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.     

牦牛源正呼肠孤病毒2型的检测和分离鉴定

旨在调查川西北牦牛哺乳动物正呼肠孤病毒（MRV）的感染情况并分离病毒。采用RT-PCR方法，对采自川西北15个牧场的72份牦牛腹泻粪便样本和其中5个牧场的15份腹泻牦牛血清样本进行MRV检测，阳性样本进一步用分型PCR确定其血清型。结果显示，粪便样本中MRV检出率为20.83%（15/72），血清2型的比例为60%（9/15）；血清样本中MRV检出率为40%（6/15），血清2型的比例为83.33%（5/6）；未检测到其他血清型。成功地从腹泻粪便中分离到1株MRV血清2型毒株（TCID₅₀为4×10^-8.56·mL^-1），并获得长度为23 587 bp的分离株全基因组，该分离株与中国猪源毒株的遗传关系最近；与GenBank中所有的MRV S1基因相比，该分离株有4个独特的氨基酸突变。本研究从牦牛中检测到MRV，并分离到1株牛源MRV血清2型毒株，为进一步研究MRV血清2型生物学特性奠定了基础。     

蜗壳式离心泵外特性仿真与实验研究

为探索不同仿真方法的适用性,对ns=157的单级蜗壳离心泵不同工况的扬程和效率进行定常和非定常计算,并分别分析了定常计算时不同叶片夹角及非定常计算时不同时间步长的影响,通过与实验对比,得到的主要结论有:定常计算仅适用于额定工况外特性仿真,其扬程和效率计算误差分别为4.9%和2.9%,而定常多相位的计算误差分别为7.1%和3.2%;非定常仿真计算时,以4°为时间步长,并间隔20°保存一次计算数据,较好地预测出扬程曲线走势,额定工况扬程和效率计算误差约1.1%和1.8%,但小流量和大流量区间扬程计算误差达到10%左右。因此在水力优化设计时,若只关注高效点位置及其扬程和效率,可采用定常计算,若还关注扬程曲线走势,则应采用非定常计算。     

Temporal and spatial progress of the diseases caused by the crinivirus tomato chlorosis virus and the begomovirus tomato severe rugose virus in tomatoes in Brazil

Efficient management of whitefly-borne diseases remains a challenge due to the lack of a comprehensive understanding of their epidemiology, particularly of the diseases tomato golden mosaic and tomato yellowing. Here, by monitoring 16 plots in four commercial fields, the temporal and spatial distribution of these two diseases were studied in tomato fields in Brazil. In the experimental plots these diseases were caused by tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), respectively. The incidence of each virus was similar in the plots within a field but varied greatly among fields. Plants with symptoms for both diseases were randomly distributed in three of four spatial analyses. The curves representing the progress of both diseases were similar and contained small fluctuations, indicating that the spread of both viruses was similar under field conditions. In transmission experiments of ToSRV and ToCV by Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 (former biotype B), these viruses had a similar transmission rate in single or mixed infections. It was then shown that primary and secondary spread of ToCV were not efficiently controlled by insecticide applications. Finally, in a typical monomolecular model of disease progress, simulation of the primary dissemination of ToSRV and ToCV showed that infected plants were predominantly randomly distributed. It is concluded that, although the manner of vector transmission differs between ToSRV (persistent) and ToCV (semipersistent), the main dispersal mechanisms are most probably similar for these two diseases: primary spread is the predominant mechanism, and epidemics of these diseases have been caused by several influxes of viruliferous whiteflies.     

