The effect of active immunization against adrenocorticotropic hormone on cortisol, beta-endorphin, vocalization, and growth in pigs

Because the poor growth performance of intensively housed pigs is associated with increased circulating glucocorticoid concentrations, we investigated the effects of glucocorticoid suppression by inducing a humoral immune response to ACTH on physiological and production variables in growing pigs. Grower pigs (28.6 +/- 0.9 kg) were immunized with amino acids 1 through 24 of ACTH conjugated to ovalbumin and suspended in diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) dextran-adjuvant or adjuvant alone (control) on d 1, 28, and 56. The ACTH-specific antibody titers generated suppressed increases in cortisol concentrations on d 63 in response to an acute stressor (P = 0.002; control = 71 +/- 8.2 ng/mL; ACTH-immune = 43 +/- 4.9 ng/mL) without altering basal concentrations. Plasma beta-endorphin concentrations were also increased (P < 0.001) on d 63 (control = 18 +/- 2.1 ng/mL; ACTH-immune = 63 +/- 7.3 ng/mL), presumably because of a release from negative feedback on the expression of proopiomelanocortin in pituitary corticotropes. Immunization against ACTH did not alter ADG (P = 0.120; control = 1,077 +/- 25; ACTH-immune = 1,143 +/- 25 g) or ADFI (P = 0.64; control = 2,719 +/- 42; ACTH-immune = 2,749 +/- 42 g) and did not modify behavior (P = 0.681) assessed by measuring vocalization in response to acute restraint. In summary, suppression of stress-induced cortisol responses through ACTH immunization increased beta-endorphin concentrations, but it did not modify ADG, ADFI, or restraint vocalization score in growing pigs.     

Metabolism of flupyrazofos in the isolated perfused rat liver

To investigate the hepatic metabolism of the new insecticide flupyrazofos [O,O-diethyl O-(1-phenyl-3-trifluoromethylpyrazol-5-yl) phosphorothioate], isolated rat liver was perfused with flupyrazofos under single-pass conditions. In outflow perfusate and bile, 1-phenyl-3-trifluoromethyl-5-hydroxyprazole (PTMHP), PTMHP-sulfate and PTMHP-glucuronide conjugates were identified as the metabolites of flupyrazofos. However, O,O-diethyl O-(1-phenyl-3-trifluoromethylpyrazol-5-yl) phosphate (flupyrazofos oxon) was not detected. A HPLC method with UV detection was used to investigate the hepatic disposition of flupyrazofos and its metabolite PTMHP. The concentrations of flupyrazofos, PTMHP and PTMHP conjugates in outflow perfusate reached steady-state levels within 20 min after commencing perfusion of 7.3 microM flupyrazofos. At steady state, the mean extraction ratio of flupyrazofos was 0.93 (+/- 0.01) and clearance was 26.1 (+/- 0.2) ml min-1 which nearly approached perfusate flow rate (28 ml min-1). PTMHP accounted for 55.7 (+/- 5.8)% of eliminated flupyrazofos and was recovered as unchanged PTMHP, PTMHP-sulfate and PTMHP-glucuronide in the bile as well as the outflow perfusate.     

我国南方稻区稗草对二氯喹啉酸的抗药性测定

用琼脂法对2000年和2001年采收的29个稗草生态型对二氯喹啉酸的抗性水平进行了测定。结果表明:广东花都稗草对二氯喹啉酸最为敏感,其抑制中浓度IC50是0.148 0 mg/L;湖南安乡稗草对二氯喹啉酸的抗性极为明显,2000年和2001年样本IC50值分别是7.458和13.80 mg/L,其相对抗性比分别为50.4和93.2;2000年采收的湖南常德稗草也对二氯喹啉酸表现出高抗,其相对抗性比值是4.47,黄梅、汉寿、常德(b)、高桥4地稗草也表现出抗性,其相对抗性比值分别为2.37、3.12、2.44和2.20;其他22个稗草生态型对二氯喹啉酸仍未表现出抗性。     

