Evaluation of a new strategy to modulate skeletal development in racehorses by imposing track-based exercise during growth: the effects on 2- and 3-year-old racing careers

REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY: No data exist on the effects of conditioning exercise at foal age on workload and subsequent clinical injury rate during their 2- and 3-year-old racing careers. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of subjecting TB foals to conditioning exercise prior to the start of race training on: the workload required to reach a level of fitness sufficient to compete; and the prevalence of orthopaedic injury during the first 2 seasons of their racing careers. METHODS: Twenty 18-month-old TBs, 12 subjected to conditioning exercise at foal age (CONDEX) and 8 exercised spontaneously at pasture only (PASTEX) were trained and entered in competitive events. Workload was quantified using the cumulative workload index (the product of average velocity and distance at a specific gait) and the animals were monitored clinically and radiographically for signs of musculoskeletal disorders. RESULTS: Workload to reach the desired fitness level was similar for CONDEX and PASTEX. CONDEX performed more prerace training sessions as 2-year-olds (P<0.05). The incidence of orthopaedic injuries was low in both groups and there were no differences in the occurrence of orthopaedic ailments. PASTEX animals tended to show signs of musculoskeletal disorders earlier than CONDEX animals. This time difference was significant for metacarpophalangeal joint pain on flexion, reduced carpal flexion and hindlimb lameness (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Subjecting TB foals to conditioning exercise early in life does not have adverse effects on racing careers at ages 2 and 3 years, and does not influence the workload needed to reach a fitness level that is sufficient for racing. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The lack of negative effects and the indications of some positive effects of early conditioning exercise in the Thoroughbred encourage further large-scale comparative studies.     

小RNA病毒基因组3'非编码区.结构与功能研究进展

小RNA病毒属于单股正链RNA病毒,包括肠道病毒属、鼻病毒属、心脏病毒属、口疮病毒属和肝病毒属等几个主要的属.口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)、脊髓灰质炎病毒(PV)、丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)、脑心肌炎病毒(EMCV)是该科病毒的典型代表.小RNA基因组的末端具有非编码区(UTR),是病毒基因组复制的主要调控位点,3'非编码(3'...     

虫草素预防肥胖及通过ADORA1介导GH3细胞中泌乳素分泌研究

为了研究虫草素是否具有预防肥胖的作用及其可能机制,试验利用高脂饮食诱导肥胖型高脂血症大鼠动物模型,并给予高、中、低不同剂量（50、25、12.5 mg/（kg·d））的虫草素,连续灌胃35 d后观察大鼠体重、脂肪系数、血脂水平的变化;体外培养大鼠脑垂体瘤细胞（GH3）,通过CCK8、Western blotting、ELISA等方法检测虫草素对GH3细胞的增殖毒性,以及腺苷受体A₁（ADORA₁）的表达和对泌乳素分泌量的影响。体内试验结果显示,与正常对照组相比,模型组大鼠体重、脂肪系数和血脂水平（高密度脂蛋白（HDL）除外）均极显著升高（P<0.01）;虫草素高、中、低各剂量组均能极显著或显著降低大鼠体重、脂肪系数及总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、低密度脂蛋白（LDL）水平（P<0.01;P<0.05）,但HDL水平仅在虫草素高剂量组中显著升高（P<0.05）,而虫草素中、低剂量组均无显著变化（P>0.05）;体外试验结果显示,虫草素浓度低于25 μg/mL时对GH3细胞增殖无影响;虫草素能够诱导GH3细胞ADORA₁表达升高;虫草素和ADORA₁激动剂（R-PIA）单独作用能显著或极显著降低泌乳素的分泌量（P<0.05;P<0.01）,虫草素与ADORA₁抑制剂（DPCPX）联合作用时能够在一定程度上阻断虫草素对泌乳素的抑制作用。结果表明,虫草素具有预防肥胖和降血脂的作用,其可能的作用机制是通过诱导ADORA₁表达抑制泌乳素的分泌,该研究结果将为虫草素作为一种潜在的减肥降脂药物的开发提供一定依据。     

Hmgn3和Hoxa10对小鼠子宫基质细胞蜕膜化过程中Foxo1表达的调控

利用小鼠子宫基质细胞体外诱导蜕膜化模型转染Hmgn3或Hoxa10过表达载体及siRNA片段,通过荧光定量PCR方法检测Hmgn3和Hoxa10对Foxo1表达的调控。结果显示:转染Hmgn3或Hoxa10过表达载体可促进Foxo1在子宫基质细胞蜕膜化过程中的表达,而转染Hmgn3或Hoxa10siRNA则可抑制Foxo1的表达。在小鼠子宫基质细胞中转染Hmgn3或Hoxa10siRNA后再添加孕酮,Foxo1的表达显著下降。同样,干扰Hmgn3或Hoxa10也可减低cAMP对Foxo1表达的调控。结果表明:Hmgn3和Hoxa10可通过Foxo1来影响小鼠子宫基质细胞的蜕膜化,孕酮和cAMP可通过Hmgn3和Hoxa10来调控Foxo1在子宫基质细胞中的表达。     

