Chinese alligator hatchlings in captivity are fragile and have a high mortality rate within first year.The body mass gain of reptile animals is closely related to their feeding behavior and gut microbiota.This study a...Chinese alligator hatchlings in captivity are fragile and have a high mortality rate within first year.The body mass gain of reptile animals is closely related to their feeding behavior and gut microbiota.This study analyzed the intrinsic factors influencing the allometric growth of Chinese alligator hatchlings based on their body mass gain,feeding behavior,and gut microbiota.This information would enhance the health management of Chinese alligator hatchlings.There was a significant correlation between the total distance moved,the average number of conspecifics nearby,and body mass gain.Chinese alligator hatchlings with a greater growth rate showed greater activity and more independent behavior during feeding than those with a lower growth rate.Moreover,after feeding started,some functions of the gut microbiota showed significant relationships with growth rate and feeding activity.Chinese alligator hatchlings with a greater growth rate showed greater levels of heme biosynthesis than those with a lower growth rate,and feeding activity was inhibited by long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis.These results elucidate the relationships between health,feeding behavior,and the gut microbiota of Chinese alligator hatchlings.Understanding the intrinsic factors of their health and feeding behavior can improve the health management of Chinese alligator hatchlings in captivity for conservation.展开更多
Hepatitis E virus(HEV)infection is a common public health problem in developing countries.However,the current prevalence of HEV and the relationship of HEV genotype between swine and human within high-density pig-farm...Hepatitis E virus(HEV)infection is a common public health problem in developing countries.However,the current prevalence of HEV and the relationship of HEV genotype between swine and human within high-density pig-farming areas in central China are still inadequately understood.Here,cross-sectional serological and genotypic surveys of HEV among the 1232 general population,273 workers occupationally exposed to swine,and 276 pigs in a high-density pig-breeding area,were undertaken by ELISA and nested RT-PCR methods.Anti-HEV IgG was detected in 26.22%of general population and 48.35%of occupational workers.The prevalence of swine serum HEV-Ag was 6.52%.The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was significantly higher among the workers occupationally exposed to swine than among the general population.An increased HEV seropositivity risk among the general population was associated with either being a peasant or male and was very strongly associated with the increase of age.Among the occupationally exposed group,the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies increased with age and working years.Among the 30 HEV-IgM-positive people,the infection rates of clerks in the public,peasants,pork retailers,and pig farmers were higher than those of others.A phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the isolates belonged to subgenotype 4d,and four people and four pigs shared 97.04%-100%sequence homology.This study revealed a high HEV seroprevalence among the general population and workers occupationally exposed to swine in the Anlu City,and supports the notion that swine are a source of human HEV infection.展开更多
Perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) is a ubiquitous pollutant in the aquatic environment, but its toxic effects andmechanisms on amphibian species remain largely unknown. In the present study, tadpoles (Lithobates catesbe...Perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) is a ubiquitous pollutant in the aquatic environment, but its toxic effects andmechanisms on amphibian species remain largely unknown. In the present study, tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus) were exposed to various concentrations of PFBS (0, 1, 3, 10, and 30 μg/L) for 14 days, with the goal ofunveiling the impairment of intestinal health. Histopathological examination showed that sub-lethal exposure oftadpoles to PFBS at concentrations as low as 3 μg/L could result in the injury of intestinal structures. In a clearconcentration-dependent manner, the expressions of epithelial barrier components (i.e., Claudin 1 gene and tightjunction protein 2) were significantly decreased in PFBS-exposed intestines, while the intestinal content oflipopolysaccharide (LPS) and transcriptions of downstream responsive genes (e.g., TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB) wereconcurrently significantly increased by exposure to 3, 10, and 30 μg/L of PFBS. As a consequence, the number ofeosinophils and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β and TNF-α) were increased therein.Furthermore, PFBS exposure induced oxidative stress in intestinal tissues by increasing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and suppressing antioxidant capacity. The transcriptional levels of CytoC and Bax genes aswell as activities of caspase 9 and caspase 3 enzymes were remarkably increased, while the transcript abundanceof Bcl-2 was down-regulated significantly after PFBS exposure, thereby favoring apoptosis in tadpole intestines.PFBS sub-lethal exposure also drove the composition of intestinal microbiota to a dysbiosis status. Correlationanalysis further revealed that the relative abundance of members of the genus Bosea was positively related withthe contents of LPS and IL-1β. Overall, the present study provides the first evidence for pronounced impacts ofPFBS on amphibian intestinal ecology, highlighting the susceptibility of tadpoles to the environmental risks ofPFBS.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32000355,32170525,32370561)Anhui Science and Technology Major Project(202003a06020028).
