Serum antibody responses to vaccinal antigens in lean and obese geriatric dogs

The immune responses in control dogs [1 to 4 years of age, body condition score (BCS): 4 to 5 out of 9] were compared to those of aging dogs (based on breed and body size) either categorized as lean (BCS: 4 to 5 out of 9) or obese (BCS: 8 to 9 out of 9). Of interest were the serum titers to the following common agents found in vaccines, canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), canine parvovirus (CPV), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV), and Bordetella bronchiseptica. There were no statistical differences in the antibodies to CPIV, B. bronchispetica, and CRCoV, among the age/weight categories, nor among the age/weight categories and the time, in days, between the date of sample collection and the date of the last recorded vaccination for CPIV, B. bronchiseptica, CPV, and CDV. For CPV, the control dogs had significantly (P < 0.002) higher serum neutralization (SN) titers than the lean geriatric dogs and the obese geriatric dogs. For CDV SN titers, the only statistically significant (P = 0.01) difference was that the control dogs had higher SN titers than the lean geriatric dogs.     

Ameliorative Effects of Melatonin against Hydrogen Peroxide‐Induced Oxidative Stress on Boar Sperm Characteristics and Subsequent In Vitro Embryo Development

Melatonin, the major secretory product of the pineal gland, scavenges a variety of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in vivo and in vitro, indicating that melatonin is a potent function as an antioxidant. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin in the presence or absence of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) on sperm characteristics (motility, viability, survival rate, membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and mitochondria activity) and also to examine the developmental rates to the blastocysts stage of porcine oocytes fertilized in vitro with semen treated with or without melatonin (100 nm ) in the presence or absence of H₂O₂ (250 μm ). The sperm were treated with melatonin in the presence or absence of H₂O₂ for 3, 6, 9 and 12 h at 37°C and then analysed for the sperm characteristics. The porcine embryos were produced by in vitro maturation and in vitro fertilization (IVM/IVF) using semen treated with or without melatonin (100 nm ) in the presence or absence of H₂O₂ (250 μm ) for 6 h. The semen characteristics, including motility, viability, survival rate, membrane integrity and mitochondria activity, were higher in the groups that were treated with melatonin in comparison to other groups, irrespective of incubation periods. Malondialdehyde levels in control, melatonin and melatonin + H₂O₂ groups were lower than H₂O₂ only group. A positive correlation was shown among motility, viability, survival rate and membrane integrity, but a negative correlation was observed between LPO and the other evaluation methods. The developmental rates to blastocysts of IVM/IVF porcine oocytes fertilized by semen treated with melatonin were significantly increased compared with any other groups, with the cell number of blastocysts shown to have a similar trend to the developmental rates. These results demonstrate that melatonin can improve the semen characteristics during in vitro storage and support the developmental ability of IVM/IVF embryos in pigs.     

鄱阳湖钉螺体内吸虫尾蚴记述

作者从1999-2000年共解剖鄱阳湖草洲钉螺87146只，先后发现裸头类、矛口类、单盘类、微尾类、叉尾类、对盘类、无尾类尾蚴共15种，本文将各种尾蚴的形态特征予以简介。     

应用RT-PCR方法从进境南美白对虾亲虾中检出桃拉综合征病毒(Taura syndrome virus)

应用PCR和RT—PCR技术，对一批进境的南美白对虾亲虾进行了多种病毒性病原的检疫。结果检出桃拉综合征病毒。临床观察也表明，该批亲虾体表散布大量黑色病灶，为TSV感染引起的TS典型病变。     

Dietary supplementation with betaine or glycine improves the carcass trait,meat quality and lipid metabolism of finishing mini-pigs

