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.     

Using genetic tools to inform conservation of fragmented populations of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across their range in China

A herd of 15 Chinese elephants attracted international attention during their 2021 northward trek, motivating the government to propose establishment of an Asian elephant national park. However, planning is hampered by a lack of genetic information on the remaining populations in China. We collected DNA from 497 dung samples from all 5 populations encompassing the entire range of elephants in China and used mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to investigate their genetic and demographic structure. We identified 237 unique genotypes (153 females, 84 males), representing 81% of the known population. However, the effective population size was small (28, range 25–32). Historic demographic contraction appeared to account for low haplotype diversity (H_d = 0.235), but moderate nucleotide and nuclear diversity (π = 0.6%, H_e = 0.55) was attributable to post-bottleneck recovery involving recent population expansion plus historical gene exchange with elephants in Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. The 5 populations fell into 3 clusters, with Nangunhe elephants differing consistently from the other 4 populations (F_ST = 0.23); elephants from Mengyang, Simao, and Jiangcheng belonged to a single population (henceforth, MSJ), and differed from the Shangyong population (F_ST = 0.11). Interpopulation genetic variation reflected isolation by distance and female-biased dispersal. Chinese elephants should be managed as 2 distinct units: Nangunhe and another combining Shangyong and MSJ; their long-term viability will require restoring gene flow between Shangyong and MSJ, and between elephants in China and neighboring countries. Our results have the potential to inform conservation planning for an iconic megafaunal species.     

Dual effects of reversed winter–spring temperatures on year‐to‐year variation in the recruitment of chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus)

To clarify the effects of temperature on the recruitment of chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) in the North Pacific, we investigated the influence of winter surface temperature (WST) on spawners at the time of maturity around the spawning grounds and the influence of ambient spring temperature on larvae using estimated temperature (ET) obtained from particle tracking experiments. We found a significant positive correlation between ET approximately 10 days following hatching and the recruitment per spawning stock biomass (RPS) after 2000. The closer (more meandering) the Kuroshio Current (KC) axis was in relation to the spawning ground, the higher (lower) the spring surface temperature and the higher (lower) RPS was in the spawning ground. In contrast, WST inside KC near the maturity/spawning ground was significantly negatively correlated with RPS. A significant negative correlation between the temperatures in winter and spring was detected in the area after 2000, when the conditions of the Pacific decadal oscillation index and the stability of the Kuroshio Extension were synchronous, indicating that KC shifted northward during this time. The reversed temperature pattern was consistent with the winter–spring movement of KC axis in the offshore direction and was correlated with the winter–spring difference in the intensity of the Aleutian low. These results suggest that the annual variation in chub mackerel recruitment after 2000 was strongly affected by the combined effects of ambient temperature because of the reversal of conditions that occurred between winter and spring around the maturity/spawning ground, which was related to the KC path.     

青岛文昌鱼自然保护区营养盐时空分布特征及富营养化评价

本研究分析了2017年9月(夏季)和11月(秋季)青岛市文昌鱼(Branchidermus fasciatus)水生野生动物市级自然保护区营养盐含量的季节变化和平面分布,并对该海域进行了富营养化评价。研究结果显示,2017年溶解无机氮(DIN)平均含量夏季高于秋季,NO_(2-)N、NH_(4-)N平均含量分别是秋季的1.98倍、1.44倍,而NO_(3-)N和PO_(4-)P平均含量低于秋季,分别是秋季的88.8%和47.6%。夏季DIN总体水平优于海水一类标准值,PO_(4-)P总体水平优于海水一类标准值;秋季DIN总体水平优于海水一类标准值,PO_(4-)P总体水平劣于海水一类标准值。从水平分布来看,夏季海水的DIN浓度分布趋势大致呈核心区实验区缓冲区的趋势;秋季海水的DIN浓度分布呈缓冲区实验区核心区。夏季N/P比值略高于Redfield比值,而秋季N/P比值较低于Redfield比值,DIN相对缺乏。根据潜在性富营养化评价模式,2017年保护区海域夏季和秋季营养水平较低,均属于贫营养水平。     

2017-2018年吉林部分地区规模化猪场猪细环病毒的遗传变异分析

为了解猪细环病毒（Torque teno sus virus, TTSuVs）在吉林部分规模化猪场的流行及其遗传变异情况。本研究对2017-2018年间，来自吉林地区10家规模化猪场的574份血清样本进行TTSuVs流行情况调查。并根据收地点，对20株TTSuVs进行ORF1全基因序列扩增及遗传变异性分析。结果显示：TTSuV1感染率为35.0%；TTSuV2感染率为63.2%；TTSuV1与TTSuV2混合感染率为30.3％；10株TTSuV1测序株之间的核苷酸同源性为75.7%-94.7%，氨基酸同源性为48.1%-88.2%；10株TTSuV2测序株之间的核苷酸同源性为77.5%-93.7%，氨基酸同源性为70.6%-87.4%；且吉林地区流行的TTSuV1均属于TTSuV1-lb型，而TTSuV2流行情况较为复杂，各种亚型均有涉及。     

