Atypical thymoma in a horse: Diagnostic approach and application of an alternative histological classification system

Thymoma is a rare condition in horses. This case of a 24-year-old Warmblood gelding that was presented with oedema and signs of vascular congestion of the left forelimb caused by a thoracic mass is described. The diagnostic work-up included blood chemistry, cytology of pleural effusion, ultrasonography, radiography and the visualisation and collection of a tissue sample by thoracoscopy. Finally, post-mortem findings and histopathology revealed thymic epithelial neoplasia with histomorphologic features previously unreported in horses. The unique mixture of spindle-shaped and epithelioid tumour cells in combination with clear features of malignancy suggested the application of the Moran and Suster histological classification system for thymomas in humans (Moran and Suster, 2008, Curr. Treat. Options Oncol., 9, 288), which has not been reported in an equine case before and fits well to the present case.     

Do cover crops change the lability of phosphorus in a clayey subtropical soil under different phosphate fertilizers?

Plants have developed different mechanisms to absorb and solubilize phosphorus (P) in the soil, especially in environments with low P availability. This study evaluated the effects of different winter cover crops on soil P availability in a clayey subtropical (Hapludox) soil receiving soluble P fertilizer and a rock phosphate applied to the summer crop, under no‐tillage. The experiment was carried out over 3 yrs (2009–2011) with five different cover crop species: common vetch, fodder radish, ryegrass, black oat, white clover and fallow as control. The soil was sampled after the third year of cover crop cultivation and analysed for inorganic and organic P forms according to the well‐established Hedley fractionation procedure. Phosphate fertilizers promoted accumulation of both labile and nonlabile P pools in soil in the near surface layer, especially under rock phosphate. Fertilizer applications were not able to change P fractions in deeper layers, emphasizing that the Brazilian clayey soils are a sink of P from fertilizer and its mobility is almost nil. Although the cover crops recycled a great amount of P in tissue, in a short‐term evaluation (3 yrs) they only changed the content of moderately labile P in soil, indicating that long‐term studies are needed for more conclusive results.     

The effect of feeding a novel multistrain yeast fraction on European seabass (Dicentrachus labrax) intestinal health and growth performance

Fish were fed a single‐strain yeast fraction (SsYF; 2 g/kg) or a multistrain yeast fraction (MsYF; 0.8 g/kg) for 10 weeks. The results demonstrated significant (p ≤ 0.03) elevations in weight gain, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, and feed conversion ratio in fish fed the yeast fraction‐supplemented diets. In the distal intestine, a significant elevation in microvilli density was observed after 5 and 10 weeks of dietary supplementation with MsYF and SsYF, respectively, compared to control fed fish (p < 0.001). A significant elevation (p = 0.02) in the perimeter ratio was observed in fish fed diets supplemented with the yeast fractions. After 10 weeks of feeding on the experimental diets, Rt‐qPCR demonstrated a significant downregulation (p < 0.05) in the stress response genes, heat‐shock protein 70 (hsp70) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pcna), in fish fed diets supplemented with the yeast fractions. Significant (p < 0.05) elevations in interleukin 1‐beta (il1β) and interleukin‐10 (il10) gene expression were observed in fish fed diets supplemented with the MsYF compared to the other dietary groups. These findings suggest that feeding an MsYF specifically at a lower incorporation rate < 1 g/kg, compared to a commercial SsYF at 2 g/kg, is effective in improving the intestinal health status and growth performance of European seabass.     

