Essential Fatty Acids and the Cat

Abstract— The physiology of essential fatty acid metabolism in the cat is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on those aspects of the n:6 and n:3 fatty acids, their metabolites and interactions, which relate primarily to the skin. The functional roles, if known, of the fatty acids are discussed. Recent clinical research into the use of essential fatty acid supplements in the management of feline dermatoses is presented. Current indications for the therapeutic supplementation with essential fatty acids are summarised.     

不同植物精油对草莓灰霉病菌的体外抑菌效果研究

为筛选出对草莓灰霉病菌具有显著抑菌作用的植物精油,采用熏蒸法,研究茶树精油、牛至精油等6 种植物单方精油及其复配精油对草莓灰霉病菌的体外抑菌效果。结果表明：牛至精油的抑菌效果最佳,其次为1-辛烯-3-醇和茶树精油,其抑菌效果明显优于肉桂精油、桉叶精油和茉莉酸甲酯;茶树精油、1-辛烯-3-醇和牛至精油的最低抑菌浓度（MIC）分别为200、100、100 mg/L;茶树精油与牛至精油复配具有协同增效作用,且二者以质量比1∶4 进行熏蒸时,对草莓灰霉病菌的抑制作用最强。综上,牛至精油、1-辛烯-3-醇、茶树精油及茶树精油与牛至精油复配（质量比1∶4）对草莓灰霉病菌的抑菌效果较优。该研究结果可为新型草莓保鲜剂的开发利用提供新的研究思路。     

美仁牦牛肉不同部位常规营养成分及氨基酸和脂肪酸测定分析

摘 要：选取放牧条件下体况良好、体重相近的甘南成年美仁公牦牛 6 头、母牦牛 4头进行屠宰,采取美仁牦牛肉的肩甲、背最长肌、股二头肌三个部位的分割肉。测定不同部位营养成分、氨基酸和脂肪酸。 结果显示：不同部位美仁牦牛肉的蛋白质含量为22.97%～23.07%,其中股二头肌蛋白质含量最低,背最长肌最高;脂肪含量为1.27%～2.49%,股二头肌脂肪脂肪含量较低,不足1.27%。氨基酸含量丰富,脂肪酸总量依次为肩甲、背最长肌、股二头肌上脑肉。通过对比分析不同部位美仁牦牛肉中营养成分、氨基酸和脂肪酸等含量存在差异。     

不同规格野生黄鳍金枪鱼肌肉营养分析与评价

探究不同规格黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacares)肌肉营养成分及品质差异,实验以野捕的 3种规格黄鳍金枪鱼J1 (4.2±1.2) kg、J2 (22.5±2.5) kg和J3 (50.8±3.9) kg为研究对象,通过常规生化分析方法对金枪鱼肌肉的常规营养成分、氨基酸、脂肪酸及矿物质元素进行比较分析。结果显示,(1) J1组水分含量显著高于J2、J3组;J2、J3组粗蛋白含量显著高于J1组(P<0.05);J3组粗脂肪含量显著高于J1、J2组(P<0.05)。(2)检出19种常见氨基酸,氨基酸含量最高的为谷氨酸(3.04~ 3.25 g/100 g),必需氨基酸中含量最高的为赖氨酸(2.02~2.15 g/100 g),最低的为色氨酸(0.31~ 0.45 g/100 g)。非必需氨基酸含量J3>J2>J1 (P<0.05);必需氨基酸、呈味氨基酸含量J1组显著低于J3组(P<0.05)。依据氨基酸评分(AAS),缬氨酸为第一限制性氨基酸;以化学评分(CS)为评分标准,J1、J2组第一限制性氨基酸为色氨酸,J3组为苯丙氨酸+酪氨酸。(3)各组共检出25种脂肪酸,以多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)为主,含量最高的为二十二碳六烯酸(DHA),占总脂肪酸含量的37.46%~39.18%。DHA含量J3组显著高于J1、J2组;二十碳五烯酸(EPA)含量J2、J3组显著高于J1组;DHA∶EPA比值J1组显著高于J2、J3组(P<0.05)。单不饱和脂肪酸(MUFA)含量J3>J2>J1;PUFA含量J3组显著高于J1、J2组(P<0.05)。PUFA/饱和脂肪酸(SFA)、n-3系多不饱和脂肪酸/n-6系多不饱和脂肪酸(n-3/n-6)比值J2、J3组显著高于J1组(P<0.05)。h/H比值J3组显著高于J1、J2组(P<0.05)。(4) J2、J3组Na、Ca含量显著高于J1组,J1组K含量最高且显著高于J2、J3组(P<0.05)。4种重金属元素均低于食品中建议的最大允许限量,其中Fe含量最大的为J3组,且J3>J2>J1 (P<0.05);Cu含量最大的为J3组,且显著高于J1组(P<0.05)。综合分析,大规格黄鳍金枪鱼具有更好的营养质量,本研究为居民膳食的选择及黄鳍金枪鱼人工配合饲料的配制提供了科学依据。     

Effects of dietary vitamin E and fat supplementation in growing-finishing swine fed to a heavy slaughter weight of 150 kg: II. Tissue fatty acid profile,vitamin E concentrations,and antioxidant capacity of plasma and tissue

The study aimed to assess the effects of vitamin E (VE) supplementation and fat source on fatty acid (FA) composition, VE concentrations, and antioxidant capacity in plasma and tissues of pigs fed to a heavy slaughter weight (150 kg). A total of 64 pigs (32 barrows, 32 gilts; 28.41 ± 0.83 kg) were blocked by sex and weight, and randomly assigned to one of eight dietary treatments (n = 8 per treatment) in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement. Fat sources included corn starch (CS), 5% tallow (TW), 5% distiller’s corn oil (DCO), and 5% coconut oil (CN); VE supplementation levels were 11 and 200 ppm. Five-phase diets were formulated to meet requirement estimates of NRC (2012) and fed to pigs for each period of 25 kg from 25 to 150 kg. Increasing VE supplementation level increased C16:1 (P < 0.05) content but decreased C20:0 (P < 0.05) content in backfat and belly fat, while in liver, it increased C17:0 (P < 0.05) but decreased C18:0 (P < 0.05). Compared to the pigs fed the CS diet, the pigs fed the CN diet had greater (P < 0.05) content of total saturated FA, the pigs fed the DCO diet had greater (P < 0.05) content of total polyunsaturated FA content and iodine value, and the pigs fed the TW diet had greater (P < 0.05) content of total monounsaturated FA in backfat, belly fat, and liver. Plasma VE concentrations increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing length of feeding but faster (P < 0.05) in the pigs fed the CN and TW diets compared with the CS and DCO diets within the 200 ppm VE level; the pigs fed the DCO diet had the highest plasma VE concentrations (P < 0.05) from Phase 2 to Phase 5 within the 11 ppm VE level. The VE concentrations in liver and loin muscle (P < 0.05) increased with increasing dietary VE level from 11 to 200 ppm, but it was not affected by dietary fat source. There was no effect of VE supplementation and fat source on antioxidant capacity in plasma and liver except that pigs fed the DCO diet had greater liver SOD activity (P < 0.05) than the pigs fed the CN diet. In conclusion, dietary VE supplementation did not affect FA profile in backfat, belly fat, and liver consistently, while dietary FA composition with different fat sources affected much of the FA profile in backfat, belly fat, and liver. The higher level of VE supplementation increased liver and muscle VE concentrations and dietary fat sources affected plasma VE concentrations differently (P < 0.05), wherein the TW and CN diets increased the VE absorption greater than the DCO diet.     

Docosahexaenoic Acid Is Naturally Concentrated at the sn-2 Position in Triacylglycerols of the Australian Thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium sp. Strain TC 20

The Labyrinthulomycetes or Labyrinthulea are a class of protists that produce a network of filaments that enable the cells to glide along and absorb nutrients. One of the main two Labyrinthulea groups is the thraustochytrids, which are becoming an increasingly recognised and commercially used alternate source of long-chain (LC, ≥C₂₀) omega-3 containing oils. This study demonstrates, to our knowledge for the first time, the regiospecificity of the triacylglycerol (TAG) fraction derived from Australian thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium sp. strain TC 20 obtained using ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) analysis. The DHA present in the TC 20 TAG fraction was determined to be concentrated in the sn-2 position, with TAG (16:0/22:6/16:0) identified as the main species present. The sn-2 preference is similar to that found in salmon and tuna oil, and differs to seal oil containing largely sn-1,3 LC-PUFA. A higher concentration of sn-2 DHA occurred in the thraustochytrid TC 20 oil compared to that of tuna oil.     

Comparison of uptake of different N forms by soil microorganisms and two wet-grassland plants: A pot study

