Using a tobit regression model to analyse risk factors for foot-pad dermatitis in commercially grown broilers

A model was developed to explain the influence of different local and regional factors on the prevalence of foot-pad dermatitis in broilers at the time of slaughter. Data from a recent two-year study of broiler foot-health in Sweden were used to construct the model. The model was based on regression analysis, using a Tobit model for censored data. This type of Tobit regression model has been used for several decades in econometrics and can also be found in the medical-scientific literature. It has, however, reportedly not been used in veterinary medicine although there appears to be several situations where it should be considered useful. Week of slaughter was significantly (p<0.001) associated with total foot-pad score, which decreased over time. The birds' age at slaughter was also significantly (p<0.01) associated with total foot-pad score. Five out of the 11 slaughterhouses included in the study were included as significant (p<0.01) variables in the final model. Three feed suppliers (p<0.05) and four regions (p<0.01) were also included as significant variables in the model. There were also significant (p<0.001) interactions between several of these factors (mainly, between the time variable and specific slaughterhouses, feed suppliers or regions, respectively).

The information gathered in this study regarding the influence of a number of risk factors for the development of foot-pad dermatitis and their reciprocal interactions will enable us to modify the Swedish broiler foot-health programme.     

中小型制造企业生产异常管理系统应用与研究——以AIP公司为应用案例

基于AIP公司的生产实践,对中小型制造企业生产异常情况的成因、分类及影响进行了归纳、分析和探究。针对由中小型制造企业生产中的诸多因素所导致的生产异常情况不能及时反馈和处理这一难题,以及生产效率和交货期等难以管控的现状,设计了一套对生产过程异常情况进行控制的可行性方案,构建了一种用于车间生产异常事件信息实时采集、快速分析、趋势预判和综合查询信息管理系统。该异常管理系统已被AIP公司成功应用,实践证明它可以全面提高中小型制造企业对生产异常情况处理的及时性、有效性,使生产异常问题的处理实现了规范化、标准化和信息化。这不仅为AIP公司创造了良好的经济效益,而且也为其他中小型制造企业解决此类问题提供了有益参考。     

长白种猪优化选配减少近交畸形的研究

以华南某1 500头规模种猪场2009年到2010年1 502窝长白猪分娩信息进行优化、选配减少近交畸形的研究,结果显示血缘选配优化时将近交系数控制在1%比3%效果明显,平均产活仔数从10.39头/窝提高到10.46头/窝(P＞0.05),畸形率从10.30%下降到4.79%(P＜0.01);对其中402窝出现畸形仔猪...     

利用单根肌纤维法分离和培养猪骨骼肌卫星细胞及其成肌诱导分化

建立单根肌纤维法体外培养猪骨骼肌卫星细胞的体系,了解其增殖和成肌特性。通过Ⅰ型胶原酶消化,从猪骨骼肌中分离完整的单根肌纤维并培养,用细胞免疫荧光鉴定肌纤维上的卫星细胞,随后对从单根肌纤维上游离出来的卫星细胞进行细胞免疫荧光染色,传代培养,成肌诱导分化和Western blot分析骨骼肌卫星细胞成肌特异性蛋白的表达。结果显示:分离并培养的单根肌纤维上附着有卵圆形的细胞,并随时间的推移,细胞缓慢向外迁移并增殖,卫星细胞特异性标志基因对盒转录因子(Paired protein box,Pax7)和成肌分化抗原(Myogenic Differentiation Antigen,MyoD)免疫荧光染色呈阳性,且阳性率达到90%以上。成肌诱导分化后,细胞开始汇合,并呈方向性生长,最终形成多核肌管,且成肌特异性标志基因Myogenin和myosin heavy chain(MyHC)表达呈阳性。MyoD蛋白高表达于增殖期,而Myogenin和MyHC在进入分化期才表达。该实验成功建立了猪骨骼肌单根肌纤维的体外培养方法并获得了高纯度的卫星细胞,为骨骼肌卫星细胞进行活体移植治疗相关疾病研究提供了实验材料。     

Qualitative tear film and conjunctival goblet cell assessment of cats with corneal sequestra