Cloning and expression of pigeon IFN-γ gene

This is the first paper describing the cloning of pigeon IFN-γ gene (PiIFN-γ) and the analysis of the in vitro expressed recombinant protein. The PiIFN-γ gene was identified by RT-PCR as a 498 bp, fragment coding for a precursor protein of 165 amino acids instead of 164 amino acids, as observed in the other avian species. The recombinant protein was expressed in vitro by an eukaryotic system and the biological properties of the cytokine were tested using a chicken macrophage cell line. The high degree of amino acid and nucleotide identity, shared with the ChIFN-γ, and the fact that the pigeon protein was functional on chicken cells, indicates a cross-reactivity between pigeon and chicken IFN-γ. The detection of the PiIFN-γ could represent an useful instrument in understanding the role played by this cytokine in immune response related to vaccinations and infectious diseases in the pigeon.     

KN03对NaCl胁迫下两菊芋品种幼苗生长及光合能力的影响

以2个菊芋品种南芋一号(Nanyu No.1)和青芋二号(Qingyu No.2)为试验材料,采用砂培方式研究了150mmol/L NaCl胁迫下不同浓度KNO3对菊芋幼苗生物量及光合能力的影响.结果表明,1)无NaCl胁迫下,随KNO3浓度的增加,2个菊芋品种幼苗生物量,叶绿素含量及净光合速率均出现不同程度的减小.2...     

基于3S技术的野生动物生境研究进展

3S技术可快速、准确、实时地获取、处理空间信息,具有极大的应用价值。该文介绍了3S技术在研究野生动物生境格局、生境破碎化、生境因子特性、生境分析模型建立、生境评价等诸多方面中的应用,综合了近年来的最新研究进展,并探讨了今后3S技术在野生动物生境研究中的应用前景。     

绒山羊皮肤毛囊兴盛前期组织形态、chi-miR-107-3p与RHBDF2基因表达分析

为了探究chi-miR-107-3p和菱形家族蛋白2（rhomboid family member 2,RHBDF2）基因在不同品种（系）和光控增绒绒山羊兴盛前期（5~7月份）皮肤毛囊重建时的表达差异,本试验在7月份采集内蒙古阿拉善型绒山羊、敏盖绒山羊和光控增绒技术处理的阿尔巴斯型绒山羊体侧皮肤毛囊组织,采用组织切片技术对组织形态比较分析,实时荧光定量PCR法检测chi-miR-107-3p和RHBDF2基因的表达量。结果显示,在皮肤毛囊兴盛前期,阿拉善型绒山羊次级毛囊正处于重建阶段,敏盖绒山羊和阿尔巴斯型绒山羊（光控增绒）次级毛囊重建已基本完成;在阿拉善型绒山羊皮肤组织中chi-miR-107-3p表达量极显著高于敏盖绒山羊和阿尔巴斯型绒山羊（光控增绒）（P<0.01）,而RHBDF2基因表达量极显著低于其他两品种（系）（P<0.01）,且RHBDF2基因表达量在敏盖绒山羊皮肤组织中显著低于阿尔巴斯型绒山羊（P<0.05）。不同品种（系）和光控增绒绒山羊皮肤毛囊兴盛前期组织显微结构与chi-miR-107-3p、RHBDF2基因在皮肤组织中的表达差异分析结果相一致,次级毛囊重建初期chi-miR-107-3p表达量较高,而RHBDF2基因表达量极低,随着次级毛囊重建完成,chi-miR-107-3p表达量明显降低,RHBDF2基因表达量逐渐增高,且在不同品种（系）内蒙古绒山羊绒毛生长发育过程中的表达机制基本相同。因此,chi-miR-107-3p和RHBDF2基因是绒山羊皮肤毛囊生长发育的重要调控因子。     

类器官的研究进展及应用前景

类器官（organoids）来源于自组织和自我更新的干细胞,是利用干细胞的自组织特性进行体外3D培养后形成的细胞团,与来源器官密切相关,再现了来源器官的三维细胞结构,并为探索来源器官的发病机制提供了新的模型。类器官系统是由自分泌、旁分泌或邻分泌信号调节下的细胞,或者外源性添加的细胞外基质（extracellular matrix,ECM）底物、小分子和生长因子等衍生而来,这些因素的相互作用创造了一个动态的环境,指导干细胞的自我更新和分化,以及细胞在类器官中的自我组装。诱导多能干细胞（induced pluripotent stem cells,iPSC）重编程方法结合3D类器官工具,使患者来源的类器官作为动物模型和人类临床试验之间的桥梁,是对细胞研究和在体试验的补充。在研究来源器官发育、生物学和病理生理学方面,类器官不仅是一种比传统细胞培养更具生理相关性的体外模型,而且还是再生医学和个性化医学领域中的新模型,有望成为研究营养素、药物、毒物及毒素等的作用机制及药物的筛选、再生医学等领域的重要模型。总之,类器官技术的发展增强了人们对器官和组织生理生化功能的认知。作者对肠、脑、肺脏、肝脏、子宫、卵巢等类器官培养和应用的研究进展进行综述,以期为类器官相关科研及应用提供参考。