Branched‐chain amino acid ratios in low‐protein diets regulate the free amino acid profile and the expression of hepatic fatty acid metabolism‐related genes in growing pigs

Liver metabolism is affected by nutrients. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of low‐protein diets (17% crude protein, CP) supplemented with branched‐chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile) and valine (Val), on hepatic amino acid profile and lipid metabolism in growing pigs. The ratio of Leu : Ile : Val in all groups was 1 : 0.51 : 0.63 (20% crude protein, CP), 1 : 1 : 1 (17% CP), 1 : 0.75 : 0.75 (17% CP), 1 : 0.51 : 0.63 (17% CP) and 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 (17% CP) respectively. Results revealed that compared to the positive control group (1 : 0.51 : 0.63, 20% CP), the low‐protein diets significantly augmented the concentrations of most essential amino acids and non‐essential amino acids (p < .05), with the greatest values observed in the 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 group. Moreover, relative to the control, the low‐protein diets with the Leu : Ile : Val ratio ranging from 1 : 0.75 : 0.75 to 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 markedly downregulated the mRNA abundance of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid‐binding protein 4 (FABP‐4) (p < .05), and upregulated the mRNA expression of hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐g coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α), uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) and liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (L‐CPT‐1) (p < .05). Therefore, our data suggest that protein‐restricted diets supplemented with optimal BCAA ratio, that is, 1 : 0.75 : 0.75–1 : 0.25 : 0.25, induce a shift from fatty acid synthesis to fatty acid oxidation in the liver of growing pigs. These effects may be associated with increased mitochondrial biogenesis.     

Effects of concentrate‐to‐forage ratios and 2‐methylbutyrate supplementation on ruminal fermentation,bacteria abundance and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in Chinese Simmental steers

This study evaluated the effects of dietary concentrate levels and 2‐methylbutyrate (2MB ) supplementation on performance, ruminal fermentation, bacteria abundance, microbial enzyme activity and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD ) in steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers (12 months of age; 389 ± 3.7 kg of body weight) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Moderate‐concentrate (400 g/kg diet [MC ]) or high‐concentrate (600 g/kg diet [HC ]) diets were fed with or without 2MB (0 g/day [2MB ?] or 15.0 g/day [2MB +]). Dry matter intake and average daily gain increased, but feed conversion ratio decreased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Ruminal pH decreased, but total volatile fatty acid increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Molar proportion of acetate and acetate‐to‐propionate ratio decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Propionate molar proportion and ruminal NH ₃‐N content increased with the HC diet, but decreased with 2MB supplementation. Neutral detergent fibre degradability decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Crude protein degradability increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Abundance of Ruminococcus albus , Ruminococcus flavefaciens , Fibrobacter succinogenes and Bufyrivibrio fibrisolvens as well as activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase and pectinase decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. However, abundance of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus as well as activities of α‐amylase and protease increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Total PD excretion also increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. The results suggested that growth performance, ruminal fermentation, CP degradability and total PD excretion increased with increasing dietary concentrate level from 40% to 60% or 2MB supplementation. The observed diet × 2MB interaction indicated that supplementation of 2MB was more efficacious for improving growth performance, ruminal fermentation and total PD excretion with promoted ruminal bacteria abundance and enzyme activity in the MC diet than in the HC diet.     

Disaccharide combinations and the expression of enolase3 and plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase isoform in sturgeon sperm cryopreservation

Acipenser sinensis and Acipenser dabryanus are critically endangered species, so germplasm conservation via cryopreservation of sperm is necessary. Disaccharides can act as membrane‐impermeable cryoprotectants, and enolase3 (ENO3) and plasma membrane Ca²⁺ ATPase isoform (PMCA2) are proteins associated with sperm quality. We considered seven characteristics of sperm quality in cultured brood stock from A. sinensis and A. dabryanus. We tested use of sucrose or trehalose alone and in combination at different concentrations for cryopreservation of A. dabryanus sperm. A low concentration of sucrose plus trehalose (S₁₅T₁₅) was optimal. Mixing of the extender with sucrose, lactose, or trehalose alone or with pairwise mixtures revealed that a mixture of lactose and trehalose (L₁₅T₁₅) gave the best results for both A. sinensis and A. dabryanus. Enolase3 and PMCA2 expression levels were measured in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm via Western blotting. Relative ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels were examined, and the relationship between disaccharide composition, sperm quality and protein expression was explored in A. sinensis. The results showed that relative ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels were the highest at L₁₅T₁₅ in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm. There were significant positive correlations between ENO3 expression and percentage membrane integrity, and between PMCA2 expression and sperm motility parameters (percentage of motile sperm, curvilinear velocity, straight‐line velocity and average path velocity; p < .05) in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm. Our results indicate the optimal disaccharide combination and concentrations for cryopreservation of A. sinensis and A. dabryanus sperm and suggest that ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels could serve as a valuable indicator of sperm quality in A. sinensis.     

