哺乳动物的婚配制度研究

指出了婚配系统是物种的一种基本进化策略。目前动物的婚配制度逐步被视为个体为获得最大生殖成功率而采取的一种普遍的行为,最终婚配制度被定义为动物种群中的个体在特定的环境下获取配偶的一种行为策略。哺乳动物的婚配制度的研究最早始于灵长类动物,经典的婚配制度的类型常常根据交配方式、获得配偶方式和数量等方面的行为特征进行划分为五种主要类型。主要阐述了哺乳动物的婚配制度研究一般情况、影响动物婚配制度的因素、精子竞争与婚配制度和一夫一妻制度中的EPP等四个方面,最终可为动物的婚配制度的研究提供一些基础性材料。     

两裂纹相互作用对管道应力强度因子的影响

针对油气输送管道内表面两裂纹相互影响的情况,运用有限元方法,模拟分析了X80钢制管道内三维表面裂纹尺寸、裂纹间距对裂纹应力强度因子的影响规律。研究结果表明:两裂纹(分别为固定裂纹与可变裂纹)的间距越大,两裂纹相互作用越小,当间距达到或超过一定值时,对应力强度因子几乎不产生影响,仅需考虑主要裂纹对管道寿命的影响;可变裂纹的相对壁厚比越小或形状比越大,两裂纹相互作用越小,当相对壁厚比小于0.2或形状比大于0.8时,可以忽略其对应力强度因子的影响,且形状比对最大应力的影响远远小于壁厚比与裂纹间距对最大应力的影响。     

The Effects of an Oxygen Scavenger and Coconut Water on Equine Sperm Cryopreservation

Alternative sources of lipoproteins in semen extenders could replace animal by-products. We hypothesized that: (1) post-thaw semen parameters and fertility would not be different in coconut water (CW)–treated samples compared with egg yolk (EY)–treated samples and (2) the use of an oxygen scavenger (Oxyrase) would improve post-thaw sperm motility and membrane integrity and decrease lipid peroxidation. Experiment 1: three ejaculates each from five stallions were split into four treatments: EY, CW, egg yolk with Oxyrase, and coconut water with Oxyrase. Computer-assisted sperm analysis measured progressive and total motility, velocity, and linearity. Membrane integrity, apoptosis, and lipid peroxidation were evaluated using propidium iodide, annexin, and BODIPY fluorescent probes, respectively. Samples were cryopreserved, stored in liquid nitrogen, and then thawed to 37°C and analyzed again. Experiment 2: one ejaculate was divided into two aliquots and cryopreserved using either CW or EY. In a crossover design, 12 mares were bred on two consecutive cycles with either EY or CW. Pregnancy evaluations were at 14-day gestation. No differences were detected in sperm parameters between CW and EY (P > .05). Oxyrase did not improve sperm motility parameters in post-thaw samples, nor did it show protective effects for viability or against membrane damage (P > .05). More mares became pregnant using CW than EY (11/12 vs. 6/12, respectively; P = .013). Use of CW is a viable alternative to animal-based products in the cryopreservation of stallion semen.     

Evaluation of Commercial‐scale Approaches for Cryopreservation of White Crappie,Pomoxis annularis,Sperm

Crappie, Pomoxis spp., are popular game fish throughout North America and are produced by public and private hatcheries. However, production is limited by a lack of information on tank culture and induced spawning methods. Development of techniques for storage of sperm and in vitro fertilization would increase flexibility in spawning. Therefore, techniques for sperm cryopreservation were examined in white crappie, Pomoxis annularis. Sperm from adult wild white crappie were used to evaluate sperm extender, cryoprotectant agent and concentration, and cooling technique based on post‐thaw sperm motility. Percent egg fertilization was also compared between sperm stored in the two best cryopreservation protocols and two different osmotic activator solutions. Sperm were cryopreserved using treatment combinations of two extenders (350 mOsmol/kg Hanks' balanced salt solution [HBSS] and 350 mOsmol/kg Ca²⁺free HBSS) and two cryoprotectants (dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] and methanol) at concentrations of 5, 10, and 15% that were cooled at four different rates: 5, 10, 20, and 40 C/min. Post‐thaw sperm motility and fertilization rates indicated white crappie sperm can be cryopreserved using either extender, cryoprotectants of either 5% DMSO or 10% methanol, and cooling at 40 C/min. A follow‐up experiment demonstrated sperm in suspensions on ice retained viability after overnight transport.     

