesize that aggregations of gelatinous zooplankton may facilitate the capture of commensal hyperiid amphipods. Small copepods and calyptopis and furcilia stages of euphausiids dominated the prey field by numbers, but were virtually absent from salmon diet. Juvenile chinook salmon, with increasing body size, consumed a larger proportion of fish. Stomach fullness peaked during morning hours and reached a minimum at night, suggesting a predominantly diurnal feeding pattern. In general, both chinook and coho salmon appear to be selective, diurnal predators, preying mostly on large and heavily pigmented prey items, in a manner consistent with visually oriented, size‐selective predation.     

Decadal variation in the trans-Pacific migration of northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) coherent with climate-induced change in prey abundance

Northern bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, apparently spawn only in the western Pacific and a portion of the juveniles migrate to the eastern Pacific. During the past decade, catches of northern bluefin in the eastern Pacific have declined. One possible cause for this decline, proposed by bluefin stock assessment studies, is a decline in the proportion of bluefin that migrate out of the western Pacific. This hypothesis is examined with several indices of the relative abundance of bluefin tuna in the western and eastern Pacific. These indices suggest a decline in the proportion of bluefin migrating to the eastern Pacific since 1977. This period of reduced bluefin migration coincides with a period when a prey of bluefin, Japanese sardine, Sardinops melanosticta, were abundant off Japan. It is hypothesized that in years when sardines are abundant off Japan, a higher proportion of bluefin stay in the western Pacific compared with years when sardines are scarce. Currently, the adun-dance of sardines off Japan is declining. If this decline continues, this hypothesis predicts an increase in bluefin migrating north of Hawaii and into the eastern Pacific.     

Changing of fat content and fatty acid profile of reared pike (Esox lucius) fed two different diets

Fat content and fatty acid profile of two pike yearling groups grown on two different diets were compared. The groups originated from culture on artificial feed. One group (cultured pike fed first pellet then prey‐fish (PF)) was fed with natural food, live prey‐fish, while the other one (cultured pike fed exclusively pellet (PP)) by trout feed through a 3‐month experimental period. Growth of pike was lower with PP than with PF. The trout feed resulted in an increase of the fat content of fillet and the formation of abdominal fat depots. Feeding of natural food decreased the fat content. The proportion of the saturated fatty acids in fillet was higher in the (PF) group. The n‐6 fatty acids (arachidonic C20:4n‐6 and docosatetraenic C22:4n‐6 acids) were lowest in PP‐fed pike. Regarding total n‐3 fatty acids ratio there was no significant difference between the groups, but the level of α‐linolenic (C:18:3n‐3) acid showed significant difference among groups.     

牙鲆"鲆优2号"不同养殖地点生长和存活性状的基因型与环境互作分析

为比较牙鲆"鲆优2号"在不同养殖地区的生长和存活性能,实验利用连续多代对生长性状和抗迟缓爱德华氏菌病性状遗传参数评估和基因组选择的结果筛选出的亲本,建立28个"鲆优2号"家系,在河北(Site 1)和山东(Site 2)进行对比养殖试验,利用混合线性动物模型对生长和存活性状进行了基因型与环境互作分析。Site 1和Site 2的平均日增重分别为1.5和1.2 g/d,养殖成活率分别为81.4%和82.2%,"鲆优2号"在两个养殖地点的生长和抗病性能均表现优异。不同养殖环境间收获体质量和存活性状的遗传相关分别为0.57(<0.7)和0.82(>0.7),说明不同养殖环境间收获体质量存在显著的基因型与环境互作效应,但是不同养殖环境间存活性状的基因型与环境互作效应不显著。研究表明,牙鲆"鲆优2号"新品种在不同养殖地点的生长和存活性能均表现良好,为保证良好的推广效果,需要对牙鲆的制种方案进一步优化,针对不同的养殖地区进行"鲆优2号"苗种生产,或培育具有普适性的"鲆优2号"苗种,保证在不同养殖环境下的快速生长和高存活率优势。     

稻瘟病菌MoYpt5蛋白互作网络预测

稻瘟病菌(Magnaporthe oryzae)共有11个假定的Rab蛋白家族成员,本文选取了MoYpt51(MGG_06241)和MoYpt52(MGG_01185)进行了生物信息学分析。通过搜索多个大型蛋白互作数据库和文献,共得到数百个与核心蛋白互作的蛋白和互作对。利用信息处理技术和高效制图平台将这些蛋白互作对构建成互作网络,得到若干个具有生物学意义的模块。结果表明,筛选得到的互作蛋白中,有的参与了蛋白降解的泛素途径(MGG_04053等)、囊泡介导的蛋白胞内运输(MGG_01238等),有的在蛋白、染色体的组装和修饰等过程(MGG_03677等)起重要作用。大部分假定互作蛋白定位于细胞质和质膜上,为其与目标蛋白互作提供了空间可能性。     

Effects of N and K fertilizers on durum wheat quality in different environments

Eight genotypes from two different genetic pools (high yielding varieties and landraces) were assessed for grain yield (GY) and for five quality traits: protein content (P), thousand kernel weight (TKW), yellow berry (YB), gluten content (G_c) and gluten index (G_i) in sub-humid and semi-arid areas using four combinations of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers during two cropping seasons. Genotype × Environment × Fertilizers (G × E × F) was significant only for protein content (p < 0.05); and E × F was found significant (p < 0.05) for all parameters. Greater quality related traits expression was noted in the semi-arid areas for both genetic pools. Excessive rainfall in semi-arid areas resulted in gluten elasticity reduction. N-fertilizers seemed to enhance protein content and to reduce thousand kernel weight. K-fertilizer, might enhance the increase in both proteins and thousand kernel weight in favorable growing conditions of water availability. Semolina yielding ability was higher in landraces as compared to high yielding varieties particularly using recommended fertilizer management. This group of cultivars showed superiority over high yielding cultivars for quantitative quality parameters.     

