Comparison of the florfenicol metabolic rate in Portunus trituberculatus individuals with different body weights

We analysed the metabolic rate of large individuals (LIs) and small individuals (SIs) (based on body weight) of 80‐day‐old specimens of Portunus trituberculatus injected with 40 mg/kg florfenicol (FLR). The results showed that FLR contents in the gills and hepatopancreas were higher in the SIs than in the LIs. The activities of erythromycin N‐demethylase and 7‐ethoxyresorufin‐O‐deethylase related to cytochrome oxidase P450 (CYP) were induced after FLR injection and showed a size‐dependent pattern; however, no significant difference in aminopyrine N‐demethylase activity was found between the LIs and SIs. The activity of the phase II enzyme glutathione S‐transferase (GST) increased in the hepatopancreas after FLR injection, and it was higher in the SIs than the LIs. Moreover, induction of CYP2, CYP3, GST, ABCB and ABCG was observed in the first 24 hr after FLR injection. FLR caused more biomolecular damage in the SIs than the LIs, displaying an obvious body weight‐ and time‐dependent pattern. In summary, the SIs exhibited faster FLR uptake and slower depuration in this species, and FLR caused more biomolecular damage to the SIs.     

Influence of intra-row cruciferous surrogate weed growth on crop yield in organic spring cereals

In Northern Europe, inter-row hoeing has become a popular tactic for controlling weeds in organic cereals. Hoeing is highly effective and can be implemented from crop emergence until stem elongation to maintain a nearly weed-free inter-row zone. However, hoeing has a lesser effect on weeds growing in the intra-row zone, where crop–weed proximity results in heightened competition. In the hoed cereal system, it is investigated whether tall-growing, competitive, cruciferous weeds in the intra-row zone affect crop biomass, yield and thousand kernel weight (TKW). An additive experimental design is employed to enable the fitting of rectangular hyperbolas, describing and quantifying the effects of increasing intra-row surrogate weed density on crop growth parameters. Regressions were studied under the influence of crop (spring barley and spring wheat), row spacing (narrow [12.5 or 15.0 cm] and wide [25.0 cm]) and nitrogen rate (50 and 100 kg NH₄-N/ha). Cruciferous surrogate weeds were found to impact crop yield and quality severely. For example, ten intra-row plants/m² of surrogate weed Sinapis alba reduced grains yields by 7%–14% in spring barley and by 7%–32% in spring wheat with yield losses becoming markedly greater in wheat compared to barley as weed density increases. Compared to wheat, barley limited yield and quality losses and suppressed intra-row weed growth more. Row spacing did not have a consistent effect on crop or weed parameters; in one of six experiments, the 25 cm row spacing reduced yields and increased intra-row weed biomass in wheat. Nitrogen rate did not affect crop or weed parameters. Results warrant the implementation of additional tactics to control intra-row weeds and limit crop losses.     

Body condition scoring (BCS) in corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and comparison to pre-existing body condition index (BCI) for snakes

In the veterinary profession, the body condition score (BCS) plays an important role in the assessment of patients. It is a subjective, tactile method of evaluating body fat and muscle mass and is used in numerous species. Recognizing obesity (or the contrary, emaciation) is important for veterinarians treating reptiles and could be facilitated by a BCS. An existing form of body condition assessment already used is the body condition index (BCI), where the residuals from a regression of body mass on body length are calculated. Therefore, the goal of this study was to provide practitioners with a BCS system for corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and to test it against the BCI. A total of 22 corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), stationed at the “Auffangstation für Reptilien” in Munich (reptile rescue centre, RRC), were subject of this study. Each had the following measurements taken: body weight (BW), snout–tail tip length (STL), snout–vent length (SVL) and circumference in the middle (C). Manual palpation of spine, area between vertebral spinous and transverse process, ribs and neck of each snake was performed by three veterinarians and assigned to specific scores by each examiner. A BCS (mean of examiners’ scores) was given to each snake according to manual palpation. The BCS system was chosen to be out of 5 in 0.5-point steps with 2.5 considered as ideal BCS. In the studied snakes, the BCS ranged from 1.5 to 3.5, with a median of 2.5. The median BW was 309 g (75–967 g), the median STL was 123 cm (79–153 cm), the median SVL was 104 cm (73–133 cm) and the median C was 7.5 cm (4.3–11 cm). BCS and BCI were positively correlated. A BCS includes a manual palpation of the animal and thus gives the examiner additional information to the objectively measured/calculated index.     

