Comparison of N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide and three cardiac biomarkers for discriminatory ability of clinical stage in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

Plasma N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) concentration increases with progression of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs. This multicentre, prospective study compared plasma NT-proANP, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), ANP, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations in dogs with MMVD for their characteristics and discriminatory ability to detect cardiac dilatation and congestive heart failure (CHF). Thirty-six healthy dogs and 69 dogs with MMVD were included. Clinical variables were obtained via physical examination, thoracic radiography, and echocardiography. The discriminatory ability of each cardiac biomarker (CB) to determine the presence or absence of cardiac dilatation (event 1) and CHF (event 2) was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curves. Plasma NT-proANP, NT-proBNP, and ANP concentrations showed a significant association with the left atrium/aorta ratio (P<0.01). The area under the curve of plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations were 0.72 and 0.75, respectively in event1 and 0.72 and 0.76, respectively in event2. Plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations showed sensitivity 80.0 and 80.0%; specificity 67.6 and 64.7% in event1 (cutoff value; 8,497.81 pg/ml and 1,453.00 pmol/l, respectively) and sensitivity 85.7 and 81.0%; specificity 60.4 and 64.6% in event2 (cutoff value; 8,684.33 pg/ml and 1,772.00 pmol/l, respectively). In dogs with MMVD, plasma NT-proANP, NT-proBNP, and ANP concentrations increase with left atrial enlargement. Particularly, plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations appeared to be equally useful in the discriminatory ability to detect cardiac dilatation and CHF.     

发酵豆粕在犊牛饲料中的应用进展

豆粕是一种优质的植物性蛋白来源,含有丰富的氨基酸,但也含有胰蛋白酶抑制因子、抗原蛋白以及大豆凝集素等抗营养因子,容易引起犊牛消化功能紊乱,造成营养性腹泻,限制了其在犊牛上的使用量。微生物发酵可以改善豆粕的营养价值,使抗营养因子得到充分的降解,生成的小肽和有机酸有利于犊牛消化吸收和肠道健康,进而提高犊牛断奶日增重和免疫能力,降低犊牛的腹泻率和断奶应激。本文综述了豆粕经过发酵后带来营养价值的变化,并就发酵豆粕在犊牛上的应用进行概述,为其今后在犊牛中的应用提供参考。     

Effects of periodical application of bioactive peptides derived from cottonseed on performance,immunity, total antioxidant activity of serum and intestinal development of broilers

This experiment aimed to examine the effect of periodical application of bioactive peptides derived from cottonseed (BPC) in comparison with using sub-therapeutic doses of lincomycin and the excessive inclusion of vitamin E on performance, immunity, total antioxidant capacity of serum and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 240 one-d-old male broiler chicks with similar initial weight (Ross strain) were randomly assigned to 6 groups (8 chicks/pen): non-treated group (basal diet), basal diet supplemented with 2 mg/kg lincomycin, basal diet supplemented with 50 IU vitamin E, basal diet supplemented with 6 g BPC/kg in starter period, basal diet supplemented with 6 g BPC/kg in starter and grower periods and basal diet supplemented with 6 g BPC/kg throughout the whole experiment. The highest final body weight was obtained in the group supplemented with BPC in starter and grower periods. In the finisher phase, broilers fed the diet containing BPC in the starter period and in the whole trial had significantly (P < 0.05) better feed conversion ratios (FCR). Jejunal villus height was significantly elevated in broilers supplemented with antibiotic (P < 0.001), furthermore it tended to be greater in broilers fed BPC in the starter period. The jejunal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in broilers fed the diet containing antibiotic in comparison to other groups. Humoral immune response against Newcastle disease vaccine tended to be elevated in broilers fed the diet containing BPC in the whole trial (P > 0.05). Broilers supplemented with BPC in starter and grower, and in the whole trial had significantly (P < 0.05) higher antibody titers against sheep red blood cells (SRBC). The highest total antioxidant capacity was obtained in broilers supplemented with the excessive level of vitamin E, furthermore it tended to improve in broilers fed the diet containing BPC in the whole trial. In summary, the results of the study indicated that addition of BPC in broiler diets in the whole trial could improve FCR, immune responses and total antioxidant activity of serum, and BPC could be used in broiler diets as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics.     

Improvement of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for equine herpesvirus type 4 by using a synthetic-peptide 24-mer repeat sequence of glycoprotein G as an antigen

To increase the sensitivity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) that uses a 12-mer peptide of glycoprotein G (gG4-12-mer: MKNNPIYSEGSL) [4], we used a longer peptide consisting of a 24-mer repeat sequence (gG4-24-mer: MKNNPIYSEGSLMLNVQHDDSIHT) as an antigen. Sera of horses experimentally infected with EHV-4 reacted much more strongly to the gG4-24-mer peptide than to the gG4-12-mer peptide. We used peptide ELISAs to test paired sera from horses naturally infected with EHV-4 (n=40). gG4-24-mer ELISA detected 37 positive samples (92.5%), whereas gG4-12-mer ELISA detected only 28 (70.0%). gG4-24-mer ELISA was much more sensitive than gG4-12-mer ELISA.     

