B-mode ultrasound examination of canine mammary gland neoplastic lesions of small size (diameter < 2 cm)

Ultrasonography is a valuable tool for the evaluation of neoplastic lesions in the dog and there is a growing interest in the use of this technique for the stadiation of canine mammary tumours. An accurate assessment of small sized nodules facilitates the stadiation of the mammary lesions and helps the clinician in the choice of the most indicated surgical therapy. The aim of this study was to identify those ultrasound criteria that may be useful in discriminating between benign and malignant lesions of small size (diameter smaller than 2 cm). Sixty-two nodules, < 2 cm in larger diameter, belonging to thirty-five bitches presented between January 2012 and February 2014 were evaluated. Tumours were observed by conventional ultrasound and assessed for: shape (regular-irregular), limit (defined-ill-defined), margins (regular-irregular), echogenicity (hypoechoic-isoechoic-hyperecoic), echotexture (homogeneus-heterogeneus), presence of hyperecoic halo, distal acoustic enhancement or shadowing and surrounding tissue alterations. Among the alterations in surrounding tissues, the disruption of the glandular tissue and the increase in echogenicity of the peritumoral tissues were assessed. Thereafter, bitches were subjected to mastectomy and nodules were evaluated histologically. None of the ultasound criteria considered in the current study showed a statistically significant relation with malignancy, except for the presence of alterations in the tissue surrounding the nodules. According to our results, this characteristic may indicate malignancy, however its subjectivity may affect the applicability in clinical practice. In conclusions, conventional ultrasound in bitches had a limited ability in discriminating benign and malignant mammary gland neoplastic lesions of small size (diameter?<?2 cm).     

Knowledge,attitudes and practices towards <Emphasis Type="Italic">cystic echinococcosis</Emphasis> in livestock among selected pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Uganda

A cross-sectional study was done from March 2013 to May 2014 to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards cystic echinococcosis (CE) or hydatidosis among selected pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Uganda. A structured questionnaire was administered to 381 respondents. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to find the relationship between knowledge about CE and factors such as age, sex, and level of education across all regions. The odds ratio and confidence interval were used to determine the difference in responses across regions. It was shown that age above 36 years was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with awareness about CE in livestock. Likewise, uneducated (p < 0.0001) and agro-pastoralists (p = 0.01) were significantly less knowledgeable than the educated and pastoralists across all regions. The overall knowledge towards CE in livestock was low 17.8% (95% CI = 14.0–21.6). Dog ownership was high and they never dewormed their freely roaming dogs. Dogs shared water with livestock. In conclusion, knowledge about CE in livestock was low across all regions. Therefore, public health education and formulation of policies towards its control by the relevant stakeholders should be done. Also, the true prevalence of CE in livestock needs to be done so that the magnitude and its public health significance are elucidated.     

Long-term study (2005–2010) on the vaccination with BoHV-1 glycoprotein E-deleted marker vaccine in selected two dairy herds in Turkey

A follow-up study from 2005 to 2010 was carried out in two herds where eradication programme for the bovine herpes virus-1 (BoHV-1) infection depends on the vaccination with inactivated glycoprotein E-deleted vaccine that was started in 2001 following the vaccination with inactivated conventional vaccine between 1999 and 2001. For serological screening, a total of 12,976 sera sampled over several sampling times approximately 6 months of interval during 5 years (2005–2010) were tested for glycoprotein E (gE)- and glycoprotein B-specific antibodies using ELISA. According to the serological evidence, the long-term persistence of BoHV-1 antibodies, success of marker vaccine, first vaccination time of the calves in herds regularly vaccinated, etc. were discussed in this paper. In conclusion, the vaccination programme using gE (?) marker vaccines, with making efforts to prevent the other factors about transmission of infection, was suggested for the eradication of BoHV-1 infection in Turkey as many EU countries. This is the first report on the BoHV-1 eradication programme in some dairy cattle in Turkey.     

