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.     

甜菜BvGSTU9基因的生物信息学及在镉胁迫下的表达分析

为了进一步研究甜菜谷胱甘肽转移酶BvGSTU9 (LOC104894060)在重金属胁迫过程中的功能。本研究以‘780016B/12优’为实验材料,对该基因序列特征、结构、功能进行预测分析,并利用qPCR检测该基因在不同浓度镉胁迫下的表达量变化。结果显示甜菜BvGSTU9基因全长925 bp,开放阅读框675 bp,编码了由224个氨基酸组成的不稳定膜外蛋白。BvGSTU9与菠菜、藜麦的氨基酸序列相似性较高,与系统发育进化树分析结果基本相符。二级和三级结构预测表明该基因主要由α-螺旋、β-折叠、延伸链及无规则卷曲组成。qPCR显示BvGSTU9基因在不同浓度的镉胁迫下均受到不同程度的诱导,因此可以推断甜菜BvGSTU9基因无论从结构还是功能上,与镉逆境胁迫存在着一定的应答关系。研究结果也为甜菜耐重金属镉机制研究提供参考依据。     

Screening and identification of soybean varieties with high phosphorus efficiency at seedling stage

In order to simplify the workload and find a reliable method for screening soybeans with different phosphorus(P)efficiencies,47 soybean varieties were screened from 90 varieties according to yield under normal phosphorus,and 10 indicators including root phenotype,phosphorus utilization efficiency at the seedling stage and yield were measured.Through single-index cluster analysis,the performance value and relative value of the abovementioned indexes under low-phosphorus conditions were analyzed,and then,the combined indexes were analyzed by principal components method.The membership function method and the cluster analysis method was used to calculate and analyze the comprehensive score value.Three indexes of root P utilization efficiency(X₁),relative value of root P utilization efficiency(X₂),and root volume(X₃)under low P at the seedling stage were selected as the most consistent with the yield screening results under low P condition,and the mathematical model of the comprehensive score value was obtained:D=1.218X₁t 0.320X₂t 0.007X₃-0.664(P=0.000,R²=1.000).The comprehensive score can screen and identify the P efficiency of soybeans with fewer indexes in the early growth stages,which provides a more rapid and reliable mathematical model for screening and identifying a larger number of germplasm resources for P efficiency.     

河套平原典型县域耕地土壤养分空间变异特征研究

为研究河套平原地区土壤养分状况,探究县域尺度土壤养分的空间变异性与分布特征,以杭锦后旗县域耕地为对象,采用实地调查和地统计学相结合的方法,研究该区耕层土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷、速效钾养分含量状况,分析土壤养分空间分布及其变异特征。结果表明,研究区耕层土壤有机质、全氮、速效磷和速效钾平均含量依次为13.90 g/kg、0.93 g/kg、16.25 mg/kg和170.79 mg/kg,土壤有机质和全氮处于缺乏状态,速效磷含量中等,而速效钾的含量较为丰富。从空间变异及相关性看,各土壤养分的变异程度都为中等变异,有机质和速效钾为中等相关性,全氮和有效磷均为弱相关性。从空间分布格局看,土壤有机质与全氮分布规律相近,呈现西北部高、东南部和东北部低的特点;土壤速效钾整体分布较为均衡;速效磷空间差异明显,呈东高西低格局。针对该地区土壤养分含量及分布规律,在进行养分管理过程中,应以控氮、稳磷、稳钾、全区规划与重点应对相结合的原则,坚持以有机肥为主、有机与无机相结合的施肥策略。对县域尺度耕地土壤养分状况的调查研究和统计分析,明晰了区域土壤养分空间分布特征及其与土地利用方式之间的关系,为河套平原耕地土壤养分管理、地力培育以及合理施肥运筹等提供科学依据。     

