Crop milk protein is synthesised following activation of the IRS1/Akt/TOR signalling pathway in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia)

1. The experiment was conducted to study whether insulin receptor substance 1 (IRS1) / Protein kinase B (Akt)/target of the rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway activation stimulates crop milk protein synthesis in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia).

2. Crop milk was collected from ten 1-d-old squabs and analysed for nutrient content. During the non-breeding period and the first day of lactation, blood samples were collected from 5 pairs of breeding pigeons and the levels of prolactin and insulin were determined.

3. Crop samples were collected from 5 pairs of breeders at d 14 and 16 of the incubation period and d 1, 3 and 7 of the lactation period. Crop samples were evaluated for changes in crop weight and thickness and changes in the expression patterns of IRS1/Akt/TOR signalling pathway–related proteins.

4. The results demonstrated that prolactin induces a gradual increase in the relative weight and thickness of the crop, with crops reaching a maximum size at the third day of lactation.

5. Pigeon crop milk contains 64.1% crude protein and 29.7% crude fat based on dry weight.

6. Serum prolactin and insulin levels in the lactation period were significantly higher than those in the non-breeding period. Compared with non-breeding pigeons, the expression of the phosphorylated IRS1 phosphorylated Akt, phosphorylated TOR, phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 kinase, phosphorylated S6, phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E were significantly up-regulated in the crop of pigeons in the lactation period.

7. In conclusion, prolactin might induce changes in crop tissue and form the physiological structure for crop milk synthesis. Furthermore, the synthesis of crop milk protein is regulated by activation of the IRS1/Akt/TOR signalling pathway.

     

Presentation,clinical pathological and post‐mortem findings in three related Scottish terriers with ligneous membranitis

Ligneous conjunctivitis and gingivitis were diagnosed in three related Scottish terrier dogs presented for investigation of severe conjunctivitis and respiratory signs. Hypoplasminogenaemia was confirmed in one of the three affected dogs. Supportive treatment was not effective, and the dogs died or were euthanased because of the disease. Post‐mortem analysis of two of the dogs revealed multiple abnormalities including severe proliferative fibrinous lesions affecting the conjunctiva, gingiva, trachea, larynx and epicardium and multiple fibrous adhesions throughout the thoracic and abdominal cavities. One dog had internal hydrocephalus and lacked a cerebellar vermis. Ligneous membranitis was confirmed on histopathology. This is a rare condition in dogs but an important differential diagnosis for severe conjunctivitis and gingivitis.     

Use of Non‐invasive Methods for Evaluating the Testicular Biometry in Collared Peccaries (Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758)

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of two methods used to estimate testicular volume in the collared peccary. Calliper and ultrasonographic measurements of testicular dimensions (length, width and height) of both testes were taken on five adult collared peccaries. The testicular volume was calculated by Lambert's empiric formula: length (L) × width (W) × height (H) × 0.71, the formula of an ellipsoid L × W × H × 0.52, and Hansen's formula: L × W² × 0.52. The calculated volumes were then compared with the actual ones, which were estimated by water displacement. The mean of true testicular volume was 22.65 ± 1.52 ml. Lambert's formula estimated testicular volume more accurately when ultrasound measurements were taken. However, when the calliper was the methodology used, the results were closest to the true volume, especially when Ellipsoid formula and Hansen's formula were applied, and underestimated the true volumes by 1.53 ± 1.75 ml and 1.53 ± 1.65 ml, respectively. This specific application of technologies in wild animals has the potential to revolutionize the selection process for the collared peccary entering artificial insemination or natural breeding programmes.     

Estimation of the standardized ileal digestible lysine requirement for primiparous pregnant sows

This experiment was conducted to determine the optimal standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) level in diets fed to primiparous sows during gestation. A total of 150 (Landrace × Large White) crossbred gilts (weighing 149.9 ± 3.1 kg) were fed gestation diets (12.55 MJ of ME/kg) containing SID Lys levels of 0.43, 0.52, 0.60, 0.70 or 0.80% respectively. Gilts were fed 2.0 kg/day from day 1 to 80 and 3.0 kg/day from day 80 to 110 of gestation respectively. Gilts were allocated to treatments based on their body weight on the day of breeding. Weight gain from day 80 to 110 increased with increasing dietary SID Lys levels (p = 0.044). Fitted broken‐line (p = 0.031) and quadratic plot (p = 0.047) analysis of body weight gain indicated that the optimal SID Lys level for primiparous sows was 0.70 and 0.69% respectively. During gestation, neither backfat thickness nor loin eye area was affected by dietary SID Lys level. Increasing dietary Lys had no effect on the litter size at birth or pigs born alive per litter. Litter weight at birth was not affected by dietary SID Lys level. The litter weight variation at birth quadratically decreased with increasing dietary SID Lys (p = 0.021) and was minimized at 0.70% dietary SID Lys. Gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet had the highest dry matter (p = 0.031) and protein (p = 0.044) content in colostrum. On day 110 of gestation, gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet tended to have the highest serum prolactin (p = 0.085) and serum insulin (p = 0.074) levels. The data demonstrate that the optimal dietary SID Lys was 0.70% for pregnant gilts, which is similar to the recommendation of 0.69% that was estimated by the NRC (2012).     

