Body condition scoring (BCS) in corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and comparison to pre-existing body condition index (BCI) for snakes

In the veterinary profession, the body condition score (BCS) plays an important role in the assessment of patients. It is a subjective, tactile method of evaluating body fat and muscle mass and is used in numerous species. Recognizing obesity (or the contrary, emaciation) is important for veterinarians treating reptiles and could be facilitated by a BCS. An existing form of body condition assessment already used is the body condition index (BCI), where the residuals from a regression of body mass on body length are calculated. Therefore, the goal of this study was to provide practitioners with a BCS system for corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and to test it against the BCI. A total of 22 corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), stationed at the “Auffangstation für Reptilien” in Munich (reptile rescue centre, RRC), were subject of this study. Each had the following measurements taken: body weight (BW), snout–tail tip length (STL), snout–vent length (SVL) and circumference in the middle (C). Manual palpation of spine, area between vertebral spinous and transverse process, ribs and neck of each snake was performed by three veterinarians and assigned to specific scores by each examiner. A BCS (mean of examiners’ scores) was given to each snake according to manual palpation. The BCS system was chosen to be out of 5 in 0.5-point steps with 2.5 considered as ideal BCS. In the studied snakes, the BCS ranged from 1.5 to 3.5, with a median of 2.5. The median BW was 309 g (75–967 g), the median STL was 123 cm (79–153 cm), the median SVL was 104 cm (73–133 cm) and the median C was 7.5 cm (4.3–11 cm). BCS and BCI were positively correlated. A BCS includes a manual palpation of the animal and thus gives the examiner additional information to the objectively measured/calculated index.     

基于条件植被温度指数的夏玉米生长季干旱预测研究

为验证条件植被温度指数(VTCI)在夏玉米生长季干旱预测中的适用性,以河北中部平原为研究区,应用求和自回归移动平均(ARIMA)模型及季节性求和自回归移动平均(SARIMA)模型,对该地区VTCI时间序列数据进行分析建模预测。首先基于49个气象站点所在像素的VTCI时间序列数据,选取不同长度时间序列建立ARIMA模型,并分析时间序列长度与预测精度间关系,以期为时间序列长度选择提供依据;然后选择理想长度的VTCI时间序列数据,分别建立ARIMA模型和SARIMA模型,用于研究区域2017年夏玉米生长季VTCI预测,并分析评价两模型预测精度;最后采用性能较好的ARIMA模型逐像素建模预测,得到2016-2018年9月上旬至下旬VTCI预测结果。结果表明:基于ARIMA模型的VTCI预测精度与时间序列长度未呈现明显的相关关系,但随时间序列长度增加,模型预测精度逐渐趋于稳定;ARIMA模型对干旱的预测精度高于基于SARIMA模型,其1步、2步、3步VTCI预测结果均方根误差较SARIMA模型分别降低0. 06、0. 07、0. 09;ARIMA模型在不同年份夏玉米生长季VTCI1~3步的预测精度稳定性较好,2016-2018年1步、2步和3步VTCI预测结果绝对误差绝对值大于0. 20的像素平均百分比分别为5. 84%、6. 38%、8. 72%。     

吉安一次持续性平流辐射大雾天气成因分析

采用Micaps 3.1资料、赣州探空资料、宜春风廓线(WPRD,60 min)风场产品以及吉安自动观测系统资料,分析2012年11月18—19日吉安一次持续性平流辐射大雾天气过程的大尺度天气背景、动力和热力结构特征及其演变等,揭示了这次平流辐射大雾过程的形成和维持机制。结果表明,这是冷暖平流在有利条件下经过辐射冷却后形成的平流辐射雾。在有利的大尺度背景条件下,暖平流移动到冷的下垫面和冷平流移向较暖的近地层,同时地表净辐射进一步加强近地层冷却,是此次大雾过程的触发和加强机制。特殊的温度场结构增加了低层暖湿空气和下垫面之间的温差,近地层至低层弱的辐合和垂直上升运动有助于小风的维持和稳定;充足的水汽为大雾长时间维持提供了有利条件。近地层风速增大和低层逆温层、湿度层消失是这次连续性平流辐射雾消散的主要原因。     

山药整地机械化作业技术规范

从作业条件、作业准备、作业方法等方面，介绍山药整地机械化作业技术的要点，论述其整地质量要求及相关参数计算方法，为山药种植产业的规范化及扩大化提供参考。     

Associations between postpartum diseases and milk yield and changes in body condition between drying off and parturition of dairy cows in Argentina

ABSTRACT

Aims: To assess the change in body condition score (BCS) during the early and late dry periods and its association with postpartum diseases and milk yield in grazing dairy cows from central Argentina.

Methods: BCS assessments during the dry period, and cow health and milk production records up to 90 days in milk (DIM), were collated for cows from 28 farms at monthly visits between 2007 and 2008. Cows were categorised into four groups; those in Group 1 (n=7,067) maintained or gained BCS during the early and late dry periods; Group 2 (n=2,615) maintained or gained BCS during the early dry period and lost BCS during the late dry period; Group 3 (n=1,989) lost BCS during the early dry period and maintained or gained BCS during the late dry period; and Group 4 (n=5,144) lost BCS during the early and late dry periods.

