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.     

Novel reassortant H5N6 highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in Vietnamese quail outbreaks

Avian influenza A H5N6 virus is a highly contagious infectious agent that affects domestic poultry and humans in South Asian countries. Vietnam may be an evolutionary hotspot for influenza viruses and therefore could serve as a source of pandemic strains. In 2015, two novel reassortant H5N6 influenza viruses designated as A/quail/Vietnam/CVVI01/2015 and A/quail/Vietnam/CVVI03/2015 were isolated from dead quails during avian influenza outbreaks in central Vietnam, and the whole genome sequences were analyzed. The genetic analysis indicated that hemagglutinin, neuraminidase, and polymerase basic protein 2 genes of the two H5N6 viruses are most closely related to an H5N2 virus (A/chicken/Zhejiang/727079/2014) and H10N6 virus (A/chicken/Jiangxi/12782/2014) from China and an H6N6 virus (A/duck/Yamagata/061004/2014) from Japan. The HA gene of the isolates belongs to clade 2.3.4.4, which caused human fatalities in China during 2014–2016. The five other internal genes showed high identity to an H5N2 virus (A/chicken/Heilongjiang/S7/2014) from China. A whole-genome phylogenetic analysis revealed that these two outbreak strains are novel H6N6-like PB2 gene reassortants that are most closely related to influenza virus strain A/environment/Guangdong/ZS558/2015, which was detected in a live poultry market in China. This report describes the first detection of novel H5N6 reassortants in poultry during an outbreak as well as genetic characterization of these strains to better understand the antigenic evolution of influenza viruses.     

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.     

Melatonin reduces apoptotic cells,SOD2 and HSPB1 and improves the in vitro production and quality of bovine blastocysts

Effects of adding different concentrations of melatonin (10^?7, 10^?9 and 10^?11 M) to maturation (Experiment 1; Control, IVM  + 10^?7, IVM  + 10^?9, IVM  + 10^?11) and culture media (Experiment 2; Control, IVC  + 10^?7, IVC  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?11) were evaluated on in vitro bovine embryonic development. The optimal concentration of melatonin (10^?9 M) from Experiments 1–2 was tested in both maturation and/or culture media of Experiment 3 (Control, IVM  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?9, IVM /IVC  + 10^?9). In Experiment 1, maturated oocytes from Control and IVM  + 10^?9 treatments showed increased glutathione content, mitochondrial membrane potential and percentage of Grade I blastocysts (40.6% and 43%, respectively). In Experiment 2, an increase in the percentage of Grade I blastocysts was detected in IVC  + 10^?7 (43.5%; 56.7%) and IVC  + 10^?9 (47.4%; 57.4%). Moreover, a lower number and percentage of apoptotic cells in blastocysts were observed in the IVC  + 10^?9 group compared to Control (3.8 ± 0.6; 3.6% versus 6.1 ± 0.6; 5.3%). In Experiment 3, the IVC  + 10^?9 treatment increased percentage of Grade I blastocysts with a lower number of apoptotic cells compared to IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 group (52.6%; 3.0 ± 0.5 versus 46.0%; 5.4 ± 1.0). The IVC  + 10^?9 treatment also had a higher mRNA expression of antioxidant gene (SOD 2) compared to the Control, as well as the heat shock protein (HSPB 1) compared to the IVM  + 10^?9. Reactive oxygen species production was greater in the IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 treatment group. In conclusion, the 10^?9 M concentration of melatonin and the in vitro production phase in which it is used directly affected embryonic development and quality.     

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.     

