Effects of melatonin on maturation,histone acetylation,autophagy of porcine oocytes and subsequent embryonic development

Melatonin (MLT) is an endogenous hormone with roles in animal germ cell development. However, the effect of MLT on porcine oocyte maturation and its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous MLT on oocyte maturation, histone acetylation, autophagy and subsequent embryonic development. We found that 1 nmol/L MLT supplemented in maturation medium was the optimal concentration to promote porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent developmental competence and quality of parthenogenetic embryos. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of 1 nmol/L MLT treatment on porcine oocyte maturation and embryo development were mainly attributed to the first half period of in vitro maturation. Simultaneously, MLT treatment could also improve maturation of small follicle‐derived oocytes, morphologically poor (cumulus cell layer ≤1) and even artificially denuded oocytes and their subsequent embryo development. Furthermore, MLT treatment not only could decrease the levels of H3K27ac and H4K16ac in metaphase II (MII) oocytes, but also could increase the expression abundances of genes associated with cumulus cell expansion, meiotic maturation, histone acetylation and autophagy in cumulus cells or MII oocytes. These results indicate that MLT treatment can facilitate porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development probably, through improvements in histone acetylation and autophagy in oocytes.     

Intestinal absorption of forsythoside A in different compositions of Shuang-Huang-Lian

Shuang-Huang-Lian (SHL), a traditional Chinese formula containing Lonicerae japonicae flos (LJF), Scutellariae radix (SR) and Forsythiae fructus (FF), is commonly used to treat acute upper respiratory tract infection, acute bronchitis and light pneumonia. Forsythoside A is one of the main active ingredients in Forsythiae fructus, a key herb in SHL. In the present study, effects of different compositions in SHL on the intestinal absorption of forsythoside A were investigated. The observations from in situ intestinal circulation model showed that A/%(h^− 1) of forsythoside A in FF + LSF, FF + SR and SHL were all reduced greatly compared with that in FF. However, in pharmacokinetics study, C_max and AUC_0 → 1440 of forsythoside A all increased and T_1/2 prolonged in SHL, FF + LJF and FF + SR compared with FF. The results indicated that the different compositions of SHL decreased absorption but increased bioavailability of forsythoside A, which may be related to its metabolism inhibited in intestine or liver.     

Molecular cloning and functional analysis of duck Toll-like receptor 5

Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) is responsible for the recognition of bacterial flagellin in vertebrates. In this study, we cloned the single-exon TLR5 gene of the Maya breed of Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna). The TLR5 open reading frame is 2580 bp in length and encodes an 859-amino acid protein. The putative amino acid sequence of duck TLR5 consisted of a signal peptide sequence, 11 leucine-rich repeat domains, a leucine-rich repeat C-terminal domain, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular Toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain. The duck TLR5 gene was highly expressed in the lung, bone marrow, spleen, and liver; moderately expressed in kidney, small intestine, large intestine, and brain. A plasmid expressing duck TLR5 was constructed and transfected into HEK293T cells, and expression was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. HEK293T cells transfected with duck TLR5- and NF-κB-luciferase-containing plasmids significantly responded to flagellin from Salmonella typhimurium, indicating that it is a functional TLR5 homolog.     

大兴安岭塔河林业局林火时空动态研究

基于GIS技术在时空尺度上分析了塔河林业局1974-2004年森林火灾变化规律,研究结果表明:该区火灾总次数和过火面积均呈波动上升趋势;进入21世纪夏季火灾受害面积增加;历史上火灾多发生于塔河林场、沿铁路以及公路附近,且受害面积严重;积极有效地防火政策导致1987年大兴安岭特大森林火灾后森林火灾轮回期延长,且火灾发生概率下降。     

雷竹覆盖栽培失败原因浅析

总结了嵊州市雷竹覆盖栽培技术推广应用经验,对嵊州市的雷竹覆盖栽培失败典型事例进行了认真的剖析,提出了嵊州市雷竹覆盖栽培的对策与措施和4点建议。     

云联众家团购网在高校开展的可行性研究

云联众家团购网作为众多电子商务平台中的一个,在其行业发展中,也已经实现了对 大学生消费渗透。本文以福州外语外贸为例,对云联众家团购网在高校开展的可行性研究进行 了分析,旨在本文研究帮助下,能够更好地为云联众家团购网高校推广提供参考。     

