Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.     

基于格网的GCM数据修订分析未来海南岛农业水热资源的变化特征

以海南岛为研究区域，选用5个大气环流模式（GCMs）1970−1999年的逐日输出数据和同期地面气象观测数据，使用空间插值降尺度到0.5°×0.5°格网。以格网单元为基础，应用系统误差修订（修正值法或比值法）和多模式集合平均方法（贝叶斯模型平均法BMA或等权重平均法EW），训练与验证GCMs输出值并进行综合修订。在此基础上，分析RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下，未来海南岛近期（2020−2059年）和远期（2060−2099年）农业水热资源，包括年平均气温、1月平均气温、≥10℃积温、≥20℃积温、年降水量、1月降水量和≥20℃界限温度生长期间降水量的变化特征。结果表明：GCMs输出值的系统误差和BMA权重系数在格网间存在较大的空间差异，且GCMs输出值低估逐日最高气温约3.55℃，高估逐日最低气温约1.19℃，逐日降水量仅为观测值的54.35%。基于格网的综合修订，可有效降低GCMs输出值在空间上的不确定性，BMA与EW的修订结果相似，均优于单一GCM模式。通过格网BMA综合修订后，最高气温、最低气温和降水量在验证期的相关系数r分别约提升0.10、0.07和0.06；均方根误差RMSE分别约降低2.38℃、1.01℃和1.01mm；较单一GCM相对观测值的偏差平均约减少3.25℃、1.13℃和25.67mm。未来海南岛农业热量资源在空间上主要表现为从中部向外围逐渐升高，高温主要分布在南部至西部沿海地区，年平均气温的增幅全岛较为接近，1月平均气温、≥10℃积温和≥20℃积温的增幅分别表现为由东向西、由北向南和由中部向外围递减。在时间上，RCP8.5情景下所有农业热量资源均为极显著增加且增温最快，RCP4.5情景为先增加后平缓，RCP2.6情景较为平缓，远期无显著增温。未来海南岛降水资源在空间上转为由东向西逐步递减的格局，南部和北部沿海地区降水变率增加，西部和中部降水变率减少，在时间上无显著变化趋势。随着未来海南岛气候变暖和降水格局的改变，农作物适宜种植面积扩大，会对农业生产带来巨大挑战，应提前布局，做好趋利避害。     

白云国家森林公园适老性评价及优化分析

指出了人口老龄化是社会发展的必然趋势,也是当前中国面临的重要社会问题之一,国家和地方各级政府出台了一系列政策,切实保障老年人的权益。森林公园除保护其范围内自然环境和自然资源外,为人们的游憩、疗养、避暑和文化娱乐等提供了良好的环境,逐渐成为老年人休闲娱乐生活的选择。选取浙江丽水白云国家森林公园为研究对象,通过实地踏查、问卷调查和随机访谈等方法,深入调查了老年人个人基本资料及背景、活动状况和使用情况,对3类典型空间和4类景观元素进行了详细地分析,针对不足之处提出了相应的优化建议,以期为相关公园绿地的适老性规划设计提供建设思路。     

北方高寒地区“高效、节能、智能”新型猪场建设

文章所述猪场地处内蒙古自治区呼伦贝尔市，属我国高寒地区。该猪场运用“种养结合”模式，将低碳环保养殖和绿色有机农业进行有机结合，将猪场产生的猪粪尿全部发酵成为有机肥，为农田提供肥料；农田产出无公害有机饲料再喂养猪只，实现生态农牧业可持续健康发展。低碳环保则指猪舍冬天利用猪群自身余热取暖，替代锅炉，实现低能耗。与传统猪场相比，该猪场更加注重节约资源、节省人工。运用自动清粪模式代替水冲，避免大量污水产生；舍内废气经过净化处理排出舍外，避免氨氮废气等污染环境。     

Cuticular protein gene LmACP8 is involved in wing morphogenesis in the migratory locust,Locusta migratoria

Cuticular proteins(CPs) are major components of the insect cuticle-associated organs such as integument and wings, although the importance of CPs for wing development and function in hemimetabolous insects remains understudied. In the present study, a wing cuticular protein LmACP8 was identified from Locusta migratoria, which belongs to the RR-2 subfamily of cuticular protein RR consensus(CPR) chitin-binding proteins. LmACP8 was mainly expressed in the wing pads and showed high expression levels before ecdysis of third-, fourth-, and fifth-instar nymphs, with its encoded protein located in the procuticle of wing pads and adult wings. Depletion of LmACP8 by RNA interference markedly reduced the amount of its protein, which consequently caused abnormal wing morphogenesis in the transition from nymph to adult of L. migratoria. We further demonstrated that the abnormal morphogenesis was caused by severe damage of the endocuticle in the wings. LmACP8 was suppressed by 20-hydroxyecdysone(20 E) in vivo, however, its expression was significantly up-regulated after knocking down the hormone receptor gene LmHR39. Thus, the LmACP8 that is negatively regulated by the LmHR39-mediated 20 E signaling pathway is involved in wing development during the nymph to adult transition.     

