Clinical and Histopathological Survey of Lesions Similar to Pox Skin Lesions in Three Flocks of a Large Commercial Layer Farm

In this study, we report an outbreak of fowl pox disease in a large commercial layer farm in Iran. Three flocks of this farm were affected. Flock A (23 wk of age), flock B (44 wk of age), and flock C (71 wk of age) showed cutaneous lesions. Beak necrosis was seen at the posterior part of the upper or lower beak. Also, some vesicles were seen in combs, wattles, and eyelids. Beak and comb lesions were scraped and stained with Wright's staining for histopathological examination. Samples showed hyperplasia of epidermis but no Bollinger bodies were seen. Histopathologically, the epidermis had marked hyperplasia (acanthosis) caused by the swelling and increased number of cells in the stratum spinosum. Clinical observations, as well as histopathological findings, led to a diagnosis of fowl pox disease.     

北太平洋2种鱿鱼类角质颚生长特性及其种类判别

根据2018年9—11月中国鱿钓船在北太平洋海域（41°05''N~43°45''N,154°05''E~159°43''E）采集的柔鱼（Ommastrephes bartramii）和北方拟黵乌贼（Gonatopsis borealis）样本,对样本的胴长（mantle length,ML）、体质量（body mass,BM）以及角质颚的12个形态学参数进行了测定,研究角质颚的生长特性。结果显示,两个种类在胴长和体质量上均存在极显著差异。主成分分析认为,上脊突长（UCL）最适合用来表征柔鱼角质颚的生长,UCL和下侧壁长（LLWL）最适合用来表征北方拟黵乌贼角质颚的生长。赤池信息量准则（akaike’s information criterion,AIC）认为：柔鱼的上头盖长（UHL）、下头盖长（LHL）、LLWL、下翼长（LWL）与胴长呈幂函数关系,UCL、上侧壁长（ULWL）、上翼长（UWL）、下脊突长（LCL）与胴长呈对数函数关系;北方拟黵乌贼的UHL、下喙长（LRL）和LLWL与胴长呈幂函数关系,UCL和LCL与胴长呈指数函数关系,上喙长（URL）、ULWL和LHL与胴长呈对数函数关系。逐步判别分析显示,上、下角质颚的判别正确率分别为92.70%和84.50%,并建立判别方程。研究认为,角质颚外部形态可较好地应用于2种头足类的判别。     

