Complete mitochondrial genome sequence and gene organization of Chinese indigenous chickens with phylogenetic considerations

In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial DNA of Chinese indigenous Jinhu Black-bone and Rugao chickens. The two chicken mitochondrial genomes were deposited in GenBank under accession Nos. KP742951 and KR347464, respectively. The complete mitochondrial genomes of Jinhu Black-bone and Rugao chickens were sequenced and found to span 16,785 and 16,786 bp, respectively, and consisted of 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes (12S rRNA and 16S rRNA), 13 protein-coding genes, and one control region (D-loop). The majority of genes were positioned on the H-strand, and the ND6 and eight tRNA genes were found to be encoded on the L-strand. The mitogenomes showed a similar gene order to that of the published Gallus gallus genome, as neither included a control region. The overall base composition of the genome of the two chickens was A = 30.22/30.28%, G = 13.57/13.49%, T = 23.74/23.76%, and C = 32.48/32.48%. Nucleotide skewness of the coding strands of the two chicken genomes (AT-skew = 0.12, GC-skew = -0.41) was biased towards T and G. Phylogenetic analysis revealed 29 subspecies, and the molecular genetic relationship among the 29 subspecies was identical to that of traditional taxonomy.

Practices and thinking of laboratory detection in the aid to West Africa to fight against Ebola

BACKGROUND

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa has brought great disaster to the people's health in affected countries. China dispatched first group of public health experts and medical staff to Sierra Leone in September 2014 to fight Ebola.

METHODS

To systematically collect huge amount of primary data, and to make analysis, draw conclusions and lessons in terms of six aspects, respectively as training before departure, local disease information, track of epidemic situation, transformation of temporary laboratory, detection of Ebola virus samples as well as assessment through single blind test.

RESULTS

1) Our team has launched preparatory works in advance before going to Sierra Leone. 2) Malaria is the country's severest infectious disease. 3) Observation centers were overcrowded with large number of suspected cases being inspected, implying high risk of nosocomial infection. 4) A BSL-II laboratory with 3 work areas and 2 buffer areas was built, achieving several major functions within 6 days. 5) Confirmed by South African Raqqa laboratory, our detection accuracy reached 100%. 6) At one week before return, the daily average sample amount of our team reached 66 cases and our detection capability was equivalent to that of USA.

CONCLUSIONS

Successful experience from fighting against Ebola in Sierra Leone could be summarized as: 1) Optimized processes and scientific security measures are prerequisite to improving the detection ability. 2) The close collaboration between laboratory and observation center has created a new model of China's foreign aid. 3) Comprehensive information investigation and training lay a solid foundation for the successful completion of tasks.

Sodium hydrosulfide prevents hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in broilers

1. The aim of the study was to determine if H(2)S is involved in the development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in broilers, a condition frequently observed in a variety of cardiac and pulmonary diseases. 2. Two-week-old broilers were reared under normoxic conditions or exposed to normobaric hypoxia (6 h/day) with tissue levels of H(2)S adjusted by administering sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, 10 µmol/kg body weight/day). Mean pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular mass, plasma and tissue H(2)S levels, the expression of cystathionine-β-synthase (CSE) and vascular remodeling were determined at 35 d of age. 3. Exposure to hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension was characterized by elevated pulmonary pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy and vascular remodeling. This was accompanied by decreased expression of CSE and decreased concentrations of plasma and tissue H(2)S. 4. Hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension was significantly reduced by administration of NaHS but this protective effect was largely abolished by D, L-propargylglycerine, an inhibitor of CSE. 5. The results indicate that H(2)S is involved in the development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Supplementing NaHS or H(2)S could be a strategy for reducing hypoxia-induced hypertension in broilers.

