Small intestine and small colon neuropathy in equine dysautonomia (grass sickness)

The number of neurons in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia and the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the jejunum, ileum and small colon, and the pathological changes induced in them, were studied in various types of equine dysautonomia. In all forms of dysautonomia, severe and extensive neuron loss and damage occurred in the ileum. In acute and subacute dysautonomia, jejunal neuron loss and damage were severe, but in chronic cases significantly less loss or damage occurred. The damage followed the same pattern in the small colon but it was always less obvious than in the jejunum. The distribution of the damage was uniform within a segment of the intestine. In fatal cases of dysautonomia, the clinical severity and duration of illness seems, in most instances, to be related to the amount of neuronal disruption occurring in the jejunum. Severe disruption results in acute/subacute dysautonomia, while milder damage leads to the chronic form.No case of dysautonomia was encountered in which enteric neuron loss and damage occurred without significant neuronal disruption also occurring in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia.Ileal neuronal damage and loss are not invariably worse than that in the jejunum, and the possible reasons for this, together with the relationship between neuronal damage and possible causes of dysautonomia, are discussed.Abbreviations H&E haematoxylin and eosin Deceased. Formerly of the Moredun Research Institute, 408 Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh, EH17 7JH, UK     

橡胶树低温伤害的生理反应

在人工零上低温下,巴西橡胶树(Hevea brasiliensis)叶质膜透性随低温处理时间的延长而持续上升,抗冷品系的上升速率比不抗冷品系慢。呼吸强度和ATP含量均随处理时间的延长而持续下降,抗冷品系下降速率比不抗冷品系慢。叶绿体Mg~(++)—ATPase活性也表现出明显抗性差异。可见,低温下叶组织的质膜透性、呼吸强度、ATP含量以及Mg~(++)—ATPase活性的变化与品系抗冷性有关。低温下呼吸强度、ATP含量与质膜透性变化呈负相关,质膜透性的变化与供能有关。     

Correlated Response to Selection for Protein Yield in Oats After Three Cycles of Recurrent Selection

Three oat (Avena saliva L.) populations (i.e., lines of descent), high grain yield (HG), high protein content (HP), and high protein yield per se (HGP), each developed by three cycles of S, recurrent selection, were evaluated for the effect of selection for groat-protein yield upon other agronomic traits. Selections making up the HG line of descent had high protein yield primarily due to high grain yield, and those selected for HP had high protein yield due to both high protein content and high grain yield. Selection in HGP was on the basis of protein yield per se. Selection caused increases in bundle weight, harvest index, vegetative growth rate, and seed number in all lines of descent. Heading date, plant height, and seed weight were unaffected, whereas groat percentage and test weight were decreased in HP and HGP. Heritabilities were high for heading date, plant height, test weight, and seed weight, moderate for harvest index and bundle weight, and low for groat percentage. Genetic variability generally declined from CO to C3 for all traits. Groat-protein yield and amount of protein per groat increased in all lines of descent. In HG, the increase in groat weight was due primarily to increases in the nonprotein fraction, with groat-protein content actually decreasing. In HGP, groat weight increased due to increases in protein and nonprotein fractions, and groat protein content remained constant. In HP, groat weight and amount of nonprotein per groat decreased, thus increasing groat-protein content. Three cycles of recurrent selection resulted in oat lines with groat-protein yields significantly higher than the highest lines from CO. Utilization of index selection may be desirable to obtain populations of greater breeding value.     

Restoration of the anterior dentition of a Canadian beaver (Castor canadensis)

An eight-year-old beaver lost one of its upper central incisors through unknown causes. As the anterior teeth of this species continually erupt in a similar manner to rodents' teeth, the unopposed lower incisor had over-erupted perforating the palate and entered the nasal cavity. The height of the lower incisor tooth was reduced and a cobaltchromium alloy bridge was constructed which was attached to the remaining upper incisor. The occlusal surface of the bridge was of sufficient width that both incisors could contact it. It was cemented into place with composite resin cement and cross-pinned through the labial surface of the metal into the tooth substance. It is unknown how such treatment will affect the biological processes underlying the continually erupting incisor and the animal is being monitored for any adverse effects.     

Multiplication of Xanthomonas campestris pvs secalis and translucens in host and non-host plants (rye and barley) and development of water soaking1

Multiplication of the rye-specific and barley-specific pathovars secalis and translucens, respectively, of Xanthomonas campestris (earlier named Xanthomonas translucens f. sp. cerealis) was determined in two rye and two barley cultivars. Fresh bacterial cultures were suspended in boiled tap water, adjusted to about 3 × 10⁷ cfu ml^?1 and infiltrated into the mesophyll of young leaves. In the compatible combinations, a generation time of 1.7–2.1 h was determined. Significantly higher multiplication rates than in incompatible combinations were not observed before 3 or 4 days after inoculation. At this time, the first small water-soaked areas appeared. Bacteria multiplied up to the seventh day after inoculation, reaching a maximum of at least 10⁹ cells per cm², the same time at which the water-soaked areas had reached their maximum size. Thus, the rate of bacterial multiplication paralleled with the development of the water-soaked areas. In the incompatible combinations, nearly the same generation times were detected during the exponential growth phase. However, water-soaked areas did not appear, and the final bacterial concentration ranged from 1:1000 to 1:100 of that determined in compatible combinations. A distinct early lag phase, characterized by a decrease of the bacterial population down to 1:100 of the starting concentration, was detected in all cases.     

