Effects of supplementing two levels of magnesium aspartate and transportation stress on pork quality and gene expression of 𝛍-calpain and calpastatin of finishing pigs

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing swine finishing diets with two levels of magnesium aspartate (MgAsp) and short-term transportation stress on blood parameters, pork quality and the mRNA abundance of μ-calpain and calpastatin in muscles of finishing pigs. Thirty-six crossbred finishing pigs (mean BW 90 kg) were assigned randomly to 0, 1000, or 2000 mg supplemental Mg from MgAsp per kg of diet for five days before slaughter. Then six pigs from each dietary treatment were subjected either to no transportation stress (NTS) or 2 h of transportation stress (TS). Transportation stress resulted in higher concentrations (p < 0.01) of serum calcium, glucose and cortisol, lower pH (p < 0.01), higher Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) (p < 0.05) and higher calpastatin mRNA abundance (p = 0.05) of longissimus muscle (LM) compared with NTS treatments. Supplementation of MgAsp in TS treatments increased serum Mg concentration (p < 0.05) at 2000 mg of Mg/kg, reduced drip loss (p < 0.05) and improved pork quality colour (p < 0.05) at 2000 mg of Mg/kg, and decreased 1-day and 3-day WBSF (p < 0.05) at 1000 mg of Mg/kg compared with TS treatments fed the control diet. It is concluded that supplementation of MgAsp improves water-holding capacity and pork colour, and alleviates the negative effects of transportation stress on meat tenderness.     

Effect of Ligustrum lucidum and Schisandra chinensis on the egg production,antioxidant status and immunity of laying hens during heat stress

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of two plants belonging to Chinese herbal medicines, Ligustrum lucidum (LL) and Schisandra chinensis (SC), on the laying performance, antioxidant status and immunity of hens during heat stress. The results showed that diets supplement with 1% of either LL or SC had beneficial effects on egg production and FCR of hens during heat stress (p < 0.05), compared with the control group. Either LL or SC significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration of heart, liver, sera and egg yolk. In addition, glutathione reductase (GR) activity of tissues and sera of the birds was significantly elevated by supplementation LL or SC. Furthermore, LL or SC supplementation significantly elevated lymphoblastogenese of the birds and the antibody values against Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The results suggest that diets supplement with 1% of either LL or SC may enhance egg production, immune function, and antioxidant status of hens during heat stress.     

Optimal barn characteristics for high-yielding Holstein cows as derived by a new heat-stress model

Meticulous planning is required to minimize heat-stress conditions in barns. The objective of this study was to determine optimum barn characteristics for high-yielding dairy cows under Israeli (Mediterranean) summer ambient conditions, by using a new stress model that takes ambient temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity into account. During the summers of 2004 and 2005, three meteorological stations were alternately installed in 39 barns: two stations inside the barn at the prevailing downwind direction, and a third station outside the upwind end of the barn. Ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction were measured and recorded every 10 min for 3 to 5 consecutive days at each barn in turn. The data were collected at different geographical and climatic conditions. Therefore, the data collected by an outside station were used as covariates. A heat-stress model was used to determine the threshold temperature (THRT) at which a cow begins to increase its respiratory rate; THRT was the response variable in the statistical model. The THRT model takes in account assumed values of a cow's physiological characteristics: daily milk yield of 45 kg, containing 3.5% fat, and 3 mm fur depth. The independent variables were: orientation, barn type, roof slope, roof ridge, marginal height, roof type (fixed or sliding) and barn width. Results showed that the optimal barn for high-yielding cows is the loose-housing type, oriented with its long axis perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. Advantageous to the design would be an open ridge or pagoda with marginal height of over 4.7 m for north-south orientation and over 5 m for east-west orientation, roof slope over 11%, and barn width between 43 and 51 m for north-south orientation but lower than 42 m for east-west orientation. A sliding roof was also found to be an excellent solution when outside yards are banned by environmental regulations.     