Bis(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl) Ether,a Marine Algae Derived Bromophenol,Inhibits the Growth of Botrytis cinerea and Interacts with DNA Molecules

Bis(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl) ether (BDDE) is a bromophenol isolated from marine algae. Previous reports have shown that BDDE possesses cytotoxic and antibacterial activity. In the present study, we demonstrate that BDDE displays broad-spectrum antifungal activities, especially on Botrytis cinerea. BDDE inhibits the growth of B. cinerea cultured on a solid medium of potato dextrose agar (PDA) as well as on the potato dextrose broth (PDB) medium. Moreover, BDDE decreases the incidence of fruit decay and severity of strawberries infected with B. cinerea. Further studies have revealed that BDDE decreases the germination rate and inhibits the mycelial growth of B. cinerea. The inhibition mechanisms are related to the disruption of the cell membrane integrity in B. cinerea spores and newly formed germ tubes. This study also suggests that BDDE possibly interacts with DNA via intercalation and minor groove binding. The studies provide evidence that BDDE has potential application in the control of gray mold after fruit harvest and the compound could serve as a candidate or lead template for rational drug design and for the development of antifungal agents.     

水土流失防治措施对马尾松林土壤微生物群落分子生态网络的影响

水土流失防治措施可以提高侵蚀退化林地的土壤质量。为了探究典型水土流失防治措施对土壤微生物分子生态网络的影响,在南方红壤区马尾松林下建立了水土流失防治措施小区,设置3种不同处理,分别为挖设鱼鳞坑加种植草本,挖设鱼鳞坑加种植草本与灌木,以及对坡面土壤不设置任何措施的对照。利用16S rRNA和18S rRNA基因 Illumina MiSeq 高通量测序技术,测定3种处理下的土壤微生物群落组成,基于随机矩阵的方法构建微生物网络。结果表明,措施实施后,绿弯菌门相对丰度显著降低,变形菌门与酸杆菌门的相对丰度显著升高（P < 0.05）。2种措施处理下微生物网络总节点数、总连接数、平均连通度以及模块性均较高,微生物网络的规模增大,微生物间互相作用更复杂。3个微生物网络均以负互相作用（60.59%～67.49%）为主,措施实施后物种间竞争作用进一步加强。绿弯菌门、放线菌门和变形菌门中的部分菌群在本研究区的微生物网络中起着重要的连接作用,此外,3个微生物网络的部分关键节点所属的菌群相对丰度较低（< 1%）,对于构建微生物网络也具有关键作用。2种措施处理下微生物网络平均路径距离较长,微生物作用的响应速度慢,群落结构稳定性提高,其中挖设鱼鳞坑并种植草本与灌木的措施较挖设鱼鳞坑并只种植草本的措施效果更优。冗余分析表明,土壤容重（R2 = 0.465,P < 0.05）、pH（R2 = 0.377,P < 0.05）、有机质（R2 = 0.383,P < 0.05）、全氮（R2 = 0.545,P < 0.01）、对细菌群落结构有显著影响,土壤含水量（R2 = 0.485,P < 0.05）对真菌群落结构有显著影响。上述研究结果表明,水土流失防治措施实施后土壤微生物群落结构发生明显变化,网络规模增大、物种间互作强度以及微生物群落结构的稳定性提高。     

二苯-α-吡喃酮类链格孢霉毒素和人血清白蛋白的相互作用及机理探究

为探究链格孢酚单甲醚(AME)和链格孢酚(AOH)这两种二苯-α-吡喃酮类链格孢霉毒素与人血清白蛋白(HSA)之间的分子相互作用及机理,本研究模拟血液生理pH值,采用稳态荧光光谱、同步荧光光谱、3D荧光光谱以及圆二色光谱等方法研究两者之间的相互作用。结果表明,AME和AOH与HSA相互作用均发生了静态猝灭,具有较高亲和力,以氢键和范德华力(ΔH<0,ΔS<0)结合形成1:1复合物,互作过程中这两种类毒素破坏了人血清白蛋白中稳定二级结构的氢键网络,使蛋白二级结构展开,且AME和AOH使人血清白蛋白中的α-螺旋结构含量从48.93%分别减少至39.41%和44.01%,并使色氨酸残基极性降低、疏水性增加,但酪氨酸残基极性变化不大,即结合位点可能位于色氨酸残基所在的空腔(即结合位点I);AME对HSA的猝灭程度、猝灭常数(K_sv)及结合常数(K_a)均大于AOH,结合距离也更小(r_AME=2.56 nmAOH=2.60 nm)。本研究结果为进一步探究二苯-α-吡喃酮类链格孢霉毒素的毒代动力学和药代动力学,完善丰富其毒理学相关资料,以及进行风险评估和在食品中限量标准的制定提供了参考依据。