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.     

采前喷施氯化钙与醋酸钙对冬枣品质和贮藏性的影响

钙对果树果实品质有重要改善作用,而品质又决定了其商品价值和种植效益。研究钙对冬枣品质和果实贮藏的影响作用,对于改善冬枣商品性能,促进冬枣产业发展具有重要意义。然而,针对冬枣施用钙肥效应的研究鲜见报道,尚未有研究对醋酸钙等有机钙肥的应用效果进行探讨。通过在果实白熟期对冬枣叶果喷钙,研究单喷施氯化钙、醋酸钙以及两者配合喷施对冬枣品质指标以及常温下贮藏性能的影响。结果表明,采前喷钙可显著提高冬枣可溶性固形物、可滴定酸、Vc、钙、总黄酮含量和果实硬度,改善了冬枣品质;与单喷施氯化钙相比,采前喷施醋酸钙可显著提高可溶性固形物、钙和总黄酮含量;氯化钙与醋酸钙配合喷施处理对枣果品质的改善效果与单施醋酸钙的效果相似。在常温贮藏条件下,采前喷施醋酸钙促进了冬枣可溶性固形物含量的升高,加速了酸度降低,减缓了Vc消耗,同时减轻了贮藏期间软化现象。与单喷施氯化钙相比,喷施醋酸钙处理更有利于冬枣保持水分,延长其货架期。综合分析认为,在冬枣白熟期喷施醋酸钙是改善果实品质和耐藏性能的有效措施。     

乡土物种补播对青藏高原高寒草甸群落稳定性的影响

为了探究高寒草甸天然草地补播乡土物种对草地群落稳定性的影响，本试验以垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）、异针茅（Stipa aliena）、中华羊茅（Festuca sinensis）、溚草（Koeleria cristata）、星星草（Puccinellia tenuiflora）、扁蓿豆（Melissitus rutenica）、冷地早熟禾（Poa crymophila）为试验材料，设置5种混播组合，于2017年在青海省贵南县天然草地上进行补播。试验采用方差比率法（Variance ratio，VR）、M.Godron贡献定率法（Contribution law）以及生物量稳定性分析方法，结果表明：5种组合补播后使得群落联结性降低、生物量稳定性增大，群落整体稳定性增强，正向着稳定方向发展；5种组合中，组合D （扁蓿豆+星星草+垂穗披碱草+异针茅+溚草）的生物量稳定性最大，是对草地恢复最有效的物种组合。本试验筛选出了对草地生态修复最有效的物种组合，为草地保护及利用提供了科学依据。     

特早熟抗病棉花品种辽棉35选育及栽培技术

本文主要介绍辽棉35的选育过程、生物学特性、产量、纤维品质、抗病性及栽培技术要点。     

氮肥不同用量对北方粳稻群体质量及品质的影响

氮是植物体内氨基酸、蛋白质、核酸、辅酶以及光合色素分子等的组成成分,因此,氮的营养状况与许多生理过程密切相关。针对水稻氮肥用量过高这一突出问题,本试验研究了氮肥施用总量对北方粳稻产量及其构成因素、叶面积指数、干物质积累、群体库容量以及品质特征等方面的影响,进一步明确不同氮肥施用量条件下北方粳稻产量和品质形成的调控机制。结果表明,施氮量的增加对叶面积指数、光合势及群体生长率有促进作用,随着施氮量的增加,水稻最高茎数、最高分蘖数、分蘖穗数和分蘖穗比例有逐渐增加的趋势;增加施氮量会导致整精米率、蛋白质含量上升,精米白度、食味值、峰值粘度、最低粘度、崩解值、最终粘度值降低,但不同施氮量对直链淀粉含量影响不大。     

