Protective effect of butylated hydroxylanisole against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic phenolic compound consisting of a mixture of two isomeric organic compounds: 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. We examined the effect of BHA against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes. Cell viability was significantly decreased by H₂O₂ in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, H₂O₂ treatment increased Bax, decreased Bcl-2, and promoted PARP-1 cleavage in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with BHA before exposure to H₂O₂ significantly attenuated the H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability. H₂O₂ exposure resulted in an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation that was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with BHA or N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC, an ROS scavenger). H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability was also attenuated by pretreatment with BHA and NAC. Furthermore, H₂O₂-induced increase of Bax, decrease of Bcl-2, and PARP-1 cleavage was also inhibited by BHA. Taken together, results of this investigation demonstrated that BHA protects primary cultured mouse hepatocytes against H₂O₂-induced apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation.     

Immunization of BALB/c mice with Brucella abortus 2308ΔwbkA confers protection against wild-type infection

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that causes animal and human diseases. Vaccination is a major measure for prevention of brucellosis, but it is currently not possible to distinguish vaccinated animals from those that have been naturally infected. Therefore, in this study, we constructed the Brucella (B.) abortus 2380 wbkA mutant (2308ΔwbkA) and evaluated its virulence. The survival of 2308ΔwbkA was attenuated in murine macrophage (RAW 264.7) and BALB/c mice, and it induced high protective immunity in mice. The wbkA mutant elicited an anti-Brucella-specific immunoglobulin G response and induced the secretion of gamma interferon. Antibodies to 2308ΔwbkA could be detected in sera from mice, implying the potential for use of this protein as a diagnostic antigen. The WbkA antigen would allow serological differentiation between infected and vaccinated animals. These results suggest that 2308ΔwbkA is a potential attenuated vaccine against 16M. This vaccine will be further evaluated in sheep.     

高温降解无害化处理技术应用效果分析

国家对病害动物及动物产品无害化处理工作的要求不断提高,安全有效的无害化处理技术的应用能够有效降低疫病传播风险,有力保障动物产品安全,维护群众身体健康。本文通过对实际应用情况的分析,介绍了高温降解无害化处理技术的应用效果,以期为病害动物及动物产品无害化处理工作提供参考。     

天津市关于在畜禽屠宰行业建立监管长效机制的建议

为顺利完成天津市生猪定点屠宰监督管理职能划转,做好职能划转后的屠宰行业管理,对全市畜禽屠宰行业现状进行了调研,发现屠宰企业规模小、产能过剩、质量安全隐患大、屠宰不规范、代宰制普遍存在等问题,提出了建立屠宰行业监管长效机制的对策、建议,为政府、职能部门和监管机构提供决策参考。     

发达国家牛结核病根除计划的法律要点分析

完善有效的法规体系,是美、欧、澳根除牛结核病等动物疫病的基础保障。其要点主要包括：健全法律制度,强化财政支持,减少利益方抵触行为;规范检测方法,对屠宰牛进行全部检疫;对阳性牛实施严格追溯制度,并分类实施标识制度;建立病牛扑杀的基本标准,选择性采取扑杀措施;推行区域化管理制度,建立差异性市场准入标准;实施野生动物隔离及监测制度,防止野生动物向家养动物传播疫情;强化利益方的宣传教育,营建群防群控氛围。这些策略和措施,对我国健全结核病防治策略具有一定借鉴意义。     

北京市马属动物赛事监管制度的建立

通过对近年来重大马术活动的监管,结合《北京市动物防疫条例》的实施,北京市逐步形成马属动物展览演出比赛的“赛事报告、报检报验、档案记录、防疫条件审查、隔离观察、赛中监管、应急预备和宣传告知”八大监管制度,确保了北京市马属动物无疫安全。     

