Effect of ammonia and nitrite on vigour,survival rate,moulting rate of the blue swimming crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Portunus pelagicus</Emphasis> zoea

The effects of ammonia and nitrite on vigour, survival rate, moulting rate of zoea of blue swimming crab, Portunus pelagicus, were studied. A total of five nitrite-N treatments (26.67, 53.34, 106.68, 213.36, 426.72 mg/l) and a control (no nitrite-N added) were set up for the acute nitrite-N toxicity experiment; a total of five ammonia-N treatments (8.43, 16.86, 33.72, 67.44, 134.88 mg/l) and a control (no ammonia-N added) were set up for the acute ammonia-N toxicity experiment. The results showed that the vigour, survival rate and moulting rate of zoea of the blue swimming crabs exposed to over 53.34 mg/l were significantly different (P < 0.05) from the control group. The zoea LC₅₀ values (mg/l) of nitrite-N were 179.47, 76.56, 66.70, 37.49, 25.01, 25.35, 25.34 mg/l for 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 h, respectively. The vigour, survival rate and moulting rate of zoea of the blue swimming crabs exposed to over 16.86 mg/l were significantly different (P < 0.05) from the control group. The zoea LC₅₀ values (mg/l) of ammonia-N were 51.04, 39.62, 38.72, 24.43, 16.90, 13.42, 11.16 mg/l for 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 h, respectively. The zoeae are highly sensitive to ammonia and nitrite, and the toxicity of ammonia and nitrite on Portunus pelagicus decrease with development of this crab.     

皱皮香猪HAS2基因SNPs的鉴定及生物信息学分析

为了探究皱皮香猪全身性皮肤褶皱是否与透明质酸合成酶2（hyaluronan synthase 2,HAS2）基因变异有关,本研究以普通香猪为对照,采用特异性PCR方法克隆HAS2基因的外显子编码区,应用生物信息学方法分析测定基因编码区的碱基变异,检测变异位点在群体中的分布频率。结果显示,皱皮香猪HAS2基因中检测到4个SNPs位点：位于外显子1的T221A错义突变（导致亮氨酸替换为赖氨酸）和A228G同义突变,位于外显子2的T183C和外显子4的C537T同义突变。生物信息学分析发现,T221A和A228G位点构成4种单倍型,其中T-A为皱皮香猪群体的主要单倍型（27.5%）,且在皱皮香猪群体中紧密连锁（r²=0.253）,而且T221A和A228G突变可引起mRNA自由能和蛋白质结构发生变化,TA组合的自由能为-573.29 kJ·mol^-1,TG组合的自由能为-580.89 kJ·mol^-1,AG组合的自由能为-572.66 kJ·mol^-1;AA组合的自由能为-571.03 kJ·mol^-1;蛋白序列中亮氨酸替换为赖氨酸后,α螺旋由35.52%降为32.97%,自由卷曲由43.17%升至44.51%,同时引起蛋白序列三级结构的改变。位点T221A和A228G在香猪群体中呈现出丰富的多态性,均表现出3种基因型;关联分析结果显示,皱皮香猪T221A位点的A等位基因频率显著高于普通香猪（P<0.05）,A228G位点中皱皮香猪的G等位基因频率极显著高于普通香猪（P<0.01）。T183C位点的C等位基因频率和C537T位点的T等位基因频率在皱皮香猪和普通香猪间未达到显著性差异（P>0.05）。研究结果揭示,HAS2基因的外显子1中发生的两个碱基变异可能影响基因转录后mRNA的稳定性以及蛋白的三维结构,影响HA的合成量,并与皱皮香猪体侧皮肤不均匀增厚且发生褶皱有关。     

香猪基因组外显子SNPs检测及繁殖和体型性状候选基因分析

为从基因组水平上探究香猪性成熟早、产仔数少、体型小的分子机理,本研究下载与香猪在繁殖和体型性状方面有明显差异的梅山猪、杜洛克猪的重测序数据作为参照,对26头香猪、24头梅山猪和24头杜洛克猪的重测序数据进行SNPs检测和等位基因频率差值分析,筛选香猪基因组外显子上与梅山猪、杜洛克猪高度分化的SNPs位点,并使用AS-PCR方法和Sanger测序方法统计其中8个SNPs位点的群体等位基因频率。最后,对含有高度分化SNPs位点的基因进行GO功能富集和KEGG通路分析。结果显示,SNPs检测获得香猪基因组外显子上SNPs共236 710个,包括193个终止密码子丢失、1 238个终止密码子获得、90 945个错义SNPs和144 334个同义SNPs。得到1 046个香猪高度分化SNPs,包括429个错义SNPs、2个终止子丢失、6个终止子获得和609个同义SNPs,影响524个蛋白质编码基因;并发现X染色体上44-58 Mb的一段富含高度分化SNPs的热点区域。群体等位基因频率验证结果与重测序结果一致,鉴定了8个位点均为香猪与梅山猪、杜洛克猪高度分化的SNPs。对524个含有高度分化SNPs的基因进行GO和KEGG分析,富集到卵母细胞减数分裂、雌激素信号途径等繁殖相关通路;GO功能注释到细胞内雌激素受体信号、纤毛运动等繁殖相关条目,骨骼系统形态发生、骨骼发育、成骨细胞分化等体型相关条目。得到含有香猪高度分化SNPs的18个繁殖性状候选基因PTGFR、TRO、DNAH17、PKDREJ、KAT8、DNAI2、VDR、TEX14、QSOX1、AR、WNK3、ADCY3、SPEF1、MIGA2、SLC2A8、PSMF1、TBC1D20、IFT172和7个体型相关基因IBSP、NR6A1、HSPG2、TARS、PDZD2、FGF4、AMER1,可能是决定香猪性成熟早、产仔数少、体型小的关键基因。     

