Antioxidant,anti-amylase and anti-glycation potential of brans of some Sri Lankan traditional and improved rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties

Brans of 23 traditional and 12 improved (both red and white) rice varieties in Sri Lanka were screened for anti-amylase and anti-glycation activities in vitro. Varieties which showed the highest inhibitory activities at screening were further investigated for anti-glucosidase and glycation reversing as anti-diabetic properties. The same varieties were studied for selected antioxidant properties. Significantly high anti-amylase and anti-glycation activities were observed for bran extracts of red varieties compared to white varieties at screening. Traditional red rice varieties, Masuran, Sudu Heeneti, Dik Wee and Goda Heeneti, exhibited significant and dose dependent anti-amylase, anti-glycation and glycation reversing activities. These varieties also showed marked antioxidant properties. It is concluded that brans of Sri Lankan traditional red rice varieties Masuran, Sudu Heeneti, Dik Wee and Goda Heeneti may be potential food supplements for diabetes.     

Local pulmonary immune responses in domestic cats naturally infected with Cytauxzoon felis

Cytauxzoonosis is a hemoprotozoal disease of cats and wild felids in the South and Southeastern United States caused by Cytauxzoon felis. Although the causative agent has been recognized since the seventies, no study has examined the local immune response in affected organs, such as the lung, and compared them to the lungs of uninfected domestic cats. Previous studies have suggested that the histopathologic findings in the lungs of C. felis-infected cats are caused by the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and increased production of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), by the infected macrophages. Our laboratory had previously found an upregulation of the adhesion molecule CD18, which can stimulate the release of these pro-inflammatory mediators. The objective of this study was to characterize local pulmonary immune responses in cats naturally infected with C. felis. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, iNOS, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II in 19 lungs from affected cats that died between 2005 and 2013. Results showed increased expression of all of these molecules when compared to lungs from uninfected, healthy cats. Furthermore, MHC II is expressed in the endothelium of C. felis naturally infected cats. These results support that there is a marked, local, pro-inflammatory immune response that can contribute to the pathogenesis of cytauxzoonosis in the lungs.     

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.     

青海省冬虫夏草采挖区与非采挖区土壤生态化学计量特征

为研究冬虫夏草采挖区与非采挖区的土壤生态化学计量学特征,本研究以青海省7个地区冬虫夏草生长地土壤样本为试验材料,分别采用重铬酸钾-外加热法、凯氏定氮法、碱熔法、碳酸氢钠浸提-比色法、酸溶法、1 mol·L^-1乙酸铵浸提-火焰光度计法、碱解-扩散法、邻菲啰啉比色法、火焰原子吸收分光光度法对土壤样本的养分与理化指标进行了测定,并对其化学计量特征进行了分析。结果表明,除XH(青海省海南藏族自治州兴海县)地区采挖区与非采挖区在全氮含量上存在显著性差异(P<0.05),其他各地区采挖区与非采挖区在土壤各指标含量上均无显著性差异,不同地区采挖区与非采挖区C∶N的范围是18.24~32.79,C∶P是155.53~562.78,N∶P是4.85~24.00,C∶K是4.51~11.52,K∶N是2.55~7.17,K∶P是31.44~81.86;采挖区与非采挖区的C∶P与N∶P之间均具有极显著相关性(P<0.01)。因此,本研究发现采挖冬虫夏草对其生长环境的土壤化学性质无显著性影响,为冬虫夏草采挖对生态环境的影响评估提供数据支撑。     

新疆部分地区生乳中金黄色葡萄球菌的分离鉴定及耐药性分析

【目的】探明新疆部分地区生乳中金黄色葡萄球菌流行情况及耐药性,为该地区生乳中金黄色葡萄球菌的监测及保障生乳质量安全提供理论依据。【方法】试验随机从南北疆规模化奶牛场采集110份生乳样品。采用增菌培养、分离纯化、革兰氏染色、生化鉴定及PCR法对奶样中金黄色葡萄球菌进行分离鉴定,并利用微量肉汤稀释法及PCR方法对金黄色葡萄球菌进行16种抗菌药物的耐药表型及耐药基因分析。【结果】从110份奶样中分离出18株金黄色葡萄球菌,分离株呈浅黄色、光滑凸起的圆形菌落,革兰氏染色镜检呈紫色、短链状排列的革兰氏阳性菌,生化试验结果符合金黄色葡萄球菌生化特点,经16S rDNA及nuc基因PCR扩增鉴定为金黄色葡萄球菌,分离率为16.36%(18/110)。药敏试验结果显示,金黄色葡萄球菌分离株对氨苄西林、青霉素及磺胺异噁唑具有较高的耐药性,耐药率分别为100%、83.33%和77.78%,而对万古霉素、复方新诺明、苯唑西林、头孢噻吩、头孢噻呋、利福昔明及环丙沙星7种抗菌药物高度敏感,敏感率分别为100%、100%、94.44%、94.44%、94.44%、94.44%和94.44%。其中有14株金黄色葡萄球菌为多重耐药菌,多重耐药率为77.78%。耐药基因检测结果显示,大环内酯类耐药基因ermB检出率最高,为50.00%,其次为β-内酰胺类耐药基因mecA,检出率为27.28%,磺胺类耐药基因Sul1的检出率为22.22%。【结论】新疆奶牛场生乳中分离的金黄色葡萄球菌的流行及耐药情况仍较严重,且存在多重耐药现象,因此,对生乳中金黄色葡萄球菌耐药性的监测有重要意义。     