云贵川三省部分地区警犬狂犬病血清中和抗体调查

为评价警犬的狂犬病免疫效果,了解影响免疫效果的因素,2017年在云南、贵州、四川三省部分地区免疫狂犬病疫苗的警犬中随机抽样,采用荧光抗体病毒中和试验(FAVN),检测血清中狂犬病病毒中和抗体效价。结果显示,共抽检187只警犬,中和抗体阳性127只(≥0.50 IU/m L),总体免疫合格率为67.91%,其中云南、贵州、四川3省的免疫合格率分别为57.14%、68.33%、76.06%。结果分析表明,警犬狂犬病免疫合格率与犬的年龄、免疫次数、疫苗类型等因素有关,而与性别和品种无关。建议完善警犬免疫程序,加大血清中和抗体监测力度,对不合格警犬及时加强免疫;对每个影响因素进行连续性分析,以确定影响警犬狂犬病免疫合格率的具体因素。     

三种内生真菌与大花蕙兰共生对矿质营养吸收的影响

以从兰科植物出的内生真菌与大花蕙兰接种,均能形成菌根,其中ＧＣ９４１和ＧＣ９４５两种菌只侵染根的表皮细胞,在细胞内呈菌丝结结构,而ＧＣ９３４菌在侵染前期同前两和种真菌,后期菌丝可部分侵染皮层细胞,并呈疏松的分枝状结构。３种内生真菌可使幼苗茎叶干重比增施矿质营养但不接种真菌的处理（ＣＫ２）提高１７３．２％－２５０．１％,并对植株吸收Ｎ,Ｐ,Ｋ养分有促进作用,其中ＧＣ９４５菌使幼苗吸收Ｎ和Ｋ的量比ＣＫ     

芝麻立枯病内生生防细菌的筛选

利用表面消毒涂布平板的方法从大田健康芝麻根内分离芝麻内生细菌399株。平板对峙试验结果显示,176株细菌对立枯丝核菌(Rhizoctonia solani)有不同程度的拮抗能力,其中编号为B16、b10、D31、e23、G10、I10的6个菌株在PDA平板上对于立枯丝核菌具有极强的抑制作用,对西瓜枯萎病菌、西瓜炭疽病菌、小麦全蚀病菌和油菜菌核病菌也表现出广谱的抑菌作用。利用胶体几丁质和胶体壳聚糖作为唯一碳源,测定了上述6株细菌产生几丁质酶和壳聚糖酶的能力,发现b10和G10具有产壳聚糖酶的能力,I10有产几丁质酶的能力。活体盆栽试验测定了上述6株细菌对芝麻立枯病的生防效果,结果显示测定的6株细菌均具有一定的防治效果,其中G10的生防效果最好,可达到52%。利用胶体壳聚糖作为唯一碳源的选择性培养基测定了G10菌株在芝麻根系内部的定殖动态,发现G10在芝麻根部可以长期定殖。     

河南省小麦根腐线虫病的发生危害及病原鉴定

为明确河南省小麦根腐线虫病的发生危害情况及其病原线虫种类,对14个县(市)45个采样点小麦根腐线虫进行了分离调查,分别通过人工接种测定其致病性和杀线剂处理研究其危害性,并采用形态学和分子生物学方法鉴定其病原。结果显示:小麦根腐线虫在河南省的分布具有一定的区域性,中北部的10个县(市)34个沙质土壤采样点均分离出小麦根腐线虫,而在南部土壤粘重地区的小麦根内和土壤中均没有分离出根腐线虫;15%涕灭威颗粒剂处理土壤后小麦的穗粒数、千粒重和单位面积产量较对照明显上升,产量增加13.6%;该线虫能够侵染小麦,并明显抑制小麦生长;河南省小麦根腐线虫以敏捷短体线虫Pratylenchus agilis为主。     

刺桐姬小蜂在中国的适生区分析

运用CLIMEX的气候相似系数法,对入侵害虫刺桐姬小蜂在中国的适生区进行了分析和预测,结果表明:中国大陆有18个省区45个市、县(地区)适合该虫生存,大体分布于18.14°N～36.00°N,98.30°E～121.36°E范围内,这些地区也是刺桐属植物的主要分布区。     

中国常见仓贮螨类分类综述

本文对国内常风的６３种仓贮螨类,根据Ｇ．Ｗ．Ｋｒａｎｚ１９７８的的分类系统,排列系统分类地位,作为仓贮害虫研究及植物检疫中螨类鉴定的参考。     

Biological Control of Sclerotinia Diseases of Rapeseed by Aerial Applications of the Mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans

Indoor and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of applying the mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans to the aerial parts of rapeseed plants at the flowering stage to control sclerotinia diseases caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Under controlled conditions, a petal inoculation technique was used to determine the effect of conidial suspensions of C. minitans on suppression of sclerotinia leaf blight. Results showed that C. minitans was effective in inhibiting infection initiated by ascospores of S. sclerotiorum on flower petals by restricting mycelial growth of the pathogen. Suppression of lesion development was related to the conidial concentration of C. minitans, with larger lesions at low concentration (5×10³conidia ml⁻¹), but smaller lesions at high concentration (5×10⁴ conidia ml⁻¹ or higher). When C. minitans-treated rapeseed leaves were inoculated with mycelia of S. sclerotiorum, C. minitans failed to prevent infection of leaves, but caused a significant reduction in number of sclerotia produced on the diseased leaves. No significant difference in efficacy was detected between the two isolates of C. minitans, LRC 2137 and Chy-1, on the two rapeseed cultivars, Westar (spring type) and Zhongyou 821 (winter type). Results of field trials showed a significant reduction of stem rot of rapeseed in four (1997, 1999, 2003 and 2004) out of five years by aerial application of C. minitans, compared with controls. No significant difference in suppressive efficacy was observed between the treatments of C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹), C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹) + benomyl (50 μg ml⁻¹) and benomyl (100 μg ml⁻¹) in 2003, and between the treatments of C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹), C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹) + vinclozolin (100 μg ml⁻¹) and vinclozolin (500 μg ml⁻¹) in 2004. Sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum collected from diseased plants in plots treated with C. minitans in 1999, 2000 and 2003, or with C. minitans + benomyl in 2003 were infected by C. minitans at frequencies ranging from 21.3 to 54.5%. This study concludes that aerial spraying of C. minitans is an effective method for controlling sclerotinia diseases of rapeseed.