First Established Pregnancies in Mediterranean Italian Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) Following Deposition of Sexed Spermatozoa near the Utero Tubal Junction

At the time of AI following Ovsynch protocol, a total of 51 buffaloes were randomly divided in a first group (n = 30) subjected to conventional AI into the uterine body with 20 million non-sex sorted frozen-thawed spermatozoa, while a second group (n = 21) was inseminated near the utero-tubal junction (UTJ) ipsilateral to the ovary carrying the preovulatory follicle with 2.5 million live (4 million total) sex-sorted frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The semen used for flowcytometric sorting was collected and processed on a farm in Italy, and then shipped to a laboratory in Germany. Eleven buffaloes were inseminated with X-chromosome bearing spermatozoa and 10 with Y-chromosome bearing spermatozoa. Conception rates after conventional and UTJ inseminations were 43.3% (n = 13) and 42.8% (n = 9) respectively (p = 0.97). Eight of the nine foetuses obtained after insemination with sexed spermatozoa corresponded to the sex as predicted by the cell sorting procedure (five male and four female foetuses by ultrasound vs six male and three female foetuses by cell sorting). In conclusion, for the first time buffalo semen has been successfully subjected to procedures for flowcytometric sperm sorting and freezing. Low doses of sexed spermatozoa have been deposited near the UTJ giving conception rates similar to those of conventional AI with full dose.     

Comparison of two methods of detecting purulent vaginal discharge in postpartum dairy cows and effect of intrauterine cephapirin on reproductive performance

Objective   Part 1: compare the use of a Metricheck™ device (a stainless steel probe with a semi-spherical rubber cup attached at one end) to sample the contents of the anterior vagina with a vaginal speculum examination for the diagnosis of pus in the vagina of postpartum dairy cows and to investigate the association of that pus with reproductive performance. Part 2: assess the effect of a single intrauterine infusion of 500 mg cephapirin in cows diagnosed with vaginal purulent or mucopurulent discharge 7 to 28 days after calving on reproductive performance.
Procedure   Six herds were visited fortnightly to examine cows that had calved between 7 and 28 days (n = 423) with both the Metricheck device and a vaginal speculum to score, by each method, the vaginal discharge from 0 (clear or absent) to 3 (purulent) for each animal included in the study. Half of the cows that had a positive discharge score (1 to 3 by either examination method) were then treated with an intrauterine infusion of 500 mg of cephapirin. The relationship between Metricheck score, vaginoscopy score, treatment and reproductive performance was assessed.
Results   There was a substantial measure of agreement between each method when scores were analysed by status. Cows that were positive with either method had inferior reproductive performance compared with cows with a score of zero. Treatment of cows diagnosed with a purulent or mucopurulent discharge with intrauterine cephapirin improved reproductive performance in both the vaginoscopy and Metricheck groups.     

山东茶山植物群落结构及物种多样性

茶山地处鲁东南地区,为全面了解其植物群落结构及物种多样性,2006年7月和10月对茶山植物群落结构及物种多样性进行野外调查,记录到高等植物352种,隶属90科250属,获得标准样方11个,面积6 600 m2。样方数据显示,该区域乔木种类匮乏,乔木层平均物种数2.55,Shannon-Wiener指数平均值0.48;灌木层平均物种数10.55,Shannon-Wiener指数平均值1.68。该区域受人为干扰影响显著,正处于群落演替早期,物种多样性偏低。     

