Role of calcineurin in airway remodeling in guinea pig model of asthma

AIM:To investigate the role of calcineurin (CaN) in airway remodeling in guinea pig model of asthma.METHODS:Male guinea pigs were randomly divided into three groups: control, asthma group and CsA group. The following parameters were measured: 1. The protein content, cell count and differential count of BALF; 2. The amount of [³H]-TdR incorporation into central airway smooth muscle; 3. The mean thickness of airway wall and airway smooth muscle of small airwaysl; 4.CaN activity of trachea and lung tissue.RESULTS:1. The protein content, cell count and eosinophil of BALF in CsA group were 46%, 51% and 60% lower than those in asthma group, respectively (P＜0.01); 2. [³H]-TdR incorporation in CsA group was 22% lower than that in asthma group (P＜0.05);3. The mean thickness of airway wall and airway smooth muscle were 34% and 37% less in CsA group than those in asthma group, respectively (P＜0.01); 4. CaN activity of lung tissue and trachea were 52% and 44% lower in CsA group than those in asthma group, respectively (P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:CsA reduced airway remodeling in guinea pig model of asthma, indicating the role of CaN in the airway remodeling.     

Changes of intracellular potassium activity and membrane potential in guinea pig ventricular myocardium during superfusion with low sodium solutions and effects of low pH

AIM:To investigate the changes in intracellular potassium activity(aⁱK) and membrane potential(V_m) induced by low external sodium infusion (Low [Na]_o) and to detect the mechanisms involved and the relationship between aⁱK and V_m. METHODS:aⁱK and V_m were measured in infusion with different sodium concentrations using methods of convenient and ion selective microelectrodes in guinea pig ventricular myocardium. RESULTS:Low [Na]_o resulted in a decrease in aⁱK and an increase in V_m in a Na⁺ concentration-dependent manner.At the same time,contraction and resting potential increased, and action potential duration decreased markedly,but action potential amplitude was not affected. A change of the pH from 7.4 to 7.0 in low [Na]_o solution reduced the decrease in aⁱK, but did not affect the increase in V_m.CONCLUSION:A better linear relationship appeared between the changes in aⁱk and [Na]_o or in V_m and [Na]_o,while during each low [Na]_o the change in both aⁱK or V_m may reach a new balance level.     

大米粉的猪回肠氨基酸真消化率测定

大米加工副产品大米粉长期以来被添加到米糠中利用，显著降低了其利用率。本试验用三头施以回直肠吻合术猪，采用单因子设计，以大米粉为半纯合日粮，无氮日粮由醋酸纤维素提供粗纤维来测定内源值，测定了大米粉的猪回肠末端氨基酸表观消化率和真消化率。大米粉的回肠末端氨基酸的表观消化率的平均值为76．20％，真消化率的平均值为85.86％。这些数据可为我国氨基酸消化率数据库提供参考，并且可作为以可消化氨基酸为基础配制日粮时的依据。     

Including an additional systematic environmental effect within a generation in an evaluation model improves accuracy of prediction of breeding values in a closed herd of pigs

The present study evaluated the advantage of mixed‐model techniques over a selection index under different magnitudes of an additional systematic environmental effect (ASEE) in terms of accuracy of prediction and expected genetic gain. The data attempted to simulate a closed herd in a pig breeding program. The base population (G₀) consisted of 10 males and 50 females. Six generations (G₀ to G₅) were selected by using a selection index of three traits without overlapping. Additional systematic environmental constants with four levels in a generation were assigned from a uniform distribution at different ranges. Breeding values of animals in the last generation (G₅) were estimated on the basis of an index of individual phenotype (SI‐U), SI‐U adjusted for ASEE using a least‐squares mean (SI‐A), best linear unbiased prediction using an animal model excluding ASEE (AM‐E), and an animal model including ASEE (AM‐I). Accuracy of prediction and expected genetic gain were larger by the animal model than by the selection index, even if heritability of the traits selected was high and ASEE was set to zero. When ASEE was zero, the accuracy of prediction and expected genetic gain given by SI‐U and AM‐I were similar to those given by SI‐A and AM‐E, respectively. However, the differences in accuracy and expected gain between SI‐U and AI‐A and between AM‐I and AM‐E increased as the range of ASEE increased. It was concluded that selection based on an animal model was more effective than index selection, even if the herd environment was uniform and traits with high heritability were selected, and that it should be always included in an evaluation model, however slight any systematic environmental effect may be in a closed herd.     

生长肥育猪骨骼肌注射表达pGRF基因质粒的效应研究

将猪的GRF基因表达质粒注射于猪的骨骼肌后,研究其促生长效应与机理。选用始重6.3kg的44头去势长白×太湖仔猪,分6组,采用2×3因子安排的完全随机区组设计,按6～10kg、10～20kg、20～50kg、50～100kg4个阶段饲养。4个饲养阶段的饲粮低蛋白水平分别是20.70%,17.90%,15.03%,13.00%;高蛋白水平分别是23.70%,20.90%,18.02%,16.00%。pGRF基因质粒注射剂量设0mg、0.5mg、1.0mg3个水平,于试验开始与试验猪体重达60kg时共注射基因质粒2次。测定各阶段日增重,饲料消耗量,耗料增重比以及30、70、100kg时血液中GH、GRF、IGF-I的浓度。100kg时屠宰进行胴体品质测定。结果表明:饲粮蛋白水平对各阶段及全期试验猪日增重均有显著影响(P<0.05或P<0.01),对50～100kg阶段与全期日采食量和耗料增重比有显著影响(P<0.05或P<0.01)。注射pGRF基因质粒对各阶段及全期日增重均有显著影响(P<0.05),对6～10kg、10～20kg、50～100kg3阶段及全期日采食量有显著影响(P<0.05),对6～10kg阶段、50～100kg阶段及全期耗料增重比有显著影响(P<0.05)。注射pGRF基因质粒对30kg及70kg体重时猪血液中GRF、GH、IGF-I浓度均有显著影响(P<0.05)。提高饲粮蛋白水平与注射pGRF基因质粒均可明显降低超声波测膘厚及屠宰测膘厚、增大眼肌面积(P<0.05)。     

