Haematological, biochemical and selected acute phase protein reference intervals for weaned female Merino lambs

Background   Merino lambs are currently the subject of much research into the welfare aspects of mulesing and mulesing alternatives.
Objective   Obtain haematology, biochemistry and acute phase protein reference intervals using modern methodologies for female Merino lambs.
Method   Blood was collected from 50, weaned, 9- to 16-week-old, female Merino lambs. Haematology and biochemistry panels were performed using routine automated methods. The acute phase proteins, fibrinogen, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin, were also measured using commercially available techniques. The reference intervals were determined to be the central 95% of results.
Results   Differences in the concentrations for some analytes were seen when compared with reported studies in sheep, but may be explained by the use of sheep of a different signalment, as well as different methodologies for analyte measurement. Overall, most analytes gave similar values to those previously reported in other studies. Notable exceptions were alkaline phosphatase, phosphate and globulins, for which the different results were often attributed to the younger age of the sheep in the present study, and platelets and creatine kinase, for which the elevated levels may have been a result of stress and muscle exertion associated with blood collection and husbandry practices.
Conclusion   Established haematological, biochemical and acute phase protein reference intervals are necessary for the investigation of the systemic impact of mulesing and mulesing alternatives and for the investigation of systemic diseases affecting weaned, 9- to 16-week-old, female Merino lambs in general.     

Activated coagulation times in normal cats and dogs using MAX-ACTTM tubes

Objective  To establish reference values for activated coagulation time (ACT) in normal cats and dogs, by visual assessment of clot formation using the MAX-ACT^TM tube.
Subjects  We recruited 43 cats and 50 dogs for the study; 11 cats and 4 dogs were excluded from the statistical analysis because of abnormalities on clinical examination or laboratory testing including anaemia, prolonged prothrombin time (PT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), or insufficient plasma volume for comprehensive laboratory coagulation testing.
Procedure  Blood samples were collected via direct venipuncture for MAX-ACT, packed cell volume/total solids, manual platelet estimation and PT/APTT measurement. Blood (0.5 mL) was mixed gently in the MAX-ACT tube at 37°C for 30 s, then assessed for clot formation every 5 to 10 s by tipping the tube gently on its side and monitoring for magnet movement. The endpoint was defined as the magnet lodging in the clot. The technique was tested with 10 dogs by collecting two blood samples from the same needle insertion and running a MAX-ACT on each simultaneously.
Results  In normal cats the mean MAX-ACT was 66 s (range 55–85 s). In normal dogs the mean was 71 s (range 55–80 s). There was no statistical difference between the first and second samples collected from the same needle insertion.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance  In both cats and dogs, a MAX-ACT result >85 s should be considered abnormal and further coagulation testing should be performed. Additionally, failure to discard the first few drops of the sample does not appear to significantly affect results.     

中国挂面对小麦粉品质的要求

对以１７个不同类型小麦制成的小麦粉样品进行了有关面粉品质与挂面品质性状的测定。结果表明，小麦粉的蛋白质含量和干面条的切断强度及煮熟面条的韧性均呈显著正相关，但对其食用品质、色泽及煮面最后总评分均呈显著负相关。综合各项指标，优质挂面用小麦粉宜选用蛋白质含量中等，色泽好，面团强度较强者为好，软麦更优于硬麦。对具体指标进行了讨论。     

Unravelling the paradox of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus emergence, using phylogenetic analysis; possible implications for rabbit conservation strategies

During the past 50 years two readily distinguishable rabbit-specific diseases caused by Myxoma virus (MYXV) and Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) respectively, have decimated wild rabbit populations worldwide. Combined with the use of these viruses as biocontrol agents, the consequences for farming, commercial rabbit breeding and rare habitat conservation dependent on rabbit grazing, have been both positive and negative. Moreover, rare predators that rely on rabbits as a food resource, and even hunters, have suffered the consequences of rabbit populations being affected by one or other of these viruses.Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus was first identified after thousands of domestic rabbits died suddenly in China in 1984. Similar epidemics subsequently occurred in other regions of Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, suggesting that the virus had dispersed widely following its emergence in China. However, the discovery that RHDV had circulated apparently harmlessly for many years before the first recognised epidemic in China prompted us to investigate the evolution, emergence and dispersal of this virus in relation to its impact on conservation of wildlife species. Accordingly, we have sequenced new isolates of RHDV and combined these data with a global selection of available RHDV sequences. Using phylogenetic analysis we demonstrate that the Chinese epidemic virus diverged from European viruses that circulated many years prior to 1984. We also demonstrate that the lineages of the pathogenic viruses that emerged in the UK in the early 1990s, are distinct from and pre-date those of the 1984 Chinese virus. In other words, European strains of RHDV emerged from apparently harmless strains to cause epidemic outbreaks, independently of the Chinese 1984 epidemic virus. These studies demonstrate how understanding viral epidemiology can improve the development of strategies to conserve rabbits, rare predator species and the habitat.     

