Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in an alpaca (Vicugna pacos)

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare, familial disease of unknown aetiology characterised by intra‐alveolar formation and accumulation of microliths. Multiple formalin‐fixed tissues were submitted from a 5‐month‐old female alpaca that died suddenly without significant clinical signs. No gross abnormalities were observed on postmortem examination. Histological findings included PAM and severe centrilobular hepatic necrosis. Although the hepatic lesion was the likely cause of death, PAM was an incidental finding that has not been reported previously in alpacas. An overview of PAM, including pathogenesis and histopathological characteristics, are discussed in relation to the concurrent hepatic disease in the present case.     

高原鼠兔对西藏邦杰塘高寒草甸的影响

高原鼠兔是西藏高寒草甸的优势物种之一,其摄食和掘穴活动加快了邦杰塘高寒草甸退化速度,制约着当地草牧业的可持续发展。鉴于此,以林芝市工布江达县松多三村的冬季牧场作为试验地,以高原鼠兔活动为主要影响因素,初步探索高原鼠兔活动对不同退化程度的高寒草甸的影响。以期为邦杰塘天然草地的高原鼠兔防控和草地管理提供科学依据。研究表明,围栏外(A样地)的平均高原鼠兔鼠总洞数和有效鼠洞数均大于围栏内(B样地),A样地鼠兔掘穴土丘占地面积、洞口面积和草地占地面积也均大于B样地。高原鼠兔对植被有显著影响,表现为草地生物量减少,地上生物量干湿比增大,植物Gleason丰富度指数增加。在样地植物密度和种类基本一致的情况下,高原鼠兔的活动致使土壤种子库密度减少,尤以根茎型植物为最;地上地下植被Sorensen相似性指数减小,降低了草地根茎型植被更新潜力;其中A样地鼠区土壤种子密度仅为3 929.3粒·m^-2,显著低于B样地鼠区;同时鼠区土壤种子库中的根茎型牧草物种数占保护区的40%。说明高原鼠兔对两种不同退化程度的高寒草甸的影响不同,对轻微退化高寒草甸地表特征、植被特征和土壤种子库的影响小于对重度退化高寒草甸的影响。     

Morphological Study on the Nasal Turbinates (Conchae) of the Pika (Ochotona rufescens rufescens) and the Valcano Rabbit (Romerolagus diazi)

The nasal conchae of the pika and volcano rabbit were studied by gross examination and by serial histological sections stained with hematoxylin. The organization of the nasal conchae were compared with those of the domestic rabbit, with the goal of providing data for the determination of taxonomic relationship of the pika and the volcano rabbit to the domestic rabbit. This relationship is of interest because of a recent classification of these animals as Lagomorphs.     

Molecular cloning and tissue distribution of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in plateau pika (Ochotona dauurica)

Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is present exclusively in brown adipose tissue, and contributes to body temperature control during cold exposure. We cloned UCP1 cDNA of plateau pika (Ochotona dauurica), a small, non-hibernating, diurnal lagomorph that inhabits in relatively cold climates and at high altitudes in Mongolia and in northern China. The nucleotide sequence of pika UCP1 was highly homologous to UCP1 of other species, and the deduced amino acid sequence had some common domains for UCP, including six mitochondrial carrier protein motifs and a putative purine-nucleotide binding site. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses revealed that both UCP1 mRNA and protein were expressed exclusively in the interscapular adipose tissue. These results suggest that pika UCP1 contributes to heat production in brown adipose tissue, as do those in other species.     

