Genetic Status of ESR Locus and Other Unidentified Genes As sociated with Litter Size in Chinese Indigenous Tongcheng Pig Breed after a Long Time Selection

Zhu, M.J.,Yu, M.,Liu, B.,Zhu, Z.Z.,Xiong, T.A.,Fan, B.,Xu, S.P.,Du, Y.Q.,Peng, Z.Z.,Li, K. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2004 Animal Bioscience Vol.17 No.5

The Tongcheng pig breed is a famous Chinese indigenous breed. The Ministry of Agriculture of China has filed it as 1 of 19 national key conservation breeds selected from more than 100 Chinese indigenous pig breeds in 2000. In order to improve the reproductive performance, it has been intensively selected to increase the litter size for about 10 years. The population randomly sampled from conservation nucleus of eight families in the Tongcheng pigs was genotyped for identification of their estrogen receptor locus polymorphisms with the PCR-RFLPs method. Only AB heterozygotes and BB homozygotes were detected, and $X^2$ test demonstrated that the locus was in disequilibrium at a significant level (p<0.05). In the present paper, the litter sizes in different parities were regarded as different traits. Holistic status of other unspecific and unidentified genes was estimated by using the statistical methods. Coefficients of kurtosis and skewness showed that the litter size still presented segregating characteristic in the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th parities. Analysis of homogeneity of variance between families confirmed the results for the 5th, 7th and 8th parities. The heritability of litter size for the 1st to 10th parities was estimated with paternal half-sib model and individual estimated breeding values (EBVs) were evaluated by a single trait animal model as well. We found that the averages of EBVs for litter size in each parity did not differ significantly between genotypes, despite the significant difference for original phenotype records in the 3rd, 4th and 5th parities (p<0.05 or p<0.01). The results may be explained by the deduction that the polymorphisms of ESR locus are no longer the important genetic base of litter size variation when the frequency of allele B accumulated in the experience of selection procedure, and further conferring that there exist special genes associated with litter size in the recent Tongcheng pigs population can be made.

Energy and Standardized Ileal Amino Acid Digestibilities of Chinese Distillers Dried Grains, Produced from Different Regions and Grains Fed to Growing Pigs

Xue, P.C.,Dong, B.,Zang, J.J.,Zhu, Z.P.,Gong, L.M. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2012 Animal Bioscience Vol.25 No.1

Two experiments were conducted to determine the digestibility of crude protein (CP), amino acids and energy in three Chinese corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), one rice DDGS, one American corn DDGS and one American high protein distillers dried grains (HP-DDG). In Exp. 1, the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP and amino acids in the six samples were determined using cannulated barrows (initial BW: $43.3{\pm}1.7$ kg). In Exp. 2, the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) content of these six samples were determined using crossbred barrows (initial BW: $46.0{\pm}2.5$ kg). The results of the two experiments indicated that Chinese corn DDGS is generally similar to American DDGS in chemical composition, digestibility of amino acids, DE and ME. However, Chinese DDGS had a lower Lys concentration (0.50% vs. 0.74%) and SID Lys (52.3% vs. 57.0%, p<0.01). The DE and ME values in Chinese corn DDGS were 3,427 and 3,306 kcal/kg, respectively. Rice DDGS had a similar DE and ME (3,363 and 3,228 kcal/kg) but higher Lys concentration (0.64% vs. 0.50%) to corn DDGS, while the SID of Lys was quite low (61.8%, p<0.01). HP-DDG had high value of SID of Lys, DE and ME (79.8%, 3,899 and 3,746 kcal/kg). In conclusion, except for a lower Lys concentrations and availability, the chemical composition, digestibility of amino acids, DE and ME values in Chinese corn DDGS are similar to American corn DDGS. Additionally, the rice DDGS had lower Lys content and digestible Lys values than that in corn DDGS. Thirdly, HP-DDG has higher levels of digestible amino acids and energy than DDGS.

