Rate of lipid peroxidation in brain and liver tissues and the total antioxidant status of blood plasma in developing chicks

Age-related changes of tissue lipid peroxidation (LPO) of liver and brain, as well as plasma antioxidant capacity of broiler chicken cockerels were investigated. Tissue LPO was characterised by the spectrophotometric assessment of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Plasma antioxidant power was evaluated by the measurement of total antioxidant status (TAS). Newly hatched broiler chicks had similar TAS value (1.19 mmol/l) as newborns of mammalian species. Significant changes (p < 0.05) were observed in the time course of all parameters. Tissue TBARS concentration was higher in the brain than in the liver at hatching, while the latter organ was found to have more effective antioxidant defence during embryonic life. The concentration of TBARS increased up to the 10th day in the liver but only up to the 21st day in the brain, and the former was accompanied by an approximately 50% decrease of plasma antioxidant capacity. This suggests that the liver plays an important role in forming the antioxidant defence mechanisms of the blood plasma in broiler chicks.     

Dog feeding test for assessing the nutritional adequacy of practical diets

The nutritive value of dog foods declared by the manufacturer as nutritionally complete and balanced can be best assessed by feeding trials with dogs. A protocol of a feeding trial has been developed and tested with working dogs fed two different commercial complete and balanced diets for 8 weeks. The parameters used for evaluating the effect of diets were general health status, body and hair coat condition, change of body weight, haematological parameters (white blood cell (WBC) count, red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin, packed cell volume), and biochemical parameters in blood serum (alanine aminotransferase, urea, albumin). The trial protocol proved to be appropriate to monitor the dogs' nutritional status and to reveal differences between diets. This method of evaluation is recommended for use in supporting the nutritional claims (labelling) of dog foods.     

A previously unknown maltose transporter essential for starch degradation in leaves

A previously unknown maltose transporter is essential for the conversion of starch to sucrose in Arabidopsis leaves at night. The transporter was identified by isolating two allelic mutants with high starch levels and very high maltose, an intermediate of starch breakdown. The mutations affect a gene of previously unknown function, MEX1. We show that MEX1is a maltose transporter that is unrelated to other sugar transporters. The severe mex1 phenotype demonstrates that MEX1is the predominant route of carbohydrate export from chloroplasts at night. Homologous genes in plants including rice and potato indicate that maltose export is of widespread significance.     

Äthylenoxyd als Insektizid

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Bioactive Components in Seaweeds and Advanced Glycation End-Products Inhibitory Activities Using Principal Component Analysis

This study comprehensively presents the relationship between the bioactive substance of 70% (v/v) aqueous ethanol extract of 38 species of seaweeds (SWEs), and anti-glycation activities. The contents of bioactive substance of SWEs, such as total phenolic, total flavonoid and condensed tannins, were determined through a colorimetric analysis. Among the tested species, Ecklonia bicyclis, Ishige foliacea, and Cladophora urightiana var. minor had the highest amount of total phenolic (255.75 mg GAE/g DW), total condensed tannins (63.36 mg CE/g DW), and total flavonoid content (85.26 mg CE/g DW), respectively. Anti-glycation properties of SWEs were evaluated through advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) formation, AGEs-collagen cross-link formation, and AGEs-collagen cross-link breaking assay. Brown algae species exhibited a more prominent inhibitory activity on AGEs formation and AGEs-collagen cross-links, and the breaking of AGEs-collagen cross-links compared to that exhibited by aminoguanidine and ALT-711 (positive controls). Using principal component analysis, we confirmed that the AGEs formation inhibitory property and AGEs-collagen cross-links breaking activity were closely correlated with total phenolic and the condensed tannin contents contained in SWEs. Therefore, the bioactive substances such as phenolics and condensed tannins in seaweeds can be used as predictive indices in selecting compounds for the development of a therapeutic agent that prevents diabetic complications related to the AGEs. In addition, our results suggest that brown algae species, which contains more bioactive substances than green and red algae species, can be utilized as a promising natural resource for the prevention and alleviation of AGEs-related diabetic complications as AGE inhibitor and cross-links breaker.

     

西藏2种红豆杉扦插生根过程及解剖结构研究

采用幼嫩枝条扦插繁殖和石蜡切片法,对西藏分布的喜马拉雅红豆杉和云南红豆杉插穗的根部进行解剖,观察不定根的起源和发生发育过程,探讨两树种生根发生的规律,为两树种异地保护提供依据。结果表明,(1)喜马拉雅红豆杉与云南红豆杉无性繁殖过程中,其生根的外部形态相似,均为先形成愈伤组织再生根;(2)喜马拉雅红豆杉较云南红豆杉生根率高、生根快、根系发达,表现出较强的适应能力;(3)根部解剖结构显示,云南红豆杉周皮中存在一圈环状的厚壁细胞,生根时间较长可能与此有一定关系。     

种植时间对西藏地区青贮玉米发酵品质和微生物多样性的影响

本文旨在研究西藏地区不同种植时间对青贮玉米发酵品质和微生物多样性的影响,为西藏地区玉米青贮饲料制作提供理论依据。以西藏地区春玉米（3月种植,10月刈割）和夏玉米（6月种植,10月刈割）为材料,进行青贮饲料制作,青贮后的第7,14,30和60 d开窖取样,测定青贮饲料的发酵品质和微生物多样性。结果表明：种植时间会影响玉米的营养成分和发酵品质,相比于春玉米,夏玉米青贮饲料中干物质含量、pH值、丁酸含量和氨态氮/总氮更低,但乳酸和水溶性碳水化合物含量更高。微生物多样性结果显示,与春玉米相比,夏玉米青贮饲料中变形菌门丰度更低,厚壁菌门、拟杆菌门和LAB菌种的丰度更高。因此,夏玉米青贮饲料的发酵品质更好。     

Teaching veterinary clinical pathology to undergraduate students: an integrated European project

BACKGROUND: Veterinary clinical pathology is a relatively new and emerging discipline in Europe that has gained momentum with the recent establishment of a specialty college. In this situation, veterinary faculties may face challenges in understanding and defining what clinical pathology is and how it can best be integrated into existing curricula. In addition, many schools in Europe may not yet have available a critical mass of suitably qualified faculty capable of teaching in all areas of clinical pathology. OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this report is to describe the goals, procedures adopted, teaching material produced, and proposed future activities of a major European initiative designed to develop a veterinary clinical pathology curriculum. METHODS: Four working subgroups were formed to establish a list of course objectives and topics and prepare a series of lectures. These contents were reviewed and discussed several times at a series of general meetings. RESULTS: An undergraduate course on veterinary clinical pathology was designed with course objectives, a list of topics and a CD-ROM consisting of 24 lectures. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this project could be useful in the establishment or improvement of training programs in veterinary clinical pathology at the undergraduate level in Europe and in other places around the world. The provision of teaching resources for faculty could help to instill in veterinary students a strong understanding of the discipline and promote development of advanced training programs and career opportunities in clinical pathology in Europe.     

半血野生盘羊与欧拉羊杂交F1代生长发育规律研究

本研究以半血野生盘羊和欧拉羊杂交F1代羊,即含1/4野生盘羊血统羊为素材,对含1/4野生盘羊血统羊生长发育规律进行了分析。结果表明:含1/4野生盘羊血统羊早期生长发育快,体重与体尺间呈极显著的正相关(P0.01),体尺与体重的最优回归方程Y=-37.758+0.431X3+0.529X1,R2=0.962。