Effect of multiple stress factors (thermal,nutritional and pregnancy type) on adaptive capability of native ewes under semi-arid environment

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of multiple stress factors (thermal, nutritional and pregnancy type) on two different native track breeds of ewes as reflected by their adaptive capability under semi-arid environment. The multiple stressor experiment was conducted in twenty-four ewes (12 Santa Inês and 12 Morada Nova ewes). Both heat stress and pregnancy stress was common to all four groups. However, the animals were divided into further two groups within each breed on the basis of nutrition regimen. According the groupings were: Group 1 (Six Santa Ines ewes; heat stress; nutrition at 0.5% of BW; single pregnancy); Group 2 (Six Santa Ines ewes; heat stress; nutrition at 1.5% BW; twin pregnancy); groups Group 3 (Six Morada Nova ewes; heat stress; nutrition at 0.5% of BW; single pregnancy); Group 4 (Six Morada Nova ewes; heat stress; nutrition at 1.5% BW; twin pregnancy). All the animals in the experiment were pregnant. Heat stress was induced by exposing all animals to summer heat stress in outside environment while the nutritional regimen followed was at 0.5% and 1.5% level of body weight (BW) respectively in each breed. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with two breeds, two nutritional treatments and two pregnancy types, 10 repetitions for physiological parameters and six for blood parameters, with repeated measures over time. Physiological parameters (respiratory rate, pulse rate and rectal temperature) were measured with the animals at rest in the morning and afternoon, 0600-0700 and 1300–1400 h, respectively, every seven days. Blood samples were collected every 14 d for determination of serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, urea and creatinine. We found interaction effect between breed and pregnancy type on respiratory rate and rectal temperature with greater values in Santa Inês ewes than Morada Nova ewes. However, there was no significant fixed effect of pregnancy type and supplementation level on physiological responses of breeds. Environmental factor (period of the day) had influenced the physiological responses of ewes during all gestational period. Santa Inês ewes had greater serum glucose concentration at 105 d and 120 d of gestation compared to the Morada Nova ewes. Morada Nova ewes had greater concentrations of triglycerides, urea at 120 d, 150 d and also greater cholesterol at 105 d, 135 d and 150 d of gestation compared with Santa Inês ewes. The present result indicates that thermal condition was most important factor that modified the physiological responses of ewes in a semi-arid tropical environment.     

The postabsorptive and postprandial metabolic rates of praying mantises: Comparisons across species,body masses,and meal sizes

The metabolic rate of an animal affects the amount of energy available for its growth, activity and reproduction and, ultimately, shapes how energy and nutrients flow through ecosystems. Standard metabolic rate (SMR; when animals are post-absorptive and at rest) and specific dynamic action (SDA; the cost of digesting and processing food) are two major components of animal metabolism. SMR has been studied in hundreds of species of insects, but very little is known about the SMR of praying mantises. We measured the rates of CO₂ production as a proxy for metabolic rate and tested the prediction that the SMR of mantises more closely resembles the low SMR of spiders – a characteristic generally believed to be related to their sit-and-wait foraging strategy. Although few studies have examined SDA in insects we also tested the prediction that mantises would exhibit comparatively large SDA responses characteristic of other types of predators (e.g., snakes) known to consume enormous, protein-rich meals. The SMR of the mantises was positively correlated with body mass and did not differ among the four species we examined. Their SMR was best described by the equation μW = 1526 * g^0.745 and was not significantly different from that predicted by the standard ‘insect-curve’; but it was significantly higher than that of spiders to which mantises are ecologically more similar than other insects. Mantises consumed meals as large as 138% of their body mass and within 6–12 h of feeding and their metabolic rates doubled before gradually returning to prefeeding rates over the subsequent four days. We found that the SDA responses were isometrically correlated with meal size and the relative cost of digestion was 38% of the energy in each meal. We conclude that mantises provide a promising model to investigate nutritional physiology of insect predators as well as nutrient cycling within their ecological communities.     

Climate change,nutrition and immunity: Effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on the immune function of an insect herbivore

Balanced nutrition is fundamental to health and immunity. For herbivorous insects, nutrient-compositional shifts in host plants due to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and temperature may compromise this balance. Therefore, understanding their immune responses to such shifts is vital if we are to predict the outcomes of climate change for plant–herbivore–parasitoid and pathogen interactions. We tested the immune response of Paropsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) feeding on Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. seedlings exposed to elevated CO₂ (640 μmol mol⁻¹; C_E) and temperature (ambient plus 4 °C; T_E). Larvae were immune-challenged with a nylon monofilament in order to simulate parasitoid or pathogen attack without other effects of actual parasitism or pathology. The cellular (in vivo melanisation) and humoral (in vitro phenoloxidase PO activity) immune responses were assessed, and linked to changes in leaf chemistry. C_E reduced foliar nitrogen (N) concentrations and increased C:N ratios and concentrations of total phenolics. The humoral response was reduced at C_E. PO activity and haemolymph protein concentrations decreased at C_E, while haemolymph protein concentrations were positively correlated with foliar N concentrations. However, the cellular response increased at C_E and this was not correlated with any foliar traits. Immune parameters were not impacted by T_E. Our study revealed that opposite cellular and humoral immune responses occurred as a result of plant-mediated effects at C_E. In contrast, elevated temperatures within the tested range had minimal impact on immune responses. These complex interactions may alter the outcomes of parasitoid and pathogen attack in future climates.     

