Epidemiology and significance of chicken infectious anemia virus infections in broilers and broiler parents under nonvaccinated European circumstances

A serologic survey in unvaccinated broiler parent and broiler progeny flocks demonstrated seroconversion against chicken infecrious anemia virus (CIAV) in all parent flocks before or around point of lay and in 38% of the broiler flocks examined at slaughter age. The presence of CIAV antibodies at slaughter of broilers was positively correlated with slaughterhouse condemnation rates. Results indicate that CIAV infections are highly prevalent in both broiler parent and broiler flocks and that CIAV infections in broilers are associated with increased slaughterhouse condemnation.     

Evaluation of an electronic device used as a quick screening method to detect changes in the red cell content of the blood in horses participating in endurance trail rides

Dehydration, to varying degrees, will inevitably occur in horses participating in endurance trail rides. This water loss is directly related to the amount of body water lost through evaporative cooling, that in turn being related to the amount and rate of work performed, and to the environmental temperature and humidity.An electronic apparatus that can substitute for the conventional and time-consuming venous haematocrit was developed to measure the animals' hydration status. The mechanism of this electrometer is based upon the relationship between the red cell content and the electrical conductivity of the blood. The electrometer reading gave a significant correlation (p<0.001) with the venous haematocrit, thus indicating that the electrometer is a reliable apparatus for determining the animals' hydration status within seconds of venepuncture.     

Fine mapping of a calving QTL on Bos taurus autosome 18 in Holstein cattle

Decreased calving performance not only directly impacts the economic efficiency of dairy cattle farming but also influences public concern for animal welfare. Previous studies have revealed a QTL on Bos taurus autosome (BTA) 18 that has a large effect on calving traits in Holstein cattle. In this study, fine mapping of this QTL was performed using imputed high‐density SNP chip (HD) genotypes followed by imputed next‐generation sequencing (NGS) variants. BTA18 was scanned for seven direct calving traits in 6113 bulls with imputed HD genotypes. SNP rs136283363 (BTA18: 57 548 213) was consistently the most significantly associated SNP across all seven traits [e.g. p‐value = 2.04 × 10^?59 for birth index (BI)]. To finely map the QTL region and to explore pleiotropic effects, we studied NGS variants within the targeted region (BTA18: 57 321 450–57 625 355) for associations with direct calving traits and with three conformation traits. Significant variants were prioritized, and their biological relevance to the traits was interpreted. Considering their functional relationships with direct calving traits, SIGLEC12, CD33 and CEACAM18 were proposed as candidate genes. In addition, pleiotropic effects of this QTL region on direct calving traits and conformation traits were observed. However, the extent of linkage disequilibrium combined with the lack of complete annotation and potential errors in the Bos taurus genome assembly hampered our efforts to pinpoint the causal mutation.     

Influenza surveillance in birds in Italian wetlands (1992-1998): is there a host restricted circulation of influenza viruses in sympatric ducks and coots?

We report the results of a 6-year serological and virological monitoring performed in ducks and coots in Italy, in order to assess the degree of influenza A virus circulation in these birds during wintering. A total of 1039 sera collected from 1992 to 1998 was screened by a double antibody sandwich blocking ELISA (NP-ELISA): seroprevalence of antibodies to influenza A viruses was significantly higher in ducks compared to coots (52.2% vs. 7.1%, respectively). The hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assay, performed on NP-ELISA positive sera, showed that 16.9% of these duck sera and 33.3% of these coot sera had antibodies to at least one influenza virus HA subtype: ducks showed HI antibodies against most of the HA subtypes, except for the H3, H4, H7, and H12; coots were seropositive to the H3 and H10 subtypes, only. From 1993 to 1998, 22 virus strains were obtained from 802 cloacal swabs, with an overall virus isolation frequency of 2.7%. Viruses belonging to the H1N1 subtype were by far the most commonly circulating strains (18/22) and were isolated mainly from ducks (17/18). The remaining viruses were representative of the H10N8, H5N2 and H3N8 subtypes. Our data indicate some differences between influenza A virus circulation in sympatric ducks and coots and a significant antigenic diversity between some reference strains and viruses recently isolated in Italy.     

戴瑞奶绵羊产奶性状的全基因组关联分析

旨在通过对奶绵羊产奶性状的全基因组关联分析（GWAS）,寻找和定位与奶绵羊产奶性状相关的遗传标记和功能基因。本研究以135只戴瑞奶绵羊为试验材料,基于全基因组重测序技术,通过SAMTOOLS进行单核苷酸多态性（SNP）检测,使用PLINK v1.90进行质控,利用GEMMA v 0.98.1的混合线性模型对质控结果进行奶绵羊产奶性状相关的全基因组关联分析。结果表明,有1个SNP与泌乳后90天日均产奶量在全基因组范围内显著相关,8个SNPs达到潜在显著关联,相关的候选基因包括TRNAQ-CUG-2、LOC114117240、ACADL、MYL1、CHD6、SLCO3A1;有2个SNPs与150天日均产奶量达潜在显著关联,相关的候选基因包括PRMT6、RNF180;有2个SNPs与泌乳周期达潜在显著关联,相关的候选基因包括PRMT6、TRNAW-CCA-68、TRNAS-GGA-61。进一步基因功能分析推测,ACADL、SLCO3A1可能是影响奶绵羊产奶性状的候选基因。本研究为奶绵羊产奶性状的分子机制解析提供了一定的基础,为我国奶绵羊新品种培育提供了一定的理论参考。     