红富士苹果芽变系DNA甲基化研究

以35份富士苹果(Malus×domestica Borkh.‘Fuji’)芽变材料为试材,利用甲基化敏感扩增多态性(Methylation Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism,MSAP)分析和UPGMA聚类方法,对其基因组甲基化修饰水平、变异模式以及表观遗传变异关系进行研究。结果表明:(1)不同富士系得到不同的MSAP扩增,总DNA甲基化水平27.90%～36.16%,平均32.87%,双链全甲基化为主要甲基化方式;(2)富士芽变材料绝大多数位点保持了原有甲基化模式;(3)绝大多数芽变(68.57%)检测到全部的甲基化变异模式(12种),去甲基化频率极显著高于甲基化频率(P 0.01),且CG去甲基化极显著高于CHG;(4)36份种质遗传相似系数平均值0.89(0.79～0.92),在聚类图上,富士原种分布在芽变系集中区外,新近发生的芽变系更倾向于聚在一起,着色系片红型和条红型芽变呈分散排布状态。总的来看,富士芽变的甲基化变异模式丰富,超甲基化和去甲基化相伴发生,但以去甲基化为主;‘富士’着色芽变与其最原始品种富士,以及芽变之间发生了较大表观遗传变异;片红和条红型芽变聚类未表现明显偏好性。本研究将为进一步开展富士着色系芽变机理研究提供指导,可以CG去甲基化为切入点展开深入研究。     

Variation and heritability of morphological and physiological traits among Leymus chinensis genotypes under different environmental conditions

Intraspecific trait variation and heritability in different environmental conditions not only suggest a potential for an evolutionary response but also have important ecological consequences at the population, community, and ecosystem levels. However, the contribution of quantitative trait variation within a grassland species to evolutionary responses or ecological consequences is seldom documented. Leymus chinensis is an important dominant species in semi-arid grasslands of China, which has seriously suffered from drought and high temperature stresses in recent decades. In the present study, we measured variation and heritability of 10 quantitative traits, namely the number of tillers, maximum shoot height, number of rhizomes, maximum rhizome length, rhizome mass, aboveground mass, root mass, maximum net photosynthetic rate(Pmax), specific leaf area(SLA), and leaf length to leaf width ratio(LL/LW), for 10 genotypes of L. chinensis under one non-stress(Ck) condition and three environmental stress conditions(i.e., drought(Dr), high temperature(Ht), and both drought and high temperature(DrHt)). Result indicated that(1) the interaction of genotype and environmental condition(G×E) was significant for 6 traits but not significant for the other 4 traits as shown by two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA), suggesting that different selection forces were placed for different traits on the factors dominating phenotypic responses to different environmental conditions. Moreover, these significant G×E effects on traits indicated significantly different phenotypic adaptive responses among L. chinensis genotypes to different environmental conditions. Additionally, individuals could be grouped according to environmental condition rather than genotype as shown by canonical discriminant analysis, indicating that environmental condition played a more important role in affecting phenotypic variation than genotype;(2) by one-way ANOVA, significant differences among L. chinensis genotypes were found in all 10 traits under Ck and Dr conditions, in 8 traits under Dr Ht condition and only in 4 traits under Ht condition; and(3) all 10 traits showed relatively low or non-measurable broad-sense heritability(H_2) under stress conditions. However, the lowest H_2 value for most traits did not occur under DrHt condition, which supported the hypothesis of 'unfavorable conditions have unpredictable effects' rather than 'unfavorable conditions decrease heritability'. Results from our experiment might aid to improve predictions on the potential impacts of climate changes on L. chinensis and eventually species conservation and ecosystem restoration.     

青贮玉米品质性状遗传变异及主成分分析

为了鉴定青贮玉米品质性状间的相关和依附关系,对14份青贮玉米材料的22个品质性状检测分析,并进行一般描述统计、遗传变异、相关性及主成分分析。结果表明,参试青贮玉米各品质性状中,脂肪、钾、木质素、淀粉含量的变异系数较大,分别为0.20、0.19、0.17和0.16,表明这些性状在品种遗传选育进程中有较大的改良空间;消化率及能量品质相关性状的变异系数介于0.03~0.08,表明这部分性状难以得到遗传改良;青贮玉米品质性状间相关性较大,适宜采用主成分分析保留品质性状的最重要方面。对测试的22个品质性状进行主成分提取,前3个主成分的累积贡献率达到91.29%,分别代表了青贮玉米的饲用价值、微量元素及粗蛋白成分。     

近55年来河西地区干旱时空演变特征及其与ENSO事件的关系

根据河西地区14个气象站点1961-2015年的逐月气象观测资料，基于SPEI指数采用Mann-Kendall趋势检验法、反距离加权插值(IDW)等方法分析了近55年来河西地区年代际、四季干旱及空间变化特征，并探讨了ENSO 事件与该区干旱的关系。结果表明：在年代际变化上，自20世纪90年代以来河西地区干旱次数增多、干旱程度加重。季节时间变化上，河西地区春、夏、秋季均呈干旱化趋势，春季干旱化趋势最为突出，夏季次之，冬季略呈变湿趋势。空间变化上，整个河西地区春季均呈干旱化趋势，而且大部分地区的春旱趋势极为显著，其中春旱趋势最显著的地方是金塔；冬季整个研究区趋于湿润化。各季节干旱高频区分别集中在：春季在金塔、民勤地区，夏季在河西西北部，秋季在河西中东部及西部的安西—玉门一线，冬季在101°E以西的河西地区。河西地区秋季SPEI与SSTA指数的相关性最为显著，春季次之，夏季最弱。ENSO事件发生强度与河西地区SPEI影响因子的多项式拟合关系表明，ENSO事件强度对温度的影响高于降水；其中在ENSO暖事件(厄尔尼诺事件)发生年份，气温有明显的上升趋势；在ENSO冷事件(拉尼娜事件)发生年份，少数年份降水有所增加，对气温的影响较弱。