Evaluation of host and bacterial gene modulation during Lawsonia intracellularis infection in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mouse model

BackgroundProliferative enteritis caused by Lawsonia intracellularis undermines the economic stability of the swine industry worldwide. The development of cost-effective animal models to study the pathophysiology of the disease will help develop strategies to counter this bacterium.ObjectivesThis study focused on establishing a model of gastrointestinal (GI) infection of L. intracellularis in C57BL/6 mice to evaluate the disease progression and lesions of proliferative enteropathy (PE) in murine GI tissue.MethodsWe assessed the murine mucosal and cell-mediated immune responses generated in response to inoculation with L. intracellularis.ResultsThe mice developed characteristic lesions of the disease and shed L. intracellularis in the feces following oral inoculation with 5 × l0⁷ bacteria. An increase in L. intracellularis 16s rRNA and groEL copies in the intestine of infected mice indicated intestinal dissemination of the bacteria. The C57BL/6 mice appeared capable of modulating humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to L. intracellularis infection. Notably, the expression of genes for the vitamin B12 receptor and for secreted and membrane-bound mucins were downregulated in L. intracellularis -infected mice. Furthermore, L. intracellularis colonization of the mouse intestine was confirmed by the immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses.ConclusionsThis is the first study demonstrating the contributions of bacterial chaperonin and host nutrient genes to PE using an immunocompetent mouse model. This mouse infection model may serve as a platform from which to study L. intracellularis infection and develop potential vaccination and therapeutic strategies to treat PE.     

剩余污泥腐植酸的提取和对作物幼苗建成的影响

为解决IHSS （国际腐植酸协会）推荐法提取剩余污泥腐植酸参数不明确和剩余污泥腐植酸提取研究中缺乏其毒性效应评价等问题,利用响应曲面法得到剩余污泥腐植酸提取的最佳条件,并分析了腐植酸理化特性及其对作物幼苗建成的影响。结果表明,腐植酸提取的最佳条件：碱浓度为0.19 mol·L^-1,碱泥比（mL∶g）为11.6,振荡时间为3.8 h,提取量为96.1 mg·g^-1。相较于推荐法的腐植酸提取量增加了118%。提取所得腐植酸的元素分析显示,O/C为0.84,H/C为0.14,C/N为4.43;傅里叶变换红外光谱和凝胶渗透色谱分析显示,剩余污泥腐植酸存在羧基、醇羟基和酚羟基等含氧官能团,重均分子量为8 856 Da。此外,在500 mg·L^-1施用条件下,该腐植酸对大白菜和萝卜种子发芽率和子叶光合色素含量均无显著影响,而对大白菜种子胚根伸长具有显著促进作用。综上,通过优化提取条件可显著提高腐植酸提取量,剩余污泥腐植酸腐殖化程度与芳香化程度均较高,分子量较小,生物活性较强,且低浓度下对作物早期生长无不良影响。     

不同缢蛏群体应对高盐养殖环境的潜沙和摄食响应能力

为研究缢蛏(Sinonovacula constricta)生态行为应对高盐养殖环境的响应能力,以2个缢蛏群体(“申浙一号”群体SZSC和自然群体ZRSC)为实验对象,研究了不同盐度(20、24、28和32)对缢蛏群体潜沙行为、摄食生理的影响。对比2个群体潜沙指标和摄食率(FR)的差异,其中,潜沙行为实验设置盐度应激组(缢蛏从暂养池取出放进各盐度组开始实验)和胁迫组(缢蛏在各盐度条件下胁迫24 h后开始实验)。结果显示,SZSC的120 h半致死盐度为34.04,ZRSC的120 h半致死盐度为32.04。应激组中,SZSC的半数潜沙时间(BT50)显著大于ZRSC (P<0.05),盐度为24时,SZSC的BT50为4.2 min,显著低于盐度为28和32时的BT50;盐度为32时,SZSC潜沙深度分布更集中,潜沙率为88.33%,显著高于ZRSC(P<0.05)。而在胁迫组,SZSC中BT50显著低于ZRSC,潜沙率显著大于ZRSC (P<0.05)。摄食生理上,除对照组外,SZSC的FR均显著大于ZRSC(P<0.05),SZSC的FR在盐度为24时达到最大值[89.54 mL/(g·h)],显著大于其他盐度组(P<0.05)。研究表明,2个群体的生态行为均会受到盐度的影响,盐度越高,应激反应越强烈,其中,SZSC对高盐环境具有较好的耐受性。本研究从生态行为水平评估了2个缢蛏群体对高盐环境的耐受性,揭示了高盐养殖环境下缢蛏在底泥中的垂直分布情况和摄食能力,研究结果为进一步开展缢蛏耐高盐新品系的选育提供了理论参考。     