外源硅调控葡萄生理特性对低温胁迫的响应

本研究以大田葡萄品种‘梅鹿辄’为试材,采用大田喷施硅酸钾与室内低温处理相结合的方法,测定不同温度下葡萄叶片生理指标的变化,研究外源硅酸钾调控葡萄生理特性对低温胁迫的响应,探讨其提高葡萄抗寒性可能的作用机制。结果表明:低温胁迫下葡萄Inv活性被抑制,而其它指标则升高;喷施硅酸钾可显著降低低温胁迫下葡萄叶片的MDA含量,且当硅酸钾浓度为0.75%时对低温的损伤缓解作用最大;而脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖含量、Inv、SPS活性及SS净活性均随硅酸钾浓度的升高而显著提高,但是可溶性蛋白含量在硅酸钾浓度为0.50%时最大,其它指标均在浓度为0.75%时最大;通过葡萄叶片各抗寒指标的隶属度值与综合评价指标看出,始花期0.75%的硅酸钾处理后葡萄抗寒性最强。综合分析,喷施硅酸钾可提高低温胁迫下葡萄叶片渗透调节物质含量,加快蔗糖转运及代谢速率,缓解活性氧累积,增强其耐寒性。     

基于土地利用变化的河北省坝上地区景观生态风险评价

[目的]对河北省坝上地区近40 a来的土地利用动态变化和生态风险进行分析评价并对未来趋势作出预测,为该地区生态建设和治理、可持续发展提供科学依据。[方法]基于坝上地区1980—2018年5期土地利用数据以及通过土地转移矩阵、空间相关性分析等方法揭示和预测该区1980—2026年的土地利用变化特征并评估该区生态风险水平。[结果](1)整个研究期间,坝上地区土地利用类型以耕地为主,所占比例近50%,其中,1980—2018年,耕地、林地扩张面积均超过300 km~2,草地减少近616.60 km~2,水域面积缩减36.04%,其中耕地、林地、草地之间的互相流转程度较为剧烈,空间变化上表现为各地类的重心在2000—2010年明显迁移。(2)1980—2026年,坝上地区6个时期内生态风险值全局空间自相关Moran’s I指数均在0.500左右,其空间分布表现出较高的趋同集聚性。(3)近40 a来,坝上生态风险水平升至为高风险级,其区域增加了123.22 km~2,较高风险区域分布在城镇地区,据CA-Markov模型预测,未来坝上地区中等及中等以上风险区域持续扩张,丰宁县和围场县将分别出现小规模高风险区和较高风险区。[结论](1)近40 a来坝上地区草地退化严重,水域面积显著减少,原因系安固里淖干涸所致。(2)该区生态风险水平与土地格局分布具有较强相关性,且在未来会继续升高。     

Role of PhoPR in the response to stress of Mycobacterium bovis

PhoP is part of the two-component PhoPR system that regulates the expression of virulence genes of Mycobacteria. The goal of this work was to elucidate the role of PhoP in the mechanism that Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, displays upon stress. An analysis of gene expression and acidic growth curves indicated that M. bovis neutralized the external acidic environment by inducing and secreting ammonia. We found that PhoP is essential for ammonia production/secretion and its role in this process seems to be the induction of asparaginase and urease expression. We also demonstrated that the lack of PhoP negatively affected the synthesis of phthiocerol dimycocerosates. This finding is consistent with the role of the lipid anabolism in maintaining the redox environment upon stress in mycobacteria. Altogether the results of this study indicate that PhoP plays an important role in the response mechanisms to stress of M. bovis.     

岩溶流域典型农业区水体氢氧同位素的空间异质性及形成机制

分别于平水期和枯水期采集了花溪河流域典型农业区地表水和地下水样品。利用氢氧同位素示踪技术,结合土地利用类型对研究区不同水体的补给来源、季节变化及主要影响过程进行了分析,并对不同水体氢氧同位素值进行了空间插值分析,同时对其形成机制进行了分析,阐明了不同土地利用类型影响下的主要水文过程。结果表明:(1)研究区不同水体的主要补给来源为当地大气降水,月亮湖水库受蒸发作用影响明显,地表水和地下水的δD和δ~(18)O整体上呈现平水期高于枯水期的特征。(2)地下水的δD和δ~(18)O在枯水期与平水期均呈现明显的空间分异性特征,西部水田/水库集中区富集,东部旱地集中区贫化,土地利用对研究区环境水文过程影响明显。该研究结果有助于了解不同土地利用方式下地表水对地下水的影响,为流域管理提供科学依据。