Prevalence and risk factors associated with intestinal parasites in pigs in Chongqing, China

From 2007 to 2009, the prevalence of intestinal parasites was investigated in intensive and extensive pig farms in Chongqing, China. A total of 2971 samples from both sexes and five age categories (breeding boars, breeding sows, fatteners, growers and weaners) were evaluated by standard methods for the presence of helminth ova and protozoan oocysts, cysts and/or trophozoites. Of the 2971 pigs sampled, 362(12.18%) were infected with Ascaris suum, 301(10.13%) with Trichuris suis, 301(10.13%) with Oesophagostomum spp., 491(16.53%) with Eimeria spp., 149(5.02%) with Isopora suis, 677(22.79%) with Balantidium coli and 196(6.60%) with Cryptosporidium spp. Growers had the highest infection rate while breeding boars had the lowest among the five age categories. B. coli was the most common protozoan in all pig age groups. Pigs infected with multiple parasites were common. Risk factors such as management methods, seasons, ages, etc. can influence the infection rate to a certain degree. This investigation provides relevant data about risk factors for pig farmers, thus allowing them to make more appropriate antiparasitic treatments according to farm conditions and local climate in Chongqing.     

Effect of growth hormone administration to mature miniature Brahman cattle treated with or without insulin on circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I and other metabolic hormones and metabolites

Previously, we determined that a primary cause of proportional stunted growth in a line of Brahman cattle was related to an apparent refractoriness in metabolic response to GH in young animals. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of administration of GH, insulin (INS), and GH plus INS to mature miniature Brahman cows (n = 6; 9.7 ± 2.06 y; 391 ± 48.6 kg) and bulls (n = 8; 9.4 ± 2.00 y; 441 ± 54.0 kg) on circulating concentrations of metabolic hormones and metabolites, primarily IGF-I and IGF-I binding proteins. We hypothesized that IGF-I secretion could be enhanced by concomitant administration of exogenous GH and INS, and neither alone would be effective. Animals were allotted to a modified crossover design that included four treatments: control (CON), GH, INS, and GH + INS. At the start of the study, one-half of the cattle were administered GH (Posilac; 14-d slow release) and the other one-half served as CON for 7 d. Beginning on day 8, and for 7 d, INS (Novolin L) was administered (0.125 IU/kg BW) twice daily (7:00 AM and 7:00 PM) to all animals; hence, the INS and GH + INS treatments. Cattle were rested for 14 d and then were switched to the reciprocal crossover treatments. Blood samples were collected at 12-hour intervals during the study. Compared with CON, GH treatment increased (P < 0.01) mean plasma concentrations of GH (11.1 vs 15.7 ± 0.94 ng/mL), INS (0.48 vs 1.00 ± 0.081 ng/mL), IGF-I (191.3 vs 319.3 ± 29.59 ng/mL), and glucose (73.9 vs 83.4 ± 2.12 mg/dL) but decreased (P < 0.05) plasma urea nitrogen (14.2 vs 11.5 ± 0.75 mg/dL). Compared with INS, GH + INS treatment increased (P < 0.05) mean plasma concentration of INS (0.71 vs 0.96 ± 0.081 ng/mL), IGF-I (228.7 vs 392.3 ± 29.74 ng/mL), and glucose (48.1 vs 66.7 ± 2.12 mg/dL), decreased (P < 0.01) plasma urea nitrogen (13.6 vs 10.4 ± 0.76 mg/dL), and did not affect GH (13.5 vs 12.7 ± 0.95 ng/mL). In the miniature Brahman model, both the GH and GH + INS treatments dramatically increased circulating concentrations of IGF-I in mature cattle, suggesting that this line of Brahman cattle is capable of responding to bioactive GH.     

Low-density lipoprotein-related receptor protein 1 (LRP-1) is not required for insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) to suppress L6 myogenic cell proliferation

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) suppresses proliferation of numerous cell types, including myogenic cells, via both insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-dependent and IGF-independent mechanisms; however, the mechanism of IGF-independent suppression of proliferation is not clearly defined. In nonmuscle cells, binding of IGFBP-3 to the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1)/activated α(2)M receptor is reportedly required for IGFBP-3 to inhibit proliferation. These findings suggest that binding to this receptor also may be required for IGFBP-3 to suppress proliferation of cultured myogenic cells. To investigate the role of the LRP-1 receptor in suppression of myogenic cell proliferation by IGFBP-3, we have examined the effect of receptor-associated protein, an LRP-1 receptor antagonist, on recombinant porcine (rp)IGFBP-3 inhibition of L6 myogenic cell proliferation. Treatment with receptor-associated protein results in a 37% decrease (P < 0.05) in the ability of rpIGFBP-3 to inhibit L6-cell proliferation. In L6 cells subjected to LRP-1 small interfering RNA treatment for 48 h (LRP-1 silenced), LRP-1 mRNA levels were reduced by greater than 80% compared with control cultures treated with nonsense small interfering RNA (mock silenced). In addition, the 85-kDa transmembrane subunit of LRP-1 was undetectable in Western immunoblots of total protein lysates from LRP-1-silenced cells. Even though LRP-1 mRNA and protein levels were dramatically reduced in LRP-1-silenced L6 cells compared with mock-silenced controls, rpIGFPB-3 suppressed proliferation rate to the same extent in both LRP-1-silenced and mock-silenced cultures. Our results strongly suggest that, in contrast to data obtained for nonmuscle cell lines, the LRP-1 receptor is not required for IGFBP-3 to suppress proliferation of L6 myogenic cells.     