Effect of dorsal hip loading,sedation, and general anesthesia on the dorsolateral subluxation score in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dorsal loading of the pelvis and type of chemical restraint affected the dorsolateral subluxation (DLS) score of dog hips. STYDY DESIGN: In vivo testing of diagnostic method. ANIMALS: Labrador retrievers, Greyhounds, and crosses between both breeds (n = 119 dogs). METHODS: Dorsal load was applied to the hips through a strap that was placed over the hips, and the peak vertical and steady-state vertical, ground-reaction forces exerted on the stifles were measured in the DLS position. The DLS score was measured with their hips under dorsal load and compared with the DLS score without load. For 24 dogs, the DLS score was measured both under chemical restraint (medetomidine) and under general anesthesia. Wilcoxon-signed rank test and paired t test was used to compare effects of dorsal load and restraint method on the left and right DLS hip score, and P <.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Both stifles together accepted median 15% body weight in the vertical plane in the unloaded steady state. Loading the hips increased the steady-state, vertical ground-reaction force to 34% body weight. At 8 months of age, loading significantly decreased the DLS score from 65% +/- 11% (mean +/- SD) to 60% +/- 12% for left hips and 66% +/- 11% to 63% +/- 13% for right hips. The left hip DLS score was affected by load more consistently than the right hip. In general, loading the hips decreased the DLS score in all breeds by 4% to 6% except for the greyhounds, in which the DLS score was unchanged by dorsal loading. When grouped by their DLS scores, load significantly decreased DLS scores in dogs with unloaded scores greater than 55% (nondysplastic), whereas DLS scores of dogs with unloaded scores between 55% and 45% (dysplastic) and less than 45% did not change significantly with load. Unloaded scores did not change significantly when compared under sedation versus general anesthesia. However, load significantly decreased the DLS score under general anesthesia for the left hip but not for the right hip. CONCLUSIONS: Less than half of the vertical ground-reaction force normally exerted by the hindlegs of a standing dog was sufficient to induce hip subluxation in the DLS position. Although dorsal loading approximately doubled the steady-state, vertical ground-reaction force, the decrease in the DLS score under load was never greater than 6%. Furthermore, the DLS scores of dogs most likely to be dysplastic (based on DLS scores <45%) were not affected by load, whereas load slightly decreased DLS cores of dogs with DLS scores greater than 55%. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: External influences can change the DLS score significantly, but the magnitude of change is unlikely to be of clinical importance, making the method useful as a field screening test for both dysplastic and nondysplastic hips in young dogs.     

Observations on the Quality Characteristics of Waxy (Amylose‐Free) Winter Wheats

Previous investigations have suggested waxy (amylose‐free) wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) possess weak gluten properties and may not be suitable for commercial gluten extraction. This limitation could prevent the use of waxy wheat as a source of unique starch, because gluten is a by‐product of the wheat starch purification process. Fifty waxy wheat lines were used to determine the extent to which gluten protein and other grain quality related traits might vary and, consequently, allow the development of waxy wheat with acceptable gluten properties. Among the waxy lines, significant variation was observed for all measured quality traits with the exception of flour protein concentration. No waxy entries statistically equaled the highest ranking nonwaxy entry for grain volume weight, falling number, flour yield, or mixograph mix time. No waxy lines numerically exceeded or equaled the mean of the nonwaxy controls for falling number, flour yield, or mixograph mix time. For grain and flour protein related variables, however, many waxy lines were identified well within the range of acceptability, relative to the nonwaxy controls used in this study. Approximately 50% of the waxy lines did not differ from the highest ranking nonwaxy cultivar for grain and flour protein concentrations. Forty‐three (86%) of the tested waxy lines were not sig‐nificantly different from the nonwaxy line with the highest mixograph mixing tolerance, 22/50 (44%) of the waxy wheat lines did not differ from the highest ranking nonwaxy line in gluten index scores, and 17/50 (34%) did not differ from the highest ranking nonwaxy line in extracted wet gluten. All waxy experimental lines produced gluten via Glutomatic washing. The quality of the gluten, as measured both by mixograph and gluten index, varied widely among the waxy lines tested. These observations suggest that weak gluten is not a natural consequence of the waxy trait, and waxy cultivars with acceptable gluten properties can be developed.     

