Effect of dietary fat or starch supply during gestation and/or lactation on the performance of sows, piglets' survival and on the performance of progeny after weaning

Two trials were carried out to compare the effects of fat or starch inclusion in sow's diet on sow and litter performance. In each trial, sows were assigned to one of two treatments. In trial 1, the sows were fed diets containing either soybean oil (5%, treatment GL5) or cornstarch (11.3%, GL0) from day 35 of gestation to weaning. Daily net energy and nutrient allowance were equalised during gestation. In trial 2, the same treatments were applied only after farrowing (treatments L5 and L0, respectively). Within each trial, a batch of piglets was studied until slaughter. In trial 1, adipose cell development and total lipid content were determined on some pigs at weaning (n = 6/treatment) and at slaughter in dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue (n = 13/group at least) and in muscle (n = 46/group at least). Piglets' birth weight was not affected by treatment in trial 1. Survival rates at birth and after 24 h of life were higher in treatment GL5 (4.0% v. 7.5% stillborn piglets in GL0 treatment, P < 0.05; 8.7% v. 12.6% of piglets alive at 24 h of age died in treatment GL0, P = 0.06). Subsequently, overall survival rate until weaning was higher in treatment GL5 (81.4% v. 75.7% of total born piglets, P = 0.03), but litter size at weaning was not significantly affected (11.3). Litter growth rate before weaning was increased when a fat-enriched diet was provided during gestation and lactation (+140 g/day per litter; P < 0.01) and to a lower extent when provided only after farrowing (+90 g/day; P < 0.05). Energy supply through fat did not decrease the mobilisation of the sow's body reserve and backfat thickness loss was even higher with treatment GL5 (P < 0.05). After weaning, pigs' average daily gain, feed : gain ratio and carcass lean content were not affected by the energy source supplied before and/or after farrowing. At weaning, the number of adipose cells in the dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue and in the Longissimus dorsi muscle was higher in the GL5 pigs. Muscle lipid content at weaning did not differ between treatments, but it was higher at slaughter, around 110 kg, in the GL5 pigs (3.46% v. 2.58%, P < 0.001).     

特殊环境真菌

真菌是生物多样性最丰富和生存环境最多样的生物类群之一,除了我们熟知的土壤、植物残体、水体等一般环境外,还存在极地、高温、高盐等各种特殊环境.对真菌而言,特殊环境是指绝大多数真菌不能生存的环境,而特殊环境真菌是指特殊环境中特有的真菌或适应特殊环境的真菌.特殊环境人为地划分为以下3种类型:第一类,具有某种特定的理化限制因素的环境;第二类,某些特殊基质;第三类,受多因素限制的特殊复杂环境.特殊环境真菌有着独特的适应性,并进化出各种机制来占据生态位.它们在细胞构造、代谢方式、进化机制等方面的特殊性引起了科学家的广泛关注.本文介绍了各种特殊生态环境下生活的真菌类群以及它们的生存机制,并对今后的研究方向进行了展望.     

温度对褐飞虱发育、存活和产卵影响的关系模型

设置系列恒温19、22、25、28、31、34℃,测定了温度对褐飞虱发育、存活和产卵的影响,建立了温度对褐飞虱生物学参数影响的关系模型。试验结果表明:(1)褐飞虱卵和若虫的发育历期在28℃下最短。除22℃以外,短翅型雌若虫的发育历期长于雄若虫的发育历期。(2)34℃下,褐飞虱卵未成功孵化,推测34℃是褐飞虱发育的限制性高温。不同温度下若虫的存活率为:25℃22℃28℃19℃31℃;低温主要导致低龄若虫死亡,而高温则主要导致高龄若虫死亡。(3)不同温度下产卵前期为19℃31℃22℃25℃28℃。产卵期22℃时最长。短翅型雌虫寿命随着温度降低而延长,产卵量在28℃时最大(256粒),19℃时最低(108粒)。(4)采用温度(x)与褐飞虱各生物学参数(y)间进行回归分析,获得一系列关系模型;其中,卵历期(y=0.079 x2-4.462 x+70.536),若虫历期(y=0.233 x2-12.886 x+189.878),产卵前期(y=0.068 x2-3.614 x+49.88)和短翅型雌成虫寿命(y=-0.622 x+35.03)与温度间具有显著的回归关系。     

