Melatonin Lowers Plasma Prolactin Levels in Female Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of exogenous melatonin treatment on circulating prolactin levels in red deer. Melatonin was administered from 12 June 1984 (day 1) to lactating and non-lactating hinds in the feed daily at 1600 h, and to non-lactating hinds by a subcutaneous implant. Average concentrations (ng/ml) of prolactin in plasma taken serially over 15-h periods were significantly higher for untreated hinds than for melatonin-treated animals on day 15 whether lactating (66-133 v. 23-28, P less than 0.05) or non-lactating (28-174 v. 8-13, P less than 0.01), remained higher on day 36 (lactating: 41-152 v. 15-21, P less than 0.05; non-lactating: 21-50 v. 1-7, P less than 0.001) but had decreased to similar levels on day 72 (lactating: 5-24 v. 7-17; non-lactating: 2-9 v. 0-4). The advanced reduction in plasma prolactin for all melatonin-treated hinds was associated with an advanced onset of seasonal breeding activity.     

SNP及其在畜牧业中的应用前景

SNP(single nucleotide polymorphisns-单核苷酸多态性)是继限制性片段长度多态性和微卫星之后，新发展起来的第3代分子标记。已成为一类新的遗传标记，广泛应用于基因定位、克隆和遗传多样性研究。本文介绍了SNP的特性、检测方法及其在畜牧业研究生产中的广泛利用前景。并提出了SNP研究中遇到的一些问题。     

桑椹果酒酵母筛选及发酵性能

从桑椹成熟果实、桑叶以及桑果园的土壤采样，进行桑椹果酒专用酵母的筛选，得到一株在性能上优于对照菌葡萄酒干酵母的酵母菌Y11。该菌起酵快，从第2天开始糖度大幅度下降，酒精度快速上升，发酵第4天酒精体积分数即可达到10％以上。发酵过程pH值变化趋势比较平缓，发酵结束后高级醇量符合要求。综合发酵性能及感官评定，表明该菌能代替葡萄酒干酵母用于桑椹果酒的生产。     

丹霞地貌生境中铁皮石斛的繁殖生物学研究

目的:揭示丹霞地貌生境中铁皮石斛的繁育系统及濒危机制.方法:对该地区铁皮石斛的生境、生长特性、开花物候、繁殖特性以及资源破坏状况等进行了调查.结果:丹霞地貌铁皮石斛生长环境恶劣,春季为其生长高峰;2～3年生茎开花,花后及时授粉,结实率较高;授粉后4～5 d子房开始膨大,果实成熟期为185 d左右;自然有性繁殖的结实率(0.31%)极低;无性克隆繁殖1丛仅1年生1茎.结论:丹霞地貌生境下铁皮石斛群体自然更新主要是通过分蘖繁殖实现的;人为掠夺性采集是该地区铁皮石斛野生资源濒危的主要因素.     

阿弗菌素产生菌SIPI-AV-99081的选育

阿弗菌素链霉菌SIPI-AV-99081采用UV和NTG进行诱变处理。选育得到一高产菌株和几个典型的突变株。高产菌株AV-h-360的阿弗菌素B1的生产能力较出发菌株提高了3倍，AV-m-486和AV-m-796为阿弗菌素合成阻断突变株，它们都不能产生天然的阿弗菌素。     

Breeding for 50-kHz Positive Affective Vocalization in Rats

Adolescent and adult rats exhibit at least two distinct ultrasonic vocalizations that reflect distinct emotional states. Rats exhibit 22-kHz calls during social defeat, drug withdrawal, as well as in anticipation of aversive events. In contrast, 50-kHz calls are exhibited in high rates during play behavior, mating, as well as in anticipation of rewarding events. The neurochemistry of 22-kHz and 50-kHz calls closely matches that of negative and positive emotional systems in humans, respectively. The aim of this study was to replicate and further evaluate selective breeding for 50-kHz vocalization, in preparation for the analysis of the genetic underpinnings of the 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalization (USV). Isolate housed adolescent rats (23–26 days old) received experimenter administered tactile stimulation (dubbed tickling), which mimicked the rat rough-and-tumble play behavior. This stimulation has previously been shown to elicit high levels of 50-kHz USVs and to be highly rewarding in isolate-housed animals. Each tickling session consisted of 4 cycles of 15 seconds stimulation followed by 15 seconds no stimulation for a total of 2 min, and was repeated once per day across 4 successive days. Rats were then selected for either High or Low levels of sonographically verified 50-kHz USVs in response to the stimulation, and a randomly selected line served as a control (Random group). Animals emitted both 22-kHz and 50-kHz types of calls. After 5 generations, animals in the High Line exhibited significantly more 50-kHz and fewer 22-kHz USVs than animals in the Low Line. Animals selected for low levels of 50-kHz calls showed marginally more 22-kHz USVs then randomly selected animals but did not differ in the rate of 50-kHz calls. These results extend our previous findings that laboratory rats could be bred for differential rates of sonographically verified 50-kHz USVs.     

Cell cultures for diagnosis of arbovirus infections in livestock and wildlife

Summary Arboviruses can be isolated in serially propagated cells derived from various vertebrates and invertebrates. Cell cultures can be used for direct detection of antigen by fluorescent antibody and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, for nucleic acid hybridization, and for visualization of viruses with electron microscopy. Reagents for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for IgM and IgG antibodies, hemagglutination-inhibition, complement fixation, and serum dilution-plaque reduction neutralization tests can be prepared in cell cultures infected with these viruses. Thus, cell cultures can be used as laboratory hosts for essentially all isolation, identification, and serodiagnostic procedures for arboviruses. This paper outlines current methods for diagnosis of arbovirus infections in livestock and wildlife, describes certain of these techniques, and provides references for others.     

DNA改组(DNA Shuffling)在生物药学中的应用

目的综述DNA改组技术的发展及其在生物药学领域的应用,为生物药学及其相关领域的研究和进一步应用提供参考。方法总结、分析近几年来相关方面的文献资料。结果及结论DNA改组是一种有效的在体外利用重组技术加速基因进化的定向分子进化过程,它可以使单一基因和多基因靶序列进行多次重组和筛选而使其快速进化。DNA改组技术发展迅速并广泛应用于酶的改良、药物蛋白优化、疫苗改进等领域,具有广阔应用发展前景。     

High Case-Fatality Rate for Human Anthrax,Northern Ghana, 2005–2016

The human cutaneous anthrax case-fatality rate is ≈1% when treated, 5%–20% when untreated. We report high case-fatality rates (median 35.0%; 95% CI 21.1%–66.7%) during 2005–2016 linked to livestock handling in northern Ghana, where veterinary resources are limited. Livestock vaccination and access to human treatment should be evaluated.