文摘Chinese alligator hatchlings in captivity are fragile and have a high mortality rate within first year.The body mass gain of reptile animals is closely related to their feeding behavior and gut microbiota.This study analyzed the intrinsic factors influencing the allometric growth of Chinese alligator hatchlings based on their body mass gain,feeding behavior,and gut microbiota.This information would enhance the health management of Chinese alligator hatchlings.There was a significant correlation between the total distance moved,the average number of conspecifics nearby,and body mass gain.Chinese alligator hatchlings with a greater growth rate showed greater activity and more independent behavior during feeding than those with a lower growth rate.Moreover,after feeding started,some functions of the gut microbiota showed significant relationships with growth rate and feeding activity.Chinese alligator hatchlings with a greater growth rate showed greater levels of heme biosynthesis than those with a lower growth rate,and feeding activity was inhibited by long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis.These results elucidate the relationships between health,feeding behavior,and the gut microbiota of Chinese alligator hatchlings.Understanding the intrinsic factors of their health and feeding behavior can improve the health management of Chinese alligator hatchlings in captivity for conservation.
基金partly supported by General Projects of Health and Family Planning Commission of Hubei Province of China no. WJ2017M174, and WJ2017M240Occupational Hazard and Identification Control of Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory Open Fund, no. OCHI2017G02
文摘Hepatitis E virus(HEV)infection is a common public health problem in developing countries.However,the current prevalence of HEV and the relationship of HEV genotype between swine and human within high-density pig-farming areas in central China are still inadequately understood.Here,cross-sectional serological and genotypic surveys of HEV among the 1232 general population,273 workers occupationally exposed to swine,and 276 pigs in a high-density pig-breeding area,were undertaken by ELISA and nested RT-PCR methods.Anti-HEV IgG was detected in 26.22%of general population and 48.35%of occupational workers.The prevalence of swine serum HEV-Ag was 6.52%.The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was significantly higher among the workers occupationally exposed to swine than among the general population.An increased HEV seropositivity risk among the general population was associated with either being a peasant or male and was very strongly associated with the increase of age.Among the occupationally exposed group,the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies increased with age and working years.Among the 30 HEV-IgM-positive people,the infection rates of clerks in the public,peasants,pork retailers,and pig farmers were higher than those of others.A phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the isolates belonged to subgenotype 4d,and four people and four pigs shared 97.04%-100%sequence homology.This study revealed a high HEV seroprevalence among the general population and workers occupationally exposed to swine in the Anlu City,and supports the notion that swine are a source of human HEV infection.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971236 and 32071498).
文摘Perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) is a ubiquitous pollutant in the aquatic environment, but its toxic effects andmechanisms on amphibian species remain largely unknown. In the present study, tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus) were exposed to various concentrations of PFBS (0, 1, 3, 10, and 30 μg/L) for 14 days, with the goal ofunveiling the impairment of intestinal health. Histopathological examination showed that sub-lethal exposure oftadpoles to PFBS at concentrations as low as 3 μg/L could result in the injury of intestinal structures. In a clearconcentration-dependent manner, the expressions of epithelial barrier components (i.e., Claudin 1 gene and tightjunction protein 2) were significantly decreased in PFBS-exposed intestines, while the intestinal content oflipopolysaccharide (LPS) and transcriptions of downstream responsive genes (e.g., TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB) wereconcurrently significantly increased by exposure to 3, 10, and 30 μg/L of PFBS. As a consequence, the number ofeosinophils and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β and TNF-α) were increased therein.Furthermore, PFBS exposure induced oxidative stress in intestinal tissues by increasing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and suppressing antioxidant capacity. The transcriptional levels of CytoC and Bax genes aswell as activities of caspase 9 and caspase 3 enzymes were remarkably increased, while the transcript abundanceof Bcl-2 was down-regulated significantly after PFBS exposure, thereby favoring apoptosis in tadpole intestines.PFBS sub-lethal exposure also drove the composition of intestinal microbiota to a dysbiosis status. Correlationanalysis further revealed that the relative abundance of members of the genus Bosea was positively related withthe contents of LPS and IL-1β. Overall, the present study provides the first evidence for pronounced impacts ofPFBS on amphibian intestinal ecology, highlighting the susceptibility of tadpoles to the environmental risks ofPFBS.
