鸭甲肝病毒VP1基因克隆及序列分析

通过PCR技术,从自行分离的鸭甲肝病毒JS株基因组中扩增出病毒衣壳蛋白VP1完整基因片段,并对该片段进行序列测定及分析。结果显示JS-VP1与DHAV-A的VP1基因序列酸核苷酸同源性在62.0%~64.4%之间,与DHAV-B的VP1基因序列酸核苷酸同源性在63.6%~63.8%之间,与DHAV-C的VP1基因序列酸核苷酸同源性在92.3%~98.5%之间,分析表明JS株为鸭甲肝病毒基因C型,血清型分型为韩国新型。进化树表明JS株与SD02株的亲缘关系较进,进一步说明VP1基因的核苷酸序列是DHAV基因组中的高度可变区,可作为DHAV基因型研究的标记,分离毒株为DHAV的防治及疫苗的设计奠定了基础。     

空肠弯曲菌致GBS动物模型的建立

[目的]利用巴马小香猪构建空肠弯曲菌致GBS的动物模型。[方法]选取致人GBS源空肠弯曲菌株,采用3×1012 cfu/m L、3×1011 cfu/m L、3×1010 cfu/m L、3×109 cfu/m L等浓度对4组巴马小型猪灌胃攻毒,每头猪攻毒10m L,同时设立对照组。从第二周开始定期采集组织样及血液样本,通过免疫学检测及组织病理切片判定病变情况。[结果]免疫学检测发现,在16份攻毒组样品中有12份血清中GM1-Ig G抗体检测阳性,阳性检出率为81.25%。但是,并没有显著的攻毒浓度梯度差异。病理组织切片H/E染色显示,抗体阳性试验猪的大脑出现了噬神经元、小血管周围间隙增宽、神经中央染色溶解等现象;切片LFB染色显示,在发病模型动物的小脑白质和腰膨大出现了轻度脱髓鞘现象。[结论]结果表明空肠弯曲菌诱导GBS的浓度在3×109 cfu/m L~3×1012 cfu/m L均可,组织样本及血液采集在攻毒后4~5周较理想。     

哈萨克斯坦畜牧业发展及动物疫情状况

为了解哈萨克斯坦畜牧业发展及动物疫情发生情况,为中哈边境地区动物疫病的“联防联控”奠定基础,以我国驻哈萨克斯坦大使馆经济商务参赞处的相关调研数据和FAO的相关统计数据,分析了2003年以来哈萨克斯坦畜牧业发展状况;同时基于OIE和FAO关于哈萨克斯坦动物疫情统计数据,利用Excel分析了2005年以来哈萨克斯坦的动物疫情状态。数据分析显示：哈萨克斯坦畜牧业发展呈上升趋势,动物疫情形势严峻。提议我国相关部门加强对来自哈萨克斯坦进口的动物及其产品的检验,严防动物疫病传入我国。     

High-resolution fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of a pituitary microtumor in a dog

A 16-year-old, castrated, male English cocker spaniel dog was presented due to generalized alopecia. Routine clinical pathology, endocrine and abdominal ultrasonography results were consistent with a diagnosis of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism. The adenohypophyseal lesion was clearly visualized on both 3 T and 7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pituitary gland. Although biochemical and MRI findings were consistent with a functional pituitary microtumor, a pituitary lesion was not detected using ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). This report firstly describes the application of high-resolution FDG-PET to a spontaneous pituitary microtumor in a dog.     

Pharmacokinetics of doxycycline after a single intravenous,oral or intramuscular dose in Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata)

1. The pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in ducks were investigated after a single intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) or oral (PO) dose at 20 mg/kg body weight.

2. The concentrations of doxycycline in plasma samples were assayed using a high performance liquid chromatography method, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a non-compartmental model.

3. After IV administration, doxycycline had a mean (±SD) distribution volume (V_z) of 1761.9 ± 328.5 ml/kg and was slowly eliminated with a terminal half-life (t_1/2λz) of 21.21±1.47 h and a total body clearance (Cl) of 57.51 ± 9.50 ml/h/kg. Following PO and IM administration, doxycycline was relatively slowly absorbed – the peak concentrations (C_max) were 17.57 ± 4.66 μg/ml at 2 h and 25.01 ± 4.18 μg/ml at 1.5 h, respectively. The absolute bioavailabilities (F) of doxycycline after PO and IM administration were 39.13% and 70.71%, respectively.

