Investigation of Myofascial Trigger Points in Equine Pectoral Muscles and Girth-Aversion Behavior

Horses displaying aversion to fastening of the girth may be expressing pain from myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). The location of MTrPs in the pectoral region of horses has not been previously described. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to locate and map MTrPs in the transverse and ascending pectoral muscles; (2) to score the severity of the MTrPs by behavioral reaction to palpation; and (3) to look for associations between these findings and girth-aversion behavior. Thirty-eight horses were recruited in a cross-sectional clinical study. Taut bands were identified on palpation of horses undergoing physiotherapy assessment and then scored for behavioral reaction to palpation as normal (0), mild (1), moderate (2), or severe (3) and mapped. Owner-reported history of girth-aversion behavior was compared with the severity score using chi-squared analysis. Myofascial trigger points were identified in all horses (average severity: mild n = 6, moderate n = 24, and severe n = 8) with the most common regions of ascending pectoral muscles being the axillary and along the region usually covered by the girth. Horses with an owner-reported history of girth-aversion behavior (n = 13) had higher severity scores than horses without a history of girth-aversion behavior (n = 25; P = .014). Knowledge of the presence and location of MTrPs could assist in the development of prevention and management strategies to improve comfort, optimize performance, and reduce girth-aversion behavior.     

Correlation Between Serum Activity of Muscle Enzymes and Stage of the Estrous Cycle in Italian Standardbred Horses Susceptible to Exertional Rhabdomyolysis

Equine exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) is a well-recognized clinical syndrome affecting racehorses. Prevalence analysis of ER showed that female sex was a significant risk factor. The aim of this research was to evaluate the differences and correlations in the serum activity of muscle enzymes and the stage of the estrous cycle in ER-susceptible and control (C) mares. Serum muscle enzyme activity before and after exercise and sex hormones were analyzed in the two groups of mares. Ten cyclic ER and 10 cyclic C mares were examined weekly for 4 weeks. During diestrus, ER horses had significantly higher resting and postexercise aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, but not creatine kinase (CK) activity, compared with controls; only postexercise AST activity was significantly higher during estrus compared with activity levels in controls. During estrus, 17β-estradiol and AST activity were significantly negatively correlated in the control but not ER mares. Based on our results, further studies should be performed to characterize the presumptive different roles played by sexual hormones in horses susceptible to ER compared with healthy mares.     

牛肌肉卫星细胞向胰岛素分泌细胞的诱导转分化研究

肌肉卫星细胞是源自中胚层的肌源干细胞,具有增殖分化融合成肌管并形成肌细胞的能力.在体内条件下,肌肉卫星细胞不可能跨胚层分化为内胚层来源的胰腺细胞.本研究从牛(Bos taurus)胎儿肌肉中分离培养得到肌肉卫星细胞,并在体外条件下将其诱导成胰岛素分泌细胞.在诱导过程中,分析了与胰腺发育相关的胰十二指肠同源基因盒1基因(pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1,PDX1)、神经原素3基因(neurogenin 3,NGN3)、淀粉酶基因(Amylase)和胰岛素基因(Insulin,INS)的动态表达情况.结果表明,PDX1作为决定胰腺分化发育和胰岛功能的主要调节基因,在诱导分化的第2天能够检测到其mRNA的表达,在第3天表达量达到了最大,第4天以后维持在较低水平.NGN3是内分泌细胞形成非常重要的转录因子,是能够将胰岛素分泌到胞外的关键基因,其mRNA在分化诱导的第3天开始表达,第4天达到最高水平,之后逐渐下降.Amylase是胰腺发育中细胞外分泌相关的基因,Amylase mRNA在第6天才开始表达,8d后达到最高.INS mRNA表达量在11～12 d最高,酶联免疫吸附分析(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)发现,诱导形成的胰腺细胞能够正常分泌胰岛素,培养液中胰岛素的浓度在诱导的11～12 d达到最高值.向培养液中添加葡萄糖后,可使细胞的胰岛素分泌量显著提高,说明诱导得到的细胞类似于成体胰岛的功能,其胰岛素分泌受外界葡萄糖浓度的调节.上述结果表明,肌肉卫星细胞可以被诱导转分化为胰岛素分泌细胞,并对培养环境中的葡萄糖刺激做出应答反应.本研究结果为进一步的研究和临床应用提供基础资料.     

银鲳与翎鲳肌肉必需氨基酸组成模式的比较分析

比较分析了相同规格银鲳与翎鲳幼鱼肌肉必需氨基酸的组成模式。结果显示,银鲳与翎鲳肌肉中氨基酸均以谷氨酸含量最高,分别为2.91、2.77 g/100 g湿物质,色氨酸含量最低,分别为0.17、0.18 g/100 g湿物质;银鲳肌肉中氨基酸总量、必需氨基酸总量及呈味氨基酸总量分别为18.08、9.32与6.84 g/100 g湿物质,翎鲳肌肉中氨基酸总量、必需氨基酸总量及呈味氨基酸总量分别为17.25、8.80与6.60 g/100 g湿物质;银鲳肌肉中必需氨基酸的组成比例为缬氨酸∶蛋氨酸∶异亮氨酸∶亮氨酸∶苏氨酸∶苯丙氨酸∶组氨酸∶赖氨酸∶精氨酸∶色氨酸=6.02∶3.12∶5.66∶9.45∶4.33∶4.50∶2.56∶11.15∶7.06∶1.00,翎鲳肌肉必需氨基酸中缬氨酸∶蛋氨酸∶异亮氨酸∶亮氨酸∶苏氨酸∶苯丙氨酸∶组氨酸∶赖氨酸∶精氨酸∶色氨酸=5.64∶2.42∶5.18∶8.74∶4.12∶4.13∶2.46∶10.28∶6.65∶1.00。统计分析表明,银鲳与翎鲳间肌肉中氨基酸总量、必需氨基酸总量、呈味氨基酸总量以及必需氨基酸的组成模式并无显著性差异(P0.05)。     

A method for inducing muscle relaxation in the abalone, Haliotis iris

Four chemical and two non-chemical methods for induction of relaxation in the abalone, Haliotis iris, were tested for prospective use in pearl seeding. Requirements were for rapid onset of relaxation, full extension and softening of the foot and epipodium muscle for at least 10 min, and recovery with minimal stress and no mortality. Nembutal at 1 ml/l was most successful, producing relaxed and soft muscle with good accessibility to operation sites, and no mortality. Benzocaine and MS-222 made animals release from container walls within 30–60 min, but the animal's muscle was hard and contracted. Propylene phenoxytol caused muscle contraction and mortality at 2.5 ml/l. The effects of the chemical relaxants were similar in warm (21–22.5°C) and cool (15–16°C) water. Elevation of the water temperature from 18°C to 23°C (without chemicals) caused some softening of the muscle, but was much less effective than Nembutal. Air exposure for up to 4 h was ineffective. This work provides a simple method to relax live abalone for pearl nucleation or other manipulations.     

艾维茵肉种母鸡骨骼、肌肉、脂肪组织生长发育规律研究

研究艾维茵肉种母鸡骨骼、肌肉、脂肪等组织的生长发育规律。选用3周龄艾维茵父母代母鸡72只,按照品种手册进行常规饲养管理。分别于第5、79、、11、131、51、71、92、12、3、252、8周龄随机选取6只进行屠宰解剖,测定骨骼、肌肉、脂肪等多项指标。结果表明:骨骼、肌肉、脂肪等组织的生长发育均符合Logistic模型,拟合度在0.95以上;25周龄前骨骼、肌肉、脂肪的生长发育不平衡,首先发育的是骨骼,其次是肌肉,最后是脂肪,28周龄后各组织的发育基本趋于平衡。     

Finishing cattle at pasture at 30 months of age or indoors at 25 months of age: Effects on selected carcass and meat quality characteristics

To examine the effect of a modification of a typically Irish dairy calf-to-beef production system, Charolais × Friesian steers were offered a finishing ration of grass silage ad libitum and 5.6 kg concentrates daily for 174 days prior to slaughter at 25 months of age or grass silage ad libitum for 174 days, followed by pasture for 167 days and slaughter at 30 months of age. Finishing at pasture increased carcass weight (376 vs. 342 kg) but did not affect intra-muscular lipid concentration (28 vs. 24 g/kg). Finishing at pasture decreased Longissimus thoracis et lumborum lightness (35.6 vs. 36.9) and increased shear force of muscle at 2 (8.54 vs 4.32) and 7 days (5.21 vs 3.64 kg) post-mortem but not at 14 days post-mortem (4.45 vs. 3.42 kg). Finishing at pasture did not affect the sensory characteristics of tenderness, juiciness, firmness or chewiness and tended (P < 0.1) to decrease texture and acceptability. It is concluded that modification of this beef production system as described, had minor effects on beef quality which are unlikely to be of commercial significance.     

四倍体泥鳅、二倍体泥鳅和大鳞副泥鳅营养成分分析

利用常规肌肉营养分析方法测定了四倍体泥鳅、二倍体泥鳅和大鳞副泥鳅的肌肉营养成分。结果表明：四倍体泥鳅、二倍体泥鳅和大鳞副泥鳅肌肉中（鲜重）蛋白质含量分别为18．68％、18．69％和18．20％；脂肪含量分别为0．796％、0．106％和1．203％；水分含量分别为79．81％、79．52％和78．40％；灰分含量分别为0．951％、1．188％和1．162％。三种泥鳅肌肉中都含有常见的17种氨基酸，其中包括9种人体必需氨基酸；氨基酸总量（占鲜重）分别为17．57％、18．11％和17．47％；必需氨基酸总量分别为7．84％、7．98％和7．76％；必需氨基酸的构成比例符合FAO／WHO的标准。鲜味氨基酸含量分别为6．98％、7．33％和6．95％。经比较分析，四倍体泥鳅和二倍体泥鳅肌肉中蛋白质含量、17种氨基酸含量、氨基酸总量和必需氨基酸总量均很接近，但都明显高于大鳞副泥鳅。     

青鳞鱼鱼肉提取物在加热过程中的性质研究

本文以青鳞鱼鱼肉为原料，采有冷水法和酶水解法制备提取物并对其在加热过程中的性质进行了研究。结果表明：①青鳞鱼鱼肉蛋白含量为68．3-71％且水溶性蛋白与水不溶性蛋白之比约为2：9；②酶水解法提取物非蛋白氮约为其总氮的50％．而冷水法提取物则为41．5％；③酶水解法提取物在50℃、60℃、70℃、80℃和90℃的温度条件下加热2h后．颜色明显加深，同时产生大量的呈香物质。但常规成分基本无变化；而冷水法提取物在同样的温度条件下，其颜色、滋味等感官特性变化不明显，但常规成分变化却明显；④提取物水溶性蛋白的变性温度为60—70℃，70—90℃时提取物总氮大部分是非蛋白氮。青鳞鱼提取物在加热过程中的这些性质为其加工和利用提供了重要的理论依据。