Abstract Sea cucumbers belong to the Class Holothuroidea of marine invertebrates. They are commercially valuable and prized as a food and folk medicine in Asia. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile ...Abstract Sea cucumbers belong to the Class Holothuroidea of marine invertebrates. They are commercially valuable and prized as a food and folk medicine in Asia. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids. A number of unique biological and pharmacological activities/properties, including anticancer, anticoagulant/antithrombotic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertension and radioprotective, have been ascribed to various compounds isolated from sea cucumbers. The therapeutic properties and medicinal benefits of sea cucumbers can be linked to the presence of a wide array ofbioactives, especially triterpene glycosides, acid mucopolysaccharide, sphingoid bases, glycolipids, fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, polysaccharides, phospholipids, cerebrosides, phosphatidylcholines, and other extracts and hydrolysates. This review highlights the valuable bioactive components as well as the multiple therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers with a view to exploring their potential uses as functional foods and a natural source of new multifunctional drugs.展开更多
Dispersal patterns exhibited by group-living animals play an important role in individual reproductive success and survival, as well as population and social dynamics （Greenwood, 1980; Isbell and van Vuren, 1996; Kap...Dispersal patterns exhibited by group-living animals play an important role in individual reproductive success and survival, as well as population and social dynamics （Greenwood, 1980; Isbell and van Vuren, 1996; Kappeler and van Schaik, 2002）. Dispersing individuals may emigrate voluntarily, or they may be forcibly evicted by other individuals （Pusey and Packer, 1987; Clobert et al. , 2001 ）. One cause of individual dispersal is when an extra-group male compels another male to leave a group of females. This phenomenon has been well documented in primates, especially Old World monkey species （ e.g. Colobus vellerosus ： Saj and Sicotte, 2005 ; Erythrocebus patas ： Ohsawa, 2003 ; Macaca fascicularis ： van Noordwiik and van Schaik, 2001）.展开更多
The objective of this study was to investigate the influence ofa phytogenic feed additive （PFA） to late-gestation （d 90） and lactation sows on their reproduction performance. Sixty Large White × Landrace prim...The objective of this study was to investigate the influence ofa phytogenic feed additive （PFA） to late-gestation （d 90） and lactation sows on their reproduction performance. Sixty Large White × Landrace primiparous sows were divided into four groups （fifteen sows per group）. The control group was fed with basal diet, the others were fed with basal diet supplemented with 0.02%, 0.04% and 0.06% PFA, respectively. Compared with the control, the sows in 0.04% PFA group had higher feed intake during lactation and higher litter weaning weight （P 〈 0.05）. At farrowing, glucose level in 0.04% PFA sows was higher than the control and sows in 0.02% PFA had the highest IgG content among the treatments （P 〈 0.05）. On day 7 of lactation, serum urea nitrogen contents were lower in response to PFA supplementation compared to the control （P 〈 0.05）. At the same time, sows fed the 0.06% PFA diet increased the lysozyme activity （P 〈 0.05）. The levels of milk lactose and IgG were increased in 0.02% and 0.04% PFA groups （P 〈 0.05）. In conclusion, feeding PFA improved sows and litter performance, serum metabolite concentrations, lgG level and lysozyme activity at postpartum and milk quality.展开更多
This study examines whether a group of captive false killer whales(P seudorca crassidens) showed variations in the vocal rate around feeding times. The high level of motivation to express appetitive behaviors in capti...This study examines whether a group of captive false killer whales(P seudorca crassidens) showed variations in the vocal rate around feeding times. The high level of motivation to express appetitive behaviors in captive animals may lead them to respond with changes of the behavioral activities during the time prior to food deliveries which are referred to as food anticipatory activity. False killer whales at Qingdao Polar Ocean World(Qingdao, China) showed signifi cant variations of the rates of both the total sounds and sound classes(whistles, clicks, and burst pulses) around feedings. Precisely, from the Transition interval that recorded the lowest vocalization rate(3.40 s/m/d), the whales increased their acoustic emissions upon trainers' arrival(13.08 s/m/d). The high rate was maintained or intensifi ed throughout the food delivery(25.12 s/m/d), and then reduced immediately after the animals were fed(9.91 s/m/d). These changes in the false killer whales sound production rates around feeding times supports the hypothesis of the presence of a food anticipatory vocal activity. Although sound rates may not give detailed information regarding referential aspects of the animal communication it might still shed light about the arousal levels of the individuals during different social or environmental conditions. Further experiments should be performed to assess if variations of the time of feeding routines may affect the vocal activity of cetaceans in captivity as well as their welfare.展开更多
文摘Abstract Sea cucumbers belong to the Class Holothuroidea of marine invertebrates. They are commercially valuable and prized as a food and folk medicine in Asia. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids. A number of unique biological and pharmacological activities/properties, including anticancer, anticoagulant/antithrombotic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertension and radioprotective, have been ascribed to various compounds isolated from sea cucumbers. The therapeutic properties and medicinal benefits of sea cucumbers can be linked to the presence of a wide array ofbioactives, especially triterpene glycosides, acid mucopolysaccharide, sphingoid bases, glycolipids, fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, polysaccharides, phospholipids, cerebrosides, phosphatidylcholines, and other extracts and hydrolysates. This review highlights the valuable bioactive components as well as the multiple therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers with a view to exploring their potential uses as functional foods and a natural source of new multifunctional drugs.
