Pilot study of the effect of acemannan in cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus.

Acemannan, a complex carbohydrate shown to stimulate interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor alpha and prostaglandin E2 production by macrophages, has also demonstrated antiviral activity in vitro against human immunodeficiency virus, Newcastle disease virus and influenza virus. A pilot study was undertaken to determine acemannan's effect in 49 feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infected cats with clinical signs of disease (Stage 3, 4 or 5), 23 of which had severe lymphopenia. Cats received acemannan either by intravenous (Group 1) or subcutaneous (Group 2) injection once weekly for 12 weeks, or by daily oral (Group 3) administration for 12 weeks. Upon entry into the study, cats were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Laboratory analyses were performed at the beginning of the study and at Weeks 6 and 12. Cats were allowed to continue with a predetermined maintenance regimen of acemannan after completing the 12-week study. Thirteen cats died during the course of treatment. Upon necropsy, the most frequent histopathologic findings were neoplastic, kidney and pancreatic disease. Friedman's two-way ANOVA test showed no significant differences in efficacy among groups administered acemannan by the different routes. Therefore, groups were combined and a signed-ranks test was used to determine changes over time. A significant increase was seen in lymphocyte counts (P < 0.001). Neutrophil counts decreased significantly (P = 0.007), as did incidence of sepsis (P = 0.008). When cats entering with lymphopenia were analyzed separately, a much greater increase in lymphocyte counts was noted (235%) compared with non-lymphopenic cats (42%). A survival rate of 75% was found for all three groups. Thirty-six of 49 animals are alive 5-19 months post-entry. These results suggest that acemannan therapy may be of significant benefit in FIV-infected cats exhibiting clinical signs of disease.     

Brachycephalic airway syndrome.

The range of clinical syndromes and the pathophysiology of respiratory disorders in brachycephalic animals are presented. The problem of deciding which patients require surgical management is reviewed in the light of recent studies and the author's clinical experience. Newer information from related disorders in humans suggests that serious problems can be subclinical and difficult to diagnose. The index of suspicion and guidelines for providing surgical relief to veterinary patients may need to undergo revision.     

竹材弦面纵向切削的研究

研究了竹材弦面纵向切削的3种切削方式(单劈刀切削、单刨刀切削及并列式双刨刀切削)及单刨刀切削时的切削阻力,结果表明:对竹材采用劈或刨的切削方式,均可进行弦面纵向切削并能获得质量较好的竹蔑。竹材的节间、节部、切削厚度、含水率及切削速度等因素对切削阻力均有不同程度的影响。节部切削阻力明显高于节间切削阻力;切削阻力随切削厚度的增大而增大,两者成线性关系;含水率增大时,节间切削阻力减小,而节部切削阻力变化不大;切削速度增大时,节间切削阻力基本上是下降的,而节部切削阻力是增大的。     

Antibody response to crustacean ectoparasites in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), immunized with Argulus foliaceus L. antigen extract

Abstract. A humoral antibody response was demonstrated by ELISA in rainbow trout immunized intraperitoneally with extracts from the branchiuran ectoparasite Argulus foliaceus. A similar immunization protocol produced a higher titre response in a rabbit. Both trout and rabbit identified several antigenic components on immunoblots. ELISA and immunoblotting indicated that rainbow trout and rabbit anti-A. foliaceus sera identified components from the parasitic copepods Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus.     

Behaviour of laying hens in a deep litter house

1. Flocks of medium hybrid laying hens were housed in a modified deep litter system; the house was divided into 2, 3 and 4 pens in three successive years. Flock size was 300 or 370 and stocking density varied from 3.4 to 10.7 birds/m2. Higher densities used were above those recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). 2. A random sample of 100 birds was identified with individual tags in each of the 9 flocks; regular observations using a scanning technique were made in each laying cycle to determine bird location and behaviour. 3. In all flocks the use of area by some individuals was uneven, that is, they were sighted in certain areas significantly more often than would have been expected by chance. The proportion of such individuals varied between flocks from 35 to 65%. Overall, birds spent more time on the slatted area than would have been expected from the area that it occupied. 4. A wide variety of different behaviour patterns was observed both on litter and on slats, but with foraging occurring more on litter and feeding more on slats. 5. Movement appeared to be constrained by crowding, because time spent in locomotion decreased in approximately linear fashion with increased stocking density. This provides support for MAFF recommendations of limits on stocking density in deep litter houses.     

Temporal ELISA response of rams to Brucella ovis following experimental infection or vaccination

Sera from rams vaccinated with antigens extracted chaotropically from Brucella ovis by potassium thiocyanate treatment were used to optimise a whole-cell, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CELISA) and to monitor the temporal serological response of rams which had been challenged with infected semen by the intranasal or intrapreputial route. Three patterns of CELISA response were detected. Thirteen of 15 rams intranasally challenged did not respond serologically (pattern 1 or nil response). Only one of 15 rams in the intranasal group exhibited a rise and fall response with CELISA (pattern 2), while another showed a rise and surge response (pattern 3). The numbers of rams in the intrapreputial group which displayed a pattern 1 or 2 or 3 response were four, nine and two, respectively. No ram with a pattern 2 response excreted B ovis in the semen or showed any other evidence of infection, whereas rams with a pattern 3 response excreted B ovis in the semen and developed palpable lesions. Intrapreputially challenged rams that were CELISA-positive consistently mounted an antibody response against B ovis about two to four weeks earlier than intranasally challenged rams.     

低、无毒农药防治花灌木主要刺吸式口器害虫

在查清天津市园林主要花灌木刺吸口器害虫桃粉蚜、绣线菊蚜、棉蚜和山楂红蜘蛛发生消长规律的基础上 ,确定了防治适期和结合点 ,筛选出 10 %吡虫啉、绿灵、蚧螨灵、 1. 8%齐螨素和花保5种低、无毒药剂 ,防效均达到 90 %以上。查出天敌 13种 ,并对优势种作了取食量调查     

根据饲料可消化氨基酸研制肉仔鸡无鱼粉饲粮试验

选用２４０只ＡＡ商品代出壳肉仔鸡进行试验，以探讨根据饲料中可消化氨基酸含量，研制菜籽粕型无鱼粉低蛋白肉仔鸡饲粮的饲用效果。结果表明：以可消化氨基酸为基础研制的菜籽粕型无鱼粉肉仔鸡低蛋白平衡饲粮，可降低饲粮蛋白质水平１－１．５个百分点，试验鸡４９日龄体重达２１５８．２６克、料肉比２．１５：１，增重和饲料转化率均达到或接近鱼粉型高蛋白饲粮的效果；每吨菜籽粕型无鱼粉饲粮可比鱼粉型饲粮降低原料成本７２－８