The objective of the study is to evaluate and compare the effects of betaine or glycine on carcass trait, meat quality and lipid metabolism of finishing Huan Jiang mini-pigs. Betaine called trimethylglycine is a methyl derivative of glycine, but few researches were conducted to compare the impact of dietary betaine and glycine on pigs. One hundred and forty-four Huan Jiang mini-pigs (body weight = 10.55 ± 0.15 kg; 70 d) were randomly divided to 3 treatment groups (basal diet, glycine or betaine). Results indicated that dietary betaine increased the average daily gain (ADG) and final weight (P < 0.05). Dietary glycine or betaine markedly reduced average backfat thickness (P < 0.05) and heightened lean percentage (P < 0.01) compared to the control group. Moreover, in comparison with the control group, betaine significantly improved the redness (a∗) and tenderness (shear force) of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle (P < 0.05), whereas glycine only raised the value of a∗ of the LD muscle (P < 0.05). These results showed that diet supplemented with 0.25% betaine and equimolar amounts of glycine could regulate cascass trait and meat quality of finishing Huan Jiang mini-pigs, and the effect of betaine was superior to that of glycine.     

MALDI-TOF-MS用于微生物鉴定的影响因素分析

影响MALDI-TOF-MS微生物鉴定的因素有很多。本研究主要从微生物培养基、培养状态、菌体前处理、上样量等方面进行MALDI-TOF-MS操作技术和方法的探讨。研究结果显示:进行MALDI-TOF-MS细菌鉴定,培养时间在4～24 h之间为佳;尽量选择无色、不含盐的液体培养基;0.1μL菌液是最低鉴定菌量;上样量对结果无影响;对于菌体前处理,除按照标准化前处理程序操作外,也可将菌体加dd H2O制成混悬液进行点靶鉴定,这样更加简便。本研究有助于减少MALDI-TOF-MS操作盲目性,提高鉴定质量,利于操作的规范化和简便化。     

Serine-to-glycine ratios in low-protein diets regulate intramuscular fat by affecting lipid metabolism and myofiber type transition in the skeletal muscle of growing-finishing pigs

Serine and glycine are 2 of the first-affected nonessential amino acids in low crude protein (CP) diets for pigs. Therefore, we explored the effects of different dietary serine-to-glycine ratios on growth performance and lipid metabolism in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 160 crossbred healthy barrows, with a similar body weight of around 59.50 kg, were randomly allotted into 1 of 5 treatments (8 pens per treatment and 4 pigs per pen). The serine-to-glycine ratios of the 5 dietary treatments were as follows: diet A (NORMAL group), 1.18:1 (16% CP); diet B (LOW group), 1.2:1 (12% CP); diet C (S2G1 group), 2:1 (12% CP); diet D (S1G2 group), 1:2 (12% CP); and diet E (S1G1 group), 1:1 (12% CP).We found that the pigs fed a low CP diet (12% CP), when maintaining serine-to-glycine ratio at 1:2 and a total amount of 1.44%, had the same average daily gain as the pigs fed a normal CP diet (16% CP) (P > 0.05), but they had increased intramuscular fat (P < 0.05). Furthermore, they exhibited higher expression of genes involved in lipid oxidation (P < 0.05), which was regulated by modulating methylation levels in the promoters of acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase medium chain (ACADM). When compared with the pigs fed a normal CP diet, these pigs had more oxidative myofibers (P < 0.05), which were regulated by AMPK-PGC-1α and Calcineurin-MEF2/NFAT pathways in a coordinated manner. Our findings suggested that a dietary serine-to-glycine ratio of 1:2 is beneficial for improving meat quality in pigs fed a low CP diet.     

两株气单胞菌的分离与鉴定

从福建省某牛蛙养殖场病死牛蛙和某鸭场病死鸭体内分离到两株细菌，检验结果表明，两株分离菌均为有运动力的革兰氏阴性杆菌。根据其临床症状、细菌培养特性、生化特性、动物回归试验以及溶血试验等一系列试验，研究证明牛蛙感染的病原为嗜水气单胞菌，鸭感染的病原为温和气单胞菌。     

犬附红细胞体感染诊治1例

某地一头犬长期消瘦,在一次出现场回来后突然发病,经临床和血液检查分析,确诊为附红细胞体感染,经及时治疗,该犬已痊愈。现将诊疗经过报道如下: