The optimal immunization procedure of DNA vaccine pcDNA–TA4–IL-2 of Eimeria tenella and its cross-immunity to Eimeria necatrix and Eimeria acervulina

The immunization procedure of DNA vaccine pcDNA–TA4–IL-2 of Eimeria tenella, including route, dose, time of immunization and age of primary immunization of chicken, was optimized. The stability and the cross-species protection of the vaccine were also analyzed. Efficacy of immunization was evaluated on the basis of oocyst decrease ratio, lesion score, body-weight gain and the anti-coccidial index (ACI). Chinese Yellow chickens were randomly distributed into corresponding groups (30/group). The challenged, unchallenged and vector control groups were designed. The results illustrated that 25 μg was the optimal dose and intramuscular injection was the most effective route to induce protective immunity. There were no significant differences of ACIs between boosting and non-boosting groups. Storage time and temperature had little effect on the immunizing efficacy of the vaccine. The vaccine could provide partial cross-protection against the challenge with E. necatrix and E. acervulina, but not with E. maxima.     

Impact of Food Restriction on Ovarian Development,RFamide‐Related Peptide‐3 and the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Ovarian Axis in Pre‐Pubertal Ewes

RFamide‐related peptide‐3 (RFRP‐3), the mammalian ortholog of gonadotropin‐inhibiting hormone, has been implicated as a mediator between reproduction and energy balance. This study aimed to investigate the physiological effects of RFRP‐3 on the process of ovarian development in food‐restricted pre‐pubertal ewes. The results showed that food restriction significantly inhibited the ovarian development and follicular growth. The data of qPCR in the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian (HPO) axis showed that food restriction not only upregulated RFRP‐3 mRNA expression but also downregulated the mRNA expression of gonadotropin‐releasing‐hormone receptor, follicle‐stimulating hormone receptor and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). Immunohistochemistry of RFRP‐3 in the ovaries suggested that RFRP‐3 may regulate the follicular development. These results suggested that the changes of RFRP‐3 in response to food restriction might influence the HPO axis and inhibit ovarian development.     

Inductive expression of the NOD1 signalling pathway in chickens infected with Salmonella pullorum

1. The aim of this study was to describe the role of Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) receptor signalling in chicken.

2. Tissue-specific expression analysis of NOD1, receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase 2 (RIPK2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (MAPK11 or p38) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed their wide distribution in various organs and tissues.

3. Salmonella pullorum infection activated NOD1 receptor signalling in vivo and in vitro, resulting in significant induction of downstream signalling molecules RIPK2, NF-κB/p65, MAPK11/p38 and the effector molecules IL-1b and IL-8.

4. Activation of NOD1 by its agonist bacterial γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (iE-DAP) in HD11 cells induced the adapter molecular RIPK2 and activated the NF-κB/p65 and MAPK11/p38 pathways, resulting in an increase in IL-8 but not IL-1β. Additionally, inhibition of NOD1 using NOD1-shRNA resulted in downregulation of RIPK2, MAPK11 and IL-8, while NF-κB/p65 and IL-1β were unaltered.

5. These results highlight the important role of NOD1 receptors in eliciting the innate immune response following pathogenic invasion in chicken.     

Green tea polyphenols supplementation alters immunometabolism and oxidative stress in dairy cows with hyperketonemia

Peripartal cows often experience negative energy balance, and are therefore prone to suffering from metabolic diseases such as hyperketonemia, which causes financial losses in dairy farms. This study aimed to investigate the effect of green tea polyphenol (GTP) supplementation during the periparturient period on production performance, oxidative stress and immunometabolism in dairy cows with hyperketonemia. One hundred Holstein cows were assigned to GTP (0.2 g/kg DM; n = 50) or control (without GTP; n = 50) group based on body weight, previous milk yield, and parity on d 15 before expected parturition. Subsequently, 10 cows with hyperketonemia were selected from each group, according to blood β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) concentration between 1.2 and 2.9 mmol/L from 2 to 3 d postpartum. All cows were fed a close-up diet and a lactation diet with or without GTP supply from 15 d prepartum until 30 d postpartum. Milk and blood samples were obtained from 20 cows selected with hyperketonemia on 10, 20, and 30 d postpartum. Compared with control cows, greater milk yield and lower somatic cell count were observed in GTP cows. The GTP group had lower concentrations of BHBA, free fatty acids, cholesterol, triglyceride, reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide, greater concentrations of glucose, lower activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and glutamyl transpeptidase, alongside greater activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity. Additionally, GTP supplementation up-regulated concentrations of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10, but down-regulated concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-2, interleukin-8, and interferon-γ in plasma. Greater concentrations of plasma immunoglobulin G were also detected in the GTP group. Overall, the data suggested that GTP supplementation from 15 d prepartum to 30 d postpartum improved the milk yield and health status in cows with hyperketonemia during early lactation.     

