Morphological Examination of the Corpora Lutea from Pregnant Bitches Treated with Different Abortifacient Regimes

Different abortifacient regimes in dogs were analysed for their effect on the pregnancy corpora lutea (CL), namely, prostaglandin F2a analogue cloprostenol (CLO) combined with dopamine agonist cabergoline (CAB), or progesterone (P4) receptor antagonist aglepristone (AGL). Ovaries were collected after 6-10 days of treatment during first trimester. The CL of the control-group showed strong expression of relaxin (RLX), its receptor RXFP1 and enzymes of steroid biosynthesis (HSD) with high peripheral P4-levels. Whereas RXL, RXFP1 and HSD were lowest expressed in the CLO/CAB-group with a massive degeneration of CL and their blood vessels combined with low peripheral P4-level. The AGL-group showed less extensive CL degeneration and more intensive staining of the examined factors than CLO/CAB. In summary, all examined factors are associated with normal luteal function and are useful tools to stage luteolysis. Although both treatments have the same abortive action, their sequence of events on the CL is different.     

海南西番莲茎腐病病原的分离与鉴定

为解决若干病原菌引起的西番莲茎基腐病症状类似,难从症状方面辨别病原菌的问题,采用经典方法即常规鉴定法,对引起海南省琼海市西番莲基腐的病原菌进行鉴定。配制选择性PDA、PDA、V-8、选择性V-84种培养基,对样本中的病原物进行分离、纯化,根据分离菌的各项形态特征描述和分离菌株的主要生长温度测定结果,以及有关文献提供的原理方法进行该分离菌鉴定。结果表明:①分离到1种疫霉菌菌株;②该菌株在选择性PDA、PDA、选择性V-8培养基生长的诸方面特征一样。菌落圆形均一,气生菌丝不丰富。孢子囊形态为侧梨形、柠檬形或椭圆形,基部钝圆,长×宽为24.5～44.3μm×22.8～34.5μm,冷冻后释放游动孢子,未见厚垣孢子。③菌株最低生长温度8～10℃,最适生长温度28℃,最高生长温度36～40℃。④28℃下,分离菌在V-8上日生长量为16.2mm,而在PDA上则为13.7mm。⑤该病原物疫霉菌属于[Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan(parasitica Dastur)]。     

Effects of Short-term Hyper- and Hypoprolactinaemia on Hormones of the Pituitary, Gonad and -Thyroid Axis and on Semen Quality in Male Beagles

Effects of a short-term hyper- and hypoprolactinaemia on serum concentrations of LH, testosterone and semen quality in six male Beagles were investigated. Blood samples were collected at 3-day intervals for 12 weeks. The time span was divided into five 3-week periods: pre-treatment, metoclopramide (MCP) treatment (0.2 mg/kg orally three times daily), cabergoline (CAB) treatment (5 μg/kg orally once daily), post-treatment 1 and post-treatment 2. In the latter, only semen characteristics were evaluated. Semen parameters were analyzed once per week during the whole 15-week investigation time. At the end of each period, the effects of a single intravenous injection of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; 10 μg/kg) on the secretion of prolactin (PRL), LH, testosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroxine (T4) were investigated. Pre-treatment serum PRL concentration increased under MCP (p < 0.05), followed by a decrease under CAB administration (p < 0.05). Luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations were not affected. Except for straight-line sperm velocity, semen quality did not differ between collection periods. A single iv TRH injection induced a significant PRL increase at 20 min in all experimental periods except during CAB treatment. Luteinizing hormone and testosterone did not show clear TRH-related changes. Basic T4 levels were significantly reduced after CAB treatment (p < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate that MCP-induced short-term hyperprolactinaemia in male beagles does not seriously affect the hypothalamo-pituitary axis and semen quality.     