The influence of straw ash on some soil properties that can affect herbicide performance

During autumn 1982, soil samples were collected from 15 winter cereal fields in central and southern England. The soils either contained ash resulting from the burning of straw in the field or were ash free. Ash containing soils had much higher adsorption levels (measured as Kd values for chlortoluron) than ash-free soils. There were smaller differences in organic matter, pH and nutrient content between the 2 soil groups. There was a better correlation between adsorption and organic matter content for ash-free soils than for soils containing ash. The ratio of adsorption level to organic matter content for ash soils was almost twice that for ash-free soils. It was concluded that ash can make a substantial contribution to herbicide adsorption on minimally cultivated soils and that this could affect herbicide performance. In a tillage experiment where ploughing was followed by direct drilling, adsorption levels increased much more rapidly than organic matter.     

佛罗里达州柑桔投资的远景展望——GAMS仿真的案例

运用GAMS仿真展示了美国佛罗里达州柑桔生产投资的经济远景。仿真动态地、定量地回答了长期投资决策中的五个关键因素:期望净投资回收率、最低竞争价格、最大可接受的贷款利率、新建桔园的最优种植计划、最早获得盈利的年份(以净现值为表征)。该项研究有助于投资者作出正确的投资决策。     

Effects of Artificial Substrate and Stocking Density on the Nursery Production of Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Nursery production may be enhanced by the addition of artificial substrate to increase the surface area upon which shrimp graze and to serve as refuge. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of the artificial substrate, AquaMats^TM, on the performance of postlarval Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei stocked at three densities. Eighteen 230-L tanks were stocked with 10-d postlarvae (mean weight < 0.01 g). Six treatments were evaluated and consisted of shrimp stocked at three densities (778 shrimp/m², 1,167 shrimp/ m², and 1,556 shrimp/m²) with and without access to artificial substrate. Shrimp in all treatments received a commercial diet ad libitum . After 6 wk, shrimp were harvested from each nursery tank, counted, and batch weighed. Mean final weight, survival, production, feed conversion ratio, and water quality parameters were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA. There were highly significant ( P < 0.001) density and substrate effects on final weight, but there was no significant interaction effect. Final weight was 26.0, 17.4, and 34.5% greater in treatments with substrate than without substrate when stocked at 778, 1,167, and 1,556 shrimp/m², respectively. There was no significant density, substrate, or interaction effect on survival or water quality. Mean survival was ± 89.1% for all treatments. Increased shrimp growth in the presence of added substrate was likely due to the availability of attached particulate organic matter on the AquaMats^TM that served as an additional food source. Results from this study indicate that artificial substrate can be used to mitigate the potential negative effects of high stocking density on growth of L. vannamei in nursery systems.     

Sialomucin Complex (Muc4) Expression in Porcine Endometrium During the Oestrous Cycle and Early Pregnancy

The non‐invasive type of implantation in the pig is characterized by the maintenance of a thick glycocalyx coating on the uterine epithelial surface microvilli. Present study investigated the alteration in the sialomucin complex (Muc4) expression during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy in the pig. Endometrial tissue samples were immunostained with the primary antibody to the Muc4 transmembrane subunit ASGP‐2. Muc4 immunostaining increased in the surface and glandular epithelia between days 5 and 10 of oestrous cycle. Immunostaining continued to increase on day 12 with the greatest intensity of uterine Muc4 immunostaining detected on day 15 of the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy. Endometrial Muc4 expression in cyclic gilts decreased dramatically during early proestrous but continued to remain abundant in the surface and glandular epithelium of pregnant gilts during the period of conceptus attachment to the uterine surface.