曲拉通和硝酸混合溶液直接提取快速测定草鱼中铅含量

为建立快速测定草鱼中铅含量的方法,通过分析曲拉通和硝酸混合溶液浓度、提取时间、称样定容体积比例等因素的影响,以及基体改进剂的使用效果,确定了草鱼中铅元素提取测定的最佳条件。验证结果显示：采用曲拉通和硝酸混合溶液提取草鱼中铅元素方法的提取率为86.5%～95.6%,加标回收率为91.5%～95.6%,精密度均小于4.0%,检出限和定量限分别为0.011和0.032 mg/kg,满足了国家标准GB 5009.12—2017第一法石墨炉原子吸收光谱法的要求。与国家标准方法比较,本研究建立方法的样品前处理时间从4～12 h缩短至0.2 h内,酸试剂用量从湿法消解的7～12 mL减少至1～2 mL;前处理过程无需高温消解,无需其他前处理设备,避免了样品污染和待测元素损失,实现了降低分析成本以及保护环境和试验人员的目的。结果表明,该方法是一种简单、准确、绿色、快速测定草鱼中铅含量的方法,尤其适合大量样品检测。     

利用苹果加工下脚料生产膳食纤维的研究

主要研究利用苹果加工后的下脚料生产膳食纤维的工艺流程、操作要点、产品质量标准及综合利用效益。     

新城疫病毒La Sota株HN基因的克隆与序列分析

旨在从分子生物学角度进一步研究新城疫病毒La Sota株HN基因,探究NDV La Sota HN基因的遗传变异情况。研究以试验室冻存的p NDV-HN为模版,根据Gen Bank中登录的NDV La Sota株序列设计引物扩增HN基因,将其克隆到pMD18-T载体后进行鉴定,对鉴定正确的重组质粒p MD-NDV-HN进行测序分析。应用生物信息学软件对新城疫病毒Lasota株HN基因进行系统进化树分析、氨基酸序列同源性分析、糖基化位点、蛋白结构跨膜区分析及磷酸化位点预测分析。核苷酸序列测定结果表明:HN基因的序列长度为1743bp,该基因的开放阅读框(Open Reading Frame,ORF)总长为1716 bp,编码571个氨基酸。生物信息学表明:试验获得的HN基因具有6个潜在糖基化位点及12个半胱氨酸残基,第5个潜在糖基化位点(508-510 aa)发生缺失及第123位半胱氨酸残基被色氨酸残基取代。La Sota株HN基因编码的蛋白质中有29个丝氨酸、10个酪氨酸和16个苏氨酸可能成为蛋白激酶磷酸化位点。将试验获得的La Sota株HN基因序列和推导的氨基酸序列与新城疫毒株的HN基因相应序列比较后发现,它们的核苷酸序列同源性和氨基酸序列同源性最高均可达到99%,表明HN基因在种属间具有较高的保守性。研究为新城疫病毒的分子病毒学研究奠定了基础。     

ELLIPSOMETRIC SPECTROSCOPY OF ELECTROCHROMISM OF POLYANILINE FILMS

The electrochromism of polyaniline films, which is prepared by electropolymer-ization from aniline in acidic aqueous solution onto platinum,is investigated in 330-700nm through in-situ ellipsometric technique. The results indicate that the ellipsometric peak of the reduced state(-0. 2V) of the film appears at 390-400nm and the oxidized state(0. 55V) at 500-530nm. The elec-trochromic reaction from the reduced "yellow" state to the oxidized "green" state is suggested via intermediate state whose ellipsometric peak appears at 466-470nm.     

内外遮阳对连栋塑料温室内光环境的影响

借助热辐射理论 ,在分析太阳辐射在温室内的传播过程基础上 ,建立了一种连栋塑料温室在无遮阳、内遮阳和外遮阳情况下的光环境模型 ,并结合实际情况分析讨论了边缘效应对室内光环境的影响。结果表明 :在不考虑边缘效应时 ,内、外遮阳条件下温室内的光环境基本上无差异 ;而考虑边缘效应时 ,外遮阳具有相对较好的光照环境 ,在遮阳网透射率低时更为明显。实测结果与模拟值的变化规律基本吻合。