高原鼠兔有效洞口数密度对高山嵩草草甸植物种间联结性的影响

高原鼠兔有效洞口数密度变化会引起高山嵩草草甸植物组分变化,而且引起种间关系的改变。研究了高原鼠兔有效洞口数密度对高山嵩草草甸植物种间联结性的影响。结果表明,随高原鼠兔有效洞口数密度增加,原优势种高山嵩草优势度降低,而原伴生种达乌里秦艽和小花草玉梅等植物的优势度却逐渐增加;植物群落内主要物种间的总体联结性从有效洞口数密度小于或等于224个/hm²时的正关联,转变为有效洞口数密度超过224个/hm²时的负关联;高山嵩草和青藏苔草的联结性从有效洞口数密度≤224个/hm²时的正关联,转变为有效洞口数密度超过224个/hm²时的负关联,而密花香薷和乳浆大戟、乳浆大戟和黄花棘豆的联结性则相反。这说明高原鼠兔有效洞口数密度变化改变了高山嵩草草甸植物种间的总体联结性,有效洞口数密度为224个/hm²时种间联结性最强,群落最稳定。     

高原鼠兔干扰下高寒草甸植物群落结构的时空动态特征

选择青藏高原东缘玛曲县高寒草甸栖息的高原鼠兔,以有效洞口数代表其干扰强度,选择3个干扰强度样地并连续3年调查了植物群落的变化.应用双因素方差分析、物种累积曲线和冗余分析研究了高原鼠兔干扰对高寒草甸植物不同物种、功能群和生活型的影响.结果表明:(1)随着高原鼠兔干扰强度和年份的增加,群落物种累积丰富度和物种累积速率均降低...     

高原鼠兔干扰对达乌里秦艽繁殖特征的影响

高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)通过掘土和采食等行为对高寒草甸产生广泛的影响,从而影响高寒草甸植物的繁殖特征。本研究以高山嵩草(Kobresia pygmaea)草甸达乌里秦艽(Gentiana dahurica)为对象,采用野外调查法研究了高原鼠兔干扰对其繁殖特征的影响。结果表明,随着高原鼠兔干扰水平的增大,达乌里秦艽的地上生物量、株高、茎叶比、生殖枝数、营养枝数、花序数、花序生物量和单株种子产量均呈增加态势。干扰水平为Ⅰ(112±32)个·hm-2和Ⅱ(192±48)个·hm-2时,达乌里秦艽所同化的物质主要分配于同化器官叶中,以保证种群的生存;当干扰水平增大到Ⅲ(352±64)个·hm-2和Ⅳ(608±48)个·hm-2时,达乌里秦艽将其所同化的物质更多地分配于生殖生长,形成更多的生殖枝数、花序数和单株种子产量,从而提高了达乌里秦艽的繁殖能力,一定程度上解析了高原鼠兔过度干扰劣化高山嵩草草甸放牧品质的途径。     

兔裸皮蝇对宿主高原鼠兔生理和个性特征的影响

以高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)为研究对象,比较感染与未感染兔裸皮蝇(Oestromyia lep-orina)的鼠兔生理特征(体重、束缚下的呼吸率和心率、体重矫正的静止代谢率、粪便皮质醇浓度)和个性特征(冒失性、温顺性、探索性)及其关联性.结果 表明:与未感染皮蝇的鼠兔相比,感染皮蝇的鼠兔体重、呼吸...     

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (phospholipoproteinosis) in a dog

This paper presents clinical, radiographic and pathological appearances in a case of pulmonary alveolar lipoproteinosis in a one-year-old Cocker Spaniel. This condition, well recognized in man appears not to have been reported previously as a spontaneous disease in the dog. The main features were insidious decreased exercise tolerance and increasing respiratory embarrassment. Radiographic lung changes were associated with filling of pulmonary alveoli with PAS-positive lipoproteina-ceous material. Inflammatory changes were minimal. The alveolar material consisted of excessive amounts of a substance that resembled surfactant.     

A variant of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in nackt mice

Four adult mutant nackt mice, which demonstrate alopecia and CD4+ T-cell deficiency, and two outbred SENCAR mice (sentinels) were presented for routine health surveillance. Lesions were not observed at necropsy. Microscopically, all four nackt mice demonstrated multiple concretions that were 30-100 microm in diameter, irregularly rounded to oval, nonbirefringent, and amphophilic to basophilic. Many of the concretions appeared attached to or within the alveolar walls of all lung lobes. Approximately half of the concretions had irregular fracture lines. All concretions were periodic acid-Schiff positive, and Von Kassa staining revealed diffuse calcification. None of the concretions were associated with inflammatory cell infiltrates, and metaplastic ossification was not evident. A diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis, a rare disease in both humans and animals, was made based on the size and location of the concretions and the lack of an inflammatory response. This is the first report of a laboratory mouse demonstrating pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis.     