4. The plasma profile of doxycycline exhibited favourable pharmacokinetics characteristics in Muscovy ducks, such as wide distribution, relatively slow absorption and slow elimination, though oral bioavailability was low.

     

Why cuckoos should parasitize parrotbills by laying eggs randomly rather than laying eggs matching the egg appearance of parrotbill hosts?

The coevolutionary interaction between cuckoos and their hosts has been studied for a long time, but to date some puzzles still remain unsolved. Whether cuckoos parasitize their hosts by laying eggs randomly or matching the egg morphs of their hosts is one of the mysteries of the cuckoo problem. Scientists tend to believe that cuckoos lay eggs matching the appearance of host eggs due to selection caused by the ability of the hosts to recognize their own eggs.In this paper, we first review previous empirical studies to test this mystery and found no studies have provided direct evidence of cuckoos choosing to parasitize host nests where egg color and pattern match. We then present examples of unmatched cuckoo eggs in host nests and key life history traits of cuckoos, e.g. secretive behavior and rapid egg-laying and link them to cuckoo egg laying behavior. Finally we develop a conceptual model to demonstrate the egg laying behaviour of cuckoos and propose an empirical test that can provide direct evidence of the egg-laying properties of female cuckoos. We speculate that the degree of egg matching between cuckoo eggs and those of the host as detected by humans is caused by the ability of the hosts to recognize their own eggs, rather than the selection of matching host eggs by cuckoos. The case of Common Cuckoos(Cuculus canorus) and their parrotbill hosts(Paradoxornis alphonsianus), where it has been shown that both have evolved polymorphic eggs(mainly blue and white), was used to develop a conceptual model to demonstrate why cuckoos should utilize parrotbill hosts by laying eggs randomly rather than laying eggs matching the appearance of host eggs.In conclusion, we found no evidence for the hypothesis that cuckoos lay eggs based on own egg color matching that of the parrotbill-cuckoo system. We argue theoretically that laying eggs matching those of the hosts in this system violates a key trait of the life history of cuckoos and therefore should be maladaptive.     

Bats as the main prey of wintering long‐eared owl (Asio otus) in Beijing: Integrating biodiversity protection and urban management

The loss of biodiversity from urbanized areas is a major environmental problem challenging policy‐makers throughout the world. Solutions to this problem are urgently required in China. We carried out a case study of wintering long‐eared owls (Asio otus) and their main prey to illustrate the negative effects of urbanization combined with ineffective conservation of biodiversity in Beijing. Field monitoring of owl numbers at two roosting sites from 2004 to 2012 showed that the owl population had fallen rapidly in metropolitan Beijing. Analysis of pellet contents identified only seven individuals of two species of shrew. The majority of mammalian prey comprised four bat and seven rodent species, making up 29.3% and 29.5% of the prey items, respectively. Prey composition varied significantly among years at the two sample sites. At the urban site the consumption of bats and rodents declined gradually over time, while predation on birds increased. In contrast, at the suburban site the prey composition showed an overall decrease in the number of bats, a sharp increase and a subsequent decrease in bird prey, and the number of rodent prey fell to a low point. Rapid development of real estate and inadequate greenfield management in city parks resulted in negative effects on the bird and small mammal habitat of urban areas in Beijing. We suggest that measures to conserve biodiversity should be integrated into future urban planning to maintain China's rich biodiversity while also achieving sustainable economic development.     