Results: Cows in Group 1 had reduced odds of having retained fetal membranes (RFM), metritis, and clinical mastitis up to 90 DIM than cows in Group 2 (p<0.001), but the odds of disease were similar to cows in Group 3. The odds of having RFM or clinical mastitis tended to be lower in cows in Group 1 than cows in Group 4 (p=0.08). The odds of cows being culled or dying during the first 90 DIM were lower for cows in Group 1 than for those in Groups 2, 3, and 4 (p≤0.05). Mean accumulated milk yield up to 90 DIM was higher in cows in Group 1 than Group 2 and Group 4 (p<0.001), but was similar to that of cows in Group 3 (p=0.28).

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Cows that lost BCS during the late dry period had increased odds of being diagnosed with several postpartum diseases and had decreased milk yield compared to cows that maintained or gained BCS during the entire dry period. Loss of BCS during any stage of the dry period was also associated with increased incidence of culling or death during the first 90 DIM. These results should raise awareness among dairy cattle producers of the importance of properly managing cow body condition during the dry period, especially during the late dry period.     

循环水养殖中水动力特性对鱼类影响的研究进展

水产养殖业在我国拥有重要的地位。在过去50多年间,以中国为代表的水产养殖业的发展速度已超过全球人口增速,全球已经有39个国家和地区的水产养殖产量超过了捕捞产量,中国则以水产养殖产量占渔业总产量的73%位列第一[1-2]。随着经济的发展和养殖规模的不断提升,养殖业出现了生产方式落后、效率低下、养殖环境污染、水域生态破坏、病害频发等一系列亟待解决的问题[3-4]。     

不同栽培模式和立地条件对楸树人工林生长的影响

以河南省洛阳市洛宁县的楸树人工林为研究对象，对比分析不同栽培模式和立地条件下楸树的生长状况。结果表明:1）由于林分密度和土壤性质的差别，农林间作条件下楸树的生长情况显著优于非农林间作；2）低密度条件下楸树的生长情况更好，但高密度条件下楸树的每公顷蓄积量更高；3）在进行非农林间作的30年生楸树林中，缓坡条件下的树高和胸径比陡坡分别增长了31.30%和40.48%，下坡位条件下的树高和胸径比上坡位分别增长了22.52%和25.97%，不同坡向条件下的树高和胸径无明显差异；4）土壤中的养分含量（有机质、全N、全P、碱解N和有效P）是促进楸树生长的关键因子，按贡献率大小排序为:有效P、碱解N>全N、全P>有机质。所以，在河南省洛阳市洛宁县及周边地区进行楸树栽培时，应选择农林间作（低密度）+非农林间作（高密度+缓坡+下坡位）的方式。     

除草剂莠去津降解菌SFAD3的分离鉴定及其土壤修复潜力

为获得能够修复除草剂莠去津污染土壤的高效降解菌,采用摇瓶富集法、平板分离法从莠去津过量使用的土壤中分离得到降解菌SFAD3,通过形态学、生理生化特征观察以及16S rDNA和ITS序列分析进行种类鉴定,测定获得菌株的最适降解条件,并通过土壤接种和盆栽试验验证菌株对莠去津污染土壤的修复作用。结果表明,菌株SFAD3最终被鉴定为门多萨假单胞菌Pseudomonas mendocina,该菌株培养30 d时对污染土壤中50 mg/kg莠去津的降解率可达72.6%;菌株SFAD3在MM液体培养基中最适降解条件为温度37℃、pH 7、莠去津初始浓度6.25 mg/L、接种量2%,对莠去津降的降解率为50.0%～72.2%;与仅有莠去津的处理相比,添加有SFAD3发酵液的处理20 d后芝麻的株高、根长、湿重和干重能够显著恢复,并且该菌对芝麻还具有一定的促生作用。表明降解菌SFAD3在修复莠去津污染土壤方面具有潜在的应用价值。     

Risk Factors for the Development of Hypokalemia in Neonatal Diarrheic Calves

Background

Neonatal diarrheic calves have a clear negative potassium balance because of intestinal losses and decreased milk intake but in the presence of acidemia, they usually show normokalemic or hyperkalemic plasma concentrations.

Objectives

To assess whether marked hypokalemia occurs in response to the correction of acidemia and dehydration and to identify factors that are associated with this condition.

Animals

Eighty‐three calves with a clinical diagnosis of neonatal diarrhea.

Methods

Prospective cohort study. Calves were treated according to a clinical protocol using an oral electrolyte solution and commercially available packages of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate, 0.9% saline and 40% dextrose infusion solutions.

Results

The proportion of hypokalemic calves after 24 hours of treatment (19.3%) was twice as great as it was on admission to the hospital. Plasma K⁺ after 24 hours of treatment was not significantly correlated to venous blood pH values at the same time but positively correlated to venous blood pH values on admission (r = 0.51, P < .001). Base excess on admission (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70–0.94), duration of diarrhea (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.05–1.80), milk intake during hospitalization (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.37–0.79) and plasma sodium concentrations after 24 hours (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.01–1.25) were identified to be independently associated (P < .05) with a hypokalemic state after 24 hours of treatment.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Findings of this study suggest that marked depletion of body potassium stores is evident in diarrheic calves that suffered from marked metabolic acidosis, have a low milk intake and a long history of diarrhea.