青海东部农区引进燕麦品种各器官C、N、P生态化学计量学特征变化研究

以4个引种燕麦(Avena sativa)为典型代表,对其不同生育时期根、茎、叶中的C、N、P含量及其化学计量学特征进行测定,探讨不同生育时期燕麦C、N、P元素含量及其化学计量比的变化规律,为燕麦饲草的科学收获提供理论依据。结果表明：燕麦全株C、N、P含量分别为322.30～333.97、17.42～75.62、2.74～5.42 mg·g^-1,燕麦根C、N、P含量分别为298.42～317.92、11.47～73.71、2.82～3.42 mg·g^-1,燕麦茎C、N、P含量分别为311.25～338.86、10.15～75.16、2.44～5.06 mg·g^-1,燕麦叶C、N、P含量分别为330.80～372.47、30.64～113.80、2.59～8.65 mg·g^-1;各器官间C、N、P含量表现为叶>茎>根。此外,燕麦各器官C、N、P含量的积累过程具有一定季节特征,C含量积累过程受生育时期影响较小,表现出较强的稳定性;而N和P含量的积累过程受生育时期影响较大,其在拔节期～抽穗期均...     

Tick-borne encephalitis epidemic in Hungary 1951–2021: The story and lessons learned

The authors analysed epidemiological data of the Hungarian tick-borne encephalitis epidemic from the past seven decades. A total of 911 meningitis serosa cases were described from 1930-1950 s by local hospital physicians, indicating that the virus had been present in the country decades before its official identification in 1952. The virus spread freely in the 1950s–1960s, occupying almost all habitats where ticks occurred in large numbers. The increasing number of cases drove authorities to classify this illness as a notifiable disease in 1977 and to organize the first measures to stop the epidemic. Statistical analysis revealed that the large-scale vaccination launched from the 1990s was responsible for the sharp decrease in the number of human cases from 1997. A significant negative correlation was found between the number of vaccine doses sold and human cases 6 years later. The TBEV endemic area covers 16.57% of the territory and 16.65% of the population of the country. In the last 10 years, 186,000 vaccine doses/year in average were enough to keep the incidence of human TBEV infections between 0.45 and 0.06/100,000 persons. A 20-year-long study found evidence for easing clinical signs in TBEV-infected hospitalized patients. Statistics found a sharp decrease in the number of samples sent for TBEV diagnosis after 1989. Male dominance of patients was characteristic of the epidemics since the 1940s, but now analysis of detailed data from the 1981–2021 period (60.5%–87.5%) proved the statistical significance of this dominance. Obviously, the voluntary vaccination programme was the tool which broke the spread of the epidemic. Widespread public awareness of the disease and the tick vector, probable evolutionary spread of less pathogenic virus strains supplemented with the vaccination campaign led to a negligible level of human TBE cases in Hungary in the last years.     

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.     

鼠源细胞TaqMan实时荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立

为对鼠源细胞进行鉴别检测,以鼠线粒体16S rRNA基因序列为靶位点设计特异性引物及探针,建立实时荧光定量PCR检测方法,并评价该方法的特异性及敏感性。结果显示,所建立的检测方法特异性好,针对鼠源细胞基因组荧光定量PCR扩增曲线良好,其他物种来源细胞基因组及生物制品原辅材料未出现特异性扩增曲线;敏感性高,基因拷贝数检出限度为45.3拷贝。本试验建立的荧光定量PCR检测方法能够有效地对鼠源细胞进行快速检测,为细胞质量控制提供了有效方法。     

An acute case of Pimelea elongata toxicity in cattle in western New South Wales

In May 2019, 96 cattle died from Pimelea toxicity in a period of 19 days after potential exposure, with the first deaths occurring within 5 days. After examining the circumstances, we suspect that several factors contributed to the deaths. These included that recently purchased stock and transported had access to flooded land containing Pimelea elongata. This weed species contains simplexin and 18 other compounds. Roots, flowers and seeds are significantly more toxic than the stem, branches and leaves. We suspect that thirsty and hungry stock consumed seed and roots from flooded pastures and consumed lethal doses of simplexin. Blood tests were not good indicators of the conditions. Management strategies are suggested.     

A survey on the use of rugs in Australian horses

The practice of horse rugging has important implications for horse welfare and performance, but in Australia, rugging practices have not been properly documented. The objective of this study was to obtain an understanding of Australian horse rugging practices. An online survey reviewed the management of 2659 Australian horses over 12 months. Of the reported horses a total of 84.8% were rugged, although most owners (69.5%) indicated that they were unsure whether horses needed to be rugged at all. Rugging was felt by 59.8% of owners to be a requirement for horses in competition. Riding and competition were significantly associated with the use of rugs. Nearly all respondents (89.0%) felt that ‘over-rugging’ was a concern. However, 4.8% of owners would use up to 4 rugs at any one time on their horse and 21.4% of horses were still rugged in temperatures above 20°C in Australia. Many Australian horse owners (42.8%) also believe that horses feel cold if they are not rugged. Anthropomorphism when it comes to rugging horses cannot be justified as the horse has a much wider thermoneutral zone (TNZ) than humans. Australian climate, owner opinions, equestrian discipline and whether a horse is used for riding influence Australian horse rugging practices. However, current practices are based on limited available research and are not necessarily to the benefit of the horse. The major limitation was that the survey likely attracted respondents who are interested in the topic creating a self-selection bias.     

Plasma lipopolysaccharide elevations in cattle associated with early-stage infection by Fasciola hepatica

Fasciolosis is an endemic zoonotic parasitic disease with significant impacts on human health and both animal health and production. Early post-infection impacts on the host remain unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the changes, if any, to levels of endotoxin in cattle plasma in response to early-stage infection with Fasciola hepatica. Thirty-six (36) commercial bred cattle were experimentally infected with approximately 400 viable metacercariae. Plasma lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) levels were examined on 24 occasions from 0 h before infection to 336 h after infection using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate chromogenic end point assay and compared with that of six (6) uninfected control animals. Peak lipopolysaccharide levels in infected animals were reached at 52 h after infection and returned to pre-infection levels at time 144 h after infection. Infected animals had significantly elevated lipopolysaccharide levels between 24 and 120 h after infection when compared to uninfected animals. The mean change in endotoxin units (EU)/mL over time after infection was statistically significant in infected animals. Elevations of lipopolysaccharide occurred in all infected animals suggesting a possible repeatable and titratable endotoxemia conducive to therapeutic agent model development.