Laboratory and on‐farm evaluation of low‐cost salt mixtures for use during salinity acclimation and the nursery phase of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

The current study evaluates the efficacy of a low‐cost salt mixture (LCSM) to replace expensive reconstituted sea salt (RSS) in the salinity acclimation and nursery phase of Pacific white shrimp under laboratory and farm conditions. LCSM was formulated to yield sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium concentrations closely comparable to that of diluted seawater. Laboratory‐based nursery trials were conducted at 2, 6 and 15 g/L salinities, incrementally replacing RSS with LCSM (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) at four replicates per treatment. Thirty postlarvae were reared for 7 days in 24‐L aquaria during the 2 and 6 g/L trials, while the nursery trial for 15 g/L salinity was conducted for 21 days with 400 postlarvae stocked in 150‐L tanks. On‐farm evaluation of LCSM was carried out in two tank‐based systems installed on levees adjacent to shrimp production ponds. RSS was incrementally replaced with LCSM (0%, 50%, 75% and 100%) and 100 postlarvae stocked into each 800‐L tank. Salinity acclimation was done from 30 g/L to 6 or 1.5 g/L within 2–3 days by pumping water from adjacent shrimp production ponds. Following salinity acclimation, the S4 system maintained flow‐through at 1.5 g/L, while N10 system was maintained static at 6 g/L salinity. At the conclusion, no significant differences were observed for either survival or growth of shrimp postlarvae between RSS and LCSM treatments at all salinities examined. Results reflect the potential use of LCSM to replace RSS, which could be an excellent solution to bring down the cost of production in inland shrimp aquaculture.     

Seasonal patterns of downstream movement in partially migratory stream‐dwelling Dolly Varden

Migration is a common behaviour among salmonids, but not all individuals within a population migrate, instead becoming residents and remaining in their natal streams. This phenomenon, known as “partial migration,” is well studied among sea‐run and lake‐run populations; however, the lower migratory benefits and costs for mainstem‐run individuals question whether the same mechanisms can be applied for stream‐dwelling salmonids. In this study, we investigated main stem‐run timing and body condition of partially migratory stream‐dwelling Dolly Varden charr (Salvelinus malma) in the Shiisorapuchi River in central Hokkaido, Japan. Based on commonly observed patterns in sea‐run and lake‐run salmonids, we predicted that migration would occur during spring and consist predominantly of age 1 +  females with some small subordinate males. Traps were placed at the mouths of two small tributaries along the Shiisorapuchi River periodically from May to December 2015. Adipose fin samples were taken for DNA to sex the individuals. Consistent to initial predictions, downstream movement occurs only once in the spring, dominated by age‐1 +  females. Trapped fishes (presumed migrants) were slightly longer but slimmer compared to the fish caught in the tributaries (presumed resident), which may be equivalent to smolts in anadromous populations. Regardless of migratory habitat, mechanisms driving partial migration in salmonids may be the same as long as production between natal stream and feeding habitats is significantly different.     

The Effects of a Natural Antibiotic Alternative and a Natural Growth Promoter Feed Additive on Broiler Performance and Carcass Quality

The use of subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in poultry feed improves performance and morbidity in broiler chickens. However, consumer pressure related to the potential development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has resulted in the development of nonantibiotic feed additives that may also improve broiler performance. Essential oils, organic acids, and phytogenic compounds enhance production of gastric secretions, stimulate blood circulation, and reduce levels of pathogenic bacteria. The objective of the current study was to assess the use of Biostrong 505+ and Biostrong 510 as natural growth promoters in broiler chickens. Assessment was based on the performance and carcass quality of broilers fed either a maximum-yield or a least-cost commercial broiler diet. The maximum-yield diet improved broiler performance and carcass quality. Biostrong 505+ can be used to improve feed conversion and breast yield when incorporated into diets devoid of antibiotics. This improvement in feed conversion and breast yield was accentuated when Biostrong 505+ was used in conjunction with a maximum-yield diet. Biostrong 510 improved feed conversion when used in poultry diets containing antibiotics.     

基于交变应力的碳纤维杉木复合材蠕变性能研究

采用基于交变应力的抗弯试验方法对碳纤维杉木复合材在干、湿环境条件下的短期蠕变性能进行研究。结果表明：Burger模型可较精确地模拟复合材的短期弯曲蠕变性能;湿环境下复合材蠕变量显著大于干环境,温度及相对湿度是影响蠕变的重要因素;在应力变化周期为1h时,交变应力下蠕变量稍低于恒定应力水平,交变应力未加速蠕变的进程;在湿环境中高应力水平下复合材蠕变速率最大,较短时间便出现压溃破坏,在复合材设计应用时,应综合考虑环境状态及应力水平的影响,将应力水平极值控制在极限应力的40%以内。     

Noninferiority trial investigating the efficacy of a nonantibiotic intramammary therapy in the treatment of mild‐to‐moderate clinical mastitis in dairy cows with longer lasting udder diseases