河南省农业干旱脆弱性分析

为减轻旱灾损失,根据2005、2015年河南省统计与气象数据,采用10项指标和灰色关联分析法,以最劣值为参照系列分析了该省农业旱灾脆弱性。结果表明,豫西的济源、三门峡、洛阳,豫东的开封、漯河与豫北的鹤壁是河南省干旱脆弱性较强的区域,而豫东南的商丘、驻马店、信阳,豫北的新乡、豫西南的南阳则脆弱性较弱,其他地区居于两者之间;2005—2015年河南省干旱脆弱性呈明显的增加趋势。河南省是中国粮食生产核心区,首先要依靠科技创新,大力发展节水农业、循环农业;其次要重视水资源的节约与保护、加大农业投入以降低干旱的脆弱性,确保粮食安全。     

水稻粒宽突变体gw87的基因定位及候选基因分析

【目的】对水稻粒宽突变体gw87（grain width 87）进行表型鉴定、遗传分析、基因定位及候选基因分析,为探明该基因调控水稻籽粒大小的分子机制及应用潜力奠定基础。【方法】利用甲基磺酸乙酯诱变籼稻恢复系材料676R,获得一份籽粒宽度和千粒重显著增加的突变体gw87。对该突变体进行表型观察、农艺性状调查及外源油菜素内酯（BL）敏感性、叶绿素含量、光合参数测定,了解其表型特征及生理特性。调查gw87与676R杂交F₁的表型和F₂群体的分离情况,分析其遗传行为;选取该群体中的突变植株进行高通量测序,并利用gw87与粳稻品种日本晴杂交的F₂代作为定位群体,通过MutMap分析和分子标记定位,遴选候选基因并进行DNA和cDNA测序验证。利用qRT-PCR分析gw87和676R中BR合成途径基因OsDWARF4、D11和D2的表达差异。【结果】与野生型亲本676R相比,gw87突变体的株高降低,节间缩短,其中,倒一节间长度缩短最大,并呈现出扭曲的形态;叶片长度减少,宽度增加;单株有效穗数、主穗穗长和结实率显著降低,但籽粒宽度和千粒重显著增大。BL敏感性试验显示,gw87突变体幼苗对外源BL的敏感性降低。光合色素和光合参数测定表明,gw87光合色素含量增加,光合速率也有所增加。遗传分析表明gw87的突变性状是由1对隐性核基因控制。MutMap分析显示gw87突变基因位于第5染色体中部,在该染色体区域仅有1个碱基突变引起编码氨基酸变化;分子标记连锁分析表明该突变基因位于InDel标记X2和X3之间约101 kb的染色体区域;综合这两方面分析结果,最后遴选出gw87候选基因是编码一个含有AP2/EREBP DNA绑定结构域的转录因子基因LOC_Os05g32270。对该候选基因进行DNA和cDNA测序验证,发现gw87突变体中该基因DNA的第1 041位的碱基由G突变为A,导致与该位点相邻的76 bp内含子序列被剪接为外显子,引起阅读框移码,蛋白翻译提前终止。qRT-PCR分析显示gw87突变体中BR合成途径基因的表达量显著上调,表明gw87突变体中BR信号减弱。【结论】gw87是smos1、shb、rla1、ngr5的新等位突变体,但与这些突变体表型不同,gw87籽粒的宽度和千粒重显著增加,可能是LOC_Os05g32270的突变位点不同,导致其编码蛋白的功能活性不同所造成。     

