Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in IL-1β-stimulated mesangial cells is medicated by NF-κB/IκB signal pathway

AIM: To investigate the role of NF-κB/IκB signal pathway in the regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in human mesangial cells (HMC). METHODS: The PGE₂ concentration in supernatants of HMC was measured by radioimmunoassay. COX-2 mRNA and protein expression were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and Western blot were used to detect the activity of NF-κB and degradation of IκB. RESULTS: IL-1β significantly upregulated COX-2 expression and PGE₂ production in HMC. Significant up-regulation of NF-κB activation, nuclear translocation of p65 subunit, and degradation of IκB α and IκB β were observed in IL-1β-induced HMC. CONCLUSION: Expression of COX-2 in IL-1β-induced HMC is mediated by NF-κB/IκB signal pathway.     

20世纪80年代以来世界除草剂新品种开发进展及特点(一)

综述了近20年来世界除草剂新品种的开发进展，并介绍了除草剂工业发展的一些新特点。     

蛋鸡血浆VLDL浓度二世代双向选择对体脂沉积的影响

以雅发褐壳蛋鸡为素材,在零世代和一世代双向选择的基础上,应用血浆极低密度脂蛋白(VLDL)浓度对体腹脂性状继续进行双向选择,比较了高低脂系间体组成的差异,并研究了中后期血浆VLDL浓度与上述性状的相关程度,进一步探讨了血浆VLDL浓度的选择效应。结果表明:二世代母鸡中后期高脂系体重较高(P<0.05),血浆VLDL浓度与体重呈极显著的表型相关(P<0.01)和中等程度的正遗传相关。62周龄高脂系的腹脂率显著高于低脂系(P<0.05),说明运用血浆VLDL浓度经过二个世代的双向选择,使产蛋鸡中后期体重降低,且对腹脂沉积产生了一定的影响。     

Preliminary results of an anticircumsporozoite DNA vaccine trial for protection against avian malaria in captive African black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus).

Captive juvenile African black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus) housed in an outdoor enclosure at the Baltimore Zoo have an average 50% mortality from avian malarial (Plasmodium sp.) infection each year without intense monitoring for disease and chemotherapeutic intervention. During the 1996 malaria transmission season, the safety and efficacy of an anti-circumsporozoite (CSP) DNA vaccine encoding the Plasmodium gallinaceum CSP protein against P. relictum were studied. The goal was to reduce clinical disease and death without initiating sterile immunity after release into an area with stable, endemic avian malaria. The birds were monitored for adverse clinical signs associated with vaccination, the stimulation of an anti-CSP antibody response, and protection afforded by the vaccine. The presence of P. relictum in trapped culicine mosquitoes within the penguin enclosure was monitored to assess parasite pressure. Among the vaccinated penguins, the parasitemia rate dropped from approximately 50% to approximately 17% despite intense parasite pressure, as determined by mosquito infection rate. During the year of the vaccine trial, no mortalities due to malaria occurred and no undesirable vaccination side effects occurred. This is the first trial of an antimalarial vaccine in a captive penguin colony.     

pH及阳离子浓度对柞蚕蛹蛋白溶解性的影响

对不同pH及阳离子浓度下柞蚕蛹蛋白的溶解性进行了研究。结果表明,柞蚕蛹蛋白的等电点pI为4.2~4.5。测定不同的阳离子对其溶解度的影响顺序为Zn2+>Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+,随着阳离子浓度的增加,蛹蛋白的溶解性增加,当离子浓度超过1.0 mol/L时,其溶解性则降低。     

永失我爱--祭爱犬丁丁

2005年2月底3月初的那段日子是我最背霉运，最不顺利的。3月7日中午，我忽然看到一张贴子，说有一窝（5头）小喜乐蒂犬待售，从来没有养过犬的我忽然间对此产生了浓厚的兴趣。这时丁丁就跃入我的眼帘：憨态可拘的他有着一双清澈的眼睛，努力睁得大大的试图将一切事物尽收眼底；一身柔软的小绒毛看上去活象一个小玩具，更让我对他注意的应该算是他又宽又通的鼻线，再加上小脑门上有一个好似菱形的小胎记。好，就是他了，我对自己说。     

