Effects of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicines on Blood Ions and Enzymes of Egg-laying Hens Under Heat Stress

[Objective] This study was conducted to investigate the effects of tradi- tional Chinese herbal medicines on blood biochemical indices of egg-laying hens under heat stress and to provide theoretical basis for clinical application of the medicines. [Method] One hundred of 88-day-old ISA-Brown hens were randomly di- vided into five groups. The hens in four groups were administrated with Prescription I herbal medicines, Prescription II herbal medicines, Vc and blank control under ar- tificially simulated heat stress, respectively. The last group was raised under normal temperature condition. Blood samples of the hens were collected on 1, 4, 8 and 10 d later and detected for their biochemical indices. [Result] The blood sodium （Na）, phosphorus （P）, potassium （K） and chlorine （CI） concentrations in hens under heat stress were decreased, while the activities of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）, lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） and creatine kinase （CK） were increased. These indices grad- ually returned to normal levels after the use of traditional Chinese herbal medicines. [Conclusion] The herbal medicines can relieve the adverse effects caused by heat stress to blood biochemical indices via different metabolic pathways of ions and en- zymes.

生鸡蛋为什么攥不破

听别人说，生鸡蛋用一只手是攥不破的。我想：一个小小的鸡蛋，攥破它，对谁来说还不都是小菜一碟。想到这儿，我便回家找出一个生鸡蛋，想证实一下。

生鸡蛋为什么攥不破

听别人说，生鸡蛋用一只手是攥不破的。我想：一个小小的鸡蛋，攥破它，对谁来说还不都是小菜一碟。想到这儿，我便回家找出一个生鸡蛋，想证实一下。

生鸡蛋为什么捏不碎?

今天，我发现了一个秘密，那就是——生鸡蛋捏（nie）不碎!

生鸡蛋,熟鸡蛋,哪个转得快

科学就在我们身边，只要我们留心去观察、挖掘，就会有许多收获和发现。

Effects of temperature and salinity on the development of embryos and larvae of the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa(Valenciennes, 1846)

The major population of the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa （Valenciennes, 1846）, which is an important fishery resource, is facing a large decline in China. We studied the effects of incubation temperature （16-34℃ at salinity 30） and salinity （5-45 at 25℃） on the incubation period and subsequent larval development. In the temperature experiment, the shortest incubation period was 12 days at 34℃, the lower temperature limit was 16~C, the longest mean shell length （1 193＋17 pan） occurred at 25℃ and the highest survival rate 72.28%＋5.62% was observed at 28℃. In the salinity experiment, the shortest incubation period was 15 days at 25. The salinity tolerance range was 15-40, the longest mean shell length （855-4-9 μm） and the highest survival rate 72.93%~4.85% were both observed at 35. This study demonstrated that, during the egg-mass stage, temperature and salinity regimes influence later growth and survival of larvae. These observations deepen our understanding of the ecology and conservation of natural populations of Rapana venosa.

Eggs as a Very Promising Source of Biomedical and Nutraceutical Preparations： A Review

It is generally accepted that eggs besides being a source of everyday diet, can also be used as raw material for special food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic production. The biological activity of the majority of substances presented in egg matter is related to their anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties and their immunogenic features as well. Due to the use of new generation of feed additives and techniques of immunisation of hens, the chemical composition and biological features of eggs may be modified and enriched with desired components, like n-3 fatty acids （alpha-linolenic acid （ALA）, docosahexaenoic acid （DHA） phospholipids）, vitamins, microelements. Egg material may also be used for the production of new biopreparations for the prophylaxis of various civilisation diseases, such as heart and cardiovascular diseases, cancers, neurogenerative disorders, metabolic bone diseases etc.. New progress in egg science allowed to discover new bioactive substances, like monomeric and dimeric cystatin and yolkin. It is necessary to develop efficient methods of isolation of biologically active substances contained in eggs, which would make it possible to produce new generation of diet supplements and biomedical products. It seems that new generation of eggs could be the best source for production of natural, high value nutraceutical supplements of diet, and also biomedical and biocosmetic preparations.

Effect of the Entomopathogenic Fungus, Paceilomyces farinosus （Dicks ex fr.） on the Reproductive Potential of Melasoma populi L.

The effect of the Entomopathogenic fungus, Paceilomyces farinosus on reproductive potential of female survivors, egg viability and total egg production of poplar leaf beetle Melasoma populi L. was investigated in Plant Protection Department laboratories, School of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Duhok University in Spring 2011. Prepupae, pupae and newly emerged adults were treated with spore suspension of P.farinosus （1 ~ 10s conidia/mL）. Another group of adults were reared on sprayed poplar leaves with a same concentration of conidial suspension. Eggs production and hatching percentage were monitored daily over a 7-wk period. Overall reproductive capacity was significantly lower as compared with control. The total number of eggs per surviving female was 85.50, 149.50, 123.43 and 280.24 eggs for pre-pupa, pupa, adult and leaves treated, respectively as compared with 299.75 in control after fourth week. Pre-oviposition, ovipostion, post-oviposition days and the longevity of females and males were shorter in treated individuals compared with control. The lowest percentage hatching was 75.12% in eggs deposited by adults feed on treated leaves as compared with 98.42% in control.