Effects of Astragalus Polysaccharides, Achyranthes bidentata Polysaccharides, and Acantbepanax senticosus Saponin on the Performance and Immunity in Weaned Pigs

Kang, P.,Xiao, H.L.,Hou, Y.Q.,Ding, B.Y.,Liu, Y.L.,Zhu, H.L.,Hu, Q.Z.,Hu, Y.,Yin, Y.L. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2010 Animal Bioscience Vol.23 No.6

Two trials were conducted to study the effects of two Chinese herbal polysaccharides, Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharides (ABPS), and one Chinese herbal saponin, Acantbepanax senticosus saponin (ASS), on the immunity and growth performance of weaned pigs. Experiment 1 was a 14-day growth assay, in which 32 weaned pigs were randomly allocated to one of four dietary treatments: i) 0.05% talcum powder control; ii) 0.05% APS; iii) 0.05% mixture of APS and ASS in a 1:1 ratio by weight; and iv) 0.05% mixture of APS, ASS, and ABPS in a ratio of 1:1:1 by weight. Blood samples were collected on day 14 to determine plasma parameters. Feed intake, body weight gain, and feed efficiency were also determined. Experiment 2 was a 21-day immunity assay, in which 16 weaned pigs were randomly allotted to one of two dietary treatments: i) 0.05% talcum powder control; and ii) 0.05% mixture of APS and ASS in a 1:1 ratio by weight. On day 21, pigs were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and 3 h later blood samples were collected and analyzed for lymphocyte proliferation as well as interleukin 6 (IL-6), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), growth hormone (GH), and cortisol levels. In Experiment 1, feeding Chinese herbal polysaccharides and saponin increased growth performance of the pigs. The effects of the mixture of APS and ASS were especially notable, as there was a significant improvement in growth performance compared with the control (p<0.05). The plasma concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG), nitric oxide (NO), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were increased in all treatments groups, with the mixture of APS and ASS increasing the level of IgG and NOS significantly (p<0.05), compared with the control. There was no difference in the NO level between the control and treatment groups (p>0.05). In Experiment 2, Chinese herbal polysaccharides and saponin showed immunostimulating effects. The level of cortisol, GH, and IGF-I were significantly increased (p>0.05), and the level of IL-6 showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the APS and ASS treatment after the LPS challenge. The mixture of APS and ASS could stimulate the blood lymphocyte proliferation significantly whether the LPS was injected or not (p<0.05). These results show that Chinese herbal extracts can improve growth performance and stimulate immunity of weaned pigs. A mixture of APS and ASS, compared with APS alone, could be a new kind of immunostimulant for weaned pigs, which could result in greater positive effects on their growth performance and immunity.

Effect of diets with different energy and lipase levels on performance, digestibility and carcass trait in broilers

Hu, Y.D.,Lan, D.,Zhu, Y.,Pang, H.Z.,Mu, X.P.,Hu, X.F. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2018 Animal Bioscience Vol.31 No.8

Objective: A 28-d trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of diets with different energy and lipase levels on performance, nutrient digestibility, serum profiles, gut health, and carcass quality in broilers. Methods: A total of 720 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers ($45.4{\pm}0.5g$) were randomly assigned to one of the following four treatments: i) RET, reduced energy treatment (metabolizable energy = 2,950 and 3,100 kcal/kg for starter and finisher diet), ii) BDT, basal diet treatment (metabolizable energy = 3,050 and 3,200 kcal/kg for starter and finisher diet, iii) RET015, RET+0.15 g/kg lipase, and iv) RET03, RET+0.3 g/kg lipase. There were 10 replications (cages) per treatment with 18 birds per cage. Results: During d 1 to 14, broilers fed BDT, RET015, and RET03 diets had higher (p<0.05) body weight gain than those fed RET diet. During d 1 to 14, 15 to 28 and the overall experiment, feed conversion ratio in RET03 treatment was lower (p<0.05) compared with RET treatment. On d 14, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), and gross energy in RET03 treatment was higher (p<0.05) than those in RET treatment, while the ATTD of N was increased (p<0.05) by RET03 treatment. On d 28, broilers fed RET03 diet had higher (p<0.05) ATTD of DM than those fed RET and RET015 diets, while the ATTD of EE in BDT and RET03 treatments was increased (p<0.05) compared with RET and RET015 treatments. Broilers fed RET03 diet had higher villus height (VH) and VH:crypt depth (CD) ratio than those fed RET and BDT diets. The activity of pancreatic lipase in BDT and RET03 treatments was higher (p<0.05) than that in RET treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, lipase supplementation (3,000 U/kg feed) increased growth performance, nutrient digestibility, VH, VH:CD ratio and lipase activity, but decreased triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the abdominal fat percentage in broilers fed reduced energy diet.