双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊联合营养支持治疗重症急性胰腺炎的临床研究

目的:探讨双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊联合营养支持治疗重症急性胰腺炎的临床疗效。方法:选择2014年1月至2015年6月我院收治的90例重症急性胰腺炎患者作为研究对象,按照随机数字表法分为治疗组和对照组,每组45例患者。对照组在常规治疗基础上采用营养支持治疗,治疗组在对照组的基础上采用双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊治疗。分别于治疗前后取患者静脉血进行C反应蛋白、白细胞介素-8、肿瘤坏死因子、白细胞计数、淀粉酶、脂肪酶、乳酸脱氢酶的检测,并对治疗效果和胃肠功能进行评分。结果:治疗组的总有效率95.56%显著高于对照组的80.00%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗14 d后,两组患者的C反应蛋白、白细胞介素-8、肿瘤坏死因子、白细胞计数、淀粉酶、脂肪酶、乳酸脱氢酶水平均降低,且治疗组的下降幅度显著大于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗后两组患者的胃肠功能评分均低于治疗前,且治疗组胃肠功能评分明显优于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊联合营养支持治疗重症急性胰腺炎可降低患者的血液指标,增强肠道功能,具有较好的临床疗效,临床可推广应用。     

RNAi and microRNA: breakthrough technologies for the improvement of plant nutritional value and metabolic engineering

This article raises the complex issue of improving plant nutritional value through metabolic engineering and the potential of using RNAi and micro RNA technologies to overcome this complexity, focusing on a few key examples. It also highlights current knowledge of RNAi and microRNA functions and discusses recent progress in the development of new RNAi vectors and their applications. RNA interference (RNAi) and microRNA (miRNA) are recent breakthrough discoveries in the life sciences recognized by the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The importance of these discoveries relates not only to elucidating the fundamental regulatory aspects of gene expression, but also to the tremendous potential of their applications in plants and animals. Here, we review recent applications of RNAi and microRNA for improving the nutritional value of plants, discuss applications of metabolomics technologies in genetic engineering, and provide an update on the related RNAi and microRNA technologies.     

神农箭竹开花前后植物体内N、P、K元素的动态

对神农箭竹(Fargesia murielae)N、P、K的含量进行分析,结果表明:N、P、K在竹子植物体内呈非均匀分布。N和P在各器官中的分布规律为:叶>鞭、根>竿;K在未开花竹和正开花竹中分布规律为:鞭>根>叶>竿,在已开花竹中分布规律为:叶>鞭>竿>根。随着开花过程的进行,N的含量在叶、竿、鞭和根等器官中逐渐减少;P的含量在竿、鞭和根等器官中逐渐降低,在叶片中先升高后降低;K的含量在鞭和根中呈下降趋势,在竿和叶中先降低后升高。     

Seaweeds from Vietnam used for functional food, medicine and biofertilizer

Several Vietnamese seaweed species have economic importance as food for humans, as industrial materials, as ingredients in traditional medicine, and as biofertilizers. The nutritional values of nine representative Vietnamese seaweed species were analyzed. In this report, all of the species studied are rich in proteins, lipids (especially polyunsaturated fatty acids), vitamins, pigments, and macro- and micro-elements. The effect of the physiological activities of the green alga, Ulva reticulata, on hepatic fatty acid metabolism were examined in mice. The results indicate that Vietnamese seaweeds are abundant and have high quality materials for industrial and agricultural purposes. Presented at the 6th Meeting of the Asian Pacific Society of Applied Phycology, Manila, Philippines.     

复合凝乳酶对功能性消化不良儿童营养状态和摄食行为的影响

目的:观察复合凝乳酶胶囊对不同亚型功能性消化不良儿童临床表现、营养状态和摄食行为的影响及安全性。方法:以2017年8月至2018年9月在湖北省妇幼保健院儿童消化内科就诊的功能性消化不良(Functional dyspepsia,FD)儿童为研究对象进行问卷调查,观察治疗前和复合凝乳酶治疗2 w后患儿临床症状变化及药物相关不良反应的发生情况,监测患儿身高和体重,进行膳食情况的调查。结果:共163例儿童纳入研究,发生餐后不适综合征(Postprandial distress syndrome, PDS)66例,上腹痛综合征(Epigastric pain syndrome, EPS)97例。治疗前,PDS组儿童症状总分明显高于EPS儿童(6.9±2.7 vs 3.6±1.7,t=5.90,P=0.00)。PDS组儿童WAZ、WHZ、HAZ、身高别体质量Z值(weight for height Z score,WHZ)、年龄别身高Z值(height for age Z score,HAZ)、年龄别体质量Z值(weight for age Z score,WAZ)、体质量指数(body mass index,BMI)、膳食多样化分数(Dietary diversity score, DDS)均明显低于EPS组(P均0.05)。治疗2 w后,PDS儿童症状总分明显降低(P=0.00),改善程度依次为:厌食早饱腹痛嗳气恶心腹胀。EPS儿童症状总分无明显变化(P=0.11)。PDS儿童WAZ、WHZ、DDS均有明显升高(P均0.05)。EPS儿童DDS无明显变化(t=0.22,P=0.30)。研究期间未见明显药物相关不良反应。结论:复合凝乳酶胶囊可改善PDS患儿的临床症状、营养状态和膳食多样性,且安全性高。     

Emerging roles of PDGF-D signaling pathway in tumor development and progression

Platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D) can regulate many cellular processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, transformation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Therefore PDGF-D signaling has been considered to be important in human malignancies, and thus PDGF-D signaling may represent a novel therapeutic target, and as such suggests that the development of agents that will target PDGF-D signaling is likely to have a significant therapeutic impact on human cancers. This mini-review describes the mechanisms of signal transduction associated with PDGF-D signaling to support the role of PDGF-D in the carcinogenesis. Moreover, we summarize data on several PDGF-D inhibitors especially naturally occurring “chemopreventive agent” such an indole compound, which we believe could serve as a novel agent for the prevention of tumor progression and/or treatment of human malignancies by targeted inactivation of PDGF-D signaling.