Suspected seminal vesiculitis in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

A 32-year-old male Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) underwent routine transrectal stimulation for semen collection as part of an artificial insemination program. The procedure consisted of a preinsemination semen collection followed by two consecutive days of semen collections for artificial insemination. The second day's sample contained large numbers of inflammatory cells, intracellular bacteria, and phagocytized sperm. Semen was submitted for culture and sensitivity. Culture revealed Acinetobacter lwoffii, Staphylococcus intermedius, Kocuria roseus, and an unidentified gram-positive organism. Empirical antibiotic therapy with trimethoprim sulfa was initiated and then changed to enrofloxacin based on sensitivity panel results for a total of 28 days of treatment. Diagnostic semen collections were performed during treatment and 2 wk posttreatment to determine the success of therapy. Posttreatment collections revealed resolution of the inflammation. The origin of the infection was suspected to be the seminal vesicles.     

美国黑核桃嫁接育苗技术研究

利用新疆已有的丰富核桃资源，高接黑核桃优良无性系，在南北疆建立黑核桃无性系种子园或采穗圃，通过自己采收种子播种育苗，可有效地降低黑核桃苗木生产成本，提高苗木质量，加快黑核桃良种苗木的繁育速度，实现黑核桃良种在新疆的推广、发展。     

Sodium, potassium and calcium concentrations in varieties of Dactylis glomerata

Twelve varieties of cocksfoot, Dactylis glomerata L., were analysed for three mineral elements (Na, K, Ca) and their dry matter (DM) yields were measured in pot and field trials. Among these characteristics there were strong varietal differences in Na concentration, whereas in other cases the varietal differences were less significant. The concentrations of individual mineral elements were, in most cases, independent of yield and of one another.
Parent plants and their clonal derivatives were highly correlated in Na and Ca concentration as well as in DM yield. Tiller size or position on the parental plant had no significant effects on the mineral concentrations or DM yields of clones derived from separated tillers.
Within varieties continuous variation was observed for Na concentration and the range of variation increased with increasing mean Na concentration. When plants were grown under different experimental conditions there was a high repeatability in Na concentration within varieties over cuts and years. This result was taken as an indication of a strong genetic basis for Na concentration. The results obtained in this study show that it is possible to develop grass varieties of defined potential Na concentration.     

Concurrent avian malaria and avipox virus infection in translocated South Island saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus)

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: Outbreaks of mortality in South Island saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus) that had been translocated to two offshore islands in the Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand were investigated during the summer of 2002 and 2007. Both outbreaks were associated with a severe decrease in numbers of saddlebacks of up to 60% of approximately 200 birds.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Many of the surviving birds were in poor condition, and had skin lesions on the legs and head. Necropsy showed pale liver and lungs, and a swollen spleen. Histopathology revealed schizonts resembling Plasmodium spp. within the cytoplasm of many hepatocytes and splenic histiocytes. The skin lesions consisted of epithelial proliferations containing numerous Bollinger bodies typical of avipox virus (APV) infection. Two different APV were isolated, using PCR, from two different birds exhibiting skin lesions. Each isolate had 100% sequence homology with APV members from either Clade A or Clade B. In addition, PCR analysis revealed that the Plasmodium elongatum present in infected birdsbelonged to a strain that was endemic in the population of North Island saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus rufusater).

DIAGNOSIS: Concurrent infections with Plasmodium spp. haemoparasites and APV were identified as the likely cause of death in the birds examined.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the Plasmodium spp. identified is thought to be endemic to saddlebacks in New Zealand, the affected birds were likely to be immunocompromised by concurrent APV infection or through lack of genetic diversity. Both the introduced mosquito Culex quinquefasicatus and the native mosquito Culex pervigilans are likely vectors for both these diseases, and the provision of water supplies less favourable to mosquito-breeding is recommended.     

Preliminary Studies on Cryopreservation of Common Tench (Tinca tinca) Embryos (Work in Progress)

Vitrification could provide a promising tool for the cryopreservation of fish embryos. However, to achieve cryopreservation using vitrification, chilling sensitivity and cryoprotectants toxicity were determined using tench embryos at four developmental stages (11, 17, 23 and 29 h). Embryos treated with alcalase (2 ml/998 ml, 2 min at 22°C) were exposed to chilling with/without warming. Other embryos were exposed to methanol and glycerol at the concentration of 10% and 20% for periods of 20 min. At last, embryos were incubated at special incubator cages where hatching rates were counted. Regarding chilling sensitivity and exposure to chilling followed by warming, the hatching rates of embryos decreased significantly (p < 0.001) after exposure to 0°C at all developmental stages except the 29-h stage compared with the controls. The embryo stage most sensitive to chilling was 11-h stage. The 29-h stage exhibited the least sensitivity to low temperature while 17-h and 23-h stages were intermediate in their sensitivity to chilling. The toxicity of methanol increased significantly (p < 0.001) with developmental stage for 11, 17 and 23-h stages. The highest hatching rates of tench embryos were obtained with 29-h embryos using various concentrations of methanol. The hatching rates of tench embryos exposed to glycerol concentrations were approximately similar to those embryos exposed to methanol concentrations except for 11-h embryos that showed no hatching. Unfortunately, we could not obtain living embryos in any of the conditions examined after vitrification. In conclusion, it was quite difficult to vitrify the tench embryos during this study using various vitrifying solutions and the method reported by Chen & Tian (2005) and further studies are needed to achieve successful cryopreservation.     