Coordinate regulation of ovine adipose tissue gene expression by propionate

The current study examined the acute effects of intravenous propionate infusion on plasma hormones and metabolites and the expression of adipose tissue lipogenic genes. Four yearling rams were assigned to one oftwo groups (saline or propionate infusion) in a crossover design. All sheep were cannulated in both jugular veins and infused with 1.2 M propionate at a rate of 64 micromol x mix(-1) x kg BW(-1) for 30 min. Blood samples were collected at -10, 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, and 120 min after initiation of infusion. Subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were obtained from the tailhead at 0 and 2 h after propionate infusion and analyzed for gene expressions of lipoprotein lipase, acetyl CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, leptin, and uncoupling protein-2 using a nonisotopic ribonuclease protection assay. The partial cDNA of the enoyl reductase region of ovine fatty acid synthase was cloned and sequenced from s.c. adipose tissue of sheep. The deduced amino acid sequence (210 amino acids) was 86% identical to human, 88% identical to rat, 88% identical to mouse, and 72% identical to chicken. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations abruptly increased 5 min after beginning propionate infusion and further increased up until 30 min but were unaffected in saline-infused sheep (P < 0.05). Plasma concentration of NEFA decreased (P < 0.05) during propionate infusion, whereas IGF-I levels were unaltered. The amounts of lipoprotein lipase, acetyl CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, and leptin mRNA increased (P < 0.05) in s.c. adipose tissue of propionate-infused sheep compared with those of saline-infused sheep. However, uncoupling protein-2 mRNA decreased (P < 0.05) in propionate-infused sheep. This study demonstrates that an acute nutrient challenge, in the form of i.v. propionate, can stimulate or inhibit the expression of various adipose tissue genes involved with lipogenesis and adipose tissue metabolism.     

Hibiscus protocatechuic acid or esculetin can inhibit oxidative LDL induced by either copper ion or nitric oxide donor

Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) could increase the incidence of atherosclerosis. Previous studies have shown that copper and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) possess the ability to oxidize LDL in a dose-dependent condition. They increase the existing negative charge in LDL and increase the electrophoretic mobility. In this study, we used protocatechuic acid (PCA) and/or esculetin (ECT) to define the antioxidative activity in oxidative LDL by relative electrophoretic mobility (REM) and thiobarbituric acid-relative substances (TBARS). The data showed that ECT and PCA possessed stronger antioxidative activity than vitamin E in oxidative LDL. A previous study showed that the level of oxidative LDL can be determined by the cholesterol degradation and fragmentation of Apo B. Our results showed that Cu(2+)-mediated oxidative LDL can induce 31% cholesterol degradation and significant fragmentation of Apo B. Both PCA and ECT exhibited remarkable ability to rescue the cholesterol degradation and Apo B fragmentation. Taken together, both PCA and ECT showed strong potency to inhibit oxidative LDL induced by copper or an NO donor. Additionally, their nontoxic characteristics elevated the possibility for their use in the daily diet; and should further prevent atherosclerosis effectively.     

应激活化蛋白激酶在猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒感染和调节病毒诱导的细胞因子生产中的作用研究

试验旨在研究p38 MAPK和JNK通路在繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒(PRRSV)感染的猪肺泡巨噬细胞(PAM)中的作用。感染PRRSV后36 h,p38和JUK1/2逐渐被激活;感染后48 h,其磷酸化水平显著降低至基线。然而紫外线灭活的PRRSV不能引起这些应激活化蛋白激酶(SAPKs)的磷酸化,表明病毒侵入后的步骤才能激活这些激酶。单独用p38或JNK抑制剂处理,都能显著降低PRRSV的感染,导致病毒基因组和亚基因组RNA合成、病毒蛋白表达、子代病毒生产的显著降低。并且抑制SAPKs时,感染PRRSV的PAM细胞中细胞因子的产生会发生改变。本研究结果表明,p38和JNK信号通路在病毒复制中发挥关键作用,并可能在病毒感染时调节免疫应答。     

Phenotypic characterization and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of Pasteurella multocida isolated from Korean pigs