植物抗软腐病基因工程的策略及研究进展

通过基因工程的手段提高植物对软腐病的抗性已被认为是一条切实可行的途径。目前已有大量研究证实,利用植物与病原菌互作的相关基因、病原菌致病性的相关基因以及杀菌肽基因可以或有望提高植物对软腐病的抗性。文章对以上几个方面及相关的抗软腐病基因工程的一些策略与研究进展进行了论述。     

基于亲水相互作用液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱法研究白茶萎凋过程中代谢物的变化

采用亲水相互作用液相色谱-三重四极杆质谱法,对白茶鲜叶(F)和室内萎凋处理29 h(W)、53 h(P)的2个萎凋样进行了代谢物靶向检测,Quality control(QC)样本中共检测到111个代谢物,主要包括47种氨基酸及其衍生物、29种核酸类代谢物、12种维生素和辅酶、17种糖代谢物和6种甘油磷脂代谢物。与鲜叶F相比,萎凋叶W和P中显著增加的代谢物分别有39种和41种,其中共有代谢物35种;显著降低的代谢物分别有9种和11种,其中共有代谢物8种。显著变化代谢物分析结果表明,萎凋叶的细胞膜受损、DNA和RNA降解、氨基酸衍生物显著增加、糖代谢异常。根据代谢物含量的变化幅度和组成特异性,筛选了表征萎凋叶细胞膜生理状态和核酸、糖代谢的标志代谢物。此外,针对代谢物中氨基酸和核苷酸的组成特点,提出了研究氨基酸衍生物滋味特性的必要性和应用代谢谱分析建立萎凋工艺适度标准的可能性。     

Identifying and Characterizing a Novel Peritrophic Matrix Protein (MdPM-17) Associated With Antibacterial Response From the Housefly,Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

Peritrophic matrix/membrane (PM) critically prevents the midgut of insects from external invasion by microbes. The proteins in the peritrophic membrane are its major structural components. Additionally, they determine the formation and function of this membrane. However, the role of PM proteins in immune regulation is unclear. Herein, we isolated a novel PM protein (MdPM-17) from Musca domestica larvae. Further, the function of MdPM-17 in regulating host innate immunity was identified. Results showed that the cDNA of MdPM-17 full is 635 bp in length. Moreover, it consists of a 477-bp open reading frame encoding 158 amino acid residues. These amino acid residues are composed of two Chitin-binding type-2 domain (ChtBD2) and 19 amino acids as a signal peptide. Moreover, tissue distribution analysis indicates that MdPM-17 was enriched expressed in midgut, and moderate levels in the fat body, foregut, and malpighian tubule. Notably, MdPM-17 recombinant protein showed high chitin-binding capacity, thus belongs to the Class III PM protein group. MdPM-17 protein silencing via RNA interference resulted in the expression of antimicrobial peptide (defensin, cecropins, and diptericin) genes, and this occurred after oral inoculation with exogenous microbes Escherichia coli (Enterobacteriales:Enterobacteriaceae), Staphylococcus aureus (Bacillales:Staphylococcaceae), and Candida albicans (Endomycetales:Saccharomycetaceae)). Therefore, all the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gene expression levels are high in MdPM-17-depleted larvae during microbial infection compared to controls. Consequently, these findings indicate that MdPM-17 protein is associated with the antibacterial response from the housefly.     

基于叶绿体DNA分析的楸子种质遗传多样性研究

利用4对叶绿体DNA引物扩增49份楸子[Malus prunifolia（Willd.）Borkh.]种质资源的4个叶绿体DNA基因间区trnH-psbA、trnS-trnG spacer + intron、trnT-5′trnL和5′trnL-trnF序列,基于4个叶绿体DNA基因间区的序列变异,从母系遗传的角度评价楸子的遗传多样性水平。结果显示：4个叶绿体DNA基因间区序列经测序、拼接、比对和合并之后的片段长度为3 790 bp,共有173个多态性变异位点,其中包含2个单一突变位点、20个简约信息位点和151个插入/缺失位点。在49份楸子种质中,trnH-psbA、trnS-trnG spacer + intron、trnT-5′trnL和5′trnL-trnF区域的变异位点的数量分别为26个、25个、120个和2个,单倍型数量分别为9个、7个、8个和3个,合并之后的叶绿体DNA片段的单倍型有14个。核苷酸多样性和单倍型多样性最高的区域均为trnH-psbA（Hd = 0.775,Pi = 0.02143）,最低的为5′trnL-trnF（Hd = 0.481,Pi = 0.00072）。49份楸子种质4个叶绿体DNA区域合并后的遗传多样性较高（Hd = 0.854,Pi = 0.00949）。Tajima’s D检验中,4个叶绿体DNA区域在P > 0.10水平上均不显著,楸子的4个叶绿体DNA区域在进化上遵循中性进化模型。楸子的遗传变异主要存在于群体内部,不同居群间基因交流频繁,多数居群间遗传分化较少,与地理距离不完全相关。     

精准扶贫的逻辑形成基础与研究维度述评

党的十八大以来,学术界围绕精准扶贫理论与实践的研究,成果丰硕。精准扶贫理论来源和其形成背景,构成了精准扶贫的逻辑形成基础。梳理关于精准扶贫的相关研究,可以归纳出精准扶贫的概念界定和内涵特征、实践模式和路径、精准扶贫实施过程中的问题等研究维度。考察学术界现有研究发现,研究中缺乏互动式辩论,实证性研究较少等,针对这些问题进行深化研究有助于在我国扶贫工作的冲刺期构建更有针对性的扶贫机制。