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the tear film qualitatively and conjunctival goblet cell numbers in cats with and without corneal sequestra. ANIMALS STUDIED AND PROCEDURES: This was a prospective evaluation of 11 cats with corneal sequestra and 14 control eyes that were either the contralateral normal eye when the sequestrum was unilateral or from control cats of similar age with no ocular disease. All cats in this study were examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist. The ophthalmic examinations included a neuro-ophthalmic evaluation, Schirmer tear tests, fluorescein staining, tear film break-up times, applanation tonometry, biomicroscopy, and indirect ophthalmoscopy. The palpebral conjunctiva at the dorsal nasal, ventral nasal, dorsal temporal and ventral temporal fornices were biopsied after topical anesthetic was applied to the cornea and conjunctiva. The conjunctival biopsies were fixed in formalin and sectioned routinely and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and periodic acid-Schiff. These slides were examined by light microscopy by a blinded examiner. Goblet cell numbers were compared to conjunctival basal epithelial cell numbers by region. The goblet cell numbers by region from the eyes with sequestra was statistically compared to those from eyes without sequestra, with a student's paired t-test. Conjunctival swabs were collected from the cats with corneal sequestra and submitted for polymerase chain reaction for Herpes felis, Chlamydia psiitticia, and Mycoplasma felis. The corneal sequestra were removed by surgical keratectomy and fixed and stained routinely, and examined by light microscopy. RESULTS: No neurologic abnormalities were detected in any of the cats. The Schirmer tear tests (eyes with sequestra 14+/-5.1 mm/min; normal eyes 15+/-6.8 mm/min) and intraocular pressures (eyes with sequestra 21+/-6.6; normal eyes 22+/-5.8) were within normal reference ranges for cats. Biomicroscopic examinations revealed varied sizes and depths of brown- and amber-colored corneal sequestra. No abnormalities were noted on indirect ophthalmoscopic examinations. The tear film break-up time was 21 s (+/-12) for the normal eyes (n=14) and 14 s (+/-13) in eyes with corneal sequestra (n=11). The average goblet/epithelial cell ratios by region for the normal eyes and the eyes with sequestra respectively were 0.66, 0.56 for the dorsal nasal fornix, 0.68, 0.57 for the ventral nasal fornix, 0.63, 0.48 for the temporal dorsal fornix, and 0.55, 0.49 for the temporal ventral fornix. There were no significant differences in tear film break-up times and goblet cell numbers in eyes with corneal sequestra and those without sequestra. Three conjunctival swabs from two of 11 cats with sequestra were positive with PCR for Herpes felis virus. These included one cat with bilateral sequestra and one cat with unilateral corneal sequestrum. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of feline corneal sequestra does not appear to be linked primarily to abnormal goblet cell numbers, qualitative tear film abnormalities, and accelerated tear film break-up time.     

藏绵羊不同部位骨骼肌营养成分、肌纤维特性及与相关基因表达的关联分析

旨在比较藏绵羊母羊7个部位肌肉（臂三头肌、冈上肌、股四头肌、背最长肌、腰大肌、胸斜方肌和小腿肌）的营养成分、肌纤维特性及其与产肉性能相关基因（ AKT1、 mTOR和 FABP3）表达水平的相关性。结果表明,藏绵羊不同部位肌肉含水量均在75%左右;小腿肌的蛋白含量最高,其次是背最长肌（P>0.05）,腰大肌的蛋白含量低于小腿肌（P<0.01）;背最长肌肌内脂肪（IMF）含量高于除腰大肌外的其他部位（P<0.05）,而小腿肌IMF含量最低（1.15%）。肌纤维横截面积大小为冈上肌>股四头肌>臂三头肌>小腿肌>胸斜方肌>腰大肌>背最长肌;肌纤维直径是股四头肌>冈上肌>小腿肌>臂三头肌>腰大肌>胸斜方肌>背最长肌;背最长肌密度最大,高于冈上肌（P<0.05）;肌纤维面积、直径与肌内脂肪含量均呈负相关,而肌纤维密度与IMF含量呈正相关;肌纤维面积与肌纤维直径呈极显著正相关（r=0.842）,而肌纤维面积和肌纤维直径与肌纤维密度呈极显著负相关（r=-0.906、-0.831）。 AKT1基因在小腿肌中的相对表达量高于其他部位（P<0.05）,而 mTOR基因在股四头肌中的相对表达量高于小腿肌、背最长肌（P>0.05）,显著高于臂三头肌、冈上肌及腰大肌（P<0.05）,与胸斜方肌差异极显著（P<0.01）; FABP3基因在小腿肌中的相对表达量低于除冈上肌外的其他部位（P<0.05）。 AKT1和 mTOR基因表达量与肌肉蛋白含量均呈正相关,其中 AKT1基因与蛋白含量呈极显著正相关（r=0.601）; FABP3基因表达量与IMF含量呈极显著正相关（r=0.728）。综合分析可知,藏绵羊小腿肌更符合人们对高蛋白、低脂肪羊肉特点的要求,而背最长肌相比于其他部位嫩度更好; AKT1和 mTOR基因表达量与藏绵羊不同部位肌肉蛋白质合成呈正相关, FABP3基因表达量与藏绵羊不同部位肌肉IMF沉积呈正相关。