Multiple amino acid substitutions are involved in the adaptation of H9N2 avian influenza virus to mice

To explore adaptation of avian influenza virus to mice we previously performed serial lung-to-lung passages of the influenza A/Chicken/Jiangsu/7/2002 (H9N2) strain, resulting in the isolation of a variant influenza strain lethal for mice. We now report that virulence correlates with improved growth characteristics on mammalian cells and extended tissue tropism in vivo. Sequencing of the complete genomes of the wild-type and mouse-adapted viruses revealed 25 amino acid substitutions. Some were found to reiterate known substitutions in human and swine H9N2 influenza isolates. Functions affected include nuclear localization signals and sites of protein and RNA interaction, while others are known determinants of pathogenicity and host specificity such as the viral polymerase PB2 E627K substitution. These observations suggest that enhanced growth characteristics and modified cell tropism may contribute to increased virulence in mice. We conclude that multiple amino acid substitutions are likely to be involved in the adaptation of H9N2 avian influenza virus to mice.     

铜对奶牛免疫能力的影响

[目的]检测实验奶牛血清中的微量元素铜的水平及相关指标的变化规律。[方法]实验所用实验动物均选自黑龙江地区某奶牛场,常规水平饲养管理,TMR全混合日粮自由采食。根据DHI数据随机选择体重、胎次(2~3次)、泌乳期(0~10d)、体况和饲养管理高度相似的泌乳奶牛50头。[结果]实验奶牛血清铜水平与IL-2的相关性为R=0.355,显著性为P=0.011。实验奶牛血清铜水平与IL-2呈显著正相关,泌乳奶牛血清中的IL-2会随着铜水平的升高而有所升高。实验奶牛血清铜水平与IL-1的相关性为R=0.215,显著性为Ρ=0.133,P>0.05。实验奶牛血清铜水平与IL-1不相关。实验奶牛血清铜水平与TNF-α的相关性为R=0.185,显著性为P=0.198,P>0.05。[结论]实验奶牛血清铜水平与TNF-α不相关。     

Substitution of wheat dried distillers grains with solubles for barley grain or barley silage in feedlot cattle diets: intake, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of substituting wheat dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) for barley grain and barley silage on intake, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in feedlot beef cattle. Eight ruminally cannulated Angus heifers (initial BW 455 ± 10.8 kg) were assigned to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 4 treatments: control, low (25%), medium (30%), and high (35%) wheat DDGS (DM basis). The diets consisted of barley silage, barley concentrate, and wheat DDGS in ratios of 15:85:0 (CON), 10:65:25 (25DDGS), 5:65:30 (30DDGS), and 0:65:35 (35DDGS; DM basis), respectively. The diets were formulated such that wheat DDGS was substituted for both barley grain and barley silage to evaluate whether wheat DDGS can be fed as a source of both energy (grain) and fiber in feedlot finishing diets. Intakes (kg/d) of DM and OM were not different, whereas those of CP, NDF, ADF, and ether extract (EE) were greater (P < 0.01) and intake of starch was less (P < 0.01) for the 25DDGS compared with the CON diet. The digestibilities of CP, NDF, ADF, and EE in the total digestive tract were greater (P < 0.05) for 25DDGS vs. CON. Ruminal pH and total VFA concentrations were not different (P > 0.15) between 25DDGS and CON diets. Replacing barley silage with increasing amounts of wheat DDGS (i.e., from 25DDGS to 35DDGS) linearly reduced (P < 0.05) intakes of DM and other nutrients without altering (P=0.40) CP intake. In contrast, digestibilities of DM and other nutrients in the total digestive tract linearly increased (P < 0.05) with increasing wheat DDGS except for that of EE. Additionally, with increasing amounts of wheat DDGS, mean ruminal pH tended (P=0.10) to linearly decrease, and ruminal pH status decreased with longer (P=0.04) duration of pH <5.5 and <5.2, and greater (P=0.01) curve area under pH <5.8 and <5.5 without altering (P > 0.19) ruminal VFA and NH(3)-N concentrations. Results indicated that wheat DDGS can be effectively used to replace both barley grain and silage at a moderate amount to meet energy and fiber requirements of finishing cattle. However, when silage content of the diet is low (<10%), wheat DDGS is not an effective fiber source, so replacing forage fiber with wheat DDGS in finishing diets decreases overall ruminal pH status even though the rapidly fermentable starch content of the diet is considerably reduced.     

