The influence of temperature and age on the T1 relaxation time of the equine distal limb

The extent of fat suppression using short tau inversion recovery (STIR) imaging is variable between horses. Our aim was to determine if patient's age and/or hoof temperature have an influence on the T(1) relaxation time of bone marrow in the equine distal limb, thereby affecting the suppression of fat signal. Magnetic resonance imaging was conducted on standing horses and cadaver samples using a low-field magnet (0.27 T). The hoof temperature was measured at the lateral side of the coronary band. A modified inversion recovery fast spin-echo (IR-FSE) sequence was used to measure the signal intensity for a range of inversion times (TIs) at six different regions of interest (ROI): (1) distal aspect of the proximal phalanx, (2) proximal aspect of the middle phalanx, (3) distal aspect of the middle phalanx, (4) navicular bone, (5) proximal aspect of the distal phalanx, and (6) distal aspect of the distal phalanx. The T(1) of the bone marrow in the equine distal limb was calculated from the results and was found to increase by 3.13 ± 0.08 (SE) ms/°C. There was no significant effect of age (2-16 years) but the T(1) values measured from the limbs of young (< 1 year) animals were considerably longer (32.6 ± 1.7 (SE) ms). Similar effects of temperature and age were found for all measured ROIs but there were significant differences in the mean values of T(1) , ranging from +7.7 (distal aspect of the distal phalanx) to -13.2 ms (distal aspect of the proximal phalanx).     

CD3+ and BLA.36+ cells do not occur in the epidermis and adnexal epithelia of normal equine skin

A small population of resident T lymphocytes is present in the healthy human and murine epidermis. However, resident epidermal lymphocytes have not been reported in normal skin of the horse. Skin biopsy specimens from the normal skin of 27 horses were examined histologically and immunohistochemically for the presence of lymphocytes, CD3+ cells and BLA.36+ cells in epidermis and adnexal epithelia. All examinations were negative. It appears that lymphocytes occur rarely, if at all, in the epidermis and adnexal epithelia of normal horse skin. Hence, the presence of lymphocytes in these structures should be considered abnormal.     

Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) integrins αvβ3 and αvβ6 as FMDV receptors: Molecular cloning, sequence analysis and comparison with other species

Integrins are heterodimeric adhesion receptors that participate in a variety of cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix protein interactions. Many integrins recognize RGD sequences displayed on extracellular matrix proteins and the exposed loops of viral capsid proteins. Four members of the αv integrin family of cellular receptors, αvβ3, αvβ6, αvβ1 and αvβ8, have been identified as receptors for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in vitro, and integrins are believed to be the receptors used to target epithelial cells in the infected animals. To analyse the roles of the αv integrins from a susceptible species as viral receptors, we have cloned Bactrian camel αv, β3 and β6 integrin cDNAs and compared them to those of other species. The coding sequences for Bactrian camel integrin αv, β3 and β6 were found to be 3165, 2289 and 2367 nucleotides in length, encoding 1054, 762 and 788 amino acids, respectively. The Bactrian camel αv, β3 and β6 subunits share many structural features with homologues of other species, including the ligand binding domain and cysteine-rich region. Phylogenetic trees and similarity analyses showed the close relationships of integrin genes from Bactrian camels, pigs and cattle, which are each susceptible to FMDV infection, that were distinct from the orders Rodentia, Primates, Perissodactyla, Carnivora, Galliformes and Xenopus. We postulate that host tropism of FMDV may in part be related to the divergence in integrin subunits among different species.     

Effect of dietary supplementation of fish oil for lactating sows and weaned piglets on piglet Th polarization

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary fish oil supplementation on piglet T helper cells (Th) polarization in relation to its impact on piglet serum interferon γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) concentrations and splenic expression of Th1/Th2 characteristic genes. The diets of 18 gestating sows were supplemented with 7% lard (C) (n = 10) or 7% fish oil (T) (n = 8) from 10 d before parturition to weaning. At weaning, a split plot experiment was designed, 56 piglets, 28 each from sows fed with fish oil diet or lard diet, were divided into four groups of 7 replicates (one female and one castrated male per replicate) based on both sow diet during lactation and post-weaning piglet diet (C had 7% lard and T had 7% fish oil): CC, CT, TC, TT, and were fed the 7% fish oil or lard diet from day 35 to day 70. Serum concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-10, and Th1/Th2 related genes expression levels in spleen were measured and analyzed. The results showed that piglets fed with fish oil diet during post-weaning tended to have higher serum IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio (P = 0.09) than lard diet fed piglets. Lactation fish oil feeding increased splenic IL-12b, IL-12 receptor β2 (IL-12Rβ2), IL-2 and IFN-γ genes expression (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and post-weaning fish oil feeding increased splenic IL-12b (P = 0.06), IL-2 (P < 0.01) and IFN-γ (P = 0.08) mRNA expression than that in lard diet fed piglets at the end of this experiment. On the other hand, IL-4 gene expression (P = 0.01) in spleen was lower in weaned piglet from fish oil diet fed sows than that from lard diet fed sows. However, post-weaning piglets fed fish oil diet had higher splenic IL-4 (P = 0.06), IL-6 (P < 0.01) and IL-10 (P = 0.05) mRNA abundances than that fed with lard diet. These results indicated that dietary fish oil during lactation could increase Th1 polarization and accelerate immune maturation; while 7% fish oil in weaned piglets' diet was likely to increase Th2 cytokines expression.     