不同生长年限对青海草地早熟禾生长特性和种子产量及其构成因子的影响

探讨了不同生长年限对青海草地早熟禾人工草地生长特性和种子产量及构成因子的影响,为青海草地早熟禾种子生产提供理论依据。结果发现,随着人工草地生长年限的延长,生殖枝高度、营养枝高度以及花序长度总体上都呈降低的趋势。不同的生长年限对青海草地早熟禾种子产量及其构成因子的影响表现在：2龄人工草地的种子产量最高,达到496.96k...     

衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地不同土地利用方式对球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白分布的影响

为了明确衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地不同土地利用方式球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白土层分布模式及其影响因素,本试验选取自然恢复地、草地、灌草地、灌丛地和乔灌地5种不同土地利用方式样地,采集各样地0~10,10~20,20~40 cm土层土样,测定了土样球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白、土壤容重、土壤有机碳、全氮、C/N比、速效磷、土壤pH和土壤蛋白酶活性。结果表明：球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白含量为1.73~3.78 mg·g^-1,占土壤有机碳含量的14.05%~22.08%,是土壤一个重要碳库;球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白在不同土地利用方式和土层剖面之间差异显著;相关性分析表明球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白与土壤有机碳、全氮、C/N比、土壤蛋白酶、速效磷、土壤容重、土壤pH有显著相关性。研究结果表明,球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白是丛枝菌根真菌生长状况和土壤生态系统波动的一个重要指标。     

胚胎期高温处理对家蚕生长发育及部分经济性状的影响

用 3 4℃、RH80 %的环境处理 2 0余个家蚕品种的己 + 2 期胚胎 ,结果表明 :高温处理对某些品种的幼虫经过、幼虫体重、全茧量、茧层量等有明显影响 ,对健康性、茧层率无明显影响 ,对丝质无实质影响 ;高温处理对家蚕生长发育和经济性状的影响纯种间存在差异 ,杂交种受影响比纯种小。因此认为 ,高温处理对家蚕生长发育、经济性状的影响不会成为伴性温敏基因和雄蚕品种利用的限制因素 ,部分不良影响可以通过常规育种手段加以解决     

水分管理方式对香根草生长发育的影响

对四种不同的水分管理条件下香根草生长研究发现：香根草最适宜在土壤水分饱和的湿润环境中生长,这时它的成活率最高,分蘖速度最快,植株高度生长也最快,定植后3个月,其对应的根体积、根干生物量、茎叶干生物量和根茎比也最高。     

固定效应对槟榔江水牛体重影响的研究

[目的]槟榔江水牛为我国目前为止发现的唯一本土河流型水牛,具有产奶性能高、肉用性能好的特点,为了进一步阐明槟榔江水牛的生长发育规律,本文收集云南腾冲县巴福乐槟榔江水牛2004~2011年生长发育数据资料,研究性别、月份和年度等固定效应对体重的影响。[方法]应用SAS分析性别、月份、年度等非遗传因素对槟榔江水牛体重的影响,并且用MTDFREML软件分析了固定效应值。[结果]本研究结果表明,槟榔江水牛性别对初生重具有显著影响,公犊平均初生重(35.04kg)显著高于母犊(32.63kg);月份对母牛初生重没有显著影响,公牛的效应值比母牛的较大。[结论]月份对槟榔江水牛的体重有显著的影响,可能与饲料的季节性供给有关。     

Growth,feed efficiency and blood profile of buffalo calves consuming high levels of fluoride

Twelve male buffalo calves of 10 to 12 months of age were divided into 3 groups of four each. They were fed wheat straw+concentrate mixture +3 Kg greens. The chemical composition of the diet was same in all the three groups except fluoride which was added (as NaF) in concentrate mixture of group B and C to make the final fluoride concentration 30 ppm and 60 ppm respectively. The animals were kept on scheduled diet for a period of 90 days. Body weights were recorded at the start of the experiment and at fortnightly interval thereafter. Analysis of data revealed that the dry matter intake decreased non significantly in group B and C as compared to control group. A significant decrease in serum calcium and a significant increase in phosphorus concentration were observed in group C animals. A significant increase was observed in alkaline phosphatase activity in group C animals. A non significant decrease was observed in T₄ values in group C animals. On the basis of these results it could be concluded that fluoride in the diet of buffalo calves @ 30 ppm is a safe level whereas 60 ppm has affected the blood metabolites.