Effects of Inclusion Levels of Wheat Bran and Body Weight on Ileal and Fecal Digestibility in Growing Pigs

Q. Huang,Y.B. Su,D.F. Li,L. Liu,C.F. Huang,Z.P. Zhu,C.H. Lai 아세아·태평양축산학회 2015 Animal Bioscience Vol.28 No.6

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of graded inclusions of wheat bran (0%, 9.65%, 48.25% wheat bran) and two growth stages (from 32.5 to 47.2 kg and 59.4 to 78.7 kg, respectively) on the apparent ileal digestibility (AID), apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and hindgut fermentation of nutrients and energy in growing pigs. Six light pigs (initial body weight [BW] 32.5±2.1 kg) and six heavy pigs (initial BW 59.4±3.2 kg) were surgically prepared with a T-cannula in the distal ileum. A difference method was used to calculate the nutrient and energy digestibility of wheat bran by means of comparison with a basal diet consisting of corn-soybean meal (0% wheat bran). Two additional diets were formulated by replacing 9.65% and 48.25% wheat bran by the basal diet, respectively. Each group of pigs was allotted to a 6×3 Youden square design, and pigs were fed to three experimental diets during three 11-d periods. Hindgut fermentation values were calculated as the differences between ATTD and AID values. For the wheat bran diets, the AID and ATTD of dry matter (DM), ash, organic matter (OM), carbohydrates (CHO), gross energy (GE), and digestible energy (DE) decreased with increasing inclusion levels of wheat bran (p<0.05). While only AID of CHO and ATTD of DM, ash, OM, CHO, GE, and DE content differed (p<0.05) when considering the BW effect. For the wheat bran ingredient, there was a wider variation effect (p<0.01) on the nutrient and energy digestibility of wheat bran in 9.65% inclusion level due to the coefficient of variation (CV) of the nutrient and energy digestibility being higher at 9.65% compared to 48.25% inclusion level of wheat bran. Digestible energy content of wheat bran at 48.25% inclusion level (4.8 and 6.7 MJ/kg of DM, respectively) fermented by hindgut was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that in 9.65% wheat bran inclusion level (2.56 and 2.12 MJ/kg of DM, respectively), which was also affected (p<0.05) by two growth stages. This increase in hindgut fermentation caused the difference in ileal DE (p<0.05) to disappear at total tract level. All in all, increasing wheat bran levels in diets negatively influences the digestibility of some nutrients in pigs, while it positively affects the DE fermentation in the hindgut.

Effects of Inclusion Levels of Wheat Bran and Body Weight on Ileal and Fecal Digestibility in Growing Pigs

Huang, Q.,Su, Y.B.,Li, D.F.,Liu, L.,Huang, C.F.,Zhu, Z.P.,Lai, C.H. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2015 Animal Bioscience Vol.28 No.6