欧洲玉米螟赤眼蜂大面积防治甘蔗螟虫效果

欧洲玉米螟赤眼蜂1983年引自美国,经多年观察研究,该蜂具有易繁殖、耐高温、雌性比高等优点。自1986年3月中旬至6月底,在广东省番禺县800亩蔗田放蜂9批,累计每亩放蜂量5.5万头,其寄生效果显著高于本地优势种拟澳洲赤眼蜂。     

THE EFFECT OF SEQUENCE SELECTION AND FIELD STRENGTH ON DETECTION OF OSTEOCHONDRAL DEFECTS IN THE METACARPOPHALANGEAL JOINT

Six cadaver forelimbs were imaged in two high‐field magnetic resonance (MR) systems and one low‐field MR system following the creation of osteochondral defects on the palmar distal aspect of the third metacarpal bone. The following sequences were performed using all three systems: proton density (PD) turbo spin echo, T2^* gradient echo (GRE), T2‐weighted fast spin echo, and short tau inversion recovery. In addition, 3D T1 GRE sagittal standard and motion insensitive sequences were obtained using the low‐field system. PD fat saturated and 3D T1‐weighted spoiled GRE images with and without fat suppression were acquired with the high‐field systems. Lesions were measured and assigned a confidence score. The images obtained using high‐field systems (1.0 and 1.5 T) more accurately represented the osteochondral defects when compared with low‐field system (0.27 T) images. The largest difference was observed when evaluating articular cartilage defects, which were not identified on the low‐field images. Sequence selection affected the appearance of the lesions. On all systems the turbo and fast spin echo sequences more accurately represented the lesion size and shape when compared with the GRE sequences. The T1 GRE sequence is the only sequence that appears to allow visualization of the articular cartilage on the low‐field images, but is limited in providing adequate cartilage visualization. Confidence scores were greater on the high‐field systems when compared with the low‐field system.     

Enhancement of viability of a probiotic Lactobacillus strain for poultry during freeze‐drying and storage using the response surface methodology

A rotatable central composite design (CCD) was used to study the effect of cryoprotectants (skim milk, sucrose and lactose) on the survival rate of a probiotic Lactobacillus strain, L. reuteri C10, for poultry, during freeze‐drying and storage. Using response surface methodology, a quadratic polynomial equation was obtained for response value by multiple regression analyses: Y = 8.59546 ? 0.01038 X₁ ? 0.09382 X₂ ? 0.07771 X₃ ? 0.054861 X₁² ? 0.04603X₃² ? 0.10938 X₁X₂. Based on the model predicted, sucrose exerted the strongest effect on the survival rate. At various combinations of cryoprotectants, the viability loss of the cells after freeze‐drying was reduced from 1.65 log colony forming units (CFU)/mL to 0.26–0.66 log CFU/mL. The estimated optimum combination for enhancing the survival rate of L. reuteri C10 was 19.5% skim milk, 1% sucrose and 9% lactose. Verification experiments confirmed the validity of the predicted model. The storage life of freeze‐dried L. reuteri C10 was markedly improved when cryoprotectants were used. At optimum combination of the cryoprotectants, the survival rates of freeze‐dried L. reuteri C10 stored at 4°C and 30°C for 6 months were 96.4% and 73.8%, respectively. Total viability loss of cells which were not protected by cryoprotectants occurred after 12 and 8 weeks of storage at 4°C and 30°C, respectively.     

Evaluation of the influences of exercise, birth date, and osteochondrosis on plasma bone marker concentrations in Hanoverian Warmblood foals

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether plasma concentrations of bone turnover markers in growing Hanoverian foals are influenced by age, housing conditions, or osteochondrosis. ANIMALS: 165 healthy foals and 119 foals with osteochondrosis. PROCEDURES: Foals were allocated according to birth date and housing management into groups of early-born (born before March 31, 2001; n = 154 foals, 88 of which were healthy and 66 of which had osteochondrosis) and late-born (born after March 31, 2001; 130 foals, 77 of which were healthy and 53 of which had osteochondrosis) foals. Plasma osteocalcin and carboxyterminal propeptide of type I collagen concentrations were analyzed as markers of bone formation, and carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen concentration was analyzed as a marker of bone resorption. Foals underwent radiographic evaluation to screen for osteochondrosis. RESULTS: Plasma concentrations of osteocalcin, carboxyterminal propeptide of type I collagen, and carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen decreased with age, but these changes were more distinct in late-born foals than in early-born foals. Neither sex nor predisposition to develop osteochondrosis affected the pattern of bone marker changes in either group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: An age-related decrease in concentrations of bone markers was seen during the first 200 days of life. Changes in bone marker concentrations were similar for foals with osteochondrosis and healthy foals. The correlation between the decrease in bone marker concentration and date of birth indicates that there are differences in skeletal development between early- and late-born foals.