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.     

我国稻米加工工艺的沿革与展望

我国稻米加工起步于大规模采集野生稻的时期,最初是采用稻谷直接制成米的“稻出白”工艺,后来采用稻谷先制成糙米、糙米再制成米的“糙出白”工艺,两者构成了沿用几千年的古代稻米加工工艺;19世纪60年代开始,增加稻谷清理、白米整理等工段,构成了近代稻米加工工艺;到20世纪末,增加稻谷分级、下脚整理、稻壳整理、副产品整理、糙米精选、白米精选、白米色选、白米抛光等工序,构成现代稻米加工工艺;进入21世纪以来,新增了回砻谷净化、糙米净化、刷米与抛光组合、多道色选、留胚粒分选等工序,构成了当代稻米加工工艺;今后通过增加多等级大米联产、多等级大米与留胚米联产等专利加工工艺,将构成加工过程更加精准且智能化、低破碎、低能耗和环境友好的未来稻米加工工艺。     

Growth Responses and Differences in Gene Expression depending on Cultivation Temperature between Alternative type Wheat Varieties

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Two domestic wheat varieties were grown in the growth chamber set at 17°C, 20°C, 23°C and 26°C on average after the emergence of...     

Identification and quantification of anthocyanins in different coloured cultivars of ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC)

Anthocyanins are responsible for the colour of many fruits, vegetables, flowers, and coloured-leaved trees. Ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC) is widely cultivated for its colourful inner leaves. To investigate the relationship between the degree of colouration and anthocyanin distribution, content, and composition in ornamental kale, the authors studied the pigment characteristics of five cultivars with different coloured leaves (white, pink, red, purple, and purple-black). Microscopy observation, spectrophotometer, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis of fresh inner leaves revealed that pink, red, and purple colourations were associated with high levels of anthocyanin, while purple-black was the result of the combination of anthocyanins and chlorophyll. In the coloured cultivars, anthocyanins were abundant mainly in the first and second cell layers below the epidermis in both the hypocotyls and inner leaves. No anthocyanin was found in the white-leaved phenotype cultivar. Anthocyanin content increased as leaf colour deepened from pink, red, to purple cultivars, which had little chlorophyll and carotenoid. The authors identified eight anthocyanins in the four coloured cultivars, including one non-acylated, four monoacylated, and three diacylated cyanidin glycosides. Cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)(feruloyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside was the most abundant anthocyanin in the four coloured cultivars followed by cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside. The analysis of anthocyanin accumulation characterisation provides important information on evaluating colouration patterns in coloured plants, and will be helpful for breeding desired leaf colours in ornamental kale.     

间歇式双循环工厂化养殖系统构建及其养殖效果

为改善工厂化循环水养殖系统水质净化效果,提高养殖密度和成活率,构建了间歇式双循环工厂化养殖系统。通过间歇运行生物膜反应器增加水力停留时间,充分降解含氮污染物;连续运行弧形筛及时去除固体颗粒物。考察了该系统的启动过程及石斑鱼高密度养殖效果。启动初期,将硝化型生物絮团与海绵填料混合培养,生物膜22 d即可挂膜成功。以30.03 kg/m~3为初始养殖密度开展石斑鱼养殖试验,经66 d养殖,石斑鱼平均质量从(273.00±12.22)增至(552.52±107.04) g,最终养殖密度达到60.78 kg/m~3,成活率为100%。养殖过程中,生物膜逐渐适应养殖环境,氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮去除率从13.33%、14.84%增至93.73%、93.50%。此外,在弧形筛进水槽增加曝气形成曝气式弧形筛,可进一步除去细小颗粒物,有效控制养殖水体浊度。     

Bamboo NiR gene is associated with regeneration capacity

It was reported that the activity of NiR (nitrite reductase) enzyme encoded by the NiR gene was correlated with the regeneration ability in rice. To testify the function of NiR gene in bamboo, seven bamboo species whose calli had different differentiation rate were chosen to analyse their NiR enzyme activity. The results showed that bamboo NiR enzymatic activity had a certain correlation with the regeneration capacity. A NiR gene named DhNiR from Dendrocalamus hamiltonii with high regeneration capacity was cloned. Sequence analysis revealed that the ORF of DhNiR was 1779bp encoding 592 amino acids. Overexpression of DhNiR in rice reduced the time of shoot differentiation and increased the transformation rate, suggesting that DhNiR might play an important role in the regeneration ability of bamboo, and can be applied in regeneration and gene transformation of bamboo and other plant species.     

烤烟控水节肥育苗措施对水肥利用和烟苗素质的影响

为探明有利于减少水肥投入和降低养分残留的烤烟育苗方法,在烤烟育苗环节以常规水肥管理(CM)为对照,设置了控水节肥模式一(OM1)和控水节肥模式二(OM2)两种控水节肥育苗措施,考察了两个试验点不同控水节肥措施下的水肥利用、肥料残留和烟苗生长状况.结果表明,与常规对照(CM)相比,控水节肥(OM)处理下烟株出苗率、茎高、全株生物量及水分利用效率均无显著差异(P>0.05),试验点一和试验点二氮、磷、钾养分残留量分别平均减少52.7％和58.9％、47.8％和60.2％、45.1％和61.5％;与控水节肥模式一(OM1)相比,控水节肥模式二(OM2)耗水量和水分利用效率无显著差异(P>0.05),试验点一和试验点二氮、磷、钾肥残留量分别减少48.6％和28.1％,42.9％和37.7％,36.3％和41.1％,烟苗茎围分别增加了1.8％和27.0％.控水节肥模式二(控制维持水层深度8 cm和初始氮素浓度50 mg/kg)能够在保障烟苗移栽素质的前提下,减少育苗氮肥投入47.7％,降低苗池水体氮、磷、钾养分残留量,是一种值得推荐的绿色高效育苗水肥管理措施.     

AGAMOUS在花发育中的核心功能研究进展

花是植物重要的生殖器官,受到多种花发育因子的调控。AGAMOUS(AG)在花发育的不同阶段有着不同的表达模式,对于植物的繁殖和发育有着重要的作用。AG与其他花发育基因、蛋白之间的相互作用决定了植物花器官的形态建成。近年来研究发现,AG基因对于花序分生组织向花分生组织的转化起到了关键的调控作用,特别是它与WUSCHEL(WUS)基因的反馈调节途径促进了植物生殖器官的发育。本综述总结了AG基因在植物花发育调控网络中的作用及生物学功能,展望了花发育未来的研究方向与发展趋势。     

十里香茶离体培养及再生体系研究

为了保护珍贵的十里香茶树资源,掌握利于十里香茶的最优组培条件,本研究对十里香茶组培过程中外植体类型、消毒时间、培养基添加物及培养条件进行了筛选。结果表明,采用轻微木质化的带腋芽茎段经升汞消毒15 min,接种后暗培养5 d,MS+0.2 mg·L^-1 NAA培养基中添加3 mg·L^-1 PVP+2000 mg·L^-1 Vc或者6 mg·L^-1 PVP+3000 mg·L^-1 AC,可在低污染率的前提下将褐化率降为10%左右,一定程度上解决了茶树组培中褐化率高的难题;采用1/8 MS+1 mg·L^-1 IBA培养基有利于外植体生根且增殖迅速。本研究建立了十里香茶的无菌苗离体培养及再生体系,可通过组培手段对其进行大量繁殖。