Conjugated linoleic acids alleviate the immunosuppression of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in broiler chickens exposed to cyclosporin A

The immunoregulatory actions of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) of relevance immunosuppression were investigated. To test the hypothesis that CLA ameliorate immunosuppression, we developed the immunosuppressive model of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in broiler chickens induced by cyclosporin A. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes of broiler chickens were cultured with media containing various concentrations (25, 50, 100, and 200 μmol/L) of c9, t11-CLA and t10, c12-CLA to investigate the effects of CLA isomers on peripheral blood T lymphocyte proliferation, interleukin-2, the activity of phospholipase C, and protein kinase C production. Results suggested that CLA alleviated the immunosuppression of T lymphocytes in broiler chickens exposed to cyclosporin A through increasing of peripheral blood T lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin-2. The 2 CLA isomers enhanced T lymphocyte proliferation at low concentration and inhibited T lymphocyte proliferation at high concentration. In addition, the effect of c9, t11-CLA was better than that of t10, c12-CLA. At the cellular level, the effects of CLA on the alleviation of immunosuppression in T lymphocytes are mainly attributable to increasing the signaling molecules, such as phospholipase C and protein kinase C.

Sodium alginate oligosaccharides from brown algae inhibit Salmonella Enteritidis colonization in broiler chickens

The effects of sodium alginate oligosaccharides (sAO) on growth performance, cecal microbiota, Salmonella translocation to internal organs, and mucosal immune responses to challenge with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis in broiler chickens were investigated. We designed an experiment with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, in which 3 feed treatments with supplementation of sAO at 0 (controls), 0.04, or 0.2% were provided in the diet for birds not challenged or challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis. There were 5 randomly placed replicate pens for each treatment. At 8 to 12 d of age, one-half the poults were orally gavaged with 10(8) cfu of Salmonella Enteritidis and the nonchallenged groups were inoculated with sterile PBS. Body weight loss and mortality resulting from Salmonella infection were mitigated by the addition of sAO. Supplementation of sAO at 0.2% was the most effective concentration for reducing Salmonella colonization and increasing the number of lactic acid bacteria in the cecum of chickens challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis. Cecal Salmonella Enteritidis-specific IgA production was significantly increased by sAO at 0.2% at 5 d postchallenge compared with the other treatments and was maintained at higher levels at the 2 dosages of sAO at 10 d postchallenge. With Salmonella Enteritidis challenge, sAO at 0.04% showed an anti-inflammatory effect through upregulation of interleukin (IL)-10 expression in the cecal tonsils. The supplementation level of 0.2% showed dramatic immunostimulatory activity by inducing interferon-γ, IL-10, and IL-1β mRNA expression in cecal tonsils of nonchallenged birds. However, the high level of sAO induced a robust mucosal immune response in the absence of a challenge, and this may have led to a decline in BW. These findings suggest that dietary sAO can decrease Salmonella colonization and improve intestinal barrier function and performance of chickens.

[HPLC determination of PAHs from electric power plant by UVD-FLD connected in series]

An HPLC method of UVD-FLD connected in series was used to detect naphthalene, biphenyl, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, 2-methyl-anthracene, chrysene, benzanthracene, benzfluoranthene [b], benzfluoranthene[k], benzopyrene PAH compounds in electricity plant environment. A CLC-ODS column (150 mm x 6.0 mm i.d.) with acetonitrile-water(85:15, V/V) as mobile phase and UV detector set at 250 nm and fluorescent detector set at lambda ex295 nm and lambda em427 nm were used. These 12 PAHs can be separated completely by this method. The earlier eluted eight PAHs were detected by UVD and the rest were detected by FLD. The minimum detectable concentrations of the 12 PAHs were 0.002 mg/L-0.1 mg/L. Satisfactory results were obtained in the analysis of PAH compounds in waste water, flue gas and flyash from several electric power plant in Hunan Province.

[Clinical study on zhengan xifeng decoction in preventing and treating hypertensive nephropathy]

Seventeen cases of hypertensive nephropathy with azotemia (test group) treated with Zhengan Xifeng Decoction (ZGXFI) and routine regimen of Western Medicine were observed. The result was compared with that of 15 cases treated with routine regimen alone (control group). After 3 months of treatment, the blood pressure, sodium excretion, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were all reduced, while creatinine clearance rate (CCr) and residual renal function index (RRFI) were improved significantly in both groups. Compared with control group, the treatment on test group showed a more prominent effect on lowering of diastolic blood pressure, elevating the hemoglobin, reducing the blood level of triglyceride and creatinine as well as improving on CCr and RRFI, suggesting the deterioration of residual renal function could be restrained by ZGXFD, through improve the disorder of lipid metabolism, osmolality gradient and creatinine kinetics.