不同用量纳米材料对生菜种子发芽的影响

以意大利生菜和红脆香生菜种子为试验材料,研究不同用量石墨相氮化碳纳米材料(0、50、100、150、200 mg/L)对2种生菜种子萌发的影响。结果表明:纳米材料用量在50～150 mg/L时对2种生菜发芽势、发芽率、发芽指数均有促进作用,用量在100 mg/L时,意大利生菜的发芽率、发芽指数最高;用量在150 mg/L时,红脆香生菜发芽势、发芽率、发芽指数最高。纳米材料用量达到200 mg/L时,对生菜种子萌发的促进效果减小,甚至出现抑制萌发的现象。较高用量(150、200 mg/L)的纳米材料可以促进生菜胚根的伸长,用量在150 mg/L时,意大利生菜胚根最长,比对照(CK)增加了24.80%;用量在200 mg/L时,红脆香生菜胚根最长,比对照增加了37.20%。施加纳米材料对生菜胚芽长度的影响不显著。总之,纳米材料用量在50～150 mg/L时,可以促进生菜种子的萌发;较高用量(150、200 mg/L)的纳米材料可以促进生菜种子胚根的伸长;施加纳米材料对胚芽长的影响不显著。     

Identification and quantification of anthocyanins in different coloured cultivars of ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC)

Anthocyanins are responsible for the colour of many fruits, vegetables, flowers, and coloured-leaved trees. Ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC) is widely cultivated for its colourful inner leaves. To investigate the relationship between the degree of colouration and anthocyanin distribution, content, and composition in ornamental kale, the authors studied the pigment characteristics of five cultivars with different coloured leaves (white, pink, red, purple, and purple-black). Microscopy observation, spectrophotometer, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis of fresh inner leaves revealed that pink, red, and purple colourations were associated with high levels of anthocyanin, while purple-black was the result of the combination of anthocyanins and chlorophyll. In the coloured cultivars, anthocyanins were abundant mainly in the first and second cell layers below the epidermis in both the hypocotyls and inner leaves. No anthocyanin was found in the white-leaved phenotype cultivar. Anthocyanin content increased as leaf colour deepened from pink, red, to purple cultivars, which had little chlorophyll and carotenoid. The authors identified eight anthocyanins in the four coloured cultivars, including one non-acylated, four monoacylated, and three diacylated cyanidin glycosides. Cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)(feruloyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside was the most abundant anthocyanin in the four coloured cultivars followed by cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside. The analysis of anthocyanin accumulation characterisation provides important information on evaluating colouration patterns in coloured plants, and will be helpful for breeding desired leaf colours in ornamental kale.     

Three SNPs within exons of INHA and ACVR2B genes are significantly associated with litter size in Dazu black goats

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms within INHA and ACVR2B and litter size in Dazu black goats. In total, twenty-two SNPs were genotyped in 190 individuals by SNaPshot and resequencing. The results showed that three SNPs (SNP_1, SNP_12 and SNP_13 in this study) were detected to have significant additive genetic effect on the recorded goat litter size (p < .05). The SNP_1 (NC_030809.1), a non-synonymous substitution of G for T at chr2-g. 28314990 in the exon 2 of INHA gene (NM_001285606.1), resulted in homozygote 2 (HOM2) contributed 0.25 and heterozygote (HET) contributed 0.12 larger litter than homozygote 1 (HOM1). Meanwhile, SNP_12 (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T) and SNP_13 (Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) (NC_030829.1) simultaneously mutated at the first and third position of a triplet AAA (lysine, K) in the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene (XM_018066623.1) had estimated genetic effects of HOM1 (0.00) and HOM2 (0.03) larger than HET (−0.12). In conclusion, one SNPs (chr2-g. 28314990 T > G) within the exon 2 of INHA and two SNPs (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T and Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) i n the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene were highly recommended as candidate markers of litter size in Dazu black goats. A large-scale association study to assess the impact of these variants on litter size is still necessary.     

正交设计优化青蒿SRAP-PCR反应体系及引物筛选

为了建立青蒿的SRAP最佳扩增体系,并筛选出SRAP多态性引物,本研究以青蒿叶片DNA为模板,采用正交试验设计,以Mg^2+、dNTP Mix、Taq DNA聚合酶、引物和DNA模板5种因素5个水平,对青蒿SRAP反应体系进行研究。结果表明,青蒿SRAP-PCR最佳反应体系为:引物0.6μmol/L、Mg^2+2.0 mmol/L、模板DNA 5.1 ng、Taq DNA聚合酶2.0 U、dNTPs 0.25 mmol/L,总体积为25μL。各因素对扩增反应均有不同影响,其中引物浓度的影响最大,dNTPs的影响最小。运用该体系对不同种质资源的青蒿进行验证,证明该体系稳定可靠,并在30个引物组合中筛选出了25对扩增条带清晰,多态性丰富的引物组合。这一结论为今后利用SRAP标记技术进行青蒿分子遗传学研究提供了科学依据。     

同期排卵处理母牛体温和活动量变化规律及效果分析

为探究同期排卵处理母牛体温和活动量变化规律及不同同期排卵技术处理效果，指导同期排卵技术优化。本研究自动监测了18头20月龄左右同期排卵（GnRH-PG-GnRH）处理荷斯坦母牛和17头产后40~60 d预同期排卵（PG-PG-GnRH-PG-GnRH）处理荷斯坦母牛的体温和活动量，应用自动检测系统进行母牛发情监测。结果发现，同期排卵处理母牛发情时阴道温度平均升高（0.43±0.20）℃，持续（12.37±2.73）h；活动量平均升高（18.28±18.61）倍，持续（11.00±1.68）h；排卵时阴道温度平均下降（0.20±0.10）℃，持续（11.00±1.68）h。自动化发情监测显示，同期排卵处理母牛7头发情并排卵；预同期排卵母牛GnRH处理前全部发情排卵。两种同期排卵处理，虽可改变母牛性周期进程，促进母牛性周期同步化，但均难以使母牛性周期完全同步。因此，将同期排卵-定时输精和发情鉴定技术科学结合才能取得更好的繁殖效果。