Cryopreservation of strip spawned sperm using non‐programmable freezing technique in the blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

In this study, a non‐programmable freezing technique has been developed with the strip spawned blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) sperm. The key parameters optimized including (1) cryoprotectant agents (CPAs); (2) cooling temperature; (3) thawing temperature; (4) sugar and amino acid supplementation and (5) sperm to egg ratio. The fertilization rate and/or integrity of plasma membrane and acrosome were used as sperm quality assessment indicators. The highest post‐thaw sperm fertilization rate of 95% was achieved, when sperm were cryopreservated in 8% dimethyl sulfoxide at 7.8 cm above the liquid nitrogen surface and thawed in a 60°C seawater bath. The addition of glucose, sucrose or trehalose in dimethyl sulfoxide did not, whereas 0.8% glycine did significantly improve the post‐thaw sperm fertilization rates. The fluorescent evaluation has demonstrated that the addition of glycine significantly improved the post‐thaw sperm acrosome integrity, revealing a positive role of glycine in the improvement of post‐thaw sperm quality in blue mussels.     

Ecological impacts of small hydropower plants on headwater stream fish: from individual to community effects

Hydroelectricity is increasingly used worldwide as a source of renewable energy, and many mountain ranges have dozens or hundreds of hydropower plants, with many more being under construction or planned. Although the ecological impacts of large dams are relatively well known, the effects of small hydropower plants and their weirs have been much less investigated. We studied the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants on fish assemblages in the upper Ter river basin (Catalonia, NE Spain), which has headwater reaches with good water quality and no large dams but many of such plants. We studied fish populations and habitat features on control and impacted reaches for water diversion of 16 hydropower plants. In the impacted reaches, there was a significantly lower presence of refuges for fish, poorer habitat quality, more pools and less riffles and macrophytes, and shallower water levels. We also observed higher fish abundance, larger mean fish size and better fish condition in the control than in impacted reaches, although the results were species‐specific. Accordingly, species composition was also affected, with lower relative abundance of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Pyrenean minnow (Phoxinus bigerri) in the impacted reaches and higher presence of stone loach (Barbatula quignardi) and Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis). Our study highlights the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants from the individual to the population and community levels but probably underestimates them, urging for further assessment and mitigation of these ecological impacts.     

I-69杨苗期生长及营养特性的研究

杨树是重要的速生树种,在我国长江中下游平原地区发展具有重要意义。1983年对杨树的黑杨派良种I-69杨(Populus deltoides cv.“Lux”)苗期生长与营养特性的研究,旨在培育和选择优质苗木,为杨树用材林定向培育的造林设计提供科学依据。     

长沙市野生态动物园斑马蜱pcox1基因扩增及序列分析

为研究长沙市生态动物园引进的非洲肯尼亚斑马蜱的线粒体DNA的部分细胞色素C氧化酶第Ⅰ亚基(cytochrome coxidase subunit l,pcox1)基因序列的遗传变异情况,本研究对其线粒体pcox1基因序列进行PCR扩增,并使用DNAStar(V5.01)、Clustalx2.0及Phylip3.67进行分析。结果显示,几种斑马蜱为消色牛蜱、丽色扇头蜱和璃眼蜱属,种间差异为0.7%~20.2%,种内相似度较高,表明pcox1基因可作为蜱种间遗传变异研究的标记,研究结果为蜱的分类鉴定以及进一步的分子流行病学调查奠定了基础。     

山药酸奶工艺的研制

以新鲜牛奶为原料,加入熟化后的山药汁经处理后通过正交试验,再添加山药果粒加工而研制出一种气味浓郁、口感爽滑、酸甜可口,集酸奶和山药的营养保健于一体的新型发酵饮料.     

高微量元素苜蓿青干草在荷斯坦奶牛生产中应用效果的分析

本文在河南省黄河滩区根据荷斯坦奶牛的营养特点,在日粮中分别添加5%的高硒型、高硒钴型、高硒钴锌型和普通型苜蓿青干草,通过单因子对比饲喂试验来研究这4种苜蓿青干草添加后对奶牛生长和生产性能的影响。结果表明:和普通型苜蓿草干草相比,高硒苜蓿草干草不但能够增加奶牛的体长、胸围和奶牛体重,而且能够提高奶牛日产奶量8.6%,降低料奶比12.17%,提高饲料的转化和利用;高硒钴苜蓿青干草能显著地提高牛奶中乳脂含量的22.15%,高硒钴锌苜蓿青干草能显著地提高牛奶中乳蛋白、乳糖以及非脂固形物含量的9.28%、3.26%和4.69%。     

Reduction of bacterial infections in newly hatched chicks by the use of antimicrobial dips: Preliminary approaches

Summary

Bacteriological examination of hatchery waste eggs, identification of the isolated bacteria, and susceptibility testing against seven antimicrobial agents were used in an attempt to establish a rational basis for reducing bacterial infections in newly hatched chicks.

