Primary isolation and identification of avian rotaviruses from turkeys exhibiting signs of clinical enteritis in a continuous MA 104 cell line

Avian rotaviruses were isolated from turkeys with enteritis using MA 104 cell line. MA 104 cells were suitable for primary isolation and propagation of avian rotaviruses. Trypsin appeared essential for the enhancement of infectivity and the occurrence of cytopathic effect (CPE). Serum neutralization (SN), electron microscopy (EM), and analysis of genomic RNA were done to identify and confirm the identity of rotaviruses. Electrophoretic migration patterns of genomic RNA from avian rotaviruses were examined, and they were compared with those from mammalian rotaviruses. The migration patterns differed between these groups.     

Serum adipokine concentrations in dogs with diabetes mellitus: a pilot study

This study was conducted to determine whether serum adipokine concentrations differed between healthy dogs and dogs with diabetes mellitus (DM). To accomplish this, 19 dogs with newly diagnosed DM were compared to 20 otherwise healthy dogs. The serum concentrations of visfatin, leptin, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α were significantly higher in diabetic dogs than in healthy dogs, whereas the serum adiponectin concentrations were lower in diabetic dogs. However, there were no significant differences in the IL-10 and resistin levels between groups. The serum leptin concentrations in diabetic dogs with and without concurrent disorders differed significantly. Treatment with insulin induced a significant decrease in IL-6 in diabetic dogs without concurrent disorders. These results show that the clinical diabetic state of dogs could modulate the circulating visfatin and adiponectin concentrations directly, while upregulation of leptin was probably a result of concurrent disorders rather than an effect of persistent hyperglycemia as a result of DM.     

Effects of road transportation on metabolic and immunological responses in Holstein heifers

This study examined the effects of road transportation on metabolic and immunological responses in dairy heifers. Twenty Holstein heifers in early pregnancy were divided into non‐transported (NT; n = 7) and transported (T; n = 13) groups. Blood was collected before transportation (BT), immediately after transportation for 100 km (T1) and 200 km (T2), and 24 h after transportation (AT). The T heifers had higher (P < 0.05) blood cortisol and non‐esterified fatty acid concentrations after T1 and T2 than did NT heifers. By contrast, the T heifers had lower (P < 0.05) serum triglyceride concentrations after T1 and T2 than had the NT heifers. The serum cortisol and triglyceride concentrations returned (P > 0.05) to the BT concentrations at 24 h AT in the T heifers. The granulocyte‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and the percentage of monocytes were higher (P < 0.05) after T2 in the T heifers than in the NT heifers, suggesting that transportation stress increased the numbers of innate immune cells. T heifers had higher (P < 0.01) plasma haptoglobin concentrations than NT heifers 24 h AT. In conclusion, transportation increased cortisol secretion and was correlated with increased metabolic responses and up‐regulation of peripheral innate immune cells in dairy heifers.     

Molecular epidemiology of Newcastle disease viruses in Vietnam

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) causes significant economic losses to the poultry industry in Southeast Asia. In the present study, 12 field isolates of NDV were recovered from dead village chickens in Vietnam between 2007 and 2012, and were characterized. All the field isolates were classified as velogenic. Based on the sequence analysis of the F variable region, two distinct genetic groups (Vietnam genetic groups G1 and G2) were recognized. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the 12 field isolates fell into the class II genotype VII cluster. Ten of the field isolates, classified as Vietnam genetic group G1, were closely related to VIIh viruses that had been isolated from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia since the mid-2000s, while the other two field isolates, of Vietnam genetic group G2, clustered with VIId viruses, which were predominantly circulating in China and Far East Asia. Our results indicate that genotype VII viruses, especially VIIh viruses, are predominantly responsible for the recent epizootic of the disease in Vietnam.     

