Influence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigella sativa</Emphasis> seeds, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosmarinus officinalis</Emphasis> leaves and their combination on growth performance,immune response and rumen metabolism in Dorper lambs

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of Nigella sativa L. seeds, Rosmarinus officinalis L. leaves and their combination on rumen metabolism, nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, immune response and blood metabolites in Dorper lambs. Twenty-four entire male Dorper lambs (18.68?±?0.6 kg, 4–5 months old) were randomly assigned to a concentrate mixture containing on a dry matter basis either, no supplement (control, T1), 1% R. officinalis leaves (T2), 1% N. sativa seeds (T3) or 1% R. officinalis leaves +1% N. sativa seeds (T4). The lambs had ad libitum access to urea-treated rice straw (UTRS) and were raised for 90 days. Supplemented lambs had greater (P?< 0.05) intake of DM and UTRS than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) nutrient digestibility than those fed other treatments. Total and daily weight gain was greater (P?< 0.05) in T2 lambs than those fed other diets. The T3 and T4 lambs had greater (P?< 0.05) ruminal pH than the T1 and T2 lambs. Supplemented lambs had lower (P?<?0.05) ruminal total volatile fatty acids, acetate, propionate, NH₃-N and C18:0 than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) population of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, methanogens and total protozoa compared with those fed other diets. Supplemented lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) neutrophils, basophils and serum urea and greater (P?<?0.05) serum IgA and IgG compared with the control lambs. The current results emphasised the variation in the efficacy of medicinal plants in ruminant nutrition.     

Immunomodulatory effect of γ‐irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides on immunosuppressed broilers

In this study, we irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) using 25 kGy ⁶⁰Co γ ray to obtain γ‐irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides (IAPS) and then investigated the effects of IAPS on growth performance and immune function of cyclophosphamide (CPM)‐treated broilers. The physicochemical properties of APS and IAPS (molecular weight, water solubility, viscosity, morphological and structural properties) were evaluated. Then, 384 one‐day‐old Arbor Acres broiler chicks with similar initial weight were randomly assigned into 6 groups: the non‐treated group (control), and CPM‐treated groups were fed either a basal diet or the diets containing 900 mg/kg APS, or 900, 600, 300 mg/kg IAPS, respectively. On days 16, 18, and 20, all broilers except for the control group were intramuscularly injected with 0.5 ml CPM (40 mg/kg·BW). Broilers in the control group were intramuscularly injected with 0.5 ml sterilized saline (0.75%, wt/vol). This trial lasted for 21 days. The physicochemical treatment showed that γ irradiation could decrease the molecular weight and viscosity, and increase the water solubility of APS (p < 0.05), whereas the structural properties of APS was not affected. In the animal trial, 900 mg/kg APS or 900, 600 mg/kg IAPS relieved the decreased growth performance, thymus index, T lymphocytes proliferation, serum IgG concentration, NOS activity and the increased blood heterophil:lymphocyte ratio in CPM‐treated broilers (p < 0.05). CPM‐induced decreases in B lymphocytes proliferation and serum IgM concentration were only increased by IAPS at 900 mg/kg (p < 0.05). Overall, both APS and IAPS alleviated CPM‐induced immunosuppression. Especially, IAPS possessed better immunomodulatory effect than APS, indicating that γ irradiation could be used as an effective method to enhance the immunomodulatory activity of APS.     

Improved protocol for Agrobacterium mediated transformation of tomato and production of transgenic plants containing carotenoid biosynthetic gene CsZCD

Improved protocol for Agrobacterium mediated transformation of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Micro-Tom was developed to use in corporation of the carotenoid biosynthetic genes CsZCD (Crocus zeaxanthin 7,8-cleavage dioxygenase). From these experiment, a transformation methodology using explants from cotyledons cultured for 1 day on the medium with zeatin 2 mg/L, IAA 0.1 mg/L, carefully submerged in the Agrobacterium inoculum for 20 min, then concultured with the agrobacterium for 3 days on the same medium, followed by a transfer to the same medium with 500 mg/L cefotaxin for 3 days and then by a transfer to the same medium with 100 mg/L kanamycin and 500 mg/L carabenillin for 6–8 weeks and resulted in a greater than 20% transformation efficiency in the concentration of Agrobacterium OD600 = 0.2 tested. In this transformation method, no feeder layers were used and the subculture media was minimal. Among the Agrobacterium concentrations of OD600 = 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0, the best transformation efficiency, 20.87%, was obtained by using OD600 = 0.2, which was significantly higher than that of OD600 = 1.0. The presence of the inserted target genes was checked using a rapid and efficient PCR test. The protocol was successfully employed in the production of transgenic Micro-Tom tomato containing the carotenoid biosynthesis CsZCD under constructive promoter. This procedure represents a simple, efficient and general means of transforming tomato.     