Patterns of natural selection on size at metamorphosis in water frogs

Strategies for optimal metamorphosis are key adaptations in organisms with complex life cycles, and the components of the larval growth environment causing variation in this trait are well studied empirically and theoretically. However, when relating these findings to a broader evolutionary or ecological context, usually the following assumptions are made: (1) size at metamorphosis positively relates to future fitness, and (2) the larval growth environment affects fitness mainly through its effect on timing of and size at metamorphosis. These assumptions remain poorly tested, because data on postmetamorphic fitness components are still rare. We created variation in timing of and size at metamorphosis by manipulating larval competition, nonlethal presence of predators, pond drying, and onset of larval development, and measured the consequences for subsequent terrestrial survival and growth in 1564 individually marked water frogs (Rana lessonae and R. esculenta), raised in enclosures in their natural environment. Individuals metamorphosing at a large size had an increased chance of survival during the following terrestrial stage (mean linear selection gradient: 0.09), grew faster and were larger at maturity than individuals metamorphosing at smaller sizes. Late metamorphosing individuals had a lower survival rate (mean linear selection gradient: -0.03) and grew more slowly than early metamorphosing ones. We found these patterns to be consistent over the three years of the study and the two species, and the results did not depend on the nature of the larval growth manipulation. Furthermore, individuals did not compensate for a small size at metamorphosis by enhancing their postmetamorphic growth. Thus, we found simple relationships between larval growth and postmetamorphic fitness components, and support for this frequently made assumption. Our results suggest postmetamorphic selection for fast larval growth and provide a quantitative estimate for the water frog example.     

微波影响大肠埃希菌存活量和生化特性的初步研究

以犬肠埃希菌为指示菌株,研究了微波加热对其存活量的影响,找到了微波杀菌所达到的最佳巴氏条件,并研究了微波对其生化特性的影响,证明了微波的非热效应是主要效应。     

饥饿和再投喂对青蛤(Cyclina sinensis)幼虫生长、存活及变态的影响

在温度18.2～20.6℃,盐度23～25,pH 7.96～8.14 的条件下,研究了饥饿和再投喂对青蛤幼虫生长、存活及变态的影响.结果表明:在饥饿状态下,幼虫具有生长现象,且随着饥饿时间的延长,壳长逐渐接近一个常值而不再生长;幼虫可以由面盘幼虫发育到足面盘幼虫.随饥饿时间延长存活率下降;且足面盘幼虫及其变态规格、单水管稚贝规格随着饥饿时间延长而减小;幼虫的不可逆点(PNR)为12.48d;延迟变态时间长达12.7d.饥饿后再投喂相同的时间,幼虫能够恢复生长,存活的幼虫能够变态;稚贝表现出补偿生长现象,以壳长作为衡量标准,完全补偿生长能力依次为:S10＞S11＞S12＞S1＞S2＞S3;超补偿生长能力依次为:S9＞S8＞S7＞S6＞S5＞S4.     

水流对莲草直胸跳甲种群存活和扩散的影响

【背景】水流是外来入侵生物传播蔓延的重要方式之一,特别是水生生物。水生杂草在水流传播过程中也经常携带其天敌从一个地方传播到另一个地方,如莲草直胸跳甲经常随着空心莲子草在水流中传播。研究水流对莲草直胸跳甲存活的影响及其对种群迁移的间接协助作用,可为解析该天敌抵御洪涝灾害和借助水流传播的能力提供科学依据。【方法】本研究以莲草直胸跳甲为研究对象,在室内进行水流模拟,比较水流转速（1000、1250和1750r.min-1）和时间（30、60、90和120min）对不同虫态莲草直胸跳甲（雌雄成虫、幼虫和卵）存活率的影响,并推算莲草直胸跳甲成虫和幼虫在野外随水流传播的最大距离。【结果】水流速度对昆虫的存活和发育具有一定影响。在不同旋转时间和转速下,雌雄成虫的存活率较高,幼虫次之,卵的存活率最低;雌虫随水流传播能达到的最远距离最大,雄虫次之,传播距离最小的是幼虫。【结论与意义】莲草直胸跳甲可随水流进行远距离传播和自然扩散,对于利用莲草直胸跳甲防治空心莲子草,缓解水渠和河道的堵塞非常有利。     

