First Description of Scrotal Testicles in a Dog Affected by 78, XX Testicular Disorder of Sex Development

An eight‐month‐old female dog presented with ambiguous external genitalia. A thorough clinical examination together with various imaging techniques and a histology examination showed the presence of two testicles linked to both the Mullerian and Wolffian ducts. The discovery of the 78,XX SRY‐negative karyotype led to the diagnosis of incoherence between the chromosomal and gonadal sex, which is typical for a 78,XX testicular disorder of sex development. Our case was unique because the testicles were still located in their normal scrotal position, whereas the literature contains reports of the presence of cryptorchid testicles in this karyotype setting. To our knowledge, this is the first case that describes an SRY‐negative 78,XX testicular disorder of sex development with bilateral scrotal testicles.     

Contours and contrast: responses of monkey lateral geniculate nucleus cells to luminance and color figures

The responses of single units in the monkey lateral geniculate nucleus to different portions of figures which differed from their backgrounds in color and brightness were examined. Border enhancement was found in the response to luminance figures but not in the response to color figures. In addition, cells showed border enhancement only in the case of a figure which produced an increment (as opposed to a decrement) in their firing rates. In situations in which very striking brightness contrast is seen perceptually, the cells do not show the corresponding changes in firing rate across the whole pattern. The lateral inhibitory mechanisms found in the retina and geniculate can thus account for luminance border enhancement, but not entirely for simultaneous brightness or color contrast, for which other cortical processes of some sort must be responsible.     

配合饲料和饲料添加剂

前言目前畜牧生产的高效率是以下几方面因素综合作用的结果:1.畜牧生产者能迅速地接受新的饲养管理技术;2.遗传、营养和饲养管理方面的研究取得了非常有价值的成果,能够以尽可能低的成本生产优质的畜产品;3.政府鼓励科研的发展,为畜牧工作提出合理建议并制订必要的法规。在科学计算的基础上,应用配合饲料,特别是全价饲料(粉料或顺粒料)喂猪和禽能够迅速有效地将营养研究成果和革新技术应用到实际中去。全价饲料可以节省劳力,提高饲料     

Expression of Interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐1 Receptors Genes in the Hypothalamus of Anoestrous Ewes after Lipopolysaccharide Treatment

This study was designed to determine the effect of intravenous lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration on the secretion of interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐1 receptors (IL‐1Rs) gene expression in the hypothalamus of anoestrous ewes. Gene expression of IL‐1β and its receptors was assayed by the real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of IL‐1β in the hypothalamus was detected using Western blot. Our results showed that IL‐1β mRNA is transcribed in the ovine hypothalamus. Lipopolysaccharide increased (p ≤ 0.01) the IL‐1β gene expression in the pre‐optic area 2.4‐fold, the anterior hypothalamus (AHA) 3.4‐fold, the medial basal hypothalamus 3.7‐fold and the medial eminence 3.9‐fold. The pro‐form and mature form of IL‐1β protein were found in the hypothalamus after endotoxin injection. In general, the endotoxin also increased more than two times (p ≤ 0.01) the expression of IL‐1 receptor type I (IL‐1R1) and type II (IL‐1R2) genes in the hypothalamus, except the AHA, where the number of IL‐1R2 mRNA was extremely low and not sufficient to the quantitative analysis. These results demonstrate that the peripheral immune/inflammatory challenge increases the IL‐1β expression in the hypothalamus. This endogenous IL‐1β seems to be involved in the modulation of processes which are regulated at the hypothalamic level. One of these processes could be a reproduction.