Evaluation of agreement between numerical rating scales, visual analogue scoring scales, and force plate gait analysis in dogs

Objective— To evaluate the accuracy of numerical rating (NRS) and visual analogue (VAS) scoring scales compared with force plate gait analysis and agreement between observers for each scoring scale.
Study Design— Experimental study.
Animals— Mixed breed dogs (n=21) with a right limb tibial osteotomy repaired with an external fixator.
Methods— Three small-animal veterinarians with orthopedic training scored lameness using NRS and VAS before surgery, and at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Peak force and impulse were determined at the same time points using a force plate. Agreement between observers and with force plate data was assessed. Significance was set at P ≤.05.
Results— Agreement was generally low among observers for both NRS and VAS scores. When evaluated at each time point, an acceptable level of agreement was present only at 4 weeks after surgery. Only impulse had a significant relationship with some of the observers' subjective scores. No significant relationships between any observer's scores and force plate data existed if very lame dogs were omitted.
Conclusions— Subjective scoring scales do not replace force plate gait analysis. Agreement is low unless lameness is severe, and each observer uses an individually unique scale. Subjective scoring scales most accurately reflect force plate gait analysis when lameness is severe.
Clinical Relevance— Subjective lameness scoring scales may not accurately reflect lameness and do not replace force plate gait analysis. Observers must stay the same during the duration of a study for accurate analyses.     

关于公路动物防疫检查站对未经检疫动物实施补免、补检做法的探讨

对未经检疫的畜禽不能在运输环节进行补免和补检,要强化产地免疫和检疫;要在法规上加以明确,禁止逃避检疫行为;同时完善配套的公路动物防疫检查站留验场所和标准规定。     

造纸废水对湿地芦苇纤维素含量的影响

芦苇(Phragmites australis)是较好的造纸材料,其纤维素含量高低直接影响造纸的价值,纤维素越高,制浆、漂白工艺越简单,成纸紧度、透明度越高。为研究造纸废水灌溉对芦苇纤维素含量的作用效果,以灌溉造纸废水的芦苇茎和叶为试验对象,测定不同灌溉期和不同浓度废水下芦苇茎和叶的纤维素含量。结果表明,1)灌溉300mg·L-1浓度废水对芦苇纤维素含量影响最大,出苗期芦苇茎纤维素含量表现为:300mg·L-1(36.39%)175mg·L-1(35.39%)50mg·L-1(34.73%)0(33.45%);2)在快速生长期灌溉废水最利于芦苇纤维素的积累,如浓度为300mg·L-1时芦苇茎纤维素含量变化量表现为快速生长期(11.75%)抽穗期(9.64%)成熟期(9.6%)展叶期(7.68%)出苗期(3.64%);3)芦苇纤维素含量总体表现为茎叶,如在出苗期灌溉浓度为300mg·L-1的废水,芦苇纤维素含量表现为茎(33.45%)叶(22.11%);4)废水浓度(X)对芦苇纤维素含量(Y)有显著影响(P0.05),二者的回归方程分别为Y茎=0.012 X+0.379 8,Y叶=0.008 X+0.249 2。     

家蚕血液、消化液中酸性核糖核酸酶和天冬酰胺酶活性的初步研究

测定了家蚕夏芳、长灰A和大造各品种血液、消化液中酸性核糖核酸酶及家蚕秋白、夏芳、长灰A和大造各品种天冬酰胺酶性变化。结果表明：各品种血液、消化液中酸性核糖核酸酶、天冬酰胺酶活性变化随发育呈现较强的规律性，血液中，4龄第3d、5龄第3d这两种酶均出现峰值，4龄眠前活性较低，消化液中，5龄第3d这两种酶活性均较高，不同品种这两种酶活性峰值出现时间有差异；各品种血液中酸性核糖核酸酶、天冬酰胺酶性均明显高于相应品种消化液中这两种酶活性；各品种之间血液、消化液中这两种酶活性有明显差异。     

控制sch单养雄蚕品种雌雄蚕孵出比例的催青处理因素研究

研究结果表明 :在RH 6 0 %状态下 ,控制性比的温度和下限时间负相关达到显著水平 ;控制性比的高温处理适于干燥状态下进行 ;处理后雌蚕孵化整齐度明显低于雄蚕孵化整齐度 ,雌雄蚕孵化整齐度均随处理温度的升高而下降 ,尤以雌蚕更为明显。由此提出了在RH 6 0 %状态下sch单养雄蚕品种控制性比的起点温度及温度、时间范围。认为高温催青用下限温度配合 1日收蚁法效果好 ,高温处理以后的胚胎适于在RH 80 %～ 85 %的湿度中保护     