The survival of platypus in captivity: a reappraisal with recommendations for veterinary management and future research

SUMMARY: Data are presented on the duration of survival of platypus held in the collections of the 5 Australian zoos displaying the species over the period 1987–1991. Of 10 living platypus, five had survived for 7 or more years. Similarly, of 10 captive animals that died during the period, six had survived for 6 or more years. Five purpose-caught animals were integrated into captive collections over the period; all of these were alive at the end of 1991. The high survival of captive platypus documented in this study contrasts with the conclusion of Whittington (1991) that the duration of survival of platypus in captivity is generally short. This primarily reflects differences in the nature of the two sets of data: Whittington's analysis was based on incomplete records dating back to 1934, and also categorised as managed in captivity those wild platypus that died at zoos while under veterinary care. A series of recommendations on current captive management issues includes the need for improved veterinary knowledge of platypus.     

大豆水溶性多糖的黏度性质及其应用研究

研究了不同条件下大豆水溶性多糖溶液的黏度变化情况，同时和其他常用的稳定剂如果胶等也做了比较。试验结果表明。本实验室生产的大豆水溶性多糖的水溶液的黏度随着温度的升高、浓度的降低、外加盐量的增加而降低；随着外加蔗糖量、pH值的增加而增加；相比较于其他稳定剂大豆水溶性多糖的黏度很低，使酸乳饮料具有清爽的口味。     

Monensin controlled-release intraruminal capsule for control of bloat in pastured dairy cows

Monensin, a polyether ionophore antibiotic, is potentially an important agent for bloat relief in dairy cows grazing temperate legume-based pasture. A series of studies was undertaken to determine the effect of monensin, when delivered continuously in the rumen of lactating dairy cows by means of controlled-release capsules (monensin CRC). Such devices release approximately 300 mg/head/day for 100 d. A short-term pilot study made at Ruakura, New Zealand, tested monensin CRC in cows selected for high susceptibility to bloat and grazing lucerne (Medicago sativa) or red clover (Trifolium pratense). Treatment significantly reduced the incidence of bloat, while milk yield and protein yield were increased. There was no effect on fat yield. Following the pilot study, 6 large-scale field experiments involving a total of 368 lactating dairy cows, were made in Australia and New Zealand to confirm the effectiveness of monensin CRC for bloat control and to measure the effect of such treatment on milk production and composition. A severe bloat problem occurred in 2 experiments, mild bloat occurred in 2 others, while no visual signs of bloat were observed in the remaining 2 experiments. Bloat was significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced by monensin CRC treatment when data was pooled over the 4 experiments in which bloat occurred. Daily milk yield was increased in all experiments from a mean of 17.7 in untreated groups to 18.8 kg/head/day (P less than 0.05) in monensin CRC-treated cows. Protein percentage was not affected by treatment, while there was a decrease from 4.29 to 4.10% fat, although total fat yield was not affected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

关于开发建设项目水土保持监督管理体系的思考与建议

把依法行政分解为法律基础和行政体系2个方面,分析了开发建设项目水土保持监督管理体系在法律基础和行政体系2个方面存在的问题。法律基础方面存在的问题:一是相关法律中提到开发建设项目水土保持监督管理的内容较少,各项职责落实不到位;二是法律中没有明确流域机构的水土保持职能。行政体系方面存在的问题有:规范化建设还不够完善,个别地方水保部门对监督管理工作内容不了解,权大于法的情况时有出现。提出了完善开发建设项目水土保持监督管理体系的建议。     

柴达木盆地弃耕地盐渍状况的主分量分析

采用主分量分析（PCA）方法对柴达木盆地弃耕地盐渍化状况进行了研究，结果表明，该地属于中重度氯化物盐渍地、耕作层含盐量在0．5％－4．0％之间，盐分表聚强烈，基本无自然淋溶过程。耕作层第一、二主分量显著，累计贡献率高达95．0％左右，反映了该区土壤含盐量及盐离子分布规律，认为全盐量、Cl^-,Mg^2＋是该弃耕地盐渍环境的特征因子。