Changes in soil macropores: Superposition of the roles of organic nutrient amendments and the greenhouse pattern in vegetable plantations

Organic farming can potentially mitigate soil compaction, which commonly occurs in vegetable plantations, particularly in greenhouses when compared with open‐air systems. Although several studies have addressed the effect of planting patterns on soil pore characteristics, few studies have focused on changes in pore attributes under organic fertilization. We used adjacent fields during green manure planting as a control to compare the differences in soil physicochemical and macropore parameters between 14‐year‐old greenhouse plots and open‐air plots under organic fertilization. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to analyse the drivers of soil macropore characteristics in vegetable plantations in Jiangsu Province, China. A significant increase in connectivity, fractal dimensions and total macroporosity and a decrease in bulk density after 14 years of organic farming, particularly in the surface layer in the greenhouse, were observed. However, the difference in pores in the plough pan layer was not significant between the treatments. The volume of small pores (50–500 μm) and medium pores (500–1,000 μm) increased significantly (p < 0.05) in both the greenhouse and open‐air systems, showing significantly positive relationships with soil organic matter (SOM) and total nitrogen (TN) content. Large pores (>1,000 μm) showed a clear decrease, especially in open‐air fields, possibly due to the disappearance of the original straw residues in the surface layer. Small and medium pores in the plough layer increased in greenhouse fields, whereas the opposite occurred in open‐air fields. Overall, compared with open‐air systems, long‐term organic greenhouse patterns had a significantly positive effect on soil pore attributes.     

Relationships between body size and secondary sexual characters,and sperm characters in male Dolly Varden char (Salvelinus malma)

In Salmonidae, subordinate males are exposed to higher risks of sperm competition than dominant males and thus are expected to improve the sperm characteristics (sperm concentrations, sperm velocity and sperm longevity). In this study, we investigated the relationships between body size and secondary sexual characters (breeding colour, hump height and snout length), and sperm characteristics of one‐year‐old (newly matured) Dolly Varden char. Small males displayed higher sperm concentrations than large males. Moreover, males with dull breeding colours, but not with lesser snout length and hump height, displayed an increased sperm velocity compared to males with bright colours, suggesting a trade‐off between sperm quantity and the investment in breeding colour. In addition, sperm longevity decreased as sperm swimming velocity increased. These findings indicate that small males with dull breeding colours improve the quantity and quality of their sperm to a great extent to enhance their chances of reproductive success.     

鸡lncRNA-MSTRG.15568.9及其预测靶基因的表达

试验旨在了解在鸡睾丸中高表达的1个长链非编码RNA （long non-coding RNA,lncRNA）及其预测靶基因的时空表达规律,研究二者在鸡弱精子症中的调控作用。根据弱精子症和正常北京油鸡公鸡睾丸转录组测序筛选到的1个高表达的lncRNA （MSTRG.15568.9）,采用顺式（cis）作用模式预测其潜在靶基因SPAG4（sperm-associated antigen 4）,进一步采用实时荧光定量PCR方法进行表达量分析。分别选择3只0、5、20、30、45、60周龄正常北京油鸡公鸡,检测MSTRG.15568.9与SPAG4基因在不同周龄公鸡睾丸中的表达量差异;选择30周龄3只正常公鸡,采集睾丸、肝脏和脾脏等8个部位组织样品,检测MSTRG.15568.9与SPAG4基因在不同组织间的表达规律;选择45周龄弱精子症公鸡和正常公鸡各3只,对比MSTRG.15568.9与SPAG4基因在睾丸的表达量差异。结果显示,MSTRG.15568.9与SPAG4存在明显的时空表达差异,且二者表达趋势基本一致。在不同周龄的鸡睾丸组织中,MSTRG.15568.9和SPAG4的表达趋势相近,MSTRG.15568.9在20周龄的表达量显著高于0、5、30、45、60周龄（P<0.05）,0和5周龄表达量显著低于20、30、45和60周龄（P<0.05）;SPAG4在45周龄表达量最高,其次是20周龄（P<0.05）。MSTRG.15568.9和SPAG4在睾丸和肝脏中的表达量均显著高于脾脏、肾脏等组织（P<0.05）;在正常睾丸组织中的表达量均显著高于弱精子症睾丸组织（P<0.05）。综上所述,MSTRG.15568.9与SPAG4基因具有较明显的组织表达特异性,且MSTRG.15568.9可能调控SPAG4基因的表达,参与精子发生与精子活力调控;但其具体作用机制需要进一步探索。本研究可为鉴定与鸡弱精子症调节机制相关的功能基因提供参考。     

