The Effect of Exogenous Hormone Treatment on Spermiation in Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (Sauvage and Dabry)

For the evaluation of hormonal control of spermiation in fish, a method to quanify the spermiation response of mature Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (Sauvage and Dabry) to hormonal therapy is described. Spermatocrit was determined after 7 min centrifugation at 18,000 ± g and sperm density was estimated by a standard hemocytomer method. Sperm density can be predicted from spermatocrit since their relationship is linear as described by the regression equation, Y = 3.68X - 27.18 ( R ² = 0.82, N = 50). where Y is spermatocrit and × is sperm density. Milt production by mature R. oxycephalus was highest at 24 h after injection of 1,000 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and 50 μg luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) per kg body weight. Increased milt production coincided with low spermatocrit and sperm density levels. These results demonstrate that spermiation in mature R. oxycephalus can be reliably evaluated by a spermatocrit method and that HCG and LHRHa are effective in stimulating of spermiation in this species.     

Radiographic interpretation of normal skeletal variations and pseudolesions in the equine foot.

Effective radiographic interpretation requires a veterinarian who is knowledgeable of equine limb anatomy and the various principles that affect the resulting image. The normal and its variations must be recognized and understood before the abnormal can be confidently identified as pathologic. Proper patient positioning and sound radiographic technique are mandatory if reliable diagnostic radiographs are to be produced. This review emphasizes equine foot radiographic variations of normal and pseudolesions that occur with commonly used radiographic views performed in equine practice.     

Radiographic examination of the equine foot

A complete radiographic examination of the equine foot consists of properly exposed, processed, and positioned radiographs. For radiographic interpretation, in addition to knowing radiographic signs of disease, a knowledge of normal radiographic anatomy and possible insignificant anatomic variations is necessary.     

Evaluation of host and bacterial gene modulation during Lawsonia intracellularis infection in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mouse model

BackgroundProliferative enteritis caused by Lawsonia intracellularis undermines the economic stability of the swine industry worldwide. The development of cost-effective animal models to study the pathophysiology of the disease will help develop strategies to counter this bacterium.ObjectivesThis study focused on establishing a model of gastrointestinal (GI) infection of L. intracellularis in C57BL/6 mice to evaluate the disease progression and lesions of proliferative enteropathy (PE) in murine GI tissue.MethodsWe assessed the murine mucosal and cell-mediated immune responses generated in response to inoculation with L. intracellularis.ResultsThe mice developed characteristic lesions of the disease and shed L. intracellularis in the feces following oral inoculation with 5 × l0⁷ bacteria. An increase in L. intracellularis 16s rRNA and groEL copies in the intestine of infected mice indicated intestinal dissemination of the bacteria. The C57BL/6 mice appeared capable of modulating humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to L. intracellularis infection. Notably, the expression of genes for the vitamin B12 receptor and for secreted and membrane-bound mucins were downregulated in L. intracellularis -infected mice. Furthermore, L. intracellularis colonization of the mouse intestine was confirmed by the immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses.ConclusionsThis is the first study demonstrating the contributions of bacterial chaperonin and host nutrient genes to PE using an immunocompetent mouse model. This mouse infection model may serve as a platform from which to study L. intracellularis infection and develop potential vaccination and therapeutic strategies to treat PE.     

绿鳍马面鲀雌雄性腺转录组比较分析

为探明绿鳍马面鲀(Thamnaconus septentrionalis)性腺发育相关基因表达特征,优化亲本生殖调控技术,本研究对绿鳍马面鲀雌雄亲体的精巢和卵巢进行了转录组测序分析,经de novo拼装,最终获得119 219个单基因(unigene),N50长度为1 255 bp。在NR、NT、KO、SwissProt、PFAM、GO及KOG数据库分别注释到24 009、35 057、18 453、26 971、30 294、11 420和21 613个unigene。绿鳍马面鲀精巢和卵巢转录组中存在18 954个差异表达基因(DEG),相对于精巢,在卵巢中上调表达的基因有11 265个,下调表达的有7 689个。选取bmp2、sox3、figla、hsd17b1、cyp19a、cyp17、foxl2、star和amh 9个DEGs进行实时荧光定量PCR (qRT-PCR)验证,结果显示,qRT-PCR结果与RNA-Seq分析相一致。GO和KEGG富集结果分析发现,amh、cyp17和star可能在绿鳍马面鲀雄性精子发生过程中起关键作用;bmp2、foxl2、cyp19a、figla和hsd17b1在雌性卵子发生和卵巢类固醇生成过程中发挥重要作用。本研究通过比较绿鳍马面鲀精巢和卵巢的转录组表达差异,初步阐明了精巢和卵巢的基因表达特征,为进一步研究绿鳍马面鲀的性腺发育机制奠定了基础。     

Comparison of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase and melatonin receptor type 1B immunoreactivity between young adult and aged canine spinal cord

Melatonin affects diverse physiological functions through its receptor and plays an important role in the central nervous system. In the present study, we compared immunoreactivity patterns of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT), an enzyme essential for melatonin synthesis, and melatonin receptor type 1B (MT2) in the spinal cord of young adult (2~3 years) and aged (10~12 years) beagle dogs using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. AANAT-specific immunoreactivity was observed in the nuclei of spinal neurons, and was significantly increased in aged dog spinal neurons compared to young adult spinal neurons. MT2-specific immunoreactivity was found in the cytoplasm of spinal neurons, and was predominantly increased in the margin of the neuron cytoplasm in aged spinal cord compared to that in the young adult dogs. These increased levels of AANAT and MT2 immunoreactivity in aged spinal cord might be a feature of normal aging and associated with a feedback mechanism that compensates for decreased production of melatonin during aging.     

无土育苗移栽技术在江西棉区的应用

通过对无土育苗在江西棉区3年的应用实践进行分析,认为无土苗移栽后在江西主要表现为成活率高低不一、缓苗期有长有短、生育进程有快慢和产量有高低;分析了影响无土育苗移栽成活率高低和缓苗期长短的几个关键因素是棉苗素质、移栽质量、气候条件、土壤条件和水分、肥料等;针对江西棉区的气候情况和土壤条件,提出了江西无土育苗移栽保证较高成活率、缩短缓苗期的6点技术措施。     

Pharmacokinetics,tissue residues,and ex vivo pharmacodynamics of tylosin against Mycoplasma anatis in ducks

The pharmacokinetics of tylosin were investigated in 3 groups of ducks (n = 6). They received a single dose of tylosin (50 mg/kg) by intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and oral administrations, respectively. Plasma samples were collected at various time points to 24 hr post-administration to evaluate tylosin concentration over time. Additionally, tylosin residues in tissues and its withdrawal time were assessed using 30 ducks which received tylosin orally (50 mg/kg) once daily for 5 consecutive days. After IV administration, the volume of distribution, elimination half-life, area under the plasma concentration–time curve, and the total body clearance were 7.07 ± 1.98 L/kg, 2.04 hr, 19.47 µg hr/ml, and 2.82 L hr⁻¹ kg⁻¹, respectively. After IM and oral administrations, the maximum plasma concentrations were 3.70 and 2.75 µg/ml achieved at 1 and 2 hr, and the bioavailability was 93.95% and 75.77%, respectively. The calculated withdrawal periods of tylosin were 13, 8, and 5 days for kidney, liver, and muscle, respectively. For the pharmacodynamic profile, the minimum inhibitory concentration for tylosin against M. anatis strain 1,340 was 1 µg/ml. The calculated optimal oral dose of tylosin against M. anatis in ducks based on the ex vivo pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling was 61 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹.