Dietary zinc concentration and lipopolysaccharide injection affect circulating trace minerals,acute phase protein response,and behavior as evaluated by an ear-tag–based accelerometer in beef steers

To assess plasma trace mineral (TM) concentrations, the acute phase protein response, and behavior in response to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, 96 Angus cross steers (average initial body weight [BW]: 285 ± 14.4 kg) were sorted into two groups by BW (heavy and light; n = 48/group), fitted with an ear-tag–based accelerometer (CowManager SensOor; Agis, Harmelen, Netherlands), and stagger started 14 d apart. Consecutive day BW was recorded to start the 24-d trial (days −1 and 0). Dietary treatments began on day 0: common diet with either 30 (Zn30) or 100 (Zn100) mg supplemental Zn/kg DM (ZnSO₄). On day 17, steers received one of the following injection treatments intravenously to complete the 2 × 3 factorial: 1) SALINE (~2–3 mL of physiological saline), 2) LOWLPS: 0.25 µg LPS/kg BW, or 3) HIGHLPS: 0.375 µg LPS/kg BW. Blood, rectal temperature (RT), and BW were recorded on day 16 (−24 h relative to injection), and BW was used to assign injection treatment. Approximately 6, 24 (day 18), and 48 (day 19) h after treatment, BW, RT, and blood were collected, and final BW recorded on day 24. Data were analyzed in Proc Mixed of SAS with fixed effects of diet, injection, diet × injection; for BW, RT, dry matter intake (DMI), plasma TM, and haptoglobin-repeated measures analysis were used to evaluate effects over time. Area under the curve analysis determined by GraphPad Prism was used for analysis of accelerometer data. Body weight was unaffected by diet or injection (P ≥ 0.16), but there was an injection × time effect for DMI and RT (P < 0.05), where DMI decreased in both LPS treatments on day 16, but recovered by day 17, and RT was increased in LPS treatments 6 h post-injection. Steers receiving LPS spent less time highly active and eating than SALINE (P < 0.01). Steers in HIGHLPS spent lesser time ruminating, followed by LOWLPS and then SALINE (P < 0.001). An injection × time effect (P < 0.001) for plasma Zn showed decreased concentrations within 6 h of injection and remained decreased through 24 h before recovering by 48 h. A tendency for a diet × time effect (P = 0.06) on plasma Zn suggests plasma Zn repletion occurred at a greater rate in Zn100 compared to Zn30. These results suggest that increased supplemental Zn may alter the rate of recovery of Zn status from an acute inflammatory event. Additionally, ear-tag–based accelerometers used in this study were effective at detecting sickness behavior in feedlot steers, and rumination may be more sensitive than other variables.     

Endogenous hydrogen sulfide regulates oxidant/antioxidant balance in rat with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

AIM: To investigate the role of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in the protection against oxidative stress in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).METHODS: The rat model of COPD was established by cigarette smoking (CS) combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) instillation. Thirty-two healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, CS+LPS group, CS+LPS+NaHS (H₂S donor) group and CS+LPS+PPG (DL-propargylglycine, an inhibitor of cystathionine-γ-lyase) group. After 30 days, the lung functions of the rats were measured, the histological changes of lungs were observed under light microscope and the pathological scores were calculated. The H₂S level in plasma and the protein expression of cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) in the lung tissues were measured. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were detected to reflect oxidative stress.RESULTS: Compared with control group, the peak expiratory flow (PEF) decreased by 24% and intra-pressure (IP) increased by 66% in CS+LPS group. The pathological scores of the lung tissues also increased. Compared with CS+LPS group, no change in the lung function was observed after given NaHS or PPG, but the pathological scores decreased in CS+ LPS+ NaHS group. Compared with control group, the content of H₂S in plasma was increased by 26% on day 16. Compared with CS+LPS group, the content of H₂S in plasma of CS+LPS+PPG group was decreased by 22% after 30 days. Compared with control group, the protein expression of CSE increased, and no statistical difference among CS+LPS group, CS+ LPS+ NaHS group and CS+LPS+PPG group was observed. Compared with control group, MDA content in the lung tissues was increased by 24% in CS+LPS group, the activity of SOD was increased by 47% and the activity of CAT was increased by 52%. Compared with CS+LPS group, the MDA content in CS+LPS+NaHS group was decreased by 21%, and no statistical difference in the activity of SOD and CAT was observed. The activity of SOD decreased by 33% after given PPG.CONCLUSION: H₂S plays a role as anti-oxidant in the rats with COPD. The CSE/ H₂S pathway may be involved in the development of COPD.     

PEG胁迫对尖叶胡枝子幼苗SOD和POD同工酶的影响

利用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术研究不同浓度PEG处理尖叶胡枝子幼苗叶片SOD和POD同工酶及酶活性的变化。结果表明,不同浓度PEG处理,SOD和POD同工酶谱带数目没有变化,无新酶带的出现或酶带的减少,分别为SOD1-4和POD1-3。由迁移率可以看出,尖叶胡枝子幼苗叶片在不同浓度PEG处理下,共有10种SOD同工酶基因表达和6种POD同工酶基因表达。SOD和POD酶活性在低浓度(5~10%)PEG处理下增加,高浓度(15%)的PEG处理下降低。     

Effects of nitrogen and water stress on the rehydration,endogenous hormonal regulation and yield of maize

Water scarcity is known to be a strong limiting factor affecting maize grown and yield in cold semi-arid regions. Numerous studies have shown that rehydration improves maize growth. Our study aimed to explore the effects of rehydration treatments on maize growth and yield under water and nitrogen stress during different growth stages. We selected the drought-tolerant maize variety Nendan 19 (ND19) and subjected it to water stress during the V6 (sixth-leaf), R2 (filling) and R6 (maturity) growth stages and a rehydration treatment after each stress stage. Our results indicated that N1 (N100 kg N ha⁻¹) and N3 (N300 kg N ha⁻¹) treatments significantly increased the leaf moisture status relative to water content (RWC), bound water content (BWC), free water content (FWC) and water potential (WP)) at different growth stages. Similar trends were observed in the accumulation of plant leaf and root hormones (zeatin+zeatin riboside, indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid and gibberellic acid), photosynthetic pigments and chlorophyll fluorescence. However, under the same water stress conditions, they decreased as the N rate increased and reached a minimum value in the S3 (water stress for N3) treatments. In addition, with growth stage advancement and extension of the rehydration time, both showed a gradual upward trend. The results showed that to save water resources in the cold semi-arid region, rehydration treatments (R2S1 and R2S3) significantly increased the photosynthetic pigments and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, leaf moisture status, biomass, 100-grain weight, hormone content, ear characteristics and grain yield of maize.     

镉胁迫对弯叶画眉草幼苗生长和生理特性的影响

采用溶液培养研究不同浓度镉(0～15.0mg/L)胁迫对弯叶画眉草幼苗生长和部分生理特性的影响。结果表明,随着镉浓度的提高和胁迫时间的延长,苗高和鲜重降低,叶绿素含量下降,膜透性增大,幼苗根尖膨大褐化,叶黄化。在镉胁迫下,叶片丙二醛含量增加,过氧化物酶活性增强,而超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化氢酶活性降低。     

Fat-Tailed Sheep Traits as Affected by Docking

The literature mostly indicates that docking fat-tailed lambs initially reduces growth but that post-weaning growth and feed conversion efficiency then increase. The amount of fat deposited, the total separable lean meat to fat ratio and the meat quality all increase, while the percentage of bone in the carcase either decreases or does not change in the carcases of the docked lambs. Wool growth and characteristics are, in general, not affected and reproductive traits in ewes and lambs are improved by docking. The rectal temperature, respiration rate and pulse rate are decreased following docking. The concentrations of immunoreactive beta-endorphin and cortisol in the plasma and the incidence of foot stamping and restlessness, as indicators of stress, increase after docking. Other constituents of the blood are not significantly altered following docking or by the methods of docking. Docking of fat-tailed sheep using rubber rings at one day of age can be recommended. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

镁的营养作用研究进展

镁是生物体内重要的阳离子,参与了体内所有的能量代谢,催化或激化300多种酶体系。本文综述了镁对动物体脂质过氧化、应激及脂类代谢等方面影响的研究近况,并探讨了其可能的作用机制。     

不同饲养密度对地面平养蛋鸡福利状况和生产性能的影响

试验旨在通过研究地面平养模式下不同饲养密度对蛋鸡行为、外观、血液应激指标及生产性能的影响,筛选保证蛋鸡福利状况及生产性能的最大饲养密度,为我国推广地面平养模式蛋鸡福利养殖奠定理论基础。将780只苏禽绿壳蛋鸡按舍内密度分为四组,其中地面平养分为低密度组(6只/m^2)、中密度组(8只/m^2)、高密度组(10只/m^2),笼养组为对照组,每组3个重复。试验期为18~27周龄,蛋鸡行为学数据均采用视频录像收集,在27周龄末进行翅静脉采血和福利外观评价,统计分析24~27周龄生产性能。结果显示:笼养蛋鸡的产蛋率,攻击、刻板等非福利行为均显著高于平养组(P<0.05),脚垫损伤、羽毛评分、应激激素浓度(CORT、ACTH)显著低于平养组(P<0.05)。地面平养各组间,高密度组蛋鸡料蛋比显著高于低、中密度组(P<0.05);低、中密度组蛋鸡行走和休息时间比例均显著高于高密度组(P<0.05);低密度组蛋鸡啄羽行为显著低于高密度组(P<0.05),但与中密度组差异不显著(P>0.05);低、中密度组蛋鸡脚垫损伤、背羽损伤显著低于高密度组(P<0.05);高密度组蛋鸡血清中CORT和ACTH浓度显著低于低、中密度组(P<0.05)。由此可见,平养蛋鸡比笼养蛋鸡行为表现更积极,羽毛覆盖度更好,但应激水平和足部损伤较高、生产性能较低;在试验场地模式下,推荐8只/m2为最佳饲养密度。