黄脊竹蝗研究现状及进展

综述了黄脊竹蝗Ceracriskiangsu Tsai的生物学特性及防治方法的研究概况。黄脊竹蝗是竹林中一种重要的食叶害虫,它食谱广、取食量大、危害时间长、防治困难,因而造成损失非常严重。黄脊竹蝗在所有分布地区均为1年1代,以卵在土表下1～2cm深的卵囊中越冬。在我国从南到北于4月中旬到6月上旬越冬卵开始孵化。若虫5龄,平均每龄龄期约10d左右。传统方法对竹蝗的防治主要以化学防治为主,随着人们对生态安全的关注度加大,农药防治竹蝗逐渐向无公害型转化。生物防治技术也应用到竹蝗的防治中来。从发酵人尿中提取活性成分,合成引诱剂对黄脊竹蝗的成虫进行引诱试验,为黄脊竹蝗的防治探索新方法。     

Effects of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide on soil mineral N, pasture yield, nutrient uptake and pasture quality in a grazed pasture system

Recent lysimeter studies have demonstrated that the nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), can reduce nitrate (NO) leaching losses from cow urine patches in grazed pasture systems. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of fine particle suspension (FPS) DCD on soil mineral N components, pasture yield, nutrient uptake and pasture quality under grazed pasture conditions. A field study was conducted on the Lincoln University dairy farm, Canterbury, New Zealand, from 2002 to 2006. FPS DCD was applied to grazed pasture plots at 10 kg ha^?1 in early May in addition to applied cow urine patches at a nitrogen (N) loading rate of 1000 kg N ha^?1, with DCD reapplied in early August. Soil mineral N levels in the urine patches were monitored. Pasture yield, N and cation concentrations and uptake were measured in treatment urine patches and inter‐urine areas of the pasture. Comparisons were made with control plots which did not receive DCD. NO levels under the DCD‐treated urine patches (0–7.5 cm) were in the order of 10 kg N ha^?1 compared with 40–80 kg N ha^?1 under untreated patches, and soil ammonium (NH) levels were consistently higher under the DCD‐treated patches. The DCD significantly and consistently increased pasture yield in both the urine patches, and inter‐urine areas of the pasture in all 4 years of the trial. Mean annual dry matter (DM) yields over 4 years were inter‐urine areas, 10.3; inter‐urine + DCD, 12.4; urine, 12.4 and urine +DCD 16.0 t DM ha^?1, representing an average DM yield increase of 20 and 29% in inter‐urine and urine patch areas, respectively. On a whole paddock basis, the increase in annual DM yield resulting from DCD application was estimated to be 21%. N, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) concentrations in pasture were unaffected by treatment with DCD; however, total annual uptake of these nutrients by pasture was significantly higher in all years where DCD had been applied. Pasture DM, protein, carbohydrate, metabolizable energy and fibre levels and sward clover content were not affected by treatment with DCD. The results demonstrate the agronomic value of the DCD treatment in addition to the environmental benefits in a grazed pasture system.     

β-carotene attenuates weaning-induced apoptosis via inhibition of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK signalling pathways in piglet jejunum

Weaning may cause oxidative injury, immune response impairment, apoptosis and other injuries in piglets. Oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) can elicit inflammatory responses, and persistent oxidative and ERS also may lead to apoptotic cascades, which is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. β-carotene, a natural carotenoid, has potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. However, the effect of β-carotene on apoptosis in weaned piglets and the detailed molecular mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we found that β-carotene decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in piglet serum. β-carotene could inhibit the mRNA levels of caspase-3 significantly, but had no significant inhibitory effect of the mRNA levels of caspase-9 and caspase-12 in the piglet jejunum. In addition, β-carotene decreased the activation of GRP78, CHOP, and JNK/p38 MAPK and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Furthermore, β-carotene had a significant influence on the activation of ERS and apoptosis-related signals in TG-induced IPEC-J2. In the present study, β-carotene pre-treatment attenuated the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and prevented TG-induced increases in the level of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK pathway activation in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, these findings indicate that β-carotene may protect weaning-induced apoptosis through inhibiting ERS.     

层次分析法在退耕还林生态效益评价指标体系建立中的应用

退耕还林生态效益评价是当今研究的热点问题之一,构建评价指标是评价工作的前提和基础。笔者根据退耕还林生态效益的主要影响因子,在设定多层次指标体系的基础上,采用AHP法计算各指标权重,以确定影响退耕还林生态效益的主要因素。结果表明:退耕还林生态效益指标体系19个指标中,所占比重最大的5个指标依次为:土壤的侵蚀模数、地表径流量、土壤容重、枯落物层厚度和林草的覆盖率等。