Neuronal vacuolation, myelopathy and laryngeal neuropathy in a mixed-breed dog

A bilateral and symmetrical neuronal vacuolation associated with spinal cord white matter degeneration and laryngeal neuropathy was observed in a 12-week-old male mixed-breed dog with a history of progressive pelvic limbs ataxia. On clinical examination, signs included inspiratory stridor, spinal ataxia, tetraparesis, and proprioceptive deficits more severe in the pelvic limbs. Examination of the larynx showed bilateral laryngeal paralysis and electromyography revealed fibrillation potentials restricted to the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Clinical and pathological findings resembled the syndrome of neuronal vacuolation and spinocerebellar degeneration described in Rottweiler dogs. This is the first report of a similar disorder in a dog different from Rottweiler.     

A comparison of two combinations of xylazine-ketamine administered intramuscularly to alpacas and of reversal with tolazoline

ObjectiveTo evaluate the anesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of two doses of intramuscular (IM) xylazine/ketamine in alpacas, and to determine if tolazoline would reduce the anesthetic recovery time.Study designProspective randomized crossover study.AnimalsSix castrated male alpacas.MethodsEach alpaca received a low dose (LD) (0.8 mg kg⁻¹ xylazine and 8 mg kg⁻¹ ketamine IM) and high dose (HD) (1.2 mg kg⁻¹ xylazine and 12 mg kg⁻¹ ketamine IM) with a minimum of one week between trials. Time to sedation, duration of lateral recumbency and analgesia, pulse rate, respiratory rate, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, arterial blood pressure, blood-gases, and the electrocardiogram were monitored and recorded during anesthesia. With each treatment three alpacas were randomly selected to receive tolazoline (2 mg kg⁻¹ IM) after 30 minutes of lateral recumbency.ResultsOnset of sedation, lateral recumbency and analgesia was rapid with both treatments. The HD was able to provide ≥30 minutes of anesthesia in five of six alpacas. The LD provided ≥30 minutes of anesthesia in three of six alpacas. Respiratory depression and hypoxemia occurred with the HD treatment during the first 10 minutes of lateral recumbency: two animals were severely hypoxemic and received nasal oxygen for 5 minutes. Heart rate decreased, but there were no significant changes in arterial blood pressure. Tolazoline significantly shortened the duration of recumbency with the HD.ConclusionsThe HD provided more consistent clinical effects in alpacas than the LD. Intramuscular tolazoline shortened the duration of lateral recumbency in alpacas anesthetized with the HD combination.Clinical relevanceBoth doses of the combination were effective in providing restraint in alpacas and the duration of restraint was dose dependent. Supplemental oxygen should be available if using the HD and IM administration of tolazoline will shorten the recovery time.     

Use of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and dietary calcium to improve tenderness of beef from the round of beef cows

The objective of this trial was to determine how 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25-OH D(3)) supplementation, altering supplemental dietary calcium, or their combination influence postmortem biochemical and tenderness changes in muscles from the round of mature cows. Twenty-seven Angus cows (3 to 7 yr old) were allotted randomly to 9 pens with 3 cows per pen. Treatments were arranged in a 3 x 3 factorial design with 3 dosages of 25-OH D(3) (0, 250, or 500 mg of 25-OH D(3) administered as a 1-time oral bolus 7 d before slaughter) and 3 percentages of supplemental limestone (0.5, 0.75, and 1.0%) replenished in the diet for 3 d before slaughter and after a 2-wk limestone withdrawal. Plasma samples were obtained during the feeding period. Upon slaughter, adductor, gracilus, pectineus, sartorius, semimembranosus, vastus intermedius, and vastus lateralis muscles were obtained and aged for 1, 3, or 7 d. Calcium concentrations were increased in plasma when 250 or 500 mg of 25-OH D(3) were administered (P 相似文献   

The Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment: Accurate ranges have given a large improvement in the lunar orbit and new selenophysical information

The lunar ranging measurements now being made at the McDonald Observatory have an accuracy of 1 nsec in round-trip travel time. This corresponds to 15 cm in the one-way distance. The use of lasers with pulse-lengths of less than 1 nsec is expected to give an accuracy of 2 to 3 cm in the next few years. A new station is under construction in Hawaii, and additional stations in other countries are either in operation or under development. It is hoped that these stations will form the basis for a worldwide network to determine polar motion and earth rotation on a regular basis, and will assist in providing information about movement of the tectonic plates making up the earth's surface. Several mobile lunar ranging stations with telescopes having diameters of 1.0 m or less could, in the future, greatly extend the information obtainable about motions within and between the tectonic plates. The data obtained so far by the McDonald Observatory have been used to generate a new lunar ephemeris based on direct numerical integration of the equations of motion for the moon and planets. With this ephemeris, the range to the three Apollo retro-reflectors can be fit to an accuracy of 5 m by adjusting the differences in moments of inertia of the moon about its principal axes, the selenocentric coordinates of the reflectors, and the McDonald longitude. The accuracy of fitting the results is limited currently by errors of the order of an arc second in the angular orientation of the moon, as derived from the best available theory of how the moon rotates in response to the torques acting on it. Both a new calculation of the moon's orientation as a function of time based on direct numerical integration of the torque equations and a new analytic theory of the moon's orientation are expected to be available soon, and to improve considerably the accuracy of fitting the data. The accuracy already achieved routinely in lunar laser ranging represents a hundredfold improvement over any previously available knowledge of the distance to points on the lunar surface. Already, extremely complex structure has been observed in the lunar rotation and significant improvement has been achieved in our knowledge of lunar orbit. The selenocentric coordinates of the retroreflectors give improved reference points for use in lunar mapping, and new information on the lunar mass distribution has been obtained. Beyond the applications discussed in this article, however, the history of science shows many cases of previously unknown, phenomena discovered as a consequence of major improvements in the accuracy of measurements. It will be interesting to see whether this once again proves the case as we acquire an extended series of lunar distance observations with decimetric and then centimetric accuracy.     