不同杀虫剂对油菜花露尾甲成虫的室内毒力测定及田间防效

为筛选出防治陕西省冬油菜区油菜花露尾甲高效安全的杀虫剂,选用5%高效氯氟氰菊酯水乳剂、25%溴氰菊酯乳油、20%呋虫胺水分散粒剂、30%噻虫嗪悬浮剂、10%溴氰虫酰胺可分散油悬浮剂、20%氯虫苯甲酰胺等6种杀虫剂,采用浸虫法和田间小区试验分别对油菜花露尾甲进行了室内毒力测定和田间防效评价。结果表明：6种药剂对油菜花露尾甲均有较高的毒力,24 h的LC₅₀值均低于40 mg/L,其中20%呋虫胺WG毒力最强,10%溴氰虫酰胺OD次之,30%噻虫嗪SC毒力最弱,LC₅₀分别为5.236 mg/L、9.650 mg/L和35.078 mg/L,6种杀虫剂毒力大小排序：20%呋虫胺WG>10%溴氰虫酰胺OD>25%溴氰菊酯EC>20%氯虫苯甲酰胺SC>5%高效氯氟氰菊酯EW>30%噻虫嗪SC。田间防效试验结果表明,6种药剂在试验剂量下使用安全无药害,对油菜花露尾甲均有一定的防效,药后1 d、3 d、7 d各处理防效分别达79.3%~91.25%、88.24%~97.95%、72.47%~98.86%,其中20%呋虫胺WG3 000倍液和10%溴氰虫酰胺OD4 000倍液效果最好,20%呋虫胺WG3 000倍液3 d时防效是所有处理中最高的（97.95%）,10%溴氰虫酰胺OD4 000倍液7 d时防效是所有处理中最高的（98.86%）,且两种杀虫剂药后1 d、3 d、7 d的防效均在85%以上。生产中选择防治油菜花露尾甲药剂应兼具速效性、持效性和对传粉益虫蜜蜂安全,可选20%呋虫胺WG或10%溴氰虫酰胺OD在现蕾未开花时使用,20%氯虫苯甲酰胺SC在油菜进入花期后使用。     

氮肥对黑小麦“运黑161”产量及氮素利用效率的影响

为了研究不同施肥水平对黑小麦产量和氮利用率的影响,在洪洞县小麦试验基地开展大田试验。试验以“运黑161”为供试品种,采用单因素完全随机设计,设0 kg/hm²（N0）、144 kg/hm²（N144）、192 kg/hm²（N192）、240 kg/hm²（N240）4 个施氮水平,研究黑小麦在不同氮肥水平下的株高、产量、籽粒蛋白质含量和氮利用率的变化。研究表明,与不施肥相比,施氮可增加黑小麦孕穗至成熟期株高。随施氮量的增加,成熟期穗数和穗粒数也增加,产量以施氮量240 kg/hm²最高,达6 048.45 kg/hm²,较其它氮肥提高6.04%~134.30%,但与施氮量192 kg/hm²处理间差异不显著。氮肥农学利用率以施氮量192 kg/hm²最高,达16.26%。总之,施氮量为192 kg/hm²更利于“运黑161”降低氮肥投入,节约成本,实现产量和氮效率的同步提升。     

“学为中心”视域下动物解剖学教学方法的反思

由于信息技术的快速发展和动物医学专业需求的变化,动物解剖学教学在内容和方法方面发生了重大变化。动物医学专业教育已从被动和以教师为中心向积极、以临床为基础和以学生为中心转变。本文在“学为中心”背景下分析各种教学模式在动物解剖学教学中的作用和有效性。     

Effects of ammonium and inorganic carbon enrichment on growth and yield of a hydroponic tomato crop

Effects of varying the proportions of NO₃^— and NH₄⁺ in the growth medium on seedling growth and tomato fruit yield (Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. Trust F1) were investigated in greenhouse hydroponic experiments. The presence of NH₄⁺ as the sole N source (11 mM) was toxic: it curtailed growth and decreased chlorophyll content of the leaves. However, at low concentration (10 % of total N), the presence of NH₄⁺, with or without added dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), increased vegetative growth and fruit yield by ˜ 15 %, and enhanced taste/flavor of the fruits. In DIC‐enriched treatment, pH was maintained at 5.8 by addition of KHCO₃ or as CaCO₃. The presence of NH₄⁺, at 10 % of total N, inhibited NO₃^— uptake rates by ˜ 27 %. The rates of uptake of NO₃^— and NH₄⁺ were comparable (13.3 and 14.2 mmol plant^—1 d^—1, respectively, in the presence of DIC, and 14.7 and 14.0 mmol plant^—1 d^—1, respectively, in the absence of DIC), despite such a large difference in their concentrations in the nutrient feed solution. A higher proportion of NH₄⁺ (up to 50 % of total N) had no further significant effect upon early vegetative growth, but in a long‐term experiment resulted in a high incidence of blossom end‐rot (BER) disease, thereby severely curtailing fruit yield. The presence of even 1.1 mM NH₄⁺ reduced Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ accumulation in the leaves as well as in fruits.     

Comparison of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase and melatonin receptor type 1B immunoreactivity between young adult and aged canine spinal cord

Melatonin affects diverse physiological functions through its receptor and plays an important role in the central nervous system. In the present study, we compared immunoreactivity patterns of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT), an enzyme essential for melatonin synthesis, and melatonin receptor type 1B (MT2) in the spinal cord of young adult (2~3 years) and aged (10~12 years) beagle dogs using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. AANAT-specific immunoreactivity was observed in the nuclei of spinal neurons, and was significantly increased in aged dog spinal neurons compared to young adult spinal neurons. MT2-specific immunoreactivity was found in the cytoplasm of spinal neurons, and was predominantly increased in the margin of the neuron cytoplasm in aged spinal cord compared to that in the young adult dogs. These increased levels of AANAT and MT2 immunoreactivity in aged spinal cord might be a feature of normal aging and associated with a feedback mechanism that compensates for decreased production of melatonin during aging.