基金funded by Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30770375,No.30570312,No.30630016)Cosmo Oil Eco Card Fund of Japan(2005-2010)Northwest University Doctorate Dissertation of Excellence Funds(07YYB06)
文摘Dispersal patterns exhibited by group-living animals play an important role in individual reproductive success and survival, as well as population and social dynamics （Greenwood, 1980; Isbell and van Vuren, 1996; Kappeler and van Schaik, 2002）. Dispersing individuals may emigrate voluntarily, or they may be forcibly evicted by other individuals （Pusey and Packer, 1987; Clobert et al. , 2001 ）. One cause of individual dispersal is when an extra-group male compels another male to leave a group of females. This phenomenon has been well documented in primates, especially Old World monkey species （ e.g. Colobus vellerosus ： Saj and Sicotte, 2005 ; Erythrocebus patas ： Ohsawa, 2003 ; Macaca fascicularis ： van Noordwiik and van Schaik, 2001）.
文摘The objective of this study was to investigate the influence ofa phytogenic feed additive （PFA） to late-gestation （d 90） and lactation sows on their reproduction performance. Sixty Large White × Landrace primiparous sows were divided into four groups （fifteen sows per group）. The control group was fed with basal diet, the others were fed with basal diet supplemented with 0.02%, 0.04% and 0.06% PFA, respectively. Compared with the control, the sows in 0.04% PFA group had higher feed intake during lactation and higher litter weaning weight （P 〈 0.05）. At farrowing, glucose level in 0.04% PFA sows was higher than the control and sows in 0.02% PFA had the highest IgG content among the treatments （P 〈 0.05）. On day 7 of lactation, serum urea nitrogen contents were lower in response to PFA supplementation compared to the control （P 〈 0.05）. At the same time, sows fed the 0.06% PFA diet increased the lysozyme activity （P 〈 0.05）. The levels of milk lactose and IgG were increased in 0.02% and 0.04% PFA groups （P 〈 0.05）. In conclusion, feeding PFA improved sows and litter performance, serum metabolite concentrations, lgG level and lysozyme activity at postpartum and milk quality.
基金Supported by grants from the Institute of Hydrobiology,Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘This study examines whether a group of captive false killer whales(P seudorca crassidens) showed variations in the vocal rate around feeding times. The high level of motivation to express appetitive behaviors in captive animals may lead them to respond with changes of the behavioral activities during the time prior to food deliveries which are referred to as food anticipatory activity. False killer whales at Qingdao Polar Ocean World(Qingdao, China) showed signifi cant variations of the rates of both the total sounds and sound classes(whistles, clicks, and burst pulses) around feedings. Precisely, from the Transition interval that recorded the lowest vocalization rate(3.40 s/m/d), the whales increased their acoustic emissions upon trainers' arrival(13.08 s/m/d). The high rate was maintained or intensifi ed throughout the food delivery(25.12 s/m/d), and then reduced immediately after the animals were fed(9.91 s/m/d). These changes in the false killer whales sound production rates around feeding times supports the hypothesis of the presence of a food anticipatory vocal activity. Although sound rates may not give detailed information regarding referential aspects of the animal communication it might still shed light about the arousal levels of the individuals during different social or environmental conditions. Further experiments should be performed to assess if variations of the time of feeding routines may affect the vocal activity of cetaceans in captivity as well as their welfare.