A role for interaction of the RNA polymerase flap domain with the sigma subunit in promoter recognition

In bacteria, promoter recognition depends on the RNA polymerase sigma subunit, which combines with the catalytically proficient RNA polymerase core to form the holoenzyme. The major class of bacterial promoters is defined by two conserved elements (the -10 and -35 elements, which are 10 and 35 nucleotides upstream of the initiation point, respectively) that are contacted by sigma in the holoenzyme. We show that recognition of promoters of this class depends on the "flexible flap" domain of the RNA polymerase beta subunit. The flap interacts with conserved region 4 of sigma and triggers a conformational change that moves region 4 into the correct position for interaction with the -35 element. Because the flexible flap is evolutionarily conserved, this domain may facilitate promoter recognition by specificity factors in eukaryotes as well.     

极端暴雨条件下黄土高原水平梯田损毁情况调查分析——以岔巴沟流域“7·26”特大暴雨为例

2017年7月25日20时至26日8时,陕西榆林市11个县区遭遇特大暴雨侵袭,我们于当年10月对位于暴雨中心的岔巴沟流域的梯田损毁情况进行了专项调查。首先通过室内Google Earth近实时影像结合GIS绘图在流域内确定梯田位置和数量,根据修建时间、利用和植被类型将这些梯田分类。在流域内空间分布均匀地选择不同类型典型梯田并进行野外实地测量,统计各类型梯田的损毁情况、损毁形式并估算各类型梯田的土壤侵蚀模数及其流域平均侵蚀模数。结果表明:岔巴沟流域梯田以≤ 4 hm²规模为主,梯田数量上占91.4%,面积上占了50.7%。暴雨造成梯田的损毁形式以田埂表层结皮脱落、田埂滑塌崩塌、田埂冲毁、田面陷穴穿洞为主,有人为干扰时会产生更加剧烈的后果。暴雨造成的梯田损毁侵蚀坑大部分为深度0~0.5 m的侵蚀。老梯田农地、老梯田乔木和老梯田草地侵蚀坑发生频率远远多于新机修梯田,保持在20~36处/100 m。新机修梯田的侵蚀测坑发生频次少,为5处/100 m,但深度可达4.8 m,后果严重。不同类型梯田损毁产生侵蚀模数差异较大,老梯田农地、老梯田草地和老梯田乔木的侵蚀模数为34 000~37 000 t/km²,新机修梯田为19 404.3 t/km²,老梯田灌木侵蚀模数最低,为5 958.4 t/km²。流域内梯田平均侵蚀模数为30 733.4 t/km²。通过本次调查,掌握不同类型梯田在极端暴雨条件下的损毁情况,为黄土高原梯田保护及修复提供数据支持。     

重庆市农业知识产权保护现状、问题及对策

目前,重庆市农业知识产权保护领域存在专利申请数量和授权总量偏少、科研成果评价体系与实际相悖、农业知识产权保护力度不够、专利工作对全市农业发展的支撑作用还不强等问题。建议采取加大农业知识产权的宣传和培训力度、依法打击农业知识产权违法行为、借助农业知识产权保护推进农村经济社会发展、加强农业知识产权中介服务机构建设和人才队伍建设、改革科研成果评价和奖励机制、推动农业知识产权申请向市场化迈进等一系列应对策略。     

Effect of cortisol on luteinizing hormone release during sexual behavior in the boar.

The effect of inhibiting the rise in cortisol concentrations that occurs at copulation upon luteinizing hormone release was studied in seven adult boars. Plasma samples were collected for assay of luteinizing hormone, testosterone and cortisol on a control day and before, during and after exposure to an estrous sow. The area under the curve was used to evaluate hormone production and treatment effects were evaluated by a paired Student's t-test. The 11 beta-hydroxylase inhibitor, metyrapone, was used to suppress glucocorticoid hormone production. Cortisol concentrations increased significantly (p less than 0.05) after breeding compared to values on the control day while treatment with metyrapone prior to breeding prevented the cortisol increase (p greater than 0.05). Although luteinizing hormone production increased significantly after copulation in both breeding experiments, metyrapone pretreatment resulted in a reduction of luteinizing hormone secretion (p less than 0.05). Testosterone production was also reduced in boars pretreated with metyrapone. The results suggest that the increased levels of cortisol occurring at copulation may enhance luteinizing hormone release in boars.