青核桃去皮过程的受力分析

青核桃在去皮方面不断进取的同时,存在着共同的问题是去掉的青皮被打成泥状,对核桃和环境都造成再次污染。为此,将通过模拟青核桃去皮过程的受力进行试验,分别从青核桃的尺寸、加载方向及加载速度等可能影响青核桃去皮过程的因素进行分析研究,为使青皮脱掉后不会被打成泥状,而是呈块状脱出奠定实验基础。     

我国蔬菜育苗产业现状及发展动态

蔬菜育苗是蔬菜生产中的关键环节之一,不仅可以节约用种量、增加复种指数,而且便于集约化管理,在我国有广阔的市场前景。为此,阐述了我国目前主要的几种育苗方法及相关技术,指出现阶段我国蔬菜育苗产业存在着育苗企业良莠不齐、缺乏规范化管理、育苗方法技术滞后和劳动者技术水平低等问题,并有针对性地提出了解决措施。目前,随着我国农业种植结构的调整,蔬菜育苗产业正向基质低廉化、育苗工厂化、育苗专业化及种苗标准化等方向发展。     

Canine fetal echocardiography: correlations for the analysis of cardiac dimensions

The aim of this study was to develop regression models for correlation of canine fetal heart development with body size to characterize normal development or suggest cardiac anomalies. Twenty clinically healthy pregnant bitches, either brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic, were examined ultrasonographically. Transabdominal fetal echocardiography was conducted every 4 days from the beginning of cardiac chambers differentiation until parturition. Ten cardiac parameters were measured: length, width and diameter of the heart; heart area; left and right ventricular dimensions; left and right atrial dimensions; and aortic and pulmonary artery diameter. Femoral length, biparietal diameter and abdominal cross-sectional area were also recorded. Regression equations were developed for each parameter of fetal body size, and linear and logarithmic models were compared. The model with the highest correlation coefficient was chosen to produce equations to calculate relative dimensions based on the correlations. Only the left-ventricular chamber differed between the two racial groups. Biparietal diameter was the independent parameter that produced the highest correlation coefficient for the most fetal cardiac dimensions, although good correlations were also observed using femoral length and abdominal cross-sectional area. Heart width and heart diameter were used as surrogates of cardiac development, as these measurements showed the best statistical correlation. Quantitative evaluation of fetal cardiac structures can be used to monitor normal and abnormal cardiac development.     

Tenogenic induction of equine mesenchymal stem cells by means of growth factors and low-level laser technology

Tendons regenerate poorly due to a dense extracellular matrix and low cellularity. Cellular therapies aim to improve tendon repair using mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes; however, a current limitation is the low proliferative potential of tenocytes in cases of severe trauma. The purpose of this study was to develop a method useful in veterinary medicine to improve the differentiation of Peripheral Blood equine mesenchymal stem cells (PB-MSCs) into tenocytes. PB-MSCs were used to study the effects of the addition of some growth factors (GFs) as TGFβ3 (transforming growth factor), EGF2 (Epidermal growth factor), bFGF2 (Fibroblast growth factor) and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) in presence or without Low Level Laser Technology (LLLT) on the mRNA expression levels of genes important in the tenogenic induction as Early Growth Response Protein-1 (EGR1), Tenascin (TNC) and Decorin (DCN). The singular addition of GFs did not show any influence on the mRNA expression of tenogenic genes whereas the specific combinations that arrested cell proliferation in favour of differentiation were the following: bFGF2 + TGFβ3 and bFGF2 + TGFβ3 + LLLT. Indeed, the supplement of bFGF2 and TGFβ3 significantly upregulated the expression of Early Growth Response Protein-1 and Decorin, while the use of LLLT induced a significant increase of Tenascin C levels. In conclusion, the present study might furnish significant suggestions for developing an efficient approach for tenocyte induction since the external administration of bFGF2 and TGFβ3, along with LLLT, influences the differentiation of PB-MSCs towards the tenogenic fate.     

Immunological and pathological investigations in equine experimental uveitis

Background

The pathogenic mechanism of equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is still poorly defined and many variations between experimental animal models and spontaneous disease exist.

Objectives

The aim of our study was to investigate if Th17 cell-mediated response plays role in the pathogenesis of the used experimental model in horses and to reveal its pathological findings.

Methods

Experimental uveitis was induced in 6 healthy horses. The concentrations of retinal autoantigen CRALBP and IL-17 were measured using ELISA in aqueous humor and vitreous body of the 12 inflamed eyes as well as in 12 control non-inflamed eyes taken from 6 horses in slaughter house. After centrifugation of the two eye media, smears were prepared and cytological investigation was performed. Tissue specimens were taken from all eye globes and were submitted to histopathological investigation.

Results

CRALBP and IL-17 concentrations were significantly elevated in eye media of horses with experimental uveitis in comparison with controls. Cytological and histopathological findings corresponded to the changes characteristic of chronic immune-mediated inflammation with mononuclear cell infiltration of uvea, choroid, retina, and eye media as well as severe retinal destruction.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated the involvement of the retinal autoantigen CRALBP as well as IL-17 in the pathogenesis of experimental uveitis in horses. These findings suggests that this experimental uveitis in horses may serve as a suitable animal model for investigation of IL-17- mediated immune response during spontaneous autoimmune uveitis in horses as well as in humans.