The role of toll-like receptors in the pathogenesis of Streptococcus suis

Streptococcus suis is an important agent of swine and human meningitis. Sequence type (ST) 7 emerged in China and was responsible for the human epidemic caused by S. suis in 2005. The virulence of S. suis ST7 is greater than the wild type pathogenic S. suis, ST1; however, the mechanisms for this increased pathogenicity are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the role of different toll-like receptors (TLRs) involved in regulating the host response to the S. suis infection and to speculate on differing mechanisms used by ST7 strains to induce disease. Here we compared two ST7 strains isolated in the 2005 Sichuan outbreak to two ST1 strains. Our data show TLR2, 6 and 9 are involved in the recognition of heat-killed S. suis independent of the ST type. We found the TLR-dependent cytokine production differed between the two types of strains using whole cell lysate proteins. TLR6 played a greater role in cytokine production induced by the whole cell lysate proteins from the ST7 strain than in that induced by the ST1 strain lysates. The data suggest that mechanisms of inflammation induced by S. suis strains differ where this will be useful in designing efficient strategies in combating streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome caused by the S. suis ST7 strains.     

自然生草对甜樱桃果园土壤及其冠层温湿度的影响

以自然生草的甜樱桃园为研究对象,采用定位监测方法,研究了自然生草对甜樱桃园0~30cm土壤和距地表50~200cm冠层温湿度的影响,以期为自然生草甜樱桃园的管理提供参考依据。结果表明:与清耕相比,自然生草降低了0~30cm土壤日最高温度和昼夜温差,增大了土壤含水量,但在多雨季节不利于排水,易引起局部根系渍水胁迫;降低了冠层的最高温度。     

动物园动物的应激及其管理

应激是圈养野生动物所不能避免的,对动物的负面影响是多方面的。针对动物园动物应激的特点,对动物园存在的应激进行分析归类,阐述应激的危害和解释实践中的问题,采取有效措施对应激进行监测与管理,减弱应激的负面影响。     

鸭坦布苏病毒E基因的分子特性分析

为给鸭坦布苏病毒（duck tembusu virus,DTMUV）囊膜糖蛋白选择良好的抗原域和宿主表达系统提供参考依据,本研究通过选取DTMUV QD株基因文库中的一个重组质粒并测序,结合NCBI的ORF Finder和BLAST工具发现一个全长为1488 bp完整开放阅读框架（Open Reading Frame,ORF）片段。将该ORF编码蛋白通过NCBI的BLASTP分析和DNAstar进化树分析,确定该蛋白与类黄病毒E基因编码的蛋白具有较高的相似性。随后应用生物信息学分析工具Conserved Domains确定保守结构域、运用SignalP4.1预测信号肽、TMHMM 2.0预测跨膜区。应用在线程序NetNGlyc1.0预测糖基化位点,NetPhos2.0预测磷酸化位点、ProtScale进行疏水性分析。最后运用在线EMBOSS和自动蛋白同源建模数据库进行3D结构预测以及密码子偏爱性分析。结果表明,E蛋白与其它黄病毒衣壳蛋白具有相似的功能,没有信号肽切割位点,在451-468和475-492aa区域含有跨膜区,为相对低表达基因,含有较多种类的稀有密码子,与人密码子使用频率较为接近。这为进一步研究DTMUV E基因的体外表达和宿主选择提供了分子生物学依据。     

城市新村型居住区环境更新初探

文章从新村型居住区概念入手,系统地分析其特点与存在的问题,阐述了更新的原则并对新村型居住区环境提出了更新对策。     

三唑酰草胺在不同类型土壤中的降解特性

为科学评价除草剂三唑酰草胺在土壤环境中的生态风险,采用室内模拟方法,研究了三唑酰草胺在吉林黑土、江西红土和安徽水稻土中的降解特性。结果表明:三唑酰草胺在土壤中的降解符合一级动力学方程。好氧条件下三唑酰草胺在3种土壤中的降解半衰期分别为86.5、106和91.4 d;厌氧条件下半衰期分别为106、130和127 d;水稻田厌氧条件下半衰期分别为162、219和188 d。研究表明,三唑酰草胺在水稻田厌氧条件下的降解速率明显慢于其他2种试验条件下。     

荒漠草地物种多样性的水分特征研究

通过在伊犁河谷山前倾斜平原荒漠草地开展的不同灌溉量草地恢复试验,对测试的试验地内草地植物物种多样性指数和灌溉水量之间的关系进行了初步的研究。结果显示:在荒漠草地,水分是影响草地植物长势的重要限制因子,随着水分条件的转好,植被盖度和蒿类的分盖度均有显著的提高,草地植物的生物量和群丛高度均显著增加;随着灌溉量的增加,S im pson指数、Shannon-W iener指数、P ie lou指数和M arga lef指数均出现递增的趋势,其中每增加1 kg/d水量,S im pson指数将增加0.021,表明在温性荒漠草原生物多样性指数对水量变化的灵敏度较高。     

Methyl donors dietary supplementation to gestating sows diet improves the growth rate of offspring and is associating with changes in expression and DNA methylation of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 gene

The study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal dietary methyl donors on the performance of sows and their offspring, and the associated hepatic insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) expression of the offspring. A total of 24 multiparous sows were randomly fed the control (CON) or the CON diet supplemented with methyl donors (MD) at 3 g/kg betaine, 15 mg/kg folic acid, 400 mg/kg choline and 150 μg/kg VB₁₂, from mating until delivery. After farrowing, sows were fed a common lactation diet through a 28‐days lactation period and six litters per treatment were selected to be fed until at approximately 110 kg BW. Maternal MD supplementation resulted in greater birthweight (p < 0.05) and increased the piglet weights (p < 0.01) and litter weights (p < 0.05) at the age of day 28, compared with that in CON group. The offspring pigs in the MD group had greater ADG (p < 0.05) and tended to lower F:G ratio (p = 0.07) compared with that of CON group from day 28 to 180 of age. The offspring pigs from MD group had greater serum IGF‐1 concentrations and expressions of hepatic IGF‐1 gene and muscular IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1r) protein at birth (p < 0.05), and greater hepatic IGF‐1 protein (p = 0.03) and muscular IGF‐1r gene expressions (p < 0.05) at slaughter, than that from the CON group. Moreover, the methylation at the promoter of IGF‐1 gene in the liver of newborn piglets and finishing pigs was greater in the MD group than that of the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, maternal MD supplementation throughout gestation could enhance the birthweight and postnatal growth rate of offspring, associated with an increased expression of the IGF‐1 gene and IGF‐1r, as well as the altered DNA methylation of IGF‐1 gene promotor.