Serological response of guinea pigs to oily and aqueous inactivated vaccines containing a Brazilian isolate of the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV)

Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) is widespread in cattle in Brazil and research shows its large antigenic variability. Available vaccines are produced with virus strains isolated in other countries and may not be effective. In this study, inactivated vaccines containing the Brazilian BVDV-Ib IBSP11 isolate were developed and tested on 6 groups of 10 guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). Animals in groups A and C received an aqueous vaccine (aluminum hydroxide); B and D groups received an oily vaccine (Montanide ISA50); Group E positive-control animals were given an imported commercial vaccine with BVDV-Ia Singer; Group F animals were sham vaccinated (negative control). Groups A, B and E received two doses, and Groups C and D, three, every 21 days. Twelve blood samples were taken, at 21-day intervals over 231 days, and evaluated for antibody titer through virus-neutralization (VN), using a homologous strain (IBSP11), and a heterologous strain (BVDV-Ia NADL). Most animals, 42 days following the first dose, seroconverted to both strains and, after the second dose, there was a significant increase of titers in all groups. The oily formulation induced greater response after the third administration. This increase was not observed with the aqueous vaccines, regardless of the virus used in the VN. Antibody decline was more rapid in animals that received aqueous vaccines. The results showed the importance of studying the influence of endemic strains of commercial vaccines, to improve the efficacy of BVD vaccination. Use of the endemic strain in vaccine formulation presented promising results, as well as the use of guinea pigs as a laboratory model.     

Use of serum amyloid A in equine medicine and surgery

Serum amyloid A (SAA) has become an indispensable part of the management of equine patients in general practice and specialized hospital settings. Although several proteins possess acute phase properties in horses, the usefulness of SAA exceeds that of other acute phase proteins. This is due to the highly desirable kinetics of the equine SAA response. SAA concentrations exhibit a rapid and pronounced increase in response to inflammation and a rapid decline after the resolution of inflammation. This facilitates the detection of inflammatory disease and real-time monitoring of inflammatory activity. SAA may be used in all stages of patient management: (1) before diagnosis (to rule in/rule out inflammatory disease), (2) at the time of diagnosis (to assess the severity of inflammation and assist in prognostication), and (3) after diagnosis (to monitor changes in inflammatory activity in response to therapy, with relapse of disease, or with infectious/inflammatory complications). By assessing other acute phase reactants in addition to SAA, clinicians can succinctly stage inflammation. White blood cell counts and serum iron concentration change within hours of an inflammatory insult, SAA within a day, and fibrinogen within 2–3 days; the interrelationship of these markers thus indicates the duration and activity of the inflammatory condition. Much research on the equine SAA response and clinical use has been conducted in the last decade. This is the prerequisite for the evidence-based use of this analyte. However, still today, most published studies involve a fairly low number of horses. To obtain solid evidence for use of SAA, future studies should be designed with larger sample sizes.     

非洲猪瘟病毒免疫逃逸分子机制研究进展

非洲猪瘟(African swine fever,ASF)是由非洲猪瘟病毒(African swine fever virus,ASFV)感染猪引起的一种急性、烈性、高度接触性传染病,至今没有研发出安全有效的疫苗,一旦暴发会造成重大经济损失。ASFV在和宿主长期作用过程中,通过抑制干扰素和炎症反应,调节凋亡、自噬及细胞免疫等多种途径逃逸机体免疫反应促进自身复制,但具体的机制仍不完全清楚。ASFV复杂的免疫逃逸机制可能是阻碍有效疫苗研发的关键因素之一。借助生物信息学技术对ASFV的基因组和蛋白质组深入分析,筛选病毒的免疫调控关键基因和保护性抗原表位,将在ASFV免疫逃逸分子机制的研究与疫苗研发中发挥重要作用。本文主要对ASFV感染引起的免疫应答反应及可能的免疫逃逸机制研究进行概述,以期为ASF疫苗研制及综合防控提供思路。     

内质网应激偶联炎性反应研究进展

内质网是真核细胞蛋白合成和折叠的主要细胞器,当内质网内蛋白合成或折叠负担增加,引起未折叠或错误折叠蛋白增多时,可激活内质网几条特定信号通路,启动未折叠蛋白反应,这对维持细胞稳态有重要意义。越来越多研究表明,多种炎性反应疾病与内质网应激有密切联系。一方面,内质网应激引起的未折叠蛋白反应可以诱发或者抑制炎症,另一方面,炎性反应也能影响蛋白折叠,从而促进或缓解内质网应激。2型糖尿病、肿瘤和动脉粥样硬化等多种重大疾病的病理机制都涉及内质网应激与炎性反应的相互作用,对该问题的深入研究不仅能加深人们对这些疾病发病机制的理解,也有助于相关药物的研发。     

