Computer image analysis of intramuscular adipocytes and marbling in the longissimus muscle of cattle

The deposition of fat in muscle, recognized by the consumer as marbling, is an important meat quality trait. The objective of the study was to provide additional insights into the quantitative extent of marbling by means of computer image analysis. Fifty-one F(2) generation German Holstein and Charolais crossbreed cattle, 18 mo of age, were used to determine relationships among marbling traits, adipocyte size, and the amount of adipose tissue in different depots. Differences were recorded among the size of i.m. adipocytes in different groups of marbling flecks, divided according to the location in the muscle cross-section and to the size of the marbling flecks. The results showed positive correlation between i.m. adipocyte size and the weight of s.c. fat, intestinal fat, omental fat, and perirenal fat (r = 0.50, 0.61, 0.70, and 0.63, respectively, P < 0.001). The i.m. adipocyte size was correlated with i.m. fat content, number of marbling flecks, proportion of marbling fleck area, and total length of marbling flecks (r = 0.71, 0.44, 0.62, and 0.55, respectively, P < 0.01). The number of marbling flecks was also correlated with i.m. fat content, proportion of marbling fleck area, and total length of marbling flecks (r = 0.58, 0.62, and 0.91, P < 0.01, respectively). The ventral marbling flecks had a 5-fold larger fleck area, 4-fold more adipocytes, and larger adipocytes (P < 0.001). Larger marbling flecks contained larger adipocytes (P < 0.001). Moreover, compared with the small marbling flecks, there was a 48-fold larger fleck area and 26-fold more adipocytes in the large marbling flecks. The results indicate that i.m. fat deposition increases concurrently with the other fat depots but is still independent. Furthermore, the i.m. fat is preferentially deposited in the ventral area of LM. Although the i.m. adipocyte size has an important effect on the traits of marbling flecks, cell number plays a greater role in i.m. fat deposition than cell size.     

β-carotene attenuates weaning-induced apoptosis via inhibition of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK signalling pathways in piglet jejunum

Weaning may cause oxidative injury, immune response impairment, apoptosis and other injuries in piglets. Oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) can elicit inflammatory responses, and persistent oxidative and ERS also may lead to apoptotic cascades, which is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. β-carotene, a natural carotenoid, has potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. However, the effect of β-carotene on apoptosis in weaned piglets and the detailed molecular mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we found that β-carotene decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in piglet serum. β-carotene could inhibit the mRNA levels of caspase-3 significantly, but had no significant inhibitory effect of the mRNA levels of caspase-9 and caspase-12 in the piglet jejunum. In addition, β-carotene decreased the activation of GRP78, CHOP, and JNK/p38 MAPK and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Furthermore, β-carotene had a significant influence on the activation of ERS and apoptosis-related signals in TG-induced IPEC-J2. In the present study, β-carotene pre-treatment attenuated the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and prevented TG-induced increases in the level of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK pathway activation in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, these findings indicate that β-carotene may protect weaning-induced apoptosis through inhibiting ERS.     

荧光实时定量PCR方法检测猪链球菌2型

以猪链球菌2型的荚膜多糖抗原编码基因cps2J为靶基因设计引物,利用SYBR GreenⅠ能特异地与双链DNA结合发出荧光的特性,以ABI7000为平台,建立荧光实时定量PCR检测猪链球菌2型的方法。该方法检测猪链球菌2型参考株和猪链球菌2型国内分离株都呈阳性,具有良好的特异性。整个检测过程于2h内完成,检测限度为24CFU,标准曲线的相关系数为0.997。对5份采集于猪链球菌2型病猪的病料进行检测,结果表明肝脏和脾脏最适于检测。     

Effects of guanidinoacetic acid on growth performance,creatine metabolism and plasma amino acid profile in broilers

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on growth performance, creatine deposition and blood amino acid (AA) profile on broiler chickens. In Exp. 1, a total of 540 one‐day‐old Arbor Acres male broilers (average initial body weight, 45.23 ± 0.35 g) were divided randomly into five treatments with six replicates of 18 chicks each. Broilers were fed corn–soybean meal‐basal diets supplemented with 0, 600, 800, 1,000 or 1,200 mg/kg GAA for 42 days respectively. Results showed that dietary GAA inclusion increased average daily gain (ADG) and improved gain‐to‐feed ratio (G:F) from 1 to 42 days (p < 0.01). However, average daily feed intake was unaffected by dietary supplementation of GAA. As GAA inclusion increased, the contents of creatine in plasma and kidney were increased (linear, p < 0.01), while the contents of GAA and creatine in liver were decreased (linear, p < 0.01). Similarly, GAA supplementation was inversely related to concentrations of most essential AA in plasma. In Exp. 2, a total of 432 one‐day‐old Arbor Acres male broilers (average initial body weight, 39.78 ± 0.58 g) were divided randomly into four treatments with six replicates of 18 chicks each. Birds were fed a corn–soybean meal‐basal diet supplemented with 0, 200, 400 or 600 mg/kg GAA for 42 days respectively. Dietary inclusion of 600 mg/kg GAA significantly increased ADG and G:F of broilers (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 600–1,200 mg/kg GAA can effectively improve the growth performance in broiler chickens by affecting creatine metabolism and utilization efficiency of essential AA, and 600 mg/kg GAA is the minimum dose for improving performance.     

