基于动物福利的羊捻转血矛线虫病防控技术研究进展

捻转血矛线虫是牛羊等反刍动物常见的寄生蠕虫,该虫寄生在牛羊等宿主体内,可导致宿主贫血,给畜牧业生产带来巨大的损失。近年来,随着国内对动物福利理念的普及,基于动物福利的疫病防控技术受到越来越多的重视,然而却未见基于此的相关论述。论文就现有羊捻转血矛线虫病防控技术,包括药物防控、生物防控、疫苗预防等进行综述,为今后研发基于动物福利的羊捻转血矛线虫病防控技术提供参考。     

短期休牧对克氏针茅草原植物群落物种多样性及稳定性影响研究

文章采用野外植物样方采取及实验室数据分析相结合的方法,以阿巴嘎旗北部牧户常年放牧和隔年休牧的冬季草场为例,探讨短期休牧对克氏针茅草原植物物种多样性及群落稳定性的影响。结论如下:(1)两个草场植物群落内植物数量差异不大,主要差异表现在主要植物的平均重要值及两个草场仅有2对共优种。此外,短期休牧冬季草场的禾本科植物比重提升的同时,一年生藜科植物也显著提升;(2)短期休牧冬季草场的植物群落物种多样性指数略高于常年放牧冬季草场,但差异不显著;(3)两个草场植物群落处于中等相似水平,植物种间存在分异化趋势;(4)短期休牧冬季草场植物群落总体呈微弱正联结,种间联结松散,处于正向演替阶段,常年放牧冬季草场呈微弱负相关,群落较不稳定,存在一定退化风险;(5)两个草场的植物群落离稳定性都有一定差距,但短期休牧冬季草场植物群落稳定性略好于常年放牧冬季草场。可见,短期休牧有利于克氏针茅草原植物群落物种多样性和稳定性保持。     

基于EDA技术的自动立木整枝机无线遥控接收系统

在分析自动立木整枝机工作过程和控制要求的基础上,该文详细阐述了自动立木整枝机无线遥控接收系统的组成及工作原理,进而采用电子设计自动化(EDA)技术设计了自动立木整枝机无线遥控接收系统的数字控制逻辑.通过优化CPLD内部逻辑电路,有效消除了逻辑竞争冒险.仿真结果表明,该系统控制可靠性较高,能有效提高自动立木整枝机的功能安全性.      

Socio-Economic and Scientific Impact Created by Whitefly-Transmitted,Plant-Virus Disease Resistant Tomato Varieties in Southern India

Research carried out to assess the impact of open-pollinated Tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV)-resistant tomatoes and hybrids on the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers in Southern India is described and discussed. Three high-yielding ToLCV-resistant tomato varieties were developed initially using conventional breeding and screening techniques involving inoculation by ToLCV-viruliferous whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. In 2003 and 2004, respectively, these varieties were released officially by the Karnataka State Seed Committee and the Indian Ministry of Agriculture through notification in the Gazette of India. From 2003 to 2005, eleven seed companies bought breeder seed of the ToLCV-resistant varieties and used them to begin breeding F₁ hybrids from them. Socio-economic studies carried out to assess the benefits obtained from growing the ToLCV-resistant varieties found that farmers could gain up to 10 times the profit by growing the ToLCV-resistant varieties compared to the pre-existing ToLCV-susceptible varieties. Adoption of ToLCV-resistant tomatoes was also associated with reduced pesticide use. Extra income from tomato sales was prioritised by farmers to pay for children's education, better nutrition and medicines. In a joint effort with the commercial seed sector in India, a promotional field day was organised in 2007. As well as the three ToLCV-resistant varieties, 62 ToLCV-resistant hybrid tomatoes were exhibited during a farmer-field day by 17 commercial seed companies and several public institutes. Tomatoes with ToLCV-resistance are now grown widely in South India and seeds of the three open-pollinated varieties have been distributed to more than 12 countries. In 2007, a conservative estimate of the financial-benefit to cost of the research ratio was already more than 837:1.     

Cardiovascular effects of sevoflurane in Holstein calves

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiovascular effects of sevoflurane in calves. Study design Prospective experimental study. Animals Six, healthy, 8–12‐week‐old Holstein calves weighing 80 ± 4.5 (mean ± SEM) kg were studied. Methods Anesthesia was induced by face‐mask administration of 7% sevoflurane in O₂. Calves tracheae were intubated, placed in right lateral recumbency, and maintained with 3.7% end‐tidal concentration sevoflurane for 30 minutes to allow catheterization of the auricular artery and placement of a Swan‐Ganz thermodilution catheter into the pulmonary artery. After instrumentation, administration of sevoflurane was temporarily discontinued until mean arterial pressure was > 100 mm Hg. Baseline values were recorded and the vaporizer output increased to administer 3.7% end‐tidal sevoflurane concentration. Ventilation was controlled to maintain normocapnia. The following were recorded at 5, 10, 15, 30 and 45 minutes after collection of baseline data and expressed as the mean value (± SEM): direct systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures; cardiac output; mean pulmonary arterial pressure; pulmonary arterial occlusion pressure, heart rate; and pulmonary arterial temperature. Cardiac index and systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance values were calculated using standard formulae. Arterial blood gases were analyzed at baseline, and at 15 and 45 minutes. Differences from baseline values were determined using one‐way analysis of variance for repeated measures with post‐hoc differences between mean values identified using Dunnet's test (p < 0.05). Results Mean time from beginning sevoflurane administration to intubation of the trachea was 224 ± 9 seconds. The mean end‐tidal sevoflurane concentration at baseline was 0.7 (± 0.11)%. Sevoflurane anesthesia was associated with decreased arterial blood pressure at all sampling times. Mean arterial blood pressure decreased from a baseline value of 112 ± 7 mm Hg to a minimum value of 88 ± 4 mm Hg at 5 minutes. Compared with baseline, arterial pH was decreased at 15 minutes. Pulmonary arterial blood temperature was decreased at 15, 30 and 45 minutes. Arterial CO₂ tension increased from a baseline value of 43 ± 3 to 54 ± 4 mm Hg (5.7 ± 0.4 to 7.2 ± 0.3 kPa) at 15 minutes. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure was increased at 30 and 45 minutes. Pulmonary arterial occlusion pressure increased from a baseline value of 18 ± 2 to 23 ± 2 mm Hg at 45 minutes. There were no significant changes in other measured variables. All calves recovered from anesthesia uneventfully. Conclusion We conclude that sevoflurane for induction and maintenance of anesthesia was effective and reliable in these calves and that neither hypotension nor decreased cardiac output was a clinical concern. Clinical relevance Use of sevoflurane for mask induction and maintenance of anesthesia in young calves is a suitable alternative to injectable and other inhalant anesthetics.     

Tracking the long-term decline and recovery of an isolated population

Effects of small population size and reduced genetic variation on the viability of wild animal populations remain controversial. During a 35-year study of a remnant population of greater prairie chickens, population size decreased from 2000 individuals in 1962 to fewer than 50 by 1994. Concurrently, both fitness, as measured by fertility and hatching rates of eggs, and genetic diversity declined significantly. Conservation measures initiated in 1992 with translocations of birds from large, genetically diverse populations restored egg viability. Thus, sufficient genetic resources appear to be critical for maintaining populations of greater prairie chickens.