Sericin Accelerates the Production of Hyaluronan and Decreases the Incidence of Polyspermy Fertilization in Bovine Oocytes During In Vitro Maturation

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) has been widely used as a supplement in the maturation medium of bovine oocytes in vitro. However, serum contains many undefined factors and is potentially infectious to humans and animals. As a serum replacement, we evaluated the feasibility of using the silk protein, sericin, derived from the cocoons of silkworm. To examine the rates of oocyte maturation and fertilization, cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in TCM-199 supplemented with 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1% or 0.15% sericin or 5% FBS. The sizes of the perivitelline space that might relate to polyspermy, the expressions of Has2 and CD44 mRNA, the amount of hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid: HA) contained in the oocytes and the rates of blastocyst formation following insemination were then compared between the oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin and 5% FBS, because the polyspermy rates in oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin were significantly lower than in those cultured with 5% FBS. After in vitro maturation (IVM), the mean size of the perivitelline space was significantly greater in oocytes cultured with sericin than in those cultured with FBS, although the rates of nuclear maturation, fertilization and blastocyst formation of oocytes under both IVM conditions were not significantly different. The expression of HAS2 and CD44 mRNA and the amount of HA in the denuded oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin were significantly greater than in those cultured with FBS. These results indicate the feasibility of sericin as an alternative protein supplement for IVM in bovine oocytes.     

西安市44个草坪草品种引种试验研究

为选择适合西安市城市绿化草坪草种,于2001—2003年在西安市进行了草坪草引种试验研究,其中包括黑麦草、羊茅、翦股颖、早熟禾属在内的44个品种。通过建立草坪草评价体系,观察了草坪草颜色、盖度、密度、均一性等4项指标,并筛选出适应性较好,品质相对优良的早熟禾,高羊茅等草坪草品种,以供西安市绿化建植草坪参考。     

滩羊土——草——畜系统中的微量元素及其意义

甘肃景泰滩羊典型产区草地土壤中含有Ｂｅ、Ｐｂ、Ｔｉ、Ｂａ、Ｍｎ、Ｇａ、Ｃｒ、Ｎｉ、Ｖ、Ｃｕ、Ｚｒ、Ｃｏ、Ｓｒ、Ｙ、Ｙｂ等１５种微量元素。草地混合牧草吸其中的１３种,其中Ｙｂ显著减少,缺少了Ｂｅ和Ｃｏ。羊毛中微量元素的种类和含量变化很大并且复杂。滩羊成年母羊毛中只含Ｐｂ、Ｔｉ、Ｍｎ、Ｃｕ等４种元素,而二毛期即１月龄羔羊毛中含有Ｂａ、Ｐｂ、Ｔｉ、Ｍｎ、Ｃｒ、Ｎｉ、Ｃｕ、Ｚｒ、Ａｇ、Ｚｎ、Ｓｒ、Ｍｏ和Ｙ     

工业园区绿地系统规划浅析——以淮安工业园区绿地系统规划为例

介绍了当前我国工业园区绿地系统规划的概念及意义,并以淮安工业园区为代表,探讨了工业园区绿地系统规划的相关内容,可为我国工业园区绿地系统规划提供一定的借鉴。     

冀北山地杨桦次生林林分空间结构研究

在木兰林管局桃山林场选取面积为100 m×100 m的杨桦次生林样地,以每株林木树高、胸径和坐标为基础数据,运用混交度、大小比数和角尺度等林分空间结构参数分析了杨桦次生林的空间结构特征。结果表明:(1)该林分中山杨Populus davidiana和白桦Betula platyphylla在株数和断面积比例上占优势,为林分内优势树种;(2)林分各混交类型的比例相差不大,林分整体呈中度混交状态;(3)林分优势木和亚优势木相对较多,基于胸径、树高得到的平均大小比数结果基本一致,均能客观反映林分的分化规律;(4)林分平均角尺度为0.504,属于随机分布,林下伴生树种以集聚分布为主,但优势树种的随机分布趋势起决定作用。     

