Endometrial gene expression in primiparous dairy cows at the end of the voluntary waiting period is affected by nutrition: Total mixed ration vs increasing levels of herbage allowance

The study postulated that differential nutritional management during the early lactation period would be reflected in endometrial expression of genes related to embryo growth at the end of the voluntary waiting period. Thus, the effect of the combined use of total mixed ration (TMR) and grazing under different herbage allowances during the first 75 days post‐partum (DPP) on endometrial gene expression was evaluated in primiparous dairy cows. Cows were blocked by body weight, age and body condition score and randomly assigned to three grazing treatments: high (HA, 30 kg DM per cow per day), medium (MA, 15 kg DM per cow per day) and low (LA, 7.5 kg DM per cow per day) herbage allowance (mixed pasture, 2,600 kg DM per ha) plus 8 kg DM of supplement or TMR (55% forage, 45% concentrate) fed ad libitum (TMR) from calving to 75 DPP. At 57 DPP, cows were synchronized for oestrus (day 0, 68 DPP) and at day 7, endometrial biopsies were obtained. The nutritional treatment did not affect insulin, IGF‐1 and leptin concentrations on days 0, 4 or 7. Expression of IGF1, IGFBP3, IGFBP4, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 mRNA was significantly affected by the nutritional treatment. Endometrial IGF1 and IGFBP4 mRNA were twofold greater in TMR and HA than MA and LA cows. Expression of IGFBP3 and ADIPOR1 mRNAs was greater in TMR and HA than MA cows, but did not differ from LA cows. All groups had greater expression of ADIPOR2 mRNA than MA cows. This study provided solid evidence of the importance of nutritional management during early lactation on uterine environment at the end of the voluntary waiting period. The greater expression of genes related to embryo growth and uterine function (IGF system, progesterone and adiponectin receptors) in cows fed diets maximizing energy intake suggests a favourable environment for embryonic growth, which may explain the improved reproductive performance of cows in good energy balance.     

Coelioscopic-assisted prefemoral ovariosalpingectomy in a d`Orbigny slider (Trachemys dorbigni) using a digital otoscope

The purpose of this study was to assess the unilateral prefemoral coelioscopic-assisted approach for ovariosalpingectomy in a d`Orbigny slider (Trachemys dorbigni) using a digital otoscope. Twenty healthy turtles were randomly assigned to one of two groups, for right (GR; n=10) or left (GL; n=10) prefemoral access, for coelioscopic-assisted ovariosalpingectomy. Anesthesia and surgery times, body weight, and ovary/oviduct weight data were recorded. Anesthesia and surgery times did not differ significantly between the groups. Wound closure was the most time-consuming surgical step. Ovary and body weights significantly affected the exposure time of the ipsilateral and contralateral ovaries, respectively. Two intraoperative complications were reported. All the animals recovered uneventfully. The digital otoscope can be safely and effectively used for coelioscopic-assisted single-access, unilateral prefemoral ovariosalpingectomy in d`Orbigny slider.     

拮抗油菜菌核病菌的链霉菌分离筛选与鉴定

从甘肃省河西走廊改良后的盐碱地分离链霉菌用于油菜菌核病菌的拮抗研究,并对拮抗菌进行鉴定。分离得到10株不同菌落形态的链霉菌,其中有2菌株对油菜菌核病有拮抗作用,编号Ⅲ22-3-3和Ⅲ22-3-12。与油菜菌核病进行对峙培养结果发现,Ⅲ22-3-3和Ⅲ22-3-12抑菌圈直径分别为1.2和0.9cm;离体叶菌丝接种试验表明,Ⅲ22-3-3和Ⅲ22-3-12对油菜菌核病菌的防治效果分别达63.5%和49.1%;Ⅲ22-3-12能在油菜菌核上定殖并寄生分解菌核,同对照相比菌核萌发率下降18.2%;通过形态培养特征、生理生化特征和16S rDNA鉴定表明,Ⅲ22-3-3为产水链霉菌(Streptomyces hydrogenans),Ⅲ22-3-12为球孢链霉菌(Streptomyces globisporus)。 [     

