Serologic detection of adenovirus infections in specific-pathogen-free chickens

A specific-pathogen-free flock of White Leghorns, which were housed conventionally and were previously serologically negative for all common poultry pathogens including avian adenoviruses, incurred an outbreak of adenovirus that was detected at about 39 weeks of age. The infection was detected serologically through the agar-gel precipitin test (AGPT) and also by a microneutralization test (MNT) adapted for 11 serotypes of avian adenovirus. The MNT detected specific antibodies to serotype-3 avian adenovirus (IBHV-Tipton) but no other serotype. While AGPT-positive sera drawn from the flock gradually declined from 54% to 17%, neutralizing-antibody levels rose sharply at 46 weeks of age to a peak that was maintained over the remaining 18 weeks of the flock's production.     

Effect of body condition score and reuse of progesterone‐releasing intravaginal devices on conception rate following timed artificial insemination in Nelore cows

This study had the aim of investigating the efficiency of timed artificial insemination (TAI) through the progesterone‐releasing intravaginal device (PRID), used in new condition and for the second and third times in Nelore cows. The effects of device reuse and body condition score (BCS) on the conception rate (CR) were evaluated in 1,122 multiparous Nelore cows (mean BCS of 2.7 ± 0.4), which were randomly distributed into three groups that received new (n = 330), once (n = 439) and twice used (n = 353) PRID. Among the 1,122 females that underwent TAI, 573 became pregnant, thus representing an overall CR of 51.06%. Cows with BCS between 2.75 and 4.0 had greater (p < .0001) CR (69.75%) than cows with BSC of 2.0–2.5 (32.98%). It was observed that the CR through using PRID was 60.00%, 51.71% and 41.93% for new, once and twice used PRID, respectively, with difference between all groups (p < .0001). Under tropical conditions, animals with BCS greater than 2.5 had a higher CR, and the CR decreased proportionally with the number of times that the PRID had been used.     

Effect of Daily Food Supplementation with Essential Fatty Acids on Canine Semen Quality

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are important membrane components that influence membrane integrity and fluidity. In the present study, the effect of oral supplementation for 60 days with essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9) and vitamin E on canine semen quality was evaluated. Sixteen dogs were selected for the experiment; eight were used as the control group and eight received the fatty acid supplemented diet for 60 days. Semen samples were taken every 15 days during the entire experimental period and were analyzed for volume (ml), motility (%), vigour (0–5), concentration (×10⁶/ml), morphology of spermatozoa (%), plasma membrane integrity (%; using the hyposmotic swelling test) and thermoresistance (motility and vigour after 4 h at 38°C). We concluded that, daily supplementation with omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids, together with vitamin E, for a period of 60 days, significantly increased the semen volume of the treated group after 15 days of supplementation; the vigour and concentration of spermatozoa were superior after the first month of supplementation, while the percentage of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa decreased and the cells were protected against thermal stress.     

Failure of hyperimmune plasma to prevent pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi in foals

SUMMARY A trial was conducted on a Thoroughbred stud to determine whether or not the administration of anti-Rhodococcus equi hyperimmune plasma would reduce the prevalence of R equi pneumonia (rattles) in foals born in the 1992 horse breeding season. Hyperimmune plasma was administered to 34 foals; another 57 foals were untreated. There was no significant difference in the number of transfused foals developing R equi pneumonia compared with the untreated foals. The time required for recovery from pneumonia between the 2 groups was not significantly different.     

First Description of Scrotal Testicles in a Dog Affected by 78, XX Testicular Disorder of Sex Development

An eight‐month‐old female dog presented with ambiguous external genitalia. A thorough clinical examination together with various imaging techniques and a histology examination showed the presence of two testicles linked to both the Mullerian and Wolffian ducts. The discovery of the 78,XX SRY‐negative karyotype led to the diagnosis of incoherence between the chromosomal and gonadal sex, which is typical for a 78,XX testicular disorder of sex development. Our case was unique because the testicles were still located in their normal scrotal position, whereas the literature contains reports of the presence of cryptorchid testicles in this karyotype setting. To our knowledge, this is the first case that describes an SRY‐negative 78,XX testicular disorder of sex development with bilateral scrotal testicles.     

配合饲料和饲料添加剂

前言目前畜牧生产的高效率是以下几方面因素综合作用的结果:1.畜牧生产者能迅速地接受新的饲养管理技术;2.遗传、营养和饲养管理方面的研究取得了非常有价值的成果,能够以尽可能低的成本生产优质的畜产品;3.政府鼓励科研的发展,为畜牧工作提出合理建议并制订必要的法规。在科学计算的基础上,应用配合饲料,特别是全价饲料(粉料或顺粒料)喂猪和禽能够迅速有效地将营养研究成果和革新技术应用到实际中去。全价饲料可以节省劳力,提高饲料     

Diverse plasma populations and structures in Jupiter's magnetotail

Jupiter's magnetotail is the largest cohesive structure in the solar system and marks the loss of vast numbers of heavy ions from the Jupiter system. The New Horizons spacecraft traversed the magnetotail to distances exceeding 2500 jovian radii (R(J)) and revealed a remarkable diversity of plasma populations and structures throughout its length. Ions evolve from a hot plasma disk distribution at approximately 100 R(J) to slower, persistent flows down the tail that become increasingly variable in flux and mean energy. The plasma is highly structured-exhibiting sharp breaks, smooth variations, and apparent plasmoids-and contains ions from both Io and Jupiter's ionosphere with intense bursts of H(+) and H(+)(3). Quasi-periodic changes were seen in flux at approximately 450 and approximately 1500 R(J) with a 10-hour period. Other variations in flow speed at approximately 600 to 1000 R(J) with a 3- to 4-day period may be attributable to plasmoids moving down the tail.     

The dust halo of Saturn's largest icy moon, Rhea

Saturn's moon Rhea had been considered massive enough to retain a thin, externally generated atmosphere capable of locally affecting Saturn's magnetosphere. The Cassini spacecraft's in situ observations reveal that energetic electrons are depleted in the moon's vicinity. The absence of a substantial exosphere implies that Rhea's magnetospheric interaction region, rather than being exclusively induced by sputtered gas and its products, likely contains solid material that can absorb magnetospheric particles. Combined observations from several instruments suggest that this material is in the form of grains and boulders up to several decimetres in size and orbits Rhea as an equatorial debris disk. Within this disk may reside denser, discrete rings or arcs of material.