Aspiration pneumonia as a cause of neonatal death in three captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates)

Neonatal weakness of calves is one of the common reproductive-related problems in captive cetaceans; clinical signs can be observed in the first few hours after delivery. Three 3-day-old bottlenose dolphins died with history of weakness since birth. Pathological study demonstrated purulent bronchopneumonia associated with prominent bacterial colonies and foreign substances in alveoli, suggesting aspiration pneumonia as a cause of neonatal weakness and resultant death of the three calves.     

Use of an incontinent end-on colostomy in a dog with annular rectal adenocarcinoma

An 11-year-old, mixed-breed dog with dyschezia, tenesmus and haematochezia was presented. A rectal stricture caused by an adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. Following the failure of a rectal 'pull-through' procedure, which dehisced seven days later, an incontinent end-on colostomy was performed, allowing amputation of the colorectum with the anus and perineal skin. A two-piece device consisting of a flange and a drainable pouch was used for postoperative faecal evacuation and collection. Mild peristomal dermatitis was the only complication. Patient management was easily carried out by the owner at home, and the dog survived for four months with a satisfactory quality of life. Incontinent end-on colostomy may prove to be a useful treatment for canine annular colorectal tumours.     

Dose-dependent effects of isoflurane and dobutamine on cardiovascular function in dogs with experimental mitral regurgitation

Objective

To investigate the dose-dependent effects of isoflurane and dobutamine on haemodynamics in dogs with experimentally induced mitral valve insufficiency (MI).

家蚕性别决定

本文主要阐述家蚕性别决定的研究现状和前景。家蚕的性别是由Ｗ染色体决定的。人们从传统的研究中推定 :有一个雌性化基因Ｆｅｍ位于Ｗ染色体的某一特定部位上 ,但这一基因还没有被克隆出来。近来的研究发现 ,在家蚕中存在着果蝇ｄｓｘ基因的同源体基因Ｂｍｄｓｘ,并对其进行了分析。像果蝇的ｄｓｘ基因一样 ,家蚕的Ｂｍｄｓｘ基因主要通过性别特异性剪接起作用。尽管家蚕的上游性别决定基因与果蝇的上游性别决定基因大不相同 ,但它们有一个共同的下游基因ｄｓｘ (ｄｏｕｂｌｅｓｅｘ )。从Ｗ染色体到Ｂｍｄｓｘ基因的分子级联的确定 ,以及…     

Genetic characterization and susceptibility on poultry and mammal of H7N6 subtype avian influenza virus isolated in Japan in 2009

From February to March 2009, six strains of H7N6 subtype avian influenza virus were isolated from quails in three farms in Aichi prefecture in Japan. The isolates were shown to be low pathogenic for chicken by the examination performed using the "Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines" by World organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The deduced amino acid sequence at the cleavage site was PE (I/Q/L) PKRR (nucleotide sequences were cct gaa (a/c) (t/a) a cc (a/g) aaa aga aga), suggesting persistence in domestic poultry for some time. The direct putative ancestor strain could not be elucidated by phylogenetic analysis of all genome segments of the quail isolates. Diverged date from a putative common ancestor in a non-rooted phylogenetic tree among quail viruses was estimated between March 2002 and July 2004. Three putative N-linked glycosylation sites resided in the vicinity of the receptor binding pocket of HA1 region. They are considered to decrease the reactivity of neutralizing antibody against the virus. Experiments for the infectivity and pathogenicity of a quail strain to poultry indicated that the quail isolate had higher infectivity to quails than chickens and ducks. Direct and dust-borne and/or droplet-borne transmissions among quail were proven in quails with and without direct contact with experimentally infected quails. The virus is seldom transmitted among chickens either directly or indirectly, and indirect transmission from infected quails to chickens was not observed. The pathogenicity of the quail strain for mammalian, pig and mouse was low, although it could replicate in those animals.     

Reduction of deoxynivalenol contaminating corn silage by short-term ultraviolet irradiation: a pilot study

We evaluated the effects of short-term (up to 60 min) irradiation of corn silage with ultraviolet (UV) light (intensity: 1.5 mW/cm(2) at 254 nm UV-C wavelength), along with constant stirring of the silage, on the concentration of deoxynivalenol (DON), a major feed-contaminating mycotoxin, and those of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) and β-carotene (pro-vitamin A). The initial DON concentration in artificially contaminated silage was set at approximately 60 μg/g dry silage weight. After irradiation, the level of DON was decreased significantly (P<0.05) by approximately 13 μg/g (22%) on average at 30 min, and by 12 μg/g (21%) at 60 min. However, the concentrations of the vitamins remained relatively unaffected. Although further improvement is needed, short-term UV irradiation seems a promising on-farm method for reducing the level of DON in feedstuffs.     

Effects of isoprothiolane and phytosterol on lipogenesis and lipolysis in adipocytes from rats of dietary fat necrosis

To study effects of isoprothiolane and phytosterol on dietary fat necrosis, 3 groups of rats were fed hardened-tallow (HT) diet. Two groups of rats received either isoprothiolane (50 mg/kg) or phytosterol (20 mg/kg) orally once a day consecutively for 10 weeks. One group of rats received standard diet (CE-2) as a control. Fat necrotic lesions were observed in epididymal and perirenal adipose tissues from all rats in the 3 groups fed HT diet. Rats with fat necrosis were characterized by visceral type obesity and saturation in fatty acid composition of triglyceride in adipose tissue. The highest glucose conversion to total lipids was seen in adipocytes from the rats given phytosterol. There was no lipolytic response to epinephrine stimulation (1-100 microM) in adipocytes from the rats given only HT diet, while similar response of adipocytes from the 2 groups treated with either drug to those from the rats fed standard diet was observed. The levels of total saturated fatty acids of phospholipid in adipose tissue from the rats given either drug were lower than that of the rats given only HT diet. These data suggest that either drug alters fatty acid composition of phospholipid in fat cell membrane and enhances lipolysis of the cells.