Transgenerational epigenetic variance for body weight in meat quails

We aimed to estimate transgenerational epigenetic variance for body weight using genealogical and phenotypic information in meat quails. Animals were individually weighted from 1 week after hatching, with weight records at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of age (BW7, BW14, BW21, BW28, BW35 and BW42, respectively). Single‐trait genetic analyses were performed using mixed models with random epigenetic effects. Variance components were estimated by the restricted maximum likelihood method. A grid search for values of autorecursive parameter (λ) ranging from 0 to 0.5 was used in the variance component estimation. This parameter is directly related to the reset coefficient (ν) and the epigenetic coefficient of transmissibility (1‐ν). The epigenetic effect was only significant for BW7. Direct heritability estimates for body weight ranged in magnitude (from 0.15 to 0.26), with the highest estimate for BW7. Epigenetic heritability was 0.10 for BW7, and close to zero for the other body weights. The inclusion of the epigenetic effect in the model helped to explain the residual and non‐Mendelian variability of initial body weight in meat quails.     

3种植物源农药对鹌鹑和斑马鱼的急性毒性评价

[目的]通过测试印楝素、除虫菊素、鱼藤酮3种植物源农药对鹌鹑和斑马鱼的急性毒性,评价其对环境的安全性。[方法]采用一次性＂经口染毒法＂和＂半静态法＂,确定3种农药对鹌鹑和斑马鱼的毒性大小与分级。[结果]印楝素、除虫菊素、鱼藤酮对鹌鹑急性毒性的LD50（168h）分别为13.09、97.04和111.75mg/kg.bw;对斑马鱼急性毒性的LC50（96h）分别为0.05、0.15和0.03mg/L。印楝素对鹌鹑的急性经口毒性等级为高毒,除虫菊素和鱼藤酮为中毒;印楝素和鱼藤酮对鱼的急性毒性等级为剧毒,除虫菊素为高毒。[结论]3种药剂对鹌鹑和斑马鱼都不安全,实际应用中必须减少其对生态环境的危害。     

灭幼脲Ⅰ号对鹌鹑毒性的研究

用25％灭幼脲Ⅰ号可湿性粉剂0.4克/日量,0.8克/日量和1.6克/日量各饲养10头幼鹌鹑连续一月,结果对鹌鹑的体重、产卵量、卵的大小均无影响。对鹌鹑血液进行生化测定,其中血清蛋白含量、血清核酸含量、血清含糖量与对照无显著差异,仅GPT稍偏高。因此在正常浓度使用下,灭幼脲Ⅰ号对鹌鹑是安全的。     

紫苏籽对高血脂鹌鹑血脂调节及脂质过氧化的影响

[目的]观察紫苏籽对高脂血症鹌鹑降血脂及抗脂质过氧化的影响。[方法]采用高脂饮食建立鹌鹑高脂血症模型,分别测定正常对照组、高脂模型组、紫苏籽高剂量组(2.5g/kg)、低剂量组(0.83g/kg)血清中总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三脂(TG)、高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL-C)、极低密度脂蛋白(VLDL-C)、丙二醛(MDA)含量及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的活性。[结果]药物试验组均能显著降低血清中TC、TG、LDL-C、MDA含量,升高血清中HDL-C含量(P<0.05)和SOD的活性(P<0.01)。[结论]紫苏籽具有调节血脂及抗脂质过氧化的作用。     

灭幼脲Ⅰ号防治松毛虫的研究——(Ⅲ)对有益生物的影响

本文研究了灭幼脲Ⅰ号对油松毛虫室内毒力测定,以及对寄生天敌的影响。在林间用灭幼脲Ⅰ号低容量和超低容量喷雾大面积防治油(赤)松毛虫,并用灭幼脲Ⅰ号对鹌鹑作了毒性试验。结果证明:在林间大面积防治松毛虫后,除对中华草蛉幼虫有影响外,对其他寄生性天敌——松毛虫狭颊寄蝇、黑足凹眼姬蜂无不良影响。对异色瓢虫、蠋蝽等捕食性昆虫亦无不良影响。对白僵菌、粉拟青霉菌在常规使用浓度下无抑菌作用。对鹌鹑也是安全的。因此,灭幼脲Ⅰ号在松毛虫的综合治理中值得推荐。     

蜂胶制剂对鹌鹑免疫机能影响的研究

 用蜂胶制剂作为饲料添加剂饲喂鹌鹑,试验分为4组。组Ⅰ为对照组,饲喂基础日粮;组Ⅱ~Ⅳ为试验组,分别在基础日粮中添加0.57,0.86,1.14g/kg蜂胶制剂。试验结束时测定免疫器官及血清生理生化指标。结果表明,各试验组鹌鹑的脾脏重、脾脏指数、法氏囊重、法氏囊指数都无显著差异（P>0.05）;组II的胸腺重与组I、组III相比差异显著（P<0.05）,组II的胸腺指数与组I相比差异显著(P<0.05),其它各组间差异不显著（P>0.05）。组II的免疫球蛋白G含量与组I相比差异显著（P<0.05）;组II的补体C4含量与其它两个蜂胶制剂组相比差异极显著（P<0.01）;组I的补体C3含量与其它3个组相比差异极显著（P<0.01）;3个蜂胶制剂组的血清白蛋白、总蛋白含量与对照组相比差异极显著（P<0.01）;其它各组间差异不显著（P>0.05）。     

