Ataxia and disequilibrium in domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos f. dom.) with intracranial lipomas

Four birds in a flock of 125 purebred Crested ducks (Anas platyrhynchos f. dom.) had cerebellar signs of unknown etiology. They had radiographically evident perforations of various sizes in the parieto-occipital calvaria. Gross necropsy of euthanatized ducks revealed yellow intracranial masses in the brain of each. Histologically, these masses were intracranial lipomas consisting of univacuolated fatty tissue separated into lobules by strands of connective tissue. The masses had caused serious deformation of the rostral part of the cerebellum, leading to a nearly complete flattening of cerebellar folia, and were interpreted as the cause for the central nervous clinical signs observed. These intracranial lipomas were similar to those previously reported in other animals and humans.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF INTRACRANIAL TISSUE ACCUMULATIONS IN DOMESTIC DUCKS (Anas platyrhynchos f. dom.) WITH FEATHER CRESTS

The crested breed of domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos f. dom.) has been described as a variety which has high pre- and postnatal mortalities, malformations in skull and brain anatomy, and several central nervous deficiencies. In addition, intracranial tissue accumulations have been diagnosed in purebred Crested ducks. The incidence, heredity and inheritance of these accumulations as well as their pathogenesis are still generally unknown. The aims of this study were to examine the head of Crested ducks, plain-headed duck breeds, and their crossbreeding relating to the incidence of intracranial alterations. These examinations were performed using magnetic resonance imaging. We found a high incidence of intracranial tissue accumulations in domestic ducks with feather crests. Creasted ducks had more intracranial tissue deposits than plain-headed ducks (p < 0.001). In the present study a correlation between the volume of the crest cushion and the volume of the intracranial tissue deposit could not be found (r = 0.014). Some of the Crested ducks had encephaloceles in addition to the crest cushion.     

Investigations on the influence of selected compulsory measures on clinically relevant haematological and blood-chemical parameters of racing pigeons (Columba livia f. dom.)

In the presented study the influence of stress and environmental factors on selected haematological and blood-chemical parameters in racing pigeons was examined. Blood was taken at three defined days and haematological as well as blood-chemical parameters of clinical relevance were determined. In comparison to reference values published for pigeons, the majority of the values obtained in this study were within physiological borders. The daily handling of the pigeons did not have any significant effect on the examined parameters. Also the heterophile/lymphocyte ratio did not show any changes characteristic of a stress reaction. In contrast, after change of the housing dies with pigeons originating normally from a flock, the first blood sampling should be performed after a 4 or 5-day lasting period of acclimatisation to the the individual housing conditions.     

Representation of metaphase chromosomes of the pig (Sus scrofa dom.) in the scanning electron microscope]

The appearance of metaphase chromosomes of the pig in the scanning electronmicroscope Two karyotypes of the pig were examined, one using light-microscopy after G-band treatment and the other using scanning electronmicroscopy after BrdU treatment. In both cases the structures of the surface of the chromatids were identical.     

Topography and cytoarchitecture of the diencephalon in the female comestic cattle (Bos taurus var. dom.)]

Ten brains of cows were, immediately after slaughter, embedded in celloidin, sliced, and stained to visualise neurocytes and nerve fibres, with the view to elucidating the structures of bovine diencephalon. Macroscopically, the diencephalon of cow is characterised by a comparatively strong epithalamic part, large laterally supported Corpora geniculata lateralis, pronounced ventricular bulgings, almost complete fusion of thalami with Massa intermedia, and very large pituitary gland. The five compartments of bovine interbrain are strongly developed and clearly delimitated by fibrous strings and platelets. By due consideration of the major fibre structures and cyto-architectonic characteristics, 62 nuclei may be differentiated in either half of the diencephalon, with 28 being situated in the thalamus and 23 in the hypothalamus. Two nuclear regions each were recordable from the epithalamus, metathalamus, and subthalamus.     

