Achromatopsia in three sibling Labrador Retrievers in the UK

Achromatopsia was identified in three Labrador Retriever littermates. The dogs demonstrated day blindness, negotiating obstacles under low‐light conditions, but apparently blind when outdoors. One of the dogs presented with immature bilateral diffuse posterior cortical cataracts and clinical signs of day blindness became apparent following cataract extraction surgery. Electroretinography demonstrated an absence of a cone photoreceptor response to a bright stimulus and a flicker response of 30 Hz in all three dogs. No fundic lesions have been apparent ophthalmoscopically in any of the dogs as the initial presentation of each case. No abnormalities were detected with DNA screening for known mutations of the CNGB3 gene in any of the dogs.     

Effects of different dl‐selenomethionine and sodium selenite levels on growth performance,immune functions and serum thyroid hormones concentrations in broilers

This trial was conducted in a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of different dl ‐selenomethionine (dl ‐Se‐Met) and sodium selenite (SS) levels on growth performance, immune functions and serum thyroid hormones concentrations in broilers. A total of 840 Ross 308 broilers (7 days old) were allocated by body weight to seven treatments (three replicates of 40 birds each treatment) including (1) basal diet (containing 0.04 mg of selenium (Se)/kg; control) without supplementary Se; (2, 3 and 4) basal diet + 0.05, 0.15 or 0.25 mg/kg Se as SS; (5, 6 and 7) basal diet + 0.05, 0.15 or 0.25 mg/kg Se as dl ‐Se‐Met. The experiment lasted 42 days. The results revealed that dietary Se supplementation improved (p < 0.05) average daily gain, feed efficiency, immune organ index, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and triiodothyronine (T₃) concentrations and decreased (p < 0.01) thyroxine (T₄)/T₃ ratio in serum compared with the control. Broilers receiving the dl ‐Se‐Met‐supplemented diets had higher (p < 0.05) feed efficiency, thymus index, the amounts of IgA, IgG, IgM and T₃ as well as lower (p < 0.05) serum T₄ concentrations and T₄/T₃ ratio than those consuming the SS‐supplemented diets. Serum IgA and IgM levels of broilers fed 0.15 mg Se/kg were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of broilers fed 0.05 or 0.25 mg Se/kg. In summary, we concluded that dl ‐Se‐Met is more effective than SS in increasing immunity and promoting conversion of T₄ to T₃, thus providing an effective way to improve the growth performance of broilers. Besides, based on a consideration of all experiment indices, 0.15 mg Se/kg was suggested to be the optimal level of Se supplementation under the conditions of this study.     

Effect of dietary Schizochytrium microalga oil on selected markers of low‐grade inflammation in rats

The objective of the present study was to evaluate a potential of Schizochytrium microalga oil to alleviate possible negative effects of high‐fat‐high‐energy diets. Forty adult male rats (Wistar Albino) were fed 7 weeks the diet containing beef tallow + evaporated sweetened milk (diet T) intended to cause mild obesity and low‐grade systemic inflammation. Consequently, the animals were divided into four groups by 10 animals each and fed either the T‐diet (control) or the diet containing 6% of safflower oil (S), 6% of fish oil (F) and 6% of Schizochytrium microalga oil (A), respectively, for another 7 weeks. The A‐diet decreased (p < 0.05) live weight to 86% and glycaemia to 85% of control, respectively; an effect of the S‐ and F‐diet on these markers was insignificant (p > 0.05). In comparison with control, higher (p < 0.05) deposition of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the epididymal adipose tissue (EAT) of the A‐rats correlated with increased (p < 0.05) plasma adiponectin concentration, but it was without the effect (p > 0.05) on cellular adiponectin content in the EAT. Higher (p < 0.05) EPA+DHA deposition in the liver of the A‐rats correlated with higher expression (149% of control; p < 0.05) of the gene coding for peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma, and with lower expression (82% and 66%; p < 0.05) of the genes coding for adiponectin receptors AdipoR1 and AdipoR2; no relationship to the expression of receptor GPR120 was found. The A‐diet did not affect amount of the nuclear fraction of the nuclear factor kappa B in the liver, but increased plasma level of anti‐inflammatory cytokine TGF‐β1 (p < 0.05). The presented data agree with results of other in vivo rodent and human studies, but not with literature data regarding in vitro experiments: it can be concluded that the effects of dietary oils on inflammatory markers need further investigation.     