Two common plant species of temperate wet grasslands, Carex acuta and Glyceria maxima, were tested for their preferences in the uptake of different nitrogen (N) sources (amino acid, ammonium, nitrate) and their ability to compete for these sources with soil microorganisms. The experiment was a one-day incubation study with plants growing in soil obtained from the field, which was supplied with a solution containing the three N sources, one at a time labeled with ¹⁵N. The bulk of the N demand of both species was covered by nitrate-N, which was the dominant N form in the soil at the time of the experiment. Ammonium-N was taken up less strongly, and organic N formed only a negligible part of their nutrition. The assimilated inorganic N was preferentially transported to apical meristem of the youngest leaf, while organic N remained mostly in the roots. The fast-growing Glyceria took up more N and was a better competitor vis-à-vis soil microbes for rarer N forms than Carex. However, both plants were poor competitors for N vis-à-vis soil microbes, irrespective of the N form. Microbes took up nitrate ca. five times faster and organic N more than a hundred times faster than plants. Correspondingly, the calculated turnover time of microbial N was 17 days, compared to 40 days for N in plant roots. A significant amount of added ¹⁵N was found at non-exchangeable sites in the soil, which points to the importance of microbial N transformation and abiotic N fixation for N retention in soil. In summary, the preferential assimilation of inorganic N by the wetland plants studied here and their poor ability to compete for N with soil microbes over the short term agree with the results of studies carried out with other species from temperate grasslands.     

Regulation of urease production in soil by microbial assimilation of nitrogen

Summary Studies of the effects of different forms of N on urease production in soils amended with organic C showed that although microbial activity, as measured by CO₂ production, was stimulated by the addition of NH₄ ⁺ or NO₃ ^- to C-amended soils (200 mol glucose-C g^–1 soil), urease production was repressed by these forms of N. The addition of L-methionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of inorganic N assimilation by microorganisms, relieved the NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^- repression of urease production in C-amended soil. The addition of sodium chlorate, an inhibitor of NO₃ ^- reduction to NH₄ ⁺ by microorganisms, relieved the NO₃ ^- repression of urease production, but did not eliminate the repression associated with NH₄ ⁺. These observations indicate that microbial production of urease in C-amended soils is not directly repressed by NH₄ ⁺ or NO₃ ^-, but by products formed by microbial assimilation of these forms of N. This conclusion is supported by our finding that the biologically active L-isomers of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, and glutamine, repressed urease production in C-amended soil, whereas the D-isomers of these amino acids had little or no influence on urease production. This work suggests that urease synthesis by soil microorganisms is controlled by the global N regulon.     

The impact of foliar fertilizers on growth and biochemical responses of Thymus vulgaris to salinity stress

Salinity reduces plant biomass and may lead to death when severe. To cope with the negative effects of this stress, plant species present specific physiological or biochemical responses. In this work, we hypothesized that spraying salt-stressed thyme leaves with K⁺ and Ca²⁺ could mitigate the negative effects of salinity on plant growth and metabolism. To test this hypothesis, we grew thyme plants under salinity stress for two and four weeks before applying foliar sprays. Also, to test the effect of stress relief, treated plants were allowed two weeks of recovery after four weeks of salt stress. In general, after two and four weeks of salinity stress, the leaf fresh weight of thyme plants was reduced by 31 and 43%, respectively. Salinity also decreased the relative water content, water, and osmotic potentials and led to ion imbalances and nutrient deficiencies. Salinity altered concentration of some essential oils, but leaf antioxidant contents remained fairly stable, except for a significant increase for plants under NaCl?+?KCl two weeks after treatment. Our results indicated that stressed plants accumulated significantly more soluble sugars and amino acids in comparison with the control. Foliar sprays with KCl and CaCl₂ reversed the negative effects of salinity on plant biomass and induced the accumulations of compatible solutes. Moreover, concentrations of some essential oils and gallic acid increased in sprayed plants, but these effects were dependent on the type and duration of the treatment. Overall, spraying leaves with K⁺ and Ca²⁺ was able to mitigate salinity stress in Thymus vulgaris even during the recovery period.     

芸香科三种植物精油对家蝇的熏杀活性及其混配增效作用

用水蒸汽蒸馏法从岭南花椒Zanthoxylum austrosinense果实、椿叶花椒Zanthoxylum ailanthoides果实和四数九里香Murraya hunanensis叶中提取植物精油,采用三角瓶密闭熏蒸法测试3种精油对家蝇的熏杀、击倒作用及其混配增效作用。3种植物精油对家蝇的6 h熏杀LC₅₀值分别为岭南花椒果实精油 7.55 μg/cm³、椿叶花椒果实精油11.08 μg/cm³、四数九里香叶精油11.41 μg/cm³;在熏蒸浓度均为10 μL/345 mL时精油对家蝇的熏蒸击倒效果KT₅₀分别为岭南花椒果实精油16.80 min、椿叶花椒果实精油24.69 min、四数九里香叶精油23.33 min。将岭南花椒果实精油与椿叶花椒果实精油以体积比7：3和9：1混配,其共毒系数分别为130.00和136.08;将岭南花椒果实精油与四数九里香叶精油以体积比9：1混配,其共毒系数为123.71。研究结果表明,3种植物精油对家蝇均有熏杀、击倒作用,其中岭南花椒果实精油与椿叶花椒果实精油或四数九里香叶精油以适当比例混配后具有增效作用,可利用其开发高效环保的植物源灭蝇剂。