Preharvest application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in two plum cultivars. 1. Improvement of fruit growth and quality attributes at harvest

Two plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) cultivars ‘Black Splendor’ (BS) and ‘Royal Rosa’ (RR) were treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) at 3 concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mM) along the on-tree fruit development: 63, 77 and 98 days after full blossom (DAFB). On a weekly basis, fruit samples were taken for measuring fruit size and weight and parameters related to quality. Results revealed that MeJA was effective in increasing fruit size and weight, the 0.5 mM being the most effective for BS cultivar and 2.0 mM for RR. At harvest, those fruit treated with 0.5 mM MeJA had the highest firmness and colour Hue values. Total acidity was also generally higher in MeJA-treated fruit than in controls, while the content of total soluble solids remained unaffected. In addition, total phenolics and total antioxidant activity were found at higher concentrations in 0.5 and 2.0 mM MeJA-treated than in control fruit over at last 3 weeks of fruit development for BS and RR cultivars, respectively. Overall results suggest that MeJA could be a promising preharvest tool to increase plum size and quality with enhanced bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity, although the optimum concentration is cultivar dependent.     

品种及初生重对仔猪死亡率和21日龄个体重的影响

试验对2 319头仔猪的初生重与21日龄个体重和死亡率进行分析。结果表明:大约克仔猪哺乳期死亡率最低,21日龄体重最高;随着初生重的增加,仔猪死亡率降低,21日龄个体重增加。     

基于全基因组填充重测序关联分析鉴别影响苏山猪初生体尺与乳头数性状的遗传位点

旨在鉴别影响苏山猪初生体尺和乳头数性状的遗传位点,开发可用于辅助育种的分子标记,为苏山猪生长和繁殖性能的持续选育提供理论基础。本试验对269头苏山猪初生仔猪(出生后24 h内)的体尺和乳头数表型进行测定,并采集耳组织样品。基于全基因组重测序及基因型填充策略,利用全基因组关联分析(genome-wide association study, GWAS)和群体分化指数(fixation index,Fst)的方法挖掘与目的性状强关联位点,并对位置功能候选基因开展GO和KEGG分析,确定最有可能的主效基因。本研究共鉴别到4个候选位点,分布在13、14和X染色体上,其中与初生体尺性状显著关联的位点有2个,与乳头数性状显著关联的位点有2个。本研究筛选出1个与体长性状相关的候选基因ACTA2;1个与胸围性状相关的候选基因COL4A6;3个与乳头数性状相关的候选基因ACTA2、CRTAP和SEPTIN6,为苏山猪初生体尺性状和乳头数性状的遗传改良提供了重要的分子标记。     

Characterization of an intravenous lipopolysaccharide inflammation model in calves with respect to the acute-phase response

Our objective was to develop a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammation model in calves to evaluate the acute-phase response with respect to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase proteins, fever development and sickness behaviour. Fourteen 4-week-old male Holstein Friesian calves were included and randomly assigned to a negative control group (n = 3) and an LPS-challenged group (n = 11). The latter received an intravenous bolus injection of 0.5 μg of LPS/kg body weight. Blood collection and clinical scoring were performed at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 28, 32, 48, 54 and 72 h post LPS administration (p.a.). In the LPS group, the following clinical signs were observed successively: tachypnoea (on average 18 min p.a.), decubitus (29 min p.a.), general depression (1.75 h p.a.), fever (5 h p.a.) and tachycardia (5 h p.a.). Subsequent to the recovery from respiratory distress, general depression was prominent, which deteriorated when fever increased. One animal did not survive LPS administration, whereas the other animals recovered on average within 6.1 h p.a. Moreover, the challenge significantly increased plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin, with peaking levels at 1, 3.5, 24 and 18 h p.a., respectively. The present LPS model was practical and reproducible, caused obvious clinical signs related to endotoxemia and a marked change in the studied inflammatory mediators, making it a suitable model to study the immunomodulatory properties of drugs in future research.