赤霉素(GA_3)对叶用莴苣抽薹特性的影响

以叶用莴苣耐抽薹品种意大利生菜和易抽薹品种佰根绿为试验材料,采用营养钵基质栽培法,研究了外源GA_3处理对叶用莴苣抽薹特性(薹中心柱长、抽薹率)的影响。试验结果表明,GA_3可显著促进叶用莴苣抽薹,显著增加薹高及抽薹率,佰根绿的薹高、抽薹率分别是对照(不喷GA_3)的5.7倍、2.25倍,意大利生菜的薹高、抽薹率分别是对照的5.5倍、2.01倍,易抽薹品种的抽薹特性对GA_3的响应较为敏感。     

“破眠3号”促进一年两熟葡萄结果母枝萌芽试验初报

针对桂南地区鲜食葡萄生产一年两熟茬果的结果母枝萌芽率低和萌芽不整齐的现状,利用广西农科院园艺研究所、南方葡萄研究中心研制成功的外源调节剂"破眠3号"对巨峰、无核早红、户太一8、巨玫瑰、V28葡萄品种结果的母枝进行短截后施药催芽试验。结果表明,夏茬果以破眠3号20倍药液比30倍液萌芽率分别高11.61%、5.19%、5.79%、6.60%和13.18%,比对照分别高17.95%、22.18%、26.65%、28.46%和30.99%。冬茬果以破眠3号20倍药液催芽的萌芽率比30倍分别高9.48%、1.29%、6.14%、2.65%和3.53%,比对照分别高69.76%、56.28%6、1.67%、64.22%和68.09%。有利于促进桂南地区葡萄一年两熟生产的进一步提高和发展。     

Effect of prostaglandin F2alpha on ovarian, adrenal, and pituitary hormones and on luteal blood flow in mares

The effect of a single injection of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF) during mid-diestrus on systemic concentrations of progesterone, LH, FSH, estradiol, and cortisol and on blood flow to the corpus luteum was studied in 10 controls and 10 PGF-treated mares. Blood flow was assessed by estimating the percentage of corpus luteum with color-Doppler signals of blood flow during real-time scanning of the entire structure and by the diameter of the vascular pedicle near its attachment to the ovary. Treatment was done 8 days after ovulation and 0 h was immediately before the treatment. Examinations and collection of blood samples were done at 0 h, every 5 min until 1h, and then at 1.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. The concentrations of estradiol did not change, but progesterone, LH, FSH, and cortisol increased significantly within 5 min. Concentrations of LH and FSH in the PGF group remained elevated until a temporarily lower concentration at 8 or 4h, respectively, rebounded to 12h, and then slowly decreased. Cortisol remained elevated, until a decrease between 1 and 4h. Progesterone in the PGF group increased significantly until 10 min after 0 h and then decreased by 40 min to below the concentrations in controls. Within the PGF group, progesterone decreased significantly by 45 min to below the concentrations at 0 h. The values for each of the two indicators of blood flow did not differ significantly between the PGF and control groups until a decrease at 24h in the PGF group. Results did not support the hypothesis that the immediate transient post-PGF increase in progesterone was associated with an increase in luteal blood flow. Luteolysis, as indicated by decreasing progesterone, began well before the beginning of a decrease in luteal blood flow.     

赤霉素和磷肥配合施用对胡麻光合酶活性及其产量形成的影响

为探究赤霉素和磷肥配合施用对胡麻叶片光合酶活性以及籽粒产量的影响,以‘轮选2号’为材料,采用田间二因素裂区试验设计,研究了不同磷肥用量水平(P₀:0 kg·hm^-2 P₂O₅,P₁:67.5 kg·hm^-2 P₂O₅,P₂:135 kg·hm^-2 P₂O₅)和赤霉素(Gibberellin acid, GA₃)喷施浓度(G₀:0 mg L^-1,G₁:15 mg·L^-1,G₂:30 mg·L^-1)对胡麻光合同化酶活性、干物质积累量及籽粒产量的影响。结果表明：施磷和喷施赤霉素均显著提高了胡麻叶片RuBP(Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate)、PEP(Phospho...     

Highly recurrent BRAF p.V595E mutation in canine papillary oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral epithelial malignancy in dogs. It exhibits locally aggressive biological behaviour with the potential to metastasize, and a reported 1-year survival rate of 0% when left untreated. Expression studies suggest that aberrant MAPK signalling plays a key role in canine OSCC tumorigenesis, which is consistent with BRAF and HRAS MAPK-activating mutations reported in some tumours. Several morphological subtypes of canine OSCC have been described, with papillary, conventional, and basaloid as the most common patterns. We hypothesized that mutational differences may underlie these phenotypic variations. In this study, targeted Sanger sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism assays demonstrate that up to 85.7% of canine papillary OSCC (n = 14) harbour a BRAF p.V595E mutation. Assessment of neoplastic epithelial cell proliferation using Ki67 immunolabelling (n = 10) confirmed a relatively high proliferation activity, consistent with their known aggressive clinical behaviour. These findings underscore a consistent genetic feature of canine papillary OSCC and provide a basis for the development of novel diagnostic and targeted therapeutic approaches that can improve the quality of veterinary care.