Branched‐chain amino acid ratios in low‐protein diets regulate the free amino acid profile and the expression of hepatic fatty acid metabolism‐related genes in growing pigs

Liver metabolism is affected by nutrients. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of low‐protein diets (17% crude protein, CP) supplemented with branched‐chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile) and valine (Val), on hepatic amino acid profile and lipid metabolism in growing pigs. The ratio of Leu : Ile : Val in all groups was 1 : 0.51 : 0.63 (20% crude protein, CP), 1 : 1 : 1 (17% CP), 1 : 0.75 : 0.75 (17% CP), 1 : 0.51 : 0.63 (17% CP) and 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 (17% CP) respectively. Results revealed that compared to the positive control group (1 : 0.51 : 0.63, 20% CP), the low‐protein diets significantly augmented the concentrations of most essential amino acids and non‐essential amino acids (p < .05), with the greatest values observed in the 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 group. Moreover, relative to the control, the low‐protein diets with the Leu : Ile : Val ratio ranging from 1 : 0.75 : 0.75 to 1 : 0.25 : 0.25 markedly downregulated the mRNA abundance of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid‐binding protein 4 (FABP‐4) (p < .05), and upregulated the mRNA expression of hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐g coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α), uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) and liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (L‐CPT‐1) (p < .05). Therefore, our data suggest that protein‐restricted diets supplemented with optimal BCAA ratio, that is, 1 : 0.75 : 0.75–1 : 0.25 : 0.25, induce a shift from fatty acid synthesis to fatty acid oxidation in the liver of growing pigs. These effects may be associated with increased mitochondrial biogenesis.     

Safety of standardized Macleaya cordata extract in an eighty‐four‐day dietary study in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of a standardized Macleaya cordata Extract Product (MCEP) containing the quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids, sanguinarine and chelerythrine, when fed to dairy cows. Thirty‐six dairy cows were randomized into three groups with twelve cows/treatment in two replica pens for each treatment group: control (C) without MCEP added to feed, treatment 1 (SANG‐1000) with MCEP added to feed at 1,000 mg/animal/day (1.5 mg/kg bw/day) and treatment 2 (SANG‐10000) with MCEP added to feed at 10,000 mg/animal/day (15.5 mg MCEP/kg bw/day). After two weeks of acclimation, animals were observed for an 84‐day experimental period, with body weight, feed intake and milk production measured daily. Milk composition was analysed every two weeks. Haematological analyses were performed on Day 0 and Day 84, and clinical chemistry analyses were performed on Day 84 of the study. There was no statistically significant difference (p > .10) among the three groups on body condition score, milk production or milk composition over the study period. There were no significant differences in body weight gain or feed consumption among the three groups. Animals in the SANG‐10000 group had significantly higher mean corpuscular volume (MCV) than the C group (p < .1) and lower mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) than the SANG‐1000 group (p < .1). Concentrations of sanguinarine and chelerythrine in milk samples collected on Day 84 were below the detection limit (LOD) as measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS). In conclusion, this study presents compelling data supporting the hypothesis that the test product MCEP, when included in the TMR at up to 10,000 mg/animal/day (15.5 mg MCEP/kg bw/day), is well tolerated by dairy cows.     

紫花苜蓿细胞质雄性不育恢复基因的初步定位

以紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)不育系MS-GN-1A为母本,恢复系MS178为父本组合构建BSA分离群体,获得的F1代均表现为雄性可育,在大田种植了221株F2代群体单株,盛花期将花粉颗粒染色后,显微镜下观察统计出,不育的F2代株数为57,可育F2代株数164,并没有观察到半不育植株。将所有植株划分为可育和不育两组,并构建可育和不育DNA混池,混池DNA从可育和不育植株组DNA中各随机抽取20个样品,以此对恢复基因定位。随机挑选160对已知的四倍体苜蓿SSR引物扩增基因池DNA,获得2个具有多态性的分子标记,分别是Mt2c12、AW166,初步定位Rf基因在类群Composite5上。将类群Composite5上的所有引物进行合成,进一步进行引物筛选,最终获得4个具有多态性的标记BI68、Mt2c12、BG267和AW776153,遗传距离分别为19.0、20.9、44.6和72.1cM。     