"兰箭3号"春箭筈豌豆叶绿体全基因组草图及特征分析

箭筈豌豆(Vicia sativa)是自花授粉的二倍体一年生豆科牧草,可为我国高海拔地区的反刍动物提供优质蛋白粗饲料。以"兰箭3号"春箭筈豌豆为研究对象,采用DNase I法纯化叶绿体,利用第二代高通量测序平台Illumina Hiseq2000进行测序,并对"兰箭3号"叶绿体全基因组序列的结构特征进行分析。结果表明,"兰箭3号"叶绿体基因组仅包括一个单拷贝的反向重复序列,其叶绿体全基因组大小为121 883bp,共编码了109个基因,包括4个核糖体RNA(rRNA)基因,29个转运RNA(tRNA)基因,75个蛋白质编码基因和1个假基因。"兰箭3号"在叶绿体基因组结构、基因种类、排列顺序上与其它豆科植物基本一致。其叶绿体全基因组序列已在GenBank注册,序列号为KU053796。"兰箭3号"叶绿体全基因组测序的成功为叶绿体分子生物学研究奠定了基础,并可有效地促进箭筈豌豆遗传育种和分子进化研究。     

水貂TYR基因T138A位点多态性及其与毛色性状的关联分析

试验旨在检测水貂酪氨酸酶（tyrosinase,TYR）基因T138A位点的多态性,并分析其与水貂毛色表型的相关性。提取5种被毛色型430只水貂血液基因组DNA,采用PCR-RFLP技术,对TYR基因T138A位点进行多态性检测,统计等位基因频率与基因型频率,通过卡方（χ²）独立性检验分析该位点多态性与水貂毛色性状的相关性。结果表明,T138A位点存在2个等位基因T和A,形成TT、TA和AA 3种基因型,AA基因型在吉林白水貂群体中为优势基因型（0.9069）,而TT基因型为金州黑水貂、珍珠水貂、咖啡水貂和银蓝水貂群体的优势基因型,其中在金州黑水貂群体中基因型频率最高（1.0000）。关联分析表明,TYR基因T138A位点的多态性与毛色性状呈极显著相关（P<0.0001）。表明TYR基因T138A位点可能是影响水貂毛色的主控位点或与调控白色被毛表型主控位点连锁的分子标记。     

鸵鸟红细胞免疫功能研究

应用红细胞Ｃ３ｂ受体花环（Ｃ３ｂＲＲ）和免疫复合物花环（ＩＣＲ）试验,证实鸵鸟红细胞表面存在补体Ｃ３ｂ受体（Ｃ３ｂｒｅｃｅｐｔｏｒ,Ｃ３ｂＲ）,表明红细胞免疫系统（Ｒｃｄｃｅｌｉｍｍｕｎｅｓｙｓｔｅｍ,ＲＣＩＳ）的概念亦适用于这种动物;鸵鸟红细胞不但有传统医学观念上的功能,而且还可借助ＣＲ１（ＣｏｍｐｌｅｍｅｎｔｒｅｃｃｐｔｏｒｔｙｐｅＩ）进行免疫粘附,并以此为基础,表现出各种重要的免疫功能。     

覆盖和粮草间作对作物氮素吸收利用和土壤硝态氮累积的影响

为了减少普通地膜和氮肥的投入,实现该地区农业生态良性循环和土壤的可持续利用,在甘肃武威试验站采用完全随机裂区设计,研究了不同种植模式（玉米单作、玉米//毛苕子和玉米//箭筈豌豆）和覆盖方式（普通地膜覆盖、生物可降解地膜覆盖、秸秆覆盖和无覆盖）对玉米和绿肥作物氮素吸收以及土壤硝态氮累积的影响。结果表明：覆盖和间作对作物的氮素吸收利用具有显著促进作用。玉米收获期,与无覆盖相比,普通地膜覆盖、生物可降解地膜覆盖和秸秆覆盖的玉米植株吸氮量分别增加21.46%,11.22%和34.63%,与玉米单作相比,玉米//毛苕子和玉米//箭筈豌豆的玉米吸氮量分别增加6.94%和6.26%。玉米收获期,秸秆覆盖的牧草植株吸氮量较普通地膜覆盖、生物可降解地膜覆盖和无覆盖分别增加46.75%,72.31%和21.76%,间作毛苕子的吸氮量较间作箭筈豌豆增加25.26%。玉米收获期,各处理玉米带、牧草（裸露）带0～140cm土壤硝态氮累积量均低于牧草收获期,无论牧草收获期还是玉米收获期,单作玉米的玉米带、裸露带土壤硝态氮累积量均低于间作玉米。玉米收获期,普通地膜覆盖和生物可降解地膜覆盖的玉米带0~140cm土壤硝态氮累积量较无覆盖分别显著增加32.87%和27.82%,普通地膜覆盖的牧草（裸露）带0～140cm土壤硝态氮累积量较生物可降解地膜覆盖、秸秆覆盖和无覆盖分别增加9.17%、6.07%和35.45%。     

灭虫精对西施舌幼贝的毒性试验

在静水条件下,进行灭虫精对西施舌幼贝的毒性试验,试验结果显示:灭虫精对西施舌幼贝24 h致死浓度LC100为400 ms／L,半数致死浓度LC100为250 mg/L,安全浓度为2．50mg／L;48h致死浓度为260 mg／L,半数致死浓度LC50为224ms／L,安全浓度为2．24mg／L。灭虫精用于西施舌人工育苗过程中桡足类等敌害生物防治,具有较强的可用性。根据试验结果,建议使用2 mg／L浓度的灭虫精进行防治,可达到显著效果。