Changes in blood biomarkers in Arabian horses with Clostridium difficile-induced enterocolitis

Clostridium difficile (CD) is considered a major health care problem both in developing and developed countries; frequently reported to be associated with enterocolitis and diarrhea in horses and other animals. In this study, we examined acute phase response (APR), cytokines response, neopterin (NP) procalcitonin (PCT) production and oxidative stress condition in horses and foals with C. difficile-induced enterocolitis (CDIE) and evaluated the effectiveness of these parameters as biomarkers for the disease. A total of 407 Arabian horses in 35 stables were examined between January 2017 to December 2018. Only 24 out of 407 horses showed two or more signs of CDIE. The blood level of serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (HP), proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL1-β), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), PCT and NPT in horses with CDIE were higher than in healthy horses. Nevertheless, the levels of nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant concentration (TAC) were considerably lower in diseased horses compared to those that were healthy. The ROC curves for eleven selected blood parameters, both in healthy horses and horses with CDIE demonstrated that all examined blood markers had significant levels of differentiation between CDIE cases and healthy controls (AUC > 87.5). The data in this study suggest that the evaluation of acute-phase proteins, cytokines, PCT, NPT, and oxidative stress biomarkers may well be used as a tool for diagnosis and assessment of CDIE and in disease pathogenesis in Arabian horses.     

朱顶红无菌苗叶片高效再生体系

以朱顶红（Hippeastrum vittatum）叶片为外植体进行离体培养，具有取材方便、试材充足、成本低等优势，但叶片诱导再生率极低，是朱顶红离体培养的一大难题。本试验中分别以‘花孔雀’和‘黑天鹅’朱顶红无菌苗叶片为外植体，探究了不同植物生长调节剂和不同取材部位对不定芽诱导和继代增殖的影响。结果表明：最佳外植体为 MS 培养基中培养 10 d 形成的幼嫩叶片基部（0.5 cm），在光照 16 h · d-1（光照强度 36 μmol · m-2 · s-1）下，不定芽诱导的最适培养基为 MS + 2 mg · L-1 6-BA + 1 mg · L-1 NAA + 2 mg · L-1 TDZ，两个品种的不定芽均以间接途径发生，其中‘花孔雀’在培养 40 d 后形成愈伤组织，55 d形成不定芽，诱导率可达 69.44%；‘黑天鹅’在培养 45 d 后形成愈伤组织，65 d 形成不定芽，诱导率达到 66.67%；最适体细胞胚诱导培养基为 MS + 2 mg · L-1 6-BA + 1 mg · L-1 PIC，‘花孔雀’和‘黑天鹅’的诱导率分别达到 66.67%和 63.89%；最佳不定芽增殖培养基为 MS + 2 mg · L-1 6-BA + 1 mg · L-1 NAA + 1 mg · L-1 TDZ，‘花孔雀’和‘黑天鹅’的增殖系数分别达到 4.67 和 3.46；在不添加植物生长调节剂的 MS培养基中进行生根培养，30 d 后两个品种的生根率均达到 100%；将生根培养 30 d 的小植株转移至室温条件下放置 3 d，摘去封口膜再驯化 3 d 后，移栽至经高温消毒的草炭︰蛭石（体积比）为 1︰1 的基质中，成活率达到 100%     

Characterizing the Serum Proteome of Donkeys (Equus asinus)

Serum and plasma are commonly used in clinical practice considering the widely accepted fact that the “normal” protein expression pattern of a healthy animal changes under disease conditions. We herein used a label-free mass spectrometry–based quantitative proteomics approach to characterize the serum proteome of donkeys. A total of 277 unique proteins were identified from 2,388 unique peptides. Gene ontology analyses showed that the most frequent processes were related to metabolic activities and biological regulation, response to stimulus, and immune system processes. The main annotated areas of origin were the extracellular region, extracellular region part, and organelle, and their molecular functions included binding, catalytic activity, and molecular function regulator. Analyses using the Clusters of Orthologous Groups for Eukaryotic Complete Genomes database indicated that the identified proteins could be categorized into three main groups: signal transduction mechanisms, amino acid transport and metabolism, and defense mechanisms. Most of the unique proteins were associated with the complement and coagulation cascades, and they participated in several disease-related metabolic pathways. Our results should be crucial for further analyses of changes in different physiological and pathophysiological conditions in donkeys.     

Influence of Disease Process and Duration on Acute Phase Proteins in Serum and Peritoneal Fluid of Horses with Colic

Background

The acute phase proteins (APP) serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, and fibrinogen are valuable blood biomarkers in equine inflammatory diseases, but knowledge of factors influencing their concentrations in blood and peritoneal fluid (PF) of horses with colic is needed.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of demographics (age, sex, breed), disease process (simple obstruction, strangulating obstruction, inflammatory), disease location, disease duration, hypovolemia, and admission hospital on concentrations of APP, lactate and white blood cell counts (WBC) in horses with colic admitted to 2 referral hospitals.

Animals

The study included 367 horses with colic admitted at 2 referral hospitals.

Methods

Prospective multicenter observational study of clinical data, as well as blood and PF biomarkers. Associations between biomarker concentrations and clinical variables were analyzed using multivariate linear regression analysis.