行距与栽培年限对老芒麦鲜草及种子产量的影响

试验对30、45、60、75 和90 cm行距下,第2-5年老芒麦（Elymus sibiricus）枝条性状、花序性状、鲜草产量及种子产量进行比较分析。结果表明,行距、年份及互作对枝条高度、枝条密度、生殖枝比例、小穗数/生殖枝、小花数/生殖枝、潜在种子产量、表现种子产量与实际种子产量均有极显著影响,其中行距是主要影响因子,互作次之,年份最小;30～45 cm行距适合老芒麦鲜草生产,60 cm行距是种子生产的最佳行距;鲜草产量、种子产量第3年达高峰,30 和45 cm行距第3年鲜草产量分别为19 225.6和16 733.4 kg·hm-2,60 cm行距第3年种子产量达1 620.67 kg·hm-2,远大于其他处理组合,值得在生产中推广与应用。     

Leptospira interrogans at the Human–Wildlife Interface in Northern Botswana: A Newly Identified Public Health Threat

Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis in the world. In northern Botswana, humans live in close proximity to a diversity of wildlife and peridomestic rodents and may be exposed to a variety of zoonotic pathogens. Little is known regarding the occurrence and epidemiology of L. interrogans in Africa despite the recognized global importance of this zoonotic disease and the threat it poses to public health. In Botswana, banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) live in close proximity to humans across protected and unprotected landscapes and may be a useful sentinel species for assessing the occurrence of zoonotic organisms, such as L. interrogans. We utilized PCR to screen banded mongoose kidneys for leptospiral DNA and identified 41.5% prevalence of renal carriage of L. interrogans (exact binomial 95% CI 27.7–56.7%, n = 41). Renal carriage was also detected in one Selous' mongoose (Paracynictis selousi). This is the first published confirmation of carriage of L. interrogans in either species. This is also the first report of L. interrogans occurrence in northern Botswana and the only report of this organism in a wildlife host in the country. Pathogenic Leptospira are usually transmitted indirectly to humans through soil or water contaminated with infected urine. Other avenues, such as direct contact between humans and wildlife, as well as consumption of mongooses and other wildlife as bushmeat, may pose additional exposure risk and must be considered in public health management of this newly identified zoonotic disease threat. There is a critical need to characterize host species involvement and pathogen transmission dynamics, including human–wildlife interactions that may increase human exposure potential and infection risk. We recommend that public health strategy be modified to include sensitization of medical practitioners to the presence of L. interrogans in the region, the potential for human infection, and implementation of clinical screening. This study illustrates the need for increased focus on neglected zoonotic diseases as they present an important threat to public health.     

Evaluation of Pet‐Related Management Factors and the Risk of Salmonella spp. Carriage in Pet Dogs from Volunteer Households in Ontario (2005–2006)

The purpose of this study was to determine pet‐related management factors that may be associated with the presence of Salmonella spp. in feces of pet dogs from volunteer households. From October 2005 until May 2006, 138 dogs from 84 households in Ontario were recruited to participate in a cross‐sectional study. Five consecutive daily fecal samples were collected from each dog and enrichment culture for Salmonella spp. was performed. A higher than expected number of the dogs (23.2%; 32/138) had at least one fecal sample positive for Salmonella, and 25% (21/84) of the households had at least one dog shedding Salmonella. Twelve serotypes of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica were identified, with the predominant serotypes being Typhimurium (33.3%; 13/39), Kentucky (15.4%; 6/39), Brandenburg (15.4%; 6/39) and Heidelberg (12.8%; 5/39). Univariable logistic regression models were created with a random effect for household to account for clustering. Statistically significant risk factors for a dog testing positive included having contact with livestock, receiving a probiotic in the previous 30 days, feeding a commercial or homemade raw food diet, feeding raw meat and eggs, feeding a homemade cooked diet, and having more than one dog in the household. In two‐variable models that controlled for feeding raw food, the non‐dietary variables were no longer statistically significant. These results highlight the potential public health risk of including raw animal products in canine diets.