鄱阳湖湿地灰化苔草群落物种多度分布格局沿水分梯度的变化

为揭示鄱阳湖湿地苔草群落的构建机制,选择灰化苔草(Carex cinerascens)群落作为研究对象,通过设立3条样带调查不同水分梯度的群落物种多度,选用断棍模型(BSM)、生态位优先占领模型(NPM)、优势优先模型(DPM)、随机分配模型(RAM)和生态位重叠模型(ONM)5个生态位模型对群落种-多度关系进行拟合,结果表明,1)灰化苔草群落可按土壤水分划分为高湿度、中湿度和低湿度3组,分别对应从湖边、湿地中间和湿地边缘的梯度分布;2)从高到低的水分梯度上,灰化苔草群落的物种数先增加后降低,优势种多度逐渐增加,物种多度分布曲线由相对平缓变为陡峭;3)高湿度灰化苔草群落物种多度分布格局的最佳拟合模型为BSM,中、低湿度的理想模型转变为NPM。研究认为,水分条件的变化是灰化苔草群落物种多度分布格局改变的主因,随着水分梯度降低,群落构建的生态学过程由随机生态位变为生态位优先占领。研究为鄱阳湖湿地多样性保育和生态功能管理提供了理论参考。     

福州地区冬菠菜品种比较试验

冬季对7个菠菜品种进行植物学性状、产量、冬性以及抗病性进行比较试验,结果表明,BC2、越超2个品种具备长势强、叶色绿、抗病、冬性强、产量高等特点,可作为福州地区冬季主栽品种。     

Tenogenic induction of equine mesenchymal stem cells by means of growth factors and low-level laser technology

Tendons regenerate poorly due to a dense extracellular matrix and low cellularity. Cellular therapies aim to improve tendon repair using mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes; however, a current limitation is the low proliferative potential of tenocytes in cases of severe trauma. The purpose of this study was to develop a method useful in veterinary medicine to improve the differentiation of Peripheral Blood equine mesenchymal stem cells (PB-MSCs) into tenocytes. PB-MSCs were used to study the effects of the addition of some growth factors (GFs) as TGFβ3 (transforming growth factor), EGF2 (Epidermal growth factor), bFGF2 (Fibroblast growth factor) and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) in presence or without Low Level Laser Technology (LLLT) on the mRNA expression levels of genes important in the tenogenic induction as Early Growth Response Protein-1 (EGR1), Tenascin (TNC) and Decorin (DCN). The singular addition of GFs did not show any influence on the mRNA expression of tenogenic genes whereas the specific combinations that arrested cell proliferation in favour of differentiation were the following: bFGF2 + TGFβ3 and bFGF2 + TGFβ3 + LLLT. Indeed, the supplement of bFGF2 and TGFβ3 significantly upregulated the expression of Early Growth Response Protein-1 and Decorin, while the use of LLLT induced a significant increase of Tenascin C levels. In conclusion, the present study might furnish significant suggestions for developing an efficient approach for tenocyte induction since the external administration of bFGF2 and TGFβ3, along with LLLT, influences the differentiation of PB-MSCs towards the tenogenic fate.     

变速恒频风力机组变桨距控制系统

在风力机空气动力学特性分析的基础上，讨论了变速恒频风力机组变桨距机构在低于额定风速阶段和高于额定风速阶段的不同控制策略。将模型与控制方法相结合的数字仿真表明，控制曲线与预期要求一致。具体设计了变桨距机构液压控制方案和电机控制方案，并提出了高油压冗余式电液比例变桨距机构的设计思路。     

大白菜黄心性状相关标记的开发与应用

当前国内针对大白菜黄心性状的筛选研究尚有缺乏,试验论据不足,本试验立足分子标记研究,验证及筛选大白菜的黄心性状,分析准确性分子标记,为大白菜黄心性状的筛选研究奠定基础。试验采用纯合白心早熟早抽自交系‘127-4’（P1）和黄心晚抽自交系‘11-2’（P2）为试验主体材料,以‘127-4’为父本,以‘11-2’为母本,两者杂交获得F₁代后,继续使F₁代自交获得了‘264’（F₂）群体。利用所得到的白心大白菜和黄心大白菜植株通过BSA-seq法对大白菜全基因组进行重测序,以此设计并筛选鉴定引物,最后筛选出标记为“9-13”（F：5''- CCGAAGCCCAGATTAGGAG-3'';R：5''-CCATGCCTACGAATGATAT -3''）。得到的该分子标记可在黄心大白菜育种材料中扩展出200bp的特异条带,经验证,该标记区分白心大白菜与黄心大白菜单株的符合度可达到75%以上。目前利用该标记已经准确筛选出30多份黄心大白菜种质资源,大白菜的菜心性状得到了特定把控,也为准确筛选提供了依据。