鸡贮精腺上皮细胞的分离及原代培养

试验旨在探讨稳定可靠的贮精腺上皮细胞分离及原代培养方法,为研究鸡贮精机理提供细胞模型。以鸡输卵管的子宫阴道交接部组织样为材料,采用酶消化法和组织块培养法分离培养母鸡贮精腺上皮细胞,观察母鸡贮精腺上皮细胞的培养情况,比较不同细胞培养方法获得贮精腺上皮细胞的生长情况。结果表明,用胶原酶或胰酶单独消化母鸡子宫阴道交接部组织,经100目过滤后获得的贮精腺上皮细胞24 h后可贴壁,但48～72 h后细胞死亡;用胶原酶Ⅺ(0.01 g/mL)与胰酶(0.25%)先后消化母鸡子宫阴道交接部组织后再经100目过滤获得的贮精腺上皮细胞贴壁性良好,24～48 h细胞出现明显增殖,72 h后细胞增殖速度减慢,开始死亡;用组织块培养法7 d可获得鸡贮精腺上皮原代细胞,该细胞可传2～3代;用组织块培养法获得的细胞进行免疫组化试验,发现细胞表达贮精腺差异表达基因编码的NXPH1蛋白,该蛋白在培养细胞内的表达符合其分泌蛋白特性,表明组织块培养法所获细胞可用于后续研究。综上,用组织块培养法获得的鸡贮精腺上皮细胞可为研究母鸡贮精腺机制提供细胞模型。     

PP1γ2对树鼩精子成熟和运动性的调控作用研究

为了阐明树鼩精子中是否存在丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酶1γ2(PP1γ2)及其在附睾精子中的存在形式,进而探究PP1γ2对精子成熟和运动性的调控作用,本试验以树鼩为研究对象,采用Western blotting分析了不同条件下树鼩附睾头和附睾尾精子中PP1γ2的存在形式和磷酸化程度,探讨了双丁酰环腺苷酸(db-cAMP)、3-异丁基-1-甲基黄嘌呤(IBMX)或Ca²⁺对树鼩精子中PP1γ2磷酸化表达水平的影响,并进一步研究了磷酸酶抑制剂冈田酸(okadaic acid,OA)和花萼海绵诱癌素A(calyculin A,CA)对树鼩精子中PP1γ2磷酸化程度的影响及其对树鼩附睾头和附睾尾精子运动度的影响。结果显示,在树鼩附睾头和附睾尾精子中均存在PP1γ2,且在等量的附睾头和附睾尾精子蛋白中,PP1γ2在附睾尾精子的磷酸化程度远高于附睾头精子;db-cAMP、IBMX或Ca²⁺不改变PP1γ2的磷酸化水平;磷酸酶抑制剂OA和CA能明显提高附睾头和附睾尾中PP1γ2磷酸化的程度,且能显著提高精子(尤其是附睾头精子)的运动度(P<0.05),OA和CA的最佳作用浓度分别为1μmol/L和10 nmol/L,最佳作用时间分别为15、20 min。本研究结果表明,蛋白磷酸酶PP1γ2对树鼩精子成熟及运动性具有重要的调控作用,其主要通过磷酸化和去磷酸化的变化发挥作用。     

疏肝益阳胶囊对炔雌醚诱导大鼠生精紊乱和氧化应激的缓解作用

笔者拟探讨疏肝益阳胶囊(SGYY)对炔雌醚(QES)诱导大鼠生精紊乱和氧化应激的缓解作用及机制。将20只8周龄雄性SD大鼠随机分为4组,适应饲养1周后,进行药物灌胃处理,对照组:0.1mL生理盐水+0.1mL橄榄油;SGYY组:100 mg·kg-1 SGYY;QES组:0.1 mg·kg-1 QES;QES+SGYY组:0.1 mg·kg-1 QES+100mg·kg-1 SGYY。QES溶于橄榄油;SGYY溶于生理盐水;每天1次,连续2周。处理结束后,取睾丸、附睾、精囊腺和前列腺称重、测量长径与短径,并制备睾丸组织切片,通过HE染色,观察睾丸生精小管组织结构、生精细胞比例的变化;通过免疫组织化学方法检测睾丸生精细胞PCNA表达,Tunel法检测细胞凋亡;分离血浆,检测睾酮含量变化。取睾丸匀浆检测抗氧化酶活性。结果显示,QES处理后大鼠生殖器官的质量显著下降,附睾的精子数量显著减少;生精小管的面积、直径、生精上皮的高度和生精细胞数量均显著减少。而且,生精细胞的PCNA表达和血浆睾酮含量明显下降,Tunel阳性细胞数明显增加。睾丸SOD、GSH-Px和T-AOC活性显著下降,MDA含量显著升高。SGYY增加生殖器官质量、精子数量、睾丸睾酮含量、增殖的生精细胞数量和抗氧化酶活性,降低了MDA含量和Tunel的表达。结果表明,SGYY通过改善抗氧化功能、抑制氧化应激及促进睾酮分泌等途径增加了生精细胞数量并提高睾丸的生精功能。