Isolation and identification of a South China strain of Plasmodium inui from Macaca fascicularis

Southeast Asian macaques are hosts of a number of Plasmodium infections, some of which are transmittable to humans. During examination of blood films of five wild-caught long-tailed macaques Macaca fascicularis from South China, malaria infection was detected in one of the monkeys. In order to isolate this parasite for identification and characterization, we experimentally passed this parasite through both Assamese (M. assamensis) and rhesus (M. mulatta) monkeys by intravenous injection of infected blood. This parasite morphologically resembled Plasmodium inui, and had a typical 72 h quartan periodicity. This parasite was infective to Anopheles dirus mosquitoes, and salivary gland sporozoites appeared 13 days post feeding. Feeding by 20 infected An. dirus mosquitoes on another Assamese monkey produced infection with a prepatent period of 8 days. Molecular analysis of the small subunit rRNA genes and the mitochondrial genome confirmed this parasite as an isolate of P. inui. In spleen-intact macaques, the infection had a protracted duration with parasites being detected during the rearing of the infected monkeys for over two years. In summary, this study identified a P. inui isolate and successfully passed this parasite through Assamese monkeys by both intravenous inoculation and mosquito transmission.     

盐分浓度对星星草种子萌发的影响

星星草（Ｐｕｃｃｉｎｅｌｌｉａｔｅｎｕｉｆｌｏｒａ）种子经不同浓度ＮａＣｌ溶液处理结果表明；与对照相比，低于０．６ｇ／１００ｍｌ的盐浓度对种子萌发有促进作用；介于０．７ｇ／１００ｍｌ—３．６ｇ／１００ｍｌ间，种子的萌发势和累积发芽率显著下降，但尚不影响其萌发潜势，解除盐分限制后，还可正常萌发；高于３．７ｇ／１００ｍｌ后，不仅抑制种子萌发，并对其萌发潜势有显著影响。     

Protective effect of vitamin C and lycopene on the in vitro fertilization capacity of sex-sorted bull sperm by inhibiting the oxidative stress

The fertilization capacity of sex-sorted sperms is seriously decreased, which inhibits its wide application. However, little information is still available about the effect of vitamin C (VC) and lycopene (Lyc) on the fertilization capacity of sex-sorted bull sperm. In this study, the washing medium and fertilization medium of sex-sorted sperm from three bull individuals were supplemented with different concentrations of VC (0, 1 × 10^–3, 1 × 10^–4, 1 × 10^–5, 1 × 10^–6 M) or Lyc (0, 1 × 10^–4, 1 × 10^–5, 1 × 10^–6, 1 × 10^–7). After washing twice and incubation for 1.5 hr, the malondialdehyde (MDA) level, phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation, membrane potential (Δψm) and IVF (in vitro fertilization) ability of sex-sorted sperm were investigated. For the sex-sorted sperm of bulls A, B and C, 1 × 10^–3 M VC or 1 × 10^–4 M Lyc treatment significantly decreased their MDA levels and PS translocation and increased their Δψm levels and cleavage rates after IVF. When blastocysts were concerned, 1 × 10^–4 M Lyc significantly improved the blastocyst rates and their IFN-tau expression of bulls A and C. In conclusion, supplementation of 1 × 10^–3 M VC or 1 × 10^–4 M Lyc in washing and fertilization medium contributed greatly to improving the fertilization capacity of sex-sorted bull sperm during IVF procedure.     

黑龙江龙口自然保护区黑熊春季生境选择

分别于2008年4～5月和2009年4～5月,在龙口自然保护区对黑熊春季生境选择进行了研究,野外工作共设置87个10 m×10 m样方,并调查12个生态因子,其中利用样方41个,对照样方46个。通过Vanderploeg ＆Scavia选择指数得到,黑熊喜爱选择处于高海拔（〉450 m）、上坡位有石砬子且草本盖度适中（10%～40%）的生境,倾向选择乔木密度高（〉10株/100 m2）、郁闭度大（〉40%）、灌木密度较低（〈10%）、隐蔽级低（〈30%）、倒木密度大（〉1根/100 m2）、陡坡（〉30°）且向阳的针阔混交林。主成分分析与资源选择函数分析共同得到海拔、坡度、坡位、植被类型对黑熊生境选择影响较大,坡向和倒木密度影响较小的结果。综合分析,将Vanderploeg ＆ Scavia选择指数、主成分分析与资源选择函数相结合可以更好地反映黑熊生境选择情况。     

国内外肉牛分子标记辅助育种的研究进展

分子标记辅助育种(Marker assisted selection,MAS),直接从DNA分子水平上反映种间差异,不受环境、发育阶段、组织等的影响,稳定可靠,多态性好,因而在家畜育种中被广泛利用,本文详尽概述了分子标记辅助选择对于遗传力低的性状如肉质性状和屠宰性状等改良效率相关的研究进展。