满江红作为家禽益生元的可行性研究

用分别添加0．5％、1％与10％满江红的配合饲料喂1日龄AA肉鸡，21日龄、42日龄的体重0.5％、1％添加组显著高于10％添加组和对照组（P〈0．05）。0．5％、1％添加组鸡只粪便的双歧杆菌和乳酸茵的总数较对照组增多60％，而大肠杆菌数量则下降67％。不同浓度的满江红溶液，添加于培养基中，进行体外增茵和抑茵试验，满江红对双歧杆菌体外增殖和大肠杆菌体外抑制均有良好的效果。以上结果表明，满江红可以作为家禽益生元。     

Can treatment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachiaria decumbens</Emphasis> (signal grass) improve its utilisation in the diet in small ruminants?—a review

Brachiaria decumbens is an extremely productive tropical grass due to its aggressive growth habit and its adaptation to a varied range of soil types and environments. As a result of the vast availability, treated B. decumbens demonstrates as a promising local material that could be utilised as an improved diet for sheep and goats. Despite the fact that the grass significantly increases weight gains in grazing farm animals, there were many reports of general ill-thrift and sporadic outbreaks of photosensitivity in livestock due to the toxic compound of steroidal saponin found in B. decumbens. Ensiling and haymaking were found to be effective in removing toxin and undesirable compounds in the grass. Biological treatments using urea, activated charcoal, polyethylene glycol, and effective microorganisms were found to be useful in anti-nutritional factor deactivation and improving the nutritive values of feedstuffs. Besides, oral administration of phenobarbitone showed some degree of protection in sheep that fed on B. decumbens pasture. In this review, we aim to determine the effect of B. decumbens toxicity and possible treatment methods on the grass to be used as an improved diet for small ruminant.     

Genomic characterization of the first oral avian papillomavirus in a colony of breeding canaries (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Serinus canaria</Emphasis>)

Papillomaviruses are non-enveloped, DNA viruses that infect skin and mucosa of a wide variety of vertebrates, causing neoplasias or simply persisting asymptomatically. Avian papillomaviruses, with six fully sequenced genomes, are the second most studied group after mammalian papillomaviruses. In this study, we describe the first oral avian papillomavirus, detected in the tongue of a dead Yorkshire canary (Serinus canaria) and in oral swabs of the same bird and other two live canaries from an aviary in Madrid, Spain. Its genome is 8,071 bp and presents the canonical papillomavirus architecture with six early (E6, E7, E1, E9, E2, E4) and two late open reading frames (L1 and L2) and a long control region between L1 and E6. This new avian papillomavirus L1 gene shares a 64% pairwise identity with FcPV1 L1, so it has been classified as a new species (ScPV1) within the Ethapapillomavirus genus. Although the canary died after showing breathing problems, there is no evidence that the papillomavirus caused those symptoms so it could be part of the oral microbiota of the birds. Hence, future investigations are needed to evaluate the clinical relevance of the virus.     

Knowledge,attitudes and practices towards <Emphasis Type="Italic">cystic echinococcosis</Emphasis> in livestock among selected pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Uganda

A cross-sectional study was done from March 2013 to May 2014 to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards cystic echinococcosis (CE) or hydatidosis among selected pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Uganda. A structured questionnaire was administered to 381 respondents. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to find the relationship between knowledge about CE and factors such as age, sex, and level of education across all regions. The odds ratio and confidence interval were used to determine the difference in responses across regions. It was shown that age above 36 years was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with awareness about CE in livestock. Likewise, uneducated (p < 0.0001) and agro-pastoralists (p = 0.01) were significantly less knowledgeable than the educated and pastoralists across all regions. The overall knowledge towards CE in livestock was low 17.8% (95% CI = 14.0–21.6). Dog ownership was high and they never dewormed their freely roaming dogs. Dogs shared water with livestock. In conclusion, knowledge about CE in livestock was low across all regions. Therefore, public health education and formulation of policies towards its control by the relevant stakeholders should be done. Also, the true prevalence of CE in livestock needs to be done so that the magnitude and its public health significance are elucidated.