黍族植物的叶片扩张和蒸腾作用对土壤水分亏缺的响应特征

Plant processes, such as leaf expansion, stomatal conductance and transpiration, are affected by soil water, particularly in water-stressed environments. Quantifying the effects of soil water on plant processes, especially leaf expansion and transpiration, could be useful for crop modeling. In order to quantify the leaf expansion and transpiration in response to soil water deficit in three millet species, common (Panicum miliaceum L.), pearl (Pennisetum glaucum L.) and foxtail (Setaria italica L.) millets, a pot experiment was performed at the Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. The soil water status was characterized by the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW). Leaf area and transpiration were measured daily. Relative leaf area expansion (RL) and relative transpiration (RT) data were plotted against FTSW. Finally the FTSW thresholds for RL and RT were calculated using linear-plateau and logistic models. The results showed that the thresholds for RL and RT were 0.68 and 0.62, respectively, based on all measured data of the three millet species using the linear-plateau model, indicating that RL and RT were constant when FTSW decreased from 1 to the threshold point. Thereafter, until FTSW = 0, RL and RT declined linearly with a slope of 1.48 and 1.43, respectively. Although millet is cultivated as a resistant crop in arid, semiarid and marginal lands, it showed an early response to soil water deficit at high FTSW thresholds. As leaf expansion and transpiration can be considered morphological and physiological variables, respectively, the results in this study indicate that millet has strong morphological flexibility when faced with soil water deficit.     

COMPARISON OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND MYELOGRAPHY IN 18 DOBERMAN PINSCHER DOGS WITH CERVICAL SPONDYLOMYELOPATHY

Eighteen Doberman pinscher dogs with clinical signs of cervical spondylomyelopathy (wobbler syndrome) underwent cervical myelography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Cervical myelography was performed using iohexol, followed by lateral and ventrodorsal radiographs. Traction myelography was performed using a cervical harness exerting 9 kg of linear traction. MR imaging was performed in sagittal, transverse, and dorsal planes using a 1.5 T magnet with the spine in neutral and traction positions. Three reviewers independently evaluated the myelographic and MR images to determine the most extensive lesion and whether the lesion was static or dynamic. All reviewers agreed with the location of the most extensive lesion on MR images (100%), while the agreement using myelography was 83%. The myelogram and MR imaging findings agreed in the identification of the affected site in 13-16 dogs depending on the reviewer. MR imaging provided additional information on lesion location because it allowed direct examination of the spinal cord diameter and parenchyma. Spinal cord signal changes were seen in 10 dogs. Depending on the reviewer, two to four dogs had their lesions classified as dynamic on myelography but static on MR images. Myelography markedly underscored the severity of the spinal cord compression in two dogs, and failed to identify the cause of the signs in another. The results of this study indicated that, although myelography can identify the location of the lesion in most patients, MR imaging appears to be more accurate in predicting the site, severity, and nature of the spinal cord compression.     

Cu2+对中华倒刺鲃超氧化物歧化酶活性的影响

Cu2+是养殖水体的常见污染物,为了评估Cu2+对鱼类超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的影响,将中华倒刺鲃暴露于含0.01～0.32 mg/L Cu2+的水体中饲养8 d,测定肌肉、血浆及肝脏中SOD活性的变化.实验结果显示,低浓度Cu2+(0.01 mg/L)对肌肉、血浆及肝脏的SOD有诱导作用,随着处理时间的延长而升高.但当浓度较高(0.04mg/L以上)时,SOD活性均呈现先诱导后抑制的趋势.Cu2+浓度越高,SOD活性上升越急剧,出现活性抑制的时间就越提前.此外,SOD在3种组织中的分布亦存在明显差异,肝脏的SOD活性最大.这些结果表明,肝脏SOD活性更宜作为Cu2+污染的生物标记.     

Energy balance for ethyl alcohol production from crops

Energy requirements to produce ethyl alcohol from three different crops in Brazil (sugarcane, cassava, and sweet sorghum) were calculated. Figures are presented for the agricultural and industrial phases. The industrial phase is always more energy-intensive, consuming from 60 to 75 percent of the total energy. Sugarcane is the more efficient crop for ethyl alcohol production, followed by sweet sorghum and cassava from a net energy viewpoint. The utilization of sweet sorghum stems might increase the total energy gain from this crop to almost the same level as sugarcane. Cassava has a lower energy gain at the present state of agriculture in Brazil.