湖南黑猪RBP4基因与产仔数的相关性分析

以湖南黑猪为研究对象,采用PCR-RFLP技术进行视黄醇结合蛋白4（Retinol-binding proteins 4,RBP4）基因多态性检测,并采用最小二乘分析法分析其对产仔数影响的遗传效应。结果表明：猪群中发现AA、AB和BB 3种基因型,A、B等位基因的频率、多态信息含量、杂合度分别为0.8649、01351、0.3960、0.2337,表明该位点处于中度多态。初产母猪AA型比BB型个体的总产仔数、产活仔数分别多1.66头、1.83头,差异显著（P〈0.05）;经产母猪AA型个体的总产仔数和产活仔数比AB、BB型分别多1.19头、1.48头（P〈0.01）和0.96头、1.22头（P〈0.05）。基因效应分析结果表明,初产、经产母猪在该位点上A等位基因对总产仔数和产活仔数都表现为正效应,各性状分别增加了0.1496头、0.1635头和0.1443头、0.1169头,即A等位基因可能为湖南黑猪繁殖性能的有利等位基因。     

草原生态系统的土壤微生物生态

1980～1998年,在内蒙古锡林河流域等草原地区开展了土壤微生物生态学方面的系列研究. "干重换算法"为草原土壤微生物不同类群的生物量测定提供了一个较实用的方法;内蒙古不同草原和荒漠区土壤微生物活性具有不同的地理分布特征;锡林河流域六种植物群落下土壤微生物的区系组成及生物量分布亦有所不同;羊草等牧草具有明显的根际效应;不同放牧率及退化草场围栏恢复、落地油污染、施用稀土元素等人为因素会对土壤微生物数量及活性产生不同的生态效应;微生物多样化变化亦符合"中度干扰理论";土壤微生物在草原生态系统物质转化和能量流动中起着非常重要的作用;植物残体分解过程中微生物类群存在明显的优势更替现象.     

家蚕丝素蛋白抗氧化肽的制备及其稳定性研究

利用碱性蛋白酶水解家蚕丝素蛋白制备抗氧化肽,考察水解pH、水解时间、加酶量、底物浓度、水解温度5个因素对水解产物DPPH自由基清除率的影响,在此基础上采用响应面试验优化水解工艺条件,并调查家蚕丝素蛋白抗氧化肽对热、酸、碱和体外肠道消化的稳定性,测定不同分子质量范围的家蚕丝素蛋白水解产物组分的抗氧化活性.结果 表明,碱性蛋白酶水解制备家蚕丝素蛋白抗氧化肽的最优工艺条件为水解pH 8.69、水解时间60 min、加酶量3035 U/g、底物(丝素蛋白)质量浓度26.80 g/L、水解温度53.89℃,在此条件下制备获得的家蚕丝素蛋白抗氧化肽对DPPH自由基的清除率为55.16％.家蚕丝素蛋白抗氧化肽具有良好的热稳定性;在中性环境中抗氧化活性很稳定,但在强酸和强碱环境中抗氧化活性明显降低;经体外模拟胃肠道消化后,对DPPH自由基的清除率比未消化处理对照组提高了9.43百分点.分子质量小于5 kD组分是家蚕丝素蛋白抗氧化肽的主要活性组分.研究结果为家蚕丝素蛋白功能产品的开发提供了试验依据.     

Phylogenetic analysis of S1 gene of infectious bronchitis virus isolates from China

Between 2006 and 2009, seven strains of infectious bronchitis (IB) virus (IBV) were isolated from vaccinated chicken flocks on different chicken farms in China. The pathogenic characters of seven IBV strains were assessed. Each of the seven strains was infective to the test chickens and could induce an immune response. The results from chicken embryo cross-neutralization assays showed that these strains were antigenically distinct from classic IBV strains of H120, M41, Conn, and Gray. Compared to H120 vaccine strain, point mutation, short insertion, and deletion occurred at many positions in the S1 protein of the seven strains. Five of the seven strains had the motif (HRRRR), which was identical to that of the epidemic IBV strains in China. Two new motifs (HRLRR and RRIRR) emerged in the isolated strains. The homology of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the S1 gene among the seven isolates was 81.7%-99.7% and 79.0%-99.4%, respectively. These seven strains were also genetically different from the vaccine strains and non-China IBV strains but closely related to large numbers of Chinese strains. The seven isolates and 36 reference IBV strains were clustered into six distinct groups (I-VI). The seven strains were categorized into groups I, II, and III, forming a big phylogenetic branch, which is closely related to Chinese IBVs, whereas the vaccine strains belonging to group VI are genetically distant from groups I, II, and III. The results from this study indicate that different IBV strains cocirculate in the chicken population in China.     

