Influence of feeding regime on timing of parturition in beef cattle and the relationship of vaginal temperature to parturition

The timing of parturition was recorded for a total of 56 beef cattle (Japanese Black × Holstein Friesian) on different dietary treatments. The rate of calving during daylight hours in cows night‐fed (18.00 hours) with a roughage diet was significantly higher than that in cows night‐fed with a high concentrate diet (79.2% vs 38.5%, P < 0.05). Subsequently, the vaginal temperature (VT) of these cows was analyzed using a cosinor method. When the feeding schedule was changed from twice daily (08.30 and 15.30 hours) to night feeding, the periodicity, the acrophase and the bathyphase, which were the parameters of the cosine curve, were unstable from the first day of night feeding until after day 6 (P < 0.05). Prior to parturition, the midline‐estimating statistic of rhythm (MESOR) and the amplitude for the cows that were fed a high‐roughage diet at night and that calved at night‐time were lower and larger, respectively, than that for the other treatments (P < 0.01). Based on these results, the time of parturition in most of the beef cows was influenced by feeding time and diet composition. Those cows that calved at night‐time in spite of night feeding had lower vaginal temperatures.     

固化茧丝的丝胶稳定性检测和染色性试验

固化茧丝的丝胶稳定性及染色性直接关系丝胶固着丝绸产品的市场开发前景。通过测定丝胶溶失率、耐洗涤性能和上染率及红外光谱,研究了固化茧丝的丝胶稳定性及适用的染料和部分染色工艺条件。检测结果表明固化茧丝的丝胶溶失率比普通茧丝低,丝胶性能稳定,90℃条件下固化茧丝的丝胶溶失率只有1.6%;红外光谱显示固化茧丝的分子结构发生了一定改变;活性染料和酸性染料对固化茧丝的上染试验显示酸性染料的上染率高于活性染料,但其染色均匀性不及活性染料,活性染料和酸性染料对固化茧丝的最高上染率分别为67.9%、68.5%;适宜固化茧丝纤维上染的温度为70℃,用酸性染料上染固化茧丝不宜采用强酸性浴。     

中国结缕草属(Zoysia spp.)植物抗寒性评价

在广泛收集结缕草属(ZoysiaWild.)种质资源基础上,按照形态类型和地理分布,选取40份种质,采用电导法(EL)对其抗寒性进行初步评价。以半致死温度(LT50)为评价指标,在参试材料中除大穗结缕草和来自台湾岛海边沙地的沟叶结缕草外,其它种质都较天堂-419(对照)抗寒;在结缕草属内,抗寒性具有明显的种间差异,耐寒性依次为日本结缕草>中华结缕草>沟叶结缕草>细叶结缕草>长花中华结缕草>大穗结缕草,其中细叶类型的沟叶结缕草和细叶结缕草抗寒性变异较大;日本结缕草和中华结缕草抗寒性变异与地理分布之间没有显著关系,但分布在海边的种类和种质抗寒性明显较低;结缕草属及其中华结缕草的抗寒性与叶长、叶宽以及叶背面被毛之间均存在显著的负相关关系,但这种关系不体现在日本结缕草上。实验结果还表明,EL方法是评价结缕草属抗寒性较为可靠的方法之一。     

影响猪精子介导基因转移效果的因素研究

为优化猪精子载体法技术参数,利用荧光定量PCR、荧光显微镜检测和精液常规检测方法,分析不同DNA转染剂、不同孵育温度和不同形态DNA对猪精子转染外源DNA的影响。结果表明,PEI和TransFast转染剂能极显著提高猪精子转染效果,且PEI优于TransFast,而NanoFect转染剂包裹DNA不能转染精子。随着转染温度的升高,精子的活力和活率均明显下降,而转染率和内化外源DNA量基本保持稳定,而吸附外源DNA量呈下降趋势。环状DNA和线性化DNA在与精子共孵育后,两者的精子活力、活率、转染率和内化外源DNA量差异均不显著,精子吸附线性化DNA量极显著高于环状DNA量。综合分析表明,外源DNA形态对猪精子转染效果无显著影响;PEI和TransFast能够显著提高猪精子转染效果;共孵育温度以17℃为最佳,本结果为开展精子载体法制备转基因猪研究提供了基础试验依据。     

Cold temperature/Biodur®/S10/von Hagens'—Silicone plastination technique

Plastination is a late 20th century preservation methodology which replaces tissue fluid within a specimen with a curable polymer, such as silicone. Plastination yields superb, beautiful, well‐preserved specimens each with their own unique qualities. Silicone polymer is used around the world to preserve macroscopic cadavers or portions/organs thereof. Plastination was conceived by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany prior to 1977. Silicone polymer was the primary polymer which emerged initially for plastination. The Biodur^® line of silicone polymer and additives was chosen and manufactured because it has consistently produced the best plastinates since the inception of plastination. Since the discovery of silicone, generic and similar silicone polymers are known and used around the World by many industries and used in numerous products. The plastination process has four steps: Specimen preparation, Specimen dehydration and degreasing, Vacuum‐forced impregnation of specimens and Specimen hardening.     