软枣猕猴桃叶片愈伤组织诱导技术的研究

[目的]由于软枣猕猴桃在初代培养中外植体诱导率极低且快繁效果差,因此进行其组织培养技术体系的研究,以期解决其人工种植的难题.[方法]本研究以软枣猕猴桃展叶为外植体,通过采用不同消毒试剂及消毒处理时间,筛选出最佳的灭菌程序;将不同培养基与不同浓度的KT、2,4-D组合,筛选出最佳的初代培养基配方.[结果]选用展叶为外植体,75％CH3CH2OH处理30 s后以10％NaClO处理20 min,0.1％HgCl2处理15 min后无菌水冲洗3～4次,接至pH=5.8的MS+1 mg·L-1 KT+0.5 mg·L-12,4-D+3％白糖+0.55％琼脂培养基上,置于光照2500 lx、8 h·d-1,26℃下培养8 d后有少部分愈伤组织出现,60 d后平均单芽愈伤组织达0.8 g以上,平均单个愈伤组织长度0.7～1.4 cm,属中块愈伤组织.[结论]以本实验得出的愈伤组织培养方法进行培养,可有效提高诱导率,达到快繁的目的.     

Bamboo NiR gene is associated with regeneration capacity

It was reported that the activity of NiR (nitrite reductase) enzyme encoded by the NiR gene was correlated with the regeneration ability in rice. To testify the function of NiR gene in bamboo, seven bamboo species whose calli had different differentiation rate were chosen to analyse their NiR enzyme activity. The results showed that bamboo NiR enzymatic activity had a certain correlation with the regeneration capacity. A NiR gene named DhNiR from Dendrocalamus hamiltonii with high regeneration capacity was cloned. Sequence analysis revealed that the ORF of DhNiR was 1779bp encoding 592 amino acids. Overexpression of DhNiR in rice reduced the time of shoot differentiation and increased the transformation rate, suggesting that DhNiR might play an important role in the regeneration ability of bamboo, and can be applied in regeneration and gene transformation of bamboo and other plant species.     

Comparison of outcomes following treatment of septic calcaneal bursitis by needle or bursoscopic lavage: A retrospective study of 29 horses

Sepsis of the calcaneal bursae (CB) presents significant treatment challenges with limited clinical data available in the literature. The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the clinical outcomes associated with CB lavage using either a through-and-through needle or bursoscopic technique. Clinical records of 29 horses treated for septic calcaneal bursitis using either technique between 2005 and 2019 were reviewed. Fisher’s exact test was used to assess statistical significance between first surgical technique and success at first surgery (i.e. not requiring >1 lavage), survival to discharge and return to work (RTW). Bursoscopy was performed in 13/29 (44.8%) cases, and needle lavage in 16/29 (55.2%). In the needle group, 12 (75%) horses were discharged following the first surgery. Four had repeat interventions; two (12.5%) had needle lavage and two (12.5%) had bursoscopy. Of the two horses to have repeat needle lavage, one was subjected to euthanasia and one discharged, and of the two that underwent bursoscopy, one was discharged and one received a third bursoscopy prior to discharge. In the bursoscopy group, seven (53.8%) were discharged and three (23.1%) were subjected to euthanasia following the first surgery. Three (23.1%) received a second bursoscopic lavage with one discharged, one subjected to euthanasia and one having a third bursoscopic lavage prior to discharge. Overall, 18/24 (75%) followed up cases RTW, 10 (55.5%) from the needle group, eight (44.4%) the bursoscopy group. No statistically significant differences between first surgical technique used and success at first surgery (no subsequent lavage(s) required), survival to discharge or return to work were detected. The main limitations of this study are that it is a retrospective study, has a small population with limited statistical power and potential selection bias. No statistically significant differences existed between the outcomes of the two techniques, contrary to the belief that bursoscopic lavage is superior. Larger, multicentred studies, with greater statistical power are required to further assess this relationship.     

