Comparison of flagellin and an oil-emulsion adjuvant in inactivated Newcastle disease vaccine in stimulation of immunogenic parameters

The present study was designed to investigate the potential application of native (N) and recombinant (truncated modified [tmFliC] and full-length [flFliC]) flagellin proteins along with inactivated Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Fifty six SPF chickens were immunized twice with PBS (control), inactivated NDV (Ag), inactivated NDV/flFliC (AgF), inactivated NDV/tmFliC (AgT), inactivated NDV/N (AgN), commercial vaccine containing Montanide (Vac) and Vac/N (VacN), with a two-week interval. Blood was collected weekly and spleens were harvested after chickens were sacrificed. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α) gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed by Real-Time PCR. Antibody response was assessed by haemagglutination inhibition (HI). Cellular activity was quantified by MTT assay. Results showed that the most IL-6 and TNF-α gene expression was observed in AgF group (P < 0.01). The lowest gene expression among vaccinated groups was observed in Ag group for IL-6 and Ag and Vac group for TNF-α. The highest HI titer was observed in Vac, VacN, AgF and AgT groups. The AgF group showed the highest cellular activity (P < 0.01). In conclusion, flagellin-adjuvanted groups showed a pro-inflammatory effect and acted similarly to or better than the Vac group. Hence, flagellin can be proposed as a potential adjuvant for ND vaccine.     

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.     

轮状病毒感染肠上皮细胞激活宿主先天免疫研究进展

轮状病毒(RV)是引起婴幼儿、幼畜禽急性肠胃炎的人畜共患病原,常与其他病原体混合感染,多以呕吐,严重水样腹泻,脱水为临床症状,感染后具有较高病死率,对人类公共卫生以及养殖业造成极大危害。RV病原相关分子模式(PAMP)可被肠上皮细胞(IECs)中一组可遗传的模式识别受体(PRR)识别,通过IECs、先天免疫细胞与RV互作,激活细胞内信号级联,从而迅速诱导炎症和多种抗病毒基因表达。论文就轮状病毒特性、肠道先天免疫等方面进行综述,探讨RV感染宿主IECs后诱导不同抗病毒信号通路,为利用先天免疫途径预防轮状病毒感染提供了一定的参考。     

Commuting distances to local non‐farm workplaces and out‐migration: The case of Northeast Thailand

The relationship between commuting distances and where people work has been studied for urban contexts in both developed countries and developing countries. However, few studies have examined the situation in rural areas, and none look at commuting distances to non‐farm workplaces in rural areas of developing countries. This paper investigates how commuting distance, and thus accessibility, to local non‐farm work influences non‐farm employment and out‐migration from rural villages in Northeast Thailand. The main issues examined are: (i) the distance that rural residents travel to work in local non‐farm jobs; and (ii) the influence that local non‐farm employment has on the number of outmigrants from rural villages. The study finds: (i) distance between villages and non‐farm work sites impact the number of villagers who are employed in regular wage work; (ii) beyond 20 km villagers are less likely to travel to non‐farm employment using their own means of transportation; and (iii) employment in regular wage work decreases outmigration. The findings from this study contribute to the debates over the drivers of rural out‐migration, rural livelihood changes, and agrarian changes that are taking place in Southeast Asia.     

红枣提取物对虹鳟血清指标和头肾免疫相关基因表达的影响

为了探讨添加红枣提取物对促进虹鳟(Oncorhynchus mykiss)机体健康的可能性,选取体长为7.2~8.4 cm的健康虹鳟,随机分成4个试验组,分别投喂红枣提取物添加量为0%(对照组)、0.25%、0.50%和1.00%的等氮等脂饲料,饲养56 d,养殖结束后测定12项血清生化指标和头肾的6个免疫相关基因mRNA表达量。结果显示:与对照组相比较,血清中肌酐(CREA)和尿素氮(BUN)含量三个红枣提取物组均出现极显著下降;谷丙转氨酶(GPT)活性在0.50%和1.00%组极显著下降,谷草转氨酶(GOT)活性也在0.50%和1.00%组出现了一定程度下降,但差异不显著;酸性磷酸酶(ACP)和碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性无显著变化;总蛋白(TP)和白介素6(IL-6)含量在0.25%组出现显著增加;溶菌酶(LZM)活性三个红枣提取物组均显著升高;超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性在0.50%组极显著增加;补体4(C4)和肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)含量在0.25%和0.50%组均极显著增加。在头肾中,与对照组相比,SOD、白介素1β(IL-1β)和补体3(C3)基因表达量在0.50%和1.00%组均为显著或极显著上调;Factor H基因表达量在0.50%组显著上调;过氧化氢酶(CAT)和LZM基因表达量在0.50%和1.00%组仅出现差异不显著上调。上述结果表明,在虹鳟饲料中添加一定量的红枣提取物,可以起到促进肾功能,保护肝脏和提高其非特异性免疫功能的作用。     

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 as a potential biological control agent for carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Australia: susceptibility of non‐target species

Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is a pest species in Australian waterways, and cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) is being considered as a potential biological control (biocontrol) agent. An important consideration for any such agent is its target specificity. In this study, the susceptibility to CyHV‐3 of a range of non‐target species (NTS) was tested. The NTS were as follows: 13 native Australian, and one introduced, fish species; a lamprey species; a crustacean; two native amphibian species (tadpole and mature stages); two native reptilian species; chickens; and laboratory mice. Animals were exposed to 100–1000 times the approximate minimum amount of CyHV‐3 required to cause disease in carp by intraperitoneal and/or bath challenge, and then examined clinically each day over the course of 28 days post‐challenge. There were no clinical signs, mortalities or histological evidence consistent with a viral infection in a wide taxonomic range of NTS. Furthermore, there was no molecular evidence of infection with CyHV‐3, and, in particular, all RT‐PCRs for viral mRNA were negative. As a consequence, the results encourage further investigation of CyHV‐3 as a potential biocontrol agent that is specific for carp.     

Effect of dietary chitosan oligosaccharide complex with Ce (IV) on growth,immunity and disease resistance against Vibrio splendidus of sea cucumber,Apostichopus japonicas

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary chitosan oligosaccharide complex with cerium (Ce IV) (COS‐Ce) on growth performance, nonspecific immunity and disease resistance of sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicas. Five isonitrogenous (18.6%) and isolipidic (1.1%) practical diets were formulated with graded level of COS‐Ce (0, 150, 300, 600 and 1200 mg kg^?1 dry feed), which were named as COS‐Ce/0, COS‐Ce/150, COS‐Ce/300, COS‐Ce/600, COS‐Ce/1200 respectively. Each diet was allocated to four replicates of sea cucumbers (Initial weight: 6.72 ± 0.02 g). Sea cucumbers were fed to apparent satiation once daily (19:00 hours) for 56 days. During the experiment, water temperature was kept at 16 ± 0.5°C, pH 7.8–8.2, dissolved oxygen beyond 5 mg L^?1, ammonia nitrogen below 0.5 mg L^?1 and salinity from 30‰ to 31‰. Results showed that the specific growth rate of sea cucumbers was significantly higher in COS‐Ce/600 than that in other four treatments. Activities of phagocytosis, respiratory burst, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase in COS‐Ce/600 were significantly higher than that in COS‐Ce/0 (P < 0.05) respectively. On the contrary, cumulative mortality was the lowest in COS‐Ce/600 following 14 days exposure to Vibrio splendidus (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these results confirmed that dietary COS‐Ce had beneficial effects on growth performance, nonspecific immunity and disease resistance of sea cucumber.     

斑节对虾Toll9受体基因免疫功能的研究与表达分析

Toll受体蛋白(Toll receptors)是一类重要的模式识别受体,在无脊椎动物先天性免疫系统中发挥重要作用。文章对斑节对虾(Penaeus monodon)新型Toll9受体基因(Pm Toll9)进行了研究:以人源胚胎肾细胞(HEK293T)成功构建体外细胞免疫模型,通过免疫印迹方法证实Pm Toll9重组真核蛋白可在HEK293T中成功表达。双荧光素酶报告系统检测发现在200 ng转染浓度处Pm Toll9对NF-κB报告基因的激活效果显著。q RT-PCR数据证明PmToll9成功激活HEK293T细胞Toll-like receptor(TLR)信号通路,促进通路下游髓样分化因子(My D88)、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)和白介素(IL-10)的上调表达,同时酶联免疫吸附测定结果证明Pm Toll9可促进TNF-α蛋白表达水平显著上调。斑节对虾体内细菌刺激实验结果显示无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)可激活Pm Toll9在肝胰腺、肠、淋巴和鳃中的表达,哈维氏弧菌(Vibrio harveyi)可显著抑制Pm Toll9在肝胰腺中的表达。提示无乳链球菌可通过Pm Toll9激活Toll信号通路,引起机体免疫防御反应,而哈维氏弧菌对此过程具有一定的抑制作用。     

双斜盘多排式轴向柱塞马达转矩特性分析

为了实现多级转速和转矩的输出,轴向柱塞马达必须使用节流阀、减压阀等耗能元件来改变输入压力和流量,但同时降低了效率。新型双斜盘多排式轴向柱塞马达可以利用其结构的特殊性,实现输出转矩的多样性。本文基于双斜盘多排式轴向柱塞马达的结构特点及工作原理,推导了该马达在不同工作方式下的理论瞬时转矩和转矩不均匀系数,并通过Matlab分析了内外马达转矩系数比对转矩不均匀系数的影响,设计了马达的实验液压系统并搭建了实验平台,对马达进行了原理性实验,并进行了数据分析。实验结果表明,在额定压力和额定排量下,该马达能实现多种不同的转速与转矩输出,随着内外马达转矩系数比的增大,低速大转矩的转矩不均匀系数越小,高速低转矩不稳定系数越大,通过合理设计可以实现马达在不同工作状态下的稳定运行,验证了新型马达在结构原理上的可行性,为新型轴向柱塞马达的改进设计提供了实验依据。