鸭坦布苏病毒E基因的分子特性分析

为给鸭坦布苏病毒（duck tembusu virus,DTMUV）囊膜糖蛋白选择良好的抗原域和宿主表达系统提供参考依据,本研究通过选取DTMUV QD株基因文库中的一个重组质粒并测序,结合NCBI的ORF Finder和BLAST工具发现一个全长为1488 bp完整开放阅读框架（Open Reading Frame,ORF）片段。将该ORF编码蛋白通过NCBI的BLASTP分析和DNAstar进化树分析,确定该蛋白与类黄病毒E基因编码的蛋白具有较高的相似性。随后应用生物信息学分析工具Conserved Domains确定保守结构域、运用SignalP4.1预测信号肽、TMHMM 2.0预测跨膜区。应用在线程序NetNGlyc1.0预测糖基化位点,NetPhos2.0预测磷酸化位点、ProtScale进行疏水性分析。最后运用在线EMBOSS和自动蛋白同源建模数据库进行3D结构预测以及密码子偏爱性分析。结果表明,E蛋白与其它黄病毒衣壳蛋白具有相似的功能,没有信号肽切割位点,在451-468和475-492aa区域含有跨膜区,为相对低表达基因,含有较多种类的稀有密码子,与人密码子使用频率较为接近。这为进一步研究DTMUV E基因的体外表达和宿主选择提供了分子生物学依据。     

Effects of melatonin implantation on cashmere yield,fibre characteristics,duration of cashmere growth as well as growth and reproductive performance of Inner Mongolian cashmere goats

Background

Exogenous melatonin could induce cashmere growth. However, induced growth of cashmere fleece by melatonin implants cannot be combined with the typical growth, resulting in earlier shedding followed by another cycle of cashmere growth. To address this issue, we examine the effects on the cashmere yield, fibre characteristics, and the growth and reproductive performance of cashmere goats of planned administration of melatonin.

Methods

Eighteen half-sib, female goats were assigned to two treatments (n = 9) including a control and a treatment where melatonin (2 mg/kg BW) was implanted at the end of April and end of June. Cashmere growth and shedding were observed for approximately 1 year following implantation. Fibre samples were collected monthly to determine cumulative cashmere length. Initiation and cessation dates for cashmere growth as well as the rate of cashmere growth were calculated. Cashmere yield, weight gain of dam, kidding date, litter size, and birth weight were also recorded.

Results

Melatonin implantation increased cashmere yield by 34.5 % (control 553.7 g vs. melatonin 745.0 g; P < 0.01), cashmere length by 21.3 % (control 95.2 mm vs. melatonin 115.4 mm; P < 0.01), and decreased fibre diameter by 4.4 % (control 14.6 μm vs. melatonin 14.0 μm; P < 0.03). In melatonin-treated goats, the average initiation date was earlier than in control goats (May 18, 2013 vs. July 2, 2013; P < 0.01) but there was a similar cessation date (March 22, 2014 vs. March 27, 2014). Consequently, the duration of cashmere growth was longer in melatonin-treated goats than in control goats (307 vs.270 days; P < 0.01). The final BW, average daily gain, kidding date, litter size, and birth weight were not influenced by melatonin implantation.

Conclusions

These data indicate that melatonin implantation (2 mg/kg BW) on two occasions (late April and June) increased cashmere yield by combining the induced growth of cashmere fleece with the typical growth and decreased the fibre diameter without changing dam growth rate or reproductive performance.     

Impact of relationships between test and training animals and among training animals on reliability of genomic prediction

One of the factors affecting the reliability of genomic prediction is the relationship among the animals of interest. This study investigated the reliability of genomic prediction in various scenarios with regard to the relationship between test and training animals, and among animals within the training data set. Different training data sets were generated from EuroGenomics data and a group of Nordic Holstein bulls (born in 2005 and afterwards) as a common test data set. Genomic breeding values were predicted using a genomic best linear unbiased prediction model and a Bayesian mixture model. The results showed that a closer relationship between test and training animals led to a higher reliability of genomic predictions for the test animals, while a closer relationship among training animals resulted in a lower reliability. In addition, the Bayesian mixture model in general led to a slightly higher reliability of genomic prediction, especially for the scenario of distant relationships between training and test animals. Therefore, to prevent a decrease in reliability, constant updates of the training population with animals from more recent generations are required. Moreover, a training population consisting of less‐related animals is favourable for reliability of genomic prediction.