Comparison of nuclear and capacitance‐based soil water measuring techniques in salt‐affected soils

A field calibration experiment was carried out on salt‐affected clayey soil in Syria, to compare the sensitivity to soil electrical conductivity (ECe), and bulk density (ρ_b) of two instruments for estimating soil moisture: the neutron probe (NP) and the Diviner 2000 capacitance probe (CP). The results showed that the values of the correlation coefficient of the calibration were decreased when the ECe and ρ_b values increased; this decrease was more pronounced for the Diviner 2000, indicating that it was more sensitive to ρ_b and ECe than the NP. When only scaled frequency was used in the fitted equation, the Diviner 2000 in wet soil underestimated soil water content significantly at all depths, but especially in the top layer, by up to 0.09 cm³/cm³ compared with gravimetric determinations. However, in dry soil, the Diviner 2000 overestimated the volumetric water content by up to 0.05 cm³/cm³ in the top 15 cm, and by 0.03 cm³/cm³ at 30‐45 cm depth. The performance of the neutron probe was better overall; using a factory calibration curve no significant differences were observed between NP estimates and the gravimetric values. Including both ρ_b and ECe in the calibration equations improved the fits, although the regression coefficient (R²) for the Diviner 2000 remained low.     

Effects of dietary supplementation of nucleotides from late gestation to lactation on the performance and oxidative stress status of sows and their offspring

Increased metabolic burdens in breeding sows, which are induced by elevated systemic oxidative stress, could increase the need for nucleotides to repair lymphocyte DNA damage; however, de novo synthesis of nucleotides may be insufficient to cover this increased need. This study investigated the effects of dietary nucleotides on milk composition, oxidative stress status, and the reproductive and lactational performance of sows. Forty multiparous sows were assigned to 2 dietary treatments (Control group, and 1 g/kg Nucleotides group) based on a randomized complete block design using their BW at 85 d of gestation as a block. Sows from 2 groups were fed a restricted diet during gestation and ad libitum during lactation. The experiment lasted from 85 d of gestation to 21 d of lactation. The reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of suckling piglets were measured. Oxidative stress parameters and milk components were also analysed. Data were analyzed using contrasts in the MIXED procedure of SAS. Sows in the Nucleotides group consumed more feed during the first week (P < 0.01) and from 1 to 21 d (P < 0.05) of lactation than those in Control group. Correspondingly, the litter weight gain of piglets showed a tendency to increase from cross-fostering to 9 d (P = 0.09) and from cross-fostering to 20 d (P = 0.10) in the Nucleotides group relative to the Control group. Additionally, the Nucleotides group was higher (P < 0.01) than the Control group in the concentrations of uridine 5''monophosphate, guanosine 5''monophosphate, inosine 5''monophosphate, adenosine 5''monophosphate and total nucleotides in milk. Furthermore, the Nucleotides group was higher (P < 0.01) than the Control group in the serum levels of total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.01) for sows at 109 d of gestation and glutathione peroxidase for weaning piglets, but lower at the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (P < 0.05) in serum of weaning piglets. This study indicated that maternal dietary nucleotides could promote piglet growth, probably due to the higher lactational feed intake and higher concentration of nucleotides in the milk of sows, and lower oxidative stress for both sows and piglets.     

Effect of the Nixtamalization Process on the Dietary Fiber Content,Starch Digestibility,and Antioxidant Capacity of Blue Maize Tortilla

Nixtamalization is an ancient process developed by the Mesoamerican cultures. Initially, volcanic ashes were used and then calcium hydroxide in commercial production, and more recently nixtamalization with calcium salts (NCS) has been proposed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of NCS on carbohydrate digestibility and antioxidant capacity in the elaboration of blue maize tortillas. NCS in blue tortillas showed a high amount of total dietary fiber (14.27 g/100 g), the main fraction being insoluble dietary fiber. The contents of resistant starch and slowly digestible starch did not change with the nixtamalization process. The predicted glycemic index value was lower in blue tortillas with the NCS process (58) than with the traditional nixtamalization process (71). In general, NCS in blue tortillas presented a higher antioxidant capacity than traditional tortillas (ferric reducing antioxidant power method), indicating that phenolics present in blue maize maintain their activity after cooking. It can be concluded that the nutraceutical features (high dietary fiber content and antioxidant capacity) of blue maize tortillas are enhanced when they are elaborated with the NCS process.