9种中药成分对猪传染性胃肠炎病毒体外增殖的抑制作用

运用MTT法结合细胞病变方法测定黄芩苷、穿心莲内酯、大黄素、大黄酸、芦荟大黄素、大黄素甲醚、苦参碱、氧化苦参碱和苦马豆素9种中药成分对猪传染性胃肠炎病毒(TGEV)在ST细胞上增殖的抑制作用,实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time PCR)进一步检测黄芩苷对TGEV在ST细胞上增殖的抑制作用。结果显示,9种中药成分在体外对TGEV在ST细胞上的增殖均有一定的抑制作用,其中黄芩苷对TGEV的生物合成、吸附保护和直接灭活作用的抑制率分别为58.23%、88.12%和100.00%;Real-time PCR检测黄芩苷3种给药方式均能在转录水平显著降低TGEV mRNA的相对表达量,与病毒对照组相比差异极显著(P0.01)。结果表明,9种中药成分在体外对TGEV在ST细胞上的增殖均有一定的抑制作用,以黄芩苷作用最好。     

广州近代城市公园的中西合璧特征探析

广州近代城市公园设计精巧,风格独特,在岭南造园史上具有重要地位。结合历史图文资料,运用风景园林史学和风景园林美学相结合的研究方法,归纳分析其造园特征。广州近代城市公园的中西合璧特征主要体现在3个方面:因地制宜的空间布局、中西融合的建筑小品、多姿多彩的植物景观。探析其中西合璧特征,有利于丰富岭南近代园林历史与理论研究,推进对广州近代城市公园的保护与造园智慧的传承。     

血清中不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素浓度的绵羊感染绵羊肺炎支原体后免疫因子表达的变化

为研究中国美利奴羊不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素(MBL)浓度感染绵羊肺炎支原体(MO)的免疫因子水平变化,本研究选择血清中MBL高、低浓度的绵羊各6只(感染组和对照组各3只),感染组人工感染MO,分别在人工感染前和感染后不同时间,采用荧光定量PCR法检测血液中血清因子及补体表达水平。结果显示,不同MBL浓度的绵羊人工感染后MBL m RNA水平呈下降趋势,MBL高浓度促炎因子IL-2和IFN-γ的m RNA表达水平较高,抗炎因子IL-4的m RNA表达水平在感染后1 d升高,此后开始下降,而IL-4的m RNA水平在14 d后有所升高;MBL低浓度羊感染后其TNF-α的m RNA水平显著升高,随炎症的缓解,逐渐降低;补体C1和C3的m RNA在感染后表现出不同的变化,MO感染可以激活补体途径。本研究结果表明,低血清MBL浓度与绵羊支原体肺炎具有一定的相关性,MBL不同浓度组之间其IL-2、IL-4、TNF-α、IFN-γ、补体C1、C3水平存在差异,低浓度MBL的绵羊更易发生比较严重的炎症反应。     

基于 GIS 的中国草地合理载畜量空间化

天然草地合理载畜量是反映草地合理利用强度的基本单位。为提高草地合理载畜量的划分精度,根据“极大似然逼近原理”,创建了异质因子控制下的“线性回归+区域化值残差修正”数据空间化方法。以全国草地资源调查汇总数据中县域理论载畜量和1∶400万中国草地资源图为基础数据,采用分省控制构建了理论载畜量与植被类型-生产力异质植被斑块的线性回归模型,其判定系数由全国模型下的0.867提高到0.937,拟合优势度较高,所获得的中国公里格网草地合理载畜量分布图空间化精度也较高。中国公里格网草地合理载畜量分布图不仅表明了不同类草地因生产力的不同有不同的放牧要求,也体现了不同环境条件下草地载畜能力的差别,有效反映了单位面积内草地植被载畜-生产力水平,为生态治理和草地资源保育工作中合理制定草地利用强度提供了理论参考。     

A study of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in dogs as a disease model for canine necrotizing encephalitis

In the present study, the use of dogs with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a disease model for necrotizing encephalitis (NE) was assessed. Twelve healthy dogs were included in this study. Canine forebrain tissues (8 g), including white and grey matter, were homogenized with 4 mL of phosphate-buffered saline for 5 min in an ice bath. The suspension was emulsified with the same volume of Freund''s complete adjuvant containing 1 mg/mL of killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra. Under sedation, each dog was injected subcutaneously with canine brain homogenate at four sites: two in the inguinal and two in the axillary regions. A second injection (booster) was administered to all the dogs using the same procedure 7 days after the first injection. Clinical assessment, magnetic resonance imaging, cerebrospinal fluid analyses, necropsies, and histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations were performed for the dogs with EAE. Out of the 12 animals, seven (58%) developed clinically manifest EAE at various times after immunization. Characteristics of canine EAE models were very similar to canine NE, suggesting that canine EAE can be a disease model for NE in dogs.