基于工作过程的南疆高职院校园艺技术专业农业应用化学教学改革探析

分析了从南疆职业院校园艺技术专业农业应用化学教学中存在的问题,以提高该课程教学要求及园艺技术人才专业人才培养规格为目标,提出了对接教学领域与职业技能、职业素养,改革教学内容、课程体系、优化教学的方法和手段,为提高园艺技术专业服务育人本质,培养更多更好服务地方经济社会发展的高素质、高技能的园艺技术专业人才奠定重要的基础。     

Dietary Lipid Levels Affect the Growth Performance,Lipid Deposition,and Antioxidative Capacity of Juvenile Scaleless Carp,Gymnocypris przewalskii,on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau

A 56‐d growth trial was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, lipid deposition, and antioxidative capacity of juvenile scaleless carp, Gymnocypris przewalskii, on Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. One‐year‐old juveniles (initial weight: 15.99 ± 0.02 g) were fed practical diets with different lipid levels of 4, 5.5, 7, 8.5, and 10%, respectively. Results showed that the best specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion rate, and total antioxidative capacity (T‐AOC) in hepatopancreas were observed in fish fed the diet with 7% lipid level. Fish fed with high lipid diets (8.5 and 10%) had significantly higher condition factor and viscerosomatic index as well as lipid in muscle, intestine, mesenteric fat tissue, and whole body. Highest level of hepatopancreas lipase and lipoprotein lipases activities as well as malondialdehyde content and the lowest level of feed intake and T‐AOC content in hepatopancreas and intestine were also observed in fish fed with high lipid diets (8.5 and 10%) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, based on SGR and hepatopancreas T‐AOC content, dietary lipid requirement of juvenile G. przewalskii was estimated to be 7.35 and 7.39%, respectively.     

Impact of soil water content on maize responses to the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Azospirillum lipoferum CRT1

Members of the bacterial genus Azospirillum are root-associated bacteria that increase yield in cereals by promoting growth and alleviating drought stress. How plants integrate the many bacterium-derived growth-promoting stimuli with other environmental factors to generate a coordinated response remains unresolved. Using a commercial Azospirillum strain, A. lipoferum CRT1 and two host maize cultivars, it was observed that bacterization reduced the drought-induced increase in lateral root growth and enhanced the flood-induced increase in lateral root growth in the more drought- and flood-sensitive cultivar. In the other one, A. lipoferum CRT1 only elicited a moderate root growth response under low soil water potential. The photosynthetic potential and activity were increased in the earlier cultivar and decreased in the later one, irrespective of the soil water content. No impact of the bacterium was seen on the growth of the leaves of both cultivars under both stresses until the third leaf stage, therefore suggesting that it is a consequence of multiple primary adaptations to biotic and abiotic stresses. It is suggested that host–bacteria recognition leads to a stress-specific modulation of the root response and a differential stress-independent effect on photosynthesis. This is the first report of the impact of Azospirillum under flood conditions.     

Embodied Resources in Fish and Shrimp Feeds

Global averages were obtained for amounts of energy, land, water, wildfish, nitrogen, and phosphorus embodied in aquaculture feed ingredients. These data allowed amounts of these embodied resources to be calculated for typical feed formulations for channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus; hybrid catfish, I. punctatus♀ × I. furcatus♂; Vietnamese catfish, Pangasius spp.; Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar; rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss; tilapia, Oreochromis spp.; whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei; and black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon. Embodied resource use per m.t. of feed varied among species: energy, 4.90–12.48 GJ/m.t.; land, 0.082–0.312 ha/m.t.; water, 502–1227 m³/m.t.; wildfish, 0–2880 kg/m.t.; nitrogen, 3.08–8.63 kg/m.t.; phosphorus, 1.16–5.62 kg/m.t. These calculations did not account for variations in site‐specific factors related to embodied resources and feed composition and use. But they suggest that reducing feed conversion ratio (FCR) by 0.1 unit for the seven species (species groups) could potentially reduce feed use by around 1.1 million tonne (Mt) while conserving 9.8 million GJ of energy, 270,000 ha of agricultural land, 1.4 billion m³ of freshwater, and 1.24 Mt of wildfish. Reduction of the FCR is a powerful means of lessening farm‐level production costs and negative impacts of feed production and use.