Studies on the paradox of seedling rarity in Vaccinium myrtillus L. in NE Scotland

Summary

On the moors studied Vaccinium myrtillus produced many berries containing highly viable seed, yet seedlings were rare. Offtake of berries by birds or mammalian herbivores was apparently minor, most berries simply falling from the bushes when ripe. Fallen berries quickly disappeared, probably being removed by small rodents. Berries were fed experimentally to captive field voles and capercaillies, and it was found that only c. 1% of the seeds survived. For the voles, most of these viable seeds probably resulted from contamination of the droppings with partially-eaten berries or discarded extracted seeds, processes which must contribute to dispersal in the wild. The soil seed-bank was shown to be small, and the viability of buried seed declined from c. 90% to c. 20% in 3 years, due to decay in the soil H horizon and premature germination in the litter layer. Fewer seedlings established from experimental sowings on grass and Vaccinium myrtillus turf than on bare peat. We conclude that Vaccinium myrtillus has a seed-dispersal strategy which secures some long-distance movement by frugivores at the expense of much lost seed, and that the small seed-bank and low numbers of seedlings result from poor defence of the seeds and weak competitive ability of the seedlings; other attributes of Vaccinium myrtillus, e.g. efficient vegetative reproduction, compensate for these losses and enable it to be a successful species.     

手术室术前访视应用ipad对访视效果影响的研究

目的：探讨术前访视应用ipad在术前访视中对手术患者心理状态的影响。方法：将300例择期手术患者随机分为对照组（150例）和实验组（150例）,对照组采用常规术前访视方案;实验组在此基础上结合ipad展示围术期相关信息,采用焦虑自量表评估两组病人入院时和入手术室时的焦虑状况及血压、心率等指标,并且进行术后并发症和满意度的调查。结果：改良术前访视后焦虑评分、收缩压、舒张压、心率实验组明显低于对照组。结论：术前访视应用ipad可明显减轻手术病人术前的焦虑。     

Understanding and addressing religion among people with mental illness

This article reviews recent advances in the domain of psychiatry and religion that highlight the double‐edged capacity of religion to enhance or damage health and well‐being, particularly among psychiatric patients. A large body of research challenges stereotyped views of religion as merely a defense or passive way of coping, and indicates that many people look to religion as a vital resource which serves a variety of adaptive functions, such as self‐regulation, attachment, emotional comfort, meaning, and spirituality. There is, however, a darker side to religious life. Researchers and theorists have identified and begun to study problematic aspects of religiousness, including religiously‐based violence and religious struggles within oneself, with others, and with the divine. Religious problems can be understood as a by‐product of psychiatric illness (secondary), a source of psychiatric illness (primary), or both (complex). This growing body of knowledge underscores the need to attend more fully to the potentially constructive and destructive roles of religion in psychiatric diagnosis, assessment, and treatment. In fact, initial evaluative studies of the impact of spiritually integrated treatments among a range of psychiatric populations have shown promising results. The article concludes with a set of recommendations to advance future research and practice, including the need for additional psychiatric studies of people from diverse cultures and religious traditions.     

Abiotic stress-associated microRNAs in plants: discovery, expression analysis, and evolution

Abiotic stresses such as drought, cold, and high salinity are among the most adverse factors that affect plant growth and yield in the field. MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression in a sequence-specific manner and play an important role in plant stress response. Identifying abiotic stress-associated microRNAs and understanding their function will help develop new strategies for improvement of plant stress tolerance. Here we highlight recent advances in our understanding of abiotic stress-associated miRNAs in various plants, with focus on their discovery, expression analysis, and evolution.     

Autophagy regulation depends on ER homeostasis controlled by lipid droplets

Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) is a highly conserved homeostasis and quality control process critically linked to neurodegeneration, metabolic diseases, cancer, and aging. A key feature of autophagy is the de novo formation of autophagosomes, double-membrane vesicular structures encapsulating cytoplasmic cargo for vacuolar turnover and recycling. The membrane rearrangements underlying nucleation, expansion, closure, and vacuolar fusion of autophagosomes are driven by multicomponent core autophagy machinery in cooperation with numerous factors involved in a variety of cellular processes. Our current understanding of the origin and contribution of diverse membrane sources to autophagosome biogenesis and of cellular functions enabling stress-appropriate autophagy responses critical for cell health and survival remains limited. Here, we summarize and discuss our recent findings analyzing the role of lipid droplets (LDs), conserved intracellular storage compartments for neutral lipids, for autophagy regulation. Our data indicate that LDs are dispensable as membrane sources, but fulfill critical functions for maintaining endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis, including buffering of newly synthesized fatty acids and maintenance of phospholipid composition, required for intact autophagy regulation and cell survival during nutrient stress.