利用iTRAQ蛋白质组技术筛选与鸡喙畸形相关的候选蛋白

[目的]中国地方鸡种如北京油鸡、清远麻鸡存在喙畸形现象,表现为上下喙咬合不全,呈交叉状。严重影响鸡饮水和采食,从而影响个体发育和生产性能的发挥,造成一定经济损失。笔者根据喙畸形个体的系谱记录,发现喙畸形的形成受到遗传因素的影响,但具体机制尚不明确。蛋白是行使各种生物学功能的最终形式之一,喙畸形个体的发生可能是由于核心蛋白或者相关调控蛋白代谢异常造成的。利用同位素标记相对和绝对定量(isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation,i TRAQ)技术以及生物信息学分析方法,筛选鸡畸形喙与正常喙中差异表达的蛋白,作为喙畸形相关的重要候选蛋白,为进一步研究北京油鸡喙畸形的遗传机制奠定基础。[方法]挑选3只120日龄喙畸形的公鸡作为试验组,编号为W1、W2、W3,同时,挑选与试验组个体为同胞关系(全同胞或半同胞)的喙正常公鸡作为对照组,编号为Z1、Z2、Z3。将喙畸形与其同胞正常个体作为一个比对组,i TRAQ试验具体包含3个比对组,即W1 vs Z1,W2 vs Z2,W3 vs Z3。屠宰个体后,剔除喙组织周围肌肉和筋膜,分离得到喙上颌骨和下颌骨,提取总蛋白样品,应用6个i TRAQ标签标记各蛋白样品,经过色谱层析预分离,联合液相串联质谱分析,采用Mascot 2.3.02软件对蛋白进行鉴定和定量分析。试验组(W)与其同胞对照组(Z)样本比较(W1 vs Z1,W2 vs Z2,W3 vs Z3),选择肽段数≥2,表达差异值1.2(上调)或0.83(下调),且P0.05的蛋白作为差异表达蛋白。[结果]利用i TRAQ技术一共在喙组织中鉴定到3 372个蛋白,鉴定到的特异性肽段有12 769个。其中原鸡蛋白1 869个,分子质量主要分布在10—100 k D之间。3个比对组共鉴定出159个表达量有显著差异的蛋白质,其中包含70个表达上调的蛋白,89个表达下调的蛋白。统计各比对组蛋白表达差异值发现,表达量差异较大的上调蛋白质有LPL、MLC-2、CO9A1、MATN3、HSP90B1等,表达量差异较大的下调蛋白质有MBP、RLA1、PRVM、HAPLN1等。结合已经报道的这些蛋白的生物学功能,其中CO9A1、MATN3、HAPLN1与软骨合成和软骨骨化相关,CO9A1是带状软骨纤维的组成物质,MATN家族是非胶原性细胞外基质蛋白家族,HAPLN1是软骨细胞外基质的重要组成成分;PRVM是细胞内钙离子结合蛋白,参与调控Ca2+离子信号通路;LPL是多功能酶,主要在脂质代谢和转运过程中起作用,参与调控PPAR信号通路。初步筛选出CO9A1、MATN3、HAPLN1、PRVM、LPL作为与鸡喙畸形相关的候选蛋白。[结论]差异表达蛋白的发现为鸡喙畸形形态的发生提供蛋白质水平上的理论依据。     

Bacterial sinusitis as a cause of beak deformity in an Antipodes Island parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor)

CASE HISTORY: From 26 days of age, an Antipodes Island parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor) was noted to have a severe beak deformity and reduced bodyweight gain compared to its nest mate. The bird was euthanised at 43 days of age.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The beak abnormality consisted of distortion of the right nares and severe shortening resulting in deviation of the upper maxilla to the right and cranially. On sectioning the head, copious mucoid material was found in the infraorbital sinus and the bony sinus architecture was disrupted. Histopathological examination of the infraorbital sinuses revealed a large focus of chronic but active inflammation, bony lysis on the right side and pockets of a mixed population of bacteria.

DIAGNOSIS: Severe beak deformity, likely secondary to bacterial sinusitis.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The case illustrates the need to look for underlying aetiologies to beak malformation, particularly in young parrots.     

6种大型海洋掠食性鱼类胃含物角质颚分类研究

为了研究大型海洋掠食性鱼类胃含物中角质颚的分类效果,于2017年10月,2018年3、5和11月,收集了南大西洋、中东太平洋和西印度洋海域的大型海洋掠食性鱼类的36个胃并分析其残留角质颚的形态。对采集的角质颚形态侧视图和顶视图进行种类鉴定,建立检索表,提取椭圆傅里叶描述子(EFDs)系数进行聚类分析。结果显示,通过对胃含物角质颚形态进行种类鉴定,共发现头足类2目10科17种。根据角质颚形态分类检索分析,17种头足类角质颚形态种间差异明显。枪形目(Teuthoidea)的13种头足类角质颚喙部形态分别为三角形和等腰三角形,侧壁为近似菱形,翼部发达;八腕目(Octopoda)的4种头足类角质颚有喙部发育,侧壁近似长四边形,有翼部发育。角质颚形态信息聚类分析在目级别区分效果显著。通过对胃含物角质颚形态进行分类研究,不仅可佐证胃含物头足类的识别,而且丰富了胃含物头足类的鉴定内容,也为大型海洋掠食性鱼类胃含物头足类分类鉴定体系奠定基础。     