油脂在提高公猪生产力和生育力上的潜在作用

精子及其相关精浆中所含的脂肪成分在组成和脂肪酸成分上是非常独特的。长链多不饱和脂肪酸 (即具有 2 0或 2 2个碳原子并含三个以上双键的脂肪酸 )在绝大多数主要组织所含脂肪中的含量非常有限 ,但在精子和精浆中的含量相当高 ,并具有明显的种属特异性。油脂的这种特性现在日益被认为是使受精最终成功所特别需要的。本综述根据最近一的些研究结果撰写而成 ,从精液质量和功能的一系列决定因子的角度论述了使现代种公猪精子中脂肪 /脂肪酸参数最佳化的可能性 ,可见人们对一系列参数所作的一系列重要研究 ,产生了使公猪和母猪的繁殖能力都得到提高的高度有益结果。文章还从主要的营养学特性和化学特性方面对研究结果进行了讨论 ,并与其它家畜进行了比较 ,还讨论了其对猪繁育部门可能的商业应用价值。     

Effect of milk sampling techniques on milk composition, bacterial contamination, viability and functions of resident cells in milk.

Three different milk sampling techniques were evaluated during milk sampling: a direct aseptic collection from the udder through a sterile cannula was used as the reference technique, compared with either a manual or a mechanical sampling method. In this study 30 high-yielding Holstein-Friesian dairy cows at different stages of lactation and free of udder infection were used. For each milk sample, the influence of milk sampling techniques was determined for the following parameters: somatic cell count, milk composition, bacterial contamination, viability, in vitro phagocytosis and overall killing of Staphylococcus aureus Newbould 305, and cellular chemiluminescence. Because milk sampling occurred throughout lactation, the differences between early, mid- and late lactation were estimated. It was concluded that bacterial contamination was not significantly different in manual milking samples and the reference technique; bacterial contamination was, however, significantly (P < 0.001) higher in machine milking samples than in the reference technique. Among the different sampling techniques, no significant effects on SCC, milk composition, viability and functions of the cells isolated from milk were observed. It was found that viability, intracellular killing and cellular chemiluminescence of milk PMN were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in early lactation compared to mid-lactation. Phagocytosis was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in early lactation compared to mid- and late lactation, and no significant differences were observed between mid- and late lactation. From this study, it can be concluded that despite a higher bacterial contamination obtained with the mechanical sampling method, the 3 milk sampling techniques described in this study can be used for the evaluation of milk cell functions.     

Sugar beet mash silage as a component of a total-mixed-ration for dairy cows--effects on parameters of digestion and animal performance.

Sugar beet mash silage (BMS) was offered in amounts up to 35% of DM to dairy cows as a component of a total-mixed-ration (TMR). Barley and molasses in the control ration were replaced by BMS half in ration BMS 1/2 and in total in ration BMS 1/1 on the basis of the calculated contents of net energy for lactation. Two trials were carried out. In trial I each ration was tested on parameters of rumen fermentation and digestibility of crude nutrients using 4 Holstein cows with rumen fistula. Chewing activity was tested on 2 Holstein cows for each ration. With the BMS rations the ruminal NH3 concentration was lower and the drop in pH was less than in the control ration. The pattern of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid from the BMS groups tended towards more propionic and butyric acid. The feeding of BMS showed no negative impact on chewing and rumination. Energy digestibility raised significantly from 59.8% in the control ration to 72.6% in the BMS 1/1 ration. In trial II the same rations were fed in a change-overdesign to a herd of 24 Holstein cows to test feed intake and animal performance. The results showed no significant effects of BMS rations on DM intake and milk production. The results of both trials indicate that even high amounts of cereals can be replaced by BMS without negative effects on rumen fermentation, milk yield and milk composition with slight drop in fat content. For a better handling of BMS, it is of advantage to include it in a TMR.     

Laboratory-based surveillance of salmonellosis of humans in Germany--safety of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis live vaccines]

The Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, in Germany has been licensed different live vaccines of S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis for use in the veterinary medicine since I the 90s. The Robert Koch Institute has established a lab-based surveillance system for these live vaccine strains for an evaluation of recent public health safety. Since 2000 all strains of S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis from humans were investigated in respect to their phage types and other vaccine markers. 3676 S. Typhimurium strains and 4489 S. Enteritidis strains mainly from Salmonellose patients were investigated after phage typing according to their auxotrophic or antibiotic resistance markers. The live vaccine strains of Zoosaloral, TAD Salmonella vacT or TAD Salmonella vacE and Salmovac SE could not be found from infections in humans.