持续高温应激对肥育猪生产性能、胴体性状、背最长肌营养物质含量及肌纤维特性的影响

本试验旨在研究持续30℃的环境高温应激对肥育猪生产性能、胴体性状、背最长肌质构分析、营养物质含量及肌纤维特性的影响.试验选取8窝共24头体重为(79.0±1.5) kg的“杜长大”三元阉公猪,其中每3头来自同一窝的猪只随机分到3组,每组8个重复,每个重复1头,3组分别为对照组(22℃适温+自由采食)、高温应激组(30℃高温+自由采食)和采食量配对组(22℃适温+采食量配对),试验期21d.结果表明:1)持续高温应激显著降低肥育猪平均日增重(ADG) (P＜0.05),极显著降低肥育猪平均日采食量(ADFI) (P＜0.01).2)3组之间的肥育猪胴体重、胴体长、平均背膘厚和皮厚均差异不显著(P＞0.05),高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌大理石花纹评分在宰后24 h有低于对照组的趋势(P＜0.10).3)高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌的剪切力极显著高于对照组和采食量配对组(P＜0.01).与采食量配对组相比,高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌胶黏性和硬度有降低的趋势(P＜0.10).4)高温应激组和采食量配对组肥育猪背最长肌粗蛋白质含量显著高于对照组(P＜0.05),且2组的背最长肌肌内脂肪(IMF)含量极显著低于对照组(P＜0.01).5)高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌Ⅰ型肌纤维含量有低于采食量配对组的趋势(P＜0.10),采食量配对组的Ⅱx型肌纤维含量显著低于对照组(P＜0.05).由此可见,肥育后期高温应激会改变猪表观肉品质和肌肉营养物质含量.     

运输应激对比格犬血常规及生化指标的影响

为了研究运输应激伴随的冷应激、驱赶、捕捉及饲料改变等多重应激对比格犬血常规和血液临床生化指标造成的影响,并且评估1周适应性饲养时间的合理性。以30只比格犬作为试验对象,对其适应性饲养前后的血常规和血液临床生化指标进行检查,并对数据进行分析发现,适应性饲养前犬的血常规和生化指标都有显著变化,1周的常规适应性饲养后,犬应激症状消失,血常规和生化检查指标均回复正常;这说明应激对比格犬造成了显著的影响,1周的适应性饲养是合理且必须的。     

Effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice

AIM:To study the protective effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin (GSP) on nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin (CP) in mice. METHODS:Male C57 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group (N group, n=10), CP group (intraperitoneal injection of CP at dose of 20 mg/kg, n=20), GSP group (intragastric administration of GSP at dose of 500 mg/kg, n=15) and CP+GSP group (intragastric administration of GSP 30 min prior to intraperitoneal injection of CP and intragastric administration of the same dose of GSP 72 h later, n=20). On the 5th day after CP treatment, blood and kidney samples were collected. The renal pathological changes were examined by HE staining. The protein expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) was examined by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS:Renal index, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were significantly higher in CP group than those in N group. The renal tissues were heavily damaged in CP group. The protein expression of GRP78 and p-ERK increased in CP group compared with N group. GSP treatment alleviated the increase in the renal index, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. The damages of the renal tissues were attenuated. The protein expression of GRP78 and p-ERK was obviously reduced in CP+GSP group compared with CP group. CONCLUSION:GSP prevents kidney from CP-induced damage by suppression of endoplasmic reticulum stress.     

Potassium antagonizes damage of coronary artery induced by high salt intake

AIM：To investigate the effect of potassium treatment on coronary arterial impairment induced by high salt intake. METHODS：Sprague-Dawley rats (4-week-old, n=10 in each group) received distilled water (NS), water containing 1.5% NaCl (HS), or 1.5% NaCl and 0.5% KCl (HS+HP) for 16 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was determined by tail plethysmography every 2 weeks. After 16 weeks of treatment, vascular remodeling, superoxide production, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and gp91 expression in the coronary arteries were detected. RESULTS：After 16 weeks of salt loading, the rats in HS group was divided into salt sensitive subgroup and salt resistance subgroup according to the tail-cuff blood pressure. In this experiment, the salt-sensitive rats were selected as HS group. In HS group, salt loading significantly increased SBP, serum MDA and gp91 expression, decreased serum NO and eNOS expression in the coronary arteries, and induced the coronary artery remodeling compared with NS group. In salt-loaded SD rats, 16-week potassium treatment abrogated the effects induced by salt loading. CONCLUSION：High salt may affect structural and functional changes in coronary arteries by activating oxidative stress. Potassium treatment antagonizes the effect of high salt intake.     

