A Combination Chemotherapy Protocol (VELCAP-L) for Dogs with Lymphoma

Ninety-eight dogs with lymphoma treated with a 5-drug combination chemotherapy regimen (vincristine, L-asparaginase. cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone [VELCAP-L]) were evaluated for pretreatment characteristics predictive for response and remission duration. The complete remission rate was 69%, with a median remission duration of 55 weeks. Dogs with advanced stage of disease, constitutional signs, dogs that were older, and dogs that were dyspneic were less likely to achieve remission. Once in remission, small dogs and dogs without pretreatment thrombocytopenia were likely to have longer remission duration. Toxicoses were frequent, but rarely fatal, and no predictitive factors were found for a dog developing toxicoses. VELCAP-L is an effective treatment for dogs in stage I-III lymphoma, particularly in young, small animals.     

五节芒的分化类型及生产性状的比较研究

通过长期的引种栽培,发现五节芒分化出宽叶和窄叶类型。经对形态特征、生产性状的比较研究,证明两个类型差异显著,性状稳定。还证明,宽叶类型的生产性状明显优于窄叶类型。     

美国乙醇市场和玉米消费

3月3日,美国乙醇工业协会(EIA)公布了12月美国乙醇产量报告,另外,近期报道称甲基叔丁基醚(MTBE)将停止使用,在此对乙醇产业市场和玉米消费以及今年剩余时间里可能会影响该产业的因素进行略为详尽的研究。图1显示出美国乙醇产业持续强劲增长的状况。3月3日EIA公布的2005年12月报告显示:美国每天乙醇产量为28万桶,再次创下月度高点。2005年美国乙醇产量为9300万桶(39亿加仑),全年平均日产量为25.5万桶。2005年乙醇产量高于2004年的8100万桶(34亿加仑),2004年日产量为22.1万桶。12月份数据显示当月用于乙醇生产的玉米用量约为1.29亿蒲式耳,…     

PEG干旱胁迫对3种葱属植物种子萌发期渗透调节物质及酶活性的影响

为探明东北地区常见野生葱属植物耐旱能力,筛选野生葱属植物耐旱种质资源,本研究以野韭（Allium ramosum L.）、山韭（Allium senescens L.）和蒙古韭（Allium mongolicum Regel）3种葱属植物为材料,采用不同浓度的PEG-6000模拟干旱胁迫,分析其种子萌发期渗透调节物质及酶活性的影响,并结合主成分分析和隶属函数分析比较抗旱性。结果表明：干旱胁迫下,3种葱属植物种子萌发期相对电导率显著升高（P<0.05）,丙二醛、脯氨酸、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白含量及超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶、过氧化物酶、多酚氧化酶活性均呈现先上升后下降的趋势。3种植物相比,山韭相对电导率最低,渗透调节物质积累量最高,酶活性变化明显。主成分分析表明,4种酶活性之间显示出强相关性。隶属函数分析得出3种植物种子的抗旱性由高到低依次为：山韭 > 野韭 > 蒙古韭。     

Effects of poor forage conditions on the behaviour of grazing ruminants

Summary This paper shows that the study of animal behaviour is a valuable aid to the improvement of the management of grazing livestock under extensive conditions. The food available to grazing animals in developing countries, and particularly in the dry season in the tropics, is often of very low quality and, in addition, is frequently available at low densities per unit area. Grazing ruminants attempt to adapt to these adverse conditions by increasing the time for which they graze each day and also by dispersing more widely. However, the time for which animals can graze may be limited by solar radiation and fly irritation in the day, and by the confining of the animals in pens at night. The adverse effects of the above limitations may be partially overcome when adapted local breeds are used. Dispersion of animals improves their ability to make use of extensive pasture and in order to encourage it, an understanding of the factors that affect it such as breed difference, social behaviour, adaptation and location of watering points and other unique environmental factors must be achieved. The paper concludes with recommendations of areas worth further research.

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Effecto De Malas Condiciones Del Forraje Sobre El Comportamiento De Rumiantes En Pastoreo

Resumen Este articulo demuestra la importancia de estudiar el compartamiento de animales en pastoreo, para mejorar el manejo extensivo. El forraje disponible por unidad de superficie en países en vías de desarrollo es escaso y de mala calidad, sobre todo en época seca. Los rumiantes tratan de adaptarse a estas condiciones adversas incrementando el tiempo de pastoreo y dispersándose. Sin embargo el tiempo de pastoreo puede estar limitado por la radiación solar y la irritación causada por moscas durante el dia o porque los animales son encerrados durante la noche. Estos efectos pueden contrarrestarse utilizando razas criollas y bebederos estratégicamente localizados. Se requiere entonces más profundidad en estudios etológicos para incrementar la productividad de animales en pastoreo extensivo.

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Effets De Mauvaises Conditions Fourrageres Sur Le Comportement De Ruminants Au Paturage

Résumé Cet article montre que l'étude du comportement animal est une aide appréciable pour l'amélioration de la conduite du bétail au pâturage en élevage extensif. La nourriture disponible pour les animaux au pâturage dans les pays en développement, particulièrement en saison sèche sous les tropiques, est souvent de très faible qualité et, de plus, fréquemment disponible en faible densité par unité de surface. Les ruminants essaient de s'adapter à ces mauvaises conditions en augmentant leur temps de pâturage chaque jour et aussi en se dispersant plus. Cependant, le temps de pâturage peut être limité par les rayons du soleil et l'irritation due aux mouches le jour, et par le confinement des animaux à l'enclos la nuit. Ces effets défavorables peuvent être partiellement surmontés par l'utilisation de races locales adaptées. La dispersion des animaux améliore leur possibilité d'utilisation des pâturages extensifs et pour favouriser cela, une compréhension des facteurs qui les affectent comme la différence de race, le comportement social, l'adaptation et la situation des points d'eau et d'autres facteurs du milieu doivent être considérés. L'auteur conclut en recommandant d'autres recherches valables pour ces régions.