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of graded inclusions of wheat bran (0%, 9.65%, 48.25% wheat bran) and two growth stages (from 32.5 to 47.2 kg and 59.4 to 78.7 kg, respectively) on the apparent ileal digestibility (AID), apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and hindgut fermentation of nutrients and energy in growing pigs. Six light pigs (initial body weight [BW] $32.5{\pm}2.1kg$) and six heavy pigs (initial BW $59.4{\pm}3.2kg$) were surgically prepared with a T-cannula in the distal ileum. A difference method was used to calculate the nutrient and energy digestibility of wheat bran by means of comparison with a basal diet consisting of corn-soybean meal (0% wheat bran). Two additional diets were formulated by replacing 9.65% and 48.25% wheat bran by the basal diet, respectively. Each group of pigs was allotted to a $6{\times}3$ Youden square design, and pigs were fed to three experimental diets during three 11-d periods. Hindgut fermentation values were calculated as the differences between ATTD and AID values. For the wheat bran diets, the AID and ATTD of dry matter (DM), ash, organic matter (OM), carbohydrates (CHO), gross energy (GE), and digestible energy (DE) decreased with increasing inclusion levels of wheat bran (p<0.05). While only AID of CHO and ATTD of DM, ash, OM, CHO, GE, and DE content differed (p<0.05) when considering the BW effect. For the wheat bran ingredient, there was a wider variation effect (p<0.01) on the nutrient and energy digestibility of wheat bran in 9.65% inclusion level due to the coefficient of variation (CV) of the nutrient and energy digestibility being higher at 9.65% compared to 48.25% inclusion level of wheat bran. Digestible energy content of wheat bran at 48.25% inclusion level (4.8 and 6.7 MJ/kg of DM, respectively) fermented by hindgut was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that in 9.65% wheat bran inclusion level (2.56 and 2.12 MJ/kg of DM, respectively), which was also affected (p<0.05) by two growth stages. This increase in hindgut fermentation caused the difference in ileal DE (p<0.05) to disappear at total tract level. All in all, increasing wheat bran levels in diets negatively influences the digestibility of some nutrients in pigs, while it positively affects the DE fermentation in the hindgut.

15-lipoxygenase metabolites play an important role in the development of a T-helper type 1 allergic inflammation induced by double-stranded RNA

Jeon, S. G.,Moon, H.-G.,Kim, Y.-S.,Choi, J.-P.,Shin, T.-S.,Hong, S.-W.,Tae, Y.-M.,Kim, S.-H.,Zhu, Z.,Gho, Y. S.,Kim, Y.-K. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2009 Clinical and experimental allergy Vol.39 No.6

<P>Summary</P><P>Background</P><P>We recently demonstrated that the T-helper type 1 (Th1) immune response plays an important role in the development of non-eosinophilic inflammation induced by airway exposure of an allergen plus double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). However, the role of lipoxygenase (LO) metabolites in the development of Th1 inflammation is poorly understood.</P><P>Objective</P><P>To evaluate the role of LO metabolites in the development of Th1 inflammation induced by sensitization with an allergen plus dsRNA.</P><P>Methods</P><P>A Th2-allergic inflammation mouse model was created by an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide-depleted ovalbumin (OVA, 75 μg) and alum (2 mg) twice, and the Th1 model was created by intranasal application of OVA (75 μg) and synthetic dsRNA [10 μg of poly(I : C)] four times, followed by an intranasal challenge with 50 μg of OVA four times. The role of LO metabolites was evaluated using two approaches: a transgenic approach using 5-LO<SUP>−/−</SUP> and 15-LO<SUP>−/−</SUP> mice, and a pharmacological approach using inhibitors of cysteinyl leucotriene receptor-1 (cysLTR1), LTB4 receptor (BLT1), and 15-LO.</P><P>Results</P><P>We found that the Th1-allergic inflammation induced by OVA+dsRNA sensitization was similar between 5-LO<SUP>−/−</SUP> and wild-type (WT) control mice, although Th2 inflammation induced by sensitization with OVA+alum was reduced in the former group. In addition, dsRNA-induced Th1 allergic inflammation, which is associated with down-regulation of 15-hydroxyeicosateraenoic acids production, was not affected by treatment with cysLTR1 or BLT1 inhibitors, whereas it was significantly lower in 12/15-LO<SUP>−/−</SUP> mice compared with WT control mice. Moreover, dsRNA-induced allergic inflammation and the recruitment of T cells following an allergen challenge were significantly inhibited by treatment with a specific 15-LO inhibitor (PD146176).</P><P>Conclusion</P><P>15-LO metabolites appear to be important mediators in the development of Th1-allergic inflammation induced by sensitization with an allergen plus dsRNA. Our findings suggest that the 15-LO pathway is a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of virus-associated asthma characterized by Th1 inflammation.</P>