Protective effect of catalpol on diabetic rat aorta and its antioxidant mechanisms

AIM：To investigate the protective effect of catalpol on Goto-kakizaki (GK) rat aorta and to explore its antioxidant mechanisms. METHODS：Six-month-old GK rats (n=45) were randomly divided into diabetic model group, metformin (100 mg·kg-1·d-1) group, and high-dose (100 mg·kg-1·d-1), medium-dose (50 mg·kg-1·d-1) and low-dose (10 mg·kg-1·d-1) catalpol groups. The healthy male Wistar rats (n=10) were used as control group. The rats in control and model groups were given a same volume of saline. All reagents were administered by oral gavage for 12 weeks. Blood glucose and lipids were detected by an automatic biochemical analyzer. Serum reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels were detected by commercial kits. The expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the thoracic aorta was determined by Western blotting. The pathological changes of the thoracic aorta were observed by HE staining. The ultrastructural changes of the thoracic aorta were observed under electron microscope. RESULTS：After catalpol treatment, the levels of blood glucose and blood lipids were decreased significantly, and serum levels of ROS and MDA were significantly decreased, but the activity of SOD and T-AOC were significantly enhanced. The protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the thoracic aorta were significantly increased, the thoracic aortic lesions indicated by HE staining significantly reduced, and the thoracic aortic damage under ultrastructural observation was attenuated slightly. CONCLUSION：Catalpol effectively protects GK rat thoracic aorta, which may be associated with decreasing blood lipids, reducing oxidative stress and activating Nrf2/ARE/HO-1 signaling pathways     

L-Carnitine inhibits H2O2-mediated NFATc3 nuclear translocation

AIM:To explore the effect of L-carnitine on nuclear factor of activated T-cells,cytoplasmic 3 (NFATc3) in cardiomyocytes under H2O2 stimulation. METHODS:Primary cultured neonatal rat myocardial cells were stimulated by H2O2 at concentration of 200 μmol/L for 12 h to induce oxidative stress injury. In treatment group, L-carnitine and cyclosporin A (CsA), a specific inhibitor of calcineurin (CaN), were administered 30 min prior to H2O2 stimulation. After treatment, total, cytoplasmic and nuclear NFATc3 protein levels were determined by Western blotting. The method of immunofluoresence was used to evaluate the distribution of NFATc3. RESULTS:H2O2 treatment produced no effect on the expression of total NFATc3, but caused its translocation from the cytosolic to nuclear compartment, which was greatly blunted by L-carnitine pretreatment. CONCLUSION: L-carnitine antagonized oxidative stress injury via alleviating NFATc3 nuclear translocation.     

Hydrogen sulfide ameliorates high glucose-induced endothelial cell senescence by suppressing oxidative stress

AIM：To explore the effect of hydrogen sulfide on the senescence of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by high glucose. METHODS：Senescence model was established by treating HUVECs with 33 mmol/L glucose for 48 h. The parameters were detected to demonstrate the effect of hydrogen sulfide on senescence and the mechanism involved was also investigated. RESULTS：In the cells treated with high glucose, the proliferation was attenuated with a higher number of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) positive cells, and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) protein expression, malondialdehyde (MDA) production and NF-κB p65 activity were increased significantly, but the expression of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was decreased. However, the cell number and SOD1 expression were increased, and the number of SA-β-Gal positive cells, PAI-1 protein expression, MDA production and the activity of NF-κB p65 were decreased after sodium hydrosulfide (100 and 200 μmol/L) treatment.CONCLUSION：Exo-genous hydrogen sulfide prevents HUVECs against high glucose-induced senescence by suppressing oxidative stress and NF-κB p65 activity.     

冷胁迫对黄瓜CBF1基因沉默植株相关耐冷指标的影响

以黄瓜CBF1基因沉默植株为试材,研究了冷胁迫下黄瓜CBF1基因的沉默对植株相关耐冷指标的影响。结果表明,与冷胁迫和常温条件下的正常植株相比,冷胁迫后的基因沉默植株的相对电导率和丙二醛含量均显著增加,叶绿素含量显著降低;冷胁迫后的基因沉默植株体内脯氨酸和可溶性蛋白含量增加的幅度远远低于冷胁迫后的正常植株增加的幅度。     

Heat stress: A major contributor to poor animal welfare associated with long-haul live export voyages

Recent investigations by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry into high mortalities on live export voyages from Australia to the Middle East during the Northern hemisphere summer suggest that animal welfare may be compromised by heat stress. The live export industry has generated a computer model that aims to assess the risk of heat stress and to contain mortality levels on live export ships below certain arbitrary limits. Although the model must be complied with under Australian law, it is not currently available for independent scientific scrutiny, and there is concern that model and the mandated space allowances are inadequate. This review appraises the relevant literature on heat stress in sheep and cattle, including laboratory studies aimed at mimicking the ambient temperatures and humidity levels likely to be encountered on live export voyages. Animal welfare is likely to be very poor as a result of heat stress in some shipments.