水田机械式强制排肥装置设计与试验

目前水田机械施肥均匀性差，且作业时在施肥开沟器末端容易出现肥料粘结、架空、堵塞开沟器等现象。针对以上问题，本文设计了一种水田机械式强制排肥装置，并对其关键部件进行了结构设计及性能试验。将水田机械式强制排肥部件的工作过程分为3个阶段，通过运动学和动力学研究方法分析了各工作阶段肥料在螺旋强制排肥部件内的状态，以及影响排肥部件工作性能的关键因素，对螺旋强制排肥部件的直径、转速、螺距3个因素进行了设计计算。以排肥均匀性变异系数为响应指标，进行了螺旋强制排肥部件的单因素台架试验，通过对最小显著性差异进行统计分析，确定了各因素的取值范围；安排了二次正交旋转组合试验，并对试验结果进行了方差分析和响应面分析，确定了影响排肥性能指标因素的影响由大到小为转速、螺距、直径，建立了排肥性能指标与各因素之间的回归方程，运用Design-Expert软件对试验因素优化求解，确定了较优工作参数组合为螺旋输送器转速120.09r/min、直径23.90mm、螺距21.54mm，此时施肥装置台架试验的排肥均匀性变异系数为7.18%。将所设计的强制排肥部件分别安装在水稻插秧机及水稻气力式施肥播种机上，进行了田间验证试验，试验结果表明，机械式强制螺旋排肥装置工作稳定、堵塞率低，水田防堵塞效果优于无该部件的施肥机械。     

Notch1 promotes renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in renal tissues of diabetic mice by inhibiting autophagy through Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

AIM: To observe the changes of Notch1 expression and autophagy in the renal tissues of diabetic mice, and to explore the regulatory effect of Notch1 on tubulointerstitial fibrosis by inhibiting autophagy in diabetic nephro-pathy. METHODS: The mice were randomly divided into normal control group (db/m mice) and diabetes group (db/db mice), with 8 rats in each group. After 12 weeks of feeding, the mice were sacrificed and the corresponding biochemical indexes were measured. The protein expression of Notch1 in the renal tubular epithelial cells was observed by immunohistochemical staining. The protein levels of Notch1, PTEN, p-Akt (Thr308), Akt, p-mTOR (Ser2448), mTOR, LC3, P62, collagen type Ⅰ (Col-Ⅰ) and collagen type Ⅲ (Col-Ⅲ) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the db/m mice, the blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum creatinine, triglyceride and total cholesterol were increased in the db/db mice (P<0.01). Renal tubular epithelial cell vacuolar degeneration, renal tubular expansion and interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration in db/db mouse renal tissues with HE staining were observed. The images of Masson staining showed collagenous fiber-like substance deposition in the glomerular capillaries and renal interstitium, and disarrangement of tubular structure in the renal tissues of db/db mice. The protein expression levels of PTEN and LC3-Ⅱ were decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05), while the protein levels of Notch1, P62, p-mTOR (Ser2448), p-Akt (Thr308), Col-I and Col-III were increased in the db/db mice as compared with the db/m mice (P<0.01). However, no significant change of total mTOR and Akt proteins between the 2 groups was found. CONCLUSION: Notch1 protein expression was increased, PTEN expression was significantly reduced, Akt/mTOR pathway was activated, autophagy was inhibited, and fibrosis was aggravated in the renal tissues of the diabetic mice.     

4个甜樱桃品种在德州的引种表现及设施栽培技术

对引入山东德州的4个甜樱桃品种美早、萨米脱、布鲁克斯、拉宾斯进行了日光温室栽培试验,对其性状表现进行了观察。结果表明,4个品种均表现生长良好,适应性强,结果正常,果实品质优良,可以作为德州地区日光温室的栽培品种发展。简述了4个甜樱桃品种在日光温室的栽培技术。     

利用SOM聚类分析及主成分分析方法鉴定小麦品种萌发期耐盐性

为了研究不同小麦品种萌发期的耐盐性,为小麦萌发期耐盐性鉴定提供快速、准确的鉴定方法和理论依据。本研究以40个冬小麦品种为试验材料,通过主成分分析法(PCA)与神经网络自组织映射(SOM)聚类分析法,研究盐胁迫对40个小麦品种萌发期各项形态指标的影响。主成分分析法结果表明,发芽势、发芽率、最长根长、第一片叶长及胚芽鞘长在PCA下载荷量最大;根据SOM聚类分析结果,‘德抗961’等4个小麦品种属于高度耐盐品种,‘济麦22’等14个小麦品种属于耐盐性品种,‘济麦20’等16个品种属于中等耐盐性品种,‘鲁麦21’等6个小麦品种属于盐敏感性品种。发芽势、发芽率、最长根长、第一片叶长、胚芽鞘长能够作为萌发期小麦耐盐性筛选的主要评价指标,并且结合主成分、SOM聚类分析方法进行小麦萌发期耐盐性鉴定更为科学、方便。