<i>SPITZER</i>AS A MICROLENS PARALLAX SATELLITE: MASS AND DISTANCE MEASUREMENTS OF BINARY LENS SYSTEM OGLE-2014-BLG-1050L

Zhu (祝伟,), Wei,Udalski, A.,Gould, A.,Dominik, M.,Bozza, V.,Han, C.,Yee, J. C.,Novati, S. Calchi,Beichman, C. A.,Carey, S.,Poleski, R.,Skowron, J.,Kozłowski, S.,Mró,z, P.,Pietrukowicz, P.,P IOP Publishing 2015 The Astrophysical journal Vol.805 No.1

<P>We report the first mass and distance measurements of a caustic-crossing binary system OGLE-2014-BLG-1050 L using the space-based microlens parallax method. Spitzer captured the second caustic. crossing of the event, which occurred similar to 10 days before that seen from Earth. Due to the coincidence that the source-lens relative motion was almost parallel to the direction of the binary-lens axis, the fourfold degeneracy, which was known before only to occur in single-lens events, persists in this case, leading to either a lower-mass (0.2 and 0.07 M-circle dot) binary at similar to 1.1 kpc or a higher-mass (0.9 and 0.35 M-circle dot) binary at similar to 3.5 kpc. However, the latter solution is strongly preferred for reasons including blending and lensing probability. OGLE-2014-BLG-1050 L demonstrates the power of microlens parallax in probing stellar and substellar binaries.</P>

Three-dimensional mapping of the anisotropic magnetoresistance in Fe₃O₄ single crystal thin films

Ding, Z.,Li, J. X.,Zhu, J.,Ma, T. P.,Won, C.,Wu, Y. Z. American Institute of Physics 2013 JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS - Vol.113 No.17

<P>The anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effect with a magnetic field along arbitrary directions in single crystalline (001)-oriented Fe3O4 films was studied. A cubic symmetry term, an in-plane uniaxial term, and an out-of-plane uniaxial term could be quantitatively separated. The cubic term is independent of the current direction, and decreases with increasing temperature, but both in-plane and out-of-plane uniaxial terms are found to be strongly dependent on the current orientation. This three-dimensional magnetoresistance measurement provides a quantitative method for identifying the different contributions to the AMR effect. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics.</P>

Linkage Disequilibrium Estimation of Chinese Beef Simmental Cattle Using High-density SNP Panels

Zhu, M.,Zhu, B.,Wang, Y.H.,Wu, Y.,Xu, L.,Guo, L.P.,Yuan, Z.R.,Zhang, L.P.,Gao, X.,Gao, H.J.,Xu, S.Z.,Li, J.Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2013 Animal Bioscience Vol.26 No.6

Linkage disequilibrium (LD) plays an important role in genomic selection and mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL). In this study, the pattern of LD and effective population size ($N_e$) were investigated in Chinese beef Simmental cattle. A total of 640 bulls were genotyped with IlluminaBovinSNP50BeadChip and IlluminaBovinHDBeadChip. We estimated LD for each autosomal chromosome at the distance between two random SNPs of <0 to 25 kb, 25 to 50 kb, 50 to 100 kb, 100 to 500 kb, 0.5 to 1 Mb, 1 to 5 Mb and 5 to 10 Mb. The mean values of $r^2$ were 0.30, 0.16 and 0.08, when the separation between SNPs ranged from 0 to 25 kb to 50 to 100 kb and then to 0.5 to 1 Mb, respectively. The LD estimates decreased as the distance increased in SNP pairs, and increased with the increase of minor allelic frequency (MAF) and with the decrease of sample sizes. Estimates of effective population size for Chinese beef Simmental cattle decreased in the past generations and $N_e$ was 73 at five generations ago.