Results

Increasing pre‐admission duration of colic was associated with increased concentrations of APP in blood and PF. Blood concentrations of SAA and fibrinogen were associated with disease process (inflammatory, strangulations, simple obstructions) in more colic duration groups (5–12 and >24 hours) than any of the other biomarkers. No relevant associations between demographic factors, hospital, or hydration status and the measured biomarkers were found.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

In horses with colic, concentrations of APP are associated mainly with disease process and duration of colic and may thus be used for assessment of disease independently of demographic or geographic factors. Serum amyloid A may be a diagnostic marker for use in colic differential diagnosis, but further evaluation is needed.     

日粮钙水平对空怀期云南半细毛羊生长性能及血清生化指标和繁殖相关激素的影响

试验旨在探讨日粮钙水平对空怀期云南半细毛羊生长性能、配种前血清生化指标和繁殖相关激素的影响,为开展空怀期云南半细毛羊营养需要量研究提供参考。选用50只体况良好、体重相近、38月龄的经产2胎空怀云南半细毛羊,随机均分为5组,分别饲喂0.40%(无外源钙)、0.45%、0.53%、0.66%、0.85%5个钙水平的日粮。预试期14d,正试期30d。结果表明:0.53%钙水平组云南半细毛羊的总增重、平均日增重、平均日采食量、耗料增重比等指标相对优于其他组;0.40%钙水平日粮组的血清钙最高,血清碱性磷酸酶、甲状旁腺素、钙、磷组间差异不显著(P>0.05);繁殖相关激素各组间表现不一,0.40%钙水平组雌二醇水平最高(P>0.05)。在日粮磷水平为0.20%水平条件下,0.53%钙水平组的空怀期云南半细毛羊表现出较好的生长性能,可为临配种前生理生化和激素水平提供较好准备;增加日粮钙水平,未见对以上指标有明显的正向增强作用,可能与日粮钙磷比失衡有关。     

一种新的厌氧污泥比活性试验测定法

本文介绍了一种以医用血清瓶作发酵瓶、用医用注射器来量测所产沼气的厌氧污泥比活性试验测定法。实践表明此法简单实用、快速准确。     

急、慢性冷应激对雏鸡腓肠肌及血清抗氧化功能的影响

【目的】探讨自由基在冷应激对禽类机体损伤中所起的作用,为探索促进动物冷适应的方法,提高动物的抗寒能力提供一定的理论依据;【方法】应用化学比色法检测了急、慢性冷应激对腓肠肌和血清中总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活性、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性及丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响;【结果】急性应激时,随应激时间的延长,腓肠肌T-AOC与SOD活性均逐渐降低,GSH-Px活性、CAT活性及MDA含量均逐渐升高,血清T-AOC逐渐降低,GSH-Px活性、CAT活性、SOD活性及MDA含量均逐渐升高;慢性应激时,随应激时间的延长,腓肠肌T-AOC、GSH-Px活性、CAT活性及SOD活性均逐渐升高,MDA含量逐渐降低,血清T-AOC、GSH-Px活性、CAT活性及MDA含量均逐渐升高,SOD活性逐渐降低;【结论】表明急、慢性冷应激均可使机体的抗氧化功能发生改变,诱发氧化胁迫,导致机体内自由基增多,对机体造成损伤。     

Evaluation of a serum-based PCR assay for the diagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis

The aim of this study was to estimate the relative diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in the serum of dogs with naturally occurring non-myelosuppressive canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), and to investigate the association between PCR positivity and immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) titres for Ehrlichia canis. Serum samples obtained from 38 dogs with non-myelosuppressive CME and 12 healthy dogs were analyzed retrospectively. Each serum sample was analyzed in triplicate using an E. canis-specific nested PCR assay targeting a 389 bp sequence of the 16S rRNA gene. E. canis DNA was amplified in 24 of 38 (63.1%) affected dogs; all samples from healthy dogs were negative. A high level of agreement was found among the PCR replicates (P < 0.0001). Median IFA titre of the 24 PCR-positive dogs was significantly lower than that of the PCR-negative infected dogs (P = 0.0029), indicating that E. canis DNA may circulate prior to the development of a high antibody titre. Serum-based PCR analysis is suggested for the early diagnosis of CME when whole blood samples are not available.     

蛋氨酸锌对40日龄吉戎兔血清生化指标的影响

随机选取40日龄健康吉绒Ⅱ系吉戎兔72只,分成4组,每组3个重复,每个重复6只。试验I为对照组,饲喂基础饲料;试验Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ分别添加40,80,120mg/kg蛋氨酸锌。结果表明,日增重在试验期0～15d期间及16～30d期间,试验Ⅲ与其它组差异显著（P〈0．05）,分别比对照组、试验Ⅱ、Ⅳ组提高13．94％和11．31％、6．60％和5．93％及7．47％和8．44％。料重比在试验期0～15d期间,试验Ⅲ与其它组差异显著（P〈0．05）,分别比对照组、试验Ⅱ、Ⅳ组改善12．23％、6．19％及6．95％;在试验期16～30d期间,试验Ⅲ和试验Ⅱ差异不显著（P〉0．05）,但与对照组和试验Ⅳ差异显著（P〈0．05）,试验Ⅲ比对照组、试验Ⅱ、Ⅳ组改善10．16％、5．60％、7．78％。试验Ⅳ血清锌和白蛋白含量与对照组差异显著（P〈0．05）。试验组血清碱性磷酸酶、总蛋白含量与对照组差异显著（P〈0．05）,各处理组间尿素氮差异不显著（P〉0．05）。结论为在40日龄吉戎兔饲粮中添加80mg/kg蛋氨酸锌适宜。