Effect of Substitution of Fermented Kapok Seed （Ceiba petandra） to Soybean Meal on Production and Egg Quality from Native Laying Hens

This study aimed to determine the level of use of fermented kapok seed to substitute 100% soybean meal in native laying hen rations without adverse effect on laying hen production. Two hundred and forty laying hens aged 20 weeks were used in this experiment. The completely randomized design was assigned with six treatments to replace 0, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of soybean meal with fermented kapok seed with four replications. The variables measured were feed intake, feed conversion and income over feed cost （gross profit）, as well as variables related to egg production （hen day production and egg weight）, thickness of eggshell and yolk color index for quality of eggs. Data were analyzed statistically using analysis of variance （ANOVA）, and if the result shows a marked influence, it will be followed by Duncans test （DMRT）. The results showed that the performance of laying hen had not been affected significantly by substituting soybean meal with fermented kapok seed. Feed intake, feed conversion and egg production is not influenced either. In summary, the use of fermented kapok seed to substitute soybean meal in the ration can be up to 100% in the diet of laying chicken.

Influence of Artificial Light on Laying Hens Production of Heat, Moisture and Carbon Dioxide in a Floor Housing System

Investigations about laying hens reactions on artificial light conditions were carried out in a climate chamber equipped with a floor housing system for laying hens. The release of moisture increased during light periods probably due to increased activity which increased respiration rate but also on increased scratching which increased evaporation of moisture from bedding material. The daily average was 6.29 g henl h＂l at 4 lux and 5.97 g henl hl, at 93 lux which corresponds to a difference of 5%. The level of light intensity seemed to have little influence on the release of moisture. The total release of heat was slightly higher during light periods compared to dark periods. Explanations can be increased activity but also feed intake increasing the metabolic rate during light periods. The daily average of total heat production was 17.0 W per hen at 4 lux and 14.7 at 93 lux which corresponds to a difference of 16%. The release of carbon dioxide increased during light periods probably due to increased activity and respiration.

Survey on Parasites in Sparrows of Amol （Mazandaran Province, Iran）

In order to survey on sparrows parasites （Passer domesticus）, 100 samples were collected from the citrus gardens of Amol＇s City. The surface of their body checked for presence of ectoparasites. The blood samples took from their wings for blood parasites. At the laboratory, the body of sparrows opened and the gastrointestinal checked for endoparasites. The intestine opened and scratched carefully to find worms. Worms kept in alcohol-glycerin （10%）. Eggs ＆ oocysts of the parasites checked, by fecal floatation test. The result shows that the infection with Railletina is 1%, Ascaridia galli （2%）, Heterakis gallinarum （4%）, eggs of A. galli （5%）, oocyst of Eimeri （28%）, Dermanyssus gallinae （1%）. 11% of the sparrows infected with Plasmodium in their bloods.

A rapid and convenient dot-immunobinding assay for chicken egg-yolk antibodies

The dot-immunobinding assay was applied to investigate the characteristics of chicken egg yolk antibodies. This method of assay was proved to be a rapid and simple method to demonstrate and characterize the egg-yolk antibody IgY in comparison with the traditional ELISA assay. By using the BandScan software, the gray scale value of dots and the background could be determined. According to the intensity of dots (gray scale value) compared to the standard sample of 10μg, how much IgY remained can be determined in a shorter time.

Tail loss affects fecundity but not offspring traits in the Chinese skink Eumeces chinensis

We used the Chinese skink Eumeces chinensis as a model animal to study the effects of tail loss on reproductive in- vestment and offspring traits. A total of 147 wild-captured adult females were divided into four groups according to their tail con- ditions. Tail breaks occurred most frequently in the proximal portion of the tail and least frequently in the distal portion, with the middle portion in between. This finding suggests that tail breaks occurring in nature often entails substantial energetic costs in E. chinensis where the tail is a major site of energy storage. The proportion of females that laid eggs was higher in females with in- tact or completely regenerated tails than in those with broken tails. Following whole-tail autotomy, the clutch size was reduced by 17%, and the clutch mass was reduced by 14%. Females undergoing substantial tail autotomy reduced reproductive investment, and they did so by reducing the number but not the size of eggs produced. None of the egg and hatchling traits was affected by tail loss. Comparing our data with those reported for other oviparous and viviparous skinks allows us to draw two general conclu- sions： one is that fecundity （clutch or litter size） is affected by tail loss in all species so far studied, whereas offspring size is af- fected by tail loss in some species, but not in others; the other is that the reduction in fecundity following tail loss is more evident in species lacking abdominal fat bodies

Sexual size dimorphism and female reproduction in the white-striped grass lizard Takydromus wolteri

Sexual size dimorphism （SSD） has long attracted the attention of biologists, and life-history variation is thought to play an important role in the evolution of SSD. Here we quantified SSD and female reproductive traits to identify potential asso- ciations between SSD and female reproduction in the white-striped grass lizard Takydromus wolteri. In a population from Chuzhou, China, the largest male and female were 53.0 mm and 57.5 mm in snout-vent length （SVL）, respectively. Females were larger in SVL and abdomen length, whereas males were larger in head size and tail length. Females produced up to five clutches of eggs during the breeding season, with large females producing more clutches and more eggs per clutch than small ones. As a result, large females had a higher annual fecundity and reproductive output. Egg size was positively correlated with matemal SVL in the first clutch, but not in subsequent clutches. These results suggest that T. wolteri is a species with female-biased SSD, and that fectmdity selection, in which large females have higher fecundity due to their higher capacity for laying eggs, is likely correlated with the evolution of SSD in this species