Chloramphenicol at 1000 ppm was selected as the antibiotic for preliminary dipping trials and 0.45% iodophore (Wescodyne) was added for later trials. The control treatment consisted of formaldehyde fumigation. The following conclusions can be drawn:

(1) Hatchery waste eggs are highly contaminated (69.1%) and enterobacteriaceae predominate (26.6%).

(2) Chloramphenicol is the most effective antimicrobial tested.

(3) Dip treatments with either chloramphenicol alone or chloramphenicol plus Wescodyne result in a reduced percentage of abnormal navels (8.4% and 10.4%), as compared with 21.9% for the control treatment.

(4) Hatchability of either group of dipped eggs is reduced in comparison with fumigated eggs.

(5) Dip treatment with chloramphenicol plus Wescodyne significantly reduces the anal carrier rates for Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus. This treatment reduces the incidence of bacterial infection in abnormal navels to zero.     

Treatment of cervical oesophageal rupture in horses

Oesophageal rupture in horses has only been previously described in detail in isolated case reports. The objectives of this study were to describe the clinical findings, specific treatment and outcome of oesophageal rupture in horses. Medical records of horses diagnosed with oesophageal rupture between 1994–2008 were reviewed. Clinical findings, treatment and outcome were recorded. Seven horses with cervical oesophageal perforations were included in the study. Two horses were subjected to euthanasia without treatment and 5 were treated surgically. Treatment involved a fasciotomy of the cervical musculature and oesophageal tube placement. Three of 5 horses survived long‐term (>one year). Our study showed that surgical treatment of cervical oesophageal rupture involving fasciotomy and oesophagostomy tube placement can be successful with 3/5 of treated horses surviving more than one year.     

EFFICACY AND TOXICITY OF AN ACCELERATED HYPOFRACTIONATED RADIATION THERAPY PROTOCOL IN CATS WITH ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common feline oral tumor. Standard radiation protocols have been reported to achieve tumor control durations of 1.5–5.5 months (45–165 days). The purpose of this study was to describe the efficacy and toxicity of an accelerated hypofractionated radiation therapy protocol in cats with oral SCC. Twenty‐one cats with histologically confirmed oral SCC and T1‐3N0M0 were treated with 10 once‐daily fractions (Monday–Friday) of 4.8 Gy. Seventeen cats had macroscopic disease and four were microscopic after incomplete excision. Acute toxicity consisted of grade 2 mucositis in all cats and this was effectively managed using esophageal or gastric tube feeding, pain medication, and antibiotics. Late toxicity effects for cats with available follow‐up data included alopecia (4 cats), leukotricia (6), tongue ulceration (1), and oronasal fistula (1). Response could be assessed in 17 cats (seven complete response and five partial response). Four cats (19%) developed metastatic disease without evidence of local progression. The median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 105 days (1 year PFS of 23%), median local progression‐free survival (LPFS) was 219 days (1 year LPFS of 41%), and median overall survival (OS) was 174 days (1 year OS of 29%). Only tumor stage was prognostic, with T1 having a median PFS of 590 days. Findings indicated that this accelerated hypofractionated radiation therapy protocol was well tolerated in cats with oral SCC, with manageable adverse events. Tumor response was observed in most cats and long tumor control durations were achieved in some cats.     

Selection and Evaluation of Indexes Commonly Used to Determine Contamination with T-2 Toxin in Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei by the Grey Relational Method

Abstract

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of the mycotoxin T-2 toxin in feed on muscle performance in the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, evaluate indexes of physiological variables that indicate T-2 toxin contamination in the shrimp using the grey relational method, and determine the dose–response relationships between T-2 toxin and the indexes. Of the 6 physical, 7 biochemical, and 17 nutritional indexes examined, the values of the grey relational coefficients were highest for the hepatopancreas: body weight ratio (HBR), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, and serine (SER) content (0.83, 0.68, and 0.82, respectively). Therefore, the HBR, ALT activity, and SER content were selected as appropriate indexes for contamination of Pacific white shrimp muscle with T-2 toxin. Based on their dose–response relationship curves, mean effective doses of 1.45, 1.69, and 1.33 mg of T-2 toxin/kg of feed were obtained for the HBR, ALT activity, and SER content, respectively. These results offer technical reference points for the evaluation and control of T-2 toxin in shrimp feed.

Received April 28, 2016 accepted April 9, 2017 Published online July 26, 2017