A nonblinded, positively controlled, noninferiority trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of an alternative, nonantibiotic therapy with Masti Veyxym^® to reduce ineffective antibiotic usage in the treatment of nonsevere clinical mastitis (CM) in cows with longer lasting udder diseases. The solely intramammary treatment with Masti Veyxym^® (three applications, 12 hr apart) and the combined treatment with Masti Veyxym^® and antibiotics as usual on the farm according to label of the respective product were compared with the reference treatment of solely antibiotic therapy. The matched field study was conducted on eight free‐stall dairy farms located in Eastern Germany. Cases of mild‐to‐moderate CM in cows with longer lasting high somatic cell counts in preceding dairy herd improvement test days and with previous CM cases in current lactation were randomly allocated to one of the three treatment groups. A foremilk sample of the affected quarter was taken before treatment and again approximately 14 days and 21 days after the end of therapy for cyto‐bacteriological examination. Primary outcomes were clinical cure (CC) and no CM recurrence within 60 days after the end of treatment (no R60). Bacteriological cure (BC) and quarter somatic cell count (QSCC) cure were chosen as secondary outcomes although low probabilities of BC and QSCC cure for selected cows were expected. The study resulted in the following findings: the pathogens mostly cultured from pretreatment samples were Streptococcus uberis, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase‐negative staphylococci. There were no significant differences between the two test treatments in comparison with the reference treatment regarding all outcome variables. The sole therapy with Masti Veyxym^® resulted in a numerically lower likelihood of BC without significant differences to the reference treatment. The combined therapy group showed a numerically higher nonrecurrence rate than the two other treatment groups and noninferiority compared to the reference treatment was proven. Having regard to the selection criteria of cows in this study, the findings indicated that sole treatment with Masti Veyxym^® in nonsevere CM cases may constitute an alternative therapy to reduce antibiotics. However, noninferiority evaluations were mostly inconclusive. Further investigations with a larger sample size are required to confirm the results and to make a clear statement on noninferiority.     

基于RNA–Seq五指山猪背最长肌基因表达差异分析

为完善五指山猪基因结构和发掘新基因,采用转录组测序(RNA–Seq)技术对6、8月龄五指山猪背最长肌组织转录组进行分析。经过质量控制,分别得到65 683 578条(6月龄)和65 464 156条(8月龄)有效序列;与猪基因组比对后发现,转录本序列分别为20 102、25 719个;通过与各数据库进行序列对比,功能基因分别有18 206、18 374个;朋6、8月龄五指山猪样品中预测的新转录本分别有687、737个,长度为180~14 884 bp,新转录本最少的仅含有1个外显子,而最长的包含40个外显子;新预测的可变剪接分别有28 670、32 940个,内含子保留(intron retention,IR)模型在6月龄五指山猪中的数量最多,而在8月龄猪中却以外显子跳跃(skipped exon,SE)剪切模型为主;对6 932个(6月龄)和7 110个(8月龄)基因结构进行优化,分别有2 785、2 950个基因3'端发生了延伸,4 147、4 160个基因5'端发生了延伸;分别筛选出103 250个(6月龄)和110 545个(8月龄)SNP位点,均以转换型SNP位点数量居多。     

水稻基因OsAFC2参与mRNA可变剪切调控

mRNA的可变剪切受到SR蛋白磷酸化水平的精确调控,AFC2作为SR蛋白激酶,能够影响mRNA可变剪切。在水稻RNAi突变体库中发现一个Os AFC2基因沉默突变体,进一步研究显示该基因定位于细胞核内,在水稻的各个组织部位均有表达,其中在叶片中表达量较高,在茎中表达量较低。与对照相比,在Os AFC2抑制表达的植株中,检测到的可变剪切数量明显增加,表明Os AFC2参与水稻细胞核中mRNA可变剪切的调控。     

北京鸭腹部脂肪组织的转录组特征分析

鸭的基因组序列虽已释放,但其基因组信息,尤其是转录组信息仍需进一步开发。文章利用转录组测序分析了鸭的腹部脂肪组织转录组特征。共获得203 200 984个高质量测序数据,鉴定出18 464个基因表达（RPKM≥1）,其中96.9%的基因RPKM值小于1 000。15 070个基因发生了可变剪切,剪切次数为35 913次。统计可变剪切类型发现,内含子保留所占比例最低,占所有可变剪切类型的1.17%,而第一外显子可变剪切、末端外显子可变剪切、外显子跳跃依次是3种比例最高的可变剪切类型,比例分别为45.92%, 43.67%和6.23%。此外,利用这批转录组数据共检测出229 276个SNPs,其中转换是最主要的突变类型,占所有SNPs的73.28%。对SNP所在基因进行功能注释(GO)发现,这些基因涉及细胞组分、分子功能、生物学过程3大功能类别中广泛的生物功能,表明该研究开发的SNPs较为全面;通路分析（KEGG）发现,SNPs所在基因除了富集于脂类、能量代谢相关通路,更多的基因则富集于癌症、免疫以及内分泌系统相关的通路上,表明脂肪组织除了是能量储备组织,同时也是重要的免疫、内分泌组织。这些数据拓展了鸭的遗传信息,建立的SNPs数据库将有助于鸭分子标记辅助育种及功能基因定位。与癌症、免疫相关的SNPs可为癌症及免疫学研究提供候选遗传标记。     

可变剪接的理论工作研究进展

pre-mRNA的可变剪接是调控真核生物基因表达以及蛋白质多样性的重要机制,使得可变剪接与组织分化或疾病发生有密切联系。从序列水平和表达水平对可变剪接的理论工作研究进展做了介绍,主要由相关数据库和常见的生物信息学方法两部分组成。