高原鼠兔干扰对青海湖流域高山嵩草草甸植物多样性及地上生物量的影响

采用堵洞法设置高原鼠兔干扰区和非干扰区,然后在干扰区和非干扰区内利用样方法研究了高原鼠兔干扰对青海湖流域高山嵩草草甸植物多样性和地上生物量的影响。结果表明,植物物种多样性和不同植物功能群多样性对高原鼠兔干扰的响应并不一致,其中干扰增加了杂类草功能群丰富度指数与物种丰富度指数,降低了物种均匀度指数、莎草科功能群丰富度指数和禾草科功能群均匀度指数(P<0.05)。干扰区内物种均匀度指数、物种丰富度指数和杂类草功能群丰富度指数随干扰强度增加而呈增加趋势,但禾草科功能群均匀度指数却呈显著降低趋势。虽然高原鼠兔干扰显著降低了植物群落总生物量,莎草科、禾草科和豆科功能群生物量(P<0.05),但显著增加了杂类草功能群生物量(P<0.05)。干扰区随干扰程度增加,莎草科功能群和豆科功能群生物量逐渐降低,杂类草功能群生物量逐渐增加,而禾草科功能群生物量则先增加后降低。鉴于高山嵩草草甸植物群落物种多样性和功能多样性对高原鼠兔干扰的响应不一致,植物物种多样性和功能群多样性之间不能互相替代。     

Brief report on the status of Kozlov's pika,Ochotona koslowi (Büchner), in the east Kunlun mountains of China

Koslov's pika, Ochotona koslowi (Büchner), was surveyed in western China. This endangered species is poorly known. We determined that it is a burrowing pika, and lives in social family groups at high densities. It primarily occupies high‐elevation cold grassland vegetation. It appears to have a high reproductive rate. More emphasis should be placed on research into this unique species in China.     

Functional‐trait ecology of the plateau pika Ochotona curzoniae in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau ecosystem

Understanding a species' functional traits allows for a directed and productive perspective on the role a species plays in nature, and thus its relative importance to conservation planning. The functional‐trait ecology of the plateau pika Ochotona curzoniae is examined to better understand the resilience and sustainability of the high alpine grasslands of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The key functional traits of plateau pikas are their abundance and behavior of digging extensive burrow systems. Plateau pikas have been poisoned over a significant part of their original geographic distribution across the QTP, allowing comparison of ecological communities with and without pikas. Nearly all mammalian and avian carnivores, most of which are obligate predators on pikas, have been lost in regions where pikas have been poisoned. Most endemic birds on the QTP nest in pika burrows; when pikas are poisoned, burrows collapse, and these birds are greatly reduced in number. Due to the biopedturbation resulting from their burrows, regional plant species richness is higher in areas with pikas than without. The presence of pika burrows allows higher rates of infiltration during heavy monsoon rains compared to poisoned areas, possibly mitigating runoff and the potential for serious downslope erosion and flooding. Thus, the functional traits of plateau pikas enhance native biodiversity and other important ecosystem functions; these traits are irreplaceable. As plateau pikas are not natural colonizers, active re‐introduction programs are needed to restore pikas to areas from which they have been poisoned to restore the important functional ecological traits of pikas.     

Neural angiostrongylosis in three captive rufous bettongs (Aepyprymnus rufescens)

Neurological disease attributed to migration of the rat lungworm ( Angiostrongylus cantonensis ), is described in three captive rufous bettongs ( Aepyprymnus rufescens ). Clinical signs, including ascending paralysis and multifocal neurological deficits, were similar to those seen in other species. Histologically, the severity of meningoencephalomyelitis ranged from mild to moderate. In one animal cerebrospinal fluid contained a high percentage of eosinophils but peripheral blood cell counts were within normal limits. Treatment with dexamethasone, diazepam and vitamin E was unsuccessful. The prognosis for bettongs with this disease is poor. The susceptibility of this species to this disease has implications for enclosure design.