Outbreaks of classical swine influenza in pigs in England in 1986

Serum samples from pig herds in Great Britain have been examined for antibodies to influenza virus since 1968. Antibodies to H3N2 virus strains have been found since 1968 and the serological data presented here suggests that H3N2 virus strains continue to persist in the pig population. An outbreak of acute respiratory disease occurred in a 400-sow unit. The outbreak was characterised by coughing, anorexia, fever, inappetence and loss of condition. The gilts and weaners were affected and the morbidity approached 100 per cent. An influenza A virus designated A/Swine/Weybridge/117316/86 (H1N1) was isolated from the herd and 28 paired serum samples from the affected animals showed increases in the haemagglutination inhibition titres to this isolate. Haemagglutinin and neuraminidase characterisation indicated that the virus is similar to H1N1 viruses isolated recently from pigs in Europe. A total of 91 herds experiencing respiratory disease were investigated, of which 42 gave positive reactions in the haemagglutination inhibition test. Antibodies to A/Port Chalmers/1/73 (H3N2) were also detected in some of the herds but it is not known whether this strain plays any role in the current respiratory disease problems in pigs.     

营养师的一个新武器——益生木质纤维

<正>日粮纤维是家畜饲料的重要组成部分。益生木质纤维素(eubiotic lignocellulose)由新鲜木材制成,是一种相对较新的饲料原料,试验证明它是一种非常有价值的饲用纤维原料,对动物营养有众多的益处。日粮纤维是单胃动物消化调节的必需物质。高淀粉日粮易于快速发酵,通常在消化过程的早期就几乎被完全发酵,到达大肠时极少或已无物可发酵。在日粮中添加纤维能够使发酵进程后移至结肠,并且促进有益菌的增殖。益生菌所产生的挥发性脂肪酸能够提高肠道的健     

Effects of intra-articular administration of methylprednisolone acetate on normal articular cartilage and on healing of experimentally induced osteochondral defects in horses.

The effects of intra-articular administration of methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) on the healing of full-thickness osteochondral defects and on normal cartilage were evaluated in 8 horses. In group-1 horses (n = 4), a 1-cm-diameter, full-thickness defect was created bilaterally in the articular cartilage on the dorsal distal surface of the radial carpal bone. Cartilage defects were not created in group-2 horses (n = 4). One middle carpal joint was randomly selected in each horse (groups 1 and 2), and treated with an intra-articular injection of 100 mg of MPA, once a week for 4 treatments. Injections began 1 week after surgery in group-1 horses. The contralateral middle carpal joint received intra-articular injections of an equivalent volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution (SCS), and served as a control. Horses were evaluated for 16 weeks, then were euthanatized, and the middle carpal joints were examined and photographed. Synovial and articular cartilage specimens were obtained for histologic and histochemical evaluation. Gross morphometric evaluation of the healing defects in group-1 horses revealed that 48.6% of the defect in control joints and 0% of the defect in MPA-treated joints was resurfaced with a smooth, white tissue, histologically confirmed as fibrocartilage. This replacement tissue was a firmly attached fibrocartilage in control joints and a thin fibrous tissue in MPA-treated joints. The articular cartilage in joints treated with MPA had morphologic changes, including chondrocyte cluster formation, loss of palisading architecture, and cellular necrosis in both groups of horses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Using habitat extent and composition to predict the occurrence of woodland birds in fragmented landscapes

Landscape Ecology - The removal, alteration and fragmentation of habitat are key causes of biodiversity decline worldwide. In Australia, temperate woodlands have been disproportionately cleared...     

Differential induction of redox sensitive extracellular phenolic amides in potato

This study focuses on the differential induction of extracellular phenolic amides that accumulate in potato cell suspensions during the first few hours of the interaction between these plant cells and either bacterial pathogens or pathogen-related elicitors. Using suspension cells of Solanum tuberosum we identified 4 hydroxycinnamic acid amides that accumulate in the extracellular environment. Treatment of the suspension cells with pathovars of the plant pathogens Pseudomonas syringae or Ralstonia solanacearum or with pathogen-related elicitors changed the composition of the extracellular phenolic amides within hours and the composition differed for each treatment. Some of the phenolic amides were sensitive to oxidative stress; when suspension cells were treated with bacterial strains or elicitors that triggered an oxidative burst, the phenolics were oxidized and depleted for the duration of the burst. Other critical parameters that affected the qualitative and quantitative makeup of these phenolic amides were plant cell age and density.     

Estimation of critical nutrient range of petiole nitrate for sprinkler-irrigated potatoes

The relationship of yield to concentration of NO₃ in petioles of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) was studied as part of a comprehensive project on N use efficiency. The objective of this study was to estimate the critical nutrient range (CNR) of petiole NO₃ for Russet Burbank potatoes treated with N supplements during the season. Treatments totaled 224, 336, and 560 kg N ha^-1 for the season as NH₄NO₃ on this low N soil with one-third to one-half of the N applied at planting and the rest as periodical supplements during the season. Average yield of potatoes (74 Mt ha^-1) was highest with 336 kg N ha^-1. From this it was assumed that 224 N was optimum. Petiole NO₃ decreased through the season with linear regressions of petiole NO₃ versus time for each of three N rates accounting for variation in petiole NO₃. It was concluded that at the start of the season, the estimated CNR for petiole NO₃-N of potatoes was within the range from 9 to 13 g kg^-1. Numerically, CNR values decrease with time as the season progresses. It is concluded that until more precise calibrations are made available, the CNR approach with petiole NO₃ will be more helpful in cross checking the nutritional status of potatoes fertilized periodically with N supplements than in serving as a primary fertilizer guide.