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.     

Impact of climate change on maize yield in China from 1979 to 2016

Climate change severely impacts agricultural production, which jeopardizes food security. China is the second largest maize producer in the world and also the largest consumer of maize. Analyzing the impact of climate change on maize yields can provide effective guidance to national and international economics and politics. Panel models are unable to determine the group-wise heteroscedasticity, cross-sectional correlation and autocorrelation of datasets, therefore we adopted the feasible generalized least square(FGLS) model to evaluate the impact of climate change on maize yields in China from 1979–2016 and got the following results:(1) During the 1979–2016 period, increases in temperature negatively impacted the maize yield of China. For every 1°C increase in temperature, the maize yield was reduced by 5.19 kg 667 m–2(1.7%). Precipitation increased only marginally during this time, and therefore its impact on the maize yield was negligible. For every 1 mm increase in precipitation, the maize yield increased by an insignificant amount of 0.043 kg 667 m–2(0.014%).(2) The impacts of climate change on maize yield differ spatially, with more significant impacts experienced in southern China. In this region, a 1°C increase in temperature resulted in a 7.49 kg 667 m–2 decrease in the maize yield, while the impact of temperature on the maize yield in northern China was insignificant. For every 1 mm increase in precipitation, the maize yield increased by 0.013 kg 667 m–2 in southern China and 0.066 kg 667 m–2 in northern China.(3) The resilience of the maize crop to climate change is strong. The marginal effect of temperature in both southern and northern China during the 1990–2016 period was smaller than that for the 1979–2016 period.     

乡土物种补播对青藏高原高寒草甸群落稳定性的影响

为了探究高寒草甸天然草地补播乡土物种对草地群落稳定性的影响，本试验以垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）、异针茅（Stipa aliena）、中华羊茅（Festuca sinensis）、溚草（Koeleria cristata）、星星草（Puccinellia tenuiflora）、扁蓿豆（Melissitus rutenica）、冷地早熟禾（Poa crymophila）为试验材料，设置5种混播组合，于2017年在青海省贵南县天然草地上进行补播。试验采用方差比率法（Variance ratio，VR）、M.Godron贡献定率法（Contribution law）以及生物量稳定性分析方法，结果表明：5种组合补播后使得群落联结性降低、生物量稳定性增大，群落整体稳定性增强，正向着稳定方向发展；5种组合中，组合D （扁蓿豆+星星草+垂穗披碱草+异针茅+溚草）的生物量稳定性最大，是对草地恢复最有效的物种组合。本试验筛选出了对草地生态修复最有效的物种组合，为草地保护及利用提供了科学依据。     

特早熟高糖猕猴桃新品种‘金美’

‘金美’是从云南野外美味猕猴桃资源中选育出的绿肉高糖新品种。果实为卵形，果面黄褐色硬毛，果形整齐；平均单果质量60 ~ 80 g。果肉绿色或黄绿色，质嫩多汁，风味浓甜。软熟果实含可溶性固形物24.1%，可溶性总糖16.2%，总酸1.25%，维生素C 1 180 mg • kg-1，钾 342 mg • kg-1，钙84.2 mg • kg-1。在武汉地区8月果实成熟，此时果实采后7 d开始软熟，1 ~ 2 ℃低温和95%相对湿度下可存放100 ~ 120 d。盛果期产量22 t • hm-2。     