Middle upper beak fracture in a Red-crowned crane that completely recovered with external skeletal fixation

An adult Red-crowned crane in captivity that had a displaced compound fracture of the middle upper beak caused by an accident was treated by using Type I-a external skeletal fixator (ESF). The ESF that was equipped with a unilateral epoxy putty fixator and with five half-pins was fixed on the premaxilla bone. The crane with the ESF on the beak was able to feed smoothly by itself. The ESF was removed 49 days after the first surgery. Beak malocclusion, which was observed in the latter half period of fixing, spontaneously improved within one month after removal of the ESF. This is the first successful case of repair of an upper beak fracture in a Red-crowned crane.     

基于角质颚形态的东海2种常见乌贼类的种类判别

为了尝试利用角质颚对东海2种常见乌贼类种类进行判别,根据2015年采集的47尾虎斑乌贼和87尾神户乌贼的角质颚,采用主成分分析、逐步判别分析等方法对两种乌贼进行种类判别。结果表明,在所有12个形态参数的比较中,除了下头盖长/胴长,虎斑乌贼和神户乌贼都存在极显著差异(P0.01),虎斑乌贼和神户乌贼角质颚在雌雄群体间均不存在显著差异(P0.05)。采用逐步判别分析法对两种乌贼进行分类,虎斑乌贼判别正确率为95.7%,神户乌贼为94.3%,总判别正确率为94.8%。根据主成分分析结果,以两种乌贼主成分特征值大于1的因子中,负载值最高的形态参数比例指标构建判别函数,虎斑乌贼的判别正确率为83.0%,神户乌贼为83.9%,总判别正确率为83.6%。分雌雄对两种乌贼进行分类判别,雄性的总判别正确率为93.8%,雌性为96.6%。研究认为,乌贼类角质颚形态同样可用于种类判别。     

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) embryonic development from 7 to 42 days of incubation

1. Hatching success of ostrich eggs is poor (50–60% of fertile eggs). The current study was designed to identify the timing of key stages in the development of the ostrich embryo.

2. Growth of both embryo and wing length during 42 d of incubation was comparable and approximately linear, with a more or less weekly doubling in size up to 35 d of incubation.

3. The embryo eye size increased more rapidly than beak length and reached a maximum of ~16.2 mm by 28 d of incubation, whereas beak length increased continuously until hatching at 42 d.

4. Linear regression equations were derived from morphometric measurements of embryos between 7 and 42 d.

5. Information stemming from these results can be used to estimate the age of dead-in-shell embryos in an attempt to identify timing of incubation problems that potentially result in low hatchability of fertile eggs.     

Does age of hot-blade trimming impact the performance and welfare of 2 strains of White Leghorn hens?

The impact of mild hot-blade beak trimming on welfare and performance in 2 strains of White Leghorn pullets was examined. During the pullet phase, 960 pullets were designated to one of 4 trimming treatments: control (untrimmed, C), trimmed at a commercial hatchery (T0d), or trimmed on farm at 10 d (T10d) or 35 d (T35d) of age. During the hen phase, 720 of the original 960 hens were housed in conventional cages at 17 wk of age (6 replications per strain × treatment group) and data were analyzed as a 2 × 4 (performance and beak length data), 2 × 2 (behavior data, blocked by observer) factorial arrangement or a Chi-Squared analysis (beak healing). Total hen-day production tended to be lower for C birds, but hen-housed production did not differ. Feed intake was not affected by trimming treatments, but feed efficiency was poorer for C birds. Treatment did not statistically affect mortality. Cannibalism, although not significantly different among treatments, occurred in C birds only. The C pullets displayed more head/vent pecking, but no differences were noted in adult birds. There was no behavioral or histological evidence of chronic pain or neuroma formation, and healing occurred quicker when trimming occurred at zero or 10 d of age. To conclude, trimming mildly at zero, 10, or 35 d of age caused no long-term effect on welfare or performance, but trimming at younger ages resulted in faster healing.