绿原酸提取物的抗氧化活性协同增效作用

以蒲公英和葵花籽粕绿原酸提取物为试材,采用FRAP亚铁离子还原能力为考察指标,研究了蒲公英和葵花籽粕来源的绿原酸提取物对抗氧化活性的影响因素,以抗氧化活性的半抑制浓度IC50为复配依据,评价蒲公英绿原酸与葵花籽粕复配品的抗氧化协同增效作用,以期为开发绿色高效的天然抗氧化剂提供参考依据.结果表明:反应体系在pH为4.0、37℃条件下,蒲公英和葵花籽粕绿原酸对FRAP亚铁离子还原能力达到最高,分别为1.11、1.09.蒲公英绿原酸可提高葵花籽粕复配品对FRAP亚铁离子的还原能力,具有抗氧化协同增效作用.     

安徽地区野生大豆饲用价值研究

一直以来,我国研究者对野生大豆的研究多集中在对其遗传基因的开发利用方面,对其饲用价值的研究偏少,且多集中在野生大豆种子的营养成分和饲用价值上,对于野生大豆全株饲用价值的分析近乎空白。该试验在安徽省境内22个地市（县）共采集野生大豆样本22份,在半野外环境下种植,并对其全株的主要营养成分和刈割价值进行分析,发现野生大豆蛋白质含量较高,与饲用苜蓿草粉相当,野生大豆的生物学产量也很高,有良好的抗旱性,是一种优良的饲草资源。     

The effect of Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate on small intestinal morphology,antioxidant capacity and anti‐inflammatory effect in heat‐stressed broilers

This study was to investigate the effects of Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) on intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity and anti‐inflammatory response in heat‐stressed broiler. A total of 192 2‐week‐old Arbour Acres broilers chickens were divided into four groups with six replicates per group and eight chickens per replicate: one thermoneutral control group (28°C, group TN), which was fed the basal diet; and three cyclic high‐temperature groups (35°C from 7:00 to 19:00 hr; 28°C from 19:00 hr to 7:00 hr, heat stress group), which were fed the basal diet supplementation with EGCG 0 mg/kg (group HS0), 300 mg/kg (group HS300) and 600 mg/kg (group HS600). The gut morphology and intestinal mucosal oxidative stress indicators, as well as intestinal barrier‐related gene expression, were analysed. The results showed that compared with group TN, heat stress reduced the villus height (VH), activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD)and catalase (CAT), increased the crypt depth (CD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)content at 21, 28 and 35 days (p < 0.05). After the heat‐stressed broilers were supplemented with EGCG, VH, VH/CD (V/C), and the activities of GSH‐Px, SOD and CAT were increased, and CD and MDA content were reduced compared with those in group HS0 without EGCG supplementation at 21, 28 and 35 days (p < 0.05). The EGCG supplementation promoted the gene expression of nuclear factor‐erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), Claudin‐1, Mucin 2 (Muc2) and alleviated the nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) and lipopolysaccharide‐induced tumour necrosis factor (LITAF) gene expression compared with group HS0 (p < 0.05). Moreover, intestinal morphology was strongly correlated with antioxidant ability and inflammatory response. In conclusion, EGCG alleviated the gut oxidative injury of heat‐stressed broilers by enhancing antioxidant capacity and inhibiting inflammatory response.     

应用苹果蠹蛾线虫防治荔枝拟木蠹蛾的研究

荔枝拟木蠹蛾(Arbela dea Swinhoe)是荔枝、龙眼等热带、亚热带果树及林木的常见害虫,其幼虫蛀茎或枝条成坑道,夜出啃食树的韧皮部为害。1988—1989年,作者应用苹果蠹蛾线虫(Steinernema carpocapsae A24)1—8×10~3条/ml水悬浮液,注射进荔枝拟木蠹蛾的坑道或喷雾至隧道,防治面积1500亩(100ha),防效达89%—100%,有效地压低了荔枝拟木蠹蛾在这地区的为害,是一种经济的、有效的生物防治手段。     

新扬州鸡IGF-1基因多态性与早期生长速度关系的研究

以150只非同胞新扬州鸡为材料，采用PCR—RFLP法检测了该基因5’调控区DNA序列多态性，并运用线性模型统计方法分析了多态性与初生重和12周龄体重的关系。结果显示：新扬州鸡IGF-1基因5、调控区自然存在两种不同DNA序列，经。PstⅠ酶切后出现3种基因型(“-／-”、“-／ ”、“ ／ ”)，基因型分布符合哈代一温伯格定律。各基因型个体的初生重、12周龄体重的最小二乘均数存在“-／-”＞“ ／-”＞“ ／ ”的趋势，且“-／-”型个体的12周龄体重显著高于“ ／ ”型个体(P＜0．05)。