外源NO及反向调控PEG胁迫下苜蓿萌发种子抗氧化酶及其同工酶动态的研究

以紫花苜蓿为材料,用一氧化氮供体硝普钠(SNP)及一氧化氮清除剂c-PTIO对苜蓿种子进行浸种处理,采用分光光度法和同工酶电泳技术来研究外源NO及反向调控对PEG胁迫下紫花苜蓿抗氧化酶活性及其同工酶的影响,并探讨NO调控苜蓿种子耐旱性的生理机制。结果表明:PEG胁迫下外施0.1 mmol·L^-1 SNP,第6天时较PEG处理POD活性降低了32.72%;第4天时SOD、CAT活性较PEG处理升高了10.48%、23.60%,有效缓解了PEG对紫花苜蓿萌发中种子的氧化损伤,提高其抗氧化能力。PEG胁迫下添加 c-PTIO抑制了苜蓿萌发期的抗氧化系统活性。从同工酶的谱带数量和强弱来看,POD同工酶各区带活力均随PEG胁迫时间的延长而增加,在第2天酶带只有1条,而第4天酶带呈现9条;SOD和CAT同工酶表达量变化不显著,但酶带强弱有一定变化,S3酶带随处理时间的延长表达量逐渐减弱;CAT同工酶谱带则一直保持2条带,无明显强弱变化。因此,外源NO在PEG胁迫下紫花苜蓿萌发中抗氧化酶快速响应并在维护氧自由基代谢平衡中起重要保护作用。     

豚草粗提物对杨树水泡型溃疡病的抑菌作用研究

为解决豚草提取物在林业病虫害防治中的推广与应用问题,以豚草叶片为试验材料,采用温浸-超声波联合提取法提取抑菌活性物质,并开展其对杨树水泡型溃疡病病原菌的室内外抑菌试验。室内抑菌试验表明,粗提物浓度为16 mg/mL时,抑菌率达到73.62%;林间防治试验表明,最小抑菌浓度为 40 mg/mL,抑菌率达到95.14%。通过以上抑菌试验确定豚草粗提物对杨树水泡型溃疡病有较好的抑制效果。     

异硫氰酸丙烯酯毒杀松材线虫作用机制初步研究

对异硫氰酸丙烯酯毒杀松材线虫作用机制进行了初步研究。测定了其对线虫虫体形态、运动行为、体内总糖和蛋白质含量的影响,以及处理前后线虫体内过氧化氢酶(CAT)、乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)和谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GST)活性变化。结果表明:经异硫氰酸丙烯酯处理后的松材线虫虫体形态严重扭曲,运动形态出现由正常的S形变化为多节弯曲和螺旋状卷曲等异常状况,线虫行动随时间的推移变得迟缓,最终呈C形、新月形或直接死亡。随着异硫氰酸丙烯酯处理质量浓度的增大,线虫体内总糖和蛋白质含量显著上升,糖和蛋白质的代谢发生紊乱;线虫体内CAT、AChE和GST活性显著降低,且均低于对照组,表明线虫体内氧化和抗氧化作用失衡;细胞受到极大的影响,神经系统遭到破坏,解毒能力明显降低。研究结果可为研究利用异硫氰酸丙烯酯作为植物源杀线虫剂提供依据。     

胃肠道线虫的黏膜免疫

从机体抗胃肠道线虫的黏膜免疫、胃肠道黏膜的抗原加工与递呈、胃肠道黏膜抵御寄生虫的效应机制等几方面论述了胃肠道线虫的免疫机理和免疫学研究的进展，旨在进一步阐明用免疫介入方法防治胃肠道线虫的理论基础，以解决胃肠道线虫治疗过程中的药物残留以及寄生虫的抗药性问题。     

中国姜瘟病的研究进展

姜瘟病是中国生姜生产上发生较为普遍的病害,是由青枯劳尔氏菌(Ralstoniasolanacearum)引起的。此病原菌寄主范围广,可侵染44个科300多种植物。菌体短杆状,在TZC选择性培养基上培养出现白边较宽和白边较窄的两种菌落。菌系划分为5个生理小种和5个生化型,中国的姜瘟菌主要属生理小种1号,生物型属II、III、IV。此病害是一种较难防治的土传病害,在高温、高湿、雨水多、氮肥过量的情况下发生较为严重。中国植病工作者对此病害作了大量的研究工作,对中国姜瘟病的病原菌、发病规律、及防治等研究进展作一综述。