Bird flu (H7N9) outbreak and its implications on the supply chain of poultry meat in China

During the past two decades, food safety issues in China not only posed serious threats to Chinese consumers but also damaged the image of Chinese products internationally. In China, food safety is not only about scientific discoveries, advanced laboratories, and sanitation equipment; it is more about the role of different players in the food supply chain. The poultry meat supply chain is instrumental in the spread of the avian influenza A virus (H7N9), raising questions about how policymakers respond to such threats and whether industries need to be restructured to manage and control this epidemic so that it does not recur. As a short-term measure, to prevent the spread of this disease, government authorities enforced the closure of live bird markets (LBM) in disease-affected areas of China. However, in the long term, the poultry meat supply chain needs to be restructured. The aim of the current study was to analyze distribution channels for chicken meat in China and then describe arrangements in poultry meat sectors that incorporate small- and medium-scale producers into the supply chain while responding to shifts in LBMs. We also assessed the role of LBMs in spreading H7N9 and how these interventions affect the poultry meat supply chain in the Chinese market.     

三肽囊素对鸡血浆蛋白组分及IL-2与IL-6含量的影响

144只1日龄黄羽肉鸡随机分为4组,第7日龄时第Ⅰ～Ⅳ组分别注射0、0.005、0.010、0.030mg/kg剂量的三肽囊素,在14、35及56日龄时每组各取一个重复,取血浆,醋酸纤维薄膜电泳检测血浆蛋白各组分的比率,放射免疫法检测血浆IL-2与IL-6的含量.结果显示不同剂量的三肽囊素可提高血浆γ球蛋白水平:对血浆...     

外源氮添加对湿地土壤N_2O排放量的影响

为搞清湿地土壤驱动N2O排放的关键氮源类型,有效减少湿地N2O的排放,本文通过室内控制温湿度,用气相色谱法分析不同外源氮素对湿地N2O排放的影响。结果表明:外加氮源组总是高于对照组N2O排放量(4.4 mg·m-3)。在设定的剂量范围内,单独添加尿素或尿素与硝酸铵1∶1配合时N2O排放量呈现先增后减的单峰分布趋势,峰值分别为10.6 mg·m-3和229.0 mg·m-3;单独添加硝酸铵时N2O排放量(32.6~111.0 mg·m-3)随着氮素添加量增加呈现持续上升趋势。单独添加尿素或硝酸铵、尿素与硝酸铵1∶1配合均促进N2O的排放,但硝酸铵尿素混合添加对N2O排放量的贡献单独添加硝酸铵单独添加尿素。这为预测内蒙古高原区农牧交错带湿地氮素输入可能带来的温室效应和有效减排提供科学依据。     

特优航2号在龙海的产量表现及高产栽培技术

介绍了特优航2号参加福建省区试、生产试验以及在龙海示范种植的表现。调查了特优航2号不同产量水平的产量构成,明确有效穗与产量的相关最密切,对产量直接通径系数最高,对产量贡献率最大;其次为每穗总粒数,有效穗与每穗总粒数对产量的贡献率占4个构成因素总贡献率的86.39%。据此提出特优航2号高产栽培技术。     

水分条件对巴音布鲁克高寒湿地CO_2排放的影响

在新疆天山中部巴音布鲁克天鹅湖高寒湿地,以苔草(Carex tristachya)为主要建群种的样地为研究对象,利用英国PP-systems公司生产的便携式土壤呼吸测定系统(CIRAS-2-SRC)研究了不同地表水分条件对天鹅湖高寒湿地夏季土壤CO2排放的影响。结果表明,1)湿润区的生物量大于干燥区;干燥区土壤CO2排放高于湿润区,干燥区土壤CO2排放日变化曲线为单峰曲线,CO2排放最高点出现在当地14:00-16:00,最高值为1.185 0g CO2·m-2·h-1;湿润区土壤CO2排放日变化曲线为双峰曲线,两个峰值分别出现在12:00和16:00,最高值为1.024 0g CO2·m-2·h-1。2)不同水分条件下生物量中凋落物含量影响土壤CO2排放。土壤温度是CO2排放的主要限制因子,且地表干燥区CO2排放与土壤温度的相关性更显著(P0.01)。土壤湿度与CO2排放相关性不显著(P湿润区=0.997,P干燥区=0.409)。