新疆棉田灰漠土氨氧化微生物群落对灌溉水盐度和施氮量的响应

采用灌溉水盐度和施氮量两因素试验,其中灌溉水盐度设置2个水平：0.35 dS·m^-1（淡水,FW）和8.04 dS·m^-1（咸水,SW）,施氮量设2个水平：0（不施氮,N0）和360 kg·hm^-2（施氮,N360）,以咸水滴灌的棉田土壤为材料,测定了土壤理化性质和生物学指标,结果显示：（1）咸水滴灌显著增加土壤EC_1∶5和NH⁺₄-N含量,分别增加了457.74%和73.02%,但显著降低土壤NO^-₃-N含量,降低了35.88%;施氮显著增加土壤EC_1∶5、NO^-₃-N和NH⁺₄-N含量,分别增加了32.09%、668.33%和39.88%。（2）咸水滴灌显著降低了土壤潜在硝化势,较淡水处理降低了28.97%;施氮显著增加了土壤潜在硝化势,较不施氮处理增加了317.27%。（3）咸水滴灌显著降低氨氧化细菌(AOB)和全程氨氧化细菌A分支（amoA-clade-A）和B分支（amoA-clade-B）的基因拷贝数,分别降低了81.27%、73.49%和62.51%,但显著增加氨氧化古菌(AOA)的基因拷贝数,增加了487.94%;氮肥施用均显著增加了氨氧化微生物的基因拷贝数,分别增加了511.20%(AOA)、958.13%(AOB)、72.66%(amoA-clade-A)和31.18%(amoA-clade-B)。（4）氨氧化微生物优势菌属为假单胞菌属、嗜甲基菌属、亚硝化螺菌属、慢生根瘤菌属、链霉菌属、硝化螺菌属、寡养单胞菌属、食甲基菌属、螯台球菌属、囊胞杆菌属、亚硝基单胞菌属、红假单胞菌属、芽孢杆菌属和拉姆利式杆菌。（5）咸水滴灌降低了AOA的多样性和丰富度及amoA-clade-A的多样性,但增加了AOB和amoA-clade-B的多样性和丰富度及amoA-clade-A的丰富度;氮肥施用显著降低了AOA和AOB的丰富度及amoA-clade-A的丰富度和多样性,但增加了amoA-clade-B的丰富度和多样性。综上,盐分是影响氨氧化微生物群落结构的主要驱动因子,氨氧化古菌是土壤氨氧化作用的优势物种,而氨氧化细菌和全程氨氧化细菌A分支是咸水滴灌棉田氨氧化作用的主导微生物种群。     

Effect of ginsenosides on glucose uptake in human Caco-2 cells is mediated through altered Na+/glucose cotransporter 1 expression

In this study, we measured the effect of ginsenosides on glucose uptake using the Caco-2 cell system. At submicromolar concentrations, these compounds exhibited marked effects on the rate of glucose transport across the differentiated Caco-2 cell monolayer. Compound K (CK), the main intestinal bacterial metabolite of the protopanaxadiol ginsenosides, significantly enhanced the steady-state glucose transport rate to about 50% of the control sample rate (from 1.54 +/- 0.09 to 2.25 +/- 0.15 nmol/min). Conversely, the protopanaxatriol ginsenoside Rg1 inhibited glucose transport to about 70% of the original rate (from 1.54 +/- 0.09 to 1.02 +/- 0.05 nmol/min). Consistent with the effect on glucose uptake rate, CK and Rg1 conferred a significant and paralleled alteration on both the protein and mRNA expression levels of the Na+/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) gene. Unlike SGLT1, there is no significant alteration on the protein or mRNA levels of GLUTs in CK- or Rg1-treated cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ginsenosides CK and Rg1 elicited potent enhancing and suppressing effects, respectively, on glucose uptake across human intestinal Caco-2 monolayer through modulation of SGLT1 expression.     

Inter- and intraspecific variations of cadmium accumulation of 13 leafy vegetable species in a greenhouse experiment

Leafy vegetables are among the crop species that are most vulnerable to heavy metal pollution. This study investigated inter- and intraspecific variations of cadmium accumulation in 13 species with a total of 39 cultivars of leafy vegetables under two levels of soil Cd stress (1.5 and 7.7 mg kg (-1)). Intraspecific variations of shoot biomass and Cd concentration of the tested leafy vegetables were significantly larger than interspecific variations under both Cd treatments and were also more significantly correlated between two Cd stress levels when grouped by cultivar than grouped by species. These results indicate that cultivar is a more reliable taxa level for screening pollutant-safe leafy vegetables than species. Any screening for pollutant hypoaccumulator species, or other similar species-based concepts, without considering intraspecific variation should be avoided.