Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.     

低风险疾病情境下农村居民健康信息规避行为研究

[目的/意义]本研究旨在揭示低风险疾病情境下农村居民健康信息规避的程度、策略、成因及其关联。[方法/过程]研究采用理论抽样方法和半结构化访谈法收集了江苏省45位农村居民的相关数据。研究采用开放式编码和主轴编码方法对访谈数据进行分析,同时采用社会网络分析软件对规避策略和成因之间的关系进行可视化展示。[结果/结论]（1）农村居民在低风险疾病情境下存在全面型和选择型两种不同程度的健康信息规避。其中,全面型健康信息规避主要发生在信息需求阶段,具体的规避策略为完全不治疗;而选择型信息规避发生在信息获取阶段,具体的规避策略为自己治疗或者拖延治疗。（2）该情境下农村居民健康信息规避的成因主要包括感知风险、对信息源的信任、健康信息素养水平、文化水平、情绪、经济水平、小世界、时间和医疗资源的可及性。（3）农民健康信息规避的成因与规避策略存在特定的关联。文化水平和医疗资源的可及性只对完全不治疗规避策略有影响;情绪因素只对拖延治疗规避策略有影响;健康信息素养水平只对自己治疗规避策略有影响。该研究可为改善农村居民的健康状况提供指导建议。     

极小种群植物“川柿”生物学特性及种子萌发方法研究

摘 要：【目的】为了保护和发展极小种群植物川柿，开展此研究。【方法】采用观测法，连续3年对其生物学特性研究；种子萌发方法：（1）后熟0、30、45、60天，剥离清洗播种；（2）后熟60天，以GA300、600、1000 mg/L溶液浸种1h；播种基质为河沙（保持一定湿度），放置室内，统计萌发时间和出苗率。【结果】（1）川柿花期4-5月，10月为果熟期，单果直径32.7±5.80mm，单果重23.0±5.30g；种子肾形、千粒重1070g；成年植株呈隔年开花、结果现象；（2）种子经“后熟+河沙播种”，可萌发，其中以后熟60天的出苗率较高，为65%；直接播种种子，出苗率5%；“后熟+GA溶液浸种+河沙播种”，出苗率均高于65%，其中以GA600mg/L浸泡1h处理，出苗率最高为83.3%。【结论】极小种群植物川柿为常绿叶乔木，有隔年开花、结果现象； “果后熟60天+GA600mg/L浸泡种子1h +室内河沙播种”可提高种子萌发率，为川柿种子繁殖提供参考。     

5种生物制剂对马铃薯种薯萌芽、极端天气下植株生长和产量性状的影响

旨在满足马铃薯生产中茬口衔接、机械化生产技术应用、不利气候下稳产等对马铃薯出苗早、齐、壮的需求,以‘费乌瑞它’为供试品种,用基于有益活菌或工程菌提取物的5种生物制剂进行种薯处理,对多重性状进行了对比分析。5种生物制剂较常规化学制剂,均能够不同程度地促进种薯萌芽和芽根同生,出苗期提前2~7天,播种后49天的出苗率提高3.33%~17.78%。其中,表现最好的为酵母核苷酸衍生物和VDAL,种薯萌发和生根均显著高于对照。霜冻后,生物剂拌种处理在恢复前期促进植株生长,由此促进恢复后期的块茎发育,较常规化学处理增产8.39%~24.03%,体现了不同程度的保产效果。多马道黑、酵母核苷酸衍生物、根肽和VDAL体现出较好的保产效果,可作为种薯处理剂投入马铃薯生产。     

基于P-S-R框架模型试点研究高寒地区生态承载力——以甘肃省迭部县为例

全面客观评价生态资源承载能力,进而为区域可持续发展提供理论依据。以甘肃省迭部县为例,首先,采用压力-状态-响应(P-S-R)模型构建生态承载力评估指标体系,运用层次分析法(Analytic Hierarchy Process,AHP)确定各指标权重,评估生态环境承载力现状;其次,在生态功能区层面对迭部县水源涵养功能及生物多样性功能进行评价;最后,对生态承载力状况进行成因解析。研究结果表明：（1）迭部县整体生态承载力得分为0.239,处于“较强”承载力状态,构成整体生态承载力的生态弹性力、资源和环境承载力和人类社会影响力得分分别为0.222、0.062和0.063。（2）2016年,迭部县单位面积水源涵养量为111.76 mm,水源涵养功能处于“高”状态,其中,水源涵养功能较高地区主要集中在以草地和针阔混交林为主的区域。（3）自然栖息地面积占迭部县总面积的83.67%,其自然栖息质量指数(Natural Habitant Quality Index,NHQI)处于“高”状态。（4）从自然和经济2个因素进行分析,发现迭部县生态环境条件较好,但林草地面积已呈现出逐渐减少状态,因此需要通过合理科学的开发引导,发展文化旅游事业,推动迭部县的可持续发展。     

