Effect of dasatinib in a xenograft mouse model of canine histiocytic sarcoma and in vitro expression status of its potential target EPHA2

Canine histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is an aggressive and highly metastatic tumor. Previously, the kinase inhibitor dasatinib was shown to have potent growth inhibitory activity against HS cells in vitro, possibly via targeting the EPHA2 receptor. Here, the in vivo effect of dasatinib in HS cells was investigated using a xenograft mouse model. Moreover, the expression status of EPHA2 was examined in six HS cell lines, ranging from insensitive to highly sensitive to dasatinib. In the HS xenograft mouse model, dasatinib significantly suppressed tumor growth, as illustrated by a decrease in mitotic and Ki67 indices and an increase in apoptotic index in tumor tissues. On Western blot analysis, EPHA2 was only weakly detected in all HS cell lines, regardless of sensitivity to dasatinib. Dasatinib likely results in the inhibition of xenograft tumor growth via a mechanism other than targeting EPHA2. The findings of this study suggest that dasatinib is a targeted therapy drug worthy of further exploration for the treatment of canine HS.     

Effects of the sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor velagliflozin,a new drug with therapeutic potential to treat diabetes in cats

Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are used in the treatment of human diabetics. They increase glucose excretion and correct hyperglycemia. We examined the investigational SGLT2 inhibitor velagliflozin in two groups of six neutered adult obese cats (equal gender distribution). Placebo (Pl) or drug (D; 1 mg/kg) was administered for 35 days. Routine blood examinations, fructosamine, beta‐hydroxybutyrate (BHB), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucagon, adiponectin, and leptin were measured before and after treatment, also water intake, and urinary electrolytes, glucose, and volume. Indirect calorimetry, an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT; 0.8 g/kg) and insulin tolerance test (IVITT) were conducted. All cats tolerated treatment well. Significant changes with D included a decrease in the respiratory exchange ratio, an increase in cholesterol, a small increase in albumin, and a rise in BHB and NEFA. Glucose clearance was unaltered, although less insulin was secreted during the IVGTT (p = .056) suggesting improved insulin sensitivity. IVITT was unchanged. Treatment did not affect glucagon, leptin, or adiponectin. Water intake, urine output, urinary glucose excretion, and the glucose/creatinine ratio but not urinary electrolytes were significantly higher post‐D. We conclude that velagliflozin is a promising drug, which increases urinary glucose excretion in cats and could thereby be beneficial for the treatment of hyperglycemia.     

Effects of concentrate‐to‐forage ratios and 2‐methylbutyrate supplementation on ruminal fermentation,bacteria abundance and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in Chinese Simmental steers

This study evaluated the effects of dietary concentrate levels and 2‐methylbutyrate (2MB ) supplementation on performance, ruminal fermentation, bacteria abundance, microbial enzyme activity and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD ) in steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers (12 months of age; 389 ± 3.7 kg of body weight) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Moderate‐concentrate (400 g/kg diet [MC ]) or high‐concentrate (600 g/kg diet [HC ]) diets were fed with or without 2MB (0 g/day [2MB ?] or 15.0 g/day [2MB +]). Dry matter intake and average daily gain increased, but feed conversion ratio decreased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Ruminal pH decreased, but total volatile fatty acid increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Molar proportion of acetate and acetate‐to‐propionate ratio decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Propionate molar proportion and ruminal NH ₃‐N content increased with the HC diet, but decreased with 2MB supplementation. Neutral detergent fibre degradability decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Crude protein degradability increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Abundance of Ruminococcus albus , Ruminococcus flavefaciens , Fibrobacter succinogenes and Bufyrivibrio fibrisolvens as well as activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase and pectinase decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. However, abundance of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus as well as activities of α‐amylase and protease increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Total PD excretion also increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. The results suggested that growth performance, ruminal fermentation, CP degradability and total PD excretion increased with increasing dietary concentrate level from 40% to 60% or 2MB supplementation. The observed diet × 2MB interaction indicated that supplementation of 2MB was more efficacious for improving growth performance, ruminal fermentation and total PD excretion with promoted ruminal bacteria abundance and enzyme activity in the MC diet than in the HC diet.     

Evaluation of β‐carotene assimilation in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius)

Although leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are commonly kept under human care, their vitamin requirements are largely unknown. Many invertebrate preys display a low vitamin A concentration; thus, gut‐loading insects with vitamin A or carotenoids is a common practice. The objective of this prospective experimental study was to investigate whether dietary supplementation with β‐carotene, including prey gut‐loading, leads to sufficient vitamin A hepatic storage and prevents epithelial squamous metaplasia development in leopard geckos. Ten clinically healthy female leopard geckos were randomly divided in two groups with various supplementations: a group receiving vitamin A supplementation and a group receiving β‐carotene. Insects were gut‐loaded continuously with a supplement containing vitamin A or β‐carotene, depending on the group. Oral supplementation with cod liver oil or carrot juice was administered weekly to each lizard from “vitamin A group” and “carotenoid group” respectively. After 10 weeks of supplementation, surgical hepatic biopsies were obtained in three geckos of each group while the two remaining geckos were euthanized to undergo complete necropsy. Hepatic vitamin A concentration was determined for each lizard (n = 10) by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography. Histopathology revealed hepatocellular vacuolization and vitellogenic follicles in five females. Epithelial squamous metaplasia was not observed in any of the geckos. Hepatic vitamin A concentration was significantly higher in the carotenoid‐supplemented group than in the vitamin A‐supplemented group (p = 0.03). Our results suggest that in leopard geckos, dietary supplementation with β‐carotene allows sufficient vitamin A hepatic storage.     