西南特有濒危植物大王杜鹃种群结构及动态特征

为了揭示高山杜鹃种群生存潜力和濒危原因,以西南特有濒危植物大王杜鹃(Rhododendron rex subsp. rex)为研究对象,通过对云南省轿子雪山和小百草岭2个大王杜鹃自然种群的野外植株胸径及数量的调查,采用空间代替时间的方法建立大王杜鹃种群的径级结构、静态生命表并绘制种群存活曲线,阐明其种群的结构特征,利用种群数量动态预测和时间序列预测来分析种群未来的发展趋势。结果表明：(1)云南轿子雪山和小百草岭两个样地大王杜鹃均表现出第Ⅰ~Ⅱ龄级个体不足的现象,尽管两个样地内大王杜鹃种群仍表现为稳定型种群,但其均对外界干扰具有很高的敏感性。(2)大王杜鹃存活曲线在云南轿子雪山和小百草岭2个样地都趋于Deevey Ⅱ型,个体平均生存能力的期望值均在幼年(Ⅰ和Ⅱ龄级)个体中最大,死亡率和消失率曲线的变化趋势基本一致。(3)时间序列预测分析表明,云南轿子雪山大王杜鹃种群在未来2、4、6年龄级后总体均呈下降趋势,种群面临衰退危险;小百草岭样地内,大王杜鹃种群总体上呈增长趋势,种群具有一定的恢复潜力。建议加强大王杜鹃自然种群生境的保护与管理从而维持其种群自然更新与发展的能力。     

洮河上游紫果云杉种群结构特征

该研究以洮河上游尕海-则岔自然保护区、卡车林区和冶力关林区的紫果云杉(Picea purpurea)天然种群为研究对象, 通过样地调查和数据统计, 绘制种群结构图, 编制静态生命表, 拟合并分析存活曲线, 运用数量化方法研究种群动态, 揭示种群生存现状, 预测种群发展趋势, 以期为该物种的保护、管理及结构恢复提供理论依据。结果显示: 3个林区紫果云杉种群自然更新能力强, 幼苗、幼树储量丰富, 幼小龄期死亡率普遍偏高; 尕海-则岔种群存活曲线符合Deevey-III型, 种群稳定结构完整, 卡车林区和冶力关林区种群存活曲线均符合Deevey-II型, 且均出现了局部衰退; 3个林区种群动态指数均大于0, 说明种群均属于增长型, 增长潜力为尕海-则岔>卡车>冶力关; 受随机干扰时卡车林区紫果云杉最敏感, 冶力关次之, 尕海-则岔种群最稳定。该研究表明: 竞争和自疏作用是造成紫果云杉幼小龄级个体存活率偏低的普遍因素, 3个林区不同的生存状况反映了紫果云杉种群在不同生境及生活史下生存能力的差异, 保护幼苗生存环境并提高幼苗质量和存活率是种群更新和发展的关键。尕海-则岔紫果云杉生存良好, 种群生存状况主要受自身生物学特性和环境因子的影响; 卡车林区主要受人为影响, 种群结构遭到破坏; 冶力关林区受分布限制, 造成种群结构不稳定, 须采取一定的人工措施来促进种群更新与增长。     

The role of tumor necrosis factor-α for interleukin-10 production by murine dendritic cells

In the present study, we examined the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in interleukin (IL)-10 production by dendritic cells (DCs) using bone-marrow derived DCs from wild type (WT) and TNF-α knockout (TNF-α^−/−) mice. Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation induced substantial level of IL-10 production by WT DCs, but significantly low level of IL-10 production by TNF-α^−/− DCs. In contrast, no significant difference was detected in IL-12 p40 production between WT and TNF-α^−/− DCs. Addition of TNF-α during TLR stimulation recovered the impaired ability of TNF-α^−/− DCs for IL-10 production. This recovery appeared to be associated with an activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt following the TNF-α addition. Blocking these kinases significantly inhibited IL-10 production by TNF-α^−/− DCs stimulated with TLR ligands plus TNF-α. Thus, TNF-α may be a key molecule to regulate the balance between anti-inflammatory versus inflammatory cytokine production in DCs.