     

Morphology and water and lipid contents of stifle menisci of growing swine.

Morphology and distribution of water and lipid were examined in menisci of growing swine. The broadness of menisci and the size of protruded tissue in the inner anterior portion of menisci varied among animals. Small tears of tissues were frequently observed. Both the thickness and tissue weight were greater in the lateral than in the medial meniscus. Water content and intensity of glycosaminoglycan staining with safranin-O were found to be greatest in the inner one-third of the meniscus, and greater in the middle than in the outer one-third of the meniscus. Lipid content was greater in the outer one-third than in the inner two-thirds of the meniscus.     

Kinetic evaluation of normal walking and jumping in cats, using a pressure-sensitive walkway

The kinetic parameters of the limbs of 23 normal, client-owned cats were evaluated by encouraging them to walk and jump normally on a pressure-sensitive walkway. Each cat was encouraged to walk across the walkway five times over a period of 30 to 45 minutes (by using food, toys, the owner's presence and a purpose-built tunnel) at a target speed of 0.6 m/s (and an acceleration of less than +/- 0.1 m/s(2)). They were then encouraged to jump on to the walkway from a height of 1 m five times at five-minute intervals. The kinetic parameters of peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) were measured for each limb (the forelimbs only for the jumps), and expressed as a percentage of bodyweight (PVF(%BW) and VI(%BW/S)). Fifteen of the 23 cats satisfactorily completed three to five walks and two to five jumps that could be analysed. There were no significant differences between the PVF or VI of the left and right limbs, but both parameters were significantly greater for the forelimbs than the hindlimbs (P<0.001) for the walking data. The mean (sd) PVF(%BW) for the forelimbs and hindlimbs were 48.2 (6.0) and 38.3 (4.0), respectively, and the mean VI(%BW/s) were 16.9 (3.2) and 13.3 (2.8). Jumping down generated significantly greater PVF (P<0.01) and slightly greater VI than during walking; there were no significant differences between the left and right forelimbs. The mean PVF(%BW) was 148.9 (16.4) and the mean VI(%BW/s) was 18.1 (4.3).     

Effects of nonstructural carbohydrates and protein sources on intake, apparent total tract digestibility, and ruminal metabolism in vivo and in vitro with high-concentrate beef cattle diets

To investigate the effects of synchronizing nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) and protein degradation on intake and rumen microbial fermentation, four ruminally fistulated Holstein heifers (BW = 132.3 +/- 1.61 kg) fed high-concentrate diets were assigned to a 4 x 4 Latin square design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments studied in vivo and in vitro with a dual-flow continuous culture system. Two NSC sources (barley and corn) and 2 protein sources [soybean meal (SBM) and sunflower meal (SFM)] differing in their rate and extent of ruminal degradation were combined resulting in a synchronized rapid fermentation diet (barley-SFM), a synchronized slow fermentation diet (corn-SBM), and 2 unsynchronized diets with a rapidly and a slowly fermenting component (barley-SBM, and corn-SFM). In vitro, the fermentation profile was studied at a constant pH of 6.2, and at a variable pH with 12 h at pH 6.4 and 12 h at pH 5.8. Synchronization tended to result in greater true OM digestion (P = 0.072), VFA concentration (P = 0.067), and microbial N flow (P = 0.092) in vitro, but had no effects on in vivo fermentation pattern or on apparent total tract digestibility. The NSC source affected the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis in vitro, tending to be greater (P = 0.07) for barley-based diets, and in vivo, the NSC source tended to affect intake. Dry matter and OM intake tended to be greater (P > or = 0.06) for corn- than barley-based diets. Ammonia N concentration was lower in vitro (P = 0.006) and tended to be lower in vivo (P = 0.07) for corn- than barley-based diets. In vitro, pH could be reduced from 6.4 to 5.8 for 12 h/d without any effect on ruminal fermentation or microbial protein synthesis. In summary, ruminal synchronization seemed to have positive effects on in vitro fermentation, but in vivo recycling of endogenous N or intake differences could compensate for these effects.     

Gross Anatomy of the Pancreatic Lobes and Ducts in Six Breeds of Domestic Ducks and Six Species of Wild Ducks in China

A previously unreported pancreatic duct was found by Liu (1989) in Pekin ducks. This duct has now been consistently found in six breeds of domestic ducks and six species of wild ducks in China. For purposes of Nomina Anatomica Avium it is hereby called the ‘first pancreatic duct’(Ducius pancreaticus primus) since it enters the duodenum at or near the flexure where the descending duodenum becomes the ascending duodenum. All other pancreatic ducts enter the duodenum later, closer to where it joins the jejunum. This first pancreatic duct drains the caudal extremity of the dorsal lobe of the pancreas and can be easily exteriorized for experimental purposes. Within the parenchyma of the dorsal lobe of the pancreas this duct communicates with the dorsal pancreatic duct. In the present study of the gross anatomy of the pancreatic lobes of domestic and wild Chinese ducks we describe and illustrate variations in position and number of all biliary and pancreatic ducts.