Pasteurella multocida causes various respiratory disease symptoms in pigs, including atrophic rhinitis and pneumonia. In the present study, 69 strains of P. multocida were isolated from 443 pigs with respiratory clinical symptoms at 182 farms located throughout South Korea from 2009 to 2010. A multiplex capsular PCR typing assay revealed that 69 strains of P. multocida isolated in this study had the biosynthetic locus of the capsules of either serogroup A (47 strains, 68.1%) or serogroup D (22 strains, 31.9%). The 22 strains positive for serogroup D-specific primers were divided into four clusters and the 47 strains positive for serogroup A-specific primers were divided into 12 clusters according to the results of Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. P. multocida strains in the present study were susceptible to most of the antimicrobial agents used. An analysis of antimicrobial resistance and virulence gene pattern combined with RAPD indicated that a certain P. multocida strain appeared to be genetically identical, implying the persistence of the strain within a single farm.     

一种便捷剪式摘果器

目前,在我国大部分地区的果实采摘主要依靠人工进行操作,纯人工操作虽然在采摘过程中能够对果实进行保护,但采摘果实费时费力且存在高空作业危险的问题,效率较低,人工成本较高。随着社会的发展,出现了各式各样的采摘机和摘果平台,虽可提高采摘效率,但基于果树种植密度较大、果实生长高度不一及大小各异的特性,使用此类采摘机和摘果平台经常使果实在采摘过程中容易造成果实损伤而影响其外观品质,且采摘系统制造成本较高。目前也设计出各种果实机械采摘器,虽然成本得以降低,但存在携带不便或操作复杂或只局限对果树一定高度范围内果实采摘或对果实保护度不够等种种问题,导致果实采摘操作不便、效率较低且采摘质量较差。因此,发明一种可配合人工操作进行果实采摘的便携式简易便捷型机械工具显得极其重要。我们发明了一种便捷剪式摘果器,通过铰接杆带动摘果碗剪切刀片闭合剪断果蒂,从而实现果实的快速且安全采摘。该摘果器属纯机械设计,设计巧妙,结构简单,便携性好,操作方便快捷,成本较低,很适合在我国果实采摘领域内大面积推广应用。     

Immunoadjuvant activities of a recombinant chicken IL-12 in chickens vaccinated with Newcastle disease virus recombinant HN protein

Recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV/HN) expressing Newcastle disease virus (NDV) HN gene and rFPV/HN/chIL-12 co-expressing chicken IL-12 (chIL-12) and HN (rHN/chIL-12) genes have been characterized. rHN/chIL-12 or rchIL-12, expressed by our previous construct rFPV/chIL-12, co-administered with rHN was assessed for adjuvant activities of chIL-12. Chickens were vaccinated with various amounts of rHN/chIL-12 mixed with mineral oil (MO), intramuscularly. Levels of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody production depended on the concentration of the injected rHN or rHN/chIL-12. The lower HI antibody titers were obtained in chicken groups rHN/chIL-12/7-rHN/chIL-12/9, receiving 60ng rHN/8ng chIL-12 with MO, 30ng rHN/4ng chIL-12 with MO or 15ng rHN/2ng chIL-12 with MO, respectively, compared to those in chicken groups rHN/7-rHN/9, receiving rHN with MO alone. However, chickens in group rHN/chIL-12/7 or rHN/chIL-12/8 and rHN with MO alone showed the same effective protection. Chicken group rHN/chIL-12/9 was even more protective than that in group rHN/9. When rchIL-12 was co-injected with 15ng rHN plus MO, chickens produced low levels of HI antibody titers; while higher levels of IFN-γ production and an effective protection rate (83%) were obtained. On the other hand, low levels of IFN-γ production and low protection response (50%) were obtained in chickens injected with rHN with MO alone. Taken together, when the concentration of rHN decreased to certain levels, rchIL-12 reduced HI antibody production. The increase in the induction of IFN-γ production might suggest the enhancement of the cell-mediated immunity which conferred the protection from the NDV challenge.