Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Anatomy of the Normal Orbit and Eye of the Horse

Traumatic and infectious diseases of the eye and orbit can occur in horses. For diagnosis and monitoring of such diseases, medical imaging is useful including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of the current study was to describe CT and MRI anatomy of the equine orbit and ocular globe. The heads from four adult horses were scanned with a 6‐slice Emotion 6 CT (Siemens, Erlangen), and a 3.0 Tesla Siemens Verio 6 MRI using T1 and T2‐weighted sequences. To validate CT and MR reference images, these were compared with anatomical models and gross anatomical sections. The bony limits of the orbital cavity, the relationship of the orbit with sinuses and foramina of the skull were well identified by CT. MRI was useful to observe soft tissues and was able to identify adnexae of the ocular globe (eyelids, periorbital fat, extraocular muscles, lacrymal and tarsal glands). Although MRI was able to identify all components of the eye (including the posterior chamber), it could not differentiate sclera from choroid and retina. The only nerve identified was the optic nerve. Vessels were not seen in this series of cadaver heads. This study showed that CT and MRI are useful techniques to image the equine orbit and eye that can have clinical applications.     

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from horses: Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to the continued successful use of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of bacterial infections. While the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from man has been studied extensively, less work has been undertaken in companion animals, particularly horses. Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been identified as a cause of infections, with a low prevalence of nasal carriage by horses in the community but higher for hospitalised horses. Molecular characterisation has shown methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains either to be predominantly of types associated with horses or of sequence type ST398. Antimicrobial‐resistant Escherichia coli (including multidrug‐resistant and extended spectrum β‐lactamase‐producing isolates) have caused infections and been documented in faecal carriage by horses, with many significant resistance mechanisms identified. More sporadic reports and molecular characterisation exist for resistance in other bacteria such as enterococci, Salmonella, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas species. Limited work has been undertaken evaluating risk factors and much of the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from horses remains to be determined.     

日粮中添加不同锰、锌源对肉鸡生长性能及免疫机能的影响

将216只1日龄健康艾维茵肉鸡随机分为4个处理组,试验期7周。处理组日粮分别在锰含量为37.66mg/kg、锌含量为21.87mg/kg的基础日粮中添加不同的锰源与不同的锌源,其中处理1组为无机锰 无机锌,处理2组为有机锰 无机锌,处理3组为无机锰 有机锰 无机锌,处理4组为无机锰 有机锰 无机锌 有机锌,研究不同锰、锌源对肉鸡生长性能及免疫机能的影响。结果表明,氨基酸螯合锰部分或全部替代日粮中的无机锰,肉鸡生长速度及饲料转化效率有增加的趋势,氨基酸螯合锰、锌同时替代无机锰、锌,肉鸡的生长速度显著增加(p<0.05),饲料转化率也有增加的趋势。氨基酸螯合锰、锌与无机锰、锌相比,有促进机体免疫机能的趋势。     

Dissipation of bacterially derived C and N through the meso- and macrofauna of a grassland soil

Feeding relationships between organisms may be determined by observations of behaviour in manipulative experiments or, as in more recent times, by the use of stable isotope labelling to trace the passage of ¹³C and ¹⁵N through food webs. Here we introduce living bacteria, labelled with both ¹³C and ¹⁵N into intact soil cores to understand further the movement of bacterially sourced C and N into the meso- and macrofauna of a grassland soil. We found that these groups showed a range of isotope levels which relate to their feeding strategies. Some had no label (e.g. dipterous larvae), whilst others were highly labelled which may indicate a preference for the added bacteria. This latter group included Collembola, generally perceived as being predominantly fungal feeders. This work describes a novel technique which has the potential to provide critical information about the dissipation of bacterially derived C and N through the soil food web.     

Ultrasound Guided Transplantation of Enriched and Cryopreserved Spermatogonial Cell Suspension in Goats

Spermatogonial stem cells transplantation provides a unique approach for studying spermatogenesis. Initially developed in mice, this technique has now been extended in farm animals and provides an alternative means to preserve valuable male germ line and to produce transgenic animals. The aim of this study was to enrich type A spermatogonial cells amongst the isolated cells from goat testis, to cryopreserve these enriched populations of cells and their subsequent transplantation in unrelated recipient goats under ultrasound guidance. The cells were isolated enzymatically and enriched by differential plating and separation on discontinuous percoll gradient. Ultrasound guided injection of trypan blue dye into rete testis resulted in 20–30% filling of the seminiferous tubules. Prior to transplantation, the cells were labelled with a fluorescent dye to trace donor cells in recipient seminiferous tubules after transplantation. The fluorescent‐labelled cells were observed up to 12 weeks after transplantation.     

皮、裸燕麦种质资源的性状表现和遗传差异分析

研究利用4份皮燕麦和5份裸燕麦为材料,对9份燕麦材料的产量性状和抗性进行了分析,结果表明:皮燕麦的产量低于裸燕麦的产量,而抗性表现是皮燕麦的抗性比裸燕麦的抗性强,特别是抗倒伏能力尤为突出。同时,采用RAPD分子标记技术,从DNA水平对9份燕麦种质的遗传差异性进行了研究。结果显示:从50条RAPD引物中筛选出6条多态性较强的引物,共扩增出DNA片段68条,其中具多态性带33条,多态率为48.5%,每引物平均多态位点5.5个。裸燕麦与皮燕麦的遗传距离较大,为0.087～0.496,而皮燕麦与皮燕麦以及裸燕麦与裸燕麦之间的遗传距离较小,分别为0.023～0.117和0.040～0.298。采用非加权类平均法(UPGAM)进行了聚类分析,当遗传距离为0.26时,将供试材料划分为3个类群,并与实际结果一致。