中华稻蝗Knickkopf(Knk)基因分子特性和生物学功能

基于中华稻蝗转录组数据库,采用生物信息学方法搜索获得1条OcKnk基因全长cDNA序列,采用qRT-PCR检测其组织部位表达特性和其在表皮发育过程中表达情况,明确其分子特性,采用RNAi技术结合表型观察,研究其对中华稻蝗蜕皮和生长发育的影响,以明确其生物学功能。组织部位表达结果显示其在中华稻蝗体壁、前肠和脂肪体表达最高,发育表达结果显示其在表皮不同发育日龄均有表达,且在蜕皮前期和后期表达显著高于其他日龄。生物学功能研究表明,注射dsRNA后,多数虫体难以成功蜕去旧表皮,导致死亡,少部分可蜕至下一龄期,但活动力较低,行动缓慢,最终死亡。研究结果表明OcKnk参与昆虫生长发育和蜕皮过程,可作为重要靶标基因,为下一步害虫防治提供理论基础。     

具有III型分泌系统的Pseudomonas moraviensis FP1761植物益生功能及其全基因组分析

 本研究从节瓜根际分离到一株具有防病促生功能的荧光类假单胞菌FP1761。该菌株对部分植物病原真菌和细菌具有拮抗能力,能够解钾、解有机磷和无机磷,可产生氨、蛋白酶、嗜铁素、吲哚乙酸。生物测定表明菌株FP1761可显著促进小麦生长。生理生化、平均核苷酸相似度、16S rDNA和多基因分析将FP1761鉴定为摩拉维亚假单胞菌(Pseudomonas moraviensis)。菌株FP1761基因组草图全长6.12 Mb,(G+C)含量为59.9%,共编码5467个基因序列。将该菌株与种内3个代表性菌株进行泛基因组和核心基因组分析,共产生 4 357个共有基因,菌株FP1761特有基因327个。利用antiSMASH对菌株次生代谢基因簇进行预测,发现其含有8个潜在的次生代谢产物基因簇。其中两个基因簇与嗜铁素pyoverdine合成相关,未见聚酮类合成基因。基因组分析发现,该菌株具有与病原性假单胞菌相似的III型分泌系统,但丢失了效应蛋白调控因子hrpS和转运相关的hrpH和hrpK1基因。对全基因组扫描,菌株FP1761仅保留了病原性假单胞菌的保守效应蛋白AvrE和HopAA1-1。FP1761是目前已发现的唯一具有III型分泌系统的摩拉维亚假单胞菌。本研究表明摩拉维亚假单胞菌FP1761具有潜在的植物防病促生功能,但其III型分泌系统与植物益生互作机制有待进一步解析。     

Sorghum extrusion process combined with biofortified sweet potato contributed for high iron bioavailability in Wistar rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sorghum and sweet potato on the bioavailability of iron, gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism and the plasma antioxidant capacity in animals fed with whole sorghum grains processed by dry heat or extrusion, combined or not with sweet potato flour with high content of carotenoids. Five experimental groups were tested (n = 7): dry heat sorghum flour (DS); extruded sorghum flour (ES); whole sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (DS + SP); extruded sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (ES + SP) and positive control (FS). The evaluations included: hemoglobin gain, hemoglobin regeneration efficiency, gene expression of divalente metal transporter 1 (DMT-1), duodenal citochroma B (DcytB), ferroportin, hephaestin, transferrin and ferritin and total plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC). The ES + SP group showed higher (p < 0.05) expression of DcytB, ferroportin and hephaestin when compared to the control group. The DS group showed high (p < 0.05) expression of DMT-1 and the ES showed high mRNA expression of transferrin and ferritin. The changes in the sorghum physicochemical properties from extrusion process reduced the iron and phytate content, and increased the gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism, improving iron bioavailability. The combination of sweet potato and sorghum flour (dry or extruded) improved the iron capture and total antioxidant capacity, probably due to the presence of β-carotene and antioxidant compounds.     

Novel soil quality indicators for the evaluation of agricultural management practices: a biological perspective

Developments in soil biology and in methods to characterize soil organic carbon can potentially deliver novel soil quality indicators that can help identify management practices able to sustain soil productivity and environmental resilience. This work aimed at synthesizing results regarding the suitability of a range of soil biological and biochemical properties as novel soil quality indicators for agricultural management. The soil properties, selected through a published literature review, comprised different labile organic carbon fractions [hydrophilic dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), hot water extractable carbon and particulate organic matter carbon], soil disease suppressiveness measured using a Pythium-Lepidium bioassay, nematode communities characterized by amplicon sequencing and qPCR, and microbial community level physiological profiling measured with MicroResp^TM. Prior studies tested the sensitivity of each of the novel indicators to tillage and organic matter addition in ten European long-term field experiments (LTEs) and assessed their relationships with pre-existing soil quality indicators of soil functioning. Here, the results of these previous studies are brought together and interpreted relative to each other and to the broader body of literature on soil quality assessment. Reduced tillage increased carbon availability, disease suppressiveness, nematode richness and diversity, the stability and maturity of the food web, and microbial activity and functional diversity. Organic matter addition played a weaker role in enhancing soil quality, possibly due to the range of composition of the organic matter inputs used in the LTEs. POXC was the indicator that discriminated best between soil management practices, followed by nematode indices based on functional characteristics. Structural equation modeling shows that POXC has a central role in nutrient retention/supply, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, erosion control and disease regulation/suppression. The novel indicators proposed here have great potential to improve existing soil quality assessment schemes. Their feasibility of application is discussed and needs for future research are outlined.