Stratospheric Mean Ages and Transport Rates from Observations of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide

Measurements of stratospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations were analyzed to investigate stratospheric transport rates. Temporal variations in tropospheric CO2 were observed to propagate into the stratosphere, showing that tropospheric air enters the lower tropical stratosphere continuously, ascends, and is transported rapidly (in less than 1 month) to both hemispheres. The mean age A of stratospheric air determined from CO2 data is approximately 5 years in the mid-stratosphere. The mean age is mathematically equivalent to a conserved tracer analogous to exhaust from stratospheric aircraft. Comparison of values for A from models and observations indicates that current model simulations likely underestimate pollutant concentrations from proposed stratospheric aircraft by 25 to 100 percent.     

甘南玛曲不同年龄欧拉型藏羊放牧采食量季节动态研究

为确立高寒地区天然草地欧拉型藏羊放牧采食量的季节动态变化,本试验采用TiO₂外源指示剂法和瘤胃尼龙袋法分别测定欧拉型藏羊不同季节排粪量和牧草消化率从而计算放牧采食量。结果表明:玛曲高寒草地牧草干物质消化率(DMD)和粗蛋白(CP)含量夏季显著(P < 0.05)高于冬春季与秋季;欧拉型藏羊各年龄段排粪量3季差异显著(P < 0.05)且秋季 > 夏季 > 冬春季;随着年龄增长,欧拉型藏羊三季牧草采食量均有增大的趋势,同年龄段不同季节的藏羊采食量和代谢采食量(除4岁母羊)差异显著(P < 0.05)且秋季 > 夏季 > 冬春季;各年龄段藏羊累计牧草消耗量(AFC)差异显著(P < 0.05)分别为339.37,757.58,1185.93和1655.61 kg。由此可见,牧草干机物质消化率、排粪量和采食量夏秋季较高、冬春季较低,随着年龄增大排粪量和采食量有增高的趋势。因此,在高寒牧区应提倡草地季节性畜牧业,充分考虑牧草营养与动物营养需求之间的耦合性来提高经济和生态效益。     

犬细粒棘球绦虫粪抗原夹心ELISA检测方法的建立

为建立特异性和敏感性高的检验犬细粒棘球绦虫感染的方法。用细粒棘球绦虫(简称,Eg)成虫抗原分别免疫兔和绵羊,收集高免血清,纯化的高免抗体。依据抗体夹心ELISA工作原理,以兔抗体包被,检测感染Eg、不同犬带科绦虫的实验犬和空白犬粪样,绵羊抗体扑捉抗原,HRP标记兔抗绵羊IgG(1∶8 000)催化显色,用酶标仪测定OD 405nm吸光度,用以确定其特异性和敏感性。试验结果表明,敏感性为82.69%(43/52),特异性为85.88%(140/163);粪抗原在感染细粒棘球绦虫16d后可检出,最低抗原浓度为9.7ng/mL即犬感染5条成虫时可检测出阳性。该检测方法具有较好的特异性和灵敏性,为进一步研制检测细粒棘球绦虫虫体抗原ELISA检测试剂盒奠定了基础。     

Surgical resolution of accidental intramuscular injection of Gudair® vaccine in a mare

This case report describes the accidental intramuscular administration of 20 mL Gudair® vaccine to a 7‐year‐old Standardbred mare and successful treatment of the resulting inflammatory reaction by radical surgical resection.     

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in fleece rot-resistant and -susceptible sheep

Objective To compare haematological values and lymphocyte phenotypes in the peripheral blood of fleece rot-resistant and -susceptible sheep.
Procedure Experiments were conducted on 2- and 3-year-old Merino rams, flock 1 (17 rams) and flock 2 (32 rams), respectively. Within each flock, individual rams were classified as fleece rot-resistant or -susceptible, based on established criteria. Total and differential white cell counts, and indirect fluorescent antibody tests specific for B cells and T cells were performed on all sheep. The concentration of various subsets of circulating lymphocytes was then determined in each sheep.
Results There were no significant differences between fleece rot-resistant and -susceptible sheep from either flock in the mean total or differential white cell counts. However, fleece rot-resistant rams in flock 1 did have a significantly higher concentration of circulating SBU-T1⁺ cells than fleece rot-susceptible rams from the same flock. No such difference was noted in the rams from flock 2. While all rams in flock 1 were free of clinical fleece rot, 24 rams in flock 2 (comprising all 17 fleece rot-susceptible and 7 of 15 fleece rot-resistant animals) had clinical signs of the disease. Fleece rot-free rams in this flock (irrespective of their classification as fleece rot-resistant or -susceptible) had significantly higher concentrations of circulating SBU-T1⁺ cells compared with fleece rot-affected animals. They also had significantly higher concentrations of circulating B cells, and total lymphocytes.
Conclusions An examination of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in fleece rot-resistant and -susceptible sheep revealed a possible association between resistance to fleece rot and the concentration of circulating SBU-T1⁺ cells.