Specific detection of Histomonas meleagridis in turkeys by a PCR assay with an internal amplification control

Histomoniasis or blackhead is a disease of gallinaceous birds, caused by the protozoon Histomonas meleagridis. Since traditional diagnostics for the detection of this disease are complex and far less sensitive than molecular tools, a PCR would provide a more rapid and sensitive alternative. However, intestinal material and droppings, which are preferably used in epidemiological studies of histomoniasis, often contain PCR inhibitory substances. To detect these false negative results, the use of an internal amplification control is essential. Nevertheless, the recently developed PCR tests lack this internal control. Therefore, a new PCR assay with H. meleagridis specific primers was developed which does include an internal amplification control. The diagnostic value of the PCR assay was evaluated in comparison to three other conventional H. meleagridis specific PCR tests (HIS5, HM1 and HM2). None of the organ samples originating from uninfected turkeys, showed positive PCR results in any of the tests. Among the lesion-positive, inhibition-free samples, 95.4% were positive by our PCR assay, while only 50, 66.7 and 83.3% of the lesion-positive organs tested positive by the HM1, the HIS5 and the HM2 PCR respectively. In conclusion, our PCR offers the use of the internal control to detect false negative results and an increased sensitivity, and thus should be useful for routine diagnosis of H. meleagridis in poultry.     

Antiapoptotic activity of bovine herpesvirus type-1 (BHV-1) UL14 protein

Viruses have evolved different strategies to interfere with apoptotic pathways in order to halt cellular responses to infection. One previous study showed that transient transfection of bovine herpesvirus type-1 (BHV-1) UL14 protein is efficient in protecting Madin Darby kidney (MDBK) and human chronic myelogenous leukemia (K562) cells from sorbitol-induced apoptosis. This protein corresponds to a putative protein of BHV-1, which shares aminoacid sequence with a part of the peptide-binding domain conserved in human heat shock protein (HSP70) family. The pBK-CMV-UL14 plasmid transfected MDBK cells treated with sorbitol did not show caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation with respect to non-transfected MDBK cells (UL14 negative). Furthermore, we report that the expression of the full length sequence of BHV-1 UL14 is evident after 7 h of infection of BHV-1 on MDBK cells which were then treated with sorbitol. These results indicate that UL14 gene product has important implications to enhance cell survival in response to apoptotic stimuli.     

全基因组SNP分型技术在畜禽遗传育种研究中的应用

随着畜禽资源分子鉴定、物种进化、全基因组育种等热点领域的逐渐兴起,准确的全基因组SNP分型成为了畜禽基因组研究的关键。基因芯片、重测序、简化基因组测序及靶向捕获测序等全基因组SNP分型技术已广泛应用于畜禽基因组研究中。本文概述了全基因组SNP分型技术的原理及其在全基因组关联分析、选择信号分析和畜禽遗传资源背景分析等方面的应用,以期为畜禽基因组研究和育种应用提供借鉴和参考。     

添食氟化物后雌雄家蚕中肠和头部氟离子的吸收累积规律

为了探讨氟离子在雌雄家蚕中肠和头部的吸收累积情况,以家蚕耐氟品种T6和氟化物敏感品种734为研究材料,按照常规方法饲养到5龄起蚕时,对2品种家蚕进行雌雄鉴别,并将其分区饲养.添氟组喂食经200mg/kg NaF溶液浸泡后的桑叶,另设清水对照组,检测不同性别家蚕中肠和头部氟离子浓度的积累情况.结果表明,在中肠中,对照组734和T6雄蚕氟离子浓度分别高雌蚕1.20倍和1.03倍,添氟组734和T6雄蚕均是雌蚕的1.05倍.734雄蚕添氟组是对照组的1.67倍,而雌蚕添氟组是对照组的1.58倍.T6雄蚕添氟组是对照组的1.22倍,而雌蚕添氟组是对照组的1.20倍.在头部,对照组734和T6雄蚕分别是雌蚕1.39倍和1.08倍,添氟组734和T6雄蚕分别约是雌蚕的1.10倍和1.03.734雄蚕添氟组是对照组的1.10倍,而雌蚕添氟组是对照组的1.39倍.T6雄蚕添氟组是对照组的1.10倍,而雌蚕添氟组是对照组的1.03倍.两种组织中,均表现出雄蚕中的氟离子浓度高于雌蚕的.