Effect of storage temperatures and duration on quality of prepared chicken breast with paprika oleoresin

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of storage temperatures and time on discoloration and oxidation of prepared chicken breast with paprika oleoresin. Freshly prepared chicken breast containing paprika oleoresin was stored at ?2, ?10, ?18°C, and an oscillating temperature between ?10 and ?18°C (?10/?18°C). A significant decrease in redness was detected at ?2, ?10, and ?10/?18°C. The lowest TBARS values and carbonyl contents were observed in the samples stored at ?18°C for 5 weeks. Also, the values of sulfhydryl groups gradually decreased with the increase in storage temperatures and duration. The results suggest a positive correlation between the loss of redness and oxidation in all samples. The findings indicated that the discoloration and oxidation of prepared chicken breast added with paprika oleoresin were inhibited significantly when stored at ?18°C.     

Characterization of an intravenous lipopolysaccharide inflammation model in calves with respect to the acute-phase response

Our objective was to develop a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammation model in calves to evaluate the acute-phase response with respect to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase proteins, fever development and sickness behaviour. Fourteen 4-week-old male Holstein Friesian calves were included and randomly assigned to a negative control group (n = 3) and an LPS-challenged group (n = 11). The latter received an intravenous bolus injection of 0.5 μg of LPS/kg body weight. Blood collection and clinical scoring were performed at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 28, 32, 48, 54 and 72 h post LPS administration (p.a.). In the LPS group, the following clinical signs were observed successively: tachypnoea (on average 18 min p.a.), decubitus (29 min p.a.), general depression (1.75 h p.a.), fever (5 h p.a.) and tachycardia (5 h p.a.). Subsequent to the recovery from respiratory distress, general depression was prominent, which deteriorated when fever increased. One animal did not survive LPS administration, whereas the other animals recovered on average within 6.1 h p.a. Moreover, the challenge significantly increased plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin, with peaking levels at 1, 3.5, 24 and 18 h p.a., respectively. The present LPS model was practical and reproducible, caused obvious clinical signs related to endotoxemia and a marked change in the studied inflammatory mediators, making it a suitable model to study the immunomodulatory properties of drugs in future research.     

牛杀菌／通透性增加蛋白氮端基因的克隆和序列分析

本试验应用RT-PCR技术,参照Genbank报道的序列,从荷斯坦牛中性粒细胞mRNA中扩增出杀菌／通透性增加蛋白（BPI）氮端基因（713bp）,并与pGEM-T-easy载体连接,构建基因重组体pGEM-T-easy-BPI,进行序列测定。结果表明获得长度为713bp的BPI氮端基因。序列分析证实该片段与安哥斯牛BPI氮端基因相比有1个点突变,为同义突变。该基因的克隆为进一步表达该基因奠定了基础。     

Regional and circadian variations of sweating rate and body surface temperature in camels (Camelus dromedarius)

It was the aim of this study to investigate the regional variations in surface temperature and sweating rate and to visualize body thermal windows responsible for the dissipation of excess body heat in dromedary camels. This study was conducted on five dromedary camels with mean body weight of 450 ± 20.5 kg and 2 years of age. Sweating rate, skin and body surface temperature showed significant (P < 0.001) circadian variation together with the variation in ambient temperature. However, daily mean values of sweating rate, skin and body surface temperature measured on seven regions of the camel body did not significantly differ. The variation in body surface temperature compared to the variation in skin temperature was higher in the hump compared to the axillary and flank regions, indicating the significance of camel's fur in protecting the skin from daily variation in ambient temperature. Infrared thermography revealed that flank and axillary regions had lower thermal gradients at higher ambient temperature (T_a) and higher thermal gradients at lower T_a, which might indicate the working of flank and axillary regions as thermal windows dissipating heat during the night. Sweating rate showed moderate correlation to skin and body surface temperatures, which might indicate their working as potential thermal drivers of sweating in camels.     

不同培养条件对捕食性真菌Duddingtonia flagrans生长的影响

为了研究不同生长条件对捕食线虫性真菌Duddingtoniaflagrans生长的影响,本研究将带有D.flagrans菌丝的琼脂块分别接种于不同碳氮比及不同pH值(4.0~8.5)的CMA固体培养基中,在不同温度下(10℃~45℃)进行培养,每天定时观察菌株的发育情况,并测量菌丝生长长度。结果表明,D.flagrans生长最适pH值范围为6.5~7.0,其中以pH 7.0中生长最快;最适温度为35℃;最适碳氮比范围为5∶1~10∶1,其中在碳氮比为5∶1时,生长率最高。菌丝呈辐射状生长,纵横交错,无色,分隔,生长后期有缠绕圈和厚壁孢子的形成。上述结果为进一步研究D.flagrans的生长特性及捕食作用条件奠定了基础。