Detecting hybridization in wild (Coturnix c. coturnix) and domesticated (Coturnix c. japonica) quail populations

Two subspecies of Coturnix coturnix have allopatric distributions in Europe, Maghreb and western Asia (the Common quail C. c. coturnix), and in eastern Asia (the Japanese quail C. c. japonica), except for sympatric breeding areas in the Baikal (Russia) and Kentei (Mongolia) regions, where they could hybridize. Japanese quails have been reproduced in captivity for centuries and domesticated. Massive releasing of Japanese domesticated quails, or hybrids, in west European countries might threaten with hybridization the gene pool of wild quail populations. Here, we used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA markers (microsatellites), and Bayesian admixture analyses aiming to assess subspecies distinction and identify hybrids in wild and captive-reared quails. A phylogenetic tree identified two major mtDNA clades, corresponding to the two subspecies, and allowed detecting 12 hybrids in wild Common quails sampled in Spain. Additional hybrids were identified in wild quails sampled in Spain, Italy and Senegal using microsatellite markers. Wild quails sampled in Mongolia showed japonica mtDNAs, but their microsatellite genotypes were admixed, suggesting that Common and Japanese quails can hybridize in nature. Some captive-reared stocks of Japanese quails were also admixed. Introgression of domesticated Japanese quail genes in wild Common quail populations might affect the phenotypic expression of functional traits, as body size, feather colours, sexual calls and migratory behaviours. Hence, restocking with captive-reared non-native quails should be banned.     

Does restocking with Japanese quail or hybrids affect native populations of common quail Coturnix coturnix?

Natural populations of the common quail Coturnix coturnix may hybridize in the wild with non-native individuals (Japanese quail Coturnix japonica or hybrids) as a result of restocking for hunting purposes. Several laboratory studies suggest that this could lead to a decline in the impulse to migrate in the common quail, and a drop in the frequency of phenotypes showing this tendency. This could lead to an increase in common quail populations in North Africa and a decrease in Europe. This paper provides new data on the proportion of hybrids in Catalonia (Northeast Spain) over 24 years (1983-2006) showing how restocking with Japanese quail or hybrids affects native populations of common quail. The first hybrids were detected in 1990 with an estimate of 4.65% of non-native individuals during the breeding season of wild common quail populations. No increase in non-native or hybrid numbers was detected during the study period, indicating that restocking poses no serious conservation problems at present. However, this may change in the near future, either with or without changes in the current scenario. A prudent policy with regard to restocking with non-native individuals is suggested. Moreover, further studies are needed to clarify the extent of this conservation problem.     

Effects of selenium supplementation on the oxidative state of acute heat stress‐exposed quails

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of heat stress (HS) and selenium supplementation on markers of stress, meat quality and gene expression. For this, meat quails of 42 days of age were fed a diet that either met [0.33 mg/kg, nutritional demand for selenium (SS)] or did not meet [0.11 mg/kg, selenium deficient (SD)] the nutritional demands for selenium during the 7 days of evaluation. In addition, the animals were kept at either a thermal comfort temperature (25 °C) or exposed to HS (38 °C for 24 h). Glutathione synthetase (GSS), glutathione reductase (GSR) and uncoupling protein (UCP) gene expression were influenced by the interaction between temperature and diet. Animals subjected to HS and fed the SS diet exhibited the highest GSS and GSR gene expression. In terms of UCP gene expression, the lowest values were observed in HS animals on the SD diet. Glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPX7) gene expression, body temperature (BT) and creatine kinase (CK) activity were influenced by both selenium supplementation and HS. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and creatinine content all were influenced by the diet/environment interaction. The highest AST activity, ALT activity and creatinine levels were observed in animals that were both on the SD diet and exposed to HS. HS animals also exhibited an increased heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and lower triiodothyronine (T3) hormone levels than birds that remained at the comfortable temperature. Animals subjected to HS and fed with selenium supplemented diet showed better results regarding gene expression and, thus, better results for the activities of enzymes used as stress markers, which could be due to the higher antioxidant capacity provided by the action of the studied genes.     

防治黏虫药剂对日本鹌鹑的急性毒性研究

黏虫Mythimna separata(Walker)在我国近几年多次暴发,为了寻找对环境生物安全的防治黏虫替代药剂,采用急性经口毒性试验方法测定了27种对黏虫有防治效果的杀虫剂对日本鹌鹑Coturnix japonica的7d半致死剂量(LD50)。结果表明,联苯菊酯等9种药剂对日本鹌鹑低毒,乙酰甲胺磷等7种为中毒,丙溴磷等10种为高毒,三唑磷为剧毒,高毒和剧毒品种占40%以上,对鸟类生态系统存在较大的潜在威胁。黏虫防治应优先选择拟除虫菊酯类、昆虫生长调节剂类等对鸟类毒性低的农药品种。