不同断奶日龄仔猪血清代谢物水平的变化

本试验研究了不同断奶日龄仔猪血清代谢物水平的变化。试验设１７日龄断奶、２１日龄断奶、２８日龄断奶、３５日龄断奶４个处理组,每个处理３个重复,每个重复１窝,定时采血。结果表明,１７、２１日龄断奶组仔猪血糖浓度显著低于３５日龄断奶组（Ｐ〈０．０５）,在断奶后２～３周时间内,以１７日龄断奶组仔猪血糖浓度波动最大;４个不同断奶日龄组之间仔猪血清尿素氮浓度没有显著差异;与３５日龄断奶组比,１７日龄断奶仔猪血     

基因探针和PCR对鲤吉陶单极虫的检测

采用液氮冷冻研磨法破碎吉陶单极虫（Ｔｈｅｌｏｈａｎｅｌｕｓｋｉｔａｕｅｉ）孢子，按常规法提取其基因组ＤＮＡ。取ＤＮＡＥｃｏＲＩ消化产物，采用低熔点琼脂糖回收法制备大（３．０～１５．０ｋｂ）、小（０．５～３．０ｋｂ）片段，将其克隆于ｐＢｌｕｅｓｃｒｉｐｔｋｓＥｃｏＲＩ位点，经α－互补现象、酶切鉴定和虫体ＤＮＡ生物素标记探针筛选，构建了含２３个克隆的基因文库，克隆片段介于０．９～６．８ｋｂ之间；经阳性克隆标记筛选及特性分析，制备了长度为０．９ｋｂ（１９号质粒克隆片段）的探针，该探针具有较强的敏感性和特异性。对该探针两端ＤＮＡ序列进行分析，设计出１对引物。上游引物序列为：５′ＴＴＴＣＧＡＡＣＣＣＧＣＡＣＡＡＣＡＡＧ３′，下游引物序列为：５′ＴＧＡＧＴＧＧＡＴＡＧ－ＴＡＴＣＧＣＴＧＣ３′。应用该对引物对虫体进行了检测     

酸与胆汁耐性芽孢益生菌的筛选

试验选用允许直接饲喂的安全微生物中的芽孢杆菌,按照益生菌的特定要求,考察各菌株对低pH和高胆盐的耐受性及产酶特性。筛选获得的凝结芽孢杆菌AHU1366,耐受性优良,并能产生淀粉酶和蛋白酶,是一株比较理想的饲用益生菌。     

Effect of storage temperatures and duration on quality of prepared chicken breast with paprika oleoresin

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of storage temperatures and time on discoloration and oxidation of prepared chicken breast with paprika oleoresin. Freshly prepared chicken breast containing paprika oleoresin was stored at ?2, ?10, ?18°C, and an oscillating temperature between ?10 and ?18°C (?10/?18°C). A significant decrease in redness was detected at ?2, ?10, and ?10/?18°C. The lowest TBARS values and carbonyl contents were observed in the samples stored at ?18°C for 5 weeks. Also, the values of sulfhydryl groups gradually decreased with the increase in storage temperatures and duration. The results suggest a positive correlation between the loss of redness and oxidation in all samples. The findings indicated that the discoloration and oxidation of prepared chicken breast added with paprika oleoresin were inhibited significantly when stored at ?18°C.     

Evaluation of the infectivity, length of infection, and immune response of a low-pathogenicity H7N2 avian influenza virus in specific-pathogen-free chickens

The H7N2 subtype of avian influenza virus (AIV) field isolate (H7N2/chicken/PA/3779-2/97), which caused the 1997-98 AIV outbreak in Pennsylvania, was evaluated for its infectivity, length of infection, and immune response in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. The composite findings of three clinical trials with various concentrations of virus indicated that this H7N2 subtype contained minimal pathogenicity for chickens. The concentration of the virus in the inoculum proved critical in the establishment of a productive infection in a chicken. Seven-day-old SPF chickens were not infected when inoculated with 10(0.7-2.0) mean embryo lethal dose (ELD50) of the H7N2 virus per bird. At this dose level, the immune response to this virus was not detected by the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test. Nonetheless, chickens at ages of 5 and 23 wk old tested were successfully infected when exposed to 10(4.7-5.7) ELD50 of H7N2 infectious doses per bird by various routes of administration and also by direct contact. Infected birds started shedding virus as early as 2 days postinoculation, and the period of virus shedding occurred mostly within 1 or 2 wk postinoculation (WPI). This H7N2 subtype of AIV induced a measurable immune response in all birds within 2 wk after virus exposure. Antibody titers were associated with AIV infectious doses and age of exposure of birds. Challenge of these infected birds with the same H7N2 virus at 5 and 10 WPI indicated the infective virus was recoverable from cloacal swabs at 3 days postchallenge and disappeared thereafter. In these challenged birds, the antibody levels as measured by the HI test spiked within 1-2 wk.