葡萄风信子物候期观察与观赏性状分析

对荷兰引进的10个葡萄风信子品种进行露地栽培,对其物候期及观赏性状进行观察与评价.结果表明,引进的10个葡萄风信子品种在苏州地区露地栽培均能正常开花;其中"大微笑""幻想创造""蓝魔法""触雪"等品种适宜在园林中推广与应用.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus albus</Emphasis> Conglutin Gamma Modifies the Gene Expressions of Enzymes Involved in Glucose Hepatic Production <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vivo</Emphasis>

Lupinus albus seeds contain conglutin gamma (Cγ) protein, which exerts a hypoglycemic effect and positively modifies proteins involved in glucose homeostasis. Cγ could potentially be used to manage patients with impaired glucose metabolism, but there remains a need to evaluate its effects on hepatic glucose production. The present study aimed to analyze G6pc, Fbp1, and Pck1 gene expressions in two experimental animal models of impaired glucose metabolism. We also evaluated hepatic and renal tissue integrity following Cγ treatment. To generate an insulin resistance model, male Wistar rats were provided 30% sucrose solution ad libitum for 20 weeks. To generate a type 2 diabetes model (STZ), five-day-old rats were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin (150 mg/kg). Each animal model was randomized into three subgroups that received the following oral treatments daily for one week: 0.9% w/v NaCl (vehicle; IR-Ctrl and STZ-Ctrl); metformin 300 mg/kg (IR-Met and STZ-Met); and Cγ 150 mg/kg (IR-Cγ and STZ-Cγ). Biochemical parameters were assessed pre- and post-treatment using colorimetric or enzymatic methods. We also performed histological analysis of hepatic and renal tissue. G6pc, Fbp1, and Pck1 gene expressions were quantified using real-time PCR. No histological changes were observed in any group. Post-treatment G6pc gene expression was decreased in the IR-Cγ and STZ-Cγ groups. Post-treatment Fbp1 and Pck1 gene expressions were reduced in the IR-Cγ group but increased in STZ-Cγ animals. Overall, these findings suggest that Cγ is involved in reducing hepatic glucose production, mainly through G6pc inhibition in impaired glucose metabolism disorders.     

GA4+7+氯吡脲对重瓣百合'Thalita'生长的影响

以重瓣百合'Thalita'为试材,采用4个不同浓度(10、20、40、80 mg·L-1)的GA4+7+氯吡脲(1∶1),对其进行叶面喷施处理,以清水为对照,测定其株高、茎粗、叶面积等指标,探讨GA4+7+氯吡脲对重瓣百合'Thalita'生长的影响,以期为其推广提供参考.结果 表明:20 mg·L-1 GA4+7+氯吡脲对'Thalita'花苞直径和叶面积促进作用最大,分别比对照高14.18％和55.13％,均达显著差异;茎粗随着GA4+7+氯吡脲的浓度升高表现出一定抑制作用;20 mg·L-1GA4+7+氯吡脲在花苞开放率和花期上综合效果最好;80 mg·L-1 GA4+7+氯吡脲对'Thalita'株高促进效果最好,比对照高2.67％;所有处理组种球鲜质量和根长均比对照低,其中20 mg·L-1 GA4+7+氯吡脲效果最为明显,分别比对照低36.77％和48.18％,均达显著差异.综合比较来看,20 mg·L-1 GA4+7+氯吡脲对重瓣百合'Thalita'生长影响最大,效果更佳.     

危害蒙古栎的新害虫——金纹吉丁

2018年在承德市双庙村蒙古栎林中发现吉丁幼虫危害现象,对其进行鉴定确定为金纹吉丁(Corebus aequalipennis Fairmaire),并对其分布范围、主要形态特征、生物学特性等进行了调查,提出了相应的防治措施。     

NBA sweet spots: Distance‐based impacts on establishment‐level sales

This paper examines distance‐based effects of the introduction of a National Basketball Association (NBA) team on establishment‐level sales. Using a unique micro dataset with precise geographic location information and industry detail, we apply spatio‐temporal estimation strategies following Harger et al. and Ahlfeldt and Kavetsos. We build on the literature by focusing on sales activity, a broad measure of economic activity, for industries related to the NBA‐product. Our application considers the relocation of the NBA’s Seattle franchise (Supersonics) to Oklahoma City (Thunder). The results reveal spatially differentiated impacts that would be obscured using data aggregated over space or industry. Specifically, food establishments exhibit increased sales and entertainment establishments exhibit decreased sales relative to establishments in the outer most ring of the study area.