The incorporation of carbonate has been recognized as an evident change in bone mineral (bioapatite) during aging. Laying hens (Gushi layer) at 4 stages of age (8 hens each stage) were studied by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray radiography to investigate the mineralogical changes and bone density, respectively. Cortical bones of the humerus and femur show a rapid increase of carbonate (∼1.9 wt.%) from sexual maturity to the peak of hens' laying period, while the densities of the cortical bones are relatively stable. Before sexual maturity, the density of the cortical bones increases considerably during aging. However, after the peak of the laying period, only femoral density continues elevating. Carbonate contents in the cortical bones reach the maximum at the peak of the laying period. Two pathways (halted growth of density and Ca-release due to the CO incorporation) could both contribute to the intense Ca requirement for egg laying. Crystallization, however, has no significant changes during aging and the laying period. This study could shed light on the mechanism of mineral losses due to CO incorporation, and also shows the advantages of Raman spectroscopy in tracking mineral loss in poultry bone.

ACSF2 (encoded by acyl-CoA synthetase family member 2) belongs to the acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) family, activating fatty acids by forming a thioester bond with CoA. In our previous study, a SNP residing in the intron of ACSF2 was identified to be linked to goose egg-laying performance. But the structure of goose ACSF2 as well as its role in reproduction remains unknown. In this study, we cloned and characterized ACSF2 in Yangzhou geese. A total of four alternative splice variants, designated as ACSF2-1, ACSF2-2, ACSF2-3 and ACSF2-4 respectively, were identified in the ovary. The coding regions of the four variants are 1770, 1692, 1599 and 1917 bp in length, respectively encoding 589, 563, 532 and 638 amino acids with conserved AMP-binding sites. All ACSF2 variants were widely expressed in 11 tested tissues in geese, except that the ACSF2-2 transcript was not detected in hypothalamus, pituitary gland and granulosa cells. Subcellular localization revealed that ACSF2 is a mitochondrial matrix protein. ACSF2 mRNA level was compared between high egg production (HEP; n = 8) and low egg production (LEP; n = 10) groups and showed a lower (P < 0.05) mRNA level in the HEP group. Further experiments indicated that overexpressing ACSF2 resulted in a significant increase of caspase-3 mRNA levels and that ACSF2 knockdown triggered a decrease in the caspase-3 mRNA level in granulosa cells. Similarly, the lower caspase-3 mRNA levels were identified in ovaries of the HEP group with lower ACSF2 mRNA levels. The research showed that the ACSF2 mRNA levels had a positive correlation with caspase-3 mRNA levels in vivo (R = 0.86, P < 0.01). Our results suggest that lower ACSF2 expression promotes the laying performance of goose possibly by inhibiting granulosa cell apoptosis and facilitating follicular development.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the heat tolerance of Bama miniature pigs under high ambient temperature (40°C) and Zn interactive functions during heat treatment (HT). Bama miniature pigs (male; n = 24; 6-mo old; BW = 10.79 ± 0.06 kg) were randomly allotted to 4 groups and were fed a basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with 1,500 mg of Zn (ZnSO4·H2O)/kg diet for 38 d. At 7 mo of age (d 30), the thermal neutral (TN) groups remained at 25°C, whereas the HT groups were exposed to ambient temperature at 40°C for 5 h daily for 8 consecutive days. Pigs in 4 groups were sacrificed on d 38. Individual rectal temperatures, skin temperatures, and breathing rates were recorded at 3 h after the onset of HT and the blood samples were collected immediately after HT on d 30, 34, and 38. Pigs fed diets with or without Zn doubled their breathing rates (P < 0.05) and increased body surface, scrotal, and rectal temperatures during HT on d 30, 34, and 38, respectively. Zinc supplementation increased BW gain (BWG; P < 0.05) during 38-d experiment period, and HT decreased BWG only from d 30 to 34 (P < 0.05). Heat treatment increased serum testosterone on d 30 (P < 0.05). Zinc supplementation decreased the heat-induced increase of testosterone in HT on d 30 and 34 (P < 0.05). The relative weight of liver increased in HT groups (P < 0.05). Zinc supplementation decreased the relative weights of spleen (P < 0.05) and testis (P < 0.01). The values of abnormal lymphocyte count and large unstained cell count declined approximately 5 times in groups of Zn supplementation, whereas Zn supplementation increased the values of red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. Zinc concentrations increased in serum, liver, kidney, epididymis, longissimus, hair, and feces in groups fed with Zn (P < 0.01). However, additional Zn decreased Zn concentrations in lung, spleen, and testis (P < 0.01). Moreover, HT decreased serum Zn concentrations (P < 0.01). In conclusion, Zn supplementation could be used to alleviate the decline of serum Zn during periods of high ambient temperatures. However, pretreated supplementation with pharmacological Zn did not promote heat tolerance but impacted the erythropoiesis, immunity, and reproductive organ development in Bama miniature pigs.

Fusarium wilt disease is one of the most serious soil-borne diseases in banana orchards worldwide. Some soils are suppressive to Fusarium wilt, although the mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, two typical banana-growing soils (ultisol and inceptisol), which were either suppressive or conducive to Fusarium wilt, were collected from Hainan, China. Particle size distribution, pH values, electrical conductivity (EC), enzyme activities and microbial polymerase chain reaction amplification of the soil samples were analysed. The suppressive soils had significantly more >2 and <0.053 mm aggregates than the conducive soils. In addition, the suppressive soils had a comparatively even size distribution within the range of 0-0.25 mm. Total carbon, total nitrogen and soil enzyme activities in the aggregates of suppressive soils were also significantly higher than those in the conducive soils. For example, soil invertase activities in the >2 mm aggregates were 7.9-11.9 and 3.2-3.3 mg/g for the suppressive and conducive soils, respectively. Furthermore, in situ EC can be applied as an indicator of the integrated contrast between the suppressive and conducive soils, and could be a new tool for monitoring soil-borne disease.

The feasibility of Pb immobilization via bioapatite (BAp) and CO2 in the acidic red soil (RS) and saline‐alkaline soil (SS) was compared in this study. The elevated CO2 (10% in air) significantly promoted the dissolution of BAp in water, that is, the concentrations of released P were enhanced from 2 to 20 ppm as pH decreased from 6.9 to 5.6. Then, it was shown that 30–40% TCLP leached Pb was removed from RS and SS, with the combination of BAp addition and CO2 elevation. In RS, the addition of BAp (even without CO2) could significantly increase water‐soluble P. Moreover, some Pb cations were adsorbed onto iron (hydr)oxides within RS. In contrast, CO2 elevation is essential for enhancing P release in SS as it dramatically increased the dissolution of phosphates. The released P then reacted with Pb cations to form insoluble pyromorphite. Therefore, this combination is effective for Pb immobilization in saline‐alkaline soil whereas adding solely BAp is feasible for acid soil.