Chickens fed with biomass of the red microalga Porphyridium sp. have reduced blood cholesterol level and modified fatty acid composition in egg yolk

The biomass of the red alga Porphyridium sp.constitutes a unique combination of soluble sulfatedpolysaccharide that accounts for about 70% of thealgal dry weight, and various polyunsaturatedfatty acids (PUFA) such as arachidonic andeicosapentaenoic acid (AA, 20:4 6 and EPA,20:5 3). In view of earlier results in ourlaboratory showing a reduction in serum cholesteroland triglyceride levels in rodents fed with red algalbiomass, we set out to examine the influence of algalbiomass as a feed additive on the metabolism ofchickens, with an emphasis on blood and eggcholesterol levels. For that purpose, lyophilizedalgal biomass was fed to 12–13, 30-week-old, WhiteLeghorn chickens for 10 days at a proportion of 5% or10% of the standard chicken diet. Twelve chickensfed with unsupplemented diet served as the control. No differences in body weight, egg number, and eggweight were found between the algal-fed chickens (atboth concentrations) and the control. However,chickens fed with algal biomass consumed 10% lessfood for both groups, and their serum cholesterollevels were significantly lower (by 11% and 28% forthe groups fed with 5% and 10% supplement,respectively) as compared with the respective valuesof the control group. Egg yolk of chickens fed withalgae tended to have reduced cholesterol levels (by10%) and increased linoleic acid and arachidonic acidlevels (by 29% and 24%, respectively). In addition,the color of the egg yolk was darker as a result ofthe higher carotenoid levels (2.4 fold higher) forchickens that fed with 5% supplement. Theseresults encourage the development of an improvedchicken feed having dietary fibers and polyunsaturatedfatty acids.     

Improved sustainable maintenance for mid-water coral nursery by the application of an anti-fouling agent

The ‘gardening concept’ for reef restoration focuses on coral colonies farming in mid-water nurseries before their transplantation onto denuded reef areas. Nurseries situated in a nutrient-enriched environment significantly curtail nursery time, but extend labor, as nursery construction and farmed corals must be frequently cleaned from competing fouling organisms. Mass farming of corals calls, therefore, for efficient and cheap maintenance methodologies, which we here tested by employing Aqua-guard M250, an anti-fouling agent used in the fish farming industry. We found that this anti-fouling paint, while reducing fouling organisms on nursery components during the crucial phase of coral ramets' development from nubbins and small fragments sizes to colony sizes suitable for transplantation, is not toxic to maricultured coral fragments that staged more than 2 cm away from the paint. Applying small quantities of such antifouling paint to coral nurseries, while restricting its use to nursery components that are not in direct contact with farmed coral material, reduces fouling coverage and cleaning procedures by 90%.     

Isolation and characterization of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 from donkeys

Background  

The highly pathogenic H5N1 is a major avian pathogen that crosses species barriers and seriously affects humans as well as some mammals. It mutates in an intensified manner and is considered a potential candidate for the possible next pandemic with all the catastrophic consequences.     

Selection of high-affinity and high-specificity monoclonal antibodies for 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D

The preparation of high-affinity and high-specificity monoclonal antibodies to 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is described. Monoclonal antibodies were derived from Balb-c mice immunised with either 1 alpha-hydroxy-25,26,27-trinor-24-cholecalcioic acid or with 1 alpha-hydroxy-26,27-dinor-cholecalciferol-25-oxime, and spleen cells were hybridised with mouse myeloma cells. From six fusions nine monoclonal antibodies (MAb's) were selected from 676 antibody-secreting hybrids. Antibodies varied widely in their ability to bind 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (50% displacement of radioligand ranged from 25 - 900 pg); two had particularly useful characteristics for 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D assay. MAb 5F2 has high affinity (Ka = 1.39 X 10(10) M-1) and does not discriminate between 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 and D3, thus enabling the two forms to be measured together. MAb 1G7 is highly specific, having no cross-reactivity with 25-hydroxy-, 24,25-dihydroxy- or 25,26-dihydroxyvitamin D at concentrations found in normal human serum; this MAb has the potential to eliminate the lengthy extraction procedures involved in currently available assays for 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.     

二倍体矮牵牛花粉母细胞异常减数分裂的观察与核型分析

以夏季高温时期二倍体矮牵牛花蕾为材料,采用常规制片法,对花粉母细胞异常减数分裂进行观察并选取终变期进行染色体核型分析。结果发现:异常减数分裂主要表现为具有多核仁、二价体提前分离成单价体、赤道板外的染色体,姊妹染色单体提前分离、不均等分离,落后和丢失染色体,具有微核的三分体和四分体,中期Ⅱ纺锤体定位发生异常出现融合纺锤体和八字形纺锤体可导致2n花粉产生;矮牵牛终变期核型公式为K(2n)=2x=14=10m+4sm(2SAT),其中第1、4、5、6、7号为中部着丝粒染色体,第2号(具有随体)、3号为亚中部着丝粒染色体,染色体相对长度组成为2n=14=4M_1+10M_2,核型分类为2A型。研究表明,矮牵牛异常减数分裂可导致2n花粉和不育花粉的产生,利用终变期进行核型分析具有材料丰富、二价体形态清晰不需人为配对分析等优点,为矮牵牛细胞学研究提供了新方法。