黄羽肉鸡育肥期维生素A、E适宜添加量研究

选体重和脚胫颜色度接近的56日龄黄羽肉鸡共960只,随机分为16个处理组,每处理60只鸡。采用双因子4×4水平的随机试验设计,4个维生素A添加水平(0、5000、10000、20000IU/kg)和4个维生素E添加水平(0、30、60、120IU/kg)。结果表明:在维生素A0～10000IU/kg、维生素E0～60IU/kg范围内,黄羽肉鸡的日增重和饲料报酬逐渐提高;日粮维生素A添加量超过10000IU/kg,血浆中维生素E含量有下降趋势。高水平维生素A(20000IU/kg),升高血浆TBARS值,大剂量维生素E(120IU/kg),提高机体脂质稳定性。日粮添加20000IU/kg维生素A对色素的沉积有抑制作用,随维生素E水平的上升,皮肤的颜色指数呈现上升趋势。维生素A和E含量及其互作对血清新城疫抗体效价有显著影响。综合考虑,黄羽肉鸡育肥期维生素A、E的适宜添加量分别为5000～10000IU/kg,30～60IU/kg。     

那西肽对生长肥育猪的作用效果及其在产品中的残留

选择32头30kg左右健康的二元杂交生长猪, 随机分为4组, 每组8头, 个体饲喂, 4组均喂相同的基础饲粮, 但添加不同饲用抗生素,分别是低、高剂量那西肽(10mg/kg、50mg/kg)、盐霉素(30mg/kg) 和对照。猪体重达90kg时, 分别按0、3和7d停药后屠宰, 检测那西肽在样品各器官中的残留量。结果表明: 那西肽可显著提高生长肥育猪的采食量和日增重(P<0 05), 但是对料重比的改善作用不明显; 当检测灵敏度为0 01mg/kg时, 在低、高剂量那西肽组猪的心脏、肝脏、肾脏和背最长肌中, 均未检出那西肽。     

铜对体外仔猪软骨细胞增殖和细胞骨架的影响

体外分离、培养仔猪关节软骨细胞,在细胞培养液中分别添加铜0、7.8、15.6、31.2、62.5μmol/L。结果表明,软骨细胞在4种铜浓度中可存活并增殖,但随铜浓度的增加,其存活率、增殖率、3H-TdR掺入率有明显的差异,且能破坏软骨细胞骨架。培养液中添加铜31.2μmol/L,对软骨细胞的增殖作用最强,增殖率、3H-TdR掺入数显著高于对照组(P<0.01),软骨细胞形态及骨架均正常。表明31.2μmol/L铜浓度是促进体外软骨细胞增殖的最适浓度。     

Amoxicillin—current use in swine medicine

Amoxicillin has become a major antimicrobial substance in pig medicine for the treatment and control of severe, systemic infections such as Streptococcus suis. The minimum inhibitory concentration 90% (MIC 90) is 0.06 μg amoxicillin/ml, and the proposed epidemiological cut‐off value (ECOFF) is 0.5 μg/ml, giving only 0.7% of isolates above the ECOFF or of reduced susceptibility. Clinical breakpoints have not been set for amoxicillin against porcine pathogens yet, hence the use of ECOFFs. It has also been successfully used for bacterial respiratory infections caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida. The ECOFF for amoxicillin against A. pleuropneumoniae is also 0.5 μg/ml demonstrating only a reduced susceptibility in 11.3% of isolates. Similarly, P. multocida had an ECOFF of 1.0 μg/ml and a reduced susceptibility in only 2.6% of isolates. This reduced susceptibility disappears when combined with the beta‐lactamase inhibitor, clavulanic acid, demonstrating that it is primarily associated with beta‐lactamase production. In contrast, amoxicillin is active against Escherichia coli and Salmonella species but using ECOFFs of 8.0 and 4.0 μg/ml, respectively, reduced susceptibility can be seen in 70.9% and 67.7% of isolates. These high levels of reduced susceptibility are primarily due to beta‐lactamase production also, and most of this resistance can be overcome by the combination of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid. Currently, amoxicillin alone is considered an extremely valuable antimicrobial in both human and animal medicine and remains in the critically important category of antibiotics alongside the fluoroquinolones and macrolides by the World Health Organization as well as the third‐ and fourth‐generation cephalosporins, but these cephalosporins show marked resistance to basic beta‐lactamase production and are only destroyed by the extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamases. Amoxicillin alone and in combination with clavulanic acid are currently classed together in Category 2 in the European Union. By reviewing the pharmacodynamic data and comparing this with pharmacokinetic data from healthy and infected animals and clinical trial data, it can be seen that the product has a good efficacy against S. suis and A. pleuropneumoniae, in spite of usage over many years. However, it may be much less efficacious on its own against E. coli, due to reduced susceptibility and resistance associated with beta‐lactamase production, which is largely overcome by the use of clavulanic acid. It is felt that this differentiation may be useful in future classification of amoxicillin alone, in comparison with its combined use with clavulanic acid and thereby preserve the use of the more critically important antibiotics in veterinary medicine and reducing the risk of their resistance being transmitted to human.