柠檬提取物对耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌及新城疫病毒抑制作用的初步研究

目的:初探柠檬提取物对耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌的抑制作用及其机制,温度、酸碱度对提取物作用的影响;观察柠檬提取物对新城疫病毒的抑制作用。方法:利用滤纸片扩散法测定不同提取物浓度的相对抑菌活性,不同温度、酸碱度环境提取物相对抑菌活性。利用Vero细胞为载体观察提取物对新城疫病毒的抑制作用。结果:柠檬提取物对耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌有显著的抑菌活性,其活性不受酸碱度影响,但受温度影响;提取物对新城疫病毒具有直接抑制作用,对该病的预防及治疗作用则不明显。结论:柠檬提取物对耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌及新城疫病毒均具抑制作用。     

冷季粤西野生香根草及扁穗牛鞭草对模拟光的生理响应

香根草(Vetiveria zizanioides(L.)Nash)和扁穗牛鞭草(Hemarthria compressa(L.f.)R.Br.)是广东吴川地区野生香根草群落的建群种和主要伴生种,为从生理生态的角度探讨2种植物的共存及对冷季的适应问题,利用LI-6400光合仪的人工控制系统,于2004年12月下旬,对群落优势种野生香根草和扁穗牛鞭草的光合生理特性进行测定,比较分析两种植物的光合特性和水分利用特性。结果表明:在冷季,野生香根草和扁穗牛鞭草的光补偿点分别为13.37×mol·m^-2·s^-1和12.77×mol·m^-2·s^-1,光饱和点为1100×mol·m^-2·s^-1,均发生光抑制现象,扁穗牛鞭草的光利用能力高于香根草,比香根草耐阴;香根草的气孔调节机制优于扁穗牛鞭草,在一定程度上对水分利用起到了较好的调节作用,提高了水分利用率。2种植物对季节性干旱气候适应对策分别表现为,扁穗牛鞭草以保持较高光合速率来提高水分利用效率,而香根草则通过调节气孔来限制水分的无效散失。     

北京鸭、樱桃谷鸭与仙湖鸭的生长曲线分析

本文利用曲线方程分别拟合了北京鸭、樱桃谷鸭和仙湖鸭从０￣７周龄的每周平均体重，作出了相应的曲线图，并进行生长曲线分析。结果表明：２周龄前的仔鸭生长曲线符合指数函数方程，而２周龄后则几乎呈直线关系，符合直线回归方程，且两个方程的拟合优度Ｒ＾２均达０．９８６以上。     

穿心莲对肉鸡淋巴细胞活性及白细胞吞噬功能影响

试验肉鸡于1日龄随机分为7个试验组，A组为1％超微粉；B组为2％超微粉；C组为0．2％浓缩颗粒（1g浓缩颗粒相当于5g生药）；D组为0．4％浓缩颗粒；E组为1％浓缩颗粒；F组为2％细粉；G组为不加中药的空白对照在试验的第14、21、28、35、42天分别采血，进行指标测定，观察不同剂型穿心莲对肉鸡细胞免疫的影响试验结果表明，穿心莲对肉鸡淋巴细胞活性及白细胞活性（吞噬率和吞噬指数）有显著的提高作用（P〈0．05），同时，穿心莲超微粉和浓缩颗粒提高细胞免疫的效果优于细粉；相同剂量下，超微粉的效果有优于浓缩颗粒的趋势。     

Partial replacement of dried Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit leaves for noug (Guizotia abyssinica) (L.f.) Cass. seed cake in the diet of highland sheep fed on wheat straw

This study investigated the effect of replacing noug (Guizotia abyssinica) (L.f.) Cass. seed cake by dried Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit leaves on feed intake, live weight gain, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen balance of highland sheep in Tigray Region in northern Ethiopia. Twenty intact yearling male highland sheep weighing16.9?±?1.62 kg were used in a randomized complete block design and included the following four treatments: T1 (control, wheat straw ad libitum?+?200 g noug seed cake (NSC)?+?150 g wheat bran (WB)); T2 (wheat straw ad libitum?+?170 g NSC?+?44.3 g dried L. leucocephala (DLL)?+?150 g WB); T3 (wheat straw ad libitum?+?140 g NSC?+?87.3 g DLL?+?150 g WB); and T4 (wheat straw ad libitum?+?110 g NSC?+?130.2 g DLL?+?150 g WB). Sheep fed on T4 diet consumed higher total dry matter (658 g/head/day) and recorded the highest average daily weight gain (59 g/head/day). Sheep fed on T4 diet had higher dry matter (61 %), organic matter (63 %), and crude protein (75 %) digestibility values than the other treatments. Sheep fed on T3 diet demonstrated higher feed conversion ratio (11.93) than sheep kept on the other treatments. All sheep exhibited positive nitrogen balance, with the highest nitrogen retention being measured in T4 (12 g/head/day). It is concluded that partially replacing NSC by DLL can improve total dry matter intake, digestibility of nutrients, and body weight gain in highland sheep fed on wheat straw as the basal diet.