Pharmacokinetics of sanguinarine,chelerythrine, and their metabolites in broiler chickens following oral and intravenous administration

Sanguinarine (SA) and chelerythrine (CHE) are the main active components of the phytogenic livestock feed additive, Sangrovit®. However, little information is available on the pharmacokinetics of Sangrovit® in poultry. The goal of this work was to study the pharmacokinetics of SA, CHE, and their metabolites, dihydrosanguinarine (DHSA) and dihydrochelerythrine (DHCHE), in 10 healthy female broiler chickens following oral (p.o.) administration of Sangrovit® and intravenous (i.v.) administration of a mixture of SA and CHE. The plasma samples were processed using two different simple protein precipitation methods because the parent drugs and metabolites are stable under different pH conditions. The absorption and metabolism of SA following p.o. administration were fast, with half‐life (t_1/2) values of 1.05 ± 0.18 hr and 0.83 ± 0.10 hr for SA and DHSA, respectively. The maximum concentration (C_max) of DHSA (2.49 ± 1.4 μg/L) was higher that of SA (1.89 ± 0.8 μg/L). The area under the concentration vs. time curve (AUC) values for SA and DHSA were 9.92 ± 5.4 and 6.08 ± 3.49 ng/ml hr, respectively. Following i.v. administration, the clearance (CL) of SA was 6.79 ± 0.63 (L·h^?1·kg^?1) with a t_1/2 of 0.34 ± 0.13 hr. The AUC values for DHSA and DHCHE were 7.48 ± 1.05 and 0.52 ± 0.09 (ng/ml hr), respectively. These data suggested that Sangrovit® had low absorption and bioavailability in broiler chickens. The work reported here provides useful information on the pharmacokinetic behavior of Sangrovit® after p.o. and i.v. administration in broiler chickens, which is important for the evaluation of its use in poultry.     

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.     

断奶仔猪源产Vero细胞毒素大肠杆菌eaeA基因的检测

根据文献合成了一对引物,利用PCR方法检测了84株来自断奶仔猪水肿病例的产Vero细胞毒素大肠杆菌(VerotoxigenicEscherichiacoli,VTEC)的LEE(locusofenterocyteeffacement)毒力岛的eaeA基因,以了解携带LEE毒力岛的大肠埃希菌在江苏省断奶仔猪群VTEC中的流行状况。结果发现:从其中17株中可扩增到预期的DNA片断,证实它们携带LEE毒力岛,携带率为20.24%。数据分析提示:LEE毒力岛的分布不仅限于EPEC和EHEC,在断奶仔猪源VTEC中也有一定的分布,并可能成为重要的毒力因子。     

基于线性谱聚类的林地图像中枯死树监测

【目的】将基于线性谱聚类超像素的方法应用在森林病虫害防治领域,可智能监测无人机森林虫害图像中的枯死树,为森林有害生物的监测工作提供技术支撑。【方法】分别以湖北省受松材线虫与辽宁省受红脂大小蠹侵害的松林无人机图像为试验数据,首先使用线性谱聚类超像素分割算法将图像划分为多个超像素;然后基于枯死树木的颜色特征,初步提取可能为枯死树的超像素区域;最后基于枯死树木与其他干扰地物具有不同的纹理特征,计算超像素的区域密度和缝隙量,利用支持向量机对初步提取的超像素进行分类,从而检测出图像中的枯死树。【结果】基于线性谱聚类超像素和支持向量机的枯死树监测方法可有效排除与枯死树木颜色相近的其他干扰地物,较准确地提取出枯死树木。使用该方法与基于植被颜色指数的阈值分割方法、基于简单线性迭代聚类超像素和随机森林的方法,对35幅受灾松林无人机图像进行试验,并选用交并比、虚警率和漏检率3个评价指标对3种方法进行定量对比分析。结果表明,基于线性谱聚类超像素的方法监测出的枯死树区域最精确,其监测结果与人工检测结果的交并比均值大于58%,且虚警率和漏检率均优于另外2种方法。【结论】基于线性谱聚类超像素的枯死树监测方法能实现松林中枯死树的快速、准确检测及定位。     

成年盘羊血液生理生化指标的测定

为了解和掌握盘羊的血液生理生化指标,利用动物全自动血细胞分析仪和半自动生化分析仪对6只盘羊的血液生理生化指标进行了测定,并与同等条件下饲养的家养绵羊的测定结果进行了比较。结果显示,盘羊的淋巴细胞比率、红细胞总数、血红蛋白、红细胞压积、红细胞平均体积、谷丙转氨酶、钙、钾、钠的含量显著高于家养绵羊,差异极显著(P0.01);淋巴细胞、红细胞分布宽度SD、血小板分布宽度、血糖高于家养绵羊,差异显著(P0.05);粒细胞、粒细胞比率、中间细胞、中间细胞比率、直接胆红素、氯的含量显著低于家养绵羊,差异极显著(P0.01);总胆红素的含量低于家养绵羊,差异显著(P0.05)。本试验的测定结果反映了盘羊的生理机能特性,初步建立了盘羊的血液生理生化指标的参考值,为今后加强盘羊的饲养管理、疾病诊断及杂交繁育研究提供了参考依据。