如何减少畜禽强制免疫副反应的发生

免疫副反应客观存在,一定程度成为阻碍免疫工作顺利进行的"绊脚石"。我们深入调研,通过狠抓疫苗管理,规范免疫操作,增强畜禽体质,提高人员素质等措施,为有效减少免疫副反应的发生发挥了积极作用。     

Physical, chemical, and serological characterization of avian rotaviruses

Physical, chemical, and serological characterization of rotavirus isolates from turkeys was done. Cesium chloride (CsCl)-gradient isopycnic centrifugation of infected cell cultures revealed the presence of rotavirus particles of three different densities. They were double-shelled, single-shelled, and core particles. The double-shelled particles had a buoyant density (in CsCl) of 1.34 g/cml3, and that of single-shelled particles in CsCl was 1.36 g/cm3. The buoyant density of core particles in CsCl was greater than 1.40 g/cm3. These rotavirus isolates were not inactivated by chloroform and were relatively stable at pH 3.0. Their replication was not affected by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine. Avian rotaviruses were not completely inactivated by heat treatment of 56 C for 8 hr. All six avian rotavirus isolates examined were antigenically related to each other. However, there was no antigenic relationship between mammalian rotaviruses and the avian rotavirus isolates examined.     

Dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis and recovery in NOD/SCID mice

There is a need for a new liver fibrosis model of immunodeficient mice to study the effects of cell therapy on liver disease because there are not many animal models available to study the effects of cell therapy. In this study, we induced liver fibrosis using dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in NOD/SCID mice to create an animal model for liver disease. DMN (5 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected intraperitoneally for three consecutive days per week for 6 or 8 weeks, and the mice were sacrificed at weeks 0, 4 and 8 after the last DMN injection. The 6-week DMN-treated group gradually recovered from serum biochemical changes, histopathological toxic effects and lesions in the liver at weeks 4 and 8 after the last DMN injection. However, the progression of liver fibrosis and toxic levels were maintained in the 8-week DMN-treated group at week 4 after the last DMN injection. The increases in iron and extracellular matrix (collagen) in the DMN-treated group were confirmed by Prussian blue (PB) and Masson's trichrome (MT) staining, respectively. Additionally, activation of hepatic stellate cells was observed by alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) immunostaining and western blot. In conclusion, treatment of NOD/SCID mice with 5 mg/kg of DMN for 8 weeks can be used to induce an appropriate animal model of disease for liver fibrosis. This model may be useful for evaluation of the efficacy and safety of cell therapies such as human mesenchymal stem cell therapy.     

In vitro neuronal and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord blood

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the capabilities for self-renewal and differentiation into cells with the phenotypes of bone, cartilage, neurons and fat cells. These features of MSCs have attracted the attention of investigators for using MSCs for cell-based therapies to treat several human diseases. Because bone marrow-derived cells, which are a main source of MSCs, are not always acceptable due to a significant drop in their cell number and proliferative/differentiation capacity with age, human umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells are good substitutes for BMCs due to the immaturity of newborn cells. Although the isolation of hematopoietic stem cells from UCB has been well established, the isolation and characterization of MSCs from UCB still need to be established and evaluated. In this study, we isolated and characterized MSCs. UCB-derived mononuclear cells, which gave rise to adherent cells, exhibited either an osteoclast or a mesenchymal-like phenotype. The attached cells with mesenchymal phenotypes displayed fibroblast-like morphologies, and they expressed mesenchym-related antigens (SH2 and vimentin) and periodic acid Schiff activity. Also, UCB-derived MSCs were able to transdifferentiate into bone and 2 types of neuronal cells, in vitro. Therefore, it is suggested that the MSCs from UCB might be a good alternative to bone marrow cells for transplantation or cell therapy.     

早春短命植物绵果荠愈伤组织诱导相关因素研究

绵果荠是分布在新疆北部准噶尔荒漠中的十字花科一年生早春短命植物。本研究为探讨绵果荠愈伤组织诱导条件,以无菌苗子叶为外植体,研究了不同苗龄、培养基种类、蔗糖浓度和培养条件对愈伤组织的诱导及其生长的影响。结果表明,1)愈伤组织诱导的最佳条件为:苗龄14 d、培养基为MS+1.0 mg/L IBA+0.1 mg/L BAP、含糖量3%、温度25℃和光照为黑暗。2)愈伤组织生长的适宜条件是光照16 h/d和温度25℃。     

鸡β-防御素及其应用前景

防御素是生物界广泛存在的一类具微生物抗性的低分子肽，由于其抗菌谱最广，具有很高的应用潜力。本文概述了鸡β-防御素的分子结构、抗菌活性、基因表达调控的研究进展，并展望了其在畜牧业中的应用前景。