过量使用抗倒酯对海滨雀稗草坪生长的影响

抗倒酯(Trinexapac-ethyl,TE)具有抑制草坪垂直生长,减少修剪频率的作用,近年来被广泛应用于高尔夫球场草坪,但常常因为过量使用而造成草坪伤害。为此,本研究分别对3种抗倒酯类产品(P、M、N)设置常规浓度(1mL·L~(-1))、中高浓度(1.5mL·L~(-1))、特高浓度(2mL·L~(-1))、超高浓度(10mL·L~(-1)),通过比较其对海滨雀稗(Paspalum vaginatum)草坪草屑量、生物量、颜色、密度、生长速度的影响,为抗倒酯产品的合理使用提供参考依据。结果表明,与清水对照相比,产品P、M、N在常规浓度下,草屑量分别下降70.0%、78.5%、80.0%,生长速度分别下降66.0%、51.5%、53.6%;超高浓度下,草屑量分别下降82.2%、87.8%、81.3%,生长速度分别下降71.1%、72.2%、83.6%,浓度越高下降幅度越大,但不同浓度处理间差异不显著(P0.05)。不同浓度处理对生物量影响也不显著。P、M、N这3种产品超高浓度处理使草坪草颜色分别从常规浓度处理的7.9、7.9、8.0分下降到7.3、7.2、7.2分,使草坪草密度分别从常规浓度处理的8.1、8.1、8.2分下降到7.5、7.4、7.4分。综合分析得出,在1 mL·L~(-1)常规浓度下,产品P对草坪生长速度抑制最强,且对草屑量、草坪颜色和密度影响较小,调控效果最好。过量使用抗倒酯不仅抑制效果不再明显,还会降低草坪质量。     

温度和水分对赖草种子萌发的影响

利用聚乙二醇(PEG)试剂室内模拟不同干旱(0、-0.10、-0.20、-0.40、-0.80、-1.60 MPa)和温度(10、15、20、25、30℃)环境条件,对西藏班戈县野生型赖草(Leymus secalinus)种子萌发特性进行研究。结果表明,赖草种子在恒温10~30℃和变温10~30℃均能萌发.恒温25℃处理下,种子萌发达到了最佳响应;恒温15℃和变温20/30℃处理对赖草种子发芽率具有显著影响(P0.05),而恒温10和30℃对赖草种子发芽率具有极显著影响(P0.05);随着PEG渗透势的增加,赖草种子发芽率、发芽指数、活力指数和胚芽长均出现了不同程度的下降现象,而胚根则表现为先升后降的变化现象。25℃和蒸馏水处理下,野生赖草种子萌发效果最佳;而在25℃和-0.10~0 MPa渗透势处理下,赖草种子胚根优于胚芽生长。     

Impact of cold-season grazing and supplementary feeding on rumen metabolic parameters and micro-organisms in the ewes of Gansu Alpine Fine Wool Sheep北大核心CSCD

An experiment was conducted to scientifically identify the appropriate feed for Gansu Alpine Fine Wool ewes in order to change the animals' breeding mode, which currently can only be mated at the age of 2.5 years due to insufficient nutritional supply. The experiment selected 48 12-month-old ewes and randomly divided them into group a (Diet 1), group b (Diet 2), group c (Diet 3), and a control group with no supplementary feeding. The feed test was run for 90 days. The rumen pH of groups a and b were very significantly higher (P<0.01) or group c significantly lower (P<0.05) than control group. The rumen ammonia nitrogen, protein nitrogen and total nitrogen of groups a, b and c were all higher than control group (P<0.01). The total volatile fatty acids of group a and b were all higher than the control group (P<0.01), group b significantly higher than group c (P<0.05). The molar ratio of acetic acid and propionic acid in group a was very significantly higher than control group (P<0.01), group b and c were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05). The molar ratio of butyric acid in group a was very significantly higher than group c (P<0.01). The ratio of acetic acid and propionic acid in group b was significantly lower than control group (P<0.05). The number of several rumen fiber-degrading bacteria and protozoa in groups a, b and c were very significantly (P<0.01) or significantly (P<0.05) higher than the control. In conclusion, this study shows that supplementary feeding can positively affect the rumen metabolic parameters and the number of several rumen microorganisms in Gansu Alpine Fine Wool ewes. In general, the effects of Diet 1 were the strongest, while Diet 2 also produced notable improvements. © 2018, Editorial Office of Acta Prataculturae Sinica. All rights reserved.     

对一起饲料产品检验不合格案的思考

在饲料执法抽检中,云南省德宏州动物卫生监督所发现某店经营的饲料产品成份与标签标示不一致,由此开展立案调查,并依法进行惩处。通过剖析案件,认为该类监督执法案件要注重采样符合程序,样品检测机构资质健全且检验报告合法,保护当事人的合法权益。同时也建议饲料经营户要合规经营,明确合同保障,积极配合监管等。