Disaccharide combinations and the expression of enolase3 and plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase isoform in sturgeon sperm cryopreservation

Acipenser sinensis and Acipenser dabryanus are critically endangered species, so germplasm conservation via cryopreservation of sperm is necessary. Disaccharides can act as membrane‐impermeable cryoprotectants, and enolase3 (ENO3) and plasma membrane Ca²⁺ ATPase isoform (PMCA2) are proteins associated with sperm quality. We considered seven characteristics of sperm quality in cultured brood stock from A. sinensis and A. dabryanus. We tested use of sucrose or trehalose alone and in combination at different concentrations for cryopreservation of A. dabryanus sperm. A low concentration of sucrose plus trehalose (S₁₅T₁₅) was optimal. Mixing of the extender with sucrose, lactose, or trehalose alone or with pairwise mixtures revealed that a mixture of lactose and trehalose (L₁₅T₁₅) gave the best results for both A. sinensis and A. dabryanus. Enolase3 and PMCA2 expression levels were measured in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm via Western blotting. Relative ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels were examined, and the relationship between disaccharide composition, sperm quality and protein expression was explored in A. sinensis. The results showed that relative ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels were the highest at L₁₅T₁₅ in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm. There were significant positive correlations between ENO3 expression and percentage membrane integrity, and between PMCA2 expression and sperm motility parameters (percentage of motile sperm, curvilinear velocity, straight‐line velocity and average path velocity; p < .05) in cryopreserved A. sinensis sperm. Our results indicate the optimal disaccharide combination and concentrations for cryopreservation of A. sinensis and A. dabryanus sperm and suggest that ENO3 and PMCA2 expression levels could serve as a valuable indicator of sperm quality in A. sinensis.     

改性尿素对土壤N2O排放的影响

N2O是仅次于CO2和CH4的第三种温室气体,改性尿素是减少农田N2O排放的一种重要途径。通过室内瓶培养试验,研究几种改性尿素对旱田和稻田土壤N2O排放的影响,结果表明:当旱田土壤含水量较低(23%)时,NI(尿素 硝化抑制剂)的N2O减排效果最好,其次为FL(尿素 HQ DCD)。当旱田土壤含水量较高(34%)时,FL的N2O减排效果最好,其次为NI。当稻田土壤处于淹水状态时,MEI(包被尿素)的N2O减排效果最好,其次为FL。结果对农田选用优良改性尿素、环境保护和可持续发展具有指导意义。     

植物Ca2+信号的研究进展

在植物的生长发育过程中,为了适应环境,调节自身代谢和生长,需要对各种外界环境刺激以及植物内部生理信息做出反应,因此,植物产生了自己的信号系统。Ca2 作为一种信号分子在植物细胞信号系统中起着举足轻重的作用。针对国内外对植物Ca2 信号的研究情况,综述了Ca2 信号的产生、Ca2 信号参与的各种植物生理过程、Ca2 信号的检测以及其研究的最新进展。     

紧凑型杂交玉米新品种毕玉2号的选育与应用

毕玉2号系毕节地区种子站用自选系苏110作母本,自选系毕106作父本育成的白粒紧凑型玉米杂交种,2000年11月通过贵州省毕节地区农作物品种审定委员会审定,具有较强的耐旱耐瘠能力和品质优良等特点,适宜在毕节地区海拔1 800 m以下及其他气候相似地区的旱坡地及肥水条件好的坝地种植,目前正在生产上大面积推广应用。     

2020年新疆地区规模化猪场猪PCV2抗体检测与分析

为了解新疆地区2020年规模化猪场猪圆环病毒2型的免疫抗体水平,选择新疆地区6个规模化猪场,针对不同日龄段的猪采集血清样品333份,采用猪圆环病毒2型ELISA抗体检测方法进行抗体检测分析.结果发现,2020年新疆地区规模化猪场猪圆环病毒2型平均抗体阳性率为77.78％(259/333),平均抗体阳性率符合国家标准.但...     

迷迭香抗氧化剂和精油综合提取技术研究(Ⅲ)——超临界CO2萃取法

超临界CO2萃取(SCDE)法是迷迭香抗氧化剂和精油综合提取的有效方法之一.迷迭香抗氧化剂和精油超临界CO2萃取的优选条件为:萃取时间 4 h,夹带剂 95% 乙醇与迷迭香叶子的质量比为2∶5,萃取罐和分离器I的温度分别为50和 70 ℃,分离器II的温度为 40 ℃,萃取压力 20 MPa,分离压力为4～5 MPa.迷迭香精油的平均得率为 1.80%,迷迭香精油主要含有1,8 - 桉叶素、樟脑、α - 松油醇、龙脑、马鞭草烯酮、 4 - 松油醇、乙酸龙脑酯和芳樟醇等成分.迷迭香抗氧化剂的平均得率为 11.93%,主要含有鼠尾草酸、鼠尾草酚和迷迭香酸等活性成分,其质量分数分别为 23.61%、 7.33% 和 5.13%.