不同生境种源盐地碱蓬幼苗生长发育对盐分胁迫的响应和适应

为探讨盐地碱蓬适应不同生境的生理机制,研究了不同盐分处理(0,200和400 mmol/L的NaCl;0,200和400 mmol/L的KCl)对盐碱地和潮间带两种种源盐地碱蓬的生长发育、植株离子积累、叶片光合荧光指标和植株抗氧化系统的影响。结果表明,与对照相比,200 mmol/L的NaCl处理使盐地碱蓬的地上部鲜重、干重、肉质化程度显著增加,400 mmol/L的NaCl处理和两种浓度的KCl处理使盐地碱蓬的鲜重、干重、肉质化程度显著降低。不同浓度的NaCl处理使盐地碱蓬地上部Na⁺和Cl^-含量显著增加,K⁺含量显著降低;不同浓度的KCl处理使盐地碱蓬地上部K⁺和Cl^-含量显著增加,Na⁺含量显著降低。200 mmol/L的NaCl处理对碱蓬叶片的净光合速率、光合放氧速率、F_v/F_m值和φPSⅡ值无明显影响,而KCl处理则使碱蓬叶片各光合荧光参数显著降低。低浓度(200 mmol/L)NaCl处理使碱蓬SOD活性显著增加,但高浓度(400 mmol/L)NaCl处理和两种浓度的KCl处理均使碱蓬SOD活性显著降低。两种离子的不同浓度处理均使碱蓬POD活性显著增加。潮间带种源盐地碱蓬的地上部鲜重、干重、肉质化程度、光合荧光参数、地上部离子含量(Na⁺和Cl^-)均显著低于盐碱地生境。钾盐对盐地碱蓬的胁迫效应显著大于钠盐。盐碱地生境种源盐地碱蓬对盐分胁迫的响应显著高于潮间带。     

3个棘孢木霉菌株对山新杨组培移栽苗生长和光合特性的影响

为了收集具有促进林木生长作用的棘孢木霉(Trichoderma asperellum)功能菌株,本研究采用盆栽方法,以1年龄山新杨(Populus davidiana×P.albavar.pyramidalis)组培移栽苗为试材,分析了根施5×10~3 cfu·cm~(-3)土的3个棘孢木霉菌株Ta492、Ta536和Ta4分生孢子对山新杨幼苗生长状况、叶绿素含量、光合日变化及光响应曲线特征参数的影响。结果发现,经3个棘孢木霉菌株诱导后,杨树苗苗高、地径及生物量均不同程度地高于对照组(CK);杨树苗叶绿素含量和叶绿素a/b在多数时间点均显著高于CK(P0.05),为光合速率的提高奠定了物质基础。同时,试验组杨树苗叶片的净光合速率(P_n)、气孔导度(G_s)、蒸腾速率(T_r)的日变化均高于CK,但变化趋势均与CK相同;并且,最大净光合速率(P_(n max))、光饱和点(LSP)、表观量子效率(AQY)等光响应曲线特征参数也在不同程度上高于CK。说明这3个棘孢木霉菌株均能有效提高山新杨的光合能力,促进其生长。并且,Ta536菌株对山新杨幼苗的诱导效果最好。     

Inflammatory Response of Healthy Horses Subjected to Small Colon Enterotomy and Treated or Not With Heparin

The acute phase response is a response to injury and depends on the severity of the trauma. Heparin is routinely used for postsurgical treatment of horses to prevent abdominal adhesions; however, its effect on inflammation is unknown. This study aimed to assess systemic inflammatory response of horses subjected to small colon enterotomy and to evaluate heparin effects on postsurgical inflammation. Ten adult horses were subjected to small colon enterotomy and were assigned to a control or a treatment group. Both groups received prophylactic antibiotics and flunixin, and the treatment group received 150 IU/kg heparin subcutaneously after surgery and every 12 hours for five days. WBC counts, peritoneal fluid evaluation, determination of serum and peritoneal haptoglobin (Hp), and serum amyloid A (SAA) were performed before, 12 hours, and 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 14 days after enterotomy. Forty-eight hours after surgery, a significant increase in serum Hp was observed in the control group, and SAA concentrations increased significantly in the both groups between 24 hours, 48 hours, and 4 days after surgery. The SAA and serum Hp concentrations produced no significant differences between the groups. Peritoneal Hp increased significantly in the control group 4 days after surgery and was significantly higher in the control group than in the treated group 14 days after surgery. Serum Hp and SAA identified the acute phase response changes faster, however, were not able to identify differences between groups. Peritoneal Hp concentrations identified inflammatory differences between the groups 14 days after surgery; the difference suggests that heparin may act decreasing inflammation.     

银杏叶提取物对发酵乳贮藏期理化和感官特性的影响

[目的]考察不同添加量银杏叶提取物对发酵乳贮藏期品质的影响。[方法]采用持水率、黏度、乳酸菌活菌数、抗氧化能力、感官评价方法测定不同添加量银杏叶提取物制备的发酵乳,并结合多元统计分析方法进行分析。[结果]银杏叶提取物对乳酸杆菌和链球菌的活力没有显著影响,为保证活菌数在1.0×107 CFU/g以上,建议该发酵乳最多冷藏9天。在酸奶中添加银杏叶提取物可提高其抗氧化特性。添加银杏叶提取物的酸奶样品与对照组在风味和口感方面存在差异,且添加量越大差异越明显。[结论]银杏叶提取物本身作为一种中成药,具有成为一种新的功能性酸奶成分的巨大潜力。     

Empirical Percentile Growth Curves with Z-scores Considering Seasonal Compensatory Growths for Japanese Thoroughbred Horses

Percentile growth curves are often used as a clinical indicator to evaluate variations of children’s growth status. In this study, we propose empirical percentile growth curves using Z-scores adapted for Japanese Thoroughbred horses, with considerations of the seasonal compensatory growth that is a typical characteristic of seasonal breeding animals. We previously developed new growth curve equations for Japanese Thoroughbreds adjusting for compensatory growth. Individual horses and residual effects were included as random effects in the growth curve equation model and their variance components were estimated. Based on the Z-scores of the estimated variance components, empirical percentile growth curves were constructed. A total of 5,594 and 5,680 body weight and age measurements of male and female Thoroughbreds, respectively, and 3,770 withers height and age measurements were used in the analyses. The developed empirical percentile growth curves using Z-scores are computationally feasible and useful for monitoring individual growth parameters of body weight and withers height of young Thoroughbred horses, especially during compensatory growth periods.